These are the key areas where we can enact change to unleash the potential of Coloradans and provide greater opportunities for Colorado's families to advance toward economic independence and security.
Fifty-three percent of Americans raised in the poorest families moved into the middle class thanks to college.
Children who are not proficient in third grade are less likely to be so in high school and less likely than their proficient counterparts to graduate from high school.
Workers who lack paid sick leave are more likely to come to work sick, send their children to school while sick, recover more slowly from illnesses, and rely on expensive visits to emergency rooms than are workers with sick leave.
"This analysis clearly shows claims that undocumented immigrants are the cause of our budget problems are way off base," said Rich Jones, director of policy and research.
In an update to our 2004 report, Opportunity Lost: When Hard Work Isn't Enough for Colorado's Families, the Bell's 2010 study finds working poor and low-income families now fare worse on many of the same indicators examined in the previous report.
Coloradans deserve a state government that will confront these challenges and help keep the American Dream alive for hardworking families.
Due to the "ratchet effect" caused by the TABOR amendment, a bipartisan compromise was created, called Referenda C and D. This is what to know about Referendum C, which Colorado voters approved.
What is opportunity? How is it generated and sustained in the 21st century? In this 2005 iteration of "Colorado: The State of Opportunity," the Bell seeks to answer these questions and more.
