LPS students outperform state average by double digit percentage points in English language arts, math and science; Grades 4, 5, 7 and 8 posting highest scores in the last five years  

Colorado’s school accountability system rates districts based on achievement on state literacy, math and science tests, on annual academic growth and on postsecondary readiness as measured by graduation rates, dropout rates, scores on college entrance exams and enrollment in college. (Rankings are considered preliminary at this time and will be finalized in December.)

Today, the Colorado Department of Education released statewide, district and school level results of the 2019 math, English language arts and science Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) tests. Colorado 3rd through 11th graders took these tests last spring. Performance is broken into five levels and indicates what a typical student at each level should know based on their command of grade-level content standards:

• Level 5:  Exceeded expectations
• Level 4:  Met expectations
• Level 3:  Approached expectations
• Level 2:  Partially met expectations
• Level 1:  Did not yet meet expectations

Students scoring in levels 4 and 5 are considered on track for “college and career readiness.” Students scoring in levels 1, 2 and 3 “may need additional support to be on track for college and career readiness.”

English Language Arts
Littleton Public Schools students performed well on the English language arts assessment. When looking at scores that “met or exceeded expectations”:

• LPS students overall outperformed the state average by double digit percentage points at all grade levels tested;
• Scores improved or maintained in 3 grades tested;
• In 13 of 15 elementary schools, 3rd grade scores were above the state average;
• In 11 of 15 schools elementary schools, 4th grade scores were above the state average;
• In 13 of 15 elementary schools, 5th grade scores were above the state average;
• All middle school scores at all grade levels were above the state average.
• Cohort scores follow a group of students from one year to the next. When looking at cohort scores that “met or exceeded expectations”:
• 3rd grade to 4th grade cohort scores improved from last year in 13 of 15 elementary schools;
• 4th grade to 5th grade cohort scores improved from last year in 7 of 15 elementary schools;
• 6th grade to 7th grade cohort scores improved from last year in 5 of 6 middle schools.

Mathematics
Littleton Public Schools students performed well on the mathematics assessment. When looking at scores that “met or exceeded expectations”:

• LPS students overall outperformed the state average by double digits at all grade levels tested;
• 3rd grade scores improved in 5 of 15 elementary schools. 13 of 15 schools exceeded the state average, 10 of them by double digits;
• 4th grade scores improved in 8 of 15 elementary schools. 11 of 15 schools exceeded the state average, 7 of them by double digits;
• 5th grade scores improved in 8 of 15 elementary schools, one by double digits. 10 of 15 schools’ cohorts improved. 10 exceeded the state average;
• 6th grade scores, 5 of 6 middle schools exceeded the state average, 5 of them by double digits;  
• 7th grade scores improved in 5 of 6 middle schools. All 6 middle schools exceeded the state average, 5 by double digits;
• 8th grade scores improved in all middle schools. All middle schools exceeded the state average.

Science
Littleton Public Schools students performed well on the science assessment. Students in Grades 5, 8 and 11 took the science assessment. When looking at scores that “met or exceeded expectations”:

• LPS students overall outperformed the state average by 20 or more percentage points at all grade levels tested;
• 5th grade scores in 11 of 15 elementary schools exceeded the state average, all  of them by double digits;  9 out of 15 schools increased the percentage of students who met or exceeded expectations.  
• 8th grade scores in all 6 middle schools exceeded the state average by double digits;
• 11th grade scores in all 3 high schools exceeded the state average, LPS was double digits above the state average. State law allows for parent refusals, and the 2019 Grade 11 Science assessment experienced very high numbers of parents who opted their students out.

9th grade PSAT 

• All 9th grade Evidence Based Reading Writing (EBRW) scale scores improved from last year and all were above the state average. 
• 2 of 3 high schools’ 9th grade mathematics scale scores improved from last year and all were above the state average. 
• 2 of 3 high schools’ 9th grade improved their total median scale scores and all were above state average.

10th grade PSAT

• Two out of three high schools’ 10th grade EBRW improved from last year and all were above the state average. 
• All high schools are above the state average in mathematics.  
• 2 of 3 high schools 10th grade improved their total median scores and all were above state average.

11th grade SAT

• All high schools’ EBRW scores were above the state average.
• All high schools’ math scores were above the state average.
• All high schools’ total median scale scores were above the state average.

Highest Achievement Results in LPS to Date
In addition, Littleton Public Schools students in 2019 have the highest achievement results in LPS in the last 5 years in the following areas:

• 5th grade math
• 7th grade math
• 8th grade math
• 4th English Language Arts