What’s churning:
This is the week that the Senate was supposed to start considering the proposed 2011-12 budget, known in statehouse jargon as the “long bill.”
But the Joint Budget Committee and the leadership of both parties still are trying to figure out how to do that and will resume the task this week. The budget debate revolves around such issues as Public Employees’ Retirement Association contributions, the size of the state reserve, use of cash funds to shore up the general fund, whether to reinstate a fee paid to retailers for collecting sales taxes and the size of cuts to K-12 education.
Delay of the long bill has left a gap in calendars that were previously cleared, so things look a little light for education-related bills, at least relative to recent weeks. It’s also quiet for school boards this week, given that it’s a fifth week in the month, and most board meetings are scheduled during a month’s first four weeks. And for some, it’s spring break.
What’s on tap:
Click here for this week’s full legislative calendar.
THURSDAY
Metro State College officially breaks ground on its Hotel and Hospitality Learning Center, which will include a SpringHill Suites hotel. The event starts at 3:30 p.m. at the site on the corner of Auraria Parkway and Speer Boulevard.
FRIDAY
The Colorado Commission on Higher Education meets at 1 p.m. in the Old Supreme Court Chambers at the Capitol.
Good reads from elsewhere:
Value-added: Los Angeles schools will move ahead with their own calculations for teacher ratings this spring. Los Angeles Times.
Cheating analysis: When test scores soared in D.C., were the gains real? USA Today.