Vol 32 - Between "Historic" and "Nuanced": Understanding Ed Reform in Denver

In this episode of WonkyFolk, Andy Rotherham and Jed Wallace kick off the year with a deep and thoughtful conversation with Baxter Parker, longtime Denver-based education leader and policy thinker. Together, they explore how Denver’s school reform journey—often hailed as a national model—has evolved from being described as “historic” to something more complex, contextual, and nuanced.Parker shares insights from recent studies on Denver’s portfolio strategy and its impact on student outcomes, and reflects on the shifting narratives, local politics, and policy lessons emerging from over two decades of reform.📌 Topics include:What Denver got right—and what it’s still grappling withHow closures, autonomy, and accountability played out in practiceWhat the data actually say about academic gains and equityWhy local nuance matters more than national hype🎓 Whether you’re a reform skeptic or a die-hard believer, this conversation offers grounded, data-informed reflections on one of the most watched experiments in urban education.👇 Show Notes and Resources:Center for Education Policy Analysis at the University of Colorado Denver School of Public AffairsEducation Systems Leadership and Policy InstituteKey Research Studies:Student-Level Study – 2024 - Study SummaryS | Technical Reporth | ​Slide Deck​o | Bennet-Boasberg EssaySystemwide and Intervention-Specific Effects of Denver Public Schools’ Portfolio District Strategy on Individual Student Achievement – Anna Nicotera, Erik Fuller, Jakob Panzer, Todd Ely, and Paul TeskeDistrict-Level Study – 2022. Study Summary | Technical ReportThe System-Level Effects of Denver’s Portfolio Strategy on Student Academic Outcomes – Anna Nicotera, David Stuit, Margot Plotz, Todd Ely, and Paul TeskeRelated Articles and Essays:“Dismantling Denver” – Education Next, Spring 2022, by Alan Gottlieb“Redesigning Denver’s Schools: The Rise and Fall Of Superintendent Tom Boasberg” – Education Next, Spring 2019, by Todd Ely and Paul Teske“Mastering Change: When Charter Schools and School Districts Embrace Strategic Partnership” – 2012, by Elizabeth Cooley Nelson, in CRPE“Denver Education Research Going Forward but Not Without a Fight”– Erica Meltzer, Chalkbeat, July 13, 2023“Closing Struggling Schools Helped Student Achievement in Denver, Study Finds” – Erica Meltzer, Chalkbeat, September 27, 2024“Denver Public Schools’ Controversial Reform Strategy Led to Significant Learning Gains for Students” – Jenny Brundin, Colorado Public Radio, September 24, 2024“The Inconvenient Success of New Orleans Schools” – Ravi Gupta, The74Million, August 25, 2025“How Denver’s School Reforms Raised Grad Rate, Got Kids Years of Extra Learning” – The74Million, February 23, 2025“Education Scarcity: A Picture Worth a Thousand Words – The Five Points of a North Star” – Jed Wallace, CharterFolk, September 14, 2025