Parents group sues DPS to halt closure of 7 schools in Denver next year

A group of parents this week sued Denver Public Schools to stop the closure of seven schools at the end of this academic year, saying their children will be harmed if the district moves forward with its plan.

The group, Mamas de DPS LLC, describes itself as district watchdog that is a public interest limited liability company focused on quality, equality and accessibility of public education.The names of specific members are not identified in the lawsuit.

“As Denver public school parents, they and their children face personal, direct and imminent harm if DPS is permitted to move forward with its 2024 school closure agenda,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday night in Denver District Court, is asking a judge to stop the closures and order a consultant hired by DPS during the closure process to pay damages to the plaintiffs “that will deter his future misconduct.”

It names the district, Superintendent Alex Marrero, the Board of Education and its seven members, and an education consultant as defendants.

The lawsuit also alleges Marrero and the district wrongfully redirected billions of dollars to charter schools that are run by private corporations.

DPS spokesman Scott Pribble said the district typically does not comment on litigation.

The district’s Board of Education voted in November to close seven schools and reduce the number of grades at three others at the end of the 2024-2025 academic year. The move was recommended by Marrero because the district has reported declining enrollment for years and has lost funding based on enrollment numbers.

More than 88,000 students were enrolled in DPS schools last academic year, a 4% drop over the district’s enrollment peak five years ago. DPS reports it has lost tens of millions of dollars annually in per-pupil funding from the state as enrollment has fallen.

Marrero worked with Ben Klaban, an education consultant, to determine which schools should be closed or restructured, according to the lawsuit. Efforts to reach Klaban on Friday morning were unsuccessful.

The school board voted unanimously to close five elementary schools — Castro, Columbian, Palmer, Schmitt and the International Academy of Denver at Harrington — as well as West Middle School and the Denver School of Innovation and Sustainable Design, a high school.

DCIS Baker 6-12, Dora Moore ECE-8 School and Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy will have fewer grades and fewer children enrolled.

Marrero also proposed closing 10 schools in 2022 because of declining enrollment, but the board resisted under intense pressure from parents to keep schools open, and ultimately voted to close three. This time, board members said they had no choice because of the district’s financial position.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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