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Denine Echevarria
From Ballotpedia
Denine Echevarria is running for election to the Jeffco Board of Education to represent District 1 in Colorado. She is on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025.[source]
Echevarria completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Denine Echevarria earned a high school diploma from Northglenn High School, a bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado, Denver in 2002, a graduate degree from the University of Colorado, Denver in 2004, and additional education from the University of Colorado, Denver in 2020. Her career experience includes working as a classified employee, elementary teacher, district coordinator, instructional coach, gifted and talented coordinator, bilingual instruction support, and special education co-educator. Echevarria has been affiliated with Colorado Association of Latino/a Administrators and Superintendents.[1]
Elections
2025
See also: Jeffco Public Schools, Colorado, elections (2025)
General election
The general election will occur on November 4, 2025.
General election for Jeffco Board of Education District 1
Eric Bodenstab, Denine Echevarria, and Michael Yocum are running in the general election for Jeffco Board of Education District 1 on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | ||
 | Eric Bodenstab (Nonpartisan) | |
 | Denine Echevarria (Nonpartisan)  | |
| Michael Yocum (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
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Campaign themes
2025
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Denine Echevarria completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Echevarria's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I’m the proud mom of three: one Jeffco graduate, a current 9th grader, and a toddler in the future class of 2042. As a lifelong educator, I’ve served as a classified employee, elementary teacher, district coordinator, and instructional coach. I have also worked as a gifted and talented coordinator, supported bilingual instruction, and co-taught in special education classrooms. Beyond education, I’ve been a single mom and now share life with my amazing husband. I've been a small business owner, and currently serve as a nonprofit operations coordinator, bringing practical leadership and problem-solving skills to my work. I know student success comes from honoring staff, partnering with parents, and engaging the community. With decades of experience, I am committed to ensuring that Jeffco delivers high-quality opportunities today and for generations to come.
- Safe, Supportive Schools: Every student and staff member deserves a safe and welcoming environment. I will prioritize investing in safety and ensuring schools are places where students can thrive.
- Respecting and Partnering with People: Teachers, staff, and parents are at the heart of student success. I will honor and engage educators, and ensure parents are true partners in their children’s education.
- Strong Futures for Every Student: With fiscal responsibility and community engagement, I will advocate for high-quality, student-focused opportunities—because every child deserves multiple pathways to succeed.
Education Policy
Community & Family Policy
I’m inspired by people who lead with integrity, listen deeply, and put the needs of their community first. That could be educators, local leaders, or everyday people who step up to make a difference. I try to follow that example by being thoughtful, collaborative, and committed to serving students, families, and staff in our schools
Student-Centered Leadership: Every decision should be made with students’ learning, safety, and well-being at the forefront.
Collaborative & Transparent: A candidate who listens to staff, parents, and the community, and communicates decisions openly to build trust.
I believe the core responsibility of a school board member is to put students first in every decision. That means ensuring our schools are safe, supporting our educators and staff so they can meet student needs, and engaging parents and community members as true partners. It also means being a good steward of taxpayer dollars—making sure every dollar is used wisely to provide high-quality opportunities for all students. With my lifelong career in education and as a Jeffco mom, I’m committed to leading with transparency, accountability, and a focus on what’s best for both today’s students and future generations.
I hope my legacy is that I showed up for the people I care about—my kids, my family, friends, and community—and made a positive difference in their lives. I want to be remembered as someone who listened, supported others, and acted with kindness and integrity. Ultimately, I hope the people around me felt valued, encouraged, and inspired to be their best selves.
The first historical event I vividly remember is the Columbine tragedy. I was a junior in high school at the time, and it profoundly impacted me. This week, our community experienced another heartbreaking incident at Evergreen High School. As a school board member, I am committed to fostering a safe and supportive environment for all students, ensuring that every child feels valued and heard.
Babysitting and I still babysit for friends and family!
I don’t have a single favorite book, but I really enjoy reading stories that inspire me or offer new perspectives—whether it’s about people overcoming challenges, learning about history, or understanding different cultures. I value books that make me think, help me grow, and remind me of the importance of empathy and curiosity.
I don’t have a particular favorite fictional character, but I admire characters who show resilience, compassion, and courage—people who face challenges head-on and help others along the way. Those are qualities I try to bring into my own life, whether in my family, my work, or my community.
One of the biggest struggles in my life has been dealing with infertility. It was a deeply personal and challenging journey, but it taught me resilience, patience, and empathy. That experience has shaped how I approach challenges in life and inspires me to listen, support, and advocate for others facing difficulties in our community.
In my view, the primary job of a school board member is to ensure that every decision puts students at the center. That means providing safe schools, supporting staff, engaging parents and the community, and making responsible budget choices so our resources go where they matter most—helping students succeed. School board members are not managers, but leaders who set the vision, establish policies, and build trust so our district can deliver high-quality opportunities for all students, now and for generations to come.
My constituents are all of Jeffco—students, families, educators, staff, and community members. Students are at the heart of my work, but I know that their success depends on supporting the teachers and staff who serve them, engaging parents as true partners, and building trust with our broader community. As a school board member, my responsibility is to listen to and represent the voices of everyone who cares about the future of Jeffco Public Schools.
