Denver Public Schools

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Also known as Denver County School District 1.


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 Democrat 2019
(Termed Out)
720-423-3210
Anne_Rowe@dpsk12.org
X 23.8% (61.9%)
Kristi Butkovich 38%
X 30.4% (65.2%)
Emily Sirota 34.70%
X
2 Angela Cobian Democrat 2021 720-423-3210
angela_cobian@dpsk12.org
6.32% (53.16%)
Xochitl Sochi Gaytan 46.84% 1
1 (Union-endorsed)
X 23.6% (61.8%)
(Rosemary Rodriguez)
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 Carrie A. Olson, PhD Democrat 2021 720-423-3210
carrie_olson@dpsk12.org
6.56% (53.28%)
Mike Johnson 46.72% 1
1 (Reform incumbent defeated)
X 14.2% (57.1%)
(Mike Johnson)
Meg Schomp 42.8% 1
1 (DCTA-endorsed)
X UNOPPOSED 1
(Jeanne Kaplan)
1 (DCTA-endorsed)
4 Jennifer Bacon Democrat 2021 720-423-3210
jennifer_bacon@dpsk12.org
8.83% (42.07%) 1
Rachele Espiritu 33.24%
Tay Anderson 24.69%
1 (Reform incumbent defeated)
X
(Landri Taylor resigned in Feb 2016 for family reasons,
Rachele C. Espiritu appointed)
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 Democrat 2019 720-423-3210
lisa_flores@dpsk12.org
X 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 Democrat 2021 720-423-3210
barbara_o'brien@dpsk12.org
5.82% (41.31%) 1
Robert Speth 35.49%
Julie Bañuelos 23.2%
1 (Total Pro-Public Ed Vote: 58.69%)
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 Democrat 2019
(Termed Out)
720-423-3210
Happy_Haynes@dpsk12.org
X 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


Local Special Interest Groups

2017 Election

Candidates

(i) = incumbent
Ward Name Party Endorsement/Info Contact Questionnaires
District 2 Angela Cobian Democrat Funded by groups who are education reformers (See below)
Denver Post Editorial Board Endorsement
Employed at Leadership for Educational Equity, a Teach for America offshoot
Emerge CO alum
Endorsed by current seatholder Rosemary Rodriquez
Colorado Black Women for Political Action
Colorado BlueFlower Fund
Stand for Children
Planned Parenthood Votes Colorado Reproductive Rights, Health and Education Candidate
Received $2,000 from ed. reform groups
Has received approx. $90k worth of support from ed. reform IECs
Website
Email
Education Study Group
Colorado Black Women for Political Action
A+ Colorado
District 2 Xochitl "Sochi" Gaytan Democrat Our Denver, Our Schools
Denver Classroom Teachers Association (DCTA)
Caucus of Today's Teacher's
Denver Area Labor Federation
Our Revolution Metro Denver
Colorado BlueFlower Fund
Planned Parenthood Votes Colorado Reproductive Rights, Health and Education Candidate
Website
Email
Education Study Group
 
District 3 Carrie Olson Democrat Current DPS teacher
When elected will take leave of absence to have board
evaluate by-law that keeps her from keeping her classroom position
Non-DFER
Rep. Joe Salazar
Denver Classroom Teachers Association (DCTA)
Caucus of Today's Teacher's
Network for Public Education Action
Our Denver, Our Schools
Denver Area Labor Federation
Our Revolution Metro Denver
Planned Parenthood Votes Colorado Reproductive Rights, Health and Education Candidate
Website
Facebook
Email
Education Study Group
District 3 Mike Johnson (i) Democrat DFER-endorsed in 2013
Funded by groups who are education reformers (See below)
Denver Post Editorial Board Endorsement
List of Individual Endorsements
Stand for Children
Planned Parenthood Votes Colorado Reproductive Rights, Health and Education Candidate
Has received approx. $49k worth of support from ed. reform IECs
Website
Email
Education Study Group
A+ Colorado
 
