Fall 2007 statewide Education Report

Transcription

people | issues | news | schools | technology
Jared Polis Foundation
Education Report
Fall/Winter 2007
P.O. Box 4659 | Boulder, CO 80306
www.jaredpolisfoundation.org
303.865.3980
Dear Friends,
I am proud to share with you the Fall/
Winter 2007 education report. Twice
a year, we strive to provide Coloradans
with useful information on important and
timely issues in education, offer updates
on our programs and initiatives, and
highlight people and organizations making a
difference in the education community.
Now that the 2007-08 school year is well underway, this issue focuses
on topics directly related to the well-being of Colorado’s students and
schools, such as providing health care coverage for uninsured kids,
increasing the number of women in technology fields, and generating
financial support for our public school system through school trust lands.
In addition, you can read excerpts from an interview with Dwight Jones,
new Colorado Commissioner of Education, and find out about legislative
education-related developments and news from the Colorado State
Board of Education. We also invite you to read our full interview with
Commissioner Jones—as well as all the other stories in this issue and
much more—in the inaugural online version of the Jared Polis Foundation
Education Report at www.jaredpolisfoundation.org/jpfer.
The foundation continues to address the digital divide by distributing
computers to students, schools and nonprofit organizations, through
its partnership with the Community Computer Connection; expanding
educational opportunities for underserved students by supporting the
New America School and the Academy of Urban Learning; and honoring
outstanding educators through our annual Teacher Recognition Awards
ceremony. In this issue, you will find updates on all these efforts, as well
as read about our future plans.
Inside:
3
Legislative Session Update 4
Community Computer Connection 6
Uninsured Kids and CHP+
A Conversation with Colorado’s
New Commissioner of Education
8
State Board of Education News & Updates 12
Update | The New America School 14
Women in Technology 15
Teacher Recognition Awards 16
Student Profile | Mimi Van Chau 18
Update | Academy of Urban Learning 19
Colorado School Lands Trust 20
Parent Profile | Helen Garcia 22
School Profile |
Ricardo Flores Magon Academy
23
I hope you find this issue informative and interesting, and encourage
you to share your thoughts and suggestions with me at
[email protected]
Sincerely,
Gina Nocera
Executive Director
Editor | Spiros Protopsaltis
Writers | Liz Alkire, Kristin Bugbee, Gina Nocera,
Elise Keaton and Spiros Protopsaltis
Design | Stylus Creative
A
Uninsured Kids and CHP+
The Colorado Children’s Campaign estimates that 180,000 kids in
Colorado are uninsured. The State Children’s Health Insurance Program
(SCHIP), created by Congress in 1997, is a federal-state partnership that
provides health insurance to low-income children who do not qualify
for Medicaid, but whose families are financially unable to pay for private
insurance. For every $1 the state spends, the federal government adds
another $1.86.
Medicaid provides medical care for families who make 133% or less of
the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), or $27,465 annual income for a family
of four. Colorado’s Children’s Health Plan Plus (CHP+) provides health
care coverage to families who make more than 133% of the FPL, but less
than 205% of the FPL or $42,333 per year for a family of four. Services
include check-ups and immunizations, doctor visits, hospital services,
medications, mental health, vision and dental services, hearing aids and
prenatal care.
connect::
Colorado SCHIP Coalition |
www.coloradoschip.org
Colorado Health Foundation |
www.coloradohealth.org
Colorado Children’s Campaign |
www.coloradokids.org
Colorado Consumer Health Initiative |
www.cohealthinitiative.org
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation | www.kff.org
Fall/Winter 2007
In June, Governor Bill Ritter signed into
law Senate Bill 211, sponsored by State
Senator Bob Hagedorn (D-Arapahoe) and
State Representative Anne McGihon (DArapahoe), which enhances the CHP+ program. In addition to expanding
eligibility from 200% to 205% of the FPL, which took effect July 1, SB 211
allows for an increase in eligibility thresholds to 300% of the FPL ($61,950
annually for a family of four) by July 1, 2009. To identify and enroll more
eligible kids, the legislation authorizes the Department of Health Care
Policy and Financing to train and certify site assistants to help families
complete the applications for both Medicaid and CHP+. It also creates
an advisory committee in the department that will develop and oversee a
plan to provide health coverage for all low-income children in Colorado
by 2010.
The medical and financial benefits of providing
quality, preventative care to children are
substantial. “While SCHIP has widespread bipartisan support and has greatly reduced the
number of uninsured children, the challenge
ahead is to maintain and build on that success,”
says Lorez Meinhold, Program Director for the
Colorado Health Foundation. “If we’re serious
about addressing the problem of the uninsured
in our state, kids are an important place to
start.” To promote awareness, the Colorado
Health Foundation has joined other groups
statewide to get the message out. The Colorado
SCHIP Coalition was formed to educate, inform
and advocate for the expansion of the SCHIP
program, and has been vocal in its efforts to bring
policymakers and the general public on board to
help uninsured children receive the health services
they need.
Jared Polis Foundation Education Report
The Kaiser Family Foundation reports that
in 2006 the state’s share for CHP+ was
$32.44 million and the federal share was
$60.24 million. Currently, about 46,500
kids are enrolled in CHP+; however, an
additional 50,400 kids are eligible but not
enrolled.
In addition, three pilot sites have been established
to boost Medicaid and CHP+ enrollment. Aurora
Public Schools has developed a program that
targets five schools in Arapahoe County, and the
JeffCo Public Schools Medicaid program targets all
150 schools in the district, while Pueblo Step Up is
subcontracting with the Pueblo School District 70
and the Pueblo City School District 60 to process
Medicaid and CHP+ applications.
2007 Legislative Session Update
The Colorado General Assembly passed several education bills during the
2007 legislative session, many of which were signed into law by Governor
Bill Ritter. Enacted legislation included lowering the minimum age for
compulsory education; expanding opportunities for students to take
college courses in high school; increasing funding for supplemental online
courses; establishing state high school graduation requirements; and
streamlining school accountability reports. Here is a summary of some of
these new laws:
Senate Bill 16:
Minimum Compulsory School Age
(Sen. Abel Tapia, D-Pueblo; Rep. Bernie Buescher, D-Grand Junction.)
Lowers the minimum compulsory education age from 7 to 6 years of age
and specifies that parents who choose to home school their children are
not required to begin the program until the child is 7 years old.
Senate Bill 140:
Teacher Identifier System and Commission
(Sen. Nancy Spence R-Arapahoe; Rep. Debbie Benefield, D-Jefferson.)
Establishes a 13-member Quality Teacher Commission that will analyze
the achievement gaps among teachers and implement a teacher identifier
system to track teacher effectiveness. The identifier system will be
developed and implemented by 2009, and will help move more qualified
teachers to schools that need to improve their performance.
