DPS Board of Education Update for Jan. 19, 2017 
for Senior, School Leaders

Please share with your teams and communities as appropriate -- DPS Communications
Graduation Rates Up, Dropout Rates Down In 10-Year Trend

Superintendent Tom Boasberg followed the task force update by presenting the board with news announced today that DPS graduation rates continue to climb and dropout numbers continue to decline, continuing a 10-year trend of improvement in both areas: 
  • For the ninth consecutive year, the four-year or "on-time" graduation rate has steadily increased. In 2006-07, the four-year graduation rate was 39%, increasing to 67% in 2015-16.
  • For students who started with DPS in ninth-grade, the four-year graduation rate was even higher - at 74%, and the five-year graduation rate for those students is now 82%. 
  • Also over the past decade, DPS has cut its dropout rate by nearly two-thirds. In 2005-06, the dropout rate was 11.1%, declining steadily to 4% in 2015-16.
Boasberg connected the work of the African-American Equity Task Force with driving further improvements to graduation rate gains, saying that advice of previous task forces had helped drive changes that had resulted in these gains. 

Board Member Happy Haynes and Board President Anne Rowe also acknowledged the work of the district's secondary schools, and specifically pathways schools, in the improvements.
 
African-American Equity Task Force Update

The African-American Equity Task Force -- formed in response to Dr. Sharon Bailey's report on factors contributing to the opportunity gap that exists for our African-American students and educators -- tonight gave an update to the Board of Education on its work. The task force laid out its action steps and process timeline. Additional diversity, equity and inclusion efforts underway include the development of the district's ED Talk Speaker Series, recruitment and retention interviews and mentors, Equity Boot Camps, mediation, research and education.

National Blue Ribbon Schools, Distinguished Schools Recognized

Cory Elementary School and DSST: Green Valley Ranch High School were recognized by the board for being named 2016 National Blue Ribbon Schools -- a mark of excellence bestowed on only 279 public schools of the 132,500 schools nationwide. You can read the full proclamations here. 

The board also recognized and honored the outstanding performance of the 11 schools identified as Distinguished or "Blue" on the 2015-16 School Performance Framework:
  • Cory Elementary School
  • Creativity Challenge Community
  • Denver School of Science and Technology (DSST): Byers Middle School
  • DSST: Cole High School
  • DSST: College View High School
  • DSST: Green Valley Ranch High School
  • DSST: Stapleton High School
  • KIPP Northeast Denver Leadership Academy
  • Slavens K-8 School
  • Steck Elementary School
  • University Preparatory Academy -- Arapahoe Street
 Read the proclamation here. 

School Performance Compact Update: Gilpin Montessori 

The Board of Education tonight heard from dozens of community members about its decision in December to close Gilpin Montessori School under its new School Performance Compact policy. Several board members cited concerns about the execution of the policy but declined to bring the decision back for another vote. Staff members reported on supports being offered to Gilpin families:

A Montessori Alternative
Deputy Superintendent Susana Cordova introduced school leadership and teachers from Garden Place Academy, which will offer a Montessori program in addition to its traditional program to ensure Gilpin students can continue in that model at a school in the Near Northeast Denver region. Garden Place Principal Rebecca Salomon told Gilpin families they are welcomed with open arms.

Transportation via the Success Express
Transportation Director Nicole Portee said students will be able to board a Success Express shuttle at Gilpin and get to schools throughout the region.Garden Place is a 15-minute bus ride from Gilpin. 

Support through the SchoolChoice Process
Brian Eschbacher, executive director of Planning and Enrollment Services, said Gilpin students will have priority choice at schools across DPS, meaning they have priority after all boundary students and siblings of current attendees are seated. Gilpin students also are guaranteed seats at one of five nearby schools -- Cole Arts & Sciences Academy, Downtown Denver Expeditionary School, University-Prep Arapahoe, Whittier K-8 and Garden Place Academy's traditional program. In addition, a bilingual choice liaison is working 15 to 20 hours per week at the school to assist families.

Questions about School Quality Review Process
Portfolio Management Executive Director Jennifer Holladay walked through a presentation of how the School Performance Compact works, providing the board with additional detail and answering questions on how SchoolWorks -- an independent third party -- conducts the School Quality Review process, which is the third and final factor considered before the board makes school restart and closure decisions. 

You can learn more about the School Performance Compact policy and its role in creating Great Schools in Every Neighborhood at greatschools.dpsk12.org. 

Copyright ©2017 Denver Public Schools. All rights reserved.

Note: We send many DPS communications via this platform. Please do not unsubscribe from these messages or you will not receive future and important messages. If a specific message doesn't interest you, simply delete it and stay tuned for a future communication that will be of more interest. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].