Denver Public Schools Superintendent Tom Boasberg introduced his senior administrative team Tuesday with an ambitious challenge: to become the best urban district in the country.
“That is our goal,” Boasberg said. “We are committed to it, and we will achieve it.”
It is a tall order for a district that graduates half of its students on time, where 20 percent of high schoolers are potential dropouts and two-thirds of Latino sophomores cannot read at grade level.
Boasberg, who has been in charge for two months, says he has surrounded himself with top-level administrators who will accelerate the district’s reform effort, which a recent report hailed as one of the most seamless in the country.
Boasberg, criticized by some as being a businessman with little experience in education, gave his team immediate credibility when he hired longtime educator Ana Tilton as chief academic officer.
Tilton has 35 years of educational experience and is nationally known for her reform efforts, Boasberg said.
A Denver native who worked as a teacher and administrator in DPS, Tilton was superintendent in Soquel, Calif., Union School District; a leader with Edison charter schools; and most recently chief program officer for the Texas High School Project.
“I am so excited about the potential for the work ahead,” Tilton said. “The foundation has been set to improve teaching and learning for all students.”
Tilton will earn $200,000 a year and may receive up to $20,000 in bonuses.
One of the first challenges she will face is how to address some of the district’s problems revealed in a mostly positive critique by the Council of Great City Schools.
The report praised the district’s reform, which has resulted in gains in academic achievement, increased numbers of high-performing schools, rigorous graduation requirements and expansion of preschool and kindergarten.
Yet, the report faulted DPS for inadequate supports for troubled students, poor training for teachers and weak programs for English-language learners.
“The challenge that all large urbans face is they have very diverse populations,” Tilton said. “We need to look at very focused professional development so we can work with each student’s needs.”
Boasberg’s other appointments include:
• David Suppes, formerly DPS’s chief strategist, will be chief operating officer overseeing human resources, safety and security, payroll and food services, among others. He will earn $160,000 a year and up to $40,000 in bonuses.
• Charles E. Wright Jr. will be chief strategy officer. He will earn $115,000 and up to $15,000 in bonuses.
• Amy Friedman, formerly the director of academic operations, will be Boasberg’s chief of staff. She will earn $110,000 plus a possible $10,000 in bonuses.
• Benita Duran will be the director of outreach on district initiatives. She will earn $95,000 plus possible bonuses.
Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com
