The Outliers: The State of Colorado School Districts 2018

The second annual report The Outliers: The State of Colorado School Districts 2018, digs into student performance to uncover the Colorado public school districts that are “outliers,” the districts that buck the trend either by getting notable results for students compared to other school systems in the state, or where the promise of an excellent education remains too distant. As a state, Colorado still falls well short of guaranteeing all public school students an excellent academic education. As of 2017, 43% of students met or exceeded expectations in elementary English Language Arts and just 36% in elementary Math.

The Outliers is meant to start wide-reaching conversations about what is working. There are a number of districts and schools that are often discussed, but there are many others that are quietly doing excellent work. The report does not illuminate what is driving the success in these the districts or schools, but asks all of us to investigate further so that we can build a better understanding of what is working in different communities throughout Colorado. We are especially grateful for the hard work of the teachers and administrators in our public schools and encourage conversations about district improvement to begin with them.