colorado pta convention april.2012
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Great Futures Start with a Great Education
Colorado PTA ConventionApril 21, 2012
Great Ed’s Mission:
To improve education in Colorado by making sure Colorado’s public schools,
colleges, and universities have the resources they need to ensure the success of all
students.
Great Futures Coalition
A growing and diverse coalition of organizations
that advocates for an education system --
preschool through higher ed -- that will prepare all
students for the challenges of the 21st century.
Great Futures Coalition
When you walk away today,
remember these three things:
• Colorado, we’ve got a problem.
• It’s a problem that can be fixed.
• It’ll be fixed when we demand that it be fixed.
Do we have a problem?
SHOW OF HANDS
We Know What Works:• Preschool and Full-Day
Kindergarten• But we’ve dropped from 23rd to 36th in
ECE• Small class sizes, esp. K-3 and
at-risk• But we’re 40th in student teacher
ratios• Expanded learning
(more/longer days, summer school, before- and after-school)• But we’re shortening the school year• Highest % of 4-day week districts in
US
We Know What Works:• Well-integrated Technology
• But we rank 41st in technology in schools
• Professional Dev’t & Teacher Pay• But CO provides $0 for Prof. Devt • We rank 44th in teacher salaries as % of
salaries in comparable professions• Differentiation
• But we rank 51st in special ed• Only $132 ave. per GT child (400 per
teacher)• Accessible, quality higher ed
• But we rank 51st in per capital spending on HE
The big picture:-$1,809 below nat’l per pupil
average
That’s how we got to the “Colorado Conversation”
• We’re talking about how to hurt kids the least, rather than how to help them the most.
• Pits kids against kids – preschool against K-12 against higher ed, GT against special education.
• And it’s getting worse . . .
This year’s per pupil less than 2007-08 . . .
WITHOUT Adjusting for Inflation.
And what about next year?
• Legislature is touting “flat funding” of education
• Per pupil funding will remain the same
So, no more cuts?
2012-13: “Flat-Funding”
Time to Celebrate?
2010-112009-10 2012-13
$7,000
Note: This graph is conceptual, and not “to-scale”
$6,500
2011-12
Actual ave. per pupil
Amdt 23/inflation
$6,474
$7,712
No time for a victory lap.
There will be cuts.
Colorado, we have a problem.
WHO CARES?
Who Cares?• We do.• Parents.• Grandparents.• Students.• Educators.• Businesspeople.• Concerned Citizens.• Community Leaders.
That’s several hundred thousand
Coloradoans. . .who haven’t had a way
to take action together.
What about state
leaders?Do they care?
Next Question:
Who can fix it?
Who can fix it?• State leaders.
• Even though they say they can’t.
• Lobato court says they must.
• They’ve got options.• But they won’t fix it, until there’s demand & support.
Last Question:
Who will demand action?
Who Will Demand that State Leaders Act?
• We will. • All those Parents, Grandparents, Students, Educators, Businesspeople & Civic Leaders
• We will empower, encourage, and enable action.
We can create the will to fix it.
“2013: The Year of the Student”• Collectively demand action in
2013• Strengthen the resolve of
leaders who care• Build the army to ensure
action
Right Now:You are on the ground floor.• Help us pilot the 2013: Year of
the Student Call to Action
• Join us:Great Futures Colorado
Statewide Education Organizing Conference
Friday, April 278:00 – 2:00
www.greatfuturescolorado.org
The Call to ActionGather 10+ signatures.
Recruit 3 people to
gather 10+ signatures.
Find one organization
that will endorse
YOS.
Schedule a speaker at your PTA meeting
We Can Do This.
If not us, who?If not now,
when?
Contact UsLisa Weil [email protected]
John Giardino [email protected]
www.2013forstudents.org/pta
www.greateducation.org303.722.5901