Aurora Public Schools took a shot between the eyes when A+ Denver and its education reform cahooters turned their gaze eastward to produce the report “If not now: Transforming Aurora Public Schools from Failing to Great.”

The report does confess to an APS reality. “For too long Aurora has been neglected in conversations about improving public education. Instead, people have focused their attention and improvement efforts on Denver Public Schools, ignoring the challenges and growing number of students on the city’s margins.”

So just now, Colorado Succeeds, A+ Denver, Education Reform Now and other education reform groups find that Aurora has a high number of at-risk students who, no surprise given the metro area’s record, aren’t doing well on our state standardized tests.

To remedy this state of affairs, Aurora has jumped into the state’s $2 million Turnaround Schools Leadership Grant Program. The district has six principals and two district leaders enrolled in Relay Graduate School of Education, at $20,000 per participant, to learn how to get their schools ship-shape. A total of 39 school leaders across the state are participating in Relay. There’s also the expense of trips to New York City, where Relay is headquartered.

Relay’s program is based on what can only be called the theory of the strict. This approach emerged from the teaching methodology used in Relay’s founding charter schools Kipp, Uncommon Schools and Achievement First. Kipp has several schools in Denver and is much admired by Aurora’s education reform critics.

Practically overnight, the chosen Aurora schools now operate on this strictness theory. Children must keep their “lips zipped” at all times when they walk down a hall with their arms tucked to their sides and their eyes staring straight forward.

Teachers develop exquisitely precise lesson plans that lead to data-generating tests. Pre-assessments and post-assessments drive decisions to support the large majority of at-risk children. In some schools, more than 40 languages are spoken. Students get 45 minutes of English language learning a day. Some schools don’t have a certified nurse or librarian.

School turnaround research says that poor-performing schools must be “blown up” if they’re going to turn around, so parents weren’t asked whether this charter-based system is appropriate for their school. Teachers weren’t asked if they could or would adapt to the new regime. It’s tough luck for the kids if their teachers disagree with the new direction.

Despite the strictness, drill-to-the-skill and incessant assessment, enough kids aren’t getting to competent to turn the turnaround. Even gifted kids are failing. Teachers are identifying weaknesses to correct. They will spend more time drilling on the problem skills, which will mean less time on some other skill. It’s a dreary, weary cycle that removes joy from learning and teaching.

Let’s not be discouraged, however. If Relay doesn’t work, these eight APS leaders can join their peers enrolled in the $40,000-per-person two-year turnaround program offered by Catapult, a local provider endorsed by CDE. And why wouldn’t it be endorsed? It’s run by Barbara O’Brien, former lieutenant governor under Gov. Bill Ritter and current Denver Public Schools board member. State Sen. Michael Johnston, D-Denver, the ever-present education reformer, sits on Catapult’s board.

Catapult’s program description sounds a lot like the MAT degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies offered by the University of Denver. Both take a “Design Thinking” approach to turning around the “wicked problems” represented by poor, urban schools. The main differences are that DU’s MAT is cheaper and offers licensing.

The state is putting big money bets on these programs and their principal leaders. The Big Short shorters would probably take a counter position. Let’s hope the shorters would be wrong.

Paula Noonan owns Colorado Capitol Watch, the state’s premier legislature tracking platform.