May 29, 2008
Colorado State Senate President Peter Groff Fights For Reform
Colorado State Senate President Peter Groff is a DFER Hero for his groundbreaking work in crafting Colorado Senate Bill 130, the Innovation Schools Act of 2008. Sen. Groff is a crusader of education reform and has worked tirelessly in the state of Colorado to make positive changes in the development and authorization of charter schools. We applaud Sen. Groff’s work with charter schools and his excellent quest towards values that best work for our children’s education. On February 1, 2008, Sen. Groff told the Denver Post, “There is a laundry list of things that impairs and impinges innovation in schools. The question we have to be asking is, ‘what is in the best interest of the child.’”
Sen. Groff’s monumental Innovation Schools Act:
- Allows hiring decisions outside Union Labor Contracts
- Gives schools control over:budgets, hiring decisions, and length of school days
- Allows schools to dictate teacher qualifications and how much time to spend in class
- Allows public schools to sidestep restrictions for the purpose of creating wide-ranging innovation in Colorado schools.
In addition to the Innovation Schools Act, Sen. Groff was a key player in the development of the Charter Schools Institute Act of 2004, which was passed by the Colorado General Assembly.
Sen. Groff is the first African-American to serve as President of the Colorado State Senate. Members of both parties have described him as being “the conscience of the senate.” Republican State Senator Josh Penry of Grand Junction said of Sen. Groff, “Not many Senators can say that the other 34 like them. Peter can.”
On top of the accolades given to him by his colleagues, Senator Groff was named a “person to watch in 2008” by BlackAmericaWeb.com. He was also awarded the 2008 champion of charters by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.
Keep up the good fight Senator!
