Candidate-Community Survey Results

4 out of 9 Board of Education candidates do not see education as a top priority

Results from our
Candidate-Community Survey

View Press Release

View Full Results

Respondent Demographics

Describe Yourself

District Representation

Community Priority Summary

First Priority

Second Priority

Third Priority

Quotes from the Community

"DPS exists courtesy of taxpayers to educate students in basic skills such as reading, writing and math. That is your sole purpose and obligation, full stop."

"For my entire life, all I have heard is school don’t enough money than we legalized weed. Learn to budget properly."

"I do not trust the board and superintendent (and his ridiculous raise) with additional resources at this time"

"It's not a money problem, it's a spending problem. DPS' lane isn’t to fix the world. Simply Educate people and challenge them to be their best, and set them free."

"Alternative schools/placements for dangerous students who have been expelled elsewhere, to be placed until such time as they can prove they are ready and it is safe for other students and staff for them to attend regular in person schools."

"Create hard and fast policy to expel any student with a gun or violent tendencies toward teachers or students. Reducing suspensions does NOT equal a safer school, it only looks that way on paper. No tolerance policy for guns on or off campus anytime."

"Create standards of excellence that all students should strive to attain regardless of gender, skin color, economic background. All students can achieve excellence if they have goals that will take them from high school to the next step."

"Have a functioning DPS board that puts schools and people ahead of their own agenda, as measured by not needing a “Resign DPS” community group."

"Revise the Discipline Matrix with 100% of School Leaders approving it and approving how the District abides by it in the 1st year."

Candidate Priority Summary

At Large Seat

John Youngquist
First Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Social Emotional & Mental Health
16% of Community rank this as their third priority

Third Priority: Academic Outcomes
31.5% of Community rank this as their top priority

Paul Ballenger
First Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Academic Outcomes
31.5% of Community rank this as their top priority

Third Priority: Preparing for Workforce
13.6% of Community rank this as their second priority

Kwame Spearman
First Priority: Academic Outcomes
31.5% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Third Priority: Social Emotional & Mental Health
16% of Community rank this as their third priority

Brittni Johnson
First Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Social Emotional & Mental Health
16% of Community rank this as their third priority

Third Priority: Inclusivity
Not a top priority of the Community

District 1

Kimberlee Sia
First Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Academic Outcomes
32.3% of Community rank this as their second priority

Third Priority: Educator & Staff Recruitment
24% of Community rank this as their third priority

Incumbent: Scott Baldermann
First Priority: Educator & Staff Recruitment
24.3% of Community rank this as their third priority

Second Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Third Priority: Inclusivity
Not a top priority of the community

District 5

Marlene De La Rosa
First Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Academic Outcomes
32.3% of Community rank this as their second priority

Third Priority: Inclusivity
Not a main priority of the community

Adam Slutzker
First Priority: Well-rounded Students
17.4% of Community rank this as their third priority

Second Priority: Educator & Staff Recruitment
24% of Community rank this as their third priority

Third Priority: Inclusivity
Not a top priority of the community

Incumbent: Charmaine Lindsay
First Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Social Emotional & Mental Health
15.8% of Community rank this as their third priority

Third Priority: Educator & Staff Recruitment
24% of Community rank this as their third priority

A word on our lousy fiscal management question:

We included a lousy question on fiscal management. But the upshot was that 25% of community respondents took the time to tell us it was a lousy question. Overwhelmingly these respondents stated that the district cannot be trusted to spend current taxpayer money, let alone additional funds. Reducing administrative spending and closing schools should have been options in our survey question. A few quotes from respondents:

“I do not trust the board and superintendent (and his ridiculous raise) with additional resources at this time.”

“The district is not a good steward of existing funding. I will not support tax increases until I see consistent improvement in student achievement.”

“As a teacher in DPS, I can attest that there is a lot of wasteful spending.”

“DPS could easily balance the budget by strong reduction in top administrative and management positions that do not add value to the students. The district has been, and continues, to be top heavy.”

Thank you for these ideas and for calling us out on a badly constructed question.

Resign DPS Board

Change for our children. Change for our staff. Change for our safety.

