Category: Elections

Si A LA PROPUESTA II, EL PREESCOLAR UNIVERSAL APOYA A LAS FAMILIAS Y A LOS ESTUDIANTES 

Elections | 10/12/2023
Post author Vallerie Bustamante
Vallerie Bustamante Digital Organizing Manager

En nuestro hermoso estado de Colorado, la educación siempre ha sido una prioridad importante para Stand, los legisladores y, lo que es más importante, las familias de Colorado y su futuro. Somos firmes respaldadores de la Proposición II porque prioriza la educación y el futuro de nuestros hijos. 

Es importante tener en cuenta que la Propuesta II es una extensión de la Propuesta EE bipartidista de 2020. La Propuesta EE generó más ingresos de los estimados, por lo que TABOR requiere que los votantes aprueben la retención del exceso de ingresos por parte del estado. Es por eso que es importante que usted vote SÍ a la Propuesta II. Esta medida electoral estatal nos permitió generar aproximadamente $275 millones por año para prioridades de salud pública y educación a través del aumento de impuestos sobre los productos de tabaco y nicotina. Fue una invercion en la preparación para K-12 al proporcionar acceso a preescolar para los niños de Colorado. 

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¡Tener acceso a preescolar es vital para el futuro de Colorado! Los estudiantes que asisten a pre-kínder se inician en la lectura y desarrollan habilidades sociales, emocionales y habilidades en su comportamiento. Esto, a su vez, preparará a nuestros hijos para una experiencia exitosa de K-12 y los preparará para una mejor oportunidad de vida en su viaje postsecundario como adultos.    

Entendemos que cuando las familias atraviesan momentos difíciles, esto puede afectar negativamente el bienestar y la experiencia educativa de un estudiante. Por lo tanto, además de las inversiones que continuaremos viendo en nuestra educación de la primera infancia, esta propuesta continuará invirtiendo en nuestras familias al financiar viviendas, asistencia para el alquiler y asistencia para el desalojo.   

¡Estamos emocionados de respaldar la Propuesta II y esperamos que usted también lo esté con su voto en noviembre! 

Complete nuestro formulario y comprométase a votar para recibir más información sobre la Proposición II, y recordatorios a medida que nos acercamos al día de las elecciones y si cree que todos los niños de Colorado merecen la oportunidad de asistir al preescolar!

Promete en votar

Yes on Prop HH, How Affordable Living Impacts our Children’s Future

Elections | 10/5/2023
Post author Vallerie Bustamante
Vallerie Bustamante Digital Organizing Manager

We all know that Colorado is a great place to live, and it is safe to say that Colorado has grown in population and, in turn, a surging housing market that has made our property taxes skyrocket in the last several years. That is why we are supporting PROP HH which will lower property taxes AND increase funding for schools. This tax cut will provide relief for families and put more money in our K-12 education by allowing a portion of the TABOR surplus to offset the lost property tax revenue.  

Not to mention, one of the main drivers to student outcomes is whether a child’s family is experiencing financial and home stability, therefore the relief that Prop HH would provide to families would also be benefitting our children’s experience in and out of school.  

Does it sound too good to be true? How are schools still being financed through this proposition? 

We fund education through property taxes, so it makes sense to think that we would be cutting funds to our schools through this proposition, BUT this proposition actually ensures that the funding stays and/or increases through the TABOR surplus mechanism.  

We urge you to vote yes on Proposition HH to help families across Colorado and students receive an equitable education! 

Pledge to vote

DPS School Board Elections Are Here-How You Can Get Ready

Elections | 10/5/2023
Post author Vallerie Bustamante
Vallerie Bustamante Digital Organizing Manager

And we meet again, Denver Public Schools Board of Education elections! 

There are about 89,000 students who attend DPS schools and each one of those students and their families deserve a representative that fights for their high-quality experience and education in Denver schools.  

I attended DPS schools my entire grade school career—from Kindergarten to my 12th grade year. As a first-generation Mexican-American multilingual student, I struggled during the critical years of literacy instruction and self-identity. Obviously, learning a new language that was not spoken at home besides the random rap songs my older brother would listen to as he lived out his short-lived breakdancing career—was a definite hardship for my reading level and performance. In addition, my teachers did not look like me, did not experience a transition like the one I was in, and my heavy accent and typical trenzas hairstyle put a direct target on my back for bullying and impatience from teachers. Now, I am telling you a bit of my life story in an elections blog because I want you to know that the people who are elected ultimately have the power to change certain policies, training, and curriculum to cure unfortunate experiences such as the one mentioned above.  

It truly is important to vote so you have a say on who will be advocating for students like me and those who experience other or bigger challenges.  

So, yes. Voting is a tool for you to use to ensure we have great leaders listening to our stories and finding ways to improve or change things for future generations to come.  

Alright, enough of the sappy part of this blog—let’s talk about the who, what, and how! 

Who is currently on the DPS school board and who’s seat is up for election on November 7th? 

