Article 29 - Task Force on School and District Climate

A positive school climate and good teacher morale contribute to higher student achievement.  It is the shared responsibility of the District and the Association to work together to enhance morale and construct a positive school climate that supports improved job satisfaction and employee retention in the Denver Public Schools.

The District and the Association will convene a Task Force (see Appendix A) within the District to analyze the factors that influence and impact school climate and teacher morale and their effects on student achievement.  The District and the Association have commissioned a comprehensive research study concerning the “Recruiting and Retaining of DPS Teachers.”  The Task Force shall receive the results of the research study and put forth a plan of action to implement the findings and recommendations within the District.

The Task Force will serve at the direction of the Superintendent and the President of the Association.  It will be comprised of a representative body of the Denver Public Schools community including but not limited to parents, teachers, and administrators.  Staff support in conducting the Task Force’s activities will be provided by the Department of Human Resources.  Additional resource support will be provided by the Association as required and available to ensure the success of the Task Force.

The Task Force will continue to conduct and receive research information to assess, identify and track emerging employee morale and school climate issues.  They will report back to the District and the Association on an annual basis pertaining to the District’s overall school climate.  The report will provide an update/progress on employee morale and school climate as compared to the baseline findings.  The report will also identify interventions that have had a significant impact on the issues.  Additionally, the Task Force will identify continuing problem areas that remain to be addressed by the District and report back to the District and the Association on a periodic basis as required.

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