District 4 Tay Anderson Democrat Our Denver, Our Schools
Our Revolution Metro Denver
Caucus of Today's Teacher's
State Reps. Joe Salazar, Jonathan Singer
State Sens. Michael Merrifield, Lucia Guzman
Former State Sen. Evie Hudak
Former Denver Mayor Wellington E. Webb
Community Endorsements
Run For Something
Planned Parenthood Votes Colorado Reproductive Rights, Health and Education Candidate
Website
Facebook
Email
District 4 Jennifer Bacon Democrat Regional Director for Leadership for Ed. Equity, a TFA offshoot, DFER-lite
Denver Area Labor Federation
Colorado Black Women for Political Action and Colorado Black Leadership Caucus
Denver Classroom Teachers Association (DCTA)
Emerge CO alum
Colorado BlueFlower Fund
Planned Parenthood Votes Colorado Reproductive Rights, Health and Education Candidate
Received $2,500 from ed. reform groups
Received $10,000 from Unions
Has received approx. $139k worth of support from Union IEC
Website
Email
Education Study Group
Colorado Black Women for Political Action
A+ Colorado
District 4 Rachele Espiritu (i) Democrat Funded by groups who are education reformers (See below)
Denver Post Editorial Board Endorsement
Colorado BlueFlower Fund
Rep. Alec Garnett
Planned Parenthood Votes Colorado Reproductive Rights, Health and Education Candidate
Received $4,750 from ed. reform groups
Has received approx. $102k worth of support from ed. reform IECs
Website
Email
Colorado Black Women for Political Action
A+ Colorado
 
At-Large Julie Bañuelos Green Our Revolution Metro Denver
Colorado Black Women for Political Action and Colorado Black Leadership Caucus
Caucus of Today's Teacher's
Green Party of Colorado
Denver Green Party
Democratic Socialists of America - Denver
Colorado Political Revolution
Planned Parenthood Votes Colorado Reproductive Rights, Health and Education Candidate
Denver Justice Project
Website
Email
Education Study Group
Colorado Black Women for Political Action
A+ Colorado
At-Large Barbara O'Brien (i) Democrat DFER-endorsed in 2013
Funded by groups who are education reformers (See below)
Denver Post Editorial Board Endorsement
Colorado BlueFlower Fund
Stand for Children
List of Individual Endorsements
Planned Parenthood Votes Colorado Reproductive Rights, Health and Education Candidate
Received $600 from ed. reform groups
Has received approx. $173k worth of support from ed. reform IECs
Website
Email
Education Study Group
Colorado Black Women for Political Action
A+ Colorado
At-Large Robert Speth Democrat Our Denver, Our Schools
Denver Classroom Teachers Association (DCTA)
Denver Area Labor Federation
Angela Engel, founder of Uniting 4 Kids
List of Individual Endorsements
Website
Email
Education Study Group



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


There were 3 main reports: 10/17/17, 11/3/17, and 12/7/17.


