DPS could close and replace 6 schools if their test scores don’t improve by next year – The Denver Post

Denver Public Schools Strategic Plan for Educational Realignment and Quality Enhancement

Denver Public Schools (DPS) is initiating a strategic realignment to enhance educational outcomes, directly addressing Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4: Quality Education). For the first time since the 2018-19 academic year, the district is preparing for the potential establishment of up to seven new schools. This initiative is part of a dual strategy that also confronts underperformance in existing institutions, aiming to provide inclusive and equitable quality education for all students.

In December, DPS will issue a “Call for Quality Schools,” soliciting applications from potential operators. This call addresses both the need for new infrastructure in growing communities and the imperative to transform academically challenged schools.

Addressing Educational Disparities and Promoting SDG 4

The core of the district’s plan is the “School Transformation Process,” a policy designed by Superintendent Alex Marrero. This process is a direct intervention aimed at improving schools on the Colorado “Accountability Clock” before state-level action is required, thereby ensuring all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development (SDG Target 4.7).

School Transformation Process

This policy enables the district to implement significant changes in low-performing schools, which may include restructuring operations, altering programming and staff, or closing and restarting schools with new operators. This measure is a targeted effort to eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable (SDG Target 4.5).

Schools Identified for Potential Intervention

Several schools have been identified for potential closure and replacement by 2027 if academic performance does not improve. This action aligns with the commitment to ensure all youth and a substantial proportion of adults achieve literacy and numeracy (SDG Target 4.6).

• Fourth Year on Accountability Clock:
  1. John F. Kennedy High School
  2. Rocky Mountain Prep Noel
• Third Year on Accountability Clock:
  1. Traylor Academy
  2. Cheltenham Elementary
  3. Oakland Elementary
• On Watch Status:
  1. Academy 360 (must maintain or improve its rating to exit the clock)

Aligning Infrastructure with Community Needs for SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)

The district’s strategy reflects a response to significant demographic shifts, a key component of building sustainable communities (SDG 11). While overall enrollment has declined, certain neighborhoods are experiencing growth, necessitating a flexible and forward-looking approach to infrastructure planning.

Response to Demographic Shifts

DPS plans to open a new school in the Gateway neighborhood of Green Valley Ranch by 2027 to serve a growing population. Simultaneously, the district is managing the financial and operational challenges of declining enrollment in other areas, a trend exacerbated by gentrification, rising housing costs, and a decrease in immigrant student attendance. This dynamic approach to resource management is crucial for making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable (SDG 11).

Upholding SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) in Educational Reform

The implementation of the School Transformation Process is being conducted with a focus on equity and community impact, acknowledging the importance of reducing inequalities within and among countries (SDG 10).

Community and Board Concerns

There is significant community and board-level concern regarding the potential for school closures to disproportionately affect students of color, a historical issue with past reform efforts. Board members have emphasized that quantitative data, such as test scores, does not provide a complete picture of a school’s environment or success. This perspective underscores the district’s challenge to ensure its policies empower and include all people, irrespective of race or economic status (SDG Target 10.2).

Policy Adjustments for Equitable Governance

A notable change in Superintendent Marrero’s policy is the requirement that charter schools, if they participate in the transformation process, waive their right to appeal closures to the state. This aims to create a more consistent and equitable accountability standard across all school types—district-run, charter, and innovation—thereby promoting more inclusive institutions at all levels.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed

SDG 4: Quality Education

• The article’s central theme is the quality of education in Denver Public Schools (DPS). It discusses plans to address “poor academic performance” and “low-performing schools” through a “School Transformation Process.” The goal is to improve educational outcomes for students, which is the core mission of SDG 4.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• The article touches upon the issue of equity in education. It notes that past school closures have been criticized for having “displaced students of color.” This highlights the need to ensure that educational policies do not disproportionately affect vulnerable or marginalized groups, directly connecting to the goal of reducing inequalities.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• The discussion on school infrastructure planning relates to sustainable urban development. The article explains that DPS is closing schools in some areas due to falling enrollment caused by “gentrification and rising housing prices,” while planning to “open a new school in 2027 in the Gateway neighborhood in Green Valley Ranch, where enrollment is growing.” This demonstrates the challenge of providing essential services like education in response to changing urban demographics.

Specific SDG Targets Identified

Target 4.1: Ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education

• The article directly addresses this target by focusing on the academic performance of both elementary (primary) and high schools (secondary), such as “Cheltenham and Oakland elementaries” and “John F. Kennedy High School.” The district’s efforts to close and restart low-performing schools are aimed at improving the quality of education to ensure it leads to “relevant and effective learning outcomes,” as measured by test scores.

Target 4.a: Build and upgrade education facilities

• This target is relevant as DPS is “preparing for the possibility of adding new schools — as many as seven.” The plan to “open a new school in 2027 in the Gateway neighborhood” is a concrete example of building education facilities to meet the needs of a growing community and provide an effective learning environment.

Target 10.2: Empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of race, ethnicity, or other status

• The article’s reference to criticism that previous school closures “displaced students of color” connects to this target. It implies that future decisions made under the new “School Transformation Process” must consider the racial and social equity implications to avoid creating or worsening inequalities within the community.

Target 11.1: Ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services

• Education is a basic service. The article shows how urban dynamics like “gentrification and rising housing prices are… prompting families to move.” The school district’s response of closing schools in shrinking neighborhoods and building them “in areas seeing growth” is a direct attempt to manage and provide access to the basic service of education in a changing city.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

Academic Performance and Test Scores

• The article explicitly mentions “test scores” and “CMAS scores” as the primary metrics for evaluating school performance. The state’s “Accountability Clock” uses ratings such as “turnaround (red)” or “priority improvement (orange)” based on these scores. These serve as direct indicators for measuring learning outcomes and progress towards Target 4.1.

School Infrastructure Development

• The plan to potentially add “as many as seven” new schools and the specific goal to “open a new school in 2027” are measurable indicators of progress towards Target 4.a. The number of new or upgraded facilities can be tracked to assess the provision of effective learning environments.

Enrollment and Demographic Data

• The article implies the use of enrollment data as a key indicator. The district is tracking declining enrollment (“DPS lost 1,200 students this year”) and identifying high-growth areas (“Gateway neighborhood in Green Valley Ranch, where enrollment is growing”). This data is used to plan for school closures and openings, relating to Target 11.1. Furthermore, tracking the demographic makeup of students affected by closures would be an implied indicator for monitoring progress on Target 10.2.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Summary

Source: denverpost.com