Fort Collins Coloradoan from Fort Collins, Colorado • Page 5

www.coloradoan.com, The Coloradoan, Tuesday, January 23, 2007, STATE, A5 State educators begin online schools review Committee, also said students who get their education online had lower reading, writing and math scores on statewide tests than students in public schools. Fort Collins Rep. Randy Fischer, who sits on the House Education Committee, said last needs to be done to help students. He said the state can help by setting up rules for the number and qualifications of online teachers and by redefining ways to identify at-risk students who need additional help. The state Board of Education set up a task force to study problems cited by the audit and to recommend solutions.

Sen. Sue Windels, D-Arvada, chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee, created her own task force to study the issue and will recommend legislation next month. Lawmakers authorized online programs in 1998, allowing school districts, charter schools or independent boards to set up online programs. This year, 14 school districts are operating 18 online schools and receive $33 million in state and local funds. ference between full-time, online schools and districts that use online courses as a supplement to their traditional academic offerings.

"I think there are many districts, especially rural ones that are greatly benefiting from being able to offer supplemental online courses," Fischer said. Auditors said the state Department of Education failed to act against school districts that sponsor underperforming online schools, despite state rules requiring that such districts have their accreditation revoked or be placed on accreditation watch. Education Commissioner Bill Moloney said a large part of online schools' enrollment are at-risk, academically challenged students who go to the schools as a last resort Moloney said it's up to local school districts to decide what week he hopes more accountability will come to full-time, online schools. "I definitely think the audit showed that there is a need for accounta a replacement for schools," he told a bipartisan panel that included Internet entrepreneurs, lawmakers and educators. No online schools exist in Fort Collins but some local families do take advantage of online education.

Dave Grosche, superintendent of Edison 54 JT Schools in El Paso County, said online courses are often the final option before a student drop out He said he's concerned about the criticism being directed at online schools and increased regulation. "I'm really concerned about the climate for online education," he said. The audit last month said students who take public school courses on the Internet perform worse and drop out more often than their counterparts in public schools. The report, presented to the Legislative Audit By STEVEN K. PAULSON The Associated Press DENVER Hoping to avoid a showdown with lawmakers, the state Board of Education convened its own task force Monday to recommend changes to online education following a scathing state audit that criticized some programs for being poorly supervised and ineffective Joe Shea, who heads a company that provides online schools for school districts, said online courses are the best way to help students who are struggling academically, but he said those courses need to be closely monitored.

Shea said students should be evaluated before they are allowed to take their courses from the Internet and it should only be a temporary solution to help students get back on track. "Online should not be used as FISCHER bility," Fischer said. "I think as representatives we need to mike sure that all of our schools are being held accountable and are performing well and giving the value of the tax dollars they use." Fischer emphasized the dif- Senate backs joining other states to bypass Electoral College Coloradoan library Rocenda Ames cries for her husband while holding her 3-month-old-son as Lisa Arguijo, right holds a sign for her as they watch and protest a Dec. 12 raid at a Swift meat processing plant in Greeley. Senators discuss raid with Chertoff Allard organizes meeting on impact of action at Swift By JENNIFER TALHELM The Associated Press WASHINGTON The Bush Legislature highlights The House approved and sent to the Senate a bill (House Bill 1001) to implement Amendment 42, which raises the minimum wage from $5.15 to $6.85 per hour, adjusted annually for inflation.

The House gave initial approval to a measure (House Bill 1005) that adds people with disabilities to the Amber Alert missing person program. The full Senate backed a proposal (Senate Bill 26) to allow school districts to seek property tax increases for full-day kindergarten. The measure now heads to the House. "It makes every person's vote, every human being's vote, equal," Gordon said. Sea Greg Brophy, R-Wray, said he wondered if the proposal was a "temper tantrum" over the 2000 election, when President Bush was elected with a majority of the electoral votes but not the popular vote.

