Denver Public Schools board members said Monday they want to ask the new legislature – and perhaps Gov.-elect Bill Ritter – to move the CSAP tests to the end of the school year to give teachers more time with their students.
Currently kids in third through 10th grade take state assessment tests, which gauge proficiency in reading, writing, math and science, in the spring. Third-graders are tested for reading in February.
Board members, as well as DPS chief academic officer Jaime Aquino, say that it is not fair to judge teachers – and whole schools – based on how well students are doing a little more than halfway through a school year. The Colorado Student Assessment Program test scores contribute to a school’s overall “ranking” on the School Accountability Reports, which are sent to parents statewide.
“Why would you give a test in the middle of the year?” said board member Jeannie Kaplan.
High school student board members in a presentation Monday told adult board members they planned a pro-CSAP campaign in their schools for ninth- and 10th-graders, who often blow the tests off.
“Doing good on CSAPs means an increase in extracurricular activities,” and fewer budget cuts, said Atradees Futrell, a junior at P.S. 1 charter school.
In other news at a board work session Monday, administrators said they want to do background checks on anyone with direct contact with kids in schools. This includes contractors working with kids in specialty programs, such as Lights On After School – an after-school program for some elementary kids.
That would include parent volunteers.
