Chalkbeat, Mon. 1/13/15  Testing task force remains divided on some issues as finish line nears  Article paints a picture of a divided, unfunded and unrepresentative task force, and their final recommendations will reflect that.

Denver Post, Mon. 1/13/15 Task force recommends reducing Colorado testing burden  Detailed description of the task force recommendations that reflect both agreements and disagreements among the group.

Flood information for Weld, Boulder, & Larimer Counties: http://flood2013.weldgov.com/

https://bouldercolorado.gov/water/boulder-flood-info

http://www.larimer.org/emergency/emergency_detail.cfm?nam_id=100

Denver Post 10/8/12 Colorado schools savor mill levy overrides but broader solution needed

Governor’s Budget Release from CEA Comm

SVVSD Board gives unanimous OK for $14.8 M request  – August 8, 2012

Teachers, students, parents rally for education funding in Colorado – 4/11/12
Public education is good for students, good for the state and good for the economy, so funding it adequately should be a priority.

No Child Left Behind Colorado Waiver
This is a positive development for Colorado and St. Vrain. Below is a helpful Q & A provided by CEA.
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Governor Wants to Restore Proposed Ed Cuts
Denver Post article on the Governor’s plan to restore cuts to education.
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Historic Ed News
Validating what Colorado’s public school employees have know for decades, Denver District Judge Sheila Rappaport ruled on Friday, December 9, in the case Lobato vs. State of Colorado, filed in 2005, that Colorado’s public school funding system is “significantly underfunded” and is not “thorough and uniform” as mandated by the Colorado Constitution. Judge Rappaport said the state has “failed to respond to the increasing resource needs driven by standards-based education.” Much of the ruling focuses on the underfunding of mandated statewide assessments, and we all know too well the resulting damage.

This ruling provides the spark we have needed, and while it is certain to be appealed to the Colorado Supreme Court, it is a bold statement about the pathetic state of Colorado’s K-12 funding. Several more years of judicial, legislative and voter action lie ahead, but the ruling provides us a rallying cry at both the state and local levels right now.

Read about the ruling and get invigorated for the challenges that lie just ahead.

Denver Post editorial: Ruling requires ed funding reset – 12/10/11
Judge rips schools’ funding – The Denver Post – 12/10/11
Denver court decision says state is underfunding education by billions – The Denver Post 12/9/11

Hickenlooper’s Proposed 2012-13 Education Budget
Get information on the proposed budget here.

Grassroots St. Vrain Supports Local Public Education
Grassroots St Vrain is an independent, non-partisan organization made up of hundreds of volunteers committed to informing and activating citizens on education related issues in the greater St Vrain Valley towns of Longmont, Niwot, Hygiene, Lyons, Mead, Erie, and the tri-town area of Dacono, Firestone, and Frederick, Colorado.
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Colorado budget projections show deficit of up to $500 million next fiscal year
Article from the Denver Post about Colorado’s revenue situation
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NEA E-Newsletters
Subscribe Now! Sign up for one of our distinct newsletters and get everything from practical classroom tips and advocacy ideas, to education news and professional development resources — delivered directly to your inbox. You can change or cancel your subscription anytime.
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I CAN DO IT!
SVVEA is pleased to present to our members a program of classroom management that comes from the very classrooms it is designed to serve. I CAN DO IT! is designed for K-12 teachers within their first five years of teaching.
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Believe in a Better Colorado
Believe in a Better Colorado is an unprecedented alliance among the state’s three largest education associations to inform public school employees and citizens about Colorado’s dwindling tax base for essential public services. The ultimate goal is to adopt a new tax system to fund public services that are critical to our states future – such as K-12 and higher education, health care and transportation.
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