Colorado State Board of Education 2021 Legislative Priorities

The Colorado State Board of Education is committed to working with the Governor, the Colorado Legislature, school districts and stakeholders to re-envision learning for the future. By working together to keep all Colorado students as the focus, and aligning with the Education Leadership Council's recommendations, we believe in our collective ability to establish a vision and a plan to achieve a world class education system in Colorado. 

Student Success

We support policy that…

• Encompasses the continuity of sequenced, coherent, and high quality education from kindergarten to career or higher education.
• Ensures all students have access to the quality instruction needed to meet the Colorado Academic Standards and drive student-directed learning experiences towards essential skills. 
• Provides opportunities for children to participate in programs which increase their readiness to learn in kindergarten.
• Provides opportunities for kindergarteners to participate in programs which increase their reading readiness for first grade.
• Expands students' access to quality, evidence-based reading instruction and continuing development of literacy skills.
• Supports multiple post-secondary pathways.
• Acknowledges each local district’s unique challenges in closing achievement gaps, and advancing all students’ academic achievement.
• Supports training and tools to create safe and inclusive learning environments.

We support policy that…

• Provides every student with high quality educational choices and varied learning experiences to best meet his/her individual learning needs.
• Ensures parents have access to information about education programs, their child's academic achievement, and the opportunities to participate in related discussions and decisions on behalf of their child.
• Supports districts in their efforts to build robust family, community, and industry partnerships to ensure all students develop lifelong learning skills.

Flexibility

We support policy that…

• Provides flexibility to schools and districts that deliver high quality evidence-based services with improved student outcomes.
• Provides flexibility to the Colorado Department of Education to deliver high quality education services while maintaining accountability.
• Provides flexibility in the way school districts meet reporting and implementation requirements in order to maximize student outcomes and minimize the burden on district staff.
• Keeps Colorado students' best interests in mind while anticipating and responding to new federal and state law.

School Finance

We support policy that…

• Leads to the development of an equitable and comprehensive Colorado school finance system that provides thorough and uniform educational opportunities for all Colorado students.
• Clearly communicates with, and engages the public around school finance.
• Takes into account state and local contribution capacity to ensure all students have equitable educational opportunities.
• Enhances and improves the Permanent Fund, and protects it from further depletion. 

State Board Authority

The Colorado State Board of Education is responsible for the general supervision of public schools through collaboration with the legislative and executive branches and with non-profit organizations and the private sector. In furtherance of its constitutional responsibility, the State Board of Education supports policy that recognizes its rulemaking authority, rather than policy enacted through prescriptive statute.