in Strike
Denver Educators Are Considering a Strike.
Here?s why.
Reason #1: Lack of competitive pay creates enormous stress on teachers and students.
- Denver educators are struggling to afford to live in the same communities where they teach. Many hold additional jobs to survive. Our communities, families, and teachers deserve better.
- Teachers have left for other communities and even other professions because DPS fails to treat teaching as a professional career.
- Students suffer and their achievement drops when experienced, high-quality educators are disrespected and leave DPS classrooms.
Reason #2: Base salary must significantly increase for all educators.
- Denver educators make less base pay than educators in nine surrounding metro counties.
- ProComp is an unpredictable pay system littered with one-time bonuses that are outside of educators? control and that change in both size and availability year-to-year.
- Uncertainty and lack of transparency in take-home pay does not make Denver an attractive place for educators to build their own careers and raise their own families.
Reason #3: DPS has shown it is unwilling to invest in teachers.
- DPS leaders continue to bargain in bad faith and refuse to increase educator compensation to a living wage.
- Administration refuses to put policies in place that encourage teaching as a professional career worthy of professional pay. Meanwhile, consultants and a bloated administration are making millions that should instead go directly to the classroom.
Good teachers are leaving our communities because the district does not pay fair, competitive, professional wages.
Teacher turnover is a crisis for students and families who count on DPS to consistently provide a caring, qualified, and experienced teaching staff at every school.
Keep our educators in Denver!