EDUCATE Denver, a diverse group of civic leaders, developed more than 25 goals for DPS that the group will track monthly, to measure progress with a focus on raising achievement for students of color, special education students, and those from low-income families.
Commentary
Large numbers of students in upper elementary, middle school, and high school lack reading proficiency and, if current trends continue, are never going to catch up.
What if all leaders of color felt advocated for, sponsored and supported to be leaders in their communities, the way I did as a first-grader?
If you want to know how to solve crime, depression, inequity, damn racism, sexism, all them isms. If you want to know how to do that, come holler at education.
My charter high school did an excellent job providing students of color with different opportunities like internships and extracurricular activities, but I wonder if these resources are also available and known to students in other nearby schools.
Last Friday’s board work session was refreshing. The meeting was a thoughtful discussion among peers who were asking questions of prepared and informed staff on topics that matter — the welfare and academic achievement of children.
When I think about community impact, it is about the connections you make, it’s about knowing the community and understanding its problems enough to make real change. When I needed help throughout my life, those true connections were there to help me understand my next steps.
I fear that as long as board members with Esserman’s outlook continue to drive the agenda in urban schools, student success that reaches across all demographic groups will remain elusive. It’s hard to fix what you refuse to measure.
If we can first agree that multiple, valuable truths exist simultaneously in education: congratulations! We made it to our first agreement.
During this open enrollment season, we encourage parents to explore charter school options, and we’ve highlighted resources to help inform that decision below.
Can DPS lead on AI?
Dr. Richard Charles, DPS’ chief information officer, is an experienced technologist who understands the nuanced landscape of technology in education and AI as a means to improve student outcomes.