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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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A photo of DPS Board President Xóchitl Gaytán sitting in front of a laptop and a microphone.

Gaytán’s dysfunctional board leadership is sowing discord, damaging DPS

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Three months into her second stint as president of the Denver Board of Education, it’s becoming clear that Xóchitl Gaytán’s leadership skills have not improved since her tumultuous first tenure, and that she bears sole responsibility for the strife that has begun plaguing this new board.

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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 »

ICE out: a Black History Month reflection

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Right now, today, people are in the early stages of exploiting that some of us are afraid to speak up and some of us are not. You have just as valid of a reason to not speak up as those that didn’t speak up during Jim Crow. And though that might come off as direct, the gravity of what’s happening in your community, right now, is no less paramount. 

ICE out: a Black History Month reflection 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 »

Late mathematician Dr. Gladys West beside husband Ira West.

Is Denver Public Schools capable of producing the next Gladys West?

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What struck me most in reading about Dr. Gladys West’s life was not only her brilliance, but her perseverance. A deep love of geometry sparked a career that unfolded in the face of profound racial and gender discrimination, in an era when Black women were systematically excluded from advanced mathematics and scientific fields. Her story raises an uncomfortable question closer to home. Are Denver’s public schools systematically cultivating the next generation of Gladys Wests, or are they leaving that talent unrealized?

Is Denver Public Schools capable of producing the next Gladys West? 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. 

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