Pop Quiz:

1) When faced with a challenging problem, which employee would you prefer:
a) One who takes ownership and works creatively and cooperatively to solve it.
b) One who points fingers and explains why fixing it is impossible.

2) Facing the possibility of a challenging semester, how would you advise a student:
a) “The harder you work, the more you’ll get out of it.”
b) “Aren’t there easier classes you can take?”

There’s no question: when the going gets tough, effort matters. As employers, parents, and citizens, we don’t expect perfection, but we demand commitment, perseverance, creativity and accountability.… Read more »

There’s no polite way to say it: Colorado’s Constitution is simply at war with itself.  It’s been on a collision course for some time, but the Great Recession of 2008-10 hastened the inevitable train wreck.

How is Colorado currently violating the Constitution?  Let us count the ways.

1) “Thorough and uniform.” In the Lobato case, after a five-week trial, Denver District Court Judge Sheila Rappaport found that our current school funding system fails to provide the “thorough and uniform” system of free public schools promised by the constitution.  Calling the status quo “unconscionable,” Judge Rappaport found that there is … Read more »

Once upon a time (in 2005), the voters of Colorado passed Referendum C, because of the threat that K-12, higher ed and other critical services would face deep cuts if it failed.

Cut to 2012, when there’s a collective sigh of relief that this year’s reduction in funding to public schools and higher ed will be in 8-digits (tens of millions) instead of 9-digits (hundreds of millions).   After years of successive cuts, it seems we’re getting used to it –  as if this is just the “new normal.”

But taking a step back can provide a whole new perspective on … Read more »

Today, as expected, Attorney General John Suthers filed the state’s notice of appeal of the decision in the Lobato case.  In that decision,  the trial judge ruled that Colorado is not complying with the Constitutional right of every child to a “thorough and uniform system of free public schools.”

Last month Great Education Colorado and Colorado PTA submitted a letter with over 1,900 signatures from over 180 communities to state officials, calling on them to enforce rather than appeal Lobato.

Great Ed’s statement in response to today’s appeal is below.  Comments from the plaintiffs’ attorneys follow.

NEWS RELEASE

January … Read more »

MEDIA RELEASE
December 21, 2011 1500+ Public Education Supporters Call on State Leaders to Reconsider Decision to Appeal Lobato Decision:“Please stop wasting our tax dollars defending an indefensible school funding system”

DENVER — Great Education Colorado, a nonpartisan, grassroots, statewide organization that advocates for improved public education through increased, wise investment in Colorado’s schools, colleges, and universities issued the following statement:

“We are disappointed that the state has decided to appeal the Lobato decision before seeking and receiving more input from the people of Colorado.   Nonetheless, with today’s decision by the State Board of Education to delay their … Read more »

“Leaders Reaction will Determine the Quality of Education and Future of our State and Economy”

MEDIA RELEASE

DENVER — Great Education Colorado, a nonpartisan, grassroots, statewide organization that advocates for improved public education through increased, wise investment in Colorado’s schools, colleges, and universities issued the following statement:

“This decision is great news for Colorado’s students — as well as for our communities and our economy.  After conducting the most thorough review of Colorado’s public education system in decades, Judge Rappaport came to the inescapable conclusion that Colorado is failing to provide the resources necessary for our children to succeed.  Anyone who believes she could have come to any other conclusion needs to read the facts laid out in her opinion.

“This decision is a wake up call for Colorado.  The future of our state and economy depend on whether our state leaders heed that call or bury their heads in the sand.  The fact that this decision was issued on the same day that Jeffco Schools announced it would have to shed almost 600 employees in the next two years proves that our children cannot wait another day for state leaders to roll up their sleeves and find a way to stop shortchanging the future.

“The judge’s decision makes it clear that underfunding education is not just bad policy for our students and our economy — it’s unconstitutional.  We hope and trust that our legislators will rise to the occasion and will focus on our children and future, rather than delay with pointless appeals.”

Click here to read the Judge’s ruling.

Early Media Coverage:

Fox31 News:

9 News: Judge: Colo. education funding unconstitutional

KKTV (Colorado Springs):

Call it coincidental or ironic: this year, the governor was statutorily required to propose his budget on election day.

Proposition 103 provided Colorado with its only opportunity to avoid a fourth year of cuts to K-12 and continued cuts to higher education. The polls hadn’t even closed by the time Governor Hickenlooper’s budget unveiled the concrete implications of not passing Proposition 103.

Ed News reports:

The plan proposes an $89 million reduction in total program funding, the combination of state and local revenue that pays for basic instructional operations. That’s about $160 a student. Current total program funding is about $5.2 billion, down some $228.9 million, about 4.2 percent, from 2010-11. Current average per pupil funding is a little under $6,500.

