Here’s What Being a “Full-Service” Real Estate Agent Means to Us
To me — and, I believe, to my broker associates at Golden Real Estate — being a “full-service” real estate agent means more than providing the minimum “uniform duties” set forth by the Colorado Real Estate Commission, with my comments in brackets:
“Broker shall exercise reasonable skill and care for seller, including, but not limited to the following:
Performing the terms of any written or oral agreement with seller;
Presenting all offers to and from seller in a timely manner, regardless of whether the property is subject to a contract for sale;
Those are the minimum duties spelled out by the Real Estate Commission for an agent representing a seller. The Commission spells out similar duties for a broker representing a buyer, tenant or landlord.
Disclosing to seller adverse material facts [about the buyer] actually known by broker;
Advising seller to obtain expert advice as to material matters about which broker knows but the specifics of which are beyond the expertise of broker;
Accounting in a timely manner for all money and property received; and
Keeping seller fully informed [throughout] the transaction.
Those are the minimum duties, whether the agent is functioning as a transaction broker or an agent. A transaction broker, which we don’t recommend, is a broker who owes no fidelity to either party, but merely facilitates the transaction. If the broker is an agent, broker has the following additional duties:
“Promoting the interests of seller with the utmost good faith, loyalty and fidelity [above those of the buyer or him/herself].
Seeking a price and terms that are acceptable to seller [or better].
Counseling seller as to any material benefits or risks of a transaction that are actually known by broker.”
At Golden Real Estate, my broker associates and I are always seeking to “go the extra mile” when serving our clients. For sellers, that could include such things as providing a free professional staging consultation before the home goes on the market, so that it shows its best.
Sometimes the staging consultant recommends moving furniture, and, of course, we help there. And sometimes repairs are required, for which we provide our in-house handyman at the client-only rate of $30 per hour. He can handle light plumbing and light electrical matters such as replacing a vanity, toilet or chandelier, and he’s also good at doing drywall repair, including texturing.
A seller who is downsizing may need to sell or give away unwanted furniture. In many instances, we’ve been able to get the winning buyer in a bidding war to agree to purchase all the unwanted furniture — even if they didn’t want it. If there’s enough good quality furniture, we have an estate sales vendor who will run a sale and then donate the unsold furniture (using his own truck) to the International Rescue Committee, which donates that furniture to refugees from other countries for whom the IRC has found housing.
(When Rita and I sold our Golden home in 2022, we had a bidding war, and the buyer paid us $10,000 for the furniture we didn’t want in our 55+ apartment, and, best of all, I wrote into the contract that we could leave anything else that we didn’t want. That included our garage full of tools and “stuff”!)
Before our box truck died, we provided it
Here Are Some Reviews From Our Past Clients:
Golden Real Estate is the best residential real estate agency i have ever worked with. And I have bought more than 20 houses. What I like most is that they are not afraid to express their frank opinions about any piece of real estate. And I love the house they found for us on South Golden Road. — Don Parker Dave Dlugasch did a phenomenal job working with us! We were not easy buyers because of an extensive “wish list” and he did his homework on each property we looked at until we found the right one. He gave us great advice and was very supportive of all our questions throughout the entire process.
— M. Madigan
Based on Jim Smith's knowledge, experience, and expertise in the real estate arena, we decided to work with him when it came time to downsize. We used Jim and his real estate firm to both purchase the new home and sell our existing property. All communication with Jim has been top notch. He also provided all packing materials and labor to make our move. It was a great experience from start to finish.
— R. Trujillo
We were beyond impressed with Kathy Jonke! She went above and beyond for us. She accommodated all of our needs. She was insightful and extremely helpful throughout the entire process! I can’t recommend her more!
— Eve Wilson
Not only did Jim Smith do a superb job in the marketing and sale of our home, he provided his company's moving truck and long time handyman Mark to move our belongings to our new home in Broomfield. When a problem occurred, he hired an outside moving company to help complete the move in one day instead of two! We are so pleased that Jim helped us through the process of selling our home and moving us into our new home.
— Reese & Sally Ganster Chuck Brown is a superb Realtor. He is very knowledgeable regarding the market, very
proactive and highly professional. Chuck was great at identifying potential properties that met our criteria, he moved very quickly to show us potential properties and his analysis of property values was on point and very thorough. Chuck was extremely proactive and responsive in his communications with us. Chuck went above and beyond our expectations. My wife and I have done six real estate transactions and we think Chuck is the best Realtor ever. We would highly recommend Chuck to other home buyers. — S. Diamond I was helping my mom and her husband sell the house. David Dlugasch was very accommodating to this dynamic. He arranged for all the paperwork to be done at the nursing home for the ease of my mom. David and I worked together to get the very full and dated house ready to go on the market. He went above and beyond by going to the paint store and hardware store etc. He was always available via text for any question I had along the way. He had a lot of resources. The best one was Mark, the handyman. I could always count on Mark. Mark was very meticulous and could do anything. What a great team! I could not have taken on this monumental task without them!!
—Heidi Warner
Greg Kraft was knowledgeable and professional. He was very easy to work with and was super proactive in searching the listings. That was a key in us managing to buy the townhome in a very competitive market. He was also very responsive and communicated really well with us and the listing agents. We would recommend him without reservation.
— J. Knight
Jim Swanson was kind and patient while listening to my questions. He helped me to translate the real estate language and manage the sale process. He connected the dots, allowing me to make good decisions, maintain my personal integrity and profit from the sale when a great offer came to the forefront. Jim, Thank you for putting communication and community first. — Name Withheld
for only the cost of gas used by buyers and sellers, and we still have a storage shed full of previously used moving boxes of all sizes, packing paper and bubble wrap, which we provide free to clients. Many times I have delivered those boxes and packing materials to a client so they don’t have to pick them up. (We’re running low on small moving boxes, if you have some you’d like to give us.)
Sometimes a seller will need to move furniture or other belongings into a storage unit so their home shows better, and we have been able a couple times to procure a free first month’s rent, with no contract beyond that.
Our personal “cleaning lady” isn’t taking on new accounts but is always available for one-time move-out cleanings of our listings. I just found out that she pulls out the range and refrigerator and cleans behind them, which I wouldn’t have expected, but which makes sense, because the buyer is likely to replace one of those appliances and would be disgusted at how dirty it was there! Thanks, Cybil!
Golden Real Estate is still one of the only brokerages which shoots a narrated video tour for every listing and posts it on YouTube, with links to the MLS, which in turns gets it onto the public and broker websites which get their listings from the MLS. We’ve been doing that for two decades, yet other brokers have been slow to realize its value. It has resulted in some out-of-state buyers (including one last fall) going under contract without seeing the listing in person until they fly in for the home inspection.
