At Thursday night's Jefferson County School board meeting, representatives of the Colorado school district's teacher's union announced a "no confidence" vote in Superintendent Tracy Dorland.

"This is not a ploy, not connected to bargaining and -- for the record -- we have never done this as far as I've been a leader in Jeffco," Jefferson County Education Association President Brooke Williams said.

In a letter shared on the union's website prior to the meeting, JCEA's elected council and board of directors shared the reasoning behind the unanimous decision, saying in part:

"This decision was not taken lightly but is a reflection of the overall direction of the district under Superintendent Dorland's leadership which has created a disconnect between the central administration and the educators, families, and communities we serve."

JCEA representatives told board members Thursday that a lack of transparency and accountability also factored into their decision.

Vice President Dale Munholland ended the comment period with a call for action.

"Hold your employee accountable and demand Jefferson County schools once more move forward and restore partnership and trust," he said.

Dorland released a statement late Thursday night acknowledging the JCEA's concerns and highlighting the district's progress.

"I acknowledge the concerns raised by the JCEA Operational Board and Representative Council. I have read the letter and I am reflecting on the feedback. I acknowledge the need to build trust with the teacher's association. 

I also want to be clear that I stand by the significant progress we've made over the past four years—including increased educator compensation and the implementation of a bold strategic plan grounded in instructional excellence and extraordinary student experiences. We've delivered results for Jeffco students through improved academic outcomes and student experiences. We've implemented high-quality curriculum districtwide, increased student achievement, and reduced discipline incidents through a more consistent and equity-focused approach to behavior and support. 

I know trust is built through authentic engagement and consistent action. I am listening—and I will continue listening—to all our educators, families, students, and community members. As superintendent, I represent the entire Jeffco community, and it is my duty to weigh multiple perspectives and make decisions in service to all students. That often means making hard choices, but I have and will always lead with students at the center. 

I remain deeply committed to leading Jeffco in a way that provides stable leadership, supports students, values our workforce, and honors the voices of all our stakeholders. And while we need to listen and collaborate on important issues facing our district, we cannot allow our district to be paralyzed and stagnant. Our students need brave, courageous leaders, who are willing to work across our diverse community to actualize improvements to our students' experiences; I am that leader.   

I continue to believe in the promise of public education, in the dedication of our workforce, and in our shared responsibility to provide every student in Jeffco with extraordinary opportunities to learn, grow, thrive, and achieve their biggest dreams."