Denver School Board Election Could Transform District Leadership

By Nico Brambila | The Denver Gazette

With four of seven board seats on the ballot this fall — and frustrations simmering over school closures, low test scores and board transparency — November’s election could reshape Denver Public Schools and chart a new course for the state’s largest school district.

It’s a crowded field.

Thirteen candidates have filed, according to the Colorado Secretary of State’s office. One of them — Samari Royal Jelks Sr., who filed to run for the at-large seat held by Director Scott Esserman — said he has withdrawn from the race, but as of Monday remained listed as a candidate.

Esserman, a former educator elected at-large in 2021, is now running in District 3, represented by board President Carrie Olson. Olson, in her eighth year, is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.

Discontent with district leadership was on full display two years ago and in public meetings since.

Eight months after an East High School student shot two administrators, raising safety concerns, voters elected three new members — Vice President Marlene De La Rosa and Directors John Youngquist and Kimberlee Sia — in an anti-incumbent sweep.

The election two years ago saw an infusion of cash that doesn’t typically characterize school board races.

Denver Families Action, the political arm of Denver Families for Public Schools, spent more than $1 million on the campaign — including a $250,000 TV campaign featuring Denver Mayor Mike Johnston — to elect Youngquist, Sia and De La Rosa.

In the weeks leading up to the 2023 election, local polls showed that 70% of likely voters held an unfavorable view of the school board.

The public has been deeply critical of the board for a series of missteps that include school closures, gun violence and an executive session the court ruled illegal, among others.

The dissatisfaction also gave rise to a “Resign DPS Board” effort to vote out incumbents.

Now, voters face a choice from a roster of newcomers and familiar names vying for a say in the district’s future. From educators to community organizers, the candidates in the race offer different visions for how to tackle Denver’s challenges.

Here are the candidates running for school board:

At large

Deborah Sims Fard, 62

Family: DPS graduate and mother to former DPS students.

Occupation: Part of DPS’s Elevate Schools Network, providing support for teachers at schools with low test scores.

Education involvement: Longtime classroom volunteer, paraprofessional and teacher.

Top issues: Student mental health, recruiting and retaining teachers of color, and teachers’ pay.

Why running: Fard says she wants to close the achievement gap for historically marginalized students.

Samari Royal Jelks Sr.

Withdrawn

Alex Magaña, 56

Family: Married with two DPS graduates.

Occupation: Executive principal of Grant Beacon and Kepner Beacon middle schools.

Education involvement: Longtime DPS educator and principal; co-creator and executive director of the Beacon Innovation Zone.

Top issues: Creating safe and welcoming environments, ensuring the academic and emotional success of students.

Why running: Magaña says he is running to help the board regain community trust by setting aside political agendas, prioritizing transparency, and focusing on improving academic outcomes for all DPS students.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT THE DENVER GAZETTE