The Wonder of What's Next: 2023 Denver Preschool Program Annual Report

Look for this symbol throughout the report for a DIVERSITY, EQUITY, and INCLUSION highlight.

The Wonder of What’s Next

Report Highlights

• Denver Preschool Program (DPP) distributed $19,929,282 in tuition credits on behalf of 4,988 recipients.

• DPP’s community outreach team actively engaged with Denver families through 72 events held across the City, drawing a total event attendance of 1,051,250.

• DPP awarded more than $3.7 million in Preschool for 3s tuition credits to over 500 families, prioritizing economically disadvantaged households.

• 6,341 Denver children participated in the first year of Colorado Universal Preschool.

• DPP secured permanent funding through successful reauthorization by Denver voters.

Our Vision

Every Denver child has access to a strong foundation to thrive in kindergarten and beyond.

Our Mission

To transform the futures of young children and their families by strengthening and funding the early childhood experience.

A Note From Elsa

As Denver Preschool Program (DPP) reflects on another year of progress, we look ahead to our next chapter with wonder and optimism. We continue to proactively adapt to prepare for the challenges of the future while remaining steadfast and attentive to the daily needs of our community.

This year, the Denver community voted to reauthorize DPP indefinitely. Thank you! This support gives us the confidence to continue to deliver our proven programs while allowing us to dream bigger and reimagine what is possible for the early childhood education system. With equity front of mind, and those who are most marginalized as our primary focus, we will continue to improve the way we meet families where they are. We will ideate and innovate, research and improve our work to ensure every young learner has the strong foundation they need to start their educational journey. We will expand the continuum of care, continue to elevate the quality of early education, better support educators, and shift the legislation needed to make early education affordable and accessible for all. We lead by centering in equity, by listening and re-committing to our role as a community partner and advocate.

We have accomplished so much, yet we have so much ahead of us. We embrace what’s to come with wonder and excitement, just as we hope all of our young children embrace learning–with amazement and joy.

Elsa Holguín President and CEO

Advancing Early Education: Denver Preschool Program Breaks Down Financial Barriers

After nearly two decades of research, we know that children who attend a quality early childhood education program are more prepared for kindergarten, leading to stronger early language, literacy and math skills, improved social and emotional development, and a higher likelihood of graduating high school, attending college, and succeeding in their careers.

For many families, the cost of high-quality preschool is out of reach. According to Brightwheel, the cost of full-time, full-day care in Denver on average and across age groups ranges from $458 per month to $2,371 per month. This means the average cost is $1,575 a month or nearly $19,000 a year, which is more than the average in-state college tuition. For many families, that expense represents a significant portion of their income, and could rival the cost of rent or a mortgage, forcing caregivers to make impossible decisions between their child’s education and other basic needs. That’s why programs like Denver Preschool Program are so important. DPP’s tuition credits help to make preschool more accessible and affordable for thousands of families living in Denver.

We also know that tuition credits aren’t enough. We must support educators with quality improvement and professional development and advocate to advance policies that benefit early childhood education at the state and national levels. DPP’s comprehensive approach is essential to achieving the change Denver children and families deserve.

News from the DPP Board of Directors

Following a successful reauthorization, DPP is poised for a new era of growth. As we enter this exciting phase, we gratefully acknowledge the incredible commitment of our outgoing Board members and their contributions to helping us get here. We extend our deepest gratitude and appreciation to outgoing members of the DPP Board of Directors: Zach Hochstadt, Amber Münck, Janice Sinden and Susan Steele. Thank you for your expertise and support to help DPP grow into a state and national leader in early childhood education.

DPP is thrilled to welcome four new board members in 2024.

Celebrating Our Team

DPP won the Partners in Philanthropy Award from Denver Business Journal.

Dr. Lydia Prado, DPP Board Chair and Executive Director of Lifespan Local, was welcomed into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame.

Elsa Holguín, DPP’s President and CEO, was a finalist for the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation’s 9News Leader of the Year award.

Ellen Braun, DPP’s Chief Operating Officer, graduated from Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation’s Leadership Denver program.

Legacy Award

Anna Jo Garcia Haynes

Established in 2022 to honor individuals who have demonstrated a long-standing commitment to elevating excellence in early childhood education, the 202223 DPP Legacy Award honors icon and advocate in the early education community, Anna Jo Garcia Haynes. She is President Emeritus of Mile High Early Learning Centers, the city’s oldest and largest provider of quality early childhood care and education. She also cofounded the Colorado Children’s Campaign—a nonprofit, nonpartisan, data-driven child advocacy organization that has been the voice of children in Colorado for 30 years.

