Ready Colorado Education

“Teachers’ work is important and should be well-compensated, but that means paying to retain the people who are good at it, not just arbitrarily paying more for whoever happens to have been in the job longest.”

Lawmakers were right to kill legislation that would have blocked millions in education funding from reaching Colorado students. Check out the op-ed by ReadyCO CEO @BrendaBautsch in the @ColoradoSun coloradosun.com/2026/05/06/opi…

Coloradans invest heavily in higher education, but are they getting value from their investment? It often depends on choices. Our new report, Credentials of Value, explores which credentials are most likely to lead to economic mobility. Read it here: readycolo.org/cov/

ReadyCO’s Brenda Dickhoner is thrilled to join this incredible group of leaders in sparking a national conversation about how we transform our education system to meet the needs of every kid.

In Wisconsin, parents with students that are eligible for free and reduced lunch are reimbursed for mileage expenses when transporting their students to different schools/districts. Read more: buff.ly/PnKuawH

While district school enrollment has declined in Colorado, charter schools have gained (even during COVID). See the full report: buff.ly/PnKuawH

As part of our Open Doors, Open Districts II report, we looked at exemplar policies from other states that Colorado could emulate. In Florida, for example, the state offers stipends to allow students to attend districts of their choice. Additionally, parents may tap into the ESA accounts to cover transportation costs. See the full report: buff.ly/PnKuawH

“Every child deserves a school that is rigorous, inspiring and accountable — one that prepares them to compete in a global economy and to thrive as individuals.” Great call to action from Eva Moskowitz (@MoskowitzEva). buff.ly/8Hw0pYm

In our Open Doors, Open Districts II report from this year, we analyzed the choices that parents were making when it comes to enrolling their students. More than 347,000 Colorado students are utilizing public school choice. Here’s how that breaks down: Open Enrolled, Within District: 140,355 Open Enrolled, Across Districts: 32,197 Charter School: 100,353 Online School: 33,629 Take a look at the full report here: buff.ly/PnKuawH

Need a last-minute idea for a Halloween costume? A goblin, perhaps? A werewolf is a classic! A spell-casting wizard? Or, if you really want to scare the kids, you can dress as the Colorado Education Association.

Innovation is winning in Colorado. 🏔️ Open enrollment is giving families options — and schools are adapting to meet them.

Every family deserves the freedom to find the right fit. In Colorado, 347,000 kids are already benefiting from a system built on choice. h/t @ReadyColo 🌄

Four out of ten Colorado kids (including mine!) don’t go to their assigned neighborhood school.

Colorado’s Mapleton, Denver, and Academy District 20 are powerful examples of what happens when districts reimagine themselves around parents’ choices: 100% choice models, transparent enrollment systems, and specialized programs for every interest. h/t @ReadyColo ⏩ readycolo.org/ODOD2/

A growing number of Colorado students attend a different school from the one their district assigns buff.ly/i9g6FmX

Thanks to @EricaBreunlin and the @ColoradoSun for covering our newest report, Open Doors, Open Districts II. "'I think it makes clear that it’s not a fringe issue anymore, that it’s how families are navigating the public education system in our state,' Ready Colorado President and CEO @BrendaBautsch told The Colorado Sun." buff.ly/i9g6FmX

Our newest report, Open Doors, Open Districts II, finds that nearly 40% of Colorado students attend a school of choice. Explore the upward trend that public school choice has seen in the last decade, alongside what barriers still remain for families. buff.ly/bxYDd2c

📰 AI Tutors: Hype or Hope for Education? (@John_Bailey via @AEI) Interesting tidbit: “We need more, not less, experimentation with AI tutors. We need more efforts using GenAI to lighten the administrative load that often distracts teachers from their most important work: building the deep, meaningful relationships with students that are the foundation of academic success.” buff.ly/xKctlV1

📰 Thanks for the help, AI, but students still need to learn to write for themselves (Meredith Coffey via @educationgadfly) Interesting tidbit: “...the same study that found that using AI to write an essay was bad for brain activity also found that using AI after writing an essay actually increased brain activity.” buff.ly/s1oCjvk

With so many challenges in education, could AI be part of the fix? Here are a few recent pieces we’ve read that may shine a light into this exciting (and uncertain) world we’re entering. A 🧵