Denver Public Schools leaders are planning to release on Oct. 2 a list of potential school closures, giving school board members six weeks to weigh the proposal before a final vote in mid-November.

Board members Monday gave informal approval to the timeline while clearly not relishing what is expected to be a painful and controversial process.

"It's going to feel like six months," board member Bruce Hoyt said in the board's first work session of the new school year. Most students in DPS return to class Monday.

DPS Superintendent Michael Bennet is expected at the Oct. 2 board meeting to present a comprehensive proposal for change in the school district, including the possible closure of as many as 30 to 40 schools.

The proposal also is expected to include changes - such as new special programs - at other schools. Part of the charge of A+ Denver, the citizens group studying school changes, is that students displaced by closures must be given better options.

So Bennet's plan is expected to include an array of opportunities for those families. His senior academic adviser, Brad Jupp, is working on a plan that will include charter schools and schools recently approved for significant reform, such as North High School.

DPS board members will get a chance Thursday to question A+ Denver members about their 68-page report, which includes criteria for school closures. The citizens group, led by former Mayors Federico Peña and Wellington Webb, among others, is charged with advising Bennet on the future of DPS.

What's next?

• Thursday Denver Public Schools board members will publicly quiz members of A+ Denver about their recommendations for possible school closures.

• Oct. 2 DPS Superintendent Michael Bennet is expected to present his proposal for the closure of as many as 40 of the city district's 150 schools. The proposal is expected to include major changes for other DPS schools and to detail the options available for any students displaced by closures.

• Oct. 11 and Oct. 25 Two more work sessions have been scheduled to allow board members to discuss the proposal with DPS staff. In addition, DPS is expected to release a list of community meetings and public hearings to gather input.

• Nov. 15 and Nov. 19 DPS board members are expected to vote on the proposal at one of these scheduled board meetings. The board is expected to vote on the proposal as a whole, either up or down, without making changes for particular schools. This is designed to prevent board members from giving special consideration to schools in the areas they represent.

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