Mar 19, 2020 | Press
DENVER – Today Governor Jared Polis provided an update on the state’s response to COVID-19 and announced new executive actions to protect the health and safety of Coloradans. Earlier today at a news conference, Governor Polis announced the launch of the Help Colorado Now effort where Coloradans can donate or volunteer, as well as the Colorado COVID Relief Fund, which has already raised nearly $3 million to help Coloradans impacted by the coronavirus.
“We are acting boldly and swiftly together to protect the health and safety of all Coloradans. The science and data tells us this will get worse before it gets better,” said Governor Jared Polis.“We are in this together and the state is taking the necessary actions to slow the spread of this disease.”
The Governor signed an executive order suspending in-person learning in public and private schools across the state from March 23 to April 17. The executive order directs Colorado school districts and the Charter School Institute to make every effort to provide alternative learning opportunities during this time while taking into account the needs of local communities. This order also directs the Commissioner of Education to issue guidance to support P-12 school systems in developing and implementing plans to assist families and students in accessing alternative learning, providing free and reduced lunch and breakfast, and offering waivers for instructional time as appropriate. Click here to read.
“Protecting the health of all Coloradoans is our top priority, and moving to online learning and other ways to support learning at home is absolutely the right thing to do,” said Education Commissioner Katy Anthes.“We know school leaders, educators and families will have a lot of questions about how to support their students’ learning at home during this unprecedented time. The department is working on guidance and developing resources to support our schools and students, and it will be available very soon.”
The Governor also announced that he would be extending the suspension of downhill ski area operations through April 6. COVID-19 has spread throughout many mountain communities where ski resorts are located and this is a necessary step to help slow the spread of the virus. Last week, the Governor issued an executive order suspending ski area operations until March 22. Click here to read the order.
In accordance with CDC guidelines, the Colorado Department of Public Health also issued a public health order prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 people. Gatherings include community, civic, public, leisure, faith-based events, sporting events with spectators, concerts, conventions, fundraisers, parades, fairs, festivals or any similar event that brings more than 10 people together. Click here to read.
Coloradans can donate or sign up to volunteer at www.HelpColoradoNow.org.
Originally from Governor of Colorado website (https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news/colorado-takes-further-action-address-public-health-threat-covid-19).
Mar 17, 2020 | Press
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 17, 2020
DENVER – Despite new federal guidance released today to limit public gatherings to 10 people, more than half of Colorado school districts have yet to announce plans to close. Having any schools open while the COVID-19 virus continues to spread unnecessarily puts the health of students, educators and the public at risk, according to the Colorado Education Association.
“Governor Polis has taken decisive steps to ensure the safety and health of Coloradans by making tough decisions to temporarily close down restaurants, bars, casinos, gyms, breweries and coffeehouses. Yet there has been no order or recommendation to Superintendents to close down Colorado’s public schools for public health and safety as we have seen happen in other states,” said CEA President Amie Baca-Oehlert, a high school counselor.“Today we call on the Governor and the Superintendents of schools that have yet to close to put the health and safety of students and educators first in order to help stave off this massive public health crisis.”
Only about 85 of Colorado’s 178 school districts have closed. The majority of large districts have closed but there are still a significant number that have not closed. Some districts on spring break this week have yet to communicate a closure beyond their spring break period.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is clearly not slowing down in our state. Every parent, student and educator has good reason to worry that school could be a place where this disease can be contracted despite our best efforts. As long as this unprecedented threat looms over us, teaching and learning should not occur inside our school buildings. We call on Governor Polis to act decisively and encourage all Superintendents to close our public schools,” added Baca-Oehlert.
Baca-Oehlert reiterated CEA’s earlier calls for school districts to establish food service programs for all students in need, to compensate all dedicated school staff with the full pay and benefits they would normally receive during the school year, and for the Colorado Department of Education to reassess and waive standardized testing requirements for students.
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Mar 13, 2020 | Press
DENVER – As schools begin closing across Colorado to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the Colorado Education Association has a message for school districts: feed children and pay staff.
“Student safety is the top concern of every educator and CEA members respect the decision of many districts to close schools in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. We must be mindful, though, that our public schools are safe, supportive environments for Colorado children and provide critical resources that our students can’t afford to miss for a prolonged period,” said CEA President Amie Baca-Oehlert, a high school counselor.
“Educators are keenly aware that many children only receive hot, nutritious meals by way of school breakfasts and lunches. We applaud the districts that have already created plans to ensure students have access to food during the school closures and we are calling on all districts to utilize the UDSA waiver to allow emergency feeding programs for students in all districts that are experiencing closures,” Baca-Oehlert said.
Baca-Oehlert emphasized that districts have a responsibility to compensate dedicated teachers and school support staff during school closures too.“The people who keep our schools running – custodians, food service workers, secretaries and bus drivers just to name some – are most vulnerable to distress and losing their sense of economic security during a long school closure. Districts must value the immeasurable contributions of education support professionals to student success and compensate them with the full pay and benefits they would normally receive during the school year.”
CEA also calls on the Colorado Department of Education to reassess and waive standardized testing requirements for students. We are also calling for discussions on the impacts of school closures at this point in the year on educator evaluations.“Districts should focus resources to student needs,” observed Baca-Oehlert.“Our educators, students and families have enough stress and uncertainty in their lives right now and high stakes testing that is linked to educator evaluations shouldn’t be yet another weight on their minds.”
