Parents, residents across Colorado unite in support for statewide assessment this spring to address learning loss

A poll conducted by Keating Research shows broad, bi-partisan support for continuing statewide assessments this spring. Administering end-of-year assessments without accountability is supported by 62% of Colorado residents, including 66% of parents of K-12 students. Support of assessments is consistent across every region of the state regardless of region, race, or age. Not surprisingly, those

ERNA and Voto Latino Partner on Continuing Voter Outreach

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Victoria Fosdal, victoria@dfer.org Danny Turkel, danny@votolatino.org WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 21, 2020) — Education Reform Now Advocacy (ERNA), an affiliate of Democrats for Education Reform (DFER), and Voto Latino are excited to announce a matching donation campaign aimed at amplifying Voto Latino’s voter engagement efforts in Texas, Colorado, and Florida. The $300,000

FAFSA Completion Colorado

By: Prateek Dutta, DFER Colorado Policy Director During the 2018-2019 school year, 50% of high school seniors in Colorado did not complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and were consequently ineligible for over $50 million worth of grants for higher education. Completing the FAFSA is the only way to be eligible for

DFER CO Community Highlights

DFER Colorado and our partners at A Plus Colorado have partnered to highlight community organizations and community members’ incredible work during COVID-19. These organizations, despite incredible adversity, have continued to put students and families first during these unprecedented times. Below are some of the interviews we conducted that showcase their work. Interview #1: Interview with Transform Education Now https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IPRsJ3elj0&feature=youtu.be

DFER CO Webinars and Interviews

Democrats for Education Reform Colorado affiliate organization, Education Reform Now Colorado, teamed up with A Plus Colorado for a series of webinars on how the state can better support schooling during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. You can view these webinars below. Webinar 1: Schooling in the era of COVID-19: A virtual discussion with national and local education leaders https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRMIcStu__k&list=TLPQMDEwNjIwMjB1IvAXjV5gRQ&index=1 A+ Colorado and Education

In Defense of the SAT — Eliminating College Admissions Exams Only Worsens Entrenched Inequities

This article was originally posted on The 74, and can be found here. By Dr. Prateek Dutta Last week, two events that seemed to have little to do with each other made headline news. Actress Lori Loughlin and her husband pleaded guilty to bribing officials in order to get their children admitted into a selective university in

Honoring the Courage of the Little Rock Nine

Honoring the Courage of the Little Rock Nine Unlike most of the entering freshman class, Carlotta Walls didn’t worry about whether she would like her teachers, how her shoes would match her outfit, or if she would be able find her classes in such a large building. Instead, Carlotta Walls wondered whether she would safely

DFER Colorado Congratulates Jared Polis, Celebrates Progressive Education Victories Up and Down the Ballot

DFER COLORADO CONGRATULATES JARED POLIS, CELEBRATES PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION VICTORIES UP AND DOWN THE BALLOT From Governor’s Race to Key Legislative Wins, Democratic Primary Voters Proved They Want Leaders Who Will Do More to Improve Public Schools for All Colorado Students DENVER, CO – Democrats for Education Reform Colorado today released the following statement in response to

DFER CO: Colorado Supreme Court Unequivocal in Support of Teacher Effectiveness Law

Colorado Supreme Court Unequivocal in Support of Teacher Effectiveness Law In a critical ruling that has huge implications for the rights of education leaders to determine who teaches in their schools, the Colorado Supreme Court today issued a resounding decision in support of Senate Bill 191, 2010’s landmark teacher effectiveness legislation. The court ruled in

Equity for Charter Students

By Jen Walmer, DFER Colorado State Director Make no mistake – this is big. It took all 120 days and the courageous leadership of DFER champions in the House and Senate, but equity in mill levy distribution is now a reality. Sometimes, what’s right wins. Huge kudos to Rep. Brittany Pettersen, Sen. Angela Williams and