"I have met with thousands of parents, principals, teachers, school board members, superintendents and students. Overwhelmingly we share a common goal: Every child in Colorado—regardless of race, income or background—should be guaranteed a quality teacher, a safe and orderly school, and an education that prepares them to succeed. My education reform plan, Putting Children First, is designed to achieve that goal." 

- Governor Owens

Governor Bill Owens believes that public education is a cornerstone of the opportunity we must offer to every child in America. He wants schools that are safe and drug free, with a quality teacher in every classroom and students learning what they need to succeed.

In 2000, Gov. Owens led the effort for landmark education reform to increase accountability of public schools.  We are now seeing positive changes in our schools.  The school accountability reports given to Colorado parents provide detailed information about the safety and academic performance of their neighborhood schools. 

Governor Owens has fully funded K-12 public schools with major increases -- something that hadn't been done in a decade before he became Governor.

All three of the Governor’s children attend public schools.  He is committed to providing parents with the best choices for how and where to educate their child.

Gov. Owens has:

·        Fully funded K – 12 education in the Governor's budgets for five years with an additional $860 million, fully accounting for inflation and enrollment growth, and then some.

·        Increased "total program" funding for K-12 in 2003-04 by 4.6% -- nearly double the average overall budget increase.  

·        Created the Read to Achieve program, which commits $19 million per year toward the goal of ensuring that every Colorado student is able to read at or above grade level by the time they enter the fourth grade.  Read to Achieve grants have already helped nearly 28,000 students in 550 schools in 111 districts.

·        Passed legislation providing parents with school accountability reports for each Colorado public school.

·        Expanded the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) to annually test reading, writing, and mathematics in more grades.  

·        Achieved approval of Colorado's plan to implement the federal "No Child Left Behind" requirements (one of the first five states to do so), further increasing funding flexibility, accountability and student achievement.

For more information see our Families & Children page.

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