Seat Name Total Contributions Total Expenditures Total Cash On Hand Total PACs/IECs
(See details below)
Notable Individuals
District 2 Angela Cobian
1, 2, 3
$123,144.00 $105,200.02 $17,943.98 $104,507.49 Arthur Rock (Anti-DeVos; pro-charters that are non-profit) - $10,000
Bruce Benson (President of CU; former 1994 GOP governor nominee; has given to reformer candidates in the past) - $5,000
Daniel Ritchie (former Chairman of Daniels Fund; previously donated to DPS reformers; member of Colorado Concern, which lists education reform as a value) - $5,000
Scott Reiman (Charter school proponent) - $5,000
Alice Walton - $3,000
Jim Walton - $3,000
Samuel Gary (founded the Piton Foundation) - $2,500
Patrick Hamill (Real Estate Developer; donates to reform candidates; member of Colorado Concern, which lists education reform as a value) - $2,500
Catherine Abarca (was a committee member of Latinos for Education Reform; "Champions Circle for STRIVE Prep) - $2,500
Marco Abarca (was President of Latinos for Education Reform; "Champions Circle for STRIVE Prep) - $2,500
Kimothy Pikor (Artist in Denver]) - $1,800
Total, of those employed at Leadership for Educational Equity (18 individuals; with the exception of Jennifer Bacon, Angela Cobian, and Kate Chapek) - $1,800
Steve Halstedt (Managing Director at Centennial Ventures, a venture capital investment firm) - $1,500
James Crowe (Attorney; Holland & Hart) - $1,500
Democrats for Education Reform - $1,000
Justin Jaschke (on the board for DSST schools, a charter system) - $1,000
Caroline Matthews (known as "Caz". She gave a Silverthorne address, but this permits issued listing leads to a Denver address, searching that address confirms Caroline S. Mattews, who serves as a director for Qwest Communications International, an Anschutz company) - $1,000
Leadership for Educational Equity - $1,000
Cathey Finlon (at the Colorado Scholarship Fund) - $1,000
Leslie Larson (has served on the BoE in Montclaire, NJ; husband owns a chain of charter schools) - $1,000
David Younggren (Gary Community Investments; Stapleton Foundation; Piton Foundation) - $1,000
Jeanne Saunders (on DPS Foundation Board of Directors, which receives funding from reform groups including Education Reform Now) - $1,000
John Fry (listed employer as DVSM, but a John Dietz Fry was matched to the same address and works at Endeavour Capital; serves on Board of Trustees for STRIVE, a network of public charter schools) - $750
Margaret Sue Allon (formerly on the board of directors of Denver Public Schools Foundation) - $500
Steve Sherick (ran for the Democratic nomination for SD 31 in 2015) - $500
Kate Chapek (Leadership of Educational Equality; "oversee campaign development") - $500
Angela Cobian (self) - $200
Jennifer Bacon (DPS candidate) - $100
Jen Walmer (State Director, Democrats for Education Reform) - $100
Moira Cullen (Capstone Group LLC; founding Colorado State Director of Democrats for Education Reform; on Board of Trustees for STRIVE, a network of public charter schools) - $83.34
District 2 Xochitl "Sochi" Gaytan
(1, 2), 3
$28,977.81 $28,934.10 $43.71 $117,474.60 CEA Public Education Donor Committee (union) - $6,000
DCTA Fund (Denver Classroom Teachers Association - union) - $8,000 (1, 2)
Xochitl "Sochi" Gaytan (self) - $1,771.26
AFL-CIO (union) - $1,000
Fran Natividad-Coleman (form State Rep. for HD 1) - $847.55
Jeanne Kaplan (former DPS board member) - $550
Scott Gilpin (Campaign Manager for Robert Speth's DPS run) - $350
Margaret Atencio (served as Registered Agent for Rosario deBaca's 2013 DPS run where deBaca was endorsed by DCTA) - $300
Joseph Halpern (Attorney at Holland & Hart) - $100
Veronica Barela (President/CEO of Newsed Community Development Corporation, which aids in affordable housing and foreclosure counseling) - $100
Rebecca Tanglen (Attorney, U.S. Dept. of Education, Office for Civil Rights) - $100
Alan Kennedy-Shaffer (lawyer; candidate for Dem nom in SD 34) - $27
State Rep. Adrienne Benavidez - $25
Robert Speth (DPS At-Large candidate) - $12
 
District 3 Carrie Olson
1, 2, 3
$35,470.10 $35,470.10 $0 $3,289.37 DCTA (Denver Classroom Teachers Association - union) - $8,500 (1, 2)
Will Paterson (LOGOS Consulting; LinkedIn Page) - $3,500
Jack Thompson (Help us properly identify him) - $1,500
Niren Christian Foundation (No information, but that they may be delinquent) - $1,000
Yolanda Calderon (pblic school teacher who protested Secretary DeVos) - $1,000
Susan Barnes-Gelt (former Denver City Council member; civic activist) - $700
Amy Carrington (public education activist) - $650
Carrie Olson (self) - $120
District 3 Mike Johnson (i)
1, 2, 3
$106,536.00 $103,782.57 $2,753.43 $55,327.42 Bruce Benson (President of CU; former 1994 GOP governor nominee; has given to reformer candidates in the past) - $10,000
Philip F. Anschutz (frequent education reform donor) - $5,000
Samuel Gary (founded the Piton Foundation) - $5,000
David Younggren (Gary Community Investments; Stapleton Foundation; Piton Foundation) - $5,000
Scott Reiman (Charter school proponent) - $5,000
Steve Halstedt (Managing Director at Centennial Ventures, a venture capital investment firm) - $2,500
Pat Hamill (Real Estate Developer; donates to reform candidates; member of Colorado Concern, which lists education reform as a value) - $2,500 (also provided additional $100 for food at an event)
Ken Tuchman (CEO of Teletech, a call center) - $2,500
Daniel Ritchie (former Chairman of Daniels Fund; previously donated to DPS reformers; member of Colorado Concern, which lists education reform as a value) - $2,000
Michael Feeley (former State Senator; attorney at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, a high-powered law/lobbying firm) - $1,500
Robert Williams (president, Veritas HHS, a health and human services company with a focus on children) - $1,100
James Q. Crowe (Crowe Building Products; Bloomberg Filing - Roofing) - $1,000
Marco Abarca (was President of Latinos for Education Reform; "Champions Circle for STRIVE Prep) - $1,000
Diane Barrett (Chief Projects Officer for Mayor Hancock's office) - $1,000
Kendra Black (Denver City Council, District 4) - $1,000
David Clayton (President, Clayton & Company, a real estate appraisal and consulting firm) - $1,000
Cathey Finlon (at the Colorado Scholarship Fund) - $1,000
David Foster (attorney, FGMC, specializing in real estate and zoning; previously on Mayor Hancock's Housing Advisory Committee) - $1,000
Beverly Haddon (former CEO of Stapleton Foundation, which has current and former DPS members and ed reform donors) - $1,000
Justin Jaschke (on the board for DSST schools, a charter system) - $1,000
Kristin Richardson (former DPS Foundation board member; more info here) - $1,000
John Bales (Teach For America alum (reformer group); Attorney at Kutak Rock, where DPS reformer Mike Johnson is also an attorney) - $100
Rosemary Rodriguez (outgoing DPS member) - $100
Jen Walmer (State Director, Democrats for Education Reform) - $100
Bernard Douthit (Candidate for Democratic nomination for State Treasurer) - $50
 
