Students returned to classrooms this week, kicking off the school year in the most “normal” way in two years. While the first week of school is always full of hope and possibility, that energy was diminished by the release of the Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) results.
Unfortunately, the news was disappointing, but not unexpected for DPS: across the district, students are not reading or doing math at grade level. What’s most concerning, though, is that the data clearly indicates that DPS achievement gaps widened since 2019, and the district fell well below state averages in reading and math. Specifically, less than one-fourth of all students of color are reading at grade level and less than one-seventh of students of color can do math at grade level.
We hope this will be a unifying moment for the DPS board of directors and district leadership. DPS students and the wider community need leaders who can take up the important work of supporting students and improving outcomes. We are eager to see bold and innovative policies, which are designed to get students back at grade level and beyond by the time they graduate from DPS. Visit our website to learn more about the data and stay engaged.
If you are concerned about the state of DPS and student outcomes, you can make a difference. Join us for LEAD Denver this fall to learn more about how you can impact DPS policy decisions and school board elections. Learn more at www.denverfamilies.org/lead-denver.