Anna Jo has been a driving force in many state and city initiatives including the founding of DPP. She has been a trusted education and child care advisor to every Colorado governor and Denver mayor since the 1980s and served as co-chair of the Early Childhood Leadership Commission. She also has made a difference nationally as a consultant to the White House.

Anna Jo’s contributions to our community have been so impactful that Mayor Mike Johnston proclaimed Nov 1, 2023, Anna Jo Garcia Haynes Day. In response to this honor, she aptly replied, “Be careful; I could do a lot with a day!”

Program Highlights A Strong Foundation for the Future

Denver Preschool Program is steadfast in our commitment to ensure every child in Denver enters kindergarten ready to reach their full potential, especially those who are the most marginalized.

This year, we transitioned our successful Preschool for 3s program from a pilot to a long-term commitment to supporting eligible 3-year-olds. This expanded our ability to serve many families in the lowest income tiers in Denver and provide two full years of early education. Finally, we know that quality educators are the key to quality education for Denver’s children, so we continued our efforts to support providers with both funding and professional development.

At DPP, we know this comprehensive approach is essential to achieve the change we know Denver needs. What’s next? Simply put, evolving and improving. We will continue to develop these programs to best meet the changing needs of our community, and focus on those we haven’t reached yet, ensuring they too can experience the power of preschool.

To dig deeper into these programs and the impact on families and providers, go to our YouTube channel by scanning the QR code or visiting youtube.com/ @denverpreschoolprogram to watch new videos focusing on equity, workforce development and family impact.

Look for this icon for sections with video content.

Tuition Credits

DPP makes preschool more accessible and affordable for all Denver families by offering tuition credits paid directly to the school of the family’s choice on their behalf. Tuition credits are available to families who enroll in any licensed, participating early childhood education program across Denver, including Denver Public Schools classrooms, community-based providers, and family child care homes.

DPP’s tuition support is a targeted universal model which serves all Denver families, prioritizing families experiencing economic hardship.

By the numbers:

$19,929,282

In tuition credits distributed by DPP directly to providers on behalf of families

4,988

Tuition credit recipients (4,481 4-year-olds and 507 3-year-olds)

$594.43

Average 4-year-old tuition credit per month

$10,665,221

Total received by community sites ($6,938,687 to 4-year-olds, $3,726,594 to 3-year-olds)

$9,264,000

Received by Denver Public Schools

Preschool for 3s

Preschool for 3s, now in its third year, has been received with overwhelming success, which is why we transitioned it from a pilot to a permanent initiative this year. Preschool for 3s created a needed continuum of support for families.

With equity as the cornerstone of our work, families experiencing economic hardship are given priority in this program.

DPP uses the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) as one of the criteria to distribute tuition credits. By aligning with the FPL, we ensure that families facing economic challenges have equitable access to quality preschool education, promoting fairness and opportunity for all children in our community. Our Tier 1 support represents families at or below FPL. Tier 2 represents families between 100 and 185% FPL.

By the numbers:

DPP awarded more than $3.7 million in tuition credits

346 Recipient families in Tier 1 161 Recipient families in Tier 2

This program addresses the affordability of preschool tuition, a barrier too many families in Denver face, especially those experiencing economic hardship. Through this program, DPP offers additional support to families experiencing poverty, making their family contribution for preschool tuition zero. The scholarship allows these families to use funds they may have otherwise used on preschool tuition to afford other essential needs like rent and food. It also ensures more children can access high-quality preschool.

By the numbers: DPP distributed more than $1.5 million in Scholarship funds in the 2022-2023 school year $1,898.70

Quality Improvement

At DPP, we know that the quality of a program matters to the long-term success of a student. Not all early childhood education is created equal. We strive to support our providers and their staff to create the best possible experiences for every student. All of DPP’s providers offer high-quality programs. By utilizing the Colorado Shines quality rating and improvement system, DPP tracks quality as providers improve programs and processes. From professional development to student assessments and even financial incentive awards, we are meeting the needs of preschool teachers so they can better serve their students. By supporting preschool teachers in and out of the classroom, we hope to also strengthen the early childhood education workforce.

