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As indicated on its official website, the Colorado State Board of Education (SBE) is charged by the Colorado Constitution with the general supervision of the public schools.  The SBE has numerous powers and duties specified in state law.  Individual SBE members are elected on a partisan basis (one from each of the seven Colorado congressional districts, and one from the state at large from January, 2001 until January, 2007).  SBE members serve six-year terms without pay.  The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) is the administrative arm of the SBE.

The Board usually meets at 9:00am on the second Thursday of each month at the Colorado Department of Education, 201 East Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado 80203, USA.  Board work sessions and other special meetings are held as needed (usually on the second Wednesday of each month at CDE).  Information about future meeting agendas is available at 303-866-6817.  Calendars, agendas, and some documents are available on the SBE website page for meetings after May 10, 2005.

The members of the Colorado State Board of Education are Bob Schaffer (Chairman), Randy DeHoff (Vice-Chairman), Elaine Gantz Berman, Jane Goff, Peggy Littleton, Marcia Neal, and Angelika Schroeder.  The SBE appointed Dwight Jones as the Commissioner of Education, who also is the nonvoting secretary to the board.  Refer to the SBE Board Member Profiles page for more information about each member.

Four of the SBE members are Republicans, and three are Democrats (was four from January, 2001 until January, 2007).  The SBE members usually had demonstrated during recent years their determination to minimize typical political-party contentiousness over a variety of public education issues.  That included positions advocated by "education establishment" organizations such as Colorado Association of School Boards (CASB), Colorado Association of School Executives (CASE), and Colorado Education Association (CEA).  For example, the Board members unanimously adopted annual legislative priorities for the next year: 2005 [PDF 22KB], 2006 [PDF 118KB], 2007 [PDF 75KB], 2008 [PDF 49KB] and 2009 [PDF 29KB].

The mission of the Colorado State Board of Education is to provide all of Colorado’s children equal access to quality, thorough, uniform, well-rounded educational opportunities in a safe and civil learning environment.  The vision is that all children in Colorado will become educated and productive citizens.

The SBE has these goals and objectives as part of the 2007-2009 Strategic Plan developed at the July 2008 board retreat:

  •  1. Fulfill our role as the state's educational authority.

    • a. Lead the conversation on the purpose and effect of the public education in the 21st century.

    • b. Positively and proactively impact state and federal legislation.

    • c. Continue and strengthen our partnerships with and leadership within the educational community.

    • d. Optimize and responsibly exercise our authority.

     

  •  2. Lead a redesign of the public education accountability system that aims to produce graduates that are equipped for success in the 21st century.

    • a. Advance a plan designed to close the achievement gap and simultaneously to reduce the statewide dropout rate.

    • b. Prioritize, increase and coordinate resources to support our field services.

    • c. Lead the statewide effort to ensure standards and assessments and prepare 21st century learners for post secondary and workforce success.

    • d. Forward a plan to collect, use, and share data in ways that support accountability, inform policymaking, and advance teaching and learning.

    • e. Encourage collaborative solutions that leverage resources from different agencies (BOCES, Higher Education, etc.) and which promote the integrated delivery of educational services.

     

  •  3. Take the lead in improving the stability effectiveness and efficiency of educational funding.

    • a. Play a leadership role in promoting a comprehensive school finance plan that links resources to results and supports schools with the greatest needs.

    • b. Participate in prioritization and protection of the budget, including libraries.

    • c. Continue to lead and educate the public about the School Lands Trust issue.

  •  4. Enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the educator work force and increase the state's ability to attract, develop, and retain high quality educators.

    • a. Improve quality and accountability of preparation programs.

    • b. Support professional development that increases student achievement through teacher quality.

     

  •  5. Improve choice opportunities for Colorado students.

    • a. Increase access to online programs.

    • b. Monitor the accountability of online programs through Accreditation.

    • c. Implement accountability measures that apply to all choice models.

    • d. Adhere to the Board's position statement on the Principles of School Choice.

 

Last modified: 03/22/2009

 

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