Case Study: Denver Public Schools maintains student excellence despite budget cuts with LinkedIn Talent Solutions

How a Top U.S. School District Stays Excellent, Despite Budget Cuts

Denver Public Schools (DPS), a large urban district serving more than 185 schools and about 90,000 students, faced a "perfect storm" of shrinking budgets and a nationwide teacher shortage. To meet growing staffing needs with fewer resources, DPS consolidated three recruiting teams into one 17-person unit and rethought hiring priorities while operating on roughly half the prior teacher-recruitment budget.

The district implemented a unified, data-driven recruiting strategy—“universal targeted support”—that combined direct school engagement, refined screening for fit and cultural awareness, and a high-touch candidate experience using LinkedIn. DPS also expanded pipelines through partnerships with Teach For America, HBCUs, local universities and alternative certification, which reduced time-to-fill, improved candidate quality, strengthened school relationships, and allowed the district to sustain service levels and fill more than 1,100 teacher roles annually despite budget constraints.

Denver Public Schools

Amanda Ludwig

Strategic Initiatives Program Manager