Press Release

 

November 19, 2007

Board Unanimously Approves District's Reform Plan

Denver Public Schools (DPS) Board of Education approved during tonight's board meeting the district's six reform proposals to dramatically improve opportunities for DPS students and secure the future of the district. The six proposals, first made public on October 1, 2007, are directed at significantly improving the district's ability to deliver the educational promises of its strategic plan, The Denver Plan.

With the full support of the Board of Education, the district will now work to execute the following six proposals made as part of the district's reform plan.

  1. DPS will continue to pursue the instructional reforms of the Denver Plan;
  2. DPS will create innovative and high performing schools, especially secondary schools, by conducting a Request for Proposal (RFP) process to solicit new schools for the 2009 school year and beyond;
  3. DPS will work to expand high quality Early Childhood Education (ECE) and kindergarten programs to improve student achievement, close the learning gap and increase enrollment;
  4. DPS will pursue stabilizing the district's budget by financing its pension liabilities, fully funding its pension and selling surplus real estate;
  5. DPS will close eight buildings and create five new schools in existing buildings; and
  6. DPS will ensure that all students affected by school closures have a better educational opportunity and that additional resources go to drive improved academic performance in targeted underperforming schools.

Bennet stressed, "I am pleased we had the full support of the board tonight. We will now concentrate our energy on pursuing the six proposals and ensure families and students affected by the changes are supported well."

The district began the discussion around improving student achievement and the need for consolidation back in April 2006, at which time Superintendent Bennet called for a blue ribbon committee, from which A+ Denver was born. The independent group of parents, civic leaders, and business leaders gave the district a robust set of criteria and principles that allowed the district to ensure that students affected by the changes would receive a better academic option.

"The board considered the recommendations, feedback and input gathered during one of the most extensive community processes any urban school district in this country has undergone," said Board President Theresa Peña.

Faithfully Implement the Denver Plan's Instructional Reforms

DPS will ensure that all students, including struggling learners, English language learners, and advanced students have access to the support they need to thrive in school, such as intervention teachers, after school programs, summer school, and extension and enrichment activities.

Create New High Performing Schools

During tonight's meeting, the board authorized the creation of a Request for Proposal (RFP) process in order to introduce new schools that complement the Denver Plan and better meet the needs and expectations of the community and students, particularly at the secondary level. The board also directed the district to develop and support the innovative and high performing new school options created through the RFP process.

The first RFP is scheduled to be released in Spring 2008, soliciting programs that will open in the 2009 school year. The New Schools Development Office will support the innovative and new high performing school options and be responsible for creating a single, coherent process to encourage and facilitate the development of new district schools and educational programs in a strategic, coordinated fashion. The process will encourage participation from both current DPS educators and other outside providers and will provide training and support for educators to undertake new school development activities. The first year of the RFP will focus primarily on middle years and alternative schools. A national search has begun to find the Executive Director of the New Schools Development Office.

Significantly Increase Early Childhood Education Opportunities

The district will work to expand full-day Early Childhood Education (ECE) and kindergarten, which is vital to the long-term educational performance of students at DPS, and will also generate enrollment for the district in future years and help increase the use of our facilities.

"It's important for DPS to serve 3-year-old and 4-year-old children at a critical stage in their learning," said Board Vice President Bruce Hoyt. "I commend the Superintendent for making early childhood services a priority on his agenda for educational reform."

Stabilize the District's Finances

With the board's approval, the district will now pursue options to finance its pension obligations. The district's goals are to fully fund the pension (instead of the current 88% it currently funds), and save $12 - $18 million in annual pension expenses in order to invest it back into the implementing of the Denver Plan.

In addition, DPS will consider putting on the market selected surplus real estate, including vacant land and other properties. Schools closed through this year's recommendations will not be considered for sale at this time. The district will create a formal process to involve stakeholders in recommendations for the disposition of other properties and assets.

"A successful financing of the pension would allow us to fund the pension at 100% which would be very good news for our employees and retirees. In addition, we look forward to using the savings from the refinancing of our pension which will go directly into the classroom in the form of lower class sizes, summer school, intervention teachers for struggling students, and other initiatives consistent with the district's overall strategic plan," said Bennet.

Closing Schools and Creating New Schools

The Board of Education unanimously approved the following school closures:

The board also approved the opening of new school programs in existing buildings:

As part of the vote, the administration will develop the new programs at the new schools (Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy, Place ECE-8, Horace Mann ECE-8, Cole ECE-8, and Montessori ECE-8) according to a New School Development Plan. The New School Development Plan will be based on best practices for school development and will incorporate specific conditions and common milestones for reporting progress.