By the numbers:

In 2022-2023, DPP worked with 268 total providers:

88

8

Family Child Care Homes

172 Communitybased Providers

Colorado Shines Ratings Comparison: DPP Overall vs. Colorado Quality Level

Denver Public Schools Providers 1 2 3 4 5

Of all 268 of DPP’s high quality providers, 66% are rated at a 4-star or above on the Colorado Shines quality rating scale, compared to 21% of non-DPP schools statewide.

*Based on all child care and preschool settings in Colorado. Includes DPP providers. Data sourced from CDEC. DPP Overall chart adds to 99% due to rounding to the nearest whole percent.

Strengthening Denver’s Early Childhood Education Classrooms

Each year, DPP strategically invests in Denver’s early childhood education system through grants, stipends, training, and other forms of support. These investments have a tangible impact, improving the accessibility, quality, and inclusivity of early childhood education programs across Denver.

In 2023, DPP distributed $1,573,000 in grants to community sites. Those grants included:

$803,000 Workforce Stipend grants to support the professional development and retention of qualified educators within early childhood education.

$410,000 in Quality Initiative grants to preschool providers to support classroom QI expenses.

$360,000 in Strengthening Grants to providers through an equitable process, prioritizing higher amounts for sites that:

• Serve a high percentage of families who are low-income

• Accept Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP)

• Are located in neighborhoods of concentrated disadvantage and licensed child care deserts.

Coaching and Professional Development

DPP funded approximately 4,850 coaching hours to support the early childhood education workforce.

DPP funded 158 professional development trainings for DPP providers on various topics, including diversity, equity, and inclusion; mindfulness for educators; and social-emotional skill building.

From our Grantees

“Considering, in general, teachers make very little and I have to work an extra job during the weekends to make due, it was so nice to get that extra funding.”

“I appreciate the grant from DPP. It helps so much during tough times. It encourages me to stay and work as an ECE teacher.”

“Getting a bit of money was helpful, but it’s not enough. When a large percentage of employees qualify for SNAP, Medicaid, or WIC, there is something wrong. The work we do is so important, but it’s impossible to focus on your job when your power might be turned off or you can’t afford to see the doctor. There is still a long way to go.”

“We are so appreciative and thankful for this funding opportunity as it will be used for our teachers’ fall bonuses for their amazing classroom achievements. We are truly thankful and grateful for all of your hard work and support.”

Community Outreach

There is nothing quite like connecting with families face-to-face, hearing the excitement in a child’s voice about preschool, or seeing the relief in a parent’s eyes when introduced to the programs available for their child.

That’s why DPP’s community outreach focuses on connecting with families – at a grassroots level. DPP outreach staff are in-person at local events across the metro area or work to share information through partnerships with community-based organizations, in places of worship, at cultural events or food distribution sites, among many others.

DPP’s Preschool Navigator adds an extra layer of support for families throughout the enrollment process. Additionally, DPP’s 12 Community Connectors speak 14 different languages, helping us to connect with diverse audiences.

In The Community:

• 1,051,250 total event attendance!

• 72 community events – prioritizing opportunities to connect with communities facing barriers to preschool enrollment such as economic hardship, culturally diverse, and multilingual households.

• 14,068 Personal engagements

• Featured events: Cinco de Mayo, Dia del Niño, Juneteenth, Denver Dragon Boat Festival

• Partner outreach – 41 interactions with local partners to help spread awareness off DPP and 21 presentations with non-profit organizations serving Denver families

• Featured partners: Southwest Denver Coalition, Denver Public Library, Metro Caring

Partner highlights

• Neighborhood Preschool Showcase at Southwest Denver Coalition’s Safe Summer Kick-off

• 3 DPP-sponsored preschool book readings with local celebrities

Denver Pridefest

Denver Art Museum

Dia del Niño

Denver Museum of Nature and Science

Dia del Niño

Growing Together: DPP Through the Eyes of Parents and Providers

Kristen Hopkins

Parent of preschool student at Sewall Child Development Center

Several years ago, Kristen Hopkins and her son Ean were struggling. Ean, who has autism, was non-verbal, and the preschool he was attending at the time wasn’t the right fit for him. Kristen had worked for Denver Public Schools and knew of the importance of early childhood education. Her boss at the time recommended Sewall Child Development Center, and it changed both Kristen and Ean’s lives.

