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• Teachers Team Up to Write Grants When Budgets Get Tight Play Video

  March 5, 2013 10:02 AM

  When budget cuts make it impossible to get new technology in the classroom, a group of teachers at the Lincoln School of Science and Technology in Canon City decided to take matters into their own hands. They've teamed up with their principal and started writing grants for the small school.... more »

• February Teachers First: Lowell Miller Play Video

  February 25, 2013 3:06 PM

  Lincoln School of Science and Technology in Canon City is one of a small number of schools in the area equipped with state of the art, interactive white boards and tablets for students. That is thanks in part to fifth grade teacher Lowell Miller, February's Teacher's First award winner. ... more »

• January Teachers First: Janie Mueller

  January 30, 2013 5:32 PM

  If you're into science at Cheyenne Mountain High School, chances are you know AP Chemistry teacher Janie Mueller. After 31 years, she's just as passionate about her job as ever. And that's why she's January's Teachers First award winner. When you enter Mueller's chemistry classes, you can tell there's... more »

• Guns in schools bill defeated in Senate committee

  January 29, 2013 12:47 AM

  A Senate committee in Denver says 'no' to a proposal to arm teachers and administrators in our schools. The republican sponsored bill was defeated by the democratic controlled committee by a 3 to 2 vote along party lines. The vote came hours after more than a hundred gun... more »

• Chicago students will go back to school after teachers' strike

  September 18, 2012 6:47 PM

  CHICAGO (AP) - The Chicago Teachers Union president says the city's students will be back in class Wednesday after delegates voted overwhelmingly to suspend a seven-day teachers strike. Karen Lewis spoke during a Tuesday evening news conference after delegates met to consider a tentative contract proposal. The teachers walked out... more »

• Layoffs likely as D11 board discusses budget cuts Play Video

  April 25, 2012 7:34 PM

  As many as 54 jobs are on the block as the District 11 Board of Education takes a preliminary vote tonight to cut some $8.6 million from the 2012-2013 school year budget. Of the job cuts identified, 25 would come from schools, around 17 from central administration and another 12... more »

• Teachers could see changes to tenure

  January 23, 2012 6:58 AM

  DENVER (AP) - New teacher tenure rules proposed for Colorado are getting their first review by state lawmakers who asked for them. A House-Senate panel is meeting Monday afternoon to look at the proposed four-tier review standards for teachers. The state board of education approved the new evaluation standards to... more »

• Grading teachers: state rolls out report card system Play Video

  November 28, 2011 7:46 PM

  Teachers in Colorado will soon be taking home a report card of their own. The Colorado Department of Education has released new guidelines that help local districts evaluate teacher and principal effectiveness. Under Senate Bill 191, which passed in 2010, teachers can lose tenure if their students fail to... more »

• Colorado moving ahead with 4-tier teacher ratings

  November 9, 2011 2:29 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Colorado officials are taking final action on a teacher rating system that could make it easier to fire teachers who don't meet testing standards. The Board of Education was poised to approve the system Wednesday. The standards create a four-tier grading system for teachers and principals. The... more »

• Teachers jobs on the line in District 49

  November 3, 2011 5:46 PM

  We just spoke with D-49 School Board member Tammy Herald. She tells us between the defeat of Proposition 103 and failed mill levy and bond ballot issues, the district will be cutting around $4,000,000 for the upcoming year. She says while the board will look at all options, the chances... more »

• Obama touts aid for emergency service workers

  October 19, 2011 3:30 PM

  NORTH CHESTERFIELD, Va. (AP) - President Barack Obama is pressing for Congress to spend billions of dollars to help firefighters facing layoffs. Obama said Wednesday that while the private sector continues to add jobs, financially strapped state and local governments are doing the opposite and cutting firefighters, teachers and... more »

• Atlanta teachers on administrative leave

  July 28, 2011 8:54 AM

  ATLANTA (AP) - Atlanta Public Schools employees implicated in a widespread cheating scandal are getting notices that they've been put on paid administrative leave. The notices sent out to teachers and others are among the steps the district must take as it begins to sort through each employee's case.... more »

• Pueblo schools taking cuts

  June 23, 2011 7:51 AM

  PUEBLO, Colo. (AP) - Pueblo County school employees will forego raises this year and take two furlough days because of budget cuts. The District 70 board approved a three-year contract with the newly organized Pueblo County Education Association which does not include any raises or step increases for the... more »

• Teachers could be graded

  June 8, 2011 8:07 AM

  DENVER (AP) - Colorado teachers could see a new four-tier ranking system under new performance guidelines up for discussion by the state Board of Education. Colorado is changing the rules for how teachers earn and keep job protections known as tenure, linking student performance to job security. State education... more »

