Education - K-12

Index: Education

Education - K-12

What We Measured | Highlights
Related Studies | Additional Resources

What We Measured:

Achievement

Highlights:

There was a 41% decrease in expulsions from Larimer County schools during the 2011-12 school year over the previous school year. (Disciplinary Actions)
Larimer County public school enrollment increased by 9.2% from 2003-04 to 2012-13. Park School District enrollment fell by 16.3% during this time period, resulting in 222 fewer students. (Enrollment - Public Schools)
From Fall 2003 to Fall 2012, Hispanic student enrollment in Larimer County school districts increased by 66.9%. In comparison, total enrollment in Larimer County public schools increased 10.2%. (Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity)
In 2012-13, the majority of K-12 students in Larimer County were enrolled in public schools (91.9%), followed by non-public school enrollment (6.8%). (Enrollment - Public, Home-Based & Non-Public Schools)
In 2012-13, special education students comprised 9.6% of the total student enrollment in Larimer County public schools. (Enrollment - Special Education)
For the 2011-12 school year, Park School District’s per pupil funding ($6,950) was 7.3% greater than the average for the State of Colorado ($6,475). Poudre’s per pupil funding ($6,137) was 5.2% less than the state average, and Thompson’s ($6,142) was 5.1% 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 16.9 in 2011-12. (Student/Teacher Ratios)
From 2003-04 to 2012-13, Larimer County’s three school districts saw a 59.2% increase in the number of students receiving free or reduced lunches, compared to 42.4% statewide. More than 14,100 Larimer County students are currently receiving free or reduced school lunches. (Students Eligible for Free/Reduced School Lunch)
In 2011-12, White teachers made up 94.4% of the teacher population for the 75.0% of the White student body. In comparison, Hispanic teachers comprised 4.4% of the teacher population for the 18.0% of the Hispanic student population. (Teachers - Ethnicity & Gender)
Between the 2002-03 and 2011-12 school years, average salaries in Park School District had the highest percentage increase (17%) followed by Poudre (15%) and Thompson (11%). (Teachers Salary)

Achievement

In 2011-12, 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 2010-11, Hispanic students comprised 18% of the student population in Larimer County; however, 32% 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 2003 and 2012. 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 - this report, prepared by the National Center for Education Statistics, summarizes important developments and trends in education using the latest data available.
2012 Kids Count 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: Science 2011 - according to this report, the average eighth-grade score increased from 150 in 2009 to 152 to 2011.
The Nation's Report Card: Reading 2011 - according to this report, eighth-graders throughout the country scored 1 point higher than in 2009, and 5 points higher than in 1992.
The Nation's Report Card: Geography 2010 - 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 2011 - according to this report, both fourth- and eighth-graders throughout the country reached higher performance levels in mathematics than in previous years.
Projection of Education Statistics to 2020 - this publication provides projections for key education statistics including enrollment, graduates, teachers, and expenditures in elementary and secondary schools for all fifty states.
Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2011 - 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.

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