District 4 Tay Anderson
1, 2, 3
$18,766.01 $16,865.87 $1,900.14 $1,280.09 Susan Barnes-Gelt (former Denver City Council member; civic activist) - $1,500
Wellington Webb (former mayor of Denver) - $1,650 (including $150 of food provided)
Kayvan S.T. Khalatbari (announced 2019 Denver Mayoral candidate; Wikipedia entry--not IFRR) - $1,000
Amy Rostocil - $750
Jeannie Kaplan (former DPS board member) - $654
Earleen Brown (public education activist; Uniting4Kids) - $650
Anita Lynch (Bernie Sanders delegate to the DNC) - $570
Nita Mosby Henry (Chief Human Resources Officer for Children's Hospital; Chief Catalyst at The Equity Project LLC; one of their first projects was "build systems of health equity in every school district in Colorado") - $500
Katherine McCormick-Murphy (had a GoFundMe set up in her name to protest the closing of the Gilpin Public Montessori School) - $350
Kevin Brauer (registered nurse; Bernie Sanders delegate to DNC) - $350
Chris Chiari (previous Denver City Council candidate) - $350
Scott Gilpin (Campaign Manager for Robert Speth's DPS run) - $150
State Rep. Joseph Salazar - $100
Joshua Hanfling (Lobbyist/Co-Founder/Principal at Sewald Hanfling, Public Affairs/Lobbying) - $100
Joseph Halpern (Attorney at Holland & Hart) - $100
Tim Krug (DougCo Activist) - $100
Amy Carrington (public education activist) - $100
Angela Engel (public education activist; Uniting4Kids) - $25
Kayla Wood (KIPP, 9th & 10th Grade College Counselor and 10th Grade Math Teacher) - $10
District 4 Jennifer Bacon
1, 2, 3
$68,967.25 $67,943.11 $1,024.14 $161,200 DCTA Fund (Denver Classroom Teacher's Association - Union) - $10,000
Arthur Rock (Anti-DeVos; pro-charters that are non-profit) - $5,000
Dawn Bookhardt (served as legal council for major developer Forest City) - $4,000
Leadership for Educational Equity - $3,600
Total, of those employed at Leadership for Educational Equity (with the exceptions of Jennifer Bacon, Angela Cobian, and Kate Chapek) - $3,955
Jennifer Bacon (self) - $1,622.32
Antonio Pares (advises Mayor Hancock on education issues; Teach for America alum; more info) - $1,250
UFCW Active Ballot Club Education Fund Colorado SDC (a union, but cannot tell stance on education) - $1,000
Kimberly Patmore (Trustee of The Charles Schwab Family of Funds and others) - $1,000
Joyce Moorehead (attorney; former Miami-Dade School Board member; more info) - $1,000
Albus Brooks (Denver City Council member; Aspen Institute, Rodel Fellow) - $1,000
Total, of those employed at Teach For America - $775
Kate Chapek (Leadership of Educational Equality; "oversee campaign development") - $500
Total from Lockheed Martin Employees (Associated in STEM education programs in Denver with Project Lead the Way, which retains education reform connections) - $600
Nate Easley (former DPS board member who had a recall effort fail, with the failure assisted by DFER) - $250
Total from DaVita Medical employees (DaVita has a partnership with a network of charter schools) - $240
Taggart Hansen (Employee, CH2M Hill - Global engineering company; ran for State BoE District 2 Dem. nom. in 2014; Denver Post-endorsed) - $200
Total from DSST employees (DSST schools, a charter system) - $200
Total from RISE Colorado employees - $150
Full Democracy PAC (Cannot find info. Help us identify) - $50
Maisha Fields (Exec Dir. of the Fields Foundation) - $50
Angela Cobian (DPS District 2 candidate) - $50
Suzie Brundage (fellow Emerge alum; Thornton City Council Ward 4 candidate) - $25
District 4 Rachele Espiritu (i)
1, 2, 3
$94,195.98 $87,840.50 $6,355.48 $177,433.09 Bruce Benson (President of CU; former 1994 GOP governor nominee; has given to reformer candidates in the past) -