Gordon said it wasn't a partisan issue. "It could just as easily be a Democrat elected that way and that shouldn't happen either," Gordon said after the debate. fect if the states accounting for the majority of the nation's electoral votes 270 of the nation's 538 total electoral votes agree to participate. Gordon, D-Denver, said the proposal would require presidential candidates to work harder across the country to be elected. Right now, he said only about five states matter in presidential races.

In the past election, he said 76 percent of the money from the presidential campaigns was spent in Florida, Ohio, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Iowa. By COLLEEN SLEVIN The Associated Press DENVER The state Senate voted along party lines Monday in favor of joining with other states to bypass the Electoral College system and give their electoral votes to the winner of the nationwide popular vote. Nine states are considering the proposal, which is being promoted! by Fair Vote, a national voting reform group, Senate Majority Leader Ken Gordon said. The agreement would only take ef Wake up to VMQB home phone service savings! January 21 -27 only Comcast Digital Voice for only 9 per month for 6 months administration is taking heat for harm caused to a Colorado-based company during last month's largest-ever immigration raid, which netted almost L300 arrests of workers in six states. Immigration officials Dec.

12 arrested 1,297 workers, most on immigration charges, at Gree-ley-based Swift Co. meatpacking plants in Texas, Colorado, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska and Utah. After a closed-door meeting Monday with Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, arranged by Colorado Republican Sen. Wayne Allard, senators from the affected states said the raid exposed flaws in the federal government and in a program designed to help employers screen for illegal immigrants. Among the concerns, senators reported, were that agencies can't 'share information about stolen identities and that programs de-- signed to catch illegal immigrants allow many lawbreakers to slip through the cracks.

"I can't think of a system that would be better designed to fail," said Sen. John Cornyn, It-Texas, adding that part of the problem is a lack of political will to fix the system. Chertoff acknowledged some of the problems and said his department's programs are not "the perfect cure." Senators said they wanted Chertoff to enforce the laws, but they needed to assure companies that working with the government would not ultimately hurt them. Although the government took no action against Swift in the Dec. 12 raids, the meat processor was forced to temporarily halt operations.

The raids could cost the company an estimated $30 million. Suit closed after officials account for detainees By JUDITH KOHLER The Associated Press DENVER A judge closed a lawsuit against the U.S. government Monday after federal officials disclosed the whereabouts and status of 262 workers arrested in an immigration raid at a Swift Co. meatpacking plant in Greeley. Attorneys for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, which filed the suit, said it shouldn't have taken a lawsuit to get the information.

The lawsuit alleged the government had violated the workers' constitutional right to due process. The government released the information to the union last week under orders from U.S. District Judge John Kane. He terminated the lawsuit after both sides agreed all the arrested workers had been accounted for and given a chance to seek bond. U.S.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A total of 74 of the Greeley workers remained in federal custody in Denver and El Paso, Texas, and 75 voluntarily returned to Mexico, according to federal officials. Another 18 face state identity-theft charges in Weld County, where the Greeley plant is. Some of the others were released on bond; a full accounting of all 262 workers was not immediately available. Unlimited local and long-distance calling 12 popular calling features including Voice Mail Online access to Voice Mail Keep your current phone number1 Call 1-888-824-8448 by Saturday for this amazing offer! jmcQ8t Offer valid only through 12707.

Unlimited package pricing applies to all direct-dialed calls to locations in the U.S. and Canada, from home. No separate long distance carrier connection available. Plan does not include international calls. Comcast Digital Voice service (including 91 1emergency services) may not function after an extended power outage.

Certain customer premises equipment may not be compatible with Comcast Digital Voice services. Ability to retain current phone number may vary. May not be combined with other offers. Offer only available in participating Comcast systems. After 6 months, regular monthly rate applies.

Installation fees are additional. Prices shown do not include taxes, franchise fees or Regulatory Recovery Fee, which is not a tax or government required or other applicable charges, e.g., per-call charges. Service not available in all areas.Call Comcast for details, Service is subject to Comcast standard terms and conditions of service. 2007 Comcast Cable Communications, LLC. All rights reserved..