D51 test scores, graduation rates surpass pre-pandemic marks

Brandon Leuallen, The Business Times

Mesa County Valley School District 51 students are continuing to post strong gains in literacy, math and graduation rates, according to newly released CMAS (Colorado Measures of Academic Success) and PSAT/SAT scores for the 2024–25 school year.

Elementary students are now exceeding state averages in five of six literacy and math categories, while middle school students continue to build momentum toward state benchmarks. At the high school level, District 51 students are meeting or exceeding the state in all six literacy categories and in half of math categories on PSAT and SAT exams. Freshmen led the way, outperforming the state by 7 percent in reading and writing.

District Superintendent Brian Hill said the results mark progress in areas where the district has traditionally lagged.

“We were able to exceed the state average in five out of the six elementary CMAS categories, which is not something we’ve done before,” Hill said. “At the high school level, we were outpacing the state in nine out of 12 areas. That’s a highlight and something that we haven’t really been able to celebrate in the past.”

Hill acknowledged middle school scores continue to trail the state, even as growth is visible.

According to Hill, much of the improvement stems from early literacy investments. District 51 set benchmarks for K–3 students using DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) assessments, and last year those targets were met as students made above-average growth.

“That just means it’s building a stronger foundation for those kiddos, and as they move through our school district, ideally that’ll lead to better results down the road,” he said.

Hill credited teachers, principals and the district’s academic leadership team for unifying curriculum and training across schools.

“Having a strategic plan with clear targets has helped us move forward as a district versus in the past, when you had pockets of excellence and not everybody was doing the same thing,” Hill said.

Hill also highlighted the district’s early-release program on Fridays, which gives teachers dedicated, structured time each week for professional learning, training on new curriculum, and team-based planning.

Hill said school-level data will be available within the next week to show how individual schools performed.

Graduation rates continue to rise

The Class of 2024 graduated at 83 percent, the highest rate in district history and one point below the state average. The dropout rate is 1.8 percent, while the statewide dropout rate is 1.9 percent. 

Hill said strong academic outcomes in early grades should continue to boost graduation rates in years to come. He pointed to expanded opportunities in concurrent enrollment as a way to help more students see a pathway to their future.

Those options include taking classes directly at CMU, earning college credit through certified high school teachers, the D51 Career Center, and attending CMU Tech with daily bus service. Hill also highlighted the growing P-TECH program, which allows students to graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate’s degree while completing an industry internship.

He said these opportunities keep students engaged and on track to graduate, and the district has worked to better publicize them, because families were not always aware they existed.

“The research says that if a kid can see a path for their future, that actually helps them belong more in school,” Hill said. “Being able to expand those opportunities has helped keep kids engaged.”

Expulsions

The district is contending with a rise in expulsions, which reached 99 last year, up from 50 the year before and below 107 two years ago. The majority were related to felony assaults or dangerous weapons.

Hill said expulsions do not mean students are abandoned.

“When we expel kids, we actually enroll them in our expulsion program,” he said. “The idea is that we can help support them, so that we can ideally get them back to campus when they’re ready. They’re still getting academic instruction during that time.”

Hill said there were 99 expulsions last year out of about 20,000 students, with the largest share tied to felony assault. The district recorded 41 cases, including 22 at the high school level and 19 in middle schools.

Dangerous weapons were the next most common reason for expulsion, with 20 cases across all levels, including one in elementary. The rest of the expulsions were for other violations, and Hill noted substance-related incidents were relatively low. The district had no alcohol-related expulsions for the past two years and only six drug-related cases last year.

He said the expulsion increase reflects actual incidents and higher reporting through the Safe2Tell hotline, where students can report incidents anonymously.

“I just want folks to know we’re going to be vigilant with following through on when those things happen, that it’s going to lead to something like an expulsion, and we take it very seriously,” Hill said. “If a kid’s doing something they’re not supposed to be doing, and it violates policy and what we have as a district expectation, then it’s going to lead to an expulsion. We’re not going to try to sweep things under the rug.”

Student-age population continues to decline 

Enrollment trends pose a long-term challenge.

Preliminary enrollment reports show District 51 is down 449 students compared to the same time last year. Elementary schools account for a loss of 254 students and high schools are down 233, while middle schools gained 38 students due to a larger incoming class.