$10,000
Pat Hamill (Real Estate Developer; donates to reform candidates; member of Colorado Concern, which lists education reform as a value) - $7,500 (Post-Report Contribution)
James Q. Crowe (Crowe Building Products; Bloomberg Listing - Roofing) - $5,000
Scott Reiman (Charter school proponent) - $5,000
Daniel Ritchie (former Chairman of Daniels Fund; previously donated to DPS reformers; member of Colorado Concern, which lists education reform as a value) - $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
Ken Tuchman (CEO of Teletech, a call center) - $2,500
Philip F. Anschutz (frequent education reform donor) - $2,000
Steve Halstedt (Managing Director at Centennial Ventures, a venture capital investment firm) - $1,500
David J. Scanavino (President, MCS Advantage Inc. - Health Insurance) - $1,000
David Younggren (Gary Community Investments; Stapleton Foundation; Piton Foundation) - $1,000
Stanton Dodge (Attorney/Legal at DISH Network; member of Colorado Concern, which lists education reform as a value) - $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
1, 2, 3)
(incl. loans totaling $7,352)
$12,962.24 $16,835.41 $3,478.83
(incl. $7,352 in loans)
Sara Schoen (Instructional Designer, University of Minnesota) - $500
Julie Bañuelos (self) - $425
Audrina Aragon (LinkedIn; Project Manager at Measurement Incorporated, which deals in relation to scoring in education) - $400
Beth Bianchi (anti-Gilpin closing) - $250
Katherine (McCormick) Murphy (had a GoFundMe set up in her name to protest the closing of the Gilpin Public Montessori School) - $250
Stephen Molyneux (Musician and Blogger on activism) - $175
Jacquelyn Parkins (UniServ Director, Front Range Colorado Educator's Association) - $120
Laura Martin (Associate Director of Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada) - $100
Andrea Merrida (former DPS member) - $75
Merrily Mazza (Lafayette City Council member) - $25
David Schwab (Communications Director, Liberty Tree Foundation, where Jill Stein serves as a director) - $25
 
At-Large Barbara O'Brien (i)
1, 2, 3
$117,464.34 $115,654.22 $1,810.12 $185,037.60 Bruce Benson (President of CU; former 1994 GOP governor nominee; has given to reformer candidates in the past) - $10,000
Donald Aptekar (Ob-Gyn; Colorado Open Lands Director) - $8,541 (lists only one $100 donations, but has the aggregate as $8,541)
Samuel Gary (founded the Piton Foundation) - $7,500
Patrick Hamill (Real Estate Developer; donates to reform candidates; member of Colorado Concern, which lists education reform as a value) - $7,650 (incl. $150 worth of food)
Philip Anschutz (frequent education reform donor) - $5,000
Scott Reiman (Charter school proponent) - $5,000
Daniel Ritchie (former Chairman of Daniels Fund; previously donated to DPS reformers; member of Colorado Concern, which lists education reform as a value) - $5,000
James Crowe (Says employer "JQCROWE"; Crowe Building Products - Roofing) - $2,500
Susan Halstedt (wife of Steven Halstedt, who is (Managing Director at Centennial Ventures, a venture capital investment firm) - $2,500
Debra Tuchman (wife of Ken Tuchman,