Senate Bill 148:
Fast-College/Fast-Jobs Program
(Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver; Rep. Edward Casso D-Thornton.)
Creates a pilot program to enable students who are enrolled in
participating high schools to simultaneously complete a high school
diploma and an associate’s degree or a career and technical education
certificate within five years, beginning in ninth grade.
Senate Bill 215:
Online Learning Education
(Sen. Sue Windels, D- Jefferson; Rep. Terrance Carroll, D-Denver.)
Provides online education accountability by creating a Division of Online
Learning within the Colorado Department of Education. The division
will work with the Commissioner of Education and the State Board
of Education to develop stronger accountability methods, oversee the
release of progress data, and ensure the use of curriculum in accordance
with state standards.
Senate Bill 239:
Long Appropriations Bill: Affordability
for College
(Sen. Abel Tapia, D-Pueblo; Rep. Bernie Buescher,
D-Grand Junction.)
Caps tuition increases at public postsecondary
education institutions for low- and middle-income
Coloradans at no more than 5% per year. Also
provides an 8.5%, or $7.4 million, increase in state
financial aid for eligible Colorado students.
House Bill 1048:
Longitudinal Analysis of Assessments
(Rep. Mike Merrifield, D-Colorado Springs; Sen.
Sue Windels, D-Jefferson.)
Helps parents’ and teachers’ understanding of kids’
progress in school by focusing on their individual
development during the school year through
longitudinal assessments (repeated observations
over time).
House Bill 1118:
High School Graduation Requirements
(Rep. Nancy Todd, D-Aurora; Sen. Ron Tupa, DBoulder.)
Requires the State Board of Education to adopt
guidelines for the establishment of high school
graduation requirements by July 1, 2008. This bill
allows districts to develop their own high school
graduation requirements, but they must meet or
exceed any minimum standards set by the state.
House Bill 1345:
School Accountability
(Rep. Tom Massey, R- Chaffee; Sen. Sue Windels,
D- Jefferson.)
Makes it easier for parents to understand and gain
access to how their kids’ schools are performing
by streamlining the three school accountability
reports into one easy-to-read report that will be
available online.
School Mill Levy Stabilization
On May 9, Governor Ritter signed into law the “School Finance Act
of 2007.” Coined the “Colorado Children’s Amendment,” the enacted
legislation ends the steady decline in the local share of K-12 education
funding. By reducing property tax rates (mill levies) in 33 school districts
and freezing property taxes in another 142 districts, the new law will
provide additional funding to school districts.
Mill levy stabilization halts automatic decreases in local property taxes
in some school districts, which has forced them to rely increasingly on
state coffers for the majority of their funding. While in 1989 the state was
responsible for only 43% of K-12 funding, by 2007 the state’s share had
grown to 64%. There was concern that decreased local funding would
mean decreased local control.
Although opponents of mill levy stabilization argued that it constituted a
new tax, which requires a vote under provisions of the 1992 Taxpayers’
Bill of Rights, the Colorado General Assembly Office of Legislative Legal
Services determined that the new law “clearly does not constitute a new
tax…for the purposes of the voter approval requirement section…of the
state constitution.”
Additional funds resulting from the mill levy stabilization will be used to
expand the number of slots in the Colorado Preschool Program and to
phase-in full day kindergarten.
Governor Ritter Appoints P-20 Education Council
In April, Governor Ritter created the P-20 Coordinating Council. The
council’s purpose is to align the state’s educational system from preschool through grade 20 (graduate school) and ensure that all students
are ready to successfully meet the needs of employers in today’s global
knowledge-based economy.
connect::
Colorado General Assembly | www.leg.state.co.us
P-20 Education Coordinating Council |
www.colorado.gov/governor/p-20-council.html
Fall/Winter 2007
Co-chaired by Lieutenant Governor Barbara O’Brian; Joe Garcia,
President of Colorado State University-Pueblo; and Bruce Benson, a
businessman, former chairman of the Metropolitan State College of
Denver board and past chair of Gov. Owens’ Blue Ribbon Panel on
Higher Education for the 21st Century, the council will meet indefinitely.
Recommendations that require legislation in the next legislative session
will be submitted by the end of November.
Community Computer Connection|
Helping
Computers have become an indispensable part of everyday life both at
work and at home for most people. Just think about how often you use
computers to access information, communicate with others, do your
job, shop and read the news. Technology is also an essential learning
tool and every child needs to become familiar with computers in order
to succeed. Unfortunately, many communities, schools and families lack
access to computers and the internet and have been left behind by
rapid technological advances. To help close this troubling digital divide,
Community Computer Connection brings computers to schools and
to youth-oriented nonprofits across Colorado, providing kids with the
opportunity to experience an enhanced educational environment.
Community Computer Connection would like
to extend a special “Thank You” to the following
corporate and community donors of computers
and technology equipment. It would not be possible
to succeed without your assistance.
From January through July, Community
Computer Connection distributed over 3,000
refurbished computers to 180 different schools
and nonprofit organizations. Of these, 41% have
gone to classrooms and school labs. In addition
to gaining essential computer skills, students
can use them to complete their homework,
research career options, complete multimedia
projects with their peers, and access online
journals and academic publications. Another
43% have been delivered to school- and nonprofit-based “Learn and Earn”
programs that reward students who complete a technology-focused
course with a computer for home. These home computers help students
maintain and further develop a variety of skills, such as keyboarding, graphic
design, software, and web-based research. Thanks to our generous donors,
Community Computer Connection has greatly expanded the number of
computers available for “Learn and Earn” programs.
• Exabyte Level (2000-2999 units)
Coors Brewing Company
The rest of the refurbished computers are distributed to youth-focused
nonprofit organizations for staff use. Girls Incorporated of Metro Denver,
a local affiliate of a national nonprofit organization, is among the many
recipient organizations. Dedicated to inspiring all girls to be “strong, smart,
and bold” and with a focus on high-risk and underserved communities,
Girls Inc. programs help girls value themselves, achieve their goals and
reach their full potential. “Our old computers were dinosaurs,” says Bonnie
Reeser Towbridge, director of development and communications. “With
the newer computers from Community Computer Connection, staff
productivity has gone through the roof! Because we’re more efficient in
our daily operations, we’re able to serve more girls.”
• Yottabyte Level (4,000+ units)
Qwest (has donated more than 11,000 units!)