The coronavirus will test our school communities to be at their best for students and employees, Baca Oehlert added, and those that rise to the challenge will be remembered for lending comfort and care at this critical time.
“Districts attempting to solve one crisis can create a different kind of crisis for students and educators by not keeping a ‚Äòpeople-first’ sense of purpose. The last thing we need at this time is to create any more anxiety for people than is already out there,” Baca-Oehlert concluded.
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Mar 11, 2020 | Press
Educators will continue to visit Capitol weekly to raise awareness of low pay, school funding with legislators
DENVER – The Colorado Education Association will cancel its Day of Action at the Capitol, scheduled for Thursday, March 19, because of mounting public health concerns over the spreading of the COVID-19 virus.
“Be assured this difficult decision was made out of an abundance of caution and concern for the safety and welfare of our students, members and families,” said CEA President Amie Baca-Oehlert, a high school counselor.“We closely monitored guidance from health officials at the federal and state level throughout this process. Though no official guidance was given to us to restrict public gatherings such as our Day of Action, we don’t want to contribute in any way to the anxiety people are experiencing during this troubling health crisis.”
More than 5,000 educators and public education supporters were expected to attend the Day of Action to rally for the schools our students deserve. The educators were taking personal time off from school to protest Colorado having the least competitive educator pay in the country and continuing to make deep cuts to school funding (through the budget stabilization factor), even though Colorado has one of the most powerful state economies in the country.
“Despite our cancellation, lawmakers must feel urgency to take bold action during this session to keep quality educators in our classrooms and to ensure our students have the resources and supports they need to thrive,” added Baca-Oehlert.“Raising educator compensation across the state remains our top legislative priority. Our members will continue to visit the Capitol in smaller numbers every week during CEA Lobby Days to share our stories of the critical resources denied to our students, and the extreme difficulties educators have making a decent living in this state.”
In the coming days, CEA will roll out plans to have a“virtual” day of action March 19 to offer educators, parents, students and public education supporters the opportunity to participate and have a powerful impact at the legislature from home.
Educators will also continue to raise awareness of the Fair Tax Colorado ballot measure (Initiative 271), another focal point of the Day of Action, which if passed, could raise $1 billion to support educator recruitment, retention and pay.
Download CEA’s State of Education report for context on the detrimental impacts of Colorado’s chronic underfunding of our public schools. Contact Mike Wetzel, CEA public relations director, at mwetzel@coloradoea.org or 720-454-5729 to connect with educators who have attended or will attend CEA Lobby Days during this legislative session.
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Mar 9, 2020 | Press
Educators to march on Capitol for higher teacher pay, increased school funding
DENVER – With the clock ticking on important education funding bills at the Colorado State legislature, the time for action is now. Thousands of educators across Colorado will descend on the Capitol, March 19, to rally before the legislature for the schools our students deserve.
WHO: Thousands of educators, many of whom have great difficulty affording Colorado’s extremely high cost of living, need to hold multiple jobs to make ends meet, and have seen their districts struggle to retain quality educators and provide adequate resources and supports for students.
WHAT: CEA Day of Action
WHEN: Thursday, March 19, 9:00 to 2:00
WHERE: Start at Civic Center Park, March to West Steps of Colorado State Capitol
WHY: Colorado has the least competitive educator pay in the country and continues to make deep cuts to school funding through the budget stabilization factor ($572 million in the current school year; $8.1 billion since 2010).
Members of the Colorado Education Association will join with parents, students and public education supporters to specifically call on the Colorado General Assembly to pass Senate Bill 089, which will create a dedicated incentive fund with the explicit purpose to increase educator salaries across Colorado. Educators will additionally call upon legislators to reduce the budget stabilization factor by at least $100 million in this session and to commit to eliminating these cuts to public schools by 2022.
“Raising educator compensation across the state is our top legislative priority. Lawmakers will hear our mighty collective voice, March 19, on how difficult it is for an educator to make a decent living in this state while the rest of the economy soars,” said CEA President Amie Baca-Oehlert, a high school counselor.“Lawmakers must take bold action now to keep quality educators in our classrooms to support Colorado’s greatest resource, our students.”
School districts that have announced plans to close school for students March 19 include Adams 12 Five Star Schools, Adams County School District 14, Boulder Valley School District, Brighton 27J Schools, Clear Creek School District, Denver Public Schools, Englewood Schools, Jeffco Public Schools, Littleton Public Schools, Mapleton Public Schools, Sheridan School District No. 2, and Weld Re-8 School District (Fort Lupton).
More educators will attend the Day of Action from school districts that are already closed March 19 for Spring Break, including Aurora Public Schools, Cañon City Schools, Cherry Creek School District, Douglas County School District, Durango School District 9-R, Falcon School District 49, Greeley-Evans School District 6, Poudre School District, Roaring Fork School District, Thompson School District R2-J, and Weld County School District RE-1 (Gilcrest).
The Day of Action will bring awareness to the Fair Tax Colorado ballot measure (Initiative 271) that could be used to fund the SB-089 proposal and eliminate the budget stabilization factor.
Media wanting to attend CEA’s Day of Action should contact Mike Wetzel at mwetzel@coloradoea.org or 720-454-5729, and should download CEA’s State of Education report for context on the detrimental impacts of Colorado’s chronic underfunding of our public schools.
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