Debora Scheffel
Debora Scheffel (Republican Party) was a member of the Colorado State Board of Education, representing Colorado's 4th Congressional District. She assumed office in 2019. She left office on January 8, 2025.
Scheffel (Republican Party) ran for election to the Colorado State Board of Education to represent Colorado's 4th Congressional District. She won in the general election on November 6, 2018.
She ran as a member of the Elevate Douglas County slate along with Ryan Abresch, Randy Mills, and Grant Nelson.[1]
Biography
Debora Scheffel's work experience includes serving as the dean of Colorado Christian University’s School of Education, as the 6th Congressional District representative on the Colorado State Board of Education, as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of California at San Diego, as a special education teacher at Northeast Elementary School in Parker, and as a rehabilitation program coordinator in New York. She earned a master's degree in special education from the University of Denver and a doctoral degree from Northwestern University.[2]
Political career
Colorado State Board of Education (2019-2025)
Scheffel was first elected to the Colorado State Board of Education in November 2018 and took office the following January. She left office on January 8, 2025.
Elections
2024
Debora Scheffel did not file to run for re-election.
2018
General election
General election for Colorado State Board of Education District 4
Debora Scheffel defeated Tim Krug in the general election for Colorado State Board of Education District 4 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Debora Scheffel (R) | 61.0 | 217,225 |
 | Tim Krug (D) | 39.0 | 138,649 | |
| Total votes: 355,874 | |||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Colorado State Board of Education District 4
Tim Krug advanced from the Democratic primary for Colorado State Board of Education District 4 on June 26, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Tim Krug | 100.0 | 49,260 |
| Total votes: 49,260 | |||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Colorado State Board of Education District 4
Debora Scheffel advanced from the Republican primary for Colorado State Board of Education District 4 on June 26, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Debora Scheffel | 100.0 | 78,101 |
| Total votes: 78,101 | |||
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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.[3][4]
Results
| Douglas County School District, District G General Election, 4-year term, 2017 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Krista Holtzmann |
57.62% | 52,018 |
| Debora Scheffel | 42.38% | 38,267 |
| Total Votes | 90,285 | |
| Source: Colorado Secretary of State, "Official Results," accessed August 28, 2023 | ||
Funding
Scheffel reported $36,075.09 in contributions and $34,122.88 in expenditures to the Colorado Secretary of State, which left her campaign with $1,952.21 on hand in the election.[5]
Endorsements
Scheffel and the other members of the Elevate Douglas County slate were endorsed by the following organizations and elected officials:[6][7][8]
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Scheffel 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 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 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 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 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.[9] |
” |
| —Elevate Douglas County (2017)[10] | ||
Chalkbeat Colorado survey
Scheffel participated in the following survey conducted by Chalkbeat Colorado. The questions provided in the survey appear bolded, and Scheffel'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?
| “ | Douglas County gave me my first education job, in special education. I had many great experiences teaching there and met some wonderful teachers. I still see some of those with whom I taught, and to this day, appreciate the work we did together. I went back to graduate school at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, and earned a PhD because I wanted to learn more about how to work with students who had special learning needs. I worked in several states subsequent to earning my doctorate all related to education, and came back to Colorado, taking a faculty position at the University of Colorado, Denver, and the University of Northern Colorado. Transitioning to higher education was a great opportunity as I felt I could make a difference by working in programs to better prepare teachers for success with all students. I am currently the dean of the School of Education at Colorado Christian University. That work is so very rewarding as we know teachers are the core of an excellent educational experience for every child.[9] | ” |
| —Debora Scheffel (2017)[11] | ||
Tell us about your connection to the school district.
| “ | I have taught in Douglas County and have lived in the County for many years. I also know a number of teachers who teach in Douglas County. I care deeply about the district and the students and families it serves, as well as the dedicated and competent teachers who work with Douglas County students every day.[9] | ” |
| —Debora Scheffel (2017)[11] | ||
If elected, would you continue the district's legal fight to enact a private school voucher system? Why or why not?
