The bad got better this year in Denver Public Schools rankings on the state’s School Accountability Reports released Wednesday.
Last year, Denver had 10 unsatisfactory schools, half the state’s total in that category, according to state figures.
This year, only three Denver schools received the lowest rating — Howell K-8, Mitchell and Skyland Community High School. A total of 11 were rated unsatisfactory statewide.
One of those, Mitchell kindergarten through eighth-grade school, is scheduled to close at the end of the school year as part of the district’s reform plan.
“Many more schools are stable or improved rather than on decline,” said Superintendent Michael Bennet. “We won’t be satisfied until all of our schools are improving.”
Bennet is leading a massive change in the district, an effort he put in place two years ago. Last month, the school board voted to close eight poorly performing and under-enrolled schools.
Four of those were tabbed “unsatisfactory” last year. In the state’s accountability report, three of those four elementary schools — Del Pueblo, Wyman and Whiteman — had risen from “unsatisfactory” to “low.” Del Pueblo’s academic growth was rated as improving.
The district also is changing programs in five schools, including one that was unsatisfactory last year — Gilpin K-8, which is being changed into a Montessori program for infants through eighth-graders.
Most DPS schools in this year’s ranking — 107 out of 164 — were rated low by the Colorado Department of Education based on performance by students on the Colorado Student Assessment Program.
Twenty of the 164 schools — or 12 percent — received “excellent” or “high” ratings, according to state data.
District officials say the numbers fail to show what is happening in schools.
Fifteen schools improved on the School Accountability Reports from the previous year, and five went down. Specifically, six moved from low to average and two improved from average to high.
The report, which also examines overall academic performance, showed 24 significantly improved and 13 significantly declined.
Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com
