I am a product of public education, and my daughters are enrolled in public schools in Colorado Springs. We all know that a good education provides the foundation for our children’s success, and that well-educated citizens are critical to the social and economic health of strong communities. That’s why we need common-sense education policies that promote the success of all of our children in K through 12 schools. We cannot let children be stuck for years in failing schools.

Democrats Voted Against Parents

My opponent and the Democrat-controlled Senate voted against the House Republicans’ HB12-1149; they voted against giving parents the authority to request interventions for low-performing schools. This bill would have only required the state board to consider a request signed by more than 50% of the families of the students enrolled in a public school, if that school has already been operating under a priority improvement or turnaround plan for 2 years. It would have allowed 60% of the families of the students enrolled in any public school to petition the state board to step in to reform their children’s school.

5 Years Is Too Long

Instead, Democrats and my opponent voted to keep the status quo for those failing schools. Under existing law, a failing school has 5 years before the state board directs the local school board to reconfigure the public school. That’s five years when students get further behind academically. Five years means that parents will have given up, as their poorly educated children will have already gone on to the next school.

Where’s the common sense? I am truly interested in accountability and student achievement with public education in Colorado. This bill was a step in the right direction.