FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 12, 2021
Increasing revenue for Colorado public schools tops Colorado Education Association’s 2021 Legislative Agenda
State’s largest union of educators hopes to work with legislators to ensure exceptional teaching and learning in every neighborhood school
DENVER – Today the Colorado Education Association (CEA) released their 2021 legislative agenda, with increasing revenue their number one priority. The 2021 legislative session begins tomorrow with the same challenge facing public education since 2009: inadequate funding. This year is even worse with insufficient personnel and resources to deal with the global pandemic, when educators, students and parents all want classrooms to reopen. Legislators also still need to address the critical needs dating from before COVID-19, including attracting and retaining quality educators in Colorado, providing robust educator-led professional development that includes diversity, anti-oppression and equity training and giving educators the resources they need to provide students with a quality public education, no matter the zip code they live or the amount of money their family earns.
“The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t create the funding issues we’re seeing today,” said Amie Baca-Oehlert, high school counselor and president of the Colorado Education Association.“This pandemic has revealed and exacerbated the public education funding crisis in our state with severe consequences to students and educators. Lawmakers have the responsibility to provide long-lasting, sustainable funding to Colorado students, their families and educators.”
Other CEA priorities for the legislative session include legislation to:
- Promote justice and equity that ensures the best public schools for our students, educators and communities
- Promote professional growth vs. punishment and high stakes testing in educator accountability
- Help educators achieve more time and autonomy to focus on the most crucial aspects of their job, specifically direct instruction, planning and student support
- Protect the health and safety of our students, their families and educators in the time of COVID-19
“The lack of funding is at the heart of all of our legislative priorities,” Baca-Oehlert said.“We look forward to working with lawmakers to craft successful legislation that gives educators and students the resources they need to learn, as well as the resources necessary for a safe, healthy in-person school environment for students and educators.”
CEA 2021 Legislative Priorities
About the Colorado Education Association
The Colorado Education Association is a membership-based organization that represents 39,000 Colorado educators. The CEA promise to our students and communities is that the members of the Association will lead the way in guaranteeing every student access to the best public education. By working collectively with all education stakeholders, we will provide the best public education for every student and assure Colorado’s standing as an excellent state in which to learn, live, work, and raise a family.
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