We also have switched to a photographic vendor owned by Zillow for shooting the magazine-quality still photos and Matterport interactive photos for our listings. They also
Column Now Appears Bi-Weekly “Real Estate Today” will be on this page every other week, so the next time you’ll see it will be May 22. On those alternate weeks, you will find a half-page ad on a related topic. Next week it will be my monthly “Let’s Talk Home Financing” column. On May 29th it will be on a topic related to sustainability.
create accurate floor plans of every listing and shoot a drone video and aerial photos. Because the vendor is owned by Zillow, our listings garner priority display on that important website.
I’m also a member agent on Homes.com, the nation’s new #1 listing website, which garners each of our listings many times more views than otherwise. Here’s a recent statistical report sent to one of my sellers:
These Past “Real Estate Today” Columns May Interest You
Clickable links for each column can be found at www.JimSmithColumns.com
Feb. 20, 2025 — We Have a Tool to Help You Find the ‘Perfect’ Home That’s Not on the MLS
Dec. 26, 2024 — As Pro-Tenant Laws Expand, Some Small Landlords Are Considering Cashing Out
Dec. 19, 2024 — What Are the Costs of Buying or Selling a Home in Colorado?
Nov. 7, 2024 — We Need to Take Seriously the Pollutants Emitted When Cooking With Gas
Oct. 31, 2024 — Cooperative Living Presents an Attractive Alternative for Downsizing Seniors
Sept. 26, 2024 — Some Thoughts on Keeping Your Death From Becoming an Undue Burden on Your Heirs
Sept. 5, 2024 — What Knowledge and Skills Should You Expect Your Real Estate Agent to Have?
Aug. 8, 2024 — Seniors Over 70 Might Consider Downsizing Into a Rental, Not a Smaller Home
July 25, 2024 — Many Homeowners Don’t Understand Title Issues, Which Could Lead to Big Problems Later On
June 6, 2024 — Here Are Some Simple Steps to Take to Avoid Unpleasant Surprises After Closing
Mar. 21, 2024 — What’s Behind the Buzz About ‘Indoor Air Quality’ and ‘Sick Building Syndrome’?
Feb. 22, 2024 — Most Sellers Don’t Know How to Interview a Listing Agent. Here’s Some Guidance.
Dec. 21, 2023 — D.R. Horton Inks Deal to Build Homes With OSB Made From Grass Instead of Wood
Nov. 23, 2023 — Scamming Has Become Its Own Industry, and We’re All Prospective Victims
Sept. 28, 2023 — Insurance Companies Are Pulling Out of California. Is That in Our Future?
Aug. 10, 2023 — What Are Some Common Mistakes That Homeowners Make When Selling?
June 15, 2023 — Don’t Let Capital Gains Tax Deter You From Cashing Out on an Investment Property
May 11, 2023 — Do Agents Inflate the Cost of Buying or Selling Your Home with ‘Junk Fees’?
Apr. 20, 2023 — What Are Some Affordable Ways to Make Your Home More Attractive to Buyers?
Mar. 16, 2023 — Here Are Some Ways to Make Your Home More Accommodating to Seniors
Feb. 9, 2023 — Understanding Indoor Air Quality and How It’s Managed in Super-Insulated Homes
Oct. 27, 2022 — Sales Taxes May Be Lower, But Property Taxes Are Higher in Unincorporated Areas
Oct. 6, 2022 — How to Make Sure That the House You Buy Will Not Be a ‘Money Pit’
Sept. 22, 2022 — What Steps Can You Take to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient?
July 28, 2022 — Aging in Place vs. Moving to a 55+ Community: Here Are Some Considerations
May 26, 2022 — Reflections on Selling Our Home and Moving Into a 55+ Rental Community
Jan. 6, 2022 — Marshall Fire Is a Wake-up Call for Building More Fire-Resistant Homes
Dec. 2, 2021 — My Favorite Home Improvements When Purchasing a New-to-Me Home
Oct. 14, 2021 — Court Rules That Sending an Email Can Bind You, Even Without Signing It Oct. 7, 2021 — What Are the Most Common Foundation Issues You Might Encounter in a Home?
I love rolling up my own sleeves and getting dirty for my clients. Once I used a logging chain and my truck to pull juniper bushes out of the front yard of a listing to improve its curb appeal. I look forward to the opportunity to surprise and delight you with what we consider being a “full service” Realtor! Jim Smith
What losing $24M of federal money really means for Denver
Funding loss may foreshadow campaign to cut from cities that support immigrants
BY ANDREW KENNEY DENVERITE
e federal government just made it ofcial: It won’t be paying $24 million the city of Denver had expected to get back.
e city spent the money in 2023 and 2024 to run emergency shelters for tens of thousands of immigrants who were arriving in the city. Under the Biden administration, the federal government promised to reimburse cities for that kind of spending.
Under President Donald Trump, that’s not happening. e Federal Emergency Management Agency told the city this month that it wouldn’t be paying about $24 million in reimbursements that the city was expecting.
“ at’s $24 million that the city worked to procure — for a crisis that it did not create — that it will not be getting,” said Jon Ewing, a spokesperson for Mayor Mike Johnston.
e loss of funds could foreshadow a longer federal campaign to cut funding for Denver and other cities that support immigrants. Separately, a new executive order issued by Trump Monday requires the federal government to compile a list of “sanctuary” jurisdictions and take action against them.
e $24 million in question was spent in large part to aid people who had turned themselves in to Border Patrol and then were paroled into the country with the CBP One app.
e letter from FEMA didn’t accuse the
city of doing anything wrong. Instead, it said that the spending “is not consistent with (federal Department of Homeland Security’s) current priorities” because of its support for immigrants without legal status.
e letter stated that the grant program provided money for “shelter, food, transportation, acute medical care, and personal hygiene supplies for individuals released from [Department of Homeland Security] short-term holding facilities,” arguing that it provided “support for illegal aliens.”
e letter states the agency can terminate grants if they no longer align with its goals or priorities.
“It was a really onerous process to apply for that reimbursement. It took a really long period of time to le for that, but we did everything by the federal government standards so as to receive that money, and, you know, be made whole, or at least be partially compensated for this work,” Ewing said.
U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, of Denver, said in an interview that the city and state would ght back.
