2024-05-21T03:16:39+00:00https://www.chalkbeat.org/arc/outboundfeeds/rss/category/colorado/jeffco-public-schools/2024-05-16T23:29:27+00:002024-05-16T23:29:27+00:00<p><i>Sign up for&nbsp;</i><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/newsletters/subscribe"><i>Chalkbeat Colorado’s free daily newsletter</i></a><i>&nbsp;to get the latest reporting from us, plus curated news from other Colorado outlets, delivered to your inbox.</i></p><p>A Jeffco school will dramatically scale back a program for older students with dyslexia next year, upsetting parents who say the unique offering has made a profound difference for their children.</p><p>Bright MINDS <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/5/11/23067136/jeffco-bright-minds-colorado-dyslexia-middle-high-school-students/">launched at Alameda International Junior/Senior High School</a> in Lakewood three years ago. It’s on the chopping block now because of “inadequate funding and staffing shortages” and will “be dissolved” after this school year, according to a letter sent to participating families last week.</p><p>For participating families, including some who commute from outside the district, the news means the end of what’s been a golden needle in a haystack: a comprehensive public school program for students in middle and high school who have dyslexia.</p><p>Bright MINDS students will still get some reading intervention next year though much less than most get now. The letter said seventh- and eighth-graders will get only one period of intervention every other day next year, down from two periods daily this year. Other components of Bright MINDS, including sessions to help students with planning and time management, will be discontinued.</p><p>Multiple parents said a tense meeting with school administrators on Tuesday left them confused about the rationale for the cuts. They also expressed frustration that the decision has come so close to the end of the school year at a time when school choice decisions are hard to reverse.</p><p>In response to Chalkbeat’s questions about the Bright MINDS cut Thursday, a district spokesperson said she’d left a message for the school’s principal, Susie Van Scoyk, to understand the school’s “budgeting choice.”</p><p>“Schools have the autonomy through their budgets to determine the staffing and services that are needed to serve their school community,” the spokesperson said by email.</p><p>Van Scoyk told Chalkbeat by email Thursday that her team was working on a statement that would not be ready until early next week, citing the school’s graduation ceremony on Friday.</p><p>This year, Bright MINDS — the second part of which stands for Multisensory Intensive Dyslexia Support — serves about 20 students in seventh, eighth, and ninth grades. Most receive intensive daily reading instruction plus help with skills like planning and organization, since conditions such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder often co-occur with dyslexia. In addition, Bright MINDS teachers join their students in core classes to ensure they’re getting the help they need to absorb the content.</p><p>The demise of Bright MINDS, just three years after it began, comes amid <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2023/8/24/23844851/jeffco-secondary-school-closure-recommendations-arvada-coal-creek-declining-enrollment/" target="_blank">ongoing budget woes</a> in Jeffco as enrollment declines. School officials originally envisioned expanding the program from grades 7-8 to students in grades 7-12. They also hoped Bright MINDS could serve as a model for other schools across Colorado. Former Jeffco Superintendent Jason Glass, who helped spearhead the program, left the district in 2020.</p><p>While the state has made <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/11/2/23435686/colorado-science-of-reading-curriculum-changes-literacy-denver-adams12-eagle/">several policy changes in recent years</a> focused on better serving elementary students with reading struggles, older students have limited options unless their families can afford pricey private schools or specialized tutors. Students who can’t read proficiently are at greater risk of dropping out, earning less as adults, and becoming involved in the criminal justice system.</p><p>Brett Gallegos said Bright MINDS changed his son’s life.</p><p>Before the ninth grader began attending three years ago, “He was literally in a ball crying when he would come home from school because he felt so worthless,” Gallegos said.</p><p>But Bright MINDS teachers stuck with his son “through thick and thin,” he said.</p><p>Recently, his son won an award for making the honor roll, said Gallegos: “It’s a night and day difference.”</p><p>It’s unclear how much Bright MINDS costs annually, but it’s primarily run by two teachers and a school psychologist. The 76,000-student district’s proposed annual budget next year is nearly $1 billion. Maintaining mental health staffing levels, increasing substitute teacher pay, and ensuring that elementary schools with certain special education programs have assistant principals are among the district’s budget priorities.</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/bPyK067ui9fdOdLLKzMD1a-J5ks=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/DYPT6BS4FNAR5K7IS22TWVFKMM.jpg" alt="Bright MINDS students, along with reading Interventionist Sarah Richards, right, and Alameda assistant principal Andrea Arguello take a brain break during a session held in 2022. " height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Bright MINDS students, along with reading Interventionist Sarah Richards, right, and Alameda assistant principal Andrea Arguello take a brain break during a session held in 2022. </figcaption></figure><p>Stephanie Bobian said her daughter called her from school crying when she learned what would happen to Bright MINDS. Bobian said the news was devastating, both because of her daughter’s reaction and because she felt defeated after ”how hard I worked as a parent to find something like this for my child.”</p><p>After her daughter was diagnosed with dyslexia in fourth grade, Bobian began a long and desperate search for help. She didn’t have money for $80-an-hour tutoring sessions, but she eventually heard about Bright MINDS through an advocacy group for children with dyslexia.</p><p>“To be able to find something like that in a public school … it’s amazing,” she said. “It’s all in one place and free.”</p><p>The Bobians’ home high school is Green Mountain, about five miles away from Alameda International. But the commute is worth it because Bright MINDS has helped her daughter, Bobian said. The girl, who also has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, was getting Cs and Ds before she started in the program last year.</p><p>“She probably could barely read at a third grade level in eighth grade,” said Bobian.</p><p>Today, she’s reading almost at grade level and — like Gallegos’ son — making the honor roll.</p><p>“She never thought she could be a good student,” said Bobian. “She’s confident now, too.”</p><p>Bobian’s younger daughter is in second grade and also has dyslexia. Bobian had hoped to send her to Bright MINDS when the time came. Now, that possibility appears to be off the table.</p><p><i>Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat, covering early childhood issues and early literacy. Contact Ann at </i><a href="mailto:aschimke@chalkbeat.org" target="_blank"><i>aschimke@chalkbeat.org</i></a><i>.</i></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2024/05/16/jeffco-school-district-will-cut-dyslexia-program-for-older-students/Ann SchimkeRJ Sangosti / The Denver Post2024-03-13T02:54:03+00:002024-03-13T02:57:30+00:00<p><i>Sign up for </i><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/newsletters/subscribe"><i>Chalkbeat Colorado’s free daily newsletter</i></a><i> to get the latest reporting from us, plus curated news from other Colorado outlets, delivered to your inbox.</i></p><p>Parents in a far corner of Jefferson County celebrated Tuesday night after helping to raise nearly half a million dollars to secure the opening of a charter school in their community.</p><p>The board of the charter school, Jefferson Academy, voted unanimously Tuesday to move forward with opening a new kindergarten through 8th grade school in Coal Creek Canyon.</p><p>“I’m voting for the motion because of the hard work that has been done and got us across that line,” said Anil Mathai, a Jefferson Academy board member. “But if we do not focus on year two, year three, this board and the system will have major stress on it. We own this. I want to make sure we aggressively move to make sure year two is financially solid with or without their support.”</p><p>The Jeffco school district had decided earlier this year to close the district-operated school after the end of the school year in May, citing unsustainably low enrollment. Since the next nearest schools for families are for many a 20-minute drive away, the district sought a charter school to take over running a school in the community.</p><p>Jefferson Academy was <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2024/01/11/jeffco-charter-school-jefferson-academy-replace-closing-coal-creek-canyon/" target="_blank">approved by the school district in January</a>. But initial enrollment of 60 students and seven homeschoolers was lower than the charter school anticipated.</p><p>Schools are funded per student, and the board said the low enrollment numbers meant the school was half a million dollars short of being able to open. But before the board pulled out of plans to open in the fall of 2024, members <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2024/02/26/parents-fundraising-for-jefferson-academy-coal-creek-canyon-k8-school/" target="_blank">allowed parents about three weeks to try to help raise the money</a>.</p><p>Parents helped the charter school foundation apply for and secure several grants, ran a successful GoFundMe page for individual donations, received funding from several businesses, and put on a silent auction that raised more than $3,000.</p><p>All together, the efforts raised $10,000 more than what was needed.</p><p>Enrollment is still at 60 students, although there are now 10 homeschooled students who will be connected to the school. Parent leaders believe that once there is no longer uncertainty about the school’s opening, and the first year is successful, more families will enroll.</p><p>Although the charter board had previously discussed the idea of opening the school with fewer grades, board members have abandoned that idea for now, with the exception of cutting preschool. The school still intends to have a preschool, but has not yet secured licensing to offer that on the first day of school. It will be available when the school gets licensed, leaders said.</p><p>Parents who led the fundraising efforts also presented their ideas for other ways to make the charter school sustainable. Finding babysitters in the canyon is a challenge, they said, and so hosting a night out for parents where they could leave their children in a safe place could be another successful fundraising event, they said.</p><p>And to boost enrollment, parents suggested adding before or after school care. At least one parent in the community enrolls her children in Boulder schools close to her workplace, because the canyon school doesn’t have any after school care or activities.</p><p>Besides the fundraising, the last bit of help to open the charter came from the Jeffco school district, which agreed to allow Jefferson Academy to operate in the district-owned building for free the first year and with an adjusted cost in the second year.</p><p>The only condition was that Jefferson Academy had to decide Tuesday night to open the school and not leave families wondering any longer.</p><p>Lisa Relou, chief of staff for the Jeffco school district, told the charter board that the district is committed to helping, but that the goal is for the charter to be sustainable on its own in the long run.</p><p>Charter school board members said they also were concerned about long-term sustainability, and said they knew that opening this school in the canyon was a risk, but one that made sense.</p><p>Having so much parental involvement in fundraising means that the community “seems to be right up our alley,” one board member said.</p><p><i>Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at </i><a href="mailto:yrobles@chalkbeat.org" target="_blank"><i>yrobles@chalkbeat.org</i></a><i>.</i></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2024/03/13/coal-creek-canyon-k8-charter-school-jefferson-academy-opening/Yesenia RoblesImage courtesy of Jeffco Public Schools2024-02-26T23:40:59+00:002024-02-26T23:40:59+00:00<p>Writing grant requests, requesting donations from local businesses, and even starting a GoFundMe page.</p><p>That’s how some Jeffco parents are scrambling to raise more than half a million dollars to help open a charter school in a remote mountain canyon after Jeffco Public Schools announced it would close the K-8 school in Coal Creek Canyon.</p><p>The Jeffco school board <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2023/10/12/23915246/jeffco-k8-school-closing-board-vote-coal-creek-arvada-parents/">voted this fall to close Coal Creek Canyon K-8</a> citing low enrollment and an unsustainable cost. But Jefferson Academy, the charter network that was supposed to take over the building, is now facing the same issues and may not be able to open a school there after all.</p><p>Unlike when the <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/11/10/23452456/jeffco-elementary-schools-closing-board-vote/#:~:text=The%20Jeffco%20school%20board%20unanimously,that%20accelerated%20during%20the%20pandemic.">district closed about 20 other schools in the past couple of years</a> and reassigned students to nearby schools, district leaders acknowledged that closing Coal Creek Canyon K-8, located near the border with the Boulder district, would be different because of the school’s remote location. So the district opened a process offering the building to a charter that might be better prepared to run such a small school.</p><p>Jefferson Academy, an existing charter school network in Jeffco, was <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2024/01/11/jeffco-charter-school-jefferson-academy-replace-closing-coal-creek-canyon/">approved to open a prekindergarten through eighth grade</a> school in the Coal Creek Canyon building.</p><p>But now that the school may not open after all, parents are unsure of the options their children will have this fall.</p><p>Parent Ashley Allen said that the next closest district school, Three Creeks K-8, is about a 19-minute drive away in good weather.</p><p>Allen’s son has diabetes and she often has been called to come to school because her son’s blood sugar drops or his insulin pump is failing.</p><p>In those worst-case scenarios, the drive “can make for a very nervous parent,” she said.</p><p>Tim Matlick, executive director of Jefferson Academy, said the charter school had been counting on having at least 87 students, and an additional 20 for its homeschool program. When submitting the charter application, Jefferson Academy had received 95 interest forms for potential students.</p><p>So far, the school has just 60 enrollments, and seven homeschool students signed up.</p><p>Parents from the canyon went to the charter school’s board meeting last week and asked for more time to raise the money themselves.</p><p>The charter school board gave them just until its next meeting, March 12, to help raise the $550,000. Without the funds, the charter board will decide whether to scrap the plans to open.</p><p>The charter leaders are also trying to raise money. Matlick said they now have preliminary approval for a startup grant from the state department of education for about $107,000. They’re also looking at a possible grant of about $75,000 from the Denver-based Daniels Fund.</p><p>When the charter was approved by the Jeffco school board, one condition was that the Jefferson Academy network set aside $250,000 to help support the new charter in the canyon.</p><p>Matlick said there is discussion about whether that money should be used to close the $550,000 funding gap or if it should be held in reserves for other potential problems once the charter opens.</p><p>Matlick said the district has been generous. The agreement to lease the building would only cost the charter $196,000 per year, to cover district-provided maintenance including custodial staff, snow removal, and trash pickups.</p><p>All the furniture and technology in the building would be donated to the charter.</p><p>But, he said, the community’s help is going to be critical.</p><p>“We’ve got a big group working to make this happen,” said Allen, whose son is a second grader at Coal Creek Canyon K-8. She started the GoFundMe page, and set it up so that money will be refunded to donors if the school doesn’t open.</p><p>As of Monday afternoon, <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/jaccck8">the GoFundMe page had just over $5,000</a>. “Our 4 children all went to this school. It is a vital part of the Coal Creek community. Please keep this school available to the community for their children,” one donor wrote.</p><p>If grants and donations can help in the first year or two, Allen said, parents and charter leaders believe that young children in the canyon community will help enrollment grow in future years to make the school sustainable.</p><p>Allen said parents are working on proposals to ask the local Coal Creek Canyon businesses including a coffee shop, the local garage, and some restaurants to pitch in. They also plan to ask bigger businesses like Denver Water, which has trucks passing through the canyon regularly.</p><p>Still, she is worried. Three Creeks is such a large school that it would be a big change for her son. If there is no school in the canyon, Allen said, she and her husband are considering moving.</p><p>“I will say the stress feels like it’s been nonstop for two years,” Allen said.</p><p>In a letter Jefferson Academy sent to families, charter leaders said that if they do not open the school, Jeffco district leaders will meet with families the day after the charter’s board meeting to speak “about their plans for next year and what one-year programming options could be possible.”</p><p>Before getting a charter school approved to open, the district had contingency plans to keep the elementary portion of the school open for one additional year. Middle school students would have either gone to Three Creeks, or chosen remote learning facilitated within the Coal Creek building.</p><p>Jeffco district leaders declined to speak about alternative plans. Lisa Relou, chief of staff for the district, said “we are doing everything we can to support” the charter in opening.</p><p><i>Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at </i><a href="mailto:yrobles@chalkbeat.org" target="_blank"><i>yrobles@chalkbeat.org</i></a><i>.</i></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2024/02/26/parents-fundraising-for-jefferson-academy-coal-creek-canyon-k8-school/Yesenia RoblesImage courtesy of Jeffco Public Schools2024-01-11T00:59:07+00:002024-01-11T00:59:07+00:00<p><i>Sign up for </i><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/newsletters/subscribe"><i>Chalkbeat Colorado’s free daily newsletter</i></a><i> to get the latest reporting from us, plus curated news from other Colorado outlets, delivered to your inbox.</i></p><p>The Jeffco school board on Wednesday approved a new charter school to open in Coal Creek Canyon and replace a district-run school that will close at the end of this school year.</p><p>Jefferson Academy, a charter network that has long operated in the district, is proposing to replicate its model with a pre-K-8 school in the same building as the soon-to-be-closed Coal Creek Canyon K-8. The new school, Jefferson Academy Coal Creek Canyon, will open for the 2024-25 school year, and will be designed as significantly smaller than its existing schools.</p><p>The board voted unanimously and with little discussion to approve Superintendent Tracy Dorland’s recommendation. The decision means that families in Coal Creek Canyon, a small community near the Boulder school district boundary, will continue to have a nearby public school for their young children.</p><p>In October, the Jeffco school board <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2023/10/12/23915246/jeffco-k8-school-closing-board-vote-coal-creek-arvada-parents/">voted to close Coal Creek Canyon K-8</a> as part of the second phase of the district’s plan to close small schools. With fewer than 100 students the <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2023/8/24/23844851/jeffco-secondary-school-closure-recommendations-arvada-coal-creek-declining-enrollment/">district said the school was not sustainable</a>. But given that the school is in a remote part of the district, officials proposed opening a charter in the building so families wouldn’t have to travel far to a new school.</p><p>The district also noted that it may be more feasible for a charter school to operate in that location with relatively few students.</p><p>Initially, the district received three letters of intent from charter schools interested in the Coal Creek Canyon K-8 facilities, but it ultimately received only one application from Jefferson Academy.</p><p>Staff presenting Dorland’s recommendation to the board Wednesday said the district had been impressed that the charter network had submitted 95 intent-to-enroll forms for its proposed school. That would mark an enrollment increase from the district-run school’s current student count.</p><p>The superintendent did include two conditions for the charter to open.</p><p>First, the district is asking the charter network to set aside $250,000 for use at the Coal Creek Canyon site, in case enrollment projections or the proposed finance plan don’t pan out.</p><p>The district is also asking Jefferson Academy to present a detailed plan by April 5 on how it would provide targeted support to students who are struggling academically.</p><p>In addition to the district’s typical review teams for the charter application, the district also had a committee of community members from Coal Creek Canyon review the application and present their thoughts.</p><p>In a memo, the committee cited several strengths of the proposed school, such as the options that will be available for before- and after-school care, unique course offerings, and the opportunity to have one local Coal Creek parent serve as a member of the charter network’s school board.</p><p>Among its concerns, the group cited a lack of transportation; it asked the school to at least help coordinate carpooling. The committee also asked for increased marketing to help families better understand the school’s proposed <a href="https://www.coreknowledge.org/curriculum/">Core Knowledge</a> curriculum model.</p><p>At the opportunity for public comment in December, only one parent spoke to the school board about the charter application, saying she was impressed with the proposed school plan, which had made her “enthusiastic” about her son’s learning again.</p><p>Dorland told the school board she would keep them updated on enrollment projections for the charter school and how it progresses.</p><p><i>Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at </i><a href="mailto:yrobles@chalkbeat.org" target="_blank"><i>yrobles@chalkbeat.org</i></a><i>.</i></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2024/01/11/jeffco-charter-school-jefferson-academy-replace-closing-coal-creek-canyon/Yesenia RoblesImage courtesy of Jeffco Public Schools2022-05-26T16:26:08+00:002023-12-22T21:40:00+00:00<p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/5/11/23067136/jeffco-bright-minds-colorado-dyslexia-middle-high-school-students"><i>Read in English.</i></a></p><p>Kaylee, estudiante de octavo grado vestida con un <i>hoodie</i> azul claro, le leyó una lista de palabras (una por una) a la maestra Jessica Thurby. Batalló un poco con algunas: Leyó ‘<i>debate</i>’ como “<i>deblate</i>”, <i>sacred</i> como “<i>secret</i>” y <i>defend</i> como “<i>define</i>.”</p><p>Ambas repasaron las palabras que Kaylee no leyó bien. Cuando intentó leer la palabra <i>sacred</i> otra vez, Kaylee dijo “Se ve como la palabra <i>scared</i>”.</p><p>“Así es,” dijo Thurby. “Por eso el cerebro adivinó automáticamente. Pero estamos tratando de no hacer eso, ¿recuerdas?”</p><p>Para los estudiantes que llegan a la escuela intermedia sin contar con buenas destrezas de lectura, estas palabras se convierten en barreras que les impiden entender y dificultan el aprendizaje. Un programa nuevo en la escuela Alameda International Junior/Senior High School de Lakewood está tratando de ayudar.</p><p>El programa <i>Bright MINDS</i>, lanzado el otoño pasado, ofrece tutorías intensivas de lectura para ayudar a 14 estudiantes de séptimo y octavo grado que tienen dislexia u otras dificultades para leer. Los líderes escolares tienen planes de agregar un grado cada año hasta que <i>Bright MINDS</i> incluya hasta el 12mo grado, y el objetivo final es que sirva de modelo para otras escuelas en el distrito Jeffco (cuya matrícula es de 78,000 estudiantes) y el resto del estado.</p><p><i>Bright MINDS</i> ha surgido en un momento en que los líderes de educación de están <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/colorado-reading">bastante enfocados en mejorar la enseñanza de lectura en la primaria</a>, con iniciativas que incluyen <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/3/9/22969925/colorado-teacher-reading-training-state-board-deadline">requisitos nuevos de capacitación</a> para los maestros de Kinder hasta tercer grado, y <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/1/26/22903450/colorado-reading-curriculum-state-enforcement-advances">límites más estrictos en el currículo de lectura</a>. Pero aparte de ser un modesto programa de lectura subsidiado, quienes establecen las políticas en el estado le han dado muy poca atención a las decenas de miles de estudiantes de secundaria que tienen problemas para leer.</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/WZF7xJtUp2yNxJ21OFc6IHC1_pM=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/NABQYWL5IJD5HCYQDZNSHDWVQU.jpg" alt="La especialista en aprendizaje/lectura Jessica Thurby trabaja con un estudiante del programa Bright MINDS. El programa comenzó con 14 estudiantes de séptimo y octavo grado, pero agregará un grado adicional cada año hasta llegar al duodécimo." height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>La especialista en aprendizaje/lectura Jessica Thurby trabaja con un estudiante del programa Bright MINDS. El programa comenzó con 14 estudiantes de séptimo y octavo grado, pero agregará un grado adicional cada año hasta llegar al duodécimo.</figcaption></figure><p>Los estudiantes que no saben leer bien enfrentan consecuencias a largo plazo. Están en mayor riesgo de abandonar la escuela, ganar menos ingresos como adultos, y de terminar en el sistema de justicia criminal.</p><p>Los líderes del departamento de educación estatal dicen que el rol de ellos es mínimo en cuanto a resolver el problema de estudiantes mayores que no saben leer, ya que no existe ley equivalente a la Ley READ de 2012, que los obliga a ayudar a los estudiantes más pequeños que estén batallando para leer.</p><p>“Como no hay una ley similar a la Ley READ, no existe estructura en cuanto a la lectura y escritura en [los grados] cuarto hasta 12”, dijo Floyd Cobb, director ejecutivo de enseñanza y aprendizaje en el Departamento de Educación de Colorado. “Esa responsabilidad recae mayormente en los distritos”.</p><p>Los expertos dicen que el panorama de control local de Colorado significa que hay una amplia variedad en los tipos de ayuda adicional provista a los estudiantes de secundaria que no leen bien — si es que hay alguna.</p><p>“Siempre somos honestos con las familias sobre el hecho de que, a medida que los estudiantes siguen subiendo de grado, a menudo hay menos recursos para el tipo de intervención recomendada”, dijo Laura Santerre-Lemmon, que dirige la clínica de neurosicología de desarrollo en la Universidad de Denver, un centro que frecuentemente hace evaluaciones de dislexia en niños.</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/3ZgYs9duIjCaaS14P96y6uAVACc=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/FFRVYV3H5JCMJGNH55YOPZFTGM.jpg" alt="Si bien los líderes educativos de Colorado han trabajado para mejorar la instrucción de lectura en la primaria, han prestado menos atención a los estudiantes de secundaria que tienen dificultades con la lectura." height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Si bien los líderes educativos de Colorado han trabajado para mejorar la instrucción de lectura en la primaria, han prestado menos atención a los estudiantes de secundaria que tienen dificultades con la lectura.</figcaption></figure><h2>Enemigo de la seguridad en sí mismos</h2><p>La dislexia, una discapacidad de aprendizaje que afecta entre un <a href="https://www.cde.state.co.us/communications/dyslexia-factsheet">15% y 20% de la población</a>, tiene la capacidad de ser devastadora para los estudiantes y hacer que las tareas escolares de rutina les causen estrés y vergüenza.</p><p>Elise, estudiante de 13 años y participante en el programa <i>Bright MINDS</i>, tartamudeaba al leer en voz alta en la primaria y los otros niños la llamaron estúpida porque leía lentamente y no sabía deletrear bien.</p><p>La niña de séptimo grado, que tiene dificultad para escuchar los sonidos de las palabras, recuerda cómo finalmente se memorizó la palabra “<i>people</i>” porque la maestra estaba bastante frustrada con ella.</p><p>“Memoricé muchas palabras de esa manera porque temía que ella se enojara conmigo”, dijo.</p><p><aside id="U0WB7f" class="actionbox"><header class="heading">¿Conoces a un estudiante de intermedia o secundaria que tiene dificultades para leer? </header><p class="description">Dígale a Chalkbeat qué podría ayudar a los estudiantes de Colorado a ser mejores lectores. </p><p><a class="label" href="https://forms.gle/FJYC3RSgGezxsvru5">Toma nuestra encuesta</a></p></aside></p><p>Aun después de identificar que un estudiante tiene dislexia, los problemas pueden persistir si no reciben el tipo adecuado de ayuda. Brody, otro estudiante de <i>Bright MINDS</i>, fue diagnosticado en quinto grado con dislexia y calificó para recibir servicios de educación especial. Su mamá, Kristina Trudeau, dijo que sin embargo no estaba teniendo progreso en su escuela en el condado de Adams.</p><p>Estaba leyendo a nivel de Kinder, y reconocía únicamente palabras básicas como “<i>cat</i>” y “<i>dog</i>”. En un momento, ella descubrió que el programa de lectura que los maestros de Brody estaban usando no era recomendado para estudiantes con dislexia.</p><p>Trudeau ha visto el impacto real de las dificultades para leer de Brody. Una noche lo encontró llorando solo en el cuarto de lavandería. Se había propuesto hacerse cena, pero no podía leer las instrucciones en el paquete de pasta china.</p><p>“Me rompió el corazón”, dijo Trudeau. “Él piensa de manera diferente. Aprende de manera diferente. Y merece que esas necesidades sean atendidas”.</p><h2>¿Qué tan grande es el problema?</h2><p>La escasez de datos hace difícil cuantificar cuántos estudiantes de intermedia y secundaria están teniendo problemas para leer en Colorado.</p><p>Más de la mitad de los estudiantes de intermedia en Colorado tuvieron puntuaciones de poco rendimiento en los exámenes de lectura y escritura del estado en 2019, el último año en que los estudiantes de sexto, séptimo y octavo grado tomaron el examen. Es una medida aproximada, sin embargo, en parte porque el estado no separa los resultados de lectura y de escritura.</p><p>El alcance de los problemas de lectura es más claro para los estudiantes más pequeños porque la ley de lectura de Colorado de 2012 requiere que las escuelas identifiquen a los estudiantes con problemas significativos de lectura desde Kinder hasta tercer grado y que definan planes para ayudarlos a mejorar. De hecho, el estado ha separado fondos para ayudar a este grupo de estudiantes.</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/-iXxA_tYKmUG3AgNl44aYtk4-e0=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/OU64WEUZNRDDNLQEW7MRHPYWGU.jpg" alt="La Asistente del Director de Alameda, Andrea Arguello (a la izquierda), diseñó el programa Bright MINDS junto con el sicólogo de la escuela, Todd Ognibene (a la derecha) y las maestras Jessica Thurby y Sarah Richards." height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>La Asistente del Director de Alameda, Andrea Arguello (a la izquierda), diseñó el programa Bright MINDS junto con el sicólogo de la escuela, Todd Ognibene (a la derecha) y las maestras Jessica Thurby y Sarah Richards.</figcaption></figure><p>En contraste, para los estudiantes de cuarto hasta 12mo grado no existe ese requisito — y tampoco los fondos — aunque algunos estudiantes continúan sus planes de la ley READ por más tiempo después del tercer grado. Unos 48,000 estudiantes de Colorado en los grados cuarto hasta 12mo estaban en planes de la ley READ en 2021, lo cual representa un 8% de los estudiantes en esos grados.</p><p><figure id="B03x4A" class="table"><table><thead><tr><th>Grado</th><th>No cumple las expectativas</th><th>Cumplio parcialmente</th><th>Se acercó a las expectativas</th><th>Total que no cumplieron</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>6</td><td>9.8%</td><td>18.3%</td><td>28.3%</td><td>56.4%</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>13.3%</td><td>16.9%</td><td>23.2%</td><td>53.4%</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>15.0%</td><td>16.2%</td><td>21.9%</td><td>53.1%</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption><div class="title">Porcentaje de estudiantes que no cumplieron expectativas en las pruebas de lectura CMAS</div><div class="caption">Estos datos vienen de las pruebas CMAS de literatura del 2019. Los estudiantes de secundaria toman las pruebas PSAT o SAT y no están representados.</div></figcaption></figure></p><p><figure id="wjq7AS" class="table"><table><thead><tr><th>Grado</th><th>Estudiantes</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>6</td><td>14.7%</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>11.7%</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>8.4%</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>6.1%</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>4.2%</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>2.6%</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption><div class="title">Porcentaje de estudiantes secundarios con plan de la ley READ en 2021</div></figcaption></figure></p><p>Pero muchos estudiantes con dificultad para leer nunca son identificados para tener un plan de lectura porque sus problemas no son lo suficientemente graves en los primeros grados o porque ellos ocultan sus debilidades con vocabulario avanzado, excelentes destrezas verbales, y otras estrategias de compensación. Esos estudiantes a menudo se las ingenian para seguir subiendo de grado con las calificaciones mínimas aunque no hayan captado gran parte de lo que leían.</p><p>Ese fue el caso de Collin, estudiante de séptimo grado y aficionado al <i>lacrosse</i> que vive en el distrito Jeffco y está matriculado en el programa <i>Bright MINDS.</i></p><p>Su mamá, Leslie Dennis, dijo que hasta el segundo grado Collin podía tomar exámenes de lectura usando una herramienta que le leía los pasajes. A su hijo siempre le fue bien en los exámenes, pero en tercer grado tuvo que leer los pasajes por sí solo y sus puntuaciones bajaron drásticamente. Sin embargo, Collin no recibió un Plan de la ley READ; solamente recibió sesiones de ayuda para ayudarle a ser más fluido al leer — es decir, poder leer rápido, sin errores, y con la expresión apropiada.</p><p>Las sesiones no fueron suficiente. Collin obtuvo calificaciones promedio en toda la primaria, pero todavía titubeaba al leer algunas palabras, odiaba leer en voz alta, y se llamaba “tonto” a sí mismo.</p><p>Dennis sabía que el problema tenía que ser mayor, y dijo “pero no sabía exactamente cuál era”.</p><p>Finalmente, en quinto grado y siguiendo el consejo de otra mamá, llevó a su hijo a hacerse una prueba privada y descubrió que tenía dislexia.</p><h2>Equidad y acceso</h2><p>El programa <i>Bright MINDS</i> — donde ‘MINDS’ es la sigla de <i>Multisensory Intensive Dyslexia Support</i> — fue una idea de Jason Glass, pasado Superintendente del Distrito Jeffco, nos dijo Todd Ognibene, sicólogo escolar de Alameda y coordinador de <i>Bright MINDS</i>. Cuando Glass dejó de ser superintendente en 2020, otros administradores continuaron el plan.</p><p>“Salté de la alegría porque esto era algo que el distrito… finalmente reconoció que se necesitaba”, dijo Ognibene.</p><p>Alameda, donde casi tres cuartas partes de los estudiantes califican para comidas con subsidio, fue seleccionada para ser la sede del programa por su ubicación centralizada. Ognibene y Andrea Arguello, Asistente del Director de la escuela, diseñaron <i>Bright MINDS</i> junto con Thurby, maestra de educación especial, y Sarah Richards, maestra de inglés como segundo idioma y cuya hija tiene dislexia.</p><p>Para asegurar accesibilidad, no requieren un diagnóstico de dislexia, cuya prueba privada puede costar cientos de dólares. En su lugar, el equipo evalúa a los solicitantes del Distrito Jeffco y otros distritos del área metropolitana de Denver para detectar características asociadas con dislexia u otros problemas de lectura relacionados.</p><p>Encontrar un programa de dislexia estructurado dentro de una escuela pública es una agradable sorpresa para muchas familias. Las escuelas privadas que ofrecen servicios similares son bastante caras.</p><p>Algunos padres le han dicho a Ognibene, “Esto fue más difícil que encontrar una aguja en un pajar”.</p><p>Los estudiantes del programa reciben 80 minutos de lectura diarios. Aproximadamente la mitad recibe la ayuda más intensa, <a href="https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/advisorylistofinstructionalprogramming2020">un programa de intervención aprobado por el estado</a> llamado <i>Wilson Reading System</i>. La otra mitad, que cuenta con destrezas de lectura un poco mejores, usan <i>Just Words, </i>otro programa de Wilson.</p><p><i>Bright MINDS</i> está apenas empezando, pero los primeros resultados son prometedores. Desde el otoño hasta el invierno, los estudiantes que participaron mejoraron un 68% más de lo esperado típicamente en lectura.</p><p>“Estoy agradecida… Por esto es que yo estaba exactamente peleando”, dijo Trudeau, la mamá de Brody. “No es justo asumir una deuda de $30,000 al año simplemente para que tu hijo reciba la educación correcta”,</p><p>Este año, <i>Bright MINDS</i> incluye algunos estudiantes que están en el programa de educación especial, algunos que tienen otros planes de aprendizaje, y otros que no tienen ningún plan. Algunos estudiantes hablan inglés como segundo idioma.</p><p>Los estudiantes del programa también reciben ayuda con destrezas como planificación y organización, ya que es común que otros trastornos ocurran junto con la dislexia, como por ejemplo déficit de atención/hiperactividad.</p><p>Los estudiantes de <i>Bright MINDS</i> no tienen que faltar a sus clases básicas para asistir a su clase diaria de lectura. En su lugar, simplemente no se matriculan en una de las clases electivas. Además, Thurby o Richards los acompañan en sus clases básicas para asegurar que estén recibiendo la ayuda necesaria para absorber el contenido.</p><p>Arguello, que también tiene dislexia, recuerda el impacto que tenía ser sacada de las clases generales en la escuela para recibir ayuda con la lectura.</p><p>“Me tomó mucho tiempo ponerme al día”, dijo.</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/bPyK067ui9fdOdLLKzMD1a-J5ks=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/DYPT6BS4FNAR5K7IS22TWVFKMM.jpg" alt="La especialista en lectura Sarah Richards (a la derecha) mide un minuto durante un descanso del programa Bright MINDS. El programa ha tenido resultados prometedores hasta ahora, y los estudiantes han mostrado una mejora 68% mayor desde el otoño al invierno de la que normalmente se anticiparía." height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>La especialista en lectura Sarah Richards (a la derecha) mide un minuto durante un descanso del programa Bright MINDS. El programa ha tenido resultados prometedores hasta ahora, y los estudiantes han mostrado una mejora 68% mayor desde el otoño al invierno de la que normalmente se anticiparía.</figcaption></figure><h2>Cambio en la atención</h2><p>Hay señales de que pronto habrá más ayuda para los estudiantes de los grados mayores.</p><p>En 2020, el gobierno federal le otorgó <a href="https://www.cde.state.co.us/early/comprehensive-state-literacy-development-grant">$16 millones </a>en <i>grants</i> a los distritos de Colorado para ser destinados a iniciativas de lectura y escritura que cubran desde la niñez temprana hasta la secundaria. Hasta ahora diez distritos han recibido los <i>grants</i>, y estos incluyen Aurora, Cherry Creek, St. Vrain Valley, Harrison, Lewis-Palmer y Sheridan.</p><p>Además, esta primavera <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2022A/bills/2022a_004_rer.pdf">se aprobará una ley</a> para requerir que los directores de primaria y los intervencionistas que trabajan con estudiantes de cuarto hasta 12mo grado completen una capacitación en enseñanza de lectura similar a la que ya se les <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/3/9/22969925/colorado-teacher-reading-training-state-board-deadline">requiere a los maestros de los grados K-3</a>.</p><p>Jill Youngren, consultora que está ayudando a los distritos St. Vrain y Sheridan con sus <i>grants</i>, aboga por una estrategia sistémica para ayudar a los estudiantes que están batallando con la lectura — asegurar que los educadores usen las evaluaciones correctas, identifiquen el problema raíz, y sepan cómo impartir enseñanza que resuelva la brecha.</p><p>“Si se empieza temprano todo eso se puede evitar, pero no podemos tirar la toalla por un niño que no recibió la instrucción correcta y decir, ah pues, lo sentimos, así es la vida, qué pena”.</p><p>Los estudiantes de <i>Bright MINDS</i> y sus padres dicen que este año el programa los ha ayudado con mucho más que lectura, deletreo y redacción. Ha logrado que la experiencia de tener dislexia se siente menos aislante.</p><p>“Ha sido excelente”, dijo Elise, “Es como tener un montón de hermanos y más padres que te están cuidando”.</p><p>Una encuesta rápida de las metas profesionales entre los estudiantes de <i>Bright MINDS</i> demostró una gran variedad: Astronomía, medicina, guardabosque, ingeniería y jugador de béisbol. Ognibene dijo que la prioridad es empoderar a los estudiantes para que logren sus metas.</p><p>“Queremos que se gradúen de Alameda sabiendo que esencialmente no existe opción que no puedan perseguir”, dijo.</p><p><div id="IYFOV0" class="html"><iframe src="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeiF0UxX4bOUoim6koWE59iGsKUoKzzY7Q6XkW9OXkLFnxMsw/viewform?embedded=true" width="100%" height="2127" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0">Loading…</iframe></div></p><p><i>¿Tiene problemas para ver esta encuesta? </i><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/u/0/?tgif=d"><i>Haga click aquí</i></a><i>.</i></p><p><i>Ann Schimke es reportera senior en Chalkbeat y cubre temas de niñez temprana y de lectura y escritura en la niñez temprana. Comunícate con Ann escribiéndole a </i><a href="mailto:aschimke@chalkbeat.org"><i>aschimke@chalkbeat.org</i></a>.</p><p><br/></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/5/26/23142160/jeffco-escuelas-bright-minds-dislexia-dificultades-leer/Ann SchimkeRJ Sangosti / The Denver Post2022-09-12T11:05:00+00:002023-12-22T21:28:26+00:00<p><a href="https://chalkbeat.admin.usechorus.com/e/23108653"><i><b>Read in English.</b></i></a></p><p>Escuchar, ser paciente con las emociones de los niños, y asegurar que no sientan que es por culpa de ellos: Ofrecer ese tipo de apoyo ayudará a los niños a adaptarse a un cierre de escuela, según los padres de Jeffco que ya han pasado por uno.</p><p>“Yo traté de que supiera que ‘sabemos que los cambios no te gustan, pero esta escuela se convertirá en tu hogar’”, nos contó Jamie Camp. Eso fue lo que ella le dijo a su hijo de tercer grado cuando su escuela, la Escuela Primaria Fitzmorris, iba a ser cerrada en la primavera de 2021 y él tendría que cambiar a una escuela nueva. “Hay que ser paciente. Ellos van a expresar su frustración. Eso hizo nuestro hijo. Son ellos tratando de procesarlo todo.”</p><p>El distrito escolar Jeffco se está preparando para ayudar a miles de estudiantes a despedirse de sus escuelas primarias cuando termine este año escolar. Se espera que en noviembre la junta apruebe una recomendación de cerrar 16 escuelas, casi una de cada cinco sus escuelas primarias</p><p>En los últimos dos años, el distrito de repente cerró dos escuelas primarias que los líderes dijeron que ya no eran sostenibles. Ahora, siguiendo un plan más extenso, los líderes del distrito quieren reducir l cantidad de escuelas pequeñas dándoles más aviso previo a los padres.</p><p>Chalkbeat habló con los padres de niños que asistieron a las dos escuelas cerradas anteriormente para saber qué cosas funcionaron, qué no funcionó, y qué consejos tienen para las familias que ahora están enfrentando un cierre. A continuación, puedes leer lo que ellos piensan, y también las respuestas a algunas preguntas de los padres.</p><p><div id="M9nhDw" class="html"><p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/9/12/23346358/como-ayudar-a-sus-hijos-durante-los-cierres-escolares#AQ76rW"><strong>¿Por qué el distrito está cerrando escuelas?</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/9/12/23346358/como-ayudar-a-sus-hijos-durante-los-cierres-escolares#3ZyJBK"><strong>¿A dónde irán los estudiantes?</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/9/12/23346358/como-ayudar-a-sus-hijos-durante-los-cierres-escolares#VfKtDu"><strong>¿Algún consejo sobre cómo despedirse y luego prepararse para la escuela nueva?</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/9/12/23346358/como-ayudar-a-sus-hijos-durante-los-cierres-escolares#W8cAAD"><strong>¿Qué fue difícil en la transición, y cómo pueden los padres manejar los retos?</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/9/12/23346358/como-ayudar-a-sus-hijos-durante-los-cierres-escolares#JbBKto"><strong>¿Qué cosas fueron positivas durante el cambio a una escuela nueva?</strong></a></p></div></p><h2>¿Por qué el distrito está cerrando escuelas?</h2><p>Al igual que muchos otros distritos escolares, Jeffco lleva muchos años con cada vez menos estudiantes. Esto ha resultado en que muchas escuelas tienen muy pocos estudiantes. Los distritos escolares, y por ende las escuelas, reciben dinero del estado según la matrícula. La mayoría de las escuelas que están en la recomendación de cierre tienen menos de 220 estudiantes o están usando menos de un 45% del espacio en su edificio. El distrito dice que les está proporcionando a estas escuelas dinero adicional a la asignación por estudiante, pero que de todos modos no pueden ofrecer los mismos programas que otras escuelas más grandes y con más estudiantes pueden costear.</p><h2>¿A dónde irán los estudiantes?</h2><p>Por cada escuela que va a cerrar, el distrito ha designado otra que cubrirá su área geográfica y se convertirá en la nueva escuela de esa comunidad. No obstante, las leyes de Colorado permiten que los padres puedan seleccionar otras escuelas. Jeffco abrirá la matrícula en diciembre para los padres que quieran matricular a sus hijos en otras escuelas fuera de su área geográfica.</p><p>El hijo de Rosa Melaragno asistió a la Escuela Primaria Allendale hasta que cerró en 2021. En vez de matricularlo en la escuela que el distrito sugirió, ella optó por hacerlo en la Escuela Primar Fitzmorris porque quedaba más cerca de su hogar. En la primavera, el distrito cerró esa escuela también. Ahora ella piensa que va a ser mejor seguir la recomendación del distrito.</p><p>“Aunque creas que va a ser terrible, a la larga podría ser mejor para el estudiante”, dijo Melaragno.</p><p>Otros padres que matricularon a sus hijos en la escuela sugerida por el distrito dijeron que lo hicieron porque vieron otros beneficios. Por ejemplo, algunos de los maestros se fueron a esa misma escuela. Otros querían que sus hijos tuvieran compañeros de clase conocidos o que pudieran recibir el apoyo del distrito para los estudiantes transferidos.</p><p>Lara Wiant, directora de la Escuela Primaria Campbell, dijo que cuando recibió estudiantes de Allendale, creó el título de ‘estudiantes embajadores’ y les asignó uno a cada estudiante desplazado para ayudarles a navegar la escuela y tener con quien sentarse a comer al mediodía.</p><p>Christopher Benisch, director de la Escuela Primaria Lawrence (que recibió a muchos de los estudiantes de Fitzmorris) dijo que él asignó los salones de clase este año de manera que cada estudiante proveniente de Fitzmorris tuviera en su salón por lo menos otro estudiante de la misma escuela.</p><p>Benisch sugirió que, al momento de evaluar sus opciones, los padres piensen en qué oportunidades desean para sus hijos y que dediquen tiempo para aprender acerca de los diferentes programas ofrecidos por las escuelas. Eso significa preguntar, por ejemplo, si las escuelas tienen programas después de clases, laboratorios del programa STEM, o apoyos de salud mental.</p><h2>¿Algún consejo sobre cómo despedirse y luego prepararse para la escuela nueva?</h2><p>Cuando Fitzmorris estaba cerrando, la escuela hizo una barbacoa e invitó a los empleados de Lawrence, la escuela que iba a recibir a la mayoría de los estudiantes.</p><p>Los padres dicen que eso les ayudó a despedirse de su comunidad. Sin embargo, a algunos les hubiese gustado tener oportunidad para también conocer a las familias de la escuela nueva.</p><p>Michelle Miley, cuyo hijo estaba en Fitzmorris pero se transfirió a la Escuela Primaria Stott para aprovechar su programa para estudiantes autistas, dice que le hubiese gustado que los eventos de ese tipo incluyeran a las familias como la de ella.</p><p>Este año, como en el pasado, el distrito moverá a los estudiantes de muchos de los programas especiales de las escuelas que cerrarán a otras escuelas diferentes a las que asistirán los estudiantes del programa regular. El distrito dice que esto se debe, en parte, a problemas de espacio. Para ofrecerles estabilidad a esos estudiantes, el distrito va a mover el personal del programa junto con los estudiantes.</p><p>Pero para estudiantes como el hijo de Miley, que pasaba tres cuartas partes de su día en los salones de educación general, separarse de esos compañeros hizo que la familia se sintiera excluida.</p><p>Cuando su hijo empezó la escuela este otoño, sintieron que ni él ni la familia conocía a nadie.</p><p>“Sentimos que simplemente nos tiraron ahí”, dijo Miley. “Ahora espero que traten de juntar a las comunidades escolares antes de cerrar las escuelas. Solo para que la gente se familiarice”.</p><p>Muchos padres dicen que algo que les pareció útil fue que sus hijos visitaran los patios de las escuelas.</p><p>Maureen Bricker cuida a sus dos nietas, una de cuarto y otra de primer grado, y ambas eran estudiantes de la Primaria Fitzmorris. Después de que la escuela cerró, Bricker hizo arreglos para que las niñas jugaran con sus amigas en el patio un par de veces.</p><p>“Pensé que era buena idea dejar que jugaran como antes, y lo haremos otra vez mientras nos lo permitan”, dijo Bricker.</p><p>Melaragno dijo que ella trató de coordinar un día de juego durante el verano para su hijo, a quien le toma mucho tiempo acercarse a otras personas, pero que no obtuvo respuesta de los demás padres. Ella opina que quizás hubiese sido más fácil si el distrito ayudaba.</p><p>Por lo tanto, ella empacó una merienda y llevó a su hijo a la escuela nueva durante el verano y le permitió que jugara en el patio nuevo.</p><p>“Lo hice simplemente para que se familiarizara físicamente con la escuela, para que la conociera”, dijo Melaragno. “Que se acostumbrara al viaje en auto y al paisaje. Y también para yo dedicarle ese tiempo”.</p><h2>¿Qué fue difícil en la transición, y cómo pueden los padres manejar los retos?</h2><p>Los padres dijeron que batallaron para ajustarse al horario de comienzo, que era bastante diferente, y a los puntos de dejar y recoger a los estudiantes porque el tráfico era mucho más pesado. Los padres esperan que, con más tiempo para planificar, los líderes escolares pueden reducir el estrés asociado con esos cambios.</p><p>Ellos indicaron que una de las cosas más útiles fue comunicarse claramente con sus hijos y decirles que no es su culpa que tengan que cambiar de escuela.</p><p>Melaragno dijo que su esposo notó que el niño había sentido que era culpa suya que dos de sus escuelas cerraran.</p><p>“Tomen la iniciativa y explíquenles a sus hijos que no es culpa de ellos”, dijeron los Melaragno. “Sobre todo a los niños que quizás no expresen lo que sienten. Mi hijo es así. Si está triste por algo, a veces llora, pero luego dice ‘estoy bien’, aunque no lo esté”.</p><p>Camp dijo que su hijo sintió que sus padres no hicieron nada por salvar su escuela. Ella nos dijo que no sabe a ciencia cierta cómo los padres podrían comunicarles a sus hijos que abogaron por ellos, y a la vez reconocer que no hay nada que puedan hacer para detener los cierres.</p><p>Sobre todo, dijo ella, los padres necesitan escuchar lo que sus hijos necesitan y cómo se están sintiendo.</p><h2>¿Qué cosas fueron positivas durante el cambio a una escuela nueva?</h2><p>Muchos padres dijeron que sí hubo beneficios en las escuelas nuevas, entre ellos más amigos, programas más variados, y salones de clase de un tamaño más apropiado.</p><p>En la Fitzmorris, el hijo de Miley estaba en un salón combinado con más de 30 estudiantes. En la escuela nueva hay suficientes fondos para dos maestras, y por eso casa salón tiene unos 18 estudiantes.</p><p>En la escuela anterior, el hijo de Melaragno había sido uno de solo dos varones en su grado. Ahora puede interactuar y aprender con muchos más varones.</p><p>Los padres también dicen que es importante pedir ayuda.</p><p>Por ejemplo, Brickner dijo que un día el mes pasado, cuando su nieta menor estaba teniendo dificultades en la mañana (lloraba y no quería ir a la escuela nueva), ella le pidió a la escuela que enviaran un especialista en aprendizaje social y emocional a evaluarla. También fue de ayuda que el especialista ya conocía a la niña porque había trabajado en Fitzmorris antes de que la escuela cerrara.</p><p>“Traten de mantenerse positivos por ellos”, dijo ella. “Y pidan ayuda”.</p><p><i>Yesenia Robles es reportera para Chalkbeat Colorado y cubre asuntos relacionados con los distritos escolares K-12 y la educación multilingüe. Para comunicarte con Yesenia, envíale un mensaje a </i><a href="mailto:yrobles@chalkbeat.org"><i>yrobles@chalkbeat.org</i></a><i>.</i></p><p><br/></p><p><br/></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/9/12/23346358/como-ayudar-a-sus-hijos-durante-los-cierres-escolares/Yesenia Robles2022-07-22T16:36:18+00:002023-12-22T21:23:53+00:00<p><a href="https://chalkbeat.admin.usechorus.com/e/23036722"><i>Read in English.</i></a></p><p>Más de la mitad de las escuelas primarias de Jeffco están perdiendo estudiantes, un cambio que está aumentando el costo para educar a los que quedan, y obligando a las escuelas a combinar salones de clase y optar por otras estrategias.</p><p>Esto es de acuerdo con los datos a nivel de escuela publicados por las Escuelas Públicas de Jeffco mientras los miembros de la junta inician la conversación sobre una de las decisiones más difíciles que enfrentan: cuáles escuelas cerrar o consolidar.</p><p>Jeffco ha estado lidiando con una baja en matrícula por años, y como muchos otros distritos de áreas metropolitanas, estará cerrando las escuelas pequeñas. Citando una emergencia causada por una matrícula críticamente baja, el distrito cerró dos escuelas en los últimos dos años sin darle mucho aviso a los padres. Ahora Jeffco está tratando de pensar más a futuro.</p><p>La junta escolar les pidió a los administradores que reunieran estadísticas sobre todas las escuelas primarias para poder fijarse en factores aparte del tamaño de la escuela. Los miembros de la junta tienen planificado discutir ese informe el martes.</p><p>Hasta ahora, los líderes del distrito han dicho que planifican fijarse en la matrícula y en el uso del edificio (cuánto espacio se está usando activamente) como los factores principales para decidir qué escuelas cerrar.</p><p>Los miembros de la junta han pensado en considerar otros factores como demográfica de los estudiantes, si la escuela tiene salones de clase combinados o con varios grados, o si el edificio es usado con frecuencia por la comunidad o para otros propósitos.</p><p>Se espera que la superintendente Tracy Dorland le presente recomendaciones sobre los cierres a la junta al final de agosto.</p><p><aside id="hR5IGF" class="actionbox"><header class="heading">¿Tienes estudiante en una de las escuelas pequeñas de Jeffco?</header><p class="description">Queremos escuchar las experiencias de padres, maestros y estudiantes en una escuela pequeña.</p><p><a class="label" href="https://forms.gle/Uv4L8gppbKrMfCmh6">Cuéntanos tu historia.</a></p></aside></p><p>Chalkbeat analizó los datos que el distrito publicó en línea el mes pasado para cada una de las 84 escuelas primarias operadas por el distrito.</p><p>Estos son algunos datos clave.</p><h2>1. Más de una docena de las escuelas usan menos de un 60% del edificio, y también anticipan tener menos de 250 estudiantes el próximo año.</h2><p>De 84 escuelas primarias, se proyecta que 30 tendrán menos de 250 estudiantes este próximo otoño. De esas, 16 ya usan menos de un 60% de la capacidad del edificio.</p><p>El distrito incluye a los estudiantes de preescolar al calcular cuánto se está usando de un edificio, pero no los incluye en las cifras de matrícula. El número de estudiantes matriculados se basa solamente en los estudiantes mayores. Los distritos reciben una cantidad diferente de fondos para los estudiantes de primaria y de preescolar.</p><p>Las 16 escuelas que tienen poco uso están mayormente concentradas en las comunidades del distrito más cercanas a Denver. Seis de las escuelas están en Arvada, donde Jeffco ya cerró dos escuelas recientemente. Otras cuatro están en Lakewood, y tres tienen una dirección en Westminster.</p><p>Los líderes del distrito no han decidido qué cantidad de estudiantes o cuál nivel de uso se considerará como demasiado bajo para que el distrito lo pueda sostener.</p><p>Al analizar cuántas escuelas esperan tener menos de 200 estudiantes el próximo año, encontramos que son 11, lo cual incluye ocho que están usando menos de un 60% de su campus: Slater, Campbell, Thomson, Colorow, Glennon Heights, Peck, Molholm y New Classical en Vivian.</p><p>Es probable que las escuelas que están exhibiendo estos factores enfrenten un mayor riesgo de cierre. No obstante, los líderes del distrito también han dicho que, para apoyar a las familias que cambiarán a escuelas nuevas, el distrito tendrá que limitar la cantidad de escuelas cerradas en 2023.</p><h2>2. Las escuelas con poca matrícula y poco uso también tienen más probabilidad de tener una alta concentración de estudiantes en pobreza.</h2><p>Aparte de estar mayormente aglomeradas en tres ciudades cerca de Denver, otro factor que define a estas escuelas con poca matrícula y poco uso es que una mayor porción de sus estudiantes es de hogares en pobreza. En las 16 escuelas con poco uso del edificio, un promedio de 50% de sus estudiantes provienen de familias de pocos ingresos, lo cual se define porque califican para comidas gratuitas o a precio reducido. En las escuelas con más matrícula y uso, el promedio del estudiantado que califica como de bajos ingresos es solo un 23%.</p><h2>3. Más escuelas primarias de Jeffco perderán estudiantes que las que los ganarán.</h2><p>En términos generales, Jeffco espera que la matrícula en las escuelas primarias se mantenga estable en el otoño, ya que solamente se ha matriculado un estudiante adicional. Sin embargo, el cambio varía entre las escuelas.</p><p>De hecho, se proyecta que la matrícula está bajando en 43 de las 84 escuelas. De esas escuelas, se espera que más de dos terceras partes pierdan más de 10 estudiantes.</p><p>Mientras tanto, se espera que la matrícula aumente en 38 escuelas, y aproximadamente dos terceras partes de ellas recibirán más de 10 estudiantes nuevos.</p><p>Ganar o perder estudiantes, aunque sean pocos, puede afectar grandemente los presupuestos de las escuelas pequeñas. Perder estudiantes puede hacer más difícil contratar suficiente personal, manejar el tamaño de los salones, y ofrecer programas especializados, todos factores que afectan la calidad de la educación.</p><h2>4. 37 escuelas primarias tienen un costo por estudiante más alto que el promedio.</h2><p>Los costos del distrito por cada estudiante de primaria varían entre $13,870 en la Primaria Kyffin, que tuvo 441 menos estudiantes el último año, hasta $19,197 en la Primaria Thompson, que tuvo 194 estudiantes.</p><p>El distrito les otorga dinero a las escuelas según la matrícula y otros factores, entre ellos cuántos estudiantes califican para obtener comida gratis o a precio reducido. Las escuelas que tienen muy pocos estudiantes no pueden cubrir sus gastos y requieren dinero adicional del distrito.</p><p>Los líderes de Jeffco han dicho que los cierres de escuelas no se tratan solamente de ahorrar dinero, sino también de ofrecer una educación equitativa y robusta en cada escuela.</p><p>Es menos sustentable tener escuelas que cuestan más y de todos modos carecen de los programas disponibles en las demás escuelas. El distrito contrató este año a un consultor para auditar cómo el distrito asigna el dinero a las escuelas para reevaluar los presupuestos que se basan en la cantidad de estudiantes.</p><h2>5. Se proyecta que 16 escuelas tendrán más salones combinados el próximo año.</h2><p>Al hablar sobre cómo entienden que la educación ha sufrido en las escuelas que cerraron en los últimos dos años por tener demasiado pocos estudiantes, los líderes de Jeffco señalaron que había salones que combinaban dos grados.</p><p>Eso representaba una carga adicional para los maestros y redujo el aprendizaje, dijeron, en parte porque los maestros no tenían colegas del mismo grado para planificar la enseñanza, recibir la capacitación, o discutir asuntos.</p><p>El año pasado el distrito tuvo 53 salones de clase que combinaban múltiples grados. El próximo año el distrito anticipa tener 72 salones combinados. Solamente cuatro de las escuelas que tuvieron salones combinados en 2021-22 esperan poder eliminarlos en el otoño.</p><p>Hay 16 escuelas primarias que anticipan un aumento en los salones de este tipo, lo cual incluye seis escuelas en las que no se usaron el año anterior.</p><p><i>Yesenia Robles es reportera para Chalkbeat Colorado y cubre asuntos relacionados con los distritos escolares K-12 y la educación multilingüe. Para comunicarte con Yesenia, envíale un mensaje a </i><a href="mailto:yrobles@chalkbeat.org"><i>yrobles@chalkbeat.org</i></a><i>.</i></p><p><div id="m3igDV" class="html"><iframe src="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdRgZKhnriGfSJG-MP-exuDgpumr2VaDKYLAOy6q4lDO6O_nA/viewform?embedded=true" width="100%" height="2162" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0">Loading…</iframe></div></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/7/22/23273611/jeffco-estos-datos-ayudaran-junta-escolar-decidir-cuales-escuelas-primarias-cerrar/Yesenia Robles2022-11-10T13:54:01+00:002023-12-22T21:08:58+00:00<p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/11/4/23441248/school-closure-approach-factors-why-jeffco-denver-aurora"><i><b>Read in English.</b></i></a></p><p><i>Chalkbeat Colorado es un noticiero local sin fines de lucro que informa sobre las escuelas públicas en Denver y otros distritos. </i><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/newsletters/en-espanol"><i>Suscríbete a nuestro boletín gratis por email en español</i></a><i> para recibir lo último en noticias sobre educación.</i></p><p>Tres de los distritos escolares más grandes de Colorado — Denver, Jeffco y Aurora — están enfrentando el mismo problema: reducción en el número de estudiantes. Pero cada uno está manejando las decisiones de cuáles escuelas cerrar de manera diferente.</p><p>El distrito de Aurora ya ha cerrado ocho escuelas en los últimos dos años, y algunas todavía están en proceso de cierre. Los miembros de la junta escolar han luchado con las decisiones, votando inicialmente en contra de dos recomendaciones de cierre este año antes de <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/5/18/23116194/aurora-school-closure-sable-paris-blueprint-vote">cambiar su voto</a>.</p><p>Ahora el distrito está iniciando un proceso para averiguar qué hacer con los edificios vacíos, incluso cuando es posible que haya más cierres.</p><p>En Jeffco, después de <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/5/28/22458872/jeffco-parents-worry-small-schools">cerrar dos escuelas</a> abruptamente en los últimos dos años, una nueva administración recomendó <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/8/25/23322170/jeffco-school-closure-recommendations-elementary-list">cerrar 16 escuelas primarias</a> todas a la vez al final de este año escolar. La junta escolar de Jeffco tiene prevista una votación sobre esta recomendación el jueves. Es probable que el distrito también recomiende el cierre de escuelas intermedias o secundarias el próximo año.</p><p>Denver ha <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/6/11/22530193/to-close-or-consolidate-schools-denver-seeks-ideas">iniciado</a>, <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/9/30/22702920/denver-school-closure-consolidation-planning-process-paused">pausado</a> y <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/4/7/23015325/denver-public-schools-school-closure-declining-enrollment-committee-concerns">reiniciado</a> un proceso de cierre de escuelas en los últimos dos años. Finalmente, el superintendente recomendó <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/10/25/23423698/denver-school-closure-recommendations-marrero-elementary-middle">cerrar 10 escuelas primarias y secundarias</a> al final de este año escolar. La junta escolar de Denver tiene previsto votar el 17 de noviembre.</p><p>Los padres tienen muchas preguntas sobre estas decisiones: ¿Cómo se selecciona cuál escuela cerrar? ¿Por qué algunos distritos están cerrando tantas escuelas a la vez? ¿Por qué los distritos escolares no tienen en cuenta los aspectos académicos o el papel que desempeñan las escuelas en sus comunidades?</p><p>A continuación, contestamos algunas de las preguntas más comunes y explicamos las diferencias de enfoque entre los tres distritos.</p><h2>¿Qué factores tuvieron en cuenta los distritos a la hora de seleccionar las escuelas que iban a cerrar?</h2><p>Denver y Jeffco basaron su decisión mayormente en el número de estudiantes, mientras que Aurora tuvo en cuenta una serie de factores, entre ellos de qué manera se podrían reutilizar los edificios escolares.</p><p>En Denver y Jeffco, se consideraron para cierre las escuelas con muy pocos estudiantes: menos de 215 en Denver y menos de 220 en Jeffco.</p><p>Los líderes de ambos distritos también consideraron si otra escuela o escuelas situadas a pocas millas de distancia podrían acoger a los estudiantes de la escuela cerrada. Por ejemplo, Denver decidió no cerrar cuatro escuelas pequeñas porque los funcionarios dijeron que no hay ninguna escuela en un radio de 2 millas que pueda recibir a sus estudiantes.</p><p>También se consideraron otros factores. En Denver, los administradores querían asegurar que los estudiantes que hablan español pudieran continuar su educación bilingüe o en dos idiomas. Y en Jeffco, los administradores también tuvieron en cuenta la cantidad de espacio del edificio que se está utilizando.</p><p>Aurora, que inició su proceso de cierre de escuelas en 2018, adoptó un enfoque diferente. El distrito creó siete regiones y se fijó en las tendencias de matrícula en cada zona, cuántos edificios el distrito podría necesitar, y qué edificios podrían albergar nuevos programas magnet o utilizarse para otros fines.</p><p>Una de las razones por las que la comunidad y la junta escolar ayudaron a Aurora a seleccionar este método es porque el distrito está perdiendo estudiantes en algunas regiones, mientras que está añadiendo nuevas subdivisiones en el este de la ciudad. Los líderes vieron una oportunidad de combinar el cierre de escuelas con un plan estratégico más amplio.</p><h2>¿Por qué Denver y Jeffco están cerrando tantas escuelas a la vez?</h2><p>La baja en matrícula no es un problema nuevo. Los líderes de Denver y Jeffco dicen que retrasar las decisiones en el pasado ha llevado a las escuelas a carecer de los recursos necesarios para atender bien a los estudiantes, a pesar de contar con subsidios presupuestarios substanciales. Jeffco también quiere evitar decisiones de emergencia que dejen a las familias en apuros, como ocurrió en las escuelas primarias Allendale y Fitzmorris.</p><p>Tanto en Denver como en Jeffco, los superintendentes le han pedido a la junta escolar que haga una votación de las recomendaciones de cierre como un paquete: todas las escuelas o ninguna.</p><p>“Creemos que resolver esto rápidamente apoyará a nuestra comunidad escolar para que haga algo realmente difícil y luego siga adelante para crear experiencias más prósperas para nuestros estudiantes”, dijo la Superintendente de Jeffco, Tracy Dorland.</p><p>Los líderes de Jeffco también dijeron que querían evitar tomar decisiones de cierre cada año, dejando a las familias preocupadas durante mucho tiempo. En Aurora, un proceso más largo con años de participación de la comunidad todavía dejó a las familias frustradas y sorprendidas por las recomendaciones de cierre.</p><p>Sin embargo, el superintendente de Aurora, Rico Munn, dijo que trabajar en fases permite que el distrito lleve cuenta del impacto.</p><p>“Es un campo muy dinámico en el que estamos hablando sobre matrícula y cambios demográficos, en particular después de la pandemia”, dijo Munn. “Queríamos detenernos y reflexionar durante el proceso”.</p><p>Este otoño, el distrito reabrió dos escuelas como escuelas <i>magnet </i>y está comenzando a llevar cuenta de cómo el interés en esas escuelas podría afectar la matrícula en toda la región y el distrito. Pero es demasiado pronto para saberlo, dijo Munn.</p><h2>¿Por qué no se ha tenido en cuenta el aspecto académico?</h2><p>El cierre de escuelas basado en los resultados académicos y de los exámenes <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2019/12/20/21084014/a-new-denver-school-board-takes-a-softer-tone-with-low-performing-schools">ya no cuenta con el visto bueno político</a>, y ninguno de los distritos tuvo en cuenta el desempeño para decidir qué escuelas cerrar y cuáles salvar.</p><p>En Aurora, el superintendente Munn dijo que el estado ya tiene un sistema de rendición de cuentas que registra el desempeño académico de las escuelas y puede emitir órdenes, entre ellas el cierre, como consecuencia cuando una escuela no mejora. “Pero no había interés en crear un segundo sistema”, dijo.</p><p>Sin embargo, eso ha hecho que los padres y la comunidad tengan preguntas: ¿Por qué cerrar escuelas que están funcionando para los estudiantes?</p><h2>¿Qué pueden hacer las comunidades escolares para frenar los cierres?</h2><p>No mucho, parece.</p><p>En los tres distritos, los administradores han tratado de evitar situaciones en las que los padres, los maestros y los miembros de la comunidad se unan para salvar sus escuelas.</p><p>En Aurora, los miembros de la junta escolar cedieron ante la presión pública y rechazaron dos recomendaciones de cierre, aunque cambiaron de parecer dos meses después.</p><p>Los miembros de la junta, cuya mayoría aún no habían sido elegidos cuando se puso en marcha el plan <i>Blueprint </i>de Aurora, se preguntaron por qué el distrito no tenía en cuenta la participación de los padres en su escuela o cómo una escuela encajaba en su comunidad al momento de hacer recomendaciones de cierre.</p><p>Munn dijo que no sería justo considerar la participación de la comunidad. Los padres que tienen varios trabajos pueden amar su escuela, pero no pueden asistir a las reuniones. Las escuelas más grandes pueden lograr que más padres luchen contra el cierre.</p><p>“Todos queríamos evitar que las comunidades escolares pelearan entre sí”, dijo Munn. “No conviene crear una competencia de popularidad”</p><p>Denver y Jeffco han seguido en gran medida el ejemplo de Aurora en este sentido, y es una de las razones por las a los miembros de la junta se les está pidiendo que aprueben los cierres como un paquete de escuelas, en vez de una por una.</p><p>Dorland, superintendente de Jeffco, llegó a decir que la participación de la comunidad no cambiará el resultado. En Denver, sin embargo, algunos miembros de la junta escolar parecieron sentirse preocupados por la falta de oportunidades para que las comunidades se involucraran en las decisiones para cerrar una escuela individual.</p><h2>¿Cómo ha influido la comunidad en la toma de decisiones?</h2><p>De los tres distritos, Aurora tuvo el proceso de participación comunitaria más amplio. Pero en los tres, los administradores tuvieron la última decisión de qué escuelas recomendar para el cierre.</p><p>Ahora los líderes de Denver y Jeffco están pidiendo la opinión de los padres y maestros sobre cómo ayudar a que la transición ocurra sin problemas, un enfoque que ha causado ira y <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/11/3/23439800/denver-school-closures-10-schools-parents-plea-school-board-alex-marrero-recommendation-enrollment">frustración</a>.</p><p>Aurora inició en 2018 la planificación de lo que se convirtió en Blueprint con consultores que ayudaron con encuestas, grupos de discusión y reuniones en la comunidad. El distrito <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2019/6/14/21108325/aurora-lists-campuses-that-could-become-magnet-schools-or-could-be-repurposed">concluyó que las familias querían más opciones escolares</a>, pero que esas opciones debían ser escuelas del distrito, no escuelas chárter.</p><p>El distrito creó regiones con especializaciones únicas y está desarrollando nuevas escuelas magnet que se ajusten a esos temas. La necesidad de cerrar escuelas (o de usarlas con otros fines) estuvo presente en este proceso desde el principio, aunque no todos los miembros de la comunidad lo entendieron así. El distrito no tuvo mucha resistencia en las primeras rondas de cierres de escuelas. Este año los padres resistieron, pero finalmente no tuvieron éxito.</p><p>Denver convocó a grupos comunitarios a partir de 2017. El <i>Strengthening Neighborhoods Committee </i><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2017/6/5/21100631/gentrification-is-changing-denver-s-schools-this-initiative-aims-to-do-something-about-it">se reunió con la meta</a> de combatir la segregación en las escuelas y abordar los efectos de la gentrificación. Una de <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2017/12/12/21104017/gentrification-is-changing-denver-schools-these-recommendations-aim-to-address-that">sus recomendaciones</a> fue tener un “proceso transparente de consolidación de escuelas” que les permitiera a las comunidades “reimaginar” sus propias escuelas.</p><p>Un segundo comité <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/1/21/22895309/denver-schools-declining-enrollment-advisory-committee">formado este año</a>, llamado <i>Declining Enrollment Advisory Committe, </i>estableció <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/6/2/23152741/denver-school-closure-consolidation-criteria-declining-enrollment-recommendations">criterios de cierre de escuelas</a> que fueron aplicados a la recomendación más reciente. Pero los miembros del comité <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/4/7/23015325/denver-public-schools-school-closure-declining-enrollment-committee-concerns">estaban divididos</a> porque muchos querían hablar de evitar la necesidad de cerrar escuelas, un tema que los administradores del distrito dijeron que no estaba sobre la mesa.</p><p>Ahora la participación de la comunidad de Denver se ha transferido a las escuelas individuales. Cada director de escuela está explicándole la recomendación a su comunidad escolar y haciendo todo lo posible por contestar las preguntas, una estrategia que el Superintendente Alex Marrero describió como “íntima e intensa”</p><p>“Creo que la gente que conocen, quieren y adoran, y que siguen, es la que puede decirles: ‘Ok, este es el plan y se necesita por esta razón”, dijo Marrero.</p><p>La junta escolar de Denver también organizará una sesión de comentarios públicos el 14 de noviembre.</p><p>En Jeffco, Dorland dejó claro que los comentarios de la comunidad no cambiarán las recomendaciones. El propósito de la participación de la comunidad era para determinar qué necesitan las familias para superar la transición.</p><p>De todos modos, cada escuela que se va a cerrar ha tenido una sesión de comentarios públicos de una hora con la junta escolar, lo cual es un total de por lo menos 16 horas de comentarios públicos.</p><p>Pero <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/CKMSA8710AD2/$file/KPC-Jeffco_EngagementReport_Final%20.pdf">en un informe del grupo de consultores</a> que dirige ese trabajo, quedó claro que las familias no estaban contentas. Muchos todavía querían hablar de las recomendaciones y obtener más respuestas a sus preguntas, y el <i>Keystone Policy Center</i> dijo que habían encontrado mucha desinformación y falta de confianza en el proceso.</p><h2>¿Cómo decidieron los distritos el plazo para informar a los padres?</h2><p>De los tres distritos, el proceso de Denver es el más breve, con poco más de tres semanas entre el anuncio de la recomendación el 25 de octubre y la votación programada para el 17 de noviembre. Si la junta vota que sí, las 10 escuelas cerrarían al final de este año escolar.</p><p>Pero Marrero, superintendente de Denver, argumentó que el proceso en realidad comenzó en junio de 2021 cuando la junta escolar <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/6/11/22530193/to-close-or-consolidate-schools-denver-seeks-ideas">aprobó una resolución</a> que le ordena al superintendente consolidar las escuelas pequeñas.</p><p>La junta necesita votar este mes para que haya tiempo suficiente para poner en marcha el plan del próximo otoño, dijo Marrero. También dijo que detener el proceso haría que los estudiantes y el personal huyeran de las escuelas recomendadas para el cierre, empeorando la pérdida de matrícula.</p><p>En Jeffco, las familias tendrán más tiempo que en cierres de emergencia anteriores.</p><p>Por ejemplo, cuando el distrito cerró Allendale y Fitzmorris, las familias se les informó a las familias en la primavera, cuando faltaban pocas semanas para que terminara el año escolar y la escuela cerrara.</p><p>Las familias se perdieron la primera ronda para inscribirse en la escuela de su preferencia, y el distrito trabajó individualmente con las familias para asignar a los estudiantes a otra escuela para el próximo año escolar. Esta vez, la votación de la junta el 10 de noviembre está programada antes de que el distrito empiece su proceso del año para matricularse en la escuela de preferencia. Si las familias quieren elegir una escuela diferente a la que recomienda el distrito, pueden hacerlo.</p><p>Aurora también ha aumentado el plazo entre las recomendaciones y los cierres.</p><p>En la primera ronda de cierres que se decidió por votación en enero de 2021, la primera escuela cerró en junio de 2021 y las demás se irán eliminando poco a poco. En la segunda ronda de cierres, la junta votó en la primavera de 2022 y las escuelas cerrarán al final del año escolar 2022-23.</p><h2>¿Los distritos han tenido en cuenta cuántos estudiantes podrían tener en el futuro?</h2><p>Sí. Los tres distritos usaron un análisis que incluye factores como tasas de natalidad, desarrollo de vivienda y movilidad para pronosticar las tendencias en la población en edad escolar.</p><p>En Denver, el <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/6/8/23160241/denver-public-schools-declining-enrollment-explained-charts">análisis más reciente</a>, hecho esta última primavera, muestra que la ciudad tiene menos niños ahora que hace una década. La tasa de nacimientos está bajando más rápido entre las familias hispanas, y el distrito pronostica que eso “tendrá un impacto negativo significativo” en la matrícula. Actualmente, un poco más de la mitad de los casi 90,000 estudiantes de las escuelas públicas de Denver son hispanos.</p><p>El análisis también señala que la mayoría de las viviendas planificadas o permitidas son condominios, apartamentos y <i>townhomes</i>, que históricamente representan menos estudiantes que las casas de familia. Sin embargo, algunos miembros de la comunidad y hasta organizaciones como la casi municipal Autoridad de la Vivienda de Denver están <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2022/11/03/denver-housing-authority-memo-dps-school-closures/">cuestionando las proyecciones de Denver</a>.</p><p>En Jeffco, un análisis similar presentado ante la junta escolar el miércoles demostró que los estudiantes que proceden de familias en pobreza están abandonando el distrito en mayor proporción que los estudiantes más acomodados. Los dos códigos de salida más comunes que registra el distrito muestran que los estudiantes se están mudando a otros distritos o a otro estado. Los líderes del distrito dijeron que sospechan que la falta de vivienda asequible está expulsando a las familias.</p><p>En Aurora, se proyecta que la cantidad de estudiantes crecerá de nuevo, pero no necesariamente en las mismas comunidades que antes.</p><p>En el este del distrito están surgiendo nuevas áreas de vivienda, que podrían requerir nuevas escuelas. Las escuelas en el oeste del distrito, más cerca de Denver, siguen experimentando un fuerte descenso porque el alto costo de la vivienda hace que las familias se vayan.</p><p>Originalmente, los líderes de Aurora esperaban que la matrícula comenzara a aumentar en 2021, pero el superintendente Munn dijo que la pandemia aceleró las bajas en el oeste, cambiando la expectativa. Todavía se espera un crecimiento, pero el distrito está observando de cerca los datos para analizar cuándo podría ocurrir.</p><p><i>Melanie Asmar es reportera senior de Chalkbeat Colorado, y cubre las Escuelas Públicas de Denver. Para comunicarte con Melanie, escríbele a masmar@chalkbeat.org.</i></p><p><i>Yesenia Robles es reportera para Chalkbeat Colorado y cubre asuntos relacionados con los distritos escolares K-12 y la educación multilingüe. Para comunicarte con Yesenia, envíale un mensaje a yrobles@chalkbeat.org.</i></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/11/10/23450329/porque-cierran-escuelas-denver-jeffco-aurora/Yesenia Robles, Melanie Asmar2022-12-19T18:09:11+00:002023-12-22T20:59:47+00:00<p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/12/2/23490749/free-meals-colorado-school-lunch-proposition-ff-denver-jeffco-douglas-aurora"><i><b>Read in English.</b></i></a></p><p><i>Chalkbeat Colorado es un noticiero local sin fines de lucro que informa sobre las escuelas públicas en Denver y otros distritos. </i><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/newsletters/en-espanol"><i>Suscríbete a nuestro boletín gratis por email en español</i></a><i> para recibir lo último en noticias sobre educación.</i></p><p>Muchos distritos escolares de Colorado, entre ellos Jeffco, Cherry Creek, Aurora y Adams 14, tienen planes de ofrecer comidas gratis a todos los estudiantes a partir del otoño de 2023 con un programa estatal nuevo. Este programa será financiado con un impuesto aprobado por los electores y que afectará solamente a las personas con un alto nivel de ingresos.</p><p>Chalkbeat hizo una encuesta entre dos docenas de distritos, y 16 de ellos planean tener un plan universal de comidas gratis para todos los estudiantes el próximo año. Algunos distritos todavía no han decidido, y estos incluyen dos de los más grandes de Colorado — Denver y Douglas County.</p><p>Brehan Riley, director de nutrición escolar del Departamento de Educación de Colorado, dijo lo siguiente acerca de los funcionarios de los distritos escolares: “Parece que a muchos les interesa, pero todavía no están seguros. Quieren entender el programa un poco más.”</p><p>El programa, llamado <a href="https://www.cde.state.co.us/nutrition/healthymealsforallguide"><i>Healthy School Meals for All</i></a>, tiene como propósito asegurar que los estudiantes obtengan la nutrición necesaria para aprender y eliminar el estigma que a veces se asocia con el método actual que se usa para determinar quién recibirá comidas gratuitas (según los ingresos).</p><p>La iniciativa fue aprobada justo después de dos años en los que el gobierno federal eliminó los requisitos de elegibilidad basada en ingresos, y ahora permite que las escuelas les ofrezcan desayunos y almuerzos gratuitos a todos los estudiantes. Los requisitos volverían a aplicarse este otoño, pero los legisladores y defensores encontraron una manera de volver a tener comidas gratuitas el próximo año <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/5/5/23059355/free-school-lunch-colorado-ballot-measure-healthy-meals-all">pidiéndoles a los electores de Colorado</a> que aprobaran una asignación de fondos nueva con la Propuesta FF.</p><p>Los electores <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/11/8/23448263/proposition-ff-colorado-school-lunch-midterm-elections-2022-election-results">dijeron que sí</a>.</p><p>La medida generará más de $100 millones al año reduciendo las deducciones de impuestos disponibles para las familias con ingresos de $300,000 o más.</p><p>A muchos funcionarios de distrito les entusiasma la idea de alimentar más estudiantes, tal como lo hicieron durante los dos primeros años de la pandemia. Cuando las comidas eran gratis gracias a la eliminación de los requisitos de elegibilidad, los administradores de Boulder Valley vieron un 40% de aumento en la cantidad de estudiantes que comían en la cafetería escolar, el Distrito 27J vio un aumento de 20-30%, y Aurora tuvo un aumento de 7-10%.</p><p>Beth Wallace, directora ejecutiva de servicios de comidas y nutrición, dijo que durante la pandemia 30% más estudiantes estaban comiendo en la escuela.</p><p>“Estamos atendiendo a esas familias que simplemente necesitan esa ayudita adicional”, dijo ella. “Quizás no califican para comidas gratis o a precio reducido, pero son familias trabajadoras que están teniendo dificultad para afrontar todos sus gastos.”</p><p>Algunos padres le han dicho que solamente permiten que sus hijos coman en la escuela dos veces a la semana, cuando el menú incluye sus platos favoritos, porque ellos simplemente no pueden pagar el costo de comer todos los días.</p><p>“Estoy sumamente contenta de poder ayudar a esas familias”, nos dijo.</p><p>Wallace también dijo que, aunque en el sistema actual no hay manera de que los estudiantes sepan quién está comiendo gratis, es fácil notarlo. Cuando su hijo era más pequeño, ella lo alentaba a comer desayuno en la escuela, pero él se negaba diciendo, ‘mamá, no voy a comer desayuno en la escuela. Eso es para los niños que comen gratis.”</p><p>Algunos defensores dicen que ese estigma afecta también a los padres.</p><p>En comunidades pequeñas, conoces a la gente que trabaja en la escuela y quizás no quieras decir, ‘necesitamos esta ayuda’ ”, dijo Ashley Wheeland, directora de política pública de la organización sin fines de lucro <i>Hunger Free Colorado</i>.</p><p>Para participar en el programa universal de comidas gratis, los distritos escolares de Colorado tendrán que maximizar la cantidad de dólares federales que obtienen solicitando un programa llamado <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2016/7/19/21099177/free-lunch-coming-to-more-colorado-kids-who-attend-high-poverty-schools"><i>Community Eligibility Provision</i></a>. Este programa nacional ayuda a cubrir el costo de los programas universales de comidas gratis en las escuelas donde una gran proporción de estudiantes proviene de familias que reciben ciertos beneficios del gobierno, por ejemplo, cupones de alimentos o asistencia financiera con un programa TANF (<i>Temporary Assistance to Needy Families</i>). Las familias en esas escuelas no tendrán que llenar solicitudes para obtener comidas gratis o a precio reducido.</p><p>Actualmente, 107 escuelas de Colorado en 26 distritos ofrecen programas universales de comidas gratis a través del programa <i>Community Eligibility Provision.</i> En distritos como Harrison y Pueblo 60, que participan a nivel de distrito, muy poco cambiará para el próximo año. Esos distritos continuarán ofreciéndoles comidas gratis a todos sus estudiantes.</p><p>No obstante, hasta las escuelas de Colorado que no califican para el programa <i>Community Eligibility Provision</i> podrán ofrecerles comidas gratis a todos los estudiantes el próximo año porque podrán acceder a los fondos provenientes de la Propuesta FF. Las familias todavía tendrán que llenar solicitudes para obtener comidas gratis o a precio reducido.</p><p>Algunos funcionarios de distritos dicen que les preocupa que las familias se confundan si tienen que llenar una solicitud de comida para un hijo, pero no para otro que asiste a una escuela elegible para el programa <i>Community Eligibility Provision.</i></p><p>“Me imagino a un padre pensando ‘no lo entiendo’”, dijo Riley.</p><p>La idea, dijo ella, es que ambas escuelas están maximizando los fondos federales que reciben para las comidas. El detalle es que lo están haciendo de dos maneras distintas.</p><p>Algunos líderes de los servicios de comidas escolares dicen que les preocupa la falta de personal, las interrupciones en la cadena de suministro, y la necesidad de equipo nuevo para acomodar el aumento en la demanda.</p><p>Wallace, que está en Jeffco, dijo que siempre es preocupante tener suficiente espacio para almacenar alimentos y capacidad para cocinar, pero que confía que el distrito podrá hacer que todo funcione porque lo hizo durante la pandemia, cuando había más estudiantes comiendo más comidas en la escuela.</p><p>Ella dijo que, al aumentar el volumen de comidas, los distritos pueden obtener mejores precios en los alimentos. Esto puede resultar en que, aunque aumenten los precios un poco, se pueda tener mejores frutas, como por ejemplo fresas, por más semanas en el año.</p><p>Riley dijo que, con el programa universal de comidas, los distritos también podrán eliminar el inconveniente administrativo de tratar de <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2018/8/21/21105551/after-a-spike-in-unpaid-school-lunches-last-year-denver-takes-steps-to-prevent-a-reprise">tratar de cobrar las cuentas sin pagar</a> — cargos incurridos cuando los estudiantes comen en la escuela pero no son elegibles para comidas gratis y no tienen dinero para pagar en ese momento. Desde que volvieron a aplicarse los requisitos de elegibilidad por ingresos, ella dice que ha escuchado de los administradores de comedores escolares que la deuda está aumentando otra vez.</p><p><i>Ann Schimke es reportera senior en Chalkbeat y cubre temas de niñez temprana y alfabetización temprana. Para comunicarte con Ann, envíale un mensaje a </i><a href="mailto:aschimke@chalkbeat.org"><i>aschimke@chalkbeat.org</i></a><i>.</i></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/12/19/23517154/almuerzo-escolar-gratis-colorado-propuesto-ff-comidas-gratis/Ann Schimke2023-12-07T00:09:44+00:002023-12-07T00:09:44+00:00<p>The Jeffco district spent more than $45 million on upgrades to schools taking in students from the <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/8/25/23322170/jeffco-school-closure-recommendations-elementary-list/" target="_blank">16 elementary schools that closed</a> at the end of last school year.</p><p>That cost includes projects that were specifically designed to accommodate the new students, but also projects that were in the works before.</p><p>Last December, district staff told the board they <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/12/16/23513408/jeffco-cost-school-closure-building-renovations-32-million-elementary/" target="_blank">expected to spend up to $32 million</a> to expand classrooms, buy new furniture, retrofit buildings that needed to accommodate students with disabilities, or create preschool classrooms.</p><p>Figures obtained by Chalkbeat through an open records request this month show the district ultimately ended up spending $45.3 million at 22 welcoming schools. But the district could not say how much of that difference is because of higher than anticipated costs, or covering the projects already in the works and not related to the school closures.</p><p>The figure includes $7.5 million specifically used to add preschool classrooms as the state rolled out universal preschool. Campbell Elementary, for instance, one of the 16 closed schools, was turned into a preschool center for the area, and had more than $3 million in upgrades. Preschool classrooms are regulated to require certain building accommodations for preschool-age children.</p><p>Jeffco schools have had declining enrollment for years. After a few sudden school closures, the district started a comprehensive plan to close several schools. The district said it would help its budget, but also was concerned about the limitations of what small schools offered students and the inequities growing from school to school. The school closures are estimated to save the district $12 million a year in ongoing operating expenses, but renovating other schools to receive those students has proved more expensive than the district expected.</p><p>Seanin Rosario, Jeffco’s executive director of finance, planning, and analysis, said the costs specifically related to accommodating more students are “most likely closer” to the $32 million estimated a year ago. “Our system was not able to track only welcoming schools’ projects because there are instances where the projects overlapped,” she wrote in an email.</p><p>Some schools that received upgrades had not initially been designated as welcoming schools. Students weren’t forced to go to any one school, and still could participate in open enrollment. So, after many students from closed schools chose a particular school, the district had to designate it as a welcoming school to provide support, including capital upgrades.</p><p>Rosario said funding for the projects came from the district’s capital reserve fund. The expenditures are one-time costs. The district is also beginning the process of deciding <a href="https://www.cpr.org/2023/11/13/whats-happening-with-closed-school-buildings/">what to do with the closed buildings</a>, including selling or leasing them.</p><p>Look up how much the district spent at each of the 22 schools that took in students from closed elementary schools:</p><p><i>Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at </i><a href="mailto:yrobles@chalkbeat.org" target="_blank"><i>yrobles@chalkbeat.org</i></a><i>.</i></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2023/12/07/jeffco-school-upgrades-cost-following-closures/Yesenia RoblesRJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The 2023-06-23T22:55:27+00:002023-11-25T22:34:27+00:00<p>The Jeffco school board voted unanimously Thursday night to approve the closure of Moore Middle School, which will merge with Pomona High School to form a 6-12.</p><p>This move comes as part of the district’s <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2023/5/9/23717487/jeffco-district-considers-middle-school-closures-next-phase-two-consolidations-low-enrollment-arvada">efforts to address declining enrollment</a> and make better use of resources. While Moore Middle School will continue its operations for the 2023-24 school year, its doors are set to close permanently after the spring term.</p><p>Moore Middle School is the first school to close under the second phase of Jeffco’s <a href="https://www.jeffcopublicschools.org/about/regional_opportunities_for_thriving_schools/regional_opportunities_news/phase_i_i_resolution_approved">Regional Opportunity for Thriving Schools</a> plan. The first phase of the plan was completed in November when the <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/11/10/23452456/jeffco-elementary-schools-closing-board-vote">board voted to close 16 elementary schools</a>. The second phase will focus on consolidation recommendations for K-8 and middle schools with possible additional closure recommendations starting in August.</p><p>With the merger of sixth, seventh, and eighth grades from the middle school into Pomona’s building, the high school will need to undergo renovation and expansion. The construction is estimated to cost the district between $1.8 million and $2.5 million.