Democrats divided over online learning, charter measures

'Suburban-urban rift' centers on underprivileged

Berny Morson, Rocky Mountain News

Published February 12, 2007 at midnight

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Parental choice is at the heart of a split among legislative Democrats that could affect bills on charter schools and online learning.

On one side are Democrats who say the new ways of delivering public education are draining funds from conventional school districts.

On the other side are a number of Democrats who say that conventional schools are failing an integral part of the party's base - underprivileged inner- city families. They, as do many Republicans, see charter schools and online programs as welcome alternatives.

"It's a suburban-urban rift," said Rep. Terrence Carroll, D-Denver. "It's easy to think that the traditional way of going about educating our children in public schools is fine and dandy when your kids are going to Cherry Creek Schools.

"You have all the choice in the world when you're in the Cherry Creek School District, as opposed to students we have had in our traditional urban school setting that over the years has failed them. It's clear that it's failed them when 60 percent of children of color aren't graduating from high school," Carroll said.

Republican allies

Sen. Sue Windels, D-Arvada, chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee, worries that the new programs are unproven and can take money from traditional schools that still serve the vast majority of kids.

"When we say choice, we often say, 'Choice at what cost?' Meaning, to give a choice to 30 kids, what will that cost the educational opportunities of the other 97 percent, or whatever, of the rest of the students in the system?" Windels said.

The party split doesn't entirely follow racial lines. In the Senate, for example, Sen. Bob Hagedorn, D-Aurora, who is white, sides with Sen. Peter Groff, D-Denver, who is black.

Only about a dozen Democrats in the House and Senate fall into the urban camp.

But that's enough to hold veto power over school bills with the help of Republicans, who are nearly unanimous in support of parental choice in where to educate kids.

"It only takes three Democrats, you know" to form a majority with the 15 Senate Republicans, said Sen. Nancy Spence, R-Centennial. Spence, a member of the education committee, follows the issue closely.

The urban legislators feel strongly about the need for choice.

"We have a generation of kids who are circling the drain, while we circle the wagons for traditional education," said Groff.

Online education

The issue is likely to come to a head over a bill Windels will introduce later this month to regulate online schools, including Hope Online Learning Academy Co-Op. The academy, which is part of the tiny Vilas School District in southeast Colorado, enrolls 3,800 students at 79 learning centers around the state.

Windels' bill to tighten regulations will draw close scrutiny from Hope parents and students who say the program is succeeding with youngsters who were failing in traditional schools. They have spoken up for Hope at meetings of two commissions appointed to study online education.

Many of the speakers are Democrats, including former Sen. Polly Baca, who represented Colorado on the Democratic National Committee for 16 years.

"You can't question my Democratic credentials," said Baca, who was on the Senate Education Committee.

Windels says Baca is likely to be a tough opponent.

"She's the reason I lost my bill on online (schools) last year," Windels said.

morsonb@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5209

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