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Carbondale Community School proud of CSAP results

Carrie Click
Post Independent Staff

Leslie Emerson, principal at Carbondale Community School, wishes her school could be included in the Colorado Student Assessment Program test results.

“I’m sorry that CCS third-grade reading scores weren’t reported,” Emerson said of newly released information on reading tests from the Colorado Department of Education. The CDE has been giving CSAP reading tests to third-grade students throughout the state since 1998.

Emerson said Carbondale Community School students performed very well – better overall than third-graders in the other elementary schools in Garfield County.



“We’re at 86 percent of reading proficiently and reading above proficiency,” Emerson said. “That’s above the district average.”

For at or above proficiency in reading, third-graders at Roaring Fork Re-1’s other schools scored at 70 percent at Basalt Elementary School, 38 percent at Carbondale Elementary School, 80 percent at Sopris Elementary School, and 75 percent at Glenwood Springs Elementary School.



Statewide, 74 percent of third-graders scored at the proficient or advanced reading level.

Re-1 has five, not just four, elementary schools within the district. But Carbondale Community School’s results weren’t included in CSAP results.

David Bahna, supervisor of test assessment with the Colorado Department of Education, said it’s not because CCS is a charter school.

“We do not report test score percentages for any school that has under 16 students per grade,” Bahna said. “It has to do with anonymity and confidentiality.”

Because the third-grade class at CCS only has 14 students, the CDE didn’t report the school’s test results in its findings, nor did Roaring Fork School District Re-1 superintendent Fred Wall include them in a press release regarding the scores last week.

Even still, Bahna said Carbondale Community School’s scores were weighted and factored into Re-1’s districtwide average, which was reported at 66 percent between all five schools.

Both CSAP’s third-grade reading report and Re-1’s report listed specific school scores, minus the Carbondale Community School.

Wall’s report went further, breaking down the district’s scores between Latino and Anglo children, which illustrated the difficulties in testing children who are just learning English, and may be just learning how to read and write in their native language.

Emerson said she realizes CCS’ scores might be higher because out of 14 students, the third-grade has only one student who is an English language learner and one child who is a special needs student.

“Diversity is an issue in Carbondale, and it’s a real challenge,” she said. Emerson said CCS has a full-time ELL teacher, and she’s anticipating more diversity next year, since CCS has been reaching out to the Latino community.

However, the language issue isn’t the only reason for CCS’ strong scores. Emerson also said the school’s small class size and attention to individual students plays a part in reading and comprehension skills. She said it’s unfortunate the school can’t be acknowledged in state or district reports for those attributes.

“We’re pleased with our scores,” Emerson said, “especially with our small class size and diversity.”

Contact Carrie Click: 945-8515, ext. 518

cclick@postindependent.com


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