News Release
December 6, 2005
School Accountability Ratings Reveal Flat Trend; Superintendent Michael Bennet Underscores Need For "The Denver Plan"
School Accountability Ratings released today by the state revealed generally flat results, with 10 school ratings improving by one rating category and eight schools declining by one rating category.
"We want to congratulate the principals, teachers and students in schools where there are encouraging examples of sustained improvement," said Superintendent Michael Bennet. "But it is also apparent that progress in many of our schools is too slow. Our district plan for improvement is embedded in the elements that comprise The Denver Plan, which is now open for feedback from the entire community. The Denver Plan calls for a relentless focus on student achievement and targeted intervention strategies to help drive schools to greater levels of success."
The Denver Plan is posted on the district's website at thedenverplan.dpsk12.org. The plan was released in mid-November. Superintendent Bennet said at the time that a two-month process to gather further employee and public feedback would be launched prior to the plan being finalized.
"This plan is meant to be a shared vision and a shared commitment on behalf of the children in our district," said Superintendent Bennet.
State performance ratings of excellent, high, average, low or unsatisfactory are based on third through tenth grade Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) scores from the 2004-2005 school year. High school ratings also factor in scores from the eleventh grade Colorado ACT reading, writing and math tests given to all high school juniors by state law.
In summary this year:
- Ten schools improved by one rating category.
- Carson Elementary School, Grant Ranch K-8 School, Lincoln Elementary School, McKinley-Thatcher Elementary School and Traylor Academy improved from "average" to "high."
- Slavens K-8 School's grades six through eight (which receive a separate rating from its kindergarten through fifth-grades) improved from "high" to "excellent." This means the entire Slavens School is rated "excellent," making it the only middle school level (grades six through eight) in the district with that designation.
- Beach Court Elementary School, Bryant-Webster K-8 School, Dora Moore K-8 School and Gove Middle School improved from "low" to "average." (Gove was closed by the Board of Education prior to the 2005-2006 school year.)
For more information, contact the Communications Office, 720-423-3414.