Critics of West Denver Prep expansion plans were wrong three years ago, and they’re very likely wrong again today.
They were wrong when they predicted that two proposed West Denver Prep middle schools in northwest Denver would suck the life from existing facilities. In fact, the opposite has proved to be the case.
Overall enrollment of middle school students in the northwest has surged since the addition of West Denver Prep schools at Lake and Highlands.
Nor is the good news solely the result of students flocking to the West Denver Prep programs because of the charter system’s remarkably successful record of educating the disadvantaged. For example, Skinner’s enrollment of sixth- and seventh-graders was up through 2011, too — and so were that school’s test scores.
Now fast forward to today. West Denver Prep is seeking to establish a high school in northwest Denver — good news by any reasonable standard. Yet critics are dusting off tired arguments to oppose the logical location for the school, on the North High campus. They say locating two high schools there will inhibit North’s growth and undermine the district’s commitment to improving that school.
They’ve even started an online petition to keep a West Denver Prep high out of North, and say they have 600 signatures.
We’re glad so many people feel strongly about North, but are convinced their fears are groundless.
How could a high school with a projected enrollment of 500 inhibit North’s growth? North’s facility can accommodate 2,000 students, but North currently enrolls fewer than 1,000. In fact, there’s so much unused space that West Denver Prep already runs its Highlands school on that campus in a separate structure known as the annex — and no one accuses it of stepping on North’s toes.
If the school board eventually approves the charter high school and locates it at North, the most likely scenario would be for the middle school to relocate elsewhere.
If so, West Denver Prep high would be housed mostly in the annex and need only four classrooms in the main building at full enrollment in 2016-17. So North would still be able to grow by hundreds of students. Superintendent Tom Boasberg tells us North could have the highest student “capture rate” in the city and still enjoy plenty of elbow room.
Nor is it plausible that the district would reduce its commitment to North with two high schools on the site. Officials are perfectly aware that West Denver Prep’s program is not for everyone and that northwest Denver expects and deserves a high-quality traditional high school. But they also have a responsibility to use resources wisely — and that is precisely what they’d be doing by putting another, smaller high school on the severely underused North campus.