• Zettabyte Level (3000-3999 units)
Lockheed Martin
• Petabyte (500-1999 units)
Eco-Cycle
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Vectra Bank
• Terabyte Level (300-499 units)
Boulder County Government
Boys and Girls Club of Metro Denver
Centura Health
Charles Schwab
City of Boulder
Denver Water
First Bank Network Services
Front Range Community College
Metropolitan State College of Denver
• Gigabyte Level (150-299 units)
Boulder Public Library
Budget Rent A Car Systems
City of Louisville
Denver Street Schools
FedSource
HUD
Maxtor
Providers’ Resource Clearinghouse
Regis University
connect::
Community Computer Connection | www.jaredpolisfoundation.org/computers
Girls Incorporated of Metro Denver | www.girlsincdenver.org
Schools and Youth-Oriented Nonprofits with Their Technology Needs
Social Security Administration
StorageTek
The Computer Group
Time Warner Cable
U.S. Nursing Corporation
Donor Spotlight|
Qwest Communications
Qwest Communications’ generous
contributions are critical to the mission of
Community Computer Connection. Since
2001, Qwest has contributed more than
11,000 units of computer equipment. These
computers fill more than half of the requests
from school and nonprofit “Learn and
Earn” programs in which students receive a
computer for home use after completing a
course of technology training.
Thank you, Qwest, for your ongoing support
and for your commitment to serving our
community!
Fall/Winter 2007
Qwest’s Dave Felice makes special efforts to
support our program. “Dave has served on the
Community Computer Connection Advisory
Committee since 2005, helps to promote our
program and stays informed about current
trends in electronics recycling and reuse,”
says Bob Townley, Community Computer
Connection program manager. “He’s a
wonderful resource.”
• Megabyte Level (50-149 units)
9News
Array BioPharma
Aurora Loan Services
Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll LLP
BNFL
Boulder County Health Department
Capitol Access Mortgage
Cardinal Health
Carver Elementary School-Creative Play Centers
Colorado Community Church
Colorado Rural Charter Schools Network
Colorado State Bank and Trust
Daniels Fund
Data Play
Denver Inner City Parish
Denver Public Schools
Education Commission
Encana Oil & Gas
Goldman Sachs & Co.
Intrado
Janus Fund
KCJD Architects
Kent Denver County Day School - Denver Summer Bridge Program
KWGN-TV
Mercy Housing
Mercy Services Corporation
Monument Academy
Ouray Sportswear
Outward Bound
Qwest Academy
Sherman & Howard
Weld County School District RE3J
Wells Fargo
Wild Oats Markets Inc.
A Conversation with Colorado’s New Co
In June, the Colorado Department of Education welcomed Dwight Jones
as the new Commissioner of Education. Jones was chosen unanimously
by the Colorado State Board of Education to replace William Maloney,
who had served as the Commissioner since 1997 and had announced his
plans to retire in June of 2007. He previously served as superintendent for
the Fountain-Fort Carson school district for four years and also served
on many committees and boards, including the Closing the Achievement
Gap Commission. Prior to moving to Colorado, Jones was an educator
in Kansas where he rose through the ranks of the Wichita school district
and eventually became superintendent, and was also an operational vice
president of Edison Schools, Inc.
This summer, we had a chance to ask him about a number of critical
issues and challenges facing Colorado’s education system during a very
interesting interview, excerpts of which follow. To read the entire
interview, including the commissioner’s views on unmet school capital
construction needs, teacher education and pay, and Governor Ritter’s P20 Education Coordinating Council, please visit www.jaredpolisfoundation.
org/jpfer/interview.
Almost two months have passed since the Colorado State
Board of Education unanimously appointed you as Colorado
Commissioner of Education. What are your first impressions of
the job and what are your top priorities for your first year at the
Colorado Department of Education?
Dwight Jones: “My first impression
would probably be that the job is huge.
As I have been meeting with legislators,
State Board of Education members,
educators and community members, I
am seeing that there are so many issues,
and the issues we have been discussing
are big. It isn’t something that you can
just say, ‘Well I will just do that and then I will fix that and just do this and
that will fix that.’ A lot of them are policy issues, some are philosophical
issues, and some of the issues have to do with how we feel about certain
populations of kids.
“So, we’re trying to put together a strategic plan here at the department
to prioritize. If we have a list of 20 things, then we know we can’t do all
20 things at once. Let’s try and prioritize which
of those things we think have the most urgency.
And then how do we go about supporting either
districts or schools, or helping to set policy across
the street [State Legislature] around things that
are the most urgent.
“In my first Chiefline [commissioner newsletter
to districts and schools] I listed what I consider
some of my non-negotiables. We have to do
something with the achievement gap, and it has to
be more than just talking about it. This state has
been talking about it for a long time and there has
not been a lot of action. We are getting ready to
release another round of CSAP scores and there
certainly has not been much result … So you can
see that that’s going to be a piece that we’ve got
to quit talking about and put resources behind it
if that is what it takes. Get focused around it and
start holding ourselves accountable to saying that
those results have got to change.
“[I] talked a little bit about early childhood
education making the list of things we really have
to focus on. I think the governor has made that
a priority and fought pretty hard to try to get
some additional funding to support either some
additional pre-school slots or some kindergarten
slots. I’m very supportive of that. I don’t think,
I know early childhood education makes a
difference.
“And finally, graduation rates. The state has to
identify how we are going to interpret graduation
rates. I think we have to get our arms around
where we’re not being very successful. And
graduating kids at the level that it has a rigor where
we don’t have to do quite so much remediation
at the next level, or that kids are college ready. I
am not saying every kid is going to go to college,
or has to go to college. I am saying, as a state, and
ommissioner of Education| Dwight Jones
ourselves as a department, we ought to help support every kid at least to
be college ready or that they or their families can make a choice so that
we don’t make that choice for them based on the fact that they don’t have
the necessary skills.”
During your four-year tenure as superintendent for the
Fountain-Fort Carson School District you successfully narrowed
the achievement gap and
you also served on the
Closing the Achievement
Gap Commission. What
“lessons learned” from
your experience can
inform efforts to close
the achievement gap
statewide?
“I know that funding is tight, but you typically find money for the things
that are really important to you. We still find money for roads, and that’s
important and we should find money for roads. We still find money for
other things. I think if the achievement gap was really important to us
we’d probably find a way to find some resources to help support that.
“Then there has to be a sense of urgency. I mean
the gap will exist as it does right now in this
state year after year after year unless someone
gets a sense of urgency around, we’ve got to
do something about it and we’ve got to do it
yesterday. So let’s go - it’s hard work, it’s being
very focused, and it’s a sense of urgency.
“And then the last thing for me is you really have
to expect that all kids can learn … If you have high
expectations for kids, you have to believe that
all kids can do high-level work … But we can’t
have this expectation for African American males
sending in a project at the high school, that it can
be a different level than the white kids. Sometimes
you know you will face some teachers that say,
‘Oh, I am just so glad they turned something in.’