• District 11 nears deal with teachers union

  May 17, 2011 8:38 PM

  Teachers in Colorado Springs School District 11 are voting to ratify their new master agreement with the district. The vote among the Colorado Springs Education Association members is being conducted online and will be finished at noon Wednesday. The D11 school board will vote on the agreement at their meeting... more »

• D-49 may cut jobs, salaries tonight

  April 27, 2011 7:04 PM

  The Falcon School District 49 is set to potenitally slash jobs and salaries at a special meeting tonight a6 6pm at Falcon High School. These potential cuts come after D-29 declared a financial emergency earlier this month. News FIrst 5 will be at the meeting with a live report tonight... more »

• Teachers say: run in the halls today

  February 18, 2011 5:15 PM

  Students from the Explorer Elementary school had a chance to run the halls on Friday and not get in trouble by their teachers. Kids were running for donations at their annual "Hawk Hall Rush." All the money that is raised from the walk/run-a-thon goes towards reimbursing teachers for their out-of-pocket... more »

• Report: Kids bullied over food allergies

  September 30, 2010 4:34 PM

  A new study reveals that one in four children with a food allergy is bullied because of it. The report, from the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, finds the majority of these children were harassed more than once. Verbal abuse was the most common form of bullying.... more »

• PERA solvency review due today

  August 16, 2010 9:13 AM

  Colorado lawmakers are getting an update on the health of the state employee retirement plan. The legislature cut benefits this year to keep the plan from going broke. Under the new law retirees got no cost of living increase this year instead of the normal 3.5 percent increase. ... more »

• House to consider Jobs Bill

  August 10, 2010 8:32 AM

  House Democrats are convening an emergency session to pass a bill aimed at saving hundreds of thousands of teachers and other public workers from unemployment. The one-day session Tuesday also may address another issue that will be on voters' minds this November - lax border security - with passage... more »

• Teachers get free supplies if you're quick

  August 5, 2010 5:12 PM

  The first 100 teachers at Staples stores in Southern Colorado this Saturday will get some free school supplies for their classroom. It's part of their Teacher Appreciation Day. Here are the details. Saturday, August 7, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The first 100 teachers will receive an... more »

• Senate passes bill to save teacher, police jobs

  August 5, 2010 12:23 PM

  Legislation long sought by Democrats to prevent layoffs of tens of thousands of teachers, police and other public workers has passed the Senate. The bill would help states and local school boards deal with severe budget problems. It would preserve the jobs of perhaps 300,000 public employees across the... more »

• Science camp starts at Academy

  July 6, 2010 6:01 PM

  The Air Force Academy is hosting a boot camp for teachers this week. It concentrates on instruction in science, technology, engineering and mathmatics. The camp starts Wednesday and runs through Friday. It's designed for all high school science, math and pre-engineering teachers in Southern Colorado, and gives them the... more »

• Massive education cuts around the country

  June 1, 2010 9:12 AM

  Deep cuts may be looming for the nation's public school students as budget crises are forcing teacher pink-slips, shuttered classrooms and school program cuts. New York public schools are $500 million short. Illinois will cut 12,600 education jobs and in California 23-thousand teacher layoff notices have already been sent... more »

• Nope-Colorado parents won't be informed of teacher arrests

  May 13, 2010 9:12 AM

  The Colorado State Board of Education has rejected a requirement that school districts notify parents when when teachers or other employees are arrested or charged with certain offenses. The board voted 4-3 against the rule Wednesday. Board Chairman Bob Schaffer proposed the rule. He says parents have the... more »

• Teacher bill up for vote at Colorado Capitol

  May 11, 2010 8:33 AM

  The fate of one of this year's most controversial bills of the legislative session will be decided in the final days. The House is set to vote Tuesday on a proposal to evaluate teachers based on the performance of their students. Backers say that enough Democrats will join with... more »

• Colorado lawmakers approve tenure changes

  April 24, 2010 12:24 PM

  A proposed overhaul of Colorado's teacher tenure law has cleared its first hurdle. The Senate Education Committee approved a bill Friday that would make tenure available only to teachers who have improved student performance for three straight years. Teachers who have tenure could lose it if their students fail to... more »

• D2 announces top earners

  April 13, 2010 8:00 PM

  Some teachers in Harrison School District Two will bring home more money come September. The district has announced its top performers under the new pay for performance program. Of the 854 teachers in the Effectiveness and Results program, 105 were ranked as Proficient and another 7 were ranked as... more »

