Lobato v. State of Colorado
On Friday, December 9th, a Colorado District Court Judge made history by ruling that the State of Colorado is failing to adequately fund a “thorough and uniform system of free public education” as required in the state Constitution. Lobato v. State of Colorado is covered in this Denver Post article that outlines the legal history and potential impact of this decision on public education, and all public services in Colorado.
The Lobato case was filed against the State of Colorado in 2005, claiming that education funding violates our state constitution because it does not meet the standard of ‘thorough and uniform’ as written in the state constitution.
The results of this case are critically important to the future of public education in Colorado. A spokesman for the Governor has said that “the state will almost certainly appeal this decision.” Take a moment to tell the Governor and the Attorney General not to spend tax payer money to appeal the decision, but rather to enforce it.
GSV Priority Survey
As the new year approaches, GSV is undergoing our planning process for the future, and your input is critical to determine direction and priorities as we continue to grow an effective community organization.
Since our group began in support of the SVVSD 2008 Mill Levy Override & Bond, our communications to you have primarily focused on financial issues. Not because that is all that matters in education, but because education funding has been a growing crisis in Colorado over the past three years. However there is more to consider.
Public education in the U.S. is undergoing a significant change that will affect our work force, businesses, communities and nation in the coming decades. Our mission is to inform communities in the St. Vrain valley about current education issues, encourage our stakeholders to understand and research these issues and participate in the conversation so we can make the best decisions possible for our future.
Please let us know how you prioritize different topics that impact education and how you are willing to keep the conversation going. Your answers to this short three question survey will greatly impact the effectiveness of GSV as we continue to grow in St. Vrain, raise awareness about public education and encourage knowledge-based decision making throughout our community.
