Denver Superintendent Alex Marrero gets a $17,000 bonus with his third performance evaluation

An adult in a blue suit sits next to three young students in a classroom.
Denver Superintendent Alex Marrero tours Garden Place Academy on the first day of school in August 2024. (Melanie Asmar / Chalkbeat)

Sign up for Chalkbeat Colorado’s free daily newsletter to get the latest reporting from us, plus curated news from other Colorado outlets, delivered to your inbox.

Denver Superintendent Alex Marrero will earn a $17,326 bonus for meeting 85% of his goals last school year, according to his yearly evaluation approved by the school board Monday.

The bonus is equal to 5% of Marrero’s annual salary of $346,529.

The board voted unanimously to approve Marrero’s evaluation and performance pay with little discussion. Board President Carrie Olson briefly ticked off a list of the superintendent’s accomplishments, including his response to serving an influx of thousands of migrant students, the creation of six “community hubs,” and the district’s focus on environmental sustainability.

“We’re really grateful for all you’ve done for Denver Public Schools and we’re excited to see what you’ll do over the next year,” Olson said.

This was Marrero’s third evaluation since he was hired as DPS superintendent in 2021. Last year, he met just over 80% of his goals and earned a $8,325 bonus, equal to 2.5% of his salary.

The board’s 18-page evaluation of Marrero notes that the superintendent met many of his goals related to equity, health and safety, climate action, and graduation and post-graduation success.

Marrero missed several goals related to student and staff well-being and teaching and learning. The latter category is largely based on how DPS students score on state standardized tests.

Marrero’s contract allows him to earn a bonus of up to 12.5% of his base salary if he meets 100% of his goals. He does not get a bonus if he meets 75% of his goals or less.

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org .

The Latest

New York City schools are receiving about $16 million in one-time funding to implement the statewide cellphone ban. Some schools are getting more than $100,000 for device storage solutions.

Community groups in Philly are holding free back-to-school events. Here’s a list of the giveaways happening this month.

Sign up for Chalkbeat Detroit’s monthly service.

Chalkbeat Tennessee will keep you updated via text messages on important Memphis-Shelby County Schools board decisions every month.

As schools increasingly prioritize workforce development, music education programs are emphasizing how they provide students with versatile career skills. Could funding cuts jeopardize this work?

1 in 3 counties in Indiana don’t have voucher-accepting private schools, and rural students tend to use vouchers less often.