DSST Charter School Receives $3 Million Grant
Top school demonstrates success in educating urban students
Thursday, December 09, 2010DENVER –DSST Public Schools (DSST) announced today that it has received a five-year $3 million grant from the Daniels Fund to help fund expansion of its network of public charter schools.
“The Daniels Fund believes DSST offers a model for academic performance, innovation, leadership, and strong community support,” explains Linda Childears, president and CEO of the Daniels Fund. “DSST schools have achieved great results, demonstrating that all students can perform to high standards when given quality support to get there,” she added.
The Daniels Fund, legacy of the late cable pioneer Bill Daniels, has been a supporter of DSST since its inception, giving gifts that helped to open the first campus in Stapleton and additional gifts that support DSST’s capacity to open and manage new schools and school start ups, including Green Valley Ranch and potentially the Cole neighborhood.
“We are honored to receive funding from the Daniels Fund. Their incredibly generous support is critical to helping us accomplish our vision of doubling the number of four-year college-ready graduates from Denver Public Schools. Support of DSST Public Schools from the Daniels Fund represents its commitment to ensuring that all Denver students have access to a high quality education and can go to college. We are very grateful for their leadership in public education,” said Bill Kurtz, CEO of DSST Public Schools.
About DSST Public Schools
DSST Public Schools (DSST) operates open-enrollment STEM charter schools and is part of the Denver Public Schools (DPS) system. DSST currently serves over 1,000 students with three schools on two campuses. DSST has been approved to open three additional secondary school campuses (grades 6-12) in 2011, 2012 and 2013. At full enrollment, DSST Public Schools will serve over 4,200 students, and will double the number of four year college-ready DPS graduates by 2020.
DSST Public Schools was founded as the Denver School of Science and Technology in 2004 with the founding campus at Stapleton. DSST: Stapleton serves students from all parts of Denver with a student population of 65% minority and 45% low income. DSST: Green Valley Ranch’s student population is 83% minority and 55% low income. DSST will open its 3rd campus most likely at Cole K-8 in the Whittier neighborhood in 2011.
DSST: Stapleton is widely considered to be one of the leading open enrollment STEM schools (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) in the U.S. and has become a destination for educators nationwide. DSST: Stapleton has consistently been the highest performing secondary school in DPS, based on growth and absolute performance. DSST: Stapleton High School’s first three graduating classes earned 100% acceptances into four-year colleges. Fifty percent of DSST’s 2010 graduating class is first generation college-bound.
Additional information about DSST Public Schools and the admission process is available on the school’s web site at www.scienceandtech.org.
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