</p><p>The construction plans call for the creation of a wing for sixth and seventh grades on the second floor of the existing building, separate drop-off entrances for younger students, space for incoming staff, additional security measures, and an expanded cafeteria to accommodate more students who eat lunch on campus.</p><p>After discussions with community members, Pomona Principal Pat Rock and Moore Principal Brenda Fletcher brought a request to the Jeffco school board in March to combine both the middle school and high school in Pomona’s building.</p><p>The closure of Moore is unique in the way that this was requested by the Jeffco community and not by the district administration or the board of education, officials said.</p><p>“I think this is a really great example of an idea that came directly from the community to solve a challenge that they feel every day, and they wanted to get ahead of the district in terms of coming up with their own solution,” said Lisa Relou, Jeffco’s chief of strategy and communications.</p><p>Community forums were held at both schools before the proposal to close Moore was brought before the board.</p><p><a href="https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiODVlOGEyZjUtNWU1Zi00ZjEwLTg4ZGMtMWVhN2JkZDFmYTJkIiwidCI6ImM1MTNjMmNjLTBjYzUtNDVkMC04ZTY4LWFjNGVhNGJkN2UxOCIsImMiOjF9&pageName=ReportSection">According to district data</a>, Moore Middle School uses 46% of its building capacity while Pomona High School uses 57% — the plan to merge facilities aims to maximize resources, which, according to the district, will save over $1 million a year.</p><p>The two schools are not far apart, with just a 5-minute drive between them.</p><p>The district’s recent work has been spurred by years of declining enrollment. Even though the number of residents in Jeffco increased over two decades, the population of school-age children decreased by 29,918 from 2000 to 2020.</p><p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/11/9/23450225/takeaways-enrollment-analysis-schools-closing-jeffco-denver-aurora-census-data">Fewer children are being born</a>. According to the district, 2020 marked the lowest number of births recorded in 15 years.</p><p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2023/5/17/23727384/jeffco-middle-school-k8-closure-data-choice-takeaways-enrollment">Most Jeffco middle schools are losing more students</a> than they attract through school choice. State law allows students to enroll in any district that will accept them. Meanwhile, about 12% of Jeffco families enroll their students in charter schools.</p><p>Even though she voted for the merger, board member Danielle Varda said she hopes the district takes a careful approach to issues such as <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/9/12/23344612/jeffco-elementary-school-closure-parent-advice-past-experience">helping families transition</a> and integrating younger students with the older grades.</p><p>“I want to make sure we’re still creating a really great experience for them and their families,” Varda said.</p><p><i><b>Clarification: </b></i><i>This story has been updated to reflect that the next phase of school consolidations will affect K-8s and middle schools. While the district website originally said secondary schools would be included, a district spokeswoman said no high schools are being considered for closure. The district website has been updated as well.</i></p><p><i>Sara Martin is an intern with Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Sara at </i><a href="http://smartin@chalkbeat.org/"><i>smartin@chalkbeat.org </i></a></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2023/6/23/23771992/jeffco-moore-middle-pomona-high-merger-closure-declining-enrollment/Sara Martin2023-11-10T00:05:53+00:002023-11-10T00:24:58+00:00<p><a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2023/11/7/23951258/jeffco-school-board-voting-results-elections-2023/" target="_blank"><i><b>Read in English.</b></i></a></p><p>Dos candidatos respaldados por el sindicato ganaron escaños en el consejo escolar de Jeffco, compuesta por cinco miembros.</p><p>La mayoría de los escaños del consejo escolar de Jeffco ya son ocupados por candidatos respaldados por los sindicatos. Los resultados de las elecciones del martes muestran que los electores del segundo distrito más grande de Colorado <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2023/10/19/23924335/guia-votar-preguntas-candidatos-junta-escolar-jeffco-esto-es-lo-que-dijeron/" target="_blank">refuerzan esa mayoría</a>.</p><p>Cada escaño representa un distrito diferente, pero cada elector de Jeffco podría elegir un candidato para cada escaño.</p><p>En el Distrito 3, actualmente representado por Stephanie Schooley, la ingeniera Michelle Applegate tenía más votos que Thomas Wicke, presidente de la universidad.</p><p>En el Distrito 4, representado ahora por Susan Miller, la educadora Erin Kenworthy le ganó a la ingeniera Amara Hildebrand y el abogado Joel Newton.</p><p>Los candidatos con más votos en Jeffco han recibido mucha financiación, en particular de sindicatos.</p><p>El sindicato de maestros apoyó a Applegate y a Kenworthy. Ambos candidatos recaudaron más de $58,000 cada uno para la campaña, superando a los demás por un amplio margen. Wicke fue el tercer candidato en obtener más fondos de campaña, con más de $28,000 recibidos de empresarios como Tim Walsh, propietario de <i>Confluence Builders</i> y antiguo candidato al Senado, y de David Jones, miembro del consejo en Arvada.</p><p>Hildebrand y Wicke habían sido respaldados por la <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheConservativePatriotAlliance/posts/pfbid0CRbuQbXZrAodoguTNCjaCdhVAh6hcQH1Z2yjSkBf4NvhPx8DZTfDP67TpnowpWj9l"><i>Colorado Conservative Patriot Alliance</i></a>, pero ese grupo no ha aportado dinero.</p><p>En términos de gastos externos por comités que no están autorizados a coordinar con los candidatos, hubo $111,326 de <i>Students Deserve Better</i>, un grupo de del sindicato de maestros, y más de $56,000 de <i>Better Jeffco Schools</i>, que afirma que apoya a los candidatos conservadores y está haciendo campaña por Wicke y Hildebrand.</p><p>El nuevo consejo será responsable de ayudar al distrito a superar los problemas financieros relacionados en parte con la reducción en las inscripciones y el fin de las ayudas por COVID. Después de cerrar escuelas del distrito, el consejo aún está determinando qué hará con los edificios vacíos, y el consejo escolar tendrá un rol en ese proceso.</p><p>Después de cerrar 16 escuelas primarias y consolidar tres escuelas intermedias, el distrito no anticipa que haya otra fase de cierres de escuela en el futuro inmediato. Sin embargo, los funcionarios han dicho que seguirán reevaluando.</p><p>El nuevo consejo también tendrá pronto una importante decisión que tomar sobre las nuevas solicitudes de chárter para potencialmente llenar un vacío después de <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2023/10/12/23915246/jeffco-k8-school-closing-board-vote-coal-creek-arvada-parents">la votación para cerrar la escuela Coal Creek Canyon K-8</a>. El distrito tendrá un proceso acelerado de solicitud de chárter y el consejo votará al respecto el 10 de enero</p><p><i>Traducido por Milly Suazo-Martinez</i></p><p><i>Yesenia Robles es reportera de Chalkbeat Colorado y cubre temas relacionados con los distritos escolares K-12 y la educación multilingüe. Para comunicarte con Yesenia, envíale un email a </i><a href="mailto:yrobles@chalkbeat.org" target="_blank"><i>yrobles@chalkbeat.org</i></a><i>.</i></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2023/11/10/resultados-electorales-jeffco-consejo-escolar/Yesenia Robles2023-11-08T17:36:38+00:002023-11-07T22:38:17+00:00<p><em>Sign up for </em><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/newsletters/subscribe"><em>Chalkbeat Colorado’s free daily newsletter</em></a><em> to keep up with education news in Jeffco, Denver, and nearby districts.</em></p><p>Two union-backed candidates won seats on Jeffco’s five-member school board after holding steady leads Tuesday evening.</p><p>Union-backed candidates already held the majority of seats on the Jeffco board. The election results show voters in Colorado’s second largest district reinforcing that majority.</p><p>“Jeffco voters have shown their support for our public schools via the ballot box, and clearly share our vision for strong neighborhood schools, the recruitment and retention of highly qualified educators, and a path for all students to find success in adulthood, even if they choose not to go to college,” said Kari Gray, social emotional learning specialist at Manning Middle School and chair of the union’s Political Action Team, in a press release.</p><p>Each seat represents a different district, but every Jeffco voter could select one candidate for each seat.&nbsp;</p><p>In District 3, currently represented by Stephanie Schooley, engineer Michelle Applegate won against college president Thomas Wicke.&nbsp;</p><p>In District 4, currently represented by Susan Miller, educator Erin Kenworthy took the lead over engineer Amara Hildebrand and advocate Joel Newton.</p><p>The county clerk’s office estimates they’ve counted more than 99% of the ballots cast.</p><p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2023/9/27/23893544/jeffco-school-board-election-2023-candidates">The leading candidates</a> in Jeffco received a lot of funding, in particular from union groups.</p><p>​​The teachers union endorsed Applegate and Kenworthy. Both candidates led in campaign fundraising by a wide margin, with more than $58,000 in contributions each. Wicke was the opponent with the next highest amount of campaign funds with more than $28,000 raised from business owners including Tim Walsh, owner of Confluence Builders and former candidate for a Senate seat, and from David Jones, a sitting council member in Arvada.<strong>&nbsp;</strong></p><p>Hildebrand and Wicke had been endorsed by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheConservativePatriotAlliance/posts/pfbid0CRbuQbXZrAodoguTNCjaCdhVAh6hcQH1Z2yjSkBf4NvhPx8DZTfDP67TpnowpWj9l">Colorado Conservative Patriot Alliance</a>, although that group hasn’t contributed funding.&nbsp;</p><p>In terms of outside spending by committees that are not allowed to coordinate with candidates, there has been $111,326 from Students Deserve Better, which is a teachers union funding group, and more than $56,000 from Better Jeffco Schools, which states it supports conservative candidates and is campaigning for Wicke and Hildebrand.</p><p>The new board will be responsible for helping the district through financial problems in part related to declining enrollment and the end of COVID relief funding. After closing district schools, the board is still going through the process of figuring out what to do with the empty buildings, and the school board will have a role in that.</p><p>After closing 16 elementary schools and consolidating three middle schools, the district is not expecting another phase of school closures in the immediate future. However, officials have said they will continue to reevaluate.</p><p>The new board will also quickly have an important decision to make on new charter applications to potentially fill a gap after <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2023/10/12/23915246/jeffco-k8-school-closing-board-vote-coal-creek-arvada-parents">the vote to close Coal Creek Canyon K-8</a>. The district is hosting an expedited charter application process with a board vote on Jan. 10.&nbsp;</p><p><em>Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at yrobles@chalkbeat.org.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2023/11/7/23951258/jeffco-school-board-voting-results-elections-2023/Yesenia Robles2023-10-19T20:41:19+00:002023-10-19T20:41:19+00:00<p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2023/10/13/23916519/voter-guide-jeffco-school-board-candidates-questions-november-election-2023"><em><strong>Read in English.</strong></em></a></p><p>En las Escuelas Públicas de Jefferson, los electores están seleccionando dos miembros nuevos de la junta escolar.</p><p>En total hay cinco candidatos. Dos aspiran a un escaño para representar al Distrito 3 de Jeffco. Tres candidatos aspiran a representar al Distrito 4. Todos los electores de Jeffco podrán elegir a un candidato en cada caso. La junta escolar tiene cinco miembros en total.</p><p>Michelle Applegate y Erin Kenworthy cuentan con el respaldo de la Asociación de Educadores del Condado de Jefferson, el sindicato de maestros.&nbsp;</p><p>Nosotros le hicimos algunas preguntas a los candidatos.</p><p>Estas son las respuestas de los otros candidatos:</p><h2>Háblenos un poco de usted y de su conexión con el distrito. ¿Cuánto tiempo ha vivido en el distrito escolar? ¿A qué se dedica? </h2><p><strong>Distrito 3</strong></p><p><strong>Michelle Applegate: </strong>Soy mamá, profesional y toda a vida he apoyado la educación pública. Tengo tres hijos, uno en tercer año de secundaria, uno tercer grado de primaria y uno de 3 años que acaba de comenzar el preescolar en Jeffco. El mayor es hijo de mi esposo, y tengo la suerte de haberme hecho muy amiga de su mamá, que es maestra de Kinder en una escuela de Título del distrito. A través de nuestra amistad ella ha compartido de primera mano las alegrías y los retos de ser maestra. He sido presidente de la Asociación de Padres y Maestros durante un total de 6 años en dos escuelas primarias, y soy voluntaria en el salón de clases. Trabajo en política energética, y mi propia carrera en ingeniería y política, además de mi servicio en la junta, me han proporcionado una amplia y profunda experiencia que espero aportar a la Junta de Educación.&nbsp;</p><p><em><strong>Nota de la editora:</strong> Escuela de Título refiere a escuelas con alta nivel de pobreza que son eligibles por fondos federales bajo Título I. </em></p><p><strong>Thomas Wicke:</strong> Tengo fuertes raíces en la comunidad escolar de Jeffco. Mi familia se mudó al Condado de Jefferson hace ocho años y vive y respira educación. Mi esposa Laurel ha sido una orgullosa y premiada educadora de las Escuelas Públicas de Jeffco por muchos años. Dos de mis hijos son graduados de Jeffco, y mi tercer hijo es actualmente un estudiante de Jeffco. Además de ser un padre activo, y voluntario de programas para niños y adolescentes, me enorgullece servir como presidente del campus del Concorde Career College. Como presidente, he logrado consistentemente que más de un 90% de los estudiantes del programa de salud entren al campo laboral en una comunidad que tiene mucho impacto en ese sector. He dirigido esfuerzos de cambio en instituciones de enseñanza superior, resultando en aumentos de matrícula y asistencia, menos abandono de los estudios universitarios, y mejor satisfacción de los estudiantes y los empleados.</p><p><strong>Distrito 4</strong></p><p><strong>Amara Hildebrand:</strong> Soy ingeniera civil y en los últimos 8 años he dirigido una empresa de consultoría con mi esposo. He vivido en Colorado durante 22 años y en el Condado de Jefferson los últimos 11 años. Tengo dos hijos en edad escolar, uno está en 6to grado de primaria y el otro en 9no grado.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Erin Kenworthy:</strong> He vivido en el condado de Jefferson durante 14 años. Mis dos hijos asisten a las escuelas del Condado de Jefferson, y comencé a servir en el comité de responsabilidad escolar de Green Gables en 2019. Me uní al Comité de Responsabilidad del Distrito en el otoño de 2022. Actualmente soy Directora de Exploración Religiosa en una congregación Unitaria Universalista de Denver.</p><p><strong>Joel Newton: </strong>Soy papá de una graduada de las Escuelas Públicas de Jeffco y de un estudiante de cuarto año en la Wheat Ridge High School. Nuestra hija mayor se graduó de la Jefferson Junior/Senior High School en la primavera y empezó la universidad este otoño. Llevamos dieciocho años viviendo en el Condado de Jefferson. Mi esposa Hillary empezó su carrera en educación como paraprofesional en la Lumberg Elementary y ahora es directora de preescolar en Littleton.&nbsp;</p><p>He servido en la Asociación de Padres y Maestros de Lumberg Elementary, el Comité de Responsabilidad (SAC) de Jefferson Jr/Sr High School, el Comité de Responsabilidad del Distrito de Jeffco Public Schools (DAC), y el Comité Asesor Estatal de Educación para Estudiantes Dotados. Actualmente formo parte del Grupo de Trabajo sobre Transporte Escolar del Departamento de Educación de Colorado.&nbsp;</p><p>Soy Director Ejecutivo del Edgewater Collective. Edgewater Collective es una organización local sin fines de lucro que se enfoca en apoyar a las escuelas de Título I en el área de Edgewater y en crear oportunidades económicas para las familias latinas en el centro-este del Condado de Jefferson.</p><h2>¿Cuál cree que es el problema más grande que están enfrentando las escuelas de Jeffco ahora, y cómo espera tener un impacto en ese problema como miembro de la junta escolar?</h2><p><strong>Distrito 3</strong></p><p><strong>Michelle Applegate:</strong> Creo que las escuelas de Jeffco están enfrentando varios desafíos, que incluyen la disminución de la matrícula, mantener la seguridad, y apoyar los logros y el crecimiento de los estudiantes. Los logros y el crecimiento de los estudiantes afectan especialmente la fortaleza y la viabilidad de nuestras escuelas públicas y merecen nuestra atención. Debemos asegurar que todos los estudiantes, independientemente de su situación, puedan acceder a y recibir una buena educación, y para eso tenemos que asegurar que les estemos dando a los maestros herramientas, programas y financiamiento que aseguren el éxito. También sabemos que el aprendizaje es mejor cuando los educadores y estudiantes se sienten seguros y con sentido de pertenencia. Espero tener un impacto pidiendo y entendiendo la información y trabajando con el distrito para identificar y asignar prioridad a las soluciones.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Thomas Wicke:</strong> Los tres pilares de mi campaña son confianza y transparencia, excelencia académica e integridad fiscal. También hablaré con mayor detalle sobre estos dos problemas, pero crear y recuperar la confianza y la transparencia son factores clave y significativos para los demás retos a los que nos enfrentamos. Hemos visto la erosión de la confianza entre padres y escuelas, entre maestros y administradores, entre los contribuyentes y el distrito. Tenemos que ser honestos sobre eso y empezar a reparar la división con una comunicación transparente y proactiva, identificando y discutiendo los retos públicamente, buscando la opinión de las familias, y colaborando con ellas para beneficiar a cada estudiante.</p><p><strong>Distrito 4</strong></p><p><strong>Amara Hildebrand:</strong> Yo veo que la crisis presupuestaria es el problema más grande están enfrentando las escuelas del Condado de Jefferson. Me preocupa cómo se están asignando los dólares y cómo se está llevando la cuenta.</p><p><strong>Erin Kenworthy:</strong> Creo que nuestro distrito tiene que atraer y retener a educadores y personal altamente cualificados con salarios competitivos, ambientes de trabajo seguros y saludables, y los mejores recursos posibles para apoyar el éxito de los estudiantes. Tenemos que utilizar los recursos de que tenemos disponibles para aprovechar los resultados y el crecimiento de los estudiantes de manera justa y responsable.</p><p><strong>Joel Newton: </strong>Durante mi tiempo apoyando a las escuelas, he visto de primera mano que el sueño de recibir una educación de clase mundial no está disponible para todos los estudiantes en Jeffco. Creo firmemente que todos los niños de Jeffco deben tener las mismas oportunidades para crecer y triunfar hasta la universidad o carrera profesional. Esto no es culpa de los educadores de esas escuelas, que están trabajando arduamente duro cada día. No es culpa de sus familias, que sueñan con una vida mejor para sus hijos.&nbsp;</p><p>Parte del problema es que n Jeffco no estamos hablando de las brechas en la educación. Estas brechas se acentuaron durante la pandemia. No podemos abordar el problema si no hablamos de eso. Mi esperanza es elevar las necesidades de las escuelas Título I y los estudiantes de minorías en todo Jeffco. También espero elevar las voces de las familias, los estudiantes y los educadores de nuestras escuelas que enfrentan más obstáculos.</p><h2>¿El distrito debe pedir que los electores aprueben un aumento en los impuestos en los próximos años? ¿Por qué o por qué no?</h2><p><strong>Distrito 3</strong></p><p><strong>Michelle Applegate:</strong> Reconozco que la junta escolar actual está iniciando conversaciones sobre aumentos de financiación sostenibles para el distrito en el futuro, que incluyen la posibilidad de aprobar un impuesto especial dentro de poco. Una recaudación extraordinaria de impuestos (conocida como <em>mill levy override</em>) podría posicionar al distrito más eficazmente con fondos continuos para apoyar los aumentos de salario, junto con recursos para iniciativas como aprendizaje conectado a una profesión, laboratorios STEM, tecnología o herramientas para el aprendizaje y crecimiento de los estudiantes. Aplicar un impuesto especial requerirá un liderazgo dedicado de la Junta que trabaje en todo el Condado de Jeffco con el fin de crear confianza y que la comunidad apoye el aumento en los impuestos. Sabemos que más de un 70% del condado no tiene una conexión directa con las Escuelas Públicas de Jeffco, y tendremos que presentar un caso fuerte y comunicarnos eficazmente para obtener apoyo. Esto requerirá trabajar con todas las organizaciones y con los líderes electos y comunitarios para garantizar el éxito.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Thomas Wicke:</strong> Antes de apoyar que se les pida a los electores del condado más dinero del que tanto les ha costado ganar, quiero que el distrito actúe de buena fe demostrando que ha administrado responsablemente los fondos ya recibidos. Tenemos que acelerar las mejoras en los procesos y sistemas de administración financiera del distrito para establecer vínculos transparentes entre las actividades, los costos y los resultados para nuestros hijos. Tenemos que financiar esfuerzos que apoyen esos resultados y eliminar los gastos cuando los programas hayan demostrado que no pudieron mejorar los resultados. Completar una auditoría forense independiente del programa de capital de $835 millones del distrito para determinar cuánto se gastó en sobrecostos y proyectos que nunca se les revelaron a los electores de la Propuesta 5B en 2018. Y si todo el gasto se documentó y aprobó adecuadamente, eso ayudaría mucho porque sería la rendición de cuentas requerida para poder pedir un aumento de impuestos, si fuese necesario.</p><p><em><strong>Nota de la editora:</strong> El distrito está en proceso de lo que llaman un proyecto de reconciliación, el cual va detallar, en parte, cuánto dinero se ha gastado en cada proyecto del distrito, cuánto se pasó del presupuesto, y cuánto queda.</em></p><p><strong>Distrito 4</strong></p><p><strong>Amara Hildebrand: </strong>No, creo que tenemos dinero suficiente dentro del presupuesto de $1,400 millones, pero podríamos ser más eficientes con nuestros gastos.</p><p><strong>Erin Kenworthy: </strong>Tener escuelas seguras y prósperas requiere el apoyo de nuestra comunidad. La manera en que se asignan los fondos de educación en Colorado es complicada. Creo que es necesario encontrar formas de aumentar y reforzar nuestros recursos presupuestarios para que nuestro distrito avance mientras seguimos recuperándonos de la interrupción por COVID en nuestras escuelas.</p><p><strong>Joel Newton: </strong>Antes de pedir que los electores aprueben un aumento en los impuestos tenemos que asegurar que estemos administrando sabiamente los fondos que el distrito ya está recibiendo. El distrito necesita recuperar la confianza, porque algunas de las mejoras prometidas en las escuelas con el programa de bonos 5B no se hicieron.&nbsp;</p><p>Yo me comprometo a hacer todo lo necesario para abogar por una financiación local adecuada de nuestras escuelas públicas. Esto significa abogar ante la legislatura de Colorado y recuperar la confianza de la comunidad para que entiendan la necesidad de una financiación local adecuada para nuestras escuelas, incluso aunque aumenten los impuestos sobre la propiedad. Esto es hasta más importante, ya que una cantidad mayor de residentes de Jeffco no tienen hijos en edad escolar.&nbsp;</p><p>Yo estaría a favor de un aumento en los impuestos y que las recaudaciones se designen a cosas específicas. Como el costo de vivir en el área metropolitana de Denver es difícil para los educadores y el personal de las escuelas, es esencial que el aumento en los impuestos se destine a salarios.</p><p><em>Yesenia Robles es reportera de Chalkbeat Colorado y cubre temas sobre los distritos escolares K-12 y la educación multilingüe. Para comunicarte con Yesenia, envíale un mensaje a&nbsp;</em><a href="mailto:yrobles@chalkbeat.org"><em>yrobles@chalkbeat.org</em></a><em>.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2023/10/19/23924335/guia-votar-preguntas-candidatos-junta-escolar-jeffco-esto-es-lo-que-dijeron/Yesenia Robles2023-10-13T22:36:39+00:002023-10-13T22:36:39+00:00<p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2023/10/19/23924335/guia-votar-preguntas-candidatos-junta-escolar-jeffco-esto-es-lo-que-dijeron"><em><strong>Leer en español.</strong></em></a></p><p>In Jefferson Public Schools, voters are selecting two new school board members this year.</p><p>There are <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2023/9/27/23893544/jeffco-school-board-election-2023-candidates">five candidates running in total</a>. Two, Michelle Applegate and Thomas Wicke, are running for a seat representing Jeffco’s District 3. Three candidates, Amara Hildebrand, Joel Newton, and Erin Kenworthy, are running to represent District 4.&nbsp;</p><p>All Jeffco voters will get to select one candidate for each race in the Nov. 7 election.&nbsp;</p><p>Applegate and Kenworthy have the endorsement of the Jefferson County Educators Association, the teachers union.&nbsp;</p><p>Since this election will only bring two new members to the five-member school board, the current union-led majority of the board will not change, but could still add new perspectives.</p><p>To help readers learn more about the candidates, we asked them each the same set of questions. Read their answers below. Responses may have been edited for formatting, but otherwise each candidate’s answers are as submitted.</p><p><em>Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at yrobles@chalkbeat.org.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2023/10/13/23916519/voter-guide-jeffco-school-board-candidates-questions-november-election-2023/Yesenia Robles2023-10-13T02:00:20+00:002023-10-13T02:00:20+00:00<p>Jeffco’s school board voted 4-1 Thursday night to close two district K-8 schools that together serve more than 500 students and have nearly 100 staff.</p><p>The two schools, Coal Creek Canyon K-8 and Arvada K-8, are the smallest of five K-8 schools in Jeffco Public Schools.&nbsp; Board members said that although closing schools is difficult, they worried that not closing schools would just kick the problem down the road instead of solving it.&nbsp;</p><p>“When you spread too thin then you leave an articulation area with just a little bit here and there, rather than really being able to concentrate those resources to the benefit of the whole area,” said board member Paula Reed, who voted in favor of closing the schools. “I believe in the end it serves the greatest good to the greatest number.”</p><p>Arvada K-8 will close at the end of this school year. When Coal Creek Canyon K-8 closes depends on whether the school board approves a charter replacement this January.</p><p>The closures, which <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2023/8/24/23844851/jeffco-secondary-school-closure-recommendations-arvada-coal-creek-declining-enrollment">the school district recommended in August</a>, come amid a long-term decline in enrollment in Jeffco schools. Colorado funds school districts based on student count, and districts like Jeffco, in turn fund their schools based on enrollment as well, but small schools require extra money to maintain the basics. The district closed 16 elementary schools last year, and earlier this year approved a plan for a middle school <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2023/6/23/23771992/jeffco-moore-middle-pomona-high-merger-closure-declining-enrollment">to close at the end of this school year</a> and merge with a high school.&nbsp;</p><p>Parents have publicly opposed closing Coal Creek and Arvada K-8, citing concerns about longer drives to school and the district’s budget strategy.&nbsp;</p><p>School board member Danielle Varda voted against the closures. Varda called the plan into question and asked for better solutions for these two schools.&nbsp;</p><p>“What I see is a need for a comprehensive plan for this area,” Varda said. “I lost sight of the urgency.”</p><p>The moves to close more schools at once are meant to prevent surprises, like when the district announced the closures of Allendale and Fitzmorris elementary schools in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Families had just months of notice before those closures.&nbsp;</p><p>The vote brings the total number of school closures in Jeffco — Colorado’s second-largest district — to 21 since 2021. Jeffco’s official enrollment last school year was 77,078 students, down from more than 86,000 in 2017-18. Additionally, the district notes that their buildings had space to serve 96,000 students, but were only serving 69,000 last year.</p><p>There are currently no plans to close any Jeffco high schools.</p><p>The resolution approved to close the schools also included an update on a plan to try to replace at least the elementary portion of Coal Creek Canyon K-8 with a charter school.&nbsp;</p><p>District leaders have said that although they believe it is not sustainable for them to continue operating that school, which is currently serving fewer than 100 students, they think a charter school may be more successful. They are also considering a charter school because the community in the canyon, and against the border with Boulder County, wouldn’t have many nearby Jeffco schools as options if Coal Canyon closes.&nbsp;</p><p>If one is approved, the district may allow the charter school to operate out of the Coal Creek Canyon building, at least to begin with. It’s rare in Colorado, outside of Denver, for a school district to share space with a charter school.</p><p>So far, the district has received letters of interest from three applicants: Jefferson Academy, Compass for Lifelong Discovery, and Sojournings Academy. All three of the applicants are proposing schools that would serve multiple grade levels beyond elementary school.</p><p>In an accelerated timeline, the board would be able to vote on whether to approve a charter application on Jan. 10 — just two days before the district’s choice enrollment window closes.&nbsp;</p><p>As a result, the district is suggesting that current families of Coal Creek Canyon K-8 use the choice enrollment form to select an option the district will create for a “Charter school serving Coal Creek Canyon - pending board of education authorization.” If the school board approves one of the charter applicants, then families can receive an offer from the approved school and can decide whether to accept it.&nbsp;</p><p>In that scenario, the district would change the attendance boundaries so that families in the canyon would otherwise be assigned to Three Creeks K-8, a 1,000 student school about 10 miles away.</p><p>If the school board doesn’t approve a charter school for Coal Canyon, then the district will delay the closure of the school’s elementary grades for one more school year. Middle school students would be educated through the district’s remote learning program during the next school year; they would have the option of being in the Coal Creek Canyon building with a staff member supervising the online learning.</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/n_fG8z1hVM8oAmoCZ_ag8kSyBzs=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/2IVEDLAI4FDTDIPAR74NH67R4E.jpg" alt="Arvada K-8, one of two schools the Jeffco school board voted to close on Oct. 12, has approximately 560 students. Of those, 86% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch based on their household income.  " height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Arvada K-8, one of two schools the Jeffco school board voted to close on Oct. 12, has approximately 560 students. Of those, 86% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch based on their household income.  </figcaption></figure><h2>Lawmaker makes last-minute plea for community school</h2><p>Parents have spoken out against the closure of the two schools in past meetings. There were also designated hearings this month that allowed for one hour of public comment about each of the two closed schools.&nbsp;</p><p>In past meetings, one mother talked about how the additional 10-mile drive to another school during winter weather conditions would require a lot more than 15 minutes.&nbsp;</p><p>Another parent questioned the board and district’s stance that it can’t afford to subsidize or give extra money to support Coal Creek Canyon K-8, while still spending much more on increasing salaries and other projects.</p><p>The district has countered that the challenge isn’t exclusively about the district’s budget, but the resources and opportunities that schools can or can’t offer when they’re too small.&nbsp;</p><p>While the small schools may have some benefits that appeal to parents, Superintendent Tracy Dorland said at a previous meeting that the fewer staff a school can afford, for example, the staff who do work at them have to wear multiple hats, such as when secretaries also serve as school nurses.&nbsp;</p><p>Families against the closures were in attendance at Thursday’s school board meeting, but did not sign up to speak again.&nbsp;</p><p>Colorado Sen. Rachel Zenzinger, a Democrat, did attend Thursday and asked the school board not to close Arvada K-8 and instead to consider turning it into a community school. That’s a school model that partners with nonprofit organizations to address external factors — such as poverty, hunger, or medical issues — that affect families and children’s ability to learn.&nbsp;</p><p>Zenzinger pointed out that about 15% of the students at Arvada K-8 are learning English as a new language, and that the school serves as an informal newcomer center for new immigrant students in the area.</p><p>Varda noted that although the district is committing to hire bilingual staff at the schools that will receive Arvada K-8 students, that staff could be used to strengthen the school instead of closing it.&nbsp;</p><p>This fall, Arvada K-8 learned that it finally earned a state rating that would be high enough for it to avoid state intervention. Board members said that while they would still have to close the school, they acknowledged it’s unfair that Arvada K-8 won’t be able to truly celebrate the achievement.&nbsp;</p><p><em>Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at yrobles@chalkbeat.org.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2023/10/12/23915246/jeffco-k8-school-closing-board-vote-coal-creek-arvada-parents/Yesenia RoblesImage courtesy of Jeffco Public Schools2023-09-28T00:47:06+00:002023-09-28T00:47:06+00:00<p><em>Sign up for </em><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/newsletters/subscribe"><em>Chalkbeat Colorado’s free daily newsletter</em></a><em> to keep up with education news in Denver and around the state. &nbsp;</em></p><p>Five candidates are running for two open seats on the Jeffco school board, where they would help shape policy in a diverse school district facing declining enrollment, significant academic gaps, and long-term budget problems.&nbsp;</p><p>Since 2015, when voters recalled a conservative board, members backed by the teachers union have led the district. With just two open seats on the five-member board, that won’t change this year —&nbsp;but regardless of the outcome, the board will see new perspectives and approaches. Incumbents Stephanie Schooley and Susan Miller are not running for re-election.</p><p>Jeffco Public Schools, Colorado’s second largest school district, stretches from the Denver border to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and serves a mix of urban, suburban, and rural communities.&nbsp;</p><p>While the county largely votes Democratic in state and legislative races —&nbsp;a sharp contrast from 20 years ago —&nbsp;Jefferson County remains politically diverse and has seen heated school board meetings over masks, quarantines, and how teachers handle issues related to race and gender identity. There have also been <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/11/10/23452456/jeffco-elementary-schools-closing-board-vote">wrenching decisions to close schools</a> and questions of cost overruns in recent construction projects.</p><p>In District 3, currently represented by Schooley, engineer Michelle Applegate is running against college president Thomas Wicke.&nbsp;</p><p>In District 4, currently represented by Miller, engineer Amara Hildebrand, educator Erin Kenworthy, and advocate Joel Newton are seeking the seat.</p><p>Applegate and Kenworthy have the endorsement of the Jefferson County Educators Association, the teachers union, and fueled by contributions from political committees associated with the union, have raised the most money so far, with $18,600 and $21,800 in contributions respectively, according to campaign finance filings.&nbsp;</p><p>Wicke —&nbsp;who said he is proud not to have the endorsement of the teachers union —&nbsp;is close behind with almost $16,000 in contributions as of the most recent filing.</p><p>In addition to the teachers union, Jeffco could see outside spending from other independent issue committees. Often known as outside money or dark money because they don’t have to disclose their donors, these groups are legally barred from coordinating with candidates but often send mailers or make calls and texts in support or opposition.</p><p>On Wednesday, Marge Klein, who often supports conservative candidates, registered an independent expenditure committee called Better Jeffco Schools, according to Secretary of State records.</p><p>Chalkbeat spoke with each of the five candidates. They all talked about the need to engage better with the community, ensure all voices are heard, and build trust between the community and the district. There were notable differences among the candidates as well.</p><p>The election is Nov. 7.</p><p>Here’s a closer look at who’s running:</p><p><strong>District 3</strong> includes portions of Wheat Ridge and Arvada and northern Lakewood and stretches northwest from the Denver border to the Gilpin County line.</p><p><a href="https://www.michelleforjeffcoschools.com/"><strong>Michelle Applegate</strong></a> is an engineer who has worked extensively in public policy and the mother of three children who attend Jeffco Public Schools. She described herself as a lifelong believer in public education who will bring a thoughtful approach to leadership. She’s served as PTA president at two elementary schools. As a parent, she’s experienced her child’s school being considered for closure (Stober Elementary was ultimately spared in 2017) and another child’s school working hard this year to accommodate children from a closed school.</p><p>“To me, this is one of the most important ways I can serve my community,” she said of serving on the school board. “I am invested in this district, I have been for many years, and I will be for as many years more.”</p><p>Applegate said her priorities would be ensuring thriving schools throughout the district, making sure safety is part of the student experience, and improving community trust through budget transparency.&nbsp;</p><p>She said she would work to improve the hiring and retention of high-quality educators and make sure schools have the resources they need. Helping the district navigate budget challenges and ensure there is money for teacher pay and classroom needs is part of that, she said.</p><p>After the Columbine massacre, Jeffco Public Schools invested heavily in the physical safety of school buildings and has generally been supportive of school resource officers. Applegate said the district needs to think about safety more broadly and find a balance that includes the right relationship with SROs and support for student mental health.&nbsp;</p><p>Michelle Applegate is married to Robert Applegate, who <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2019/11/5/21109168/jeffco-school-board-gets-a-critical-new-voice-as-susan-miller-takes-seat">ran unsuccessfully for school board in 2019</a>. While Robert Applegate was endorsed by the now-inactive education reform group Jeffco Students First, Michelle Applegate is endorsed by the teachers union.</p><p><a href="https://www.teamwicke.com/"><strong>Thomas Wicke</strong></a> is the Aurora campus president for for-profit Concorde Career College, which trains students for health care careers. He’s also the parent of two graduates of Jeffco Public Schools and a high school freshman. His wife teaches at Drake Middle School, and he said he sees how teachers bring their work home —&nbsp;literally and emotionally —&nbsp;and how they aren’t always supported by administrators.&nbsp;</p><p>Wicke said he’s been watching past board meetings and believes board members could be more engaged in critical issues.</p><p>“I’ve learned that the school board, though highly important, does not control everything,” he said. “At the same time, they seem to be spending a ton of time talking about how the furniture should be arranged on the Titanic deck. I have to believe we can become a more involved and accountability-holding board.”</p><p>Wicke said his priorities would be improving academic achievement and addressing major fiscal challenges facing the district. He’s concerned that less than half of students meet academic expectations on state tests and said it’s time for new leadership after union-backed candidates have controlled the board for most of the last decade. At the same time, he said he doesn’t blame teachers and has gathered a teachers advisory board to give him input.</p><p>Wicke said his college is held to high standards by its accrediting body —&nbsp;required to ensure most graduates earn their professional licenses and secure jobs in their field —&nbsp;and he wants to see Jeffco schools held to similarly high standards based on student outcomes.</p><p>He said parents need more insight into what’s being taught in schools —&nbsp;”not to mention the stuff you might lump into woke ideologies, which is a secondary point” —&nbsp;and that parent distrust of how teachers handle politically sensitive topics is contributing to lower enrollment, as parents with the means to do so enroll elsewhere.</p><p><aside id="NI8zLp" class="sidebar float-right"><ul><li id="savFtL"><strong>October 11</strong>, Jeffco Student Leadership Board Candidate Forum<br>4:30-5:30 p.m. at Chatfield Senior High School, 7227 S Simms St., Littleton</li><li id="izwBnl"><strong>October 12, </strong>Lakewood Branch of American Association of University Women (AAUW)<br>6:30 p.m. at Holy Shepherd Lutheran Church, 920 Kipling St., Lakewood<br>Doors open at 5:45 p.m. with discussion of ballot measures at starting at 6:30 p.m. and school board candidate forum starting at 7 p.m.</li><li id="4rGwsQ"><strong>October 16, </strong>Jeffco Kids First and the Jeffco Schools Transportation Workers.<br> 6 p.m. at Arvada library, 7525 W. 57th Ave., Arvada</li><li id="HkOwEP"><strong>October 18: </strong>Jeffco Education Support Professionals Association (JESPA) and Coloradans for the Common Good (time and location TBD)</li><li id="SSyLb9"><a href="https://boxcast.tv/view/jeffco-school-board-candidate-forum-ptahlkqi12vzli1ykd4d?_gl=1*fuwoyw*_ga*NTgxNzAxNTI5LjE2ODU1NDUwMjQ.*_ga_PXBBF7HVWQ*MTY5MjgyMjI5MC4yMS4xLjE2OTI4MjIzMTIuMC4wLjA&fbclid=IwAR23xFqNsX9nqPWTNoduOlHmPveqLdzqbA-UryO1qAuBcu29JsCVRQ19YSA">Watch the League of Women Voters forum here</a>.</li></ul></aside></p><p><strong>District 4</strong> includes Edgewater and central and southern Lakewood from roughly 32nd Street and Sheridan stretching southwest to Bear Creek Reservoir.</p><p><a href="https://www.amara4jeffcokids.com/"><strong>Amara Hildebrand</strong></a><strong> </strong>said she’s running because she worries that public school no longer prepares most children for success in college or in the workforce.</p><p>“Kids are really not thriving,” she said. “Public school was a springboard for my success and I want every kid to be able to have that, to take their education and thrive in life.”</p><p>Hildebrand is an engineer and the mother of a sixth and a ninth grader. Hildebrand removed her children from public school during virtual learning and enrolled them in Catholic school. Her daughter is back in public school now, while her son remains in private school.</p><p>Hildebrand said she’s concerned about low academic achievement and the fiscal health of the district. She described herself as fiscally-minded and said she enjoys working with budgets. She believes Jeffco has enough money to better support teachers and learning if less money were better managed. As a school board member, she said she would visit schools and talk to principals to learn what they need to be successful.</p><p>Now 4½ years sober, Hildebrand has experienced her own struggles with addiction and mental health, and she wants to focus more attention on student mental health. She blames online communication for degrading both civil discourse and mental health and even contributing to violence.</p><p>At the same time, Hildebrand said she doesn’t see a need for more counselors in schools. Instead, she thinks giving kids a greater sense of purpose with community service projects and hands-on learning, raising academic achievement, and reducing the time children spend online will improve their overall well-being.</p><p><a href="https://www.erin4jeffcoschools.com/"><strong>Erin Kenworthy</strong></a><strong> </strong>is a former public school teacher turned religious educator, and the parent of two Jeffco students, a first grader and a sixth grader. Kenworthy has served on school and district accountability committees, groups made up of appointed community members who provide oversight of public schools.&nbsp;</p><p>As a parent, Kenworthy said she has found Jeffco schools to be “incredibly supportive,” and she wants all students and families to have that experience.</p><p>While she’s now been out of the classroom longer than she was in it, Kenworthy said she still has a strong understanding of the gaps between theory and reality that classroom teachers must manage and the heavy burden teachers are carrying.&nbsp;</p><p>Kenworthy said the current superintendent has done a good job shifting more resources to the classroom and she wants to support and expand on those efforts. Kenworthy said she’s passionate about community engagement and hearing from parents who traditionally have been marginalized. She wants to make it easier for parents to participate in the accountability process.&nbsp;</p><p>And as a former social studies teacher, she wants to see more opportunities for students to express themselves and have agency in their learning.</p><p>“If there is anything we could focus on moving forward, we need to center voices that have generally been kept at the margins or denied a seat at the table,” she said.</p><p><a href="http://www.joelforjeffcoschools.com/"><strong>Joel Newton</strong></a> is the father of two Jeffco students and a longtime education advocate. His experience founding and running the Edgewater Collective for the last 10 years shaped his decision to run. The organization works with families from Title I schools with high rates of poverty in the eastern part of the district near the Denver border. Newton saw students at those schools posting lower academic scores —&nbsp;and having access to far fewer resources, such as afterschool programming and advanced coursework.&nbsp;</p><p>The district’s overall demographics — whiter and more middle-class than neighboring Denver —&nbsp;obscure some significant gaps that affect students of color and those from low-income families, Newton said. Newton wants to push the district to do more to close those gaps.</p><p>“For the longest time, I thought the way to move the needle was to advocate from the outside,” he said. “The more I watch school board meetings, I think there needs to be someone at the board table who brings the perspective of Title I families, especially as school budgets are declining.”</p><p>Newton emphasized he doesn’t blame teachers —&nbsp;these are systemic problems that need to be solved at the district level, he said. Newton sought the teachers union endorsement but didn’t get it. While that was a disappointment, Newton said, he hopes the lack of endorsement gives him more ability to talk to people across the political spectrum and find consensus.</p><p>As he has traveled around the district as a candidate, Newton said he’s heard many LGBTQ students and students of color don’t feel safe or heard at school. He wants to bring more parents into conversations about education and work to find consensus and build trust. His top priority in that work, though, will be ensuring students feel safe at school —&nbsp;otherwise they can’t learn, he said.</p><p><em>Bureau Chief&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/authors/erica-meltzer"><em>Erica Meltzer</em></a><em>&nbsp;covers education policy and politics and oversees Chalkbeat Colorado’s education coverage. Contact Erica at </em><a href="mailto:emeltzer@chalkbeat.org"><em>emeltzer@chalkbeat.org</em></a><em>.</em></p><p><em><strong>Correction: </strong>This article has been updated to reflect that Michelle Applegate’s husband is Robert Applegate, not Bob Applegate, and that Thomas Wicke is president at Concorde Career College, not Concordia.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2023/9/27/23893544/jeffco-school-board-election-2023-candidates/Erica Meltzer2023-08-24T23:00:26+00:002023-08-24T23:00:26+00:00<p><em>Sign up for </em><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/newsletters/subscribe"><em>Chalkbeat Colorado’s free daily newsletter</em></a><em> to keep up with education news in Denver, Jeffco, and around the state.</em></p><p>Jeffco, Colorado’s second largest school district, is recommending the closure of two K-8 schools as the district continues to address the decline in student enrollment.&nbsp;</p><p>Sixteen elementary schools were <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/8/25/23322170/jeffco-school-closure-recommendations-elementary-list">closed last year in the first round</a> of the district’s closure plan.&nbsp;</p><p>The two schools, Coal Creek Canyon K-8 and Arvada K-8, are the smallest of five K-8s in Jeffco Public Schools. Coal Creek, which is located near the Boulder County border and has fewer than 100 students, is also smaller than any of the district’s 17 middle schools.</p><p>The proposed closure of Coal Creek K-8, however, will include a search for a charter school provider that may reopen in the community.&nbsp;</p><p>The Jeffco school board received the recommendation Thursday, but will vote on the proposed closures at its Oct. 12 meeting. There will be four school-based community meetings and two formal one-hour public hearings with the school board before the vote.&nbsp;</p><p><aside id="QrVh4l" class="sidebar float-right"><h2 id="e6GqgD">Community Engagement</h2><p id="JCkNqq">The district is planning the following school-based community meetings:</p><p id="E4MwwU"><strong>Coal Creek Canyon K-8: </strong>Sept. 12 and 21, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m., at 11719 Ranch Elsie Rd, Golden, CO 80403</p><p id="cvH0mK"><strong>Arvada K-8: </strong>Sept. 7 and 19, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m., in the school library, 5751 Balsam St, Arvada, CO 80002</p><p id="qMHvao"></p></aside></p><p>If approved, the latest closures would bring the number of schools closed in Jeffco to 21 since 2021.&nbsp;</p><p>Before last year’s elementary school closures, the district said their buildings had the capacity to serve 96,000 students, but were only filled with about 69,000. With the closures to date, the district now has the capacity for about 88,000 students, and is currently serving about 66,500.</p><p>Due to declining birth rates and fewer children living in the area, the number of students entering elementary schools is not replacing the larger group of students graduating and exiting the district.</p><p>As the district considers secondary school enrollment, the board has already decided to <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2023/6/23/23771992/jeffco-moore-middle-pomona-high-merger-closure-declining-enrollment">close Moore Middle School</a> at the end of this school year. The school will merge with Pomona High School, which will serve students in grades six through 12.</p><p>The two K-8 closures would impact about 524 students and 97 staff members. The district estimates 26 of the students impacted have also been displaced by a previous school closure.&nbsp;</p><p>District leaders say they’ll need to closely continue to monitor enrollment trends, but so far, aren’t planning for a third round of closures next year. A <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2023/5/9/23717487/jeffco-district-considers-middle-school-closures-next-phase-two-consolidations-low-enrollment-arvada">moratorium on high school closures is still in effect</a> until June 2024.</p><h2>A more complicated proposal for Coal Creek</h2><p>Lisa Relou, chief of strategy and communications for Jeffco, said this round of recommendations was more complicated, in part because these secondary schools are not located as close to each other as elementary schools.&nbsp;</p><p>District leaders said they visited the Coal Creek Canyon community in the spring and heard that families are interested in small schools within their close-knit community. Currently, the closest Jeffco school, Three Creeks K-8, is more than 10 times larger with more than 1,000 students, and approximately 10 miles, or a 15-minute drive away. The school does have room for the Coal Creek students.</p><p>But, “it’ll be a significant change for these families,” Relou said.&nbsp;</p><p>The district plans to search for charter providers willing to open a school in the area. Regardless, the middle school grades will close at the end of the school year, if the closure is approved. But if the district receives interest, then the closure of the elementary grades will be delayed for another year while the charter application is considered.</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/poz_Sad4yEvDmhwpupAUQ6bhnP4=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/RUJ4ETGBGBETLOQ7TWWXLR5FFY.jpg" alt="Coal Creek Canyon K-8 has fewer than 100 students." height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Coal Creek Canyon K-8 has fewer than 100 students.</figcaption></figure><p>If no viable providers show interest in the next month, then the full school will close at the end of this school year.&nbsp;</p><p>Coal Creek’s building can accommodate 200 students, but in that canyon community, Relou said, a school likely will never have that many students. The highest enrollment the district has on record for the school was in 2013-14 with 159 students.</p><p>“There are charter schools out there designed to serve a small number of students,” Relou said. “It’s just not sustainable as a Jeffco traditional school.”</p><p>As a traditional school, Jeffco not only gives Coal Creek the highest funding per student of any school in the district, but has also subsidized the school with an additional $469,468 in the last year.</p><p>In the meantime, district leaders are also researching how other districts subsidize small schools, and say they’re open to considering a transportation arrangement with neighboring districts that may have a more attractive school option for Coal Creek families.&nbsp;</p><p>Last school year, more than a third of Coal Creek’s students came from outside Jeffco boundaries.&nbsp;</p><h2>The proposed Arvada K-8 closure</h2><p>Arvada K-8 was told last school year that it <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2023/5/9/23717487/jeffco-district-considers-middle-school-closures-next-phase-two-consolidations-low-enrollment-arvada">was being considered for closure</a> because it is on the state’s watchlist for years of low performance, but ultimately it was selected because of its low and declining enrollment, and complicated boundary placement, district officials said.</p><p>Currently, Arvada K-8 has approximately 557 students. Of those, 86% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a measure of poverty.&nbsp;</p><p>Last year, the school had 550 students including 351 who lived in the neighborhood. But another 581 K-8 students who lived in the school boundary chose to go to a different school. Of those, 135 went to charter schools, while the majority went to other Jeffco schools.&nbsp;</p><p>Arvada K-8 is the only K-8 in the district that has separate boundaries for elementary and middle school students.&nbsp;</p><p>However, the school isn’t even within its own elementary boundary.</p><p>And, because it has separate boundaries, the school also serves as a separate middle school, instead of a K-8, meaning that it takes a significant number of new students at sixth grade who have been through traditional elementary schools.</p><p>If the school is approved to close, the district would redraw the area boundaries allowing North Arvada Middle School to take in all of the sixth through eighth grade students, and elementary students would be redrawn into a boundary to attend Lawrence Elementary. The district also notes that nearby Swanson and Secrest elementaries have space to accommodate students who instead want to use the choice enrollment process to attend those schools.&nbsp;</p><p>Students in the special needs program, called the Significant Support Needs Center Program, would be relocated to the Pomona 6-12 in the 2024-25 school year.&nbsp;</p><p>The district is estimating there will be <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/12/16/23513408/jeffco-cost-school-closure-building-renovations-32-million-elementary">renovation costs</a> of up to $500,000 at North Arvada Middle School, and about $675,000 at Lawrence Elementary if the latest proposed closures are approved.</p><p><em>Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at yrobles@chalkbeat.org.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2023/8/24/23844851/jeffco-secondary-school-closure-recommendations-arvada-coal-creek-declining-enrollment/Yesenia Robles2023-05-17T22:07:26+00:002023-05-17T22:07:26+00:00<p>Jeffco school leaders have said identifying middle schools to close will be more complicated than it was with elementary schools.</p><p>That’s a daunting challenge for a district that voted to close 16 elementary schools last fall.</p><p>Leaders plan to <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2023/5/9/23717487/jeffco-district-considers-middle-school-closures-next-phase-two-consolidations-low-enrollment-arvada">recommend to the school board in August which schools to close</a>, and to redraw some attendance boundaries and redesignate feeder schools in summer 2024.&nbsp;</p><p>A look at enrollment, school spending, campus utilization levels, and family poverty gives a glance at some of the data that may inform Jeffco’s decisions.&nbsp;</p><p>The district’s work has been spurred by years of declining enrollment. Even though the number of residents in Jeffco increased over two decades, the population of school-age children decreased by 29,918 from 2000 to 2020. Fewer children are being born. According to the district, 2020 marked the lowest number of births recorded in 15 years.</p><p>The district has not yet identified the criteria to determine which middle and K-8 schools to close or consolidate. In one exception, district leaders have told the Arvada K-8 school community that if it earns a low state rating this fall, triggering possible state action, the district will recommend closure. The school is the only one that is nearing state action for low performance.</p><p>The district describes its work as data driven, and has <a href="https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiODVlOGEyZjUtNWU1Zi00ZjEwLTg4ZGMtMWVhN2JkZDFmYTJkIiwidCI6ImM1MTNjMmNjLTBjYzUtNDVkMC04ZTY4LWFjNGVhNGJkN2UxOCIsImMiOjF9&amp;pageName=ReportSection">published some school data that it may&nbsp;consider</a> in deciding on closures.&nbsp;</p><p>With elementary schools last year, <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/8/25/23322170/jeffco-school-closure-recommendations-elementary-list">the district identified for closure or consolidation schools that had</a> fewer than 220 students, or were occupying less than 45% of the capacity of their building, and had another elementary school within 3.5 miles that could absorb displaced students.&nbsp;</p><p>Compared with elementary schools, Jeffco’s 22 district-managed middle and K-8 school facilities tend to be in better condition, and have a narrower range of enrollment and utilization. Some regions, or articulation areas as the district calls them, have only one middle school fed by all the elementary schools, further complicating closures.&nbsp;</p><p>Here are some takeaways about middle schools in Jeffco:</p><h2>Most middle schools are losing more students than they attract through school choice. </h2><p>Of 22 neighborhood middle schools and K-8 schools in Jeffco, 18 are losing more students through the choice process than they attract, and only four schools gain students through that process. Colorado law and Jeffco’s system allow families to send their children to any school in the district or to transfer to schools in other districts that will accept them.</p><p>Of those 18, four schools lose more students than remain enrolled. Carmody Middle School, for example, had 892 students choose to attend different schools, according to district data, leaving only 626 students at the school.</p><p>A similar out-migration of students was one of the factors the district cited in emergency school closures including one two years ago.&nbsp;</p><h2>About a third of these district schools are projected to have fewer than 500 students next year. </h2><p>Nearly all of the Jeffco-managed middle schools and K-8 schools are projected to lose students. According to district figures, seven middle or K-8 neighborhood schools will have fewer than 500 students next school year, and three of those schools are already occupying less than 50% of the capacity of their school building.&nbsp;</p><p>Those three schools are: Coal Creek Canyon K-8, Moore Middle School, and North Arvada Middle School.</p><p>Coal Creek Canyon K-8 is projected to have 91 students next fall. The school currently serves 100 students.</p><p><a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/CRBK6W5064A9/$file/5_3_2023%20Pomona%20POWER%20Vision%20and%20Action%20Plan%20Presentation_for%20Board%20Study%20Session%204.28.23.pdf">Moore Middle School is already being considered for consolidation</a>. The school’s principal partnered with the principal of Pomona High School in asking the district to approve a plan to consolidate the schools and turn Pomona into a sixth grade through 12th grade school instead. The school district is expecting estimates of the cost of required building upgrades, before taking a vote this summer.&nbsp;</p><p>At the other end of the range, one Jeffco middle school is over capacity. Three Creeks K-8 in Arvada enrolls 1,112 students. About 8% of the students there qualify for subsidized lunches, a measure of poverty, much lower than the district average. This school is the only one currently projected to have significant student enrollment growth next year.</p><h2>Schools with lower utilization are more likely to have more students living in poverty.</h2><p>Among the seven middle and K-8 schools in Jeffco that occupy less than 60% of their building’s total capacity, the schools average nearly 50% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunches, a measure of poverty.</p><p>The district’s overall average for all middle and K-8 schools is 36%.</p><p>The five schools that occupy more than 80% of their building average 25% of their students as qualifying for subsidized lunches.&nbsp;</p><p>Also, schools that have faster enrollment declines are more likely to have more students living in poverty. For example, among 10 schools with projected enrollment declines of more than 5%, an average of almost 42% of students qualify for subsidized meals, compared with about a 32% average at schools that have a small decline or that are projected to be growing.</p><h2>The K-8 schools on average spend more than middle schools per student. </h2><p>Since schools are funded based on the number of students enrolled, schools with fewer students end up with smaller budgets and aren’t able to provide as many resources or learning opportunities as schools with more students.</p><p>Among the middle schools and K-8 schools that the district is considering closing or consolidating, K-8 schools on average spend more than middle schools per student. One school, Coal Creek Canyon K-8, which is serving about 100 students, is spending $21,994 per student, more than 28% over the average per student cost at the district’s other K-8 schools.&nbsp;</p><p><em>Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at yrobles@chalkbeat.org.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2023/5/17/23727384/jeffco-middle-school-k8-closure-data-choice-takeaways-enrollment/Yesenia Robles2023-05-09T21:38:48+00:002023-05-09T21:38:48+00:00<p><em>Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news organization covering public education in communities across America. </em><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/newsletters/subscribe"><em>Sign up for Chalkbeat Colorado’s free daily newsletter</em></a><em> to keep up with education news from Denver and around the state.</em> &nbsp;</p><p>Jeffco Public Schools is laying out a roadmap for the next phase of school closures and consolidation in anticipation of fewer students enrolling next year and for several years to come.</p><p>Recommendations for middle school closures could come as soon as August under a resolution the school board is expected to approve this week. <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/CRBLWS5895B0/$file/ROFTS%20Phase%20II%20Resolution%20(1).pdf">The resolution would put a moratorium</a> on any high school closures while the district works on other plans around the future of high school.&nbsp;</p><p>Jeffco is planning to take a more comprehensive look over the next year at enrollment patterns, school boundaries, and feeder zones, as it considers which schools to close and where to consolidate. The resolution also lays out unsustainable enrollment as a factor for middle school closures, as well as one new factor: the accountability clock.</p><p>Being on the state’s accountability clock — the name for when schools have recorded low state ratings for many years in a row — could lead to a school closure. The state gives schools limited time to improve academic performance before it steps in and can order a plan for improvement, which can include turning a school into a charter school or closing it.&nbsp;</p><p>Until now, academic performance has not been part of the school closure conversation in Jeffco.</p><p>In Jeffco, Arvada K-8 is the only school close to reaching the end of the clock. The school had reached its fourth year of consecutive low ratings before the pandemic caused the state to pause testing and ratings. In the most recent rating, Arvada K-8 improved, but the school needs two years in a row of improved ratings to be off the clock.&nbsp;</p><p>If the next rating this fall is again low, that would be treated as the fifth year of low ratings and trigger state action. But often hearings are held in the spring after ratings are finalized and after the state has a chance to send in an independent panel of experts to evaluate the school and make a recommendation on next steps.&nbsp;</p><p>The district has already told the school that if the ratings this fall don’t improve, the district will ask the state to close the school, moving up the decision from the spring of 2024 to this fall.</p><p>Lisa Relou, Jeffco’s chief of strategy and communications who is overseeing the plan, said waiting for the State Board to take action in the spring would be too late for families trying to make decisions about where to send their children to school the next year and for staff who need to find other jobs.&nbsp;</p><p>“So, we’re not going to take our chances,” Relou said.&nbsp;</p><p>And while the school could earn a higher rating based on state tests from this spring, Relou said Arvada K-8 also has low enrollment and a complicated feeder pattern, which are also factors that may end up putting the school on a closure list anyway.</p><p>Arvada K-8 has a capacity for 920 students, but only has 554 students this school year, about the same as last year. The school, which is expected to continue to see declining enrollment in the coming years, is also listed as having a 62% choice out rate, meaning many more students in the school boundary leave to attend other schools, compared to the average rate of 42% at other schools.</p><p>Schools with low academic performance won’t automatically be considered for closure, Relou said, only those that are near the end of the accountability clock.&nbsp;</p><h2>District expects to consolidate resources and improve school budgets</h2><p>The pandemic has accelerated previously declining enrollment in Jeffco, as in other metro area districts in the state and other large districts across the country. In November, the school board voted to approve a <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/11/10/23452456/jeffco-elementary-schools-closing-board-vote">plan to close 16 elementary schools at the end of the school year</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>The enrollment declines have been most stark in elementary schools where lower birth rates have contributed to smaller kindergarten classes. As those classes move up, the lower student counts will reach secondary schools as well.&nbsp;</p><p>By closing schools, the district expects to save money and be able to consolidate resources in fewer schools. But as the district also works on smoothing out the transition for families displaced by the closures, it is spending more than $32 million in one-time expenditures to update buildings that will receive displaced students. School board members were <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/12/16/23513408/jeffco-cost-school-closure-building-renovations-32-million-elementary">initially shocked by those price tags, which were presented after the closure vote</a>.</p><p>At the middle school level, Relou said the public can expect fewer school closures than there were at the elementary level.</p><p>“With elementaries, there were so many, and so many close together, but when you look at middle schools, it gets more complicated,” Relou said.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/CRBK6W5064A9/$file/5_3_2023%20Pomona%20POWER%20Vision%20and%20Action%20Plan%20Presentation_for%20Board%20Study%20Session%204.28.23.pdf">One school consolidation plan under consideration</a> was developed by school principals. They are proposing that Pomona High School be turned into a school serving sixth through 12th grade and that Moore Middle School’s building be closed, with the students moving into the space at Pomona. Principals say they believe consolidating their resources and aligning the experience of students from middle grades into high school can allow for better outcomes.&nbsp;</p><p>The plan requires some building upgrades to allow for separate entrances for younger students and for older students, and to accommodate a part of the building to be a wing specifically for the sixth and seventh graders. A cost estimate of those changes is expected next month, ahead of a board vote on the plan June 22. The changes would take effect for the 2024-25 school year.</p><p>The district also is emphasizing collaboration with municipalities in the county. In November, some of the opposition against the elementary school closures came from city council members who felt that their plans for developing communities hadn’t been considered. This time, the board resolution directs the district to work with municipalities.</p><p>Relou said the governments and the school district need to be on the same page as they plan for the future of the communities and look at how more children in the area might be attracted to stay in Jeffco schools.&nbsp;</p><p>At the same time, as the district is looking at which criteria it will ultimately use to pick which schools to close, it has also commissioned a study of the school boundaries and feeder patterns in the district.&nbsp;</p><p>Relou has told the school board some of the feeder patterns are unusual. For instance, some K-8 schools have neighboring elementary schools that feed into their middle school or sometimes into seventh grade, creating a disproportion among grade level sizes. Some regions have multiple middle schools while others have only one.&nbsp;</p><p>The boundary study may also result in recommendations that could change the patterns of where students go from elementary to middle and high school. Sometimes, district leaders said, students don’t follow the district’s feeder patterns, and instead use the school choice process to go to other schools. The boundary study will try to make out whether other patterns make more sense.&nbsp;</p><p>At the high school level, the district is working on the “High School Reimagined” initiative, which includes work funded by state grants that aims to create partnerships between industry, higher ed, and school districts to increase the offerings of career and technical opportunities. Before the district considers school closures at that level, leaders want time to consider how extra space in high schools might be used toward those new learning opportunities.&nbsp;</p><p><em>Correction: May 10, 2023: This story has been updated to reflect that Moore Middle School would close and consolidate with Pomona High School under one proposal. An earlier version referred to Moore as an elementary school.</em></p><p><em>Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at yrobles@chalkbeat.org.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2023/5/9/23717487/jeffco-district-considers-middle-school-closures-next-phase-two-consolidations-low-enrollment-arvada/Yesenia Robles2022-12-22T13:14:00+00:002022-12-22T13:14:00+00:00<p>If you’re anything like us, you get to the end of the year and you can barely remember what happened. So we went back through our archives to reconstruct 2022. It turns out a lot happened!&nbsp;</p><p>Here’s a look at some of the top Colorado education stories of 2022, from the omicron surge to social studies standards, school closures and school board dysfunction, universal preschool and pandemic recovery.&nbsp;</p><h2>Schools weather omicron surge and ditch mask requirements</h2><p>Schools that already limped through nearly two years of pandemic schooling took a beating in January as the <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/1/20/22893915/colorado-schools-covid-omicron-disruptions">omicron variant swept through the state</a>. With relaxed quarantine rules in effect, most school districts kept most buildings open through the surge. But with so many teachers and students out sick, learning suffered and <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/1/5/22869557/denver-remote-learning-covid-omicron-northfield-high-school">some classrooms were forced to shut down.</a></p><p>Then with omicron barely in the rearview mirror, Colorado schools <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/2/14/22933877/colorado-schools-mask-mandates-over">dropped their mask requirements</a>. COVID isn’t done with us —&nbsp;and now it’s been joined by RSV and flu —&nbsp;but COVID mitigation strategies no longer shape the school day.&nbsp;</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/S1cXK9MnYGdEt4FMtyoW509DcQs=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/F7VQUX3ZPNC7FH2MMKP4UZ5ZQQ.jpg" alt="Face masks were required in many Colorado schools in January. By March, most schools had lifted requirements." height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Face masks were required in many Colorado schools in January. By March, most schools had lifted requirements.</figcaption></figure><h2>State Board orders Adams 14 reorganization</h2><p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/5/10/23066191/adams-14-district-reorganization-state-board-education-new-orders">The State Board of Education inserted itself into the Adams 14 school district</a> in May, after a new superintendent ousted an external manager who was running the district under state orders. Under the law, the order could lead to the dissolution of the chronically low-performing district or school closures —&nbsp;but so far it’s <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/11/11/23454081/adams-14-school-district-reorganization-committee-members-appointed">only led to a few meetings</a>.</p><p>Adams 14 has the <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/5/16/23071908/adams-14-district-resist-state-order-reorganization-accountabilty">support of neighboring districts</a> who are participating in the process, and the district seems unlikely to cede territory or autonomy.&nbsp;</p><p>The way the process has unfolded raises questions about the <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/2/4/22915329/adams-14-colorado-state-board-accountabilty-system-experiment">power and purpose of Colorado’s accountability law</a>. Meanwhile, Adams 14 leaders say they have <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/12/7/23499212/adams-14-school-improvement-plan-adams-city-high-school-community-schools">their own plan to improve instruction.</a></p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/XiYHDRce5oatI0aHWCp6zrjMjSY=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/ZA2SMXEKOJB6RF4NR4TESPY7T4.jpg" alt="Students at Rose Hill Elementary in the Adams 14 district practice a scarf dance for their upcoming holiday performance." height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Students at Rose Hill Elementary in the Adams 14 district practice a scarf dance for their upcoming holiday performance.</figcaption></figure><h2>Polis signs universal preschool bill </h2><p>A longtime dream of early childhood advocates and working parents everywhere got a lot closer to reality in 2022 when <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/4/25/23041861/colorado-free-universal-preschool-polis-bill-signed">Gov. Jared Polis signed universal preschool into law</a>. Using money from voter-approved nicotine taxes and the current preschool program, all 4-year-olds are supposed to have access to <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/11/16/23463316/colorado-proposal-boosts-universal-preschool-hours-sets-per-child-funding">10 to 30 hours a week of free preschool</a> in the year before they start kindergarten.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/12/16/23512669/colorado-free-universal-preschool-application-school-choice-enrollment-jeffco-denver">Applications open in January</a>. The system itself is supposed to launch in fall 2023 —&nbsp;but lots of <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/12/20/23519731/colorado-free-universal-preschool-program-providers-questions">questions remain about how many providers and families will participate</a>.&nbsp;</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/krJm7T2zomOMTuTf8gh-3Zilebs=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/ZTHSUNGLWZFYPBMZLWRGP3YEKU.jpg" alt="Gov. Jared Polis signed the universal preschool bill into law amid much pomp and circumstance at Clayton Early Learning in northeast Denver." height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Gov. Jared Polis signed the universal preschool bill into law amid much pomp and circumstance at Clayton Early Learning in northeast Denver.</figcaption></figure><h2>State tests show students making up ground but not to pre-pandemic levels yet</h2><p>After two years of no or limited testing, Colorado students took the full suite of standardized tests in the spring: the Colorado Measures of Academic Success or CMAS for third through eighth graders and the PSAT and SAT for high school students.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/8/17/23309904/cmas-results-2022-colorado-state-testing-by-school-district">The tests showed students making up ground</a> from 2021 but still below pre-pandemic levels in most grades and subjects. Math scores suffered more than language arts, and older students saw greater declines than younger ones.&nbsp;</p><p>A few months later, <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/10/23/23417245/naep-testing-2022-colorado-nations-report-card-math-scores-drop">results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress or NAEP</a>, known as the nation’s report card, largely mirrored state test results.</p><p>Collectively, the tests show the impacts of disrupted learning and have created a sense of urgency among policy makers about improving math skills.</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/IQSu53Zcw40lmFrFiwUzR5SER8A=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/LEY36555OFCWBL6GTSIRSSCZ7A.jpg" alt="Teachers at Rose Hill Elementary proposed an after-school tutoring program to support student learning." height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Teachers at Rose Hill Elementary proposed an after-school tutoring program to support student learning.</figcaption></figure><h2>Districts grapple with declining enrollment and school closures</h2><p>Some of Colorado’s largest school districts have been losing students for years as <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/11/9/23450225/takeaways-enrollment-analysis-schools-closing-jeffco-denver-aurora-census-data">high housing prices push out families and birth rates fall.</a> The pandemic accelerated declining enrollment, with some families opting for private school, <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/10/11/23398819/online-school-enrollment-growth-colorado-accountability-astravo">online charters</a>, or home school. <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/7/12/23203732/denver-bilingual-education-tnli-school-closures-declining-enrollment">Small schools struggle to provide the full range of programming</a> —&nbsp;sometimes leading to further declines as parents opt for larger schools with better resources.</p><p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/11/10/23452456/jeffco-elementary-schools-closing-board-vote">Jeffco Public Schools will close 16 elementary schools </a>at the end of this school year and is also considering whether to close middle and high schools. Denver Public Schools was set to close 10 schools this year before <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/11/17/23465364/denver-school-closure-no-vote-school-board-alex-marrero">the school board balked and sent the superintendent back to the drawing board</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>In Aurora, the school board <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/3/22/22992209/aurora-school-closing-vote-sable-elementary-paris-north-middle">spared two schools recommended for closure</a>, only to reverse course and <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/5/18/23116194/aurora-school-closure-sable-paris-blueprint-vote">approve closures a few months later</a>. <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/3/9/22966432/aurora-school-closure-angst-recommendations-sable-paris-blueprint">Even careful planning can leave communities blind-sided.</a> There is no easy way to close a school.</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/6v_RcJMoWaPDTRCkJBtbkpxt9NE=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/B2QFG656DJAWDB63Q6UUATLH3U.jpg" alt="Jeffco board member Danielle Varda wipes her eyes as she prepares to vote to close 16 elementary schools at the end of the school year." height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Jeffco board member Danielle Varda wipes her eyes as she prepares to vote to close 16 elementary schools at the end of the school year.</figcaption></figure><h2>Conservatives fail to leverage education issues into electoral gains </h2><p>Colorado Republicans hoped to turn parent frustration with pandemic schooling and progressive education trends into electoral victories, but they largely came up empty-handed. At the top of the ticket gubernatorial candidate Heidi Ganahl <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/10/26/23424176/colorado-governors-race-education-covid-funding-choice-preschool-polis-ganahl">pledged to get schools back to basics and stop them from “teaching nonsense”</a> but drew widespread mockery over comments she made about students in cat costumes on conservative talk radio.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/11/8/23448490/jared-polis-heidi-ganahl-colorado-governor-midterm-elections-2022-education-issues">Ganahl lost to incumbent Democrat Gov. Jared Polis </a>—&nbsp;who ran on universal preschool and better education funding —&nbsp;by almost 20 percentage points. Democrats expanded their majorities in the state House and Senate and on the <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/11/8/23448360/election-results-state-board-of-education-will-shape-policy-across-colorado">State Board of Education</a>.&nbsp;</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/ZlD-eOGPpVL58TOcoOxCziS65lc=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/DFZXCOSJGVHSFMTDIFGP66WK7U.jpg" alt="Jared Polis campaigned on delivering on promises made in 2018: free full-day kindergarten and universal preschool. " height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Jared Polis campaigned on delivering on promises made in 2018: free full-day kindergarten and universal preschool. </figcaption></figure><h2>State Board adopts new social studies standards</h2><p>While red states passed laws limiting what teachers can say about history, race, gender, and sexuality, the Colorado State Board of Education <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/11/10/23452416/social-studies-standards-inclusive-pass-colorado-state-board-education-lgbtq-holocaust-race-ethnic">adopted new social studies standards</a> that promote a more expansive view of American history and encourage schools to include perspectives of LGBTQ people and diverse racial and ethnic groups.&nbsp;</p><p>Republican board members had wanted to undo many of the changes, especially <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/4/12/23022909/colorado-social-studies-standards-lgbtq-inclusion-backlash-state-board">references to LGBTQ people in younger grades</a>. Debate extended for months as board members read thousands of emails and letters and heard hours of public comment for and against the proposed changes.</p><p>The <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/11/2/23436124/election-2022-colorado-state-board-education-social-studies-standards-charter-schools">social studies standards even became an election issue</a> before a divided State Board voted 4-3 to adopt the more inclusive version of the academic guidelines.</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/D8WPqb5Bm6yM8L3IGrnaYxOrWFc=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/SVX6CKVLWNGYHOUZCMRAVEWZEE.jpg" alt="LGBTQ youth and their allies told State Board of Education members that being represented in the curriculum has the power to save lives. " height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>LGBTQ youth and their allies told State Board of Education members that being represented in the curriculum has the power to save lives. </figcaption></figure><h2>The Denver school board can’t seem to get along</h2><p>Denver Public Schools was supposed to be led by a united board, all <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/11/5/22766256/denver-election-results-2021-school-board-teachers-union">supported by the teachers union after the 2021 election.</a></p><p>Instead, 2022 has been marked by <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/7/29/23283910/denver-school-board-politics-dynamics-disagreement-divided">deep disagreements and interpersonal squabbles</a> among the leaders of Colorado’s largest school district. Board members have interrupted one another in meetings, raised their voices, and accused each other of gaslighting, misogyny, and playing the “oppression Olympics.” Professional facilitators have struggled to change the dynamic.</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/vQCXmDRtYyhpi0hj1pdZkgBFZcc=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/KRVFE5M2CRBZHFKALPLBGSEJCM.jpg" alt="Denver board member Scott Esserman, center, addresses board President Xóchitl “Sochi” Gaytán, with back to camera, during a school board retreat in August." height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Denver board member Scott Esserman, center, addresses board President Xóchitl “Sochi” Gaytán, with back to camera, during a school board retreat in August.</figcaption></figure><h2>Longtime education leaders departing </h2><p>Colorado Education Commissioner <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/12/20/23519113/katy-anthes-colorado-education-commissioner-resigning">Katy Anthes plans to leave the state Education Department</a> after more than six years at the helm. Widely praised as a level-headed consensus builder who kept the focus on kids, Anthes said she felt it was time for new leadership —&nbsp;and she’s tired after 2½ years of pandemic education.</p><p>Meanwhile, the last superintendent in Colorado’s five largest school districts who was still serving since before the pandemic is <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/12/2/23490871/aurora-superintendent-rico-munn-resigning-at-end-of-school-year">stepping aside</a>. Rico Munn will remain with Aurora Public Schools in a reduced role through the end of the school year after the <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/12/8/23501010/aurora-rico-munn-superintendent-search-school-board-vote-different-visions">school board voted 4-3 not to renew his contract.</a></p><p>Munn led the district for more than nine years through state intervention, school closures, community violence, and fractious board politics. Munn and the school board president both cited differing visions for the future of the district as the reason.&nbsp;</p><p>Munn is among dozens of Colorado superintendents in the last two years who lost or left their jobs, worn down by leading through the pandemic or finding themselves on the wrong side of shifting school board politics.&nbsp;</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/ddiSu6KKtKh6bC1cywi-8l01qRE=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/TTYC7BQPLZBKXBVFS4AO27THLQ.jpg" alt="Colorado Education Commissioner Katy Anthes said visiting schools and seeing educators at work was one of the highlights of her tenure." height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Colorado Education Commissioner Katy Anthes said visiting schools and seeing educators at work was one of the highlights of her tenure.</figcaption></figure><h2>Colleges fight to get students back and meet their needs</h2><p>Economic and education disruptions have derailed the college plans of thousands of Colorado students, especially those from working-class backgrounds. <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/9/13/23352043/colorado-community-college-trends-concurrent-enrollment-pandemic">Community college enrollment did start to inch up again in 2022</a> — but the increase was driven more by high school students taking college courses than by the working-age adults these institutions were designed to serve.&nbsp;</p><p>There are other promising signs. The state has put <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/9/15/23349375/colorado-higher-education-back-to-college-equity-black-latino-students">federal relief money into helping students who dropped out</a> get back into the classroom. <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/8/4/23284385/colorado-fafsa-completion-rates-federal-aid-national-rebound-pandemic-college-going">More students filled out federal financial forms</a>, a sign of college intentions.&nbsp;</p><p>But when students get to campus, they often aren’t as prepared as previous groups of students because they missed out on key high school experiences. Colleges are having to adapt with classes that aim to build study skills and social capacity and with peer mentoring that helps students stay engaged.</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/RMrGXfgDBgJKyLJtVg9P066foss=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/SSKVEZUFGFHVJOCWE5ZED5N6EM.jpg" alt="Reginaldo Haro-Flores went back to school with support from Colorado’s Finish What You Started program, which helps students who left college without a degree return to the classroom." height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Reginaldo Haro-Flores went back to school with support from Colorado’s Finish What You Started program, which helps students who left college without a degree return to the classroom.</figcaption></figure><p><em>Bureau Chief Erica Meltzer covers education policy and politics and oversees Chalkbeat Colorado’s education coverage. Contact Erica at&nbsp;</em><a href="mailto:emeltzer@chalkbeat.org"><em>emeltzer@chalkbeat.org.</em></a></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/12/22/23521771/year-review-2022-top-10-colorado-education-stories/Erica Meltzer2022-12-16T23:40:51+00:002022-12-16T23:40:51+00:00<p>Jeffco Public Schools is beginning work on up to $32 million of projects to prepare buildings to receive as many as 2,600 displaced students from <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/CLW5LB677FB8/$file/12_7_22%20BOE%20Presentation%20CIP%20ROFTS%20V3.pdf">16 schools closing</a>.</p><p>The more than <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/CLW5LB677FB8/$file/12_7_22%20BOE%20Presentation%20CIP%20ROFTS%20V3.pdf">a dozen projects planned</a> include renovating buildings to accommodate preschoolers and students with disabilities or adding more space for the increase in students.</p><p>The price tag is equivalent to about 2 1/2 years of savings from closing the under-enrolled elementary schools at the end of the school year. Most of the work is expected to be completed this summer.</p><p>Last week, school board members expressed shock at hearing the $32 million price tag, and Thursday decided they might downsize some of the larger projects once they have more accurate enrollment projections for the next school year.</p><p>The district assured the school board that it expects to be able to cover the cost of those projects with $12 million the board had already agreed to set aside from bond money for such work, and with the savings of about $17 million in bond projects that will no longer happen at schools that are closing. The district also expects the projects to likely come in under the estimated $32 million, which includes conservative contingency costs.&nbsp;</p><p>District leaders told the board that the project costs are onetime expenditures, and that the district will still see ongoing savings from closing those 16 schools.</p><p>“The consolidation decisions that this board had the courage to make are ongoing and cumulative savings that we will be able to eventually, once we get things settled with the budget, apply to our kids’ extraordinary experiences,” superintendent Tracy Dorland told the board at last week’s board meeting.&nbsp;</p><p>The district expects to save $12 million in operating expenses every year after those 16 schools close.</p><p>“This decision pays for itself and then some,” chief financial officer Brenna Copeland said.</p><p>The school board Thursday night considered pausing some of the work due to the cost and uncertainty about the need, but decided that it didn’t want to risk not having enough space for students when school starts next fall.</p><p>Instead, it approved contracts to begin the first project: an addition at Prospect Valley, which is receiving new students from Kullerstrand, including a special needs program. The board plans to revisit the scope of the contract early next year, when it has enrollment numbers from the first round of choice applications.