We announced today on the Kepner campus in southwest Denver the results of the 2018 School Performance Framework (SPF). The middle schools on the campus in one of Denver's lowest-income neighborhoods -- Kepner Beacon, STRIVE Prep Kepner and Kepner Legacy -- all achieved a green rating of Meets Expectations on our SPF.
"From day one, Kepner Beacon Middle School focused on culture and a new model for the southwest Denver community," said Alex Magaña, executive principal of the Beacon Network. "It just goes to show, when people come together for kids and focus on one goal, our kids will come through."
Chris Gibbons, founder and chief executive officer of STRIVE Prep, also expressed pride in his school's accomplishments. "It's been incredibly rewarding to see STRIVE Prep Kepner earn green status two years in a row, working with the same students, in a building that was formerly one of Denver's lowest performing. I applaud the work and dedication of the staff, families and students who cultivated Kepner's strong foundation, which is imperative as we continue our work."
The SPF, which is like an annual report card for DPS schools, measures many important aspects of a school
's
academic performance, such as how much students are growing academically every year, how well the school serves and challenges all of its students, and
how satisfied students and parents are. In short,
it seeks to
reflect
our shared community aspirations for high-quality schools that serve all kids well.
These shared aspirations mean that DPS' standards in the SPF are set at a higher level than the state's. It's why we place such an emphasis on how well schools are closing academic gaps, because we deeply believe that truly great schools are those that provide all of their students a high-quality education.
We have made a great deal of progress in DPS, but we know we still have much work to do, especially to improve opportunities for our historically underserved students. Our 2018 SPF ratings reflect both that progress and the work that lies in front of us to meet our shared goals.
Among the highlights of the 2018 SPF:
Early literacy performance continues to improve across the district
: In 2017-18, DPS raised the bar for
performance on early literacy measures for elementary school students. Many schools successfully met this higher bar this year
.
Continued focus on equity:
The Academic Gaps rating highlights the importance that our community places on the success of our schools in serving all kids and closing opportunity gaps. This is the second year that DPS has established the requirement that a school be green (Meets Expectations) on the Academic Gaps rating in order to receive an overall rating of green.
Supporting struggling schools
: Intensive supports are resulting in better schools for DPS kids.
This year, 91% of Intensive Tier schools improved their overall SPF rating to yellow (Approaching Expectations) or green (Meets Expectations).
As board member Angela Cobian noted, "I'm thrilled to stand side by side with the schools that are doing the hard work of serving our students well. I look forward to the continued growth to come ."
