A Denver school seeking autonomy will have to wait after the teachers’ union postponed making a decision Tuesday on allowing the school out of the contract.
Teachers and administrators at Bruce Randolph School in northeast Denver want control over the school’s budget, teacher time, incentives and hiring decisions and to be free from union and district red tape that they say is impeding progress.
The Denver Classroom Teachers Association board, however, wants more clarification on what exactly should be waived from the 98-page teacher contract. The decision to seek more information was approved by a 19-2 vote of the union leadership, said Kim Ursetta, president of the teachers’ union.
“We want to find out exactly what Bruce Randolph has identified in the contract that is an impediment to student success,” she said. “We want to rectify that for all (Denver Public Schools) teachers. We want to have more conversations. We would love for additional thoughts. We are committed to working with them.”
The union leadership’s motion said it wants Bruce Randolph teachers to submit a proposal that would not require a waiver from the union contract.
A special meeting has been scheduled for Jan. 22 to take up the matter again, Ursetta said.
“We’re disappointed that they didn’t vote,” said Greg Ahrnsbrak, physical education teacher and union representative at the school who helped write the proposal. “We think the document we created speaks for itself. It’s clear and concise. . . . In no way are we suggesting this is for other people. We simply know what is the best for us.”
A union vote on the waiver is the last hurdle for the proposal unveiled a month ago, which has been approved by a majority of Bruce Randolph teachers and the Denver school board.
Foundations put more than $100,000 on the table to encourage Bruce Randolph’s approval, and Colorado Senate President Pro Tem Peter Groff is proposing legislation to enact a similar programs statewide.
“The proposal is an excellent proposal, and I’m interested in what the (union’s) view is,” said DPS Superintendent Michael Bennet.
Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com
