By Jason Gonzales, Chalkbeat Colorado Colorado school districts would have to reduce suspensions and set higher standards for school resource officers under a state bill introduced Friday that takes aim at what’s called the school-to-prison pipeline. The bill also bans the use of handcuffs on elementary school students. Children of color and those with disabilities […]
Chalkbeat Colorado
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Posted inCOVID, Education, News, Politics and Government
Colorado plan to scale back CMAS testing moves forward. Kids would test in literacy or math, but not both.
By Jason Gonzales, Chalkbeat Colorado A proposal to significantly scale back Colorado’s standardized school testing this year cleared its first hurdle Friday after proponents and opponents came together in an overwhelming show of support. The bill cleared the House Education Committee with a bipartisan 8-1 vote after sponsors decided not to pursue their original proposal […]
Posted inColoradans, Education, News, Politics and Government
Indigenous students say they need more from Colorado universities. An in-state tuition bill is a first step.
By Jason Gonzales, Chalkbeat Colorado Indigenous students with historical ties to Colorado could soon get in-state tuition at public colleges under a proposal that recently cleared its first legislative hurdle. Student advocates say the bill is part of a broader push on how Colorado schools need to address injustice against Indigenous people and ensure all […]
Posted inEducation, News, Politics and Government
Colorado universities and colleges could face more cuts if state doesn’t restore funding, leaders say
By Jason Gonzales, Chalkbeat Colorado Fearful of extensive layoffs and potentially deep cuts to student services, leaders of Colorado’s public colleges and universities are pressing lawmakers to restore $493 million the state chopped off their budgets last year. The academic leaders are campaigning as if the health, and perhaps existence, of their campuses are at […]
Posted inNews
Schools must still give standardized tests this year, Biden administration says
By Matt Barnum, Chalkbeat The Biden administration said Monday that states must administer federally required standardized tests this year, but schools won’t be held accountable for the results — and states could give shorter, remote, or delayed versions of the exams. It’s the first high-stakes decision for the new administration’s Department of Education, coming even before […]
Posted inEducation, News, Politics and Government
As Colorado legislature reconvenes, leaders pledge funds for K-12, higher education
By Jason Gonzales and Erica Meltzer, Chalkbeat Colorado Colorado lawmakers returned to work Tuesday with Democratic leaders pledging to restore cuts made to K-12 and higher education during the early months of the pandemic last year and to invest more in education. “The uphill recovery and the many daunting tasks before us may be mighty, […]
Posted inBusiness, Climate, Education, Energy, Environment, News
In rural Colorado, one town is looking to its community college to help survive the end of coal
By Jason Gonzales, Chalkbeat Colorado Even in the dark of night, chalky smoke from the coal power plant looms over Craig. For generations, coal has been a constant in this northwestern Colorado city. But by 2030, the Craig Station stacks will go quiet as Colorado shifts to renewable energy. Coal has fueled not only Colorado’s […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy, Education, News
Colorado needs more skilled workers. But the state provides little help to adults trying to earn a college degree.
By Jason Gonzales, Chalkbeat Colorado Victoria Browning felt trapped. To support her two young children, she worked full time caring for elderly people, earning $14 an hour. Every week was a struggle. So she enrolled at Concorde Career College Aurora Campus to get a shot at a better-paying job. Instead, she ended up with thousands […]
Posted inEducation, News, Politics and Government
Colorado lawmakers look to make standardized tests optional for college admissions
By Jason Gonzales, Chalkbeat Colorado Students would no longer be required to take the SAT or ACT when applying to Colorado’s public colleges under proposed legislation that aims to make higher education more accessible to low-income and first-generation college applicants who often don’t do as well on standardized tests. State Rep. Cathy Kipp and state Sen. Tammy Story, […]
Posted inEducation, News
CU Boulder struggles to enroll low-income students. That has consequences for Coloradans’ social mobility.
Jason Gonzales, Chalkbeat Colorado Despite modest gains over the last decade, the University of Colorado Boulder still ranks near the bottom of the list of flagship public universities in enrollment of low-income students. The percentage of Pell Grant recipients at the university moved from 12% in 2008 to 16% a decade later, ranking Boulder as […]