Direct state support of state colleges and universities would drop 9.7 percent, taking it to $563 million from the current $619 million, which includes $519 million for institutions and $100 million from financial aid. Next year institutional support and financial aid each would take $30 million cuts.

To put the governor’s proposed cuts in perspective:

It reduces average per pupil funding below FY06-07 levels.  (Subtract $160 from the 2011-12 bar in this graph provided by the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute):

Between a statement by Governor Hickenlooper and a new study by the Bell Policy Center, fatal holes have been shot through the two chief arguments that Proposition 103 opponents have been pushing over the past several months.

Myth #1: There is no guarantee that the revenues raised under Prop 103 will go to education.

Truth: The language of the initiative has always made it clear that the dollars would go to preschool, K-12 and higher education:

ALL REVENUES RAISED BY THE INCREASE IN TAXES IMPOSED PURSUANT TO THIS MEASURE SHALL BE APPROPRIATED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ONLY FOR THE COSTS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION FROM PRESCHOOL THROUGH TWELFTH GRADE AND PUBLIC POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION AND SHALL BE IN ADDITION TO AND NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR MONEYS OTHERWISE APPROPRIATED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR THE COSTS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION FROM PRESCHOOL THROUGH TWELFTH GRADE AND PUBLIC POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION . . .

Now, Governor Hickenlooper has closed the door on any possibility that the dollars could be directed elsewhere.  On Monday, the Governor told reporters:

“If it passes, I would certainly veto an effort to take that money away from education. If the voters of Colorado say they want something, my job is to make sure they get what they voted for.”

Bottom line: Every dollar will go straight to education.

Myth #2: Proposition 103 will result in job losses.

Truth: The study that opponents have been citing for this proposition has been debunked already.  Now, the Bell Policy Center has issued a report that summarizes academic research on taxes and economic growth and presents data on the effects of tax increases enacted by other states:

In fact, analysis of more than 100 academic studies ….finds that spending on public services has a positive effect on economic growth….[I]ncreases in spending for infrastructure and education, in particular, were most consistently correlated with economic growth.

The report concludes:

[C]ontinued cuts in education spending will cost us jobs and, over the long run, will likely hurt the quality of our workforce, making Colorado less attractive to businesses and individuals looking to relocate.

Passing Proposition 103 is good for Colorado’s students, their families and schools.  It helps protect against future cuts in education spending, adds to our long-term economic competitiveness and does so without harming our economy.

Now to focus on the central question presented by Proposition 103: should Colorado voters take action to prevent a fourth year of education cuts and start reinvesting in our students, our economy and our future?

NEWS RELEASE

October 20, 2011

DENVER, Colo. – Reminding state leaders that “kids can’t afford [a] fourth year of short-sighted and irresponsible cuts to our schools, colleges and universities,” over 1200 Colorado citizens today called on all legislators and the governor to support Proposition 103.  That citizens’ initiative provides the only opportunity to prevent hundreds of millions in cuts to education in next year’s budget.

The letter, signed by individuals from more than 140 communities, was coordinated by Great Education Colorado Action, a statewide, nonpartisan, grassroots organization that advocates for improved and wise investment in Colorado’s education system, preschool through higher education.

With the submission of the letter, state leaders are being asked two questions:

First, will you support Proposition 103?

Second, regardless of your position on the initiative, will you pledge that, if Proposition 103 prevails, you will implement the statute as enacted by the voters and oppose any effort to overturn it?  We ask because Proposition 103′s very specific requirement that the new revenues be used for education could only be changed if the General Assembly (i.e., you and your colleagues) actively seek to reverse the will of the voters.

Responses to the inquiry will be posted on Great Education Colorado Action’s website: http://www.greatedaction.org.

You can view the letter and signatures here.

A standing room only crowd gathered at the Denver Athletic Club last month for the First Annual Great Education Colorado Luncheon honoring Cary Kennedy.

The diverse audience included activists, philanthropists, parents and grandparents, superintendents, both the Colorado House and Senate Education Committee chairs and numerous legislators, former Governor Bill Ritter and former Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff.

Great Ed Executive Director Liane Morrison and luncheon honoree Cary Kennedy.  See more photos here

The Luncheon was emceed by Channel 9′s Gregg Moss.  Governor John Hickenlooper made a surprise entrance to welcome guests.  They also heard from Senator Michael Johnston about the need to match critical education reforms with resources necessary to make them successful, and from Denver Mayor Michael Hancock about his plans to focus on education as the key to long-term economic vitality and community strength.

Mayor Hancock also praised Cary Kennedy, whom he recently appointed as Denver CFO and Deputy Mayor, and introduced this video:

As the honoree and keynote speaker, former Treasurer and Denver CFO Cary Kennedy told the audience that Colorado’s future depends on education reform, budget reform and renewed investment in the education of our children.

Great Ed thanks all those attending for a unique and spectacular event!  We’re looking forward to next year!