I’ll ensure every decision centers students by supporting educators, partnering with families, engaging community partners, and using transparent, outcome-driven budgeting so diverse needs are met equitably.
Building strong relationships with our broader community starts with transparency, listening, and collaboration. With looming budget cuts, we need to rely on our community partners now more than ever to make sure students still have access to the supports and opportunities they deserve. I will actively engage with parent groups, staff associations, neighborhood organizations, local nonprofits, business leaders, and higher education partners to strengthen connections between our schools and the community. By working together, we can leverage resources, expand student opportunities, and ensure that Jeffco continues to deliver high-quality education even in the face of financial challenges.
Good teaching is when educators create classrooms where students feel safe, engaged, and challenged to reach their full potential. It means meeting students where they are, using strategies that support diverse learning styles, and inspiring curiosity and confidence. We can measure good teaching not only by test scores, but also by student growth, engagement, and feedback from families, staff, and peers. To support advanced teaching approaches, I will advocate for ongoing professional development, collaboration time, mentorship programs, and access to innovative tools and resources so teachers can continue to grow and bring new strategies into their classrooms.
I’m committed to ensuring our schools are properly funded, and I know that starts with getting deeply involved in the district’s budgeting process. I plan to work closely with the finance team and other stakeholders to understand where every dollar is going, identify priorities, and advocate for resources that directly support students and teachers. While I’m still learning all the details, I’m focused on being an informed, active board member who makes decisions that strengthen our schools despite budget challenges.
My approach to school safety is guided by three principles: prevention, support, and transparency. First, prevention means creating a safe environment through clear policies, trained staff, and proactive programs that address issues before they become crises. Second, support means providing resources for students’ social-emotional well-being, so they feel connected, heard, and cared for. Finally, transparency means keeping parents, teachers, and the community informed, so everyone understands the measures in place and can contribute to a safe learning environment. Safety isn’t just about rules—it’s about building a culture where students and staff feel secure and valued every day.
I believe supporting mental health means making resources accessible, reducing stigma, and fostering a culture of care. For students, that includes counseling services, social-emotional learning programs, and safe spaces to express themselves. For faculty and staff, it means access to support networks and prioritizing their well-being. And importantly, parents should be included every step of the way—kept informed about programs, engaged in communication, and equipped to support their children at home. My goal is to create a community where students, staff, and families all feel supported and connected
At this point, I’m still learning the details of our district’s existing policies. My priority is to listen to teachers, parents, students, and staff to understand what’s working and where improvements are needed. I want to ensure that any changes or new policies are focused on supporting student learning, safety, and well-being, and that they reflect the needs of our community. I’m committed to being an informed, thoughtful board member before making decisions about policy changes.
My ideal learning environment is one where every student feels safe, supported, and challenged. Classrooms should be welcoming spaces that reflect students’ diverse backgrounds and needs, where educators have the time and resources to provide individualized support. Students should have access to multiple pathways—academic, career, arts, and technical—so each child can find success in their own way. Above all, it’s an environment where staff, families, and the community work together to ensure students are not only learning, but thriving.
I believe parents are our children’s first teachers, and building strong relationships with them is essential for student success. I will prioritize open communication, transparency, and partnership by creating more opportunities for parents to share their voices—through town halls, advisory groups, and school-based engagement. I’ll also work to ensure parents receive clear, accessible information about district decisions and resources. By treating parents as true partners, we can build the trust needed to support every student.
My preferred strategies for recruiting faculty, staff, and administrators focus on making Jeffco a place where people want to come and stay. That means offering competitive compensation, but also creating a supportive culture where educators have the time and resources they need to meet student needs. I believe in expanding grow-your-own pipelines—helping classified staff, student teachers, and community members move into licensed roles—and strengthening partnerships with local universities to bring in new talent. Just as important, we need to retain the great people we already have by listening to their voices, addressing workload challenges, and ensuring they feel valued and respected.
I’m still learning about the specifics of Jeffco's curriculum, but my priority is making sure it prepares students for the real world. I’m focused on ensuring students have strong foundations in reading, math, and science, while also building skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and social-emotional learning. As I continue listening to teachers, parents, and students, I’ll advocate for changes that truly support their success
I believe artificial intelligence can be a tool to support teaching and learning, but it should never replace the human connection that is central to education. AI can help personalize learning, provide teachers with data to better understand student progress, and streamline administrative tasks so staff can focus more on students. My approach would be to learn from educators and experts to ensure that any AI used in Jeffco enhances learning, protects student privacy, and supports—not replaces—the work of teachers and staff.
One story that really stayed with me was from a parent who felt like they couldn’t be heard in their children’s school. They felt frustrated and hurt by the educational system and weren’t sure where to turn. It reminded me how important transparency, communication, and trust are between schools and families. Experiences like that drive me to make sure parents feel included, respected, and supported, and that every voice in our community matters.
One accomplishment I’m particularly proud of is earning my doctorate. It was a long and challenging journey that required dedication, perseverance, and a commitment to lifelong learning. That experience has shaped how I approach challenges, problem-solving, and leadership, and it reminds me of the value of education in opening doors and creating opportunities.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2025 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on September 14, 2025
