At Denver Families for Public Schools, we believe that high-quality public education is only possible when community voice guides leadership decisions. That requires transparency, thoughtful process, and authentic engagement. At the May 1, 2025 board meeting, the Denver Public Schools (DPS) School Board failed to meet that standard.
At the meeting, board members rushed a decision to extend Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero’s contract, months before a decision was required and without a thoughtful process for community input. Also concerning was the decision to amend the contract to make it more difficult to terminate in the future, thus intentionally subverting the will of voters. This was a rushed and self-serving decision that put political positioning ahead of public trust.
Over the next eight months, key milestones — including the superintendent’s formal evaluation in October and a school board election in November — would have offered clear, community-informed context for this decision. The board had until January 2026. There was time.
Our schools belong to the community. Recent polling reveals deep dissatisfaction among likely Denver voters with the DPS Board of Education, with less than 1 in 4 viewing the current board favorably and 89% expressing concern about access to quality public schools across the city. That doesn’t inspire confidence in the school board making decisions without community input.
To make matters worse, this secretive process is eerily familiar. In 2021, just five months after being hired and prior to any performance evaluation, Dr. Marrero was granted a four-year contract extension that was hastily pushed through just one day after the board publicly announced it would be considered. As an organization that uplifts community voice and leadership, we find this pattern of decision-making to be unacceptable.
Denver Families has worked together in partnership with Superintendent Marrero in the past, supporting efforts like the 2024 bond measure, the Achieving Excellence Academy, and storytelling projects that elevate LGBTQ+ and student voices.
What we are against is any board decision that intentionally silences the community — regardless of who the superintendent is. We value collaboration. But collaboration requires trust — and trust requires transparency.
While five board members were supportive of this flawed process (Directors Marlene De La Rosa, Scott Esserman, Xóchitl Gaytán, Carrie Olson and Michelle Quattlebaum), we would like to thank the two members who stood with the community in this moment and voted in opposition to amending the contract in this way (Directors Kimberlee Sia and John Youngquist).
Consistent with our mission, values, and what we hear from our neighbors every day, we at Denver Families are committed to bringing the community’s voice to the table. Regardless of who holds the superintendent role, we will work with DPS leadership to amplify community voices and push for urgent, student-centered leadership across the system. Will our school board commit to listening?
We at Denver Families believe in the power of community voice. We ask you to use that voice. Your perspective matters. Your student’s experience matters.
Use your voice now and in November to make sure you are heard.
