Denver Public Schools
Also known as Denver County School District 1.
Contents
Denver Public Schools District Info
| Students | County | Graduation Rate | # of Schools | Operating Budget | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 92,331 | Denver | 64.80% -14.1% to CO average |
199 (incl. 2 charters) |
$929.5M ~ $10,067/student ~ $4.67M/school +$4,767/student to CO average |
Adopted Budget 2016/2017 |
Denver Public Schools Superintendent
| Name | When First Voted In | Salary | Contract Ends | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Boasberg (Registered Democrat) |
Jan. 2009 | $236,222 (Spring 2017) |
Annual extensions | 720-423-3300 superintendent@dpsk12.org |
- Boasberg has no formal teaching experience or training. Closest experience is serving as an introductory English language instructor in Hong Kong for one year in the 1980s.
- Boasberg's background is largely law and telecommunications, with also having served a stint in the Clinton Administration at the same time as his childhood friend Michael Bennet.
- Boasberg is a "graduate" of The Broad Center, an offshoot of The Broad Foundation. TBF has among its grantees as pro-charter organizations and organizations that see donations from the Walton Family Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. These three organizations are among the top funders of education reform efforts.
- Boasberg is a Fellow of the education-focused Pahara Institute where Reed Hastings, a major reform proponent, sits on their Board of Directors.
Previous Superintendents
Michael Bennet
Bennet was appointed to DPS Superintendent in 2005, upon the recommendation of then-Mayor of Denver John Hickenlooper. Prior to his DPS Superintendency, Bennet had no background in education, either in teaching or administration. He never attended a public school, nor did his children.
Bennet's background is of being an aide to political figures, law clerking, Counsel to the U.S. Deputy Attorney General in the Clinton Administration, Managing Director for the Anschutz Investment Company, and Deputy Chief of Staff for Mayor Hickenlooper.
Bennet stepped down to be appointed to the open U.S. Senate seat in 2009, which Ken Salazar vacated to become the U.S. Secretary of the Interior in the new Obama Administration. The Bennet pick came collectively as a surprise in Colorado.
Prior to his Senate appointment, Bennet's name was floated as a possible pick for the U.S. Secretary of Education for the incoming Obama Administration, specifically citing Bennet's implementation of his teacher merit pay program.
Bennet also is a Fellow of the education-focused Pahara Institute where Reed Hastings, a major reform proponent, sits on their Board of Directors.
Denver Public Schools School Board
- No compensation
- Terms are 4 years
- 2 term limit
- VERY expensive seats.
- DCTA = Denver Classroom Teachers Association (Union)
- DFER = Democrats For Education Reform
| District | Name | Party | Next Election | Contact | 2017 Results |
2015 Results |
2013 Results |
2011 Results |
2009 Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anne Rowe (DFER) |
Democrat | 2019 (Termed Out) |
720-423-3210 Anne_Rowe@dpsk12.org |
23.8% (61.9%) Kristi Butkovich 38% |
X | 30.4% (65.2%) Emily Sirota 34.70% |
X | |
| 2 | Rosemary Rodriguez (DFER) |
Democrat | 2017 (Not seeking re-election) |
720-423-3210 rosemary_rodriguez@dpsk12.org |
X | 23.6% (61.8%) Rosario C. de Baca 37.9% 1 1 (DCTA and AFL-CIO-endorsed) |
X | 1.2% (50.6%) 1,2 (Andrea Merida) Ismael C. Garcia 49.30% 1 (Listed in CO Green Party) 2 (DCTA-endorsed) (Garcia DFER-endorsed) | |
| 3 | Mike Johnson (DFER) |
Democrat | 2017 | 720-423-3210 mike_johnson@dpsk12.org |
X | 14.2% (57.1%) Meg Schomp 42.8% 1 1 (DCTA-endorsed) |
X | UNOPPOSED 1 (Jeanne Kaplan) 1 (DCTA-endorsed) | |
| 4 | Rachele C. Espiritu Ph.D. (Appointed May 2016) |
Democrat | 2017 | 720-423-3210 rachele_espiritu@dpsk12.org |
X (Landri Taylor resigned in Feb 2016 for family reasons) |
31% (65.5%) 1 (Landri Taylor) Roger Kilgore 34.4% 2 1 (DFER-endorsed) 2 (DCTA-endorsed) |
X (Easely recall failed at petition) |
5.6% (33.8%) 1 (Nate Easley) Vernon Jones 28.20% 2 Andrea G. Mosby 18.70% Jacqui Shumway 11.10% Alton Clark 7.90% 1 (DCTA-endorsed} 2 (DFER-endorsed) | |
| 5 | Lisa Flores (DFER) |
Democrat | 2019 | 720-423-3210 lisa_flores@dpsk12.org |
7% (53.5%) Michael Kiley 46.5% |
X | 1% (50.5%) (Arturo Jimenez) Jennifer Draper Carson 49.60% 1 1 (DFER-endorsed) |
X | |
| At-Large | Barbara O'Brien (DFER) |
Democrat | 2017 | 720-423-3210 barbara_o'brien@dpsk12.org |
X | 28.1% (59.3%) Michael Kiley 31.1% 1 Joan Poston 9.3% 1 (DCTA-endorsed) |
X | 41.9% (70.9%) 1 (Mary Seawell) Christopher Scott 29% 2 1 (DFER-endorsed) 2 (DCTA-endorsed) | |
| At-Large | Allegra "Happy" Haynes (DFER - 2015) |
Democrat | 2019 (Termed Out) |
720-423-3210 Happy_Haynes@dpsk12.org |
0.8% (50.4%) Robert Speth 49.5% 1 1 (DCTA-endorsed) |
X | 47.8% (59.2%) Roger Kilgore 11.30% 1 Jacqui Shumway 10.80% Frank E. Deserino 9.70% John Daniel 8.70% 2 1 (DCTA-endorsed) 2 {Source) |
X |
- 2009 Note: (Andrea Merida had 3 recall attempts within a couple months. All failed to get enough signatures.)