“I have no doubt that Denver and Colorado will push back,” DeGette said, “because we can’t be subservient to an authoritarian leader who just decrees that we have to do whatever he wants or he’s not going to give us the money that we’re legally entitled to.”
e city was awarded $32 million from the reimbursement program, and had already received $8 million, according to Ewing. City o cials are hoping that the federal government is only blocking the payout of the remaining money, and not pursuing a clawback of the money it already granted.
FEMA has been aggressive in canceling these grants elsewhere. e agency
pulled $80 million of funding from New York City’s bank accountsin Februaryand was pursuing another $106 million as of April 1, Gothamist reported.
What does the loss of funds mean for Denver?
e city has already spent the money in question, dipping deep into its savings in 2024 to pay for its immigration response.
e good news, at least for the city’s budget, is that Denver o cials hadn’t expected to be paid anytime soon, anyway.
“We don’t incorporate those [reimbursements in] our budget, really, until they’re in house, or until we have a really good assurance that we’re going to receive them. So in this case, we weren’t factoring those into the budget for this year or next year,” Ewing said.
Still, the loss of the money adds to the already signi cant pressure on the city’s budget. Denver ran a $108 million decit last year, in part because of a surge of spending on immigration and homeless responses.
e city cut spending to bring the budget closer to balance in 2025. But it’s now facing another tough budget year for 2026, with slow revenue growth due to a shaky economy — one that Ewing blames on Trump’s trade war.
at $24 million would have come in handy, especially with the city’s depleted savings account.
It doesn’t seem Denver o cials are holding out much hope of getting the money back. e city Department of Finance will go “back and forth” with the feds to try to get the grants paid, Ewing said. But at this point, he added, there’s no plan to go to court.
What’s next?
Ewing said he was unaware of any
other speci c threats to federal funding for Denver. But bigger changes could be coming. On Tuesday, Trump issued anexecutive orderthat wasdescribedas “cracking down on sanctuary cities.”
While it didn’t name Denver or other cities speci cally, it ordered federal ofcials to publish a list of states and cities that “obstruct the enforcement of Federal immigration laws.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem are to publish the list within a month. e federal government is then to identify federal funds to those “sanctuary” jurisdictions “for suspension or termination as appropriate.” Denver has received from about $100 million to nearly $220 million in federal grants in recent years.
“ e city does not have the capacity if all of that federal funding were to go away to back ll it. And so that is another risk that we are carefully monitoring and very concerned about,” said Justin Sykes, the city’s budget director.
e latest Trump order also called for action to prevent federal bene ts for undocumented immigrants and against policies “favoring aliens over any group of American citizens.” at includes offering in-state tuition to immigrants, as Colorado does.
This fight has been happening since the first Trump term.
Trump issued similar “sanctuary” ordersin Januaryand at the beginning of his rst term in 2017, with both facing legal challenges. e 2017 order was blocked that year by federal Judge William Orrick III, who issued a nationwide permanent injunction against it.
e Tiller family purchased the mill in 1944 and used it for a variety of purposes until the building was eventually turned over to the Arvada Historical society in 1977 by Opal and Fred Tiller. Opal Tiller attended the anniversary celebration at the mill her family once operated.
“I just don’t feel like we give enough credit to the Tillers, and that’s because we’re really oriented to the very begin-
ning of the mill,” Karen Miller, a leading volunteer at the mill, said. “But I denitely wanted to take this opportunity to thank the Tiller family because who knows what would have happened to this building without them.”
Miller also took the occasion to announce that town founder George Calvin Swadley and his daughter, Laura Swadley Minges, a historian in Arvada’s early days, have both been inducted into the Je erson County Historical Hall of Fame. A ceremony for their induction will take place this fall.
Folks gathered in the mill to celebrate its anniversary of being on the National Register of Historic Places. PHOTO BY RYLEE DUNN
State lawmakers brace for special session on Medicaid
Budget director estimates cuts to federal funding could reach $1 billion
BY JOHN INGOLD THE COLORADO SUN
Lawmakers and other state o cials have for weeks been bracing for the possibility of coming back to the Capitol later this year to deal with potential federal cuts to Medicaid likely to be included in Congressional Republicans’ still-being-written budget proposal.
“ ere certainly are a lot of indicators that would suggest that we might end up having to come back in the event that there’s a dramatic cut to Medicaid,” state Sen. Judy Amabile, a Boulder Democrat and member of the legislature’s Joint Budget Committee, said in March, as rst reported in e Colorado Sun’s politics newsletter, e Una liated. Speaking to a group of health care leaders in April, Gov. Jared Polis’ budget director put it a little more bluntly. Mark Ferrandino said the state is estimating up to $1 billion in cuts to Colorado’s federal Medicaid funding under proposals being discussed in Washington, D.C..
A publication of
“Just to be clear to everyone,” Ferrandino said, “if that’s the cut, we are not back lling, which means we have to make cuts both in Medicaid and other places in the state budget to deal with it.”
Medicaid is the state’s most expensive program. e agency that runs the program has an $18 billion budget for next year. More than $10 billion in that budget comes from federal funds, meaning Colorado could be facing a 10% cut in that funding if Ferrandino’s projections are correct.
Colorado contributes about $5 billion to the Medicaid program out of the state’s general fund, making it the largest source of general fund spending. When Ferrandino says the state will not back ll, he means the state won’t chip in more general fund money to make up for the possible federal cuts. ere just isn’t enough cash to do so. is is especially true because next year will see another tight budget, regardless of what happens at the federal level. Ferrandino described what lawmakers did this year to close a $1.2 billion budget gap as essentially punting the problem into next year.
“It is going to be a more di cult budget,” Ferrandino said in remarks at the Colorado Hospital Association’s Hospitals on the Hill, a lobbying day for health care leaders that also features informational sessions for those leaders. “We are going to have to look at cuts. I will say Medicaid … if not controlled is going to eat up the entire state budget. Which is going to mean we have to make di cult decisions in the health care space.”
e combination of these two funding crises has sent Colorado o cials and health care leaders into overdrive in the past few weeks to ght against federal cuts to Medicaid.
Earlier this month, Polis and Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera sent a letter to Colorado’s Congressional delegation urging them to reject cuts to Medicaid. e envisioned cuts could mean a loss of 12,000 jobs, $1.3 billion in state GDP and $82 million in state and local tax revenue, the pair argued.
“Children, hardworking individuals, people with disabilities, seniors, and safety net providers are not political pawns or talking points,” they wrote in the letter. “ ese cuts would mean losing access to lifesaving care with devastating consequences.”
e Colorado Health Policy Coalition, a group of more than 80 health care organizations from across the policy spectrum, followed that with its own letter opposing cuts. Just this week, the Colorado Rural Health Center released a statement criticizing proposals to cut programs that speci cally support rural health care providers.
