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Legislative Excellence Award
The CASB Legislative Excellence Award recognizes outstanding legislators for their distinguished service on behalf of all the school districts in Colorado. Over the years, CASB has singled out one or two commendable legislators. This year we are pleased to honor two women who are legislative leaders in Colorado’s General Assembly.
2012 Legislative Excellence Awardees
Sen. Bob Bacon
As a former educator who spent nearly 40 years teaching both high school and community college, Sen. Bacon knows first-hand the importance of investing in our children’s educational future and “putting kids first.”
After retiring from teaching, Sen. Bacon served two terms on the Poudre R-1 Board of Education and was a CASB All State School Board recipient. A former member of the CASB Board of Directors, Sen. Bacon headed to the Colorado House in 1997 and was elected to his first Colorado Senate term in 2004.
Over the past eight years, Sen. Bacon has been steadfast in protecting school funding and identifying ways to offset education budget cuts. While serving as chair of the Senate Education Committee, Sen. Bacon has been vocal in his belief that our state’s economic future depends on how well we educate the next generation. He has made it a priority to learn from our teachers and school leaders how budget cuts will impact the quality of education we provide children.
Sen. Bacon is known for his ability to foster relationships between schools, legislators and the community. Most recently, the American Association of University Professors honored him with the “Friend of Higher Education Award” for his role in advancing civic understanding and public support of higher education in Colorado.
CASB is grateful to Sen. Bob Bacon — an education champion and fighter for kids and our schools.
Sen. Keith King
Sen. King’s passion for education spans almost half a century, starting with his early
career as a high school woodshop teacher and basketball coach, to his most recent role as a state legislator.
Over the past 12 years while serving Colorado in both the House and Senate, Sen. King has successfully carried nearly 100 pieces of legislation. Many of these bills focused on education and helped facilitate opportunities for students to obtain a quality education and reach new heights of academic achievement.
As a former successful business owner, Sen. King used his entrepreneurial “eye” to look at how state government operates and help identify new and innovative solutions to today’s pressing educational issues.
A charter school advocate, he is the founder of Colorado Springs Early Colleges (CSEC), was instrumental in creating three charter schools in Colorado Springs and Fort Collins and also helped create the Colorado Charter School Institute. Additionally, he served on both the Cheyenne Mountain School Board and Cheyenne Mountain Charter School Board and is a current member of the Colorado League of Charter Schools.
With his senate term concluded, Sen. King now concentrates his efforts on being administrator of CSEC. Fortunately, his days at the Capitol may not be over for good as he considers running for the House in 2014.
CASB honors and thanks Sen. King for his enduring support of education in Colorado.