Mayors from Sacramento, Calif., and Providence, R.I., learned a few of the things that Denver does right when it comes to educating kids, they said on the first leg of the national Mayors for Educational Excellence Tour Thursday.
The traveling mayors intend to share ideas with each other, then put together a report to share successes and teachable moments with mayors across the country.
Providence said the focus on preschool development for education was inspiring. He called Denver’s approach “cradle to college,” and hoped he could replicate it in Rhode Island.
Four mayors are touring, but San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro was unable to attend Thursday’s stop at the Evie Garrett Dennis Campus in Green Valley Ranch.
The mayors talked with teachers, parents and students about what goes on at the campus, which is home to six schools, including , the and the , a program for children younger than 5 and their parents.
Among the four mayors, only Taveras has any authority over a school system. He appoints school board members.
Hancock said schools provide the bedrock of cities and mayors have the “bully pulpit” to lead community involvement.
“Schools create great communities, not the other way around,” he said, explaining that under-performing schools lead to lower property values and higher crimes rates.
Sacramento said he was impressed with the partnerships, public-private and others, in the Denver school system.
“You are coming together in a real way around your most valuable resource, which is your children,” he said.
Johnson said mayors are looking for solutions to the education achievement gap — that is, the performance of students based on gender, race and social and economic backgrounds.
“The achievement gap in this country is inconceivable,” he said.
Joey Bunch: 303-954-1174, jbunch@denverpost.com or twitter.com/joeybunch
