EDUCATION
Our children deserve to learn in an environment that nurtures their growth and wholeness.
OUR NORTH STAR
Every child deserves a quality education and the support they need to prepare them for college or a career. All students should have the freedom, the ability, and the right to thrive.
- Your zip code shouldn’t determine your future. All students must have equal access to attend a high quality school that is the best fit for them.
- Schools need autonomy with accountability so they have the flexibility to make the important decisions necessary for their school.
- Transportation should not be a barrier. Students should be able to get to the school of their choice, be able to participate in after-school programs, internships, or other community activities without having to choose between eating that day or buying a bus pass.
- Colorado’s economy is thriving, but our schools are struggling. We need adequate and equitable funding for our students and our schools.
We cannot look at simply reforming the education system, but need to look at education as part of a whole. Educational outcomes are also impacted by health care, wages, paid sick leave, mass incarceration, and deportation policies. These systems have never served certain students well. We need to transform the systems to truly provide our children with the opportunities they deserve.
EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS
Transportation shouldn’t prevent our students from getting to the school of their choice or accessing extracurricular, extended-day or post-secondary activities.
Success Express
Leaders successfully organized for a Success Express shuttle in Denver’s Near and Far Northeast region. The Success Express, the first district shuttle bus system, dramatically increased the number of students with access to school transportation, improved attendance and truancy rates, provided cost savings for parents, the district and schools, increased flexibility for parents and support for the school choice system.
RTD Youth Pass
After a prolonged campaign to implement a RTD Youth Pass and Low-Income Pass, the RTD Board voted 10-5, in September 2018, to adopt many of the Pass Program Working Group’s recommendations. The new fares start in January 2019.
While not all of the Pass Program Working Group’s recommendations to RTD were approved, partners that organized for RTD Transit Equity agree that this is a step in the right direction for affordable and equitable transit.
We want to acknowledge our partner organizations in this effort: Donnell-Kay Foundation, Mile High Connects, Stand for Children, 9to5 Colorado, Young Aspiring Americans for Social and Political Activism (YAASPA) and the Rocky Mountain Bus Riders Union.
Find more details on the new RTD passes here.
Colorado’s investment in education is lagging behind other states. We rank near the bottom in personal income invested in education. Education funding has not recovered from the recession: In the 2017-18 school year alone, Colorado schools were underfunded by nearly $830 million.
Together Colorado was part of the Great Schools, Thriving Communities Coalition that organized to pass Amendment 73 in November 2018.
While we’re disheartened that Amendment 73, the proposal to fund education statewide, did not pass, we did prove that more Coloradans want to invest in their students and teachers. Indeed, the widespread local successes to fund education demonstrate that we are on the right track to pass statewide education funding.
Weighted Student Funding
Together Colorado successfully advocated for a more equitable funding formula for Denver Public Schools. Schools serving students with higher needs get additional financial support so teachers and principals can ensure all students achieve their highest academic potential.
ASSET
Leaders successfully organized with students, parents, and partners to pass in-state tuition for thousands of Colorado’s undocumented students. After a ten-year organizing battle, SB13 – Colorado ASSET (Advancing Students for a Strong Economy Tomorrow) passed the legislature with bipartisan support and was signed into law on April 29th, 2013
What zip code you are born in shouldn’t determine your future. We support equal access to high quality schools while allowing those schools the flexibility to make decisions necessary for their schools.
School Choice Form
Together Colorado leaders worked with Denver Public Schools to ensure there was one form that would work to apply to any school in DPS, rather than 50 different forms with different deadlines. Denver is currently the only city where charter schools are part of this same process. A singular school choice form cut red tape and made it easier on families to apply.
Innovations Act of 2008
Together Colorado helped to write and implement the 2008 Innovations Act, which granted schools more autonomy at the district and state levels. Schools across the state can apply for innovation status allowing them more autonomy in hiring, budgeting, and scheduling.
OTHER WORK
CLIMATE JUSTICE
The earth is sacred. We must live in balance with all of creation, using only what we need, and recognizing that there is enough for all.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
We desire a merciful, rehabilitative justice system that maintains the hope and human dignity of every person.
ECONOMIC JUSTICE
We desire a moral and communal economy based on the infinite value of human beings, not material objects.