The district also reported net gains from outside sources: 87 students entering from private schools versus 41 leaving, 132 coming from homeschool versus 76 leaving, and 208 moving in from out of state compared to 211 leaving.

Hill said these numbers are unofficial and will be finalized during the state’s official October count. Still, he said the trend reflects demographics more than school choice.

The Business Times covered student-enrollment decline in depth in a Nov. 27, 2024 article. Find it online at: thebusinesstimes.com/myriad-reasons-drive-district-51s-declining-enrollment.

Historical comparison

In CMAS math, District 51 trailed the state in 2019 with 24.4 percent proficiency compared to 34.7 percent statewide. Scores dropped during the pandemic to about 22 percent in 2021, but by 2023–24 climbed to 29.1 percent, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.

In English Language Arts, proficiency stood at 36 percent in 2019 compared to 45.8 percent statewide. Scores slipped to approximately 34 percent in 2021 but improved to 39.2 percent by 2023–24, again higher than before the pandemic.

SAT results followed a similar path. The mean score was 975 in 2019, dipped to about 955-960 in 2021–22, and rebounded to 974 in 2023–24, nearly matching pre-pandemic levels.

Graduation rates also illustrate the rebound. District 51 recorded a 79.6 percent four-year rate in 2019, dipped slightly during the first pandemic year to about 78.5 percent, but then rose to 81.2 with the Class of 2024 before reaching a record 83 percent with the Class of 2025.

https://thebusinesstimes.com/d51-test-scores-graduation-rates-surpass-pre-pandemic-marks/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMlddFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETE1TVN4dWRIRWUyRm9xNGNyAR5kUQN3PsMkCr0jDRGwrgMT9--u7NiSjRGI3BIpN7obieHTPQfVP9hnd9ewyw_aem_YK0vPFgI2a2jpJ1G2u_BSw

Colorado’s Education Crisis: Broken promises and backdoor budget cuts

Gov. Jared Polis has supported HB 24-1448, the recently passed school-finance reform bill, as a historic step forward in education funding. But the reality? It still fails to address Colorado’s chronic underfunding of schools.

While the bill eliminates the Budget Stabilization Factor, it does not provide adequate funding for districts to meet the state’s own educational goals. Still, it was undoubtedly a step in the right direction. The new formula prioritizes student characteristics to allocate funds more equitably. Specifically, it increases funding weights for students who are at-risk, English Language Learners and those receiving special education services.

School District 51 supported HB 24-1448 under the explicit promise that it would include hold-harmless protections and enrollment averaging. Without these protections, we knew the financial impact would be severe. If D51 was forced to eliminate enrollment averaging today, we would face a $9 million shortfall. Coupled with ongoing declining enrollment, this creates a significant financial challenge for our district.

For the first time in 2024, the Colorado Adequacy Study was state-funded, and what did it find? Colorado is underfunding K-12 education by $4.1 billion, with an average per-student funding gap of $4,600. Colorado ranks 35th in the nation for per-pupil funding, and D51 ranks 174th out of 178 districts.

Rather than following through on his promise, Governor Polis is breaking it and using the elimination of averaging as a “backdoor” Budget Stabilization Factor. Instead of being transparent about his budget priorities, he is cutting school funding through a technical maneuver that achieves the same effect as the old Budget Stabilization Factor – just with a different name.

Fallout of Eliminating Enrollment Averaging

Removing enrollment averaging without a transition plan forces districts into immediate financial turmoil. Schools are expected to suddenly adjust to new funding models without time or resources to make responsible financial decisions.

Polis is now attempting to spin this as fiscal responsibility, claiming he is protecting taxpayer dollars by eliminating funding for so-called “phantom students.” The reality? His approach is neither fair nor well-planned.

The long-standing practice of enrollment averaging has provided funding stability for districts facing fluctuating student populations. Most districts, from liberal urban areas to conservative rural communities, rely on it to maintain financial stability. This isn’t a partisan issue.

As a member of the Executive Board of the Colorado Association of School Boards, the Legislative Resolution Committee and a local school board, I have seen widespread frustration across the state. Instead of working with school leaders to create a transition plan, Polis has pulled the rug out from under us.