Currently, there are seven board members and Director Auon’tai Anderson’s At-Large, Director Scott Baldermann’s District 1, and Director Charmaine Lindsay’s District 5 seat are up for election this November! The District 1 and District 5 maps can be found here. Everyone will be able to vote for the At-large seat because it represents all of Denver.  

What are the roles and responsibilities of the DPS Board? 

DPS Board members are responsible for: 

  • Establishing a vision for the district  
  • Hiring and/or firing the superintendent  
  • Setting the yearly budget  
  • Approving contracts for teachers and outside vendors  
  • Expanding the district or closing schools 

Who is currently running for the DPS school board seats?  

Here is a list of folks running, according to their district. 

District 1 

District 5 

At-Large 

How can I find more information on the candidates? 

You can find more information about their beliefs, values, and visions for the DPS community on their websites (linked above).  Google their names and see if there is news coverage about them. Check out their social media accounts.  

You can attend community candidate forums. Stand is co-hosting a town hall with several other organizations (TEN, Ednium, Faith Bridge, Our Turn, African Leadership Group) with the candidates for the DPS board on October 24th from 5-7 pm at Hamilton Middle School. Please register so we know you are coming. Food and interpretation will be provided. We can also help with transportation to the event.  

How do I find out if I am registered to vote for DPS School Board elections and how do I vote? 

Here is how to find out which district you’re in and if you are registered to vote. You can also use this site to check your ballot status and find your polling location. Moved Recently? You can change your voter registration address here, too! 

If your registration is current, your ballot will be mailed to you starting October 16th and you can send your ballot back by mail or return it to one of the 24-hour ballot drop-off boxes located throughout the city. To find the nearest drop-off box visit Denver’s Clerk and Recorder website. 

Ballots must be received by the Denver Elections Division by 7 p.m. on Election Day, November 7, 2023. If you choose to return your ballot by mail, send it back no later than October 31.

We hope you find this blog useful for your quest on voting in this year’s DPS School Board elections! Remember that your vote holds a lot of power that can help our future generations thrive, make sure you cast it! 

Yes on Prop II, Universal Preschool Supports Families and Students

Elections | 10/5/2023
Post author Vallerie Bustamante
Vallerie Bustamante Digital Organizing Manager

In our beautiful state of Colorado, education has always been an important priority for Stand, policymakers, and most importantly Colorado families and their future. We are strong supporters of Prop II because it prioritizes our children’s education and future.

It is important to note that Prop II is an extension of the bipartisan Prop EE of 2020. Prop EE brought in more revenue than was estimated, so TABOR requires that voters approve the state’s retention of the excess revenue. This is why it is important for you to vote YES on Prop II. This statewide ballot measure allowed us to generate approximately $275 million per year for public health and education priorities through the tax increase on tobacco and nicotine products. It invested in K-12 readiness by providing access to preschool for Colorado kids

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Having access to preschool is vital for Colorado’s future! Students that attend pre-k get a jump start on reading and develop critical social – emotional and behavioral skills. This will in turn prepare our children for a successful K-12 experience and set them up for a better chance at life in their post-secondary journey as adults.  

We understand that when families are going through difficult times — it can negatively impact a student’s well-being and educational experience. Therefore, in addition to the investments we will continue to see in our early childhood education, this proposition will continue to invest in our families by funding affordable housing, rental assistance, and eviction assistance.  

We are excited to be endorsing Prop II and hope you are too with your vote in November! 

Complete our Pledge to Vote form, to receive more information about Proposition II, reminders as we get closer to Election day, and if you believe all children in Colorado deserve an opportunity to attend pre-school!

Pledge to vote

What You need to Know about November’s Election

Elections | 09/28/2023
Post author
Stand for Children

This year is an “off year election,” meaning that you won’t be voting for president or others running for office at federal levels of government. What you will find on your ballot this year is officials running for local office – like the school board, people who are much more likely to have an impact on your day-to-day life. You will also be asked to consider several important ballot initiatives.

Your ballot for the upcoming General Election will be arriving in your mailbox in the coming weeks. Election day isn’t until Tuesday, November 7th, but we are sharing information, so you have time to prepare to vote in this important election.

Get More Information:

Here’s where you can get the latest information about your voter eligibility and ballot drop off and polling locations. It’s not too late to register to vote or update your information if you’ve moved. 

Research What’s on the Ballot:

  • You don’t have your ballot yet, but you can still prepare! This website will provide you a sample ballot for your address.   There will likely be candidates running for your local school board. These people can have a deep and lasting impact on the schools in your community and your child’s education, so make sure to do your research before you vote!
    • Visit their websites, check out their social media, and Google their name to see recent news coverage. 
    • Pull information from organizations you trust to see who they have endorsed. 
  • There are also statewide ballot initiatives for you to consider this year. Stand has endorsed both Prop II and Prop HH.
  • The Blue Book (you will receive a hard copy of this in the mail, too!) is a voter guide with easy-to-understand explanations of each ballot initiative compiled by nonpartisan staff of the Colorado Legislative Council.  

Vote By November 7:

Here’s where you can find locations to drop off your ballot. Just be sure you drop it off by November 7.

