school finance

Sponsors and supporters celebrate
after Gov. John Hickenlooper finishes signing SB 213.

By Todd Engdahl
Education News Colorado

A judge's recent decision in the Lobato lawsuit dominated discussion Tuesday at the last meeting of a group that's been considering new school finance systems.

The Colorado School Finance Partnership, which been working for a year on funding issues, heard lengthy presentations on the decision from Kathleen Gebhardt, lead attorney for the successful plaintiffs, and others on about the potential impacts of the ruling on future funding of public education.

Long Bill awaits governor???s action; Governor???s mill levy freeze passes House and Senate; Demise of rainy day fund bill a defeat for fiscal responsibility; Budget Watch takes a summer break

The boards of the Bell Policy Center and the Bell Action Network have endorsed Gov. Bill Ritter's proposal to stabilize school district mill levies to address education funding and tax fairness issues. The boards also endorsed the governor's plan for using state money freed up by the mill levy stabilization to boost preschool and kindergarten programs.

Gov. Ritter: Education a key investment for economic growth; Bell to research state funding needs and revenue potential, start ???purposeful discussion???; Proposed federal regulation could cost Colorado hospitals $128 million; Health Care Day of Action draws hundreds to state Capitol; Economic snapshot: strong economy, high costs for the poor; Two reports examine how immigrants affect the U.S. labor force; Micro-loans help low-income women start businesses