News Release
January 26, 2006
Board Of Education Work Session And Budget Retreat Agendas For Friday, Jan. 27
The Denver Board of Education will hold a work session and day-long budget retreat beginning at 8 a.m. Friday, Jan. 27 to develop a preliminary budget for the 2006-2007 school year. The meetings will be held in Room 706 at the administration building, 900 Grant St. Following the work session, the Board may call a special meeting to discuss and take action on a litigation matter.
In addition to the budget discussions, the Board also will consider a staff proposal to adjust the grade level configurations for several elementary schools that currently are expanding to K-8 schools.
The agenda includes:
- Presentation of staff report on K-8 school configurations
- Updated financial condition
- 1998 and 2003 mill levy proposed utilization and Title I proposed utilization
- Superintendent's recommendations
- options
- Board discussion
- Negotiations (closed executive session)
- Other (open session)
- Preliminary budget
The K-8 proposal recommends rolling back the expansions of Del Pueblo, Garden Place and Swansea to serve students through fifth grade; keeping Columbine, Harrington and Mitchell at their current grade levels (through sixth grade); keeping Whittier at its current grade level (through seventh grade); and continuing the expansions of Fairmont, Gilpin and Greenlee elementary schools to serve students through eighth grade.
A plan approved last year included expanding a total of nine Denver elementary schools through eighth grade and another through sixth grade only. A majority of these schools are located in near northeast Denver.
The goal of the plan is to deliver the best ECE-8 programs possible, which requires these key components at each school:
- Staffing model at the middle level grades that allows delivery of a comprehensive and compelling curricular offerings
- Teacher collaboration across content areas in the middle level grades
- Adequate facility size and design, specifically: classrooms designed for science and art; adequately sized gymnasium; and hall lockers
- Evidence of a potential student body large enough to ensure an appropriate staffing in 2006-2007 and in the school's future
- Measured community demand for a K-8 model in the area where the school is offered
"We have concerns that some of our new K-8 schools don't reflect these core elements, due primarily to demographics and school design. Put simply, there are not enough students in seven of the elementary schools to deliver an instructionally sound middle level program," said Brad Jupp, Senior Academic Policy Advisor to Superintendent Michael Bennet. "Our goal is to offer parents and students instructionally sound ECE-8 schools that work in clear alignment with elementary, middle and high school options across the city."
Agendas are posted on the Board of Education's website: board.dpsk12.org.
For more information, contact the DPS Communications Office at 720-423-3414.