Derrick Wilburn

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Derrick Wilburn

Nonpartisan

Academy School District 20 school board, At-large

Tenure

2023 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

1

Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 7, 2023

Education

High school

Delavan-Darien High School

Bachelor's

University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse, 1988

Graduate

University of San Francisco, 1996

Personal

Birthplace

Chicago, Ill.

Religion

Born Again Christian

Profession

Nonprofit executive director

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Derrick Wilburn is an at-large member of the Academy School District 20 school board in Colorado. He assumed office on November 30, 2023. His current term ends in 2027.

Wilburn ran for election for an at-large seat of the Academy School District 20 school board in Colorado. He won in the general election on November 7, 2023.

Wilburn completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Derrick Wilburn was born in Chicago, Illinois. Wilburn's professional experience includes working as a nonprofit director, sales representative, marketing director, and entrepreneur. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin, Lacrosse in 1988 and a graduate degree from the University of San Francisco in 1996.

Elections

2023

See also: Academy School District 20, Colorado, elections (2023)

General election

General election for Academy School District 20 school board, At-large (2 seats)

Amy Shandy and Derrick Wilburn defeated incumbent Heather Cloninger and incumbent Will Temby in the general election for Academy School District 20 school board, At-large on November 7, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Amy Shandy (Nonpartisan)	27.6	20,988
✔		Derrick Wilburn (Nonpartisan)	26.5	20,208
		Heather Cloninger (Nonpartisan)	23.1	17,563
		Will Temby (Nonpartisan)	22.8	17,355

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 76,114
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Wilburn received the following endorsements. To view a full list of Wilburn's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here.

• U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman (R)
• U.S. Rep. Ken Buck (R)
• U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar (R)
• U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn (R)
• U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions (R)
• State Sen. Paul Lundeen (R)
• State Rep. Rose Pugliese (R)
• El Paso Cnty. Dist. Attorney Michael Allen (R)
• Frmr. Colorado Springs Dist. Attorney Dan May (R)
• El Paso Cnty. Commissioner Longinos Gonzalez Jr.
• El Paso Cnty. Commissioner Stan VanderWerf
• Peggy Propst (R) - Colo. State Board of Ed. cand.
• Frmr. state Sen. John Andrews
• Frmr. state Sen. Bill Cadman (R)
• Frmr. state Rep. Terri Carver (R)
• Frmr. El Paso Cnty. Sheriff Bill Elder (R)
• Frmr. State Board of Regents Memb. Heidi Ganahl (R)
• Frmr. State Board of Regents Memb. Chance Hill (R)
• Frmr. state Rep. Shane Sandridge (R)
• Frmr. Colo. Springs Mayor John Suthers (R)
• Advocates for D20 Kids
• Colorado Conservative Patriot Alliance
• Housing and Building Association of Colorado Springs
• Moms for Liberty, El Paso County, Co.
• Smart Choice Colorado
• Adam Brandon - FreedomWorks Pres.
• Jeff Crank (R) - Americans for Prosperity Regional Dir.
• Kevin Jackson - The Kevin Jackson Network Fndr.
• Darcy Schoening - Frmr. El Paso Cnty. Moms for Liberty Chair

Pledges

Wilburn signed the following pledges.

• Moms for Liberty

Campaign themes

2023

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Derrick Wilburn completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Wilburn's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am first and foremost the 29-year-long husband of Renee and father of our three amazing, Academy School District 20 graduates - Conner, Cayla and Chandler, and son of Bill (R.I.P.) and Tossie. Having been born and raised in the upper Midwest, my folks instilled a foundation of respect for all, along with a "can-do" attitude and work ethic into both my sister and me--an attitude and ethic I maintain to this day.

I earned a double major (economics and marketing) Bachelor's of Science from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse and hold a master's degree (Master of Business Administration) from the University of San Francisco.

Having lived, worked and advanced to the office of Director in California's Silicon Valley during the height of the tech boom, I'm very familiar with business development and workforce management. Then, seeking a higher quality of life and superior (public) education opportunities for our children, Renee and I decided to relocate to Colorado Springs, Colorado. A decision for which I'll be forever grateful.

District 20 is a great community in a beautiful part of the world and our school district among the best. I'd like to share the knowledge, skills and abilities gleaned these past few decades by serving the students and families of Academy District 20.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• The role of the education system, and District 20 specifically, is to teach our children knowledge, skills, and character for post-secondary success. I want to drive District 20 to new levels of academic achievement by focusing on the core tenets of education, staff development, and maintaining excellent facilities.
• Transparency and parental rights. Parents have the final say, and they are entitled to full transparency. Curriculum content and the well-being of students from academic, physical, and mental perspectives should absolutely be transparent to parents with little exception.
• Teacher pay. District 20 ranks near the bottom of teacher pay among (similar-sized) school districts along Colorado's front range. As a 15-year 'District of Distinction' D20 is a natural magnet for teachers, and we're at risk of losing some very capable, talented teachers to other districts offering higher salaries.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am personally passionate about the erosion of parental rights. With very rare exceptions, nobody cares more about the welfare of children than their parents. They raise and nurture to the best of their abilities for 18 years. The very idea that a public institution, like the school system, can work against parents or be actively involved in deceiving or keeping information from parents ought to give pause to all. Schools must partner with the families.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to my father, William M. Wilburn. My dad was an amazing man. He served his country in the army in World War II, raised and guided me with strength, wisdom, love and compassion. I can only hope to be a third of the man he was. We lost Dad last August at 95 1/2 years of age.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

"Conservative Heart" by Arthur Brooks.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Effective leaders are servants, and effective leaders are listeners. It goes without saying that honesty and integrity are paramount, but, in addition, elected officials must be visionaries who can not only dream big but then plan and execute effective strategies for making those dreams become realities.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibilities of the Board of Education are developing and approving the annual budget; setting school policies; and ensuring students graduate with the knowledge, skills, and character necessary for post-secondary success; and hiring and evaluating the superintendent.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Watching the week-long airing of the miniseries "Roots" with my family profoundly effected me. I was 12 years old at the time.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I began a paper route at age 12, upon turning 16, I received a work permit and started frying chicken at KFC for the duration of high school.