&nbsp;</p><p>Currently, Prospect Valley is slated to get an addition that includes eight new classrooms, including two classrooms designed for the affective needs program. The addition is expected to increase the building capacity to 650 students, but currently the district projects the school will enroll around 560 students next year.</p><p>If the projection is correct, the current building’s capacity might already be enough, though district leaders cautioned that letting a school reach near full capacity limits how effectively principals can manage class sizes, especially when the number of students isn’t distributed evenly per grade level.</p><p>Still, some board members weren’t convinced the school needs eight new classrooms.&nbsp;</p><p>“Why are we even going that high right now for 650?” said board member Danielle Varda.</p><p>Board members also questioned how the district might examine costs to renovate receiving schools when it considers recommendations to close secondary schools next year. At the secondary level, the district has almost finished the planned projects.&nbsp;</p><p>Copeland said that although the district has limited funds, officials already have some ideas where it might get the money for retrofitting secondary schools after possible closures. By then, the district might have started selling or leasing some of the empty elementary buildings, making some capital funds available. The district also could use leftover unallocated bond dollars.</p><p>District leaders say they don’t yet know what factors they might consider when deciding which secondary schools to close.&nbsp;</p><p>With elementary schools, <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/8/25/23322170/jeffco-school-closure-recommendations-elementary-list">the district closed schools that had fewer than 220 students</a> or were using less than 45% of their building’s capacity, as long as there was another elementary school within 3.5 miles that could absorb the students. Costs of renovations weren’t calculated until after the 16 schools were identified.</p><p>The district doesn’t yet know what enrollment or capacity thresholds it would set to close secondary schools, or if it would use different factors. Leaders said it was too early to say if building renovation costs could play into the decision.&nbsp;</p><p>But Copeland said the district is not interested in making the decisions primarily about money. District leaders have said that the problem with small schools is that education suffers when teachers have to be responsible for students of multiple grade levels within one classroom, when teachers can’t collaborate with colleagues who teach the same grade level, and when schools can’t offer after-school programs and other enrichment.</p><p>“Very consistently, parents told us ‘My student is not a number; please don’t make these decisions based on that,’” Copeland said. “I very much don’t want the financial calculation to be a primary driver.”</p><p><em>Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at yrobles@chalkbeat.org.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/12/16/23513408/jeffco-cost-school-closure-building-renovations-32-million-elementary/Yesenia Robles2022-12-16T21:55:47+00:002022-12-16T21:55:47+00:00<p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/12/22/23522743/solicitud-preescolar-gratis-colorado-empieza-en-enero"><em><strong>Leer en español.</strong></em></a></p><p>Many Colorado parents have begun to select their children’s K-12 schools for next year through online platforms operated by their school districts.&nbsp;</p><p>But not preschool parents.</p><p>That’s a change from years past, when parents could use the school choice process to enroll their 4-year-olds in district-run preschool programs.</p><p>Now, with the state’s universal preschool launching next fall, most parents will apply for preschool using a new and separate online application that opens Jan. 17. Social media posts and questions fielded by district officials suggest the separate application process and timeline has jangled the nerves of some preschool parents.&nbsp;</p><p>“They’re confused. They don’t know why it’s different,” said Mackenzie Nickum, the director of enrollment services in the Jeffco district, where the K-12 enrollment window runs from Dec. 6 to Jan. 13.</p><p>The short answer is that the state is doing something brand new — rolling out a taxpayer-funded preschool program open to all 4-year-olds and some younger children. The new program will replace a smaller state-funded preschool program for children from low-income families or who have other risk factors.&nbsp;</p><p><aside id="ZAQWmA" class="sidebar float-right"><h2 id="A1KFgI"><strong>Universal preschool information</strong></h2><ul><li id="5auFOJ"><a href="https://cdec.colorado.gov/colorado-universal-preschool"><strong>Universal preschool website</strong></a></li><li id="VIoVzH"><a href="https://cdec.colorado.gov/colorado-universal-preschool/family-FAQ"><strong>FAQ for families</strong></a></li><li id="VQyGsn"><strong>List of </strong><a href="https://cdec.colorado.gov/colorado-universal-preschool/find-my-lco"><strong>preschool coordinating groups</strong></a>: These groups, officially called local coordinating organizations or LCOs, will help administer the universal preschool program at the local level. They can answer questions from parents and preschool providers.</li></ul></aside></p><p>Colorado early childhood leaders have been working for months to build the new program, including a statewide application system that will match children with participating preschool providers their parents choose.&nbsp;</p><p>The application will be “almost as easy as buying on Amazon,” said Lisa Roy, executive director of the Colorado Department of Early Childhood. “This is a start-up, but we have really taken into consideration what works for parents.”&nbsp;</p><p>Next year, all 4-year-olds will be eligible for 10-15 hours a week of tuition-free preschool in schools, churches, child care centers, or state-licensed homes. Some 4-year-olds will be eligible to attend for 30 hours a week and some 3-year-olds will be eligible for 10 hours.&nbsp;</p><p>Roy said the state preschool application system will prioritize factors such as the desire for preschoolers to continue in the program where they’re enrolled now, or to get a spot at the school a sibling attends, or where a parent works. Also, it’s not a first-come, first-served system, she said, so early applicants won’t automatically get priority over families who apply later in the application window.</p><p>Families will also be able to reject a preschool match if their situation changes. For example, Roy said, if a preschooler lands a spot at a school parents thought their third grader would attend, they aren’t obligated to accept the seat if the third grader ends up elsewhere.&nbsp;</p><p>Some Colorado school districts, including Jeffco, have posted notes on their websites alerting parents that enrollment in district-run preschools won’t happen through in-house enrollment systems this year.&nbsp;</p><p>Still, questions abound.&nbsp;</p><p>One mother posted in a Lakewood moms Facebook group, “I’m so confused with enrolling my daughter into preschool. Do I wait until January 2023 to apply and what if she doesn’t get in?”</p><p>Nickum said some parents’ concerns stem from the fact that historically, preschool spots in district classrooms have been highly coveted, with too few seats to meet demand in some locations or time slots. This year, Jeffco has about 2,000 preschool seats.&nbsp;</p><p>The district will offer more preschool spots next year — nearly 2,800 — in part by raising preschool class sizes from 16 to 20 students.&nbsp;</p><p>In Denver, the school choice window opens on Jan. 13, four days before the preschool application window opens.&nbsp;</p><p>Priscilla Hopkins, the district’s executive director of early education, said the district will communicate with parents in early January to explain that preschool won’t be part of that process and parents will have to wait for the state application.&nbsp;</p><p>State officials will also launch a preschool awareness campaign early next year.&nbsp;</p><p>Hopkins said she’s excited about the shift to universal preschool, but said the transition is complicated and lots of details are still unfolding. She expects Denver to have enough universal preschool spots for every family that wants one, though not every family will get its first choice. Currently, the district serves about 5,400 preschoolers.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“We’re all in this boat of change management,” she said.&nbsp;</p><p><em>Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat, covering early childhood issues and early literacy. Contact Ann at aschimke@chalkbeat.org.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/12/16/23512669/colorado-free-universal-preschool-application-school-choice-enrollment-jeffco-denver/Ann Schimke2022-11-11T02:36:21+00:002022-11-11T02:36:21+00:00<p>The Jeffco school board unanimously approved Superintendent Tracy Dorland’s recommendation to close 16 elementary schools at the end of this school year.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/8/25/23322170/jeffco-school-closure-recommendations-elementary-list">The district made the recommendation in August</a>, as part of a plan to address a trend of declining enrollment that accelerated during the pandemic.&nbsp;</p><p>The district has a budget deficit and now has drawn $32 million from its reserves to cover expenses this year. Leaders expect closing and consolidating the schools will save up to $12 million. The district may also add to its revenues later if it sells or leases the vacant properties.&nbsp;</p><p>But Dorland and board members said closing schools is not only about saving money. They also worry that the district’s small schools can’t offer equitable or rigorous programs as larger schools can.&nbsp;</p><p>For example, some of the schools slated for closure can’t afford more than a few teachers, so they must have students from mixed grades in a classroom. That means teachers have fewer peers with whom to collaborate, must make several lesson plans, and may juggle multiple curricular resources.&nbsp;</p><p>As other school districts do, Jeffco funds its schools largely based on student counts; thus small schools get less operating funds than do larger ones. The district, in turn, gets state and federal operating dollars also per student. Subsidizing small schools draws money from other programs.&nbsp;</p><p>Jeffco, the state’s second-largest district, <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/11/9/23450225/takeaways-enrollment-analysis-schools-closing-jeffco-denver-aurora-census-data">had 14% fewer children under 18 in 2020</a> living within its boundaries than it had in 2000. District enrollment has been falling for many years. The current estimate of students this fall is 77,205, down from 87,700 in 2000.</p><p>The district selected the 16 schools using three criteria. They all had fewer than 220 students as of Aug. 15, or were using less than 45% of their building’s capacity at the time. Each school also had to be near another one that could accept the students.&nbsp;</p><p>In total, the district has said the closures will displace almost 2,600 students and affect the equivalent of about 422 full-time jobs.&nbsp;</p><p>The recommended closings have left some parents with a lot of questions and worries.&nbsp;</p><p>Some wonder if the designated receiving school will have capacity for all the new students. Others worry that academics weren’t considered, and neither was the programming of the schools.&nbsp;</p><p>One of the schools on the closure list, Colorow, had just won its status as an International Baccalaureate elementary school this fall, for example, one of just four elementaries in the district to have the program.&nbsp;</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/do9IK39uALus7XleaA0POtNgj_c=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/BVZY74TVXVC47A4ZAJP2YIERZQ.jpg" alt="Lisa Siler, center, sits with her son, Logan, 6, and daughter, Addison, 9, as the school board discussed closing 16 elementary schools. The children attend Wilmore Davis Elementary, one of the schools on the closure list." height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Lisa Siler, center, sits with her son, Logan, 6, and daughter, Addison, 9, as the school board discussed closing 16 elementary schools. The children attend Wilmore Davis Elementary, one of the schools on the closure list.</figcaption></figure><p>Another worry is that with the consolidation of middle and high schools not yet decided, some students may have their schooling disrupted more than once. The district has said it would turn its attention to secondary school plans in January and may have recommendations for those schools next year.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/CKMSA8710AD2/$file/KPC-Jeffco_EngagementReport_Final%20.pdf">A report from a consultant</a> hired to help run community engagement before the vote said many families weren’t happy, and the consultants had to adjust their approach. Many parents wanted to talk about the recommendations and ask more questions, instead of just talking about their hopes for after a transition.&nbsp;</p><p>Representatives of Keystone Policy Center, the district’s outreach consultant, said they’ve encountered a lot of misinformation and a lack of trust in the process.&nbsp;</p><p>Before the vote Thursday night, parents and community members during public comment asked the district to reconsider. Later, some shouted as the board voted ended the meeting.</p><p>The district had set aside two hours for public comment, but only needed a little more than an hour to accommodate the people who signed up.</p><p>One of those included Korey Stites, a council member in Wheat Ridge, who criticized the process for engagement and said the district didn’t communicate with city officials like him.</p><p>He said that if a more engaged process resulted in his community’s schools closing, he would be able to accept it.</p><p>“What I can’t get on board with is the fact that our opinions didn’t matter,” Stites said.&nbsp;</p><p>Other parents asked the board to table the recommendations until the district could find other ways to save money, such as cutting administrative staff or salaries and implementing furloughs. Another parent asked the district to first consult with an equity or anti-racism expert who could offer feedback on the plans.&nbsp;</p><p>In approving the closures, school board members noted they amended their resolution to include new requests from district staff including the creation of a transition plan, a new plan for allocations for Title I and at-risk students, an analysis of transportation needs and the adjustments required, and an engagement plan for creating recommendations for what to do with empty or underutilized buildings.&nbsp;Board member Paula Reed refuted criticism that the community engagement before the vote, including at least 16 hours of public comment, was a mere performance.&nbsp;</p><p>“It means a great deal to hear people speak so passionately for their schools. It makes this harder and that’s probably how it should be,” Reed said. “It shouldn’t be an easy thing to do.”</p><p><em>Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at yrobles@chalkbeat.org.</em></p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/iESOwDiTdGi4RoyNdOvROprNlZs=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/PBPCID3VJRFOJNZ3RDIZYULHPU.jpg" alt="Sara Stites, center, comforts her husband Korey Stites after the Jeffco school board voted to close 16 elementary schools, including Kullerstrand Elementary where their children attend. Val Nosler-Beck reaches from behind and pats Sara Stites on the shoulder. " height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Sara Stites, center, comforts her husband Korey Stites after the Jeffco school board voted to close 16 elementary schools, including Kullerstrand Elementary where their children attend. Val Nosler-Beck reaches from behind and pats Sara Stites on the shoulder. </figcaption></figure>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/11/10/23452456/jeffco-elementary-schools-closing-board-vote/Yesenia Robles2022-11-10T02:56:34+00:002022-11-10T02:56:34+00:00<p>As three large metro area school districts <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/11/4/23441248/school-closure-approach-factors-why-jeffco-denver-aurora">grapple with school closures</a> due to declining enrollment, a common question looms: Where did all the children go?</p><p>To help answer that question, Chalkbeat looked at school enrollment data, county birth rate data, and U.S. Census data showing the number of children under 18 living in each school district. Looking to the future, we also examined federal school enrollment projections. Some numbers, like enrollment counts for private schools, aren’t available.</p><p>We found that lower birth rates played a role, as did some students enrolling in publicly funded but independently run charter schools. Other students ended up in the outer reaches of the metro area as their parents sought more affordable housing.&nbsp;</p><p>Below, we shed light on the numbers that contribute to how many students show up to class.</p><h2>Are there fewer children now than there were 20 years ago? </h2><p>The answer in some parts of the state is yes, while the answer in other parts of the state is no.</p><p>Jeffco Public Schools has seen a steady decline in the number of children. The state’s second-largest district had 14% fewer children under 18 in 2020 living within its boundaries than it had in 2000. The same was true in Littleton Public Schools, which had 15% fewer children.</p><p>In several other metro area districts, the number of children has gone up and down, in some cases dramatically. From 2000 to 2020, the number of children living in the Aurora Public Schools district grew 77%. But the numbers were declining by 2015. The same pattern happened in the Adams 12 Five Star, Adams 14, and Denver Public Schools districts.&nbsp;</p><p>Rising housing prices often push families out of cities to farther-out suburbs and rural areas where the cost of living is lower and there’s more land to build new single-family homes. Much of the new housing being built in cities and close-in suburbs are the type of apartments that have historically catered to adults without kids.</p><p>In a few school districts, the number of children under 18 has exploded. Those districts include 27J Schools, headquartered in the city of Brighton northeast of Denver, and School District 49, which includes parts of Colorado Springs.&nbsp;</p><p>The number of children living in 27J increased a whopping 230%. In District 49, which bills itself as the fastest-growing school district in the state, it increased 244%.</p><p>The under-18 population in the Cherry Creek School District southeast of Denver also has been growing, but not as dramatically. It grew 33% from 2000 to 2020. The same is true for Greeley-Evans School District 6, where the under-18 population grew 44%. And the number of children living in the Douglas County School District was up 65%.</p><h2>Have lots of students left district-run schools for charter schools? </h2><p>In three large districts facing school closures, the answer is yes. But the migration to charter schools only partly accounts for the enrollment drop in district-run schools.&nbsp;</p><p>In Aurora Public Schools, in 2005, less than 3% of students were enrolled in charter schools.&nbsp; But the number of students in charter schools doubled from about 3,000 in 2010 to about 6,000, or 16.2% of all Aurora students, by 2020.&nbsp;</p><p>In Denver Public Schools, only 8% of the district’s students attended charter schools in 2005. By 2010, that percentage had increased to 11% and by 2020 it was 23%.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Part of the reason is that there were <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/10/18/23409856/denver-school-closures-5-takeaways-enrollment-charter-schools-students">far fewer charter schools</a> in 2005 than there are now. For example, Denver had 20 charter schools in 2005. In 2020, it had 60.</p><p>In Jeffco Public Schools in 2010 about 6.8% of students, or about 5,800, attended charter schools. By 2020, nearly 12%, or 9,500, attended charter schools.&nbsp;</p><p>In addition, in Jeffco and Aurora, some students attend charter schools authorized by the state and not included in those numbers.</p><h2>What about babies? Are people just not having as many? </h2><p>Yes. For most metro area counties, the birthrate is lower now than it was in 2000.&nbsp;</p><p>For example, in Denver County, which has the same boundary as the city, the birthrate per 1,000 people fell from 17.14 in the year 2000 to 11.78 in 2021.&nbsp;</p><p>The same pattern was true for Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, and Broomfield counties. But demographers are predicting upticks for Douglas and Broomfield counties by 2025. Birthrates in the other counties are expected to stay steady or slightly decrease.</p><p>In Jefferson County, the births per 1,000 people decreased from 12.72 in 2000 to 9.23 in 2021. State demographer Elizabeth Gardner said birthrates there have been declining since 2001.</p><p>While Jeffco schools may enroll more children in the future, Gardner said she doesn’t expect that overall the district will have as many children as it once did.&nbsp;</p><p>“I don’t believe we ever get Jefferson County back to the level of births — or the level of kids they had in 2001,” Gardner said.</p><p>Statewide, her office is projecting a rise in children again by approximately 2035, but in part that’s because of more women in the state, not because the birthrate will spike.&nbsp;</p><h2>Will school enrollment go back up again?</h2><p>The likely answer is no. Across the country, federal data shows the number of students in U.S. public schools had been trending upward since 1990. Now, the total student counts seem to have peaked in 2019, just before the pandemic.&nbsp;</p><p>According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the number of U.S. students is expected to hover around 49 million students for a few more years before decreasing to about 47 million by 2030. <a href="https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d22/tables/dt22_203.20.asp">Projections show Colorado’s student count</a> dropping from about 880,597 last year to about 817,300 in the same period.</p><p>In some regions, student numbers will increase, but that growth could be in different neighborhoods and communities, depending on housing construction and affordability.</p><p><em>Melanie Asmar is a senior reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado, covering Denver Public Schools. Contact Melanie at </em><a href="mailto:masmar@chalkbeat.org"><em>masmar@chalkbeat.org</em></a><em>.</em></p><p><em>Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at </em><a href="mailto:yrobles@chalkbeat.org"><em>yrobles@chalkbeat.org</em></a><em>.</em></p><p><em>.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/11/9/23450225/takeaways-enrollment-analysis-schools-closing-jeffco-denver-aurora-census-data/Melanie Asmar, Yesenia Robles, Cam Rodriguez, Thomas Wilburn2022-11-04T22:10:28+00:002022-11-04T22:10:28+00:00<p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/11/10/23450329/porque-cierran-escuelas-denver-jeffco-aurora"><em><strong>Leer en español.</strong></em></a></p><p>Three of Colorado’s largest school districts — Denver, Jeffco, and Aurora — are grappling with the same problem: declining enrollment. But each is approaching school closure decisions differently.</p><p>The Aurora district has already closed eight schools over the last two years, with some still being phased out. Board members have struggled with the decisions, initially voting against two closure recommendations this year before <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/5/18/23116194/aurora-school-closure-sable-paris-blueprint-vote">reversing themselves</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>Now the district is beginning a process to figure out what to do with the empty buildings, even as more closures are a possibility.</p><p>In Jeffco, after abruptly <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/5/28/22458872/jeffco-parents-worry-small-schools">closing two schools</a> in the last two years, a new administration recommended <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/8/25/23322170/jeffco-school-closure-recommendations-elementary-list">closing 16 elementary schools</a> all at once at the end of this school year. The Jeffco school board is set to vote on that recommendation Thursday. The district will likely also recommend closing middle or high schools next year.&nbsp;</p><p>Denver has <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/6/11/22530193/to-close-or-consolidate-schools-denver-seeks-ideas">started</a>, <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/9/30/22702920/denver-school-closure-consolidation-planning-process-paused">paused</a>, and <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/4/7/23015325/denver-public-schools-school-closure-declining-enrollment-committee-concerns">restarted</a> a school closure process over the past two years.&nbsp; Ultimately, the superintendent recommended <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/10/25/23423698/denver-school-closure-recommendations-marrero-elementary-middle">closing 10 elementary and middle schools</a> at the end of this school year. The Denver school board is set to vote on Nov. 17.</p><p>Parents have a lot of questions about these decisions: How are schools picked for closure? Why are some districts closing so many schools at once? Why aren’t school districts considering academics or the role schools play in their communities?&nbsp;</p><p>Below, we answer some of the most common questions and break down how the three districts differ in their approaches.</p><h2>What factors did the districts consider in picking which schools to close?</h2><p>Denver and Jeffco based their decision mostly on enrollment, while Aurora considered a range of factors, including how school buildings might be repurposed.</p><p>In Denver and Jeffco, schools with too few students — fewer than 215 in Denver and fewer than 220 in Jeffco —&nbsp;were considered for closure.&nbsp;</p><p>Leaders in both districts also considered whether another school or schools within a few miles could take in the students from the closed school. For example, Denver spared four small schools because officials said there is no school within 2 miles that could receive their students.</p><p>There were other factors as well. In Denver, administrators wanted to make sure Spanish-speaking students would be able to continue bilingual or dual-language education. And in Jeffco, administrators also considered how much building space is being used.&nbsp;</p><p>Aurora, which started its school closure process in 2018, took a different approach. The district created seven regions and looked at enrollment trends in each zone, how many buildings the district might need, and which buildings could house new magnet programs or be used for other purposes.&nbsp;</p><p>One reason the community and board helped Aurora pick this approach is because the district is losing students in some regions while adding new subdivisions on the eastern plains. Leaders saw an opportunity to combine school closures with a larger strategic plan.&nbsp;</p><h2>Why are Denver and Jeffco closing so many schools at once?</h2><p>Declining enrollment isn’t a new problem. Leaders in Denver and Jeffco say delaying decisions in the past has led to schools that lack the resources to serve students well, despite substantial budget subsidies. Jeffco also wants to avoid emergency decisions that leave families reeling, such as happened at Allendale and Fitzmorris elementary schools.</p><p>In both Denver and Jeffco, the superintendent has asked the school board to vote on the closure recommendations as a package —&nbsp;all or none.&nbsp;</p><p>“We believe taking care of this in a rapid fashion will support our school community to do something really hard and then move on and create more thriving experiences for our students,” Jeffco Superintendent Tracy Dorland said.</p><p>Jeffco leaders also said they wanted to avoid making closure decisions every year, leaving families worried for a long time. In Aurora, a longer path with years of community engagement still left families frustrated and surprised by closure recommendations.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>But Aurora Superintendent Rico Munn said taking the work in phases allows the district to track the impact.&nbsp;</p><p>“It’s a very dynamic field where we’re talking about student enrollment and demographic shifts — particularly post-pandemic,” Munn said. “We wanted to stop and reflect along the way.”</p><p>This fall, the district reopened two schools as magnet schools and is starting to track how the interest in those schools may affect enrollment throughout the region and the district. But it’s too early to know, Munn said.</p><h2>Why wasn’t academics a factor?</h2><p>Closing schools based on academics and test scores has <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2019/12/20/21084014/a-new-denver-school-board-takes-a-softer-tone-with-low-performing-schools">fallen out of political favor</a>, and none of the districts looked at performance in deciding which schools to close and which to save.</p><p>Superintendent Munn in Aurora said the state already has an accountability system that tracks school performance and can issue orders, including closure, as a consequence of not improving. “There wasn’t interest in creating a second one,” he said.</p><p>But that’s raised questions for parents and community members: Why close schools that are working for students?</p><h2>What can school communities do to stop closures?</h2><p>Not much, it seems.</p><p>Across the three districts, administrators have tried to avoid situations where parents, teachers, and community members rally to save their schools.&nbsp;</p><p>In Aurora, school board members gave into public pressure and rejected two closure recommendations only to reverse themselves two months later.</p><p>Board members, most of whom hadn’t been elected yet when Aurora’s Blueprint plan launched, wondered why the district didn’t consider how involved parents are in their school or how a school fit into its community context when making closure recommendations.&nbsp;</p><p>Munn said considering community involvement would be unfair. Parents working multiple jobs might love their school but not be able to attend meetings. Larger schools could turn out more parents to fight closure.&nbsp;</p><p>“Everyone wanted to avoid putting school communities against each other,” Munn said. “You don’t want to be creating a popularity contest.”</p><p>Denver and Jeffco have largely followed Aurora’s lead in this regard, and it’s one reason board members are being asked to approve closures as a package, not one by one.&nbsp;</p><p>Dorland, the Jeffco superintendent, went so far as to say community outreach won’t change the outcome. In Denver, though, some school board members seem troubled by the lack of opportunity for communities to address individual closure decisions.</p><h2>How did community input factor into decision-making? </h2><p>Of the three districts, Aurora had the most extensive community engagement process. But in all three, administrators ultimately decided which schools to recommend for closure.&nbsp;</p><p>Now Denver and Jeffco leaders are seeking feedback from parents and teachers on how to help the transition go smoothly —&nbsp;an approach that’s led to anger and <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/11/3/23439800/denver-school-closures-10-schools-parents-plea-school-board-alex-marrero-recommendation-enrollment">frustration</a>.</p><p>Aurora kicked off the planning for what became Blueprint in 2018 with consultants helping with surveys, focus groups, and community meetings. The district <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2019/6/14/21108325/aurora-lists-campuses-that-could-become-magnet-schools-or-could-be-repurposed">concluded that families wanted more school options</a>, but that the choices should be provided by the district, not charter schools.&nbsp;</p><p>The district created regions with unique specializations and is developing new magnet schools to match those themes. The need for school closures —&nbsp;or “repurposing” —&nbsp;was embedded in this process from the start, though not all community members understood that. The district didn’t get a lot of pushback for the first rounds of school closures. This year parents fought back but ultimately were not successful.</p><p>Denver convened community groups starting in 2017. The Strengthening Neighborhoods Committee <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2017/6/5/21100631/gentrification-is-changing-denver-s-schools-this-initiative-aims-to-do-something-about-it">met with the goal</a> of combating segregation in schools and addressing the effects of gentrification. One of <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2017/12/12/21104017/gentrification-is-changing-denver-schools-these-recommendations-aim-to-address-that">its recommendations</a> was a “transparent school consolidation process” that would allow communities to “reimagine” their own schools.</p><p>A second committee <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/1/21/22895309/denver-schools-declining-enrollment-advisory-committee">formed this year</a>, the Declining Enrollment Advisory Committee, came up with <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/6/2/23152741/denver-school-closure-consolidation-criteria-declining-enrollment-recommendations">school closure criteria</a> that was applied to the most recent recommendation. But committee members <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/4/7/23015325/denver-public-schools-school-closure-declining-enrollment-committee-concerns">were divided</a> because many wanted to talk about avoiding the need for school closures —&nbsp;something district administrators said was not on the table.&nbsp;</p><p>Now Denver’s community engagement has moved to individual schools. Each principal is explaining the recommendation to their school community and doing their best to answer questions, a strategy that Superintendent Alex Marrero described as “intimate and intense.”</p><p>“I think the folks who they know and they love and adore and they follow are the ones who can tell them, ‘Okay, here’s the plan and here’s why it’s necessary,’” Marrero said.</p><p>The Denver school board will also host a single public comment session on Nov. 14.</p><p>In Jeffco, Dorland made clear that the community feedback would not change the recommendations. Community engagement was meant to address what families need to get through the transition.&nbsp;</p><p>Still, each school slated for closure has had an hour-long public comment session with the school board, adding up to at least 16 hours of public comment.&nbsp;</p><p>But <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/CKMSA8710AD2/$file/KPC-Jeffco_EngagementReport_Final%20.pdf">in a report from the consulting group</a> leading that work, it became clear families weren’t happy. Many still wanted to talk about the recommendations and have more questions answered, and Keystone Policy Center said they’ve encountered a lot of misinformation and a lack of trust in the process.&nbsp;</p><h2>How did the districts decide on the timeline for informing parents? </h2><p>Of the three districts, Denver’s timeline is the shortest, with just over three weeks between the recommendations announcement on Oct. 25 and the scheduled vote on Nov. 17. If the board votes yes, the 10 schools would close at the end of this school year.</p><p>But Denver Superintendent Marrero argued that the process actually started in June 2021 when the school board <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/6/11/22530193/to-close-or-consolidate-schools-denver-seeks-ideas">passed a resolution</a> directing the superintendent to consolidate small schools.</p><p>The board needs to vote this month so there is enough time to operationalize the plan for next fall, Marrero said. He also said that slowing down the process would cause students and staff to flee the schools recommended for closure, exacerbating enrollment losses.</p><p>In Jeffco, families are getting more time than in previous emergency closures.</p><p>For instance, when the district closed Allendale and Fitzmorris, families were informed in the spring, with just weeks left before the school year ended and the school closed.</p><p>Families missed the first round of choice enrollment, and the district worked individually with families to place students for the next school year. This time, the Nov. 10 board vote is scheduled before the district launches its choice enrollment process for the year. If families want to choose a different school than the one the district recommends, they can.&nbsp;</p><p>Aurora has also increased the timeline between recommendations and closures.&nbsp;</p><p>In the first round of closures voted on in January 2021, the first school closed June 2021, with others phased out over time. In the second round of closures, the board voted in the spring of 2022 and schools will close at the end of the 2022-23 school year.&nbsp;</p><h2>Did the districts consider how many students they might have in the future?</h2><p>Yes. All three districts relied on analysis that takes into account factors such as birth rates, housing development, and mobility in predicting trends in school-age population.</p><p>In Denver, the <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/6/8/23160241/denver-public-schools-declining-enrollment-explained-charts">most recent analysis</a>, done this past spring, shows that the city has fewer children now than a decade ago. Births are declining fastest among Hispanic families, which the district predicts “will have a significant negative impact” on enrollment. Currently, a little more than half of the approximately 90,000 students in Denver Public Schools are Hispanic.</p><p>The analysis also notes that most planned or permitted developments are condos, apartments, and townhomes, which have historically yielded fewer students than single-family homes. But some community members, and even organizations such as the quasi-municipal Denver Housing Authority, are <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2022/11/03/denver-housing-authority-memo-dps-school-closures/">questioning Denver’s projections</a>.</p><p>In Jeffco, a similar analysis presented to the school board Wednesday showed that students who come from families in poverty are leaving the district at higher rates than more affluent students. The two most common exit codes tracked by the district show students leave for other districts or to another state. District leaders said they suspect lack of affordable housing is pushing out families.</p><p>In Aurora, the number of students is projected to eventually grow again, but not necessarily in the same neighborhoods as in the past.&nbsp;</p><p>New housing developments are taking off in the eastern part of the district, which could call for new schools. Schools in the western part of the district, closer to Denver, continue to see steep declines as high housing costs push out families.</p><p>Originally, Aurora leaders expected enrollment to start growing by 2021, but Superintendent Munn said the pandemic sped up the declines in the west, changing the timeline. Growth is still expected, but the district is closely watching data to analyze when it might happen.</p><p><em>Melanie Asmar is a senior reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado, covering Denver Public Schools. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.</em></p><p><em>Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at yrobles@chalkbeat.org.</em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/11/4/23441248/school-closure-approach-factors-why-jeffco-denver-aurora/Yesenia Robles, Melanie AsmarCarl Glenn Payne II for Chalkbeat2022-09-12T11:06:00+00:002022-09-12T11:06:00+00:00<p><a href="https://chalkbeat.admin.usechorus.com/e/23110399"><em><strong>Leer en español.</strong></em></a></p><p>Lending an ear, being patient with kids’ emotions, and ensuring kids don’t feel they’re at fault: Offering support like that will help children cope with school closures, according to Jeffco parents who have already been through them.&nbsp;</p><p>“I was trying to let him know, ‘we know you don’t like change but this new school is going to become home,’” Jamie Camp said she told her third grader as his school, Fitzmorris Elementary, faced closure in spring 2021 and he would have to move to a new school. “Be patient. They’re going to lash out. Our son did. That’s just them trying to process.”</p><p>The Jeffco school district is preparing to help thousands of students say goodbye to their elementary schools at the end of this school year. The board in November is expected to approve a recommendation to close 16 schools, nearly one in five of its elementaries.&nbsp;</p><p>In the past two years, the <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/5/28/22458872/jeffco-parents-worry-small-schools">district suddenly closed two small elementary schools</a> that leaders said were no longer sustainable. Now, in a more comprehensive plan, district leaders want to provide more advance notice as they reduce the number of small schools.&nbsp;</p><p>Chalkbeat talked to parents of children who attended the two previously closed schools about what worked, what didn’t work, and what advice they had for families facing closures now. Below read their thoughts, and answers to questions on parents’ minds.&nbsp;</p><p><div id="FQvAim" class="html"><p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/9/12/23344612/jeffco-elementary-school-closure-parent-advice-past-experience#STAuKZ"><strong>Why does the district close schools?</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/9/12/23344612/jeffco-elementary-school-closure-parent-advice-past-experience#rlfZCe"><strong>Where will students go?</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/9/12/23344612/jeffco-elementary-school-closure-parent-advice-past-experience#zFtNXS"><strong>Any advice on how to say goodbye and then prepare for a new school? </strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/9/12/23344612/jeffco-elementary-school-closure-parent-advice-past-experience#PdLuzi"><strong>What was difficult in the transition and how can parents manage challenges? </strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/9/12/23344612/jeffco-elementary-school-closure-parent-advice-past-experience#nMcmbg"><strong>What were some of the positive things about moving to a new school? </strong></a></p></div></p><h2>Why does the district close schools?</h2><p>Jeffco, like many other districts, has had fewer and fewer students for many years. That has left many schools with very few students. School districts, and in turn schools, get state funding based on enrollment. Most of the schools recommended for closure have either fewer than 220 students or use less than 45% of their building’s space. The district says it provides these schools more money than their per-student allocation, but they still can’t offer the same programs that bigger schools with more students can afford.&nbsp;</p><h2>Where will students go?</h2><p>For every school that is closing, the district has designated another to cover its attendance boundary area and become the new neighborhood school. But Colorado law allows parents to choose other schools, too. Jeffco opens choice enrollment in December for parents wanting to enroll outside their neighborhood.&nbsp;</p><p>Rosa Melaragno’s son attended Allendale Elementary until it closed in 2021. Instead of sending him to the district’s suggested school, she chose to send him to Fitzmorris Elementary because it was closer to her home. In the spring, the district closed that school too. Now she believes going with the district’s recommendation would be a safer idea.</p><p>“Even if you think it’s going to suck, it might be better for the child in the long run,” Melaragno said.</p><p>Other parents who did send their children to the district’s suggested school said they did so because they saw other benefits. Some of their teachers moved to the same school. Others wanted their children to have more familiar classmates or benefit from district support measures for the transferred students.&nbsp;</p><p>Lara Wiant, the principal of Campbell Elementary, said that when she took in students from Allendale, she created and assigned student ambassadors to every displaced student to help them navigate the school and to have someone to sit with at lunch.&nbsp;</p><p>Christopher Benisch, the principal of Lawrence Elementary School, which received many of the Fitzmorris students, said he designed this year’s classrooms so that every former Fitzmorris student had at least one former classmate in their room this year.</p><p>Benisch suggested that as parents look at their choices, they think about what opportunities they want for their children, and they take time to learn about what different programs schools offer. That means asking things like do schools have after-school programs, STEM labs, full-day preschool, or mental health supports?</p><h2>Any advice on how to say goodbye and then prepare for a new school?</h2><p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/3/18/22985654/jeffco-district-fitzmorris-elementary-closing-vote-small-school-per-pupil-spending">When Fitzmorris was closing</a>, the school hosted a barbecue and invited staff from Lawrence, the school that would be receiving most of Fitzmorris’ students.&nbsp;</p><p>Parents say that was helpful for saying goodbye to their community. But looking back, some wish they could have had an opportunity to also meet families of the school they were going to.&nbsp;</p><p>And Michelle Miley, whose son was at Fitzmorris but went to Stott Elementary, following his center program for students with autism, wishes that events like that had included families like hers.&nbsp;</p><p>This year, as in the past, the district will move students in many of the center programs at closing schools to different receiving schools from the general education students. The district says that’s in part because of space issues. The district is trying to offer stability for those students by moving program staff with the students.</p><p>But for children like Miley’s son, who spent about three-quarters of his school day in general education classrooms, getting split away from those students made the family feel left out.</p><p>As her son started school this fall, she felt like neither he nor the family knew anyone.&nbsp;</p><p>“I feel like I was just kind of thrown in,” Miley said. “Now I hope they try to get the school communities together before schools close. Just to get people more familiar with each other.”</p><p>One thing many parents say they’ve found helpful for their children is visiting school playgrounds.&nbsp;</p><p>Maureen Bricker cares for her two granddaughters, a fourth and a first grader, who both were displaced from Fitzmorris Elementary. After the school closed, Bricker arranged for the girls to play with other former classmates at their old playground a couple of times.&nbsp;</p><p>“I thought let’s let them play like old times, and we’ll do that again as long as it’s open,” Bricker said.&nbsp;</p><p>Melaragno said she tried to arrange a play date over the summer for her son, who takes a long time to warm up to people, but got no responses. She thinks it might have helped if the district helped facilitate that.&nbsp;</p><p>So she packed a lunch and took her son to his new school over the summer and let him play on the new playground.&nbsp;</p><p>“It was just to let him get physically familiar with the school, let him scope it out,” Melaragno said. “Even getting used to the drive and looking at the landmarks. It’s just about taking the time with him.”</p><h2>What was difficult in the transition and how can parents manage challenges?</h2><p>Parents said they struggled to adjust to drastically different start times, and much busier drop-off and pickup locations. Parents hope that with more time to plan, school leaders can reduce the stress around those changes.</p><p>Parents said one of the most helpful things was clear communication with their kids and letting them know that it’s not their fault they have to change schools.</p><p>Melaragno said her husband noticed that their son had felt like he was to blame for having two of his schools shut down.&nbsp;</p><p>“Take the lead in explaining to the kids it’s not their fault,” both the Melaragnos said. “Especially those who may not be forthright about their feelings. My son is like that. If he’s sad about something, sometimes he’ll cry but then he’s like ‘I’m fine,’ even though he’s not.”</p><p>Camp said her son felt like his parents didn’t try to save his school. She said she hasn’t figured out how parents might let their kids feel like they advocated for them, while acknowledging that <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/7/27/23281606/jeffco-board-school-closure-discussions-community-engagement-feedback">nothing parents could do now will stop the coming closures</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>Above all, she said, parents need to listen to what their kids need and feel.&nbsp;</p><h2>What were some of the positive things about moving to a new school?</h2><p>Many parents said that they did experience benefits at the new schools in various cases including more friends, more varied programs, more appropriate class sizes.&nbsp;</p><p>Miley’s son was in a combined classroom that had more than 30 students at Fitzmorris. At the new school, there’s funding for two teachers so that each classroom is split into about 18 students.&nbsp;</p><p>Melaragno’s son had been one of just two boys in his grade at his previous school. Now he has lots more boys to interact and learn with.&nbsp;</p><p>Parents also say asking for help is important.&nbsp;</p><p>As an example, Bricker said that one day last month when her younger granddaughter was having a tough morning, crying and not wanting to go into her new school, she asked the school to send its social and emotional learning specialist to check on her. It also helped that the specialist had known the girl from working at Fitzmorris before the school closed.&nbsp;</p><p>“Just try to stay positive for them,” she said. “And ask for help.”</p><p><em>Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at yrobles@chalkbeat.org.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/9/12/23344612/jeffco-elementary-school-closure-parent-advice-past-experience/Yesenia Robles2022-08-25T23:00:00+00:002022-08-25T23:00:00+00:00<p><em><strong>Update:</strong> The Jeffco school board on Thursday voted unanimously to approve Superintendent Tracy Dorland’s recommendation to close 16 elementary schools at the end of this school year.&nbsp;</em><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/11/10/23452456/jeffco-elementary-schools-closing-board-vote"><em>Read the most current story here.</em></a></p><p>Jeffco has selected 16 elementary schools to recommend closing at the end of this school year.</p><p>All the schools have fewer students than they did a few years ago, and all but one had fewer than 220 students as of Aug. 15. All but one of the schools have a higher percentage than the district average of students from low-income families.</p><p>The district announced its recommendations Thursday and the school board will vote on the recommendations as a package on Nov. 10.</p><p>In the meantime, the district will host community listening sessions, but has <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/7/27/23281606/jeffco-board-school-closure-discussions-community-engagement-feedback">made clear that the goal</a> isn’t to hear which communities can best persuade the board to save their schools, but rather to talk about what families want to see in their new schools.</p><p>“I really am hopeful that our community will shift from wanting to fight the decision to wanting to be partners with us,” Jeffco Superintendent Tracy Dorland said.&nbsp;</p><p>In total, the district said the closures will displace almost 2,600 students and affect the equivalent of about 422 full-time jobs. The student numbers include the children of 27 families displaced when Allendale and Fitzmorris elementary schools closed in the past two years and who again will have to relocate. The district is assigning staff to work directly with those families.&nbsp;</p><p>Each of the schools identified Wednesday has fewer than 220 students, excluding preschool students, or uses less than 45% of their building’s capacity. And each of them is located less than 3.5 miles from another school with the capacity to absorb their students and still feed to the same middle and high schools.</p><p>So, along with every school proposed for closure, the district has named a nearby school that will absorb the boundary area and students of the closing school. In some cases, a third school will receive displaced students from programs for children with specific disabilities. All together, the closures will directly affect 38 schools, nearly half of the district’s 84 district-run elementary schools.&nbsp;</p><p>As far as staff, the district will help place teachers who are non-probationary, and will offer help to all others. For certified staff, the district is also offering to pay for them to get endorsements in hard-to-staff areas to make them more competitive for positions the following school year.&nbsp;</p><p>As before, parents may apply to enroll their children in schools other than the one assigned them.</p><p>District leaders want disappointed families to think of the transition as an opportunity for school communities to reshape the receiving schools to welcome new students and serve them and their families.&nbsp;</p><p>If the school board approves the closures, the district will form committees at each school to hear ideas from families and staff.&nbsp;</p><p>In the case of Emory Elementary, the principal already has pushed for its dual language program to move to Lasley, which is absorbing Emory students, though the type of dual language model could change.</p><p>Even if approved, the school closures will <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/8/4/22609622/jeffco-school-closure-policy-management-consultant-report-shelved">leave the district with 16 schools with fewer than 250 students</a> or less than 60% of a building in use in 2023-24. That’s one-third the current number of schools that fit that criteria.&nbsp;</p><p>The district expects savings of up to $12 million may help reduce its budget deficit. This year, the district is drawing $28 million from its reserves to cover expenses.</p><p>The district has used $16.3 million from its <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2018/11/15/21106147/late-votes-deliver-a-narrow-win-for-jeffco-school-bond-measure">2018 bond to upgrade schools</a> now identified for closure, but more recently put on hold $12.2 million in projects planned for small schools.</p><h2>District says small schools are affecting learning opportunities</h2><p>Still, district leaders have emphasized that closures aren’t just about the money, but about the quality of learning.&nbsp;</p><p>“We knew we were spending more money to support our small schools, but the amount of money is not leading to more robust programming,” Dorland said.&nbsp;</p><p>Lisa Mahannah, principal of Emory Elementary School, said that the recommendation to close her school didn’t surprise her, but was still hard to hear. The district has named principals who will lead the receiving schools. In Emory’s case, Mahannah’s assistant principal will move with the students, but not Mahannah.</p><p>Still, she said she’s had time to say her piece and knows that the district isn’t making these decisions lightly, so she’s focused on helping her families understand. She’s also a parent of a high school student in the district.</p><p>“This is impactful for everyone,” Mahannah said.</p><p>At Emory, with declining enrollment, she can’t provide everything her students need.&nbsp;</p><p>The school has students in dual language programming and students in English programming. But Mahannah said the school has been unable to pay for bilingual mental health or special education staff.&nbsp;</p><p>“The budget really drives how much support you are going to have for students,” Mahannah said.&nbsp;</p><p>And as dual language enrollment has decreased, classes split between two teachers per grade level have become smaller, while non-bilingual classes may have up to 30 students.&nbsp;</p><p>Emory has about 385 students on a former middle school campus with capacity to hold nearly 900 students.&nbsp;</p><p>Now, she plans to work the school year with Lauren LeMarinel, principal of Lasley Elementary, to plan how the merged campuses can serve students.&nbsp;</p><p>Lasley, about a mile from Emory, has about 291 students and uses about half of its school building.&nbsp;</p><p>As Lasley enrollment has declined, LeMarinel said, it has had fewer resources for students. Lasley shares art, music, and physical education teachers with three other schools. And this year, Lasley lost its after-school care program run by the Boys &amp; Girls Club, which needed more students to support its work. The group decided to operate at just one school, Emory, in the region.</p><p>LeMarinel and Mahannah plan to ask if Lasley may bus students to Emory to participate in the after-school programming, as the two schools work on merging their support for students. They plan to find ways to share other partnerships too.</p><p>“We will do our best to make sure our community understands and we grow together as one,” LeMarinel said.&nbsp;</p><h2>Enrollment was top of mind as Dorland took the job</h2><p>A year and a half ago, Dorland had scant time to ease into her job. The board <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/4/14/22384350/jeffco-board-approves-three-year-contract-new-superintendent-tracy-dorland">approved her contract</a> in the same meeting right after <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/4/14/22384722/giving-families-little-notice-jeffco-plan-close-small-elementary-school">discussing an emergency measure to close Allendale</a> with little notice, because its dwindling student body made the school unsustainable.&nbsp;</p><p>Dorland immediately began examining enrollment and other problems behind abrupt closures.&nbsp;</p><p>“I was extremely concerned and shocked,” Dorland said. “I knew we had some issues. I had no idea the magnitude of the issue.”</p><p>Since 2017-18, the district’s total enrollment dropped more than 8% to about 78,473 last school year. At just district-run schools, the decline has been faster, about 11%. From 2019 to now, the district estimates it lost about 5,000 students.&nbsp;</p><p>While families sending their children to charter schools or other districts may play a small role, the major driver of falling enrollment is the decline in the number of school-age children in the county and the declining birth rate.&nbsp;</p><p>“We are very concerned that if we do not take action at this scope, we run the risk of having emergency closures in the next couple of years,” Dorland said. “It also leaves small school communities in a place of fear and anxiety wondering if they’re going to be next. We need to not be in a place of fear and anxiety.”</p><p>Dorland wants the district to address the enrollment challenges so that schools can focus on accelerating student learning and have more resources to do that.</p><h2>Next steps include a look at secondary schools</h2><p>After the vote in November, the district will begin examining enrollment and capacity at secondary schools, and possibly identify some for closure in the coming years. The district also is working on reevaluating the formula it uses to fund schools. Leaders want to hire experts to examine attendance boundaries and feeder patterns for elementary schools to middle and high schools.&nbsp;</p><p>Staff, like families throughout Jeffco, have experienced school closures in the past.&nbsp;</p><p>In Arvada, Principal Lara Wiant offered ideas on integrating campuses. Her school, Campbell, recently received students from Allendale and Fitzmorris when those schools closed.</p><p>She created a student ambassador program pairing each new student with a Campbell classmate who would offer a tour of the school, tips about who to go to for help, and who could sit with them during lunch.&nbsp;</p><p>Tara Peña, the district’s chief of family, school, and community partnerships, was an assistant principal of a school in Arvada that closed in 2010. She learned about her school’s closure at the same board meeting when her students and families heard the news.&nbsp;</p><p>She keeps that bad experience in mind as she helps the district shape its engagement and communication to families and staff that are affected. This year, principals were informed a few days ahead of everyone else, and instructional superintendents are helping them be prepared to support students and staff when they learn the news.&nbsp;</p><p>Mahannah said as a principal, she primarily wants parents to know that despite everything, her teachers are already working hard with students two weeks into the school year, and that won’t change. Just as most teachers worked through the difficulties of the pandemic, they will now too, she said.</p><p>“We’re going to go through a grieving process, but we’re going to show up every day,” Mahannah said. “Our teachers are amazing. They’re going to show up.”</p><p><em>Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at yrobles@chalkbeat.org.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/8/25/23322170/jeffco-school-closure-recommendations-elementary-list/Yesenia Robles2022-08-17T17:00:00+00:002022-08-17T17:00:00+00:00<p>Last spring’s state SAT and PSAT test scores for Colorado high school students fell from the previous year, results released Wednesday show.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/9/1/22652996/sat-psat-scores-colorado-schools-2021-pandemic">In 2021, Colorado’s high school test scores</a> improved from 2019, despite the learning interruptions students endured, but results released Wednesday are less encouraging.&nbsp;</p><p>Two of three groups — ninth and 11th graders — also scored lower than did their counterparts in 2019, state results published Wednesday show.</p><p>The bright spot was among 10th graders. Although a smaller proportion met or exceeded expectations than did last year, their rates still were better than in 2019. In English for example, 67% of 10th graders met or exceeded expectations this spring, down from 69.3% in 2021, but higher than the 64.9% of 10th graders who did in 2019.</p><p>Colorado uses the PSAT for ninth and tenth graders, and the SAT for 11th graders as its annual state test.</p><p><aside id="vhzGGh" class="sidebar float-right"><p id="iJaaR3"><strong>Colorado Testing</strong><br>Looking for CMAS results for 2022? <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/8/17/23309904/cmas-results-2022-colorado-state-testing-by-school-district">Look up those scores, here</a>.</p></aside></p><p>Last year, when more high school test scores seemed to improve, educators wondered if lower participation rates might have skewed results. Students who took the 2021 test might have been those who were more motivated and likely to do well.</p><p>High school participation in the PSAT and SAT this spring went up to around 85%. That’s still lower than the roughly 92% participation rates before the pandemic, but state officials said that the students who did participate reflected the year’s enrollment diversity.&nbsp;</p><p>Some colleges use the SAT for admissions criteria, <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/10/2/21499321/universities-pause-sat-test-use-admissions-coronavirus-future-colorado">though many are now backing away from standardized testing requirements</a>.</p><p>SAT scores can range from 200 to 800 each on the literacy and math tests, with a maximum composite score of 1600. The statewide average composite score in 2022 was 986, down from 1001 in 2019.</p><p>PSAT scores for 10th graders can range from 160 to 760 on individual tests, with a maximum total score of 1520. For ninth graders the range is from 120 to 720, with a maximum total score of 1440.</p><p>For ninth graders, the statewide average total score was 885 in 2022, down from 906 in 2019. Ninth grade scores on the math PSAT test declined the most. Only 40.8% scored at least on grade level, a decline of 8.8 percentage points from 2019.&nbsp;</p><p>Most achievement gaps grew across various demographic groups, with the largest gaps this year between English learners and other students. On the reading and writing tests, those gaps exceeded 50 percentage points. Among racial and ethnic groups, the largest gap separated Hispanic students from white students.</p><p>Among metro area school districts, Adams 14 and its neighbor, the Brighton-based 27J had some of the largest declines in scores for 11th graders from 2019. Students meeting or exceeding expectations dropped by 9 percentage points in 27J, and by 8.4 percentage points in Adams 14.</p><p>Ninth graders in Adams 14, <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/6/28/23187377/adams-14-lawsuit-challenge-state-reorganization-accountability-orders">a district that may lose control of its schools</a> because of its chronic low achievement, also had some of the largest three-year drops in math scores in the metro area. Only 7.8% met or exceeded expectations this spring.</p><p>The district also had lower participation rates than the state average with 76.9% of students taking the test.&nbsp;</p><p>Adams 14’s growth scores for high school students were also among the worst in the state.&nbsp;</p><p>Performance on the SAT is strongly tied to demographic factors, with better-off white and Asian students posting higher scores. Growth scores, which are supposed to be a more equitable way to look at achievement, compare how much students improve relative to students who have a similar test performance history. Students who are below grade level need growth scores above 50 to make progress toward catching up.&nbsp;</p><p>For math, Adams 14’s average growth score of 32 was the seventh-worst in the state.&nbsp;</p><p>Jeffco and Cherry Creek school districts are among metro area districts that did well on growth measures. For high school math, both districts had a growth score of 55, placing both in the top 20 scores in the state.</p><p>Mica Buenning, the principal for Ralston Valley High School in Jeffco, said she wasn’t surprised by her school’s scores. After seeing a big drop in math scores last year, her staff spent 2021-22 focusing on rewriting math units. Math scores at her school were up this year, though they still haven’t bounced back to 2019 levels.&nbsp;</p><p>Buenning said she had made a point of making time for her math teachers to collaborate and plan together, particularly for Algebra 2 teachers, which is usually a class for juniors.&nbsp;</p><p>“I know my teachers make a difference when they have time to collaborate,” Buenning said. “We did that last year and we’re doing it again this year too.”</p><p>Buenning said her school now will focus more on ninth grade math classes. Those scores are the farthest from 2019 levels. About 69% of Ralston Valley ninth graders scored at least on grade level on math, compared with 84% of freshmen in 2019.</p><p>Ninth graders last year had tougher challenges than did other students, Buenning said.</p><p>“My freshmen came in today and they were 1,000 times different than the freshmen from last year,” Buenning said Tuesday. “They had a full year of middle school to work on their skills around organization and all of those executive function skills, including moving from classroom to classroom. Last year we had a lot of kids coming in that academically they might have been OK, but socially they struggled.”</p><p>Teachers across the country talked about the challenges of helping students with greater behavioral issues and social-emotional needs.</p><p>Other districts that showed some bright spots were Englewood and Sheridan.</p><p>Tenth graders in Sheridan, where most students come from low-income families, had larger improvements than either the state or most metro area districts did. In reading and writing, 46.3% of 10th graders met or exceeded expectations, up from 30.5% last year and from 38.9% in 2019.</p><p>Maegan Daigler, executive director of assessment and technology for Sheridan, said that district leaders were “delightfully surprised” at the scores. She said there are some investments the high school has made to help students catch up.&nbsp;</p><p>Those changes include adding a pre-Advanced Placement English course that helps push more students into rigorous courses, expanding AVID programs, and adding a partnership with University of Colorado Denver. Math professors from the university’s education department have helped Sheridan create diagnostic tests to help teachers better understand how to help students progress.</p><p>Daigler said it seems students who made more progress were more likely to be involved in rigorous courses including the new pre-AP classes.&nbsp;</p><p>“We’re thinking about how we’re pushing and supporting students, instead of just remediating,” Daigler said.&nbsp;</p><p>Now leaders are digging deeper to see how those different approaches have helped, to look at where to expand the work.</p><p>See how students performed at your school in the searchable database below. You can also see <a href="https://www.cde.state.co.us/assessment/sat-psat-data">the state’s full data release on its website here</a>.</p><p><em>Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at yrobles@chalkbeat.org.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/8/17/23309872/colorado-sat-psat-test-results-scores-2022-by-school-district/Yesenia Robles2022-08-17T19:53:10+00:002022-08-17T17:00:00+00:00<p>Colorado third graders did almost as well on standardized tests this past spring as third graders did before the pandemic, an encouraging sign after three disrupted school years.&nbsp;</p><p>But older students in most grades and subjects did worse, even as test scores rebounded from very low levels in 2021. And the majority of Colorado students didn’t meet grade-level expectations on the tests, known as Colorado Measures of Academic Success or CMAS, just as they didn’t before COVID.&nbsp;</p><p>That’s not the return to normal education leaders or parents want to see, and state and district officials emphasized the work that remains even as they noted some bright spots.</p><p>“We celebrate the fact that student scores were better in most cases than they were in 2021, but we continue to face the challenge of fully bringing kids back to the levels they were before the disruptions of the pandemic, as well as closing the historic opportunity and achievement gaps,” Colorado Education Commissioner Katy Anthes said in a press release.&nbsp;</p><p>Wide gaps remain between Black and Hispanic students and those from low-income households, on one hand, and their better-off white and Asian peers on the other. Where test score gaps narrowed, it was generally because students who historically performed better instead performed worse.</p><p>“That is not how we want to see the gap decrease. We want to see both groups increasing in terms of achievement, with our historically lower-achieving group improving at a faster pace,” said Joyce Zurkowski, Colorado’s chief assessment officer.&nbsp;</p><p>Nearly 41% of Colorado third graders met or exceeded grade-level expectations in literacy, almost as high as the 41.3% who did so in 2019. Colorado is in the midst of a multiyear effort to improve reading instruction. Reading well by the end of third grade positions students for future academic success.&nbsp;</p><p>Zurkowski said the reading rebound was “a piece of really good news” for students whose schools closed before they could finish first grade.&nbsp;</p><p>Less encouraging were results for older students. Just a quarter of seventh graders met or exceeded expectations in math compared with 31.6% in 2019. And less than a third of eight graders met benchmarks in math, compared with almost 37% in 2019. <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/8/17/23309872/colorado-sat-psat-test-results-scores-2022-by-school-district">Ninth graders showed the biggest decline.</a> Only 40% of ninth graders met or exceeded expectations in math, compared with almost 50% in 2019, a drop of 8.8 percentage points.&nbsp;</p><p>Literacy scores for older students were also lower than 2019 in most grades.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://www.cde.state.co.us/assessment/cmas-dataandresults">Colorado results</a> released Wednesday align with <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/2022/7/19/23269210/learning-loss-recovery-data-nwea-pandemic">some national test results and standardized tests from other states</a> that show older students struggling more than younger ones do, and math scores taking a greater hit than literacy.</p><p>Colorado administers CMAS tests in literacy and math every spring in grades 3 through 8. Schools also give tests in science and social studies but far fewer students take the tests. High school students take the PSAT and SAT.&nbsp;</p><p>This was the first year Colorado gave the full suite of tests since 2019. Testing was canceled in 2020, and in 2021, many students took either math or literacy tests based on their grade level, rather than both tests. <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/9/1/22653063/cmas-standardized-test-scores-participation-rates-colorado-schools-2021-dps-jeffco-adams-14">Participation also plummeted</a>, making comparisons hard. Nonetheless, <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/8/12/22621936/cmas-results-colorado-students-lost-ground-pandemic-remote-learning-covid-state-tests">students did far worse in 2021 than in 2019</a>, with the exception of 11th grade, where students <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/9/1/22652996/sat-psat-scores-colorado-schools-2021-pandemic">posted higher SAT scores</a>.</p><p>Participation was largely back to normal this year, though some student groups took the test at lower rates. Participation was particularly low for Black students in middle school, for students with disabilities, and for English language learners.&nbsp;</p><p>The state uses standardized tests results to rate schools and districts and to target help to schools with lower performance. State officials may consider low scores in deciding next steps for schools under existing state improvement orders, but schools won’t be subjected to new interventions based on this year’s results. Colorado’s school accountability system is set to fully resume next year.&nbsp;</p><p>Parents, meanwhile, will get their children’s CMAS results from their districts and can use them to talk with teachers about their students’ strengths and weaknesses.&nbsp;</p><p>Colorado has expanded state money available for school improvement, and in recent years, schools also have federal money for intensive tutoring to catch students up.&nbsp;</p><p>Jeffco Public Schools is among the districts investing in that approach. Chief of Schools David Weiss hopes that by October, tutors will be meeting several times a week with students who need the most help. The district is also rolling out new curriculum in elementary reading and secondary math and providing teachers with more training and more opportunity for collaboration.</p><p>“We outscored the state in just about every category, both in growth and achievement, and we’re encouraged by that,” Weiss said. “That being said, there’s still a lot of room for growth, and we definitely have work to do as a district getting back to some of those best practices that we know are great for kids.”&nbsp;</p><p>Weiss said academic gains and losses are just one piece of pandemic recovery.</p><p>“There are other things that our students gained through this experience and there are other things that they lost,” he said. “Our students lost family members, they lost the social time that they had with their friends. On the flip side, some families grew closer. I don’t think it’s appropriate to minimize all the different things that our communities could have learned and experienced over the last few years to just the math and reading scores.”</p><h2>Wide test score gaps remain</h2><p>Schools did not close large test score gaps between students from low-income families and those from wealthier families, or between white students and Black and Hispanic students.&nbsp;</p><p>For example, less than a quarter of Colorado students who qualify for subsidized school meals met or exceeded expectations on CMAS literacy tests, compared with more than half of students who don’t qualify. The gap was nearly 30 percentage points. The gaps between white students and Black and Hispanic students were nearly as large, at 27 and 29 percentage points respectively.</p><p>Denver Public Schools, which is Colorado’s largest school district at about 90,000 students, has even larger gaps by race: 72% of white students met expectations on state literacy tests, while 26% of Black students and 24% of Hispanic students did. That’s approaching a 50 percentage-point gap in a district that has for years been focused on equity.</p><p>Of the five largest school districts in Colorado, Denver has the largest CMAS test score gaps separating white students from Black and Hispanic students in both literacy and math.</p><p>On the whole, Denver’s CMAS scores rebounded from last year, though not to pre-pandemic levels. The one positive exception was third-grade reading, where the percentage of students meeting expectations — 39.9% — was slightly higher than in 2019.</p><p>On the PSAT and SAT, however, Denver’s scores were lower than in 2019 or 2021. Students struggled the most in math. Just 29% of 11th graders met expectations on the math SAT.</p><p>Chalkbeat also looked at the CMAS scores in 10 school districts with the highest percentages of students of color and more than 1,000 students total. In those districts, scores were mixed.&nbsp;</p><p>Some rebounded, such as the fourth-grade math scores in Aurora, which were higher than last year but still not as high as in 2019. Others, such as the sixth-grade math scores in Mapleton, decreased from 2019. And some scores increased. More third graders in Sheridan met or exceeded expectations on the literacy test this year than in either 2019 or 2021.</p><p>Growth scores in the 10 districts were also mixed. Those scores measure how much progress students made compared with students who had similar scores the year before. Because growth is relative, the state average is always around 50 on a 100-point scale. Students who are below grade level need growth scores above 50 to make progress at a faster pace.&nbsp;</p><p>Growth scores in the 10 districts ranged from as low as 16.5 in elementary school math in the East Otero district in southeast Colorado to as high as 56 in elementary school reading in the Harrison district in Colorado Springs and 58 in elementary school math in Denver.</p><p>Adams 14, which faces the possibility of losing control of its schools due to its years of low performance, posted worsening test scores in the spring.&nbsp;</p><p>The district’s growth scores show most students are not making enough progress. One bright spot was for middle school math, where students made more than a year’s worth of progress.</p><p>The only area where Adams 14 had more students at grade level or above than in 2019 was sixth grade math. But the percentages are still tiny. On that test, 5.3% of students met or exceeded expectations, up from 4.2% who did in 2019. In math, achievement rates for most grade levels in Adams 14 are in the single digits.&nbsp;</p><p>In English, all Adams 14 scores were worse than in 2019, with fifth grade scores dropping the most, and seventh graders having the lowest rate of meeting or exceeding expectations.</p><h2>Students struggle more in math</h2><p>Statewide, nearly 29% of students who took CMAS math tests met or exceeded expectations. That’s lower than in 2019, when almost 33% did.&nbsp;</p><p>Many educators believe students ended up reading more during periods of virtual learning — not necessarily novels, but text messages with friends, social media posts, and all the material posted online for their classes. Parents are also more likely to support literacy at home, reading to their kids and encouraging their kids to read.&nbsp;</p><p>Many parents aren’t sure how to help their children with math, especially as it gets more complex. Teachers also reported that loss of classroom instruction time made it harder to spot when students were confused. And teachers differed in how they approached missing skills.</p><p>Marty Gutierrez teaches middle school math in Adams 12 Five Star Schools in the north Denver suburbs. He noticed that many students started last school year without mastery of skills from the previous year. The pandemic meant less hands-on learning, less practice, and less interaction among students, who might explain something to a peer in a new way, bringing that student along while reinforcing their own understanding.</p><p>“A lot of my students struggled with basic math facts, 7 x 8. I think the pandemic affected the way we taught those things and people went about addressing them in different ways,” Gutierrez said. “Some people went back and said we’re going to work on this, work on this, work on this. But then they missed out on what seventh and eighth grade was supposed to be about.</p><p>“My approach was, OK, if the kid struggles with math facts, give them a calculator and let’s work on those concepts. In seventh and eighth grade, we learn a lot of concepts.”</p><p>Even in math, there were some positive signs. When education officials examined student growth scores from the 2019 baseline, they found students making more progress in math, even where test scores remain low. That indicates some students are making up lost ground.</p><h2>Reading scores show both promise and trouble</h2><p>While the percentage of third graders performing at grade level on state literacy tests rebounded, Zurkowski noted a concerning trend among the good news: the percentage of third-graders reading far below grade level is going up.</p><p>This past spring, 22.1%&nbsp;scored in the “has not yet met expectations” band on the literacy test, the lowest of five bands. That’s more third-graders reading far below grade level than in any year since 2016, when 19% of third-graders scored “has not yet met.” The same was true for some other grades and subjects too.</p><p>Fifth graders, meanwhile, continued the drop that began last year. In 2021, about 47% of fifth grade students were proficient on literacy tests, about 1 percentage point lower than pre-pandemic levels. This year, the fifth-grade proficiency rate declined to about 45%.&nbsp;</p><p>Krista Spurgin, executive director of the advocacy group Stand for Children Colorado, suggested that the <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/colorado-reading">state’s ongoing focus </a>on improving early elementary reading instruction may be paying off in the form of rebounding third grade literacy scores.&nbsp;</p><p>But there has been <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/5/11/23067136/jeffco-bright-minds-colorado-dyslexia-middle-high-school-students">no similar set of policies aimed at older students</a> who can’t read well.&nbsp;</p><p>“We have heard from so many educators and parents over the last few years that report their older students are struggling to read — fifth-, sixth-, and seventh-graders that need supports their teachers are understandably not equipped to give them,” she said by email.&nbsp;</p><p><em>See full state results from the Colorado Department of Education </em><a href="http://www.cde.state.co.us/assessment/cmas-dataandresults"><em>here</em></a><em>.</em></p><p><em>Ann Schimke and Yesenia Robles contributed reporting.</em></p><p><em>​​Bureau Chief Erica Meltzer covers education policy and politics and oversees Chalkbeat Colorado’s education coverage. Contact Erica at&nbsp;</em><a href="mailto:emeltzer@chalkbeat.org"><em>emeltzer@chalkbeat.org</em></a><em>.</em></p><p><em>Melanie Asmar is a senior reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado, covering Denver Public Schools. Contact Melanie at </em><a href="mailto:masmar@chalkbeat.org"><em>masmar@chalkbeat.org</em></a><em>.</em></p><p><em><strong>Correction:</strong> This article has been changed to reflect that last school year’s third grade students were in first grade in March 2020, not kindergarten.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/8/17/23309904/cmas-results-2022-colorado-state-testing-by-school-district/Erica Meltzer, Melanie Asmar2022-08-16T20:44:59+00:002022-08-16T20:44:59+00:00<p>“Class, class!” second-grade teacher Allison George called out.&nbsp;</p><p>“Yes, yes!” quickly responded 18 small children in new outfits, neatly plaited braids, and fresh haircuts.&nbsp;</p><p>“I love that you did that,” George said. “You stopped what you were doing and looked up at me, because you knew something important was happening.”&nbsp;</p><p>That something important was the first day of school at Deane Elementary in Jeffco Public Schools, the first day of a year that teachers, students, and parents hope will <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/2022/6/3/23151765/the-comeback-we-didnt-expect-inside-the-stop-and-start-school-year-of-2021-2022-pandemic">finally be something resembling normal</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>That something important was setting classroom norms and expectations for students who spent their first two years of elementary school living through historic disruptions inside the classroom and out.</p><p>In less than 30 seconds, George, a 16-year veteran of the classroom, got her students to leave behind their new school supplies and sit on their reading rug spots. As she counted down silently with her fingers, a hush fell over the room.&nbsp;</p><p>Then she read a story about a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U48gV6Kzous">pigeon who goes from nervous to excited about his first day of school</a>. In the space of five minutes, she checked for comprehension, tied the story to the students’ own experiences, had the students practice nodding quietly to show engagement and raising their hands to speak, and worked in some vocabulary.&nbsp;</p><p>“At the beginning, he was so scared,” George said of the bird. “I might even say terrified. What changed his mind?”</p><p>More than 800,000 Colorado students are returning to classrooms this month. Denver Public Schools will be the last to return on Monday. Like the pigeon, teachers, school leaders, and parents described a mix of optimism and apprehension.</p><p>Many educators felt they ended last school year on a positive note, securing a few months of mostly consistent in-person learning, able to make progress academically and mark end-of-year milestones. They’re eager to build on that growth.</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/zq4h2dsSLM_5nleZxtb2EGmZ7DE=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/VUCOOSONVNHGVOIMFTNEAESVRU.jpg" alt="Deane Elementary mascot Rocky the Husky greets students on the first day of school." height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Deane Elementary mascot Rocky the Husky greets students on the first day of school.</figcaption></figure><p>They also remember <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/2022/6/3/23151765/the-comeback-we-didnt-expect-inside-the-stop-and-start-school-year-of-2021-2022-pandemic">thinking that last year would mark a comeback</a>, only to struggle through quarantines, widespread staffing shortages, and highly politicized debates about COVID protocols.&nbsp;</p><p>“We really feel like we have a chance to have a school year without interruption,” said Bret Miles, head of the Colorado Association of School Executives. At a gathering of superintendents before the start of the school year, he said, “I heard a lot of conversations about plans that districts have had on the shelf for two years, with constant interruptions and COVID, that we’re looking forward to implementing, things that we’ve wanted to do for a long time.”</p><p>Those include more hands-on learning, apprenticeships, and internships that send students out into the community, and new math and reading curricula that call for more teacher collaboration. Miles said school leaders are looking forward to having more consistent data on student learning and more capacity to act on it. They hope more teachers will get their planning periods back, interventionists will be able to meet with small groups <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/12/17/22843083/amid-substitute-shortages-school-specialists-are-filling-in-while-juggling-their-own-work">rather than covering for colleagues</a>, and administrators who coordinate improvement efforts won’t have to substitute teach so often.&nbsp;</p><p>Staffing challenges remain, particularly for <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/8/11/23302368/colorado-teacher-shortage-bus-driver-special-ed-para-vacancies-school-hiring">bus drivers and special education teachers</a> and classroom aides. But many districts report having a deeper pool of substitutes after raising pay and feel better prepared to weather illness and other absences.</p><p>Deane Principal Megan Martinez said she feels fortunate to have a teacher in every classroom after four teachers took leave at the end of last year. But like leaders at 20 other Jeffco schools, she’s still trying to hire a social worker to round out her mental health team.&nbsp;</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/Xyiz1e9tAlxJ9yReh2aKUSK4FOM=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/MJYLVSX3QNEVVHP7ZDYYWJKPAU.jpg" alt="Kindergartener Alcario Torres IV tells his father, Alcario Torres III, goodbye for his first day of school at Deane Elementary in Lakewood." height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Kindergartener Alcario Torres IV tells his father, Alcario Torres III, goodbye for his first day of school at Deane Elementary in Lakewood.</figcaption></figure><p>Teachers say they’re far more attuned to students’ emotional needs than before. Deane reading interventionist Chelsey Boswell greets students by name at the front door each morning so she can see their demeanor. Before starting a small group session on reading or math skills, she has each student check in using a color chart. Blue is bored, sad, or tired. Green is happy, focused, or calm. Yellow might be silly or worried —&nbsp;something distracting the student from learning.&nbsp;</p><p>“They experienced something that no other generation has,” Boswell said of her students. Balancing academic and emotional needs could be a challenge, but she quickly realized the two go hand in hand. “Having these feelings and overcoming obstacles is just a way of life.”</p><p>At Deane, a handful of parents and staff members wore masks, but most children and adults had bare faces. Martinez said she never thought she’d need to know so much about health to be a principal, and she’s looking forward to focusing more on learning instead of COVID protocols.</p><p>This year, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/8/10/23300807/colorado-school-covid-guidance-2022-no-mask-no-quarantine">asking schools to keep an eye on COVID cases</a> and inform parents of infection clusters. Those who test positive should stay home. Those are about the only COVID countermeasures for now. It remains to be seen how the next iteration of COVID will behave in schools with few mitigation measures, but the state’s near-term forecast sees cases continuing to decline because so many people have some immunity now.</p><p>Colorado school districts followed a range of protocols last year that reflected both community preference and political pressures. Amie Baca-Oelhert, president of the Colorado Education Association, the state teachers union, said just like the rest of society, some teachers still see masks as a way to keep themselves and the community safe, while others feel ready to move on. Some teachers said they still worry about COVID but won’t miss having to police students.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Other losses hang over the start of the school year. The Deane T-shirts worn by staff members feature a rocking husky in shades. A small heart on the shoulder represents a reading interventionist who died last year. A small bee icon on the back represents a former fourth grade teacher and her daughter killed in flash flooding in the mountains over the summer. Martinez spent some quiet time in a community circle with the teacher’s former students Tuesday morning.&nbsp;</p><p>Martinez said her roughly 280 students have been through a lot. They come from families that experienced economic hardships and the deaths and illnesses of family members. During times of remote learning, many students didn’t have good internet access or have parents who could stay home and monitor their learning. They missed out on school meals.</p><p>Martinez said she’s grateful to have students back in the building and ready to get to work.</p><p>“We have 175 days with students, and none of those days can be wasted,” she said.&nbsp;</p><p><em>​​Bureau Chief Erica Meltzer covers education policy and politics and oversees Chalkbeat Colorado’s education coverage. Contact Erica at&nbsp;</em><a href="mailto:emeltzer@chalkbeat.org"><em>emeltzer@chalkbeat.org</em></a><em>.</em></p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/4INERTLLQA5J-n0DpgeRwM_ruo8=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/OCD7F3BBGRG4HN4VWUFXIC25VU.jpg" alt="Allison George has taught second grade for 16 years. On the first day of school, she helped students get used to the classroom. " height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Allison George has taught second grade for 16 years. On the first day of school, she helped students get used to the classroom. </figcaption></figure>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/8/16/23308595/back-to-school-colorado-teachers-report-first-day-jitters-cautious-optimism/Erica MeltzerRJ Sangosti / The Denver Post2022-08-12T00:19:40+00:002022-08-12T00:19:40+00:00<p>For Lacey Nelson, the weeks leading up to the start of school are a blur of spreadsheets, meetings, and calls from principals about last-minute teacher resignations.&nbsp;</p><p>With less than two weeks to go, Denver Public Schools’ director of talent acquisition is still looking to hire 150 teachers, 275 paraprofessionals, and up to 45 bus drivers. Priorities get reevaluated daily based on reports from the field. A school that was “fine” two days ago suddenly needs two more teachers.&nbsp;</p><p>It’s all completely normal.</p><p>“In general, we are not seeing anything different this school year than past school years, and I’m not seeing anything that is majorly off,” Nelson said. “It’s a pretty calm year.”</p><p>Even as Colorado school districts are holding <a href="https://www.greeleytribune.com/2022/08/06/greeley-evans-district-6-hosting-hiring-fair-aug-9-in-evans/">hire-on-the-spot job fairs</a> and <a href="https://www.kktv.com/2022/07/27/d11-colorado-springs-offering-2500-hiring-bonus-on-the-spot-hiring-fairs/">offering signing bonuses</a>, many education leaders told Chalkbeat the challenges are nothing new and that vacancies and hiring are <a href="https://www.cde.state.co.us/educatortalent/edshortage-surveyresults">similar to those of years past</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>Nikki Jost, executive director of human resources for Mesa County Valley District 51 in western Colorado, said hiring is actually going better this year.</p><p>“COVID protocols are different than in years past, we had a 9.1% increase in wages for returning employees, we increased starting salaries across the board, we increased our social media presence, and we have some amazing recruiters,” she wrote in response to a Chalkbeat survey.</p><p>But normal doesn’t mean fully staffed.