Tuesday Churn: Mayor’s endorsement

What’s churning:

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock on Monday endorsed former Denver City Council president Happy Haynes in her at-large, citywide race for the Denver school board.

Hancock also will be endorsing in the other two races on the Nov. 1 ballot, according to mayoral spokeswoman Amber Miller.

“Throughout my campaign for Mayor of this great city, I heard time and again that residents and businesses want our schools to improve,” Hancock said in a written statement. “As the parents of two DPS students, Mary Louise and I want that too. Electing Happy Haynes is a step in the right direction.”

Haynes, until May, served as the chief community engagement officer for DPS. She now is director of civic and community engagement for CRL Associates, Inc.

There are five candidates for the at-large, citywide seat to be vacated later this year by the term-limited Theresa Pena. They are John Daniel, Frank Deserino, Haynes, Roger Kilgore and Jacqui Shumway.

Meanwhile, the Denver Classroom Teachers Association is expected to release endorsements today. Check EdNews later today for that story.

The Education Leadership Council created by Gov. John Hickenlooper on Jan. 11 holds its first meeting today following announcement of its 38 members on Sept. 1.

Hickenlooper and Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia, the administration’s lead person on education, are expected to lay out the group’s assignments during the session.

The administration so far has outlined three broad education goals – implementing existing reform programs such as the Colorado Achievement Plan for Kids and the educator effectiveness law, improving third-grade literacy and reducing the college remediation rate.

Garcia has said repeatedly that the council will be concerned with education from early childhood to higher education.

The council has been compared to the P-20 Education Coordinating Council that advised former Gov. Bill Ritter. The council’s work led in part to the 2008 Colorado Achievement Plan for Kids.

Ritter’s group was more weighted toward mid-level educators, while the Hickenlooper council is packed with big names, including education Commissioner Robert Hammond, Colorado Commission on Higher Education chairman Hereford Percy, Jane Goff from the State Board of Education, legislative education committee chairs Bob Bacon and Tom Massey plus state Sen. Mike Johnston of Denver, DPS board member Nate Easley, superintendents Mike Miles of Harrison and John Barry of Aurora, community college chief Nancy McCallin, CU President Bruce Benson, CSU Chancellor Joe Blake, former DU head Dan Ritchie and Metro President Steve Jordan. See full list here.

Today’s big news event is expected to be the release of the quarterly revenue forecasts. Details in the Monday Churn.

Colorado isn’t alone in its budget woes, of course. A new report by the National Conference of State Legislatures finds that state lawmakers across the nation have faced budget gaps totaling $510.5 billion over the last four years. The report notes that the revenue situation is stabilizing nationwide but that growth will continue to be slow in 2012-13.

What’s on tap:

The Legislative Task Force to Study School Discipline meets from 8:30 a.m. to noon to discuss potential bills for the 2012 legislative session. Expect to see proposals designed to reduce the use of suspensions, expulsions and police referrals. The meeting’s in room 0112 of the Capitol. Agenda

The JBC will receive the quarterly revenue forecasts at 9 a.m. in the Legislative Services Building, 200 E. 14th Ave.

The Education Leadership Council meets starting at 1 p.m. at the Carriage House of the Governor’s Mansion.

The Aurora school board meets at 7 p.m. at the Educational Services Center, 1085 Peoria St. The agenda includes a vote on a resolution in support of Proposition 103, the statewide ballot initiative to raise state income and sales taxes through 2017 to boost education funding.

 The Boulder Valley board will hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. at 6500 Arapahoe Road, Boulder. The sole agenda item is the District Accountability Committee’s discussion of their work in 2011-12.

The Douglas County board convenes at 7:05 p.m. at district headquarters, 620 Wilcox St. in Castle Rock. The agenda includes a proposal to shift the district’s open enrollment window from Nov. 15-Jan. 15 to Nov. 1-Jan. 5.