- Lisa Flores is a Fellow of the education-focused Pahara Institute where Reed Hastings, a major reform proponent, sits on their Board of Directors.
Local Special Interest Groups
2017 Election
Candidates
2017 Election Issues
Channel 8 Candidate Forum Video from 10/12/17.
| Seat | Candidate | School Choice (General) | Vouchers, Tax Credits, Education Savings Accounts |
Charter Schools | Accountability | Transparency | School Closures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District 2 | Angela Cobian Our Denver, Our Schools survey |
Positive | "It is important to ensure that charter schools, like all public schools receiving taxpayer dollars are being good stewards of public funds." | Leans positive | |||
| District 2 | Xochitl "Sochi" Gaytan Our Denver, Our Schools survey |
Focus on neighborhood schools "We also need to support neighborhood schools and teaching as a career to truly retain options for families" |
Negative "[Private corporations should play] No Role." |
Negative "Closing a school disrupts the education, sense of security in our communities for every child and family who has their school taken away." | |||
| District 3 | Carrie Olson | ||||||
| District 3 | Mike Johnson (i) | ||||||
| District 4 | Tay Anderson | ||||||
| District 4 | Jennifer Bacon | "Yes" Clip of DPS interview April 2016 | |||||
| District 4 | Rachele Espiritu (i) | ||||||
| At-Large | Julie Bañuelos | ||||||
| At-Large | Barbara O'Brien (i) | ||||||
| At-Large | Robert Speth | ||||||
Campaign Finance
| Seat | Name | Total Contributions | Total Expenditures | Total Cash On Hand | Total PACs/IECs (See details below) |
Notable Individuals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District 2 | Angela Cobian | $64,469.82 | Democrats for Education Reform - $1,000 (1, 2) Leadership for Educational Equity - $1,000 (1) | |||
| District 2 | Xochitl "Sochi" Gaytan | $110,000 | ||||
| District 3 | Carrie Olson | Niren Christian Foundation (No information, but that they may be delinquent) - $1,000 | ||||
| District 3 | Mike Johnson (i) | $31,302.07 | James Q. Crowe (Crowe Building Products - Roofing) - $1,000 | |||
| District 4 | Tay Anderson | |||||
| District 4 | Jennifer Bacon | $139,000 | Leadership for Educational Equity - $2,500 (1, 2, 3) | |||
| District 4 | Rachele Espiritu (i) TRACER Filing |
$73,847.99 | $47,608.65 | $26,182.33 | $66,795.51 | James Q. Crowe (Crowe Building Products - Roofing) - $5,000 Scott Reiman (Charter school proponent) - $5,000 Daniel Ritchie (former Chairman of Daniels Fund; previously donated to DPS reformers) - $5,000 Marcelo B. Espiritu = $5,000 Democrats For Education Reform - $4,750 (1, 2, 3) Norma B. Espiritu - $3,109 Samuel & Nancy Gary (Samuel founded the Piton Foundation) - $2,500 Pat Hamill (Real Estate Developer; [http://www.westword.com/news/dps-school-board-race-fundraising-whos-getting-big-bucks-from-phil-anschutz-5870858 donates to reform candidates) - $2,500 Philip F. Anschutz (frequent education reform donor) - $2,000 David J. Scanavino (President, MCS Advantage Inc. - Health Insurance) - $1,000 David Younggren (Gary Community Investments) - $1,000 Stanton Lodge (Attorney/Legal at DISH Network) - $1,000 Cathey Finlon (at the Colorado Scholarship Fund) - $1,000 Justin Jaschke (on the board for DSST schools, a charter system) - $1,000 Terry Leprino (Colorado Christian University Board of Trustee member) - $1,000 Jeanne Saunders (on DPS Foundation Board of Directors, which receives funding from reform groups including Education Reform Now) - $1,000 Jennifer Walmer (State Director, Democrats for Education Reform) - $281 Mike Johnson (DPS board member and candidate) - $250 Mary Seawell (former DPS board member; now at the Gates Family Foundation, a reform group) - $200 Jack Teter (Colorado Research Director, Democrats for Education Reform) - $100 |
