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Teachers as Owners

In The News
"Teacher-led schools" have recently received attention in the NY Times and other media.
» Read more.
National Inventory of Schools with Teacher Autonomy
Updated May 6, 2011

Math and Science Leadership Academy

451 S. Tejon Street - Denver, CO - 80223
Type of autonomy arrangement: mou + state waiver
Basic Profile

Opened In

2009

Grades

K through 3

Environment

Urban

Type

District
Autonomies
Select leaders
Determine school budget
Select colleagues
Determine salaries & benefits
Transfer or terminate colleagues
Determine learning program
Evaluate colleagues
Set schedule
Set staff pattern
Set school-level policy
Teacher Authority Is...
De Jure and De Facto
The school has MOUs with the teachers union, through the school board, to have a lead teacher instead of a principal. Denver Public Schools also, specifically for MSLA, requested and received a waiver from the state of Colorado so the lead teacher has autonomy to manage the school, deal with suspensions, and do teacher evaluations. De facto, teachers make decisions and the lead teacher approves.

About the Learning Program

Science, technology, and mathematics. Teachers have elected to use the district adopted curriculum and are able to modify it for their needs (they have a Science, Technology, and Math focus).