The district and the board will monitor the New School Development Plans to ensure the new schools meet milestones for academic program development, student recruitment, staff selection and professional development, community engagement, school/community safety initiatives, facility improvement, and fiscal plans. The plan will also reflect the unique nature of each new school development project, especially academic programming and the school's relations to the community of learners it will serve. New School Plans will be effective until the district approves each school's School Improvement Plan (SIP). From that point, the new school will be held accountable for academic outcomes using the district's School Performance Framework.

The district staff will make regular updates to the Board of Education on the progress of all schools toward the milestones in the New School Development Plan.

"The decision to close these schools was difficult, but important in order to ensure DPS students a better academic option," said Theresa Peña. "Given the tough decisions, it was important for the board to require certain milestones of the district so that the success of the new schools is ensured."

The chart below illustrates the schools now approved for closure and the new school reassignments for the students affected.

SCHOOL ACTION SCHOOL(S) OF REASSIGNMENT
Remington ES Approved for Closure ECE-8 at Horace Mann
Smedley ES Approved for Closure ECE-8 at Horace Mann
Del Pueblo ES Approved for Closure Greenlee ECE-8
Whiteman ES Approved for Closure Place ECE-8 School
Fallis ES Approved for Closure Place ECE-8 School
Mitchell ES Approved for Closure Cole ECE-8
Wyman ES Approved for Closure Cole ECE-8
Hallett ES Approved for Closure Smith ES & Stedman ES

The chart below illustrates the five (5) new schools that will change their academic programs. Current students at these schools can choose to stay at the new school or program.

SCHOOL ACTION DESCRIPTION
Horace Mann MS Approved to Close Existing Middle School Program & Open New ECE-8 At Horace Mann The existing school program will be closed and will reopen as a new ECE-8 at Horace Mann, with looping model grade configuration. The school will serve 750 students in the Horace Mann area. The ECE-8 at Horace Mann will be the school of reassignment for Smedley and Remington.
Place MS Approved to Close Existing Middle School Program & Open New Place ECE-8 School The existing middle school program will be closed and will reopen as a new Place ECE-8 School, a new magnet school that will offer rigorous educational opportunities to English language learners and native English speakers. The new Place ECE-8 School will be the school of reassignment for Whiteman and Fallis.
Gilpin K-8 Approved to Change The Academic Program To Montessori Beginning In Fall 2008 The existing program will gradually introduce a Montessori program serving infants through 8th graders at Gilpin ECE-8. Enrollment priority will be for students in the Gilpin area, then near northeast Denver.
Kunsmiller MS Approved to Close Existing Middle School Program & Open Kunsmiller Arts Academy The existing academic program will continue until current students complete the 8th grade. A new Kunsmiller Arts Academy will be opened as soon as year 2008-09.
Cole ECE-8 Approved to Open New Cole ECE-8 Will reopen as an ECE-7 in 2008-09 and will expand to ECE-8 the following year. It will be the school of reassignment for Mitchell and Wyman.

Ensure Savings Follow Affected Students and Improved Student Learning

The realignment will achieve projected yearly operating savings of $3.5 million that will be used to improve the education of students that will be affected by the school closures, deliver additional resources to underperforming schools and create funding opportunities for new schools and new programs.

In addition to the standard per pupil revenue that will follow students to their new schools, the district will also reinvest $2 million or 60% of the savings from school closures in the schools of reassignment listed below. These funds will be available to the school for three years and then the district will revisit the commitment.

60% to the New Assignment Schools

Greenlee $150,000
Horace Mann $475,000
Cole $525,000
Place $500,000
Smith $275,000
Stedman $175,000

Another 29% of the savings from school closures will be used to support targeted under-performing schools ($1 million) with the lowest School Accountability Ratings (Barrett, Bruce Randolph, Cheltenham, Cowell, Ford, Howell, Gilpin, Godsman, North, and Rishel). These funds will be available to the school for two years and then the district will revisit the commitment. The remaining 11% of the savings from school closures will be used to fund the development of new, high performing schools and programs throughout the district ($400 K).

"It is important that the savings follow the affected students in order to guarantee that their new schools can have the resources necessary to offer richer academic environments," said Bennet. "These school communities will determine how to spend those resources in a way that best supports the students."

For more information, please contact the Communications Office at (720) 423-3414.

 

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