</p><p>According to the <a href="https://www.cde.state.co.us/educatortalent/edshortage-surveyresults">2021-22 educator shortage report</a>, Colorado schools couldn’t fill 8% of their open teaching positions last year nor 17% of their special service provider positions. Roughly 9% of paraprofessional or classroom aide positions went unfilled. The number of unfilled positions, as well as the share filled through shortage mechanisms like <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/2/25/22951460/wanted-retired-teachers-to-return-to-colorado-classrooms">bringing back retired educators</a> or hiring teachers with an emergency license, has gone up over the past three years, even as the total number of openings has gone down, the report said.</p><p>Firm data on this year’s vacancies is hard to come by, both locally and <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/2022/8/11/23300684/teacher-shortage-national-schools-covid">nationally</a>. In the weeks before the start of school, the numbers change daily. Across 10 Colorado districts large and small that responded to Chalkbeat information requests, superintendents and human resources directors said they’ve raised pay, improved benefits, and made other changes in an effort to be competitive.&nbsp;</p><p>Denver is touting its health insurance plan, entirely free to employees. The Brighton-based 27J district tells job candidates about its four-day week and investments in mental health supports that take some of the load off teachers. Many districts are offering on-the-job training and help with licensure.</p><p>Bus drivers and special education jobs —&nbsp;teachers, special service providers and especially classroom assistants — remain among the hardest positions to fill, officials said. And those vacancies hit children and families hard.</p><h2>School districts face stiff competition for bus drivers</h2><p>Many Colorado districts are consolidating bus routes and cutting service in response to driver shortages.&nbsp;</p><p>“Last year, we consolidated bus routes and added a non-CDL position, allowing employees in that position to drive smaller vans on many routes,” said Myla Shepherd, chief human resources officer for Adams 12 Five Star Schools serving north Denver suburbs. ”These two measures greatly helped us maintain adequate transportation staffing levels.”</p><p>In 27J, transportation office employees and mechanics have to drive bus routes in addition to their other job duties, and students have been placed on wait lists for bus service. About 10% of 100 bus driver positions are open there.&nbsp;</p><p>In Jeffco Public Schools, nearly a third of 283 bus driver positions were open less than two weeks before the start of the school year. In a <a href="https://mailchi.mp/ce34d173df35/community-update-5079683?e=c2a1ebaddb">July email to families</a>, Jeffco Chief Operating Officer Steve Bell laid out a plan to gradually restore bus routes as more drivers are hired and trained. In the meantime, students with disabilities would continue to get the highest priority.</p><p>Trevor Byrne, a Jeffco bus driver and president of Jefferson County Transportation Association, the union representing drivers, said the bottom line is pay. Even with a recent pay increase to $21.70 an hour, drivers have a lot of options that pay more. Byrne said he stays because he loves working with kids.&nbsp;</p><p>“I’m not disparaging sanitation workers, but you can make $35 an hour driving a garbage truck,” Byrne said. “How important is it to transport our special needs kids versus taking garbage away from someone’s house?”</p><p>Nelson, of Denver Public Schools, agreed.</p><p>“You think about Amazon, they need drivers,” she said. “The post office, FedEx, UPS, they all need drivers.”&nbsp;</p><p>Denver has <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/7/28/23283069/denver-public-schools-pay-increase-paraprofessionals-bus-drivers-food-service-custodians">raised pay</a> and like many districts pays for driver training and offers signing bonuses. Dropping a <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/11/19/22791736/denver-public-schools-staff-vaccination-order">vaccine mandate that led some workers to quit</a> last year has helped too, Nelson said.&nbsp;</p><h2>Special education jobs have seen shortages for years </h2><p>Superintendents and human resources directors said jobs working with students with disabilities continue to be among the hardest to fill. Special service providers like occupational therapists and speech language pathologists can make more money in private practice. Classroom aides can make more money in retail. And there simply aren’t enough special education teachers for all the open positions.&nbsp;</p><p>In a bid for experienced educators, Adams 12 now offers unlimited credit for years of service in other districts to special education teachers and special service providers.</p><p>Special education paraprofessionals have been particularly hard to hire. These educators <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2019/3/8/21107029/a-day-in-the-life-of-miss-wendy-a-foot-soldier-for-special-education">provide one-on-one and small group support to students</a> with a variety of disabilities, including students with complex physical and emotional needs. Often these jobs combine low pay with major responsibilities.</p><p>Lori Williams, a special education para in Jeffco, said low staffing makes it harder to give students the support they deserve.&nbsp;</p><p>“We’re supposed to push them into a general ed classroom and sometimes we can’t do that because we’re short-staffed,” she said. “And other times students that are in a general ed classroom don’t get the support that they need.”</p><p>Denver just raised pay for special education paras from $16.50 an hour to $21 an hour and has seen hiring pick up. As of Tuesday, the district had 137 special education para positions still to fill.&nbsp;</p><p>“Often they are working one-on-one with a student with really high needs, and they need additional training and qualifications,” Nelson said. “Finding someone with the qualifications — not just the on-paper qualifications but the skills to do that job — can be really challenging.</p><p>“When you earn $16.50, it’s easy on that bad day to turn around and apply to something else.”</p><h2>Even a few vacancies can make a difference</h2><p>Staffing challenges vary by community and even within districts. One school might be operating as normal while another has parent volunteers serving cold lunches.&nbsp;</p><p>Marty Gutierrez, a middle school math teacher in Adams 12, said there are four open teaching positions out of 40 in his building, including teachers who gave notice in August to take better paid or less stressful jobs, often still within education.</p><p>“People can go where they want to because there are so many openings,” he said.</p><p>That means he’s starting the year unsure who his planning partners will be, if he’ll get his planning periods, or if he’ll have to pick up extra classes. And he worries it will be harder to set expectations and norms for students and establish a strong school culture if there’s a rotating cast of substitutes across multiple classes.</p><p>In addition to two science teachers, a math teacher, and a special education teacher, his school lost its head custodian over the summer. These are all positions where districts report hiring challenges.</p><p>“It’s affecting us top to bottom,” Gutierrez said.</p><p>Chris Selle, superintendent of the 681-student Meeker district in northwestern Colorado, said until this year, he’d always been fully staffed by August. But this summer, three teachers backed out of contracts and the elementary school principal resigned. In a small district, losing one teacher can mean doubling class sizes for that grade or subject.&nbsp;</p><p>This week, Selle and the school board decided not to try to fill the elementary principal job this school year. Instead, Selle will lead the elementary school along with handling his superintendent duties.&nbsp;</p><p>“Some things just won’t get done,” he said.&nbsp;</p><p><em>​​Bureau Chief Erica Meltzer covers education policy and politics and oversees Chalkbeat Colorado’s education coverage. Contact Erica at </em><a href="mailto:emeltzer@chalkbeat.org"><em>emeltzer@chalkbeat.org</em></a>.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/8/11/23302368/colorado-teacher-shortage-bus-driver-special-ed-para-vacancies-school-hiring/Erica Meltzer2022-08-04T18:01:20+00:002022-08-04T18:01:20+00:00<p>New teachers in Jeffco Public Schools will earn starting salaries of $50,000 and the most experienced teachers will be able to earn more than $100,000 a year under a tentative agreement between the district and the teachers union.</p><p>Jeffco Public Schools and the Jefferson County Education Association reached the agreement late Wednesday, two weeks before the start of the school year.&nbsp; Earlier, after months of bargaining, the union had declared an impasse and the two sides had moved to mediation.&nbsp;</p><p>The agreement still requires ratification by the school board and union members.</p><p>Christine Wiggins, a spokesperson for the Jefferson County Education Association, the union representing teachers and special service providers, said the new salary schedule strikes a balance between retaining experienced educators, which had been the union’s priority, and attracting new teachers to the district, which had been the administration’s priority.&nbsp;</p><p>Starting salaries for new teachers will go up 15% to $50,000 from the current $43,274 a year. Wiggins estimated that average increases for current teachers would be around 9%. The contract guarantees all teachers a raise of at least $3,000 a year and some will get two or three times that.</p><p>A district spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions about the agreement, including how much it will cost, instead deferring comment until an official statement is released Thursday afternoon.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/7/7/23199454/aurora-teacher-pay-school-district-staff-salary-raise-union-agreement-contract">School districts around the state are increasing pay</a> as they grapple with staffing shortages, even as the rapidly rising cost of living eats away at those gains.</p><p>Wiggins said she believes the new agreement will help Jeffco be competitive within the Denver metro area where teachers have many options. Neighboring Westminster Public Schools <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2019/2/5/21106683/westminster-teachers-will-get-higher-starting-salaries-and-a-path-to-reach-100-000">adopted a starting salary of $50,000</a> three years ago, while Denver Public Schools’ starting salary remains at $47,291.</p><p>“Here in Jeffco, we hear over and over about the educators who go to other districts and get substantial raises,” Wiggins said. “They can go to Cherry Creek or they can go to Mapleton. We want to keep our experienced educators in the classroom and attract new ones.”</p><p>The agreement also guarantees more planning time for elementary teachers and allows special education teachers to get paid for more of the paperwork and meetings they do outside normal work hours.</p><p><em>​​Bureau Chief Erica Meltzer covers education policy and politics and oversees Chalkbeat Colorado’s education coverage. Contact Erica at&nbsp;</em><a href="mailto:emeltzer@chalkbeat.org"><em>emeltzer@chalkbeat.org</em></a><em>.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/8/4/23292284/jeffco-teacher-pay-raises-negotiations-salaries/Erica Meltzer2022-07-28T00:57:10+00:002022-07-28T00:57:10+00:00<p>As they start down a path toward school closures, Jeffco leaders say they want to hear from the community. But the feedback they gather will not save schools.</p><p>“I do believe in authentic community engagement,” Superintendent Tracy Dorland said at a Tuesday board meeting. “I also believe in courageous leadership that doesn’t pretend people have a choice when they don’t.”</p><p>District leaders have hired a consultant to help them understand what support families need to get through the closure process and move to new schools. The feedback the consultant gathers won’t stop schools from closing, Dorland and board members said.</p><p>Dorland said that if the district wishes to <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/3/18/22985654/jeffco-district-fitzmorris-elementary-closing-vote-small-school-per-pupil-spending">avoid school closures with little warning to parents</a>, as Jeffco has done for the past two years, then it has run out of time.</p><p>“We don’t have the luxury of time,” Dorland said. For too long, she said, the district has <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/8/4/22609622/jeffco-school-closure-policy-management-consultant-report-shelved">avoided difficult decisions and long-term planning</a> to address declining enrollment. Having discussions with every community “could take us another decade,” she said.</p><p>While leaders said they haven’t decided which schools to close, they are firm about schools having to close.&nbsp;</p><p>Dorland plans to present her recommendations on which schools to close at the end of August, and the board will vote in November. The district contracted with Keystone Policy Center to run the community engagement process before that vote.&nbsp;</p><p>School districts around the metro area and across the country are struggling with how to downsize as enrollments drop. The high cost of living in cities, a lower birth rate, and school choice are all likely contributing to public schools enrolling fewer students, and thus receiving fewer dollars.&nbsp;</p><p>Districts in Colorado have taken various approaches to community engagement, but still can’t avoid the backlash from people who feel unheard when their schools are closed.</p><p>In Aurora, the district began outreach years ago asking families, staff, and neighbors to share what they wanted most from their schools. The district used that information to consider many factors when picking a school for closure, looking across what’s best for a region.&nbsp;</p><p>But in the most recent round of school closures, parents of one school said they weren’t aware of that process <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/3/9/22966432/aurora-school-closure-angst-recommendations-sable-paris-blueprint">until their school was recommended for closure</a>, and they didn’t understand why their school was picked. Their pressure saved the school initially, but two months later, the <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/5/18/23116194/aurora-school-closure-sable-paris-blueprint-vote">board voted to close the schools anyway</a>.</p><p>In Denver, the school district started down multiple paths last school year. After the district identified 19 schools as underenrolled, regional groups were going to make recommendations. <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/9/30/22702920/denver-school-closure-consolidation-planning-process-paused">Superintendent Alex Marrero paused that process</a> and instead created a single committee that <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/6/2/23152741/denver-school-closure-consolidation-criteria-declining-enrollment-recommendations">recommended criteria for closing small schools</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>Throughout the process, parents and others have complained community engagement has fallen short.&nbsp;</p><p>Often, critics say communities already hard hit by poverty and other issues are the most likely to face closures. Those communities are also underrepresented among district leadership and are the hardest to reach through standard outreach approaches. That means those who are most affected have the least say.&nbsp;</p><p>Jeffco’s plan, somewhat more similar to Aurora’s, will consider multiple factors. And the district has not created strict cutoffs for enrollment or building usage that are too low, to alert a community that their school might be at risk of closure.</p><p>Instead, the district has listed those two factors as primary considerations, but also will look at how a school closure would impact an area, including where displaced students would go and where center programs for students with disabilities could be relocated.&nbsp;</p><p>“As a parent I see my child’s school, my child’s involvement, my child’s teacher,” said board member Paula Reed. But she said parents don’t know everything the district is considering, for example, about factors like special education centers or how transportation would work.&nbsp;</p><p>“We just need to be able to say to people you don’t have all the pieces. We do have people who are paid really well because they have expertise in this and we’re going to listen to those voices, but you are the experts on your community so we want to hear from you about how we can make this work in your community.”</p><p>Board member Susan Miller is concerned that the district isn’t looking broadly enough if it’s not looking at the regional feeder systems that send elementary students to certain middle and high schools, known in Jeffco as articulation areas.&nbsp;</p><p>District leaders say they’ll look at secondary school enrollment trends and possible closures starting <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/7/22/23272681/jeffco-small-schools-elementary-closure-enrollment-data-analysis">with posting data on each of those schools</a> in January.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Board member Reed said the board needs to be united so that the community can receive a clear message about what to expect.</p><p>“What we’re talking about is having genuine and authentic input into how this is accomplished and if your community is impacted, what do you need — not what do you want because you don’t always get what you want,” Reed said. “But as Mick Jagger wisely told us, if you try sometimes, you just might find that you get what you need.”</p><p><em>Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at yrobles@chalkbeat.org.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/7/27/23281606/jeffco-board-school-closure-discussions-community-engagement-feedback/Yesenia Robles2022-07-22T16:36:22+00:002022-07-22T16:36:22+00:00<p><a href="https://chalkbeat.admin.usechorus.com/e/23037652"><em>Leer en español.</em></a></p><p>More than half of Jeffco elementary schools are losing students, a change that’s leading to higher costs to educate those who remain and forcing schools to combine classrooms and make other compromises.</p><p>That’s according to school-level data published by Jeffco Public Schools as board members kick off a conversation about one of the hardest decisions they face: which schools to close or consolidate.</p><p>Jeffco has been dealing with declining enrollment for years, and like many other metro area districts is closing small schools. Citing an emergency caused by critically low enrollment, the district closed two schools in the past two years, giving little notice to parents. Now Jeffco is trying to think further ahead.&nbsp;</p><p>The school board asked administrators to compile statistics about all elementary schools, to look at factors beyond school size. Board members plan to discuss the report Tuesday.</p><p>So far, district leaders <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/6/14/23168309/jeffco-school-district-closure-recommendations-plan-regional-opportunities-thriving">have said they plan to use enrollment and building utilization</a>, or how much of its space is actively used, as the main factors in deciding which schools to close.&nbsp;</p><p>School board members have wondered about considering other factors such as student demographics, whether the school has combined, mixed-grade classrooms, or whether the building is used a lot by the community for other purposes.</p><p>Superintendent Tracy Dorland is expected to present recommendations for school closures to the board at the end of August.</p><p><aside id="O0L5Rd" class="actionbox"><header class="heading"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeWE2m1eJXRoScU5Ls7MJ8jDPXF2JiZaqKpvNrY8P-SKKWf_w/viewform?usp=sf_link">Does your child attend one of Jeffco’s small schools?</a></header><p class="description">Chalkbeat wants to hear from parents, teachers, and students about their experiences at a smaller school.</p><p><a class="label" href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeWE2m1eJXRoScU5Ls7MJ8jDPXF2JiZaqKpvNrY8P-SKKWf_w/viewform?usp=sf_link">Tell us your story.</a></p></aside></p><p>Chalkbeat analyzed <a href="https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiNzE5NDFmNjMtNTAzYS00YWU4LTliMTEtYjBiYzY0YzdiNzE5IiwidCI6ImM1MTNjMmNjLTBjYzUtNDVkMC04ZTY4LWFjNGVhNGJkN2UxOCIsImMiOjF9&amp;pageName=ReportSection">data the district published online</a> last month on each of the 84 district-run elementary schools.</p><p>Here are some key takeaways.</p><h2>1. More than a dozen schools use less than 60% of their building capacity and are also expected to serve fewer than 250 students next year.</h2><p>Of 84 elementary schools, 30 are projected to have fewer than 250 students this fall. Of those, 16 already use less than 60% of their building’s capacity.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The district’s public dashboard includes preschool students in calculating how much of a building is used but doesn’t include preschool students in the enrollment number. The enrollment number is based just on older students. Districts get different funding for elementary and preschool students.</p><p>The 16 low-usage schools are mostly concentrated in the district’s communities that are closer to Denver. Six of the schools are in Arvada, where Jeffco already recently closed two schools. Four more are in Lakewood, and three have a Westminster address.&nbsp;</p><p>District leaders haven’t decided how few students or what utilization level is too low for the district to sustain.&nbsp;</p><p>When looking at how many schools are expected to have fewer than 200 students next school year, there are 11 schools, including eight using less than 60% of their campus: Slater, Campbell, Thomson, Colorow, Glennon Heights, Peck, Molholm, and New Classical at Vivian.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>It’s likely schools with these overlapping factors face a higher risk for closure. But district leaders also have said that to provide support for families transitioning to new buildings, the district will have to limit how many schools it closes in 2023.&nbsp;</p><h2>2. Schools with low enrollment and utilization are also more likely to have a high concentration of students living in poverty. </h2><p>Besides being mostly clustered in three cities bordering Denver, another factor that defines the schools with low enrollment and low utilization is having higher portions of students living in poverty. The 16 low-usage schools have an average of 50% of their students from low-income families, as defined by qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. At schools with higher enrollment and utilization rates, the average student body includes just 23% qualifying as low income.&nbsp;</p><h2>3. More Jeffco elementary schools will lose rather than gain students.  </h2><p>Overall, Jeffco expects elementary school enrollment to remain steady in the fall, with just a one-student increase. But change will vary among schools.</p><p>Projections show enrollment declining at 43 of 84 schools. Of those, more than two-thirds are expected to lose more than 10 students.&nbsp;</p><p>Meanwhile, enrollment is expected to grow at 38 schools, and about two-thirds of them will gain more than 10 students.&nbsp;</p><p>The gain or loss of even a few students can greatly affect budgets of small schools. Losing students can make it harder to hire enough staff, manage classroom size, and offer specialized programming, all factors that affect the quality of education.</p><h2>4. Thirty-seven elementary schools have higher-than-average per-student costs. </h2><p>District spending per elementary student ranges from $13,870 at Kyffin Elementary which had 441 students last school year, to $19,197 at Thompson Elementary which had 194 students.&nbsp;</p><p>The district gives money to schools based on enrollment and a few other factors including how many students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches. Schools with too few students can’t cover their costs and must get additional money from the district.</p><p>Jeffco leaders have said school closures aren’t just about saving money, but also about providing an equitable and robust education at every school.&nbsp;</p><p>Schools that cost more to run and still lack the programs that other schools offer are less sustainable. The district this year has hired a consultant to audit how the district allocates dollars to schools to re-examine student-based budgeting.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><h2>5. Sixteen schools are projected to have more combined classrooms next year.</h2><p>In discussing how they believed education has suffered at schools they closed because of too few students in the past two years, Jeffco leaders pointed to <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/3/18/22985654/jeffco-district-fitzmorris-elementary-closing-vote-small-school-per-pupil-spending">classes combining two grades</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>That burdens the teacher and diminishes student learning, they said, in part because teachers didn’t have grade-level colleagues to plan, train, or discuss with.</p><p>Last school year, the district had 53 classrooms combining multiple grade levels. Next year, the district expects to have 72 combination classes. Just four of the schools using combined classrooms in 2021-22 expect to be able to eliminate them in the fall.</p><p>There are 16 elementary schools that expect to have an increase in the use of these classrooms, including six schools where they haven’t been used in the previous year.</p><p><div id="VAmR3s" class="embed"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 2183px; position: relative;"><iframe src="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeWE2m1eJXRoScU5Ls7MJ8jDPXF2JiZaqKpvNrY8P-SKKWf_w/viewform?usp=send_form&embedded=true&usp=embed_googleplus" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></p><p>If you are having trouble viewing this form, <a href="https://forms.gle/eSXVCvi9iyPqrM3t6">go here</a>.</p><p><em>Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at yrobles@chalkbeat.org.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/7/22/23272681/jeffco-small-schools-elementary-closure-enrollment-data-analysis/Yesenia Robles2022-06-16T18:44:45+00:002022-06-16T18:44:45+00:00<p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/6/14/23168309/jeffco-school-district-closure-recommendations-plan-regional-opportunities-thriving"><em>Read in English.</em></a></p><p>El distrito escolar de Jeffco está preparándose para hacer recomendaciones este otoño de cerrar varias escuelas primarias, empezando así su plan a largo plazo de reducir la cantidad de escuelas.</p><p>Los líderes del distrito de Jeffco dicen que unas 49 escuelas primarias (un 58%) actualmente tienen menos de 250 estudiantes y/o están usando menos de un 60% de la capacidad de su edificio. Otras seis escuelas primarias, en seis áreas diferentes del distrito, tienen menos de 200 estudiantes y también están usando menos de un 60% de la capacidad de su edificio.</p><p>“Aunque tenemos un problema grande en este distrito, hay varias escuelas que están realmente enfrentando situaciones difíciles por tener tan pocos estudiantes para el próximo año escolar, y tenemos que confrontar eso,” dijo Lisa Relou, jefe de estrategia y comunicaciones de Jeffco, y que está a cargo de la creación del plan.</p><p>Jeffco, como muchos distritos del país <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/6/7/23157267/criterios-para-cierre-de-escuelas-pequenas-denver-public-schools">y del área metro</a>, ha visto una <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/3/9/22968414/aurora-cierre-escuelas-paris-sable-blueprint-plan">reducción sostenida en la matrícula por años</a>, la cual fue agravada por la pandemia. En el año 2021-22 el distrito tuvo aproximadamente 78,000 estudiantes, una reducción después de haber tenido un máximo de más de 86,700 en el otoño de 2015. Los distritos dicen que las poblaciones de estudiantes se han reducido debido a bajas en la tasa de nacimientos, y también porque los altos costos de vivir en áreas metropolitanas están causando que las familias se vayan. Las proyecciones de matrícula muestran que la cantidad de estudiantes en los próximos años probablemente continúe reduciéndose.</p><p>Por tener menos estudiantes, el distrito recibirá menos dinero del estado, y a su vez las escuelas recibirán menos dinero del distrito. Aunque los padres a menudo valoran que el tamaño de las clases sea pequeño, los distritos dicen que tener múltiples escuelas pequeñas está haciendo que los recursos no den abasto, y por consecuencia, esas escuelas tienen programas educativos menos adecuados.</p><p>Los líderes de Jeffco cerraron dos escuelas primarias en los últimos dos años, diciendo que eran cierres de emergencia, citando que estaban teniendo problemas para mantener los programas, y dándoles poco aviso a los padres. El <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1gb5IZ6_Rk5KN90tEs0timle4Hu6UzURXg6Iu-ygJNiI/edit#slide=id.g11cb6799f85_0_65">plan nuevo del distrito, llamado <em>Regional Opportunities for Thriving Schools</em></a> (Oportunidades regionales para escuelas prósperas), fue lanzado después del cierre este año de la escuela Fitzmorris como una manera de tratar de prevenir cierres de emergencia en la primavera y para darles más aviso a los padres.</p><p>El distrito no ha dicho cuántas escuelas recomendará cerrar en la primera ronda del plan. Sin embargo, el distrito está preparando un informe que incluirá detalles sobre los factores que la junta escolar quiere considerar al momento de decidir si va a cerrar una escuela.</p><p>Ese informe sobre el estatus de todas las escuelas primarias será completado para el 30 de junio e incluirá las cifras de matrícula y personal, los programas, y la condición del edificio, entre otros detalles.</p><p>Se espera que para el 31 de agosto la superintendente haga sus recomendaciones sobre cuáles escuelas primarias cerrarán al final del año escolar 2022-23. La junta votará por esas recomendaciones antes de que termine noviembre.</p><p>Las recomendaciones de este otoño se basarán mayormente en la matrícula y el porcentaje de uso del edificio, pero otros factores podrían tener un rol mayor en decisiones futuras, como por ejemplo si la escuela es sede de un programa único, o qué opciones de transporte existen si los estudiantes tienen que irse a otra escuela.</p><p>“La estrategia está todavía evolucionando,” dijo Relou. “Todas son cosas que necesitamos evaluar. Todos son componentes importantes, pero creo que algunas cosas sobresaldrán más que otras.”</p><p>Además de las recomendaciones del distrito, los líderes están planeando apoyar a los directores que están elaborando sus propios planes para unir escuelas. Esas uniones voluntarias de escuelas se podrían considerar al mismo tiempo.</p><p>Relou dijo que el distrito quiere limitar cuántas escuelas se cierran en un año para que el personal del distrito pueda brindarles apoyo a las familias y estudiantes desplazados.</p><p>El otro asunto que no se ha decidido es si el distrito en algún momento establecerá una “raya definida” — es decir, un criterio contundente que resulte en cierre seguro. Algunos miembros de la junta escolar dijeron que tener criterios más claros de lo que se considera ‘muy pocos’ estudiantes podría ser útil para los padres.</p><p>No obstante, tener ese tipo de reglas estrictas también podría eliminar la habilidad del distrito para considerar otros factores.</p><p>En Jeffco, por ejemplo, Relou ha dicho que algunos edificios fueron construidos para poblaciones estudiantiles pequeñas, lo cual significa que, aunque tienen pocos estudiantes, es posible que estén cumpliendo o superando el límite de capacidad. De todos modos, los miembros de la junta escolar y líderes de Jeffco quieren enfocarse en si las escuelas pueden ofrecer programas buenos.</p><p>En el caso de los últimos dos cierres de emergencia en Jeffco, los líderes del distrito dijeron que las escuelas tuvieron que combinar grados, lo cual causó que los maestros enfrentaran diferentes estándares, y a veces diferentes currículos, para los estudiantes de la misma clase. Y en esos casos, los maestros no tenían colegas de ese grado con quienes planear y colaborar. Antes de cerrar, los líderes de la escuela Fitzmorris también describieron haber tenido dificultad para ofrecer programas después de la escuela porque hasta los proveedores privados se mostraban renuentes a darles servicios a tan pocos estudiantes.</p><p>Ahora Jeffco está tratando de definir qué se necesita para que el distrito considere que una escuela está “prosperando”.</p><p>Una medida que se está discutiendo es asegurar que una escuela sea lo suficientemente grande como para tener de dos a tres salones de clase por cada grado para que los maestros puedan colaborar entre sí. Los líderes del distrito también han dicho que cada escuela necesita tener maestros a tiempo completo de arte, música y educación física para que los estudiantes puedan tomar esas clases consistentemente, en vez de tomarlas una vez cada varias semanas, como es el caso de algunas escuelas que comparten maestros.</p><p>Los miembros de la junta también le dijeron al personal del distrito que ellos quieren que el distrito lleve cuenta de los estudiantes que han sido desplazados por los cierres con la esperanza de prevenir que los mismos estudiantes se vean afectados más de una vez.</p><p>Después de noviembre, el enfoque del plan se volverá más amplio y contemplará también las escuelas intermedias y secundarias. Esto significa fijarse en cómo las escuelas primarias fluyen a las escuelas secundarias, pero también considerando el cierre de escuelas de grados más altos.</p><p>Los líderes de Jeffco dicen que este es uno de los muchos pasos que se necesitan para eventualmente manejar los problemas de presupuesto del distrito.</p><p>La matrícula se ha reducido más rápidamente que la cantidad de personal, dijo Relou. A medida que el distrito trata de aumentar los salarios del personal, probablemente usando sus reservas de fondos, el distrito va a tener que recortar gastos para poder pagar salarios más altos en los años futuros.</p><p>Mientras el distrito trabaja en el plan de los cierres escolares, Jeffco también ha contratado a un consultor para evaluar cómo usa su dinero. El distrito, como la mayoría de los otros, les asigna fondos a las escuelas según su matrícula usando un proceso conocido como ‘presupuestación en base al estudiantado’ (o <em>student-based budgeting</em>)<em>, </em>el cual comenzó en Jeffco durante el año escolar 2015-16.</p><p>Este método de asignación de fondos les da a los directores flexibilidad para decidir cómo emplear sus presupuestos. Pero como las escuelas han tenido menos matrícula, el distrito ha tenido que intervenir para ayudar a las escuelas a pagar por gastos esenciales. Para ayudar en eso, Jeffco creó un sistema en el que, si una escuela tiene más de cierto nivel de matrícula, tiene que devolver parte de su asignación de fondos por estudiante para ayudar a subsidiar a las escuelas que no tienen suficientes estudiantes. La superintendente Tracy Dorland dijo que el proceso está causando frustración para los directores, ya que tienen que lidiar con complicadas reglas de asignación de fondos.</p><p>El consultor contratado por el distrito analizará los gastos del distrito, ayudará al personal a crear una fórmula nueva para la presupuestación a base del estudiantado, y ayudará a capacitar a los directores a fin de prepararlos mejor para crear los presupuestos de sus escuelas.</p><p>El distrito también contratará a un consultor para dirigir la participación comunitaria antes de la votación en noviembre con respecto a los cierres. Los planes del distrito son formar comités en cada área afectada, pero enfatizó que la participación no se enfocará en evaluar si una escuela debe cerrar o no sino en cómo cambiar los límites geográficos, y cómo apoyar a los estudiantes en transición.</p><p><em>Yesenia Robles es reportera para Chalkbeat Colorado y cubre asuntos relacionados con los distritos escolares K-12 y la educación multilingüe. Para comunicarte con Yesenia, envíale un mensaje a yrobles@chalkbeat.org.</em></p><p><em>&nbsp;</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/6/16/23171433/distrito-escolar-jeffco-plan-cerrar-escuelas-primarias-pocos-estudiantes/Yesenia Robles2022-06-14T23:57:48+00:002022-06-14T23:57:48+00:00<p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/6/16/23171433/distrito-escolar-jeffco-plan-cerrar-escuelas-primarias-pocos-estudiantes"><em>Leer en español.</em></a></p><p>The Jeffco school district is preparing to make recommendations this fall to close multiple elementary schools, kicking off its long-term plan to downsize its number of schools.</p><p>Jeffco district leaders say 49, or 58% of district elementary schools, currently have fewer than 250 students, and/or use less than 60% building capacity. Six elementary schools, in six different areas of the district, have fewer than 200 students, and also utilize less than 60% of their building’s capacity.</p><p>“While we have a large issue in this district, there are a few schools that are really facing dire situations with how small they are going into next school year and we must confront those,” said Lisa Relou, Jeffco’s chief of strategy and communications, who is overseeing the plan’s creation.</p><p>Jeffco, like many districts throughout the country and the metro area, has seen a <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/5/28/22458872/jeffco-parents-worry-small-schools">steady decline in enrollment for years</a>, which was aggravated by the pandemic. The district in 2021-22 served approximately 78,000 students, down from a peak of more than 86,700 in the fall of 2015. Districts say student populations have decreased due to lower birth rates, as well as higher costs of living in metropolitan areas pushing families out. Projections show the number of students in the next few years likely will continue to drop.&nbsp;</p><p>With fewer students, the district gets less money from the state, and then schools get less money from the district. While parents often value small classroom sizes, districts argue having multiple small schools is stretching resources too thin, and making for less adequate educational programming.</p><p>Jeffco leaders closed two elementary schools in the past two years, calling them emergency closures, citing problems maintaining programs, and giving little notice to parents. The district’s <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1gb5IZ6_Rk5KN90tEs0timle4Hu6UzURXg6Iu-ygJNiI/edit#slide=id.g11cb6799f85_0_65">new plan, Regional Opportunities for Thriving Schools</a>, was launched after <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/3/18/22985654/jeffco-district-fitzmorris-elementary-closing-vote-small-school-per-pupil-spending">the closure of Fitzmorris this year</a> as a way to try to prevent emergency closures in the spring and provide parents more notice.&nbsp;</p><p>The district hasn’t said how many schools will be recommended for closure in the first round of the plan. But, the district is drafting a report that will detail factors the school board wants to consider in deciding whether to close a school.&nbsp;</p><p>That report, to be completed by June 30 on the status of all elementary schools, will include the school’s enrollment and staffing numbers, programming, and the building’s condition, among other details.</p><p>By August 31, the superintendent will make recommendations on which elementary school to close at the end of the 2022-23 school year. The board will vote on those recommendations before the end of November.</p><p>This fall’s recommendations will be based largely on enrollment and building utilization, but&nbsp; other factors might play a bigger role in future decisions such as whether the school hosts a unique program or what transportation options exist if students must go elsewhere.</p><p>“The approach is still evolving,” Relou said. “They’re all things we need to look at. They are all important components, but I think some things will stick out more than other things.”</p><p>In addition to district recommendations, district leaders are also planning to support principals who are working on plans of their own to merge schools. Those voluntary school mergers could be considered at the same time.</p><p>Relou said the district wants to limit how many schools are closed in one year so that district staff can support displaced families and students.&nbsp;</p><p>The other issue that hasn’t been decided is whether the district at some point will create a “bright line”&nbsp; – a number that would trigger closure. Some school board members said that having more clear benchmarks for what is considered “too few” students, might help parents.</p><p>But having such strict rules also might remove some of a district’s ability to consider other factors.&nbsp;</p><p>In Jeffco, for instance, Relou has said that some school buildings were made for small student populations, meaning that while they may have few students, they may be at or above building capacity. Regardless, Jeffco school board members and leaders want the focus to be on whether schools can provide good programs.&nbsp;</p><p>In the case of the last two emergency closures in Jeffco, district leaders said that the <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/4/14/22384722/giving-families-little-notice-jeffco-plan-close-small-elementary-school">schools had to combine grade levels causing teachers</a> to deal with different standards, and sometimes different curriculum resources, for students in one class. And in those cases, teachers didn’t have co-workers to plan and collaborate with for their grade levels. Before closing, Fitzmorris school leaders also described having a hard time offering after-school programming because even private providers were reluctant to offer services for so few students.&nbsp;</p><p>Now Jeffco is trying to define what it takes for a school to be what the district calls “thriving.”&nbsp;</p><p>One measure being discussed is ensuring a school is big enough to have two to three classes per grade level, so teachers can collaborate with co-workers. District leaders also have discussed that each school needs to have full-time art, music, and physical education teachers, so that students can have those classes consistently, rather than once every few weeks as is the case in some schools with shared teachers.&nbsp;</p><p>Board members also told district staff they want the district to track students who have been displaced by closures, in hopes of preventing the same students from being impacted more than once.&nbsp;</p><p>After November, the plan’s focus will become more broad, looking at middle and high schools as well. That means looking at how elementary schools feed into secondary schools, but also considering closing schools in higher grade levels.</p><p>Jeffco leaders say that this is one of many steps needed to eventually manage the district’s budget problems.&nbsp;</p><p>Enrollment has decreased faster than staffing levels, Relou said. And, as the district negotiates to increase staff salaries, likely using reserves for now, the district is going to have to cut expenditures to afford higher salaries in coming years.&nbsp;</p><p>As the district is working on the plan for school closures, Jeffco also has hired a consultant to <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1fos87TCw9H5Cax1jxSkRL7tkujVLeUxpb283erevRrg/edit#slide=id.p1">evaluate how it spends its dollars</a>. The district, like most others, allocates dollars to schools based on enrollment, called student-based budgeting, which began in Jeffco in the 2015-16 school year.</p><p>The method of funding gives principals flexibility to decide how to use their budgets. But as schools have had less enrollment, the district has had to step in to help schools pay for essentials. To help do that, Jeffco created a system where, if a school has more than a set level of enrollment, those schools must give back some of their per-student funding, to subsidize schools with too few students. Superintendent Tracy Dorland said the process is causing frustration for principals, as leaders must navigate confusing funding rules.</p><p>The consultant hired by the district will analyze the district’s spending, help district staff create a new formula for student-based budgeting, and help train principals so they are better prepared for creating their school budgets.&nbsp;</p><p>The district also will hire a consultant to run community engagement before the November vote on closures. The district plans to form committees in each affected articulation area, but stressed that the engagement would not be focused on whether a school should or should not close, but rather on how boundaries would shift, and how to support students in a transition.&nbsp;</p><p><em>Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at yrobles@chalkbeat.org.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/6/14/23168309/jeffco-school-district-closure-recommendations-plan-regional-opportunities-thriving/Yesenia Robles2022-05-11T19:47:45+00:002022-05-11T19:47:45+00:00<p><a href="https://chalkbeat.admin.usechorus.com/e/22906201"><em>Leer en español.</em></a></p><p>Kaylee, an eighth-grader in a light blue hoodie, read a list of words, one by one, to teacher Jessica Thurby. She stumbled on a few: Debate came out “deblate,” sacred turned into “secret,” and defend became “define.”&nbsp;</p><p>The pair went over the missed words. As Kaylee took another stab at “sacred,” she said, “It looked like the word “scared.”&nbsp;</p><p>“It did,” Thurby said. “So, our brain automatically guessed. We’re trying to get out of that, remember?”</p><p>For students who reach middle school without strong reading skills, these misread words turn into roadblocks that impede understanding and make it harder to learn. A new program at Alameda International Junior/Senior High School in Lakewood seeks to help.&nbsp;</p><p>Launched last fall, Bright MINDS provides intensive reading help to 14 seventh and eighth graders with dyslexia or other reading challenges. School leaders plan to add a grade every year until Bright MINDS runs through 12th grade — with the ultimate hope that it will serve as a model for other schools in the 78,000-student Jeffco district and across the state.&nbsp;</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/WZF7xJtUp2yNxJ21OFc6IHC1_pM=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/NABQYWL5IJD5HCYQDZNSHDWVQU.jpg" alt="Learning/reading specialist Jessica Thurby works with a Bright MINDS student. The program started with 14 seventh- and eighth-graders, but will add a grade yearly until it reaches the school’s seniors." height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Learning/reading specialist Jessica Thurby works with a Bright MINDS student. The program started with 14 seventh- and eighth-graders, but will add a grade yearly until it reaches the school’s seniors.</figcaption></figure><p>Bright MINDS unfolds at a time when Colorado education leaders are <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/colorado-reading">keenly focused on improving early elementary reading instruction</a>, with efforts including <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/3/9/22969925/colorado-teacher-reading-training-state-board-deadline">new training requirements</a> for kindergarten through third grade teachers, and <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/1/26/22903450/colorado-reading-curriculum-state-enforcement-advances">stricter guardrails on reading curriculum</a>. But aside from a modest literacy grant program, state policymakers have given scant attention to the tens of thousands of secondary students who struggle with reading.&nbsp;</p><p>Students who can’t read proficiently face long-term consequences. They are at greater risk of dropping out, earning less as adults, and becoming involved in the criminal justice system.&nbsp;</p><p>Leaders at the state education department say their role in addressing older students who can’t read well is minimal because there’s no law equivalent to the 2012 READ Act, which mandates help for struggling young readers.&nbsp;</p><p>“Because there isn’t a statute similar to the READ Act, there is not a structure around literacy [in grades] four through 12,” said Floyd Cobb, executive director of teaching and learning at the Colorado Department of Education. “That responsibility is largely that of the districts.”</p><p>Experts say Colorado’s local control landscape means wide variation in the kinds of extra help provided to secondary struggling readers — if there’s any at all.&nbsp;</p><p>“We’re upfront with families about the fact that as kids move further in school, there often are less resources for the kind of intervention that is recommended,” said Laura Santerre-Lemmon, who heads the developmental neuropsychology clinic at the University of Denver, which frequently evaluates children for dyslexia.</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/3ZgYs9duIjCaaS14P96y6uAVACc=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/FFRVYV3H5JCMJGNH55YOPZFTGM.jpg" alt="While Colorado’s education leaders have worked to improve early elementary reading instruction, they’ve paid less attention to secondary students who struggle with reading." height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>While Colorado’s education leaders have worked to improve early elementary reading instruction, they’ve paid less attention to secondary students who struggle with reading.</figcaption></figure><h2>Confidence killer</h2><p>Dyslexia, a learning disability that affects <a href="https://www.cde.state.co.us/communications/dyslexia-factsheet">15% to 20% of the population</a>, can be uniquely soul-crushing for students, making routine school tasks stressful and embarrassing.&nbsp;</p><p>In elementary school, Elise, a 13-year-old Bright MINDS student, stuttered when she read aloud and was called stupid by other kids because she was a slow reader and poor speller.&nbsp;</p><p>The seventh grader, who has trouble hearing the sounds that make up words, remembers finally memorizing the word “people” because her teacher got so frustrated with her.</p><p>“I memorized a lot of words that way because I was scared of her getting mad at me,” she said.</p><p><aside id="LhZJ4y" class="actionbox"><header class="heading"><a href="https://forms.gle/V1C5FAgJX6Y2Ss8s8">Do you know a middle or high school student with reading challenges? We want to hear from you.</a></header><p class="description">Tell Chalkbeat what could help Colorado students be stronger readers.</p><p><a class="label" href="https://forms.gle/V1C5FAgJX6Y2Ss8s8">Take our survey.</a></p></aside></p><p>Even after students are identified with dyslexia, problems can persist when they don’t get the right kind of help. Brody, a Bright MINDS student, was diagnosed with dyslexia and qualified for special education services in fifth grade. But his mother Kristina Trudeau said he still wasn’t making progress at his Adams County school.&nbsp;</p><p>He was reading at a kindergarten level, recognizing only basic words like “cat” and “dog.” At one point, she discovered the reading program Brody’s teachers were using wasn’t recommended for students with dyslexia.&nbsp;</p><p>Trudeau has seen the real-life impact of Brody’s reading difficulties. One night, she found him crying alone in the laundry room. He’d planned to fix himself dinner, but couldn’t read the directions on a package of potstickers.&nbsp;</p><p>“It just broke my heart,” said Trudeau. “He thinks differently. He learns differently. He deserves to have those needs met.”&nbsp;</p><h2>How big is the problem?</h2><p>A dearth of data makes it hard to quantify how many middle and high school students struggle with reading in Colorado.&nbsp;</p><p>More than half of Colorado’s middle school students scored below proficient on state literacy tests in 2019, the most recent year that sixth, seventh, and eighth&nbsp;graders took the test. It’s a blunt measure, however, in part because the state doesn’t separate reading and writing results.&nbsp;</p><p>The scope of reading problems is clearer for younger students because Colorado’s 2012 reading law requires schools to identify students with significant reading deficits in kindergarten through third grade and spell out plans to help them catch up. The state has a pot of money earmarked to help this group.&nbsp;</p><p>There’s no such requirement — nor funding — for students in fourth grade through 12th grade, though some students stay on their so-called READ Plans far beyond third grade. About 48,000 Colorado students in fourth through 12th grade were on the plans in 2021, about 8% of students in those grades.&nbsp;</p><p><figure id="eGKZJ4" class="table"><table><thead><tr><th>Grade</th><th>Do not meet expectations</th><th>Partially meet expectations</th><th>Approaching expectations</th><th>Total not proficient</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>6</td><td>9.8%</td><td>18.3%</td><td>28.3%</td><td>56.4%</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>13.3%</td><td>16.9%</td><td>23.2%</td><td>53.4%</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>15.0%</td><td>16.2%</td><td>21.9%</td><td>53.1%</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption><div class="title">Percentage of students not proficient on CMAS literacy tests</div><div class="caption">Scores reported from 2019 CMAS literacy tests. High school students take either the PSAT or SAT and are not listed.</div></figcaption></figure></p><p><figure id="audBcN" class="table"><table><thead><tr><th>Grade</th><th>Students</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>6</td><td>14.7%</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>11.7%</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>8.4%</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>6.1%</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>4.2%</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>2.6%</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption><div class="title">Percentage of secondary students on READ plans in 2021</div></figcaption></figure></p><p>But many students with reading struggles are never flagged for the reading plans because their problems aren’t severe enough in the early grades or they mask weaknesses with advanced vocabulary, well-developed verbal skills, or other compensation strategies. Such students often manage to muddle through school with passing grades even if they’re missing a lot of what they read.</p><p>That’s what happened to Collin, a lacrosse-loving seventh grader who lives in the Jeffco district and is enrolled in the Bright MINDS program.&nbsp;</p><p>His mother Leslie Dennis said up through second grade Collin could take reading tests using a tool that read text passages to him. Her son always did well on the tests, but in third grade he had to read the passages himself and his scores plummeted. Collin didn’t get a READ Plan though, just pullout sessions to help with fluency — the ability to read with speed, accuracy, and appropriate expression.&nbsp;</p><p>It wasn’t enough. Collin got average grades throughout elementary school, but still stumbled over words, hated reading aloud, and called himself “dumb.”&nbsp;</p><p>Dennis knew there was a bigger problem, but said, “I couldn’t pinpoint what it was.”&nbsp;</p><p>Finally, in fifth grade, on the advice of another mom, she got her son privately tested and found out he had dyslexia.&nbsp;</p><h2>Equity and access</h2><p>Bright MINDs — the second half of which stands for Multisensory Intensive Dyslexia Support — was the brainchild of Jeffco’s former Superintendent Jason Glass, said Todd Ognibene, Alameda’s school psychologist and the Bright MINDS coordinator. Other administrators forged ahead with the plan after Glass left in 2020.&nbsp;</p><p>“I was jumping for joy that this was finally something that the district … recognized the need for,” said Ognibene.</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/-iXxA_tYKmUG3AgNl44aYtk4-e0=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/OU64WEUZNRDDNLQEW7MRHPYWGU.jpg" alt="Alameda’s Assistant Principal Andrea Arguello, left, designed the Bright MINDS program with school psychologist Todd Ognibene, right, and teachers Jessica Thurby and Sarah Richards." height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Alameda’s Assistant Principal Andrea Arguello, left, designed the Bright MINDS program with school psychologist Todd Ognibene, right, and teachers Jessica Thurby and Sarah Richards.</figcaption></figure><p>Alameda, where nearly three-quarters of students qualify for subsidized meals, was chosen to house the program because of its central location. Ognibene and the school’s Assistant Principal Andrea Arguello designed Bright MINDS with Thurby, a special education teacher, and Sarah Richards, an English as a second language teacher whose daughter has dyslexia.&nbsp;</p><p>To ensure accessibility, they don’t require a dyslexia diagnosis, which can cost hundreds of dollars to obtain through private testing. Instead, the team screens applicants from Jeffco and other Denver metro districts for characteristics of dyslexia or related reading problems.&nbsp;</p><p>Finding a structured dyslexia program inside a public school is a welcome surprise for many families. Private schools with similar services are pricey.</p><p>Some parents tell Ognibene, “This was more difficult than finding a needle in a haystack.”&nbsp;</p><p>Students in the program get 80 minutes a day of reading instruction. About half get the most intensive help, using a <a href="https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/advisorylistofinstructionalprogramming2020">state-approved intervention program</a> called Wilson Reading System. The other half, whose reading skills are somewhat stronger, use “Just Words,” another Wilson program.&nbsp;</p><p>Bright MINDS is still in its infancy, but early results are promising. From fall to winter, participating students made 68% more growth in reading than would typically be expected.&nbsp;</p><p>“I’m thankful … It’s exactly what I’ve been fighting for,” said Trudeau, Brody’s mom. “You shouldn’t be going in debt $30,000 a year just so your kid can have an appropriate education.”</p><p>This year, Bright MINDS includes some students on special education plans, some on other kinds of learning plans, and others with no plan at all. A few students speak English as a second language.&nbsp;</p><p>Students in the program also get help with skills like planning and organization — since conditions such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder often co-occur with dyslexia.&nbsp;</p><p>Bright MINDS students don’t miss core classes to attend their daily reading class. Instead, they take one less elective block. In addition, Thurby or Richards joins them in core classes to ensure they’re getting the help they need to absorb the content.&nbsp;</p><p>Arguello, who has dyslexia herself, recalled the impact of being pulled out of general education classes for reading help when she was in school.&nbsp;</p><p>“It took me a long time to get caught back up,” she said.</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/bPyK067ui9fdOdLLKzMD1a-J5ks=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/DYPT6BS4FNAR5K7IS22TWVFKMM.jpg" alt="Reading specialist Sarah Richards, right, times a minute-long wall sit during a Bright MINDS brain break. The program has seen promising results so far, with students making 68% more growth from fall to winter than would normally be expected." height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Reading specialist Sarah Richards, right, times a minute-long wall sit during a Bright MINDS brain break. The program has seen promising results so far, with students making 68% more growth from fall to winter than would normally be expected.</figcaption></figure><h2>Shifting attention</h2><p>There are signs that more help is on the way for struggling readers in higher grades.&nbsp;</p><p>In 2020, the federal government awarded Colorado <a href="https://www.cde.state.co.us/early/comprehensive-state-literacy-development-grant">$16 million </a>for grants to districts for literacy efforts spanning early childhood through high school. Ten districts have received the grants so far, including Aurora, Cherry Creek, St. Vrain Valley, Harrison, Lewis-Palmer and Sheridan.</p><p>In addition, <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2022A/bills/2022a_004_rer.pdf">a bill set to be signed into law</a> this spring will require elementary principals and reading interventionists who work with fourth- through 12-grade students to complete training on reading instruction similar to what is already <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2022/3/9/22969925/colorado-teacher-reading-training-state-board-deadline">required for K-3 teachers</a>.</p><p>Jill Youngren, a consultant helping the St. Vrain Valley and Sheridan districts with their literacy grants, advocates a systemic approach to helping older struggling readers — ensuring educators give the right assessments, identify the root problem, and know how to provide gap-closing instruction.&nbsp;</p><p>“If you catch them early you prevent all that, but we can’t give up on a kid who didn’t have the right kind of instruction and say, too bad, so sad.”&nbsp;</p><p>Bright MINDS students and their parents say the program has helped with more than reading, spelling, and writing this year. It’s made the experience of having dyslexia less isolating.&nbsp;</p><p>“It’s been amazing,” said Elise, “It’s kind of like having a bunch of siblings and like an extra set of parents that are watching over you.”&nbsp;</p><p>A quick survey of career goals among Bright MINDS students runs the gamut: Astronomer, doctor, game warden, engineer, and baseball player. Ognibene said empowering students to reach their goals is a priority.</p><p>“We want them to graduate from Alameda knowing that there’s essentially no postsecondary option that they can’t pursue,” he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p><div id="owTyeO" class="html"><iframe src="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSepi5mer8fjboDJLy-TKxJ8IsnD8ajBm9c3EWEzC2-jGFFIlw/viewform?embedded=true" width="100%" height="2051" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0">Loading…</iframe></div></p><p>Having trouble viewing this survey? <a href="https://forms.gle/qG5jrPyvQr6e3353A">Go here</a>.</p><p><em>Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat, covering early childhood issues and early literacy. Contact Ann at </em><a href="mailto:aschimke@chalkbeat.org"><em>aschimke@chalkbeat.org</em></a><em>.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/5/11/23067136/jeffco-bright-minds-colorado-dyslexia-middle-high-school-students/Ann SchimkeRJ Sangosti / The Denver Post2022-03-18T22:52:08+00:002022-03-18T22:52:08+00:00<p>Jeffco’s school district will close another Arvada elementary school at the end of this school year after learning the school likely would have less than 100 students next fall.&nbsp;</p><p>Fitzmorris Elementary currently has about 114 students. After choice enrollment in the district closed, district leaders estimated the school would have just 88 students next school year.&nbsp;</p><p>The school board voted 4 to 1 Thursday to approve <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/CCJJWV4F3993/$file/PRESENTATION%20Fitzmorris%20ES%20031522.pdf">the superintendent’s recommendation</a> to close the school.</p><p>Jeffco also closed Allendale Elementary last year. That school’s boundaries were adjacent to the Fitzmorris boundary areas. The <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/4/14/22384722/giving-families-little-notice-jeffco-plan-close-small-elementary-school">district was criticized for closing Allendale without</a> first engaging the community or asking the school board to vote on the decision. The district was also criticized for its timeline, which possibly <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/goto?open&amp;id=87CU9B5E50CD">violates district policy</a>, giving parents only months to plan before the closure.</p><p>Tracy Dorland, who started as superintendent shortly after that decision, told the school board Thursday she tried to make this process different, but the short time frame couldn’t be avoided.&nbsp;</p><p>“We are smarter today than we were yesterday and we’re going to be smarter tomorrow than we are today,” Dorland said. “I have done what I can on the timeline that I’ve had to take lessons learned about what didn’t work … and try to make it better and more honorable of the Fitzmorris community.”</p><p>Jeffco, currently the second largest school district in the state, has had declining enrollment for years. Among the causes: An aging population, declining birth rates, and rising housing costs that have driven some families away. But even though school closure discussions have been ongoing, <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/8/4/22609622/jeffco-school-closure-policy-management-consultant-report-shelved">the district has yet to create a comprehensive plan</a> to address how to support or choose closure for the increasing number of small schools.</p><p>District leaders are concerned that the quality of education at small schools has been declining as schools receive less funding for fewer students. At Fitzmorris, it had reached a point, Dorland said, that the opportunities for students were no longer going to be adequate.</p><p>Per pupil expenses at Fitzmorris are nearly 30% higher than at an average Jeffco elementary school, and with the loss of an additional 23% of its enrollment, the district expects the cost would have increased even further.</p><p>However, the money isn’t the real problem, Dorland said, but rather the quality of the education.&nbsp;</p><p>“We want to provide students a high-quality program and for the amount of investment that we’re making, the program is struggling and that’s the bottom line,” Dorland said. “We want to offer students a robust learning experience and we’re really struggling to do that at Fitzmorris.”</p><p>For example, the school cannot afford to have one teacher per grade level, Dorland said. The school has just five second graders this year so teachers work with students who are in multiple grade levels and take on extra roles. The school has tried to find community organizations that could help offer enrichment or afterschool activities the school can’t afford, but attracting an interested partner has been difficult with so few students, she said.</p><p>Fitzmorris families have been speaking to the school board for months seeking help for their school, and asking to be a part of the conversations around its fate. In February, the board held a special study session when Fitzmorris school leaders and parents were invited to present about their challenges, and what they still thought was going well.</p><p>By Thursday, when the board was scheduled to vote on the recommendations, just two parents spoke to the board. Both were resigned to the idea that the school would close, but thanked the district for the communication, and asked for a quick decision and for help keeping together the program for students with autism.&nbsp;</p><p>“We’re just too small anymore to give our kids an enriching environment,” said Michelle Miley, a parent of a third grader in the school’s autism program. “Although I love Fitzmorris and will miss the connections that my son has made…we need a determination as quick as possible to allow us time to adjust and prepare our kids.”</p><p>In her recommendation, Dorland said just 48 of the 224 elementary students who live in the school’s boundary attend Fitzmorris. The school has attracted students from other areas, but still loses more students than it gains.&nbsp;</p><p>Most students next year will go to Lawrence Elementary nearby, while the autism center program will move to Stott Elementary.</p><p>Some board members said hearing from the principals at the schools receiving the Fitzmorris students helped them to accept the recommendation.</p><p>Board members and Dorland also said Thursday that they hope the district will be able to have a finalized plan before another school needs to be closed due to low enrollment. The district has started conversations about a plan it’s calling Regional Opportunities for Thriving Schools, and has begun discussions about how to define “thriving schools.” The plan would consider regional solutions instead of waiting for individual schools to have such low enrollment they must close independent of other factors.</p><p>“The ability for us to collaborate and share resources across these areas — it’s going to be awesome at some point,” said board member Danielle Varda. “I am sorry we haven’t been able to do that with Fitzmorris as part of that broader project.”</p><p><em>Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at </em><a href="mailto:yrobles@chalkbeat.org"><em>yrobles@chalkbeat.org</em></a><em>.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/3/18/22985654/jeffco-district-fitzmorris-elementary-closing-vote-small-school-per-pupil-spending/Yesenia RoblesAP Photo/David Zalubowski2022-03-15T21:45:09+00:002022-03-15T21:45:09+00:00<p>John Gallup, a history teacher at Arvada West High School northwest of Denver, believes students really listen when teachers have first-hand experience with a topic.&nbsp;</p><p>That’s why he jumped at the chance to participate in the <a href="https://www.preserveauschwitz.org/education/">Auschwitz Legacy Fellowship</a>, a new program to educate American high school teachers about one of the Holocaust’s most notorious concentration camps.&nbsp;</p><p>“Within the next 10 or so years, we will have no survivors of this horrific experience to share their stories,” he said. “I want to carry that torch as best as I can.”</p><p>(Even Nazi victims who were young children during the Holocaust are <a href="https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/society/1643195108-israel-home-to-165-800-holocaust-survivors-90-over-age-80">now elderly</a>.)&nbsp;</p><p>Gallup is one of 32 high school teachers from five states selected for the inaugural fellowship class. This summer, he’ll visit Warsaw and Krakow in Poland and tour the Auschwitz Memorial. Some 1.1 million people, including 1 million Jews, were <a href="http://www.auschwitz.org/en/history/auschwitz-and-shoah/the-number-of-victims/">murdered at Auschwitz</a>.</p><p>As he prepares for the solemn trip, Gallup talked to Chalkbeat about his journey from golf professional to classroom educator, why he’s become a more compassionate teacher over the years, and what he’s reading before heading to Poland.</p><p><em>This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.</em></p><h3>Was there a moment when you decided to become a teacher? </h3><p>I was 45, recently married, and in the process of adopting two kids. Plus, as soon as we decided to adopt, my wife got pregnant. I went from being single to married with three children — one 6 and two under 1-year-old — in about eight months. I felt my past career as a golf professional would limit my time with my children and my ability to be the dad I wanted to be.&nbsp;</p><p>I took a paraprofessional position at Jefferson High School and loved being in the classroom. That was my aha moment. I immediately applied to Metro State University because I needed to finish college. I spent the next two years in school and finished summa cum laude.&nbsp;</p><h3>Why did you apply for the Auschwitz Legacy Fellowship, and what do you hope to learn during the program? </h3><p>This was really a no-brainer. What history educator would not want to have this opportunity? I already had a good relationship with the <a href="https://www.thecell.org/">Counterterrorism Education Learning Lab</a>, or CELL, which partners with the <a href="https://mizelmuseum.org/about-us/">Mizel Museum</a> in Denver. They contacted me with this opportunity, and I jumped at the chance to study on-site in Poland.&nbsp;</p><p>There is one way that a history teacher can absolutely grab students’ attention, and that is having “I’ve been there” experiences. Credibility is key. Additionally, this is one area of our history that I find fascinating and important to keep alive.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><h3>How do you currently incorporate study of the Holocaust into your classes? </h3><p>Since I teach American history, my instruction of the Holocaust is limited. I focus on the societal causes and the complicity of normal citizens in the implementation of Hitler’s “Final Solution.” I also focus on politics and rhetoric, and address the questionable actions by the United States and other countries in failing to respond to threats to Europe’s political stability and threats to the Jews in Europe and Russia.</p><h3>Tell us about a favorite lesson to teach.</h3><p>I have a lesson that analyzes a poem written by a local civil rights activist, Corky Gonzalez. It’s called, <a href="https://www.latinamericanstudies.org/latinos/joaquin.htm">“I am Joaquin.’’</a> I created this analysis a few years ago to have students reflect on Chicano rights and the challenges of assimilation, and the losses felt by those for whom assimilation is expected. We then connect this to the movie <a href="https://www.learningforjustice.org/classroom-resources/film-kits/viva-la-causa">“Viva La Causa”</a> and the battle for justice led by César Chávez in the Delano Grape Strike and the subsequent national consumer boycott.</p><h3>Tell us about a memorable time — good or bad — when contact with a student’s family changed your perspective or approach.</h3><p>I am regularly presented with outside-of-school challenges that impact student success in school. My perspective from early in my career, 16 years ago, and today has changed as I have become more cognizant of the many outside factors that impact students’ school lives. I now show much more grace and compassion.&nbsp;</p><h3>What’s something happening in the community that affects what goes on in your classroom?</h3><p>Community is such a broad term, so I will broaden it more: The crisis in Ukraine is having an impact in my classroom. ​​I just finished a unit on the Vietnam War and am still in the latter parts of the Cold War. We have looked at similarities between political decisions and the issue of regime change. We also have done a brief comparison of the events leading the United States to invade Iraq and the similarities or differences with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Challenging students to find connections, similarities, cause, and effect between events of the past and today make them self-aware in today’s society.</p><h3>What was your biggest misconception that you initially brought to teaching?</h3><p>Students are not traditionally aware of the outside world beyond their immediate high school bubble. I thought they would be more aware of events happening in America and the world. I understand that my job is to present history in a way that creates this interest in modern events and link them to historical changes over time.&nbsp;</p><p>My biggest tool is my willingness to talk about hard history or difficult events in my classroom. I don’t fear tough discussions. Being open, honest, and direct with my students shows that I respect them, talk with them as adults, and am willing to engage in strong academic discussions of difficult topics.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><h3>What are you reading for enjoyment?  </h3><p>I enjoy reading books by Erik Larson. He writes nonfiction that reads like fiction, most notably “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Wake-Erik-Larson-audiobook/dp/B00R8JY0FC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3RPNTCYLN7981&amp;keywords=dead+wake&amp;qid=1647195672&amp;sprefix=dead+wake%2Caps%2C133&amp;sr=8-1">Dead Wake</a>,” “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Isaacs-Storm-Deadliest-Hurricane-History/dp/0375708278/ref=sr_1_7?crid=LP2R3WDCZKEO&amp;keywords=erik+larson+books&amp;qid=1647195616&amp;sprefix=erick+larson%2Caps%2C823&amp;sr=8-7">Isaac’s Storm</a>,” and “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Thunderstruck-Times-bestselling-author-Larson-ebook/dp/B000JMKR4S/ref=sr_1_4?crid=LP2R3WDCZKEO&amp;keywords=erik+larson+books&amp;qid=1647195573&amp;sprefix=erick+larson%2Caps%2C823&amp;sr=8-4">Thunderstruck</a>.” Currently, in preparation for the trip to Auschwitz and Poland, I am reading “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ordinary-Men-Reserve-Battalion-Solution/dp/0062303023/ref=sr_1_1?gclid=Cj0KCQiAybaRBhDtARIsAIEG3knwVm3nmK0JwkNOod3sz9IEpfaaLKDB7VxwXf2SZu1Dk8SHfrudUkkaAmMqEALw_wcB&amp;hvadid=255870655100&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvlocphy=9028904&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvqmt=e&amp;hvrand=17045654748048327588&amp;hvtargid=kwd-317329624267&amp;hydadcr=15276_10334836&amp;keywords=book+ordinary+men&amp;qid=1647194112&amp;sr=8-1">Ordinary Men</a>” by Christopher Browning, which is about the Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the atrocities they perpetrated as part of Hitler’s “Final Solution.”&nbsp;</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/3/15/22979651/colorado-john-gallup-teacher-auschwitz-holocaust-history/Ann Schimke2021-12-22T19:42:29+00:002021-12-22T18:34:14+00:00<p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/12/9/22827093/jeffco-bridgeton-school-lunch-food-supply-chain-problems-federal-waivers"><em>Read in English.</em></a></p><p>Cuando el distrito escolar de Jeffco espera un envío de alimentos, usualmente falta por lo menos un artículo.</p><p>Beth Wallace, directora de Servicio de Comida, dijo que su equipo típicamente recibe aviso sobre los productos que faltan el día antes de que el camión llegue al almacén.</p><p>“Preguntamos qué tienen disponible, y usualmente lo aceptamos; de lo contrario, no tendremos comida”, dijo Wallace.</p><p>La alternativa podría costar $4 más por caja, pero Wallace lo aceptará. Cuando no hay nada disponible, o la alternativa no llega a tiempo, los trabajadores del servicio de comida rebuscan en el almacén del distrito para encontrar algo que puedan servir.</p><p>Ha sido un año difícil en general, dijeron los directores de servicio de comida en un panel llevado a cabo el jueves 9 de diciembre por <em>No Kid Hungry</em> y la Asociación de Nutrición Escolar, pero la planificación para el próximo año escolar también está resultando estresante.</p><p>Mientras planifican el próximo año, en el que se&nbsp;<a href="https://detroit.chalkbeat.org/2021/12/8/22824119/school-food-shortage-supply-chain-warren-michigan-school-cafeterias">anticipa que continúen los problemas de la cadena de suministro</a>, quieren que el gobierno federal continúe las exenciones por la pandemia que han permitido una mayor flexibilidad y un aumento de los fondos para sus programas de comida escolar, dijeron Wallace y otros directores de servicios de comida.</p><p>Los fondos adicionales han sido en un aumento en los reembolsos por comidas. Los directores de servicio de comida dijeron que el aumento ha ayudado a pagar el costo más alto de los alimentos y para aumentar el sueldo del personal.</p><p>Warren DeShields, director del servicio de comida en las escuelas públicas de Bridgeton (un distrito mayormente latino en Nueva Jersey) dijo que si las exenciones desaparecen, “no sé cómo vamos a mantenernos a flote”</p><p>“Nuestros estudiantes realmente necesitan la comida que les proporcionamos”, añadió.</p><p>DeShields y otros directores de servicio de comida dicen que aunque les cuesta más trabajo, y a menudo incluye alimentos que no son su primera opción, han podido alimentar a los estudiantes.</p><p>Los distritos escolares están viendo un mayor porcentaje de participación, lo que significa que más estudiantes están optando por un almuerzo escolar que en años anteriores. En Jeffco, el número de comidas servidas aumentó de 30,000 a 45,000 diarias.</p><p>Los directores dijeron que es importante asegurar que más estudiantes estén preparados para aprender porque han comido bien.</p><p>A veces, conseguir las comidas significa recibir alimentos de diferentes proveedores, incluso de aquellos que no tienen contratos vigentes. Eso puede significar que viene de más lejos y a precios más altos.</p><p>DeShields dijo que su planificación también ha requerido rotar los alimentos disponibles con mayor frecuencia. Por ejemplo, cuando consigue hamburguesas de pollo, quizás las prepare de forma diferente para que los estudiantes no sientan que están comiendo lo mismo semana tras semana.</p><p>Los directores de servicio de comida dijeron que han visto cómo las familias han tenido dificultades durante la pandemia para alimentar a sus hijos.</p><p>La flexibilidad que han tenido para servir comidas fuera de un comedor tradicional permitió que los padres estuvieran más enterados de lo que sus hijos estaban comiendo. Los distritos de todo el país utilizaron autobuses para llevar comidas a las casas de las familias durante el aprendizaje a distancia.</p><p>“Les sorprendió la calidad de la comida, su frescura y su variedad”, dijo DeShields.</p><p>También se han servido comidas en los salones de clase, lo que permite mantener distancia social y también ayuda a asegurar que todos los estudiantes tengan acceso a las comidas.</p><p>El reembolso más alto que los directores del panel le pidieron al gobierno ha hecho que los distritos puedan pagarles más a los empleados para atraer a más de ellos durante la escasez de personal.</p><p>Las escuelas de Jeffco normalmente funcionan con unos 400 a 450 empleados de servicio de comida, pero este año tienen por lo menos 100 menos, dijo Wallace. Eso significa que hay menos líneas abiertas y menos opciones de comida para los estudiantes. El distrito también ha&nbsp;<a href="https://mailchi.mp/jeffco/update-for-our-community-aug-3-5079129?e=29e9912d09">comunicado que tiene planificado servir</a>&nbsp;kits de almuerzo ya preparado cuando no haya empleados disponibles.</p><p>Wallace dijo que Jeffco ha aumentado el salario mínimo para los trabajadores de servicio de comida de $13.25 a $15 por hora. También dijo que espera poder ofrecer un bono de contratación a partir de la próxima semana.</p><p>Otra flexibilidad del gobierno ha permitido que los distritos ofrezcan comidas gratuitas para todos los estudiantes, dijeron los directores. En Jeffco, donde alrededor del 28% de los 70,000 estudiantes tienen derecho a comidas con subsidio, Wallace dijo que este año nadie ha sentido “vergüenza por recibir alimentos”, ya que nadie sabe qué estudiantes tienen derecho a almuerzos gratuitos.</p><p>“Ha sido un beneficio maravilloso de este programa”, dijo Wallace. “Aquí la igualdad ha sido excelente.”</p><p>Wallace dijo que en Jeffco ha escuchado que los estudiantes están agradecidos por poder comer almuerzo todos los días.</p><p>Ella cuenta que un estudiante le dijo “Gracias, Ms. Wallace. Antes solamente podía almorzar dos veces a la semana; ahora puedo almorzar todos los días”. “Me encanta cuando ellos me hablan”.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2021/12/22/22848512/directores-del-servicio-de-comida-esperan-que-el-gobierno-federal-mantenga-los-programas-de-almuerzo/Yesenia Robles2021-12-10T01:00:32+00:002021-12-10T01:00:32+00:00<p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/12/22/22848512/directores-del-servicio-de-comida-esperan-que-el-gobierno-federal-mantenga-los-programas-de-almuerzo"><em>Leer en español.</em></a></p><p>When the Jeffco school district expects a food shipment, usually at least one item is missing.</p><p>Food services director Beth Wallace said her team typically gets a heads up about the missing products the day before the truckload arrives at the warehouse.&nbsp;</p><p>“We ask what they have available, and we usually accept it; otherwise, we will not have food,” Wallace said.&nbsp;</p><p>The alternative might cost $4 more per case, but Wallace will take it. When nothing is available, or the alternative doesn’t arrive in time, food service workers dig through the district’s warehouse to find something they can serve.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>It’s been a difficult year overall, food service directors told a panel hosted by No Kid Hungry and the School Nutrition Association Thursday morning, but planning for the next school year is also proving stressful.</p><p>As they plan for next year, with <a href="https://detroit.chalkbeat.org/2021/12/8/22824119/school-food-shortage-supply-chain-warren-michigan-school-cafeterias">expected continuing supply chain problems</a>, they want the federal government to continue pandemic-era waivers that have allowed extra flexibility and increased funding for their school meal programs, Wallace and other food service directors said.</p><p>The extra funding has been in the form of increased meal reimbursements. Food service directors said the increase has helped pay for the higher cost of food and to increase staff pay.</p><p>Warren DeShields, director of food service at Bridgeton Public Schools, a largely Latino district in New Jersey, said if the waivers go away, “then I don’t know how we’re going to stay afloat.”</p><p>“Our students really need the food we provide,” he added.&nbsp;</p><p>DeShields and other food service directors say that although it takes more work, and often involves food that is not their first choice, they have been able to get food to students.&nbsp;</p><p>School districts are seeing higher participation rates, meaning more students are opting for a school lunch than in previous years. In Jeffco, the number of meals served increased to about 45,000 per day, from about 30,000.&nbsp;</p><p>Ensuring more students are prepared to learn because they have had a good meal is important, food directors said.&nbsp;</p><p>Sometimes securing meals means getting food from different vendors including those without existing contracts. That can mean it comes from farther away and at higher prices.&nbsp;</p><p>DeShields said his planning has also meant rotating available food more often. For example, when he gets chicken patties, he might dress them up differently so students don’t feel like they’re eating the same meal week after week.&nbsp;</p><p>Food service directors said they’ve seen how families have struggled feeding children during the pandemic.&nbsp;</p><p>The flexibility they’ve had to serve meals outside of a traditional lunchroom meant parents had more insight into what their kids were getting to eat. Districts across the country used buses to deliver meals to family homes during remote learning.&nbsp;</p><p>“They were surprised at the quality of food and freshness and the variety,” DeShields said.</p><p>Students have also been served meals in classrooms, which allows for social distancing and also helps ensure all students have access to the meals.&nbsp;</p><p>The higher reimbursement that directors on the panel asked the government to extend has meant districts could pay employees more to attract more applicants during the staff shortage.</p><p>Jeffco schools normally operate with about 400 to 450 food service employees, but this year, there are at least 100 fewer, Wallace said. It means there are fewer lines open and less food options for students. The district has also <a href="https://mailchi.mp/jeffco/update-for-our-community-aug-3-5079129?e=29e9912d09">communicated plans to have school staff serve</a> premade meal kits for lunch when no food service employees are available.</p><p>Wallace said Jeffco has raised its minimum wage for food service workers to $15 per hour from $13.25. She also said she expects to be able to offer a hiring bonus as early as next week.&nbsp;</p><p>Another government flexibility has enabled districts to give free meals to all students, directors said. In Jeffco, where about 28% of the 70,000 students qualify for subsidized meals, Wallace said this year there has been no “food shaming” because no one knows which students qualify&nbsp; for free lunches.</p><p>It “has been a wonderful benefit of this program,” Wallace said. “The equity there has just been outstanding.”</p><p>Wallace said in Jeffco she’s heard students are grateful for being able to eat lunch every day.&nbsp;</p><p>“‘Thank you, miss. I used to be able to have lunch only twice a week; now I can have lunch every day,’” Wallace said a student told her. “I really like when I hear from kids.”</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2021/12/9/22827093/jeffco-bridgeton-school-lunch-food-supply-chain-problems-federal-waivers/Yesenia Robles2021-11-03T20:40:24+00:002021-11-02T23:38:32+00:00<p>A three-candidate slate backed by the Jeffco teachers union coasted to victory Tuesday, easily beating a slate of conservative candidates opposed to the current school board majority.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The winning slate includes Danielle Varda, Paula Reed, and Mary Parker. Varda won 58% of the vote in the District 1 race, beating out opponent Jeffrey Wilhite, who got 42% of the vote. Parker won the District 5 seat with 55% of the vote, prevailing over Kathy Miks, who got 45% of the vote. In the District 2 race, Reed won just over 50% of the vote, defeating Theresa Shelton, who earned 38%, and David Johnson, a candidate not affiliated with a slate, who got less than 12%.</p><p>Three of five seats on the Jeffco school board were up for grabs in Tuesday’s election.&nbsp;</p><p>The three winning candidates celebrated at a watch party at Cannonball Creek Brewing Company in Golden on Tuesday evening.&nbsp;</p><p>Varda, the founder of a health technology startup and parent of three children who attend district schools, said the win felt very emotional.&nbsp;</p><p>“I cried for a while,” she said. “To know that many people put their faith in you … It’s just overwhelming.”</p><p>Reed, a former high school teacher in the district, said, “We’re an incredibly strong slate. You’re getting an educator ... You’re getting a data scientist … and you’re getting a phenomenal human resources expert.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Parker owns a human resources consulting business with her husband.</p><p>All three candidates said the the first thing the board needs to do is ensure adequate staffing in the state’s second largest district.&nbsp;</p><p>“We cannot be cancelling bus routes because we don’t have enough bus drivers,” Reed said. “We cannot be heading into peak COVID season without substitutes.”</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/iADIhei18Z8GkkYRYLeZY8RcXkw=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/N2FCSYU5CVHWNHX4CRGEBIEVLU.jpg" alt="Colorado voters weighed in on school board races around the state. " height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Colorado voters weighed in on school board races around the state. </figcaption></figure><p>Like districts across the state and nation, Jeffco has struggled this fall to find enough employees to run bus routes, staff cafeterias, and fill other vacancies.&nbsp;</p><p>Parker said she hopes to bring her human resources skills to bear in addressing staff shortages in the district.&nbsp;</p><p>“I want to be creative,” she said. “I want to figure out ways we can be a step ahead, be proactive to fill the slots that we’re missing.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>A union-supported board majority has governed the 80,000-student district since a recall election in 2015. The union-supported candidates have had large sums of money behind their campaigns — much more than their opponents.&nbsp;</p><p>In 2019, one board member not supported by the union, Susan Miller, was elected. In addition to Miller, board member Stephanie Schooley, who was backed by the union, will remain on the board for two more years. Departing members include Board President Susan Harmon and Brad Rupert, both union-supported, and Rick Rush, who was appointed to fill a vacant seat just under a year ago.</p><p>Members of the conservative slate said on the campaign trail they wanted better financial management and more emphasis on improving test scores. Some of the conservative candidates also criticized the district’s COVID mitigation measures and questioned the benefit of requiring children to wear masks.&nbsp;</p><p>The new board will be responsible for overseeing a new superintendent, a pandemic recovery plan, and the rollout of a new elementary literacy curriculum. It will also have to address declining enrollment at some district schools and decide whether to close any schools.&nbsp;</p><p>Parker said she sees an opportunity to offer child care for infants and toddlers at schools with extra space. She suggested additional career and technical education programs could go in low-enrollment schools, especially those that are far away from the district’s existing career and technical education campuses.&nbsp;</p><p>Varda said she also wants to focus on the youth mental health crisis coming out of the pandemic.</p><p>“I think this right now is something we haven’t seen in the schools before at this level,” she said.&nbsp;</p><p>“We can’t ignore it and we can’t act like the schools don’t have a role in the mental health and wellness of our kids.”</p><p><figure id="nfOaVI" class="table"><table><thead><tr><th>Winner</th><th>Candidate</th><th>Votes </th><th>Percentage</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Jeffrey Wilhite</td><td>65,483</td><td>41.5%</td></tr><tr><td><b>X</b></td><td><b>Danielle Varda</b></td><td><b>92,173</b></td><td><b>58.5%</b></td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption><div class="title">Jeffco Public Schools District 1 Results</div></figcaption></figure></p><p><figure id="e5wRed" class="table"><table><thead><tr><th>Winner</th><th>Candidate</th><th>Votes </th><th>Percentage</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td>David C. Johnson</td><td>18,306</td><td>11.7%</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Theresa Shelton</td><td>59,840</td><td>38.2%</td></tr><tr><td><b>X</b></td><td><b>Paula Reed</b></td><td><b>78,638</b></td><td><b>50.2%</b></td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption><div class="title">Jeffco Public Schools District 2 Results</div></figcaption></figure></p><p><figure id="4EaUCq" class="table"><table><thead><tr><th>Winner</th><th>Candidate</th><th>Votes </th><th>Percentage</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Kathy Miks</td><td>69,764</td><td>44.6%</td></tr><tr><td><b>X</b></td><td><b>Mary Parker</b></td><td><b>86,664</b></td><td><b>55.4%</b></td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption><div class="title">Jeffco Public Schools District 5 Results</div></figcaption></figure></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2021/11/2/22760397/jeffco-school-board-election-2021-results/Ann Schimke2021-10-26T00:50:35+00:002021-10-26T00:50:35+00:00<p>As has been typical in recent school board elections in Jeffco, union-backed candidates are outspending opposing conservative candidates.&nbsp;</p><p>To date, the seven candidates have reported a collective total of about $255,000 in contributions, but only about $30,000 of that is for the conservative slate of Theresa Shelton, Kathy Miks, and Jeffrey Wilhite, which is against many union issues. The union slate of Paula Reed, Danielle Varda, and Mary Parker has received $224,796 collectively.&nbsp;David Johnson has only raised $200.</p><p>In addition, the union slate is benefiting from at least $36,708.72 spent by Students Deserve Better, which has raised $384,000 from teachers union groups to support races across the state.&nbsp;</p><p><aside id="XTwvaH" class="sidebar float-right"><h2 id="KbRbOn">Colorado Votes 2021</h2><p id="qJzRTS">To read the candidates’ answers to questions about their priorities in their own words, check out Chalkbeat’s <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/10/12/22723157/jeffco-public-schools-board-of-education-candidates-2021-election-voter-guide">candidate questionnaires</a>, and <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/colorado-votes-2021">this page for more election coverage</a>.</p></aside></p><p>Students Deserve Better, which is funded by Colorado teachers unions, is the only committee that has reported outside spending on the Jeffco race. Outside spending is when independent committees can spend as much as they want but can’t coordinate with candidates</p><p>Some teacher union dollars have also gone directly to the individual candidate’s campaigns. The campaign money that has been spent to date in Jeffco has largely gone to mailers, text messages, and online advertising.</p><p>Jeffco Public Schools is the second largest school district in Colorado, serving about 80,000 students. Three of its five school board seats are up for grabs in the Nov. 2 election, meaning the majority of the board could shift.