Engaging Conversations: Partnering for Educational Excellence in Colorado

Bill Fulton, Civic Canopy

Jane Urschel, CASB

Lisa Weil, Great Education Colorado

A lot has changed in a year. . .

Governor Ritter’s Colorado PromiseTough Choices or Tough Times ReportHouse Bill 1118 (Blueprint

Conversations)P-20 Council FormedCDE’s “Forward Thinking” ReportCalls for a “Statewide Conversation” on

Education

Beginning a “statewide conversation”

Conversation 2007—State Legislature and Donnell-Kay Foundation

Great Education Colorado CASB: HB 1118 Blueprint Conversations Conference on 21st Century Learning “By the People” Event—Regis, CSU, Rocky

Mountain PBS Civic Mission of Schools Agenda 2010 Summit P-20 Council

A necessary partner in reform . . .

Conversations in Colorado serve dual goals:Garner wisdom from/test proposals with

those on the front linesBuild buy-in for proposed reform from the

voters

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 Governor’s Office & P-20 Council Members

Wide range of educators: higher education, superintendents, principals, teachers

General public: parents, students, business leaders, retirees

What are they talking about?

Broadly:Goals/Vision for public educationStrategies for achieving goalsBarriers to achieving goalsNeed for new partnerships (mutual

needs and responsibilities)

What are they saying?

Strong sense of common goalsGeneral agreement on the challengesWindow of great opportunity

Hunger for “real change”Leadership from the top down and the

bottom upWillingness to believe in what is possible

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

Lessons Learned from the Process

Common Vision for Public EducationResponsible CitizensSkilled WorkforceLife-long Learners

Partnership and RelationshipsNeed to Build TrustNeed for “whole system” changes

Examples of What Could Happen

ExamplesExampleExample

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

And most of all. . .

Thank you for all you have done and will do to improve the state of

education in Colorado