On March 24, 2022 TEN submitted a Colorado Open Records Act Request to Denver Public Schools asking for interim assessment data on student progress.
What does this data represent?
Interim assessments are tests that are aligned to the Colorado Academic Standards and serve as an instructional tool to support learners as they progress toward meeting grade level expectations. Interim assessments are aligned to the districts’ scope and sequence which serves as a guide for grade level learning in our district run schools. This data set represents 89 schools who took an interim assessment during the 2021-2022 school year. It is important to note that interim assessments serve as a check in point for student learning, they are not necessarily reflective of how many students will be on grade level by the end of the year.
Some takeaways worth panicking about:
Of students who took DPS Interim assessments, just 12% of 3rd grade students were meeting grade level benchmarks in literacy. Just 5% of black third graders and 5% of latino students who are reading on grade level. 30% of white students are meeting benchmarks, revealing a gaping 25% gap between white students and students of color.
55% of white students in Central Denver who are in 3rd grade are meeting grade level reading benchmarks on DPS interim assessments. 3% of Latino students in Southwest Denver are meeting those same expectations.
At Castro Elementary, 0 students in 3rd grade are meeting benchmarks for ELA, 4% of 4th grade students are meeting grade level benchmarks in reading, 0% of the 42 latino students at the school are meeting grade level benchmarks. 16% of latino 5th graders are meeting benchmarks and 31% of all 5th grade students at the school are meeting grade level benchmarks that would indicate that they are on track to move on to middle school.
At Schneck Elementary, 2% of latino 5th graders are meeting grade level benchmarks in reading and 35% in math.
At Cheltenham Elementary, 10% of students in 5th grade are meeting reading benchmarks and 21% are meeting grade level benchmarks for math.
At Colfax Elementary, 0% of 3rd grade students are meeting grade level benchmarks in 3rd grade, 10% in 4th grade and 4% in 5th grade.