What’s churning:
Education Nation, the NBC News project to report on and stimulate discussion about education issues, is in the middle its Denver on-the-road tour.
A panel discussion on grade-level reading and a teacher town hall at the Colorado History Center topped Sunday’s events, and today a panel of local business leaders are scheduled to discuss the role of education in job readiness and the economy.
Reporters from our partner 9News.com have produced a series of stories on Colorado education issues, including college remediation and P-20 integration. Get links here to video reports. And get more information on Education Nation here.
Education News Colorado has received the first-place award for general website excellence in the 2012 Best of the West contest sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists. EdNews and the Rocky Mountain Investigative News Network also were honored with a first-place award for multimedia story. That winner was the October 2012 series “Troubling questions about online education.”
What’s on tap:
Check here for the week’s full legislative calendar.
TODAY
The Denver school board has a work session at 4:30 p.m. at 900 Grant St. The agenda includes a presentation of data on the district’s new SchoolChoice enrollment system; a report on options for handling extreme heat in buildings, including closure; and a look at the proposed 2012-13 budget.
The Cherry Creek board meets at 6 p.m. at Fox Hollow Elementary, 6363 S. Waco St. in Aurora. The board is expected to discuss a $25 million tax increase for operating expenses and a $125 million bond proposal for the November election. Agenda
TUESDAY
The Boulder Valley board has a special meeting on the 2012-13 budget at 5 p.m. at 6500 E. Arapahoe. Agenda
The Adams 12-Five Star board meets at 5:30 p.m. in the district offices at 1500 E. 128th Ave. in Thornton. The agenda includes a public hearing on the proposed 2012-13 budget, which includes significant cuts. Agenda
The Aurora board meets at 6 p.m. in the Mount Massive Room at the Professional Learning and Conference Center, 15771 E. 1st Ave. Agenda
WEDNESDAY
The University of Colorado Board of Regents opens two days of meetings in the Tivoli Student Center on the Auraria Higher Education Center in downtown Denver. Tuition rates for 2012-13 are expected to be on the agenda.
The St. Vrain Valley board meets at 6 p.m. at the Educational Services Center, 395 South Pratt Parkway in Longmont.
THURSDAY
The DPS board has a regular meeting at 5 p.m. and a public comment session at 6:30 p.m.
Good reads from elsewhere:
High school literacy: Early literacy is all the talk around the country these days, including in Colorado, but Oregon is looking at the other end of the K-12 spectrum. Beginning next year, high school seniors will have to show reading and writing proficiency to graduate. A math test comes on line in 2014. Learn more in this story from in the Salem Statesman Journal.
Scores may drop: Changing state tests often means lower scores initially, but the Ohio Department of Education is predicted significant drops when the state moves to new tests based on the Common Core Standards in the future. For example, in Columbus City Schools, about 64 percent of students passed their reading tests last school year. Predictions show that passing rate would be about 25 percent on the new tests. The Columbus Dispatch has the story. Colorado also is planning a switch to new tests, although it’s uncertain when because of financial concerns.
The EdNews’ Churn is a daily roundup of briefs, notes and meetings in the world of Colorado education. To submit an item for consideration in this listing, please email us at EdNews@EdNewsColorado.org.