On Monday, Colorado Governor Hickenlooper’s staff met with Denver Public Schools (DPS) and the Colorado Education Association (CEA) to come to a settlement on threatened litigation by the CEA against the constitutionality of SB 191, the state’s landmark educator effectiveness law. Yet despite the valiant efforts of Hickenlooper’s team and DPS leadership, they were unable to hammer out an agreement that wouldn’t undermine the intent of the legislation.
SB 191, which was signed into law by Governor Ritter in 2010, works to put great teachers and leaders in every school in the state; it has been supported by a bi-partisan group of business leaders, education advocates, union leaders, and civil rights organizations. But even with a myriad of people and organizations backing the legislation, the CEA has fought tooth and nail every step of the way to overturn the law. And their impending lawsuit is just another attempt to do so, going against what the majority of Coloradans and the Governor so rightly want for our state.
In a statement released after the meeting, Hickenlooper expressed his disappointment with the meeting’s outcome and emphasized his firm support for SB 191 and other education reforms throughout the state, including SB 213 and Amendment 66.
“We want to make clear to the people of Colorado that we are determined to protect the foundational reforms embodied in SB 191 and further advanced by the recent passage of SB 213, and funded by Amendment 66 – a proposal that will go to the voters this November,” Hickenlooper said. He then continued, “We know that these reforms have even stronger public support now than they did when they were passed and we are prepared to do whatever is necessary to defend them, whether it is in the courthouse, the legislature or the court of public opinion.”
We applaud Gov. Hickenlooper for stepping out so boldly in defense of reform, and for the future work he will no doubt continue to do to ensure our state’s kids have the best educational opportunities available to them.
Thank you Governor Hickenlooper!
Jennifer Walmer is the state director of DFER Colorado (DFER-CO). Prior to joining DFER-CO, Walmer was the Chief of Staff for the Superintendent of the Denver Public Schools, Tom Boasberg, where she helped pass a $500 million bond and mill initiative in November 2012. Walmer also was the Superintendent’s primary strategic liaison with a divided Board of Education; managed government affairs for the district; and led strategic partnership efforts with community organizations. Read more about Jen here.