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Education Policy Center Newsletter

From The Independence Institute
April 8, 2010
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In this issue
-- May 4: Save the Date for Special Denver Screening of The Cartel
-- Podcast Extravaganza: State Board, Innovative Partnership, and Balanced
Education
-- School Choice for Kids Not the Only Site in Town
-- DeGrow Takes On Race to the Top, Education Tax Proposal
-- Big Month for National School Choice Movement
-- “Blame Teachers Unions” Wins NYC Debate in a Landslide

Dear Friends,

We hope you enjoy our latest update from the Education Policy Center.

Pamela Benigno, Director

Ben DeGrow, Policy Analyst
Marya DeGrow, Research Associate
Raaki Garcia-Ulam, School Choice Website Outreach Coordinator

May 4: Save the Date for Special Denver Screening of The Cartel
The Education Policy Center is glad to announce the new award-winning
education documentary The Cartel is coming to Denver. The Cartel—a movie by
Bowdon Media and Moving Picture Institute that highlights the need for major
reforms in our K-12 schools—will be showing at Denver’s Chez Artiste Theatre
the week of April 30 to May 6. Please save the date Tuesday, May 4, for a
special screening event co-hosted by the Independence Institute and Liberty on
the Rocks. Look for more details to come soon.

Podcast Extravaganza: State Board, Innovative Partnership, and

Balanced Education
The past month brought a slew of new iVoices podcasts for your listening
pleasure, including:
• Colorado State Board of Education Chairman Bob Schaffer sat down with
Fiscal Policy Center director Penn Pfiffner for a two-part series to discuss
the latest news from the Board and to offer a primer on what the Board
does.
 • Denver innovation school Cole Arts and Science Academy (CASA) principal
Julie Murgel talks about a possible groundbreaking partnership for her
school with the Denver School of Science and Technology, a highly
successful charter.
• Independent Women’s Forum vice president Carrie Lukas tells what
parents can do to make sure their children are receiving a balanced Earth
Day education, especially as it pertains to controversial environmental
issues.

For more:
Ed Is Watching, Denver Innovation and Charter Schools Look at Hopeful
Partnership
Ed Is Watching, Tribute to Denver Teacher Reminds of Larger Hope for
Educational Success
Ed Is Watching, Parents, You Can Help Colorado Put Earth Day Education Back in
Balance

School Choice for Kids Not the Only Site in Town

Our School Choice for Kids (SCFK) website may be the best online tool around for
helping families choose the right school, but it also has some good company.
Van Schoales joined Pam Benigno on an iVoices podcast last month to talk about
the Colorado School Choice site created by the Piton Foundation in partnership
with 9News. Also, in a joint appearance with her husband and colleague Ben on
Mike Zinna’s off-beat “Tough Love” television show, Marya DeGrow was able to
introduce SCFK to a new audience.

For more:
Ed Is Watching, Another Good Site with School Choice Information for Colorado
Parents

DeGrow Takes On Race to the Top, Education Tax Proposal

The word is out that Colorado fell short on the first round of winning U.S.
Department of Education Race to the Top dollars, but you may not have heard
our own Ben DeGrow break down the issue on a recent interview with KDNK—the
National Public Radio affiliate for Aspen and Carbondale—or discuss the results
with Pam Benigno on an iVoices podcast. Last week, Ben also offered an
opposing point of view to a Colorado Springs TV reporter on a proposal to
exempt state education tax increases from the voter approval requirement.

For more:
Ed Is Watching, I’m Making Ben DeGrow a Famous Expert on Aspen NPR
Education Interview
Ed Is Watching, Breaking Down Race to the Top Awards: Taking a Closer Look
Ed Is Watching, Michael Johnston’s Teacher Reform Plan Sets Up Colorado for
Race to the Top II
Ed Is Watching, For the Taxpayers and For the Children: Ben DeGrow on
Colorado Springs TV

Big Month for National School Choice Movement

March brought some big school choice happenings across the nation. Among the
foremost was not only the Florida state senate approving the expansion of tax
credits but also the groundbreaking advance of a voucher program in Illinois.
Last month also brought the opening of a new national major school choice
organization, the American Federation for Children. Meanwhile, School Reform
News published an article written by Ben DeGrow on a new study showing
Milwaukee vouchers improving students’ chances of graduating from high
school.

For more:
Education Policy Center, Voucher and Tax Credit Programs in the Nation

“Blame Teachers Unions” Wins NYC Debate in a Landslide

On March 16 in New York City, a panel of three union officials and supporters
(including American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten)
debated a panel of three union critics (including former Secretary of Education
Rod Paige). Watch the revealing two-hour event, and see for yourself why most
of the audience ended up agreeing that unions bear the blame.

For more:
Ben DeGrow, Ed News Colorado, “Blame teachers unions” wins NYC debate

Contact Information
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email: pam@i2i.org
phone: 303-279-6536
web:http://www.independenceinstitute.org
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