That can’t be the expectation that we have. That
we’re just glad you turned something in. The
Continued on next page >
Fall/Winter 2007
“Now the practices that we focused on in [Fountain-Fort Carson school
district] are practices that everybody can do, and a lot of folks are doing:
student engagement; making sure that kids are engaged in class; making
sure that teachers are well trained; trying to hire the best and the
brightest; looking at direct instruction; doing spot observations and giving
teachers immediate feedback on the practice. None of those things are
rocket science and there are a lot of districts across the state that are
doing those kinds of things. And those things certainly matter.
“Number two, you have got to get pretty focused
about the things that make a difference. You can’t
be all things and do all things. So we like to say
that there are some leverage points that make
a difference like: aligning the curriculum, direct
instruction, spot observations … There is no
substitute for just good teaching. We didn’t think
that some program was going to fix the gap. We
thought that if we made sure all teachers were well
trained and then giving them the best tools and
practices to use would make a difference. And I
think that has made a difference.
“A frustrating lesson was
that there were a lot of
really good people with very
good ideas that were discussed and ultimately became part of the plan of
the Closing the Achievement Gap Commission. And nothing happened
with that. So, I guess one of my lessons was actually a lesson in frustration
because there was a lot of time and a lot of effort and as a superintendent
any time I am spending away from teachers and kids I think makes a
difference.
“I always say there are four things. One of them
is it is tremendous work, it is hard work, and I
am not sure everybody is willing to do the work
that it takes to actually narrow or eliminate that
achievement gap because it’s hard work. The
teachers and administrators in [Fountain-Fort
Carson school district] worked very, very hard.
expectation has to be that, I am glad you turned it in too, but you can do
better work. And so I am going to give it back to you and you’re going to
turn it in again.
“And so I do think it is that expectation, and what I have found is kids will
meet you there, kids usually meet you at about what ever you expect. So,
we don’t expect much, what do you think we get? Not much. If we expect
a lot more, what I have found, more so than not, is that you get a lot
more. So it is really kind of those four things, which everyone can do, I just
think a lot of us just don’t, and that’s the difference.”
Colorado has long been in the forefront of the school choice
movement. We were among the first states that passed
legislation enabling the creation of charter schools, intra- and
inter-district public school choice is offered statewide, and
online education is growing rapidly. But at the same time,
many parents are unaware of available choices or do not have
adequate information on how to navigate the choice process.
How can we improve the quality of information and enable
parents to access available options? In addition, there are
concerns about the effectiveness of existing accountability
systems. What is needed to ensure that all schools are held
accountable for their performance?
“A lot of parents I have talked to, they understand that choice is out
there. I think that some of them purposely make a choice to stay in their
current public school, even if their public school may not be doing very
well because here is a concept that I think a lot of parents embrace. There
will be a high percentage of parents that may not think that maybe some
schools are doing very well, but it’s not their school. Let me use the
example of some very under performing schools that a board might try
to close and when does a boardroom get packed? It gets packed by those
neighborhood parents that say ‘don’t close my school,’ and that school may
be underperforming like you would not believe.
“I still think there is a sense of loyalty and almost obligation to the system.
We don’t change the system, it’s a system we came through. So I don’t
know if it is because of lack of information, or just that folks have just
become accustomed to, this is a system that we are in, and it was good
enough for me, its good enough for my kids. I am not sure that matches
the changing world.
“The accountability measures are how we help
parents. What I have found in our district, and
we put a lot of information on our website, is
that parents shop their [district’s] website. And I
believe they looked at the accountability measures
and did some school comparison because I had
some parents come in and say ‘I picked your
district because I looked at the district I live in, and
your middle school is different than that middle
school, so we are driving everyday to come to
this [school].’ So I do think parents are becoming
better educated. And it isn’t just about test data,
it’s about safety; it’s about the attendance; it’s
about the teachers that you have; it’s about the
principal and how engaging they are. It’s about
all of those things. So I think that parents are
starting to shop that. That is why I agree that we
are trying to see if there is a way for us to get a
fairly comprehensive and consistent accountability
measure that parents can count on.
“So if we can get an accountability system aligned
that we can agree to, that includes more than just
test data, that includes pieces that parents would
like to look at as they start to evaluate, whether
it is a public school or a charter school, because
we have some charter schools that don’t perform
very well either. Parents need to have accurate
information. Some of the charter schools have
great marketing, but you have got to get past the
marketing and the glossy brochure to see what
really is happening, and probably the same thing
happens in some of our public schools. Some of
them are pretty good at the verbiage and the
marketing and what goes out. But if you are not
willing to dig underneath to make a determination
then I think sometimes we just accept what we see
or read.
Lowering high school dropout rates and
improving college access and success
are critical challenges facing Colorado. Dual enrollment
programs, also known as early college programs, that allow
high school students to take college courses and earn both a
high school diploma and a college degree simultaneously have
proven effective in both reducing high school dropout rates
and expanding postsecondary opportunities, and are being
implemented in several states. Do you think Colorado should
encourage the development of such programs in our high
schools, and if so, how can the state assist such efforts?
“Well, I think not only should we, I think we better. I am a huge supporter
of that concept; I think it’s got to happen. If we are even going to get to
the 20th century, I am not even talking about the 21st century, even to the
20th century we have got to put those pieces in place. Our kids are way
ahead of us, that’s what online has offered some of them. They’re already
taking college level classes sometimes even when their school doesn’t
allow it, they will go somewhere else, or they will be taking them online in
a different situation. Our kids are quite capable, I think the senior year has
been a wasted year. It could be a lot more, but ask the kids whether or
not, most of them work hard so that they can get all of their work done
and just lay back, chill, relax their senior year.
This transcribed interview was edited for length and clarity.
To read the entire interview, please visit:
www.jaredpolisfoundation.org/jpfer/interview
connect::
Colorado Commissoner of Education |
www.cde.state.co.us/index_commiss.htm
Fall/Winter 2007
“What we have found in that process was some kids that didn’t think they
were capable of going to college would take these college level classes and
all of a sudden they would say, ‘I can do that work.’ No one in their family
had ever gone to college, so they don’t know how that works. I think it
even broke down some of the cycles of generations of kids that hadn’t
even seen college as an option. We have to do it at the state level.”
“I am happy to say in our district kids could take college level classes that
we brought on to the campus and get full college credit their junior and
senior year, and we even had some very bright freshmen and sophomores
that were slipping into some of those classes, and the district paid for it.
We used our allocations so that kids could take it and didn’t have to pay.
We have kids graduate with 18-24 hours of college credit. Some of them
skip their freshman year of college.
