Michael Pledges to Make Colorado the Best State to Teach, Learn, and Work by Guaranteeing Every Coloradan a Path to Economic Opportunity
Denver, CO — Today, Michael Bennet released his “Education as a Gateway to Good Paying Jobs” plan as a bold roadmap to ensure every Coloradan, no matter their zip code, receives a quality education that sets them up for economic opportunity and a secure future.
“With an economy that’s changing at the speed of light, Coloradans deserve a quality education system that prepares them to enter the workforce, make a living wage, and chase the American Dream,” said Michael. “To do that, we have to pay our educators what they deserve, connect education directly to work, and ensure our students have the reading and math skills they need to succeed. As Governor, I will make sure every Coloradan has access to a high-quality education that leads directly to good-paying jobs and economic opportunity.”
Though communities across the state are doing excellent work to deliver for students of all ages, Colorado’s education and workforce systems are struggling to keep up with the needs of today’s economy. Colorado teachers face the highest pay gap in the country, student academic achievement is declining, and too many Coloradans graduate without a clear path to a good-paying job. Michael’s plan tackles these challenges by catalyzing a statewide effort to pay educators what they deserve, directly connect education to work, and ensure our education system prepares students for today’s economy.
Key commitments in Michael’s plan to connect education to opportunity include:
- Making Colorado the Best Place to Be an Educator by Paying Teachers What They Deserve: Michael will close the state’s teacher shortage by fighting for competitive wages, investing in affordable housing for teachers, and creating a statewide health insurance cooperative for schools to lower health care costs. He will cut red tape and make it easier to enter the education field by expanding teacher apprenticeship programs and streamlining the credential process without sacrificing quality or standards.
- Connecting Education and Work to Ensure Every Coloradan Has Access to a Living Wage Job: Michael will make Colorado the first state to ensure every high school graduate can make a living wage through expanding apprenticeships, work experience, and early college credit. By measuring all programs by wage growth, he will ensure Colorado’s education and workforce system gives students at all ages the valuable skills needed to succeed in today’s changing economy.
- Making Colorado a National Leader in Math and Reading Growth: Michael is committed to giving every kid a strong start by leading a statewide effort to ensure every student has the tools to read confidently by the end of third grade and reach math proficiency by fifth grade. He will work with school districts to provide kids with more learning time in the classroom, through apprenticeships, or through community service. Michael will also expand access to mental health support and safe schools to give every student the security they need to learn and succeed.
- Launch a Rocky Mountain Center for Innovation: To prepare for the jobs of the future, Michael will create and implement a center for innovation, a statewide hub led by parents, educators, businesses, and the public sector to design new education models, grow proven local solutions, and support students for emerging technologies and work.
The “Education as a Gateway to Good-Paying Jobs” plan is Michael’s third actionable policy platform, building on housing and child care, aimed at addressing Colorado’s affordability crisis and expanding economic opportunity for all Coloradans. Michael also released “Keeping Colorado’s Kids Safe Online,” which calls for a statewide ban on cell phones in schools and social media and AI protections to support the next generation online.
Like Michael’s other policy plans, this plan was built in coordination with Coloradans across the state.
“Michael Bennet brings something rare and essential to this moment in Colorado: a deep understanding that our education and workforce systems must work seamlessly together to serve all Coloradans. His platform recognizes what I have seen firsthand in Colorado — that the traditional divide between education and workforce development is outdated and counterproductive. Michael believes that every Coloradan should have access to high-quality learning across their lifetime: learning that is connected to jobs in Colorado’s economy; jobs that allow every Coloradan to support themselves and the people they care about the most. From expanding apprenticeships to prioritizing hiring practices that are based on skills — not just degrees — Michael’s platform blurs the lines between education and work at a time when our state — and our nation — needs Coloradans who are ready for the jobs of tomorrow. I am proud to support Michael Bennet to serve as the next Governor of Colorado,” said Alison Griffin, Postsecondary Education Leader.
“Michael has put together a bold education and workforce platform that meets the moment. With a strong focus on building a more inclusive, integrated, transparent and flexible education and training system, this vision will lead to more learners demonstrably attaining and retaining good jobs with good wages. Michael understands the stakes, and is ready to invest in Colorado-grown talent that will make Colorado the most competitive state in the nation,” said Roger Low, CEO & Founder, Colorado Equitable Economic Mobility Initiative (CEEMI).
“With more than 20 years teaching and leading in Denver Public Schools, I know how vital it is to have passionate leaders who understand both the potential and the unique challenges in our classrooms. Michael Bennet’s proven success as a former DPS superintendent and his current plan for Colorado’s schools reflect a genuine belief in our students, educators, and educational equity. His plan demonstrates a strong commitment to building a system where every child has the opportunity to learn and succeed, while ensuring teachers receive the resources and funding they need to innovate and prepare students to thrive in a global economy. His plan builds on that foundation, valuing teachers as professionals, expanding opportunity for every learner, and keeping education as the heart of who we are as Coloradans. I’m proud to support a leader who understands and listens to educators and believes in the potential of every child,” said Nicole Saab, Denver Public Schools Teacher.
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