Feb 27, 2020 | Press
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 27, 2020
DENVER – The Colorado Education Association today announced its 39,000 members will support Hazel Gibson for election to the State House of Representatives in District 6, and Jennifer Bacon for election to the State House in District 7.
“We are proud to back two incredible candidates who are ready to take action and truly make a difference for students, families and educators in Colorado. Hazel and Jennifer understand the importance of strong public schools and have great respect for the educators who serve to help every student thrive,” said CEA President Amie Baca-Oehlert, a high school counselor.
Gibson is a parent of two students with special needs in Denver Public Schools. She is a staunch advocate for increasing education funding across the state. Bacon is a former educator who currently serves Denver students as a member of the DPS School Board.
“When Hazel and Jennifer are elected, their leadership in the House will help pass legislation that will lift more Coloradans out of poverty and confront the gaps in equity that hold back too many students and families,” Baca-Oehlert added.
CEA arrived at recommending Gibson and Bacon through a committee of CEA members who reviewed candidate questionnaires and conducted face-to-face interviews. Baca-Oehlert said Gibson and Bacon clearly came out on top as the best candidates to stand with students, educators and parents.
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Feb 5, 2020 | Press
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 5, 2020
CEA Recommends Esc√°rcega, Esser for State Education Board
DENVER – The Colorado Education Association today announced its 38,000 members will support Lisa Esc√°rcega for election to the State Board of Education in District 1, and Dr. Karla Esser for election to the State Board in District 7.
“We are excited to have two candidates with such extensive experience and deep understanding of K-12 education issues step forward and volunteer to serve the state,” said CEA President Amie Baca-Oehlert, a high school counselor.
“If elected, Lisa and Karla will bring their expertise and experiences as educators to make sound decisions for the students, educators and parents of Colorado. We need their leadership on a State Board that will be willing to listen to educators and community members and to collaborate on solutions that will help every student thrive,” Baca-Oehlert added.
CEA arrived at recommending Esc√°rcega and Esser through a committee of CEA members who reviewed candidate questionnaires and conducted face-to-face interviews. Esc√°rcega and Esser clearly came out on top as the best candidates to stand with students, educators and parents.
“The State Board of Education requires bold leadership to drive policy change that elevates public education for all Coloradans. We need members on the State Board who truly value our students, the educators who tirelessly support them, and the communities that need a greater voice in their children’s futures. Lisa and Karla are the best candidates to provide that vision moving forward and CEA is proud to support them,” Baca-Oehlert concluded.
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Jan 29, 2020 | Press
Committee approves SB-89 to address livable educator wages, improve retention with dedicated funds
DENVER – The bill to create a dedicated incentive fund for resources specifically allocated for educator pay is one step closer to passage today after clearing the Senate Education Committee.
Sens. Nancy Todd, Tammy Story and Jeff Bridges voted in support of Senate Bill 89. The bill establishes the Educator Pay Raise Fund, through which school districts could apply for funds to increase their minimum salaries and wages for teachers and education support professionals.
“We are very pleased the Committee members had a thoughtful discussion on educator pay today and showed their resolve to help educators live in the communities where they serve by approving this much-needed legislation,” said Amie Baca-Oehlert, a high school counselor and president of the Colorado Education Association.
CEA supports SB-89 as a way to begin to fix the educator pay crisis, the number one priority of educators during this legislative session. Currently, Colorado has no mechanism at the state level to direct funds specifically to educator pay, meaning the legislature can direct more funding to public education but those new dollars might not be used to help retain quality educators in our schools.
“Educators are frustrated, working two to three jobs to make ends meet and spending their own money on school supplies, while other professionals live much more comfortably in this very robust state economy,” Baca-Oehlert added.“It’s time to see our state’s economic success reach the classroom and adequately compensate the professionals who chose the education profession to help prepare our students for their futures.”
CEA laid out the stress educators experience in keeping up with Colorado’s high cost of living in its State of Education report. Starting teacher pay in Colorado is 47th in the nation according to the National Education Association, and business.org recently ranked Colorado dead last in the country in wage competitiveness, with teachers earning 40% less than the average salary in the state.
Educators seeking a livable wage have public opinion on their side: three-quarters of Americans support raising educator pay – the highest level of support in a decade – while 76% of Coloradans think teacher pay falls short, up from 51% in 2011.
SB-89 is co-sponsored by Sens. Jessie Danielson and Leroy Garcia, and Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez.
Jan 13, 2020 | Press
SB-089 Educator Pay Raise Fund Bill seeks to address low pay, improve retention with guaranteed dollars for educator salaries
DENVER – State Sen. Jessie Danielson today introduced Senate Bill 089 which creates a dedicated incentive fund for resources specifically allocated for educator pay. This fund will assist school districts in increasing their minimum educator salaries and wages, prioritizing districts with the highest need.
“This is real action that will help local districts attract and retain great educators in our classrooms,” said Sen. Danielson, who represents Jefferson County.“Doing right by teachers is how we do right by our students.”
While Colorado’s economy is thriving, starting teacher pay here lags at 47th place in the nation. The 38,000 members of the Colorado Education Association stated in their State of Education report that pushing the legislature to find avenues to allocate more funding to public education is the main priority for Colorado educators during this legislative session.
“Frustrated educators, many who work two to three jobs just to make ends meet, have time and again seen new dollars go to outside education consultants or for-profit testing and management companies, instead of seeing deserved increases in their paychecks,” said CEA President Amie Baca-Oehlert, a high school counselor.
Creating the Educator Pay Raise Fund has the potential to help thousands of educators stay in the profession. Students thrive with a stable, supportive educators at school, but with Colorado experiencing a massive educator shortage and a significant decline in young people going into the education profession, educators say that is not in the best interest of students.
“The legislature needs to ensure increased education funding will directly translate to valuing the role of educators in our students’ lives and compensating them as professionals,” Baca-Oehlert added.“If we value education, we can find the resources to provide professional, sustainable pay for all educators. Our legislature can send a strong message that the education profession matters to Colorado’s success by passing Senate Bill 89.”
Educators seeking a livable wage have public opinion on their side: three-quarters of Americans support raising educator pay (the highest level of support in a decade) and 76% of Coloradans think teacher pay falls short (up from 51% in 2011).
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Jan 9, 2020 | Press
DENVER – Statement from Amie Baca-Oehlert, high school counselor and president of the Colorado Education Association, on education matters following Gov. Polis’ State of the State address today:
“Increasing compensation for educators is our top priority. CEA’s 38,000 members appreciate Governor Polis’ thoughtful comments today on school funding and that education was the first policy issue the Governor discussed in his remarks. We agree with Governor Polis that the education profession is ‚Äòone of the most important professions in our society’ and we are encouraged by his strong signal of support to raise pay for educators. We look forward to working with the Governor and the legislature to improve the learning experience for every K-12 student and to better support the professionals who have chosen a career to educate and care for the children of their fellow Coloradans.
“Our success will ultimately be measured on how well we keep quality educators in our schools and encourage new professionals to join our noble ranks. Retaining and recruiting high quality educators for our students will require bold steps during this legislative session to meaningfully raise educator pay to a living wage, and to significantly buy down the debt owed to our schools and students to completely eliminate the budget stabilization factor in three years. Our view of Colorado’s State of Education is admittedly dire as we returned to school in 2020, but elected officials who listen to our concerns and ideas will have great power to secure a stable and dedicated educator workforce for our children’s futures.”
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