“Ean was non-verbal at the time, and now he can tell me what he wants and needs,” she said. “Without Sewall or DPP, that part of him never would have come out.”

Today, Ean is doing well in kindergarten.

“In addition to all the early learning benefits from preschool, Ean gained so much from being around his peers–it’s not something a lot of kids with autism experience at an early age, and it helped him develop and be prepared for kindergarten,” Kristen said.

While Ean is powering through kindergarten, Kristen is pursuing her master’s degree in hospitality while she works full-time as a sales director for Marriott.

“The DPP tuition credits allowed me to focus on supporting my son and myself in other ways,” she said. “Now we’re both thriving.”

Principal Donald Reynolds

Sandra Todd-Williams Academy

Located in northeast Denver, Sandra Todd-Williams Academy provides high-quality preschool for 3 and 4-year-olds. More than 75% of students qualify for free and reduced lunch, meaning their families are in the lower income brackets.

“DPP has always been a great partner to us, not only providing critical tuition support for our families–many of whom would not be able to afford preschool without it–and also supporting our teachers with professional development, pay stipends, coaching, and more.” said Donald Reynolds, Principal at Sandra Todd-Williams Academy.

Reynolds said some of his best teachers are those who are most grateful for DPP. “Our teachers love DPP’s support and appreciate the learning opportunities DPP provides to them,” Reynolds said. “It elevates the quality of our programs and helps our educators engage in more meaningful and supportive ways with students as well as with their families.”

Sandra Todd-Williams Academy is one of Denver Public Schools’ 80+ preschool programs that benefit from DPP’s support.

“Early childhood education is a fundamental human need and it gives every child a true head start physically, emotionally, and academically,” Reynolds said. “DPP is such an integral part of financially supporting our families so that preschool can be a reality and also supporting our teachers. Everyone benefits from DPP.”

Principal Sara Snyder-Poole

Pascual LeDoux Academy

Pascual LeDoux Academy is one of Denver Public Schools’ 80+ preschool programs that provides high-quality early childhood education. Located in southwest Denver, the Academy is in its 10th year of existence. The school provides full-day preschool for 3 and 4-year-olds, offers both English and Spanish classrooms, and maxes out its enrollment every year.

“Tuition credits from DPP are a huge benefit to our families,” said Sara Snyder-Poole, Principal at Pascual LeDoux Academy. “Roughly 88% of our families are in the free and reduced lunch program. Many of our families are struggling to meet their basic needs, like food and clothing. Preschool isn’t a basic need, so without DPP tuition support, I believe many of them would not be able to have their children in preschool. With tuition support, our families can then use their resources to cover their basic needs, which is so vital–and at the same time know that their children are receiving a wonderful education with experienced teachers. DPP tuition credits truly benefit the entire family.”

Jennifer Rodriguez-Luke Executive Director of Early Excellence Program

Early Excellence Program of Denver (EEP) was the fifth preschool to sign on for support from DPP when it first began in 2007. What started as tuition support for 4-year-olds has grown into a deep, trusted partnership.

“DPP has become an amazing pillar for our program,” said Jennifer Rodriguez-Luke, Executive Director, Early Excellence Program of Denver. “DPP is one of our strongest partners and has helped us in every way possible from general operating costs to special projects, professional development, and coaching.”

EEP serves roughly 96 Denver families annually, providing high-quality early childhood education to children who are 2.5 to 5 years old. EEP has participated in many DPP offerings beyond the traditional tuition support, including the Preschool for 3s pilot program, which has now become a full-time DPP program.

“It’s been incredible to partner with DPP as their support, and our needs, have evolved,” said Rodriguez-Luke. “We’ve tripled, really quadrupled our impact together. DPP is one of our most vital and strongest funding partners and has helped us be sustainable in providing high-quality preschool for children, which has also benefited their families and our community.”

In addition to running EEP, Rodriguez-Luke also joined DPP’s Board of Directors in 2023.

“When Elsa asked me, I was just completely onboard with trying to be an advocate for community providers,” she said. I am honored and privileged to bring the community provider perspective to DPP.”

In 2023, DPP partnered with 268 providers. 172 of these providers are community-based programs like EEP. Denver Public Schools (DPS) and licensed home providers also partner with DPP to offer families a variety of options for their child’s early education needs.

DPP’s Impact on the Wellbeing of Families Reducing Stress to Increase Connection

The positive benefits of DPP tuition support yields multi-generational advantages.

