Monday Churn: Nervously waiting

What’s churning:

Release of quarterly state revenue forecasts has become a dreaded event in recent years as declining state revenues have turned the reports into an unending series of bad news.

The September forecasts from legislative staff economists and the executive branch Office of State Planning and Budgeting will be released to the Joint Budget Committee Tuesday morning.

The last forecasts, in June, brought some good news for education because they were higher than the amount estimated in March, meaning an extra $67.5 million will be available to K-12 education in the second half of the current 2011-12 budget year. But the broader forecasts were still iffy, and Rep. Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver and a member of the JBC, said, “Most likely … we still will be having to cut in 2012-13.”

There’s some good – and visual – information about trends in the Colorado economy and the state budget in this slide show prepared by the OSPB and shopped around in recent weeks to various state officials, including the Colorado Commission on Higher Education on Sept. 8.

School finance is top of many minds these days for several reasons, including the tax hikes proposed in Proposition 103, the just-completed Lobato v. State funding adequacy trial and a gloomy long-term state fiscal forecast from University of Denver researchers.

What’s on tap:

TODAY

It’s a deadline day for statewide campaign committees to file contribution and spending reports with the secretary of state’s office. It could provide the first hints of fund-raising strength by opponents of Proposition 103.

Today also is the deadline for submitting comments on draft educator effectiveness regulations if you’d like those comments considered by Colorado Department of Education staff members as they prepare a third draft of those rules. Use this CDE page for links to the current draft and previous comments and for instructions on commenting. Submit comments here.

The State Board of Education will hold another hearing on the rules in October and is expected to vote in November. CDE will continue to accept comments up to the November meeting, but today’s the deadline to submit if you’d like CDE to consider your thoughts before it redrafts rules for the October hearing.

TUESDAY

The Legislative Task Force to Study School Discipline meets from 8:30 a.m. to noon to discuss potential bills for the 2012 legislative session. Expect to see proposals designed to reduce the use of suspensions, expulsions and police referrals. The meeting’s in room 0112 of the Capitol. Agenda

The JBC will receive the quarterly revenue forecasts at 9 a.m. in the Legislative Services Building, 200 E. 14th Ave.

The new Education Leadership Council holds its first meeting starting at 1 p.m. at the Carriage House of the Governor’s Mansion. Gov. John Hickenlooper will open the session, and Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia will give the group its marching orders toward the end of the meeting, according to the agenda. List of members

The Aurora school board meets at 7 p.m. in the boardroom at the Educational Services Center – 4, 1085 Peoria St.

The Boulder Valley board will hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. at 6500 Arapahoe Road, Boulder.
Agenda

The Douglas County board convenes at 5 p.m. (regular meeting starts at 7:05 p.m.) at district headquarters, 620 Wilcox St. in Castle Rock.

WEDNESDAY

The Adams 12-Five Star board has a meeting scheduled at 7 p.m. at the Educational Support Center on 1500 E. 128th Ave., Thornton, in the Aspen Room.

THURSDAY

The St. Vrain board holds a 6:00 p.m. study session at Longmont High School, 1040 Sunset St. Agenda

FRIDAY

A hearing is scheduled on the Colorado Education Association’s request for a preliminary injunction against the state’s recent parent notification rule. The regulation requires parents be informed when school employees are arrested. The hearing will be held at 8:30 a.m. in courtroom 209 at the Denver City and County Building. EdNews background story