“Cutting funding that has been a cornerstone supporting the rural health care delivery system for decades is both short sighted and profoundly damaging,” said Michelle Mills, the CEO of the Colorado Rural Health Center, said in the statement. “Every dollar of federal funding invested in rural healthcare is an investment in thriving communities.”
e debate over health funding cuts has
harms the wider community when immigrants are afraid to report crime because of the threat of deportation, or drive without insurance because they can’t get a driver’s license.
also created fault lines among Republicans in Washington.
Colorado U.S. Rep. Je Hurd, a Republican who represents western and southern Colorado signed onto a letter urging House leadership to preserve Medicaid. Nearly onethird of people in Hurd’s district are covered by Medicaid, the highest percentage of any Colorado representative.
Meanwhile, Colorado U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans, a Republican who represents a swing district predominantly in Adams and Weld counties, told Colorado Public Radio that cuts to Medicaid would be made only to eliminate misuse of funds and to make the program work better.
“We’re going back to cutting out the fraud, waste and abuse that actually preserves the program by making sure that we can get more resources to the people who are actually lawful bene ciaries of it,” Evans said.
If the cuts do happen, Ferrandino said state o cials do not yet have a plan for what they would slash — in part because it remains uncertain exactly which areas of Medicaid the GOP may target.
“I don’t know what we will do,” he said. “I don’t know what the legislature will do. I know we’ll be in a special session, so we’ll see all of you in July or September or August to deal with it.”
is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonpro t based in Denver that covers the state.
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e earlier 2025 order was temporarily blockedby the same judge last week. With the most recent order, the Trump administration is trying again.
City leaders have generally denied that Denver is a “sanctuary” city, though the city of Denver and the state of Colorado have passed numerous laws that limit cooperation with law enforcement or provide bene ts for undocumented immigrants. ose laws are the result of decades of advocacy.
Local o cials have defended many of these policies as good for public safety, arguing it
“We do not harbor anyone,” Johnston said last month after testifying in Washington. “We were providing services. I think there’s no federal law that makes it illegal to give someone food who is hungry, or put someone into an overnight shelter who is at risk of freezing. I think that’s just common decency and humanity.”
CPR Washington correspondent Caitlyn Kim contributed to this article.
is story is from Denverite, a nonpro t Denver news source a liated with CPR News. Used by permission. For more, and to support Denverite, visit denverite.com.
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The Colorado state Capitol, pictured in 2023. PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD
Colorado, where have all the jobs gone?
In February, Colorado Public Radio reported that “the unemployment rate, which has been climbing for more than a year, held steady at 4.7% in February, according to Colorado’s labor department.” To put this into perspective the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ranks Colorado 42nd out of the 50 states. Colorado is tied for the fourth highest unemployment rate in the country.
What is going on? Why does Colorado lag the rest of the country? Colorado enjoys a very high percentage of highly educated people. We live in an extraordinarily beautiful state and enjoy an exceptionally high quality of life. Yet, businesses are relocating out of Colorado at an alarming rate. Service businesses are closing and, for the rst time in many years, people are moving to other states. e simple answer is that Colorado is not friendly for creating and maintaining primary jobs. Primary jobs are in agriculture (farming and ranching), extraction (mining, oil, and gas) and manufacturing — the conversion of natural resources to useful purposes. Primary jobs are critical for the health of Colorado’s economy because each job creates as many as two to ten4 additional jobs to support them.
Colorado features a wonderful variety of professional, white-color, jobs. In May 2024, e Denver Post published a list of Colorado’s best large companies to work for. e list includes real estate, insurance, nancial services, municipalities, technology, health care and tourism. ese industries create indirect jobs — jobs that are dependent on other industries and individuals being able to purchase their services.
But what about primary jobs?
Colorado is losing small businesses. Companies like BCA, QuietKat, Niner and Guerilla Gravity, all manufacturers of outdoor recreation equipment or bikes, are no longer in Colorado. Chris Romer of the Vail Valley Partnership observed “ … the ght to keep businesses local is a perpetual challenge as housing prices soar and rural supply chain issues spike costs.”
From 1976 to 2023, Boulder County maintained a 1% growth cap to limit the construction of new homes. About 20 years ago, the state legislature passed construction liability laws that caused builders to curtail construction of multifamily units. ese types of policies make it harder to build homes and increase the price for homebuyers. With too few units available and a growing population, prices rose sharply. Add zoning restrictions imposed by municipalities and business growth becomes restricted or is precluded from locating into some cities.
Controversial regulations, like restricted gun magazine sizes, drove Magpul, a formerly proud Colorado manufacturer
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of rearms accessories, to relocate over 200 jobs to Wyoming and Texas. It’s notable that the Colorado Legislature just doubled down on this issue by seeking to completely outlaw rearms with detachable magazines.
Colorado has a wealth of natural resources, but restrictive environmental regulations often prevent their extraction. For example, the Piceance Basin in northwest Colorado and Utah holds massive reserves of natural gas but extraction has been severely restricted. Could we have more, better-paying jobs and lower energy prices if we were allowed to develop our natural resources?
What about the ranchers? State regulation to reintroduce wolves on the western slope has resulted in wolves killing livestock. is is not just a loss to ranchers. It hurts everyone in the state because the state is liable to pay the ranchers for the dead cattle out of our taxes.
Government’s heavy-handed management of the pandemic caused many restaurant closures but it’s the State’s imposition of mandatory minimum wages that has made running many of these businesses una ordable. In addition, “ ... (t)he Colorado Restaurant Association also cites Denver’s lengthy and costly licensing process as a reason for restaurants eeing out of the city. More than 90% of businesses that have applied for a retail food license have an active or pending application, according to Denver7.
What do soaring housing prices, mandated wages, and controversial laws have in common? ey are all caused by excessive government regulations brought about by Colorado Democrats, who have total control of Colorado State Government. Colorado has been under predominantly Democrat control for the last 50 years. Colorado is among the small group of states that is still supporting a restrictive, progressive agenda, and it is past time to push back.
What would less government interference do? It would create lower unemployment, higher wages, reduced housing and energy prices, and a more secure and robust future. Isn’t that just common sense?
Don Ytterberg is a former four-time chair of the Je co Republicans and former two-time vice chair of the Colorado Republican Party. He has been a candidate for the Colorado Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. He and his wife Kim have been residents of Je erson County since 1987 where he has been a business owner since 1990.
