2010 Colorado State Board of Education
Left to right: Randy DeHoff, Vice Chair (CD 6); Marcia Neal (CD 3); Angelika Schroeder (CD 2); Elaine Gantz-Berman (CD 1); Jane Goff (CD 7); Peggy Littleton (CD 5); Bob Schaffer, Chair (CD 4)
- Colorado Department of Education
August 27, 2010
Celebrating Women Democrats
Denver Daily News
Guest Editorial by Pat Waak, Colorado Democratic Party Chair
...Next week we will be honoring women who are providing leadership at the Colorado Democratic Women’s Forum. Three panels will focus on different levels of leadership. The first panel will be pointed toward youth...
The second panel will be focused on Democratic women in the Colorado General Assembly. Colorado does fairly well in women’s representation, roughly 37 percent in both the House and Senate...
The third panel takes into account statewide leadership. Lt. Gov. Barbara O’Brien has done an outstanding job being a voice for children and education in the state, among many other duties. State Treasurer Cary Kennedy has been able to lead Colorado through our fiscal crisis and make sure the citizens of the state are served well. And Melissa Hart, candidate for CU Regent At-Large, brings incredible skills to the position she is running for, as well as any other she will choose to run for in the future. Finally, Elaine Berman, Angelika Schroeder, and Jane Goff serve on the Colorado State Board of Education. Each one has made tremendous contributions to the challenges of providing quality education.
Aug. 26 is designated each year as Women’s Equality Day. I am grateful to the nation for recognizing the important role that women play in American life. I am particularly grateful for women who stand up and run for public office. They are celebrating their right to vote and their opportunity to ask for your vote.
Full text of the editorial here.
October 17, 2009
President-Elect and Directors Selected For National Association of State Boards of Education
Jane Goff, a longtime educator and member of the Colorado State Board of Education, was elected to the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) Board of Directors. Goff will begin her two-year term as a director from NASBE’s Western region in January 2010.
“Jane Goff’s long experience as a public school teacher, administrator, and union leader will serve her greatly as NASBE helps chart the course for state boards on education policy issues nationwide. The board will likewise be enriched by her perspective,” said NASBE Executive Director Brenda Welburn. “She and the rest of our board provide their fellow policymakers from across the country the support and diversity of opinion so critical to finding solutions to the educational needs of American students in the 21st century.”
"I look forward to representing our dynamic Western region and working with state boards nationwide on NASBE's forward thinking agenda," said Goff. Arlington, VA — Allan Taylor, chairman of the Connecticut State Board of Education, has been voted president-elect of the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE). Taylor will begin his term of office in January 2010 and then serve as president of the association in 2011.
April 14, 2009
Perlmutter, Goff and Merchant host education town hall
by Aaron Cole, Aurora Sentinel
Congressman Ed Perlmutter, CU Regent Monisha Merchant and State Board of Education member Jane Goff hosted a CD 7 educational town hall meeting at the University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora. The participants included elected officials, P-12 and higher ed staff, parent organization leaders, business representatives, students and residents in discussion of a broad range of topics.
The three of us each gave short remarks from our perspective on the changing face of education in Colorado and the federal and state government’s role in that change. Rep. Perlmutter said that cooperation at the federal level would be vital. “Clearly the president we have now is focused on education … and providing it to our kids, and our grandkids, and ourselves,” he said.
I talked about Colorado’s work on revising the model content standards and our goal to align those standards with international benchmarks to better prepare students for post-secondary education and a global economy. I also reported on the number of other states that have approached Colorado for guidance on doing this work.
Regent Merchant said that Colorado’s colleges and universities face an uncertain future. “This is about understanding how we can partner together: post-secondary, federal and state,” she said. “We’re facing a lot of challenges.”
Following our remarks, the attendees participated in ten facilitated table discussions that elicited their thoughts on what helps students be confident that they are supported and challenged throughout their school years. Groups discussed how we can continue to stay connected, and do everything we can to prepare them to make good decisions, do quality work, contribute to society, remain motivated to learn and do more. Participants’ recommendations varied from motivating kids to begin planning for college earlier to increasing job shadowing within schools.
January 14, 2009
State Board of Education Selects Bob Schaffer as Chair, Randy DeHoff as Vice-Chair
CDE News Release
The Colorado State Board of Education elected new officers, approving by acclamation Bob Schaffer as chair and Randy DeHoff as vice-chair for two-year terms. “I’d like to thank my colleagues,” said Board Chair Schaffer. “I think this is going to be a particularly activist board on education leadership, and I think we're going to be able to accomplish our goals in a bipartisan manner.”
Board Vice-Chair DeHoff echoed the sentiment. “I'm looking forward to the next two years,” said DeHoff. “We’ve got quite a lot on our plate…I look forward to a bipartisan, by consensus, largely unanimous approach.”
Board member Elaine Gantz Berman, who nominated DeHoff for the vice-chair post, added: “I also want to echo what Mr. Schaffer and Mr. DeHoff have said…I think it's very important that we work together…and that we support the excellent work of the Colorado Department of Education, the commissioner and his staff.”
