The latest scores in the Colorado Student Assessment Program are out and the news for Denver Public Schools isn’t good. Notwithstanding the happy talk emanating from district headquarters at 900 Grant St., here’s the bottom line:
Between 2008 and 2009, the proficiency of third- through 10th-grade students attending Denver schools went from 46 percent to 47 percent in reading, from 33 percent to 36 percent in writing, and from 35 percent to 37 percent in math.
In an analysis prepared by Education News Colorado (ednewscolorado.org), these scores place Denver fifth from the bottom in achievement compared to the 13 largest districts in the Denver metro area, the seven large districts from across the state and the Charter School Institute.
Yet DPS is putting a positive spin on the results, claiming its students beat state averages for improvement in reading (Colorado was flat at 68 percent), writing (Colorado improved by just under two percentage points, from 53 percent to 55 percent), and in math (Colorado was flat at 50 percent proficient).
Though Denver’s marginal improvement was greater than the state’s, at the district’s current rate, it will take 18 years to catch up to the state average in math and nine years in reading. (Of course, that assumes the state’s averages remain static.)
Contributing to the glass-half-full approach of the educrats, the state Board of Education has come up with a new measurement tool as part of its Colorado Growth Model. The tool measures annual growth in achievement. In other words, annual performance scores may not be great, but does the district show improvement over time?
In the EdNews comparison, Denver fared better, capturing fifth place among selected districts.
DPS leaders are painting a jolly picture. They suggest the district made steady progress over the past three years. But modest improvements in unacceptable outcomes for kids remain unacceptable.
A far more sober assessment came from the Colorado Children’s Campaign, A+ Denver and Metro Organization for People’s June 2009 report, “Denver’s Public Schools: Reforms, Challenges and the Future.”
The June analysis compares Denver to the district’s own expectations, Colorado averages, demographically similar districts in the state and other urban districts across the country. While acknowledging Denver’s willingness to try a variety of reforms, the report concludes, “current student results are unacceptable by all measures,” as is student performance.
So Denver does not measure up by any standard. The report, citing U.S. Department of Education stats, shows DPS in the bottom one-third of urban districts for high school graduation rates.
“Reforms, Challenges and the Future” concludes DPS must do several things to improve outcomes for kids:
• Adopt clear timelines with leading indicators of success and a road map of the strategies required to achieving goals;
• Evaluate existing reforms thoroughly before adopting new ones; and
• Engage and communicate regularly and honestly with the public.
This November, four of the seven Board of Education members are up for election (one at-large and three from districts). Learn as much as you can about these candidates and make informed choices. Enough happy talk.
Susan Barnes-Gelt (sbg13@comcast. net) served on the Denver City Council and worked for Mayor Federico Peña.