Don Ytterberg
BY BELEN WARD
When Justine Williams came to Colorado from England, she pursued horse therapy for people with disabilities.
“As a kiddo in England, I was one of those kids who asked my mom and dad if I could ride horses, and I’ve always loved horses. So, they bought me a horse for my birthday, and I took 10 riding lessons and worked at the barn to pay for my riding lessons,” Williams said. Williams said that when she was 11 years old, her friend had a stroke, so she grew up with her childhood friend being disabled.
“By the time I graduated from high school, I knew I wanted to work with people with disabilities, and I found out about therapy horses,” Williams said. Williams went to Budapest to train in conductive education at the Pet Institute.
“It’s where I learned about therapy and horses,” she said.
She ended up getting married and then came to the U.S., moving to Colorado in 2001. With her passion and education as a therapist, she started her Rhythm of the Horse therapy services in Fort Lupton in 2021. Williams works with children with di erent types of disabilities, such as kids with autism, who don’t speak much.
“With training, I initiate a lot of language when they are on the horse. I teach them to say ‘go’ or ‘stop’ with my horses, Chloe or Gus,” Williams said. “It could be overwhelming to make the horse move, which is what they want, but they need to say something. So, they’re motivated to say something,”
She also works with children and adults with cerebral palsy.
“I also work with disabilities from stroke, ADHD, Down syndrome, multiple sclerosis, anyone with neuro-motor dysfunction, and I also work with other neurodivergent issues such as autism (and) sensory processing disorder,” Williams said.
Rhythm of the Horse also has a program for horse reading for children who are new readers or struggling readers, and can learn to read with a horse.
“So, they’re learning to feel more comfortable and con dent about reading by partnering with the horse. It’s very special,” Williams said.
William said Rhythm of the Horse also o ers its Equine Assisted Learning Program for people who may be overwhelmed in life or have relationship issues.
e children and adults can choose which horse they want to work with and eventually build a bond with that horse to get through their fear, anxiety or whatever they are experiencing.
Rachel Sartucci, who has cerebral palsy, comes once
Karen MacDowell, a volunteer with Rhythm of the Horse
a week for training for up to an hour. Her mom, Elizabeth Robinson, said Rachel, who is now 30, started the program when she was 21.
“I think the program is helping her not get old and tight as quickly. She has cerebral palsy, a type that makes her muscles contract and not go back out. Her right side is weaker, so when she’s on the horse, it relaxes her muscles,” Robinson said.
Karen MacDowell is retired, and has been volunteering with Rhythm of the Horse for about ve years.
“I’ve been working with Rachel the whole time I’ve been here. It’s important work, and it makes you feel good to help others,” MacDowell said.
Colleen Larson is also retired and has been volunteering for four years, helping Williams with the clients.
“What Williams does with the horses and with riders is amazing. When they get on and o the horse, it’s nothing short of miraculous,” Larson said.
Rhythm of the Horse is a nonpro t and o ers scholarships based on nancial need. e organization applies for grants and fundraises.
“We are looking for volunteers to come and help with the di erent programs. We welcome high school students or adults — anybody who is interested,” Williams said.
Arvada chamber replaces aging signs
BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Arvada’s service organizations have new signs recognizing their work, as the Greater Arvada Chamber of Commerce unveiled a replacement for the signs on Kipling Street honoring community groups. e signs were unveiled on April 24 and are located along Kipling near 52nd and 58th Avenues, respectively. e signs recognize the community work of groups including of the American Legion Post #161, Arvada Elks, Arvada Je erson Kiwanis, Arvada Lions Club, Arvada Rotary Club, Arvada Sunrise Rotary, Arvada VFW Post #4331 and the Lake Arbor Purpose Driven Optimists.
Mike Litzau, a member of Arvada Sunrise Rotary, said he hopes the signs will inspire others to serve their community.
“An engaged community
is a thriving community,”
Litzau said. “Hopefully these signs will spark Avadans’ interest in becoming engaged, whether it be with the chamber, veterans, fraternal organizations or service clubs.”
Chamber President Kami Welch said the refurbished signs are a symbol of the continuing cooperation between different organizations within Arvada.
“This sign is a testament to the strength of collaboration in Arvada,” Welch said. “When we say ’Healthy businesses, thriving community,’ we mean that successful businesses, partnerships and shared goals contribute to a stronger, more resilient Arvada.
“ is moment re ects our commitment to uniting service organizations and businesses to build a community where everyone can ourish,” Welch continued.
Kelly Bartell, Alexa’s mother, said she struggles to feel joy without also feeling
LETTERS
and one-third of those who play at least eight times per week are older adults. In Colorado, our population is getting older. e number of people in the state who are 65 and older will increase by 35% over the next decade, a signi cant shift. With new pickleball facilities opening up across the Front Range, here are a few re-
Removed books are back for now
Elizabeth School District still in legal battle with ACLU
BY NICKY QUINBY SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Nineteen titles removed from Elizabeth School District libraries last year have been returned to circulation for now as a result of an April 28 court order, but the books will be on the “sensitive topics” list so parents can opt out of allowing their children to access them, Superintendent Dan Snowberger told Colorado Community Media.
e order from the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver upheld District Judge Charlotte Sweeney’s preliminary injunction ordering the school district to return the books to library shelves. e appeals court had temporarily granted the district’s request for a stay of Sweeney’s injunction, but then ruled that the stay was unjusti ed.
However, the legal battle between the ACLU of Colorado and the Elizabeth School District is far from over, and the ultimate outcome of the ACLU’s lawsuit seeking to keep the
guilt, stating that it feels like any happiness she experiences is “wrong.”
Kwak’s family and friends asked for a minimum sentence of 20 years with credit for over 700 days of time already served.
“I feel lost without my son,” said Matthew Kwak, Zachary’s father. “To the
minders to Colorado’s active seniors who are looking to take up the sport.
Top ve safety tips for playing pickleball:
#1 Check in with your doctor: Doing physical activity that requires moderate e ort is safe for most people. But if you have been inactive, are not too t, have any underlying health conditions or are overweight, it is safest to discuss this with your doctor.
#2 Start slow, stay hydrated, and wear sunscreen: Start slowly and work your way up to more time or more challenging activities. Don’t forget to
books in the libraries permanently has not been decided.
e ACLU sued the district last December seeking the return of 19 library books that the ESD board had voted to permanently remove three months earlier. It was later revealed that the district discarded the books at that time.
e ACLU alleges that the removal violates First Amendment rights and is based on partisan politics.
e school district maintains the content in the books does not support ESD’s curriculum and contains graphic content.
