The non-reformers have gotten a mix of monetary and non-monetary support from the teachers' union.
As we explained in our recent cover story, "Drawing the Line," nine candidates are running for four open seats on the seven-member board.
Four of them -- O'Brien, Rosemary Rodriguez, Mike Johnson and Landri Taylor -- agree that the district is headed in the right direction. Four others -- Michael Kiley, Rosario C. de Baca, Meg Schomp and Roger Kilgore -- think the district is not. The ninth candidate, Joan Poston, who is running at-large against O'Brien and Kiley, is more of a wild card.If voters fill at least three of the four open seats with candidates who disagree with DPS's current brand of reform -- which includes strategies such as closing and replacing failing schools, encouraging charter and innovation schools, and tying teacher evaluations to student test scores -- the 88,000-student district could undergo a big shift.
Here's a look inside each candidate's recently filed campaign finance report.
AT-LARGE
Michael Kiley Total monetary contributions: $32,460 Total non-monetary contributions: $59,046 Notable donors: Denver Classroom Teachers Association Fund: $5,000 monetary, $41,549 non-monetary; Public Education Committee, a small-donor committee connected to the Colorado Education Association: $21,000 non-monetary
Barbara O'Brien Total monetary contributions: $173,324 Total non-monetary contributions: $3,467 Notable donors: Denise O'Leary, wife of DaVita CEO Kent Thiry: $10,000 Samuel Gary, founder of Samuel Gary Jr. & Associates: $10,000 Bruce Benson, president of the University of Colorado: $10,000 Phil Anschutz, billionaire: $5,000 Daniel Ritchie, former chancellor of the University of Denver: $5,000 Dave Younggren of Gary Community Investment and the Piton Foundation: $5,000 Patrick Hamill, founder of Oakwood Homes, $3,000 John Freyer, president of the Land Title Guarantee Company: $3,000 Scott Reiman, founder of Hexagon Investments: $3,000
Joan Poston Total monetary contributions: none Total non-monetary contributions: none
Continue for more on candidates' fundraising totals thus far. DISTRICT 2
Rosario C. de Baca Total monetary contributions: $18,165 Total non-monetary contributions: $18,604 Notable donors: DCTA Fund: $14,521 monetary, $9,521 non-monetary; Public Education Committee: $6,835 non-monetary
Rosemary Rodriguez Total monetary contributions: $89,210 Total non-monetary contributions: none Notable donors: Denise O'Leary: $3,000 Samuel Gary: $3,000 Daniel Ritchie: $3,000 Patrick Hamill: 3,000 Phil Anschutz: $3,000 Bruce Benson: $3,000 Mary Benson: $3,000 John Freyer: $3,000 Scott Reiman: $3,000 Stand for Children, pro-reform group: $1,800 Note: Rodriguez capped the contributions she'd accept at $3,000.
DISTRICT 3
Mike Johnson Total monetary contributions: $146,135 Total non-monetary contributions: $6,567 Notable donors: Denise O'Leary: $10,000 Bruce Benson: $10,000 Samuel Gary: $10,000 Phil Anschutz: $5,000 Daniel Ritchie: $5,000 Charles Ledley of Highfields Capital: $4,000 Patrick Hamill: $3,000 Kent Thiry: $3,000 John Freyer: $3,000 Greg Penner, founder of Madrone Capital Partners: $3,000 Arthur Rock, investor: $3,000
Meg Schomp Total monetary contributions: $31,949 Total non-monetary contributions: $24,592 Notable donors: DCTA Fund: $15,000 monetary, $10,500 non-monetary; Public Education Committee: $9,450 non-monetary
DISTRICT 4
Roger Kilgore Total monetary contributions: $33,269 Total non-monetary contributions: $20,327 Notable donors: DCTA Fund: $11,251 monetary, $6,035 non-monetary; Public Education Committee: $4,725 non-monetary
Landri Taylor Total monetary contributions: $72,105 Total non-monetary contributions: none Notable donors: Denise O'Leary: $10,000 Bruce Benson: $10,000 Samuel Gary: $5,000 Daniel Ritchie: $5,000 John MacGregor Fox: $4,000 Scott Reiman: $3,000 Patrick Hamill: $3,000 Phil Anschutz: $3,000 John Freyer: $3,000
For in-depth interviews with all nine candidates, check out "Drawing the Line."
Follow me on Twitter @MelanieAsmar or e-mail me at [email protected]
