Colorado celebrates student gains in math and literacy, yet fewer than half meet rigorous standards

On Wednesday, Colorado released results from the Colorado Measures of Academic Success, PSAT and SAT tests administered to public school students across the state this past spring.

"Mathematics remains the clearest statewide bright spot, while elementary literacy results also show encouraging progress," the Colorado Department of Education stated in its press release. 

Math scores improved across most elementary and middle school grades, including for students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.

Three years ago, Gov. Jared Polis announced historic investments in K-12 math education, as students had fallen behind their grade levels on math competency during and following the pandemic.

"With Colorado's investments in math education, one could attribute these gains to these efforts. But with how much leeway districts have in implementation of these initiatives, it is difficult to fully assess the impact," said Maya Lagana, an education consultant and former director of quality assurance and accountability at Denver Public Schools.

Lagana adds, "Fewer than 4 in 10 students are doing math at grade level. When looking at FRL students, this is lower than one in five. So, while there has been improvement, it is important to continue focusing on math so that more students are mastering grade-level content."

State education leaders also highlighted improvements in the English language arts assessments. Fourth-grade ELA improved across every major racial and ethnic group, students eligible and not eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, and multilingual learners. 

During a news briefing to review the results, state leaders stressed the continuum of learning and that many students fall in the category of "approaching expectations." In fourth grade ELA, for example, fewer than half of students meet or exceed expectations, but an additional 24 percent approach expectations. They can read grade-level text, demonstrate understanding of key ideas, and use text evidence in responses. "They will be able to write in response to what they're reading, but with less sophistication than a meets or exceeds would be able to do," said Colorado Education Commissioner Susana Cordova.

"At the same time, persistent achievement gaps, declines in middle school English language arts and limited improvement in science reinforce the need to accelerate learning for students who are not yet meeting grade-level expectations," the CDE release stated.

Cordova attributed the "bright spots" to a system of supports, including quality materials, teacher training, a strong foundation, and focus on interim assessment results, which enable teachers to course correct when necessary.

"What are we getting right in sustained improvement over time at elementary school and how can we build on that for our middle school and high school students?" Cordova asked.

A focus, Cordova suggested, should be to help teachers adapt instruction for older students who haven't yet reached grade-level benchmarks. "Teachers who are not as trained in working with students who struggle with reading. I was a middle school and a high school teacher," Cordova said, "And most of your coursework to become a teacher is about teaching literature, teaching nonfiction and less about teaching phonics, or filling in the gaps when kids are struggling." 

With months left in his second and final term, Polis weighed in on the results, just weeks after rankings by U.S. News and World Report placed Colorado as number one in the nation on education. 

"Colorado is No. 1 in education because we focus on the fundamentals, invest in our students and families at a young age, and help every learner at every stage get the resources needed to succeed," Polis said. "There is not a one-size-fits-all approach to education, and by meeting students where they are at we are boosting scores across the board and showcasing the perseverance and dedication of Colorado students and educators."

Both Polis and Cordova acknowledge that Colorado's assessments are rigorous and intended to align with the National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as the Nation's Report Card, which in turn compares students in the U.S. to students internationally. In July, Polis said, "Being No. 1 in America sadly isn't good enough because other countries are outperforming us. Yes, we're No. 1 in America. We want to be No. 1 in the world and there's a lot more work to do to get there," he said.

State assessment results for the state, districts, and schools, including achievement, growth, and student group data, are available on the Colorado Department of Education website.