Pros
It's is admirable that so many young teachers over work themselves to improve our current education system, and help students.
Cons
DSST does not offer contracts to its employees. What every teacher signs is an "offer letter" that can be modified at any point by DSST Home Office, and is; this is a fact. DSST's staff overturn rate is consistently highly with most staff's tenure not exceeding two years; this is a fact. DSST bases raises in pay, not on work experience and education, but on test scores, student/parent surveys, evaluations by administrators who do not, always, teach the reviewers subject, and staff popularity; this is a fact. There is no union to help protect the employment rights of DSST teachers; this a fact. The average, $40,000, salary offered to most incoming teachers does not allow a sustainable lifestyle with the cost to living ratio in the growing city of Denver; this is a fact. DSST high schools allow students, without appropriate degrees, certification, or even high school diplomas, to teach fine art classes for Colorado high school diploma transcript credit; this is a fact and fraud. The fine arts in DSST are not valued and classes for them are consistently canceled for erroneous assemblies, and testing prep time for standardized testing, despite the data based evidence of fine arts education value; this is a fact. DSST expects its employees to proselytize, door to door, DSST promotional material in communities were a DSST school is not present, on weekends and after school; this is a fact. DSST holds multi, expensive staff functions periodically through the year, that are fully paid for with money that could go to student educational opportunities, or increased pay for teachers, but does not; this is a fact. DSST works to get every kid to college, but does not track the data of college completion rates of their alumni; this is a fact. Some DSST administration engages in inappropriate, unprofessional relationships with other DSST staff members that creates clear bias and double standards in treatment, compensation, reviews, and discipline; this is a fact. Most of DSST's teachers are not license educators, or do you not have a degree in education or even their subject field, yet are still allowed to teach students for transcript credit because of their charter district status, and, therefore, do not know or teach Colorado Department of Education Standards other districts require; this is a fact. DSST placates inexperienced staff with "gifts" that include t-shits, hoodies, laptop bags, coffee mugs, hats, ect that are inscribed with DSST logos so that staff may serve as walking advertisements, for the district, in lieu of appropriate financial compensation; this is a fact. CEO, Bill Kurtz, is a shameless self promoter who only cares about his press time and buzz word catchphrases that placate his young workforce; this is a fact. DSST is, at its heart, a company and not an altruistic educational institution; this is a fact. For all who are truly seeking employment in the education sector, sustainability is not possible at this company. Take the time to become a licensed educator, and be hired by one of the government operated public school districts, where there are low income students who still need an exemplary education, and your workers rights are protected by functioning unions.
