Posted 2 months, 15 days ago in 
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Perhaps The Daily Sentinel has cutback and no longer employs an investigative reporter. If it did, articles about our school district might answer these questions:
How has the population changed since the 2004 bond issue passed? How do graduation rates and test scores correlate with this population growth? How do students who start kindergarten in our school district and attend two, three or four schools before their first CSAP test in third grade affect a school’s score? What is the difference of scores between students who have transferred into our district and the ones who grow up in this district? How do our district’s test scores relate to other districts’ in relation to per-student funding?
There are many difficult questions to answer, but the district, from the top down, is working hard to find answers. The new reading framework improves instruction and provides better support for students who are identified as reading below grade level. As a third-grade teacher in this district, I know we are finding answers to some of these questions and I am excited for the opportunities these answers offer my students next year.
The Sentinel editorial said no new money should be spent to build new schools until the district can tell how the money will increase student learning. Studies show that smaller student populations in schools support higher graduation rates, fewer discipline problems, a more challenging education, greater satisfaction for families, students, and teachers, a safer environment and — you guessed it — higher achievement.
As citizens, we can’t be educated by “sound bites,” written to grab our attention. If we have concerns, we must do research, go to meetings and ask questions until we understand the issues. We owe it to our city and its children to make educated decisions.
KEVIN HARDY
Grand Junction
3 Responses to “Research is needed on school district”
Posted May 9th, 2008 at 11:49 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
Would the letter writer entertain the concept of returning to a ‘one room school’ system?
Each neighborhood would have it’s own K-12 school, with advanced studies for the older students taken care of in ‘regional area’ schools.
The older students would help teach the younger students while the teacher is occupied teaching specific subjects to the appropriate level students.
this would increase the cohesiveness of the population, as well as give each person pride in helping a young person to learn, grow, and mature.
The parents would be more inclined to participate and attend classes as an assistant teacher.
The only downside would be the possibility that the parents may put a stop to the political, moral, and religious indoctrination of their children which are in contrast to the parents belief system.
Accountability to the parents? WHAT A CONCEPT.
Posted May 9th, 2008 at 8:16 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
Actually the data on high school directly contradicts the writer. The largest percentage number of high school rated “excellent” by the State of Colorado, and the largest percentage of high school rated “significant improvement” have 1700 to 2000 students. The numbers are not even close with any other student-sized high school.
I wonder what size out current school board is going to build in its new schools? Hint until recently the district did not have a single high school over 1700 students. It also did not have an “excellent” or “signifcant improvement” in any of its high schools. I’m sure that is just coincidence—-NOT.
Posted May 9th, 2008 at 9:51 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
To answer the author’s question, none of our local media has anyone assigned to investigative reporting. The reason is simple, the financial health of the media depends on revenue derived from advertising, which could be jeopardized if they dig too deeply into the community’s “sacred cows” - District 51 being near the top of the list, along with St. Mary’s Hospital, Hilltop, Rocky Mountain Healthcare, or any business owned or managed by a member of the Bookcliff Country Club. It’s all about the money.
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