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Tag: Education

Colorado school district considers bond measure, levy override for facility improvements and higher salaries
CBS Colorado, Local

Colorado school district considers bond measure, levy override for facility improvements and higher salaries

By Gabriela Vidal | CBS Colorado At the Future Forward Campus at Washington Square, students like senior Xitlaly Villalobos are sparking their creative side. "You learn skills that you never thought you would learn, especially with welding," Villalobos said. Villalobos splits her time between Northglenn High School and the Future Forward Campus, where she takes welding and crime scene investigation courses, among a variety of other career and technical education programs offered through the campus. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
Colorado’s Campaign Against Christians Continues
National Review, State

Colorado’s Campaign Against Christians Continues

By Andrea Picciotti-Bayer | National Review The state will provide preschool education only to children of parents who are happy to subject them to progressive ideology. ‘Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” For many parents, Proverbs 22:6 offers powerful guidance as another school year begins. One group of Catholic parents in Colorado takes this directive to heart and wants to partner with Catholic preschools for the education and formation of their little ones. They are demanding that the state’s universal preschool program allow them to use the public benefit at their schools of choice. It shouldn’t surprise you to learn that the intolerant demands of progressive ideology are at issue. READ MORE AT NATIONAL REVIEW
In Lakewood, residents want closed Jefferson Co. school to be park or open space, but it’s for sale
CBS Colorado, Local

In Lakewood, residents want closed Jefferson Co. school to be park or open space, but it’s for sale

By Karen Morfitt | CBS Colorado One of Jefferson County's closed schools is on the open market and those living nearby are fighting to keep the property as open space or even a park. Residents around the now-shuttered Vivian Elementary School worry with more development comes more traffic and more safety risks and say the donated property should remain as a community hub. It comes roughly one year after parents lost an effort to keep the doors open for students at the school. "This is a gem you don't just bulldoze you can't pave paradise and put up a parking lot this is perfect just leave it be," Toby Crisp said. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
Despite going over budget last year, school lunches will still be free for Coloradans in 2024
Chalkbeat Colorado, State

Despite going over budget last year, school lunches will still be free for Coloradans in 2024

By Yesenia Robles | Chalkbeat Colorado Colorado is still offering free school meals this school year, even though the program has ended up costing more than state officials predicted. While an advisory group tries to come up with long-term solutions that may mean changes in future school years, state lawmakers decided to continue funding the program in the short term, so the program won’t change for this school year. READ THE FULL STORY AT CHALKBEAT COLORADO
Should Colorado’s constitution protect school choice? Voters will decide in November.
State, The Colorado Sun

Should Colorado’s constitution protect school choice? Voters will decide in November.

By Erica Breunlin | The Colorado Sun Colorado voters will decide whether they want to protect the right to school choice in the state constitution in November after a measure with that goal qualified for the ballot Friday. Put forth by conservative political nonprofit Advance Colorado Action, Initiative 138 sets out to reinforce parents’ ability to send their children to any public school, charter school, private school or homeschooling program they want. But some education advocates and policy experts see it as a stepping stone toward a state voucher program in disguise. Voucher programs give parents public dollars to enroll their kids in private schools, including those with a religious affiliation. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN
In Southwest Colorado, alliance of nine school districts finds staff, financial efficiencies, does more for students
Chalkbeat Colorado, Local

In Southwest Colorado, alliance of nine school districts finds staff, financial efficiencies, does more for students

By Neal Morton | Chalkbeat Colorado, via the Hechinger Report For three dozen high schoolers, summer break in this southwest Colorado city kicked off with some rock climbing, mountain biking, and fly-fishing. Then, the work began. As part of a weeklong institute on climate and the environment, mountain researchers taught the students how to mix clumps of grass seed, clay, compost, and sand for seedballs that they threw into burned areas of the Hermosa Creek watershed to help with native plant recovery. The students upturned rocks — and splashed each other — along the banks of the Animas River, searching for signs of aquatic life after a disastrous mine spill. They later waded through a wetland and scouted for beaver dams as part of a lesson on how humans can support water restorat...
Study: In Colorado public schools, 1 in 4 students misses at least 10% of school days
State, The Colorado Sun

Study: In Colorado public schools, 1 in 4 students misses at least 10% of school days

By Erica Breunlin | The Colorado Sun More Colorado students regularly showed up to class last school year following record rates of absences during the pandemic, but attendance rates were still higher before COVID, data released Thursday morning by the Colorado Department of Education shows. The latest numbers signal schools are headed in the right direction following efforts among the state education department and districts to double down on getting kids to come to class every day. The majority of Colorado school districts and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services — groups of districts that pool resources — saw improvements in their attendance rates last year, but the progress doesn’t necessarily translate to a giant turnaround. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN
As classroom cellphone disruptions increase, students and educators spar over bans in schools
State, The Colorado Sun

As classroom cellphone disruptions increase, students and educators spar over bans in schools

By Erica Breunlin | Colorado Sun In the last years of Jill Haffley’s teaching career, her lessons were increasingly punctuated by the buzz of a text message, sometimes even a “cacophony of noises” as students’ cellphones erupted with rings and dings. Those weren’t the only disruptions or distractions in her classes. Some of her students would tune into a Netflix show or YouTube videos. Others played video games. All on their cellphones, heads bent down. She also remembers teens who would ask to go to the bathroom during class, where they would meet a friend to record TikTok videos. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN
Denver Schools students who commit murder could get five-day expulsion in new discipline matrix
denvergazette.com, Local

Denver Schools students who commit murder could get five-day expulsion in new discipline matrix

By Nicole C. Brambila | Denver Gazette Denver Public Schools officials on Thursday released the new discipline matrix used to address student misbehaviors that include a dozen new conduct categories, including students who commit or attempt murder. Characterized as a “level 7,” students who cause “the death of another person” could receive five days of out-of-school suspension and a mandatory expulsion request. Level 7 offenses also include attempted homicide and possession of a firearm. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
Denver schools voters will be asked to decide whether to approve nearly $1 billion bond
kdvr.com, Local

Denver schools voters will be asked to decide whether to approve nearly $1 billion bond

By Lanie Lee Cook | Fox 31 News The Denver Public Schools board voted unanimously on Thursday to send a $975 million bond measure before voters this fall. The Board of Education’s 7-0 vote will ask Denver voters in November for the bond to make improvements at aging schools districtwide, including installing air conditioning at schools still without it. If approved by voters, nearly a third of the $975 million will go toward maintenance at 154 schools across the district, FOX31 has previously reported. READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX 31 NEWS