Education | Common Sense Institute

Roadblocks in Getting Kids to School: Trends, Insights, and Recommendations for Improving Colorado’s School Transportation System

Jan 23, 2023

In this report, we analyze education transportation data and use specific districts to illustrate statewide local-level trends.

2022 Colorado State Ballot Proposition FF: “Healthy School Meals for All Public School Students”

Sep 15, 2022

If passed, Proposition FF will provide free meals to all K–12 students within participating districts. It will also increase wages for school food preparation workers and subsidize the use of Colorado-grown and produced food.

Dollars and Data: A Look at PK-12 Funding and Performance in Colorado

Sep 7, 2022

As the Covid-19 pandemic recedes, leaving in its wake declining public school student enrollment and achievement, local, state, and federal dollars continue to flow to the Colorado public education system in ever-larger amounts.

The Growing Strain on the Child Care Business Model

Jul 19, 2022

The lack of supply of child care slots and the inaccessibility to affordable child care is a significant issue for Colorado.

Potential Reach of Proposition 119 “The Learning Enrichment and Academic Progress Program (LEAP)”

Oct 19, 2021

Proposition 119 on the 2021 Colorado ballot proposes to establish the Learning Enrichment and Academic Progress Program (LEAP).

Dollars and Data 2021

Sep 29, 2021

If Colorado is to have a substantive public discourse about how to improve educational outcomes, there needs to be a common understanding of how K-12 public education is funded in the state. This study analyzes statewide and regional trends in K-12 revenues and spending over the past decade to help ground conversations in facts.

$2.5 Billion in COVID-19 Federal Relief Funding to Colorado’s K-12 Education System

Jun 16, 2021

The federal government has sent over $2.5 billion to Colorado’s K-12 education system since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020. Common Sense Institute analyzes where these funds have been spent and how they compare to current budgets.

Trying to Fix a Broken Education Finance System

Mar 31, 2021

The current education funding system is laden with problems and inefficiencies that hinder schools from functioning at their highest levels. Increasing revenues without addressing the severe flaws in how the state allocates those revenues, as HB21-1164 does, is a missed opportunity to improve student outcomes.

The Price of Higher Education in Colorado

Aug 5, 2020

The costs for Colorado residents to obtain a degree at a university or college within the state is only getting more expensive, as tuition and fees have far outpaced inflation and most other consumer items.

Digging Into the Data on Colorado Charter Schools

Jul 9, 2020

An In-Depth Look at Colorado High School Graduation Rates for Students of Color.