Denver students this year posted better scores than students a year ago according to results released today under the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP).

Among 18 tests where comparisons from the previous year are available, students who took the test in March of 2002 fared better on 13 tests over students who took the test in March of 2001. Of particular note were improved scores on eighth-, ninth-, and tenth-grade reading tests.

In addition, scores on fourth-grade writing, fifth-grade math, seventh-grade writing, eighth-grade science, tenth-grade writing, and tenth-grade math showed progress from 2001 to 2002. Progress was also noted on fourth-grade Lectura and Escritura (a Spanish-language alternative of the reading and writing exam given to eligible Spanish-speaking students in third and fourth grade only). Because small numbers of students are given Lectura and Escritura, the DPS Department of Assessment and Testing cautions against reading too much into trends up or down on these tests.

"We know there is still a long way to go and lots of hard work to be done," said Superintendent Jerry Wartgow, "but these scores establish a positive trend. Students, teachers, parents and staff all need to be thanked for their hard work and dedication. We know this community is taking the district's goals seriously – raising expectations, improving the performance of all students and closing the gap between better and poorer-performing students. Now, we need to bear down even harder and organize our instruction in a way that addresses the many areas where students are not yet performing at acceptable levels. Improving these scores will take sustained, focused effort. That is why we are instituting a new literacy program for the elementary grades and mandating concentrated work on literacy skills for students in the secondary grades who are not yet reading on grade level. This work is beginning immediately with the new school year."

The elementary literacy program prescribes the use of three-hours of instruction time every day – 90 minutes in a reading block, 60 minutes in a writer's workshop, and 30 minutes in a skills block. The secondary literacy program also prescribes a set course – two hours per day – for all students not yet reading on grade level.

The CSAP results also revealed, Wartgow noted, that significant gaps persist between DPS and statewide scores and between scores posted by white students and by Hispanic and black students even though scores posted by black students and Hispanic students (who represent 54 percent of all DPS enrollment) showed progress. Black students increased scores between 2001 and 2002 on third-grade reading, fourth-grade reading, fourth-grade writing, sixth-grade reading, seventh-grade writing, eighth-grade reading, eighth-grade science, ninth-grade reading, and tenth-grade reading.

Hispanic student scores increased between 2001 and 2002 on fifth-grade reading, sixth-grade mathematics, sixth-grade reading, eighth-grade reading, eighth-grade science, ninth-grade reading, tenth-grade reading, and tenth-grade writing.

Superintendent Wartgow said the data are still being analyzed to determine how the district's individual schools performed, particularly those 21 schools that face potential corrective measures from the state if they fail to make progress over time out of the "unsatisfactory" category.

Beginning with raw CSAP data being released today, the state later this year will publish rankings and a School Accountability Report for each school in the state.

A complete set of CSAP data for Denver Public Schools can be found at
http://testing.dpsk12.org/csapjuly02.htm.