colorado pta convention april.2012

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 lisa@greateducation.org

John Giardino johngiardino@copta.org

www.2013forstudents.org/pta

www.greateducation.org303.722.5901