Montrose - Daily Press

Kati O’Hare

Daily Press Writer

MONTROSE — Montrose County School District Re-1J shared its accreditation report at Tuesday’s school board meeting and its schools will continue to be accredited by the Colorado Department of Education.

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Every year the state of Colorado accredits districts based on their Colorado Student Assessment Program test scores. The district then uses the results to evaluate what areas need improvement.

The report showed a few positive areas where the district had improved and a few that need work.

Being accredited by the Colorado Department of Education means diplomas from the schools will be accepted at Colorado higher education institutions, which Assistant Superintendent B.J. Brown said was pleasing.

He also said the district was commended for achieving 90 out of 101 goals that were submitted to the state last year.

The report found five of the seven grade levels in reading improved from 2005 to 2006, but writing and math declined respectively during the same time.

“We did not improve our CSAP scores except for reading,” Brown said.

Linda Gann, district spokeswoman, said with these results, people have to keep in mind that Montrose is a diverse community with 6,000 students, some new to the language, new to the county and others, well exposed to academics.

“It’s almost a bell shape,” she said, adding that kids fall on both sides and the district works to bring all kids to their optimal learning ability. Gann said the results of the report brought no surprises.

“The report validates what we already know,” she said.

Gann said the goal now is to look at the numbers and set goals for next year’s report.

“We need to look now and decide what goals will get us to the 2014 perfect place,” she said.

The 2014 perfect place is the year in which the state requires all students to be performing at their grade levels, as stated in the No Child Left Behind Act.

In the areas of math and reading, goals were set to improve results of students with disabilities, English Language Learners and Hispanics in most grade levels. These groups, according to the accreditation report, showed in some cases a negative change in performance over a period of years.

In the report, writing also declined from 2005 to 2006, and CDE Southwest Regional Manager Jhon Penn stated in the report, “Achievement scores need to improve.”

The report also says “improved district performance is needed” because the district made gains on nine out of the 23 CSAP assessments from 2005 to 2006.

Brown said the district is working on improving academic results by staff development and leadership training. The district has started using literacy coaches in schools, especially elementary schools, and has set a reading time each day into the curriculum, Gann said.

Brown said the district is working on a plan to train staff in continuing “instruction in reading” throughout the students’ academic career instead of using reading only as a teaching tool.

Gann said it’s important kids start learning before they enter school so they don’t start academically behind.

“Early childhood programs do help,” Gann said.

She said studies show if kids are at their grade level by third grade, they have a better rate of success in their academic career.

“If they don’t, it’s hard to catch up,” she said.

Last year the district issued pamphlets about getting ready for kindergarten. It tells parents what they can do at home with reading, spoken language, print and letters. Gann said parents also have the opportunity to participate in free testing of their child’s age-appropriate development level, called Child Find. For more information on Child Find call 249-2405.

Contact Kati O’Hare via e-mail at katio@montrosepress.com

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