D11 works to combat lower math and reading scores, same trend seen throughout the state

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- In a recent study by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, Colorado has declining test scores in math and reading in 2022 compared to 2019 before the pandemic.

District 11 in Colorado Springs said they too are experiencing similar trends and are working to combat the lowering test scores.

"I think the recent report from NAEP is consistent with what we’re seeing in D11 and what many systems have seen coming out of covid is that it’s taking us longer to adjust back to this new normal," Superintendent Michael Gaal said.

Gaal said in D11 they are investing more money into getting students more face-to-face time with instructors. They are hiring tutors, both private and former teachers. Chipeta Elementary also opened a new preschool Wednesday to help get kids comfortable coming to school and learning as soon as possible.

One factor complicating the issue is that students who are on a free or reduced lunch program at school are less than half as likely to be proficient in math and English. Superintendent Gaal said D11 serves a higher percentage of those students than other districts in Colorado Springs.

"There’s no secret that dual educated and dual income family children come in sometimes with a four or five to one magnitude of the number of vocabulary words that kids understand. We have to accept that and we have to be able to build backwards to be able to equip our children to move forward," Gaal said.