Education reform coordination meeting, May 15, 2007

State Board of Education member Karen Middleton convened a prestigious group of education reform leaders to review efforts and begin discussion relative to possible coordination of those efforts. The meeting was attended by Lt. Governor Barbara O’Brien, Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff, State Board members Elaine Gantz Berman and Karen Middleton, College in Colorado Director Gully Stanford, Great Education President Patty Bortz, Governor Ritter’s Education Policy Director Matt Gianneschi, Council on 21st Century Learning (C21L) Director Stevan Kalmon, CEA/Partnership for 21st Century Skills Facilitator Linda Barker, Donnell-Kay Foundation Executive Nina Lopez, and C21L Executive Board Member Tim Snyder.

Discussion was far-reaching with individual reports on:

• Governor’s P-20 Council
• Ad hoc Academic Transitions Task Force
• Community Conversations/post-“Tough Choices” group
• Partnership for 21st Century Skills state partners’ effort
• Council on 21st Century Learning Navigator project
• Great Education Colorado conversations
• Town meetings with State Board of Education and Commissioner

Participants agreed that it is vitally important to connect the various initiatives, so that they complement rather than conflict with each other. Notable comments by participants included:

Lt. Governor O’Brien, “The Tucker Report really galvanized conversations around education reform.”

Rep. Romanoff, “Our state is suffering from an absence of vision. We need a world class school system.”

Linda Barker, “The reactions of our 38,000 teachers are all over the board, but their final question is, ‘What do we do about it, how do we move to the future?’ We need standards and assessments, yes, but with 21st century passion!”

Gully Stanford, “We must also motivate systems.”

Patty Bortz, “We desire meaning, not necessarily catharsis.”

Stevan Kalmon, “There is a sense that we need something different but aren’t sure what it is. We must let go of preconceptions. If we can agree on what essential 21st century learning is, then we can consider what ideal 21st century learning organizations would look like”

Karen was congratulated for her initiative in bringing people together. She expressed great hope and confidence in the new commissioner of education, and in his plan to conduct town meetings in state regions during his first months in office.