&nbsp;</p><p>The district has a new superintendent and has been the center of some controversy over pandemic-related measures, including after the public health department announced, the day before school started, that masks would be required. The district is also seeing staff shortages that have led to cuts in bus and lunch services.&nbsp;</p><p>In the past, Jeffco’s 2015 school board election, which included a recall, was the most expensive in the state. At the time, conservative members held the majority on the school board. Its efforts to create a performance-based pay system for teachers and to review history curriculum to ensure it was patriotic enough, among other things, caused enough backlash that the three conservative board members were recalled.</p><p>About two weeks before that recall election, the <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2015/10/21/21092932/candidates-in-jeffco-school-board-recall-with-help-from-teachers-union-outpace-targeted-incumbents">group that was organizing the recall had raised</a> about $252,000 and spent about $76,000. Another group supporting the recall had raised about $32,000. Groups opposed to the recall had contributed much smaller amounts, although one nonprofit group, Americans for Prosperity, that was not allowed to use money to campaign, but only to “educate voters,” announced it would spend six figures on television commercials.&nbsp;</p><p>Since then, the union-backed board has increased teacher pay, closed schools, pushed back against new charter schools, and helped the district pass a local tax increase to hire more mental health professionals in schools and to make improvements to old school buildings.</p><p>Critics of the board say those projects have gone above budget with little oversight. The conservative slate running this year has fiscal stewardship as one of its priorities.&nbsp;</p><p>Statewide, school board candidates have raised more in the Douglas County school board race, <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/10/25/22745718/denver-school-board-election-2021-campaign-spending-1-million-outside-groups">and in Denver</a>. Another report on spending is due Nov. 1.&nbsp;</p><p>Jeffco candidates have raised and spent:</p><h2>Danielle Varda, District 1</h2><p><strong>Total raised:</strong> $71,320.82</p><p><strong>Total spent:</strong> $41,087.02</p><p><strong>Big donors:</strong> Public Education Committee, associated with Colorado Education Association ($18,166.67); Stephen Keen, attorney ($10,000); The JCEA Small Donor Committee, associated with the Jefferson County Education Association ($24,000)</p><h2>Jeffrey Wilhite, District 1</h2><p><strong>Total raised:</strong> $9,046.73</p><p><strong>Total spent: </strong>$4,491.39</p><p><strong>Big donors:</strong> Raymond German III, ($800); Mark Adcock, architect ($500)</p><h2>Paula Reed, District 2</h2><p><strong>Total raised:</strong> $73,408.62</p><p><strong>Total spent: </strong>$61,897</p><p><strong>Big donors: </strong>Stephen Keen, attorney ($40,000); Public Education Committee, associated with Colorado Education Association ($3,166.67)</p><h2>Theresa Shelton, District 2</h2><p><strong>Total raised:</strong> $10,913.74</p><p><strong>Total spent:</strong> $3,553.17</p><p><strong>Big donors: </strong>Sarah Bock, owner of Glacier Homemade Ice Cream &amp; Gelato ($1,000)&nbsp;</p><h2>David Johnson, District 2</h2><p><strong>Total raised: </strong>$200</p><p><strong>Total spent:</strong> $0</p><h2>Mary Parker, District 5</h2><p><strong>Total raised:</strong> $80,068</p><p><strong>Total spent:</strong> $55,053.79</p><p><strong>Big donors:</strong> Stephen Keen, attorney ($10,000); Public Education Committee, associated with Colorado Education Association ($18,166.67); The JCEA Small Donor Committee, associated with the Jefferson County Education Association ($24,000)</p><h2>Kathy Miks, District 5</h2><p><strong>Total raised:</strong> $10,096.20</p><p><strong>Total spent:</strong> $3,550.82</p><p><strong>Big donors:</strong> Raymond German III, ($800)</p><h2>Committee: Students Deserve Better</h2><p><strong>Total spent in Jeffco:</strong> $36,708.72</p><p><strong>Funded by:</strong> Colorado Fund for Children and Public Education, affiliated with the Colorado Education Association ($257,000) and other teacher association groups.</p><p><strong>Expenditures:</strong> $36,708.72 on mailers supporting Paula Reed, Danielle Varda, and Mary Parker.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2021/10/25/22745864/jeffco-school-board-elections-campaign-fund-money-spent-raised-candidates-groups-union-conservative/Yesenia Robles2021-10-16T00:15:12+00:002021-10-16T00:15:12+00:00<p>Thousands of Jeffco students participating in expanded summer programs this year made significant academic improvements, according to a new district analysis.&nbsp;</p><p>Pouring resources into recovering from a year of pandemic-disrupted learning was <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/C2XU3L0FB130/$file/PRESENTATION%20Jeffco%20Summer%20Opportunities.pdf">one of the first projects</a> Superintendent Tracy Dorland worked on after she took the helm of the 80,000-student district in April.&nbsp;</p><p>The district asked every middle and high school to pick from a handful of programs to offer, including some focused on credit recovery and another aimed at <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/8/10/22618664/colorado-kindergarten-back-to-school-enrollment-rebound">helping students transitioning grade levels</a>. A few schools had problems getting enough students to enroll, but data reported Thursday showed the district recorded 8,539 enrollments. A few students enrolled in multiple programs.</p><p>Dan Cohen, chief of schools for secondary, said that about 16% of all middle and high school students enrolled, up from about 2% or 3% that would enroll in a typical year.</p><p>“That’s significant,” Cohen said. “I think it’s sometimes easy for us to forget participation is a measure in and of itself.”</p><p><a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/C7SS2E6CE31B/$file/PRESENTATION%20Jeffco%20Summer%20Program%20Summary%202021rev.pdf">The district also reported</a> that in surveys, students were more likely to report that they were ready to start school in the fall, and that they had an adult they trusted to go to with problems after completing the programs. Family surveys were overwhelmingly positive — 97% of families that responded wanted to see their child’s summer program offered again.</p><p>An analysis done in part by a consultant showed that many students made academic gains.</p><p>In one program called Jeffco Summer of Early Learning, or JSEL, participating kindergarten through third-grade students showed marked improvement: The number of students who scored at or above benchmarks on district tests jumped 6 percentage points from spring to fall.&nbsp;</p><p>The six-week program, which focuses on literacy skills, has been around for years. It’s usually paid for by state dollars allocated to reading improvements, as well as donations from the Jeffco Schools Foundation. This summer, the district tapped federal COVID relief dollars to create space for double the number of students in those programs.</p><p>Across all programs, the data showed increases of students scoring at or above benchmark, as well as decreases in the below benchmark level.</p><p>“It may not look like a big change, but we’re talking about a performance level so that is a fairly substantial change,” said Carol Eaton, Jeffco’s executive director of instructional data services.</p><p>One concerning outcome: Among these young students, the same tests showed there were more in the fall who ended up in the lowest “well below” performance level than in the spring.&nbsp;</p><p>“We need to dig into those results a little bit more to understand why a student would go into well below after a summer school program,” Eaton said. “Some of that may be attendance. That’s one of our questions: Were those students attending the summer school program consistently?”</p><p>Older students showed significant improvement in math. Among the students who participated in the district’s summer programs, the percentage who were above average in math increased by 3 percentage points in the fall, and the number below average decreased by the same margin.</p><p>Eaton also pointed out that students typically lose some learning during the summer, so data showing performance stayed the same is also a win.</p><p>School board members called the expansion a success, especially given their concerns going in that teachers, students, and families might be burned out and not interested in summer programming. They had asked everyone in the district to help promote the offerings, and Board President Susan Harmon described the report Thursday as proof that it worked.</p><p>The district is considering using relief dollars again for expanded programs next summer.</p><p>School board member Stephanie Schooley warned that while relief dollars are great, it eventually will be up to the district to find a way to fund what works.</p><p>“These are things we will need to create sustainability for in the budget if we think that they work,” Schooley said.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2021/10/15/22729186/jeffco-more-students-academic-gains-expanded-summer-school/Yesenia Robles2021-10-12T20:39:33+00:002021-10-12T20:39:33+00:00<p>Jeffco voters will decide whether to change the direction of the district’s school board this year.</p><p>The Jeffco district, the second-largest in Colorado, has a five-member school board.&nbsp;</p><p>The three open seats are divided by district, meaning each candidate must live in that part of Jefferson County, but voters in the entire school district can vote in all three races.&nbsp;</p><p>Seven candidates are running for the three seats, and none of them are incumbents.&nbsp;</p><p>The&nbsp; school board will work with the district’s new superintendent to oversee a pandemic recovery, which includes improving academic performance. The district is also dealing with a declining student population, which has already resulted in school closures and will likely require planning how to deal with facilities in the long term.</p><p>Many parents and community members have also been calling for the district to improve its mental health support for students.</p><p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/9/22/22680290/jeffco-school-board-candidates-top-issues">One slate of candidates includes</a> Mary Parker, Danielle Varda, and Paula Reed, supported by the district’s teachers union, and is focused on improving neighborhood schools and improving recruitment and retention of staff.&nbsp;</p><p>Three other candidates, Jeff Wilhite, Theresa Shelton, and Kathy Miks, are running as an informal slate, hosting some events together and earning the <a href="https://jeffcokidsfirst.com/">support of the group Jeffco Kids First</a>, a group that organized protests against masking requirements. They are more conservative candidates who say they want to prioritize better use of existing funds, and improve academic achievement on state tests.&nbsp;</p><p>For more information about this year’s school board elections, <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/colorado-votes-2021">click here for our previous coverage</a>.</p><p>To help voters weigh the candidates, Chalkbeat sent the same set of questions to each one. Below are their answers. We’ve edited them lightly for clarity.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2021/10/12/22723157/jeffco-public-schools-board-of-education-candidates-2021-election-voter-guide/Yesenia Robles2021-09-22T23:53:15+00:002021-09-22T23:53:15+00:00<p>Despite protests and vocal backlash at school board meetings, Jeffco board candidates say they are focused on what comes after the COVID pandemic rather than current COVID-related issues.&nbsp;</p><p>Instead, the candidates are focused on improving academic performance, increasing mental health support, and hiring and retaining quality teachers. Some candidates, however, believe removing mask mandates is part of improving mental health for students.</p><p>Seven candidates are running for three open positions on the five-seat Jeffco school board. The district is the second largest in Colorado with about 80,000 students.&nbsp;</p><p>The election has the potential to change the direction of the district. The majority of the current board includes members supportive of and endorsed by the teachers union. If critics of the district and the union win two of the three open seats, they would have the majority.</p><p>Candidates Mary Parker, Paula Reed, and Danielle Varda have formed a slate, now endorsed by the teachers union, and are prioritizing staff hiring and retention, and improving what they refer to as “neighborhood schools.”</p><p>“We want candidates that trust the professionals and the experiences of teachers and support staff,” said Brooke Williams, president of the Jeffco teachers union. “Our committee was really impressed with their commitment to students. Also, I think it’s really important that they have deep roots in the community.”</p><p>Opponents Theresa Shelton, Kathy Miks, and Jeff Wilhite seek improved fiscal management of the district’s budget, as well as protection of school choice. Another candidate, David Johnson, also is interested in district finances but wants to ensure that all aspects get covered including facilities, as well as better focusing money on mental health staff in schools.</p><p>School board elections are nonpartisan but politics have never been too far away. In 2015, three conservative school board members were successfully recalled after attempting to create a system of performance pay, and calling for a revision of U.S. history curriculum to ensure it was patriotic.&nbsp;</p><p>“We’ve seen what happens to our district when it becomes ground zero for political issues,” Williams said. “We just really want our focus to be on our students.”</p><p>Maria Martinez believes as a parent of three Jeffco students that the school district and the board should be creating more opportunities for students to be physically active as a way to support mental and emotional health. She believes lunch times are too short and wants to make sure the district leadership works on ways to make the district’s activities more inclusive of students of all socioeconomic backgrounds.</p><p>But Martinez, who used to work as a paraprofessional in the district, also sees another priority: paying staff more.&nbsp;</p><p>She said that she’s seen staff stress affecting students and believes the low pay also contributes to staffing shortages that caused cuts to bus service in recent weeks.&nbsp;</p><p>“Everything gets absorbed by students,” Martinez said. “The stress of a person or teacher can be transferred to students if they come to class and are worried about whether or not they will be able to pay their electric bill or rent. On the other hand, a better paid person with less stress can come to school happy and can have better ideas.”</p><p>Bus issues are also a high priority for Rachel Crass, a mother of three. Her two elementary-age children are being home-schooled this year — temporarily, Crass said she hopes — and her 15-year-old son opted into a program at Wheat Ridge High School.</p><p>Crass said she’s glad Jeffco parents can choose the school that’s right for their kids, but she feels the district isn’t making choices easy for parents by not providing transportation or better start and end times.</p><p>Before her children were home-schooled, she was shuttling them to and from school an hour and a half daily and Crass didn’t like her kids being in the car for that long. Despite her high schooler being dismissed 10 minutes earlier than his siblings, he had to wait while his mother picked up the other kids first.</p><p>“Parents, especially moms, we’re in this really crappy situation,” Crass said. Now, she feels she’s having to choose between being a working parent to help provide for her family, or a parent who does what her kids need. “I don’t feel like I can do both.”</p><p>She said she’s not sure what the school board or the district needs to do to attract more bus staff, although she’s curious if the district isn’t paying enough; she wants school board candidates to address the issue.</p><p>Katy Winner, another district parent who’s been active in several district committees including one pushing to change start times, said she wants candidates to focus on issues that were present before the pandemic including making schools safe, providing equitable resources to schools, and finding ways to get marginalized communities more involved.</p><p>“All voices need to be heard,” Winner said.&nbsp;</p><p><aside id="28v02z" class="sidebar float-right"><p id="2et9VV">These are the next three forums, per the <a href="https://www.jeffcopublicschools.org/about/board/election">district’s website</a>:</p><p id="o8BNW0"><strong>Sept. 24, 7:45 a.m., </strong>via Zoom, sponsor: Jeff-West Community Forum, jeffwestforum@gmail.com </p><p id="fRymnb"><strong>Sept. 29, 6 p.m.</strong>, via Zoom, sponsor: Jeffco PTA and Support Jeffco Kids; <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfv4P2NSMr5yYiSrijoW7TReiwJiw_vsJCuHIKKibqJuPR1EA/viewform">registration required</a></p><p id="4As1bQ"><strong>Sept. 30, 6:30 p.m., masks required</strong>, Compass Montessori-Golden, 4441 Salvia St., Golden; sponsors: League of Charter Schools, Jeffco Charter Schools Consortium; contact: jeffcocharters@gmail.com</p></aside></p><p>The candidates are:</p><p>District 1:</p><p><strong>Danielle Varda</strong> — is a mother of three current Jeffco students, as well as a university professor, researcher, and business owner. She is worried about teacher retention. “Teachers today are struggling,” Varda said. “We are losing teachers to other districts. We’re not as competitive maybe or creative in the way we are trying to recruit teachers.”</p><p><strong>Jeffrey Wilhite</strong> — has been a member of the district’s accountability committee and on the board of two charter schools. His priorities include better stewardship of finances, improving academics and school choice. “People are really unhappy and that causes a great deal of polarization between people,” Wilhite said. “One of the things the new board has to deal with is to try to disarm that polarization that has taken place. There’s a real disharmony and we have to fix that.”</p><p>District 2:</p><p><strong>David Johnson</strong> — is a former history teacher who wants to help represent the mountain communities of Jeffco. His priorities are to be a nonpartisan voice that can bring people together. He is the father of one Jeffco student and a business owner. “My main goal is to continue to build collaboration and teamwork,” Johnson said. “My goal is to ensure everyone’s heard and collaboration is part of the process.”</p><p><strong>Paula Reed</strong> — is a former teacher at Columbine High School. She wants to advocate for improved school funding and believes the district should have a greater say in whether new charter schools are opened in Jeffco. “I was very active in the recall of the board majority in 2015 and putting in the clean slate so I’m very, very aware of how important a school board majority is and how much damage can be done,” Reed said. “Jeffco schools mean a lot to me.”</p><p><strong>Theresa Shelton</strong> — is an accountant and mother of two Jeffco students. Shelton Elementary is named after her husband’s parents. She is concerned about a downward trend in student performance on state tests before COVID. She believes more evidence was necessary for parents before masking was required in schools. “We all expected it to get worse,” Shelton said of academic achievement after the pandemic. “Now what are we going to do about it? I felt like I couldn’t keep complaining anymore, I had to do something.”</p><p>District 5:</p><p><strong>Kathy Miks</strong> — is a manager at an insulation company and former volleyball coach at Columbine High School. Her priorities include fiscal responsibility, protecting parent choices, and supporting mental health and the “whole child.” She decided to run after an encounter with a group of “high-functioning homeless” at a shelter in California. “They just don’t have the skills necessary to get a job that pays enough. It broke my heart, and I started to think about our kids in Jeffco,” Miks said. “Whether they’re going right into a career or military or college, we need to make sure they have the skills to be successful.”</p><p><strong>Mary Parker</strong> — is a child advocate who has worked for many years with foster children and also is a member of Moms Demand Action. She believes the school board should respect employee associations and focus on hiring and retention of staff. “Funding is a big, big problem,” Parker said. “It impacts our ability to recruit and retain good teachers. Support staff too. I’ve seen so many signs for ‘bus drivers needed’. Jeffco is in a bad spot.”</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2021/9/22/22680290/jeffco-school-board-candidates-top-issues/Yesenia Robles2021-09-10T23:45:23+00:002021-09-10T23:45:23+00:00<p>About a quarter of elementary and K-8 schools in the Jeffco school district have switched to a state-approved reading curriculum this year, a step toward complying with a 2019 state law requiring reading programs backed by science in kindergarten through third grade.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>District leaders originally planned to buy new reading programs for many more schools, but the school board approved a scaled-down version of the plan in May after Jeffco’s new superintendent, Tracy Dorland, worried large-scale changes were being rushed.&nbsp;</p><p>The adoption of the new reading curriculum at 22 Jeffco schools as a pilot program this year — with additional schools slated to switch to state-approved programs in the 2022-23 school year — is part of a broader plan to improve early reading instruction in Colorado’s second-largest school district, where reading achievement has been mostly flat for years.&nbsp;</p><p><aside id="KR4n3I" class="sidebar float-right"><h4 id="pDKJrc">Jeffco schools using Into Reading and/or ¡Arriba la Lectura!</h4><ul><li id="CblDmy">Bear Creek K-8</li><li id="6TPEfJ">Campbell</li><li id="NkwoN8">Coronado</li><li id="52PxM5">Edgewater</li><li id="mWyxpX">Emory</li><li id="bkmmw3">Foothills</li><li id="Uhmg6N">Foster K-8</li><li id="kIxTFy">Glennon Heights </li><li id="vomxoc">Green Mountain</li><li id="z7S3VJ">Hackberry Hill</li><li id="6rocJJ">Lasley</li><li id="XIfuFv">Little</li><li id="vqb1qa">Molholm</li><li id="nxMROV">Ralston</li><li id="U2HvE0">Ryan</li><li id="sDmSIE">Secrest</li><li id="ANeX8E">Sierra</li><li id="YcwFvK">Ute Meadows</li><li id="zeL8fw">Vanderhoof</li><li id="WkfI5Z">Welchester</li><li id="zSRrpI">Wilmore Davis</li><li id="p1DCHM">West Woods</li><li id="j4VPuB">Normandy</li><li id="27pbrX">Jeffco Remote Learning Program</li></ul></aside></p><p>The move also reflects a shift that many districts, from suburban <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/3/30/22351027/nearly-all-cherry-creek-elementary-schools-use-state-rejected-reading-curriculum-change-is-coming">Cherry Creek</a> to rural <a href="https://www.summitdaily.com/news/local/summit-school-district-implementing-new-elementary-literacy-programs/">Summit County,</a> are making or considering this year as state officials prepare to exercise new oversight of schools’ reading curriculum choices.&nbsp;</p><p>As is true in many Colorado districts that emphasize school autonomy, Jeffco schools have historically used a wide variety of materials to teach young students how to read. That means some schools use discredited programs not aligned with the science of reading and that students who move schools within the district may encounter inconsistent lessons. The science of reading refers to the large body of research on how children learn to read.</p><p>A <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/10/15/21517569/many-jeffco-schools-use-discredited-curriculum-to-teach-students-how-to-read">Chalkbeat investigation</a> last year found that one-third of Jeffco schools used a state-rejected reading curriculum, Units of Study for Teaching Reading, or more commonly “Lucy Calkins.” Literacy experts have criticized the program, in part because it encourages children to guess at words based on pictures or other clues, instead of sounding them out.</p><p>Another 20% of Jeffco schools relied on <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/9/25/21456381/what-do-jeffco-schools-use-to-teach-reading-district-leaders-dont-know-and-neither-does-the-public">a set of district-created materials</a> that some educators said was hard to navigate and full of holes. The remaining district schools used various other programs or combinations of programs, some state-approved and some not.&nbsp;</p><p>This year, Jeffco’s 22 pilot schools are using the Into Reading curriculum, and in some cases, the Spanish version, ¡Arriba la Lectura! (Two additional Jeffco schools began using Into Reading in the last couple of years.) The program is among a dozen core reading programs approved by the state for use in kindergarten through third grade.&nbsp;</p><p>In addition to the $1.2 million rollout of Into Reading at some schools, Jeffco officials will pay $93,000 to Johns Hopkins University this fall to determine whether the curriculum matches state standards and meets teacher and parent expectations. The university will also review other state-approved reading programs used at some Jeffco schools, including Core Knowledge Language Arts, EL Education, Wonders, and Wit and Wisdom.&nbsp;</p><p>Jeffco’s Chief Academic Officer Matt Flores said once the evaluation is done, he expects the district to approve a smaller menu of reading programs than has been used in the past but didn’t predict an exact number. He said the evaluation should be complete this winter, and the district will make further decisions about purchasing new curriculums for additional schools in the spring.&nbsp;</p><p>That means some Jeffco schools will continue to use the “Lucy Calkins” curriculum this year. Jennifer Steele, who oversees literacy and social studies in the district, said Jeffco won’t continue using that curriculum long-term but didn’t want “to pull the rug out from under teachers” this year before the district’s curriculum menu was finalized.&nbsp;</p><p>Until recently, Colorado’s education department didn’t track what programs schools use to teach elementary reading or weigh in on the quality of those programs. That changed with a 2019 revision of the state’s 2012 reading law, the READ Act. That law required schools to use evidence- or science-based reading programs, and the state education department released <a href="https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/advisorylistofinstructionalprogramming2020">a list of K-3 curriculums</a> that met that bar in 2020. Colorado schools don’t technically have to choose a curriculum off the list, but doing so guarantees it has the state’s blessing. Programs the state has reviewed and rejected, such as “Lucy Calkins,” are considered unacceptable.</p><p>State education officials are still finalizing the master list of K-3 reading curriculum used in Colorado schools but indicated at a State Board of Education meeting Friday that many schools are out of compliance.&nbsp;</p><p>“We’re starting to see that many of them are using programs that really don’t have the evidence base that they need,” said Melissa Colsman, associate commissioner of student learning at the Colorado Department of Education. “We’re also seeing that some districts may or may not be able to … [distinguish] between an intervention program and a core instructional program.”&nbsp;</p><p>A core program is a comprehensive curriculum meant for all students in a classroom. An intervention program is for struggling readers who need specialized help.&nbsp;</p><p>Previously, state officials have said school districts that don’t make a good faith effort to replace state-rejected reading programs could face sanctions but haven’t specified a timeline for such decisions.&nbsp;</p><p>Along with new oversight of reading curriculums, the 2019 READ Act revision mandated teacher training on reading instruction for all K-3 teachers — about 23,000 educators statewide. The intent of that 45-hour training is to increase teacher knowledge of the science underpinning reading development and instruction, a piece of the reading puzzle that experts say is even more critical than a high-quality curriculum.&nbsp;</p><p>The deadline to complete the training is not until next summer, but many districts, including Jeffco, have gotten a jump start. Flores said a large majority of K-3 teachers have completed the training and that elementary principals and instructional coaches have also participated in the training.&nbsp;</p><p>“I’m proud to say that we have a districtwide emphasis on elementary literacy,” he said.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2021/9/10/22667434/jeffco-reading-curriculum-change-kindergarten-third-grade/Ann Schimke2021-08-17T03:21:54+00:002021-08-16T23:57:48+00:00<p>Students starting classes in Jeffco schools Tuesday will have to wear masks after all, regardless of age or their vaccination status.</p><p>The Jefferson County Public Health Department <a href="https://www.jeffco.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1652">issued an order</a> Monday that requires masks for anyone age 2 or older when in childcare and K-12 schools. The order also requires all unvaccinated students and staff participating in extracurricular activities to undergo routine testing during the school year, starting Sept. 7.</p><p>“Over the past few weeks, we have seen schools that do not require masking in other parts of the country be required to send large numbers of students home to quarantine and even close schools,” said Dr. Dawn Comstock, executive director of Jefferson County Public Health. “While our department released very strong guidance to Jeffco schools and childcare settings recommending they require mask-wearing, unfortunately too few schools and childcares have adopted this safe and effective mitigation strategy.”</p><p>In a message to families, the Jeffco school district announced that despite having just set up a process to provide medical and religious exemptions, the public health order will not allow for religious exemptions, only medical ones.</p><p>The Jeffco order takes effect Tuesday and applies to all schools in the county, including charter schools and private schools.</p><p>The order also asks schools to space students out by six feet when they remove their masks indoors such as during lunch.&nbsp;</p><p>On Thursday, Gov. Jared Polis said he has no plans to impose a statewide mandate in schools, but that <a href="https://parkerchronicle.net/stories/douglas-county-formally-rescinds-notice-to-withdraw-from-tri-county,316128">might change if rising COVID cases push too many schools into remote learning</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>On Friday afternoon, several <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/8/13/22624112/tri-county-public-health-considers-mask-mandate-cherry-creek-changes-policy">school districts updated their mask policies</a> to require them for younger children, including Aurora, Adams 12, and Cherry Creek, after Tri-County Health Director John Douglas said the department was considering an order and stated that schools were unsafe for unvaccinated children without masks.</p><p>Jeffco announced its decision as the Tri-County Board of Health heard passionate public testimony for and against a school mask mandate. Tri-County oversees 15 school districts in Adams, Arapahoe, and Douglas counties. The Board of Health continued its discussion in a closed executive session, then put off a decision until Tuesday.</p><p>Denver Public Schools already requires masks for all students and staff.</p><p>Previously, the Jeffco Public School district had issued <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/7/30/22602628/jeffco-school-mask-guidance-2021">its own guidance requiring masks for children under 12</a>, but only recommending them for older students. Staff were required to provide proof of vaccination and those who are not vaccinated would have been required to wear masks.</p><p>At the time, the district had cited the public health department’s guidance on quarantines as a key factor in the mask policy. The district’s choice was meant to reduce the need to send students home.&nbsp;</p><p>At the time, at the end of July, the district also noted transmission of the virus in the county was increasing and case rates were at 77 per 100,000 in the county. As of Aug. 8, case rates in Jefferson County were at 91.8 cases per 100,000 people.</p><p>Parents <a href="https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/coronavirus/freedom-not-force-hundreds-protest-jeffco-schools-mask-mandate-days-before-kids-return-to-class">opposed to having their children wear masks protested</a> after the district released its guidance. Many common arguments against masks contain incorrect information. Public health experts <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/7/16/22580726/colorado-students-masks-school-districts-waiting-to-decide-2021">say there are no significant downsides</a> to wearing masks.&nbsp;</p><p>As of last week, about 952 students in Jeffco had chosen to continue online learning for this school year.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2021/8/16/22627815/jeffco-tricounty-school-mask-mandates/Yesenia Robles2021-08-04T17:24:05+00:002021-08-04T17:24:05+00:00<p>When Jeffco leaders saved four out of five schools from closure in 2017, they knew they were just kicking the problem down the road. <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2017/2/10/21100262/jeffco-board-votes-to-close-one-elementary-school-in-budget-cuts-sparing-four-others">They said so at the time.</a></p><p>They even paid an education consulting firm $170,000 to look at how other districts handle school closures and make recommendations, but the report was shelved and never acted on. It wasn’t presented to the school board or the community, and no policies changed.</p><p>Instead, administrators worked on other priorities, even as enrollment continued to drop.&nbsp;</p><p>This spring, Jeffco Public Schools <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/4/14/22384722/giving-families-little-notice-jeffco-plan-close-small-elementary-school">closed another small school, Allendale Elementary</a>, with little warning for parents and no board vote. At one meeting, parents and teachers who wanted to talk about their school were turned away.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/5/28/22458872/jeffco-parents-worry-small-schools">Another 28 Jeffco schools have enrollment below 200 students</a>, a level that threatens their financial viability, and district leaders again are launching a conversation about what to do.</p><p>It’s unclear if the previous work will be used or need to be updated.</p><p>Steve Bell, Jeffco’s chief operating officer, points out that the district has different board members, a new superintendent, and even new administrators who all need to discuss the issue.</p><p>“It’s incumbent upon us to draft and implement a certain set of criteria so we can address those things,” Bell said. “So that there is a very clear awareness both internally and externally in the district about how we do this.”</p><p>Since the 2017 proposal to close five Jeffco schools, several things interrupted the work of planning for school closure, Bell said.</p><p>When Bell and his team first hired MGT Consulting to do the outside review, they thought more school closures were imminent. But just months later, new Superintendent Jason Glass <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2017/8/28/21100910/new-jeffco-superintendent-calls-a-timeout-on-any-more-school-closures">issued a two-year moratorium on any school closures</a>.</p><p>Bell said the district decided MGT’s findings would still be relevant long-term and continued the project.</p><p>Then in 2018, <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2018/11/8/21106096/jeffco-bond-measure-that-had-been-failing-pulls-ahead-in-narrow-race">Jeffco voters approved local tax increases</a> to fund a slew of capital improvements. That again put school closures farther away.</p><p>When MGT presented its recommendations to Jeffco’s leadership team in 2019, Bell said that the district was occupied with bond projects and other work and didn’t immediately pick up on the difficult task of creating a long-term plan for school closures.&nbsp;</p><p>And the moratorium was still in place.</p><p>In August 2020, Superintendent Jason Glass <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/7/10/21320107/jefferson-county-superintendent-jason-glass-to-lead-kentucky-as-its-next-education-commissioner">left the district to serve as Kentucky’s education commissioner</a>. He could not be reached for comment.&nbsp;</p><p>Mike Raisor, senior vice president of the education solutions group for MGT, said he reached out to the district months later and even had a meeting scheduled in March of 2020. It was canceled as the pandemic shut down schools and pushed districts into emergency response mode across the country</p><p>“We did an extensive, extensive amount of work,” Raisor said. That included reviewing similar-sized districts across the country and researching their policies, practices, and procedures around school closures. Consultants also interviewed administrators from some of those districts.&nbsp;</p><p>Chalkbeat submitted a public records request for MGT’s report and received only a 17-page document labeled as a draft.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21034517-8060-jefferson-county-policy-review-report-draft-final-01112019?responsive=1&amp;title=1">The report</a>, dated January 2019, laid out recommendations for monitoring school capacity on an annual basis, creating clear thresholds that would trigger decisions, and developing timelines that would allow for community feedback.</p><p>MGT compared Jeffco to 13 other districts across the country, including some that had more or fewer students, but none had more schools than Jeffco.&nbsp;</p><p>Although the report is labeled a draft, MGT officials say the report was final and just waiting on district input to be formally reprinted as a final report.&nbsp;</p><p>MGT officials say they also submitted an 800-page appendix with more details about research, other district’s practices, and an analysis of Jeffco’s school enrollment and building conditions. Chalkbeat requested the appendix but has not yet received it. Bell said he just learned about the existence of that appendix this week after Chalkbeat asked about it.</p><p>After learning about the MGT report, Amanda Duran, an Arvada mom of two Jeffco students who has been concerned about the district’s approach to school closures, said she was disappointed the review didn’t include parent input.</p><p>“These decisions are affecting so many families,” Duran said. “They should definitely start including us as parents that do have kids in Jeffco. Community involvement is huge. That should be one of the main priorities.”</p><p>Some of the first contract documents with MGT mention a possibility of doing community outreach as part of the review and recommendations, but that didn’t happen.</p><p>Raisor said that he wasn’t with MGT during the entire Jeffco project and doesn’t know some of the details. The people who led the project are no longer with MGT.</p><p>Joel Newton, for his part, isn’t waiting for the district.&nbsp;</p><p>Newton, who runs the nonprofit Edgewater Collective, said families he works with are afraid of school closure. While he thinks it’s important to have a clear understanding of how the district decides which schools to close, he also wishes the district would come up with a plan to help make schools more attractive to parents, before they are facing dire enrollment problems.</p><p>Newton is starting to do focus groups this summer to talk to families who leave their neighborhood or their district to find out&nbsp; what they look for in schools.&nbsp;</p><p>“We’re not waiting on the district, we’re taking it on to ask families, ‘what goes into your choice?’” Newton said. “For the stroller families, ‘what type of programs do you want to see when your kids become school age?’ You have to start there. That’s a more preventative measure.”</p><p>Bell said that Jeffco never stopped talking about school needs and facilities. The pyramid, or decision tree, that guides school closure decisions encompasses several factors, including building capacity, educational offerings, and “inherent community benefits,” such as a school being high-performing.</p><p>Bell acknowledged that process isn’t well known to the community, and the conversations now might need to be broader. He and board members have raised other issues. Should the district encourage more school choice? Should schools still be funded based on student counts? Does closing schools hurt&nbsp; disadvantaged students the most? Are district policies making schools more segregated?</p><p>“We need additional conversations,” Bell said.</p><p>Newton has seen the district discuss changes before. He participated in a committee the district convened in 2014 to look at choice and where programs across the district were located.</p><p>“But the district’s never taken that next step to say how do we do this well,” Newton said. “By sitting on it, COVID and the pandemic has ramped up demographic changes and the enrollment drop, and they missed doing something.”</p><p>“It’s really hard work,” he said. “But it’s hard work that’s important in terms of equity and funding for schools.”</p><p><em>Update: Jeffco Public Schools made the appendix available after this story published.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2021/8/4/22609622/jeffco-school-closure-policy-management-consultant-report-shelved/Yesenia Robles2021-07-31T04:10:31+00:002021-07-30T21:49:29+00:00<p>Students who are too young to receive a COVID vaccine will have to wear a mask in Jeffco schools this fall.</p><p>The state’s second-largest district announced the new rule Friday afternoon, a day after the county’s public health department released updated guidance.</p><p><a href="https://www.jeffco.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1636">The public health department strongly suggested</a> masks for all people inside schools, regardless of vaccination status, and informed the school district that they would enforce quarantine procedures this fall. District leaders across the state have been calling for an end to quarantines because they disrupt in-person learning.</p><p>“They have indicated they will require quarantines for routine classroom exposure for anyone unvaccinated and not wearing a mask. This has major implications for our students age 11 and under, who are not eligible for the vaccination at this time,” reads the statement from Jeffco Public Schools.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/2021/7/27/22596515/cdc-face-masks-schools-students-fall-delta-variant">federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends masks for everyone</a> in a school setting.&nbsp;Colorado had <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/7/21/22586804/colorado-school-covid-guidance-masks-quarantine">previously recommended masks for people who were unvaccinated</a>, but late Friday <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/7/31/22603829/cdc-school-mask-guidance-colorado">updated its guidance to match the CDC’s</a>. However, local school districts can still set their own policies.</p><p>Although the guidelines from the county and the CDC recommend masks for everyone, Jeffco will require them only for children 11 and younger. Children older than that are strongly encouraged to wear masks if they are not vaccinated and urged to mask up even if they are.</p><p>Staff will have to inform the Jeffco district of their vaccination status by Aug. 16, and those who are not vaccinated will be required to wear a mask. Vaccinated staff will also be encouraged to wear a mask as well. Visitors will be allowed in the schools this coming academic year but will all be required to wear masks.</p><p>Reflecting Colorado’s system of local control, other large suburban districts are taking different approaches. Westminster Public Schools, citing updated guidance from Tri-County Public Health, said Friday that <a href="https://www.westminsterpublicschools.org/Page/11249">students, teachers, and staff all must wear masks</a> in school buildings and buses.</p><p>Adams 12 Five Star Schools, meanwhile, said that <a href="https://www.adams12.org/communications/district-letters">all teachers and staff must wear masks</a> regardless of vaccination status to reduce the potential for disruption when staff contract COVID and have to isolate.</p><p>But Adams 12 will not require masks for students.</p><p>“The district&nbsp;strongly encourages&nbsp;masks for all in our buildings,” Adams 12 officials wrote.&nbsp;“We will honor the decision of parents when it comes to their children wearing or not wearing a mask in school.”</p><p>Denver Public Schools, the state’s largest school district, is expected to release its mask policy soon.</p><p>Jeffco’s announcement includes instructions for obtaining waivers for students who cannot wear masks for medical or religious reasons.</p><p>Jeffco will revisit the decision if case rates drop below 35 per 100,000. As of Friday, case rates were at 77 per 100,000 in the county. “An increase of 300% in the last 11 days, so we are not trending in a good direction,” the district’s announcement states.&nbsp;</p><p>According to state data, almost 74% of eligible Jeffco residents have already received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine.</p><p>Jeffco’s first day of school is Aug. 17.</p><p><em>Colorado Bureau Chief Erica Meltzer contributed to this report. </em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2021/7/30/22602628/jeffco-school-mask-guidance-2021/Yesenia Robles2021-06-04T20:03:50+00:002021-06-04T20:03:50+00:00<p>The Jeffco school board voted unanimously Thursday night to recognize a new union chapter for non-licensed preschool staff.</p><p>Without discussion, the board unanimously passed a <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/C3MUH9779B38/$file/RESOLUTION%20Pre-K%20JESPA.pdf">staff-prepared resolution</a> to recognize the union as group leaders clapped and cheered.</p><p>A couple of board members noted they were excited about the vote, and board member Rick Rush voted with a “heartfelt yes.”</p><p>The new union members will join JESPA, the district’s union for school support staff that includes bus drivers and school custodians. The new non-licensed preschool group includes almost 140 staff members that will now be covered under that union.</p><p>Some of those members attended the meeting in person Thursday night, wearing white T-shirts that read “I [heart symbol] my union.”</p><p>The group had spoken to the school board last month asking for quick recognition. Many said they were disappointed the district was taking weeks to respond to their request. District staff said it needed time as Jeffco transitioned to a new superintendent, and to allow for reviewing its policies on the matter.</p><p>The group had submitted petitions with signatures of a majority of the group. Still, the district worked with the existing JESPA union leaders to organize a weeklong election that closed on June 2.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/C3MUSP7CDEA2/$file/Affidavit%20in%20Support%20of%20Election%20Results%20PreK%20JESPA%20060321.pdf">Of 139 eligible staff members, 94 voted</a>, all but one in favor of forming a union. The workers needed a majority of eligible staffers to vote in support to earn district recognition.</p><p>The school board resolution directs the district to start negotiating to try to reach a tentative agreement by Jan. 1.</p><p>Preschool staff who lead the unionization efforts <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/5/18/22442725/jeffco-preschool-staff-feeling-undervalued-want-to-join-union">said that the group’s priorities included having a voice</a> in plans to reopen schools. The staff also are concerned about budgets for preschool classrooms, and about what they feel is the undervaluing of some staff members’ experience, even if they do not have a license.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2021/6/4/22519288/jeffco-school-board-approved-new-union-for-preschool-staff/Yesenia Robles2021-05-28T21:36:00+00:002021-05-28T21:36:00+00:00<p>Following the surprise closure of a small school in Jeffco this spring, families throughout the district are worried about the future of their own schools.&nbsp;</p><p>The common question is: How will Jeffco decide if it needs to close another school?</p><p>Jeffco has dozens of small schools, including 28 with fewer than 200 students, and the closure of Allendale Elementary with little public discussion or warning has rattled parents. While <a href="https://www.jeffcopublicschools.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=627965&amp;pageId=926681">enrollment</a> has shrunk steadily for several&nbsp; years, Jeffco has not created a long-term plan to address declining student numbers and the resulting shrinking budget.</p><p>“I don’t know what they’re looking at when it comes to making these decisions,” said Amanda Duran, the mother of a third grader at Swanson Elementary, one of the smaller schools in Jeffco and one that’s been on the chopping block before. “It’s scary to think about. Nobody wants their kids going from school to school to school.”&nbsp;</p><p>Enrollment in Jeffco schools, as in many other Colorado districts, has been declining for years. According to a Chalkbeat analysis, since 2016, the number of schools in Jeffco with 300 students or fewer shot up from 40 to 65 this year. That includes 28 schools with fewer than 200 students, up from 19 schools in that situation in the 2016-17 school year. The pandemic only accelerated the enrollment decline years in the making.&nbsp;</p><p>The district funds schools per student. So as enrollment shrinks, so does a school’s budget. While the school might hire fewer teachers, other costs — such a counselor or a principal — remain fixed, and when money gets tight the school has fewer resources and programs for students.</p><p>Still, some parents value small schools, where they believe their children get more attention and are known by all the adults. They hope the district sees that value, too.</p><p>Several other metro area districts are also dealing with declining enrollment. The 27J district in <a href="https://www.thebrightonblade.com/stories/new-role-sought-for-north-elementary-school,371392">Brighton decided this year to repurpose</a> one school after enrollment dipped below 200 students. <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/1/19/22240056/aurora-closing-two-elementary-schools-enrollment-changes">Aurora decided this year to close two schools</a>, and more closures may still come. Along with the closures, the district is creating magnet schools and specializations by region. <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/5/11/22431369/denver-elementary-schools-declining-enrollment">Denver is planning to engage the community</a> about how to deal with its declining enrollment.&nbsp;</p><p>Census data shows that although the population of Jeffco has increased in the past decade, the number of children has decreased. Once the largest district in the state, Jeffco has fallen to the second largest, behind Denver.</p><p>Parents worry that Jeffco failed to act before a crisis hit Allendale, the school Jeffco decided to close this year. District officials said they learned in February that because of families continuing to choose online learning, the school would have fewer than 100 students by next fall. Allendale had dipped below 200 students in 2018. Yet the district didn’t plan to help the school or prepare parents for possible closure sooner.</p><p>The district <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/4/14/22384722/giving-families-little-notice-jeffco-plan-close-small-elementary-school">informed parents and staff it was considering closing the school</a> at the end of March, and finalized the decision in mid-April, about a month before the end of the school year. Families scrambled to find other schools for the fall.</p><p>“They’ve known it’s a declining enrollment school for years,” said Jess Whetzel, a mother of two Jeffco children, including one at Allendale. “I have lost trust that the district will create a plan that will help those low enrollment schools or that even addresses it.”</p><p>Whetzel said that if the district knew more than half of the children in the attendance boundary for Allendale were choosing to go to other schools, it should have surveyed families to find out why.</p><p>“People aren’t necessarily just wanting traditional schools anymore,” Whetzel said. “That’s why charter schools fill up.”</p><p>One board member, Stephanie Schooley, said the board is planning to discuss long-term issues, including what to do with small schools, at a meeting in August. District officials said in an email that they agree with the need to study enrollment declines and want to have a better process and clearer criteria for closure decisions. They did not grant an interview request.</p><p>Schooley’s own children attended Stober Elementary, a school that was considered for closure in the past, and she represents an area of Jeffco close to Denver that has seen the most drastic enrollment declines.&nbsp;</p><p>Those drastic declines are happening in areas like Arvada where new development is contributing to rising housing prices that have pushed some families out. But other common factors like an aging population and declining birth rates also contribute to the enrollment trends.</p><p>Schooley said she’s fielded many questions and concerns about potential school closures.</p><p>“It’s an issue that has to be addressed,” Schooley said. “It’s not going to go away.”&nbsp;</p><p>Jeffco has faced these questions before. In 2017, the then-superintendent proposed closing five elementary schools. After considerable pushback, the <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2017/2/10/21100262/jeffco-board-votes-to-close-one-elementary-school-in-budget-cuts-sparing-four-others">board voted on a new plan to close only one school</a> and spared the others while a better plan to identify schools to close could be hatched.</p><p>Shortly after, a new superintendent, <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2017/8/28/21100910/new-jeffco-superintendent-calls-a-timeout-on-any-more-school-closures">Jason Glass, issued a moratorium on school closures</a> to allow time for drafting and reviewing policies and procedures. But no new process or policies materialized.</p><p>The district has morphed a handful of schools into new programs in hopes of attracting new students, without much success.&nbsp;</p><p>Pennington, an elementary school spared closure in 2017, was converted to an expeditionary learning program. Data shows that the school’s enrollment decline slowed but did not stop. The school serves about 188 students this year.</p><p>At another school, Foster elementary, the community pushed the district to create a K-8 dual language program. That rollout was just completed, but the school’s enrollment has continued to decline.&nbsp;</p><p>Thomas Toch, the director of FutureEd, a think tank at Georgetown University, said that districts like Jeffco, that have <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2018/12/14/21106375/jeffco-launches-universal-enrollment-site-to-make-school-choice-easy">a common enrollment system that allows families</a> to easily choose a school outside their neighborhood, should track trends of what parents are looking for in schools.&nbsp;</p><p>“They should be planning how to respond to parental preferences in a way that ensures, among other things, that there are programs that parents want within a reasonable distance of where they live,” Toch said.&nbsp;</p><p>“There’s not really any excuse,” for closing a school with such short notice, Toch said. “They’ve seen enrollment declines for several years. It’s easy to spot these trends when you’ve got a common enrollment system.”</p><p>At the end of the day, schools with fewer than 200 students are inefficient. A district can revise program offerings according to parent demand, but also must consider a declining population, he said.</p><p>School board member Schooley believes the district’s plan for small schools must include listening to and engaging with the community, something many argue didn’t happen in the quick closure of Allendale this year. Also, school officials must review policies that might be disproportionately burdening lower-income neighborhoods that are losing more students.&nbsp;</p><p>She believes Jeffco should reconsider student-based budgeting, she said.</p><p>As far as whether the situation at Allendale might be repeated, Schooley tells parents she doesn’t expect it to. At Allendale, the district said the principal’s departure and the sudden realization that fewer than 100 students would be in the building next fall contributed to the quick decision. The district was also under management by an interim superintendent, during a pandemic.</p><p>“There is in no way an interest in having emergency closures of schools ever again,” Schooley said. “I know it’s disruptive and fraught with a whole lot of emotion that’s real. I don’t have any joy in being part of that.”</p><p>Parent Debbie Hansen moved her three children from Peck Elementary in Arvada, one of the other Jeffco small schools spared from closure in 2017, to Mountain Phoenix, a Jeffco charter school using the alternative Waldorf model of learning that tends to be more hands-on and focuses on children’s developmental stages.&nbsp;</p><p>Hansen still cares about Peck, and hopes the district won’t look at closing it again, but said families have left for many reasons. In her case, she was uncomfortable with the school’s new principal, who came from a high school, and she wanted a different model of learning for her children.</p><p>“I felt like they needed a different teaching style and smaller classroom sizes,” Hansen said.&nbsp;</p><p>Mountain Phoenix is among Jeffco schools whose enrollment has grown over the past five years. About a third of those growing schools are charters.&nbsp;</p><p>Hansen said that after a year of remote learning, school districts might find parents are more willing to approve tax increases.&nbsp;</p><p>“I understand the money concerns, I 100% do, but at some point we got to stop thinking about the money part of it and think about the kids,” Hansen said. “Test scores would be better for all the students if they had smaller classroom sizes. And parents might decide whatever the schools need for taxes, they’ll get.”</p><p>Many of the parents of small schools say the district should value them more.&nbsp;</p><p>Duran, the mother of a student at Swanson, thinks its small school environment may have helped her son. After struggling with reading, he now has higher&nbsp; scores and is reading at grade level.&nbsp;</p><p>That came after a lot of one-on-one support.</p><p>“It’s a good thing to have those numbers up, but then would my son suffer if he doesn’t have that one-on-one throughout the year?” Duran asked.&nbsp;</p><p>Her son also has epilepsy, and Duran has peace of mind knowing that all of the teachers know him and his situation, and could respond if he ever had a seizure at school.&nbsp;</p><p>“It’s kind of made me feel good,” Duran said.&nbsp;</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2021/5/28/22458872/jeffco-parents-worry-small-schools/Yesenia Robles2021-05-18T22:15:15+00:002021-05-18T22:15:15+00:00<p>As Jeffco planned to open schools for in-person learning, staff and leaders from several departments weighed in on how things would have to be different in preschools to keep students and staff safe.</p><p>They decided it was better for kids to eat in their rooms so cohorts wouldn’t mix in the cafeteria. It was also best to get rid of shared surfaces such as big tables. And to keep the carpets clean, small children should eat on the floor in their rooms, not the carpet.</p><p>Hannah Mauro, an early childhood instructional partner which is a non-licensed preschool instructor, said she and her preschool colleagues were horrified. But they didn’t get to weigh in on how unsanitary that might be.&nbsp;</p><p>“Those floors are connected to the bathroom,” Mauro said. “I can’t even think about it. It was awful. We were really the only group of people left out of that conversation.”</p><p>So Mauro and her colleagues started organizing and are now asking Jeffco Public Schools to recognize a union chapter for non-licensed preschool staff in Jeffco. Their chapter would be under JESPA, the district’s union for support staff.</p><p>Jeffco staff have told the organizers that because of the transition to a <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/4/14/22384350/jeffco-board-approves-three-year-contract-new-superintendent-tracy-dorland">new superintendent who joined last month</a>, the district needs some time before responding. A district spokesperson said the response is expected May 25.</p><p>The group pressed the board at a recent meeting asking to avoid delays.</p><p>“As the district delays, children suffer because their teachers do not have a full seat at the table to advocate for them,” Mauro said.&nbsp;</p><p>Planning for the summer and for next year has begun, and Jeffco preschool staff said they want to be part of the conversation this time. Their union would cover about 150 staff members in the district.</p><p>Besides offering input into recovery plans, being part of a union is about feeling valued, they said, something that has disappeared as the district has transitioned to new preschool models that put more value on having a college degree than on experience.</p><p>Morgan Canjar, who has worked in Jeffco preschools since 2015, learned recently that her new job as a preschool site director will disappear next year as part of the new preschool model.</p><p>Since 2018, Jeffco has been transitioning preschool classrooms to a new model that relies on a licensed teacher to run each room, with the assistance of a non-licensed educator. That aligns with a statewide push to increase the credentials of the early childhood teachers, part of a push to make the job more professional.</p><p>Licensed preschool teachers have bachelor degrees, receive higher pay, and are more likely to be part of teachers unions, like teachers of other grade levels.&nbsp;</p><p>Jeffco district staff did not grant an interview to explain why Jeffco is changing preschool models, but in an email stated that it was part of the request in the 2018 mill levy approved by voters.&nbsp;</p><p>“A CDE teaching license matches the requirements for K-12 teachers in Jeffco Public Schools and across the state of Colorado. We are proud to provide a high-quality preschool education with this strong and valued partnerships between those professionals,” the email stated.</p><p>But Mauro and others said the new model also means that the licensed staff members, who are often younger and less experienced than longtime staff, are now in charge of classrooms. More veteran non-licensed staff have to take a step back to become assistants.</p><p>That model does away with the preschool director positions like the one Canjar has held. Her role has been to ensure licensing and other regulations are met, and to fill in at times to ensure student-to-staff ratios don’t exceed limits.&nbsp;</p><p>“We’re just getting pushed aside,” Canjar said. “I’ve worked really hard to get where I’m at. It sucks losing it all.”</p><p>Jeffco did provide some money, starting in March 2018, to help non-licensed staff go back to college to complete their requirements to apply for a license. But in January, as a result of the pandemic, the district said, it eliminated that fund.&nbsp;</p><p>Canjar said that some staff in the middle of their college programs had to scramble to find other ways to pay for their classes when the funding was pulled.</p><p>The Jeffco district said it will reinstate that money.</p><p>But even with the financial help, Canjar said for her and others, going back to school might not be so easy.</p><p>One teacher told Canjar she has to put her children through college first. Other veteran teachers who may be closer to retirement said going back to college now is just not worth it.</p><p>Another concern among these preschool teachers is that classroom budgets in many of their schools have been frozen during the pandemic, meaning they can’t buy new materials for students, unless it’s out of their own pocket.</p><p>In other districts, some non-licensed early childhood staff belong to a union, and some do not. The Jeffco organizers point out that Denver and Adams 12, where Jeffco’s new Superintendent Tracy Dorland used to work, both have unions for non-licensed early childhood staff.&nbsp;</p><p>Aurora doesn’t have a union for any non-licensed support staff. In Westminster, non-licensed teachers have the option of joining the union, just like licensed teachers.</p><p>At the end of the day, Jeffco organizers say, all of their concerns relate to a need to have a voice in matters that affect preschool classrooms in Jeffco.&nbsp;</p><p>“Have you ever had to ask for permission to truly be heard and it just falls on deaf ears?” another preschool teacher asked the board this month. “That’s where non-licensed preschool teachers in Jeffco have been for years. We are just as deserving of being heard.”</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2021/5/18/22442725/jeffco-preschool-staff-feeling-undervalued-want-to-join-union/Yesenia Robles2021-04-15T00:42:54+00:002021-04-15T00:42:54+00:00<p>The Jeffco school district is planning to close Allendale, a small elementary school in Arvada, at the end of this school year.</p><p>It’s a decision, district leaders acknowledged, that comes at a bad time and with short notice.&nbsp;</p><p>But leaders said they rushed to consider closing the school only in the last few months when it became clear that existing challenges sustaining the small school were compounding.</p><p>In February, the district realized that Allendale may have fewer than than 100 students next year after some families said in a survey that they intend to continue remote learning in the fall. Then, the school’s principal announced he would be leaving for a new job.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Parents of the school pleaded with the school board at a <a href="https://livestream.com/accounts/10429076/events/3542310/videos/219926056">meeting Wednesday</a> to reconsider, noting that they were only informed at the end of March, giving them little notice.&nbsp;</p><p>The district’s first round of <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2018/12/14/21106375/jeffco-launches-universal-enrollment-site-to-make-school-choice-easy">placements for students choosing a new school</a> has already ended. although district staff are now planning to work individually with each Allendale family to find placements for students.</p><p>“As a Native American family, I feel like we found a home here at Allendale,” said parent Elizabeth Molica. “I would just hate to see that taken away from our family.”</p><p>Other parents talked about the value of having every employee of the school know their children by name, and the fear that enrollment decline is a regional problem that could require other school closures next.</p><p>Only one school staff member spoke Wednesday, asking for Allendale to remain open at least one more year. She criticized the district for scheduling the discussion during a work day, making it impossible for other school staff to attend.&nbsp;</p><p>Four of the five board members supported the district’s decision, though it was not put to a board vote. Although Jeffco school board members have voted on past school closures, a district spokesperson said it was not required. Susan Miller was the one board member who raised objections.</p><p>Allendale serves about 117 students this year, of which approximately 60% come from low-income families, compared with a district average of 30%. About 10% of the students are English language learners.&nbsp;</p><p>Some speakers accused the district of taking such a rushed approach with the decision only because of the demographics of the parents and students served — suggesting that such a decision would not be tolerated at some of the other schools in the district.</p><p>“Frankly, it would not have happened in a school populated from affluent families,” said Lisa Elliott, one of the staff members for the Jeffco teachers union, who spoke on behalf of school staff that couldn’t attend.&nbsp;</p><p>“It does not speak well of valuing people and having integrity. I know sometimes schools have to be closed. I know it is a tough decision. It is never welcome, but that doesn’t excuse the disrespectful way this was handled, the poor timing, and the inability of people to have their voices heard.”</p><p>District leaders told the board they considered equity when making their decision. Because schools are funded based on how many students they have, small schools like Allendale can’t offer as much programming or help for struggling students as larger schools. And since programming would be further cut at Allendale next year, it would create an inequitable situation.&nbsp;</p><p>“Too often schools in poverty … are left to atrophy,” said Community Superintendent Lee Cooper. “The population declines. The support declines, and year after year we tell families that this is OK and that your child can receive equitable access and equitable support in this building when they can’t. Not when we have 100 kids. I couldn’t look a parent straight in the eye and say your child will get the same support and resources in this building as they could at any one of my other schools.”</p><p>District staff did not make clear when the decision to close the school would be finalized, but interim superintendent Kristopher Schuh, in one of his last actions leading the district before new superintendent Tracy Dorland takes over next week, said “this is where we plan on moving forward at this point in time.”</p><p>District leaders <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/C23LBZ53ABD1/$file/PRESENTATION%20Allendale%20Review%20041421.pdf">told the board that Allendale has had a 45% drop</a> in enrollment over the past five years. Of the number of students who live within the school’s attendance boundaries, more than 60% choose to attend a different district school.&nbsp;</p><p>Cooper said that among the set of schools he monitors, no other “has more kids choosing out than we have attending the school.”</p><p>The small number of students enrolled also presents a challenge because they are not evenly divided among grade levels.&nbsp;</p><p>For first and second grade, the school has one teacher who physically switches between two sides of a classroom, balancing two sets of standards, curriculum, and data, district staff said.&nbsp;</p><p>There is one third grade teacher and one for a combined fourth and fifth grade classroom. That means teachers have fewer opportunities to collaborate because they don’t have peers who teach the same grade level. The staffing challenges also have meant that the principal fills in to teach math courses every day.</p><p>Brenda Von Kaenel, the school’s digital librarian, said that staff learned about the plans <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HHqQA3kJtCbbDT6_IEkGL-BMFY8vHHcmqQhclu4_hOA/edit">three weeks ago</a>, just before the district went on spring break.</p><p>When the meeting for staff was called, just shortly after the principal announced that he was leaving, staff expected to hear about a plan to select a replacement leader, she said. Instead, staff were “shocked and devastated” to hear talks about closure.</p><p>“Staff didn’t see this coming,” Von Kaenel said. “I had just been working with designers and carpenters to remodel the library. New furniture was arriving the next day for all our classrooms.”&nbsp;</p><p>She added, “You steamrolled over us.”</p><p>One <a href="http://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/goto?open&amp;id=87CU9B5E50CD">district policy outlines</a> a six-month process for “any potential school closure,”&nbsp; requiring specific input from groups, and a report analyzing 10 different factors, including projected enrollment.&nbsp;</p><p>Asked about that policy by board member Miller and community members, Cooper said the district didn’t violate it because it only pertains to facility planning, not to educational programming within a school building.</p><p>“There’s still time to have that conversation,” Cooper said, referring to when the district later decides what should be done with the empty school building.</p><p>Not counting fifth graders who would be moving on to middle schools next year, the district will help place 78 students into other schools. Transportation to other schools will be offered to alleviate some parents’ concern about having children cross busy 64th Avenue to get to other nearby elementary schools.</p><p>Board President Susan Harmon said that even though staff members weren’t able to speak to the board Wednesday, she believed their voices were heard in other ways.</p><p>Speaking to the impacted staff and families, she closed the discussion by saying, “our hearts go out to you.”</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2021/4/14/22384722/giving-families-little-notice-jeffco-plan-close-small-elementary-school/Yesenia Robles2021-04-14T20:43:05+00:002021-04-14T20:43:05+00:00<p>The Jeffco school board approved a three-year contract for new superintendent Tracy Dorland to begin Monday.</p><p><a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/C22VT2823971/$file/Dorland%20Superintendent%20Contract%20redacted.pdf">The contract</a> will give Dorland a starting salary of $260,000.</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/E8oJmXe10SVwsfcgEKe7ZHYEBK4=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/EO6EXAS5NFG37N3EQIAX4U3BVA.jpg" alt="Tracy Dorland is Jeffco’s new superintendent." height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Tracy Dorland is Jeffco’s new superintendent.</figcaption></figure><p>The board voted unanimously on the contract Wednesday, after naming Dorland the <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/2/4/22267286/school-boards-superintendent-search-sole-finalist">sole finalist</a> for the position more than two weeks ago. The position was vacated last fall by former superintendent Jason Glass when he <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/7/10/21320107/jefferson-county-superintendent-jason-glass-to-lead-kentucky-as-its-next-education-commissioner">left to take a state commissioner job in Kentucky</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>Kristopher Schuh, who has served as interim superintendent, has said at board meetings that he did not apply for the position, and Wednesday praised the board for selecting Dorland.</p><p>Dorland comes to Jeffco’s top job having most recently served as deputy superintendent in the nearby Adams 12 school district.&nbsp;</p><p>She spoke briefly after the vote, thanking the school board for the job.</p><p>“The emotion that comes to me constantly is gratitude,” she said. “Gratitude for the people and the experiences I’ve had in my past who’ve helped me become the leader I am, but mostly gratitude for the opportunity to serve my home community as superintendent. You know, my children are here. I raised my family here. I grew up here. This is a very special place.”</p><p>Members of the leadership team also praised the board for the selection of Dorland, and noted that she has already reached out to all of them and started conversations about what they see as priorities in the district.</p><p>When Glass was hired in 2017, coming to Jeffco from a superintendent position in Eagle County, <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2017/5/16/21099854/jeffco-board-unanimously-approves-three-year-contract-for-new-superintendent">he was offered a starting salary of $265,000</a>.</p><p>Dorland’s contract allows for annual raises, only when or if district administrators also receive a raise.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2021/4/14/22384350/jeffco-board-approves-three-year-contract-new-superintendent-tracy-dorland/Yesenia Robles2021-04-06T01:00:04+00:002021-04-06T01:00:04+00:00<p>Structured days, live instruction, and more social opportunities. Those are some of the changes Jeffco’s school district is planning to improve in next year’s remote learning.</p><p>Officials in the Jeffco school district, one of the first Colorado districts to jump into remote learning after schools shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic, say they’ve learned lessons that are helping to shape future remote learning.</p><p>Though district officials acknowledge that virtual learning has not been optimal for most students, they also say they know that next fall, some students and families will still be choosing to stay home, either for medical reasons or because they’ve inadvertently found a way of learning that works better for them.</p><p>“We realize the remote learning experience is not the same for all of our students and teachers,” said Matt Walsh, community superintendent of Jeffco Public Schools. “We’re going to take all of our best learnings so that any student, any family, from any area, can have the exact same high-quality experience.”</p><p>While <a href="https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/colorado-school-districts-announce-remote-learning-options-for-2021-2022-school-year">some Colorado school districts are similarly</a> planning <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/2021/3/10/22324233/improve-remote-learning-fall-2021">new remote learning options for next school year</a>, others are pointing students to previously existing online learning programs, which are sometimes for limited grade levels and with little live instruction.&nbsp;</p><p>Many district leaders are eager to get students back to classrooms to make up learning that has lagged this school year. But in a state that allows families to choose schools across districts, those that don’t offer online programs could risk losing students to other districts that do.&nbsp;</p><p>Walsh is leading the planning for next year’s remote learning program in Jeffco. It will be different in several ways. Instead of each school running its own remote program, the district will run one central virtual program. Unlike Jeffco’s existing online school, the Jeffco Virtual Academy, students in next school year’s remote program will be connected to their neighborhood schools where they’ll still have a seat waiting for them in 2022-23 if they choose to return.&nbsp;</p><p>Students will be able to participate in sports and other extracurricular activities with their school, and families will receive all of the same communications that students in the building get.&nbsp;</p><p>And unlike the current school year, the district will not place teachers on double duty, simultaneously teaching students sitting in their classroom and those logging on from home. Instead, teachers will teach one group or the other.</p><p>Having a teacher divide attention between students at home and in the classroom “inherently compromised” both teaching and learning, Walsh said. “We wanted to eliminate that.”</p><p>In the spring, about 20,000 students, or one-quarter of Jeffco’s total students, chose to stay with remote learning, even as the district began to increase in-person instruction.&nbsp;</p><p>In a survey earlier this semester, about 1,300 Jeffco families said they would be interested in remote learning next fall, too.&nbsp;</p><p>Claudia Banuelos is the mom of a high school senior this year who is learning remotely.&nbsp;</p><p>Her husband recently went through chemotherapy and a high-risk surgery. Banuelos said her son, while disappointed, decided to go back to remote learning after the district switched to&nbsp; full-time in-person classes.&nbsp;</p><p>“We are trying to protect our environment,” Banuelos said.</p><p>Walsh said that having families like the Banueloses with health conditions that put them at high risk means that the district will have to help students making various learning choices.&nbsp;</p><p>Besides looking at ways to safely bring students back into classrooms, Walsh said the district is trying to improve remote learning by being proactive in helping students before they’re struggling.&nbsp;</p><p>Internally, the district is adapting curriculum and technology to offer more remote classes, including advanced placement and honors courses in high school.</p><p>Jeffco is planning to hire teachers who have enjoyed and found ways to succeed while teaching remotely. The remote learning program also will have counselors, learning specialists, social and emotional learning specialists, and a community liaison. The district will train staff over the summer in best practices they’ve developed for teaching online.</p><p>Some of that will include ways to balance giving students structure and live instruction while allowing for off-screen time.&nbsp;</p><p>Walsh said that working that out for younger children is particularly tricky.</p><p>“Teaching students to read and to write, that requires a high degree of interaction that really relies on a synchronous environment,” Walsh said.</p><p>Synchronous, which refers to live interactions, will be the key of Jeffco’s remote learning program.&nbsp;</p><p>Younger students may appear to be on a video call all day. But their activities will vary. While logged into class, they may have a 30-minute block of instruction, and then, while still on camera, they may be instructed to do 15 minutes of independent reading or work, just as they might in a classroom. Teachers will also develop ways to call students back to the screen.&nbsp;</p><p>“That’s one of the big pieces, having the students’ faces in the room,” Walsh said.&nbsp;</p><p>Jeffco also is looking at how to create optional virtual lunchrooms to offer students more social interaction.</p><p>The goal, Walsh said, will be to help students make just as many, if not more, gains as they would if they were in person.&nbsp;</p><p>“We’re teaching kids to be amazing,” Walsh said.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2021/4/5/22369086/jeffco-remote-learning-option-next-year-changes/Yesenia Robles2021-03-29T22:45:44+00:002021-03-29T22:45:44+00:00<p>Before COVID hit, a stressful workday for school custodian David Diment might have involved setting up and cleaning up after multiple school events.</p><p>Now, a hard workday means cleaning every inch of the building after a COVID exposure.</p><p>“Before it was stressful,” Diment said. “We had a lot to get done, but it wasn’t like if we don’t get this done we run a high risk of getting or letting someone else get a deadly disease.”</p><p>The 25-year-old custodian is part of a six-person team responsible for keeping Golden High School in Jeffco safe for students and staff.</p><p>A year after the pandemic began, Diment described how the job has become more stressful, enough to push some of his colleagues out. It’s a front-line job that many forget about, he said.</p><p>Besides possible risks, Diment said there are different responsibilities now.</p><p>Tony Arnold, Jeffco’s director of custodial services, said he wouldn’t describe the past year as changing the job, but just some of the focus.</p><p>“We still do the same cleaning and we still clean in the same manner,” Arnold said. “We emphasize things different than we used to.”</p><p>As school districts and other workplaces have tried to bring more people back to regular in-person routines, much has fallen on custodians to keep environments safe. Although the virus that causes COVID-19 is now known to be airborne, many places have kept a focus on cleaning practices to prevent surface transmission.&nbsp;</p><p>Jeffco is starting to relax some cleaning policies regarding confirmed COVID cases, no longer requiring 24-hour closures. Arnold, who is in regular contact with health officials and staff, said there might be additional changes next year, but he’s reluctant to change routines for custodial staff this late in the year.</p><p>At Diment’s Jeffco school, every touch point has to be disinfected every night. That includes things like door handles and desks.&nbsp;</p><p>Diment said that collecting recycling also is a new responsibility for school custodians. It used to be something students at the high school took care of, but this year the work was passed on to school custodians.</p><p>Arnold said that’s not supposed to be the case. In fact, he said he just drafted a letter last week to school leaders hoping to remind them that recycling again should be handled by students and staff, and now that students are returning to schools full time, it’s “really good timing to re-engage that program properly.”</p><p>Then, Diment said, there’s the staff shortages that sometimes mean fewer people sharing the work.&nbsp;</p><p>Even before the pandemic, vacancies in custodial positions were common, but Diment feels things have gotten worse.&nbsp;</p><p>Just last week, Diment was pulled from his school to cover vacancies at another Jeffco high school.</p><p>That, and the extra work, he said, means he often doesn’t finish his work within his scheduled shift. He now has to stay late to finish the job at least a couple of times per week.</p><p>“They are relying on us to go into these buildings,” Diment said. “It’s asking kind of a lot.”</p><p>Arnold said Jeffco currently has from 30 to 40 custodial vacancies out of 500 positions in the district. The district works with two temp agencies trying to fill open positions, before having to pull people from the high school teams or relying on overtime.</p><p>“Even with two labor agencies, they are not able to meet our needs,” Arnold said.</p><p>But things are better than a few months ago, Arnold said, as he was just able to hire about 30 people in the last month and a half. Applications are starting to come in, and he’s hopeful he’ll be able to fill more positions soon.</p><p>For Jeffco custodians, the workload in the past year has also included doing a deep cleaning of a school when confirmed cases prompt a 24-hour shutdown.</p><p>That deep clean involves electrostatic sprayers that leaders drop off at a school site so that custodial teams can spray then ventilate the whole school.</p><p>In the fall, as Jeffco and other districts had to pivot back to full remote learning as cases of COVID went up, district leaders cited problems in getting schools cleaned within those 24 hours <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/11/11/21561178/jeffco-middle-high-school-students-switch-online-learning-next-week">as one of many operational challenges</a>.</p><p>Arnold said that it wasn’t a problem with the staffing, but with the equipment.</p><p>“There were a couple of times we had so many schools that needed to be sprayed on a particular day, but we only have so many sprayers,” Arnold said.&nbsp;</p><p>The district just recently <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1erH8QjJ4HN2exI4xNMUL7_r1Ffuw3fTmVv6QGFOiP0g/edit">updated its policies to not automatically require 24-hour full closures</a> of a school after a COVID outbreak. Custodial teams, however, will still be directed to the specific areas of a school that need to be more thoroughly cleaned “in addition to their normal disinfecting that occurs each evening in each building.”</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/S--_WQKmiSVbwxc6CXFKJ3N9bL0=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/J4I5HFT4WZH7RD3OQA7O666MXE.jpg" alt="Custodian David Diment sweeps up in the school cafeteria. " height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Custodian David Diment sweeps up in the school cafeteria. </figcaption></figure><p>Arnold said that he appreciates the district giving teachers cleaning supplies so they too can help keep classrooms clean between cohorts, rather than putting everything on custodial staff.</p><p>“It’s really somewhat of a team approach,” Arnold said.&nbsp;</p><p>Diment himself hasn’t been sick, but he has been quarantined, including after his boss tested positive for COVID-19. The ordeal made him and his colleagues more aware of their risks.</p><p>At one point, he said, the district <a href="https://www.jeffcopublicschools.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_627881/File/Jeffco%20PS/restart/documents/District-JESPA%20MOU%20and%20Memo%20Aug%2031%202020.pdf">signed an agreement with the union that allowed</a> custodians and other support staff to take six months off work and be able to return to their job afterward. But Diment needed his job and the money, so he never considered the offer.</p><p>Now, he said, he’s relieved that he and his coworkers have been fully vaccinated. But the year has still been challenging, and the work hasn’t stopped.</p><p>“We have been in the buildings pretty much since Day One, even when we didn’t have any information about this disease,” Diment said. “Sometimes people can lose sight of that.”</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2021/3/29/22357026/jeffco-school-custodian-staff/Yesenia Robles2021-03-26T00:55:46+00:002021-03-26T00:55:46+00:00<p>The Jeffco school board named a sole finalist Thursday to lead Colorado’s second-largest school district.&nbsp;</p><p>Tracy Dorland, a deputy superintendent in the nearby Adams 12 school district, is in line to become Jeffco’s next superintendent.</p><p>“I’m optimistic that our finalist candidate does have the background to lift our district up in terms of our academic performance,” said Jeffco board member Brad Rupert. “She’s got local experience, extensive familiarity with the context of Colorado and education budgets within Colorado and so I’m looking forward to working with our candidate assuming that the negotiations go well.”</p><p>The Jeffco school board began its search for a superintendent in December after hiring a consultant to lead the search. Former superintendent Jason Glass left the district after three years in the position to take a job in Kentucky.</p><p>Before her work in Adams 12, Dorland worked in Denver Public Schools in several roles including as a teacher.&nbsp;</p><p>Dorland holds a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy studies from the University of Colorado, Denver and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Dorland lives in Jeffco and has two children who attend Jeffco schools.</p><p>“I am deeply honored to have been selected as the finalist for Jeffco’s next superintendent. Jeffco has a long tradition of excellence and has consistently been seen as one of the outstanding school systems in the country,” Dorland stated in Jeffco’s released statement. “As a longtime resident of Jeffco, I look forward to continuing the tradition of excellence and working with our schools, staff, students and our entire Jeffco community to achieve even greater success in student learning.”</p><p>The district’s lawyers will now negotiate a contract with Dorland. The board expects to vote on that during a meeting April 14.</p><p>On Thursday, the board did not hold any public discussion about the choice or any other candidates. Board members did express optimism for the future, including improving transparency and accountability.&nbsp;</p><p>The board held several previous closed door meetings.&nbsp; The board unanimously selected Dorland as the sole finalist during a Tuesday meeting, according to a <a href="https://mailchi.mp/jeffco/jefferson-county-board-of-education-announces-superintendent-finalist?e=c2a1ebaddb">press release</a> from the district.</p><p>Tuesday’s meeting was held behind closed doors in an executive session.</p><p>The district’s search firm of Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates “reviewed the candidacy of 43 individuals, of which 28 formally submitted applications” according to the district’s communication.</p><p>The press release also notes that the board reviewed all submitted applications and conducted initial interviews with seven candidates and follow-up interviews with four candidates earlier this week.</p><p>Two recent court cases — one involving another school district, the other involving the University of Colorado —&nbsp;center on members of the public <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/2/4/22267286/school-boards-superintendent-search-sole-finalist">challenging boards’ ability to name only one finalist in executive searches</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>A district judge sided with the public stating that the school board for Academy District 20 in Colorado Springs was bound by law to have named all the finalists it considered, and <a href="https://gazette.com/news/education/ruling-issued-in-case-involving-academy-d-20-former-teacher/article_b2bf9522-77c6-11eb-9334-b70a4f928d3c.html">must now release recordings</a> of some of the meetings the board held in closed session.&nbsp;</p><p>In the University of Colorado case, a newspaper is asking for the Colorado Supreme Court to review its case <a href="https://coloradofoic.org/court-of-appeals-reverses-district-court-ruling-that-cu-regents-violated-cora-by-withholding-names-and-applications-of-candidates-interviewed-for-presidency/">after an appeals judge overturned an initial decision</a> that the university should have named all of the finalists it was considering, not just one.&nbsp;</p><p>Two Colorado lawmakers introduced a bill in February to change Colorado open records law regarding superintendent finalists. <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb21-1051">The bill’s summary</a> states that the bill “repeals a provision requiring that, if three or fewer candidates for an executive position meet the minimum requirements for the position, all of those candidates must be treated as finalists and their application materials are public records.”</p><p>On Wednesday, the <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/3/24/22349128/cherry-creek-names-internal-candidate-as-superintendent-finalist">Cherry Creek School District also named a sole finalist</a> for its superintendent position. Several other school districts in Colorado are also searching for new superintendents, including Denver Public Schools.&nbsp;</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2021/3/25/22351485/jeffco-names-superintendent-sole-finalist/Yesenia Robles2021-02-27T02:45:40+00:002021-02-27T02:45:40+00:00<p>Middle and high school students in Jeffco schools will shift away from hybrid learning and start regularly going into school buildings in the next two months.&nbsp;</p><p>Jeffco, the second-largest district in Colorado with about 78,000 students, made the official <a href="https://mailchi.mp/jeffco/grades-6-12-return-to-100-in-person-learning-5078581?e=c2a1ebaddb">announcement</a> Friday noting that Jefferson County has moved into the second-lowest level of restrictions, level blue, on <a href="https://covid19.colorado.gov/data/covid-19-dial-dashboard">the state’s dial</a>.</p><p>Under Jeffco’s plan, schools would start to reach out March 15 to parents of students with the highest needs to schedule more in-person learning. Then on April 5, after spring break, all hybrid learning would cease, and all secondary students would start attending schools four days a week. Students who choose to be in full remote learning, will continue to have that as an option.</p><p>District officials said they expect that by then, state guidance may allow districts to relax social distancing requirements, allowing for more students in classrooms.</p><p>For the past year, secondary students — those in middle and high schools — have had less access to in-person learning than younger children had. But as case rates have dropped, quarantine rules have changed. With the renewed hope around teachers receiving vaccines, several districts have now announced plans to allow students to return to school full time. Elementary students have had the opportunity to <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/12/18/22189429/jeffco-public-schools-back-to-school-plan-2021">learn in person five days a week</a> since January.</p><p>In some cases that means four days a week, in some cases five days, but all plans represent an increase of face-to-face instruction.</p><p>Several factors have made the full-time return for secondary students more challenging. For one, schedules place different groups of teachers and students together throughout the day, increasing the likelihood of being exposed to a positive case and then to have to quarantine.