Dear Team DPS,
I'm very pleased that we were able to reach a tentative agreement this morning with the Denver Classroom Teachers Association. This three-year agreement provides returning teachers with an average annual salary increase of 8.7%, a starting salary for DPS teachers of $50,130, and an additional district investment of $2.5 million dollars towards employee benefits. This historic deal adds up $40.5 million in teacher compensation in the first year and reflects our commitment to “partnering together” to “create the student experience we know they deserve” outlined in “the Adult Experience” outlined in our new Strategic Roadmap. The tentative agreement will now proceed through the ratification process.
The last several weeks of negotiations have been challenging. In the end, the individuals on both sides of the bargaining table did what was best for the students of Denver Public Schools. It’s good for our entire community when we can reach these kinds of agreements. Our shared mission as educators prevailed. That shared commitment to our scholars has been heightened due to the pandemic. I am very pleased that, now that this new agreement is in place, we all can turn our focus back to the work of ensuring that Every Learner Thrives.
Denver teachers will also have the most protected, non-classroom time for educators in the metro area, including a 45-minute duty-free lunch every day plus at least 300 minutes of self-directed planning time each week for elementary educators and 345 minutes per week for teachers in secondary schools.
We have also maintained our focus on equity. We will establish a platform to engage in collaborative conversations that advance racial and educational equity in DPS. This includes efforts to gain clarity on efforts to recruit and retain educators of color, and explore a district-wide racial equity analysis tool.
As we continue our great reset of the experiences Denver Public Schools offers, I look forward to working alongside all of our educators, families and community members as we elevate the experience of our students, families and other stakeholders. Together, we will fulfill our promise of ensuring that each and every DPS student graduates well-prepared to be successful in any path they choose.
In collaboration,
Dr. Alex Marrero
Superintendent