If the governor truly wants to be fiscally responsible in the short term, he should eliminate special-interest projects and refocus state priorities on essential governance, including education, safety, security and transportation, not shift the burden onto schools.

The Impact on District 51

If Gov. Polis does not follow through with the way HB24-1448 was intended, the consequences will be devastating for school districts across Colorado. In D51, the impact will be severe. Even a slight change to the averaging formula will create financial instability. If Polis eliminates it entirely, we must brace for a funding crisis that could jeopardize the progress we’ve made over the last four years:

• Increased teacher pay.

• Built financial reserves.

• Improved educational outcomes.

D51 has been fiscally responsible while prioritizing students and teachers.

Colorado Must Reprioritize Its Budget

The state cannot continue shortchanging school districts while funneling money into pet projects that do little to serve students, teachers or communities.

For perspective:

• 2005: The entire Colorado state budget was $6 billion.

• 2025: The budget is now $32 billion, a 433 percent increase.

• Meanwhile, Colorado’s population has only grown by 28 percent.

Compare that to D51’s budget:

• 2005: $112.5 million.

• 2025: $249 million, a 121 percent increase, while the state’s budget has grown four times faster.

The numbers speak for themselves. The state has dramatically increased spending, but education funding has not kept pace.

No More Games – Make a Real Plan

While I agree that funding should not go to phantom students, districts need time to plan. It is disingenuous to suddenly claim fiscal conservatism while the broader budget tells a very different story. If the governor truly wants responsible spending, he should start by cutting wasteful special-interest projects, not balancing the budget on the backs of students and teachers. Education. Safety. Security. Transportation. These are the core priorities Colorado must focus on.

Balancing the budget at the expense of students and teachers is not leadership. It’s a betrayal of Colorado’s future.

Andrea Haitz is president of the Mesa County Valley School District 51 Board of Education

D51 board approves pay raise, salary structure shift for teachers

Grand Junction Daily Sentinel | May 25, 2023| NATHAN DEAL

A pay raise is coming for Mesa County Valley School District 51 teachers.

The teacher pay increase will start next semester thanks to a return to the “steps and lane” structure of payment that rewards educators for continuing their own education and for building experience.

The District 51 Board of Education unanimously voted to ratify the new contract at its meeting Tuesday evening at R-5 High School. The contract was the result of this year’s negotiations between district administration and the Mesa Valley Education Association (MVEA).

The starting base teacher salary will be around $47,000 — a nearly $10,000 increase from just a few years ago. Teachers with a master’s degree will earn close to $51,000 to start their D51 tenures. Any teacher with a doctorate will receive a starting salary of just over $60,000.

“We’re also planning on moving back to a ‘steps and lanes’ structure that monetarily rewards our hard-working teachers and MVEA staff for continuing their education to be better equipped to teach our students, so that’s a good move we’ll be making, as well,” said D51 Superintendent Brian Hill. “Staff across our system will be eligible for a little over 7% of a cost-of-living adjustment plus an annual step increase if available. We’ll soon approve a budget that continues to prioritize fiscal responsibility while taking care of our hard-working staff.”

“I think what we’ve done really well this year is getting away from this system of pay that we’ve used in our district for the last eight years. The problem with the old system is it just didn’t incentive educators,” added MVEA President Tim Couch.

“We’re educators. We should value education. The old pay system did not value education. If you had a master’s or a PhD, it didn’t matter. Your pay was still low…. We’ve talked to members that have come to us and said, ‘Thank you. I was going to leave the school district. Going back to steps and lanes with my degree and everything I have, I’ll be able to stay because I’ll finally be making enough money.’”

The boost in teacher salaries is also the result of increased funding for schools statewide through the Public School Finance Act of 2023. District 51, like all other districts in Colorado, is set to receive a greater total of funding from that policy than in years past. The district is going to receive $203.4 million in those funds, a $14.8 million increase from last year, as well as $4.6 million in separate universal preschool funding.

Hill has made it clear in the past that increasing teachers’ pay would be the top priority for how to manage those monies.