The results are in

Elections | 11/11/2022
Post author Krista Spurgin
Krista Spurgin Executive Director

After a busy election season, I woke up feeling so proud of the work our team and volunteers did to support Colorado’s education champions! Volunteers sent 170,000 texts to Coloradans in the past couple weeks and today, we’re celebrating big wins with them.

In addition to the re-election of Governor Polis, and the election of Stand endorsed candidates in the Senate and the House, we are incredibly excited about the election of Kathy Plomer and Rebecca McClelland to the State Board.

Our focus will continue to be on prioritizing ways to improve early literacy, making sure our students are prepared to graduate on time, and ensuring our schools and communities are safe and supportive spaces for students to thrive. We are excited to share with you our policy priorities and work with you to advance them next legislative session. 

Kathy Plomer is our pick for State board

Elections | 11/4/2022
Post author Ivana Bejaran Rib
Ivana Bejaran Rib State Organizing Director

Eight Colorado parents and community members have sent over 34,000 text messages over the last few weeks in support of State Board of Education candidate Kathy Plomer. These volunteers are supporting Kathy because she is a problem solver, a public servant, and a mom. They know she will fight to ensure all our kids have access to high quality education, mental health resources, and equitable funding. 

We’ve been sharing information about how important it is to ensure we have the right people serving on the State Board of Education. Kathy wants to make Colorado public schools a place where parents want to send their kids, educators want to work, and students love to learn. 

Learn more about why you should support Kathy

I hope you will join me and our volunteers in voting for Kathy Plomer for At-Large representative on the State Board of Education. Your ballot needs to be dropped off by 7pm Tuesday, November 8 but no need to wait – you can drop it in a secure ballot drop box as soon as you are done voting.  You’ve got this! 

Your Voter Guide: State Board of Education Members

Elections | 10/27/2022
Post author Kate Dando Doran
Kate Dando Doran

Here’s your guide to voting for education champions for the State Board of Education this November in four easy steps!  

1.) Learn more about the State Board.  

2.) Decide what’s important to you in a candidate!  

  • Do you want to elect someone that has experience in education? Is it important that your candidate talks about mental health supports for students?

3.) Research the candidates! 

4. VOTE! Be sure to complete your ENTIRE ballot and vote all the way through, including the At-Large candidate for State Board of Education.

You’ve got this! Your ballot needs to be dropped off by 7pm Tuesday, November 8 but no need to wait – you can drop it in a secure ballot drop box as soon as you are done voting. 

So….about the State Board of Education 

Elections | 10/21/2022
Post author Kate Dando Doran
Kate Dando Doran Communications Director
Rear view of little boy and his classmates raising arms to answer teacher’s question during the lecture in the classroom.

I’ll be honest, before I worked at Stand I didn’t think much about the members of the State Board of Education and their impact on education in Colorado. Now that I’ve learned more, I know that the State Board plays a really important role guiding education in our state.  

For better or worse, decisions made by the elected directors of the State Board of Education will impact education for my kids. So, why am I writing you about the State Board of Education today? It’s because towards the very end of our very long general election ballot this year is your decision on who you want to represent you on the State Board. You will also vote for an At-Large (statewide) Director, a seat added after the most recent census.  

READ ABOUT WHO WE ARE SUPPORTING 

There are seven elected members of the State Board responsible for overseeing the Colorado Department of Education, appointing our commissioner, approving our education budget, accrediting school districts and the programs preparing our teachers, and distributing millions of federal dollars. 

Here are a few ways the State Board is impacting education in Colorado RIGHT NOW:  

Make sure that those elected to the State Board of Education reflect Colorado’s values and commitment to our students. While it may not get the most attention, these positions make impactful decisions about the direction of our education system. Ensure you complete your entire ballot – all the way through State Board of Education Directors— and vote for champions! 

Education on the Ballot This Year

Elections | 10/19/2022
Post author Krista Spurgin
Krista Spurgin Executive Director

The temperatures have finally cooled down and leaves are changing – Fall is here. Another sign of Fall: your ballot for the upcoming General Election will be arriving in your mailbox in the next week. Election day isn’t until Tuesday, November 8th, but I’m writing to share information, so when you’re ready to vote you can vote for education champions this year.

To Get More Information:

First, it’s not too late to register to vote or update your information if you’ve moved. Here’s where you can get the latest information about your voter eligibility and ballot drop off and polling locations.

What’s on the Ballot:

There are a lot of decisions for you to make about the future leaders of Colorado – everyone from Governor, U.S. Senate and House, State Senate and House, Judges, and State Board of Education directors.

  • There are also statewide ballot initiatives for you to do your read up on this year.  Did you get your Blue Book in the mail yet?  Nonpartisan staff of the Colorado Legislative Council prepare this voter guide with easy-to-understand explanations of each ballot initiative.  

If you don’t have your ballot yet, but you want to prepare, this website will provide you a sample ballot for your address.

Vote By November 8:

Here’s where you can find locations to drop off your ballot. Just be sure you drop it off by November 8.

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