• Pueblo District 60 braces for budget cuts

  March 31, 2010 12:12 AM

  School districts across the state have to tighten their belts and brace for budget cuts across the board. You can now add Pueblo School District 60 to that growing list. Many teachers in District 60 are not happy about proposed budget cuts. It has many worried they could lose money... more »

• Obama promise to rewrite the 'No Child Left Behind' education law

  March 13, 2010 10:14 AM

  President Barack Obama says it's time to prepare students for life after high school and put better teachers at the front of the classroom. In his weekly radio and internet address today, Obama promised to rewrite the nation's sweeping and controversial education law known as No Child Left Behind. The... more »

• D-11 braces for budget cuts

  March 4, 2010 12:36 AM

  It's no secret that budget cuts are always a sore topic for any group. But as seen Wednesday night, when it comes to schools people are going to have a lot to say. Like most school districts across the state, Colorado Springs District 11 has to make some very tough... more »

• Fired teachers could get jobs back

  March 3, 2010 5:59 PM

  A superintendent who fired all the teachers in one of Rhode Island's worst-performing high schools says she's willing to negotiate after their union promised to support reforms. Central Falls Superintendent Frances Gallo said Wednesday an offer from the teachers gives her hopes differences can be resolved without mass firings.... more »

• All educators fired at underperforming school

  February 24, 2010 10:48 AM

  A Rhode Island school district has voted to fire all the teachers at an underperforming school. The Central Falls School Committee voted Tuesday evening to fire every educator at Central Falls High School, including teachers, guidance counselors and the principal. It's the only school in the tiny, impoverished city north... more »

• Colorado Springs senator wants religious bill of rights for schools

  February 15, 2010 1:10 PM

  A Republican state lawmaker wants to make sure that students and teachers can express their religious beliefs in public schools. Sen. Dave Schultheis of Colorado Springs is proposing that the state education board draft two religious bills of rights - one for students and parents and one for teachers... more »

• Colorado promises to adopt merit pay for teachers

  January 20, 2010 9:29 AM

  Colorado has vowed to expand merit pay for teachers, change how educators are evaluated, and hire more Teach for America national service recruits as it tries to win $377 million in federal funding for schools. Colorado made the promises Tuesday as it seeks part of a $4.3 billion grant package... more »

• More teachers to receive merit pay in District 2

  January 15, 2010 12:08 PM

  Even more teachers will be included in the merit pay system once it's implemented at Harrison School District 2 this fall. District spokeswoman Jennifer Sprague has confirmed that all D-2 teachers except for a few exploratory classes such as German, French, auto shop, career and tech ed. will be... more »

• Pueblo County school district must cut $5 million

  January 11, 2010 11:03 PM

  Rarely would a school budget work session pack a room, but this economy and the decisions facing Pueblo County School District 70 will impact a lot of lives. Monday night, teachers, parents, and taxpayers crowded into the board room to watch the budget process. The "pink slips" teachers were... more »

• Teachers to be paid on merit in District 2

  January 11, 2010 8:29 PM

  This fall, Harrison School District Two will become the first public school district in the state to implement a performance based pay structure teachers at all of its schools. The board of education has give the superintendent approval to overhaul the teacher pay structure from one that rewards tenure... more »

• Pueblo County plans 3 H1N1 swine flu vaccine clinics

  November 9, 2009 4:33 PM

  Three H1N1 Swine Flu mass vaccination clinics are planned in Pueblo this month. The Pueblo City-County Health Department released the schedule Monday--along with the admonition that the vaccine remains restricted. Here are the dates and locations of the clinics: * Saturday, November 14, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm... more »

• Swine flu forces more school closures

  October 12, 2009 6:58 PM

  The Columbus Day school holiday will stretch out for students at a charter academy in Pueblo. Southern Colorado Early College and Swallows Charter Academy in Pueblo County will be closed Tuesday because of H1N1 swine flu. The closures follow more than a half-dozen closures last week. Some schools reported... more »

• Pueblo City Schools approves new teachers, superintendent contracts

  October 8, 2009 1:51 PM

  The Pueblo City Schools Board of Education unanimously approved two major contracts Thursday morning--a two year deal with teachers, and a three-year pact with new superintendent Kathy West. Union teachers approved the contract in a vote last week. The teachers received a 2.2% pay increase for the first year... more »

• Teachers, D-60 reach contract agreement

  September 28, 2009 7:03 PM

  Pueblo City Schools and the Pueblo Education Association, the local teachers' union, reached tentative agreement on a new contract Friday. Teachers will vote Thursday and Friday, on whether to approve the tentative agreement. The Board of Education will vote on the tentative agreement at their next meeting. more »