Since 2022, we have engaged with 8,575 Denver families, educators, alumni, and community members across every neighborhood in our city.
At the conclusion of this two-year listening campaign cycle, we have identified three priorities that community members indicated as most important in their eyes: Academics, Mental Health, and Safety.
A community-driven survey on public education in Denver
Partnering with Keating Research to poll likely voters, gathering broad community insights on education
Elevating conversations about public education through door-to-door canvassing efforts
A key component of the Denver Families Listening Campaign is our Kitchen Table Survey. The survey provides current and former Denver Public Schools (DPS) students, educators, families, staff, and community members an opportunity to share their level of satisfaction with the DPS Board of Education and the quality of education available to families in Denver. Respondents also provide feedback on what issues they would like to see prioritized by the DPS Board. Surveys are administered online in partnership with school communities, and in person by our community organizing team and leadership development program participants.
Collecting 331 surveys in 2023 and 830 in 2024, the Kitchen Table Survey produced the following trends and insights:
The LEARN Program is a door-to-door, paid canvassing effort to elevate the conversation about the future of public education in Denver and encourage the community to become involved in public education advocacy. Denver Families recruits, hires, and trains DPS families, educators, and alumni to go door-to-door and survey Denverites about their perspectives on public education in Denver.
Engaging 2,765 community members in 2023 and 3,125 in 2024, our community organizers found the following trends and insights:
To ensure we are gaining input from the entire Denver community, the third component of the Denver Families Listening Campaign is professional polling of likely voters in partnership with Keating Research. Polling engages a broader set of Denverites on their opinions on education.
Polling likely school board voters in 2023 on the top issues facing public education in Denver and likely presidential voters on the DPS 4A bond measure in 2024, the following trends and insights were identified:
After we listen, we work with community members to define our policy platform, prioritize opportunities for collective action, identify policymakers who will champion our work, and collaborate with those champions to demand the change we seek.
At the conclusion of this two-year listening campaign, we have identified the following policy platform priorities:
The Denver community defines mental health as having plentiful support services for social-emotional and psychological well-being for all students. Together, we will advocate for equitable access to more resources, holistic supports, a concentration on mitigating impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the integration of mental health initiatives within the education system. Our work is grounded in our community, and we will advocate for authentic involvement of the community as these supports are implemented.
The Denver community defines safety as emotional and psychological safety, along with health safety and the need for community involvement. Together, we will advocate for better physical, emotional, and psychological safety policies for all of our students, and involve the community directly in proposed solutions.
The Denver community defines academics as critical thinking and problem-solving, ensuring our students are prepared for the future, quality academic performance, and the need to address equity and opportunity gaps. Together, we will advocate for better curricula, resources, support for educators and the ability to involve the community in proposed solutions.
