great futures 2010

Great Futures Start with a Great Education

Winter/Spring 2010

What Do We Want For Our Kids?

Is Colorado Investing In Our Children’s Future?

How is Colorado doing?•40th in per pupil funding (42nd adjusted for cost of living)

•$1,397 below the national average in per pupil spending ($1,919 adjusted for cost of living)

•42nd/46th in poverty gap measures

•42nd in pupil to teacher ratio

•41st in technology in our schools

•$0 for teacher professional development

Why the gap?

• Gallagher: lowers personal property taxes which was once the major source of school funding. Now it’s the state.

• TABOR: limits growth of state and local revenues. Result - state can’t fund increasing demands.

•Amendment 23: State must increase school funding by inflation + 1% thru 2011, though obliterated in 2009.

Gallagher, TABOR and Amendment 23

• 7.5% cut below current law • $431 million below current law• In excess of $500 per pupil cut

2010-11 EstimatedStatewide K-12 Budget Cuts

What do we want for our kids?

•{Optional: Discussion Element}

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Colorado: 48th Higher Ed Funding

(per capita)

How low can higher ed go?

Colorado and Higher Education• 2009-10: $56 million cut. Federal stimulus $$ prevented far worse.

• 2010-11: Federal $$ gone. Drastic cuts. Offset in part by tuition increase.

• 30% of family income already pays for 4 year college.

• 17% gap between whites and minorities enrolled in college (18-24 year olds) - one of largest in U.S.

• If no gap: $10 billion more in personal income

2011Expiration of:

•Federal Stimulus Funds

•Referendum C

•Amendment 23 (effectively expired this year)

• Individual attention/smaller classes

• Highly qualified/effective teachers

• Updated technology & textbooks

• Well-rounded curriculum

• Pre-School & Full Day Kindergarten

• An affordable higher education system producing a skilled workforce.

More Money is Not the Goal But it is the Means

What Can We Do?

• Spread the word and tell your story. (www.greateducation.org/map)

• Sign the pledge. (www.greateducation.org/pledge)

• Stay informed through Great Education Colorado.

Liane MorrisonExecutive Director

Great Education Colorado303-722-5901

www.greateducation.orgliane@greateducation.org

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