Denver city leaders clash with school district over proposal to revive joint committee
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Denver leaders are at odds with the school district over a plan that would give the city more say in public school decisions.
Driving the news: Two council members are pushing a proposal supported by Mayor Mike Johnston to revive a joint committee between the city and school district with the goal of improving communication and collaboration among the two.
- The committee's responsibilities would include meeting six times a year and making policy recommendations on topics "including safety policies and procedures," the proposed ordinance reads.
Why it matters: The effort to revive the committee, which hasn't been active in roughly a decade, comes at a time when the school board has been widely characterized as dysfunctional and divided — and questions have mounted over its handling of school safety and other issues.
State of play: The plan, announced at a press conference last Thursday, has been met coldly by school board members and DPS officials, including Superintendent Alex Marrero, who has asked for "a more flexible and less formal approach to collaboration," our partners at Chalkbeat report.
- They argue their input on the plan was rejected, and they were given no notice about the press conference.
What they're saying: "I'm pretty disgusted about their overreach," school board President Xóchitl "Sochi" Gaytán told Chalkbeat about city leaders.
- At Thursday's news briefing, the mayor said "there is no way to deliver ongoing and sustained success without a deep collaboration."
Flashback: Johnston, a former teacher who has worked on education reform, called the school board's behavior "more of a public embarrassment than a source of pride" in a survey while on the mayoral campaign trail.
What's next: Amanda Sandoval and Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, the two council members co-sponsoring the ordinance, will formally introduce the plan to a council committee Wednesday.
- The full council is expected to take a final vote early next month.
Of note: As written, the ordinance would not require the attendance of DPS officials or board members, something Gaytán said she supports.