The same week as several Republican state legislators launched their "First Class Education for Colorado" ballot initiative proposal, following a national organization's lead in calling upon school districts to spend at least 65 percent of their operating budgets in the classroom, the Denver Public Schools Board of Education makes this declaration under the announcement of its proposed 2005-2006 budget: DPS Budget Facts 69.1 percent of every dollar spent is allocated to instruction and instructional and pupil support. This includes the learning support provided by counselors, librarians, nurses and others, in addition to books, supplies, computers and other classroom equipment. 23.4 percent of every dollar covers school … [Read more...]

Yesterday I asked to see what the CEA's reaction would be to the "First Class Education for Colorado" proposal that would put 65 cents of every dollar of current education expenditures into the classroom. Well, the Rocky Mountain News got the scoop on that one this morning: "The Colorado Education Association, the union of teachers, views the proposal as more political than educational, spokeswoman Deb Fallin said. "What is valuable for kids is a lot bigger than what Rep. Stengel is proposing," Fallin said. "It includes counselors, school nurses, teacher training and curricular development. "School counselors are very key to student achievement and success and to reducing the dropout level." Interesting analysis. Ask the … [Read more...]

While most of Colorado's political observers have their eyes fixed on this year's fight over Referendum C or towards next year's gubernatorial race, a highly important new development was scheduled to emerge at a press conference this morning at the State Capitol. House Minority Leader Joe Stengel (R - Littleton) and several of his Republican colleagues have unveiled an initiative they are promoting to put on the ballot in the November 2006 general election. "First Class Education for Colorado" would encourage every school district in the state to spend 65 cents on every dollar (excluding capital construction projects) in the classroom. Most people may be startled to learn how little of their designated K-12 education tax dollars … [Read more...]

While I plan to blog on this more at length later this week, I wanted to pass on the information about today's hearing of the complaint by Fort Collins parents Wayne Rutt and Paul Marrick against the teachers' union. A good summary update can be found over at "From the Desk of...." Let me just add these observations of the tedious all-day affair: the CEA / PEA legal team passed up the chance to cross-examine the complainants' campaign expert Rich Beeson and instead filed another motion to dismiss, mostly on flimsy charges (the judge ruled against them on all but one count). It was a sight to see when Marrick's and Rutt's attorney Scott Gessler unloaded both metaphorical barrels on the union's political expert Craig Hughes. The … [Read more...]

Looking for a worthwhile cause to support? Know someone who is? Then please read this message from Paul Marrick, co-founder of Parents for Truth in Education: We’re two parents in the town of Fort Collins, Colorado. Next week we go head-to-head with the teachers unions in court, and we desperately need to get the word out about our cause. We filed a legal complaint against our local union for violating election law last year. In our first hearing, the union’s motion to dismiss was rejected and we managed to get the statewide Colorado Education Association and the local school district enjoined as co-defendants. We go to trial next week. Our legal complaint states that the union illegally conducted blatant campaign … [Read more...]

The Colorado Education Association (CEA), the state's largest teachers' union as well as the largest roadblock in the path of true education reform, was called to the carpet today in an awesome column by the Denver Post's David Harsanyi - "True or false: Union backs school choice." Of course, the answer is a resounding "False," though you have to wade through the garbled doublespeak of union officials to see it clearly. Harsanyi's column unravels a recently published letter from CEA President Ron Brady written in response to one of his earlier pieces. With today's offering, Harsanyi again proves that he is at his best when he exposes union officials' duplicity: Being accused of having a "narrow view" on education by a group that … [Read more...]