We have to do
something with
the achievement
gap, and it has
to be more than
just talking about
it. This state
has been talking
about it for a long
time and there
has not been a
lot of action.
State Board of Education| News & Update
The State Board Welcomes its Newest Member
In January, the Colorado State Board of Education welcomed its newly
appointed member, Elaine Gantz Berman. Berman was selected by
fellow Democrats to represent the 1st Congressional District, and
replaced lawyer Rico Munn, who was appointed executive director
of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Services by Governor Bill
Ritter. Berman served as a member of the Denver Board of Education
for eight years, four of which as president. She is eager to “make some
significant changes” in our state’s education system and hopes to focus
on aligning elements of the state’s accountability system, which she feels
“are in conflict with each other and have become very tedious for school
districts” (1/15/07, Denver Post). She also wants to work on reducing the
dropout rate among students.
Colorado’s public education system; the role of
technology in educating our children will continue
to grow; and online education has significant
potential to help students succeed.
Dual Enrollment Programs
During its May meeting, the State Board of Education unanimously
repealed Rule 2254-R-5.18, which was passed in March 2003 after
the board received an inaccurate interpretation of a legislative audit
report. Rule 5.18 prohibited state funding for high school programs that
simultaneously lead to a diploma and an associate degree or career and
technical certificate, although they are allowed under state law. These
innovative programs have been demonstrated to increase high school
graduation and college-going rates for underserved students. This
decision now grants school districts the ability to develop such programs
using state funds and expands access to educational opportunities.
•
Among its several recommendations for
improving access, fueling innovation, strengthening
accountability, and improving education funding
models, the task force called for policymakers to:
•
•
•
•
Online Education Task Force
Established in January 2007 and co-chaired by Jared Polis and State
Senator Nancy Spence (R-Arapahoe), the Online Education Task Force
examined key issues related to online education and released its interim
report in March. The 17-member, bi-partisan task force held one public
hearing and three additional meetings where they received testimony
and deliberated their findings and recommendations. The report focuses
primarily on full-time online education, offers a background of the
issue and definitions of key terms, and addresses the following areas:
benefits and challenges, accountability, access, and funding. The task
force determined that online education has become a viable element of
•
Remove the current funding restriction that
requires online students to have completed
one semester in a public “brick and mortar”
school during the previous year;
Revisit and define “complete educational
program” in a way that allows for innovation,
and consider its application to online schools
and learning centers;
Clarify the application of rules and
requirements in the context of online learning
in a way that encourages supportive learning
environments that serve at-risk students, such
as learning centers;
Encourage state and/or district cooperation
for CSAP testing for online students;
Examine options for a state inter-district
entity for online school accountability such
as the Colorado Charter School Institute,
the Colorado Department of Education, or
Boards of Cooperative Educational Services;
and
The State Board of Education should
encourage partnering and collaboration
between districts with the online option
and those without their own online options
so that funding can be negotiated between
districts or could be taken from the district of
residence.
tes
Following its release, the report was distributed
to members of the Colorado General Assembly
and presented to the State Board of Education,
and its members also testified before the
Senate Education Committee. Several task force
recommendations were adopted and many of its
concerns were actively considered and discussed.
Senate Bill 215, which was signed into law by
Governor Ritter, enacted many of the task force
recommendations. This new law creates the
Division of On-line Learning in the Colorado
Department of Education, and an 11-member
On-line Learning Advisory Board appointed by
the Governor to monitor the division. It also
establishes guidelines and reporting requirements,
strengthens performance-based accountability,
and sets quality standards for online programs,
among other things.
Colorado State Board of Education |
www.cde.state.co.us/index_sbe.htm
Online Education Task Force Interim Report |
www.jaredpolis.com/pdf/
OnlineEducationInterimReport.pdf
Fall/Winter 2007
connect::
Update| The New America School
The New America School (NAS), a system of public charter high schools
founded by Jared Polis and dedicated to serving immigrant youth who
want to learn English and earn their high school diploma, held its third
graduation ceremony on June 8 at the Tivoli Center in Denver. More than
350 guests, including family members, friends, teachers and staff, were
there to honor the graduates and celebrate with them their educational
achievement. This year’s graduating class was the biggest ever: 75
students from the three NAS campuses in Lowry/Aurora, Northglenn,
and Lakewood successfully completed a rigorous academic curriculum
and met all of the graduation requirements, while improving their English
skills through intensive language instruction.
This graduation ceremony was particularly special for five graduates who
received four-year college scholarships from the Jared Polis Foundation
and the New America School. These students were selected through a
rigorous and competitive application process and they will attend local
community colleges beginning this fall.
The New America School is also expanding to meet the growing demand
for both educational opportunity and English language skills, and its new
campuses are located in diverse communities with the greatest unmet
need. The fourth campus opened its doors in August in Eagle County,
just west of the Vail ski resort, and will serve the large population of
English language learners in the area, beginning with a freshman class of
approximately 40 students. The Jared Polis Foundation welcomes the
principal of the new campus, Kathleen Brendza, a local educational expert
who brings years of leadership experience to the job. Well-known in the
community for establishing the Youth Foundation, which helps extend
educational opportunity to lower income students, Kathleen has also
received the Colorado Governor’s Award for Excellence in Education.
The Eagle County program will offer a full-time day and night high school
program at the new Gypsum campus.
connect::
www.newamericaschool.org
I
I
Women in Technology
Information technology has become an integral part of nearly every
aspect of society today, and its rapid development and utilization has also
brought a growing demand for a highly skilled workforce in this industry.
However, the need for IT professionals far exceeds the supply, and
unfortunately this situation is even more pronounced when it comes to
the number of women in IT-related fields.
Statistics clearly demonstrate the severity of this problem. While women
earned nearly 60% of all undergraduate degrees at U.S. colleges and
universities in 2006, only 21% of those degrees were earned in computing
and information sciences. In addition, there has been a 70% decrease in
incoming undergraduate women majoring in computer science between
2000 and 2005. The under-representation of women in technology in
the higher education system translates into the business world as well.
While women hold nearly half of all professional jobs, they hold less than
22% of software engineering positions. Also, among the top Fortune
500 IT companies, less than five percent of Chief Technical Officers are
women. This means that women use, but do not create, technology: 80%
of consumer spending decisions are made by women, but only 10% of
technology products are developed by women.
is imperative for increasing the number of females
involved in technological fields. Young girls—and
boys—are not being educated early enough
about the importance of their participation in the
development of technology,” says Sanders.
During its first four years, NCWIT has partnered
with K-12 schools and various organizations
to educate the public about the need for more
women in IT fields, and has provided resources
to teachers, parents, and students to help them
navigate the process of obtaining computer
science and IT degrees.
