By Christy Anderson | Commentary, Business Times
Let’s look at the facts. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2024, only 36 percent of Colorado’s fourth-graders read at a proficient level, and just 42 percent are proficient in math.
These numbers should alarm every parent, educator, policymaker and taxpayer. Beneath the surface of annual graduation celebrations lies a troubling reality: Many students are not prepared for life after high school. Colleges are restructuring their curricula to accommodate lower proficiency levels, and remedial classes are becoming the norm, not the exception.
As an educator with 25 years of experience in Mesa County Valley School District 51 and a Realtor who works closely with families across our community, I’ve seen firsthand the growing frustration and concern from parents, teachers and community members alike. And I share in it.
For the first time, I’ve seriously considered moving my family out of Colorado, something I never thought I’d contemplate in the state I’ve called home my whole life.
While many, including our superintendent and board of education, are grappling with the impending doom of closing schools and cutting more from the already meager budget, our Colorado House Representatives and governor are busy funding pet projects. Gov. Jared Polis said there was not enough money for schools. I have news for him: Public schools in Colorado have NEVER been adequately funded in my 25 years.
However, now Colorado is not only NOT funding schools, state lawmakers are ready and poised to fund new atrocious initiatives or bills.
When school districts and governments prioritize policies around gender-affirming care, inclusive curriculum or access to reproductive services, they often frame it as caring for student well-being, especially for marginalized or vulnerable groups. The idea being that if all students feel safe and supported, the more likely it is that they will succeed.
Here is where it gets messy: If those policies feel like they are being pushed at the expense of academic excellence, parental rights or shared community values, it starts to feel like ideology and less like academics.
It is fair to ask: Are these policies going to help ALL students, or is it just checking boxes? Are they going to improve education or distract from it?
This is a powerful and deeply personal question and one that speaks to the heart of the ongoing debate. What role should government play in raising or educating a student? Who is looking at the mass population of students and their needs?