Be at this important event today and for all you do. Guest thank you very much bill, thank you for the opportunity ive enjoyed it. Host it is a real privilege and honor is someone who spent a lot of time in state and local government. Your time on capitol hill i know you have a long history of education and so many at home. I thank you very much for taking the time to be with us today. John, it is really a pleasure to see virtually, i cant wait until we can see again in person sometime. I look forward on updating on some of the important works in colorado. We do good, son of a colorado, i look forward to that. Let me jump right into it, if you could just kind of give all of us the lay of the land in colorado prayed there so many Different Things happening, so many different approaches. Where are you right now in the education response to the pandemic . If you could give us a quick overview and then jump into the situation. Really the start of the summer we prioritize a safe return to school. Even during the period last spring when School Districts were closed for in class instruction across the country. We encourage this tricks open their buildings and safe ways. Many of them, we are local control state of course and we encourage each to have their necessary special ed work in small groups, to work with thirdparty providers for daycare, for critical workers. So now, most of our schools are back. Across the country to safeway colorado springs, and they are doing it right. Theyre able to do it right for a number of reasons. One is the local communication between superintendent, teachers, and families. The state is stepping up. We just passed over 8 million masks, medical grade masks weve given to the teachers across the state. One medical grade mask. Teacher. Week for every teacher in our states for the also prioritize the cares act money for districts in schools in two ways. Only talk about a little bit later it is the competitive peace, the larger peace, 510 million went right out the door for School Districts and Charter Schools in colorado. Obviously of real responsibilities of course to make sure these organizations are subsidized to do the things they need to do to provide basic services. I did want to note the rise fun. It jumped out at me, and probably not with a difficult decision, could you talk us through what the rise fund is . And how when your mind to reconcile the need to do some of the basics . At the same time knowing the world is changing and probably need to do some you things too. Guest we are always looking in this pandemic for what is the learning, what is a silver lighting, what the new normal that is better in other sectors and things like increased which can decrease traffic and pollution, so theres all things, its about what can we solve in education that perplexed us for decades and only accentuated during this crisis. The bulk of the funds the cares act this dates is giving out schools. Like many states have a few risk factors in the prayed by and liar formulating, this is the gear grant is about who has been affected disproportionately. Because covid from the Health Perspective and the economic perspective, did not affect everyone equally. We have commuters with much higher unemployment. Fifteen beauties of the much higher death rate. The same chasms of achievement that we have at normal and risk making them worse. We want to use that opportunity to do things differently. Encourage our School Districts, or Charter Schools, our institutions of Higher Education to serve the highest need students and new innovative ways including partnerships and community and School Districts. Really fighting those best practices. And then building the sustainability of those practices and expanding what works. Now is the time to double down on innovation. First i want to commend you for that. Reading the model, is a little bit of resources they give entrepreneurs another license to solve the big social problems. I think that is critical. I really appreciate it. At the same time, it is not without controversy. We have on the horizon and election that makes everything seemed like it has controversy surrounding it. I am wondering, youve seen this with School Boards you sent to the lens of charter schooling, through washington, colorado itself. What from your perspective is the state of education politics, nationally and within your state. Youve seen from the advantage point for my perspective it is change. Im one if you could talk a little bit, especially the election coming up. Was to hear secretary devos the moments before this saying that with the federal role has exacerbated the achievement gap. In the real world, the single biggest federal Program Title i by far was it enough . No, placing the impact of that. Literally in the low income schools absolutely title i, the support for our schools and absently helps it is not enough i for one am grateful i would like to see State Governments, federal districts, all due more to close the achievement gap. As a country want to make sure no matter where you live, you dont fall behind or do not have access to opportunities just simply because you live we need the data we need im confident the National Dialogue will shift back to that in many ways. I think there has been some concern that there is been a lots, like there is an politics in general, john, theres just a lot of folks where there is a kneejerk reaction one way or the other. I hope that im confident that President Biden will help unitas behind shared vision. That recognizing portions of accountability. Assessment, highquality schools and with the governor and with a critical focus on the achievement gap. To note, i got a lot to cover it when we have the time. I do think the way you just outlined a kind of very when i was called child family centered agenda, is not ideological. And its different, the way i hear you is different from so much of the ideology that frankly i hear both sides of the aisle. However, one hears the secretarys comments. Let me jump to a couple of things that you are doing. I want to talk about Early Childhood. First i want to talk a little bit about another area i do a lot of work in. A lot of my time with just made a large print state of colorado which of happy to be a part of. Ive been an observer, and in denver thats gone on under Senate Bennett and superintendent bowes and berg. At the heart of it has all been, partially its been jobs, job access is a focal point Education System which isnt frankly how we always thought of the Education System. Colorados Current National leader. Im wondering, especially now where is that in the evolution . What is the next horizon for colorado but the Education Program . Realizing the needs of the workplace today and growing sectors is not the same that led to the evolution of the current Education System as a paragon