DFER-endorsed DPS School Board Members Happy Haynes, Anne Rowe, Barbara O’Brien, Landri Taylor, Mike Johnson and Rosemary Rodriquez unveiled the new Denver Plan 2020 this week. Based on a vision called “Every Child Succeeds,” their comprehensive plan to move the needle for Denver’s kids shows that we have elected leaders willing to challenge the status quo. We commend their leadership and their call to action to ensure the district realizes its goals by 2020.
The Denver Plan has at its core the goal of Great Schools In Every Neighborhood. A cornerstone of what we believe at Democrats for Education Reform is that all children deserve access to a high-quality public education, regardless of race, gender, geography or socioeconomic status. We support leaders in our party who have the courage to challenge a failing status quo and who believe that the severity of our nation’s educational crisis demands that we tackle this problem using every possible tool at our disposal. We believe that reforming broken public school systems cannot be accomplished by tinkering at the margins, but rather through bold and revolutionary leadership.
DFER-CO commends the leaders of the Denver Public Schools Board of Education for taking this step to ensure Denver’s kids have access to the education they deserve. As DPS Superintendent Tom Boasberg stated, “Our community will be only as strong as the people who are part of it — and the future civic leaders, entrepreneurs, professionals and educators are in our schools today. We will only reach our potential as a city — we will only become a great community — if we succeed in creating a great school in every community.”
Jennifer Walmer is the state director of DFER Colorado (DFER-CO). Prior to joining DFER-CO, Walmer was the Chief of Staff for the Superintendent of the Denver Public Schools, Tom Boasberg, where she helped pass a $500 million bond and mill initiative in November 2012. Walmer also was the Superintendent’s primary strategic liaison with a divided Board of Education; managed government affairs for the district; and led strategic partnership efforts with community organizations. Read more about Jen here.