| At-Large | Julie Bañuelos | |||||
| At-Large | Barbara O'Brien (i) | $139,433.02 | James Crowe (Crowe Building Products - Roofing) - $2,500 Ronald Williams (Info - Former CEO of Gary-Williams Energy Corp, and Oil & Gas company, then went to the Piton Foundation and served on the Denver Public School Foundation, which is funded by Piton and Education Reform Now, among other education reform proponents) - $1,000 Democrats For Education Reform - $500 | |||
| At-Large | Robert Speth | Robert Speth (self; loan) - $17,000 | ||||
Independent Expenditure Committee Activity
By Group
Raising Colorado / Democrats For Education Reform
Jen Walmer is the registered agent of Raising Colorado and is additionally the Colorado State Director of Democrats for Education Reform (DFER). Raising Colorado is funded by Education Reform Now, which is the "sister group" of DFER.
Raising Colorado is boosting for the following candidates in 2017:
- Angela Cobian
- Mike Johnson
- Rachele Espiritu
- Barbara O'Brien
Better Schools for a Stronger Colorado / Stand For Children
Registered agent is Katie Kennedy, who is registered with an email address connected to Stand For Children, an education reform organization. It also outright states on the filing that an affiliated organization is Stand For Children. SFC gave BSSC a $100k donation on 8/31/17.
Better Schools for a Stronger Colorado is boosting for the following candidates in 2017:
- Mike Johnston
- Barbara O'Brien
Brighter Futures for Denver
The registered agent is former Denver City Attorney David Scott Martinez.
Thus far, solely funded by teacher unions.
Brighter Futures for Denver is boosting for the following candidates in 2017:
- Jennifer Bacon
By Candidate
Angela Cobian
- Mailers, from Raising Colorado (mailers stated "Not authorized by, coordinated with, or controlled by any candidate"), which totaled $18,669.86. (TRACER Report)
- Students For Education Reform lists in their 10/13/17 filing of design and printing ($4,855.85), T-shirts ($255.95), and phonebanking ($212.50) specifically for Angela Cobian. Totaling $5,324.30.
- In the 10/16/17 TRACER Filing, Raising Colorado spent $40,475.66 on mailers, digital media, and website hosting.
Sochi Gaytan
Every Student Succeeds is funded by teacher's union organizations such as Aurora Education Association, Denver Classroom Teachers Association, Colorado Fund for Children and Public Education (the funding arm of Colorado Education Association, a teacher's union). One Will Paterson also donated $5,000.
A major blitz occurred during the course of the 10/16/17 TRACER filing] totaling $110,000, utilizing mailers, consultations, digital advertising, door to door canvassing.
Mike Johnson
- In the 10/16/17 TRACER Filing, Raising Colorado spent $25,030.35 on mailers, digital media, and website hosting.
- In the 10/13/17 TRACER Filing Better Schools for a Better Colorado spent $6,271.72 on mailers.
Rachele Espiritu
- Students For Education Reform lists in their 10/13/17 filing of design and printing ($4,855.85), T-shirts ($255.95), and phonebanking ($212.50) specifically for Rachele C. Espiritu. Totaling $5,324.30.
- In the 10/16/17 TRACER Filing, Raising Colorado spent $61,471.21 on mailers, digital media, and website hosting.
Jennifer Bacon
- Brighter Futures for Denver, which is funded by mostly teachers unions, spent a total of $139,000 on consultant fees in the 10/16/17 TRACER Filing.
Barbara O'Brien
- In the 10/13/17 TRACER Filing, Raising Colorado spent $25,245.99 on mailers.
- In the 10/16/17 TRACER Filing, Raising Colorado spent $37,364.21 on mailers, digital media, and website hosting.
- In the 10/13/17 TRACER Filing Better Schools for a Better Colorado spent $31,822.82 on mailers.
- In the 10/14/17 TRACER Filing Better Schools for a Better Colorado spent $45,000 on internet advertising.
