These posts are the opinions of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of A+ Colorado.
The fundamental purpose of any public school system is to graduate students at a level of proficiency that enables them to meet the professional and personal challenges of the modern world. The purpose is not to have proficient 3rd, 5th, or 8th graders, nor to have academic growth that still leaves students unable to read,…
Originally posted on Denver Post May 22, 2012. Copyright © denverpost.com Read here. Written by Karen Auge. Despite years of effort, an infusion of resources and some improvement, Denver Public Schools “is far behind and not rapidly making the grade,” a report by a consortium of influential education non-profits and advocates concludes. The report by…
It’s time to tie up some loose ends here at A+ Denver and fill you in on what we’ve been up to the past month. Introductions First, we would like to welcome and introduce our newest staff member, Kathryn Frazier, who is joining us for one year as a part of the AmeriCorps VISTA program.…
Originally posted on EdNewsColorado, April 25, 2012. Copyright © EdNewsColorado.org Read here. Written by Van Schoales. I recently completed a backyard construction project that got me thinking about early childhood education systems. My project has been a bit of an odyssey that began four or five years ago when I thought that with limited resources,…
In January 2012, the SchoolChoice Transparency Committee was created to receive and interpret two separate third party (The University of Colorado Denver) reports analyzing the SchoolChoice process and data. The committee is made up of school leaders (with representation from charter, magnet, and traditional schools), district leaders, and third- party community stakeholders. Members were selected…
News Release Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 6pm Media Contact: Van Schoales, CEO, A+ Denver (303) 725-1151 van@aplusdenver.org The Denver Plan and the Board of Education: Time to reevaluate the strategic plan to reflect current priorities and accountability measures. A+ Denver has submitted a letter to the DPS Board of Education addressing our concerns with…
Originally posted on DenverPost.com, Feb. 12, 2012. Copyright © DenverPost.com Read here. Written by Van Schoales and Barbara O’Brien. Too many students are graduating from Colorado high schools without the skills or knowledge to succeed in college. A little more than a decade ago, we were part of a team at the Colorado Children’s Campaign…
Charter schools in Denver are outperforming district-operated schools on both student academic growth and proficiency. More importantly, at grade levels with substantial charter school enrollment, the impact on the overall district results is meaningful. With a small percentage of total student enrollment, the overall impact of charter schools is positive but limited. In 2011, charter schools…
Originally posted on DenverPost.com, Dec. 1, 2011. Copyright © Denverpost.com Read here. Written by Yesenia Robles. A new report complied by a coalition of local nonprofit groups is urging Denver Public Schools to press for better data and to evaluate reforms more closely. “There’s a challenge in terms of getting good data, and having publicly…
News Release Wednesday, November 30, 2011 Media Contact Christine Rafanelli, Communications Director Colorado Children’s Campaign Office: (303) 620-4544, Cell: (720) 281-8175 Van Schoales, CEO, A+ Denver (303) 725-1151 DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS MAKES STEADY GAINS IN ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, BUT OUTCOMES REMAIN BELOW STATE AVERAGES AND ACHIEVEMENT GAPS HAVE GROWN Start with the Facts Report Examines Student…