“This will make us more competitive in recruiting and retaining teachers, especially since we know all other school districts in Colorado are going to receive additional funding like we did and they’re going to use that to raise their staff pay as well, so we have to continue to prioritize that with our dollars,” Hill said.

Couch said that, in future negotiations, beyond further pay raises for teachers in order to provide salaries more competitive with other school districts in the state, priorities will include better working conditions, better benefits and a structure that will allow teachers and the district to work together to solve some of the most pressing issues plaguing classrooms and hallways.

“We always have work to do, and it’s not just the district. Educators have work to do; we know that,” Couch said. “We have discipline issues. We need to be really focused on what discipline in our schools looks like and that it’s consistent across the district. We have a discipline matrix; we just need to get some teams together to work on that and make sure we’re consistent. Students do better when they have consistency, and that includes in discipline.”

This year’s negotiations included Couch and other MVEA leaders, Hill, the district’s leadership, and the district’s designated outside counsel, David Price. Board of Education members did not sit in on this year’s meetings, collectively citing their status as a decision-making body and not a negotiating one. Board President Andrea Haitz said the board actually got more clarity on the process by not sitting in on the meetings directly and receiving details from legal counsel and district leaders.

“It was beneficial from a board member’s standpoint,” Haitz said.

Couch disagreed with that assessment, but he also said the lack of the board’s presence wasn’t “debilitating” to negotiations and that the discussions ultimately arrived where they likely would have whether board members were there or not.

“I think the process worked for the way it was set up,” Couch said. “I don’t think it was the best process. I think getting away from having the board at the table is detrimental to the understanding of everybody and the ability to communicate and collaborate together. I think the system this year worked; I just don’t think it’s the best system and we should always try to have the most efficient, most effective system when we’re talking about large amounts of money and the way we run our schools. I think the school board should be involved in those discussions.”

Parents’ voices should be welcome at school board

Grand Junction Daily Sentinel | October 29, 2021| Andrea Haitz

Most of us have heard the news that the National School Board Association sent a letter to the Biden Administration asking the Department of Justice and FBI to investigate and crackdown on “threats of violence and acts of intimidation” at local school board meetings. The letter was quickly published in the press and obvious outrage ensued.

As of Monday, more than 20 school boards have distanced themselves from NSBA triggering a letter of apology from NSBA. The letter states, “there was no justification for some of the language included in the letter. We should have had a better process in place to allow for consultation on a communication of this significance. We apologize also for the strain and stress this situation has caused you and your organizations.”

The letter goes on to state, “As we’ve reiterated since the letter was sent, we deeply value not only the work of local school boards that make important contributions within our communities, but also the voices of parents, who should and must continue to be heard when it comes to decisions about their children’s education, health and safety.”

The letter, the backlash and NSBA’s response bring up an important conversation about discourse in the “public square” and the fortitude of elected servants. School board meetings have been largely unattended by parents and rather boring until recently, according to District 51 Board President Tom Parrish. But that has all changed as parents are becoming more aware of divisive ideologies, hyper-sexualized curricula and gender confusion creeping into our schools. This has led to anger, frustration and a much more vocal outpouring to school board meetings.

I would have to agree with the Hon. Bob Schaffer, former U.S. House Representative, and current headmaster at Liberty Common High School in Fort Collins, who was recently interviewed on 1310 KFKA’s Mornings with Gail.

Concerning the public square and discourse, disagreeing with those elected, sometimes quite vociferously, is not only protected speech, but appropriate when those we elect fail to represent the interest of their constituents. In this case, parents and other stakeholders.

While threats of violence are never acceptable at school board meetings, upset and vocal parents should never be categorized as “domestic terrorists.” If there is ever an issue, it should be dealt with on a local level with local law enforcement and not by the federal government.

As Schaffer frankly stated, “we need to stop electing wimps.” Heated debate and public outcry have always been an aspect of elected office and sometimes that outcry, especially from parents concerning their child’s education, can be quite vociferous. Those running for elected office need to have a backbone. And to the extent that they can’t handle it, a resignation is appropriate.

Parents are frustrated and need to be heard, more now than ever. Our local school board, after a loud and vocal school board meeting, unanimously voted to limit public input. A sitting board member describing the Aug. 17 board meeting as a “despicable display” by parents, obviously is out of touch with the concerns and frustrations of parents. He went on to say that he “felt” threatened, even though no one threatened him.

