Education
ACTIONS:
Littleton Public Schools (littletonpublicschools.net)
The social studies curriculum for grades K-8 and Arapahoe High School is as follows:
https://littletonpublicschools.net/sites/default/files/LS_Curr_K-8SocialStudies.pdf
The Arapahoe High School Social Studies program is designed to prepare 100% of students for meaningful post-secondary opportunities while adhering to the Colorado Academic Standards (cde.state.co.us).
State Senator, District 16, Chris Kolker (term ending Jan. 2029,, kolkerforcolorado.com)
SB23-070 Mandatory School Resource Officer Training Concerning mandatory annual training by safe2tell for school resource officer training. Governor Polis signed: 04/27/2023
HB24-1096 School Psychologists Compact enacts an Interstate compact, which allows licensed psychologists in a member state to more easily obtain a license from another state. The bill intends to address the shortage of school pyschologists. Governor Polis signed: 04/29/2024
SB24-069 Clarifying Individualized Education Program Information requires the department of education to:
Create, deliver, and make publicly available a training program, in plain and easy-to-understand language, regarding individualized education program laws; and
Deliver the training program in person and make the training program and related information publicly available on its website. Governor Polis signed: 06/05/2024
POSITIONS:
State House of Representatives, District 37 (HD37), Chad Clifford (Term ending Jan. 2027, chadforcolorado.com)
Colorado in 2020 allocated $11,602 in state and local funding per student, ranking it in the bottom half of states in per-pupil spending (according to data the Colorado School Finance Project pulled from the National Center for Education Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau). That was $1,892 below the national average of per-pupil spending that year. We've found ourselves in a hole that could be caving in with other financial challenges on the horizon. For instance, marijuana tax collections are plummeting, cutting a key funding source for school construction needs. We also see changing tides with property taxes that will further reduce money earmarked for education. These rapid changes create additional complexity to "how do we fund education."
The legislature is poised in 2024 to tackle "fully funding education" which is a very exciting step, but could also be devastating if it's short sighted or treated as a "fix." It is critical that we maintain a safety-net and keep our eyes on funding education without excuses.
It's not just "about the money." Education needs and schools look much different than they did 20 years ago. With better understanding of mental health and educational health, as well as a focus on security – things are changing and it's important that we're keeping up.
I will fight for educators and students to keep education a top priority.
CU Board of Regents at large Elliott Hood (term ending Jan. 2011, hoodforcolorado.com)
Protect academic freedom
Academic freedom ensures that students and faculty can pursue knowledge without interference from politicians–a core value of higher education.
Yet academic freedom is under assault in states across the country: conservative leaders are banning what can be taught and limiting faculty and student speech in pursuit of a partisan political agenda.
As Regent, I will fight for academic freedom and ensure that CU continues to protect this core value of our university system.