CEO of Teletech, a call center) - $2,500
David Younggren (Gary Community Investments; Stapleton Foundation; Piton Foundation) - $2,000
Chris Watney (Gary Community Investment Company and the Piton Foundation; former President & CEO of Colorado Children's Campaign, a pro-charter group) - $2,000
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
Walter F. Ulloa (Chairman & CEO of Entravision; donated to O'Brien in 2013) - $1,000
Leslie Jacobs (Founder, Educate Now!; Education reform advocate) - $1,000
Marco Abarca (was President of Latinos for Education Reform; "Champions Circle for STRIVE Prep) - $1,000
Kendra Black (Denver City Council, District 4) - $1,000
Donna Boucher (Founder & retired president of The Bates Group Inc--not Bates Group LLC; CU-Denver Advisory Board with Nate Easley; DU campaign finance panel) - $1,000
Cathey Finlon (at the Colorado Scholarship Fund) - $1,000
Justin Jaschke (on the board for DSST schools, a charter system) - $1,000
Chad McWhinney (Was once on board for Teach for America and major donor; "Champions Circle for STRIVE Prep) - $1,000
Zack Neumeyer ([Chairman of Sage Hospitality; Co-Founder and Exec. Board Chairman of America Succeeds; was once board chairman for Teach for America; "Champions Circle for STRIVE Prep) - $1,000
Richard Robinson (Co-CEO Robinson Dairy; member of Colorado Concern, which lists education reform as a value) - $1,000
John Fox (says retired, but address given is the same for MWHC Holdings) - $1,000
Alex Cranberg (Alliance for School Choice; normally donates to pro-reform Republicans in DougCo) - $750
Democrats For Education Reform - $500
Libby Anschutz - $500
Jen Walmer (State Director, Democrats for Education Reform) - $200
David Singer (Center for Education Reform) - $200
Kevin Hall (Executive, Charter School Growth Fund) - $100
Jack Teter (Lobbyist; Democrats for Education Reform and Education Reform Now) - $100
The Capstone Group (Created Democrats for Education Reform - Colorado) - $100

At-Large Robert Speth
1, 2, 3
(Took out $18,075 in loans)
$30,635.50 $31,845.67 $4,864.83
(after $12,000 in loan repayments)
$4,091.79 Robert Speth (self; loan) - $18,075 (1, 2)
Robert Speth (self) - $2,518.50
David Grash (lists Bucky's Car Wash, and a Texas address) - $1,986
Public Education Committee (Small Donor Committee for Colorado Education Association) - $5,000
DCTA Fund (union) - $1,500
Dee Chirafisi (Owner/Founder/Broker Kentwood City Properties; LinkedIn Page) - $990
Tim Darlington (Darlington Renovation) - $666
Craig Kaley (Senior VP of IT at ComputerShare; LinkedIn Page; Wisconsin person, like Speth) - $600
Scott Gilpin (Campaign Manager for Speth) - $525
Laura Curtis (DPS teacher) - $500
Larry Lovelace (On Lone Tree Arts Commission) - $500
Michael Kiley (previous DPS candidate, union-endorsed) - $400
Brad Pippert (lists Colorado PERA as employer) - $300
Joseph Halpern (Attorney at Holland & Hart) - $250
Susan Barnes-Gelt (former Denver City Council member; civic activist) - $250
Jon Van Roo (listed as "John"; physician at Madison Emergency Physicians; went to same alma matter as Speth) - $400
Amy Carrington (public education activist) - $250
Bernd Vilkus (listed as Financial/Investments for Denver Academy Inc., a private school) - $200
Jeanne Kaplan (former DPS board member) - $100
Jonathan Hartley (spelled "Heartley" on form; VP at Endeavour Capital; LinkedIn Page) - $100
Val Flores (State BoE member for the 1st Congressional District) - $100
Bernard Douthit (Candidate for Democratic nomination for State Treasurer) - $50Angela Engel (public education activist; Uniting4Kids) - $25


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

Money has been spent specifically in opposition to these candidates:

  • Jennifer Bacon


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


Every Student Succeeds

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.

