Grant Nelson (Colorado)

Grant Nelson

Education

Bachelor's

University of Colorado, Boulder

Personal

Profession

Business owner

Contact

Personal website

Grant Nelson was a candidate for District E representative on the Douglas County School District school board in Colorado. Nelson was defeated in the nonpartisan general election on November 7, 2017. He ran as a member of the Elevate Douglas County slate along with Ryan Abresch, Randy Mills, and Debora Scheffel.

Biography

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Nelson moved to Douglas County in 1993. He owns a commercial real estate business. Nelson graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He has three children, all of whom attended school in the district in the 2017-2018 school year.

Elections

2017

See also: Douglas County School District elections (2017)

Four of the seven seats on the Douglas County School District Board of Education in Colorado were up for nonpartisan general election on November 7, 2017. No incumbents filed to run for re-election, which guaranteed four new members were elected to the board. The race featured two candidate slates. The Community Matters slate—Anthony Graziano, Chris Schor, Kevin Leung, and Krista Holtzmann—won the election after campaigning against the policies of the board's 4-3 governing majority. They defeated the Elevate Douglas County slate—Ryan Abresch, Randy Mills, Grant Nelson, and Debora Scheffel—which campaigned in support of continuing programs started by the governing majority.

Results

Douglas County School District, District E General Election, 4-year term, 2017
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Kevin Leung	58.00%	52,314
Grant Nelson	42.00%	37,889
Total Votes		90,203
Source: Colorado Secretary of State, "Official Results," accessed August 28, 2023

Funding

See also: Campaign finance in the Douglas County School District elections

Nelson reported $44,647.98 in contributions and $40,138.63 in expenditures to the Colorado Secretary of State, which left his campaign with $4,509.35 on hand in the election.

Endorsements

Nelson and the other members of the Elevate Douglas County slate were endorsed by the following organizations and elected officials:

• Colorado Republican Committee
• Colorado Women’s Alliance
• Denver Post Editorial Board
• The Gazette Editorial Board
• Douglas County Republicans
• Douglas County Young Republicans
• U.S. Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colorado)

• State Sen. Chris Holbert (R-30)
• State Rep. Pat Neville (R-45)
• State Rep. Kim Ransom (R-44)
• Colorado State Board of Education member Steve Durham
• Colorado State Board of Education member Pam Mazanec
• Colorado State Board of Education member Joyce Rankin
• Douglas County Treasurer Diane Holbert

Nelson and the other members of the Elevate Douglas County slate were also endorsed by former officials and community members. Click here for a list of their supporters.

Campaign themes

2017

Candidate website

The Elevate Douglas County slate highlighted the following issues on the slate's campaign website:

