The Colorado State Board of Education this week unanimously approved its legislative priorities for 2011, establishing 10 broad themes and related, specific detail.
The 10 priorities are:
1. School Finance—Support efforts to improve the long-term financial stability of education funding and develop a comprehensive school finance solution.
2. Support Colorado’s Education Reform Agenda—Maintain Colorado’s current education reform efforts and permit sufficient time and resources for complete implementation.
3. Great Teachers and Leaders—Support implementation of legislation to ensure effective Colorado students have great teachers and leaders in every classroom.
4. Statewide System of Accountability and Support—Continue to develop a consistent and comprehensive statewide system of support that helps schools and districts build the capacity needed to achieve ambitious student outcomes.
5. Closing the Achievement Gap—Continue efforts and funding to implement proven, evidence-based programs and strategies for closing the achievement gap.
6. Standards and Assessments—Continue statewide transition to and implementation of internationally benchmarked Colorado standards that are aligned with the Common Core standards.
7. Innovation and Choice—Support Colorado’s ability to assure high-quality public school choice for every student.
8. Early Childhood Education—Support efforts to increase access to family literacy and high-quality, voluntary, early-childhood education.
9. Data Collection and Access—Support approaches to measuring postsecondary and workforce readiness beyond student scores on state assessments.
10. State Board Authority—Support the Colorado State Board of Education’s constitutional responsibility for public schools through collaboration opportunities with the legislative and executive branches and with the private sector and through designation of the rulemaking authority rather than prescriptive statute.
More detail accompanies each of the legislative priority items.
Commissioner Jones’ Future
As part of his report, Commissioner of Education Dwight D. Jones took a few minutes to thank members of the Colorado State Board of Education for their support as he continues contract negotiations with the Clark County School District Board of Trustees. Last week Commissioner Jones was selected to serve as superintendent in Clark County, the Nevada district that includes Las Vegas.
Commissioner Jones cautioned that his comments were not a “goodbye speech” and applauded CDE staff for continuing to work on the tasks at hand. “I think the public needs to know that I am still giving my full time and attention to being commissioner in Colorado,” he said.
Teachers and Students Recognized
The board this week recognized of two educators from Colorado who are recipients of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. They are Carrie Heaney (Sky Vista Middle School, Cherry Creek School District) for secondary mathematics and Aaron Sams (Woodland Park High School, Woodland Park School District Re-2) for secondary science.
State Board of Education Chairman Bob Schaffer said the awards, which emanate from the White House, “shine a bright light on achievement in Colorado…Thank you for setting a standard and driving the achievement levels of our schools even further.”
Additionally, the board honored three Colorado students who were given the College Board’s State Advanced Placement Scholar Award—Jenny Wu (Cherry Creek High School), Kyle Hanson (Heritage High School) and Andrew Chevalier (home school).
The accomplishment, said Commissioner Jones, represents a “tremendous amount of work…we are honored to have you in our presence today.”
Other Action
In other action, the Colorado State Board of Education:
· Took action on disciplinary proceedings concerning licenses, charge no. 2010ECO4.
· Took action on disciplinary proceedings concerning a license, charge no. 2010EC19.
· Took action on disciplinary proceedings concerning a license, charge no. 2010EC20.
· Took action on disciplinary proceedings concerning a license, charge no. 2010EC21.
· Took action on disciplinary proceedings concerning a license, charge no. 2010EC22.
· Approved requests for approval of initial emergency authorizations (monthly total, 3).
· Approved the Undergraduate Secondary Science Teacher Preparation Program from the University of Colorado at Denver.
· Approved the notice of rulemaking concerning amendments to the rules governing the Educator Licensing Act of 1991 regarding the Standards for Linguistically Diverse Education Endorsement.
· Approved the notice of rulemaking regarding amendments to the rules for the administration of the Exceptional Children’s Education Act section 12.02(1)(g) pertaining to the Gifted Student Education budget.
· * Approved adoption of emergency rules amending the rules governing the Exceptional Children’s Educational Act, 1 CCR 301-8 regarding the granting of variances.
· Approved the new Gifted and Talented Teacher Preparation Program from Regis University.
· Approved amendments to State Board of Education 2008 administrative policies concerning Exclusive Chartering Authority.
· Approved cash flow assistance to South Routt, Eagle, Cripple Creek, East Grand and Westcliffe school districts (due to cancellation of the state treasurer’s Interest-Free Cash Flow Loan Program).
· Approved a motion finding that “Adams 14 School District did not improperly withhold any portion of the amount due Community Leadership Academy Charter School” and directing the charter school to pay costs to the department and to Adams 14.
Students at Landmark academy at reunion celebrate first annual latin culture week
Landmark Academy at Reunion , a tuition-free public charter school, recently hosted their First Annual Latin Culture Week, a week focused on educating students on the various aspects of Latin culture, from music and art to sports and celebrities, through unique activities. During the week-long celebration, students were able to step into the lives of the Aztecs, Incas and Mayans with Latin culture lessons through piñata making, cultural crafts, songs, traditional foods and more. Students made maracas and learned a traditional Mexican Hat Dance; created Aztec suns working with metal tooling; and studied different countries in Mexico , Central America and South America . Aztec dancers from the Colorado Folk Arts Council also visited with students and educated them on the spiritual and traditional aspects of Aztec culture through dance. “We reside in a community with strong Latin and Hispanic roots,” said Matt Carlton, principal of Landmark Academy at Reunion . “Our community culture is important to us at Landmark. By providing unique ways for our students to learn the various backgrounds of our diverse community they are able to understand and appreciate different cultures.” For more information about Landmark Academy at Reunion , please visit www.landmarkacademy.org.