Snowberger said the school district is disappointed in the April 28 order. “Although the Tenth Circuit denied the stay, it will proceed with our appeal. We feel con dent the problematic content of these books will be exposed during the appeal,” he told Colorado Community Media. “In the meantime, we will respect and comply with the lower court’s order. We are in the process of obtaining copies of the books now since they are no longer in the district’s possession.” e books were then returned to the shelves on May 1.
School library content and 19 suspended books were a main focus of the Aug. 26, 2024 Elizabeth Board of Education Working Session. Board members read aloud excerpts from some of the books on the Suspended List. President Rhonda Olsen read aloud from “Thirteen Reasons Why.” YOUTUBE SCREENSHOT
will be placed on the sensitive topics list so that parents who have chosen to ‘opt their children out’ of sensitive content will be able to do so as this case plays out.”
“Because the books were identied as books containing sensitive topics,” Snowberger went on, “they
family of Alexa Bartell; I am so sorry for the anguish being felt and lived.”
Kwak himself took the podium, saying he understands that his actions contributed to Bartell’s death and apologizing for what he did.
“I hold myself personally accountable
stay hydrated and wear sunscreen.
#3 Proper equipment: Wear proper shoes, eye protection, and use appropriate equipment.
#4 Be aware of your playing area and any obstacles, including avoiding wet pickleball courts.
#5 Have a plan in case of an emergency on the court.
While embracing the fun and tness bene ts of pickleball, overall, it’s important for all new players – particularly seniors – to prioritize safety on the court.
Tim Macdonald, legal director for the ACLU of Colorado, said, “ e courts have once again con rmed what has always been true: the Elizabeth School District cannot remove books just because they don’t align with the board’s preferred political beliefs.”
and responsible for the devastating loss of life and for the risk to others my actions on April 19 (2023) caused,” Kwak said. “I feel truly crippled … I’ve let everyone down in the most devastating way imaginable … I know I cannot change it, and all I can do now is say I’m sorry.”
For all of Denver’s active seniors, I encourage them to exercise, train and stay healthy so they can play pickleball and other sports while reducing the likelihood of injury.
Plus, when playing pickleball safely on a regular basis, the sport can potentially contribute to improved brain health, weight management, mitigation of the risk of diseases, strong bones and muscles, and enhance overall everyday functionality.
Dr. Charles Litch (DO), Arvada
Thu 5/08
Fri 5/09
Sam Morril Parking @ 7:01pm
Occam's Rose Album Release Show @ 5:30pm Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St, Denver
Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W Alameda Pkwy, Morrison
Charles Whitlock Recreation Center, 1555 Dover St, Lakewood
Denco @ 12pm
Stoney's Bar and Grill, 1111 Lincoln St, Denver
May Be Fern: Olde Town Arvada
Second Saturday @ 7pm
Community Banks of Colorado, 7530 Grandview Ave, Arvada
Lucy Dacus w/ Katie Gavin @ 7pm
Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison French Kettle Station @ 7pm
Hi-Dive, 7 S Broadway, Denver
jasmine.4.t @ 7pm
Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W Alameda Pkwy, Morrison
Dazegxd @ 8pm
Bluebird Theater, 3317 E Colfax Av, Denver
Tue 5/13
Skrillex @ 6:30pm
Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison
Friends of Chamber Music Denver: Miró Quartet and Steven Banks, saxophone @ 7:30pm
Newman Center for the Performing Arts, 2344 E Iliff Ave, Denver
Jackie Straw @ 7:30pm
Skylark Lounge, 140 S Broadway, Denver
Peter Bjorn and John: Bluebird Theater @ 8pm
Bluebird Theater, 3317 E Colfax Av, Denver
Coloradans reportedly lose more than $210 million to scammers
BY DEREK DRAPLIN THE CENTER SQUARE
Coloradans led almost 45,000 fraud reports last year with the Federal Trade Commission, re ecting an estimated loss of $210.7 million.
at’s up from 41,500 reports and $170 million lost in 2023, according to FTC data.
Nationally, consumers lost $12.5 billion to fraud last year, with 38% of people ling fraud reports saying they lost money.
FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Christopher Mufarrige said last month that “scammers’ tactics are constantly evolving.”
“ e FTC is monitoring those trends closely and working hard to protect the American people from fraud,” he added.
Colorado had over 73,200 total consumer reports, which includes other FTC consumer complaints in addition to fraud, and amounts to 1,260 reports per 100,000 people. at ranks as the 18th highest rate in the nation, according to FTC data.
Most of the state’s fraud reports involved imposter scams (15,028), fol-
lowed by online shopping/negative reviews (6,535), internet services (2,492), health care (2,332) and privacy/data security/cyber threat (2,322).
e FTC recommends reporting fraud cases at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
“People who report to ReportFraud. ftc.gov about losing money to a scam receive next steps information on how to try to recover their money,” the commission said. “ ese reports are a vital part of the agency’s law enforcement mission and also help the FTC to warn consumers about fraud trends in the data.”
Coloradans can also report fraud to StopFraudColorado.gov, which is run by the state attorney general’s o ce. e attorney general’s o ce said in March there were 1,205 reported imposter scams out of 24,473 total consumer complaints led in 2024.
“In many cases, these scams relate directly to fraudulent telephone calls, emails, or text messages from scammers posing as a government o cial or employees from a reputable company, often seeking monetary payments through gift cards, wire transfers, and other money transfer services,” the attorney general’s o ce said.
Republished from e Center Square, a national news service that is the project of the nonpro t Franklin News Foundation, headquartered in Chicago.
Federal appeals court maintains block on deportations
BY CHASE WOODRUFF COLORADO NEWSLINE
A trio of federal appellate judges on Tuesday left in place a lower court’s ruling temporarily blocking the removal of detainees held in Colorado under the Alien Enemies Act.
e two-page order from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit denied an emergency motion for a stay led by President Donald Trump’s administration last week. Trump has invoked the centuries-old Alien Enemies Act for just the fourth time in U.S. history in an attempt to expedite the removals of hundreds of people the administration claims are part of an “invasion” of the United States by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
Citing the authority granted to it by the 1798 law, the administration sent 137 detainees to a brutal maximum-security prison in El Salvador before multiple federal courts, including one in Colorado, ordered a halt to such removals over
due process concerns. U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte Sweeney’s temporary restraining order against the removal of any detainees from Colorado under the AEA is set to remain in e ect until at least May 6.
Trump’s Department of Justice appealed Sweeney’s ruling to the 10th Circuit last week, asking the court to suspend the TRO pending appeal and arguing that it causes “irreparable harm” by “interfer(ing) with the President’s core authority to protect the nation.”
