Welcome
The Denver Public Schools Commission on Secondary School Reform is among the first of its kind in the nation. While several states have created Commissions on high school reform, Denver is one of the first school districts to do so. The Denver Board of Education created the Commission to make recommendations on ways to revitalize Denver's high schools. The Commission's job is to understand the needs of DPS students, to know what DPS high schools are doing well and where they need to improve, to learn about various reform ideas and to make recommendations that uniquely meet the needs of Denver's current and future high school students.
The Commission's main goal is to make recommendations to the Board that will significantly improve the success of all students, increase graduation rates and lower dropout rates. The Commission will also identify priorities for the Board and DPS administrators for the use of the funds from the mill levy that voters approved in November 2003 which earmarked $2 million for secondary school reform and suggest how existing resources can be maximized to make positive changes in high school education.
The Commission has 27 members, including students, K-12 and postsecondary educators, and representatives of foundations, think-tanks, businesses and community organizations. The Commission is co-chaired by Lucia Guzman, Vice President of the Denver Public Schools Board of Education, and Dorothy Horrell, President of the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation. Patricia McNeil serves as the Executive Director of the Commission and Elizabeth Aybar as the Assistant Director.
The Commission's recommendations are due to the Board of Education in January 2005.
The Commission will reach out broadly to the community of Denver. We believe that by working in collaboration with people both inside and outside of schools, we can develop strong recommendations that will make a positive impact on all of Denver's high schools. Please contact Liz Aybar at elizabeth_aybar@dpsk12.org with any comments or questions.