Learning Curve

Ep. 2: Colorado lawmakers are facing a massive state budget deficit, and education funding may be caught in the crossfire. In this episode of Learning Curve, Ross Izzard and Erin Brantley break down a proposal that could cut funding for homeschool enrichment programs in half, reducing part-time student funding from 50% to 25% of per-pupil funding.

These programs allow homeschool families to access public school resources for things like: -agricultural and outdoor education

-music and arts programs

-engineering and construction training

-academic support and experiential learning

But with an estimated $850 million budget deficit, legislators are looking for places to cut spending, and these increasingly popular programs may be on the chopping block. Ross and Erin discuss:

-Why Colorado’s budget deficit is growing

-How Medicaid spending is impacting the state budget

-What homeschool enrichment programs actually do

-Why lawmakers are considering cuts

-How this could impact families across the state, especially in rural communities.

-Why even parents with kids in traditional public schools should pay attention

-They also explain why this proposal could set an important precedent for the future of school choice in Colorado.

If you’re a parent, educator, or Colorado resident interested in education policy, this is an important conversation to follow.

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📩 Have a question or topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at [email protected]

Education policy affects every family, but most parents have no idea where the decisions impacting their kids are actually made. In this episode of Learning Curve, Erin Brantley and Ross Izard break down why parents need to start paying closer attention to education policy and how those decisions shape what happens in classrooms across Colorado. From school choice and charter schools to legislation coming out of the state capitol, policies created by lawmakers, school boards, and education departments eventually trickle down to the daily experience of students and families.

The problem? Many parents only discover these changes after they’ve already been implemented. Erin shares her perspective as a Colorado parent navigating the public school system, while Ross brings years of experience working in education policy, lobbying, and government relations. Together, they aim to make complicated education policies understandable and show parents where they can actually engage in the process. Because when it comes to education policy, self-governance isn’t a spectator sport. If parents want a voice in decisions affecting their children’s education, they need to understand where those decisions originate, and how to influence them. In this episode, we discuss: Why education policy is more complex than ever Where school decisions actually get made How policies from the legislature trickle down to your child’s classroom The role of school boards, state agencies, and federal policy Why parent involvement in education policy matters now more than ever If you're a parent, educator, or concerned citizen who wants to better understand how education policy works, this podcast is for you.

📩 Have a topic you'd like us to cover?

Email us at [email protected]

👍 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and follow Learning Curve for weekly discussions breaking down the policies shaping education in Colorado.