I was at this board meeting, as were half a dozen guards and police officers. Nobody was threatened nor was there any violence. Just upset parents. My opponent described the event in a recent article in The Daily Sentinel and her disgust in the lack of civility by these parents. She describes being escorted to her car, along with the other board members by security; escorted through an empty parking lot as they sneaked out the back door and left us, parents, in the board room wondering where they went.

There is no doubt serving on the board of education is a thankless job. It may even be uncomfortable. But this doesn’t warrant violating the public trust. Parents are the primary stakeholder in their child’s education and to the extent the board of education is failing their students, things will get heated in the public square. As well it should. We need new, bold leadership on the board of education. One with a spine, and thick skin, willing to listen to parents even when it’s uncomfortable. Our kids deserve it. Our parents deserve it.

Andrea Haitz is a Grand Junction native, a mom and a business owner who is concerned about our community and kids.

Some District 51 parents, students voice opposition to any mask requirements in schools

By Tom Ferguson | NBC 11 News

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - Mesa County Valley School District 51 parents and student turned up in droves to Tuesday’s school board meeting. The board discussed the safety plan for the upcoming school year. That plan includes mask policies among others for faculty, staff, and students. Safety plan policies are subject to change according to circumstances, said the district.

District 51 is not requiring mask-wearing regardless of vaccination status at this time, nor is there any COVID-19 vaccine requirement. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending anyone aged two years and up and not vaccinated against the coronavirus to wear masks indoors and in crowded settings in its most recent guidance on the topic. Many at the meeting were wondering what direction the board will go in based off the new guidance.

According to Daniel Vaden, “Many of us are here today because we believe in medical freedom and the right to choose.” Concerned citizens showed up to make their voices heard, and to hear what the school boar is thinking. District 51 teacher Jen Schumann explained her view. “I’m here as a concerned teacher. I believe that it is a moral and ethical obligation to stand up on behalf of youth against any further COVID mandates that impact their ability to breathe.”

Many who showed up on Tuesday evening, both parents and students, are done with masks. District 51 student Charlotte Kristy said that, “It’s been really hard because I’m not able to show how I feel. Like I might be happy or like sad or really confused, and the teacher won’t be able to understand the question that I’m asking.”

The major theme from today’s gathering at the school board meeting: choice when it comes to wearing a mask. Andrea Haitz, who is running to represent District C on the school board, expressed that, “It’s not the government’s job to mandate masks and vaccines. That’s a very personal choice that parents need to have with their healthcare provider, and so we’re just here to see what the board has to say and be here to help support the parents.” Angela Lema, who is running for District E for the school board, agrees. “The most important thing are that parents and the kids get to decide these things, whether it’s masking or [getting vaccinated], we just want to make sure that they’re the ones in charge.”

No votes or final decisions were made Tuesday evening on the issue. There was no public comment period either, but the signs many people were holding read out their stances loud and clear.

Haitz announces candidacy for school board

SENTINEL STAFF | Jul 3, 2021

With two seats up for re-election and one coming open due to term limits, the Mesa County Valley School District 51 will have at least one new face on its board of education.

One candidate officially announced her candidacy for the board in the upcoming November election.

Andrea Haitz, 51, a native of Grand Junction announced that she will run for the school board in District C.

The seat in District C is currently occupied by Trish Mahre.

In her press release, Haitz said she’s a mother of three, and former chairperson for District 51’s Public Charter Juniper Ridge Community School.

“As a mother of three, I am personally invested in a strong education system for my kids and yours,” Haitz said in the release.

Haitz said her goal is to put the focus on students.

“Politics over the years has divided the classroom putting students last," she said. “We need real world experience on the School Board. I will bring that real world experience and help bring our schools to the top not just for students but for teachers as well.”

Hatiz, who graduated from Central High School, also served on the Grand Junction Area Realtor Association Board of Directors and currently serves on the city of Grand Junction Planning Commission.

Haitz’s campaign website is www.Andrea4Kids.com. 

The District E seat, which Amy Davis currently holds, is up for re-election, and Tom Parrish is term limited in District D.