Education - K-12

Index: Education

Education - K-12

What We Measured | Highlights
Related Studies | Additional Resources

What We Measured:

Achievement

Highlights:

There was a 50.0% increase in expulsions from Larimer County schools during the 2010-11 school year over the previous school year. (Disciplinary Actions)
Larimer County public school enrollment increased by 8.3% from 2002-03 to 2011-12. Park School District enrollment fell by 16.7% during this time period, resulting in 236 fewer students. (Enrollment - Public Schools)
From 2002 to 2011, Hispanic student enrollment in Larimer County school districts increased by 61.8%. In comparison, total enrollment in Larimer County public schools increased 8.3%. (Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity)
In 2010-11, the majority of K-12 students in Larimer County were enrolled in public schools (92.0%), followed by non-public school enrollment (6.4%) and home-based schooling (1.5%). (Enrollment - Public, Home-Based & Non-Public Schools)
In 2011-12, special education students comprised 10.0% of the total student enrollment in Larimer County public schools. (Enrollment - Special Education)
For the 2010-11 school year, Park School District’s per pupil funding ($7,093) was 4.1% greater than the average for the State of Colorado ($6,813). Poudre’s per pupil funding ($6,661) was 2.3% less than the state average, and Thompson’s ($6,463) was 5.4% less than the state average. (Funding Per Pupil)
The average pupil/teacher ratio in the Larimer County School Districts increased from 16.0 in 2009-10 to 16.8 in 2010-11. (Student/Teacher Ratios)
From 2002-03 to 2011-12, Larimer County’s three school districts saw a 99.4% increase in the number of students receiving free or reduced lunches. In comparison, the number of students in Colorado receiving benefits grew by 42.4%. (Students Eligible for Free/Reduced School Lunch)
For school year 2010-11, 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 2001-02 and 2010-11 school years, average salaries in Park School District had the highest percentage increase (26%) followed by Poudre (18%) and Thompson (14%). (Teachers Salary)

Achievement

In 2010-11, all three school districts in Larimer County scored higher than the state average on all four ACT tests (English, Math, Reading and Science Reasoning). (ACT Scores)
In general, students in all three Larimer County school districts score higher on the CSAP tests than the state average. (CSAP Scores)
In 2009-10, Hispanic students comprised 16% of the student population in Larimer County; however, 30% of students dropping out that year were Hispanic. (Dropout Rates)
School districts in Larimer County had higher graduation rates than the state average for classes graduating between 2002 and 2011. Hispanic students continue to have a lower graduation rate than White students in all three Larimer County school districts. (High School Graduation Rates)

Related Studies:

Early Warning! Why Reading by the End of Third Grade Matters [pdf] (2010) - a special KIDS COUNT report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Colorado ranked 36th in the nation on the 2007 4th grade reading assessment test with a score of 187, below the Basic score of 208 and well below the Proficient score of 238.
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.
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.
2011 KIDS Count in Colorado! (August 2011) discusses the affect the Great Recession had on Colorado's children.
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: Geography 2010 [pdf] (July 2011) - according to this report, only fourth-graders throughout the country reached higher performance levels in geography in 2010 than in previous years.
The Nation's Report Card: Mathematics 2009 [pdf] (September 2009) - according to this report, only eighth-graders throughout the country reached higher performance levels in mathematics in 2009 than in previous years. In Colorado, only fourth-graders saw an improvement from 2007.
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.
Alternative Compensation [pdf] (September 2008) - this four-page document explores the possibility of changing the way teachers are compensated in Colorado.
Larimer County's School Accountability Reports are available in a searchable database at the Colorado Department of Education.
Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2010 [pdf] - 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.
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:

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