Parts of failed school plan will be revived
Focus will be on popular parts of tax measure
By KRISTEN WYATT
Associated Press
Associated Press
DENVER
– An ambitious plan by lawmakers last year to overhaul Colorado’s
school finances was rejected by voters, but it’s not exactly back to the
drawing board as legislators this year try to revive pieces of the
mammoth education overhaul.
As the
2014 legislative session opened last week, lawmakers started eyeing
Colorado’s sizable budget surplus to fund some of the ideas, including
additional support for students learning English and more help for
struggling readers.
Democrats who
control the Legislature and the governor’s office also want to see
flexible student count days and expanded training for teachers – two
ideas in the education finance overhaul.
“I’m
hopeful that we can work together to find ways to implement various
common-sense enhancements to our schools,” Democratic House Speaker Mark
Ferrandino told his colleagues as the session opened.
There’s
no doubt that the overall school proposal is dead, though. The plan was
several years in the making but took effect only if voters approved an
income tax of about $1 billion a year to pay for it.
Voters
last November rejected the idea nearly 2-to-1. Though the measure could
be revived for future ballots, education analysts predicted lawmakers
would be more likely to looks for popular elements of the package to
revive, not the whole thing.
“The
public said, ‘We’re not doing a tax increase because we don’t understand
enough about where it would go,”’ Jane Urschel said, head of the
Colorado Association of School Boards.
Among the pieces that could be revived:
New
methods for counting students are at the top of the list. The failed
overhaul measure would have shifted attendance-count days from a single,
once-a-year count to more frequent gauges, setting up more accurate
funding for schools.
“We are going
ask the General Assembly to pass legislation that will ensure a more
accurate assessment,” Gov. John Hickenlooper told lawmakers in his
annual address.
New transparency requirements for school budgets.
More money for teacher development.
Money to implement a new teacher evaluation system that ties tenure in part to student test scores.
Money to implement a law requiring additional help for young students who need reading help.
Education
allies are hoping lawmakers first devote money to boosting overall
funding. The proposed budget from Hickenlooper increases per-pupil
funding by $400. But the governor’s proposal doesn’t attempt to backfill
cuts made during the recent recession.
“Our No. 1 priority is erasing that,” Urschel said.
Colorado
is set to end this fiscal year with a budget surplus in the
neighborhood of $500 million, according to a December projection from
the Legislature’s economists.
Higher
education, not just K-12 education, is a likely winner from the budget
surplus, too. The governor has called for lawmakers to add $100 million
to public colleges and universities and set a 6 percent annual tuition
hike cap, a proposal that has already been introduced by Democrats in
the Senate.
“Affordable access to a
college or trade school education is critical to protect our freedom to
succeed,” Senate President Morgan Carroll said in her session-opening
remarks.
The surplus alone may not
be enough to pay for all the education upgrades lawmakers want, though.
Democratic House Speaker Mark Ferrandino warned his colleagues that
there isn’t enough spare money lying around to make education upgrades
without new taxes.
“While some
have argued for reform before resources, let me say this: Reforms will
not work and our schools will not get better if they are not adequately
funded. Period,” Ferrandino said after he gaveled open the session last
week.
http://www.durangoherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140111/NEWS02/140119890/0/suspend-delivery&template=printpicart
