Commentary
On our 250th, let’s hope political divisions won’t keep us from agreeing on one simple idea: that a democracy depends on students who are literate and who have a solid understanding of our history.
A lot has happened since our last podcast episode June 29. Denver Public School Superintendent Alex Marrero learned he will not be a finalist for the superintendent’s job in Miami-Dade, Florida. Board President Xóchitl Gaytán sent a letter to a media outlet in which she defends her decision not to call a special board meeting on short notice. Records received through a Colorado Open Records Act request show that Board Vice President Monica Hunter and board members John Youngquist and Amy Klein Molk wrote Gaytán asking for a special meeting to address concerns, including that Marrero might try to trigger a clause in his contract as soon as July 8 that would have allowed him to terminate that contract and collect a full year’s salary and benefits on his way out the door. The earliest possible termination of contract date came and went without any action, but there’s still a lot going on behind the scenes.
In this episode, co-host Alan Gottlieb analyzes Marrero’s letter and his employment contract with former Denver school board member Theresa Peña, a tireless advocate for Denver’s most vulnerable children. How the letter and contract’s language paly off each other seem to indicate that Marrero intends to walk away from the district with a big payout, perhaps as soon as early July.
What does Denver Public Schools’ detailed, data-rich Strategic Regional Analysis tell us about the future of the district? Data and demography expert Brian Eschbacher joins us to discuss.
This DPS regime has shown minimal interest in deeply examining data and taking concrete steps to improve matters. It seems focused instead on making Marrero look good so he can slip out the door into a bigger job in a bigger city, with a bigger salary.
What I’ve come to learn is that effective school teams are not much different than effective basketball teams. That the decisions made in film sessions, player meetings, and the front office are similar in importance to school board meetings, professional developments, and the central office. And that if winning is our goal (i.e. getting results alongside students), you have to have a feel for the game AND understand analytics.Â
When students spend every passing period, lunch period, and free moment looking at a screen, we lose opportunities for human connection. We lose opportunities for friendship, community, and belonging. We lose opportunities for trusted adults to notice when a student may be struggling.
Denver Public Schools has begun a months-long process of collecting feedback and studying options for redrawing its school boundaries. It’s sure to be a contentious process, akin to school closure debates. Perhaps that is one of the reasons the district hasn’t undertaken this task since 1955-96, when federally mandated busing for integration ended after 25 years. In this episode co-hosts Alexis Menocal Harrigan and Alan Gottlieb discuss the promises and pitfalls the district will face in the coming months. Gottlieb was a Denver Post reporter during the lasy boundary debate, and offers some historical perspective.
Not all co-locations feel the same. Some create a sense of direct competition; others feel more complementary. That distinction matters because successful co-location requires more than operational efficiency. It requires trust, structure, and intentional partnership.
You can now listen and/or watch us on YouTube, also embedded in this article!
Our guest for this episode is Pat Donovan, who has been a leading Denver public-education advocate for many years. He led the advocacy and funding organization RootED, held a top leadership position at its successor, Denver Families for Public Schools. He heads the board of Rocky Mountain Prep, one of Denver’s largest, homegrown charter school networks. He’s also a board member at the Colorado League of Charter Schools.
Donovan has a long perspective on a variety of trends in Denver Public Schools, including how well the district is preparing students for life after high school and the narrowing of school choice. We invited Pat on for a wide-ranging discussion on these and other DPS-related topics.
Highly recommended new book posits schools can save democracy
On our 250th, let’s hope political divisions won’t keep us from agreeing on one simple idea: that a democracy depends on students who are literate and who have a solid understanding of our history.