</p><p>Some of the districts that have announced new plans are St. Vrain Valley, Thompson School District, Douglas County and Littleton. The Westminster and Mapleton school districts have already had secondary students in person full time.</p><p>School officials in Aurora haven’t made an official announcement, but have previously indicated their intention to return students to schools four days per week, every week, after spring break.&nbsp;</p><p>Denver Public Schools Interim Superintendent Dwight Jones sent an announcement to families Friday that the district is discussing how to offer more in-person learning for middle and high school students.</p><p>“I’m hopeful that we can go into the final months of this very challenging school year with our middle and high schools operating at as close to full strength as possible,” Jones wrote.</p><p>The Denver district hasn’t said what that would look like. Jones said there are lots of factors to consider, including wanting to ensure 3 feet of social distancing between teachers and students, having enough staff to operate schools given that some teachers have accommodations to work from home due to health conditions, and wanting to ensure students who chose fully remote learning still get a quality experience.&nbsp;</p><p>“Our focus now is on looking for ways to have more students in classes together over the course of a school day by adjusting our cohort guidelines,” Jones wrote.&nbsp;</p><p>Current guidelines in Denver Public Schools limit classes to 17 students in person. The district has allowed <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/1/28/22255263/denver-high-schools-reopening-covid">each secondary school to come up with its own</a> in-person schedule this semester. Some schools are offering as many as four full in-person learning days per week, while others are offering just a few hours of in-person enrichment.</p><p>“As long as our students and staff continue to follow our health protocols for mask wearing and physical distancing, health experts assure us that there is no increased risk to having more students meeting each day,” Jones wrote.</p><p>Students, parents and teachers have had mixed reactions.</p><p>One Jeffco mom, Nadine Chavez, said she is still scared about sending her 14-year-old eighth grader to school in person, but she thinks it’s the right thing to do now.</p><p>“I can’t tell you how excited he is,” Chavez said. “He needs it.”</p><p>Initially, Chavez decided to keep him in remote learning because he has asthma, and working in a hospital, Chavez said she has seen how sick people can get from COVID. But then her concerns changed.&nbsp;</p><p>“He was worrying me a little bit. He wanted to give up,” Chavez said. “I caught him sleeping through classes. His attendance, it’s just not there.”</p><p>Rusha Lev, a parent of elementary students who is also a pediatrician, has been involved in some groups to give Jeffco feedback on learning plans.&nbsp;</p><p>Lev said she believes that although the risk isn’t zero, it is low, and students should be back in person.</p><p>“Kids are really not OK,” Lev said. “It’s time to see how we can do this right.”</p><p>Lev said that the important thing is for the community to keep following guidelines to keep transmission low and to ensure that schools are following their rules to mitigate risk of transmission. So far, she said, she thinks data shows they have done a good job.</p><p>Elijah Medina, a 16-year-old student in Jeffco said most students are feeling excited about having more time in school, though he said some are also a little worried about bringing the virus home to families.&nbsp;</p><p>“With more people getting the vaccine, we’re all just hoping for the best,” Medina said.&nbsp;</p><p>Jeffco student Morgan Fritzler, 16, helped organize a petition asking the district to keep secondary schools in hybrid learning.</p><p>One fear Fritzler and Medina shared is that a return to full-time learning will make exposures more common, meaning the likelihood of getting sent home to learn online for up to two weeks might be higher than it has been in hybrid learning.</p><p>But, Fritzler’s grandfather, who she sees regularly, just got vaccinated, alleviating another one of her concerns.</p><p>“I’m disappointed,” Fritzler said. “But I’m still trying to be optimistic.”</p><p><em>Reporter Melanie Asmar contributed to this report.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2021/2/26/22304133/middle-high-school-students-jeffco-denver-full-time/Yesenia Robles2021-02-05T00:16:25+00:002021-02-05T00:16:25+00:00<p>As four of Colorado’s five largest school districts hunt for their next superintendent, they’ll be walking a fine line, trying to balance competitive hiring practices and job candidates’ desire for privacy against the public interest —&nbsp;and even the law.&nbsp;</p><p>As districts search for their new leaders, a key question they face is whether to publicly name a single finalist or several.&nbsp;</p><p>“School boards feel enormous tension,” said Joshua Starr, a former superintendent and CEO of PDK International, a membership association for educators. “They need to show the community that they’ve made a credible choice.”</p><p>Experts in the fields of education and employment say few applicants are interested in being publicly named as finalists. Starr said part of the fear is it could disrupt the trust with the communities where they work, if they know their leader is looking to leave, before a departure is certain.</p><p>But the practice of naming a sole finalist can leave community members feeling like they don’t have a say in a critical decision.&nbsp;</p><p>That’s what happened in Denver in 2018, when former Superintendent <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2018/11/29/21106238/susana-cordova-is-the-sole-finalist-to-be-the-denver-school-district-s-next-superintendent">Susana Cordova was named as a sole finalist</a>. Some community members were left feeling frustrated and distrustful of the process. The board had intended to name several finalists, but other applicants dropped out before they were named publicly.</p><p>Colorado requires that school districts name finalists at least 14 days before they officially make their choice. In the past, some school districts named only sole finalists, yet the issue had not been challenged. But in two recent legal challenges, including one brought by a parent in the Academy 20 school district in Colorado Springs, district <a href="https://coloradofoic.org/judge-colorado-springs-school-board-improperly-denied-cora-request-for-names-and-applications-of-all-superintendent-finalists/">judges ruled in favor of the public interest</a>, affirming in both cases that the law requires multiple finalists to be named. Both rulings have been appealed, and appellate courts could issue decisions soon.&nbsp;</p><p>Now Denver Public Schools is again looking for a superintendent, along with Jeffco Public Schools, Douglas County School District, and Cherry Creek School District. Several smaller Colorado districts are also looking for their next leader. Multiple openings in the same region mean more competition for the best candidates in a year that has already been challenging for district leaders.</p><p>In Denver, the school board has said it wants to name multiple finalists this time to allow the community to provide input. Some community members have said they’ll have it no other way.</p><p>In Jeffco and in Cherry Creek, school boards have not taken such a clear stance. Instead, they’ve left open the possibility that if one applicant rises above the rest, they may name only one finalist.</p><p>Jeffco Public Schools is going through the process first, and has completed multiple meetings and surveys to ask what people want in the next superintendent. Officials there say involving the community early means the voice of the community will be heard, even if the district ultimately names just one finalist.</p><p>“We do extensive engagement with our community, so they are absolutely involved,” said Susan Harmon, president of the Jeffco school board. “We think it’s really the best way for us to serve Jeffco.”</p><p>In Denver, the school board is expected to announce soon its selection of a search firm. Having that in place will offer more details about how the district will set up its search.</p><p>Carrie Olson, the board president, said the board is looking to present the community with several final applicants, though she said if applicants drop out in the end, as they did in the last search, the board may not have a choice.</p><p>Olson said the community will get to provide input throughout the process as well, though she said she is unsure whether the community input given at the beginning of the search will be different than when finalists are presented.</p><p>“It’s worth it to ask,” Olson said. “It’s always good to check with people.”</p><p>Karen Mortimer, a Denver mom and member of the district’s family engagement subcommittee, said she believes the benefit of engaging people in the beginning is partly to inform the public that the process is happening.</p><p>Then, when finalists are presented, community members who will be working with the district’s new leader should have a say in who they would like to work with, she said.</p><p>“This community would have very little tolerance if DPS came back with just one finalist,” Mortimer said. “It would go very poorly.”</p><p>But picking multiple finalists doesn’t guarantee a smooth process. The small <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2018/5/2/21104886/sheridan-school-district-picks-new-leader-in-split-decision">Sheridan school district faced turmoil</a> when the board ultimately chose a different applicant than the one many community members had backed.&nbsp;</p><p>Starr said the key in balancing the tensions is being clear and upfront.&nbsp;</p><p>“Good boards are very clear about what their role is versus what the community’s role is,” he said.</p><p>Starr said the profiles that search firms and districts develop for potential candidates after community engagement aren’t much different from one place to another. But there is a risk, he said, in sticking closely to a specific checklist.</p><p>“The image of the superintendent as the savior on the white horse is one that is not necessarily reflective of the skills and knowledge that are most important in order for a superintendent to be successful,” Starr said. “Some of the best candidates may be overlooked if you’re looking to check the boxes. Candidates of color get overlooked. Women get overlooked all the time.”</p><p>Olson said she doesn’t expect contention to result if the community were divided on who should be selected, or if the board selected someone different than the candidate the community wanted.</p><p>“This board is very responsive to the community,” Olson said. “I don’t see us getting there.”</p><p>Olson also said that she is not worried too much about the applicant pool being small or about deterring qualified applicants by making the process open.&nbsp;</p><p>“I had only heard the fear of ‘I don’t want to be put out there,’ but then somebody made me think in the other way. For some, just being named a finalist in Denver is an honor. We’re Denver. We’re special.”</p><p>Parker Baxter, director of the Center for Education Policy Analysis at the University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs, cautioned against underestimating the toll an open process can take on superintendent candidates.</p><p>“We don’t want to pretend this is the only district in the country and all of these candidates are waiting around to be put through this process,” Baxter said.&nbsp;</p><p>He, like Starr, cautioned that the community’s role should be clearly defined so that the decisions remain with board members who have been elected to hire district leaders.&nbsp;</p><p>“The danger in saying we will only be happy if our candidate is chosen is that then you’re giving veto power to any one particular constituent within the district,” Baxter said.</p><p>Olson said she understands that board members have the job of representing the public in the decision.</p><p>“I don’t think we’re going out to tell the community, select the superintendent for us,” she said. “We’re trying to make this as open and as transparent as possible.”&nbsp;</p><p>In Cherry Creek, where Superintendent Scott Siegfried may stay in the post into the summer if a replacement has not been selected, the school board is taking its time.</p><p>Karen Fischer, the school board president, said the board has just approved a contract with search consultants who first will conduct community outreach to report on what the public wants in a superintendent.&nbsp;</p><p>“Once the consultants gather all of that for us then we will post the job,” Fischer said. “We are not close to posting the job yet. We’re going to use that input to inform what we’re looking for.”</p><p>Fischer said that she has not heard calls in her community to name multiple finalists. And it wasn’t a big problem last time the board <a href="https://www.sentinelcolorado.com/news/siegfried-bull/">named a sole finalist either</a>, she said.&nbsp;</p><p>“Scott Siegfried was such a strong candidate the last time that we didn’t have other applicant finalists,” Fischer said. “I think we’re going to have such strong internal applicants. We’re just kind of in a really good place.”</p><p>In Jeffco, where the search is furthest along, the search firm is set to <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/BXQP8B626E93/$file/Superintendent%20Search%202020-21.Leadership%20Report%20%20Engagement%20Feedback.February%204%202021.Final.pdf">present Thursday night a summary</a> of the surveys and community engagement meetings with multiple community, school, and employee groups.</p><p>The application for the top job in Jeffco schools has been open for months and is closing Feb. 15. The Jeffco board will interview a handful of candidates early next month and will then decide which of those candidates may be named finalists.</p><p>Court rulings in the two cases about this issue have hinged on the definition of finalists.&nbsp;</p><p>Jeff Roberts, the executive director of the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition, said the judges have interpreted the law the way he and many lawyers have for years: that in whittling down applicants, the board has already identified finalists.</p><p>“When they do that, when they interview the qualified people that they’re really considering, those are finalists,” Roberts said. “That’s who the law says ought to be named publicly.</p><p>“It’s the law,” he added. “Unless the court of appeals tells us something differently.”</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2021/2/4/22267286/school-boards-superintendent-search-sole-finalist/Yesenia Robles2021-01-16T00:30:52+00:002021-01-16T00:30:52+00:00<p>Jeffco Public Schools will open its middle and high schools to students starting Jan. 25, just one week after bringing elementary students back to the classroom, the district announced Friday.</p><p>This is an earlier return for secondary students than district officials had expected in December. They <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/12/18/22189429/jeffco-public-schools-back-to-school-plan-2021">previously said</a> that secondary students would return to buildings when the county sees consistently improving COVID trends and if elementary schools remain operationally stable, with the earliest possible date being Feb. 1.&nbsp;</p><p>Interim Superintendent Kristopher Schuh said in an email to the community that several factors influenced the decision to bring secondary students back sooner, including overall trends in COVID cases, “a strong desire of both students and families to return to in-person learning,” a larger pool of substitute teachers that will allow the district to better manage staffing issues, and greater availability of coronavirus testing.</p><p>After starting the second semester with remote learning, Jeffco elementary students will return to classrooms five days a week on Tuesday, and middle and high school students will return to classrooms on a hybrid schedule the following Monday.</p><p>Around the state, districts that have been remote since November are <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/1/11/22225950/denver-students-in-person-school-january">bringing students back in phases</a>. In Jeffco, the state’s second-largest district, secondary students have been fully remote since the week before Thanksgiving, and elementary students have been remote since just after Thanksgiving break.</p><p>Jefferson County currently has around 488 cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 people, slightly below the state average, and a test positivity rate around 6.1%. Statewide, COVID cases have increased since late December, but it’s not clear yet if the post-Christmas bump will turn into a sustained increase or level off.</p><p>Superintendents have said they <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/12/15/22177567/colorado-polis-back-to-school-plan">believe schools can operate safely</a> even at high case levels. But somewhere between 500 and 700 cases per 100,000, frequent quarantines create staffing shortages that make it difficult to sustain in-person learning.</p><p>In an effort to address those problems, state public health officials have <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/11/25/21720812/new-colorado-guidelines-school-quarantine">revised quarantine guidelines</a> and Gov. Jared Polis <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/1/6/22217711/colorado-binaxnow-rapid-covid-tests-schools">made rapid COVID tests available to school districts</a>.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2021/1/15/22233955/jeffco-public-schools-middle-high-school-return/Erica Meltzer2020-12-18T20:45:52+00:002020-12-18T20:45:52+00:00<p>Fearing a possible post-holiday COVID surge, Jeffco Public Schools plans to start January with most students in remote learning before opening school buildings later in the month.</p><p>The state’s second-largest school district <a href="https://jeffcopublicschools.org/restart_jeffco/january_2021_return_to_school_plan">said in an email Friday</a> that it hopes to bring elementary students back to school buildings on Jan. 19 for the rest of the school year. Secondary students would return to school buildings on a hybrid schedule if the county moves to orange, a lower level of COVID safety restrictions, or if cases are going down steadily under the current level red, officials said. The earliest that would happen would be Feb. 1.</p><p>But bringing students back too early could end in almost immediate quarantines and disruptions if virus levels are high, officials said.</p><p>“While we are fully committed to return to in-person learning, there are serious concerns about a potential surge in the spread of the virus following the winter break,” the email said. “Jefferson County Public Health has advised us to provide for a 14-day incubation period prior to opening our schools for in-person instruction to avoid virus spread which could lead to immediate quarantines.”</p><p>Nearly all Jeffco Public Schools have been <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/11/12/21563317/jeffco-public-schools-move-to-remote-learning">learning remotely since the Thanksgiving break</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>Statewide, new cases and test positivity have declined since the peak in late November after public health officials implemented new restrictions but remain at what the state epidemiologist called a “high plateau.” Jefferson County reports better trends than the state average but remains at level red, the second highest level of restrictions.&nbsp;</p><p>Colorado seems to have avoided a post-Thanksgiving surge such as other states experienced, but officials remain concerned that behavior over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays could reverse these initial gains.&nbsp;</p><p>The small number of students who have continued to report to school buildings in December —&nbsp;preschool students, students with significant disabilities, and some high school students in career and technical programs — will continue in-person learning from Jan. 6, the district said.</p><p>Elementary students will return to school Jan. 19 unless the county is at the highest level of restricts on the state dial, which would be triggered by hospitals becoming overwhelmed.&nbsp;</p><p>But the return of secondary students will depend on certain public health conditions being met, the district said. There are a number of reasons for that. Secondary students seem to contract the virus at higher rates than younger students, and secondary schedules make the creation of strict cohorts very difficult.&nbsp;</p><p>Secondary students will return to buildings when the county sees consistently improving COVID trends and if elementary schools remain operationally stable, the email said.&nbsp;</p><p>“We know that our plan for January will not make everyone happy,” the email said. “Some want schools to return to 100% in-person learning immediately, others want us to wait even longer than our plan. … We believe what we have put forward here is the most reasonable, safe, and sustainable way to get our students and staff back to in-person learning.”</p><p>The email said the district’s intent is to reduce instability and keep students in school once they’re brought back. District officials said implementing the plan will depend on “reducing the spread of COVID-19 in our community and maintaining our staffing levels both within schools and across district operations.”&nbsp;</p><p>Denver Public Schools and Cherry Creek School District have said they plan to bring back students earlier, on Jan. 11, but those plans could change based on public health indicators. <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/12/15/22177688/aurora-adams-cherry-creek-return-in-person-january">Other metro area school districts</a> are taking Jeffco’s approach and building in a cushion to watch post-holiday trends.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/12/4/22151270/most-of-colorados-largest-districts-are-now-only-offering-remote-instruction">Most of the state’s large districts are currently entirely remote</a>, with many school leaders citing major operational challenges due to quarantines. To encourage districts to open their buildings, the state public health department <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/11/25/21720812/new-colorado-guidelines-school-quarantine">made several changes to the quarantine rules</a>. However, superintendents have said that when case rates are above 500 per 100,000 people over a two-week period, quarantines are so frequent that it’s <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/12/15/22177567/colorado-polis-back-to-school-plan">difficult to run their schools even with relaxed guidelines</a>.</p><p>District officials said they need more support from the state, including <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/12/9/22166634/colorado-covid-vaccine-teachers-school">giving teachers and school staff higher priority for the vaccine</a>, expanding testing opportunities, providing more funding, and waiving licensing requirements for substitute teachers.&nbsp;</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/12/18/22189429/jeffco-public-schools-back-to-school-plan-2021/Erica Meltzer2020-12-09T22:08:33+00:002020-12-09T22:08:33+00:00<p>The Jeffco School board voted Tuesday night to appoint Rick Rush, a former school board member, to fill a vacant position.</p><p>The board interviewed eight applicants, and ultimately favored Rush’s past experience on the board and his priorities, which board members said align with what the current board wants to work on. The vote was unanimous.</p><p>“He could hit the ground running at a time when we all know there is just so much and it’s all important,” said Susan Harmon, the board’s president. “We are jumping into budget discussions tomorrow. I can’t overlook that.”</p><p>Rush previously filled a <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2008/10/10/jeffco-ed-board-fills-vacancy-left-after-chowdhurys-exit/">Jeffco board vacancy from 2008 to 2009</a>. He ran to continue serving on the board, but <a href="https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CO/Jefferson/11270/19353/en/summary.html#">lost the election in 2009</a> to Paula Noonan. This time, Rush will serve the remainder of the term until November, when voters would determine the next board member. Rush said he may consider running next year to continue serving, but has not committed to it.&nbsp;</p><p>Rush, who is a consultant, <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/BW3NMW5F5791/$file/Application.Rush%20Rick_Redacted.pdf">described himself as semi-retired</a>, most recently from his role as executive director and chief actuary for Kaiser Permanente Colorado. He has served on several committees and boards in the school district as well as with outside organizations such as the on the board for YMCA of Metro Denver.&nbsp;</p><p>During his interview, Rush identified creating trust with the community, making the district an “employer of choice,” and increasing student enrollment as three priorities for the Jeffco district.&nbsp;</p><p>“I’m looking for the right ways to advance ourselves and create programs that make students and families want to stay here and want to come here,” Rush said.</p><p>Among the pressing work the board faces in the coming months is <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/8/11/21363893/jeffco-school-board-appoints-interim-superintendent">hiring a new superintendent</a>, and continuing to navigate the pandemic including school closures and reopenings.&nbsp;</p><p>Former board member <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/11/6/21553488/jeffco-school-board-member-resigns">Ron Mitchell resigned last month</a> citing health and family reasons, leaving a vacancy for Jeffco’s District 5, which includes the southern part of the district bordering Denver and Arapahoe County.&nbsp;</p><p>Rush will be sworn in prior to a board meeting Wednesday.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/12/9/22166297/jeffco-school-board-former-board-member-fill-vacant-seat/Yesenia Robles2020-11-13T01:18:26+00:002020-11-13T01:18:26+00:00<p>Jeffco Public Schools will send middle and high school students to learn at home starting next week, with elementary students to join them starting Nov. 30.</p><p>Colorado’s second-largest school district announced the change Thursday, the same day <a href="https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/douglas-county-school-district-will-move-to-remote-learning-starting-nov-30">Douglas County School District announced its students would go remote</a> Nov. 30 as well.</p><p>“Simply put, we’ve now reached the point at which the benefits of in-person learning are outweighed by the disruption caused by abrupt transitions to quarantines and by the risk of COVID-19 exposures within our buildings,” Jeffco Superintendent Kristopher Schuh wrote in an email, using language that superintendents around the region have deployed.</p><p>Schuh first laid out the <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/11/11/21561178/jeffco-middle-high-school-students-switch-online-learning-next-week">plan to send secondary students</a> remote at a board meeting Wednesday and warned community members that elementary students could follow if an alarming increase in cases did not change.</p><p>The district then sent an emailed statement that the decision was not final. District leaders met Thursday with representatives from Jefferson County Public Health before announcing the revised plans for elementary school.</p><p>District officials said that the increase in cases has meant they’re having to send more students and staff into quarantine more often, and it’s increasingly difficult to provide enough adults to operate schools safely.&nbsp;</p><p>While most Colorado students still have access to in-person learning, a <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/11/12/21562822/mid-november-colorado-school-districts-in-person-remote">growing number of school districts</a> are moving all or most of their students online. They include large districts in the Denver metro area and El Paso County, as well as small rural districts like Montezuma-Cortez in southwest Colorado and Fort Morgan in northeast Colorado. Many cite the same operational challenges as Jeffco.</p><p>Thursday’s decisions by Jeffco and Douglas County mean the state’s five largest school districts, which collectively serve more than 300,000 students, will be largely remote within weeks. For now, Denver Public Schools still has its kindergarten through second grade students in the classroom.</p><p>At the same time, Westminster Public Schools, which went remote earlier in the month, is bringing students back next week.</p><p>In Jeffco, middle and high school students will have an asynchronous learning day at home as teachers prepare for the change, with online classes to start Monday.</p><p>Elementary students will go to schools through Nov. 19, with Nov. 20 as a planning day for teachers. They’ll start remote learning on Nov. 30.</p><p>Jeffco will continue to offer preschool in person, as well as some career and technical programs and services for students with disabilities. The district will also offer limited child care for school-age children.</p><p>Students will remain remote through winter break, at which point district and public health officials will assess whether it’s possible to return to the classroom.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/11/12/21563317/jeffco-public-schools-move-to-remote-learning/Erica Meltzer2020-11-13T00:35:30+00:002020-11-13T00:35:30+00:00<p>Jeffco school board members are pushing district leaders to move more quickly on changes meant to boost the number of students who read well by the end of third grade.&nbsp;</p><p>Board members expressed frustration last week over the district’s plan to switch to state-approved reading curriculum during the 2021-22 school year, saying poor reading achievement has plagued the district for years. They cited the patchwork quilt of reading programs used in district schools, the lack of a consistent centralized approach, and a surge in COVID-related learning loss.&nbsp;</p><p>Board member Brad Rupert said at the <a href="https://livestream.com/accounts/10429076/events/3542310/videos/212981737">Nov. 5 board meeting</a>, ”Our literacy challenges predate COVID and so, to be honest, … I’m growing impatient with where we are and the lack of real problem-solving.”</p><p>Board member Susan Miller worried that with up to a year and a half until all schools have state-approved curriculum, literacy instruction won’t change much until 2023.&nbsp;</p><p>“I think we need to put the fire under ourselves and say we need to be more accountable,” she said, citing new data showing the growing number of struggling readers in the district.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“They will <em>never</em> catch up,” she said.&nbsp;</p><p>The discussion in Colorado’s second-largest school district reflects an issue cropping up in many school districts right now amid state efforts to <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/11/11/21561657/colorado-state-board-of-education-poised-to-relax-deadline-for-teacher-training-on-reading">beef up teacher training on reading</a> and push schools to <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/4/23/21233583/colorado-wants-schools-to-use-reading-curriculum-backed-by-science-heres-what-made-the-cut">use better reading curriculum</a>. The Denver, Cherry Creek, Aurora and Douglas County districts all use reading programs in some schools that will have to be replaced because the state has judged them unacceptable. If districts don’t make a good-faith effort to switch, they could face state sanctions.</p><p>Matt Flores, Jeffco’s chief academic officer, told board members that district staff have been reviewing <a href="https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/advisorylistofinstructionalprogramming2020#core">state-approved reading programs</a> since June, and will spend the coming months collecting feedback from teachers and others, analyzing the cost of new reading programs, and seeking proposals from vendors.&nbsp;</p><p>“Our declining reading scores are an urgent need to all of us and we are working incredibly hard to learn from the experience of professional educators, to learn from experts across the country and experts within our system,” he said.&nbsp;</p><p>The 109 elementary and K-8 schools in the 84,000-student Jeffco district use more than two dozen different core reading programs, according to <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/10/15/21517569/many-jeffco-schools-use-discredited-curriculum-to-teach-students-how-to-read">a list released by district officials</a> in October. Only one-third of schools use programs that have been approved by the state. The rest either use a discredited reading program commonly called “Lucy Calkins,” a mish-mash of curriculums, or a set of district-created resources that teachers have criticized for being hard to navigate and incomplete.</p><p>Candice Steinke, a second grade teacher at the district’s Foothills Elementary School, said there’s been a different reading program or combination of programs at each of the four schools where she’s worked during her 11 years in Jeffco. Many of the materials cover some key components of reading, but skip over other fundamentals.&nbsp;</p><p>“We need reading curriculum that is systemic, not a pick-and-choose,” she said. “We just constantly watch these kids fail.”</p><p>Steinke said the district-created set of reading materials, often referred to as “Bridge to Curriculum,” is “very broad … doesn’t offer any differentiation and it doesn’t tell me how to teach reading specifically.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Teachers don’t get much training on commercial reading programs used in the district either, she said. Her main choices are usually the teacher’s manual or webinars.&nbsp;</p><p>Steinke said she’d like to see the district select one or even a small number of comprehensive state-approved reading programs.&nbsp;</p><p>“If the district doesn’t pick something, they’re hurting kids that move around a lot, especially kids experiencing poverty.”</p><p>In Jeffco, only 46% of third-graders met expectations on the state’s 2019 English language arts test, which measures reading and writing. It’s a problem exacerbated by coronavirus-related school disruptions. At last week’s board meeting, district officials <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/BV7RRK6F416F/$file/PRESENTATION%20DistrictAcademicPerformance.Support11.5.20rev3.pdf">shared fall test results</a> showing that more K-3 students — especially first-graders — are far behind in reading this year compared with the&nbsp;previous year.</p><p>Andrew Gitner, an English teacher at Golden High School, believes the wide range of reading levels he sees in his students, with some many years behind, indicates problems with early reading instruction.&nbsp;</p><p>He said the district takes a piecemeal approach to teaching reading, with different schools emphasizing different reading skills and methods.</p><p>Compared with New York where he grew up and did his student teaching, Gitner said, “This is very much the wild west. It’s very much about local control. But when it comes to something that can be so evidence-based as reading instruction, maybe that’s not the best.”&nbsp;</p><p>One of the biggest outstanding questions for Jeffco leaders is how they’ll pay for new reading curriculum, which could have an initial price tag of several million dollars, with additional costs in subsequent years.&nbsp;</p><p>While Board President Susan Harmon agreed that improving literacy is a priority for the board, she emphasized the board’s responsibility to act on that during budget season.</p><p>“I will say to the board, remember this when we come to budget discussions because we have this conversation a lot and then things get cut,” she said.&nbsp;</p><p><em>Clarification: An earlier version of this story failed to mention that state literacy tests measure both reading and writing, not just reading. </em></p><p><em>This story was produced with support from the Education Writers Association Reporting Fellowship program.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/11/12/21563169/jeffco-plans-reading-revamp-but-impatient-board-members-push-for-faster-action/Ann SchimkeGetty Editorial - DO NOT REUSE2020-11-12T01:15:46+00:002020-11-11T20:02:56+00:00<p>District leaders on Wednesday proposed moving Jeffco middle and high school students to remote learning starting Monday.</p><p>Interim Superintendent Kristopher Schuh presented the plan at a school board meeting Wednesday morning, but in an email to the community later that afternoon, he said a final decision would be made Thursday after meeting again with public health officials.</p><p>The Jeffco school district is the largest in the state that has held on to in-person instruction as COVID-19 cases surge across the state. But the rising numbers that have reached high levels are crippling the district’s operations, officials said.</p><p>Elementary students will continue to have in-person instruction four days, instead of five — for now — but Schuh<strong> </strong>said it is inevitable that cases will continue to rise and likely will force elementary schools to close as well.</p><p>“We need to be ready,” Schuh said. “I do anticipate that this decision will be made.”</p><p>In an email to media organizations after the meeting, a district spokesperson said the decision is not yet “official.” However, Schuh <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/BV9MN45C0050/$file/PRESENTATION%20Covid%20JPS%20Learning%20Models11.11.20.pdf">presented the change</a> to board members as the administration’s plan. Board members asked questions but did not vote, nor did they raise any objections to the plan or ask for changes.</p><p>On Monday, Jeffco’s rising case numbers prompted the state to raise the county’s restriction level on the state’s dial to the second-strictest level, Safer at Home Orange, which is one step away from the county moving to stay at home orders.</p><p>Being in the Safer at Home Orange level means schools this week had to revert to their original quarantine procedures — so when a school has a positive case, it sends <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/7/27/21341029/what-is-a-cohort-and-how-will-it-help-schools-keep-students-safe">that person’s entire cohort home</a>.</p><p>Previously, the district was using a targeted quarantine process which allowed it to examine a person’s proximity, time spent with the infected individual, and whether masks were worn properly, to determine who had to be sent home.</p><p>In switching procedures, Jeffco this week has already sent home hundreds of students and staff for a two-week quarantine.</p><p>District leadership said that the broader quarantines are putting a strain on its operations.</p><p>The district is sending up to 40% of administrative staff from some departments daily to staff classrooms across the district.&nbsp;</p><p>Janitorial staff are also overwhelmed. Typically the district will close a school for 24 hours after a positive case to do a deep cleaning, but with so many cases, the staff can’t keep up. So the district is having to close schools for cleaning for 48 hours instead.</p><p>The district also cited transportation challenges. As <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/11/6/21553604/colorado-school-bus-staff-covid-outbreaks">cases also arise around bus staff</a>, the district is unable to cover all routes and is having to limit services.</p><p>Schuh said that while district leaders are keeping a close eye on case rates and community transmission data, he said he is weighing whether schools and classrooms can be maintained safely.</p><p>“At this point in time especially for our secondary schools the answer is we cannot,” Schuh said.</p><p><a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/BV9MN45C0050/$file/PRESENTATION%20Covid%20JPS%20Learning%20Models11.11.20.pdf">The plan</a> presented Wednesday morning would require students in sixth through 12th grades to move to remote learning starting Monday, at least through Dec. 4. Elementary students would have in-person instruction Monday through Thursday with a remote learning day on Fridays, also beginning next week.</p><p>The district plans to announce a decision for the remainder of the school year the week of Nov. 30.</p><p>For now, Jeffco is also planning to allow some students with severe special needs to continue to have in-person instruction, as well as some students who need to complete in-person projects for career and technical programs.&nbsp;</p><p>If the county later moves into a <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/10/27/21537475/how-colorado-covid-dial-restrictions-applies-schools">higher restriction level on the dial</a>, ordering residents to stay at home, the district would move completely to remote learning, but would attempt to continue in-person preschool classes as well as in-person instruction for students with severe special needs and those in certain career and technical programs.</p><p>Board member Susan Miller asked if it was possible to persuade the state to allow the district to continue using targeted quarantine procedures to allow for a quicker return to in-person learning. District officials said they are hopeful that public health officials are having those discussions with the state as more districts are switching to remote learning.</p><p>“We are hopeful. They’re bringing these concerns to the state,” said Julie Wilken, the district’s director for the department of health services. “They don’t want our kids to not be in school.”</p><p><em><strong>Clarification:</strong> This article and its headline have been changed to reflect that Jeffco Public Schools will make a final decision Thursday. </em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/11/11/21561178/jeffco-middle-high-school-students-switch-online-learning-next-week/Yesenia Robles2020-11-07T01:15:15+00:002020-11-07T01:15:15+00:00<p>Besides students and teachers, another group of school employees are getting sick with COVID: bus staff.</p><p>At least six Colorado school districts have <a href="https://covid19.colorado.gov/covid19-outbreak-data">reported outbreaks</a> of COVID among transportation employees, and some of the outbreaks are larger than those reported in most schools. While the trend hasn’t prompted a change of safety guidelines, it complicates the challenge of providing busing for students learning in person.</p><p>One of the larger outbreaks affected employees at a bus terminal for Jeffco Public Schools. The coronavirus sickened 12 employees, according to state records, although local public health officials put the number at seven. Jeffco is the state’s second-largest school district and continues to offer in-person learning even as many neighboring districts have moved most students online. Denver Public Schools has also reported four affected bus staff.</p><p>Jeffco school district officials refused to answer questions about the cases, or service interruptions, other than to say that that bus service in some areas was cancelled this year “for a brief period.” The district also said in an emailed statement that there have been “a few instances where non-driver transportation staff, who have the qualified licenses and training, have had to pick up bus routes here and there, including the executive director of the department.”</p><p>Jeffco bus driver Wally Maistryk, president of the Jefferson County Transportation Association, said the lack of clarity on the cases still has bus staff on edge.</p><p>“We’re pretty nervous about this stuff,” Maistryk said.</p><p>In <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nV82GoWFcE2qxJuDlE9VnQpgDs7_N_563D782coqmwo/edit">Montrose</a>, school bus service was completely cancelled for three days after two transportation staff members tested positive, prompting the contract transportation company to require all bus staff to get tested before returning to work. The district put students who could not get to schools without the bus on remote learning during those days.</p><p>In the Brighton-based 27J school district, an outbreak with four confirmed cases and an additional four possible cases have not caused service interruptions as other drivers picked up the extra routes.</p><p>Earlier this school year, districts had <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/8/31/21406266/more-room-school-bus-covid-era-guidelines-service-cuts-uncertainty">cut transportation services because of the challenge</a> of limiting the number of students riding on each bus.</p><p>Jeffco public health officials said that the investigation into the recent Jeffco cases among transportation staff revealed that many may have been exposed outside of work.</p><p>“The staff members involved sort of socialize outside of work, and through our investigation we realized there were multiple social gatherings,” said Christine Billings, Jeffco’s head of the Office of Pandemic Response.</p><p>In Brighton 27J, the Student Health and Wellness Coordinator Rhonda Plambec said that the district made similar findings in investigating its own outbreak.</p><p>“Our staff are so connected in the community,” Plambeck said. “It could be this person’s mom works at another school or they babysit for each other. It’s fascinating to see how close our community is.”</p><p>Officials have said that since the period between contracting the virus and showing symptoms is so long, it’s often hard to know where someone was exposed. State public health officials define an outbreak as a situation in which two or more people at a particular facility or event have confirmed or probable COVID diagnoses within two weeks of each other.&nbsp;</p><p>“It’s easy to get on the outbreak status,” Plambeck said.</p><p>Plambeck also said 27J leaders believe their safety guidelines are enough, but have sent reminders for staff to follow the rules and have held staff meetings to clarify any confusion about the rules.</p><p>Billings said that officials from local public health agencies meet regularly to share information on outbreaks in their communities. This week, agencies also started setting aside a time to talk exclusively about school-related outbreaks.</p><p>But, she said, the bus staff outbreaks haven’t raised an alarm.</p><p>“Our guidance hasn’t changed and since we didn’t see secondary spread, they did a good job,” Billings said, meaning the virus didn’t spread beyond the initially infected transportation staffers.</p><p>State guidance requires bus employees to wear masks, screen for symptoms each day, and maintain 6 feet of distance from others. Bus staff also have to follow cleaning protocols for their buses.</p><p>Jeffco bus driver Maistryk wants school districts to be more transparent with staff about cases.</p><p>“We all understand there’s privacy laws and stuff, but we just need to know more,” he said.</p><p>Maistryk and <a href="https://jeffcoespa.org/2020/11/covid-19-outbreaks-in-admin-buildings/">union officials have asked Jeffco</a> to make information about staff outbreaks in non-school buildings available on the district’s dashboard.</p><p>According to the union, district staff refused, <a href="https://jeffcoespa.org/2020/11/covid-19-outbreaks-in-admin-buildings/">reportedly saying</a> that “posting on a dashboard an administrative building outbreak or a bus terminal site outbreak, immediately focuses the outbreak to the public directly on our staff. This is inappropriate to their privacy rights.”</p><p>One example of poor communication that Maistryk fears puts drivers at risk is regarding quarantined students. He said in one case, a student who he knew was supposed to be on quarantine was allowed to return to school early, but Maistryk didn’t know it had been allowed until he saw the student at the bus stop.</p><p>“I have to trust the parents, now luckily it was OK, but I never got communication that it was OK,” Maistryk said. “It should be simple.”</p><p>“It stresses the heck out of all of us,” Maistryk said.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/11/6/21553604/colorado-school-bus-staff-covid-outbreaks/Yesenia Robles2020-11-06T22:44:34+00:002020-11-06T22:44:34+00:00<p>The five-member Jeffco school board soon will have an open seat.</p><p>Board member Ron Mitchell announced his resignation during a board meeting Thursday night citing health needs and a desire to spend more time with family.</p><p>“All of my past sins from a health point of view are beginning to catch up with me and one of the things I need to do is a better job of taking care of me,” Mitchell said, adding that he didn’t want the public to worry.</p><p>His resignation will be effective Thursday.</p><p>Mitchell, 75, represents Jeffco’s District 5 which includes the southern part of the district bordering Denver and Arapahoe County. Mitchell is serving a second term on the board which was set to run until next November.&nbsp;</p><p>Mitchell was first elected to the board after Jeffco voters recalled three conservative board members. He ran for <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2017/11/7/21103670/unity-prevails-jeffco-incumbents-easily-beat-back-challengers">reelection unopposed in 2017</a>.</p><p>During his tenure, Mitchell served as board president and most recently as one of two board vice presidents.</p><p>His colleagues on the board praised him as they accepted his resignation.</p><p>Board member Stephanie Schooley recalled meeting Mitchell when she was a parent at a school meeting.&nbsp;</p><p>“You made our community feel heard and feel like we were a part of a conversation that mattered,” Schooley said.</p><p>Mitchell choked back tears as he recalled his long history with the district, first as a student, and later as a teacher, principal, then administrator and most recently on the board.</p><p>“It’s not easy for me, but I think it is time,” Mitchell said.</p><p>The school board, which is preparing to open a search for a superintendent this school year, now also will have to begin a process for replacing Mitchell.&nbsp;</p><p>The board is expected to declare a vacancy at its next meeting Wednesday allowing it to start accepting applications. It then has 60 days to vet and appoint a new member to serve out the remainder of Mitchell’s term.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/11/6/21553488/jeffco-school-board-member-resigns/Yesenia Robles2020-10-16T00:26:30+00:002020-10-16T00:26:30+00:00<p>One-third of schools in Colorado’s second-largest district use a reading program the state has rejected and researchers have panned for promoting strategies that run counter to science.&nbsp;</p><p>Another 20% of schools in the 84,000-student Jeffco district rely exclusively on a district-created core reading curriculum that some educators and school board members say is hard to navigate and has numerous holes.</p><p>These problems came to light after Jeffco officials released a school-by-school list of K-3 reading curriculum on Oct. 9, meeting a long-standing request by parents, advocacy groups, and media outlets to make the information public. Previously, <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/9/25/21456381/what-do-jeffco-schools-use-to-teach-reading-district-leaders-dont-know-and-neither-does-the-public">district leaders didn’t know</a> what each of Jeffco’s 90 district-run elementary and K-8 schools used to teach children how to read.</p><p>The list of reading curriculums illustrates not only the stark differences between Jeffco schools, but also the large number of district schools that are out of compliance with a 2019 state law requiring them to use K-3 reading curriculum backed by science.</p><p>That law — an update of Colorado’s landmark 2012 reading law — was borne out of frustration from lawmakers, parents, and advocacy groups that the original law, the READ Act, barely boosted reading scores despite hundreds of millions of dollars spent.&nbsp;</p><p>Only about 41% of Colorado third-graders can read well, according to the most recent state test results. In Jeffco, the rate is 46%, but the district ranks lower than the state on another measure that reflects how much students improve from year to year.</p><p>The 2019 READ Act update gave the state stronger levers to ensure that teachers receive adequate training on literacy instruction and that schools use scientifically sound reading programs. It also demanded more transparency from districts, requiring them to report to the state what K-3 reading curriculum their schools use. The Colorado Department of Education plans to eventually post that information on its website.&nbsp;</p><p>State officials say schools that report using a program the state has reviewed and rejected because it doesn’t align with science must make a good-faith effort to switch — or their districts could face lower accreditation ratings.&nbsp;</p><p>Chalkbeat asked Jeffco officials by email Tuesday and Wednesday how and when they’ll transition schools that use unacceptable curriculum to new programs. Reached by phone Thursday, Chief Academic Officer Matt Flores said he didn’t have time to respond that day.</p><p><div id="75JbsG" class="html"><div style="background-color: #ececec; padding: 10px;"> <h3 style="margin-top: 5px;">Quick Links</h3> <p><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/7231492-Units-of-Study-for-Teaching-Reading-CDE-Review.html" target="_blank">Colorado's review of the Lucy Calkins reading program</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/advisorylistofinstructionalprogramming2020" target="_blank">Colorado's list of approved K-3 reading programs</a></ul> <p><a href="https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/ipcoredraftrubric2019" target="_blank">Colorado's rating criteria for K-3 reading programs</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/7231510-Jeffco-2020-21-READ-Spending-Plan.html" target="_blank">Jeffco's plan for spending READ Act funds this year</a></p> <p> <a href="https://sites.google.com/jeffcoschools.us/understandingjeffcocurriculum/home?authuser=0" target="_blank">Jeffco's district-developed curriculum</a></ul> </p> </div></div></p><p>State officials provided few specifics on how or when the education department will enforce the law.&nbsp;</p><p>Floyd Cobb, the state education department’s executive director of teaching and learning, said by email the department won’t create “a comprehensive plan for how to support” districts that need to make curriculum changes until after April 15. That’s when all Colorado districts will have to submit school-by-school curriculum lists.&nbsp;</p><p>Joyce Rankin, a state board of education member, said she wants schools to make changes “as soon as possible.”&nbsp;</p><p>She’s heard concerns from educators and district leaders who say, “Oh with COVID now, you’re piling this on.” She said, “My argument to that is, ‘No, this is what should have been happening in 2012.’”</p><p>Experts say a strong core curriculum is a key ingredient for effective reading instruction, but not the only one. Teacher training and coaching are also important, and in their absence, a good curriculum won’t get the job done.&nbsp;</p><p>“A curriculum in and of itself is only a piece of the pie in many respects,” said Lynn Kuhn, president of the Rocky Mountain branch of the International Dyslexia Association. “I do believe teacher knowledge is a huge component of effective instruction.”&nbsp;</p><h2>Here’s what Jeffco schools use to teach reading</h2><p>Nearly one-third of Jeffco’s 109 elementary and K-8 schools — that includes charters — use one of 10 core English-language <a href="https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/advisorylistofinstructionalprogramming2020">reading curriculums the state approved last spring</a>. Core Knowledge Language Arts, Wonders, EL Education, and Open Court are the most common choices. Schools in this category won’t have to switch programs.&nbsp;</p><p>Another third of Jeffco schools will have to switch because they use a reading program called Units of Study for Teaching Reading, more commonly called “Lucy Calkins.” It’s been popular for years in Colorado and around the nation, but <a href="https://achievethecore.org/page/3240/comparing-reading-research-to-program-design-an-examination-of-teachers-college-units-of-study">experts say it doesn’t do a good job</a> teaching phonics and encourages debunked strategies, such as having students guess at words instead of sounding them out.&nbsp;</p><p>Colorado curriculum reviewers agreed, awarding the program <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/7231492-Units-of-Study-for-Teaching-Reading-CDE-Review.html">just 14 of 27 possible points</a>, not enough to move on to the second, more in-depth phase of evaluation last spring. The program’s publisher, Heinemann, appealed the state’s decision and lost.&nbsp;</p><p>That means Jeffco and <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/3/27/21231320/why-do-so-many-colorado-students-struggle-to-read-flawed-curriculum-is-part-of-the-problem">other Colorado districts that use Lucy Calkins</a>, including Denver, Aurora, Cherry Creek, and Mesa County Valley, will have to phase out the program or risk state sanctions.</p><p>When Jeffco officials provided the reading curriculum list on Oct. 9 — a deadline they set on Sept. 11 — they omitted nine district-run schools. Chalkbeat requested the missing information that afternoon. A district spokeswoman said Wednesday that district officials were still gathering it and likely wouldn’t have it for several more days.</p><p>Using data from school improvement plans or information provided by principals, Chalkbeat retrieved answers for five of the missing schools.&nbsp;</p><h2>How teachers view Lucy Calkins</h2><p>Jeffco teachers have a range of opinions about the Lucy Calkins reading program.&nbsp;</p><p>Jon Cefkin, a first-grade teacher at Lukas Elementary School in Westminster, said he likes a few things about it, such as the cute posters and graphics, but he finds the lessons wordy and hard to execute. Teachers never got the same kind of in-depth training on Lucy Calkins they’d received on other reading programs earlier in his career, he said.&nbsp;</p><p>Cefkin also said some lessons don’t relate to his students or their lives — for example, one about a teacher learning yoga.</p><p>“I would not be upset about ditching Lucy,” he said. “It just doesn’t seem applicable to many of our students.”&nbsp;<strong>&nbsp;</strong></p><p>About 35% of Lukas students are eligible for subsidized meals, a proxy for poverty, and Cefkin said many live in homes with both parents and grandparents.&nbsp;</p><p>About 5 miles away at Meiklejohn Elementary, veteran kindergarten teacher Melissa Houlihan has a different take on Lucy Calkins. She said it helped deliver solid reading growth last year, her first year using it. It also weaves in seamlessly with the Lucy Calkins phonics and writing programs she also uses.&nbsp;</p><p>“For my kids, it hits them where they need to be,” she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Houlihan acknowledged that Meiklejohn’s student population is more affluent than most — just 4% of students are eligible for subsidized meals — and said many students come into her kindergarten class already knowing a lot of skills they’ll need for reading.</p><p>She also believes there’s no one-size-fits-all curriculum and that the most important factor is “the teacher and what they’re trained to do.”&nbsp;</p><p>“If we had to switch [from Lucy Calkins,] that would be a really large bummer,” Houlihan said. “We spent a ton of money on that.”</p><p>She wonders where her school will get the funds to buy a new program, especially with budgets extra tight because of the pandemic.</p><p>Jeffco will spend some money on new core reading programs this year, <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/7231510-Jeffco-2020-21-READ-Spending-Plan.html">according to a district plan</a> detailing how the district will spend nearly $1.9 million in READ Act funding for struggling readers. About $180,000 — 10% of the money — will go toward the purchase of core curriculum from the state’s approved list.&nbsp;</p><p>The rest will pay for tutoring, teacher training, and other reading instruction materials. Reading programs, which usually include teacher manuals and reading and practice materials for students, can cost tens of thousands of dollars per school.</p><h2>The holes in Jeffco’s district-developed curriculum</h2><p>About two dozen Jeffco schools rely exclusively on something called “Bridge to Curriculum,” <a href="https://sites.google.com/jeffcoschools.us/understandingjeffcocurriculum/home">a set of district-created resources</a>. Most other district schools also report using it, though usually in combination with commercial programs.&nbsp;</p><p>It’s not clear how state officials will handle schools using Bridge to Curriculum materials because state reviewers only evaluated commercially available reading programs last spring, not district-developed programs.&nbsp;</p><p>Regardless of the state’s stance, plenty of Jeffco educators aren’t happy with Bridge to Curriculum, which also houses materials for teaching math, science, and other subjects. At a recent school board meeting, Board member Susan Miller said when a district teacher walked her through the online offerings, they looked “very rich,” but “then we got to resources and it said there are no resources.”</p><p>Cefkin, who’s been teaching for 26 years, said he finds Bridge to Curriculum massive and cumbersome, and worries it will discourage beginning teachers who need clear guidance to teach reading.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Brooke Williams, president of the Jeffco teachers union, said the union often hears from teachers who say there are big gaps or broken links in Bridge to Curriculum materials on reading and other subjects. Such problems force them to spend hours plugging holes, a task made more onerous by ballooning COVID-era workloads, she said.&nbsp;</p><p>“It always seems to fall on educators’ backs ... to find those resources on their own,” she said. “Why can’t we pick some things that are approved to help our educators out?”</p><p><em>This story was produced with support from the Education Writers Association Reporting Fellowship program.</em></p><h2>Look up Jeffco K-3 reading curriculum by school</h2><p>Search for a Jeffco school below to find out what core reading curriculum it uses in kindergarten through third grade and whether that program has been approved by the state. A core program is a comprehensive instructional program designed to teach all children in a classroom a broad range of reading skills.&nbsp;</p><p><figure id="maYPLM" class="table"><table><thead><tr><th>School Name</th><th>Core reading curriculum</th><th>Approval status</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Hackberry Hill Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Kendallvue Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Maple Grove Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Swanson Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Welchester Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Arvada K-8</td><td>Wit and Wisdom (grade 3)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#FFD373" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M11.8142 7.0117C11.8142 7.0117 11.1631 26.9171 11.8141 11.3977C11.6675 11.9549 5.12726 12.0552 7.25688 11.7934C10.4992 11.3948 12.4652 11.7934 16.6969 11.7934" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved as supplemental or intervention program</td></tr><tr><td>Columbine Hills Elementary School</td><td>Orton-Gillingham</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#FFD373" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M11.8142 7.0117C11.8142 7.0117 11.1631 26.9171 11.8141 11.3977C11.6675 11.9549 5.12726 12.0552 7.25688 11.7934C10.4992 11.3948 12.4652 11.7934 16.6969 11.7934" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved as supplemental or intervention program</td></tr><tr><td>Columbine Hills Elementary School</td><td>Heggerty</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#FFD373" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M11.8142 7.0117C11.8142 7.0117 11.1631 26.9171 11.8141 11.3977C11.6675 11.9549 5.12726 12.0552 7.25688 11.7934C10.4992 11.3948 12.4652 11.7934 16.6969 11.7934" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved as supplemental or intervention program</td></tr><tr><td>Eiber Elementary School</td><td>Fundations (grades K-1)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#FFD373" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M11.8142 7.0117C11.8142 7.0117 11.1631 26.9171 11.8141 11.3977C11.6675 11.9549 5.12726 12.0552 7.25688 11.7934C10.4992 11.3948 12.4652 11.7934 16.6969 11.7934" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved as supplemental or intervention program</td></tr><tr><td>Mitchell Elementary School</td><td>Fundations</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#FFD373" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M11.8142 7.0117C11.8142 7.0117 11.1631 26.9171 11.8141 11.3977C11.6675 11.9549 5.12726 12.0552 7.25688 11.7934C10.4992 11.3948 12.4652 11.7934 16.6969 11.7934" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved as supplemental or intervention program</td></tr><tr><td>Mitchell Elementary School</td><td>Heggerty Phonemic Awareness (grade k)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#FFD373" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M11.8142 7.0117C11.8142 7.0117 11.1631 26.9171 11.8141 11.3977C11.6675 11.9549 5.12726 12.0552 7.25688 11.7934C10.4992 11.3948 12.4652 11.7934 16.6969 11.7934" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved as supplemental or intervention program</td></tr><tr><td>Parmalee Elementary School</td><td>Orton-Gillingham</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#FFD373" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M11.8142 7.0117C11.8142 7.0117 11.1631 26.9171 11.8141 11.3977C11.6675 11.9549 5.12726 12.0552 7.25688 11.7934C10.4992 11.3948 12.4652 11.7934 16.6969 11.7934" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved as supplemental or intervention program</td></tr><tr><td>Parr Elementary School</td><td>Orton-Gillingham</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#FFD373" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M11.8142 7.0117C11.8142 7.0117 11.1631 26.9171 11.8141 11.3977C11.6675 11.9549 5.12726 12.0552 7.25688 11.7934C10.4992 11.3948 12.4652 11.7934 16.6969 11.7934" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved as supplemental or intervention program</td></tr><tr><td>Peiffer Elementary School</td><td>Mondo Phonics (grade K)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#FFD373" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M11.8142 7.0117C11.8142 7.0117 11.1631 26.9171 11.8141 11.3977C11.6675 11.9549 5.12726 12.0552 7.25688 11.7934C10.4992 11.3948 12.4652 11.7934 16.6969 11.7934" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved as supplemental or intervention program</td></tr><tr><td>Peiffer Elementary School</td><td>Open Court phonics strand (grade 1)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#FFD373" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M11.8142 7.0117C11.8142 7.0117 11.1631 26.9171 11.8141 11.3977C11.6675 11.9549 5.12726 12.0552 7.25688 11.7934C10.4992 11.3948 12.4652 11.7934 16.6969 11.7934" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved as supplemental or intervention program</td></tr><tr><td>Powderhorn Elementary School</td><td>Fundations (grade K-2)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#FFD373" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M11.8142 7.0117C11.8142 7.0117 11.1631 26.9171 11.8141 11.3977C11.6675 11.9549 5.12726 12.0552 7.25688 11.7934C10.4992 11.3948 12.4652 11.7934 16.6969 11.7934" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved as supplemental or intervention program</td></tr><tr><td>Rocky Mountain Academy of Evergreen (C)</td><td>Wit and Wisdom</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#FFD373" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M11.8142 7.0117C11.8142 7.0117 11.1631 26.9171 11.8141 11.3977C11.6675 11.9549 5.12726 12.0552 7.25688 11.7934C10.4992 11.3948 12.4652 11.7934 16.6969 11.7934" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved as supplemental or intervention program</td></tr><tr><td>Ryan Elementary School</td><td>Mondo Phonics (grades K-1)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#FFD373" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M11.8142 7.0117C11.8142 7.0117 11.1631 26.9171 11.8141 11.3977C11.6675 11.9549 5.12726 12.0552 7.25688 11.7934C10.4992 11.3948 12.4652 11.7934 16.6969 11.7934" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved as supplemental or intervention program</td></tr><tr><td>Collegiate Academy of Colorado (C)</td><td>Being a Reader (grades K-2)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#FFD373" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M11.8142 7.0117C11.8142 7.0117 11.1631 26.9171 11.8141 11.3977C11.6675 11.9549 5.12726 12.0552 7.25688 11.7934C10.4992 11.3948 12.4652 11.7934 16.6969 11.7934" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved as supplemental or intervention program</td></tr><tr><td>Stober Elementary School</td><td>Fundations</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#FFD373" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M11.8142 7.0117C11.8142 7.0117 11.1631 26.9171 11.8141 11.3977C11.6675 11.9549 5.12726 12.0552 7.25688 11.7934C10.4992 11.3948 12.4652 11.7934 16.6969 11.7934" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved as supplemental or intervention program</td></tr><tr><td>Wilmore Davis Elementary School</td><td>Really Great Reading</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#FFD373" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M11.8142 7.0117C11.8142 7.0117 11.1631 26.9171 11.8141 11.3977C11.6675 11.9549 5.12726 12.0552 7.25688 11.7934C10.4992 11.3948 12.4652 11.7934 16.6969 11.7934" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved as supplemental or intervention program</td></tr><tr><td>Witt Elementary School</td><td>Fundations (grade K)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#FFD373" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M11.8142 7.0117C11.8142 7.0117 11.1631 26.9171 11.8141 11.3977C11.6675 11.9549 5.12726 12.0552 7.25688 11.7934C10.4992 11.3948 12.4652 11.7934 16.6969 11.7934" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved as supplemental or intervention program</td></tr><tr><td>Eiber Elementary School</td><td>Mondo </td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#FFD373" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M11.8142 7.0117C11.8142 7.0117 11.1631 26.9171 11.8141 11.3977C11.6675 11.9549 5.12726 12.0552 7.25688 11.7934C10.4992 11.3948 12.4652 11.7934 16.6969 11.7934" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved as supplemental or intervention program</td></tr><tr><td>Allendale Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Bradford K8 South (K-3)</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Blue Heron Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Coal Creek Canyon K-8 Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins — Phonics (grades K-2)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Coronado Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Eiber Elementary School</td><td>Leveled Literacy Intervention ( grades 1-3)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Elk Creek Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Fairmount Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Foothills Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Fremont Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Governor's Ranch Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Hutchinson Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Lawrence Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Little Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins (grade k) </td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Lukas Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Marshdale Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Meiklejohn Elementary</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Mitchell Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins (grades k,2,3)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Mortensen Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Mount Carbon Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins </td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Mount Carbon Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins — Phonics (grades K-2)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Jefferson County Open Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Parr Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Patterson International School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Peck Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Ralston Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Red Rocks Elementary School</td><td>Leveled Literacy Intervention</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Semper Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Shaffer Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Shelton Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins </td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Sierra Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>South Lakewood Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Two Roads Charter School(C)</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Van Arsdale Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Vanderhoof Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Vivian Elementary School</td><td>Leveled Literacy Intervention (grade 3)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Warder Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Westridge Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Wilmot Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Green Mountain Elementary School</td><td>Lucy Calkins</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#F79C75" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.24109 6.07188C6.32676 5.1868 23.4673 27.3942 11.3248 11.5228C11.6012 12.0243 5.9815 18.665 7.30876 16.9191C9.32947 14.2611 15.3254 8.47258 16.3946 5.4917" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> No</td></tr><tr><td>Edgewater Elementary School</td><td>Estrellita</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#ECECEC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M5.36496 11.9108L6.75365 11.9108" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.20654 7.39624L8.20654 8.39624" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M7.20654 16.6017L8.20654 15.6017" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M18.0858 12.0536L16.6971 12.0536" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M16.3946 16.6017L15.3946 15.6017" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M16.3946 7.39624L15.3946 8.39624" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M11.7257 5.4917L11.7257 6.93099" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M11.7257 17L11.7257 18.4393" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Pending</td></tr><tr><td>Adams Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Adams Elementary School</td><td>Phonics from a consultant (grade 3)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Allendale Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Belmar School of Integrated Arts</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Bergen Meadow Primary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Bradford K8 South</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Blue Heron Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum (grades 1-3)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Campbell Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Coal Creek Canyon K-8 Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Coal Creek Canyon K-8 Elementary School</td><td>Reading A to Z</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Colorow Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Columbine Hills Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Compass Montessori - Wheat Ridge Charter School (C)</td><td>Montessori reading curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Coronado Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Compass Montessori - Golden Charter School (C)</td><td>Montessori reading curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Doral Academy of Colorado (C)</td><td>Journeys</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Doral Academy of Colorado (C)</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Devinny Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Edgewater Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Edgewater Elementary School</td><td>Leveled books</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Eiber Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Elk Creek Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Excel Academy Charter School (C)</td><td>Reading Street</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Fairmount Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Fitzmorris Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Foothills Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Foster K-8</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Fremont Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Glennon Heights Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Governor's Ranch Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Hutchinson Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Jefferson Academy Elementary (C)</td><td>Spire EPS 1/2/3 and Epic Books</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Sheridan Green Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Kendrick Lakes Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Kullerstrand Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Kyffin Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Lawrence Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Leawood Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Leawood Elementary School</td><td>Jan Richardson guided reading</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Little Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum (grades 1-3)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Lukas Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Mitchell Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Molholm Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum </td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Montessori Peaks Charter Academy (C)</td><td>Montessori curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Mortensen Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Mount Carbon Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Normandy Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Jefferson County Open Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Jefferson County Open Elementary School</td><td>PEBC Thinking Strategies and Workshop </td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Parmalee Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Parr Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Patterson International School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Peck Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Peiffer Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Powderhorn Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Powderhorn Elementary School</td><td>leveled books (grade K-2)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Prospect Valley Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Ralston Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Red Rocks Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Rose Stein International Elementary</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Rooney Ranch Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Ryan Elementary School</td><td> Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Secrest Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Semper Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Shaffer Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Sierra Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Slater Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Slater Elementary School</td><td>Scholastic "leveled book room"</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Deane Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>South Lakewood Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Emory Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Stober Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Stony Creek Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Stott Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Ute Meadows Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Vanderhoof Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Warder Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Weber Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Westgate Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>West Woods Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Westridge Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Wilmore Davis Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Wilmot Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Witt Elementary School</td><td>Bridge to Curriculum</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Golden View Classical Academy (C)</td><td>Literacy Essentials: The Journey from Spelling to Reading</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Mountain Phoenix Community School (C)</td><td>Steiner-Waldorf Curriculum and Roadmap to Literacy: A Guide to Teaching Language Arts in Waldorf Schools Grades 1 through 3. (In the process of selecting a state-approved reading program)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#DCDCDC" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Not reviewed</td></tr><tr><td>Bear Creek K-8 School</td><td>Open Court Reading</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Lasley Elementary School</td><td>Adopting new curriculum this year (Either Core Knowledge Language Arts, Into Reading or Wonders)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Dennison Elementary School</td><td>Open Court Reading</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Adams Elementary School</td><td>Open Court Reading</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Arvada K-8</td><td>Core Knowledge Language Arts (grades K-2)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Belmar School of Integrated Arts</td><td>Core Knowledge Language Arts</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Bergen Meadow Primary School</td><td>Benchmark Workshop (grades K-2)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Addenbrooke Classical Academy (C)</td><td>Core Knowledge Language Arts</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Columbine Hills Elementary School</td><td>Wonders</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Free Horizon Montessori (C)</td><td>Wonders</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Great Work Montessori (C)</td><td>Core Knowledge Language Arts</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Jefferson Academy Elementary (C)</td><td>Core Knowledge Language Arts</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Jefferson Academy Elementary (C)</td><td>Wonders</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Lincoln Charter Academy (C)</td><td>Open Court Reading</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Mortensen Elementary School</td><td>Core Knowledge Language Arts (k, 2,3)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Normandy Elementary School</td><td>Into Reading</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Patterson International School</td><td>Into Reading (grade 3)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Collegiate Academy of Colorado (C)</td><td>Core Knowledge Language Arts (grade 3)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Thomson Elementary School</td><td>Open Court Reading</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Three Creeks K-8</td><td>Wonders</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Three Creeks K-8</td><td>Core Knowledge Language Arts </td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Vanderhoof Elementary School</td><td>Core Knowledge Language Arts</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Vivian Elementary School</td><td>Core Knowledge Language Arts</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Woodrow Wilson Charter Academy (C)</td><td>Wonders</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>West Woods Elementary School</td><td>Into Reading</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Wilmore Davis Elementary School</td><td>Core Knowledge Language Arts</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Witt Elementary School</td><td>Core Knowledge Language Arts (grades 1-2)</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/><path d="M6.28777 12.6178C5.37344 11.7327 10.5547 17.9517 10.8818 18.5449C11.1582 19.0463 12.9352 14.8266 13.7282 12.6178C14.8668 9.44629 15.1723 8.19383 16.2415 5.21295" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Dutch Creek Elementary School</td><td>EL Education</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved for some grades</td></tr><tr><td>Green Gables Elementary School</td><td>EL Education</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved for some grades</td></tr><tr><td>Lumberg Elementary School</td><td>EL Education</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved for some grades</td></tr><tr><td>Stevens Elementary School</td><td>EL Education</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved for some grades</td></tr><tr><td>Westgate Elementary School</td><td>EL Education</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved for some grades</td></tr><tr><td>Peak Expeditionary - Pennington</td><td>EL Education</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved for some grades</td></tr><tr><td>West Jefferson Elementary School</td><td>EL Education</td><td><svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20.9708 2.49317C22.1152 2.49317 21.6937 10.9002 21.6937 11.7311C21.6937 12.8051 22.3828 21.8334 21.6937 21.8752C17.0694 22.156 14.4528 21.8752 9.82128 21.8752C8.95132 21.8752 2.60555 22.229 2.34158 21.003C1.87383 18.8305 2.02243 13.3366 2.02243 11.1323C2.02243 7.24254 2.5398 6.40649 2.5398 2.49317C8.6319 1.38353 14.8048 2.49317 20.9708 2.49317Z" fill="#9CD1D4" stroke="#393939" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg> Approved for some grades</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption><div class="title">Search Jeffco reading curriculum here</div><div class="caption"><strong>Notes:</strong> The reading programs listed are all used in K-3, unless otherwise noted in parentheses. Charter schools are indicated by a (C) next to the school name. <strong>Source: </strong>Jeffco district officials provided most of the information, with the rest coming from school principals or publicly available school improvement plans.</div><div class="credit">Ann Schimke, Chalkbeat</div></figcaption></figure></p><p><em>Note: Since the original publish date, we received additional information from Jeffco about the curriculum used at five schools. We have updated those entries from “no information provided” to “Bridge to Curriculum.” The schools are: Hackberry Hill, Kendallvue, Maple Grove, Swanson, and Welchester. </em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/10/15/21517569/many-jeffco-schools-use-discredited-curriculum-to-teach-students-how-to-read/Ann Schimke2020-09-25T23:28:17+00:002020-09-25T23:28:17+00:00<p>Parents have asked. Community groups have asked. Media outlets have asked.&nbsp;</p><p>For two years, none have gotten a clear answer about the primary curriculums Jeffco’s 90 elementary and K-8 schools use to teach children how to read. District leaders told Chalkbeat that each school has the autonomy to select its own reading curriculum, but officials don’t track what schools have chosen.&nbsp;</p><p>A partial list compiled by Chalkbeat shows a patchwork quilt of reading curriculum in the 84,000-student district — with some schools using high-quality programs that have earned state approval and many others using programs the state has soundly rejected.&nbsp;</p><p>More than half of Colorado third-graders can’t read well, and the coronavirus pandemic will likely make matters worse. Experts say low-quality curriculum is part of the problem. But Colorado parents and the public often don’t know what their local schools use to teach reading.&nbsp;</p><p>Last winter,<a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/3/27/21231320/why-do-so-many-colorado-students-struggle-to-read-flawed-curriculum-is-part-of-the-problem"> Chalkbeat filed public records requests</a> to find out what K-3 reading curriculums Colorado’s 30 largest school districts use in their schools. Some districts initially said they’d charge for the information and others provided messy out-of-date lists.&nbsp;</p><p>Jeffco provided a simple answer — its own district-developed curriculum. Since then, Chalkbeat has learned that many schools in the district use reading programs officials never mentioned. It’s a black box that makes it hard for parents of struggling readers to figure out which schools can best help their children and obscures from public view the educational materials that schools spend millions of dollars on at taxpayer expense.&nbsp;</p><p>Amy Pitlik, government affairs director for the education advocacy group Stand For Children, said because Colorado is a local control state that can’t dictate what curriculum schools use, districts must be transparent so parents and the public can hold them accountable for their choices.</p><p>“We’ve failed to ask these questions for too long,” Pitlik said. “We’ve made it too easy for districts not to provide fundamental information about what students in kindergarten through third grade are getting in terms of core programming.”&nbsp;</p><p>That’s about to change — though not as much as some advocates had hoped.&nbsp;</p><p>A <a href="http://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb20-1288">bill introduced last winter</a> would have required schools to list their reading curriculum on their websites. Jeffco father Todd Porter, a pediatrician who has two children with dyslexia, told lawmakers at a hearing in March that curriculum transparency would be one step toward saving struggling readers.&nbsp;</p><p>“To me, it’s just hard to believe that you could have two schools down the street from each other that have completely different reading curriculums that could be based on nothing that has been ... validated,” he said this summer in an interview with Chalkbeat.</p><p>“The district doesn’t seem to have any oversight of what the individual school is doing,” he said of Jeffco.&nbsp;</p><p>Porter and his wife ultimately moved their children out of the district to a Littleton charter school.&nbsp;</p><h2>Mediocre reading achievement</h2><p>Asked how district officials ensure students are getting high-quality reading instruction without knowing which reading programs individual schools use, Matt Flores, the district’s chief academic officer, said in an email that educators in schools are responsible for that.</p><p>“Schools make intentional choices based on the needs of the students in their buildings,” Flores wrote.</p><p>Fewer than half of Jeffco’s third-graders read proficiently — 46% according to state test results from 2019, the most recent year available. While that’s a little higher than the statewide average of 41%, Jeffco rates lower than average on a second measure called a growth score.</p><p>The score is based on a 100-point scale and represents how much students with similar academic test histories improved from one year to the next. The statewide average is about 50. In 2019, Jeffco, the state’s second-largest district, earned a third-grade reading growth score of 47, the lowest among Colorado’s five largest districts.&nbsp;</p><p>The bill Porter supported never passed. But parents and members of the public — at least those with the time and ability to dig a little — will soon be able to find out which reading curriculums schools use, thanks to a 2019 state law.&nbsp;</p><p>A provision in that law, an update of the state’s 2012 READ Act, requires districts to report each school’s reading curriculum — and it must be evidence-based or scientifically based —to the state starting this school year. The information will be posted on the Colorado Department of Education website, inside the improvement plans school districts submit to the state.&nbsp;</p><p>A spokesman for the education department said the state will publicly post the plans, including the school-level reading curriculum information, a few weeks after they’re due. He said some districts, including Jeffco, have to submit the plans Oct. 15.&nbsp;</p><p>The state will post them online in early November. If districts request and receive extensions, they will be allowed to submit the reading curriculum information at a later date.&nbsp;</p><h2>Waiting and wondering</h2><p>In Jeffco, some parents have been trying to find out what’s used to teach reading at district schools for years.&nbsp;</p><p>JeffcoKID, a local advocacy group for dyslexic students, asked district officials for a list of reading curriculum by school two times in 2018. They never got a list.&nbsp;</p><p>“We never expected to not receive the information, so didn’t think to even put in a formal request through [the Colorado Open Records Act.] We just figured Jeffco was working on getting the list all this time,” Jen Halsall and Elisa Sodja, co-founders of JeffcoKID, said in an email.</p><p>The pair said JeffcoKID regularly gets requests from parents about which district schools use science-based structured literacy curriculums that will help their dyslexic children learn to read. Halsall and Sodja hoped to make a school-by-school curriculum list available on JeffcoKID’s Facebook pages so parents could find the best school match for their children.&nbsp;</p><p>Chalkbeat filed an open records request in January 2020 asking for the name of the district’s core literacy curriculum — the comprehensive program designed for all children in a classroom. District officials provided two answers: “Jeffco literacy curriculum” and “iCALI,” which stands for Interactive Comprehensive Approach to Literacy Instruction.&nbsp;</p><p>After follow-up questions from Chalkbeat, district officials provided further details about the two items. They described <a href="https://jeffcopublicschools.org/academics/curriculum/curriculum_by_grade">Jeffco’s literacy curriculum</a> as “a unit-by-unit definition of what students must know, understand, and be able to do by the end of the unit of study and grade level.” They clarified that <a href="https://sites.google.com/jeffcoschools.us/icali-literacy/icali-reading">iCALI</a> isn’t the district’s curriculum, but a collection of resources that “help teachers with the ‘how’ of teaching our curriculum.”&nbsp;</p><p>Last February, a member of the statewide dyslexia advocacy group, COKID, submitted an open records request asking for a school-by-school list of elementary reading curriculum. The district responded that iCALI was its core reading curriculum and provided no school-specific information.&nbsp;</p><p>What Jeffco didn’t mention to Chalkbeat or COKID was that many of its schools were actually using well-known — though not always well-respected —&nbsp;commercial reading curriculums. Flores, the chief academic officer, said by email that parents can always ask their child’s teacher or principal what reading program the school uses. But he didn’t offer an answer about how parents could learn that information for all district schools.&nbsp;</p><h2>Piecing together the list</h2><p>This summer, Chalkbeat attempted to compile a school-by-school list by reviewing every school’s website and <a href="http://www.cde.state.co.us/schoolview/performance">state-mandated improvement plan</a>, a document available online through the state. While more than two dozen Jeffco schools cited their reading programs in those places, many more did not.