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Student Achievement

Late mathematician Dr. Gladys West beside husband Ira West.

Is Denver Public Schools capable of producing the next Gladys West?

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What struck me most in reading about Dr. Gladys West’s life was not only her brilliance, but her perseverance. A deep love of geometry sparked a career that unfolded in the face of profound racial and gender discrimination, in an era when Black women were systematically excluded from advanced mathematics and scientific fields. Her story raises an uncomfortable question closer to home. Are Denver’s public schools systematically cultivating the next generation of Gladys Wests, or are they leaving that talent unrealized?

Is Denver Public Schools capable of producing the next Gladys West? Read More »

High school students sitting around a desk. Their teacher is standing over them. Everyone is smiling, and the students appear to be engaged and interested.

Boulder made its schools cellphone free. Other districts should do the same

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From Boulder Valley School District board member Alex Medler: Last fall, the Boulder Valley School District board took that responsibility seriously and voted for a bell-to-bell phone-free policy across all grades and all school hours. Adopting this “away for the day” policy was, I believe, one of the most powerful and positive decisions our board has ever made for our children. And it is exactly the kind of decision school boards across the country should have the courage to make.

Boulder made its schools cellphone free. Other districts should do the same Read More »

A mother and student walking towards a school with question marks floating above their heads.

The need for new enrollment boundaries, system: A parent’s perspective

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The discussion of school enrollment boundaries and zones should not be isolated and instead should be considered in the context of school choice and the type of schools we offer and where those highly desired schools like Denver School of the Arts and Morey are located or replicated. 

The need for new enrollment boundaries, system: A parent’s perspective Read More »

Frustrated girl in red blouse with hands overface and an open book in front of her

UPDATED: Data reveal the shocking breadth and depth of Colorado’s reading crisis

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More than 9,000 Colorado high school students have been on a plan since third grades for students with “significant reading deficiencies.” While we have focused reading interventions on the primary years, clearly the crisis continues through elementary school and well beyond.

UPDATED: Data reveal the shocking breadth and depth of Colorado’s reading crisis Read More »

CDE reports charter students continue raising the bar

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New data has again shown that charter school students are receiving quality opportunities.  The Colorado Department of Education recently released its School Performance Framework (SPF) results for 2023-24, providing another fundamental lesson that charter schools are getting it right.  Last year, the CREDO report from Stanford University showed that charter students are getting significantly more

CDE reports charter students continue raising the bar Read More »