Re: June 16 news story.
Recently, every article about the State Board of Education has been negative. The most recent one highlighted a secret meeting held with the former commissioner of education who resigned after four months on the job.
Most Coloradans have no idea what the board does and why it exists. Actually, it has significant influence.
The state board sets the Colorado Academic Standards; establishes the graduation guidelines; oversees the performance of schools and districts; distributes federal and state funding to schools; and establishes accountability measures. These duties set the parameters within which our schools operate.
As two former state board members, we believe it is at a critical juncture: Are the members going to function effectively as a board or operate as seven individual voices? There have been four commissioners in the past two years and resignations of top-level staff. Why has this occurred? It appears that not all of the board members understand their governing role. While some board members do, it only takes one or two who do not who have been able to disrupt the functioning of the board.
With that said, we remain optimistic. Interim commissioner Katy Anthes has worked at the Department of Education for six years. She is known and respected by the education community. She is a straight-shooter, guided by her own strong moral compass, and knowledgeable about education policy. She doesn’t operate with a political filter but rather by whatap best for kids based on research and best practice.
The best thing that can happen is for the State Board of Education to stay in its role of governing, rather than managing, and allow Anthes to become the leader of public education in Colorado. Anthes has all the potential to become that person.
We are hopeful that the state board will become an effective governing body and support the commissioner so she can be successful in her position. If our optimism is proved wrong, then our hopes for Colorado to retake its rightful place as a leader in education will be lost for years to come.
Marcia Neal, a Republican, served on the State Board of Education from 2009 to 2015, when she resigned. Elaine Gantz Berman, a Democrat, served on the board from 2007 to 2015 and chose not to run for a second term.
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