A panel of three appellate judges — Judges Harris L. Hartz, Gregory Alan Phillips and Joel M. Carson — bluntly dismissed that argument in Tuesday’s order denying the DOJ’s motion.
“Given the important unresolved issues under the Alien Enemies Act and the ruling of the United States Supreme Court that no one in that proceeding be removed under the AEA until further order of that Court … there is no realistic possibility that the government could remove any member of the class from
this country before nal expiration of the TRO on May 6, 2025,” the judges wrote. “Accordingly, the emergency motion for a stay is denied.”
e case, D.B.U. v. Trump, originated earlier this month as a petition for habeas corpus and proposed class action by lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of two Venezuelan nationals held at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Aurora. e plainti s, who are identi ed by their initials, D.B.U. and R.M.M., say they have been falsely identi ed as Tren de Aragua members by the Trump administration and fear imminent deportation to the CECOT facility, criticized by human rights groups for its crowded and abusive conditions.
About 90% of the deportees sent to CECOT last month had no criminal record, according to Bloomberg. At least one, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, was removed as a result of an “administrative error,” while advocates, attorneys and family members for other deportees say that they were falsely identi ed as TdA members because of tattoos honoring family members or their favorite soccer team. Trump has openly oated plans to send American citizens to CECOT next.
Sweeney’s order required the Trump administration to provide at least 21 days’ notice, written in a language the individual understands, to any detainee designated for removal under the AEA. It also provisionally certi ed the class that the
two plainti s seek to represent, blocking the removal of “all noncitizens in custody in the District of Colorado who were, are, or will be subject to” Trump’s March 14 proclamation invoking the Alien Enemies Act. ACLU attorneys estimate that could apply to more than 100 detainees held at the Aurora detention center.
In U.S. District Court proceedings in the case, the DOJ argued in a Monday ling that Sweeney should decline to certify the case as a class action, claiming again that D.B.U. and R.M.M. are not targeted for AEA removals and haven’t shown they “are members of the class they seek to represent.”
But the ACLU has led a motion for a preliminary injunction that would extend and clarify the terms of Sweeney’s TRO for the plainti s and all members of the proposed class.
“Without an injunction, the government will be free to send hundreds more individuals, including Petitioners and class members, to the notorious Salvadoran prison where they may be held incommunicado for the rest of their lives,” ACLU attorneys wrote in an April 25 ling. “ e harm is only magni ed by the government’s position that mistakes cannot be remedied, and once an individual is in a foreign prison, they are stuck there.” is story is from Colorado Newsline. Used by permission. For more, and to support the news organization, visit coloradonewsline.com.
SHUTTERSTOCK
District proposal sparks tension at Je co’s alternative schools
Union seeks binding role in shaping alternative school reform as sta plan walk-in
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Teachers at Je erson County Public Schools’ alternative education centers were prepared to stage a walk-in protest in early May, escalating a growing dispute over the future of the district’s specialized programs.
At the heart of the con ict is a call for more collaboration in shaping potential changes that sta say could dramatically alter or dismantle the schools as they exist today.
e display of support centers on a dispute over the future of programming at Je co’s alternative education centers, known as AECs, with educators accusing the district of excluding them from critical planning decisions that could reshape or eliminate the programs entirely.
AECs are schools designed to support students who face signi cant barriers in traditional settings, such as those experiencing academic struggles, behavioral challenges or personal circumstances like parenting or adult responsibilities.
e district currently operates six AECs: McLain Community High School, Brady Exploration School, Je co Virtual Academy, Je co Remote Learning Program, Sobesky Academy and Connections Learning Center.
District calls plans preliminary; sta say otherwise
Deputy Superintendent Kym LeBlancEsparza said Je co is conducting a review to determine if programs are overlapping and if services could be delivered more e ciently and insisted no nal decisions have been made and that educators will be part of future planning.
But sta at alternative campuses say that message didn’t match their experience. In a late February sta meeting, teachers were presented with a detailed slide deck outlining possible consolidations and program overhauls across the district’s AECs.
e presentation stunned many educators, who testi ed during the March 13 school board meeting that they had not been consulted beforehand. Many expressed frustration that such consequential plans were shared without notice or dialogue.
“My coworkers and I were shocked as we heard details that, in our experience and opinion, we believe would negatively a ect our students and the education that they deserve,” McLain teacher Ryan Marchese said.
HIGHS
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• Allison Comer in the women’s 400-meter hurdle;
• Jennifer Jarnagin in the women’s hammer throw;
• Jenna Ramsey-Rutledge in the women’s 5K;
• Kitt Rupar in the women’s discus;
• Dale ompson in the women’s pole vault; Jeremiah Vaille in both the men’s 10K and men’s 5K; and
LeBlanc-Esparza later responded that the presentation was part of a preliminary data review, not a nal decision.
“We’re at the place of asking those questions right now to say, what does it need to look like? And I don’t know where we’ll make changes,” she said.
“But what I know is we always have to ask if we’re meeting all the students’ needs and what’s the data telling us.”
Even if the presentation was a draft, Marchese said the way it was presented gave the impression that plans were already in motion.
“Initially, we were told that this is the plan, the vision that is happening, and that we were being told about it before the public was told,” he said. “ en, a week later, we began hearing that it was a draft that was still open to being changed.
“While we do appreciate being asked for our opinion on this draft, we don’t want to help re ne the details of a plan that we played no role in creating, that we weren’t consulted regarding, nor were our students or their families,” Marchese continued.
Proposed changes include consolidation, curriculum shifts
Among the proposed changes:
• e district could consolidate or centralize programming for adult education, GED, and parenting teen students to single campuses;
• Sobesky Academy, which currently serves students with emotional and behavioral disabilities, could shift its focus to include more intensive behavioral services;
• Je co Virtual Academy and Je co Remote Learning Program may be restructured to serve broader K-12 virtual populations, but with clearer distinctions in purpose and scope;
• Several programs could be merged to reduce overlap in services and sta ng; and,
• Teachers have also raised concerns about a potential shift to Edgenuity, a digital curriculum platform, for adult education programs that may move to Brady. ey worry this could replace the more personalized and exible instructional models currently used in those settings.
Union seeks formal role in shaping future programs
In response, JCEA, the union that represents Je co’s educators, proposed a formal article during contract negotiations that would establish a collaborative workgroup with elected educator representatives from each school.
e group would study program needs, student demographics and instructional models and would bring formal recommendations to the district’s Academic and Operational Leadership Teams by early 2026.
