Press Release - September 27, 2023
Contact: Nan Baumbusch
EDUCATE Denver Staff Director
info@educatedenver.org | 303-501-7287
EDUCATE Denver Rejects the Integrity of Denver Public Schools’ Annual District Report
Misleading Performance Data Extends a Pattern of Poor Communication from District Leadership to the DPS Community
EDUCATE Denver, a coalition of civic leaders who support DPS students, states serious concern with Superintendent Marrero’s published assessment of district academic progress. Summarized last week in the 2022-2023 Annual District Report: Strategic Roadmap Update, aggregate student data for grades three through eight suggests increased proficiency in math and language arts among students. While accurate, this data fails to reveal that affluent students carried the district with significant gains (8.1 and 9.6 percentage points in language arts and math respectively), while achievement among economically disadvantaged students, who are largely students of color, declined in both subject areas. In a district that serves 62.8% free and reduced lunch students, positioning these results as “significant milestones we have achieved,” is inappropriate, irresponsible, and a vast mischaracterization of student outcomes.
“It is a failure of leadership to provide data that conceals the real challenges at Denver Public Schools,” said Rosemary Rodriguez, co-chair of EDUCATE Denver. “The achievement gap got worse. The headline in this report should be: DPS MUST CHANGE COURSE TO PROVIDE GREATER SUPPORT TO STRUGGLING LEARNERS. That is the only reasonable conclusion here.”
The Annual Report also illustrates performance of DPS schools by school type. Results imply that proficiency rates among non-charter DPS schools as a group exceed proficiency rates among DPS charter schools as a group. While this is technically accurate, the analysis fails to acknowledge that charter schools serve a much higher percentage of non-white students and a much higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students than non-charter schools in the district. An analysis of similar FRL populations in each environment reveals that charter students outperform DPS students in traditional schools by 2.8 percentage points in math and 3.8 percentage points in language arts. The Annual Report analysis is of little value without deeper exploration of details regarding student populations.
“This is an apples-to-oranges analysis,” said Sen. James Coleman, EDUCATE Denver co-chair. “It’s great to see the district using data, but let’s make sure we’re using that data properly and not in service to a particular point of view. Let’s get below the surface and see a full picture so that we can use this information to make informed policy decisions moving forward and honor the best interest of students.”
Previous DPS superintendents reported disaggregated data, which is available from the Colorado Department of Education, by race and special populations. As community leaders supporting DPS students, EDUCATE Denver is disappointed to see that reporting practice end. Today, EDUCATE Denver asks the Board of Education to require an updated Annual Report by the Superintendent on behalf of the Denver community no later than October 31st. This update must include disaggregated data by student subgroups and accurate representations of school-based student populations. Failure to do so will suggest that the Board of Education is complicit in misleading the public regarding district performance.
For unknown reasons, the current district leadership and Board of Education have been using data selectively. The following activities evidence this trend:
For three years, the district has operated without any type of public-facing performance framework available to the DPS community.
In June, Superintendent Marrero encouraged the State Board of Education to withhold student level data from University of Colorado Denver researchers working to refine their study of Denver Public Schools reform efforts.
Last fall, the DPS administration failed to provide communities facing school closure with related enrollment and financial data, until faced with significant external media and parent pressure.
Currently, the 2022-2023 Annual District Report is being presented in the spirit of “transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement” when, in fact, it fails to tell the whole truth.
Our coalition expects the Board to provide transparent, easy-to-access district and school performance data to the community so that families know the experience in Denver Public Schools for children who share a similar background to their own. It is a reflection of professional leadership. In this case, that means being honest and complete in the presentation of DPS’ progress.
About EDUCATE Denver
EDUCATE Denver is a civic coalition for DPS students. The organization includes over 35 civic leaders in business, philanthropy, public policy, faith-based, and community organizations who understand that high-quality education and a thriving city go hand in hand. EDUCATE Denver seeks to empower civic leaders throughout our city with the knowledge and tools they need to advocate for the high-quality education our DPS students deserve.
For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Nan Baumbusch at 303-501-7287 or email info@educatedenver.org.