What’s working and not working about how Colorado measures school performance?
CMAS tests and resulting scores are simply a snapshot in time to provide information to citizens. The scores reveal how well students, classes, the school and the district are doing in teaching children reading, writing, language arts, and math. If true teaching is happening during the school year, content mastery is being focused upon, and periodic assessments are given, the CMAS assessment results should be no surprise. What needs improvement is immediate intervention with districts and schools that are put on accreditation watch. The SBOE and CDE should require districts to implement strategies used in highly rated schools.
What’s working and not working about how Colorado is responding to potential learning loss and achievement gaps caused by the pandemic?
Widening achievement gaps are not new. The school closures simply magnified the achievement gap! Colorado did not administer the CMAS testing in 2020 so that districts could respond locally. $1.17 billion in ESSER III funds was distributed to implement tutoring. To narrow the gap, Colorado must: 1) Commit to no future closures of schools 2) Less politicization of the curriculum, focus on core academics 3) Provide more education choices for parents 4) Change the funding structure to make sure it goes to the teacher/student instructional level, not administration. 5) Reduce over-reliance on technology when we know in-person teaching is better for children.
Who should have the most say in educating Colorado’s youth: parents or teachers?
Parents are the ultimate authority in their child’s education and should be able to freely pursue whatever educational options they deem best for their child. Schools and teachers are to come alongside parents to instruct in the basics and should avoid undermining parental authority or interfering with the transmission of parental values to children.
Does the state Board of Education have a role to play in supporting schools struggling to meet students’ mental health needs?
In Colorado, this is actually NOT under the authority of the State Board of Education.
Federal funding is provided to states to distribute according to the Mental Health in Schools Act 2015 (H.R. 1211/S. 1588): This legislation provides federal funding to train school staff on mental health-related issues, establish school-based mental health services, and create schools and community mental health partnerships.
Another federal program, the Mental Health First Aid Act of 2015 (S. 711/H.R. 1877): Provides funding for training of teacher/school administrators among others on recognizing symptoms of common mental illnesses/substance use disorders, de-escalating crisis situations, and referrals to community resources. It is best to leave this at the local control level.
What’s working and not working about how Colorado measures school performance?
We have local district measures and blended learning that are working. Both of these allow teachers to get instant information on where students are, where they should be, if they are behind or if they are ready to move forward. The teacher can pivot lessons, meet children where they are, and plan to move them forward. We know teaching to a test isn’t working and standardized testing isn’t an accurate measure of student growth.
What’s working and not working about how Colorado is responding to potential learning loss and achievement gaps caused by the pandemic?
Many federal funds came in because of COVID-19 and districts used that to fill in gaps and keep children healthy. We as a state need to fund our schools better to continue filling those gaps as COVID-19 federal dollars expire. That money was used for better ventilation, attendance liaisons, family outreach, counselors, and wrap-around services.
Who should have the most say in educating Colorado’s youth: parents or teachers?
Teachers are the trained professionals and parents/guardians are partners at the table working together for the success of the student. Both deserve respect and both are needed.
Does the state Board of Education have a role to play in supporting schools struggling to meet students’ mental health needs?
Yes. We need to work with school districts and our legislators to make sure we are meeting the needs of our students, especially after COVID-19. I don’t think we have even unpacked what everyone has been through and the toll and trauma it has caused. I also think we haven’t appropriately put a plan together to deal with social media and what that has added to the struggles of mental health for our students.
James K. Treibert has not returned the questionnaire.
How candidate order was determined: A lot drawing was held at the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office on Aug. 3 to determine the general election ballot order for major and minor party candidates. Colorado law (1-5-404, C.R.S.) requires that candidates are ordered on the ballot in three tiers: major party candidates followed by minor party candidates followed by unaffiliated candidates. Within each tier, the candidates are ordered by a lot drawing with the exception of the office of Governor and Lt. Governor, which are ordered by the last name of the gubernatorial candidate.
