Possible School Closures Cast DPS Into Turmoil

With enrollment declining across Denver Public Schools and funding as scarce as ever, Superintendent Alex Marrero has thrust the highly dysfunctional DPS board into a controversial and traumatic debate over school closures. Parents, students, and activists are up in arms over his proposed “consolidations,” and for many board members, the issue is personal — past school closures motivated them to run for the board in the first place. So will the board approve his list of closures or somehow find another way out of this mess? Host Bree Davies talks to producer Paul Karolyi about how the district got into this situation; then she sits down with DPS board member Michelle Quattlebaum to talk about about why she’s approaching this vote differently than any other she’s cast before. For more on the proposed closures, check out our friend at Chalkbeat Melanie Asmar’s recent reporting. For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866 Follow us on Twitter @citycastdenver Leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (720) 500-5418‬ Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: How to Buy a Home Podcast Mental Health with Marielle Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise