Cherry Creek Schools leadership trust strained, poll finds

By Nico Brambila | The Denver Gazette

A yearslong upheaval in the Cherry Creek Schools district is having an impact on the public with more than half of Cherry Creek residents having a “less favorable” opinion of leadership, a new poll has found.

Respondents who had heard negative news about the district cited leadership scandals, nepotism and waste or financial mismanagement, according to the poll conducted by Aspect Strategic. 

While a majority of respondents said teachers are doing a good job educating students, the pollsters concluded that the “negative news appears to have deeply compromised community trust.”

“For me, what it confirms is that what has happened has had an impact on people’s perception of what is going on in the district,” said Carlye Holladay, president of the Cherry Creek Education Association, which represents more than 3,000 educators across the district.

Among the poll’s findings:

• Only 20% of respondents believe the district is budgeting responsibly
• 27% said district leadership was conducting public business in a transparent manner
• The majority of respondents said teachers (71%) and parents (73%) should provide input into the superintendent search

Officials agreed that “transparency, accountability and public trust” are critical for the district’s success.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT THE DENVER GAZETTE