2013: Year of the Student
Meet Casey Shea, today (Wednesday) at the TIE Advocacy booth (Conference Center, Kokopelli’s Trail) to learn more about 2013: The Year of the Student. This apolitical, student run initiative gives individuals and organizations that support public education simple ways to add their voices to the call for meaningful action in the Colorado 2013 legislative session.
2013: Year of the Student is a public awareness project to:
- Focus Colorado’s attention on the devastating impact that education cuts are having on Colorado’s students – preschool through higher education.
- Create a sense of urgency around the need to match Colorado’s education reforms, policies, and pilot programs with the resources necessary to ensure that all students succeed.
- Galvanize thousands of public education supporters and hundreds of organizations to demand meaningful legislative action toward adequate funding of schools, colleges and universities in 2013.
View the Student Run Press Conference announcing the Year of the Student Project on June 13.
Why now?
Colorado’s students cannot afford even one more year of cuts and they cannot wait any longer for us to provide the resources they need to succeed as citizens and members of the workforce:
- High-quality, accessible early childhood education
- Highly prepared, effective and supported teachers
- Challenging curriculum, individualized attention, expanded learning opportunities
- Affordable, quality post-secondary education options
After multiple years of education cuts, as these critical resources have been slipping away from our students, state leaders have repeatedly postponed any meaningful action. It’s time to give our state leaders the deadline of 2013 to stop cutting and start reinvesting in students. They can do it, and they will — when they know their constituents want them to.
What are we asking for?
That the General Assembly make 2013 The Year of the Student, using the legislative session to create and find funding for a P-20 education finance system that matches reforms, mandates and accountability measures with the resources necessary to ensure that every student is successful.
How are we asking?
- By circulating a “Call to Legislative Action” with the language above. Individuals will be able to sign both online or in hard copy. It will be presented to legislators and the Governor after the election in November.
- By gathering the endorsements of state, community and local organizations throughout Colorado.
Who can join?
Everyone can join. Organizations, school and college boards, students, parents, grandparents, business people, elected officials and concerned citizens. You can join by adding your name to the “Call to Action,” by adding your organization to the Year of the Student Coalition and by gathering more signatures. For more information, write to[email protected] or call 303.722.5901.
Join representatives from the more than fifty community and advocacy organizations that have endorsed the Year of the Student project so far, the students described how the legislature has failed to ensure that all Colorado’s students have a fair shot at success in their communities and the competitive 21st century workplace.