4 out of 9 Board of Education candidates do not see education as a top priority

Results from our
Candidate-Community Survey

Respondent Demographics

Community Priority Summary

Quotes from the Community

Candidate Priority Summary

At Large Seat

First Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Social Emotional & Mental Health
16% of Community rank this as their third priority

Third Priority: Academic Outcomes
31.5% of Community rank this as their top priority

First Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Academic Outcomes
31.5% of Community rank this as their top priority

Third Priority: Preparing for Workforce
13.6% of Community rank this as their second priority

First Priority: Academic Outcomes
31.5% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Third Priority: Social Emotional & Mental Health
16% of Community rank this as their third priority

First Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Social Emotional & Mental Health
16% of Community rank this as their third priority

Third Priority: Inclusivity
Not a top priority of the Community

District 1

First Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Academic Outcomes
32.3% of Community rank this as their second priority

Third Priority: Educator & Staff Recruitment
24% of Community rank this as their third priority

First Priority: Educator & Staff Recruitment
24.3% of Community rank this as their third priority

Second Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Third Priority: Inclusivity
Not a top priority of the community

District 5

First Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Academic Outcomes
32.3% of Community rank this as their second priority

Third Priority: Inclusivity
Not a main priority of the community

First Priority: Well-rounded Students
17.4% of Community rank this as their third priority

Second Priority: Educator & Staff Recruitment
24% of Community rank this as their third priority

Third Priority: Inclusivity
Not a top priority of the community

First Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Social Emotional & Mental Health
15.8% of Community rank this as their third priority

Third Priority: Educator & Staff Recruitment
24% of Community rank this as their third priority

A word on our lousy fiscal management question:

Resign DPS Board

Change for our children. Change for our staff. Change for our safety.

4 out of 9 Board of Education candidates do not see education as a top priority

Results from our Candidate-Community Survey

Respondent Demographics

Community Priority Summary

Quotes from the Community

Candidate Priority Summary

At Large Seat

First Priority: Safety53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Social Emotional & Mental Health16% of Community rank this as their third priority

Third Priority: Academic Outcomes31.5% of Community rank this as their top priority

First Priority: Safety53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Academic Outcomes31.5% of Community rank this as their top priority

Third Priority: Preparing for Workforce13.6% of Community rank this as their second priority

First Priority: Academic Outcomes31.5% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Safety53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Third Priority: Social Emotional & Mental Health16% of Community rank this as their third priority

First Priority: Safety53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Social Emotional & Mental Health16% of Community rank this as their third priority

Third Priority: InclusivityNot a top priority of the Community

District 1

First Priority: Safety53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Academic Outcomes32.3% of Community rank this as their second priority

Third Priority: Educator & Staff Recruitment24% of Community rank this as their third priority

First Priority: Educator & Staff Recruitment24.3% of Community rank this as their third priority

Second Priority: Safety53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Third Priority: InclusivityNot a top priority of the community

District 5

First Priority: Safety53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Academic Outcomes32.3% of Community rank this as their second priority

Third Priority: InclusivityNot a main priority of the community

First Priority: Well-rounded Students17.4% of Community rank this as their third priority

Second Priority: Educator & Staff Recruitment24% of Community rank this as their third priority

Third Priority: InclusivityNot a top priority of the community

First Priority: Safety53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Social Emotional & Mental Health15.8% of Community rank this as their third priority

Third Priority: Educator & Staff Recruitment24% of Community rank this as their third priority

A word on our lousy fiscal management question:

Results from our
Candidate-Community Survey

First Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Social Emotional & Mental Health
16% of Community rank this as their third priority

Third Priority: Academic Outcomes
31.5% of Community rank this as their top priority

First Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Academic Outcomes
31.5% of Community rank this as their top priority

Third Priority: Preparing for Workforce
13.6% of Community rank this as their second priority

First Priority: Academic Outcomes
31.5% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Third Priority: Social Emotional & Mental Health
16% of Community rank this as their third priority

First Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Social Emotional & Mental Health
16% of Community rank this as their third priority

Third Priority: Inclusivity
Not a top priority of the Community

First Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Academic Outcomes
32.3% of Community rank this as their second priority

Third Priority: Educator & Staff Recruitment
24% of Community rank this as their third priority

First Priority: Educator & Staff Recruitment
24.3% of Community rank this as their third priority

Second Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Third Priority: Inclusivity
Not a top priority of the community

First Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Academic Outcomes
32.3% of Community rank this as their second priority

Third Priority: Inclusivity
Not a main priority of the community

First Priority: Well-rounded Students
17.4% of Community rank this as their third priority

Second Priority: Educator & Staff Recruitment
24% of Community rank this as their third priority

Third Priority: Inclusivity
Not a top priority of the community

First Priority: Safety
53.4% of Community rank this as their top priority

Second Priority: Social Emotional & Mental Health
15.8% of Community rank this as their third priority

Third Priority: Educator & Staff Recruitment
24% of Community rank this as their third priority