Colorado’s children are counting on you.

October 17, 2011

Dear Friend,

Ballots for the November 1, 2011 election hit mailboxes last week.  Much is at stake surrounding public education in Denver and Colorado.  I want to encourage you to educate yourself on the issues and to return your ballot by November 1.

There are two issues in particular that are critical to public education: the DPS School Board Elections and Proposition 103.

School Board Elections:

Voter turnout for a Board of Education election is typically very low, and yet this is one of the most influential roles an elective body can play in our community.  A strong public school system is the foundation of every community, every neighborhood and a critical factor for businesses trying to recruit and retain employees.  Each district’s school board plays a vital role in shaping our neighborhood schools.  It is extremely important that every community has an active and informed voice in electing its school board members.  Read about the priorities of the current seven-member DPS School Board here.

School Board Forum October 18: What to ask the candidates

Ballots have arrived, and its time to be sure you know where each candidate stands on critical issues that will affect DPS schools and students before you cast your vote.

The best way to learn about the candidates is directly from them. You have an opportunity to do so on Tuesday, October 18 from 6pm – 7:30pm for a Candidate Forum at the University of Denver Davis Auditorium. Read full details about the Candidate Forum here: DPS School Board Candidate Forum

What kinds of things do you need to know about each candidate? Follow this link to read a resource provided by the US Chamber of Commerce. It offers guidance and lists important questions the people who will be deciding the future of Denver’s schools must answer: School Board Candidate Questionnaire.

If you can’t make it to the forum, you can pose these questions directly to the candidates, or research previously released completed questionnaires that will help you determine the qualifications and priorities of each candidate.

Read this introduction from the questionnaire:

School boards play a unique role in school district governance and provide a venue for communities to have democratic input into local education decisions. To effectively execute their responsibilities, school board members must clearly understand district governance and have a strong commitment to advancing student outcomes. Because the majority of school boards in the United States are elected, it is up to voters to select the most informed and competent individuals to fulfill these roles. During school board elections, candidates must demonstrate their knowledge of both the conditions that allow boards to be effective and the specific challenges facing their district.

Enclosed is a list of sample nonpartisan questions that voters, editorial boards, or other stakeholders can use to gauge the views and knowledge of school board candidates. These questions, developed in consultation with national education governance and policy experts and school board veterans, can be included in a written questionnaire or asked at public forums.

Why should I care about the Board of Education elections?

What is the Board of Education?

The DPS Board of Education is an elected body of seven members and a superintendent, whom the board appoints to set the vision for the district and oversee its daily operations. The work of the board is to establish policies and procedures for DPS in compliance with state law. The board members serve terms of four years, which are staggered in a way so that no more than four members are elected in any one election. Elections are bi-annual and in odd-numbered years.

What does the Board of Education do? 

School boards apply state and federal education laws to individual districts and set and enforce local school policies. Their primary tasks include:

• Selecting and evaluating the superintendent
• Setting curriculum standards and guidelines
• Creating goals for school performance and managing a portfolio of schools
• Setting and overseeing budget and spending for a district

Read more about the Denver Board of Education, including their Vision and Core Beliefs Framework, on their website.

How does the Board of Education impact my neighborhood school?

Refer back to the list of criteria above. The Board of Education makes important decisions about the content taught in classrooms, the future and structure of schools based on their performance, the budget for the district and many other deciding factors that impact YOUR neighborhood school.

Whether you have kids in DPS or not – these decisions impact you. The performance of your neighborhood school impacts the value of your home. Inform yourself about the election, the candidates, the issues, your neighborhood schools and vote by November 1.

November 1 Election 101: It’s All About Public Education!

Vote by November 1 in the Board of Education Elections

Tuesday, November 1 is a very important election day. Denver will be electing new members to the DPS Board of Education, and also weighing in on Proposition 103, which addresses public school funding. We encourage every single citizen of Denver to educate themselves about the election; familiarize themselves with the candidates and the issues; and exercise your American right (and duty!) by casting your mail-in ballot by November 1.

The first step is to be sure you are registered to vote. Check your status and register by visiting the Secretary of State website here. The last day to register is Monday, October 3. Don’t let the window close on you – be sure you’re registered today!

Now, it’s time to learn about the candidates and ballot initiatives.

There are seven seats on the Board of Education: five director district seats and two at large seats. The 2011 election will be for two director district seats and one at-large seat. The director districts up for election in 2011 are 1 and 5.

• View the list of candidates.
• Download a contact sheet for the candidates. This includes candidates’ websites where you can learn more about their positions on key issues and contact them directly.
• Check out a map of Board of Education director districts on the City of Denver’s Current Boundary Maps page.

Proposition 103

• Read about Proposition 103 in the 2011 State Ballot Information Blue Book. The DPS Foundation and the DPS Board of Education have endorsed Proposition 103 and encourage you to learn more to cast your own vote in November.

Registered voters will receive their mail ballots in mid-October. Ballots can be returned by mail or dropped at a Voter Service Center.

The DPS Foundation will keep you updated with resources, including a schedule of forums and other opportunities to hear directly from the candidates and reminders to cast your ballot. Please stay tuned and PLAN TO VOTE BY NOVEMBER 1!