Sanders has focused on educating students early on about the importance
of IT fields and the future development of technology. “Increasing the
number of computer and technology classes available for K-12 students
connect::
National Center for Women
& Information Technology | www.ncwit.org
Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology |
www.anitaborg.org
Women in Technology Project |
www.womenintech.com
Center for Women & Information Technology |
www.umbc.edu/cwit/
Fall/Winter 2007
“It is very important that women be involved in the process of designing
and developing new technology,” says Lucy Sanders, president of the
National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), based
at the University of Colorado at Boulder. “Currently, most computing
technology is designed by men and often lacks the valuable technical
insights women can provide.” NCWIT is a newly formed coalition that
strives to unite all current efforts to increase the number of women in
the IT field, while developing more powerful ways to implement new
programs at K-12 schools and universities nationwide.
Several organizations try to attract more women into technology careers
by drawing attention to the shortage. The Anita Borg Institute for
Women and Technology, The Women in Technology Project, and The
Center for Women and Information Technology are among the groups
that help empower and educate women to become more involved in the
IT world.
The 2007 Teacher Recognition Awards
Every year, the Jared Polis Foundation looks forward to National Teacher
Appreciation week to honor outstanding teachers through our annual
award ceremony. On May 10th, we held our seventh annual Teacher
Recognition Awards Ceremony at the Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster
and celebrated 16 hard-working, talented teachers from schools across
the Front Range. Each demonstrated innovative and effective ways to
inspire students to learn and a commitment to working collaboratively
with colleagues to create a positive school environment.
These teachers stand out for their tireless and creative efforts to improve
student achievement. Through their remarkable dedication they have
inspired and transformed students’ lives and these awards represent the
community’s recognition of their hard work helping kids realize their
full potential. Outstanding teachers embody the best of the education
community and we are grateful for their work to build a brighter future
for our children.
Each teacher received a $1,000 award and each of their respective
schools received a $1,000 operating grant as well. “I was honored to
receive a 2007 Jared Polis Teacher Award because I know how much our
school will benefit from the funds,” said Abbi Kaplan, a 2007 honoree
from Hinckley High School in Aurora. Abbi teaches English, Humanities
and Journalism, and spends many hours after school running the school
newspaper and teaching students to edit, proofread and lay out the paper.
“I decided to allocate the $1,000 toward our newspaper budget in order
to create a more extensive publication next year. Students who work on
the newspaper were thrilled to hear about the upcoming improvements.”
More than 200 people, including awardees, nominees, and their families
and colleagues attended the event and enjoyed a free tour of the
wonderful butterfly pavilion. David DuVall, Executive Director of the
Colorado Education Association, was also there and he recognized the
honorees.
Recipients of the Teacher Recognition Awards were selected from
109 nominations submitted by colleagues, students, parents, and
other members of their school communities, and were reviewed by
an external review committee. The committee’s members included
Gina Nocera, Executive Director of the Jared Polis Foundation; Laurie
Hanson, Program Manager for Impact on Education; Dr. Leticia Alonso
de Lozano, who teaches at Boulder High School and was a 2006 Jared
Polis Foundation Teacher. Recognition Awards
honoree; Tori Merritts, immediate past president
of the Jefferson Foundation and former Jeffco
School Board member; Kathy Kelly, Executive
Director of the District 50 Education Foundation;
and Jared Polis Foundation intern Kristin Bugbee.
“The tremendous response we received to
our call for nominations clearly shows that our
communities recognize exceptional teachers
and appreciate their commitment to Colorado’s
students,” said Gina Nocera. “We were impressed
by the number and quality of this year’s nominees
and look forward to an even greater pool next
year. We will continue to engage communities
and raise awareness about the need to thank the
backbone of our education system, the wonderful
teachers in Colorado schools.”
The tremendous
response we received to our call for
nominations clearly
shows that our communities recognize
exceptional teachers
and appreciate their
commitment to
Colorado’s students.
2007 Jared Polis Foundation Teacher
Recognition Honorees:
www.jaredpolsfoundation.org/teachers
Fall/Winter 2007
connect::
• Kristen Jones, Boulder High School,
Boulder Valley School District
• Julie Marquez, Lafayette Elementary School,
• Kathy Claybaugh-Norgaard, Martinez
Elementary School, District 11 Colorado Springs
• Toni Burger, Bear Creek Elementary,
• Anne Turnacliff, Fireside Elementary,
• Trish Loeblein, Evergreen High School,
Jefferson County School District
• Thad Dingman, Superior Elementary School,
• David Tanaka, Pioneer Elementary,
• Jayne Treat Vahle, Bear Creek Senior High
School, Jefferson County School District
• Kimberlee Ryan, Boulder High School,
• Tina Falconer, Ranum High School,
Adams 50 School District
• Shelly Krill, Stargate Middle School,
• Lisa Hecox, Everitt Middle School,
Jefferson County School District
• Abbi Kaplan, Hinckley High School,
Aurora Public School
• Tanya Hale, Alsup Elementary School,
• Maryann Schafer, Fireside Elementary School,
Student Profile| Mimi Van Chau
Students today have busy and demanding schedules, so being involved, let
alone successful, in extracurricular activities can be very challenging. But
despite the difficulty, there are many students who successfully take on the
challenge and excel both in and out of the classroom.
A 2007 graduate of Iver C. Ranum High School in Denver, Mimi Van Chau
has actively participated in several community- and school-based programs
that have helped shape her character and optimistic view of the world.
In seventh grade, Mimi joined the University
of Colorado at Boulder’s Pre-Collegiate
Development Program, which provides
academic enhancement programs for first
generation and underrepresented middle
and high school students. “It is tremendously
rewarding to help these bright, motivated
students reach their higher education goals,”
says program director Sue McGilbray Lentz.
In ninth grade, Mimi became a mentor with Big
Brothers Big Sisters, a nonprofit youth mentoring organization. Then in
the eleventh grade, while visiting her local library, Mimi noticed a group of
young children hunched over the tables, working away. She learned they
were part of a tutoring program run by Growing Home, a Westminsterbased nonprofit organization that provides assistance to homeless families.
She signed up as a tutor and has volunteered with this program ever since.
All this work in the community did not stop Mimi from being engaged
in school programs as well. She cultivated her interest in international
issues as a member of her high school’s Amnesty International chapter,
and was president of the Math Engineering and Science Achievement
(MESA) club, which encourages “minority and female students to
prepare themselves for a college education and to major in mathematics,
engineering or science.” Mimi speaks with enthusiasm about a MESAsponsored engineering design contest in which groups of students
competed to build the tallest, most structurally sound “Spaghetti Tower”
out of marshmallows and dry spaghetti. The winning team’s tower had to
withstand a simulated earthquake.
