Roundtable with U.S. Secretary of Education, Margaret Spellings – On July 30, 2007, Colorado Succeeds hosted an intimate conversation with Secretary Margaret Spellings and some of Colorado’s top business leaders. This extraordinary opportunity to discuss education issues and their impact on workforce development and economic growth was a catalyst for business involvement and support for improving the state’s education system.

Career & Academic Plan Pilot Program – Colorado Succeeds has partnered with the Pueblo 60 School District to pilot an individual CAP program for students beginning in the 2007-2008 school year. Additional pilot programs are being explored.

Engineering the Future: Career and Technical Education Redesigned for Today’s Students. – Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Education, David Skaggs, invited Colorado Succeeds to be one of two business representatives at his statewide planning retreat in June 2007.

Colorado Business and Education Forum – Colorado Succeeds hosted a series of forums on April 16, 2007 with the Texas Business & Education Council and Washington Business Roundtable. Our guests were the Executive Directors and a senior member from the Texas Business and Education Council and Washington Business Roundtable, who shared how their organizations were able to focus the power and influence of the business community on education issues in their respective states.

The three forums targeted different audiences: the first, our board of directors and advisory board; the second, the education and foundation communities; and the third the business community at-large co-sponsored by Colorado Forum, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and The Foundation for Education Excellence and moderated by Tom Clark from the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation.

Marc Tucker, Tough Choices or Tough Times Breakfast – Colorado Succeeds in partnership with Colorado Forum, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and The Foundation for Education Excellence hosted a business leader breakfast featuring Marc Tucker, President of the National Center on Education and the Economy. The breakfast, in January 2007, was created as a forum for business leaders to discuss the findings of Tough Choices or Tough Times report which has been influential in Speaker Andrew Romanoff’s education agenda.

Gubernatorial Forums - In September 2006, Colorado Succeeds hosted independent education forums for business leaders with gubernatorial candidates Bill Ritter and Bob Beauprez. Superintendent of Cherry Creek Schools, Monte Moses served as our moderator and members of the business community were able to compare and contrast the education platforms of the candidates. During the forums Colorado Succeeds requested, and were granted, quarterly meeting with the victorious candidate.

Reports - Colorado Succeeds prepared and distributed three reports examining education in Colorado: The High Cost of Not Graduating High School; Higher Education in Colorado, an Economic Engine Running on Empty and Engineering The Future: Career and Technical Education Redesigned for Today’s Students. Each report draws the business community’s attention to issues of vital importance to the relationship between education issues facing our state and their impact on the state’s economic future. Please visit the Library for copies of each report.