Bringing common sense back to government
Cindy Acree for a Healthy Colorado

HEALTHY COLORADO:  Education

I support an education system that gives every child the best chance to succeed in a global economy and best prepares them for college and/or employment.

Common Sense Approach

• Support School of Choice/per pupil funding that follows the student
• Develop State curriculum guidelines to include competency standards at every grade in math, science, reading, and writing to promote consistency in standards from district to district not just graduation requirements and individual student accountability from grade to grade
• Support local discretion on curriculum implementation and grade level competency testing.
• Will review the Department of Education and the process for certification of teachers to help Districts draw the best people to teach our kids
• Encourage public/private partnerships to fund additional programs that contribute to a well rounded education
• Support early English emersion for non English speaking students and secondary language instruction as an option for all children in primary grades
• Work to find funding assistance for school districts that need help with capital improvements
• Encourage districts to develop skill/technical training as an option to college prep courses in high school.

Education must meet the needs of all children and prepare them for college and employment. Accountability must not rest on the backs of the individual school alone but should be shared with a measurable degree of personal responsibility. A state curriculum focused on basic skills in reading, writing, math and science and grade level competency requirements with local control regarding testing will be a much more efficient way to measure and track individual competency. Free market approach to education with high state standards supported by school of choice, education dollars that follow the student, and combined with teacher certification requirements that focus on qualified teachers from the public or private sector will make teacher salaries and schools more competitive. That will drive quality education and create opportunities to meet the needs of all students.

Experience

Director- District C, Cherry Creek School District Long Range Facility Planning Committee
Former Chair: Mission Viejo Elementary and Loredo Middle School Accountability Committees
Former Chairman- Budget Subcommittee- Cherry Creek School District Accountability Committee
Former Substitute Teacher
Instructor, University of Denver College of Law

HEALTHY COLORADO:  Business

 I support a free market economy with minimum government interference and less tax burden on families and business.

Common Sense Approach

• Lower taxes and regulatory burden on families and businesses
• A state plan for smart economic development and growth
• Efficient and cost-effective management of government departments and functions
• Transportation systems for a commuter society and business opportunity
• Protection of landowner’s rights
• The development of adequate water resources critical to Colorado’s current and future generations and the district’s economic vitality and quality of life

Families thrive when business thrives.  Quality of life is enhanced by adequate employment opportunity and more disposable income.  When government places more emphasis on efficient and cost-effective management of its own affairs and less emphasis and resources on managing the lives of individuals and businesses the community prospers.  The consistency of relying on constitutional authority to direct government affairs and developing strong infrastructures to support growing economies will create long lasting prosperity in Colorado.  A business friendly state will encourage economic growth and family economic stability.

Experience
President and business development consultant, Protektmark LLC
Director of Law Office Management Services, The Colorado Bar Association
Instructor of Technology and the Legal Enterprise, University of Denver College of Law
President, Aurora Citizens Advisory Budget Committee
Manager and Intellectual Property Specialist, NTN- Nordstrom Inc.
Business management columnist, The Colorado Lawyer

HEALTHY COLORADO:  Healthcare

I support affordable and accessible healthcare for all citizens of Colorado

Common Sense Approach

• Review Medicaid to ensure services are easily accessible by all citizens who need them and to make sure it provides a safety net with health insurance for citizens that cannot get health insurance on their own requiring everyone to pay something per their ability to pay.
• Support a free market healthcare system that encourages competition and returns healthcare decision making to a relationship between the patient and the doctor.
• Make insurance portable – follows the consumer not the job
• Encourage programs that utilize current resources more effectively and use technology and public/private partnerships between government and healthcare providers to facilitate more cost-effective delivery of services and make healthcare services more accessible all over the state
• Develop a system of incentives to encourage young adults to buy their own insurance
• Work to assist insurers in designing new markets by customizing plans to fit individual needs and redefining group buying power

Best practices and competition will drive cost-effective delivery of healthcare services through the emergence of new markets and organizational effectiveness.  Getting back to fundamental needs (authority of the doctor/patient relationship, insurance coverage that fit individual needs, services that are accessible and costs that are manageable) will encourage compliance with medical treatment and assist with prevention.

Experience

Stroke Survivor and advocate for the disabled
Board member and former Chairman of the Board for the Colorado Neurological Institute
Former Board Member Spalding Community Hospital and Founding board member Spalding Community Foundation
Member Colorado Cardiovascular Health Coalition
Colorado Stroke Advisory Board