'Innovative' school bill gets initial House OK
By Berny Morson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published April 4, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.
A bill that lets innovative schools waive some state rules and parts of union contracts won approval Thursday in the House Education Committee.
Senate Bill 130 is modeled on the experience of Denver's Bruce Randolph Middle School, which has seen significant academic improvement since the staff was given more authority over the school's budget, work rules and hiring.
The bill, by Rep. Terrance Carroll, D-Denver, and Rep. Rob Witwer, R-Genessee, sets up a process by which the Colorado Board of Education can designate individual schools, groups of schools or whole districts as "innovative." The measure requires approval by 60 percent of teachers before union rules could be waived.
The measure was approved 9-4, with some on the panel saying they're not sure many schools elsewhere in the state share Denver's labor situation.
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