Campaign to Reduce Operational & Structural Barriers in Education - There is momentum at a city, state, and national level to improve K-12 education. Despite the importance toward achieving outcomes and the enormous cost, school districts operate in a highly constrained system governed by statutory, regulatory, and operational guidelines. Among other issues, some of the most important aspects of school staffing, such as recruiting, licensure, hiring, professional development, compensation and firing, prevent districts from placing the most qualified teachers in the classroom.

Unless the system is deregulated, appropriate incentives put in place, and improved performance measurement techniques and accountability installed, then the K-12 system will continue to deteriorate. Colorado Succeeds has commissioned The New Teacher Project to analyze multiple school districts to identify the most egregious operational and structural barriers affecting the education system (recruiting, licensure, tenure, teacher firing, labor contracts and others). We have created a committee to review and prioritize barriers, propose solutions and initiate campaigns to remove impediments and incentives that adversely impact the education system, and will facilitate the implementation of solutions.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) - CTE is a vital component for preparing students for post-secondary studies, job placement and the formation of lifelong leaning habits. Not all kids go to college, but all kids go to work. One size does not fit all, schools must offer rigorous, industry-focused programs for college and career bound students in order to fulfill workforce needs.

Colorado Succeeds believes expanded CTE programs offer alternatives to non-traditional students and prepares them to enter the workforce and simultaneously broadens the skill set of college bound students. Quality CTE programs respond to a number of pressing issues including, closing the achievement gap, improving graduation rates and promoting post-secondary education.

CTE responds directly to the business community’s goal to graduate high school students with the skills to succeed in post-secondary education without remediation or the necessary training to enter directly into the workforce. Colorado Succeeds recently made a number of recommendations to improve and expand the delivery of rigorous and relevant CTE programs (please see our report summary).