Monday Churn: Key week for DPS

What’s on tap:

MONDAY

The state Capital Construction Assistance Board convenes at 8:30 a.m. to consider applications for 2011-12 grants from the Building Excellent Schools Today program. The board has scheduled four days to review and decide on both cash and lease-purchase grants. Meetings will be at the PPA Event Center, 2105 Decatur St. in Denver. EdNews will provide updates on board decisions via Facebook and Twitter. See this story for details on this year’s applications.

The Denver school board meets at 5 p.m. to take public comment on the latest set of new schools applications. The meeting will be in district headquarters at 900 Grant St. See this story for background.

The Douglas County school board meets at 6 p.m. at district headquarters, 620 Wilcox St. in Castle Rock. The top item of business is a vote on creation of the Choice Leadership School, a charter that would be the umbrella organization for the district’s proposed private-school voucher program.

WEDNESDAY

The State Board of Education will hold its annual retreat from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at The Daniels Fund, 101 Monroe St. in Denver.

THURSDAY

The Denver board meets at 5 p.m. to vote on new schools recommendations, 900 Grant St.

Weekly reading: News from all over

Demand high for Washington D.C. vouchers. Washington Post

Dozens of school closures possible in Philly. Philadelphia Notebook

Test score gains don’t impress new Chicago school leaders. Chicago Catalyst

Cheating scandals spread to Baltimore. Baltimore Sun

Six-figure pensions soar for Calif. school administrators. Sacramento Bee

Some already gunning for new Detroit schools chief. AP

U.S. colleges’ appeal fading for foreign students. USA Today

The Churn is published periodically during the summer.