Author: Ann Schimke Chalkbeat Colorado
-
Colorado activists try again to limit suspensions and expulsions of young children
—
by
A coalition of advocates who favor early childhood discipline reform are gearing up to push for state legislation to curb suspensions and expulsions of preschoolers and children in early elementary school. A bill to do that died in the legislature in 2017, a year after advocates tried without success to get legislation on the topic…
-
Victim of its own success: Qualistar, pioneer in rating Colorado child care, to close
—
by
With efforts to measure and improve child care quality in Colorado now ensconced in state government, the nonprofit organization that laid the groundwork for that system will close next month. Leaders at Qualistar Colorado said the state’s recent progress in prioritizing quality in child care centers and preschools makes it the right time to end…
-
They started as a rural experiment. Now, mobile preschools are rolling into Denver
—
by
In several of Colorado’s rural communities, some children have long attended preschool in specially equipped mobile classrooms with names like Gus the Bus, Magic Bus and El Busesito. The rolling preschools, which travel to apartment complexes or mobile home parks a couple times per week, are seen as an innovative way to reach children who…
-
3 takeaways from a gubernatorial candidates forum on early childhood
—
by
Stark differences in how Colorado’s two would-be governors plan to tackle early childhood issues were clear at a candidate forum Monday evening. U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, the Democratic nominee, envisions free full-day preschool and kindergarten for all Colorado children – a sweeping and pricey expansion of what’s currently available. Republican lieutenant governor candidate Lang Sias,…
-
Denver community members offer advice on choosing new superintendent
—
by
Denver teacher Carla Cariño hopes the district’s next superintendent is a bilingual person of color. Ariel Taylor Smith, a former Denver teacher and now an education advocate, wants a leader who tackles school improvement with a sense of urgency. Collinus Newsome, a leader at the Denver Foundation, hopes the search process includes community voices that…
-
A new guide aims to help Colorado school districts offer mental health support to students
—
by
A new toolkit to be officially released Monday will help Colorado educators, parents and district administrators infuse mental health support into classrooms and schools. The 60-page online guide from the nonprofit Mental Health Colorado comes out at a time when many school leaders say they desperately need help addressing students’ mental health needs and districts…
-
Day of action drawing Colo. teachers to Capitol; district cancels classes
—
by
In the midst of a wave of teacher activism across the country, educators in Colorado are joining the fray by putting more pressure on lawmakers, calling attention to school funding shortfalls – and in one case forcing a school district to cancel classes by walking off the job. Hundreds of Colorado teachers plan to descend…
-
Child care substitutes are in short supply. A new Colorado law could make them a little easier to find.
—
by
A bill approved by the Colorado state Senate and poised for smooth passage through the House would make it easier for child care centers to staff their classrooms when regular teachers are absent. The bill would create a new kind of child care license for agencies that place substitute teachers at child care centers. It…
-
4 takeaways from a new report on the status of Colorado’s children
—
by
Teen pregnancies are way down in Colorado. Teen suicides are alarmingly high. More of the state’s kids are attending full-day kindergarten than ever before, but half of them start school without the skills they need. These are a few of the findings from the annual KIDS COUNT in Colorado report released earlier this week by…
-
4 takeaways from a new report on the status of Colorado’s children
—
by
Teen pregnancies are way down in Colorado. Teen suicides are alarmingly high. More of the state’s kids are attending full-day kindergarten than ever before, but half of them start school without the skills they need. These are a few of the findings from the annual KIDS COUNT in Colorado report released today by the advocacy…