| “ | In 2011, Douglas County created the Choice Scholarship Program to help low-income families send their children to a private school that best suits their child’s needs, some of which are religious schools. Following a lawsuit from Douglas County taxpayers, the trial court found that the CSP violated the Public School Finance Act of 1994, as well as various provisions of the Colorado Constitution. After a number of other legal decisions, on June 27, 2017, the case was remanded to the Supreme Court of Colorado for further consideration in light of Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. v. Comer. If elected to the Douglas County School Board, I would like to see the case decided for the many individuals and states who care about the outcome. In fact, both sides should welcome clarity on this issue. If it is declared constitutional, we will then have a community discussion in Douglas County about how to respond to the court’s decision and whether this is right for our community.[9] | ” |
| —Debora Scheffel (2017)[11] | ||
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?
| “ | The superintendent for the District should be committed to ensuring every student in Douglas County can thrive and succeed and fulfill her/his potential. In addition, supporting teachers with the resources they need to do their best professional work, is essential. Further, parents are a child's first teacher and they know their child's learning needs best. Having many avenues to hear from parents about how best to work with each child and in what instructional context, is paramount. Listening, collaboration and vision are also important leadership characteristics central to the effectiveness of the superintendent.[9] | ” |
| —Debora Scheffel (2017)[11] | ||
If elected, would you seek to make changes to the way the district pays its teachers? How?
| “ | I believe that some combination of a step and performance compensation approach serves the district well. We need to have a candid discussion with teachers about how they wish to be compensated and they need to help flesh out the details of the compensation system. Conceptually, it makes sense to additionally compensate exemplary teachers and teachers in hard- to- fill positions; however, the current approach is perceived by some to be unfair and requires an unwieldy burden of paper work for minimal remuneration. Therefore, reviewing the whole system for fairness and how it is implemented, and letting teachers drive the discussion is important.[9] | ” |
| —Debora Scheffel (2017)[11] | ||
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 want to recognize the Joint Subcommittee and Long Range Planning Committee in Douglas County that put a lot of time and effort into analyzing the budget and identifying needs that exist in our schools. However, I would say that before we could consider a bond or mill levy, we first need to meet with the public and community to re-establish trust and transparency around how current funds are being spent. A recent community survey conducted by Douglas County suggested a minority of our community positively views how current funds are spent. Therefore, I favor some time to first engage the public in a candid discussion of the current budget, determine how we might be able to create efficiencies, and only then, determine if the needs identified in the district suggest the need to consider additional resources.[9] | ” |
| —Debora Scheffel (2017)[11] | ||
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?
| “ | People who serve on school boards believe in public service and selflessly volunteer their time and talent for the betterment of the community. Having served on a divided education board at the State level, differences can often be resolved through rigorous discourse, mutual respect, listening, and negotiating so as to make the best decision for the greatest good in the community and the school district. I have found that when sharp differences arise, getting more information as to how a policy or practice may impact individuals, often leads to a mutually agreeable resolution. Those serving on school boards are doing so because they care about the youth of our county and if the interests of the students, their parents and families, and our teachers are central to decision making, often those with different perspectives can find common ground.[9] | ” |
| —Debora Scheffel (2017)[11] | ||
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?
| “ | In the case Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of a higher standard of education for children with disabilities. The case posed the question: "Must schools provide a meaningful education where children show significant progress and are given substantially equal opportunities as typical children, or can they provide an education that results in just some improvement?" The court’s decision increases education expectations for children with disabilities and requires schools to consider each child’s individual strengths and weaknesses when writing an individualized education plan. The ruling puts parents in a better position to advocate for education programs and services for their children so the child makes progress based on challenging objectives. Special services teachers and providers in Douglas County deserve admiration and respect for how well they serve the needs of students with special learning needs. This ruling prompts a more thorough review of its services to students with special needs to enact even more effective policies and practices to meet this challenge.[9] | ” |
| —Debora Scheffel (2017)[11] | ||
How should Douglas County approach its relationships with existing and future charter schools, and should they be funded equally?
| “ | Colorado school districts should equally share local tax revenue raised through mill-levy overrides (MLOs) with their charter public school students. MLOs are voter-approved property tax increases that fund school district operational expenses such as personnel or programming. In a time of limited resources, it is important to provide every child equal access to public resources for public education.[9] | ” |
| —Debora Scheffel (2017)[11] | ||
Parker Chronicle Q&A
Scheffel participated in the following Q&A conducted by the Parker Chronicle. The questions provided in the Q&A appear bolded, and Scheffel's responses appear below.