“	RESTORING CIVILITY As a team of parents, community leaders, and educators, we know firsthand that excellence in the classroom grows from a healthy culture that allows students to focus on learning, teachers to focus on teaching, parents to focus on doing what’s best for their children, and the community to focus on supporting Douglas County School District rather than on navigating complex political situations and acrimony. A recent news article pointed out that the district has been in 'a constant state of conflict' since 2015. We agree. It’s time to hit the reset button. We can do better. We must do better. Our students should look to their elected school board members as role models and leaders, not as politicians from one 'side' or the other working to advance a particular agenda. First and foremost, the Elevate team stands for restoring civil discourse and stability to Douglas County School district. RESPECTING TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS Each member of our team has deep respect for educators. Debora began her lifelong career as an educator right here in Douglas County neighborhood schools as a special education teacher. She has since gone on to earn a master’s in special education, complete her doctoral work, and serve as the dean of Colorado Christian University’s School of Education, where she works every day to train teachers for school systems across the state. Randy’s father taught for 30 years, instilling in him a deep respect for what he calls “a noble profession.” Grant’s and Ryan’s experiences in both neighborhood and charter schools have also helped them develop an incredible respect for the more than 3,500 talented teachers who go to work every morning to serve our community’s students. We believe strongly that teachers deserve our respect. They deserve to be treated and paid like professionals. They deserve to be rewarded for their hard work, not consigned to rigid pay structures that fail to recognize the power of effective teaching to change lives and to help students reach their potential. Most importantly, they deserve to go work every day in a stable environment that empowers them to make a difference for students. Similarly, principals should be empowered to make the best decisions for their unique students in their unique schools. Educational decisions are best made at the closest possible point to students. Our district has seen much chaos and conflict in recent years, and this turbulence has made many of our educators feel disrespected or frightened. And while some policy changes have been steps in the right direction, we recognize that implementation matters. We need to ask whether changes will actually make a positive difference for educators, whether we have appropriately communicated changes to our community and sought its input, and, most importantly, how will these changes deliver the best possible education for Douglas County’s students. We look forward to working with Douglas County educators to move forward together into a new era where teachers are empowered to do what they do best: prepare the next generation of students to thrive in a competitive world. EMBRACING FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY School district budgets are massively complex. Among many other things, these documents are statements of the district’s priorities. Here in Douglas County, the school board is tasked with ensuring that every possible dollar of our district’s roughly $700 million in revenue is spent in way that provides an excellent education for every student in every Douglas County public school. That is an enormous responsibility, and the public expects their school board members to get it right. There has been much talk of a property tax increase in 2018. We acknowledge that a committee of hard-working volunteers recently spent a great deal of time preparing information on this subject for the current board. Certainly, our district has its share of serious financial challenges—buildings that require maintenance and teacher salaries that fall short of being competitive with surrounding districts, to name a couple. Even so, we are believers in fiscal responsibility. Our team includes successful business owners, neighborhood and charter school parents, and a former Colorado State Board of Education member. We know how to build and manage successful organizations, and we know how important it is to get this right. We also know that the community needs to fully trust their board members and their administration before they open their wallets to pay higher taxes. We applaud the interim superintendent and her team for finding more than $20 million in savings this year. We would like to ensure that we have found all possible savings before asking our neighbors and fellow parents and taxpayers to pay more of their hard-earned money into the system. If it becomes clear that Douglas County requires a tax increase, we are willing to have that conversation with our community. But first must come trust, and trust grows only from diligence, communication, and responsibility. RESPECTING PARENTAL DECISIONS We all come from different educational backgrounds. Ryan’s daughter attends a public charter school. Grant’s children attend neighborhood schools, and they have also attended a public charter school. Randy’s children attended both neighborhood and public online schools. And Debora has spent a lifetime studying the ways in which students learn. We know every single student is unique, and we know that every single student deserves a stellar education. We believe that the school district’s role is to empower our students to reach their full potential, not to dictate how they go about doing so. Tens of thousands of students go to school in one of our many neighborhood public schools. Thousands more attend one of more than a dozen public charter schools in the district. Others take advantage of online education options. We believe every one of these families deserves to be respected and applauded for making the decisions they believe are best for their students. No parent in Douglas County should ever be made to feel guilty for doing what we expect of parents in all other areas of life: looking out for the best interests of their children. As a team made up of parents and a lifelong educator, we know parents know best—and we are excited to empower them in any way we can to act in the best interests of their students. Creating an environment in which every Douglas County student can thrive requires thoughtful decision-making in conjunction with our community, and we look forward eagerly to those conversations. EXPANDING TRADES AND LIFE SKILLS EDUCATION We believe that respecting students means providing a launch pad into happy, successful, independent lives. For many students, that path will take them to a four-year college or university. Others, however, may wish to take a different path. There is a growing need in Douglas County and Colorado for workers who are skilled in trades and other vocations that may not require a traditional four-year college degree. Randy, an electrician by trade who took a non-traditional path to building a successful electrical contracting business, is a passionate advocate for offering these kinds of options, as are the rest of us. Douglas County School District already offers some stellar options for students who are looking to build skills in trades or other vocations. But we could do more. We want to work with the community, staff, and administration to find fiscally responsible ways to make Douglas County School District a destination not just for parents and students who are focused on academic paths, but for those who are interested in nontraditional pathways. Whichever pathways our students take, the district’s job is to prepare students to succeed no matter where they go. That’s why we are also passionate about providing students with real-world skills like how to manage finances, navigate the complexities of everyday life, and make good, well-reasoned decisions. Our school district already does some of this, and we applaud the educators who work every day to provide these options for students. But we believe that there is always more to do, and we will work ensure that every student in Douglas County leaves school not just with an excellent education and the opportunity to build his or her own success story, but with the skills needed to navigate adult life. We look forward to talking to principals, teachers, students, and parents about the kinds of offerings they want to see our district offer.	”
—Elevate Douglas County (2017)

Chalkbeat Colorado survey

Nelson participated in the following survey conducted by Chalkbeat Colorado. The questions provided in the survey appear bolded, and Nelson's responses appear below.