This year, a new study showed that our impact goes beyond education. This new data shows that quality early education strengthens the parent-child relationship at its core, and the ripple effects are truly inspiring.

The research, led by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) – University of Chicago and the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Colorado, Denver, was based on surveys of 334 parents, across income levels, all of whom received tuition support from DPP. The evaluation team analyzed students’ Child Executive Function Inventory (CHEXI) and Devereaux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA) results together with the family stress model to make comparisons between the survey insights and linked outcomes. The surveys assessed parents’ financial strain, stress, and caregiving relations and practices.

The survey resulted in the following findings:

85% reported a decrease in financial strain as a result of receiving DPP support

Of those, 10% also reported a decrease in stress

Reduced parental stress leads to improved parent-child interactions and activities

These improved parent-child relationships boost children’s working memory, self-control, and protective factors, all of which contribute to social-emotional learning and kindergarten readiness. In fact, children from lower-stress families outperformed children from higher-stress families by 19-23%.

The research also shows that by saving money on preschool costs, families are more likely to re-allocate those dollars to help pay for things like housing, bills, food, and enrichment activities, all of which has a positive benefit for the community and local economy.

“We were really surprised we were eligible for DPP funding,” said a Denver mother of two children. “Tuition credits allowed us to enroll our child in full-time preschool and made it possible for both my husband and me to work full-time. It also allowed us to do some other activities and extra things with our daughter, like basketball and soccer programs.

“Just being part of the [DPP] program felt like another part of our family, like somebody’s out there helping us. It was like a grounding center. DPP is going to make sure kids go to preschool, which has made us better and is going to make our city better.”

—DPP Parent

This study is the most recent in an extensive library research DPP has conducted to learn more about the effect quality early education has on the long-term outcomes of children and families. Visit dpp.org to read more.

DPP + Colorado Universal

Preschool

Evolving to Meet the Moment

Colorado Universal Preschool launched in Spring of 2023, allowing families to enroll for the 2023-2024 school year.

This new, voluntary program aims to ensure all eligible children in Colorado have access to highquality preschool in the year before they enter kindergarten. In its first year, 6,341 children were enrolled and 215 providers signed on to participate in the program.

In Denver, Colorado Universal Preschool complements DPP’s proven tuition credit and quality improvement programs. While the initial school year is still underway, we can say confidently that having Colorado Universal Preschool means more Denver families receive more tuition support for their children. The two programs can be combined, providing more support for Denver families. While the State-funded program provides up to 15 hours of preschool per week from August-May for each eligible child, many families need more than that. And DPP is here to address that need in our community.

Given DPP’s decades of experience with early childhood education in Denver, DPP has been intricately involved in providing expertise and insight for the launch of Colorado Universal Preschool to the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), which oversees the program. And we’re thrilled to be Denver’s Local Coordinating Organization (LCO) for Colorado Universal Preschool, helping implement the new program here locally. In addition to providing feedback for providers to the CDEC, we advocate for policy and process changes where needed and support enrollment for families. CDEC is listening and implementing many suggestions to make year two of Colorado Universal Preschool run even smoother.

First-Year Results:

In Denver, 4-year-old enrollment with community providers has increased by more than 300 children

More than 200 Denver providers participated in Colorado Universal Preschool for the 2023-2024 school year For more information on the powerful combination of DPP + Colorado Universal Preschool, visit dpp.org.

A Vote of Confidence: DPP Reauthorized Indefinitely

In November 2023, Denver voters supported the reauthorization of DPP in perpetuity. This significantly elevates the impact we can continue to make in the Denver community and the bold action we can take toward improving the early childhood education sector.

By reauthorizing DPP, we all win.

Denver’s children win by gaining more equitable access to quality preschool. Families win by being able to confidently return to work.

Voters win by receiving a proven return on investment. We are deeply grateful and take this vote of confidence to heart as we gear up for internal restructuring and external impact. With this decision behind us, we can expand our reach, enhance our programs, and ensure that even more children in Denver have the opportunity to thrive in a nurturing learning environment.

The permanent reauthorization of the Denver Preschool Program by Denver voters is considered a positive development for several reasons:

Continuity and Stability: With permanent reauthorization, the program can operate without the uncertainty of periodic reauthorization votes. This provides stability for families, educators, and the broader community, allowing for long-term planning and investment in early childhood education.

