Rocky Mountain Voice

Menu

Tag: Denver Public Schools

Enrollment drops but Denver schools keep growing administration
No Comments
Colorado Accountability Project, Approved, Commentary, Local

Enrollment drops but Denver schools keep growing administration

By Cory Gaines | Commentary, Colorado Accountability Project Denver Public Schools administrative bloat -- with some interesting counterpoint The Gazette article linked first below touches on a subject that I’ve written about multiple times. It’s administrative bloat in schools. It seems as though DPS has gotten its ranks of administrators while at the same time enrollment has fallen. This pattern also seems to be playing out in school districts around the state. Quoting (with link intact) from the article: “This finding [that DPS is beefing up administration while student numbers fall] mirrors a statewide trend identified in a report by the Common Sense Institute (CSI) that found Colorado school districts continued to grow their administrative staff despite declin...
Read More
DPS Fires Teacher After Students Report Pressure To Participate In Same Sex Kissing Skits
No Comments
CBS Colorado, Approved, Local

DPS Fires Teacher After Students Report Pressure To Participate In Same Sex Kissing Skits

By: Logan Smith | CBS Colorado Denver Public Schools board members voted unanimously May 20 to dismiss a 50-year-old foreign language teacher following a district investigation and an independent review into student complaints about a class assignment. The board voted 7-0 after meeting in executive session to consider the firing of Jennifer Honka. Honka taught French Language and Culture at Northeast Early College for all of her eight years with the district. Officially, Honka was fired for incompetence and neglect of duty. There was no public debate among the board members prior to the vote. Honka's classroom instruction first came into question during the 2023-24 school year. She had received the highest possible rating in district assessments the prior three years. ...
Read More
Denver Schools Approve Full-Day Cell Phone Ban Beginning Next Year
No Comments
DENVER7, Approved, Local

Denver Schools Approve Full-Day Cell Phone Ban Beginning Next Year

By: Maggie Bryan | Denver7 Denver Public Schools adopted a new policy banning student use of cell phones and other personal communication devices during school hours. DENVER — Denver Public Schools will ban student cell phones and other communication devices for the entire school day starting next school year, after the DPS Board of Education voted unanimously to adopt the new policy Monday night. The ban covers the use of cell phones, smart or electronic watches, wireless earbuds, personal tablets, laptops, and any other personally owned portable electronic communication devices. The policy was drafted in response to a state law requiring school districts to implement a policy by July 1 concerning student device use during the school day. A DPS survey sent to...
Read More
Cherry Creek Schools Target Of New Federal Civil Rights Investigation
No Comments
The Denver Gazette, Approved, Local

Cherry Creek Schools Target Of New Federal Civil Rights Investigation

By Nicholas Fogleman | The Denver Gazette The U.S. Department of Education opened an investigation into Cherry Creek School District on Monday over allegations of racial discrimination. The department said its Office for Civil Rights is reviewing claims that the district violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by sponsoring “a wide range of racially-discriminatory programming.” The complaints alleged the district discriminated on the basis of race in student clubs, academic support programs, teacher training and a parent committee, the department said in a news release. In a statement, the district said it has not yet received a copy of the complaint and could not comment in detail. “We strongly disagree with the characterization of the district programming...
Read More
Denver Public Schools Grows Bureaucracy While Student Population Declines
No Comments
The Denver Gazette, Approved, Local

Denver Public Schools Grows Bureaucracy While Student Population Declines

By: Nicole C. Brambila | The Denver Gazette Meanwhile, the district employs 262 fewer teachers compared to 5 years ago. Denver Public Schools (DPS) has operated with thousands fewer students than its peak enrollment in 2019 but it has grown its administrative ranks back to nearly their pre-pandemic level, a Denver Gazette analysis of state staffing data shows. This finding mirrors a statewide trend identified in a report by the Common Sense Institute (CSI) that found Colorado school districts continued to grow their administrative staff despite declining student enrollment. In the past five years, districts across the state have added more than 250 administrators, a 13.1% increase, according to CSI. State data shows Colorado has lost more than...
Read More
Denver Teacher Dismissed After Students Asked To Act Out Kissing Scenes
No Comments
Approved, Local, The Denver Gazette