Tell us a bit about yourself. How long have you lived in the school district? What do you do for a living?

“	I am a dad to three amazing kids who have attended both charter and neighborhood schools in Douglas County. We have had an incredible experience with the Douglas County School District and want to ensure every family has access to the kind of education that they always envisioned for their children. I have lived in Douglas County for 24 years. I moved to Douglas County in 1993 and lived in the Woodlands behind Douglas County High School. In 1997, we moved to Castle Pines North and have lived here ever since. For the past 25 years I have worked in commercial real estate.	”
—Grant Nelson (2017)

Tell us about your connection to the school district.

“	For the past 12 years we have three kids who have attended both charter and neighborhood schools. Our kids have attended DCS Montessori, American Academy, Rocky Heights, and Rock Canyon. The ability to have a choice in our children’s schools has been huge for our family. Each of these schools offers something different and we have had a great experience at each of them.	”
—Grant Nelson (2017)

If elected, would you continue the district's legal fight to enact a private school voucher system? Why or why not?

“	I support meeting the needs of every kid in the district and I feel that the community deserves an answer to the Choice Scholarship program. After six years, both sides of this issue should want an answer and it could come in the next twelve months. I am committed to seeing this case through as long as no taxpayer dollars are used, as has been the case thus far with this legal question.	”
—Grant Nelson (2017)

One of your most important tasks will be to select a new superintendent for the district. What characteristics will you seek in a new leader?

“	I believe a superintendent needs to be a highly-effectively leader who has excellent communication skills. Any superintendent should continue to heal the culture of the district for its employees, its teachers, and, most importantly, for its students. In the one year that interim superintended, Erin Kane, has been in place I believe that she has made a difference. One principal who I recently spoke to said that the only reason that they stayed in Douglas County this year was because of the current interim superintended.	”
—Grant Nelson (2017)

If elected, would you seek to make changes to the way the district pays its teachers? How?

“	The pay for performance system that has been previously implemented clearly needs to be reanalyzed to make it more logical and fair for the teachers on all levels. It must provide tangible rewards for our most effective teachers. We also need to find a way to pay our teachers more and close the pay gap that exists between DCSD and other districts.	”
—Grant Nelson (2017)

If elected, would you support the district asking voters for a tax increase for capital construction and to pay for additional educational programs? Why or why not?

“	I strongly believe that the first step in this process must be establishing a level of trust with the community. A recent study by DCSD shows that only 19 percent of the community believes that the district spends its money wisely. If 81 percent of the community believes that the district does not spend its money wisely the district must establish trust in the community. Without building trust within the community, a ballot initiative to increase taxes will not be successful. This was demonstrated in Jefferson County and in Douglas County where the last two ballot initiatives to raise money for the schools failed.	”
—Grant Nelson (2017)

The Douglas County education community for years has been divided by actions taken by the school board. How would you bridge the gaps and ensure all residents are listened to?

“	The best first step that was taken was the departure of (former superintendent) Liz Fagen. From my perspective, her tenure was not good. It was basically an unmitigated complete disaster. She changed the curriculum and failed to address long-term budget needs. But the worst thing she did was create this culture of intimidation and fear. The district lost a lot of good teachers and a lot of good employees. It was awful. We really need to work to create a culture where the district lifts up employees. We want people to be able to work, have successful careers and enjoy what they do, not live in fear for their job every day. Over the past twenty-five years I have developed over 3.0 million square feet of shopping centers with the world’s largest retailers. I have developed projects with Costco, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Kohl’s, King Soopers, and many other of the largest companies in the world. I have been successful in negotiating deals and entitlements that create win-win situations for my partners, the retailers, and the communities that they are located. Without my ability to work with people to solve problems is the reason the projects got done. I believe that I could help find common ground so that the district moves forward in a positive direction.	”
—Grant Nelson (2017)

The effectiveness of the Douglas County School District's special education services was recently challenged in a U.S. Supreme Court case. While the court did not rule on the merit of the program, it did find the historic standard of "minimum" improvement is no longer acceptable. What sort of reforms do you believe the district's special education program should consider?

