Legislative Information

Sections   Jefferson County  |  Colorado State   |  National Legislative Action

JEFFCO     

JCPTA Legislative Chair - Mark Flora, mark-flora@comcast.net

PTA began as an advocacy organization focusing on important initiatives like good nutrition for children, literacy and adequate school funding.  Jeffco PTA contributes to this advocacy tradition through active members like you. Here are some areas in which your voice is important: 

Being a PTA Legislative Representative

Jeffco PTA encourages each school to have a legislative representative who can be the “go to” expert on process and the person who can organize parents at the school on issues important to them. This person is kept informed regularly regarding state-wide and district-wide policy initiatives.

 If you are interested, please talk to your local PTA President and e-mail mark-flora@comcast.net

Jeffco School Board - http://www.jeffcopublicschools.org/board/index.html

Voice your opinion at a Jeffco Board meeting, stay informed with BoardDocs, or learn about upcoming November election details.

Jeffco Legislative Forum - http://jeffcoweb.jeffco.k12.co.us/legis/

The Jeffco Legislative Forum consists of members from Jeffco PTA, JCEA (Jefferson County Education Association), JCAA (Jefferson County Administrators Association), CSEA (Classified & Service Employees Association) and the Jeffco Board of Education/Administration.  The Forum takes positions on bills before the Colorado General Assembly when there is consensus among the member organizations.  If you would like to be a part of the Jeffco Forum representing your local PTA and Jeffco PTA, please contact Mark Flora at mark-flora@comcast.net.

January 2010 Legislative Report

COLORADO                                                     Back to Top

Colorado General Assembly - http://www.leg.state.co.us/

Search for educational bills and laws and access State Legislators homepages and contact info.

The Colorado General Assembly is in session from January through May.

Colorado Legislative Council

http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/CGA-LegislativeCouncil/CLC/1200536135358

The Colorado Legislative Council serves as the nonpartisan research arm of the Colorado General Assembly.   Visit the CO Legislative Council for calendars of legislative committee meeting times (School Safety, Child Readiness, etc.), Ballot and Blue Book, Policy Research and Library, and basic State legislative info.  This website can also be accessed from the General Resources tab of the CO General Assembly homepage.

Hudak's Senate Notes - http://www.eviehudak.com/?Newsletters

Evie Hudak, State Senator for District 19 Arvada, is an active Jeffco PTA member and provides a monthly newsletter throughout the year with a focus on state senate education legislation, initiatives, and events.

Colorado State Board of Education - http://www.cde.state.co.us/index_sbe.htm
The State Board is the governing board of the Colorado Department of Education. The Board consists of seven elected officials representing Colorado’s Congressional districts. Board members serve without pay for six-year terms. The State Board of Education meets monthly to discuss issues important to Colorado education. 

Jeffco’s elected State Board representatives

Randy DeHoff	6th Congressional District	randydehoff@earthlink.net
Angelika Schroeder	2nd Congressional District	angelikaschroeder@yahoo.com
Jane Goff	7th Congressional District	jane@goff4education.org

State Board Notes - http://www.goff4education.org/
State Board representatives Jane Goff and Angelika Schroeder publish a joint monthly newsletter with updates on State Board activities and policy decisions.

Useful State Board Related Links:
Adopted Rules

• Healthy School Beverages Policy
• Colorado Content Standards Review
• Senate Bill 08-212

(Preschool to Postsecondary Education Alignment Act, or CAP4K)

• CAP4K Implementation Timeline
• Adopted Description: School Readiness
• Adopted Description: Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness

Colorado Deptment of Education - Colorado Department of Education Homepage

Earlier this year, Commissioner Dwight D. Jones met with JeffCo legislative reps during Day at the Legislature and implored parents to regularly visit the all-new CDE website for parents & students.

Please also visit CDE's new SchoolView - http://www.schoolview.org/

for info on CO school performance and educational resources.

NATIONAL                                 Back to Top

National PTA Take Action - http://www.pta.org/take_action.asp

Join the PTA Take Action! Network to receive Policy Updates and Action Alerts or obtain an online advocacy toolkit or issues cards by visiting the National PTA Take Action! website.

National PTA Action Center - http://capwiz.com/npta2/home/

The All New! PTA Action Center provides featured Action Alerts, Elected Officials, Issues and Legislation, Elections and Candidates and Media Guide tabbed sections to learn from and then act!

When particular information is provided to us from the national PTA, we can keep you informed.  Please send an e-mail to mark-flora@comcast.net to get on this contact list.

U.S. President - http://www.whitehouse.gov/

View the president's weekly address and speeches, featured legislation, official briefs, and information about the administration, the government, the whitehouse, and issues by topic.

U.S. Senate - http://www.senate.gov/

Find information about schedules, active legislation, virtual reference desk, senators and committees.

U.S. House - http://www.house.gov/

Find information about current legislation, U.S. laws, representatives, committees, and organization.