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

The primary job is serving as an intermediary between the will of the people, in this case the parents/students/taxpayers of District 20, and the public school system, listening to the people's will, and then crafting policy that adequately reflects those sentiments in the governance of our schools.

Who are your constituents?

My constituents are the families and students of District 20, as well as the taxpayers who live in the district but may not necessarily have children actively in the school system.

How will you build relationships with members of the broader community? Which groups, organizations, stakeholders will you specifically target?

Relationship building, particularly with broader players in our community, is something I've been very effective at for many years. I have earned the endorsement of the Colorado Springs Housing and Building Association and the support of numerous other players in our city and district on my successes in this arena. I would specifically target builders and those in the real estate sector, my many contacts in the media industry, the United States Air Force Academy, as well as elected office holders to utilize their time and talents to benefit D20 students.

What existing district policies would you like to change, or what new policies would you like to implement?

District 20's policy regarding the age-appropriateness of books available in school libraries. Rather than each individual school making its own decisions regarding books to include or exclude, it would be effective and efficient to have a centralized policy and decision-making process.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

The Honorable Doug Lamborn; Member, United States House of Representatives, (CO)

The Honorable Jack Bergman; Member, United States House of Representatives (MI)
The Honorable Paul Gosar; Member, United States House of Representatives (AZ)
Rose Pugliese; Colorado State Assembly Representative, HD14; Assistant Minority Leader
Shane Sandridge; Colorado State Assembly Representative (2018 – 2023), HD14
Brigadier General Jeff Butler, Ph.D, USAF (ret.)
Todd Hudnall; Senior Pastor, Radiant Church
Heidi Ganahl; Entrepreneur; CU Regent; (Republican) nominee for Colorado Governor
Jamari Hartley; POCC Interns, class of 2017; Legislative Assistant, U.S. House of Representatives
Stan VanderWef; El Paso County Commissioner, District 3
Colonel Matt Greene; USAF (ret.)
Lawson Perdue; Senior Pastor, Charis Christian Center
The Honorable Ken Buck; Member, United States House of Representatives (CO)
Adam S. Lee; Special Agent in Charge (ret.), Federal Bureau of Investigation
Chance Hill; CU Regent Emeritus, Colorado’s 5th Congressional District
Kevin Jackson; Founder, The Black Sphere; award-winning author, filmmaker, and radio show host
Bill Elder; El Paso County Sheriff (ret.), 2015- 2023
Jaylene N. Kennedy; POCC Interns, class of 2021; Legislative Assistant, U.S. House of Representatives
Adam Brandon; President, Freedom Works
Lieutenant Colonel Loginos Gonzalez, Jr.; USAF (ret.); El Paso County Commissioner, District 3
Michael Allen; District Attorney, Colorado 4th Judicial District
The Honorable Bill Cadman; former President, Colorado Senate
The Honorable John Andrews; former President, Colorado Senate
Reverend CL Bryant; civil rights activist; radio and TV personality; producer of “Runaway Slave“
Dan May, District Attorney (ret.); Colorado 4th Judicial District (2008- 2020)
Jeff Hunt; Director, Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University
Corey Wormack; Lieutenant Colonel, USAF (ret.)
Paul Lundeen; Colorado State Senate (District 9); Senate Minority Leader
Bentley B. Rayburn; Major General, USAF (ret.)
Charles Sailor III; POCC Interns, class of 2019; Solutions Advisor, Merrill Financial
Mark Cowart; Senior Pastor, Church For All Nations
Peggy (Littleton) Propst; CO State Board of Education 5th CD (2004-2011); El Paso County Commissioner (2011-2019)
John Suthers; (fmr) Colorado Springs Mayor, (2015 – 2023); (fmr) Colorado Attorney General (2005 – 2015);
(fmr) U.S. District Attorney (2001 – 2005)
Terri Carver; Colorado State Assembly Representative (2015 – 2023), HD20
Armani Garcia; POCC Interns, class of 2021; Assistant Press Agent, U.S. House of Representatives
The Honorable Pete Sessions; Member, United States House of Representatives (TX)
Captain Conner N. Wilburn (son); USAF pilot
Cayla (Wilburn) Albrecht (daughter); Marketing Coordinator, Colorama Credit Union
Chandler Wilburn (son); Colorado School of Mines student
Colorado Springs Housing and Building Association

New endorsers are constantly being added, to see the complete updated list of Derrick Wilburn's endorsers please visit: https://www.electderrickwilburn.com/endorsements/

Describe your ideal learning environment for students.

The ideal environment, of course, must include student (and faculty/staff) safety, where students feel safe physically and emotionally, one that embraces the latest technologies and various other modes of teaching, and incorporates a manageable teacher-to-student ratio.

What will you do to build a relationship with parents in the district?

Listening to parents is of utmost importance for a school board member. To facilitate, I will make myself as available as possible, encourage dialogue and look to set up and meet regularly with parent sounding boards, as well as hold periodic 'town hall' type meetings.

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.

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Candidate

Academy School District 20 school board, At-large

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