What’s churning:
Laid-off teachers from hard-pressed eastern states are looking for classroom jobs in the Mountain West, according to Stateline.org, a website that covers state government and politics.
“Education leaders in some of these states, many of which are mineral-rich, and in the West, say the past few years have brought a dramatic increase in applications from teachers in other states,” wrote reporter Ben Wieder.
Montana and North Dakota are mentioned, and the article provides lots of detail about Wyoming, where copious mineral revenues and court-ordered school funding have boosted teacher salaries.
Colorado, where school budget cuts have been deep, gets nary a mention. Jami Goetz, executive director of CDE’s professional services unit, told Education News Colorado that the number of licenses issued to out-of-state teachers actually has declined, from 4,127 in the 2008-09 school year to 3,803 the following year and to 3,149 in 2010-11. Read the Stateline story
Election note: Ballots should begin turning up in voters’ mailboxes this week and the school board candidate debate season appears to be winding down this week and next. Time to catch one if you can.
What’s on tap:
TODAY
Denver school board members meet from 4:15 to 4:30 p.m. to approve Superintendent Tom Boasberg’s evaluation and to vote on a motion to extend his contract one year. 900 Grant St. Agenda
The Cherry Creek School board meets at 7 p.m. Cherry Creek at Holly Ridge Primary School, 3301 S. Monaco Parkway. The agenda includes a report on special education and a vote on a motion in support of Proposition 103, the tax increase for education funding.
TUESDAY
Four national education leaders will discuss Denver Public Schools and the Denver Plan at the second More From Our Schools forum. Audience members will get to pick conversation topics via keypad polling. Panelists include former Milwaukee superintendent Howard Fuller, now director of the Institute for the Transformation of Learning at Marquette University; CU Boulder education Dean Lorrie Shepard; and Paul Hill, director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education. PBS education reporter John Merrow will moderate. The 5-7 p.m. event will be in the Turnhalle Room at the Tivoli Student Union on the Auraria campus and is free and open to the public. Register here
The Boulder board meets at 6 p.m. at 6500 Arapahoe. Agenda
Denver school board candidates for District 1, the southeast area of the city, meet at 6:30 p.m. at Hope Community Church, 1801 S. Irving St.
Douglas County school board candidates gather for one of their last forums at 6:30 p.m. at Mountain Ridge Middle School. Dougco’s District Accountability Committee is sponsoring the event, which will begin with an update on the district’s 3A & 3B tax questions. Agenda
WEDNESDAY
Douglas County school board candidates gather for the second of two forums sponsored by the District Accountability Committee. It begins at 6:30 p.m. at Castle Rock Middle School and the event opens with an update on the district’s 3A & 3B tax questions. Agenda
Denver school board candidates for the at-large and District 5 seats meet at 6:30 p.m. at Merritt Memorial United Methodist Church, 2246 Irving St.
The St. Vrain board convenes at 7 p.m. in the Educational Services Center, 395 South Pratt Parkway, Longmont.
THURSDAY
Jefferson County school board candidates meet at 7:30 p.m. for a forum hosted by the American Association of University Women, Lakewood branch. It’s at Holy Shepherd Church, 920 Kipling St. in Lakewood.
SATURDAY
Jefferson County school board candidates meet for a 10:30 a.m. forum sponsored by the American Association of University Women, Foothills branch. It’s at the Arvada Community Food Bank-Community Room, 8555 W. 57th Ave. in Arvada.
Looking ahead: Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia next week kicks off his listening tour to survey citizens in Colorado communities about their ideas for improving third-grade literacy. This week’s tour covers Steamboat Springs, Craig, Fruita, Rifle, Glenwood Springs, Montrose, Ouray, Alamosa, La Junta, Colorado Springs, Burlington, Fort Morgan, Greeley, Fort Collins and Loveland. Get details