Denver Teacher Dismissed After Students Asked To Act Out Kissing Scenes

By Nicole C. Brambila | The Denver Gazette An administrative law judge has recommended the dismissal of a teacher at Northeast Early College — a high school in the Denver Public Schools district — after finding classroom activities and personal disclosures to students amounted to “incompetence and neglect of duty,” setting up a final vote by the school board. After meeting in executive session Wednesday, the DPS Board of Education unanimously voted to accept the dismissal of Jennifer Honka, a French teacher. They could have rejected the April 30 decision by Judge Keith J. Kirchubel. The board’s action came without public discussion. READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
Read More
“Stay on our necks”: DPS board adopts immigration policy proposed by activist coalition
No Comments
Rocky Mountain Voice, Local, Top Stories

“Stay on our necks”: DPS board adopts immigration policy proposed by activist coalition

By Kelly Notarfrancesco | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice With her clenched fist raised high in the air and a call of, “Si se puede,” Denver Public School Board of Education President Xóchitl Gaytán smiled as she requested the DPS board’s vote to adopt a policy amendment to limit the district’s interaction with federal immigration agencies. Screenshot of Denver Public Schools Board of Education President Xóchitl Gaytán during April 23 board meeting. The policy change came at the request of a nationwide coalition of over 40 nonprofit activist organizations, many of which are connected with anti-Israel protests, Colorado’s anti-ICE protests, and the broader Marxist-Leninist global communist movement. Coalition members are financed byOpen Society Foundation,...
Read More
How the nation’s largest teachers union taught schools to cut parents out
No Comments
Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

How the nation’s largest teachers union taught schools to cut parents out

By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice In April 2025, Dustin Gonzalez stood before the Jefferson County school board and told them what had happened to his family. A school-appointed therapist in Lakewood, he said, had affirmed his daughter's gender transition without his knowledge. His ex-wife initiated proceedings to take his visitation. A court-appointed investigator never accused him of abuse or harm. A judge ruled anyway that his inability to affirm was sufficient grounds to reduce his parenting time — and limited it to every other weekend, Gonzalez shared on X. "It started in your schools," Gonzalez told the board. "Your systems made it possible, and your silence made it personal. You never once thought, 'Shouldn't the father be involved, too.'" He de...
Read More
DPS Board Hears Divided Testimony On Proposed Immigration Safe Zone Policy
No Comments
DENVER7, Approved, Local

DPS Board Hears Divided Testimony On Proposed Immigration Safe Zone Policy

By Tyler Melito | Denver7 The proposed policy aims to make schools, bus stops and school events 'safe zones' from ICE. DENVER, Colo. - As tensions rise between ICE agents and communities across the country, Colorado's largest school district is considering a new policy that they say will protect students. The board is proposing a policy that would create safe zones at all district-managed and charter school properties — including school buildings, grounds, bus stops, school transportation and school-sponsored events — for students families and employees. On Thursday, the community had the chance to weigh in. "Protect and defend our immigrant students, parents, families, community members and employees, ensuring they are safe, valued, respected and ...
Read More
Denver Public Schools Considers Safe Zone Policy Limiting ICE Access Without Warrants
No Comments
DENVER7, Approved, Local

Denver Public Schools Considers Safe Zone Policy Limiting ICE Access Without Warrants

By: Allie Jennerjahn | Denver7 DENVER — A Denver Public Schools (DPS) hearing is scheduled Thursday to discuss labeling all school property as "safe zones" for students, families and staff. This includes bus stops, transportation and school-sponsored events. The proposed policy would require United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE )agents and other federal officials to present a warrant before any student can be questioned or detained. Students at DPS have been contacted by ICE during lunch and dismissal, according to Denver-based advocacy group Movimiento Poder said. READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT DENVER7
Read More

FD863768-0ACF-495E-9D21-2EF784DFFA6B[1]

Join us at RMV's Freedom Festival

Click Here for Tickets!

This will close in 0 seconds