Press Release - July 14, 2023

Contact: Nan Baumbusch
EDUCATE Denver Chief of Staff 
info@educatedenver.org | 303-501-7287

EDUCATE Denver Response to Innovation Zone Decision-making by the Denver Public Schools Board of Education and Administration

EDUCATE Denver, a coalition of civic leaders who support DPS students, states serious concern with the pattern of innovation zone-related decision-making at Denver Public Schools. As civic leaders, we expect professional leadership from Denver’s Board of Education and superintendent, characterized by honesty, integrity and good faith community partnership. Recent decisions, related to the Beacon Network Schools (BNS) and the Northeast Denver Innovation Zone (NDIZ), are misaligned with state law and overstep district authority. Such activity is inconsistent with the values that EDUCATE Denver, the city of Denver and the broader DPS community uphold. They immediately and adversely impact the families and students DPS is meant to serve.

In both instances, decisions reflect a disregard for agreements that are mutually binding and mutually agreed upon between the district, the innovation zones, and related schools. These zones have a well-documented track record of enrollment and academic achievement, serving a broad diversity of families with success and recent decisions are serving to dismantle opportunity for students.

Activity of concern includes:

Beacon Network Schools

  • The DPS Board of Education recently revoked innovation status for BNS, based on reasons outside the scope of the Innovation Schools Act (ISA).

  • BNS asked the State Board of Education to review DPS' revocation decision to determine whether or not DPS followed state law. 

  • A majority of State Board of Education members agreed with Beacon that DPS should not have revoked innovation zone status and recommended that DPS revisit its decision.

  • Under the ISA, the DPS BOE must publicly present the State Board’s recommendation at a DPS board meeting – this has not happened and DPS has not reinstated zone status.

  • BNS and DPS are in a pending legal challenge regarding zone status.

Northeast Denver Innovation Zone

  • The zone innovation plan, approved by both the DPS and Colorado Boards of Education in June 2018 and upheld by state law in the Innovation Schools Act, states: “the District will not take action regarding the selection, retention, or removal of school leaders without seeking the approval of NDIZ.”

  • McAuliffe’s innovation plan details the process for terminating a principal from a school within the Northeast Denver Innovation Zone (NDIZ).

  • On July 3, 2023, the principal at McAuliffe International School was terminated by the superintendent; the superintendent failed to collaborate with or inform NDIZ that such action was being taken.

  • On Tuesday July 11th, The Denver School Leaders Association filed a grievance alleging that Dennis’ termination violated the process outlined in an agreement between DPS and the Northeast Denver Innovation Zone.

  • An attorney for the principal is planning a lawsuit pending the results of the grievance related to violations of the Principal’s first amendment rights.

  • By failing to follow the district’s statutory obligation, the DPS superintendent subjected the McAuliffe community of educators, staff, parents and over 1,300 students to a vacant principal seat and an uncertain future just six weeks before the new school year.

As community leaders who are focused on the progress of DPS and its students, the EDUCATE Denver coalition strongly urges the DPS Board of Education to act with urgency to remedy these situations. In the case of BNS, we ask the Board to publicly present State Board recommendations immediately and to reinstate the zone. With respect to NDIZ, we ask the DPS Board to work with the superintendent to revisit this decision and to follow the process outlined in the McAuliffe International and NDIZ innovation plans. Finally, we encourage the Board of Education and the superintendent to embrace a go-forward leadership strategy that is consistent and fair to all schools and which follows the established legal agreements between the district and school communities. Taken in combination, these steps will move thousands of students closer to the school choices and support they deserve.

About EDUCATE Denver

EDUCATE Denver is a civic coalition for DPS students. The organization includes over 35 civic leaders in business, philanthropy, public policy, faith-based, and community organizations who understand that high-quality education and a thriving city go hand in hand. EDUCATE Denver seeks to empower civic leaders throughout our city with the knowledge and tools they need to advocate for the high-quality education our DPS students deserve.

For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Nan Baumbusch at 303-501-7287 or email info@educatedenver.org.