Test scores in Denver Public Schools rose significantly last year. As in DC, lots of questions about why, who gets credit, etc. and a broader question around how this impacts the teacher compensation discussions per this post.
These positive stories beg the broader question of how much incremental change–growth that outpaces every other district in the state, mind you, but growth still leaving DPS kids below proficient–should be celebrated. I’m not going to defile Michael Bennet’s Wheaties this morning though because he’s the first to ask this question even as he is rightfully praised for his vision and willingness to stick his neck out. One scary thing is that new administrations in DPS and earlier in July, DC Public Schools were able to get test score gains right out of the gate which sated the local beat writers and bought some time. Would the patience for radical reforms still be there if they didn’t get the early bounce?
–Guestblogger Kevin Huffman