Engaging Conversations: Partnering for Educational Excellence in Colorado

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Engaging Conversations Partnering for
Educational Excellence in Colorado

• Bill Fulton, Civic Canopy
• Jane Urschel, CASB
• Lisa Weil, Great Education Colorado

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A lot has changed in a year. . .

• Governor Ritters Colorado Promise
• Tough Choices or Tough Times Report
• House Bill 1118 (Blueprint Conversations)
• P-20 Council Formed
• CDEs Forward Thinking Report
• Calls for a Statewide Conversation on Education

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Beginning a statewide conversation

• Conversation 2007State Legislature and
  Donnell-Kay Foundation
• Great Education Colorado
• CASB HB 1118 Blueprint Conversations
• Conference on 21st Century Learning
• By the People EventRegis, CSU, Rocky Mountain
  PBS
• Civic Mission of Schools Agenda 2010 Summit
• P-20 Council

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A necessary partner in reform . . .

• Conversations in Colorado serve dual goals
• Garner wisdom from/test proposals with those on
  the front lines
• Build buy-in for proposed reform from the voters

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Who has taken part?

• Over 2,500 people across the state
• Public officials
• Close to half of the Colorado General Assembly
• Commissioner Jones, State Board of Education
• Local school board members, mayors, city councils
• Governors Office P-20 Council Members
• Wide range of educators higher education,
  superintendents, principals, teachers
• General public parents, students, business
  leaders, retirees

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What are they talking about?

• Broadly
• Goals/Vision for public education
• Strategies for achieving goals
• Barriers to achieving goals
• Need for new partnerships (mutual needs and
  responsibilities)

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What are they saying?

• Strong sense of common goals
• General agreement on the challenges
• Window of great opportunity
• Hunger for real change
• Leadership from the top down and the bottom up
• Willingness to believe in what is possible

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But this window could close. . .

• General trends of apathy and cynicism abound
• Splintering of factions and interests, unable to
  find common ground for the common good
• Systemic resistance (term limits, funding limits,
  political shifts)
• Tendency to blame others

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Lessons Learned from the Process

• Common Vision for Public Education
• Responsible Citizens
• Skilled Workforce
• Life-long Learners
• Partnership and Relationships
• Need to Build Trust
• Need for whole system changes

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Examples of What Could Happen

• Examples
• Example
• Example

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As your work continues. . .

• Build in additional opportunities for engaging
  the public
• Transform education in Colorado with clear goals
  in mind
• Connect efforts and build on statewide processes

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And most of all. . .

• Thank you for all you have done and will do to
  improve the state of education in Colorado