Education

Index: Education

Education - K-12

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What We Measured | Highlights
Related Studies | Additional Resources

What's New (updated 7/15/09)
The Condition of Education 2009 [pdf] (June 2009) - this report, prepared by the National Center for Education Statistics, summarizes important developments and trends in education using the latest data available.

What We Measured:

Achievement

Highlights:

There was a 28% decrease in expulsions from Larimer County schools during the 2007-08 school year, whereas the number of suspensions increased by 2.5% during the same period. Some of the schools in the county adopted the state-sponsored Positive Behavior Support Initiative during the 2006-07 school year and early reports show it is having a positive affect. (Disciplinary Actions)
Larimer County public school enrollment increased by 9% from 1999-00 to 2008-09. Park School District enrollment fell by 13.2% during this time period, which was an actual drop of 180 students. (Enrollment - Public Schools)
From 2001 to 2008, Hispanic student enrollment in Larimer County school districts increased by 47%. In comparison, total enrollment in Larimer County public schools only increased 4.6%. (Enrollment - Ethnicity)
In 2008, the majority of K-12 students in Larimer County were enrolled in public schools (91.4%), followed by non-public school enrollment (7.1%) and home-based schooling (1.5%). (Enrollment - Public, Home-Based & Non-Public Schools)
In 2008, special education students comprised almost 11.1% of the total student enrollment in Larimer County public schools. (Enrollment - Special Education)
For the 2008-09 school year, Park School District's per pupil funding ($7,192) was 7.2% greater than the average for the State of Colorado ($6,682). Poudre and Thompson School Districts’ per pupil funding ($6,530) was 2.3% less than the state average. (Funding Per Pupil)
The average pupil/teacher ratio in the Larimer County School Districts decreased from 16.4 in 2007-08 to 16.2 in 2008-09. (Student/Teacher Ratios)
From 2004 to 2008, Larimer County’s three school districts averaged a 14.1% increase in the number of students qualifying for free and reduced lunches. Statewide, over the same time period, eligibility grew by about 11.5%. (Students Eligible for Free/Reduced School Lunch)
For school year 2008-09, the percentages of students from each race/ethnic group, with the exception of White, were higher than those of teachers. White teachers were overrepresented while Hispanic and Black teachers were underrepresented in relation to the number of students from each group. (Teachers - Ethnicity & Gender)
Between the 2000-01 and 2008-09 school years, average salaries in Park School District had the highest percentage increase (33%) followed by Poudre (19%) and Thompson (16%). (Teachers Salary)

Achievement

In 2008-09, all three school districts scored higher than the state average on all four tests. Thompson School District students showed the most improvement in all four areas in 2008-09. (ACT Scores)
In 2008-09, Poudre and Thompson School District students scored higher than the State in percentages of students scoring in the ‘Proficient and Advanced’ category in both Reading and Math. (CSAP Scores)
In 2007-2008, Hispanic students comprised more than 14% of the student population in Larimer County; however, nearly 29% of students dropping out that year were Hispanic. (Dropout Rates)
Larimer County School Districts had higher graduation rates than the state average from 2003-04 to 2007-08. Hispanic students continue to have a lower graduation rate than White students in all three school districts. (High School Graduation Rates)

Related Studies:

The State of Children and Youth in Larimer County (July 2009) [pdf], this report, prepared by Healthier Communities Coalition of Larimer County, offers a snapshot of how children and youth in Larimer County are doing at the beginning of the 21^st century.
According to the 2009 Kidscount in Colorado! [pdf], Larimer County youth (pg. 79) fair better than the Colorado average in the majority of categories measured, but continue to lag behind the Colorado average on measures such as mothers smoking during pregnancy and early prenatal care. (Colorado Children's Campaign, June 2009)
Full Day Kindergarten [pdf] (August 2008) - this short report, prepared by Colorado Children's Campaign, discusses the advantages to having full day kindergartens throughout Colorado.
The Nation's Report Card: Mathematics 2007 [pdf] (September 2007) - according to this report, both fourth- and eighth-graders, throughout the country, reached higher performance levels in mathematics in 2007 than in previous years. In Colorado, only eighth-graders saw an improvement from previous assessments.
Projection of Education Statistics to 2017 [pdf] (September 2008) - this publication provides projections for key education statistics including enrollment, graduates, teachers, and expenditures in elementary and secondary schools for all fifty states.
Youth on the Go: Youth Transportation Needs Within Poudre School District [pdf] (May 2007), according to this report, 20% of Poudre School District children are in need of transportation to safe activities when they are not in school.
Setting the Foundation [pdf] (March 2007) - This report explores the P-20 Educational System, which is designed to integrate learning from preschool through post-secondary education training.
Alternative Compensation [pdf] (September 2008) - this four-page document explores the possibility of changing the way teachers are compensated in Colorado.
Measuring Up 2006 [pdf] - (September 2006) A report produced by the National Center for Public Policy & Higher Education grades all 50 states in areas of performance related to higher education.
Larimer County's School Accountability Reports are available in a searchable database at the Colorado Department of Education.
The Teachability Index: Can Disadvantaged Students Learn? - (September 2004-Manhattan Institute) This working paper calculates three indexes of state educational achievement: student 'teachability', school performance, and school efficiency, or, which states get the best results for their education dollars.
Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2007 - this collaborative report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the National Center for Education Statistics examines crime occurring in schools and on the way to and from school. It presents data from the perspectives of students, teachers, principals, and the general population, using a comprehensive array of sources.
Colorado State University Research and Development Center for the Advancement of Student Learning - this site posts studies on topics related to improving the quality of education.
Poudre School District (PSD) Annual Accountability Reports - information about district-wide student achievement, graduation requirements and rates, test scores, and individual schools within the district.
Thompson School District Strategic Plan 2006 - 2011 [pdf]

Related issues within Compass:

Additional Resources:

MarcoPolo contains resources for teachers and trainers, and includes a useful calendar with historical events.
Colorado Department of Education
Colorado State University Department of Education
Estes Park School District
Federation for Children with Special Needs
Healthier Communities Coalition of Larimer County (HCC) - is a broad-based coalition of nonprofit, business, government and citizen leaders focused on improving the health and well-being of Larimer County residents.
National Center for Education Statistics
National Center for Learning Disabilities
Poudre School District
Thompson School District

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