Colorado Succeeds

Each year, Colorado’s education system fails to prepare thousands of students to be independent, successful, contributing members of society. The ineffective school system under serves far too many children in Colorado and low-income and minority families are disproportionately impacted. Experts estimate that the achievement gap is costing our country $525 billion each year. Our workforce is largely unprepared for today’s rapidly changing marketplace and our economy is paying the price.

There is both a moral and economic imperative to resolve these complex problems. Colorado Succeeds’ two -pronged focus is clear: to improve the quality of education for Colorado’s students, and simultaneously, ensure the well-educated workforce that our businesses and economy require. The current crisis in education consists of the three following issues:

1. Every child in Colorado deserves and is owed an excellent education - hence the moral imperative.
2. Colorado’s future economy, business environment and quality of life depends on how well we equip today’s students with the knowledge and life-skills they need to succeed - hence the economic imperative.
3. Education is central to addressing and correcting all our other social ills, such as crime and poverty - hence the urgency.