District overview
How Colorado's largest school district is funded, governed, and what the board is deciding right now
Like nearly every Colorado district, most of what Denver Public Schools spends per student comes from the state's School Finance Act formula, not from local discretion. Denver's Board of Education can add to that only by asking voters to approve new local property taxes above the formula amount, because Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR) requires a ballot measure before the district can raise more revenue. On August 13, 2026 the board adopted a resolution asking Denver voters to approve exactly that: a new mill levy override on the November 3, 2026 ballot, following months of review by a Mill Levy Advisory Committee.
The Colorado School Finance Act sets a per-pupil base amount adjusted for cost of living, district size, and the share of at-risk students; this formula supplies most district revenue automatically, regardless of local board decisions.
The board's August 13, 2026 election resolution asks Denver voters to approve a new property-tax override on November 3, 2026, adding to -- not replacing -- the formula amount.
Because of Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, the district cannot raise property taxes above the state formula amount without direct voter approval, which is why this required a ballot measure rather than a board vote alone.
A seven-member elected Board of Education -- five members elected by geographic district and two at-large -- sets budget, policy, and personnel decisions for all of DPS's roughly 191 schools; individual schools do not set independent budgets or policy.
None of this means current funding is inadequate on its own, or that the override is guaranteed to pass. The board's own presentations describe the mill levy override as an addition sought through a public advisory process, not a response to a documented funding shortfall in the collected record.
A new property-tax override to add to the district's state-formula funding, following a spring 2026 advisory-committee review process.
New voter-approved property tax mill levy, pending approval; amount not established in the collected record
A new board policy (Executive Limitation 23) governing students' personal phones and devices, developed with a community sentiment survey and a Communication Devices Advisory Committee.
No new funding identified; policy and operational change
A proposed amendment to the board's student conduct, discipline, and attendance policy adding provisions addressing immigration.
No new funding identified; policy change
Following an April 2025 Letter of Concern from Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero, the board commissioned an independent investigation, discussed a redacted final report, and has returned repeatedly to superintendent-relationship, self-assessment, and (in July 2026) superintendent-contract topics.
Outside legal counsel costs; amount not established in the collected record
Denver
The Board of Education adopted a resolution on August 13, 2026 placing a property-tax mill levy override on the November 3, 2026 ballot, following a Mill Levy Advisory Committee review process that began in spring 2026. Passing would raise local property taxes above the state funding formula for district spending; failing leaves the district without the additional local revenue.
Official source · verified Aug 23, 2026
Denver
Four of the board's seven seats (District 2, District 3, District 4, and one at-large seat) were on the November 4, 2025 ballot. Xóchitl Gaytán (District 2, incumbent) was re-elected; Dr. DJ Torres (District 3), Monica Hunter (District 4), and Amy Klein Molk (at-large) were newly elected, unseating incumbents Scott Esserman (District 3) and Michelle Quattlebaum (District 4).
Official source · verified Aug 23, 2026
Denver
The board's remaining three seats (District 1, District 5, and one at-large seat), all currently held by members whose terms run through 2027, are next up for election in Colorado's regular odd-year November coordinated election cycle. An exact 2027 election calendar had not yet been published by the Denver Elections Division as of this review.
Official source · verified Aug 23, 2026
This page is compiled from Denver Public Schools' public Diligent Community board meeting portal (dpsk12.community.highbond.com), the district's official Board of Education website (board.dpsk12.org), and the NCES Common Core of Data district profile. Every board and committee meeting agenda from August 2025 through August 2026 was collected through the portal's public meetings index and reviewed.
We read every agenda, packet, and set of minutes, and write up the decisions that affect families — each one linked to the document it came from.
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