“	Douglas County special services has over 9,000 students on some form of assistance, a budget of almost $50 million, and almost 900 dedicated professionals. We must continue to work diligently with our excellent staff to continue to strive to achieve our best for each kid, not just a minimum standard. Douglas County has great parents and families and we need to value each of their children.	”
—Grant Nelson (2017)

How should Douglas County approach its relationships with existing and future charter schools, and should they be funded equally?

“	Seventeen of the eighty-seven schools in the district are charter schools, and over twenty percent of our students attend charter schools. I strongly believe the district should treat charter schools with the same level of respect and funding as a neighborhood school. The choice and diversity in education that the charters offer is a great benefit to the community and is part of why Douglas County Schools are some of the best in the State. Just like each of our students should be valued and treated with care so should our schools regardless if they are neighborhood or charter.	”
—Grant Nelson (2017)

Parker Chronicle Q&A

Nelson participated in the following Q&A conducted by the Parker Chronicle. The questions provided in the Q&A appear bolded, and Nelson's responses appear below.

Why did you decide to run?

“	I’m the father of three kids currently in the school district. For the last 11 years we have had them in both charter schools and neighborhood schools, and our experience has just been great. After being in the district for this long, you realize that the schools are part of our everyday lives and what a huge role they play in how they shape our kids. One of the most important things we can do in the community is educate our kids and get them on the right path.	”
—Grant Nelson (2017)

What are the most important issues facing the school district?

“	The district has great opportunities, but we also have many challenges we need to correct and it needs to start from the top. Our slate of candidates is really committed to stopping the negativity and the nastiness the board has had over the last couple of years. We really need to take the lead in how we take the district forward in a positive direction. One of the major issues we have is how we pay our teachers competitively compared to other districts. We have to make it competitive so we can keep our great teachers. We have to treat them like the professionals they are	”
—Grant Nelson (2017)

The board has been divided in recent years. How would you help bridge that divide?

“	The best first step that was taken was the departure of (former superintendent) Liz Fagen. From my perspective, her tenure was not good. It was basically an unmitigated complete disaster. She changed the curriculum and failed to address long-term budget needs. But the worst thing she did was create this culture of intimidation and fear. The district lost a lot of good teachers and a lot of good employees. It was awful. We really need to work to create a culture where the district lifts up employees. We want people to be able to work, have successful careers and enjoy what they do, not live in fear for their job everyday.	”
—Grant Nelson (2017)

Would you be supportive of a bond or mill levy to bring more funding to the district?

“	I think the new superintendent has done a great job implementing her zero-based budgeting, and that’s a great first step. She was able to find $20 million in savings, which is great. But it won’t solve all of the issues. The mill levy in Douglas County is considerably lower than other metro school districts and it hurts us quite a bit. The flip side of that is, after living in Douglas County for a long time, residents are very resistant to raise their taxes. They don’t like it. I think we first have to work very hard to renew the trust between the community and the school district. Then, go explain to them why we need a new (mill levy override).	”
—Grant Nelson (2017)

What else do you want people to know about you?

“	I tell my kids all the time that we live in the best county in the best state in the best country in the world. I truly love our state. I love our county. (My family) has been here for over 100 years. We have deep roots here and education has been huge to everyone in my family. I’ve loved raising my kids here and I think the county has a huge, bright future.	”
—Grant Nelson (2017)

Recent news

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Grant Nelson (Colorado) - Google News

See also

• Douglas County School District, Colorado
• Douglas County School District elections (2017)

External links

Suggest a link

• Douglas County School District
• Campaign website
• Campaign Facebook page