Commitment to Early Childhood Education:

The permanent reauthorization signals a commitment by Denver voters to prioritize early childhood education as a fundamental aspect of the city’s educational landscape. This commitment can lead to sustained funding and support for the program, ensuring its effectiveness in preparing children for academic success.

Increased Access: The Denver Preschool Program aims to provide access to highquality preschool education for all Denver children, regardless of their family’s income level. Permanent reauthorization ensures that this access will continue in the long term, helping to close opportunity gaps and promote equity in education.

Positive Impact on Children: Research consistently demonstrates the significant benefits of high-quality early childhood education on children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development. By securing the future of the Denver Preschool Program, more children will have the opportunity to participate in such programs, setting them on a path for future success.

Economic Benefits: Investing in early childhood education has been shown to yield substantial economic returns in the form of higher graduation rates, increased workforce productivity, and reduced societal costs associated with crime and welfare dependence. By making the Denver Preschool Program a permanent fixture, the city is investing in its future prosperity.

Overall, the permanent reauthorization of the Denver Preschool Program reflects a commitment to the wellbeing and future success of Denver’s children, families, and community as a whole.

A Roadmap for Change: Progress on the 2025 Strategic Plan

DPP is focused on proactively paving the way for significant, equitable advancements in early childhood education. Our 2025 Strategic Plan is our roadmap for thoughtfully guiding us along the way.

We are taking a comprehensive approach to our expanded role, including an internal and external review. We are strategically expanding our team and internal capabilities and evaluating our relationships with external partners and advocacy groups – all to ensure we are working efficiently and effectively for Denver families.

We are thrilled to have you join us as we shift the early education landscape, making the changes needed to support our children of color, those with differing abilities, and families who lack the financial resources to make both working and early childhood education possible.

As we enter the next three years of growth and change, you can expect us to be innovative, empathetic, accountable, collaborative, and most of all, bold, in our commitment to giving Denver’s kids the best start possible.

Our goal is to be transparent through the process and hold ourselves accountable. We hope you will do the same as we make headway on some complex issues and exciting initiatives.

We are proud of the progress we have made toward our 2025 goals, including the following:

Receiving voter approval of DPP being reauthorized indefinitely

Shifting Preschool for 3s from a pilot program to a core program

Deepening our understanding of the true impact of our work, including the 2023 study showing the ripple effect DPP has on the financial wellbeing of families as well as the strength of the parent-child relationship

Strengthening our organizational infrastructure to better serve our expanded reach and objectives

Staying proactive and planning thoughtfully for population growth and the influx of new immigrants and refugees to Denver

Re-evaluating our role and responsibility as a community partner, both in terms of the value we bring and in the collaborative power of ensuring the right voices come together

General Inquiries: info@dpp.org

Total: $29,743,909

DPP Staff

Elsa Holguín President and CEO

Ellen Braun Chief Operating Officer

Nayely Avila Program Specialist

Irene Bonham Director of Communications and Engagement

Dr. Cristal Cisneros

Senior Director of Evaluation and Impact

Diana Herrera CUP Program Manager

Chris Miller Senior Director of Quality Initiatives

Carley Noerr Office Manager

2023 Board of Directors

Dr. Lydia Prado, Chair Executive Director, Lifespan Local

Erin Brown, Vice Chair Vice President of Community Investment and Impact, The Colorado Health Foundation

Chris Daues, Treasurer Partner, RubinBrown LLP

Anne Rowe, Secretary Co-Owner and Principal, La Vie and Company

Andrea Albo* Deputy Chief of Staff, Denver International Airport

Michael Baker

President, Gold Crown Management Company

Nathaniel Cradle Co-Founder, Venture for Success Preparatory Learning Center

Anna Jo Haynes, Board Emeritus President Emeritus, Mile High Early Learning Centers

Zach Hochstadt Principal and Founding Partner, Mission Minded, Inc.

Keshia Allen Horner* Founder and Principal, Mariposa Analytics

Jennifer Rodriguez-Luke Executive Director, Early Excellence Program of Denver

Amber Münck, Secretary Assistant County Attorney, Jefferson County

Zaki Robbins* Partner, Moye White LLP

Councilwoman Amanda Sandoval Denver City Council, District 1

Janice Sinden

President and CEO, Denver Center for the Performing Arts

Susan Steele

President and CEO, Temple Hoyne Buell Foundation

*Joined the Board of Directors in 2024