&nbsp;</p><p>In July, Chalkbeat asked to interview Jeffco’s lead literacy specialist to get more information about schools’ curriculum choices. District spokeswoman Cameron Bell provided some written answers, mentioning iCALI and linking to <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1TSuMc5_sD06OjVzMttuw9PLk1gpcGxouAFY1SUCBJDg/edit#gid=3867826">a spreadsheet</a> that listed a host of allowable K-12 curriculums and textbooks. She also said no one was available for an interview and that school-specific curriculum information wouldn’t be collected till the fall.&nbsp;</p><p>Starting in August, Chalkbeat emailed nearly 80 Jeffco principals directly, including more than a dozen who head charter schools. Nearly 30 responded with answers about their curriculum, with several offering to provide additional details if needed. The rest either didn’t respond or referred Chalkbeat to the district’s communications office.&nbsp;</p><p>On Sept. 11, Bell said by email the district could provide a “comprehensive and validated” list of school-by-school reading curriculum to Chalkbeat on Oct. 9. Flores said this week by email that the list will be available to parents and community members, but didn’t say if it would be posted on the district’s or schools’ websites.&nbsp;</p><p>The partial list Chalkbeat compiled — covering about 60% of district-run and charter schools — shows wide variation in school curriculum choice, with at least nine commercial curriculums in play. Around 20 schools reported using programs that carry the state’s stamp of approval, such as Core Knowledge Language Arts, Wonders, Open Court, EL Education, and Into Reading.&nbsp;</p><p>At least two dozen other Jeffco schools use a curriculum the state has rejected and researchers have criticized for using methods that run counter to the science of reading. It’s called “Units of Study for Teaching Reading,” or more commonly Lucy Calkins.&nbsp;</p><p>State officials have said districts using curriculums that have failed their review process will have to make a good-faith effort to switch or will face consequences such as lowered accreditation ratings.&nbsp;</p><p>Several Jeffco schools reported using district-developed resources such as iCALI, or “Bridge to Curriculum,” the online location of the <a href="https://sites.google.com/jeffcoschools.us/understandingjeffcocurriculum/home">Jeffco literacy curriculum</a>. Finally, a handful of schools reported that they don’t use any specific curriculum, use components from several programs, or are in the process of adopting new curriculum.</p><p><em>This story was produced with support from the Education Writers Association Reporting Fellowship program.</em></p><p><div id="nAy53G" class="embed"><div class="DC-embed DC-embed-document DV-container"> <div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:129.42857142857142%;height:0;overflow:hidden;max-width:100%;"> <iframe src="//www.documentcloud.org/documents/7218187-Jeffco-Public-Schools-Answers-to-Reading.html?embed=true&amp;responsive=false&amp;sidebar=false" title="Jeffco Public Schools Answers to Reading Curriculum Questions (Hosted by DocumentCloud)" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-forms" frameborder="0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:1px solid #aaa;border-bottom:0;box-sizing:border-box;"></iframe> </div> </div></div></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/9/25/21456381/what-do-jeffco-schools-use-to-teach-reading-district-leaders-dont-know-and-neither-does-the-public/Ann Schimke2020-08-31T16:01:00+00:002020-08-31T16:01:00+00:00<p>As schools have started opening their doors to students this fall, and as others plan to do so soon, one more logistical problem districts have had to navigate is how to safely transport masses of students to their buildings.</p><p>Like many of the problems school districts have encountered in the pandemic, this is one that can most impact lower-income families, in this case, those who rely on school buses for transportation.</p><p>Guidelines to limit the spread of COVID cut the number of students permitted on buses by two-thirds. Often, districts can’t just deploy additional vehicles, even if they had them. Bus drivers have become even scarcer because many fearing for their safety have quit or transferred. And school schedules make it impractical to make too many runs with the same buses.</p><p>School leaders worry that if it’s too hard for students to get to school, they’ll enroll in school elsewhere.</p><p>In Westminster, the district eliminated busing for high school students.</p><p>“We would have to have 46 separate routes to transport the number of kids that we were transporting last year, and that’s just for high school,” said James Duffy, Westminster’s chief operating officer.&nbsp; Last year the district transported about 700 high school students.&nbsp;</p><p>Assigning its 20 buses to multiple routes would have meant some students wouldn’t arrive at schools until 10 a.m. The district is also doing half days for high school students, making the scheduling more difficult.</p><p>“That became a real equity issue,” Duffy said. “How could we say to the folks in the morning you get transportation but in the afternoon you don’t? So we had to bite the bullet and basically had to eliminate transportation for the high school students.”</p><p>Instead of the yellow bus, Westminster is offering to pay for RTD public bus passes, although those buses also limit passengers per bus. So far, about 160 students have downloaded the phone application to get the district-provided bus pass.</p><p>In Denver, the district is planning to cut some yellow-bus service starting with older students, and <a href="https://www.dpsk12.org/transportation-update-august-4/?fbclid=IwAR3HLqmn7dpQW5C4Xnn4qoXDhE6yrWdwNO6XGKIH_3J9W8vZtbzPFtLY5wA#en">prioritizing high-poverty schools</a>.</p><p>Virtual education has helped ease the transportation problem in some areas.</p><p>In Mapleton, officials said that because so many students signed up for the district’s online-only option, the changes to transportation service have been minimal.&nbsp;</p><p>The Aurora school district, which has started school online, plans to contract for 11 charter buses to add transportation capacity.</p><p>The tiny, rural Kim district in southern Colorado uses a fleet of Suburbans, not school buses, to offer transportation to its fewer than 50 students. The vehicles don’t leave much room for social distancing. The district was able to add one more route by asking a school employee to drive an extra Suburban, but it’s also paying parents to drive their own children to school. It’s a practice the district already used but has expanded.</p><p>The Jeffco district so far is cutting transportation only for students who choose to go to a school outside their neighborhood. Those families previously were only served because some buses had extra space. That cut affects families like that of Sharon Gusmus.</p><p>Gusmus, a mother of four Jeffco students, said that because of her work schedule she can’t easily drive her children to school in the morning. This year, because her oldest is now driving, only one child needed the district school bus.</p><p>Gusmus decided to put her, a sixth grader, into a remote-only program for the year.&nbsp;</p><p>“There would have been no consistency, it would have been too stressful,” Gusmus said. “We’re hoping it changes, but it was a bummer.”</p><p>When Jeffco students do return to in-person learning in a little more than a week, district officials don’t know how many students will be waiting for a ride at each bus stop because families are still deciding whether to send their children.</p><p>That means planning for what will happen if too many students are ready to hop on one bus and a driver has to stop students from getting on.</p><p>“We have some buses that will be staged around the district just in case,” said Greg Jackson, executive director of transportation and fleet services. “There’s still always going to be hiccups.”</p><p>Jeffco bus driver Monte Hollander isn’t so sure that is enough planning. He said, as of Thursday, his route shows 30 students.</p><p>“I’ve asked what will occur when I have 22 students and myself and an assistant,” Hollander said about hitting the allowable maximum mid-route. What is he to tell the excess students denied the chance to hop on for a ride?&nbsp;</p><p>“At 5:30 or 6 in the morning, I’m supposed to be saying I’m going to be coming back in 45 minutes?” he asked. “We have to think this out some more.”</p><p>Part of what makes Hollander nervous is a problem that many districts have cited: a shortage of bus drivers. With fewer drivers, districts usually combine routes, but that may not be possible this year.</p><p>Jackson said it is a problem. Districts had been talking about having trouble hiring enough bus drivers even before the pandemic, but COVID has made those vacancies rise.</p><p>Jackson said just this week, he lost six drivers and two bus assistants who decided the risk of exposure might not be worth it.&nbsp;</p><p>“Many said they would be happy to come back,” Jackson said.</p><p>Hollander, who’s about to turn 70, said he too has thought about the risk of COVID and leaving the job, but he enjoys driving kids to school and being a leader for his co-workers.</p><p>“I’m very committed to what I’m doing,” he said. “I love what I do.”</p><p>For him, as a member of the union bargaining team, the lack of pay raises is the bigger reason people are leaving the job.</p><p>“We are severely underpaid,” Hollander said. “We are the backbone of the school operation. We’re not sure how they’re going to do this.”</p><p>Hollander did say he respected Jeffco for trying to figure out the problem instead of pre-emptively announcing broad cuts to how many students are served.</p><p>Jackson said a lot will depend on the number of students who show up at bus stops the first days of school. If one area has few students, then buses might be able to shift over to serve areas where more students still need a ride. But increasing walking distances or other measures to cut transportation aren’t completely off the table yet.</p><p>“If we had a larger capacity we would be more than happy to transport more kids,” Jackson said. “This decision wasn’t easy. It was a difficult decision.”</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/8/31/21406266/more-room-school-bus-covid-era-guidelines-service-cuts-uncertainty/Yesenia Robles2020-08-24T18:59:38+00:002020-08-24T18:59:38+00:00<p>Becky McLean, the head of a small charter school in northeast Denver, is anticipating an important delivery around Labor Day: three 700-pound shade structures.&nbsp;</p><p>The new semi-permanent canopies are a key part of the school’s plan to keep students outside for a good chunk of the day once in-person learning starts Sept. 8. Preschoolers and kindergarteners will return first, each equipped with a stadium-style seat they can plop on the new outdoor rugs in their fresh-air classrooms.</p><p>McLean’s school — a health and wellness-themed school called Academy 360 — is among a host of schools in Colorado and the nation using outdoor learning to reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission as in-person instruction resumes. Top health officials, including infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci, have endorsed the idea and the American Academy of Pediatrics has classified the use of outdoor spaces as a high-priority school reopening strategy.&nbsp;</p><p>“It really is unprecedented how many schools are considering this as a serious option,” said Sharon Danks, CEO of Green Schoolyards America, one of four organizations leading a <a href="https://www.greenschoolyards.org/covid-learn-outside">national effort to help schools plan for outdoor learning</a> during the pandemic. “I think school districts are heeding the call.”</p><p>Danks, whose group is based in Berkeley, California, said learning outdoors solves some of the innate structural problems of indoor classrooms, such as poor ventilation and a lack of space to ensure students stay 6 feet apart. Plus, educators say that even if outdoor learning doesn’t last — either because of bad weather or COVID-19 outbreaks that send students home — it can give teachers a chance to build face-to-face relationships with students early on.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>How schools will use the outdoors this fall ranges widely. Danks said some are planning for nearly 100% outdoor lessons and others are simply adding more outside time than usual. Costs vary as well, with some schools using trees for shade, and $10 hay bales, donated logs, or yoga mats for seating. Others are springing for permanent or semi-permanent furnishings, from shade structures to outdoor chair-desk combinations.&nbsp;</p><p>At Red Rocks Elementary School, a Jeffco district school in Morrison, Principal Greg Isaac told parents in a back-to-school presentation, “For the price of one student coming to our school, we could transform our campus not only for this fall, but for years to come.”</p><p>Last year, average per-pupil funding in Colorado was about $8,500.&nbsp;</p><p>He listed nine outdoor spaces with names like “Juniper Lane” and “Raccoon Gulch,” saying, “These are sustainable for the elements. We can do cheap seating ... It can bring us outdoor safety. We’ve always wanted to be more like Finland. Let’s do this, guys.”</p><p>This summer in the 31,000-student Boulder Valley district, administrators identified potential outdoor learning spaces at or near every school, and bought tents for some schools without air conditioning. While district leaders later switched from a hybrid model to fully remote learning at least through late September, it’s possible some schools will experiment with outdoor classrooms if in-person instruction resumes.</p><p>Some of Colorado’s large districts aren’t actively pursuing outdoor learning. Referencing winter weather, Aurora Superintendent Rico Munn said at a July school board meeting the district hadn’t considered outdoor classrooms because “come November, that’s no longer an option. We want to make sure whatever our plan is, it’s a plan that can stay consistent as much as possible throughout the school year.”</p><p>In the Cherry Creek district, where some students started in person last week, a spokeswoman said teachers may take students outside “on occasion,” but that the district isn’t planning to use the outdoor classroom model.</p><p>A spokesperson for the Denver district, where students will learn online through mid-October, said the current focus is on providing rigorous remote instruction, but outdoor learning may be considered later.</p><p>At Academy 360, which isn’t subject to the district’s reopening plan because it’s a charter school, two teachers were especially interested in outdoor learning even before the coronavirus.</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/JVfUMfzSMaaTTm6Jkw8lCaqHZUk=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/J5XK6FZBE5HDTDZS22TPBG4TTI.jpg" alt="An aerial view of Academy 360’s outdoor area. The existing white shelter on the bottom right will house one of the school’s four outdoor classrooms. " height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>An aerial view of Academy 360’s outdoor area. The existing white shelter on the bottom right will house one of the school’s four outdoor classrooms. </figcaption></figure><p>One of them, Arizona Alli, who goes by Riz, said, “Fortunately or unfortunately, the pandemic helped us along in the planning.”&nbsp;</p><p>Last spring, the school won a $15,000 grant from the Denver-based organization RootEd to pay for outdoor classroom equipment, including shade structures, internet hot spots, screens and projectors, and stadium seats. The school, housed on two floors of a four-story office building, will create four outdoor classrooms plus an area for small-group lessons on its adjacent asphalt play area.&nbsp;</p><p>“We are well positioned to do something a little bit different,” said McLean, the school’s director. “We’re small, we’re in a non-district facility, and we do serve some of the most vulnerable students in the district.”&nbsp;</p><p>About 80% of the school’s 200 students qualify for federally subsidized meals, a measure of poverty.&nbsp;</p><p>McLean said the school will start by bringing back about 80 preschoolers and kindergarteners for in-person learning Tuesday through Friday. They’ll spend part of the day outside, but will have classrooms to fall back on inside — for example, when preschoolers nap in the afternoon. Children in higher grades may return for in-person learning later in September, but school leaders want to see how things go with the younger students first.&nbsp;</p><p>McLean said establishing routines and expectations for the children from the get-go will be critical for successful outdoor learning — just as it is for indoor instruction. Danks, of Green Schoolyards, said teachers sometimes assume that holding class outside will be more unmanageable than inside, but that research shows outdoor landscapes can reduce stress and increase focus.&nbsp;</p><p>Sixteen miles directly west of Academy 360 is another school with ambitious outdoor learning plans this year: Peak Expeditionary School in Jefferson County. Also small with nearly 70% of students eligible for subsidized meals, students there will spend at least three hours a day outside once in-person school starts Sept. 8.&nbsp;</p><p>They may have lessons under the black locust tree in the school’s courtyard, in the small outdoor amphitheater next to the building, or on the large field by the playground. They’ll carry backpacks with supplies for any setting: a yoga mat, a double-sided white board, composition books, and school-provided laptops to name a few.&nbsp;</p><p>Tim Carlin, a longtime outdoor education advocate who goes by the title “Principal of Fun,” said Peak’s outdoor emphasis aligns with the school’s philosophy, but the main driver this year is COVID-19.</p><p>“The push for outdoor learning is really for the safety of our kids,” he said. “A lot of people are concerned about indoor air.”&nbsp;</p><p>But using outdoor spaces instead of classrooms can be a major culture shift, he said. “You’re gonna sweat outside … It might rain and you have to prepare for that.”&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;Plus, with some students learning remotely, teachers have to ensure they have the right technology to make sure students at home can see and hear outdoor lessons. To help address that, Carlin said the school paid to install a special receiver to ensure the school’s Wi-Fi signal would cover the whole campus.</p><p>Joan Dizen, whose three sons attend Peak, said she’s grateful for the school’s outdoor learning plans. Before moving to Colorado a year ago, her family lived on a remote island in the Philippines and most of her sons’ education took place outside, at the beach and in the jungle.&nbsp;</p><p>“I’ve seen firsthand my kids learn better when they are outdoors,” she said. “I think learning through nature and being outside goes hand-in-hand with what they learn academically.”&nbsp;</p><p>She also thinks educators’ flexibility in switching between indoor and outdoor settings will rub off on the kids.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;“It gives them permission to say, ‘Hey, I can adapt to whatever situation we’ll be in,” Dizen said.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/8/24/21399754/welcome-to-racoon-gulch-heres-how-colorado-schools-are-tackling-outdoor-learning-during-the-pandemic/Ann Schimke2020-08-11T21:15:56+00:002020-08-11T21:15:56+00:00<p>The Jeffco school board Tuesday appointed its deputy superintendent, Kristopher Schuh, as interim leader of the district just as a difficult school year is about to begin.</p><p>Schuh has worked in the district for almost 20 years as a coach, teacher, principal and <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2017/10/13/21103538/jason-glass-s-inner-circle-meet-the-team-seeing-through-the-jeffco-superintendent-s-vision">most recently as</a> deputy superintendent and chief of schools for middle and high schools.</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/PvWOGq8yyuJlDX258oORL5PmRq8=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/56IIV6HYPFEO5MCX3H52LFJ3EQ.jpg" alt="Jeffco Interim Superintendent Kristopher Schuh" height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Jeffco Interim Superintendent Kristopher Schuh</figcaption></figure><p>Jason Glass, who has led Jeffco’s school district since 2017, <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/7/10/21320107/jefferson-county-superintendent-jason-glass-to-lead-kentucky-as-its-next-education-commissioner">accepted a job as Kentucky’s new education commissioner</a>. His last day in Jeffco is scheduled to be Sept. 13, though some board members suggested transferring full responsibilities to Schuh sooner.</p><p>The Jeffco board approved Schuh’s appointment in a split vote with board member Susan Miller voting against it.&nbsp;</p><p>Miller objected to the process for Schuh’s appointment, which was largely done in private and, she said, not following the district’s succession plan. Other board members pushed back, saying that the succession plan is meant for emergencies or for when the superintendent is out of town.</p><p>For his part, board member Ron Mitchell said he did explore other candidates, including by calling two retired superintendents to gauge their interest, but said the timing makes it difficult.</p><p>“We actually should not even consider trying to do a search and or even consider stealing someone else’s superintendent two weeks before school starts,” Mitchell said. “That’s not an ethical move on our part.”</p><p>The district plans to hold a national search for a superintendent, but may not start the formal search until later this year.</p><p>Among the charges Schuh will have as the interim superintendent will be to oversee the district’s return to in-person learning in the middle of the pandemic. Schuh has led much of the district’s planning in that area.</p><p>Jeffco <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/7/23/21336085/jeffco-will-start-the-school-year-online-after-all">plans for students to start the school year online</a> for two weeks beginning the week of Aug. 24, and to move to in-person learning after Labor Day.&nbsp;</p><p>At Tuesday’s school board meeting, Jeffco also allowed live public comment. Teachers and parents, most of them upset about the quick return to in-person learning, spent almost two hours asking the board to reconsider that plan and instead to follow other districts in extending remote learning longer.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/8/11/21363893/jeffco-school-board-appoints-interim-superintendent/Yesenia Robles2020-07-23T18:53:05+00:002020-07-23T18:53:05+00:00<p>Colorado’s second-largest school district will start the school year remotely as cases of the coronavirus continue to rise in the community.</p><p>Jeffco Public Schools announced Thursday that students will take classes from home for two weeks starting Aug. 24. <a href="https://www.jeffcopublicschools.org/restart_jeffco">The proposal</a> is similar to one announced <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/7/17/21328958/denver-public-schools-remote-start-change-plans">last week by Denver Public Schools</a>.</p><p>The soonest students would return to school buildings would be Sept. 8, and even then, students in middle and high school will attend on alternating days to keep class sizes smaller. Elementary students will be able to attend school five days a week, if public health conditions allow.</p><p>“The opening of schools ...&nbsp; will be contingent on virus levels in our community,” district officials wrote in a community email. “Depending on how COVID-19 is spreading in our community, we will move between remote learning, in-person or hybrid learning, and fully in-person learning depending on public health levels as determined by [Jefferson County Public Health].”</p><p>District officials say parents can still expect to hear from their school by July 31, about site-specific plans for the start of the school year.&nbsp;</p><p>All students will have the option of remaining in remote learning. This fall, the district is placing more rules on how remote learning works in Jeffco. In the spring, officials touted giving teachers <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/5/19/21264337/two-jeffco-schools-take-different-paths-to-remote-learning">flexibility to figure out what worked best</a>. This fall, the district will require that students have live classes daily and live Zoom or Google interactions with teachers at least weekly.</p><p>The district’s delay in having students in school buildings will not delay assessments. Jeffco will administer district tests remotely so that teachers can get an idea of learning gaps that they may need to address.</p><p>The district’s plan also addresses other concerns. For instance, students and staff will be required to wear masks and adhere to hand-washing schedules to attend in person, ventilation modifications have been made at all schools with air conditioning, and the district will reimburse staff for any out-of-pocket expenses for COVID-19 testing.</p><p>Back in May, Jeffco Public Schools was one of the <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/5/13/21258118/jeffco-school-district-mulls-hybrid-learning-for-this-fall">first Colorado districts to announce a hybrid model</a> that would limit the number of students in school on any given day for the fall. Then in response to parent demand, the district decided to offer school five days a week.&nbsp;</p><p>Many Colorado school districts, which typically start in early to mid-August, have pushed back their start dates to allow for more planning and to watch public health conditions. The Jeffco teachers union and the Colorado Education Association, the statewide teachers <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/7/21/21333458/colorado-teachers-union-seeks-remote-start-to-school">union, have both called for a remote start</a> to the school year.</p><p>This week, the Pueblo 70 district in southern Colorado also announced it would start the school year remotely at least until Sept. 14.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/7/23/21336085/jeffco-will-start-the-school-year-online-after-all/Erica Meltzer2020-07-17T21:35:14+00:002020-07-17T21:35:14+00:00<p>Sarah Thomas has done the math.&nbsp;</p><p>With her underlying conditions, the high school math teacher figures her chances of surviving the coronavirus are not great.</p><p>“I can’t risk my life,” said Thomas, who teaches college-level courses at Denver’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Early College high school. “I’d like to live to teach another day.”</p><p>As school districts across Colorado have announced plans to return to in-person learning this fall, teachers have grown increasingly worried. Coronavirus cases in Colorado are on the rise, and teachers in the state’s two largest districts — Denver and Jeffco — said they’re concerned about keeping themselves and their students healthy.</p><p>Unlike doctors and nurses, teachers won’t be wearing hospital-grade protective gear. Unlike grocery store clerks, who interact with hundreds of people five minutes at a time, teachers and students will be together in a room for up to six hours a day.&nbsp;</p><p>Even if teachers are able to keep kids 6 feet apart, and even if everyone washes their hands, doesn’t share pencils, and only takes their masks off to eat, <a href="https://www.dailycamera.com/2020/07/10/cu-boulder-professors-coronavirus-is-airborne/">emerging research shows</a> coronavirus droplets can linger in the air in crowded, indoor places.</p><p>“I don’t know how I would react if I had to bury a kid — and they maybe caught COVID from me,” said Angie Anderson, who teaches economics, psychology, and a U.S. history course for English language learners at Bear Creek High School in the Denver suburb of Lakewood. “That would be the end of my career. I couldn’t go back after that.”</p><p>Late Friday afternoon, Denver <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/7/17/21328958/denver-public-schools-remote-start-change-plans">walked back its plan</a> to fully reopen school campuses. Instead, the district will start the school year remotely and gradually shift to in-person learning if health conditions improve, leaders said.</p><p>Previously, Denver Public Schools said its reopening plan was based on guidance from the Metro Denver Partnership for Health, a committee with members from six local public health agencies. The partnership released <a href="https://www.coloradohealthinstitute.org/sites/default/files/file_attachments/Covid%20Schools%20June%202020_0.pdf">a paper</a> in late June on COVID-19 strategies for schools. The first sentence: “Colorado children need to get back to school.” Jeffco Public Schools said it based its reopening plan on the same guidance.</p><p>The paper cited “growing data” on low COVID transmission rates among children, and the emotional and academic harms of keeping kids out of school. It said that with proper infection control and prevention measures, schools could provide a “comparably safe environment.”</p><p>Since then, critics in the public health world have said initial studies didn’t have enough information to draw firm conclusions about the risk of transmission in school settings. Adding to the concern, many reopening plans say that schools will follow health guidance to the extent that it’s feasible but cannot guarantee, for example, that students and teachers can maintain 6 feet of distancing.</p><p>District leaders say teachers with health concerns can ask for accommodations to work from home. But it’s not guaranteed those requests will be granted. Denver and Jeffco are <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/7/16/21327571/classrooms-will-be-risky-virtual-learning-falls-short-how-are-colorado-parents-choosing">allowing families to choose</a> whether to send their children to school in person or have them learn remotely. The number of teachers allowed to work from home will partly depend on the number of families who choose the remote option, district leaders said.</p><p>Teachers feel their concerns are being ignored. Districts haven’t provided them any details of what school will look like next month (though some plans <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/7/15/21326415/denver-public-schools-draft-plan-return-to-school-coronavirus">have leaked</a>). Some teachers said emails to district leaders have gone unanswered.</p><p>The statewide teachers union has called on districts to include teachers in their planning. Some local unions are trying to negotiate conditions and expectations for returning to school in person, said Amie Baca-Oehlert, president of the Colorado Education Association.</p><p>In Denver, teachers union President Tiffany Choi said the union has begun discussing with district leaders the possibility of negotiating a memorandum of understanding.</p><p>“Teachers are very, very worried,” she said. “The anxiety is extremely high that the conditions are not yet safe, and they don’t feel the district has created a plan that makes them feel safe.”</p><p>Denver Public Schools spokesperson Winna MacLaren said the district has invited union leadership to be involved in all of its planning meetings, and that much of the district’s planning “has been driven by teachers and principals.”</p><p>Not all teachers are opposed to returning in person. Katie Nethery is a special education teacher at a Denver high school where most students are from low-income families. She wants to go back to school. Remote learning didn’t work well for her, she said.&nbsp;</p><p>“I love my kids and bond with them through physical interaction and seeing them face to face,” she said. “I had a really hard time making that same bond through remote learning.”</p><p>All of the students Nethery teaches are behind in reading, writing, or math. Some are also learning English as a second language. Working through those challenges takes persistence — and often adult guidance, she said. If parents are working, or if students themselves are working, she’s worried school will fall by the wayside if learning is remote.</p><p>But Nethery notes that she doesn’t have any underlying health conditions that would make catching COVID-19 more serious for her. Neither do her husband or son. If that were the case, she said, her calculus would likely be different.</p><p>Candice Steinke has two factors weighing on her: that she’s a single mom of two girls, one of whom has asthma as she does, and that she’s the sole income earner in her family and can’t afford to not work. After Jeffco Public Schools announced schools would reopen for in-person learning five days a week, Steinke began drawing up a will.</p><p>The announcement, she said, “knocked the wind out of me.”</p><p>Though Steinke is considering asking for a medical exemption from teaching in person, she said her condition — asthma — would put her lower on the list than teachers with more serious health risks. She also didn’t like remote learning. It was “crisis teaching,” she and others said, not the well planned lessons teachers usually provide.</p><p>But the solution to that problem isn’t rushing to reopen schools, teachers said. Instead, they said they wish districts would invest resources in improving online learning. Districts could have spent the summer training teachers on how to plan good virtual lessons, they said. Even if schools reopen in person, most districts have said they will switch to fully remote or some combination of remote and in-person if coronavirus cases spike.</p><p>Chris Christoff is expecting that to happen. Reopening schools is like “throwing a spark on a brush fire,” he said. Christoff teaches kindergarten and first grade in Denver, and he said he can’t imagine how social distancing would work in his classroom.</p><p>“You have to be able to hug kids,” Christoff said. “I can’t imagine on the first day a kindergartener crying and me from 6 feet away being like, ‘It’s OK! Your mom will be back!’”</p><p>Christoff is expecting 26 kids in his class this fall. Rather than teach them all in person, he said he’d prefer to focus on the students for whom connecting in person matters most.</p><p>For example, last spring, there was a boy in his class with a special education plan whose mom was an essential worker. The boy and his siblings were home during the day with a teenager who tried mightily to get all the kids online for school. But the family didn’t have home internet service. The hotspot device they got from the district was slow and glitchy.</p><p>“Give me the kids that can’t do remote, I’m fine with that,” Christoff said. “Then we can social distance. That’s truly limiting exposure to other people.”</p><p>Anderson, the teacher from Bear Creek High, said she still gets nervous for the first day of school. She never sleeps the night before, even after 22 years of teaching. This year, in addition to the regular first-day jitters, she said she imagines the prospect of teaching more than 100 students a day during a global pandemic will also be keeping her awake.</p><p>But when it comes down to it, she said, she’ll go back into the classroom if that’s her only choice. She suspects many other teachers will do the same.</p><p>“I’m going to do for my kids what I’m going to do for my kids, and people know that about us,” Anderson said. “But that doesn’t make it OK for them to take advantage of us.”</p><p><em>This story has been updated with Denver’s latest plan to start the school year remotely.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/7/17/21328965/denver-jeffco-teachers-react-to-reopening-schools/Melanie Asmar2020-07-10T16:18:32+00:002020-07-10T16:18:32+00:00<p>Jeffco Superintendent Jason Glass has been selected as Kentucky’s next education commissioner, the state’s Board of Education announced on Friday morning.</p><p>Glass, 48, was one of three finalists for the job and will leave Colorado’s second largest district after serving as superintendent since 2017. The Kentucky board plans to finalize Glass’ contract in the next several days and didn’t announce a start date.</p><p>“I am excited to welcome this native Kentuckian home to begin the tough, but rewarding, work we have ahead,” board Chair Lu Young said.</p><p>Glass’ original Jeffco Public Schools contract was from 2017-20, but the school board extended it to 2025 last year. Glass can terminate his contract if he gives 60 days notice to the board, according to the contract.</p><p>Glass began his education career in Kentucky after completing his college education there.</p><p>“I am excited for this opportunity to serve the commonwealth and I am excited to embark on this effort to improve the future for all of Kentucky’s children,” Glass said to the Kentucky board after the announcement of his appointment.</p><p>Jeffco board President Susan Harmon, in a statement, congratulated Glass on his appointment as Kentucky commissioner and said over the past three years he has been a visionary leader for the district.</p><p>Glass was hired as Jeffco superintendent in 2017 after a full turnover of the board that included a recall election of three conservative board members.</p><p>Harmon said Glass reinvigorated the district strategic plan to focus on student learning and brought it to life in classrooms.</p><p>He also worked to pass a mill levy override and a school construction bond. Harmon also said Glass’ foresight in transition to one-to-one student-to-device technology helped transform in-person learning, but also prepare the district to immediately respond to the coronavirus pandemic.</p><p>“While Dr. Glass’s departure is a loss to Jefferson County and our district, we understand the draw of returning to his home state for his family and his continuing career in education,” Harmon said in the statement. “We wish him the very best on this new endeavor.”</p><p>Before leading Jefferson County schools, Glass was superintendent of the school district in Eagle County, Colorado. He also previously held a role in Iowa as state education leader where the Republican governor who appointed Glass called him a “reform-minded leader.”</p><p>But Glass said his time in Iowa and Eagle changed his thoughts on some education reforms, including performance pay for teachers. Glass also became critical of testing in Colorado and said he wanted charter schools to meet high bars if they were to operate in a district.</p><p>Glass, in an email to Jeffco parents and teachers, said the pull to his home state is strong despite his having lived in Colorado for 17 years.</p><p>“Our family has loved living in Jeffco and our children have received an exceptional education thanks to Jeffco Public Schools,” he said in the email. “I have loved working with the incredibly talented people throughout this organization and will miss the powerful commitment to quality and community that I have seen and learned from in Jeffco. Above all else, we are grateful.”</p><p>Glass said he will work with the Jeffco board and his cabinet to put together a transition process. The email said the board will announce the formal transition plans.</p><p>Glass succeeds Wayne Lewis as state commissioner. Lewis left after Gov. Andy Beshear turned over the state board when he was elected to office.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/7/10/21320107/jefferson-county-superintendent-jason-glass-to-lead-kentucky-as-its-next-education-commissioner/Jason Gonzales2020-07-08T21:39:02+00:002020-07-08T21:39:02+00:00<p>Jeffco will allow all students, including older students, to go back to in-person learning this fall.</p><p>The district had already announced that <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/6/19/21297264/pivoting-jeffco-fall-plans-elementary-students-return-to-school-full-time">elementary schools would open for students</a> to return to classes five days a week. Because that plan involves grouping students to interact with only a small number of students and staff each day, district leaders had said the logistics of planning that for middle and high school students would take more time.</p><p>The district will also have a remote option for any students who want to keep learning from home.</p><p>The <a href="https://jeffcopublicschools.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_627881/File/Jeffco%20PS/restart/documents/RestartPlan-JPS-July2020-public.pdf">43-page plan released Wednesday</a> goes into more details.&nbsp;</p><p>High school students will attend a maximum of four in-person classes per school day, and may need to take some classes online. Each school will have to create a specific plan for student pickup and drop-off, building entry, symptom screening, transitions, and lunch schedules.</p><p>“Individual schools will communicate their plans to their staff and school community for review prior to implementation,” the plan states.</p><p>The plan also states face coverings will be required during the day “when 6 feet of social distancing cannot be maintained.” Teachers, for instance, can use a face shield if they are giving a lesson more than 6 feet away from students, but otherwise must also wear a mask.</p><p>Family members and visitors will not be permitted in schools, to further limit the exposure of those in the buildings.</p><p>Officials said tasks such as arranging desks and tables so that all students face the same direction, will be a shared responsibility among school staff and custodial and facility teams.</p><p>The district follows several others in the metro area that are also planning to bring students back into the classrooms.</p><p>Jason Glass, superintendent of Jeffco schools, said that more details still need to be worked out, and that he expects that the plans may still shift.</p><p>“We had to make some decisions and put out some concepts about what the fall would look like,” Glass said. “We have to acknowledge there’s a heck of a lot that could still shift.”</p><p>One thing that the plan doesn’t yet address is the size of each student cohort, and will be determined by public health guidance closer to when school starts.</p><p>Jeffco, like <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/6/30/21309609/aurora-plans-for-fall-in-person-return-to-classes-for-elementary-and-middle-grades">Aurora</a>, is also pushing back the first day of school to the week of Aug. 24 to allow staff time to receive training before students return to buildings.</p><p>School districts surveyed parents as they prepared these fall plans. In Jeffco, of more than 16,000 respondents, more than 90% said they are either certain or likely to attend in-person learning.&nbsp;</p><p>The district is now asking <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScWTl9HXuSZyFlnI5w9PzXL3dpmsll2cYsgVttKY5P2h7fG5Q/viewform">parents to take a survey</a> and let schools know if their students will be returning to campuses, or if they prefer the online option. Teachers and staff will also have a chance this month to ask for remote assignments based on their own health risks.</p><p>Brooke Williams, the president of the Jeffco teachers union, did not respond to a request for comment about the fall plan.</p><p>But <a href="https://twitter.com/amanda_garner/status/1280990279042863104">teachers</a> across the country have been raising questions about how districts are considering their safety as they plan to return students to classes.</p><p>In Jeffco, when a teacher requests a remote assignment based on health risks, the district’s human resources team will review the provided documentation for that risk and designate staff as someone who should be considered for remote work. That designation will then be forwarded to the school principals to consider.</p><p>The district will help transfer teachers if a remote assignment isn’t available at their school, but officials said that there may be “many cases” when a staff member is designated as someone at risk who should do remote work, but who may still end up in an in-person assignment. It will depend on how many students and teachers choose each learning option.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Glass said that in the case those requests are disproportional, the district will start ranking different health risks to give priority to those at higher risk.&nbsp;</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/7/8/21317891/jeffco-will-allow-all-students-to-return-to-school-buildings-this-fall/Yesenia Robles2020-07-08T17:21:56+00:002020-07-08T17:21:56+00:00<p>Jeffco’s superintendent, Jason Glass, has been named <a href="https://education.ky.gov/comm/Pages/2020-Kentucky-Education-Commissioner-Search-.aspx">one of three finalists</a> for a job as Kentucky’s education commissioner.</p><p>The Kentucky Board of Education is <a href="https://www.wtvq.com/2020/07/07/3-finalists-named-for-state-school-commissioner-post/">negotiating a contract with one of the finalists</a>, without publicly naming that person. The sole finalist for the job is expected to be announced this month.</p><p>Glass, 48, has been leader of Jeffco, Colorado’s second largest school district, since 2017. His original contract was from 2017-2020, but was amended last year to run through June 2025.&nbsp;</p><p>In May, the Jeffco school board approved a request from Glass to add language to his contract, given the budget constraints caused by the pandemic, noting that if the board freezes or decreases “district employees’ average pay during the 2020-2021 budget year, the superintendent’s 2020-2021 annual salary will be frozen or decreased proportionately.”</p><p>His contract provides the ability for Glass to terminate the contract with 60 days notice to the school board.</p><p>Glass and the school district refused to comment for this story. Ron Mitchell, a Jeffco school board member, confirmed that the board was aware that Glass was interviewing for the position.</p><p>Before coming to Jeffco, Glass was superintendent of the school district in Eagle. He also previously held a role in Iowa as state education leader.&nbsp;</p><p>Glass began his education career in Kentucky after completing his college education there.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/7/8/21317411/jeffco-superintendent-jason-glass-finalist-for-state-job-in-kentucky/Yesenia Robles2020-06-19T23:43:40+00:002020-06-19T23:43:40+00:00<p>Citing parent feedback and concerns about equity, the Jeffco school district announced plans to allow elementary students back in schools full time this fall.</p><p>The finalized plan, announced to staff Thursday, is based on the assumption that health guidelines will permit gatherings of more than 10 people by August. That would eliminate a challenge of finding staff and space to keep classrooms to nine students each.</p><p>“We believe based on consultations with our health department, as well as recent comments from the Governor, that that limitation will not be present in the fall,” said Jeffco Superintendent Jason Glass, who oversees Colorado’s second-largest district, serving 84,000 students.&nbsp;</p><p>The district will announce plans for middle and high school students by July 8.&nbsp;</p><p>When Jeffco students return, schools will be subject to some additional health measures, such as mandatory masks, symptom screening, and increased ventilation in buildings. School will also start later than planned, allowing staff to train on safety measures for the first eight days. Students can also choose to continue remote learning all year.</p><p>In recent weeks, as Gov. Jared Polis has suggested that public health guidance will likely allow for larger class sizes, more districts have announced that they intend to resume in-person classes —&nbsp;at least for some students. The <a href="https://t.e2ma.net/message/i8g27d/a2umtn">Cherry Creek district on Friday said</a> it will offer class five days a week for elementary students. Last week, <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/6/9/21285939/back-to-school-5-days-a-week-in-school-planned-by-westminster-suburban-denver-district">Westminster and Mapleton announced plans</a> to offer in-person classes five days a week for students at all grade levels.</p><p>Glass said for him, there were also equity concerns about remote learning that led to the in-person plan, a change from the <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/5/13/21258118/jeffco-school-district-mulls-hybrid-learning-for-this-fall">district’s initial proposal to offer a hybrid</a> of in-person and online school, with students on staggered schedules.&nbsp;</p><p>“On top of public requests for greater in-person learning, the economic needs, the academic and social-emotional needs, coupled with all of that is this overarching equity consideration,” Glass said. “We know we had lesser engagement from students in at-risk categories. That was a major concern.”</p><p>After being the first district to announce fall plans, Jeffco requested feedback in a survey and a month in, has received about 16,000 responses. <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJ9d6czyhOBwWVRQPj513GRFxfvJ8SbWcXaaH5btazmK_uxA/viewform">The survey remains open</a>, and so far an overwhelming majority of parents continue to say they would be likely to send their children to school if they had the option.&nbsp;</p><p>“We did want to be responsive to the community and our staff feedback all along,” Glass said.&nbsp;</p><p>He said the survey has averaged more than 90% of parents stating they would be likely to send their children back into school buildings. That’s higher than in other districts. In Westminster for instance, just 56% of parents and community members said students should return to in-person learning, though it was the option with most support.</p><p>Having students go back to in-person learning also helps districts that were trying to figure out child care options for parents. Officials in Jeffco, Aurora, and other districts have been looking for community partnerships that would give staff and maybe some other working parents a child care option for days when students are not in-school.&nbsp;</p><p>Glass said that would no longer be a challenge to solve for in Jeffco.</p><p>What remains to be seen is how the district will approach in-person learning for middle and high school students, although Glass said <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/BQGNZ760BF55/$file/Resolution%20Fundamental%20Responsibilities%20During%20COVID19.pdf">the district and board want an in-person option</a>.</p><p>In elementary school, the district will be able to keep children in cohorts to limit their exposure to others in the buildings. But the challenge is that students in middle and high school grades move more throughout a school taking classes with different groups of students and different teachers.&nbsp;</p><p>“We’re working through some ways we can limit the contact students have with each other in a way that still allows them to earn credits and be able to take the courses that they want to take,” Glass said.</p><p>Officials in multiple districts have said they are creating teams that will act as tracers in the district to quickly identify and quarantine students or staff who are exposed to COVID-19. The ability to keep students and staff isolated from others will limit how many people might have to switch to remote learning if there is an outbreak.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/6/19/21297264/pivoting-jeffco-fall-plans-elementary-students-return-to-school-full-time/Yesenia Robles2020-05-26T23:56:00+00:002020-05-26T23:56:00+00:00<p>After a two-month hiatus, Colorado lawmakers convened Tuesday morning and encountered&nbsp; a parade of Denver and Jefferson County school employees in buses and cars featuring signs calling for preserving K-12 education budgets.</p><p><a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/5/21/21267127/colorado-coronavirus-school-budget-cuts">Lawmakers plan to cut statewide education</a> by 15%, with Colorado facing a <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/5/12/21256654/covid-colorado-budget-toll-education-wont-be-spared-as-lawmakers-face-3-3-billion-hole">$3.3 billion revenue shortfall </a>next fiscal year from the effects of battling the coronavirus pandemic.</p><p>The steep expected decline in education funding has prompted many employees to fear for their jobs feeding students, cleaning schools and supporting learning. Education union leaders across the state are pressing lawmakers to hold budgets flat by imposing an emergency tax to raise funds.</p><p>Denver Classroom Teachers Association President Tiffany Choi said support employees are crucial to meeting the everyday needs of students and to care for buildings.</p><p>“The implications of cutting the education budget now are disastrous and dangerous for everyone,” Choi said.</p><p>Both the budget and tax requests will be challenging —&nbsp;if not impossible —&nbsp;to fulfill.&nbsp;</p><p>Facing loss of tax revenue from nearly every source, lawmakers have made cuts to every aspect of state government, including <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/5/19/21264509/lawmakers-cut-58-percent-from-colorado-public-colleges-3-3-billion-budget-hole">a 58% reduction to higher education funding</a>. They also stripped out new spending, with the House Education Committee on Tuesday tabling numerous K-12 bills that would have required spending next year.</p><p>Colorado lawmakers will be hard pressed to totally spare K-12, which takes up 36% of the general fund, when the state expects a 25% cut in revenue.</p><p>An emergency tax, which has never been done before, would require a two-thirds majority and support from Republicans, who so far have been uninterested.&nbsp;</p><p>Union leaders said lawmakers are shedding tears over the hard decisions they face.</p><p><a href="http://edison.dpsk12.org/support-staff/">Lisa Archuleta</a>, a Denver Public Schools facility manager, said the cuts will hurt the ability of schools to respond to the coronavirus.</p><p>For instance, she said, budgetary reductions during the Great Recession brought down the number of janitors at Edison Elementary, making sanitizing the school a difficult job. The number of janitors there has never rebounded, she said. Archuleta said the cuts will further impact whether the school and district can sanitize school facilities.</p><p>Laura Center, president of the Jeffco Education Support Professionals Association, which organized the rally, said she hopes lawmakers will lobby the federal government for more funds for education. Gov. Jared Polis has already allocated $510 million from the state’s allotment of<a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/5/14/21257935/see-how-much-federal-coronavirus-rescue-money-your-colorado-school-district-will-get"> federal coronavirus relief to K-12 schools</a>, on top of $121 million in dedicated federal education money. Those funds must be used for purposes related to coronavirus response by the end of the calendar year.&nbsp;</p><p>She also said she hopes lawmakers will look to reserves to alleviate some short-term cuts, although those funds are limited and could serve as a contingency next year if there isn’t a significant economic rebound.</p><p>Bold steps are needed or else there will be consequences for students, Center said.</p><p>“Don’t shortchange our students or put them in harm’s way by making further cuts to the infrastructure that supports them,” she said.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/5/26/21271268/support-employees-rally-at-colorado-capitol-lawmakers-to-spare-k-12-from-coronavirus-cuts/Jason Gonzales2020-05-20T00:01:07+00:002020-05-20T00:01:07+00:00<p>Mortensen Elementary students in Littleton start their day from home at 8:30 a.m. listening to a phone message from their principal with the morning announcements —&nbsp; almost as if schools hadn’t closed to slow the spread of COVID-19.</p><p>After reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, they answer a daily question to log their attendance. They have two live instruction sessions per day, plus some online work in between.</p><p>At Deane Elementary in Lakewood, staff created a form where students who may not be able to answer a daily question can still check in daily. The school doesn’t require students to watch instruction in real time, where they could interact with teachers. Teachers record lessons and share the videos along with assignments online.&nbsp;</p><p>Students get new lessons on alternate days, with a day in between for practice and to allow students who might not be able to engage every day to catch up. More than a dozen students do work on paper packets they pick up every other week.</p><p>The two different models are examples of the various approaches to remote learning that schools in Jeffco have taken over the last two months.</p><p>Jeffco Public Schools was one of the first districts to <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/3/13/21196049/class-dismissed-colorado-districts-vary-in-approach-to-online-learning-during-coronavirus-closures">jump into remote learning</a> on March 17. The rigorous plan promised to reach every student, but was also designed to give schools choices including how to deliver instruction, or how to count a student as engaged.&nbsp;</p><p>“There was an intentionality about not scripting every move because we had not done this before,” said Superintendent Jason Glass. “Our strategy was to create infrastructure and support and allow our professionals flexibility to determine what worked best in their context. We needed that flexibility, especially in a community like Jeffco.”</p><p>Jeffco, the second-largest district in Colorado by enrollment, spans areas ranging from urban communities bordering Denver to wealthier suburban and mountain neighborhoods.</p><p>The efforts school leaders made to accommodate students may have helped increase engagement in some schools, but it often also meant less direct or live instruction, which might have an impact on achievement gaps.</p><p>Now, in the last week of the school year, Glass wants educators to reflect on their work so they can share what worked and what didn’t, especially as the likelihood increases that <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/5/13/21258118/jeffco-school-district-mulls-hybrid-learning-for-this-fall">some remote learning will continue in the fall</a>. District testing, which might occur this fall, might also help shed light on what worked.</p><p>“I don’t have any illusions that we’ve solved inequities,” Glass said. “Those gaps have widened.”</p><p>Mortensen and Deane serve different populations of students. About a third of students at Mortensen are eligible for subsidized lunches, a measure of poverty, compared with 85% of Deane’s students. About 50 Deane families didn’t have access to the internet in March. About 15 to 20 families still don’t. Mortensen’s principal is not aware of any family that still lacks internet access.</p><p>At Deane, about 73% of students are Hispanic and many are learning English as a second language. At Mortensen, the school has about 8% of its students learning English as a second language, and that includes students who speak 13 different home languages.&nbsp;</p><p>Principals tailored remote learning based on the needs of their communities.</p><p>Megan Martinez, principal of Deane, said that teachers have changed their practices over the last two months to better accommodate students. That means them making flexible arrangements for supporting and tracking the work of students with paper packets, changing their availability based on when students are more likely to be online, and creating multiple ways for students to be counted as present.</p><p>“As our students are able to connect with their peers and their teachers, we’re seeing more engagement,” Martinez said.&nbsp;</p><p>Jessica Hernandez, a parent of two Deane students, said remote learning has gone well. The teachers have been available any time she or her kids have had a question.</p><p>But, she said, she’s lucky that she’s able to stay home.</p><p>“It’s not an easy situation,” Hernandez said. “It’s not like they’re going to naturally say they want to do their work on their own. It’s always a team effort between students, parents and teachers.”</p><p>Hernandez said her biggest challenge in helping her children is not being able to speak English. Her children, a kindergartener and a second grader, both have learned English, she said, and they continue receiving language support, but she worries that she doesn’t pronounce English properly to model it for them.</p><p>“They learned a lot more English in school,” Hernandez said.</p><p>At Mortensen, Principal Karla Hankins said that when remote learning started, “It was like let’s just give the kids some purposeful learning and we’ll catch them up later.”</p><p>But as it became clear that the school buildings would remain closed for an extended time, Hankins changed her thinking.</p><p>“We have to actually teach the content we were going to teach,” Hankins said. “We can’t not teach them and then have two months of significant learning gaps.”</p><p>Hankins said teachers have been learning new features of their online tools to help with video instruction, such as being able to mute all students while the teacher is giving a lesson, and then opening up the mics to allow discussions.</p><p>In April, Jeffco also released broad guidance about attendance. Schools were to track student engagement daily, but it would only get <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/5/6/21249833/remote-learning-attendance-denver-jeffco">entered into the district’s system weekly</a>. That gave schools time to reach out to students before having to mark someone absent. Schools had flexibility in what they counted as engaged.</p><p>At Mortensen, students answer a daily question by 9:30 a.m. If they don’t, teachers reach out to families and can then accept late submissions or other work to count a student as engaged.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“We’re trying to give the parents, we call it giving them some grace,” Hankins said. “Bless their hearts, they’re not teachers. They’re trying to figure it out.”</p><p>Approximately 80% of students are “rising to the occasion” Hankins said, engaged daily and turning in high-quality work. Another 15% are engaged on a less active basis, while about 5%, or fewer than 20 students, have been unengaged. She said that includes some families that moved out of the district.</p><p>At Deane, students fill out an online attendance form just to check in. If they don’t fill that out, a teacher can also count other forms of engagement like answering a daily question, turning in assignments, or participating in a community circle video call.</p><p>“We know there are so many different factors and things that our families are dealing with,” Martinez said.&nbsp;</p><p>Older students are trying to take care of younger students, families still have unreliable internet, and some students may only be able to do work when parents are home from work.</p><p>Deane has had its best engagement in the last couple of weeks, Martinez said, with just about 2% of the school’s approximate 415 students counted as not engaged. Typically, Glass said low-income schools have faced more challenges in getting high engagement and not all have been successful.</p><p>Glass said many Jeffco schools have taken an approach similar to Deane’s. Many started remote learning trying to recreate school, but then realized they had to balance being available for students while also giving them flexibility in how and when they could do the work.</p><p>One factor that was top of mind for both principals was continuing relationships with students and families.&nbsp;</p><p>That’s why Hankins started sending out a recorded phone message with the morning announcements. In late April, she also started doing virtual Friday assemblies. And the school has spirit week activities including some that had neighborhood participation, like when students were told to count teddy bears in windows during an outdoor walk.</p><p>Martinez is doing weekly announcements through video shared on Fridays, including one recorded in Spanish. She also hosted some virtual parent meet-ups and the school is putting together a virtual talent show.&nbsp;</p><p>Parents say they have appreciated all of the communication with their schools.</p><p>Hernandez said her two kids have sent voice messages to their teachers, and love when they get to participate in live video calls where they can interact with their teacher and classmates — once a week for the kindergartner, and twice a week for the second grader.</p><p>“They’re fascinated by that,” Hernandez said. “They miss their teachers.”</p><p>Hernandez said she understands why more live video time is a challenge for some families. She used to work up to three jobs when she raised her first son, also a graduate of Deane and now a student at Metro State University of Denver.&nbsp;</p><p>At Mortensen, parent Roni Schad has been so grateful for how her school managed remote learning that she planned multiple activities for teacher appreciation week. On the final day, she organized a parade. She asked teachers to stand outside the school so students could drive by and wave and thank them.&nbsp;</p><p>She expected a few cars and a few teachers, but turnout far exceeded expectations.</p><p>“It was really touching,” Schad said. “It was a really good way to not only bring the school together but also make sure the teachers knew how much we appreciated them.”</p><p>Schad said many younger students, including her daughter Ylena, have been confused by all of the disruption this year. But it helped to see the teachers at the school.</p><p>She said, “It helped to end the year on a high note.”</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/5/19/21264337/two-jeffco-schools-take-different-paths-to-remote-learning/Yesenia Robles2020-05-14T01:01:32+00:002020-05-14T01:01:32+00:00<p>Next fall, Jeffco students could choose to go to school part time and spend other days learning at home. Or they could choose to learn entirely from home, as outlined in a draft released Wednesday.</p><p>School districts around the metro area are considering a hybrid approach to learning in the fall, as they deal with uncertainty about the ongoing threat from coronavirus. The Jeffco district is looking to get feedback that will inform its own plans and those of neighboring districts.</p><p>Officials also want to give the community time to process big changes.</p><p>“It’s a very different structure than the school we left,” Superintendent Jason Glass told the Jeffco school board Wednesday morning.</p><p>As they develop their plans, school districts have to keep class sizes below the 10-person limit currently recommended by public health authorities and must allow space for social distancing while using their same school buildings. At the same time, schools may have to cut staff as they deal with budget reductions, and face further limitations as some teachers and staff members with health conditions or vulnerable family members <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/2020/5/9/21252608/older-teachers-heath-concerns-coronavirus-return-to-schools">might be reluctant to return to work</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>School leaders from 16 metro area school districts have been meeting at least weekly to share ideas and coordinate. Denver metro area school and public health leaders have coordinated other decisions during this pandemic, ahead of state guidance, such as the decision to keep school buildings closed for the rest of this school year.&nbsp;</p><p>“A lot of it comes out of a recognition that we have a lot of staff that have kids in different districts than where they live,” Glass said. “If we end up with systems that don’t work well together you can have an employee who has a kid that has to be at home the same day that they have to be at work and we’ve created a real hardship on them.”</p><p>“There will be an effort to try and align all of those efforts,” Glass said. “We’ll see if we can get that done.”</p><p>Other school district leaders have mentioned hybrid models but have been vague with details. The Denver school district <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/5/7/21251487/hybrid-in-person-and-remote-learning-denver-schools-fall">said it was planning for a mix</a> of online and in-person instruction and put out a <a href="https://www.dpsk12.org/remote-learning-survey/">survey</a> for parents and the community.</p><p>Westminster Superintendent Pam Swanson talked about regional coordination at a recent meeting, noting, “We’re all trying to help each other out.” At the same time, she said, Westminster must figure out “what might best fit our community,” based in part on the information gathered from a <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScpFh4UNQ3c7-o9XnqusurWZnWi2w9Ntelzw-lq_zK6rJH3qg/viewform">survey</a>.</p><p>Jeffco is the <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/BPJMEV5ADD3F/$file/PRESENTATION%20Restart%20Overview%20051320.pdf">first to share more details about what those hybrid models</a> might look like, although it still includes a lot of unknowns. Employee groups will provide feedback first. Next week, the updated draft plan will be sent out to the school community, along with a survey for feedback.</p><p>A final plan would be published in July. Jeffco’s first day of school is Aug. 18.</p><p>The draft plan envisions using school lunchrooms and large areas not for student gatherings, but possibly as extra classrooms. Students would get breakfast and lunch in their classrooms. For students who stay on remote learning, the district would continue its grab-and-go meal distribution.&nbsp;</p><p>The district is still deciding whether to require masks for students and staff, but is likely to make them mandatory at least when people are around others.&nbsp;</p><p>Temperature checks, stepped up cleaning procedures, and hand washing would also become a part of the school day.</p><p>Based on the details shared with the school board, the plan includes three possible schedules for what a hybrid model might be. All three assume that students would be divided into groups and take turns going to school one day a week. Students would be divided either into two groups, three groups, or four, to rotate going into school on one day of the week.</p><p>Jeffco board member Brad Rupert questioned how that would impact families who are returning to work.</p><p>“If we are talking about changing society from having most children occupied five days a week to having most children occupied out of the home one day a week — that is a big deal,” Rupert said.</p><p>Depending on how many students choose to come into school at all, those students might be able to come more often.&nbsp;</p><p>Jeffco leaders said they will survey families and teachers about what model they would choose, but have not decided on when that will happen. School board members pushed back on the 10-person cap and lamented its limitations.</p><p>District leaders said it’s possible that guidance of 10 could change in the next two months, but Glass also said it’s possible that throughout the school year, those rules could change more than once. For now, it’s how districts must plan.</p><p>“We want to create the opportunity for our students to be in our schools,” said Kristopher Schuh, Jeffco’s deputy superintendent, and chief of secondary schools. But, he added, “We simply cannot bring all of our students back to our schools at this time.”</p><p>Jeffco leaders also described some flexibilities for staff. For instance, if few students at a school want to do the hybrid model, there may be opportunities for staff to choose to work remotely, or for them to be in the school buildings.</p><p>But as school districts also grapple with the prospect of huge budget cuts, that may mean staffing cuts, and so the model also could mean more responsibilities for teachers.</p><p>“As teachers are teaching during the day they’re teaching the students in front of them, they also have to be aware of and engaging those students who are in the remote environment,” Schuh said.&nbsp;</p><p>For that reason, the three hybrid schedules allow for at least one day that is dedicated to remote learning for everyone. Two of the hybrid schedules also give teachers a day just for training and planning.&nbsp;</p><p>Glass told board members that in-person learning days would most likely be reserved for more targeted help.</p><p>“We will not be able to execute a model where students are coming in and receiving direct instruction on only the day that they have in school,” Glass said. “Otherwise we’d have to cut the curriculum that’s covered down to a fourth of what needs to be covered.”</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/5/13/21258118/jeffco-school-district-mulls-hybrid-learning-for-this-fall/Yesenia Robles2020-05-08T23:50:24+00:002020-05-08T23:50:24+00:00<p>Learning from home is more difficult for families than for students, teachers are connecting with students through assignments more than for social and emotional needs, and students said their biggest challenge is worrying about non-school problems.</p><p>Those were just some of the <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/BP7RL5676C97/$file/PRESENTATION%20Remote%20Learning%20Survey%20Findings050720.pdf">takeaways from a Jeffco Public Schools survey</a> of students, parents, and educators in the first week of April after starting remote learning. Results of the survey, taken from April 3-10, were presented to the Jeffco school board Thursday night.&nbsp;</p><p>The results have been used to inform teacher training, school outreach, and now plans for the fall.</p><p>Superintendent Jason Glass did not offer details about fall plans Thursday but told the board the district is planning for some in-person instruction as well as remote learning He expects that students may have to move from one form of learning to the other.&nbsp;</p><p>Continuing surveys will help the district determine what is working and what is not.</p><p>“We should continue this sort of ongoing analysis to see how we’re doing and how we could improve,” Glass said.</p><p>On Thursday, officials reminded the board that the survey responses weren’t completely representative of the district. For example, the survey was only provided online, though it was mobile friendly, so could have excluded some families without that access.&nbsp;</p><p>Of the parents who responded, just 12% indicated their children qualified for subsidized lunches, a measure of poverty, while the district has about 31% of such students.</p><p>In general, most of the respondents had positive things to say about remote learning, and a large majority of families, students and educators said remote learning should continue.</p><p>The district has used the survey to reach out immediately to students who indicated that they were struggling and wanted to talk to someone.</p><p>Of 11,259 students who responded — most of whom were high school students — 390 or about 4% were flagged after responding that they were struggling and wanted to talk to someone, in response to a question about how they were feeling that week.</p><p>District officials sent those names to their respective principals and asked them to reach out.</p><p>Dan Cohen, one of the district’s community superintendents, said many principals found that the data validated how they were already tracking students at the school level.</p><p>“They were already on track with trying to engage these students who were recorded as really struggling with the remote learning environment,” Cohen said. “They were already working to engage those students.”</p><p>In some cases, reaching out to those students required community partners such as law enforcement, Cohen said. The schools have now been in contact with nearly all students.</p><p>Schools are tracking contacts with students each week, Glass said, and <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/5/6/21249833/remote-learning-attendance-denver-jeffco">districtwide engagement</a> is improving.</p><p>“Sometimes it’s been a struggle,” Cohen said. “At least they’re able to get kids engaged. Students may not be 100% engaged but at least now we are in contact with that student.”</p><p>A second survey, with the same questions, closed Sunday and district officials are analyzing that data to see how it compares with the first wave of results. In the next batch of data, officials will also break down responses by demographic subgroups.</p><p>The district initially planned for a third distribution of the survey, but is considering whether or not it is necessary, or if it would need to change.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/5/8/21252605/jeffco-survey-shows-approval-remote-learning/Yesenia Robles2020-05-05T00:39:37+00:002020-05-05T00:39:37+00:00<p>Colorado’s two largest school districts are moving summer school online this year, as buildings remain closed to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.</p><p>The decisions to continue remote learning come after Gov. Jared Polis said <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2020/4/22/21232151/colorado-coronavirus-school-closure-classsroom-instruction">schools can hold small group instruction</a> and provide specialized services if local public health authorities agree. However, there’s still a lot of uncertainty about the trajectory of the coronavirus pandemic, and officials in the Denver metro area have been slower to open things up.&nbsp;</p><p>Denver Public Schools announced Monday that summer academic programming will be delivered remotely. That includes the district’s <a href="https://co.chalkbeat.org/2019/6/27/21108399/inside-denver-s-attempt-to-slow-summer-slide-for-english-language-learners-and-struggling-readers">“summer academy”</a> for young elementary students struggling with reading, and students learning English as a second language.&nbsp;</p><p>District summer camps that focus on fun and enrichment are canceled. High school credit recovery courses, sixth- and ninth-grade “academies” for students entering middle or high school, and extended year services for students with disabilities will move online, as will teacher and principal training sessions that would normally happen in person.</p><p>Community groups will be prohibited from using district buildings or fields in June and July. Denver Public Schools is the state’s largest district, serving 92,000 students.</p><p>Jeffco Public Schools, which serves 84,000 students, is also moving summer school programming online. That includes its six-week “summer of early learning” program for young students struggling with reading, the district announced in a newsletter last week.</p><p>The Jefferson County health department is <a href="https://www.jeffco.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1188">limiting access to school buildings</a> and prohibiting school sports during June and July.</p><p>Public schools cannot use their buildings to teach small groups of students, provide special education services, host educator training sessions, or provide access to internet or technology devices “unless they can ensure social distancing requirements are met” and the schools receive approval from district leaders, the health department order says.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/5/4/21247415/denver-jeffco-summer-school-online-coronavirus/Melanie Asmar2020-04-09T23:45:23+00:002020-04-09T23:45:23+00:00<p>At the start of one semester, Leilani Gomez, a high school senior in Aurora, was shocked when her white teacher introduced herself.</p><p>“She told us we had to respect her, because we were receiving an opportunity to learn from her, and said a lot of students ‘like us’ don’t have that opportunity,” Gomez recalled. “I think she made it obvious that she thought she was better than us.”</p><p>Students stopped listening to her. Many didn’t show up to class. Students complained to school leadership, and eventually the teacher was gone.</p><p>Instead, Gomez said, she wishes she would have had more opportunities to learn from teachers of color. In four years of high school, she recalls having just two teachers of color.</p><p>“It was cool,” Gomez said. “It kind of felt like we had a space to talk to each other about anything. She was willing to be like ‘oh I know what you mean.’ It was almost a sense of comfort.”</p><p>Experiences like that are one reason educators of color in some of Colorado’s largest districts have called on officials to do more to diversify school staff.</p><p>But Colorado’s teachers largely don’t look like the students they serve and the gap has mostly stayed the same for five years. District policies don’t easily translate to practice in part because hiring decisions are left up to principals, and educators of color have <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/us/2018/07/25/black-teachers-leave-schools-at-higher-rates-but-why/">higher attrition rates</a>.</p><p>Research has shown that students of color can benefit from having teachers of color.</p><p>Students of color describe white teachers who didn’t push them. Others had teachers who criticized their ideas, not their work. And students say they relate to their lessons differently when they have a teacher of color. Diversifying school staff also exposes all students to broader perspectives.</p><p>Educators say that increasing diversity will also help engage more students, which can ultimately help improve learning, achievement, and other outcomes.</p><p>Teachers say the culture of schools — including how staff are trained to be culturally responsive and how curriculum is chosen or delivered — has a lot to do with whether diverse educators stay in the long run.</p><p>In Denver, Jeffco, and Aurora, educators who felt isolated and unsupported by their district have found a place to connect through their unions.</p><p>A group of teachers in Denver, the largest district in the state, is <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2020/02/20/denver-black-educators-call-for-hiring-more-teachers-of-color-protection-of-union-contract-rights/">pushing the district to do more to address systemic racism</a>, including by hiring more teachers of color. The district is trying to respond.</p><p>Recently, union leaders in Jeffco, a geographically large district that encompasses both wealthy mountain suburbs as well as low-income neighborhoods bordering Denver, criticized the district, pointing out that the number of educators of color has stayed flat. District officials there say they have been stepping up efforts in the last year.</p><p>In Aurora, an urban district that serves one of the most diverse student populations in the state including several immigrant and refugee communities, the school board approved a resolution in February, but teachers want more action.</p><p>“Thank you to the board for even coming up with the resolution,” said Beverly Cosey, an Aurora educator. But, she added, “we have to have a better plan.”</p><p>Cielo Valdez Xolot, a freshman high school student in Aurora, said she only recently learned, from a teacher of color, a more complete account of the things Christopher Columbus did besides landing in North America, such as his treatment of natives.</p><p>“I feel that’s disappointing,” Valdez Xolot said. “I’ve been living my life thinking he was a very good person.”</p><h3>🔗Similar approaches</h3><p>Educator diversity is an issue state lawmakers also wanted to tackle this year. A bill making its way through the legislature <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2020/01/29/why-does-colorado-have-so-few-teachers-of-color-a-new-bill-seeks-to-find-out/">would create a group to study the obstacles that teachers of color</a> face to entering or staying in the profession.</p><p>Pamelagrace Okeke, a social worker in Jeffco, who said she’s always the only black educator in the schools where she works, said it’s difficult to be the only different voice.</p><p>“I feel very isolated here,” Okeke said. “The only reason I’m still here is for the kids.”</p><p>But it’s also the hope she said she has received from working with the union for change.</p><p>Some of the work districts do to recruit and retain teachers of color is similar across the five largest districts in Colorado. That includes going out of state to job fairs at universities with education programs, including those that are historically black colleges or universities or Hispanic serving institutions, and expanding student teaching opportunities or <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2017/11/20/building-a-teacher-pipeline-how-one-aurora-school-has-become-a-training-ground-for-aspiring-teachers/">grow-your-own programs</a> such as those that help paraprofessionals earn a teaching license.</p><p>David Bell, Jeffco’s chief human resources officer, said that his district office is stepping up its efforts, in part because principals have been requesting a more diverse candidate pool.</p><p>Jeffco took some of its educators of color to hiring fairs just last year, and is creating partnerships with university programs. While it’s a common practice, it’s new for Jeffco which previously had limited visits, and mostly phone calls, Bell said.</p><p>“It’s really kind of a long game,” Bell said.</p><p>One unique thing Jeffco cited is that Bell’s team is also helping principals better describe their schools on job listings so that candidates know more about the schools they apply to.</p><p>The Jeffco teachers union set a goal to increase diversity three years ago. Union President John Ford said the gap between the percentage of students and the percentage of educators of color is “glaring.” He said the association recognized that in order to improve educational outcomes for all students, teachers and other school staff needed to be more diverse.</p><p>The union brought together educators of color to identify the problems and possible solutions and started discussions with the district last year.</p><p>“Over the course of that year nothing really changed,” Ford said. “So this year we’ve pushed the district harder than we ever have to recognize the problem and start to address it.”</p><p>That doesn’t mean he blames the district, Ford said. That’s why the union is also working on figuring out how to help.</p><p>“We need to give people of color a space to be leaders and to promote public education,” Ford said. “Historically I don’t know if we’ve done that. That’s kind of the biggest thing we’re working toward right now. We’re creating a space for conversations to happen through our association.”</p><p>The union created a scholarship this year for a Jeffco student interested in teaching. The scholarship will be named after Shermita West, a former Jeffco teacher who became the first African American president of the Jeffco teachers union in the ’90s.</p><h3>🔗Denver efforts</h3><p>In Denver Public Schools, “one of the things that we all know is what gets measured gets done,” June Taylor, chief human resources officer, told the school board recently.</p><p>She said that she appreciates district leaders making internal recruitment and retention goals public this year. “It’s really important to the work that we’re doing.”</p><p>Denver’s efforts to retain educators of color include the creation of nine groups, including groups focused on black employees, Hispanic employees, and LGBTQ employees. The district also has a teacher-to-teacher mentoring program called “Reach One” that pairs veteran teachers of color with newer teachers of color.</p><p>“We know it’s not just enough to recruit educators of color, but we have to be intentional about giving them a place where they know that they belong,” said Danielle Harris, Denver’s senior manager of equity initiatives.</p><p>Claudia Oltalvaro is a fourth-grade teacher in the program. It’s her second year teaching in Denver.</p><p>“New beginnings are not easy,” Oltalvaro told the school board. “In my case, I have to adapt to a new city, to a new school system, to a new curriculum. … It was so nice to know that I wasn’t alone. I have a great mentor.”</p><p>Denver Principal David Adams has gone on out-of-state recruiting trips and recently hosted paraprofessionals and others considering teaching careers at his school during the district’s “Success by Design” event. He urged district leaders to move beyond the mindset that schools need teachers of color because they serve students of color.</p><p>“We need teachers of color for all of our kids,” he said.</p><p>He told a story about one of his first students, who was white and from an upper-middle-class family.</p><p>“This young man said to his mother, ‘Mr. Adams is not like the other black people we see on TV,'” Adams said. “I was able to debunk what he saw in media and how media portray African Americans. That’s why this is so powerful.”</p><h3>🔗Resolution in Aurora</h3><p>In Aurora, teacher Carlos Valdez has been speaking to the school board since December when he heard that it was planning a resolution to require the district to do more to hire and retain teachers like him.</p><p>Valdez, who grew up in Aurora, said that his first teaching job was at an Aurora middle school where he was the only teacher of color.</p><p>“It was very depressing at times,” he said. “My experience didn’t really resonate with a lot of teachers. I felt more and more like an “other.””</p><p>After two years he switched jobs. Now, as a high school history teacher, he said that what has kept him in the district is having the teaching freedom to weave multiple cultures and perspectives into his curriculum.</p><p>So when he heard that one of the district’s newest school board members suggested a resolution requiring the district to step up its efforts, he was nervously excited. The board debated the resolution for months and eventually <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/aurora/Board.nsf/files/BLYQEN682B3D/%24file/20200210%20Board%20Equity%20in%20Employment%20Resolution-SIGNED.pdf">approved a simplified draft that asks the district to prioritize</a> the development of teachers of color with differentiated professional development.</p><p>Jessica Spizzandre, an elementary teacher in Aurora, said she’s glad the language was simplified, so that officials can listen to the educators of color in the district first, before prescribing a solution.</p><p>“There’s a lot to it,” Spizzandre said.</p><p>Valdez also told the school board that a “white supremacy culture” lurks in the district that needs to be called out and addressed. As an example, he said, a teacher in his school has used a derogatory term about a student and continues to work.</p><p>“I cannot imagine increasing test scores in my building when we have stuff like that happening,” Valdez said. “So we need a plan. And I would love to have teachers be a part of shaping that plan.”</p><p>Robert Maxson, Aurora’s coordinator of talent acquisition and retention, said that in an effort to improve hiring and retention, Aurora conducts focus groups with its educators of color and exit surveys with those who choose to leave.</p><h3>🔗Attraction of diversity</h3><p>In asking current educators what they like about working in the district, Maxson said a common answer is the diversity that exists in the community.</p><p>Another priority the Aurora district has had is to <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2017/09/22/aurora-public-schools-principals-more-racially-diverse-this-year-but-district-still-lagging-behind/">increase principal diversity in schools</a>. Many surveys and studies show that school leadership is a big factor in retention of all teachers.</p><p>“We are committed to meeting the needs of our diverse workforce,” Maxson said.</p><p>Gomez, the Aurora high school student, said she is planning to go to college to study music education. One day, she wants to be able to return to a diverse community like Aurora’s to teach students of color.</p><p>But, she knows she faces challenges, and she worries that she’ll end up being the only teacher of color at a school.</p><p>“I’m very scared of that,” she said. “A lot of the times when we talk to a teacher of color they’re the only ones who know where we’re coming from.”</p><p>Gomez said she has seen how those teachers get treated when they try to elevate their students’ concerns.</p><p>“They kind of treat them as though they are a student too and don’t know what they’re talking about,” Gomez said. “I’m going to try to make it work, but I do worry they’re going to doubt me just because they are not used to seeing people like me doing the job.”</p><p><em>Chalkbeat reporter Melanie Asmar contributed to this report. </em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/4/9/21225462/not-the-only-one-colorado-teachers-of-color-push-for-diversifying-educator-ranks/Yesenia Robles2020-04-16T22:15:00+00:002020-04-03T18:29:54+00:00<p>A growing number of Front Range school districts will be closed for in-person learning through the end of the school year to stop the spread of the new coronavirus.</p><p>Colorado’s five largest districts — Denver Public Schools, Jeffco Public Schools, Douglas County School District, Cherry Creek School District, and Aurora Public Schools — were among 14 districts that announced the decision together on April 3.</p><p>Several other districts announced their decisions separately, bringing the total number of districts closing buildings for the remainder of the year to 24, as of April 15.</p><p>The tiny Ouray and Ridgway school districts are the latest to make the announcement.</p><p>These closures go beyond the governor’s order that closes all Colorado schools to in-person learning through April 30.</p><p>Denver’s 92,000 students started remote learning Tuesday, April 7. The approximately 84,000 students who attend Jeffco Public Schools have been doing remote learning since March 17 and will continue now through the end of the school year.</p><p>Thompson School District in Loveland, Poudre School District in Fort Collins, and the Gunnison Watershed District were among the first in the state to announce their closures for the rest of the school year.</p><p>As of April 15, there were more than 8,200 COVID-19 cases in Colorado, though state officials say the number of infected residents is likely much higher. At least 357 people in the state have died of the disease, and more than 1,600 have been hospitalized.</p><p>In announcing closures through the end of the school year, district leaders cited the likelihood the coronavirus cases will peak at the end of April, and said it will be safer to continue remote learning though May instead of convening lots of people in school buildings.</p><p>The extended closure means districts will likely have to postpone or cancel events such as proms and in-person graduation celebrations.</p><p>We have a list of Colorado school closures below.</p><p><em>Know of any districts we’re missing? Send us an email at co.tips@chalkbeat.org</em></p><p><strong>Adams 12 Five Star</strong>, 38,700 students</p><p><strong>Adams 14</strong>, 6,600 students</p><p><strong>Aurora Public Schools</strong>, 40,000 students</p><p><strong>Cherry Creek School District</strong>, 56,000 students</p><p><strong>Clear Creek School District</strong>, 717 students</p><p><strong>Denver Public Schools</strong>, 92,000 students</p><p><strong>Douglas County School District</strong>, 67,300 students</p><p><strong>Eagle County Schools</strong>, 6,800 students</p><p><strong>Englewood Schools</strong>, 2,600 students</p><p><strong>Gunnison Watershed School District</strong>, 2,100 students</p><p><strong>Harrison School District 2</strong>, 11,500 students</p><p><strong>Jeffco Public Schools</strong>, 84,000 students</p><p><strong>Littleton Public Schools</strong>, 15,000 students</p><p><strong>Mapleton Public Schools</strong>, 9,150 students</p><p><strong>Montrose County School District</strong>, 6,200 students</p><p><strong>Ouray R-1</strong>, 170 students</p><p><strong>Poudre School District</strong>, 29,700 students</p><p><strong>Pueblo City Schools District 60</strong>, 15,200 students</p><p><strong>Pueblo County School District 70,</strong>&nbsp;10,500 students</p><p><strong>Ridgway R-2</strong>, 354 students</p><p><strong>Sheridan School District</strong>, 1,350 students</p><p><strong>School District 27J</strong>, 19,000 students</p><p><strong>Thompson School District</strong>, 16,000 students</p><p><strong>Westminster Public Schools</strong>, 9,000 students</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/4/3/21225534/coronavirus-closures-denver-area-districts-cancel-in-person-classes-the-rest-of-the-school-year/Chalkbeat Staff2020-03-27T20:38:18+00:002020-03-27T20:38:18+00:00<p>School districts that serve tens of thousands of Colorado students are using discredited or inconsistent approaches to teach children how to read, contributing to the state’s persistently low rates of reading proficiency.