Colorado releases initial school performance scores. How did Pueblo schools fare?

The Colorado Department of Education has released preliminary 2022 School and District Performance Framework reports for public schools and districts across the state, including those in Pueblo.

The results showed several Pueblo schools improved their performance from the last time the state evaluated scores in 2019 — the annual assessments were not conducted in 2020 or 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic — but two south-side middle schools also received "turnaround" designations this year.

From highest to lowest scoring, schools were given "performance," "improvement," "priority improvement" or "turnaround" ratings through a scoring rubric that incorporates data on academic performance, academic growth, post-secondary readiness and workforce readiness. That data includes test scores, matriculation rates, dropout rates, median growth percentile scores and graduation rates, among other metrics, according to the CDE.

Framework scores are calculated using similar metrics to determine accreditation status of a school district. Designations for districts, from highest to lowest scoring, include "accredited with distinction," "accredited with performance plan," "accredited with improvement plan," "accredited with priority improvement plan" and "accredited with turnaround plan."

With a point score of 59.6%, Pueblo County School District 70 has been designated an "accredited with performance plan" district, according to preliminary frameworks, as has Pueblo School District 60, with a score of 48.1%.

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18 Pueblo D70 and 12 Pueblo D60 schools receive top rating

Eighteen Pueblo D70 schools received 2022 "performance" ratings according to preliminary data.

The schools that received that designation were: The Connect Charter School, Avondale Elementary School, Cedar Ridge Elementary School, Rye Elementary School, Sky View Middle School, Vineland Elementary School, Sierra Vista Elementary School, Swallows Charter Academy, Rye High School, Liberty Point Elementary School, Vineland Middle School, Swallows Charter Academy High School, Pleasant View Middle School, Villa Bella Expeditionary School, North Mesa Elementary School, Desert Sage Elementary School, Pueblo West High School and Pueblo County High School.

The Connect Charter School, a Pueblo D70 charter middle school in Downtown Pueblo, was the highest scoring school in Pueblo County with a School Performance Framework score of 92.5%, according to preliminary data.

Anthony Martinez, Pueblo D70 director of curriculum, instruction and assessment, said the school's success can be attributed to parental involvement, stable leadership and participation in extracurricular activities like National History Day and Science Olympiad.

"History Day is is a major focus for a portion of their year where that's taught every day, it's worked on every day," Martinez said. "It's taught in their courses, and they build in to schedule around it. It's those kinds of things that I think helped them to continue to be successful."

Martinez highlighted Vineland Elementary as a school demonstrating significant growth in recent years. During the 2019-20 school year, the school was targeted for additional support due to underperforming scores in the students-with-disabilities category. From 2019 to 2022, Vineland worked to provide significant support for students with disabilities, Martinez said.

Twelve Pueblo D60 schools also received "performance" ratings, they were: Corwin International Magnet School, Franklin School of Innovation, Minnequa Elementary School, Heritage Elementary School, Goodnight Elementary School, South Park Elementary School, Sunset Park Elementary School, Irving Elementary School, Haaf Elementary School, Pueblo School for Arts and Sciences at Fulton Heights, Heaton Middle School and Park View Elementary School.

With a score of 72%, Corwin International Magnet was the highest scoring school in Pueblo D60. The choice magnet school serving fourth- through eighth-graders has consistently been among the top performing schools in the district. Other Pueblo D60 schools, like Irving and Minnequa elementary schools, are newcomers to the district's "performance" schools.

Irving Elementary, a North Side school with a 59.1% School Performance Framework score, has improved by three designations since 2019, when the school was a "turnaround" school with a 28.5% score. The school's improvement in mathematics test scores played a significant role in it becoming a "performance" school in 2022, said Tiffany Dehn, assessment data specialist for D60.

Minnequa Elementary was an "improvement" school in 2019 and is now the third-highest-ranked Pueblo D60 school behind Corwin International Magnet and Franklin School of Innovation, according to preliminary data. Minnequa Elementary received a score of 67.5% in 2022.

"At all of our schools, we have established strong cultures and leadership and Minnequa is a shining example of how a great leader and a very strong team can work together to accomplish goals," said Dalton Sprouse, director of communications and community relations for Pueblo D60.

Beulah Middle, Fountain International Magnet, Beulah Elementary, Columbian Elementary and Eva R. Baca Elementary did not have enough students to receive a designation from CDE this year but did receive "performance" designations in 2019, according to the CDE.

While not in either Pueblo school district, GOAL High School also was designated a "performance" school by CDE in its 2022 preliminary reports. The online public high school with four locations in Pueblo County received a score of 62.2%.

Two South Side middle schools receive turnaround ratings

Roncalli STEM Academy and the Pueblo Academy of Arts received "turnaround" designations, according to the CDE's reports.

The two Pueblo D60 middle schools were designated "improvement" schools when ratings were last given in 2019 but have recently dropped to "turnaround" status. Roncalli STEM Academy and the Pueblo Academy of Arts will have five years to improve their designation before state intervention, Dehn said.

"We are working on some strategic steps to help them," Dehn said. "We've got some external partners working with them in both literacy and in math for this year."

Pueblo schools receiving "improvement" ratings include 70 Online, Paragon Learning Center, South High School, Craver Middle School, Belmont Elementary School, Highland Park Elementary School, South Mesa Elementary School, Central High School, Centennial High School, East High School, Chavez/Huerta K-12 Preparatory Academy, Bradford Elementary School, Liberty Point International School and Morton Elementary School.

Schools receiving "priority improvement" ratings included Prairie Winds Elementary School, Risley International Academy of Innovation, Beulah Heights Elementary School and the Pueblo Charter School for Arts and Sciences. Bessemer Elementary School did not receive a designation this year due to not having enough students but did receive a "priority improvement" designation in 2019.

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Because they were founded after 2019, Pueblo Classical Academy, Pueblo D60 Online School and Villa Bella Expeditionary Middle School also did not receive a designation this year.

Preliminary School and District Performance Frameworks will advise schools and districts in designing improvement plans, which will be submitted to CDE on Oct. 25. Final ratings will be released in December. More information, including preliminary percentage ratings for each school, can be found on the CDE website.

Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached by email at JBartolo@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo's school performance scores show strengths, challenges