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COPOPS: Helping Coloradans
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Bill Ritter speaking at COPOPS' "Celebrate Public School Champions" Event in Denver on September 26, 2006. |
Poll after poll demonstrates that Coloradans value public schools. That's why we'll be hearing candidates talk a lot during this election year about the importance of public education.
But talk is just talk. COPOPS was established in 2003 to help voters learn which candidates will also walk the walk. COPOPS allows voters to hold our legislators accountable for doing their part in educating our kids—just as we hold students, teachers, and districts accountable.
COPOPS is a nonpartisan "small donor organization" that endorses and makes donations to state candidates who show a commitment to our public schools. Each election year, COPOPS distributes a questionnaire to state candidates, putting them on the record on critical public school funding issues that will come up in the election and in the coming legislative session.
Through COPOPS, public school supporters join their voices together to elect public school champions who will put Colorado priorities into action. As a small donor organization, COPOPS can accept no more than $50 per person per year, and can, in turn, donate ten times more to state candidates than can an individual or PAC.
COPOPS members believe that funding education is the most valuable investment that we can make for our children, for our economy and for our future. Our members live in rural and urban districts; we are parents, business people, community leaders, teachers, and grandparents, united by the “core value” inherent in public school education. We invite you to join us and to become a protector of public schools.
COPOPS is separate from Great Education Colorado, the nonpartisan, statewide, grassroots organization of public school supporters that advocates for adequate funding for K-12 education in Colorado. (Each organization has an independent, separate board). To learn more about school funding issues and Great Education Colorado's advocacy work, please visit http://www.greateducation.org/.
Candidates Survey — June 2006 (PDF)
COPOPS
Fact Sheet (PDF)
posted February 15, 2005
COPOPS & Great Education Colorado (PDF)
posted November 28, 2005
Colorado
Public K-12 Funding Trends
Compared to National Funding (PDF)
posted July 25, 2004
(JPEG Version)
Why Do Our Public Schools Need Protection?
In 2000, Colorado voters took the first step toward protecting our schools by passing Amendment 23—ending a ten-year slide in funding for K-12 education. It guarantees modest annual increases but clearly does not require the substantial investment that many of our schools need. If Amendment 23 is honored for the next six years, in 2011, we will finally spend as much per child in real dollars as we did in 1989.
Yet, Colorado continues to be ranked in the bottom quarter of states in K-12 funding, class size and drop-out rates. In 2005, Colorado schools received the smallest increase in funding in 30 years!
Colorado voters understand why it is so important that we invest in the education of the next generation. Even in these tough economic times, 67% of Colorado voters believe K-12 education and local schools are deserving of increased financial support from new or higher tax rates. [ Denver Metro and Statewide Voter Poll, April 2004]
COPOPS strength lies in its numbers: Join Today.
Please review our School Finance FAQ for more details.
