Two Opportunities to Make a Difference

HB 07-1118 Statewide Graduation Requirements:

This bill requiring the State Board of Education to establish statewide minimum graduation requirements was passed by the Senate Education Committee on March 21st and will be heard in the Senate on Monday, March 26th. 

There is concern from bill sponsors and supporters that mandatory components from SB 07-131 (which would have required 4 years of math and 3 years of science) will be inserted into HB 07-1118 through the amendment process on the floor of the Senate.  Some of the context of the anticipated debate can be found on the Colorado Association of School Boards web site at this link: http://capwiz.com/casb/issues/alert/?alertid=9447161 

Some Senators who may feel strongly about turning HB 07-1118 into a mandatory check list of seat time rather than going forward with the consensus building process that is currently embodied in HB 07-1118 are  Senators Groff, Penry, Romer and Tapia.

Contact the members of the Senate and tell them you support the bill as it came out of the Senate Education Committee and ask that they support Colorado's constitutional right for school districts to develop education policies that are most appropriate for the communities they serve by keeping the original intent of HB 07-1118.

You can find the names of your Colorado Senators and Representatives, as well as their contact information at:
http://www.comaps.org/allsearch.html

Give Your Opinion On The Next Commissioner of Education for Colorado:

The National Association of School Boards is assisting Colorado's process in searching for the best candidates for this important position.  They have requested public input.  Please email COsearch@nasbe.org with your opinions about the following questions:

• What are the most critical education issues in Colorado?

• What are the skills, characteristics, and competencies the next Commissioner will need to address these issues?

• What advice would you give to the Board as they move through this process?

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Questions or comments? E-mail us at info@balancededucation.com or call (303) 459-2295

© 2007 Advocates for a Balanced Education

http://www.BalancedEducation.com

Alert 4               March 2007

About ABE: 
We are a Colorado non-profit organization concerned about the narrowing of the curriculum and the marginalization of arts and humanities as a result of high-stakes testing, snapshot accountability, and higher education requirements placing de facto mandates upon K-12 public education.

     Fifteen leaders from education, public service and business form the board of Advocates for a Balanced Education and share a desire to offer students-become-adults the balanced education which will provide them with the necessary skills  for economic self-sufficiency and participation in a self-governing society.

     For that purpose, our goal is to assist  educational policy makers at all levels of state and local government, as well as the citizenry of communities in supporting the inclusion of the arts and humanities as an essential part of Colorado’s K-12 public education system.