Why did you decide to run?
| “ | I’ve lived in Douglas County a long time and Douglas County gave me my first job. I want to ensure that the district is doing the best it can for kids and families in the county. I’ve seen a lot of angst and things go on that may not serve our community the best and I would love to be part of the solution of addressing some of the things that have been going on the last couple of years. I just know that teachers are key to a great school district and that parents have a huge investment in ensuring their students have a wonderful experience. I would like to be part of making that happen in Douglas County.[9] | ” |
| —Debora Scheffel (2017)[12] | ||
What are the most important issues facing the school district?
| “ | The negativity on the board has been an issue. I think that we have to have civil discourse and serious conversations about how best to serve the needs of every student, but we need to do it in a way that is professional and civil and keeps children and students in the forefront of every discussion. Really, I think that’s number one. Ensuring that people have a voice and that there’s a lot of listening going on. I really think that restoring trust in the board and respect in the community is one of the main priorities we need to address first.[9] | ” |
| —Debora Scheffel (2017)[12] | ||
The board has been divided in recent years. How would you help bridge that divide?
| “ | Listening is really a first step. I always think that in any new situation, a lot of listening needs to go on. How have people experienced the policies of the board? What do they like? What do they not like? How are things being implemented? I think there are lots of concepts that can sound good in concept, but once they get implemented they don’t work so well for individuals. So we need to hear from teachers and principals and find out what their perspective is. Look at the curriculum and how that works. I’ve heard from some that the curriculum hasn’t really served the needs of the students well. So that certainly needs to be a focus. So, lots of listening to the community. What are the needs? And restoring respect and civility and kindness to interactions.[9] | ” |
| —Debora Scheffel (2017)[12] | ||
Would you be supportive of a bond or mill levy to bring more funding to the district?
| “ | I think that the district needs to look at the budget first to determine if there are areas where there could be savings. I think they have identified $20 million or something close to that in savings. I would like to really look at the budget in depth and really determine how our funds are being spent. Are there efficiencies that could be implemented before we start asking the public for more money? So, I would be in wait-and-see mode.[9] | ” |
| —Debora Scheffel (2017)[12] | ||
What else do you want people to know about you?
| “ | I would like people to know that first and foremost, I’m an educator. I’m a teacher. I’m still licensed in the state of Colorado in a couple of different areas, primarily in special education. That is where I started my career.
I went into education for the same reasons most teachers go into education, because they believe in the power of education. It’s the future of our nation and it’s essential to our district. I’m primarily an educator, and policies, whatever they may be or sound like, have to work for individuals — individual teachers, individual students and individual parents and families. That’s really been my foremost commitment to education since I started.[9] |
” |
| —Debora Scheffel (2017)[12] | ||
See also
| Colorado | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
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Candidate Colorado State Board of Education District 4 |
Footnotes
- ↑ Elevate Douglas County, "About," accessed September 25, 2017
- ↑ Elevate Douglas County, "Debora Scheffel," accessed October 9, 2017
- ↑ Douglas County Elections Office, "Unofficial Results," accessed November 7, 2017
- ↑ Douglas County School District, "2017 School Board Election Candidates," accessed September 5, 2017
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "TRACER: Candidate Search," accessed December 15, 2017
- ↑ Chalkbeat Colorado, "Groups with a stake in Colorado’s school board elections raise $1.5 million to influence them," October 17, 2017
- ↑ Denver Post, "Support expanded choice in Douglas County schools election," October 24, 2017
- ↑ Elevate Douglas County, "Endorsements," accessed October 30, 2017
- ↑ 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 9.12 9.13 9.14 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Elevate Douglas County, "Issues," accessed October 9, 2017
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 11.8 Chalkbeat Colorado, "We sent surveys to all the 2017 Douglas County school board candidates. Read their answers here." October 5, 2017
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 Parker Chronicle, "Q&A with Debora Scheffel," August 1, 2017
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Colorado State Board of Education District 4 2019-2025 |
Succeeded by Kristi Burton Brown (R) |
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