Statement on Secretary DeVos’ Criticism of DPS Choice

DPS named no. 1 choice district nationally for second year in a row

Boasberg: DeVos’ criticism stems from “significant” policy differences

For a second straight year, Denver Public Schools’ system of school choice has been ranked no. 1 in the nation by the Brookings Institute, acknowledging the district’s efforts to provide high-quality public schools – district-run and charter – accessible for all families.

In responding to U.S. Education Secretary Betsy Devos’ criticism of Denver Public Schools about the award, DPS Superintendent Tom Boasberg said the secretary’s criticism highlights significant policy differences between the Trump administration and DPS’ focus on high-quality public schools accessible to all kids:

“We respectfully disagree with Secretary DeVos. We do not support private school vouchers. We believe that public dollars should be used for public schools that are open to all kids, whether they are district-run or charter,” Boasberg said.

“A core principle in Denver and one of the main reasons we rank no. 1 nationally in school choice is that we ensure equitable systems of enrollment among district-run and charter schools, where all schools play by the same enrollment rules and all schools are subject to the same rigorous accountability system. We do not support choice without accountability.”

Learn more about the DPS vision of choice in this recent superintendent’s column.