Winter | Issue 16 | Date: December 1, 2021
Funding Great Schools. Rooted in Community. 
RootED Denver's Annual Impact Report
As we come towards the end of another year, RootED Denver is continuing to focus on the incredible work done by our grantees in support of students and community towards a more equitable future for Denver Public Schools (DPS) students. We are inspired by the stories in our community and are grateful to support schools and organizations committed to improving academic outcomes for kids and enriching the communities they live in. 

Our Annual Impact Report is our way of celebrating those stories and highlighting the impact these organizations have in our community. Features include stories from graduating students, Innovation School partners, community-focused organizations and a historical video about the Cole neighborhood with special guests. Watch the introduction video below from our Managing Partner, Pat Donovan. 

The full Annual Impact Report is available on the RootED website.
New Research Sheds Light on How DPS' Families and Community View Quality and Equity in Education
YAASPA students and leaders at the DPS Candidate Workshop last month
A year-long community research initiative led through the PEACE Collective reveals that Brown, Black, and Indigenous students and their families in DPS care deeply about quality and equity in public education, and envision a school district that offers equal access to everything that they need to thrive including rigorous academics. 

RootED Denver commissioned the research to examine and report the perspectives of students and families throughout DPS on what quality and equity mean to them. It found: “To be culturally responsive and just, the DPS system must acknowledge, account for, and address differential experiences and needs based on racial and socioeconomic injustice.”

The researchers, who mirror the ethnic diversity of the district, collaborated to determine how the inquiry would be conducted, and then finalized the questions to gain the most insight from the community.

Participants were recruited through community organizations that include: Colorado Youth Congress, FaithBridge, Project VOYCE, Transform Education Now (TEN), and Young Aspiring Americans for Social and Political Activism (YAASPA). YAASPA led the coalition in executing the study.
The Community Views on Quality and Equity in Education report was released at the DPS Candidate Workshop hosted by YAASPA at Montbello High School. Researchers explained the report and detailed how they hoped this important information, directly from the voice of the community, would aid in the support of equitable outcomes for all students. Youth leaders then hosted discussions with Board of Education candidates about topics related to the report and had small group discussions with students and adults alike to problem solve on certain issues.

This project is timely, in light of the district’s efforts to develop a new strategic plan with a new Board of Education, which involves community input and asks community members about characteristics of a DPS graduate, the meaning of educational equity, and actions the district should take to improve education for students. Read more about how this report will help guide a new strategic plan for Denver Public Schools from Chalkbeat.

The report makes ten recommendations, including ensuring consistency across and within DPS schools for equitable, quality rigorous education, and improving parent/family communication, support, and opportunities for learning and growth. As we share this information with Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero, and other district leadership, we hope it guides the strategic vision for the district towards a future where every child in Denver has access to an education that enables them to pursue the path of their choice. 

Read the report in English and Spanish.

Join RootED on December 9, 2021 at 3:30 p.m. for a live webinar with the report researchers. Additional details available at RootEDdenver.org/equityreport.
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