Building a library of primers on Colorado education issues

You know that state lawmakers cut K-12 funding again this year but – wait – what was the exact percentage again?

You’re also pretty sure that CSAP ended this past spring after 15 years of annual tests. But what is going to take its place?

The goal of the Education News Colorado Topics pages is to answer those kinds of questions in concise primers with at-your-fingertips facts and data.

We’re starting off with three issues – school funding, state testing and vouchers – and we’d like your feedback. Too long? Too short? Too confusing? Too simplistic?

We’ll build the library over time. And we’ve got plenty of ideas about what to include – can anyone keep the timeline for S.B. 10-191 in their heads? – but we’d like to hear your thoughts too.

So take a look and talk to us at EdNews@EdNewsColorado.org.

Here are links to our first four topics:

• Recent reforms in brief – A January 2012 report prepared by Josh Abram, analyst for the Colorado Legislative Council, provides succinct overviews of reform legislation such as the Colorado Growth Model, the Colorado Achievement Plan for Kids and more.
• School funding – Tough times: Consecutive cuts drop per-pupil funding to 2006 level
• State testing – Testing in transition: From CSAP to TCAP and beyond
• Vouchers – Vouchers in Colorado: Supporters show persistence in repeated efforts