Two Denver School Board Directors reflect on new state testing data
The following statement is from Denver School Board Vice President Tay Anderson and Secretary Michelle Quattlebaum and does not reflect the opinion of the Denver School Board as a whole.
As two board members of Denver Public Schools (DPS), the academic achievement levels of our students are always our primary focus. This week's release of state test scores has revealed some positive news but also some startling trends our school system must confront and remedy with urgency.
As expected and experienced statewide, the pandemic led to significant learning losses for our young people. In DPS district-wide, we saw 3–7 percentage point decreases in the percentage of students meeting grade-level expectations in ELA and Math between 2019 and 2022, with the greatest declines in high school math.
The state-district achievement gap did not increase during that time, offering some consolation that at least DPS students as a whole group have not lost ground compared to their peers in Colorado. However, that was not the case for all students, as achievement gaps for some groups of students widened because of COVID-19. For example, the proficiency gap between white and Hispanic 3–8 grade students grew by 4% in both ELA and math between 2019 and 2022, and students who are not yet proficient in the English language experienced the most significant decreases in grade level proficiency. We will continue to work collaboratively with the district administration to prioritize investments and programs to close these worsening gaps for any student or student group disproportionately affected by the pandemic.
In addition to monitoring the achievement gaps between students with different demographic identities, we are also concerned with “opportunity gaps” for some groups of students. For example, between 2019 and 2022, Black and Hispanic students were far more likely to attend a school that declined by 10% or more in grade 3–8 proficiency than white students. The percentage of Black students attending a low-performing school increased by 12% over this same period, while the percentage of Hispanic students attending a low-performing school increased by 17%.
Along with these achievement and opportunity gaps between students of different racial groups, the socioeconomic status remains far too much of a predictor of student success in Denver Public Schools.
Despite these alarming trends, we would be remiss not to acknowledge that several schools in the district are demonstrating great success in remedying historical inequities and improving learning outcomes for all students. For example, Rocky Mountain Prep Creekside serves a student population where more than 80% of students are from low-income households yet has demonstrated grade level proficiency levels three times that of schools serving a similar population. Other schools, such as Valdez, Knapp, Morey, and Green Valley Ranch, also achieve student outcomes at accelerated levels vs. the rest of the district.
Our responsibility as board members is to support the efforts of our district leadership to replicate these best practices so that all students, regardless of race or other forms of identity or background, have the opportunity to reach their full potential in school and life beyond. We will remain steadfast in making informed and data-driven decisions to advance toward that vision and welcome our broader community's continued engagement and partnership in brightening the future for our young people.
Signed,
Tay M. Anderson, Vice President | Michelle Quattlebaum, Secretary
