Revitalizing Education through Action and Leadership, A REAL Plan for Colorado

Education is the foundation on which a strong democracy lies. Democrats and Coloradan’s overwhelmingly support investing in education, but today, the realities of our education system do not reflect that value. We rank 41st in the nation for K-12 education funding,1 and 47th in the nation in funding our higher education institutions2 - we are not providing our children the resources they need to succeed. Colorado is the best place in the nation to live and work, but our children cannot succeed without our support.

As your next Governor, improving Colorado’s public education system will be my top priority. Learn exactly how I will make the changes Colorado's education system needs in my plan: Revitalizing Education through Action and Leadership, a REAL Plan for Colorado.

Today, Colorado is at a crossroads. I believe that every child has the right to a first-class education; regardless of their zip code, ethnicity, or income level.  We face great challenges, Colorado’s education system is getting overstretched, and we are feeling the effects.

  • More than half of Colorado’s schools have resorted to 4-day school weeks3, some out of financial necessity,
  • the state’s schools need an estimated $640 million4 to fix-up crumbling school infrastructure
  • Funding for higher education institutions like CU and CSU is projected to completely run dry within two years, and
  • we are amidst a massive teacher shortage. Colorado will need roughly 3,000 new teachers to fill all of our classrooms.5

The decision the next Governor makes will define what our state looks like for the next 40 years.

Colorado must have a K-12 and higher education plan to support our youth, and ensure we have an education system that trains, and prepares our students to thrive in the 21st century global economy. Ensuring Colorado makes impactful change will require strong and honest leadership, and a fierce dedication to education. I’ve spent my life fighting for these values in Colorado; as governor, I want to make the greatest impacts for kids all across our state.

We must, make improvements across the board - increase teacher wages, help provide teachers the professional resources they need, fight to increase school funding for our kids, reform standardized testing and teacher evaluation methods, and utilize the highly innovative youth apprenticeship system I founded to provide kids on the job work experience, greater access to post-secondary education, and the support they need to dive straight into the middle class and beyond - whether they received an industry credential or a PhD. As a Colorado citizen, business owner, and civic leader, I have been fighting for decades to improve our public education system. These improvements are not empty words - they come with my plan, and my promise to see them through. Learn exactly how I will accomplish this through my plan: Revitalizing Education through Action and Leadership, a REAL Plan for Colorado.

My experience fighting for Colorado’s Education system:

  • Founder; CareerWise Colorado, a renowned statewide apprenticeship program for high school students.
  • Volunteer teacher at Montbello High School (2012 - 2014)
  • Appointed by previous Colorado Governor Roy Romer to the National Governors Association School to Work program
  1. http://www.edweek.org/ew/qc/2017/state-highlights/2017/01/04/colorado-state-highlights-report-page.html or http://www.edweek.org/media/2016/12/29/school-finance-education-week-quality-counts-2017.pdf .
  2. http://highered.colorado.gov/Publications/Reports/Budget/FY2017/2017_tuitionfeesreport.pdf.
  3. https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeedserv/fourdayschoolweekmanual.
  4. https://kapost-files-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/published/56f02c3d626415b792000008/2016-state-of-our-schools-report.pdf?kui=wo7vkgV0wW0LGSjxek0N5A.
  5. http://www.denverpost.com/2017/04/13/colorado-teacher-shortage-crisis/.