These posts are the opinions of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of A+ Colorado.
Aurora Public Schools will be approaching the State Board of Education in May with a proposed Innovation Zone to implement next year. Five* schools in the Aurora Central High School feeder pattern will make up the zone that will be organized around a theme of global leadership. We’ve been monitoring the process closely, and provided…
Post originally appeared in the Thomas B. Fordham Flypaper blog, republished here with slight modifications. Education Cities and Great Schools recently released a useful new educational data tool called the Education Equality Index (EEI), which allows users to compare cities and states across the nation that are “closing the achievement gap.” The tool compiles school-level…
By Laura Lefkowits In 1995, Federal District Court Judge Richard Matsch terminated the decades-old desegregation order for Denver Public Schools claiming that the district had “removed the vestiges of past discrimination to the extent practicable.” As it turned out, the “extent practicable” in Denver was minimal given the exit from DPS of over 30,000 mostly…
Introducing: The A+ 2015 Game Changers Each year we reflect on the incredible work that has been done by educators and education advocates around Colorado. The nominations from friends and colleagues for the 2015 A+ Game Changer Award remind us that the energy and passion for improving public education is alive and well in Colorado.…
Dear Members and Friends, You thought awards season might be over. But we’re excited to announce the 2015 A+ Game Changers next week! In the meantime, here’s an update on the happenings in education in Denver, Aurora, and across the state. A+ Updates Let’s Talk School Facilities Needs for a new charter school: a strong…
Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? Though I generally prefer to think of life as a “continuous improvement plan,” I appreciate the social pressure to reflect and take stock of the past year, and set goals for the next one. Some things I’d like for myself in 2016: do more art, read more books,…
It’s been about nine months since kids started taking PARCC tests and one month since the state released some of the data on schools, and yet many families still do not have results for their kids. The data we do have is not disaggregated by student groups (a key tool for monitoring that all students…
In May, my oldest daughter will graduate from college debt free. Our last payment will will be in two weeks when I will be lifting a glass in celebration. She will have the gift of a BA from a good college, unburdened by loan payments so that she might pursue the career of her choice.…
By Jan Brennan Can one semester of civics prepare metro Denver youth for an active and informed role in democracy and community life? If you are doubtful, the statistics should strengthen your skepticism. The National Assessment of Educational Progress reports that only 23% of American 8th grade students demonstrated civics proficiency in 2014[i]. A Crisis…
Dear Members and Friends, Happy 2016! The year has started with a bang in terms of education news. And, it’s that time of the year again: Oscar nominations have been announced which means it’s also time to submit your A+ Game Changer award nominations. This is your opportunity to make sure that education hero in…