In a redlined counterproposal obtained by Colorado Community Media,
• Avery Wright in the women’s heptathlon.
e Orediggers also secured several silver and bronze medals at the RMAC meet, along with their second-place nishes in the team standings.
e Mines teams were scheduled to split their teams at “last chance meets” on May 3 and May 9. Afterward, any qualifying Orediggers will prepare for the May 22-24 NCAA Division II championships in Pueblo.
For more information, including a full list of the RMAC championships results, visit MinesAthletics.com.
the district struck all language outlining the structure, scope and authority of the proposed workgroup.
Instead, the district’s revised language states the committee would be responsible for “reviewing data collected, studying current programing, methods of instruction and intervention, student demographics, student needs, and any other relevant academic programming and interventions.”
While similar in tone, it omits any reference to voting, recommendation authority or binding outcomes. It also eliminated language that would delay any programming changes until the 20272028 school year.
Marchese said the proposed changes severely weaken any committee recommendations about AECs, but he is hopeful that JCEA and the district can nd common ground when they return to the table.
Red Rocks Community College is proud to announce the celebration of its 55th annual commencement on Saturday, May 17th beginning at 10am at the Outdoor Pavilion on the RRCC Lakewood Campus. Celebrate with us as we honor our graduates!
McLain Community High School is one of six alternative education campuses in Je erson County Public Schools and a focal point of ongoing debate about the district’s future programming.
State preschool enrollment high but quality guardrails lag
BY ANN SCHIMKE CHALKBEAT COLORADO
Colorado’s popular universal preschool program has dramatically increased the number of 4-year-olds who get state-funded preschool, but it’s unfolded largely without guardrails to ensure quality.
A report released by the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University highlights these twin realities and provides a more detailed look at where Colorado stands compared to other states.
Overall, the report suggests Colorado has prioritized quantity over quality as it moved from a small tuition-free preschool program for children with certain risk factors to one that’s open to all 4-year-olds. e state’s universal preschool enrollment numbers are impressive, with 70% of eligible children enrolled last year.
at number helped Colorado leapfrog from its previous ranking of 27 to third in this year’s “State of Preschool” report. Only Washington, D.C. and Vermont had a larger share of 4-year-olds enrolled in public preschool programs last year.
Leaders at the research institute noted that California added more 4-year-olds to state-funded preschool than Colorado last year — 35,000 compared with 30,000 — but Colorado made far bigger gains than California when it comes to the percentage of children served.
“ e progress Colorado made in terms of enrollment and expanding access was pretty remarkable,” said Allison Friedman-Krauss, an associate research professor at the institute.
But Colorado’s showing deteriorated in the quality standards department. In the latest report, it meets only two of 10 benchmarks, down from four in the previous preschool program. e benchmarks, which describe state policies that promote high-quality classrooms, touch on factors such as teacher training, curriculum, and class size.
Colorado o cials plan to put new rules governing universal preschool quality in place, but plan to postpone the start date by a year to July 2026. It’s the third time the rules have been delayed.
“ ey kicked the can down the road one more time,” said W. Steven Barnett, senior co-director of the institute.
Dawn Odean, the state’s universal preschool program director, acknowledged that the state has delayed the rules, but
said Barnett’s statement is misleading because Colorado has been working on e orts related to quality for a long time and continues to do so.
She described the state’s approach as “going slow to go fast.”
Colorado leaders repeatedly pledged that universal preschool would provide high-quality classes, starting when they pitched the program to voters, who approved a nicotine tax in 2020 to help fund it.
But currently, the “universal preschool” label doesn’t indicate anything about the caliber of classroom a child will join. Rather, it simply indicates the state is paying for 10 to 30 hours of class time. Of about 2,000 preschools participating in the program, some are excellent and have high state ratings, some are weak and meet only basic health and safety standards, and some are in between.
Experts say high-quality preschool can produce short- and long-term bene ts for kids.
In the report, Colorado got credit for meeting two quality benchmarks: having a set of early learning and development standards and providing guidance to preschools on curriculum. While the state has not yet released a list of curriculum approved for use in universal preschool classrooms, that is slated to happen sometime this year.
Texas, Wisconsin, and Indiana are the only other states to hit only two of the institute’s preschool quality benchmarks. More than a dozen states and Washington D.C. meet 9 or 10 of the benchmarks. ey include two of Colorado’s neighbors: New Mexico and Oklahoma. Colorado didn’t meet benchmarks requiring class size caps of 20 and stastudent ratios of 1 to 10. Both limits have prompted heated debate over the last two years. Some private providers have argued they’ll lose money if they have to reduce class sizes below the state’s current cap of 24 and ratios below the current limit of one sta member for every 12 4-year-olds.
By the 2027-28 school year, state ocials do plan to require the class size and ratio caps recommended by the research institute for universal preschool. ere’s one big exception though: Preschools that have one of the top two state ratings will be allowed to stick with the current caps.
Colorado also didn’t meet benchmarks related to the types of credentials teachers or assistant teachers should have or
annual training and coaching for sta .
Lisa Roy, executive director of the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, which administers the universal preschool program, said when Colorado’s rules on preschool quality are fully implemented over the next few years, she anticipates the state will meet at least half of the institute’s benchmarks.
Odean noted that the institute’s 10 benchmarks look at “outputs,” but that Colorado is focused on child outcomes.
“What families tell us consistently, and educators too, is that those outcomes are what’s a priority, and that’s not contemplated in the NIEER ratings,” she said, referring to the institute’s acronym.
e institute’s report describes its benchmarks as “a set of minimum criteria, established by state policy, needed to ensure e ectiveness of preschool education programs.”
Barnett said Colorado parents should think carefully before moving their children away from a high-quality program that’s not part of the state’s universal pro-
gram to a lower-quality provider that is.
“When people did that in Quebec in response to [$10-a-day] child care … kids’ development su ered for a decade,” he said.
Barnett was referring to an e ort begun in the 1990s that o ered highly discounted child care to Quebec families. While the e ort allowed more women to join the workforce, many children were put in low-quality centers. Subsequent studies found negative impacts on children, including increased anxiety and aggression.
A 2019 study that revealed additional negative outcomes as the children became teens and young adults, concluded, “Our ndings provide strong support for the argument that the early childhood development environment is a crucial determinant of the long-term success of children.”
Reprinted with permission from Chalkbeat, a nonpro t news site covering educational change in public schools. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.
A new report from the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University ranks Colorado high for preschool access, but not for quality standards. PHOTO BY JIMENA PECK / CHALKBEAT
