Here’s Hoping for a Real Common Core Debate… and Some Real School Choice

by Eddie | 4:29 pm, April 8, 2013

More than two-and-a-half years ago, the Colorado State Board of Education adopted the Common Core standards. Just this last December the State Board took another careful look at the decision, as this School Reform News article by my Education Policy Center friend notes. For a number of reasons, the issue has gained greater national notoriety [...]

Liberty Common HS Principal Bob Schaffer Honored for State Board Service

by Eddie | 1:37 pm, December 5, 2012

Not many students can say their principal has served in Congress and chairs the State Board of Education. Perhaps even fewer can say their principal also has been a great champion for parental choice and positive educational transformation. In fact, that’s probably a unique distinction that belongs to the chartered Liberty Common High School in [...]

State Board OKs Two More Falcon Innovation Schools; One Banishes Tenure

by Eddie | 10:25 am, August 10, 2012

When Colorado passed the first-of-its-kind Innovation Schools Act in 2008, observers knew that the law was primarily tailored to transform the most challenging campuses in Denver Public Schools (DPS). And so it largely has played out. No one else has matched the 24 DPS schools who have taken advantage of the Act’s process to transform [...]

A Good Balance? Louisiana Brings New Kind of Accountability to Voucher Schools

by Eddie | 11:10 am, July 25, 2012

Choice and accountability are two words you’ll hear my Education Policy Center friends say quite a bit if you’re around them enough. Empowering families with a broader range of educational options, and providing transparent information about — and real consequences for — a school ’s learning results, are two general principles they and I regularly [...]

Latest Filings in Lobato Case Remind of Need for Real School Finance Reform

by Eddie | 4:09 pm, July 19, 2012

Ed News reports that the State of Colorado has laid out its detailed argument in the appeal of the Lobato school funding case. Former governors of both political stripes joined the University of Colorado Board of Regents and a coalition of business leaders in submitting their formal backing with the State and against the lawsuit:
The [...]

Six Falcon 49 Schools Win Innovation Status as Board Nears Important Crossroads

by Eddie | 12:33 pm, June 14, 2012

About six weeks ago I shared with readers that the Falcon School District 49 innovation plan was nearing a crossroads. That crucial time may now be upon us. As reported in the Colorado Springs Gazette, the Colorado State Board of Education yesterday unanimously approved requests to give six District 49 schools official innovation status:
“Innovation is [...]

Video: Time to Rethink How Colorado Finances Student Learning Success

by Eddie | 11:52 am, May 10, 2012

“Before we can do anything to fix Colorado schools, we just need to give them more money. …Right?” Well, Colorado taxpayers can’t afford to dish out more any time soon. Especially since the per-pupil spending increases of the past decade didn’t significantly impact student learning, and Colorado brings in more than $10,000 in tax revenues [...]

SB 172 Testing Consortium Dispute Colors Last Days of Legislative Session

by Eddie | 11:32 am, May 7, 2012

Phew! There are only a few days left in Colorado’s legislative session, but there are still education bills left that deserve our attention. My new grown-up friends at Parent Led Reform today have their sights set on stopping Senate Bill 172, one of the shortest pieces of legislation you may ever lay eyes on:
The bill [...]

Advancing Digital Learning Reforms Means Hard (and Smart) Work Lies Ahead

by Eddie | 1:22 pm, April 25, 2012

Digital learning is much more than a buzzword. It’s a real trend in K-12 education that’s growing faster than any single person or entity can keep up with. The effective use of technology in instruction to enhance student learning experiences takes on a variety of forms — including full-time online education programs and numerous blended [...]

Dougco, Dougco, Dougco! State Board Reapproves Teacher Licensure Waiver

by Eddie | 1:09 pm, April 19, 2012

Before diving in, I have to be up front with you: Yes, this is the third time in less than 10 days I’m writing about Douglas County. (And it has nothing to do with the fact that the first legal documents were filed this week in the appeal of last August’s district court permanent injunction [...]

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• PPC Training for Activists

  UPDATE: Something apparently got messed up with the PayPal buttons during this past weekend’s database glitch – fixed now. Yes, it’s that time again — PPC will be conducting training classes for center-right activists on Saturday, April 20 and Saturday, April 27, at Independence Institute in Denver. The tentative class schedule is as follows: Saturday, [...]

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