
Tools from the DPS Imaginarium
Fall 2014 - Spring 2019
Design Challenge
Challenging DPS community members to share their innovative ideas for radically reinventing education
Why did we need a design challenge? Denver Public Schools’ performance gains are inadequate to close opportunity gaps or ensure that all students leave our system prepared to thrive in college, career, and life. We believe improvement will only result when we find and implement radical solutions and that the best ideas come from the ground up.
Hundreds of people pitched innovative ideas in the Imaginarium’s five design challenges. Categories for judging and evaluation included: degree of innovation, potential to meet a need in the education system, integration within Denver Public Schools, feasibility, promotion of equity, and alignment with the Denver 2020 plan. Through our partnerships with the Janus Henderson Foundation and the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, the Imaginarium seeded 28 winners, many of whom created minimum viable products to benefit Denver Public Schools’ students.
