Author: Nico Brambila
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Early leaders maintained lead in Denver school board race
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The Denver Public School board of education candidates who led early on Election Night continued to gain ground, as additional results were released on Wednesday, with no races tightening as the day went on. As of noon Wednesday, about 70% of the votes cast had been tallied, according to the Denver Election’s Division. Updated vote…
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Denver voters poised to oust two incumbents in school board shakeup
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In a highly anticipated election, Denver voters are poised to oust two of the three incumbents on the Denver Public Schools Board on Tuesday, early election results showed. It seems to signal a push to change the district’s direction at a time when trust in leadership is low. Director Xóchitl Gaytán, who represents southwest Denver…
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Denver school board releases superintendent’s job performance evaluation
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After weeks of closed-door meetings about Superintendent Alex Marrero’s job performance, the Denver school board unanimously approved accepting his evaluation during Thursday’s meeting. Marrero received 73.5 points (out of 100), narrowly missing the district’s 75% benchmark for meeting goals. Some of the measures — for example, the percent of kinder through third graders reading at…
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Denver school board reviews findings in John Youngquist probe
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The Denver school board’s discussion of a report clearing Director John Youngquist of racial bias turned emotional Wednesday, as board members debated whether “intent” matters less than “impact” amid anonymous complaints that Youngquist said were not disclosed to him. Board members spent nearly 90 minutes expressing their disappointment in Youngquist and urging him to take…
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Investigation inconclusive on whether Denver school board member Youngquist acted with bias
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The law firm hired to investigate whether a Denver school board member acted with “racial insensitivity” toward district staff did not conclusively find bias. The district retained Garnett Powell Maximon Barlow & Farbes on June 26 to investigate the allegations brought by Superintendent Alex Marrero, which included a claim that Director John Youngquist was vying…
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Denver school board candidates raise more than $400K for race
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Eleven candidates competing for four open seats on the Denver school board have raised a combined $419,583 — far less than the record sums seen in the 2023 race, campaign finance reports show. That total is roughly 40% less than the $697,100 the 13 candidates who ran two years ago brought in. The average haul…
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Accusations of racism ripple through Denver school leadership
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“Racist” has become a go-to accusation by Denver Public Schools leaders and those who attend board meetings. A White woman asking a Black heckler to stop? “Racist.” A White board member proposing guardrails on the board of education hiring outside counsel when the district has in-house Black counsel? “Racist.” Another White board member accused of…
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Colorado urges insurers to ease rules for federal workers hit by shutdown
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With more than 50,000 federal employees in the state furloughed or working without pay during the shutdown, the Colorado Division of Insurance urged insurance carriers this week to help employees facing financial hardships. Among the suggested relief for federal employees: The purpose of the bulletin is to encourage carriers to take actions to avoid cancellations…
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ACLU sues Trump administration over ICE arrests in Colorado
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The ACLU of Colorado has sued the Trump administration, alleging that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials carried out unlawful, warrantless arrests as part of a broad effort to detain immigrants living in the United States without legal status. The lawsuit was brought on behalf of a legal permanent resident, a “Dreamer” brought to the country…
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DPS board candidates spar over trust and transparency at forum
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While candidates will say every election is consequential, the four seats on the ballot next month could reshape the Denver Public Schools Board of Education and chart a new course for Colorado’s largest school district. On Tuesday, EDUCATE Denver held a candidate forum along with ChalkBeat Colorado and CBS News at Regis University. “We think…