Blog posts are the opinions of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of A+ Colorado.

Stay Sharp Newsletter: November 2019

Power to the people and people to the polls. Throughout this newsletter we cover results from the most recent School Board election in Denver, along with a preview of our upcoming report, and analysis of the future for Aurora Public Schools. Read all of this + more below. A+ Updates Sponsorship Opportunities and Tickets on Sale…

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A+ Answers: What do NAEP results mean for Colorado?

For the nation, this year’s NAEP results have garnered a lot of attention, shining a light on low-performance, minimal progress, and large achievement gaps. However, while NAEP has brought renewed attention to the severity of the state of public education, it still hasn’t shown us why large financial investments and policy innovations have yielded, seemingly,…

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Teaching Empathy

Last month, I had the pleasure of moderating a discussion on the “Teaching of Empathy” at the Denver Biennial of the Americas. It was a powerful reminder that the heart of teaching begins with empathy.  The Biennial is a magical gathering of artists and activist leaders from across the Americas that happens in Denver every…

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Stay Sharp Newsletter: October 2019

As leaves fall, snow accumulates and ballots drop, you can continue to rely on A+ Colorado to provide meaningful and relevant updates. This newsletter features updates on the upcoming school board election in DPS and Aurora, a look into implications from Denver’s SPF, and did we mention it’s #NationalPrincipalsMonth? Make sure you #ThankAPrincipal today. A+…

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A+ Answers: How are kids doing in Aurora doing and what should be on our radar going into the elections?

Aurora Public Schools (APS) has school board elections on November 5. Here is a quick overview view of who the students in APS are, and how they’re being served so that voters can better understand the challenges facing Aurora Public Schools. Who is running? There are 5 candidates running for 3 seats. Amber Drevon Stephanie…

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Stay Sharp Newsletter: September 2019

As we transition from the first days of school to October Count we have a lot to catch up on including a brand new report focusing on DPS Teachers and newly launched resources to help voters dig into the data on Denver students before the upcoming school board election. As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month…

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A+ Answers: Who are Colorado’s Emerging Multilingual Students?

As we approach the year anniversary of our Many Languages, One Future report release, and celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, in this month’s A+ Answers, we highlight emerging multilingual students, students who make up a large amount of the growing number of Colorado students. These are students who speak a language other than English and are…

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What is a good school in Colorado? And will Denver set a standard to ensure that students can read?

Discussions have been swirling at the state and district levels about school data and accountability over the last few months.  Accountability, for those who may not know, is a term for measuring how well a school is doing and what should be done or celebrated about these rankings. These discussions cut to the core of…

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What defines a Latina? It’s complicated.

What defines Latinidad?  It’s a complicated question with a problematic answer. Amidst “Hispanic Heritage Month” it seems to me that, increasingly, labels are both empowering and constraining. This month is a reminder of the power of the Hispanic and Latinx community, a celebration of changemakers, artists, and identity. It is also a reminder of the…

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Stay Sharp Newsletter: August 2019

Summer vacation has concluded and most educators have found themselves back in the classroom, but the time “off” didn’t leave us short of education updates. A+ begins the school year with plenty of news to share including a preview on a new report examining the history and future of initiatives for educators in Denver, a…

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