importance of a High School Diploma or the college diploma. Innings many to blur those lines between k12 and Higher Education but what skills are needed and how do we match the opportunity to gain those skills at the High School Level or the Community College level to earn a good learning, with High School Dual and concurrent enrollment programs, there are many programs under state or people can graduate with an Associates Degree from high school, even with the fifth year in high school the program Associates Degree, we really went to apprenticeships, careerwise are secretary of labor out of that movement. Were looking at deconstructing what is needed and the skills based hiring not just across State Government but with a lot of Companies Leading in. Its not enough to say that they are hiring and then back down for that. How do you prudential them, Community Colleges, high school, good for our economy, good for kids to earn. The rice and we talked about earlier that is good to support this very kind of innovation pretty key part is making sure the college gets the credit while they are in high school. We are really laser focus. All of that to meet the needs of students to get good jobs whenever theyre prepared to complete. Just to build on that quickly. Colorado is a state that seed real growth in certain sectors especially 21st century, is your focus a result of that . Or a driver of that . How do you think about that issue an Economic Opportunity . Is traditionally been called Vocational Education high school, first about still exist exists. We need people who cut hair, when he people to do auto shop and those programs are great. In fact one of her School District has a great new program, think is the first in many years. Its also look at one of those growths but the vet and veterinary technicians are worked in nursing or they want to work with seniors or they want to become teachers themselves. How do we open up those emerging and growing career traps so students have access in a High School Environment . Thats the new you can call vocational whatever you call it is not in competition with what already exists. Its really putting in a new lens and when the needs of the Economy Today and tomorrow and how do we prepare kids for success . This is not about teardown but it is about expanding. I think its so important. Points go to the other end of the spectrum now. When you google education but comes up is kids who are a lot younger. I know that you do that it sounds great. B got to make a case for the taxpayers offer fullday kindergarten. And asking for prekindergarten which is front and center for your agenda is an important thing. I feel likely hear these things of course its great. Thats obvious. But it is not obvious. There is a cost for an investment for state and local government. Can you talk about why youre doing it what case youre making to the taxpayers of colorado for where it this is where their monies to go. Guest we want colorados move from a laggard to a leader investing in our kids investing in our future workforce and working in families today empowering women and single families to reenter the workforce on your own terms. Look at where colorado was a couple of years ago. Few slots for very low income. By and large, we know the benefits of fullday kindergarten. We saw first, second, third grade, kids of been one of the first calls after elected it was to a republican state representative, whod been working on fullday kindergarten for years. I said jim, we are going figure out were going to do it. We are going to do it and a bipartisan way. Unanimously in the state and senate was easy it wouldve been done we return on investment the saving for families it could not ordinate to reenter the workforce and closing the achievement gap. Our next step is preschool. Theres no separate very low income but working families dont get it proposition ee like other Nicotine Products for the universal preschool that will roll out in a couple years were thats an xp spreader also focused on actually, we should were looking to continue our investment in all this because of the roi it saves money, prepares colorado for success. Not just now but long after my governorship is over. The talk about all of these issues, you have a leadership position. We went on the program audience. Honor issue, education for only thought of as a local issue at the state and federal level. I am wondering some the a secretary made earlier. When you have schoolboard private childcare, all the workforce agencies come all the higher at institutions. They are all out there with their different priorities. What is the role for the state properly and the american Education System . And what you want for your state in the long run . Guest i dont i dont think people would disagree that school should be locally administered i agree with that. Is on the Playing Field decisions that are made daytoday by superintendents and School Boards. And we are responsible for those at the state level. General government is responsible for those of the federal level, making sure the rules dont just convey more advantage on those who are already advantage. As a strong start in a good chance for success. We went to blur the line between k12 and higher an Early Childhood education and k12. I know the public once accountability and transparency. They of course a value of their school to be administered locally. They need the freedom locally to make the changes and take the steps they need to innovate and close the achievement gap. But that also means with that freedom comes the responsibility and the accountability. Its a role for the honest brokers and state and local government to make sure that accountability and transparency exists. If you were to say looking back on your time and office that the state achieve something under your leadership, looking back on it, what would you like to be able to say . Moving from laggard to leader in Early Childhood education, really preparing kids to move from success whatever the route is. Whether they finish in high school, what skill set they have. They drop out of high school, what is not right for them . Is it a ged or skill they can market until the High School Degree purge of the go to committee college or college in a lineup the needs of the workforce. Really both ends and of course the quality of what comes in the middle. We want colorado to be the very best place to raise a family. after that former voice of america executives testify about changes since michael pack took over in june. Colorado governor talks about education in the recent school reopening. Smack tonight montana republican senator steve daines and u. S. Senate democratic candidate governors steve bullet take part in a televised debate. Live coverage starts at 9 00 p. M. Eastern on cspan. Youre watching cspan2, your unfiltered view of