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Boardhawk podcast season 2, episode 8: The state of educational opportunity in Colorado, with Nicholas Hernández and Marc Porter Magee

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50CAN, a national education advocacy organization, and Transform Education Now (TEN), its Colorado affiliate, recently released a report called The State of Educational Opportunity in Colorado, a survey of some 515 parents from across the state. ur guests for this podcast episode are Marc Porter Magee, the founder and CEO of 50CAN, and Nicholas Hernández, the co-founder and executive director of TEN. The Colorado report and national survey data are filled with fascinating insights that say a great deal about current attitudes toward public education, school choice, and parental engagement.

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A wide shot of the 2026 Denver Public Schools Board of Education members.

Boardhawk podcast season 2, episode 7: The dysfunctional leadership of the Denver school board, with guest Cody Ostenson

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Last week Boardhawk editor Alan Gottlieb published an article about the dysfunctional leadership of the Denver School Board under President Xóchitl Gaytán. In this new podcast episode Gottlieb and co-host Alexis Menocal Harrigan delver mnore deeply into this issue, along with Cody Ostenson, Director of External Affairs for Denver Families for Public Schools. Ostenson is one of if not the closest observer of the board and Denver Public Schools. His insights into board dynamics and DPS generally are invaluable.

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An illustration of a man receiving an award that reads, "Ongoing Failure." There is a spotlight on him and confetti swirling around the room, and a crowd of people looks up at him adoringly.

Boardhawk podcast season 2, episode 6: Why does the state boost the ratings of failing high schools like Denver’s Lincoln?

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Last week, Boardhawk published a piece by educator and education researcher Peter Huidekoper Jr. about the baffling move by the Colorado Department of Education late last year to boost the state rating of Denver’s Abraham Lincoln High School despite a longstanding and ongoing record of failure to educate most of its students to anything approaching grade level proficiency. We asked Huidekoper onto the podcast to take a deeper dive into this issue.

Boardhawk podcast season 2, episode 6: Why does the state boost the ratings of failing high schools like Denver’s Lincoln? Read More »

An illustration of the word "justice" written across Hokusai's painting, "The Great Wave off Kanagawa."

In public education, it is past time to let justice roll like water

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Justice-driven systems do not rely on families to escape harm. They eliminate harm at its source. They do not measure success by averages or exceptions, but by whether the most marginalized students and their families experience stability, excellence, and opportunity — where they live and where they choose to learn.

In public education, it is past time to let justice roll like water Read More »

A headshot of a middle-aged man with light skin, black-grey hair, and a black suit against a dark grey background.

Podcast season 2 episode 5: Former Mayor Federico Peña on why ‘failing’ DPS should merge with city government

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Former Denver Mayor Federico Peña this week authored a provocative article in Westword advocating for merging Denver Public Schools, which he calls a “failing institution,” into  Denver city government. He came on the podcast to explain his reasons, and how this might be made a reality down the road.

Podcast season 2 episode 5: Former Mayor Federico Peña on why ‘failing’ DPS should merge with city government Read More »

The logo of Kaiser Permanente.

Podcast season 2 episode 4: After 50+ years, DPS may be about to dump Kaiser Permanente as a healthcare provider. How this could hurt 5,000 people

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On December 8, health care provider Kaiser Permanente sent a letter to the roughly 3,400 Denver Public Schools employees who receive its services informing then that DPS was dropping Kaiser as a provider. Our guest today is Rob Gould, president of the Denver Classroom Teachers Association. We delve deeply into this issue with Gould, whose members stand to bear the brunt of the possible consequences.

Podcast season 2 episode 4: After 50+ years, DPS may be about to dump Kaiser Permanente as a healthcare provider. How this could hurt 5,000 people Read More »

An illustration of a cowboy on a horse lassoing a newspaper.

Colorado education news roundup, Feb. 9

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Editor’s note: In this era of a badly fractured media landscape, it can be challenging to find specialized news of any type in one convenient location. Boardhawk is hoping to solve that problem for people interested in Colorado education news and commentary, with a smattering of national news and commentary thrown in for good measure. Please let us know if you find this useful. 

Colorado education news roundup, Feb. 9 Read More »

A headshot of a man with short dirty blond hair, blue glasses, and a dark blue suit jacket.

Podcast season 2 episode 3: School enrollment expert Brian Eschbacher on the root causes of enrollment declines (school choice is not the culprit)

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Colorado public schools are experiencing sustained enrollment declines (Denver less than many other districts), and that’s reshaping everything — school funding, staffing, program offerings, district politics, and debates over school choice. This is more than a demographic story; it’s a governance and values story. Today we are joined by Brian Eschacher to unpack enrollment trends, how school choice fits into the picture, and what districts and policy makers should be paying attention to next. 

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Podcast season 2, episode 2: former Colorado Education Commissioner Katy Anthes on leading effectively in polarized times

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Dr. Katy Anthes served as Commissioner of Education in Colorado from 2016-2023, and is widely respected for her commitment to listen to diverse perspectives and her legacy of developing solutions that are founded on productive middle ground. Her perspective on how to foster meaningful dialogue and change across political and ideological differences has carried forward into her current work on a project called FORWARD: From Polarization to Progress.

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