While she remains very interested in engineering—and took summer
courses at the Colorado School of Mines—Mimi is drawn to medicine.
“I like variety in my work and I like to see results
immediately,” she says. With a strong interest in
international issues and helping others through
medicine, she hopes to have the opportunity to
live and work abroad and become involved with
another well-known international organization,
Doctors Without Borders, after completing
medical school.
Motivated, energetic, and encouraged by
her mentors at the University of Colorado,
Mimi applied for a prestigious mentorship
and scholarship program called Greenhouse
Scholars—a nonprofit organization that provides
personal, financial and academic support to highperforming, under-resourced students and helps
them develop the ability to lead positive change in
their communities. She was accepted.
As the first person in her family to attend college,
Mimi was attracted to Greenhouse Scholars
because of the program’s mentorship component.
“I think every young person needs someone
older and more experienced to look up to and
learn from,” she says. Mimi just started classes at
Stanford University and will meet with her mentor
at least two hours each month during the next four
years. We wish Mimi all the best and congratulate
her for all she has already accomplished in the
community.
connect::
Iver C. Ranum High School | www.rhs.adams50.org
University of Colorado Pre-Collegiate Development
Program | www.colorado.edu/SASC/pcdp.html
Growing Home | www.growinghomecolorado.org
Big Brothers, Big Sisters | www.biglittlecolorado.org
Math, Science, Engineering Achievement (MESA)|
www.cmesa.org
Greenhouse Scholars Program |
www.greenhousescholars.com
T
Update| Academy of Urban Learning
The Academy of Urban Learning (AUL) is a small Denver charter high
school serving youth whose education is at risk due to homelessness,
unstable living conditions or difficulty succeeding in other school settings.
The school’s goal is for students to receive a high school diploma and
achieve economic self-sufficiency through a competency-based program
and comprehensive social services for their non-academic needs.
On June 1, AUL held its second graduation ceremony and honored seven
graduates who completed the school’s project-based curriculum, which
focuses on the four core subjects, as well as portfolios and presentations
of learning. The graduates also completed a senior seminar class that
required them to plan for their future by applying for postsecondary
education and writing a five-year post-graduation plan. Five graduates will
attend a four-year university or community college this fall, and two are
working and planning on enrolling at a vocational school or community
college by December.
connect::
www.auldenver.org
Fall/Winter 2007
AUL plans to grow to 80 students and the staff has also expanded to
meet the needs of the enlarged student body. The school welcomes fulltime science and special education teachers this year, who will join our
other classroom teachers and our social worker. AUL students are lucky
to have such dedicated, talented and caring staff working tirelessly and
consistently to help them with their academic and personal growth.
The Jared Polis Foundation welcomes the addition of Principal David
Brown to the dedicated AUL team. Prior to joining AUL, David was
an assistant principal for three years at John F. Kennedy High School in
Denver and a school counselor at the Contemporary Learning Academy,
an alternative high school in Denver Public Schools. David, who had a
chance to meet with many AUL students during the principal selection
process in the spring and also introduced himself to the AUL community
during the graduation ceremony, is excited about this new challenge:
“The students of the Academy of Urban Learning will be proud of their
school! They will have a strong desire to attend on a daily basis to gain
the necessary support and sense of accomplishment that will assist them
in becoming contributing members of our society. I am excited to be a
part of their mental and social development. This is what education is all
about.”
Colorado School Lands Trust
Introduction
Did you know that 93% of the lands owned by the State of Colorado
belong to public schools? In 1785, Congress began granting large areas
of land to newly created states for the support of public schools. When
Colorado gained its statehood in 1875, Section 7 of the Colorado
Enabling Act required that the land and its income “are hereby granted
to the said state for the support of common schools.” And the Colorado
Constitution states that, “The people of the state of Colorado recognize
that the state school lands are an endowment of land assets held in
a perpetual, inter-generational public trust for the support of public
schools, which should not be significantly diminished.”
Colorado was originally granted 4.4 million acres of school lands. Today,
there are 2.6 million surface acres and 3.8 million mineral acres that
generate money for schools, which is held in a trust fund called the
“permanent fund.” Table A shows the current school land acreage in 15
states.
Sources of Income to Colorado’s
Permanent Fund
Colorado’s school lands generate revenue in two
ways: 1) From surface uses such as cattle grazing
and farming, timber harvesting, commercial
and residential leases and sales, and recreation
(hunting, fishing, and camping), and 2) from
mineral uses, such as oil, natural gas and mineral
leases.
During the last fiscal year, $48.3 million (83%)
of total income was generated from mineral
uses, while $9.9 million (17%) was surface use
income, according to the Colorado Board of Land
Commissioners. The largest sources of income
were gas royalties ($19. 3 million), coal royalties
($15.3 million) and agriculture, grazing and other
rentals ($8.9 million).
These lands are managed and invested by the state land boards, or their
respective counterparts, and produce revenue each year from activities
such as grazing, timber and land sales, as well as mineral and surface
leases. According to the Children’s Land Alliance Supporting Schools
(CLASS), a non-profit corporation organized to provide information and
services to education communities, the total income from uses of school
lands totaled more than $2.4 billion in fiscal year 2006—please see Table
B for details.
Each year, a portion of the income from school trust lands is distributed
to schools, while another portion is deposited back into the trust, which
increases the value of the permanent fund. In fiscal year 2007 Colorado’s
permanent fund was worth approximately $486.3 million. Table C shows
the current market value of other states’ trusts.
connect::
Children’s Land Alliance Supporting Schools
(CLASS) www.childrenslandalliance.com
Colorado State Board Land Commissioners |
www.trustlands.state.co.us/
Table A
School Land Surface and Mineral Acreage by State
Source: CLASS, FY 2006 data
14
Acres in Millions
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
AZ
NM
UT
CA
CO
SD
OR
OK
Surface Acreage
ID
NE
ND
MT
TX
WA
WY
Mineral Acreage
Table C
Table B
Other
Income
Total
Gross
Income
(in millions of dollars)
State
Market
Value
(in millions)
$24,000
NM
$10,000
WY
$2,100
AZ
$1,900
OR
$1,000
OK
$949
ND
$767
UT
$705
WI
$596
ID
$582
CO
$486
43.7
591.6
24.9
660.1
NM
N/A
N/A
N/A
495.0
AZ
289.3
6.4
67.6
363.3
WY
8.4
157.7
.4
165.5
WA
121.6
2.5
0
124.0
UT
37.9
85.3
.004
123.3
NE
44.0
2.6
3.5
113.2
ND
4.1
33.1
70.9
108.1
CO
9.9
48.3
1.1
59.3
OK
10.5
47.3
.004
57.9
ID
42.3
2.0
0
44.3
NE
$397
WI
.025
0
42.1
42.1
SD
$116
OR
36.8
.5
0
37.3
WA
$171
CA
2.9
6.3
.002
9.2
CA
$54
SD
2.6
2.0
0
4.5
Fall/Winter 2007
TX
TX
Source: CLASS (FY 2006 data) and
Colorado State Board of Land Commissioners (FY 2007 data)
Total
Mineral
Income
Sources: CLASS (FY 2006 data) and
Colorado State Board of Land Commissioners (FY 2007 data)
State
Total
Surface
Income
Parent Profile| Helen Garcia
Parents play a critical role in their children’s education, and research
clearly shows that their active engagement contributes significantly to
educational achievement and success. But Helen Garcia proves that
grandparents can be just as important in building strong schools and
helping kids succeed. Helen is a very busy grandmother, volunteering
much of her free time to help her grandchildren’s two schools in Denver.
