Amendment 66 – Some pros and cons

TRANSCRIPT

Amendment 66 looks to raise nearly $1 billion dollars per year for Colorado public schools. This ballot measure will give Principals like Jon Wolfer of Douglass Elementary School in Boulder, a chance to expand programs —

Wolfer: Funding for kindergarten that would enable us to have full day kindergarten at Douglass, compared to the half time program that we currently have — and that’s a big deal, to get kids started off on the right foot in elementary school.

But Briggs Gamblin is hopeful. As director of communications for Boulder Valley School District, he told me how the money would be distributed —

Gamblin: Approximately $17 million in additional funding annually to address our vision, mission, and goals will be available. How that gets spent will be determined by the local school board and the budget process

But not everyone is convinced that Amendment 66 is going to do much for public schools. CU Boulder professor Michele Moses, a passionate activist for opportunity access for children in low-income families, sees one drawback to 66 —

Moses: It’s too easy for more advantaged schools, wealthier neighborhoods, to get more of the benefits than the lower-income schools who struggle more financially and I don’t know if Amendment 66 is going to help.

But despite the uncertainty of this ballot measure, Wolfer still remains optimistic for the students of Douglass Elementary if Amendment 66 were to pass —

Wolfer: It sounds like the district is considering expanding preschool, so that we can provide more preschool slots for kids, for 3 and 4 year olds — research has been pretty clear that early education, early efforts to intervene with kids who are behind will help get them on the right track for their public school education.

For Under the Flatirons, this is Jessica Caballero, don’t forget to vote on November 5.

Mixed reception on income tax rise for Colorado public schools

by Jessica Caballero

Support for Amendment 66 is not as strong as recent claims suggest

9News has learned that State Sen. Michael Johnston’s claims that Amendment 66 — the income tax increase that would bring a reported $1 billion a year to fund education — has shown to be supported by only 38 percent of a 600-person vote, where the senator boasted support in the 52-54 percent range to the state’s Education Leadership Council on Aug 1.

Denver/Aurora school districts, CASB endorse Amendment 66

The Colorado Association of School Boards added Denver and Aurora school districts to the list of supporters for Amendment 66. The votes came in at 6:1 and 7:0, respectively, in favor of the tax increase to benefit Colorado’s public schools.

Aspen voters go neutral on Amendment 66

With gauges on support for Amendment 66 jumping up and down all over the state, Aspen School Board has decided to take a neutral stance and several members have stated that they will write a guest opinion piece in the local newspaper to explain what the measure could mean for their community.