DPS believes new schools play a critical role in ensuring all students have access to great schools. DPS determines if new schools are needed based on two primary factors: school performance and district enrollment needs. New schools are authorized through DPS’ rigorous quality authorizing process, the Call for New Quality Schools.
The Call for New Quality Schools
The Call for New Quality Schools (“the Call”) provides important contextual information for school developers and community partners to consider as they design new programs.
The Portfolio Management Team facilitates a Call for New Quality Schools annually and whenever DPS has a need for a new school. The Call is three things:
- A public document, which clearly defines the needs DPS has for new or expanded school programs.
- A quality authorizing process, through which DPS evaluates the quality of proposals for new district-run and charter schools, engages with communities, and supports the Denver Board of Education in making decisions about which schools to approve or deny in a public vote.
- A community matching process, through which approved schools seek a match with a community and for a district facility under the Facility Allocation Policy and are placed by the Board in a public vote.
Taken as a whole, the Call for New Quality Schools process transparently articulates DPS’ and the community’s needs for new schools and defines the requirements for service and placement in a district facility to meet those needs. DPS does not always make the promise of facility support but will provide a timeline for new school applicant review, which typically occurs each spring.
For information about creating new schools, please contact CNQS@dpsk12.org.