Education policy

Schaffer’s ‘unsafe school choice’ policy gets new life under Trump

Education Week, Approved, National / / , , , , ,

When the Trump administration urged states to use a little-known provision in federal education law to boost school choice, the congressman who helped author the language 24 years ago had an immediate reaction.

“It’s about time,” said former Congressman Bob Schaffer.

In a May 7 letter, Acting Assistant Education Secretary Hayley B. Sanon urged states to ease their criteria for labeling schools as “persistently dangerous”—a designation that legally comes with an obligation to offer families an option to transfer to another public school.

Schaffer’s ‘unsafe school choice’ policy gets new life under Trump Read More »

Polis backs federal halt after his own AI law faces fierce blowback

The Colorado Sun, Approved, State / / , , , , , ,

Nine months: that’s all the time left before companies have to start complying with Colorado’s first-in-the-nation anti-discrimination law for AI systems, unless policymakers act.

Business and industry groups have been begging for a delay. They say the law as it stands is unworkable — they’re urging Colorado’s lawmakers to give all sides more time to try to find a compromise.

But consumer rights advocates say AI’s rapid spread into more and more areas of life makes it critical to put guardrails on how the technology is working. Many advocates for the law also feel some in the tech industry won’t be satisfied with anything other than a full capitulation on the policy’s most meaningful consumer protections.

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Sencenbaugh: DEI and CRT may sound noble, but they’re driving academic mediocrity in schools

Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Commentary, Top Stories / / , , , , , ,

If you are on the left or the right, Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in the average classroom does not look like one tends to believe. Both are far more subtle. Thus, any debate on these issues devolves into both sides yelling at one another with neither actually listening.

During a House Oversight Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) declared, “We can stop with the nonsense because K-12 was not teaching critical race theory…in our country K-12 is not learning critical race theory. Just for those who are unfamiliar.” 

Having taught in both Texas and Colorado, I can tell you that she is not being completely honest. While she is correct that “CRT” is not directly taught in any K-12 school or part of any state standards, it would be dishonest to believe that the ideas behind CRT are not taught in our schools. I have observed classrooms and read over lessons that assume CRT to be accurate.

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Money matters: Colorado lawmakers pass bill adding financial literacy to graduation requirements

Approved, Post Independent, State / / , , , , , ,

Colorado just became the 27th state to turn financial literacy courses into a graduation requirement after the bill passed the Senate with a vast majority vote on Wednesday. 

The bipartisan bill’s third reading passed with 55 yes votes and 10 no — a noticeable uptick in support from when the bill was first introduced.

House Bill 25-1192 requires that all Colorado high school students complete a personal finance literacy course at some point in their four years in order to graduate.

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School board in El Paso County moves to restrict transgender athletes, citing safety and fairness

The Colorado Sun, Approved, Local / / , , , , , ,

At an April school board meeting near Colorado Springs, debate raged over a proposed policy to ban transgender students from playing on school sports teams that match their gender identity.

A high school student named Sadie, who spoke against the policy, asked why her district would need a blanket policy when a tiny percentage of student athletes are transgender.

A 60-year-old man who supported the policy and described himself as stronger than any woman in the building claimed a transgender girl could slam a ball into a girl’s head hard enough to put her in the hospital.

School board in El Paso County moves to restrict transgender athletes, citing safety and fairness Read More »

“Drawing the line”: School boards warn HB25-1312 oversteps on parental rights, brings policy chaos

Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, State, Top Stories / / , , , , , , , , ,

More than 70 school board members and education leaders have signed a letter urging lawmakers to reject HB25-1312, also known as the Kelly Loving Act.

Andrea Haitz, president of the District 51 Board of Education, warned that the bill “risks placing schools in an even more precarious legal position, especially when parents disagree on matters like gender identity or preferred names.”

Jason Jorgenson, secretary of the District 11 Board of Education and a lead organizer of the opposition letter, said HB25-1312 “risks encouraging youth to pursue a path of gender transition without appropriate parental involvement.”

“Drawing the line”: School boards warn HB25-1312 oversteps on parental rights, brings policy chaos Read More »