All LPS schools again rated “excellent,” “high,” or “average”
on 2006-2007 School Accountability Reports
More than half of LPS schools demonstrated “improvement” or “significant improvement”
Littleton Public Schools is again pleased with the overall ratings assigned to schools through the 2006-2007 School Accountability Reports (SARs). All LPS schools continue to have performance ratings of “excellent,” “high,” and “average.” No schools were given a rating of “low” or “unsatisfactory.”
Seven LPS schools experienced changes in their performance ratings this year compared to last year:
- Franklin Elementary and Littleton Preparatory Charter School (grades 6-8) went from “high” to “excellent” this year;
- Ames Elementary, Littleton Preparatory Charter School (elementary), and Goddard Middle School went from “average” to “high” this year;
- Whitman Elementary went from “high” to “average” this year;
- Heritage High went from “excellent” to “high” this year.
The Academic Growth of Students Rating is based on comparisons between individual student performance on the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) test over a two-year period. The comparison does not take into account what the level of performance is, but rather whether or not the student score is higher or lower or stable in the second year compared to the previous year.
LPS is pleased to report that 14 LPS schools – more than half -- were given a rating of “improvement” or “significant improvement”. Ames Elementary, Franklin Elementary, Littleton Academy Charter School (elementary), Littleton Preparatory Charter School (elementary), and Peabody Elementary demonstrated “significant improvement.”
In addition, LPS middle schools are all rated “high” and “excellent” with “improvement”. This is very exciting, as the middle-level grades are traditionally where students tend to decline in performance.
“The Overall Academic Performance’ indicator is something we need to look at carefully,” said Mollie McDonald, director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment, “because it is generated by combining into one score all of the performance results from all grade levels and content areas in each school.”
Many factors affect the way students learn. District goals reflect what CSAP and other assessments show us as well as what we know about student achievement based on daily work in the classroom.
- Overall, LPS students are scoring an average of 14 percentage points higher on CSAP tests than the state average in all grades and all subjects tested, up from 13 percentage points higher in 2006.
- LPS grade eight writing, grade nine writing, grade nine math, and grade 10 science scores are all 17 percent higher than the state average.
- Ames Elementary scores increased in nine of the 10 areas tested. Goddard Middle School scores increased in all 10 areas tested. In addition, Littleton Preparatory Charter School (elementary) scores also increased in all 10 areas tested.
- LPS students are making gains faster than average for all students in Colorado in more than half of the areas and grade levels tested.
- Some schools with at-risk populations are experiencing some of the most significant gains. That tells us that our efforts toward the district achievement goal—of halving the gap between low achieving and high achieving students by the end of the 2009-2010 school year—are working.
- Some schools continue to experience swings in scores from one year to the next. This can largely be attributed to smaller class sizes in these schools; individual student performance in smaller classes affects the overall score more dramatically.
LPS values “triangulated data” from multiple data sources, such as CSAP, MAP (Measures of Academic Progress), Grade 2 Writing Assessment, and CogAT. Through the use of our newly constructed district “data warehouse”, we are able to look at individual student performance over time. When we know where each student currently is in relationship to the essential learning goals, we can plan instruction to take him/her to the next level.
LPS has established a District Achievement Goal that states:
Ninety percent of all students will be on or above grade level in reading, math, writing, and science by the end of the 2011-2012 school year. The achievement gap in student performance will be cut in half by the end of the 2009-2010 school year.
Professional Learning Communities is the framework LPS has chosen to begin this important work. “We have set a high standard with this district achievement goal,” said assistant superintendent of learning services Connie Bouwman. “As a result of this goal, we hope that all of our schools will receive ratings of ‘high’ and ‘excellent’ in the future.”
Schools are held accountable to three separate systems outlined by the state and federal government.
- These SARs are one system.
- All schools must also meet rigorous performance standards to earn the state’s quality seal of accreditation. All LPS schools are accredited.
- In addition, schools must meet Adequate Yearly Progress benchmarks as outlined in the federal government’s No Child Left Behind Act. This year, as a district, LPS met or exceeded 131 of 135 AYP benchmarks for a 97% success rate.
LPS holds as a high priority our community’s values and expectations regarding student performance—the importance of really knowing each student. With individualized attention, we believe we can make a significant difference in the lives of all our students.
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