On Education: Bill Ritter and AFT School Charlie Crist

Colorado's Democratic governor is poised to sign an education reform bill similar to the one Florida Gov. Charlie Crist vetoed.

The Colorado Legislature last week passed a bill that links teacher pay to pupil performance. Colorado's plan goes further than Florida's Senate Bill 6 in that it strips tenure from deficient instructors. SB 6 only abolished tenure for new hires.

As in Florida, Colorado's largest teacher union fought that state's measure. But resistance softened when Randi Weingarten, leader of the American Federation of Teachers, came out in support.

Gov. Bill Ritter said he would sign the bill when it gets to his desk.

Colorado's teacher compensation reforms, along with similar measures in Maryland and Washington, are considered linchpins in those states' applications for $3.4 billion in federal Race to the Top funding.