Supports:

  • Sochi Gaytan


Our Denver, Our Schools

Supports:

  • Sochi Gaytan
  • Carrie Olson
  • Tay Anderson
  • Robert Speth


Leadership for Educational Equity

Jennifer Bacon has listed a position as Regional Director of LEE on her LinkedIn resume. Bacon's campaign paid LEE $2,527.80 for consulting services (1, 2).

Angela Cobian's campaign paid $2,900 for consulting services] with either the organization itself ($1,400) or with someone who lists an association with the organization ($1,500 to Audrey Kline). (1, 2)


Ready Colorado / Families First Colorado

Not to be confused with the site about Colorado Disaster Preparedness. Ready Colorado, a group focused on education reform, which has as their tagline on their website "Conservatives leading the charge for better schools in Colorado".

Ready Colorado funds the Independent Expenditure Committee Families First Colorado, and is thus far their sole contributor. Ready Colorado has gven Families First Colorado $20,000 as of the 10/30/17 Filing. Families First Colorado's TRACER page has this as their stated purpose: "To support candidates that believe in improving school choice and strengthening accountability to parents and taxpayers, and to oppose candidates that believe in limiting school choice or weakening accountability to parents and taxpayers."

Margo Branscomb is the registered agent of Families First Colorado and was at one point the Board President of Ready Colorado. She also is a 2006 alum of Leadership Program of the Rockies, a group that has awards called "Defenders of Capitalism" and "Defenders of the Declaration".

From their "What is LPR?" Page:

"LPR’s philosophy is firmly rooted in the classical-liberal traditions of the American Revolution and America’s Founding Fathers. These traditions clearly align with the modern conservative movement. America’s libertarian mores are often evident, too.

We stress the virtues of free-markets, Austrian-school economics, the elements of liberty stemming from Natural Law. We strive to fully understand why these principles inspired the Declaration of Independence and how they were woven into the U.S. Constitution.

To graduate, one must make a cogent moral case for capitalism. Concepts like private-property rights, personal responsibility, legitimate rights versus entitlements and more are dissected and understood to a rather full extent."

They have supported these candidates:

  • Rachele Espiritu



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.
  • In the 10/19/17 TRACER Filing, Raising Colorado spent $5,743.29 on social media.
  • In the 10/24/17 TRACER Filing, Raising Colorado spent $20,540.31 on social media and mailers.
  • In the 10/31/17 TRACER Filing, Raising Colorado spent $2,368.83 on social media.
  • In the 11/03/17 filing, Raising Colorado spent $4,014.46 on digital media and website hosting.
  • In the 11/07/17 filing, Raising Colorado spent $3,500 on phone banking.
  • In the 11/07/17 filing, Raising Colorado spent $332.73 on phone banking.
  • In the 11/07/17 filing, Raising Colorado spent $3,538.05 on social media.


Sochi Gaytan

  • A major blitz occurred during the course of the 10/16/17 TRACER filing by Every Student Succeeds totaling $110,000, utilizing mailers, consultations, digital advertising, door to door canvassing.
  • 10/20/17 Filing by Every Student Succeeds was $5,000 for mailers.
  • 10/20/17 Filing, Every Student Succeeds spent $3000 collectively between 10 candidates, so $300 each, though one such charge was in opposition to Angela Cobian, so $600 was spent towards the election of Gaytan.
  • In the 10/30/17 TRACER Filing a total of $916.69 was spent on Gaytan (when factoring her share of shared expenditures) by Our Denver, Our Schools on digital ads, mailers, and general advertising.
  • 11/01/17 Filing, Every Student Succeeds spent $375 on consulting services (both for support of Gaytan and opposition to Cobian).
  • In the 11/03/17 TRACER Filing a total of $582.91 was spent on Gaytan (when factoring her share of shared expenditures) by Our Denver, Our Schools on mailers.


Carrie Olson

  • In the 10/30/17 TRACER Filing a total of $2,123.55 was spent on Olson (when factoring her share of shared expenditures) by Our Denver, Our Schools on digital ads, mailers, and general advertising.
  • In the 11/03/17 TRACER Filing a total of $1,165.82 was spent on Olson (when factoring her share of shared expenditures, both in terms of support for her and opposition to Johnson) by Our Denver, Our Schools on mailers.


