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February 18, 2015 VOLU M E 5 0 | I S S UE 7 | 7 5 ¢
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More students chose District 20 schools The Choice enrollment period for District 20 ends Feb. 20 By Danny Summers
dsummers @coloradocommunitymedia.com For the next week or so, students from all over Colorado have the option of open enrollment, sometimes referred to as choice enrollment. Academy School District 20 has been hosting open houses and setting up promotions and tours through February during the choice window when parents can apply to send their students to schools other than the one in their neighborhood or district. According to data provided by District 20 public information officer Nanette Anderson for the start of the 2014-15 school year, a total of 4,468 students were choiced into District 20, while 1,217 choiced out for a net gain of 3,251 students. The highest number of students that choices in came from District 11 —1,782 students. Choice enrollment numbers do not consider students that attend private schools like St. Mary’s and Colorado Springs Christian School in Colorado Springs, or charter schools like The Classical Academy in District 20. Students choice in and out of schools for various reasons, such as academics and athletics. Approximately 300 students from District 38 attend TC in District 20.
According to Academy D-20 Superintendent Mark Hatchell, each year roughly 8 percent of D-20’s students choice in from outside the District. Students might choice in to attend elementary, middle school, or high school in any of the district’s schools. Photo by Rob Carrigan Nearby Falcon District 49 had the most students choosing in (4,658), but the second highest net gain (1,876) students. Cheyenne Mountain District 12 had the third highest net gain (1,322). According to Academy D-20 Superintendent Mark Hatch ell, each year roughly 8 percent of D-20’s students choice in from
outside the District. Another 8 percent choice within the District attending D-20 school’s other than the ones in their neighborhood. The choice enrollment window for District 20 closes on Feb. 20. Once the District determines the net gain/loss of students for the 2015-2016 school year it begins staffing
its buildings to determine how many teachers go to what building. The District notifies students by April 1 whether their application was accepted. This web site may be helpful in answering your questions about Choice Enrollment: schoolchoiceforkids.org/english. php.
District 20 is graduating most of its students on time There are currently 1,801 12th graders in District 20 POSTAL ADDRESS
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OFFICE: 325 Second Street, Suite R Monument, CO 80132 PHONE: 719-687-3006 A legal newspaper of general circulation in El Paso County, Colorado, the Tri-Lakes Tribune is published weekly on Wednesday by Colorado Community Media, 1200 E. Highway 24, Woodland Park, CO 80863. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT MONUMENT, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 DEADLINES: Display: Thurs. 11 a.m. Legal: Thurs. 11 a.m. | Classified: Mon. 10 a.m. GE T SOCIAL WITH US
P L EA SE R ECYC L E T H I S CO PY
By Danny Summers
dsummers @coloradocommunitymedia.com Academy School District 20 is the second largest district in El Paso County, slightly trailing District 11 in total number of students. But the graduation rates between the districts aren’t close, however. According to statistics provided by the Colorado Department of Education, the 2013-14 ontime graduation rate for District 20 was 89.8 percent. District 11 was 68.2 percent. While the disparity between the two districts seems rather broad, a deeper look into the numbers actually shows that District 20 had a decline of 1.6 percent on time graduates from the previous school year. District 11 actually went up 2.2 percent. Conversely, the dropout rate for District 20 was just 0.3 percent in 2013-14, down from 0.5 percent the previous year. District 11’s 2.8 percent dropout rate in 2013-14 was the worst in the County among 15 districts. District 11 also had a 2.8 percent dropout rate in 2012-13. Only Falcon District 49 (4.6 percent) had a worse dropout rate. District 20’s 0.3 percent dropout rate is tied with Lewis-Palmer District 38 for the lowest in the County. Cheyenne Mountain District 12 also had a 0.3 percent dropout rate. The dropout rate statewide is 2.4 percent. According to District 20 public information officer Nanette Anderson, data is not yet available on this year’s graduating class. District 20 is well above the statewide average (77.3 percent) for graduation rate, and well below the statewide dropout rate (2.4 percent). No information regarding the graduation or dropout rates for specific District 20 schools has been made available. There are currently 1,801 12th graders in District 20, according to Anderson. The CDE website provides detailed information regarding statewide on-time graduation rates for males and females and a breakdown by race/ ethnicity. There is also detailed information on students that need additional years to graduate. The CDE website is cde.state.co.us.
According to statistics provided by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE), the 2013-14 on-time graduation rate for District 20 was 89.8 percent. D-20 High Schools, such as Discovery Canyon Campus, are well above the statewide average (77.3 percent) for graduation rate, and well below the statewide dropout rate (2.4 percent). Photo by Rob Carrigan