Denver Public Schools is not a finalist for a top-level grant being given out by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to build teacher effectiveness, according to the Seattle-based foundation.
The foundation has chosen five finalists: Hillsborough County, Fla.; Memphis, Tenn.; Omaha; Pittsburgh; and a group of Los Angeles charter schools.
Final decisions will be made this fall.
Denver was one of 10 districts chosen to submit proposals for $500 million in grants to improve teacher effectiveness.
The five districts that missed the finalist cut will be considered for smaller grants to fund portions of their effective-teaching plans, according to the foundation.
Specifically, the districts would be considered for “accelerator partnership” grants to fund portions of their plans, according to the foundation.
DPS Superintendent Tom Boasberg said the district could receive as much as $10 million over three years in accelerator grants.
“Each and every district that has participated over the past several months should be recognized as one of the leaders in the country on one of the most important educational issues of our time,” according to a statement by the Gates Foundation.
Denver officials worked with its teachers union to build a proposal, flying to Seattle a few weeks ago to make their pitch.
On Monday, Denver revealed parts of its proposal to the school board, showing that the district wants to improve teacher training, recruitment and change the way teachers are retained.
The district would seek waivers or changes to state law in teacher tenure and the way educators are evaluated.
District officials will be making an announcement at 2:30 p.m. today about the grant process at a press conference at East High School.
Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com
