New poll reveals how the public views education

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1 September 10, 2009 Melissa Gibson starts as new CASE Director of Communications CASE welcomed Melissa Gibson as the new Director of Communications in mid-august. As we shared with you several months ago, Gibson was named to the position in May and had been on maternity leave since her son was born on May 6. Formerly a lobbyist with Salazar & Associates, she served as an advocate for CASE and other public education organizations and school districts until joining the CASE staff. In her new role, Gibson will be responsible for CASE communications and membership development. The opportunity to work with Melissa as part of our legislative team for the past three years has proven to me that she has the heart and intelligence for the Director of Communications position, said Deputy Executive Director Bruce Caughey. She has proved invaluable in dissecting complicated policy matters and making sense of them to our members. Melissa has outstanding interpersonal skills and is well-respected by the CASE members with whom she has worked. Gibson says that her immediate top priorities in her new position are membership development and continuing to improve CASE s communications functions. Please feel free to contact Gibson at mgibson@co-case.org or , ext New poll reveals how the public views education The recently-released annual PDK/Gallup Poll of the Public s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools reveals that most Americans think highly of public education. The findings of the poll provide strong indicators about how many Americans perceive public education. Highlights include: Lack of funding was cited as the biggest problem facing public education, for the tenth year in a row. Over half of the participants would give their local public schools an A or B grade (up from 46% in last year s poll). Support for NCLB is continuing to erode. More than half of the participants view it unfavorably. Interest and support for charter schools is on the rise, though many participants lack a complete understanding. Over 60% of participants support charter schools (up 13% since last year). Just under half of those surveyed believe charter schools can teach religion, well over 50% think they can charge tuition, and about 70% believe charter schools can select students based on their ability. Nearly three-quarters of participants support merit pay for teachers.

2 Participants overwhelmingly cited the dropout rate as a very significant nationwide issue, but not a significant problem in their own local schools. According to a majority of participants, better teachers and more parental involvement are critical to improving schools. To learn more about the PDK/Gallup Poll, visit (Source:Phi Delta Kappa DK/Gallup Poll) H1N1 (Swine Flu) Resources Health officials predict that this year a greater number of people will get sick with the H1N1 virus than they would in an average year with other flu viruses. Some school districts are receiving calls from parents concerned about the steps the district is taking to help prevent the spread of the flu. CASE wants to be sure that you re connected to helpful resources. The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) is working with the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Center for Disease Control to share information with school districts about the flu. For information about how school districts can be prepared for H1N1, visit You can obtain additional information from your local health authority, or visit or Effort to expand Internet service for schools and rural areas Improving the accessibility of Internet service is at the heart of a new proposal by the Colorado Community Anchors Broadband Consortium. The Denver Post (8/21/09) reports that the consortium, which is comprised of Internet service providers, schools, libraries, and other groups is seeking $180 million in federal stimulus monies to to build a network that could provide high-speed Internet service to 178 school districts, 26 libraries and 12 educational-services cooperatives that span 63 counties (out of a total of 64 counties statewide). The requested funds would come from a $7.2 billion federal broadband stimulus program that specifically aims to improve Internet services in rural areas and at schools, hospitals, and other community institutions. CASE member Denise Atkinson-Shorey is the chief information officer of Eagle-Net, an Internet service provider based out of Longmont. Eagle-Net is leading the effort to secure the stimulus monies, with support from organizations including CASE, the Colorado Association of School Boards, the Colorado Education Association, and the Colorado Board of Cooperative Services Association. We want to deliver bandwidth to a student whether he or she is in an urban area or a rural area, (she) said. Click here to read the full Denver Post article. (Source: Denver Post)

3 Your association news... CASE Communications Survey CASE works hard to ensure that our member communications are relevant, timely, and contain the information that matters most to you. We are continually seeking ways to improve and welcome your feedback and ideas. To help us with that effort, we d like to learn a bit more about your interests and preferences regarding member communications. Please click on the below link to take a short survey that will provide us with that information: We will use the survey results to continue to fine-tune our member communications. Thanks for your participation! Upcoming CASE professional development event Superintendents Conference The CASE Annual Superintendents Conference (formerly called the Superintendents Retreat) will be held September 24-25, 2009, at the Keystone Resort. Some 90 school district superintendents will gather to focus on critical issues including K-12 budget prospects, the state budget, legislative issues, and the future outlook for budget and finance in Colorado. Regional meetings will be held on Thursday (September 24, 2009) prior to the 2:30 pm start of the conference. Superintendents, if you haven t already registered please visit or call We look forward to seeing you in Keystone! Mark your calendar! Save the date for Healthy Kids Learn Better! Summit The Colorado Legacy Foundation will host the Healthy Kids Learn Better! Summit & Commissioner s Choice Awards Luncheon on November 5, 2009, at the Hyatt Regency in Denver. The Summit is part of the Legacy Foundation s commitment to partner with school districts and communities across Colorado to provide districts with the resources and tools to improve students health and wellness. School district leaders are encouraged to attend this day-long event that will include workshops and presentations on the how to s of program change and implementation. The Legacy Foundation is looking for more breakout session leaders to showcase their successes and challenges regarding nutrition, physical activity, health education, school health services, and/or employee wellness. Specifically, they would like to hear from you if you are interested in co-leading any of the following small-group roundtables, which will be designed to encourage peer-to-peer sharing and discussion:

4 Funding: How to work within existing district funds to make positive changes to your schools health and wellness practices Policy Change for Administrators: How to identify and work with your staff, students, and community member champions Local Wellness Policy Implementation: Successes and challenges Policy Change for Staff, Parents, and Community Members: Tips for talking to your school administrators For more information, visit and luncheon. To sign up as a presenter or ask questions, please contact Wendy Peters Moschetti at or wendy@wpmconsulting.net. ADVERTISEMENT Don t forget to renew your CASE membership! Now is the time to renew your CASE membership for We want you back so that you can continue to enjoy benefits like cutting edge professional development conferences and workshops, top-notch legislative advocacy, and legal protection and assistance. Renewal is easy. If your contact information hasn t changed, just Sarah Shorey at sshorey@co-case.org with the subject line Please Renew. Otherwise, go to and click on the member portal. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Sarah at More CASE professional development events Four-Part Preparing for the Superintendency Workshop Series Workshops presented by George Straface and Mary F. Barter Who should attend? Entry-level superintendents and aspiring superintendents When? October 16, 2009 (Topic: Getting Started); December 4, 2009 (Topic: Board Relations); January 20, 2010 (Topic: Key Elements to Your Success); and April 16, 2010 (Topic: Current Issues: Leadership for the 21st Century) Where? Denver metro area How do I register? Go to or call CASE Leadership Development Diversity Initiative

5 What is it? A brand new program to build leadership capacity for educators of color. The program includes three components: 1) Discovering Leadership Seminar Series (four parts); 2) Self-Reflection; and 3) Mentoring. Who should participate? All educators of color are eligible to apply. Because this is a leadership discovery program, applicants should be in the early stages of considering a leadership position. A principal s license is not required. When? October 8, 2009 (Topic: Is There a Leader in You Waiting to be Discovered?); November 17, 2009 (Topic: The Promise of Leadership); February 11, 2010 (Topic: Discovering the Skills, Qualities, and Tools it Takes to be a School Leader); and April 13, 2010 (Topic: What s Next? Developing an Action Plan) Where? Denver metro area How do I register? Go to or call Please do not reply to this message. Questions? Contact Melissa Gibson at mgibson@co-case.org.