Colorado State Archives

Executive Orders from the Administration of Governor Bill Owens 1999-2005

DENVER  -  Gov. Bill Owens will host a summit aimed at exploring ways Colorado can recruit, train, and retain high quality teachers. The "Governor's Summit on Quality Teachers for the 21st Century Classroom" will be held Thursday, Oct. 21 at the Hyatt Regency Downtown, from 7:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

"Every child in Colorado deserves a quality education - their future depends on it," Governor Owens said. "The key to a quality education is quality teachers, and we need to focus on getting those quality teachers in Colorado."

Owens said often times parents will request specific teachers with a reputation for excellence for their children, knowing that higher quality teachers produce better educated students. The main goal of the Summit is to see that all of Colorado's K-12 teachers are seen as high quality. Topics to be addressed include how teacher certification programs can be improved, how colleges and universities can better prepare future teachers, and what can be done to ensure that teachers are experts in their field of knowledge.

Tim Foster, Director of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education and Bill Moloney, Colorado Department of Education Commissioner will be in attendance to speak on the future role of teacher licensure and certification. Bill Sanders, professor and director of the University of Tennessee Value-Added Research and Assessment Center, will speak on new tools and strategies for measuring teacher performance.

Also attending will be Patte Barth, Senior Associate with The Education Trust, who will discuss recruiting and retraining quality teachers to fill 21st Century classrooms.

The Summit will be attended by education experts from throughout the state including teachers, school board members, district superintendents, chancellors, presidents and deans of Colorado's public and private colleges and universities, and members of the General Assembly. Owens said he is looking forward to working with these experts on improving Colorado's public education system.

"The attendees at this Summit are among the most respected in their field," Owens said. "I am confident that this important step in an ongoing effort to reform Colorado's public school system will produce the results we are seeking."

Agenda. (PDF format)

Archives Homepage |  State Homepage | Department Homepage