Mike Johnson


Tay Anderson

  • In the 10/30/17 TRACER Filing a total of $114.27 was spent on Anderson (when factoring his share of shared expenditures) by Our Denver, Our Schools on digital ads, mailers, and general advertising.
  • In the 11/03/17 TRACER Filing a total of $1,165.82 was spent on Anderson (when factoring his share of shared expenditures, both in terms of support for him and opposition to Espiritu) by Our Denver, Our Schools 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.
  • In the 10/18/17 TRACER Filing, Raising Colorado spent $13,368.41 on mailers.
  • In the 10/19/17 TRACER Filing, Raising Colorado spent $6,783.24 on social media.
  • In the 10/24/17 TRACER Filing, Raising Colorado spent $15,547.81 on social media and mailers.
  • In the 10/29/17 TRACER Filing, Raising Colorado spent $40,432.20 on mailers (including $13,765.83 spent specifically to oppose Jennifer Bacon, however it is doubtful that specific charge is for the benefit of candidate Tay Anderson).
  • In the 10/29/17 filing, Families First Colorado spent $4,378.00 on mailers supporting Espiritu.
  • In the 10/31/17 TRACER Filing, Raising Colorado spent $4,458.23 on social media.
  • In the 11/03/17 filing, Raising Colorado spent $10,202.09 on digital media and website hosting.
  • In the 11/07/17 filing, Raising Colorado spent $6,155.07 on phone banking.
  • In the 11/07/17 filing, Raising Colorado spent $4,706.55 on phone banking.
  • In the 11/07/17 filing, Raising Colorado spent $4,605.98 on social media.


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.
  • In the 10/30/17 TRACER Filing, Brighter Futures for Denver spent $22,200 on mailers.


Barbara O'Brien


Robert Speth

  • In the 10/30/17 TRACER Filing a total of $2,925.97 was spent on Speth (when factoring his share of shared expenditures) by Our Denver, Our Schools on digital ads, mailers, and general advertising.
  • In the 11/03/17 TRACER Filing a total of $1,165.82 was spent on Speth (when factoring his share of shared expenditures, both in terms of support for him and opposition to O'Brien) by Our Denver, Our Schools on mailers.


Reform vs. Pro-Public Ed Monetary Breakdown

Ultimate winners bolded.

This is using money from organizations with specific stances on education reform, not from individuals. For details on individual donations, click here, or scroll up to the beginning of the Campaign Finance subsection.

Seat Name Total Campaign Expenditures Reform (Direct Donations) Pro-Public Ed (Direct Donations) Reform IECs/PACs Pro-Public Ed IECs/PACs Total Spent (Campaigns + IECs)
District 2 Angela Cobian $105,200.02 $2,000 $0 $104,507.49 $0 $209,707.51
District 2 Sochi Gaytan $28,934.10 $0 $15,000 $0 $117,474.60 $146,408.70
 
DISTRICT 2 TOTALS ----- $134,134.12 $2,000 $15,000 $104,507.49 $117,474.60 $356,116.21
 
 
District 3 Carrie Olson $35,470.10 $0 $8,500 $0 $3,289.37 $38,759.47
District 3 Mike Johnson (i) $103,782.57 $0 $0 $55,327.42 $0 $159,109.99
 
DISTRICT 3 TOTALS ----- $139,252.67 $0 $8,500 $55,327.42 $3,289.37 $197,869.46
 
 
District 4 Tay Anderson $16,865.87 $0 $0 $0 $1,280.09 $18,145.96
District 4 Jennifer Bacon $67,943.11 $2,500 $10,000
(Not incl. $1,000, as cannot find ed stances
$0 $161,200.00 $229,143.11
District 4 Rachele Espiritu (i) $87,840.50 $4,750 $0 $177,433.09 $0 $265,273.59
 
DISTRICT 4 TOTALS ----- $172,649.48 $7,250 $10,000 $177,433.09 $162,480.09 $512,562.66
 
 
At-Large Julie Bañuelos $16,835.41 $0 $0 $0 $0 $16,835.41
At-Large Barbara O'Brien (i) $115,654.22 $600 $0 $185,037.60 $0 $300,691.82
At-Large Robert Speth $31,845.67 $0 $6,500 $0 $4,091.79 $35,937.46
 
AT-LARGE TOTALS ----- $164,335.30 $600 $6,500 $185,037.60 $4,091.79 $353,464.69
 
 
GRAND TOTALS ---- $610,371.57 $9,850 $40,000 $522,305.60 $287,335.85 $1,420,013.02