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

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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 .