State senators united last week under the banner of education reform and in the hope that unprecedented changes in the proposed school finance act would help net Colorado a $500 million federal grant.
But that same bill has opened a chasm between senators and their House colleagues and caused tension with the lieutenant governor’s office, which is forming its own plan for attaining the innovation grant dubbed “Race to the Top.”
U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan visited Denver schools Tuesday and offered broad outlines of the program during a meeting with local and state officials. But there’s still no formal process for how states can qualify for the competitive grants, and Lt. Gov. Barbara O’Brien said it’s too early to alter Colorado’s education funding.
“It’s a distraction of energy on something we might have to change anyway,” O’Brien said. “It’s absolutely essential that we don’t have side agendas and we work as a state team.”
Reforms included in the annual School Finance Act introduced last week would provide additional money to schools where at-risk students show improvement, study creating a charter boarding school for disadvantaged students and require freshmen to fill out a College in Colorado form.
Caught by surprise
Bill sponsors didn’t tell O’Brien about the reforms until after they were announced to media. She joined House members and traditional educational interests such as teacher unions, in expressing surprise at the bill.
But co-sponsor Sen. Chris Romer said bill backers kept parties as informed as possible under pressure from Senate leadership to pass the bill before the chamber considered the budget bill this week.
He acknowledged that there’s “some discomfort” at the rapid progression of a complex proposal.
“But this helps us to prove we’re doing something innovative with stimulus dollars,” said Romer, D-Denver. “We’d argue that there should be some innovation in the school finance act.”
Plenty to consider
And does Gov. Bill Ritter support the bill?
“I don’t know,” said Senate President Peter Groff, D-Denver. “Sure. Why not?”
A spokesman for Ritter said the bill contains “a lot of creative ideas” that he will take time to consider.
Senate Bill 256 heads next to the House Education Committee, where a spate of pro-charter school and other concessions has made its reception less certain.
Committee chairman Rep. Michael Merrifield, D-Manitou Springs, said this year’s finance act is unlike any he’s seen in his seven years in the legislature.
“It’s always been a work of partners,” Merrifield said. “I don’t think that’s the best way to develop policy, by keeping those who put it into action out of the discussion.”
Jessica Fender: 303-954-1244 or jfender@denverpost.com