Her two granddaughters go to Lake Middle School and her grandson
goes to West High School. “Being an involved parent or grandparent
and knowing the school, principal and teachers well will only increase
the opportunities for students to graduate from high school and to
accomplish success in school,” says Helen. Her grandchildren are very
proud of their grandmother’s involvement and they’re doing great in
school.
This year, Helen and seven
other active parent volunteers
started a group called “West
High School: The Connection”
and provided parents and
families with a toolbox that
included information about the
school and important dates
for school events, encouraging
parental involvement. “Are you
connected?” the group asks
the school community. For this
year’s incoming freshman class at West High School, “The Connection”
held late summer meetings for parents and encouraged them to become
actively involved with the school. The group also makes daily phone calls
to the homes of students who are absent from school.
To recognize teachers’ hard work, Helen and other parents at both Lake
Middle School and West High School started giving small tokens of thanks
and appreciation to all the teachers, letting them know how much they
are valued by the communities. Lake Middle School teachers received
cards, student artwork and candy, right before the winter holidays;
West High School staff received their gifts right after Spring Break and
the Colorado Student Assessment Program when teachers are really
exhausted, according to Helen.
School safety is a top concern for parents and
guardians and Helen wants to make sure that
her grandchildren are in a safe and secure school
environment. Last year, she and other parents at
Lake Middle School got concerned after noticing
that there were no security cameras near the
school’s main entrance, which is not visible from
the school’s administrative office. So they received
permission from Denver Public Schools to use
the school parking lot for parking during Broncos
games and worked every Sunday last season
during home games. Charging $15 per spot, they
raised enough money to install security cameras
at the entrance and help the administrative office
monitor traffic.
Recognizing how much Helen has done to help
schools and get parents involved, a Lake Middle
School assistant principal nominated Helen for
the 2006-07 Denver Public Schools “Parent of
the Year” award. In May, Helen and two other
parents received the award and were honored at a
DPS ceremony, but for Helen what really matters
is for her work to inspire others: “The award is
not what’s important. If another person could see
this and think ‘I can do this,’ then the work and
volunteering is worth it. What is most important
is to get other parents helping in schools.”
connect::
Denver Public Schools | www.dpsk12.org
N
N
School Profile|
Ricardo Flores Magon Academy
Named after, and inspired by, a key intellectual figure from the Mexican
Revolution, the Ricardo Flores Magon Academy is a K-8 public charter
school that opened its doors in August to serve children from lowincome families in the Northwest Denver and Westminster communities.
Having received its charter status from the Colorado Charter School
Institute in 2006, the school was in the planning and development stages
for two years. Marcos Martinez, the founding principal, believes that
thorough planning and preparation were crucial for conceptualizing and
implementing a successful school: “I completed a one-year principal
fellowship and residency through the Boston-based organization, Building
Excellent Schools, and worked closely with KIPP-Sunshine Peak in Denver
and its principal, Richard Barrett,” says Marcos. “The vision for the
Ricardo Flores Magon Academy came together during this time.”
The school is also the only public tennis academy
in the U.S., with a tennis professional on site who
teaches tennis to all interested students on the
campus’s professional court. Marcos strongly
believes in the academic benefits of athletics.
The focus a student brings to the tennis game
translates into improved performance in school.
A chess club is also available.
The school’s vision is to provide a strong K-8 college preparation
education for low-income students and their families, largely of Mexican
descent, in a Metro Denver area—the southern Adams 50 region and the
northwest Denver neighborhoods—that has consistently experienced
unsatisfactory test scores and high dropout rates, even among middle
school students. “I am a Denver native, and I was motivated to start
the school because in and around Adams 50 there is an area that has
historically had a low-achieving minority population, and there is not
an option in the area for children who want to engage in a college prep
program,” says Marcos.
than 200 minutes per day of literacy training.
The school also offers science, social studies,
and two daily Spanish classes. For native Spanish
speakers, one class emphasizes retaining the
language and learning proper grammar to utilize
it in professional settings. For non-native Spanish
speakers, the second class will make students
proficient by the time they graduate.
With a research-based curriculum focused on reading, writing and math,
which includes SRA Open Court Reading, Waterford Early Reading
Program, Saxon Math, and Power Writing Plus, students receive more
connect::
www.ricardofloresmagonacademy.com
Fall/Winter 2007
The primary goal of the Ricardo Flores Magon Academy is to “get our
students into college,” he says. “They will attend a K-8 college prep
elementary and middle school, and will go onto a college-prep high
school with the support of the Academy’s counselors, who will also
follow students into college, supporting them along the way. We’re
committing more than 12 years to all of our students.” Starting out with
40 students per grade in K-2, the school will add one grade each school
year and already has a waiting list for every grade enrolled this school
year. Its student population is 80-90% Latino and 70-80% qualifies for the
Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program, while 70% of the adults in the
community have not earned a high school diploma.
New Colorado License Plate
Show Your Support for Public Education!
The license plates are available for $20 (in addition to the $50 fee charged
by the Department of Motor Vehicles) and can be purchased by visiting
www.SupportColoradoSchools.org. When buying a “Support Education”
license plate, you can specify which participating education foundation will
receive the funds and 100% of proceeds will be used to fund programs
that directly impact classroom learning. This license plate program allows
you to visibly show your support for public education and to enhance
educational opportunities for more than 350,000 Colorado students.
connect::
www.SupportColoradoSchools.org
NON-PROFIT
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Denver, CO
PERMIT #5031
P.O. Box 4659
Boulder, CO 80306
www.jaredpolisfoundation.org
Not Paid for by Tax Dollars • Printed on Recycled Paper

Fall 2007 statewide Education Report

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