</p><p>A Chalkbeat investigation found the state’s 30 largest school districts and three charter networks together use three dozen core curriculums, often different ones in neighboring schools. Experts on curriculum say such variation can be found in many states, but should raise questions about which students get left behind by the mish-mash of methods.&nbsp;</p><p>Six in 10 third-graders can’t read proficiently, even eight years after a landmark reading law that earmarked millions annually to help struggling readers. One reason for this is that many schools rely on methods that aren’t supported by research.&nbsp;</p><p>Often, the students who lose out are those who already face other challenges, like poverty and disability.</p><p>“It’s astonishing how much the United States under-teaches all of its students, but it particularly lowers the bar for its disadvantaged students,” said David Steiner, executive director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy in Baltimore. “It’s crucial at pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, grades one and two that rigorous materials are used.”</p><p>Now, amid <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2020/02/13/it-can-be-hard-to-find-out-how-schools-teach-reading-advocates-hope-this-colorado-bill-will-change-that/">activism by parents of dyslexic children</a>, action from<a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2019/03/19/colorado-legislation-read-act-revisited/"> frustrated lawmakers</a>, and news coverage about <a href="https://www.apmreports.org/story/2019/08/22/whats-wrong-how-schools-teach-reading">flawed instructional approaches</a>, state leaders are taking new steps to boost reading skills. Curriculum — the roadmap for what and how teachers teach — is one front in that effort, with a new law giving state education officials stronger levers to ensure that schools are using scientifically sound methods for reading instruction.&nbsp;</p><p>While the state has recently <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2019/03/14/concerned-about-reading-instruction-state-cracks-down-on-teacher-prep-programs-starting-with-colorados-largest/">cracked down on how teacher preparation programs</a> cover reading and will soon require current teachers to prove <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2020/02/12/colorado-state-board-calls-for-more-teacher-training-on-reading-not-less/">they’ve completed training</a> on reading instruction, it remains to be seen how vigorously the state will use its new authority over curriculum.</p><blockquote><p>"It’s astonishing how much the United States under-teaches all of its students, but it particularly lowers the bar for its disadvantaged students... It’s crucial at pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, grades one and two that rigorous materials are used."</p></blockquote><blockquote><p>David Steiner, executive director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy in Baltimore</p></blockquote><p>Experts agree that reading proficiently by the end of third grade is critical, giving students a foundation for learning in other subjects, increasing their chances of graduating from high school, and impacting their future earning potential.&nbsp;</p><p>But low-quality curriculum can hold students back.&nbsp;</p><p>A large body of research says explicit, systematic phonics is a must. In other words, teachers must directly and methodically teach children the connection between letter combinations and sounds. That alone isn’t enough to forge good readers, but it’s an essential step that some curriculums skip or gloss over.</p><p><aside id="oliB6C" class="sidebar float-right"><p><a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2020/03/27/behind-the-story-heres-what-happened-when-we-started-asking-about-reading-curriculum/">Behind the story: Here’s what happened when we started asking about reading curriculum</a></p></aside></p><p>Jennifer Fritz, the mother of a sixth grader with dyslexia, never knew much about curriculum until her son began having problems with reading in first grade. That’s when she began asking questions about the program that was used in his school, and many other schools in their suburban Denver district.</p><p>But she often didn’t get clear-cut answers and her son ended up in tutoring that was more of the same — “louder and slower,” she called it. When he was in fourth grade, she sent him to a tutor who specialized in a phonics-heavy approach and things finally clicked.&nbsp;</p><p>Looking back, Fritz said she’s sad about all the time wasted in her son’s young life chasing after reading help. She knows other factors played a role, but said the right curriculum early on would have made a big difference.</p><p>“I strongly believe … that he would have learned much quicker and wouldn’t have struggled with his [reading) foundation.”</p><h3>Help us report on Colorado reading instruction</h3><p>We we want you to tell us: What’s working? What’s not? What steps are needed to grow Colorado’s youngest readers? <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/u/1/d/e/1FAIpQLSd8I9oVMwBOwcRNy5kf4gFWhKZS68a58dNnCqcY2jfFiag9Gg/viewform?usp=send_form">Fill out our survey</a></p><h3>All over the map</h3><p>Through public records requests, Chalkbeat found that Colorado’s 30 largest school districts plus three charter networks — KIPP, Rocky Mountain Prep and University Prep — together use three dozen core curriculums to teach children how to read. The 92,000-student Denver district alone uses a dozen different curriculums.&nbsp;</p><p>Curriculum quality also varies widely. Nearly a quarter of the districts and charter networks polled use at least one core reading curriculum judged unacceptable by the Colorado Department of Education or given the lowest “red” rating by <a href="https://www.edreports.org/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6uOloZe26AIVjZ6fCh29sw3BEAAYASAAEgLTBfD_BwE">EdReports</a>, a national nonprofit that reviews instructional materials for reading, math, and science.&nbsp;</p><p><aside id="bPg9TY" class="sidebar float-right"><h5 id="heres-whats-considered-in-curriculum-evaluation"><a href="#heres-whats-considered-in-curriculum-evaluation"> </a>Here’s what’s considered in curriculum evaluation</h5><p><strong>Colorado Department of Education:</strong> Evaluations are based on “key elements and features of scientifically-based reading instruction,” including explicit, systematic and sequential instruction, and alignment to research. The rubric for core programs can be found <a href="https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/ipcoredraftrubric2019">here</a>.</p><p><strong>EdReports:</strong> Evaluations are based on “a foundation of college- and career-readiness standards, and well-established research about how students learn how to read.” Rubrics and evidence guides can be found <a href="https://edreports.org/reports/rubrics-evidence">here</a>.</p></aside></p><p>The Education Department and EdReports use somewhat different rating criteria; their results match up generally, but not always. Unlike the Education Department, which either approves a curriculum or doesn’t, EdReports has a three-tier rating system, with green the highest rating, yellow the middle rating, and red the lowest. EdReports is one of the only groups that provides free, publicly available curriculum reviews.&nbsp;</p><p>Chalkbeat’s analysis found that half of districts use a core curriculum that hasn’t been reviewed by the state or EdReports, often because it’s old or isn’t considered a comprehensive program for reading instruction. In a few cases, districts reported using a newer curriculum slated for evaluation by the Education Department or EdReports sometime this year.</p><p>Experts agree that <a href="https://www.cde.state.co.us/communications/2018readactteachers">five pillars</a> support solid reading instruction: phonemic awareness — the ability to hear and manipulate the sounds in language — phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.&nbsp;</p><p>Two large Colorado districts — Jeffco and Adams 12 — use reading curriculums that outside evaluators haven’t evaluated because district staff wrote it themselves. While district- or teacher-developed curriculum isn’t unusual, such internal efforts can make it hard for parents or the public to know how it was developed or whether it meets quality benchmarks.&nbsp;</p><p>Generally speaking, experts say three dozen primary reading curriculums in Colorado school districts is too many. Some of them don’t incorporate instructional practices backed by research or align to grade-level standards.&nbsp;</p><blockquote><p>"Without a strong curriculum what often happens is teachers go out and create their own... They’re going to non-curated sites like Google, Pinterest, and Teachers Pay Teachers."</p></blockquote><blockquote><p>Eric Hirsch, executive director of EdReports</p></blockquote><p>But even if all of them did, the sheer volume makes it impossible for the state to align assessments to them or exercise quality control over how teachers are trained on curriculum, said David Steiner, executive director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy in Baltimore. Plus, with so many curriculums in use, highly mobile students can miss key skills or end up repeating lessons when they switch schools.</p><p>“My first feeling is that those districts that are using red or non-green, or very old curriculum have something to answer for,” he said. “Parents should be asking, ‘Why is that happening?’”</p><p>Steiner and other experts say choosing a high-quality curriculum aligned to state standards is a critical first step when it comes to ensuring that all students, including children of color and those from low-income families, learn to read well.&nbsp;</p><p>Eric Hirsch, executive director of EdReports, said weak curriculum can lead teachers to try to fill the gaps by “hunting and pecking across the internet.”&nbsp;</p><p>“Without a strong curriculum what often happens is teachers go out and create their own,” and often it’s <a href="https://opportunitymyth.tntp.org/">not on grade level</a>, he said. “They’re going to non-curated sites like Google, Pinterest, and Teachers Pay Teachers.”</p><h3>New oversight</h3><p>Colorado’s school districts have long had the autonomy to pick any curriculum they wanted or none at all. But a new law passed last spring — an update of the state’s 2012 reading law —&nbsp; now requires school districts purchasing core reading curriculum with dollars earmarked for struggling readers to pick from a state-approved list. The state is in the process of updating that list, with a final version expected in early April.&nbsp;</p><p><aside id="qvnzh1" class="sidebar float-right"><h5 id="types-of-reading-curriculum"><a href="#types-of-reading-curriculum"> </a>Types of reading curriculum</h5><p><strong>Core:</strong> A comprehensive instructional program designed to teach all children in a classroom a broad range of reading skills. Core programs include teacher’s manuals with explicit lesson plans, and reading and practice materials for students. The state <a href="https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/approvedcomprehensivecoreprograms">lists 13 approved core reading programs on its advisory list</a>, plus three Spanish versions.</p><p><strong>Supplemental:</strong> A program that provides extra instruction or practice to a whole classroom in certain areas not covered adequately in the core curriculum, for instance phonics or vocabulary. The state <a href="https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/approvedsupplementalprogramstoacomprehensivecoreprograms">lists 17 approved supplemental reading programs</a>, plus four Spanish versions.</p><p><strong>Intervention:</strong> A program meant for those students who are struggling readers and need extra help. The state <a href="https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/approvedinterventionsprograms">lists 47 approved intervention programs</a>, plus one Spanish version.</p></aside></p><p>While many districts buy curriculum with general fund dollars and won’t be subject to this new provision in the law, all districts will have to comply with another new requirement. Starting next school year, they’ll have to<a href="https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/faqsb19199"> report annually</a> which scientifically based reading curriculum they use.&nbsp;</p><p>Districts that report a curriculum that was reviewed by the state but didn’t make the approved list could face consequences. State officials said they can lower a district’s accreditation if it doesn’t make “a good faith effort” to comply with the rules. But they also said they understand districts “can’t turn on a dime.” Adopting new curriculum is expensive and requires training teachers in the new approach.</p><p>Melissa Colsman, associate commissioner for student learning at the Colorado Department of Education, said in an email that state staff “will work with districts to get into compliance with the requirements of [the law] should they be using an instructional program that has not been determined to be evidence-based or scientifically based.”&nbsp;</p><p>In short, even with the new rules, it’s not clear how quickly districts using outdated or discredited approaches will adopt new curriculum.&nbsp;</p><p>Leaders from some districts surveyed said they’re waiting until the state releases its new list of approved programs to make reading curriculum changes. Others adopted new reading curriculum last year — in several cases choosing one of the state’s currently approved programs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>In 2018, the state began <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2019/03/14/concerned-about-reading-instruction-state-cracks-down-on-teacher-prep-programs-starting-with-colorados-largest/">cracking down on how teacher preparation programs</a> cover reading. Soon, it will require current teachers to prove <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2020/02/12/colorado-state-board-calls-for-more-teacher-training-on-reading-not-less/">they’ve completed rigorous training</a> on reading instruction.&nbsp;</p><h3>Turning the ship</h3><p>Denver Public Schools, Colorado’s largest district, has not switched curriculum, but has been putting more emphasis this year on daily phonics instruction. Educators noticed big skills gaps among early elementary school students, and test data showed that even students reading on grade level struggle with the sounds letters make.</p><p>“Phonics is important for all students — and it’s absolutely critical for our most underserved students, particularly our students of color,” Anna Pendleton, the district’s director of literacy, told the school board recently.</p><p>Some schools, such as Willow Elementary, got a head start on the phonics push. With help from a district grant, Willow trained all of its K-3 teachers on Orton-Gillingham, a structured literacy approach that can be used with all students, but especially benefits those with dyslexia.</p><p>On a recent morning, one Willow teacher, Katlyn Pedone, held up flash cards with letters that her second graders traced in the air with two fingers. For some cards, she asked students about the corresponding rule.&nbsp;</p><p>One showed the letter v and the students said in unison, “No English word ends with v. Always followed by an e at the end.”&nbsp;</p><p>For a card that showed “ed,” the children responded, “Eh-duh. Past tense.”</p><p>This is the second year Willow teachers are using Orton-Gillingham strategies in the classroom, and leaders said students are making gains.</p><p>“Giving people a strong curriculum is a good first step,” Willow Principal Amy Gile said. “But professional development and coaching around it is crucial.”</p><h3>The Lucy Debate</h3><p>One popular balanced literacy curriculum in Colorado and elsewhere has raised red flags for researchers who say it lets some students fall through the cracks. It’s called “Units of Study” and is co-authored by Lucy Calkins, a longtime education professor at Columbia University. The state is currently reviewing it and EdReports may review it in the coming year.</p><p>Six Colorado districts surveyed by Chalkbeat, including Denver, Aurora, and Cherry Creek, use the program in some schools. Nationwide, it’s the third most-used core curriculum, according to <a href="https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2019/12/04/the-most-popular-reading-programs-arent-backed.html">a survey by Education Week.</a></p><p>In <a href="https://achievethecore.org/page/3240/comparing-reading-research-to-program-design-an-examination-of-teachers-college-units-of-study">a recent review of “Units of Study</a>,” seven reading researchers lauded the program’s beautiful craftsmanship, lively lessons, and emphasis on “loving to read,” but they also found serious flaws. They said “Units of Study” dedicates too little time to phonics, doesn’t focus on teaching it in a direct and systematic way, makes too many practice activities optional, and includes almost no support for English learners.&nbsp;</p><p>They also criticized the inclusion of a strategy called “three-cueing,” which encourages students to guess at words based on the picture, the context, or other clues — an approach cognitive scientists say runs counter to research and hinders the development of crucial decoding skills.</p><p>The strategy was evident in a second-grade classroom at Global Primary Academy, one of five schools in the 9,000-student Mapleton district north of Denver that uses the Lucy Calkins program. A large bulletin board at the back of the classroom included eight laminated placards giving children suggestions for figuring out tricky words. They included, “Check the picture and think, ‘What would make sense’” and “Use what’s happening in the story.”</p><p>Principal A.J. Staniszewski acknowledged that such strategies don’t align with science and said, “You’ll see us moving away from that.”&nbsp;</p><p>But he also said curriculum decisions can be complex and that layering different reading programs to meet different needs is a fact of life. Last year, the school added a new program from Calkins called “Units of Study in Phonics” to fill some of the gaps in the main program. (The report from the seven researchers said the phonics program follows several research-based recommendations, but rushes through some skills and sometimes runs counter to the main program.)</p><p><aside id="SS9SCq" class="sidebar float-right"><h5 id="approaches-to-reading-instruction"><a href="#approaches-to-reading-instruction"> </a>Approaches to reading instruction</h5><p><strong>Balanced literacy:</strong> While definitions vary, it’s generally seen as an approach that mixes some phonics into whole-language instruction, a now-debunked philosophy based on the idea that reading is a natural process and doesn’t require direct instruction on decoding words. Balanced literacy methods often emphasize student motivation and choice and kids may be encouraged to guess at words they don’t know by using pictures, context, or other clues.</p><p><strong>Explicit systematic phonics:</strong> A method in which teachers directly teach letter-sound relationships in a clear and well-defined order to help students read and spell words. Instruction starts with the easiest skills and moves to more difficult ones.</p><p><strong>Structured literacy:</strong> The International Dyslexia Association coined the term in 2016 to describe the many similar approaches to reading instruction that adhere to its standards. Explicit systematic phonics is a key component of structured literacy. The concept behind structured literacy is that teachers directly teach foundational reading skills in a logical order. In contrast to balanced literacy or whole language, students are not expected to pick up skills through exposure or inference.</p></aside></p><p>Teachers at Global Primary also use some Orton-Gillingham methods, plus two other programs targeting students who struggle with fluency or comprehension.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>On a recent morning teacher Brie Schwab worked with her 21 first-graders — each sitting on the rug with a marker and whiteboard — on the letter combination “ai.” It was part of the Lucy Calkins phonics programs. She asked her students to write down a word with “ai” that makes flowers bloom in the spring.&nbsp;</p><p>“It starts with ruh-ruh-ruh,” she hinted. Most students correctly wrote down rain.</p><p>Schwab, who holds a bachelor’s degree in reading curriculum and instruction, described the intensive Orton-Gillingham course she took through the district as fantastic, and said, “It really should be part of any teaching program.”&nbsp;</p><p>But she also sees the benefits of combining programs. Schwab said Calkins’ new phonics program helps students apply the skills they learned in isolation through Orton-Gillingham.</p><p>While layering different curriculums and resources together is common in classrooms nationwide, Hirsch, of EdReports, said it doesn’t mean the components always match up well. The dose and pacing may be different or underlying methods may be contradictory.</p><p>“Do those ingredients go together and actually lead to a good-tasting soup?” he said.</p><p>Karen Ernst, a kindergarten teacher in Adams 14, is in her 23rd year of teaching and is now in a program through Regis University to earn her Culturally &amp; Linguistically Diverse Education endorsement while her school and district go through <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2020/02/27/we-trust-each-other-new-literacy-approach-in-adams-14-schools-showing-slow-but-steady-results/">changes in literacy curriculum</a>.</p><p>All of it has made her realize that her previous approach —&nbsp;which she described as giving students a “little taste” of phonics —&nbsp;was not working.</p><p>“What I have done in the past was not the best route,” Ernst said.&nbsp;</p><p>Under her district’s new use of SuperKids curriculum, which the state approved and which earned a yellow rating on EdReports, she said she can focus more time on foundational skills with her students. She also said she likes that the curriculum is deliberate about when words are introduced, based on what students have been practicing and what they should be able to decode so far.&nbsp;</p><p>“Before we went wide and not deep, but that doesn’t seem to work. Superkids spends eight days on the letter b, for example.” Ernst said.&nbsp;</p><p>Now, kids are “believing in themselves as readers,” Ernst said. “The progress is so much faster.”</p><p><em>Reporters Melanie Asmar and Yesenia Robles contributed reporting from Denver and Adams 14. They, along with Sharon Noguchi and Erica Meltzer, helped with data collection.</em></p><p><div id="o2X7Dh" class="embed"><iframe src="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd8I9oVMwBOwcRNy5kf4gFWhKZS68a58dNnCqcY2jfFiag9Gg/viewform?embedded=true&amp;usp=embed_googleplus" style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 2816px;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/3/27/21231320/why-do-so-many-colorado-students-struggle-to-read-flawed-curriculum-is-part-of-the-problem/Ann Schimke2020-03-25T02:55:14+00:002020-03-25T02:55:14+00:00<p>As the number of cases grows, Colorado’s largest school districts say they will not do public notifications if a member of a school community tests positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.</p><p>However, if staff members working in a role that includes public contact, such as meal distribution, were to test positive, other team members would be notified, and the site would likely be changed, officials said.</p><p>For many students and staff members, March 13 was the last day they had close contact with each other. This Friday would represent two weeks from that point. However, some schools were open more recently for students to retrieve belongings or for staff to prepare for remote learning. School custodians continue to clean buildings, and workers and volunteers continue to distribute meals.</p><p>At the same time, testing capacity in Colorado remains limited, and public health authorities believe there are thousands of cases in the community, including in places where there are very few or no reported cases. As of Tuesday afternoon, Colorado has 912 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 11 people have died from the disease. Public health officials are investigating outbreaks at seven residential facilities.</p><p>Local public health departments are responsible for following up with people who had close contact with a person with a diagnosis.</p><p>Nationally, other large districts have also said they will not continue to do public notifications. The decisions reflect the shifting course of the epidemic as confirmed cases go from dozens to hundreds to thousands and raise questions about the responsibilities of school districts. In New York, the district <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/ny/2020/03/19/nyc-stops-confirming-coronavirus-cases-at-schools-but-teachers-headed-to-their-campuses-anyways/">stopped confirming cases last week</a>, even as teachers were required to return to school buildings for in-person trainings. This week, a <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/ny/2020/03/23/a-brooklyn-principal-has-died-from-coronavirus-complications-principals-union-says/">Brooklyn principal</a> became the first known public school employee to die of the disease. In Chicago, officials said they <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/chicago/2020/03/24/chicago-will-no-longer-notify-schools-families-of-positive-covid-19-diagnoses-from-district-beginning-march-31/">would stop doing notifications</a> at the end of the month, once schools had been closed for two weeks.</p><p>Jeffco Public Schools announced this week that it would no longer announce every confirmed case of the novel coronavirus tied to its schools.</p><p>The district had announced last week that <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2020/03/16/coronavirus-conifer-high-school-jeffco/">a person connected to Conifer High School</a> had tested positive for coronavirus, and let families know that their children at the school may have been exposed. It also removed the school from its meal distribution list.</p><p>But now, the district says a confirmed case tied to its schools is no longer unexpected. Jefferson County Public Health officials would work to notify people who had close contact with anyone who is diagnosed with the disease, the district said, but there would not be a broader notification.</p><p>“Our assumption should be that we have all potentially been exposed in one place or another,” the district’s statement reads. “Please be assured that the Jeffco Public Schools Health Services Director will be informed by JCPH of all positive cases of COVID-19 involving those in our community, and we will continue to take all necessary actions to protect public health.”</p><p>The Denver school district has yet to publicly identify any cases among students or staff, though Denver has the highest number of cases of any county. The district, the state’s largest, had closed several schools after parents of students tested positive before announcing its districtwide closure.</p><p>District spokesperson Winna Maclaren pointed to the evidence of “significant exposure risk in the community” and the lack of a system for communicating between public health agencies and school districts while school is closed as reasons to not do specific notifications.</p><p>“Given all of these circumstances, we are no longer able to track COVID-19 cases among DPS students and staff members at this time or sending communications if there are known cases within the DPS community,” she said in an email.</p><p>However, if a staff member who has public contact were to be diagnosed, the district would follow health department guidance about shutting down the site, Maclaren said.</p><p>“We would then look at alternative sites or other ways to distribute meals, though these decisions would be on a site-by-site basis,” she said.</p><p>Similarly, Jeffco spokesperson Cameron Bell said team members who worked with the sick person would be asked to stay home for a period. Depending on the situation, a new food distribution site might be set up with new team members.</p><p>Other Colorado school districts have said in recent days that they would work with their local public health agencies to determine if a public notification was necessary if there were a confirmed case linked to their schools.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/3/24/21196136/denver-jeffco-districts-won-t-do-public-notifications-of-new-coronavirus-cases/Erica Meltzer, Yesenia Robles2020-03-19T01:38:54+00:002020-03-19T01:38:54+00:00<p>After watching an online video about hippopotamuses, Xiomara Blanco’s first grade daughter was assigned to record a video of herself explaining what she learned about the massive animal.</p><p>But with limited English, she hadn’t understood much of what she heard. With Mom’s attempt to translate, she did learn the weight of the hippopotamus’ poop.</p><p>But say that on camera? “I can’t talk about that,” the girl told her mom. “That’s inappropriate.”</p><p>That’s part of how the first day of remote learning went in Blanco’s household doing remote learning through Jeffco Public Schools.</p><p>Blanco also has a fifth grader with Down syndrome who required a lot of help. Lunch was at 2 p.m. instead of noon. And Blanco didn’t end up in bed until 1:30 a.m. She appreciates that the district is trying to continue educating students, and said she understands that it’s a big adjustment, but she worries about being capable of helping her children from home.</p><p>“My husband got home and told me to relax, take it easy,” Blanco said. “But the level of stress is very high.”</p><p>Late Wednesday, Gov. Jared Polis <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2020/03/18/colorado-governor-orders-all-schools-closed-to-stem-spreading-coronavirus/">ordered all schools closed</a> until April 17, extending previously announced closures in most school districts. The governor encouraged districts to continue student learning during that time.</p><p>Jeffco Public Schools, Colorado’s second-largest district with about 84,000 students, had the first and most ambitious remote learning plan among large districts in the state. Other districts have said they are <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2020/03/13/colorado-school-districts-online-learning-coronavirus-closures/">working on plans for remote learning</a>. After Wednesday’s news of the extended closure, it’s more likely many will have to roll one out. Jeffco parents, teachers, and district officials say learning from home can work, despite how difficult it might be to start.</p><p>In Jeffco, the district announced its plan on Thursday to do remote learning. By Friday, teachers were giving students practice runs through the software they’d be using, and making sure all students went home with a device. The district is also working to give out hotspots to students who have no other way to access the internet.</p><p>Monday was a planning day for teachers to get their lessons ready, and by Tuesday, the district was learning virtually.</p><p>“That’s a Herculean lift in itself,” said Jeffco Superintendent Jason Glass. “I’ve been really pleased and proud.”</p><p>The district was not able to provide initial attendance figures, but Glass said reports are that many schools, including those in higher poverty neighborhoods, had more than 90% of students engaged.</p><p>But that’s not to say there haven’t been challenges. Glass said the district is still working on reaching all students. He said the district will make it happen. For any students not able to receive services, “At some point we’re going to have to come back around and make up for it somehow.”</p><p>Blanco’s son, who has Down Syndrome, did receive a virtual speech therapy session on Tuesday, but as her son navigated using the platform, and after he gave his therapist a tour of his home, Blanco said she worried the therapy only lasted some 15 minutes.</p><p>Jessica Shymkiw, who has four high schoolers with autism, has yet to hear details about how her children will continue receiving services. And she has not been able to get one of her sons to do any work from home.</p><p>“He was already struggling in high school,” Shymkiw said. “Here at home he refuses to do any work. This is like his safe space for him from schoolwork.”</p><p>Mandy Babb also had a stressful day. By 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, she said that she was ready for a full glass of wine.</p><p>“It was just super stressful,” said Babb, the mother of two girls.</p><p>Babb has two daughters, one in second grade and one in sixth grade at Lumberg Elementary in Jeffco.</p><p>Tuesday the girls got to work by 9 a.m. They set up small desks in their mom’s home office and worked on their school-issued iPads. Babb, who is launching her own business, anticipated that she wouldn’t get much work done, and so spent the day making jewelry, between helping her daughters.</p><p>Babb’s second grader was “self-sufficient” and “cheerful.” She worked on a platform called Seesaw, which Babb said was intuitive and easy for her daughter to navigate. The sixth grader had more technical difficulties, working on Google Classroom, and dealing with an older iPad that kept disconnecting from the internet.</p><p>The pair also spent time off screens, working on packets teachers sent home with students.</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/Mh7YBFAMvNwZuBvHHEUn190hGzY=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/G24PFY5YHRGSBHH2AFB5OCHWN4.jpg" alt="Mandy Babb’s daughters work from home during Jeffco Public School’s first day doing remote learning." height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Mandy Babb’s daughters work from home during Jeffco Public School’s first day doing remote learning.</figcaption></figure><p>The girls communicated with their teachers through a chat feature. Babb said when she was trying to help her older daughter reach her teacher to troubleshoot, a lot of students were filling the class channel with selfies.</p><p>Glass said the district did not mandate whether teachers should offer live lessons, virtual group work, or individual assignments.</p><p>“We want to allow room for a lot of experimentation,” Glass said. “What we’ve asked is for our professionals to step up and take it on and figure this out. If we had tried to say this is how it needs to go, it would have been much more difficult.”</p><p>Plus, he added: “I don’t think anyone knows how to do this at this scale, so you need your professionals sharing their learning. I know my staff is learning and getting better.”</p><p>Alicia Asmus, a sixth- and seventh-grade science teacher in Jeffco, said the day went smoothly, but noted that she’s trying to help her students ease into the changes.</p><p>She prepared a video of instructions for students to watch first thing in the morning, because “the personal connections are still important.” Then she had assignments for students due in the evening — per guidance from her school for students who may have problems getting internet access or who had to manage other responsibilities at home.</p><p>She spent much of the day fielding questions and technical problems from students. Things like, “Am I doing this right?” or “I can’t get this website to work.”</p><p>“There were not a whole lot of content questions, which is kind of what I was aiming for,” Asmus said. “I didn’t want them overwhelmed.”</p><p>Generally the remote learning for teachers has meant less classroom management, she said, but has required more conversations with students about their responsibility for doing their work.</p><p>“I definitely think other districts can do it,” Asmus said. “There are so many resources out there right now.”</p><p>Kallie Leyba, a first grade teacher who is president of the AFT Colorado union in Douglas County, said in a press conference on Tuesday that all districts need to try remote learning.</p><p>“Remote teaching and learning is not a substitute for daily classroom instruction,” Leyba said. “The value is elsewhere.”</p><p>“Educators across the metro area and the country are providing structure, predictability, safety and security and a sense of normalcy for students,” Leyba said. “The presence of their teachers in students’ lives is as valuable remotely during a pandemic as it is everyday in person.”</p><p>Babb and other Jeffco parents agreed, but some wondered if the virtual communication would prove enough as closures stretch on longer.</p><p>“We’ve never not had face-to-face contact with our teachers,” Babb said, “For my older daughter and personally, that was a big adjustment.”</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/3/18/21196065/ipads-packets-and-hippopotamus-poop-how-jeffco-families-navigated-the-first-days-of-remote-learning/Yesenia Robles2020-03-17T02:55:06+00:002020-03-17T02:55:06+00:00<p>A member of the Conifer High School system has tested presumptive positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, Jeffco Public Schools told families and staff Monday night.</p><p>“This means your child may have been exposed,” says <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/13lXnfahgFjixl4wnH8XNKLgAykURTuwe/view">a letter to families</a>. “As a result, your child has been identified by Jefferson County Public Health as a person with a potential risk of contracting COVID-19, which warrants self-monitoring of symptoms.”</p><p>It’s unclear if the person who tested positive at Conifer High is a student or a staff member.</p><p>Conifer High is currently closed, as are the rest of Jeffco schools. Like most districts in the state, Jeffco <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2020/03/13/the-complete-list-of-coronavirus-related-colorado-school-closures/">closed its schools</a> for several weeks, starting Monday, in response to coronavirus.</p><p>This is at least the second publicly reported case among a member of a school community in the Denver metro area. Previously, a staff member in the Brighton-based 27J Schools district north of Denver tested positive. Before widespread school closures were announced Thursday, Denver Public Schools had temporarily closed three schools after parents of students tested positive.</p><p>As of Monday, there are at least 160 presumed positive cases of COVID-19 in Colorado, but public health authorities believe the true number is much higher.</p><p>The Jefferson County public health department will contact Conifer High students determined to have had close contact with the person with COVID-19, the letter says. “If they determine your child has not been in direct contact with this person, you will not hear from them,” it says.</p><p>In addition, Conifer High will no longer serve as a <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2020/03/15/map-colorado-food-distribution-school-closure-coronavirus/">meal distribution site</a>. It had been among the eight schools where Jeffco Public Schools was distributing “grab and go” breakfast and lunch. That service started Monday and is set to continue at the other seven sites through March 27.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/3/16/21196013/a-person-connected-to-jeffco-s-conifer-high-school-tested-positive-for-coronavirus-district-says/Melanie Asmar2020-03-13T23:29:26+00:002020-03-13T23:29:26+00:00<p>When Denver Public Schools announced it would close for the next three weeks, it cast the closure as an extended spring break. That means no classes or schoolwork, even online.</p><p>In contrast, Jeffco Public Schools, Denver’s neighbor to the west and the state’s second largest district, said that its buildings would close — but classes were still on.</p><p>“Even though it’s in the midst of this public health crisis, we believe it’s an opportunity to redefine how learning can happen,” said Jason Glass, superintendent of Jeffco Public Schools. “I know we’re going to experience mistakes and things are not going to happen as we planned. This is a big and disruptive shift, so we’re asking people to extend each other some grace.”</p><p>As more than 70% of Colorado students prepare to be <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2020/03/13/the-complete-list-of-coronavirus-related-colorado-school-closures/">out of school for at least two weeks</a> as part of a regional effort to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, school districts are taking different approaches. The decisions reflect different philosophies, as well as access to resources, and have implications for longstanding academic gaps that plague many Colorado school districts.</p><p>When federal health officials asked school districts to plan for how they might continue educating students during an extended closure, <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/us/2020/03/03/amid-coronavirus-fears-the-cdc-told-schools-to-plan-for-remote-learning-thats-harder-than-it-sounds/">most school districts felt unprepared</a>.</p><p>Challenges include the fact that many students don’t have access to computers or the internet in their homes. Online learning could also be a challenge for young children, or students with special needs who rely on support services in schools. <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/us/2020/03/12/school-closures-coronavirus-remote-learning-students-with-disabilities/">School districts have a legal obligation</a>, if they offer instruction at all, to serve all students.</p><p>And even if districts already have software they can use, teachers may still need training or help to make their lessons virtual.</p><p>As part of a joint reporting project to better understand the impact of the new coronavirus on schools, Chalkbeat and <a href="https://www.cpr.org/news/">CPR News</a> surveyed nearly two dozen districts about their plans.</p><h3>🔗“Reach every student”</h3><p>Glass said that Jeffco immediately began planning and got teacher input. Schools will create a schedule for students, but it will not require all students to be doing the same thing at once, unless a teacher wants to do a group lesson.</p><p>Students will be required to participate in activities, and Glass admitted that, especially for younger students, this will require an adult at home to help students stay on task.</p><p>The plan requires that school counselors make time to continue connecting to students. District officials are also working on ways they will deliver speech pathology and mental health services remotely to students who need them, as well as how to serve students with more severe needs.</p><p>“We intend to find a way to reach every student,” Glass said.</p><p>In contrast, the Westminster district northwest of Denver is making online learning optional, in part to avoid legal penalties for not serving all students equally. There will be no attendance, and no one will be dinged for not participating.</p><p>On Friday, families pulled up to a station at Sherrelwood Elementary to pick up Chromebooks and paper copies of schoolwork to use during the break. They also got information about low-cost internet options.</p><p>Oliver Grenham, chief education officer of Westminster Public Schools, said students probably will miss in-person check-ins with teachers, but the district’s competency-based model, in which students move ahead only when they’ve mastered material, has given students practice in motivating themselves.</p><p>“We don’t want to hold kids back because of something happening that is beyond our control and beyond their control,” he said.</p><figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/I0dbDHMdpuAEFHZDX_yIcFmBQi4=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/6C4OTIGBRFBLZOC7CTVT3F4R7M.jpg" alt="Volunteers from Sherrelwood Elementary School in Westminster hand out laptops and educational materials to parents and students on Friday, March 13, as schools prepare to close for two weeks." height="960" width="1440"/><figcaption>Volunteers from Sherrelwood Elementary School in Westminster hand out laptops and educational materials to parents and students on Friday, March 13, as schools prepare to close for two weeks.</figcaption></figure><h3>🔗Halfway there</h3><p>Many districts have some ability to offer remote learning, though they are still working out details.</p><p>“It is tricky and we are still trying to figure out how we could educate a large number of students remotely,” said Theresa Myers, a spokeswoman for the Greeley-Evans school district in northern Colorado. “We can get the students devices. The issue is in our community, many families don’t have access to Wi-Fi in their homes. We are looking into possible solutions for this, but we don’t have one as of yet.”</p><p>School District Academy 20 in Colorado Springs already uses an online-learning tool called Schoology, but not in its elementary schools. Rolling that out quickly is a challenge, a spokesperson said.</p><p>In Aurora, where 74% of students qualify for subsidized lunches, a measure of poverty, officials said that the district has several online resources that students and teachers could use for remote learning and is working with vendors to scale those up.</p><p>The district also may allow students to check out computers and will develop a course for teachers on how to maintain quality in online instruction. When the Aurora district announced its closure Thursday, it told families to watch for updates soon on how to “access to online education resources.”</p><h3>🔗Spring break for weeks</h3><p>Aspen Public Schools, on the other hand, decided to do no online learning next week, in the lead up to spring break. Kay Erickson, a kindergarten teacher and president of the Aspen Education Association, pushed hard for a “mental health week” for teachers and families. The surrounding county has among the highest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state, yet the schools were among the last to close. It’s been very stressful, Erickson said.</p><p>And even though many families there are well-off, those that aren’t might only have computer access at work, if at all.</p><p>But Erickson said many families are eager to make sure their children don’t fall behind.</p><p>“All the parent-teacher conferences were about: Teach me how to teach my child,” she said. “This was the greatest turnout for conferences because everyone is so scared and nervous.”</p><p>Denver Public Schools is embarking on one of the longest closures in the state: three weeks, from March 16 through April 6. But a spokesperson said that because the district considers it “an extension of our spring break,” schools won’t offer remote learning.</p><p>“If we have additional school calendar changes beyond our extended spring break, we will explore equitable remote learning options for all students, including our students with disabilities and English learners,” said spokesperson Winna Maclaren.</p><p>While Denver doesn’t have a formal online learning plan, many teachers sent home lists of websites that students can use to do educational activities during the break.</p><p>But that’s not the same as teaching.</p><p>“The infrastructure to do that online isn’t easy, and there really isn’t a way to hold kids accountable for the work,” said Troy Hubbell, who teaches at Denver’s Kunsmiller Elementary School. “People also underestimate the importance of rituals and routines in teaching. Just switching to online lessons isn’t as easy as it sounds.”</p><p>Denver has dozens of independent charter schools, some of which may go a different route.</p><p>Denver’s second-largest charter network, STRIVE Prep, will offer optional “extended learning opportunities” for students who want extra lessons. The network, which has 11 schools and 3,800 students, said it is working to provide each middle and high school student with a laptop and charger. It is also surveying families to ask if they have high-speed internet at home.</p><p>“As a parent, I understand the importance of having meaningful activities for students during a long break from school,” STRIVE CEO Chris Gibbons wrote in a letter to families. “As a result, STRIVE Prep will be sharing resources for your students to use as extended learning opportunities, if interested and able. These resources are not required assignments, but opportunities for students to keep their brain sharp during the break.”</p><p>DSST, which has 15 schools and nearly 6,000 students in Denver and Aurora, will also offer optional lessons, said Heather Lamm, the network’s chief communications officer. In addition, she said staff members plan to reach out to each student once a week to check in: Do they have enough food? Do they need mental or physical health resources?</p><p>The calls, she said, are not meant to focus on academics, but rather on students’ well-being in a trying time.</p><p><em>Chalkbeat reporter Melanie Asmar contributed to this report.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/3/13/21196049/class-dismissed-colorado-districts-vary-in-approach-to-online-learning-during-coronavirus-closures/Yesenia Robles, Erica Meltzer2020-03-12T17:37:00+00:002020-03-11T23:11:34+00:00<p><strong>Updated March 12 at 11:37 a.m.&nbsp;</strong></p><p>After more than a dozen Colorado districts recently announced that school would be canceled on March 19 because of a statewide teachers rally, several reversed course after the <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2020/03/10/colorado-teachers-union-cancels-day-of-action-rally-due-to-coronavirus-fears/">rally’s cancellation</a> Tuesday over coronavirus fears.</p><p>Jeffco, Boulder Valley, Mapleton, District 27J, Weld Re-3J, and Clear Creek officials all announced this week that they will hold school on March 19. Leaders in Denver, the state’s largest district with 93,000 students, said they haven’t made a decision yet, but will soon.</p><p>Two districts that called off school the day of the rally won’t reinstate it for students, but will require staff to report. Officials from Adams 12, the state’s sixth-largest district, said they’ll use the day to work on the development of distance-learning plans in the event of an extended district closure related to the spread of the coronavirus. The 2,400-student Weld Re-8 district will hold a required staff training on March 19.</p><p>Officials in the 2,600-student Englewood district south of Denver said they’ll decide whether to hold school by the end of the day Friday. A handful of other districts, including Adams 14, Littleton, and Sheridan didn’t immediately have an answer to Chalkbeat’s inquiry about whether school will be held March 19.</p><p>Union leaders had expected more than 5,000 educators and supporters to attend the “March on the Capitol” rally from districts around the state. Thirteen school districts and two charter networks had announced closures for that day due to the large number of staff absences. Other large school districts, like Aurora and Douglas County, are on spring break that week.</p><p>The union planned to use the rally to advocate for a bill that would create a dedicated fund to increase pay for teachers and hourly employees at schools, for a statewide tax increase that would help fund education, and for lawmakers to increase education funding overall.</p><p>Union President Amie Baca-Oehlert said union members would continue to visit the Capitol in smaller numbers to talk to lawmakers. The union also plans to roll out plans for a virtual day of action “to offer educators, parents, students, and public education supporters the opportunity to participate and have a powerful impact at the legislature from home.”</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/3/11/21178801/sorry-kids-school-s-back-on-for-march-19/Ann Schimke2020-02-26T19:08:09+00:002020-02-26T19:08:09+00:00<p>Colorado’s second largest school district will cancel school on March 19 because so many teachers will be absent for a statewide teachers rally at the state Capitol building in Denver.</p><p>The 84,000-student Jeffco district made the announcement Wednesday, saying the number of expected teacher absences had exceeded the number that could be covered by substitutes.</p><p><a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2020/03/04/these-colorado-school-districts-are-closed-march-19-for-a-teacher-rally/"><em><strong>Click here</strong></em></a><em><strong> for a full list of Colorado school districts cancelling classes March 19.</strong></em></p><p>In a letter to Jeffco families, district officials apologized for the inconvenience and said, “Please know we exhausted all resources before deciding to cancel school for students.”</p><p>District officials in Denver, the state’s largest district, said Wednesday they don’t have any “solid plans” in place to handle potentially large numbers of teacher absences on March 19, but hope to make a decision in the next few days. Leaders from the Adams 12 district, the state’s sixth largest, said they are monitoring teacher absences planned for the day of the rally and will give families advance notice if they have to cancel classes.</p><p>Three other large metro area districts — Aurora, Cherry Creek and Douglas County — will not be affected by the rally because they are off for spring break that week.</p><p>In 2018, several districts <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2018/04/17/colorado-teachers-plan-more-walkouts-and-jeffco-canceled-classes-one-day-next-week/">canceled classes</a> or <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2018/04/19/denver-to-dismiss-students-early-as-teachers-rally-for-more-school-funding/">dismissed students early</a> on three different days in April when Colorado teachers rallied at the Capitol.</p><p>The state teachers union, the Colorado Education Association, is organizing the <a href="https://actionnetwork.org/events/ceamarchoncapitol?source=direct_link&amp;">“March on the Capitol”</a> on March 19 to push for increased school funding. Specifically, the union is promoting <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2020/01/29/colorado-legislators-advance-teacher-pay-fund-kill-bonus-pay-proposal/">legislation that would create a special pot of money</a> to raise pay for teachers and other school district staff based on the cost of living in a particular district. The Senate Education Committee approved that bill in January.</p><p>The union also seeks a statewide ballot initiative for education and wants lawmakers to replace $570 million they held back from education to meet other obligations. This underfunding, known as the budget stabilization factor, is permitted because even though the state constitution requires education funding increases every year based on inflation and population, revenue declined during the Great Recession and lawmakers began diverting education dollars.</p><p>Colorado funds K-12 education at roughly $2,900 per student below the national average when regional cost differences are taken into account, and ranks 31st for teacher pay, according to figures collected by the National Education Association.</p><p><em>Clarification: This story has been updated to reflect that the legislation promoted by the union would also provide pay raises for some hourly workers in schools.</em></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/2/26/21178800/colorado-teachers-plan-to-rally-at-the-capitol-again-this-year-and-at-least-one-district-will-cancel/Ann Schimke2020-02-14T21:46:26+00:002020-02-14T21:46:26+00:00<p>As poverty grows along Denver’s borders, some suburban schools are finding they have fewer resources to serve a changing crop of students.</p><p>School districts are seeing areas of concentrated poverty with more schools needing extra resources to address the challenges students face. At the same time, districts are receiving fewer federal dollars meant to help schools provide those services to students from low-income families. Districts can either spread out funds more widely, or narrow the focus to fewer schools and leave some students behind.</p><p>Large districts like Aurora, Jeffco, and Cherry Creek are among those grappling with how to serve more schools with higher percentages of students living in poverty.</p><p>“It’s a tough place to be in,” said Linda Reyes-Quinonez, Title I director for Jeffco Public Schools, who oversees about <a href="https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdefisgrant/grant_distribution_reports">$8.7 million in these federal dollars</a> for Colorado’s second-largest district. “Definitely the demographics in Jeffco have changed over the years.”</p><p>Through the Title I program, the federal government gives school districts money to help address the effects of poverty.</p><p>Schools often pay for family liaisons, social workers, paraprofessionals, more teachers, or coaches for teachers, all to help address achievement gaps, mobility, and higher mental health needs that often come with a higher concentration of poverty in a community.</p><p>But the flow of Title I money isn’t matching up with district needs, partly because the federal government calculates poverty based on census counts of all children living in an area, not on how many students actually show up at schools. And children can enroll in private schools or cross boundary lines for school. Many schools are seeing declining enrollment as families move out, but in some cases, the students who remain are more likely to come from low-income families. Also, Congress in some years <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/us/2020/02/10/federal-education-budget-devos-charter-schools/">has cut funding for Title I</a>.</p><p>The Denver school district has escaped the Title I funding squeeze because fewer of its schools qualify for Title I money. But many surrounding school districts face hard choices.</p><p>While the federal government calculates how much money each district gets, it’s up to each district to set a bar for which schools will receive the money — often based on subsidized lunch counts. In Aurora, the district is planning to reduce the number of schools that qualify for Title I money next fall, to focus on fewer schools.</p><p>Currently, the district directs Title I funds to schools with at least 70% of students who qualify for free lunch. This year, 31 schools in Aurora are receiving some Title I money. Nine additional schools would have met that 70% mark for next year, but instead <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/aurora/Board.nsf/files/BJH58P019FA6/%24file/FINANCE%20Title%20I%20Presentation%2012.3.19.pdf">the district plans to bump up the threshold to 75%</a>. That would still add two schools to the list.</p><p>Local board members reluctantly suggested they would support such a move, but lamented the difficult choice.</p><p>Aurora board member Debbie Gerkin called it a terrible decision to have to make.</p><p>“This impacts instruction for kids,” Gerkin said. “When you’re losing a teacher, that’s a tremendous loss. I’m having trouble honestly wrapping my head around what would be the best course of action for students.”</p><p>In Aurora, the <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2020/01/23/five-takeaways-from-colorados-2019-20-student-enrollment/">demographic changes are more drastic</a> than elsewhere in the metro area. Districtwide, student enrollment was essentially flat from last year, but the district lost 4,263 students who aren’t eligible for subsidized lunch at the same time that it gained 4,459 students who do qualify.</p><p>In 2014, approximately one-third of Aurora students were in schools that had concentrations of 70% or more students who qualify for free lunch. Now, almost one-half of district students attend schools with such high need.</p><p>One of the schools that would have qualified for extra funds next year if the threshold didn’t change is Aurora Central High School, one of the district’s lowest-performing schools. This year, the school enrolled just 27 more students than last, but there were significant changes in the approximately 2,000-student population.</p><p>The number of students who qualify for free lunch went up by almost 300. The number of students not eligible for subsidized lunch was cut nearly in half from 667 to 390.</p><p>Aurora district officials in response are changing how they spend their local budget. For next fall, the district is <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/aurora/Board.nsf/files/BKVM4G5963E0/%24file/FINANCE%20School%20Budget%20Allocations%20PPT%20final%201.21.2020.pdf">proposing to give more per-student</a> money to all schools, and to increase the extra dollars it gives for “at-risk students.”</p><p>The district would increase the school allocation for each student who qualifies for subsidized lunch from $821 to $1,261, and would start including students who qualify for reduced-price lunch.</p><p>“We’re significantly prioritizing in a way that we can control allocating at least $400 million to schools in a different way to better prioritize at-risk kids,” said Brett Johnson, the district’s chief financial officer.</p><p>He said the district has more control over local funds. Using them will offset some of the loss of federal Title I dollars, and school principals will not notice much difference, district officials said. They did not allow any of the affected principals to speak with Chalkbeat.</p><p>In Jeffco, the district provides a full-time family engagement liaison to each Title I school. Next year each of those positions will be cut back to four days per week, unless schools choose to use money from other parts of their budget to maintain the full-time help.</p><p>In the Jeffco district the change has been gradual. In 10 years, the number of schools with a high concentration of poverty has grown from 22 to 32. Next year, the district will add one more school to its list of those receiving Title I funds.</p><p>Reyes said she is bracing for more cuts in the near future. She said the district may also have to consider focusing on fewer schools.</p><p>At Eiber Elementary, tucked away in central Lakewood, Principal Stacy Bedell said that the resources she adds to her school with Title I money help address student needs.</p><p>The school has far <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2019/08/15/find-your-2019-colorado-cmas-scores-and-compare-schools/">fewer students meeting expectations</a> in math or literacy than the district or state average, but Eiber students have higher growth scores — reflecting progress from year to year — than the district and state averages.</p><p>Although the school is surrounded by half-million-dollar suburban homes, the school also serves children from affordable housing complexes nearby. This year, 87% of the school’s students qualify for subsidized lunch. Even with a drop in enrollment, the school’s percentage of students qualifying for subsidized lunch stayed steady.</p><p>For years now, the school has qualified for additional dollars because of that high concentration of poverty, but Bedell said her Title I budget has decreased over time.</p><p>Before, she said it helped pay for free full-day kindergarten, before the district or state funded it. She also used it to hire reading and math specialists. This year she’s down to one reading interventionist, and none for math.</p><p>“We’re starting to feel the stretch,” Bedell said. “Some kids aren’t making the kind of movement we know they could.”</p><p>And Bedell said she is already looking at how she will find a way to pay for her family engagement liaison, Cynthia Saunders, to stay on full time in the next school year.</p><p>Saunders helps keep parents engaged, and also helps them when they need resources for housing, food or clothing.</p><p>“Engagement looks different than it did 20 years ago,” Bedell said. “Our workforce is not 8 to 5. We don’t get the same kind of turnout like when we have a family event, but people will come if we need something.”</p><p>Part of that is Saunders’ doing. When the school needs volunteers to help serve breakfast or to organize donated clothing in the school’s closet, or a teacher needs help in the classroom, Saunders picks up the phone, and always finds parents to come in, Bedell said.</p><p>All of the “extra” staff that she pays for with Title I money are important, Bedell said. Just as much as she needs Saunders, she needs the mental health clinician she pays for through the Jefferson Center for Mental Health, and the social workers and specialists who help teachers work with small groups of students.</p><p>“I could use two full-time mental health people all the time, every day,” Bedell said. “I could probably use two additional ones. And some days it’s overwhelming even for teachers that I could use mental health people for them, too.”</p><p>In the Cherry Creek School District, the threshold for awarding Title I dollars has gone up to 46% — lower than in many districts, but up from 40% about five years ago. This year the district is serving 13 schools with Title I money, including one that just qualified this year.</p><p>“We have more schools that are reaching the threshold where they probably should be served but we’re facing difficult choices,” said Mike Giles, assistant superintendent of performance improvement.</p><p>District officials say they notice a higher need even in schools with 40% to 46% of students who qualify for subsidized lunch. Often schools there use Title I money to hire instructional coaches, who are helping close achievement gaps between students from low-income families and their more affluent peers. The district is also helping one school use Title I money to put on an annual cultural fair to better engage with families.</p><p>The Title I schools also see higher needs for social and emotional help, including for a higher number of students impacted by trauma, officials said.</p><p>“The bigger question is why,” said Brien Hodges, director of Title I and Connect for Success Grant for the Cherry Creek district. “Why is the federal government continuing to cut this funding when the need continues to grow?”</p><p>In contrast, in the Adams 12 district north of Denver, the number of schools with higher needs has also been increasing, but the district was able this year to move the bar in the opposite direction from other districts — to help more schools. In part, it’s because Adams 12’s federal funding has shrunk less than other districts’.</p><p>“We felt like the title funds should be serving the broadest number of students,” said Tracy Dorland, deputy superintendent for Adams 12. “The principals who have started receiving funds have told us it’s been extremely helpful.”</p><p>Tracie Stauffer, principal of Leroy Elementary in Northglenn, is one of those.</p><p>“At Leroy we have a lot of kids with trauma; it could be what one would consider minor to major trauma where school is not their No. 1 priority,” Stauffer said. Students there often are starting elementary school with little exposure to academics or reading, she said.</p><p>“There’s a big gap for us to fill,” Stauffer said. “We have to have clever people to make sure we can engage them.”</p><p>Leroy, like many of the new Title I schools around the metro area, has had a decrease in enrollment. This year, the school has 393 students, down from 414 last year. But the number of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is now at 286, up from 264 last year, while the students who are not eligible are at 107, down from 150 last year.</p><p>Now that the school is labeled Title I because of the change the district made, Stauffer has been able to add more staff resources, including an assistant principal who has helped roll out restorative practices, which try to guide students to reflect and change their bad behavior.</p><p>“We had a lot of behavior problems,” Stauffer said. “It was mostly students who couldn’t handle these big emotions.”</p><p>Disciplinary referrals are already down, she said.</p><p>The school now also has more instructional coaches who can help improve teachers’ practices, and a family engagement liaison who helped put together Thanksgiving meal baskets for about 30 families.</p><p>“It helps to build that trust,” Stauffer said. “Because of that, we had several families reach out that have been in crisis. They know they have a person now.”</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/2/14/21178604/more-poverty-fewer-federal-dollars-suburban-denver-schools-face-hard-choices-about-who-gets-cut-off/Yesenia Robles, Sam Park2020-02-14T16:44:42+00:002020-02-14T16:44:42+00:00<figure><img src="https://www.chalkbeat.org/resizer/Ftp1nwDUOL4Q_NryOSHacPnUQNE=/1440x960/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/civicnewscompany/N7MDITWWMFAMNMPTZTA3HUXE4Q.jpg" alt="" height="960" width="1440"/></figure><p>Our choir program has performed all over the world. But the most meaningful work we’ve ever done tapped into emotions that we felt in our own school.</p><p>Two years ago this week, my Colorado high school experienced a shooting threat just days after 14 students and three staff members were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Though devastating for the entire nation, the Parkland massacre was especially difficult for high school students. These were their peers: kids aged 14 to 18. It was tough for us teachers as well. There was a palpable heaviness amongst the student body.</p><p>Two days after the Parkland shooting, a violent threat was inscribed on a wall in one of our bathrooms. This really shook all of us to the core. We were already grieving, and the possibility that the same thing could happen at our own school — not far from Columbine, the birthplace of modern-era school shootings — felt very real.</p><p>The threat spread through our student body, and by the last class of the day — advanced mixed choir —&nbsp; I could feel the heavy emotional weight as the students entered my classroom. Even though our performance was just weeks away, I knew we couldn’t proceed with the lesson planned for that day. Instead, we stood in a circle, grasped hands, and sang “Let My Love Be Heard” by Jake Runestad. We sang this piece as a tribute to the Parkland victims, and as a way to face our communal anxieties.</p><p>The students spent the next hour sharing their fears, frustration, anger, and sadness. One student wrote a poem and shared with the class. In it, Taylor Huntley likened her emotions to “a hive of frightened bees” and worried that she and her classmates would never be able to feel safe from those who threaten violence.</p><p>“No matter what is said, no matter what we do, they always find a way. Blind to the future, blind to the past, blind in the present,” her poem concluded. “I hope one day we will change.”</p><p>When Taylor finished sharing the poem, we were all in tears. With her permission, I shared it on a choir director group on Facebook and it wound up in the hands of Andrea Ramsey, a well-known American choral composer, who became very interested in the poem. One feature of choral music is that professional composers are often willing to work with high schools for a reasonable fee —&nbsp;or sometimes pro bono, depending on the school and situation. In our case, we raised funds to commission Ramsey to set Taylor’s powerful words to music. The title of the composition became “Hive of Frightened Bees.”</p><p>In the weeks and months while “Hive of Frightened Bees” was being composed, Andrea and I shared many conversations about what this music composition should look like. One of the most poignant lines of text reads, “No matter what is said, no matter what we do, they always find a way.” We decided to add names of 10 school massacres for individual members of the choir to recite, to paint that picture that nothing seems to change.</p><p>The music was completed and finally got into the hands of students a year after Parkland. From that point to the premiere performance, only about half of the rehearsal time was spent on actual notes and rhythms. We spent many hours discussing how the composition supports the content of the text, and how we could articulate the music to provide the strongest emotional connection for the singers and audience.</p><p>We also had many deep discussions about how the students feel, living in this era of school shootings. While hesitant at first, the students became deeply vulnerable about their fear, trauma, anger, sadness, and frustration. Many shared that they are frustrated that adults don’t seem to validate their feelings because they are “children.” Others worried about younger siblings. Some shared that the first thing that they do when they walk into a classroom is review where they would hide if there were an active shooter. This music made it safe for the students open up about their feelings.</p><p>We premiered Andrea’s new composition May 10, 2019, just three days after yet another nearby school shooting, at the STEM School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.</p><p><div class="embed"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kQQqIYN0eT0?rel=0" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media; accelerometer; gyroscope; picture-in-picture"></iframe></div></div></p><p>I had never seen an audience respond as they did. It was an eerie mix of hushed crying and dead silence. At the end of the song, there were more than 30 seconds of nothing, followed by a rousing standing ovation. It was one of the most powerful moments in my life as a choral director.</p><p>What made this so powerful? I believe it was because it went far beyond surface level entertainment. The words and notes traveled into the audience and pierced their hearts. The audience had a firsthand look at how strongly school shootings affect our children. Parents and other supportive adults were reminded that most of us didn’t have to grow up in this world. Seeing students on stage pouring their very real emotions into such a difficult subject brought real awareness to the community of how traumatic shootings can be for our young people.</p><p>The summer after the May performance, the choir that premiered “Hive of Frightened Bees” was invited to perform at both our Colorado state music conference as well as the American Choral Directors conference in Arkansas. When deciding what choral repertoire to study in preparing for these performances, I knew I had to explore the school shooting topic further. The community was obviously deeply affected. Two different news stations came to the school to cover the story. Emails poured in from community members commending the students on their courage.</p><p>We commissioned another piece of music in creating our 30-minute themed concert program. This one is a 14-minute composition entitled “Consolation: Requiem for Parkland” by Washington-based composer John Muehleisen.</p><p>Spending the entire fall semester on music related to school shootings led to many powerful conversations with the students. Not only are the fears and sadness still prevalent, but those conversations have also turned political at times. It has been amazing to see these students disagree with one another about charged topics, while still fully respecting and honoring one another. That’s something I almost never see.</p><p>While the solution remains a point of disagreement, the students have decided that the reason there has been no progress is that no one is listening to one another. They brought up that because there is so much hatred and dehumanization on social media and in politics, progress has stalled. The students shared that if we are to solve the problem, we must start listening and valuing one another. We must not let disagreements inhibit our desire to communicate.</p><p>I believe that my job as an educator is not to simply teach and validate music theory and skills, but to prepare students for the rest of their lives. Even in a music class — or perhaps especially in a music class —&nbsp;I can can play a role in teaching them how to have a civil conversation and how to interact and value someone with whom they disagree. I can find ways to approach vulnerable and scary subjects. And I can give my students the tools to create a more peaceful and beautiful world.</p><p><em>Chris Maunu is the director of choral music at Arvada West High School in Arvada, Colorado.</em></p><h3>About our First Person series:</h3><p>First Person is where Chalkbeat features personal essays by educators, students, parents, and others trying to improve public education. Read our <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/first-person-guidelines/">submission guidelines here</a>.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/2/14/21178577/my-school-faced-a-shooting-threat-my-students-responded-with-songs-that-helped-us-talk-about-violenc/Chris Maunu2020-01-13T20:40:52+00:002020-01-13T20:40:52+00:00<p>Fifteen or 20 minutes isn’t enough time for students to buy and eat lunch at school — and cafeterias should offer some healthier options, a Jeffco district task force has recommended.</p><p>Parents have complained about their children not having enough time to eat, especially if they stand in line to buy food. Right now, <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/BHULH4567859/%24file/PRESENTATION%20Stocktake%20Food%20%20Nutrition%20Services%202019.pdf">about 32% of Jeffco students eat school lunch</a>. Increasing that number would help the district’s food services department, which relies on revenue to operate, be able to expand and offer more enticing menus.</p><p>District officials for Jeffco Public Schools <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/co/jeffco/Board.nsf/files/BJLVTG8246DA/%24file/REPORT%20Food%20and%20Nutrition%20Services%20Task%20Force%20District%20Response.pdf">see lots of challenges to accepting the group’s recommendations</a>, but are committing to look into some of them.</p><p>The volunteer task force met for about a year. Part of the goal was to find ways to get more students eating school meals. In Jeffco, the proportion of students who eat school lunch has increased to nearly one-third, officials say, and is likely due to the addition of some new menu items.</p><p>Several parents on the task force said they don’t allow their children to eat school lunch, and wouldn’t unless the district could lengthen lunch time and broaden healthy options.</p><p>Even then <a href="https://www.jeffcopublicschools.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_627881/File/Jeffco%20PS/About%20Jeffco/Board%20of%20Education/District%20Advisory%20Committees/FNS_TaskForceReport_DistrictResponse_12.6.19.pdf">the group’s recommendations</a>, which include other things like composting lunch trays, offering more menu items, and starting a catering service in a food truck for other school events, likely face many challenges.</p><p>Jeffco is planning to pilot salad bars at eight to 10 schools, which it hasn’t yet identified, beginning in the fall. The district hopes to partner with a university researcher to determine whether a salad bar prompts kids to eat more fruits and vegetables, without increasing food waste.</p><p>As far as time, the group recommended that the district require all schools give students a minimum of 30 minutes for lunch.</p><p>Right now, each school sets its own schedule. District surveys showed that Jeffco elementaries on average give students 20 minutes to eat lunch. Many range from 15 to 17 minutes for lunch. That includes the time that students must stand in line to get their lunch before eating.</p><p>“We hate to eat and run. Why should they?” said Guy Nahmiach, a task force member who presented the recommendations. “We heard that when we interviewed students. That was one of their main reasons for not eating in the cafeteria. It just takes too long.”</p><p>Standardizing schedules would involve input from many departments, officials say, and the conversations are just starting. It also could combine with conversations about a proposal from another task force, that <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2019/03/22/jeffco-postpones-later-start-times-studying-issue/">suggested Jeffco push back start times</a> for high schools and middle schools so that teens can get more sleep. Those start times would affect the schedule and the ability to provide a 30-minute lunch.</p><p>The district would also have to consider contracts with teachers and other staff that outline how long a school day should be, and would have to schedule bus routes around new school times.</p><p>Task force members pointed out that they heard pushback from principals and that the district would need to help get them on board.</p><p>Nationally, Beth Wallace, the district’s director of food services, said, “the time for lunch is shrinking and shrinking and shrinking,” and added, “it is definitely affecting our participation.”</p><p>Without the authority to set the length of lunchtime, her department focuses on how to help students get their food faster. That means going to various district schools during lunch, stop watches in hand, and tracking how many students go through the line per minute or per another specified amount of time.</p><p>Those observations are compared with industry standards to determine if there’s enough staff to serve the students, she said, but often staffing is not the problem. Sometimes Wallace said her department finds students don’t arrive in the lunch line until minutes after lunch has started.</p><p>The task force suggested that the district help schools add or split lunch lines to serve students faster.</p><p>In some schools, the cafeteria may be too small, and not designed to fit multiple serving lines.</p><p>“You can’t just keep adding serving lines,” Wallace said.</p><p>While staffing is a problem — the district has about 30 vacancies that it has not been able to fill, and another 20 to 30 staff members who may be off on any given day — Wallace said those shortages contribute to other limitations.</p><p>For instance, only a handful of schools have reusable trays that can be washed and reused. Wallace said that when staff is short, time for washing dishes is often the first thing to be cut, as staff prioritize preparing and serving lunch, meaning there is not enough staff capacity to have reusable trays.</p><p>Some parents on the task force said they are concerned about the environmental impact of the district’s food service, and pointed out that often students are in classes learning about the environment, and then see cafeteria practices that may contradict what they are learning.</p><p>Wallace said task force concerns pushed the district to start using compostable trays this year, at an increased cost of about $250,000.</p><p>But right now, schools don’t have systems for composting those trays.</p><p>In the next month or so, the district is expected to present a master plan for Jeffco’s food department. The report should include a cost analysis of how to upgrade kitchens to allow more cooking from scratch, how to better market school food and health initiatives, and whether to invest in a central kitchen or warehouse.</p><p>Using <a href="https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2018/11/15/jeffco-5b-passes-final/">bond money approved in 2018</a>, the district is already planning to add walk-in freezers, to expand food-prep capacity, at the 70 Jeffco school kitchens that don’t have one now. The money won’t be enough to add a freezer at all 70 schools, and some schools don’t have enough space.</p><p>Wallace said the district also has other equipment issues, and this year received two industry awards including one for having the oldest functional oven in the country.</p><p>Overcoming the district’s challenges will take money and a long-term plan over time, Wallace said.</p><p>Task force member Nahmiach also told the board that he understands not everything can change soon, but emphasized, “don’t let anyone tell you it can’t be done.”</p><p><em>Read the district’s full response to the group’s recommendations:</em></p><p><div class="embed"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 141.4214%;"><iframe src="https://docs.google.com/viewer?embedded=true&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.documentcloud.org%2Fdocuments%2F6631436%2FREPORT-Food-and-Nutrition-Services-Task-Force.pdf" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></p><p><br></p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/1/13/21121724/parent-and-community-group-asks-jeffco-schools-for-longer-lunch-time-healthier-food/Yesenia Robles2020-01-06T19:35:32+00:002020-01-06T19:35:32+00:00<p><em>Here, in a feature we call How I Teach, we ask educators who’ve been recognized for their work how they approach their jobs. You can see other pieces in the series </em><a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/series/how-i-teach/"><em>here</em></a><em>.</em></p><p>High school was rough for Sam Long, a transgender man who started his transition as a teen. He received little support from fellow classmates or teachers — and was even excluded from overnight field trips. The experience was miserable, but ultimately pushed him to pursue a career in education.</p><p>“I dreamed of giving a better high school experience to other marginalized students,” said Long, who teaches biology and chemistry at Standley Lake High School in the Denver suburb of Westminster.</p><p>Long is part of a new state commission charged with recommending how Colorado educators can include the contributions of minorities in history and civics classes. He talked about incorporating his Asian-American and LGBTQ identities into that work, tweaking conventional biology lessons to be more inclusive, and the impact of funding shortfalls on his students.</p><p>This interview has been condensed and lightly edited.</p><p><strong>Was there a moment when you decided to become a teacher?</strong></p><p>I started my transition as a teenager, and the staff and students in my school were not kind or understanding. I was called by the wrong name and pronouns frequently, I had no safe place to use the restroom, and I was excluded from overnight field trips where student rooming was arranged by gender. But I stuck it out and got my diploma because I knew that a transgender person without a high school education had very limited opportunities in society. Shortly after graduating from high school, I took an interest in a career in teaching. I dreamed of giving a better high school experience to other marginalized students.</p><p><strong>How do you get to know your students?</strong></p><p>When I introduce myself to students on the first day of school, I talk about a few identities that are important to me – I am a transgender man and a Chinese-American-Canadian. I explain that this is a classroom where we respect all identities and learn together. This communicates to all students that it’s an option to share things about yourself. Then I have my students fill out a survey about themselves. I ask them about the name and pronouns they want to use at school, their academic and extracurricular interests, and access to transportation and Internet at home. This gives me at least a couple of talking points for starting conversations with each student.</p><p><strong>How do you go about developing biology curriculum that affirms LGBTQ+ identities in lessons about reproduction, sex, and gender? How do students respond to this content?</strong></p><p>In developing gender-inclusive biology curriculum, I often ask the question, “Who is included or excluded by the typical way of teaching?”</p><p>As a first lesson on genetics, a typical biology textbook might say, “We get half of our DNA from our mom and half from our dad.” But I know that this is an overgeneralization and if I teach it like that, I will be leaving out students who are adopted or have same-sex parents or transgender parents. So I put that same sentence in my slideshow, “We get half of our DNA from our mom and half from our dad” and ask students if this is true for everyone. At first glance, students say that it’s definitely true, but it doesn’t take them long to realize that it excludes some people. After this, we establish norms of language. We typically use “biological parent” to refer to the two individuals who contribute egg and sperm to an offspring, with the caveat that these are not always the same people that you might consider your parents in a social context. We also talk about the difference between biological sex and gender identity.</p><p>As we continue with the genetics unit, we rarely use the terms “mom and dad.” We say that the zygote receives DNA from an egg cell and a sperm cell. This choice of vocabulary is based on scientific research and is more rigorous than using “mom and dad.” Our use of this language is continuous throughout this unit and the next unit on inheritance.</p><p>This way of teaching conveys rigorous, accurate science without marginalizing students who don’t fit into the typical model of heterosexual, cisgender — those whose gender identity matches with the sex they were assigned at birth — reproduction. Furthermore, all students find these lessons engaging because they get a more complete understanding of the complex world around them. Diversity is never boring.</p><p><strong>What do you hope to accomplish as a member of the Governor’s Commission on History, Culture, Social Contributions, and Civil Government in Education?</strong></p><p>The purpose of the commission is to make recommendations to include the history, culture, and social contributions of minorities in the teaching of history and civics. In this case, minorities includes American Indians, Latinos, African Americans, Asian Americans, and the LGBT individuals within these groups.</p><p>As a member of the commission, I hope to create resources that make this kind of curriculum accessible to all Colorado teachers. As someone who lives life at the intersection of being an Asian American and an LGBT individual, I hope to highlight intersectionality in my work with the commission. For example, many of the community leaders involved in early LGBT-rights demonstrations like Stonewall and Compton’s Cafeteria were people of color. Also, some of the earliest anti-crossdressing laws in the United States were created in part to target Chinese immigrants.</p><p><strong>What’s something happening in the community that affects what goes on inside your class?</strong></p><p>My students are directly affected by a lack of funding for education in the state and in Jefferson County School District. Our classroom is cramped and has furniture from the 1980s. This restricts my ability to incorporate movement and to teach in ways other than lecturing. The quality of my lesson planning is impacted by the need to cover classes for other teachers — we have a substitute teacher shortage due to low pay relative to other school districts in the area.</p><p><strong>Tell us about a memorable time — good or bad — when contact with a student’s family changed your perspective or approach.</strong></p><p>I had a student who failed most of her ninth grade classes and ended up in my class again the following year. The second time around, her attendance, attitude, and class work were noticeably improved. On parent-teacher conference night, she brought her mom to my desk to hear about her progress. At first, I wanted to say, “Your daughter is doing fine in my class now,” and move on to the parents of students who needed more intervention. But I realized that this was perhaps a rare opportunity for the mom to hear something positive about her daughter after a very rough period. I took the time to recount a few of the daughter’s specific successes to the mom. I said that I was proud of her and I offered to help find an extracurricular program aligned with the student’s interests, which were art and health care. Every student deserves to celebrate their success and explore their interests.</p><p><strong>What part of your job is most difficult?</strong></p><p>Currently, my biggest challenge is managing my time. We can always do more or do better – build stronger relationships with students, be more involved in schoolwide initiatives, give more detailed grading feedback, make a lesson more engaging and effective. I feel that with effort I can improve in any one of these, but I need to balance my efforts.</p><p><strong>What was your biggest misconception that you initially brought to teaching?</strong></p><p>I used to think that teaching was all about the content – in my case, science content knowledge. I learned that teaching is also about people, and I have come to enjoy working with people.</p><p><strong>What are you reading for enjoyment?</strong></p><p>“Would You Convict?: Seventeen Cases That Challenged the Law” by Paul H. Robinson</p><p><strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received about teaching?</strong></p><p>A more experienced teacher once told me, “You can do anything, but you can’t do everything.” I regularly repeat this advice to myself when I am facing many priorities and deadlines.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/1/6/21055581/disrespected-and-excluded-as-a-teen-this-transgender-teacher-wants-a-different-high-school-experienc/Ann Schimke2019-11-06T19:00:00+00:002019-11-05T23:00:10+00:00<p>A previously unanimous union-backed Jeffco school board will get a new dissenting voice.</p><p>Susan Miller, a financial service professional and longtime education advocate who said she would be a voice for students’ needs, won in the District 4 race over Joan Chávez-Lee, a retired educator, who had been endorsed by the teachers union.</p><p>“I’m just excited that we’re going to have other voices at the table,” Miller said Tuesday evening. “Our voice really was different. We’re really focused on achievement. We need to be preparing children to access the 21st century economy, and right now, we are not hitting the ball out of the park.”</p><p>In the District 3 race, union-endorsed Stephanie Schooley, a non-profit director, won over Robert Applegate, an energy market analyst.</p><p>Schooley attributed her win to “a real emphasis around possibility and acknowledging that there are some significant challenges the district has, but framing that in a way that focuses on innovation and possibility.”</p><p>Colorado’s second-largest school district has been controlled by a union-backed board since conservatives were ousted in a 2015 recall effort that made national news.</p><p>More people voted in the 2019 school board election than in the 2015 recall election.</p><p>Schooley and Chávez-Lee had the endorsement of the teachers union and huge fundraising advantages in the Jeffco school board election.</p><p>Schooley said she was looking forward to getting to know her fellow board members, including Miller, and building relationships at the schools she’ll represent. She said she was proud of the race she had run with Chávez-Lee and that the split result in the election was “something to reflect on.”</p><p>Jeffco Public Schools serves roughly 81,000 students in a district that stretches from the mountains to the Denver border and includes a diverse mix of urban, suburban, and rural communities, along with high-poverty schools and those serving more affluent students.</p><p>The current board hired Superintendent Jason Glass, oversaw passage of a long-hoped-for bond measure and property tax increase, rolled out a unified enrollment system, and negotiated a new teachers contract.</p><p>The winners of the Jeffco school board election likely will face difficult decisions about school consolidation and closure as enrollment declines in some parts of the district, as well as the ongoing work of raising student achievement and ensuring student safety.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2019/11/5/21109168/jeffco-school-board-gets-a-critical-new-voice-as-susan-miller-takes-seat/Erica Meltzer2019-10-16T22:34:56+00:002019-10-16T22:34:56+00:00<p>The union-backed candidates vying for spots on the Jeffco school board are continuing to take in large contributions.</p><p><a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2019/08/30/four-candidates-compete-for-two-open-seats-on-jeffco-school-board/">Four candidates are running</a> for two open seats on Jeffco’s five-member school board.</p><p>Two of the candidates, Stephanie Schooley for District 3 and Joan Chávez-Lee for District 4, have been endorsed by the teachers union and have each received two $10,000 contributions from the union’s small donor committee.</p><p>According to reports filed Tuesday, the same two candidates also each received $3,750 from the Public Education Committee, a small donor committee affiliated with the Colorado Education Association.</p><p>And Schooley and Chávez-Lee have now used some of that money, about $14,800 each, on mailers.</p><p>Robert Applegate, who is challenging Schooley, almost doubled his contribution total to $1,810, but he remains far behind Schooley’s totals.</p><p>Check out the numbers below. And for more about the race, <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/tag/jeffco-public-schools/">check out this page</a>.</p>https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2019/10/16/21055554/jeffco-school-board-candidates-show-continued-fundraising-gaps/Yesenia Robles