The officer selection followed the swearing in ceremony, held Jan. 13, of board members Marcia Neal (3rd Congressional District), Angelika Schroeder (2nd Congressional District), Elaine Gantz Berman (1st Congressional District) and Jane Goff (7th Congressional District). Berman and Goff, originally appointed to fill vacancies on the board, were returned to the board by voters in November. Schroeder was appointed to fill the seat held by Evie Hudak, who ran successfully for a seat in the Colorado Senate. Neal won her campaign after former board chair Pamela Jo Suckla opted not to run for re-election. Berman, Goff and Neal are starting six-year terms. Schroeder will fill the end of former board member Evie Hudak’s term, which runs through January 2011. For more on all seven members of the State Board of Education, visit: http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeboard/bdindex.htm
January 16, 2009
State Board sworn in, ready to go 
A good sampling of the Colorado education world and bureaucracy was on hand Tuesday afternoon for the swearing in of four State Board of Education members. The upbeat and mostly informal ceremony was “hosted” by board Vice Chair Bob Schaffer, R-4th District, who had to go through the lengthy introductions of current and past officeholders that are required on such occasions.
Leaders of the "Three Cs" (Colorado Education Association, Colorado Association of School Boards and Colorado Association of School Executives) brought their congratulations.
Then, the four members were sworn in by Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Robert Hawthorne. They included Elaine Gantz Berman, D-1st District, and Jane Goff, D-7th District, who in November were elected to full terms after having been previously appointed to the board.
Also sworn in were newly elected member Marcia Neal, R-3rd District, and just-appointed member Angelika Schroeder, D-2nd District. They and the three continuing members go right to work at 9 a.m. Wednesday, when the board holds its January meeting.
November 5, 2008
Goff Re-elected to state BOE
Aurora Sentinel: The Voice of Aurora
New names elected to statewide education boards celebrated surprising wins Tuesday. Read more here.
October 6, 2008
Editorial: Give Goff a term of her own
Aurora Sentinel: The Voice of Aurora
In a competition usually glazed over for larger, costlier races, the run for the State Board of Education Congressional District 7 is worth Aurorans' attention this year.
A year of remarkable progress and a coming year of remarkable changes place representatives for the state's education system on the forefront for our children's education. That's why we see no reason not to send Jane Goff back to continue the work she started earlier this year.
After taking over the State Board of Education seat in March, Goff has had little time to work within the dynamic board and its ever-changing duties. But Goff has the right experience to begin a term of her own, and we have reason to believe that she will very capably represent Aurora students' best interests on that board.
Goff's 34 years as a teacher and leader within the Jefferson County Schools District brings a wealth of knowledge to the board's very important decision making processes. Goff has made it a priority to steer the current Colorado Content Standards - a driving force behind reforming the state's lagging CSAP program - toward worthwhile benchmarks before the state Legislature takes aim at Colorado's standardized testing program.
She's also been heavily involved in the current push to prepare students for higher education by serving as board liaison to Gov. Ritter's P-20 Council, valuable work that needs to continue for Colorado students.
Goff's tenure as president of the Jefferson County Educators Association and Colorado Educators Association, as well as experience on bond and mill levy steering committees gives us the assurance that Goff has sufficient grounding in complex issues to adequately meet the demands of the state board.
All of those elements leads us to believe that Goff will serve her first full term as a strong proponent of meaningful education reform on the state board.
Vote for Jane Goff as representative to the State Board of Education Congressional District 7.
July 18, 2008
Jane Goff Attends National Orientation for State Board Members
News Release
Alexandria, VA — Jane Goff, Congressional District 7 representative to the Colorado State Board of Education, participated in an intensive 3-day orientation for new members of state boards of education from around the country in Washington, DC from July 18-20. The annual training session, called the New State Board Member Institute, introduces first-time state board members to their new role and responsibilities as state education policymakers. Board members from nineteen states attended the conference hosted by the National Association of State Boards of Education.
NASBE Executive Director Brenda Welburn said, “Most states do not have a formal orientation process for new board members. We provide an organized format for participants to fully understand all of their duties and become better board members.”
Session topics provided tips on fundamentals like the policymaking process as well as more advanced subjects such as how to provide effective state leadership through board actions. Board members were also given pointers on effectively communicating with the media.
“State boards wield considerable authority, and public awareness of their importance and influence is growing as state boards continue to lead reforms of their state’s educational systems,” Welburn noted.
State boards of education are the embodiment of the American tradition of citizen control over public education. State board members serve as volunteers responsible for setting statewide educational standards, including high school graduation requirements, teacher professional qualifications, and establishing statewide testing programs.
The New Member Institute is a service provided to NASBE’s members free of charge, including all travel, meals, and associated costs.
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NASBE represents America’s state and territorial boards of education and is the professional association of state board members. NASBE’s primary mission is to strengthen state leadership in education policymaking and assure responsible lay governance of public education. For further information, contact David Griffith, NASBE Director of Communications, 703-740-4824.
Click here to see all CDE news releases.
February 18, 2008
Goff Picked To Replace Middleton On SBOE
By Jeremy Pelzer, Politicker.com
Former Jefferson County Schools teachers union president Jane Goff was appointed Saturday afternoon to fill Karen Middleton's CD-7 seat on the Colorado State Board of Education. Goff, an Arvada resident who had been running for Middleton's seat since last fall, was picked on the second ballot over three other candidates by a vacancy committee, said committee chair Ann Knollman.
The seat opened up when Middleton was appointed to the 42nd District House seat Feb. 10. Middleton replaced state Rep. Michael Garcia (D-Aurora), who resigned Feb. 1. Goff, an educator for 34 years, has served as president of the Jefferson County Education Association from 1998-2000 and vice president of the Colorado Education Association from 2000-2006.
Goff said she was "very, very gratified" by the appointment. "We all need to be concerned doing what we can to increase graduation rates, close learning gaps, provide opportunities for all kids to be prepared for post-secondary education and the workforce - the skills they need to have in the 21st century," she said.
Goff was chosen over Guillermo Serna from Commerce City, Monisha Merchant from Lakewood, and Dan Morris of Arapahoe County, Knollman said.