Gov. Bill Ritter Jr. (D) • Jan. 10
Colorado should expand its preschool programs and create a “counselor corps” to work in targeted middle and high schools, Gov. Ritter said in his State of the State address. The proposals are part of the work of a P-20 Education Council created last year to work toward a seamless preschool-through-college education system. The governor said he would like to see the dropout rate and achievement gap cut in half over the next 10 years. The state should also provide funding to offer full-day kindergarten to 22,000 more children than are served now, he said.