Thursday Churn: Good at math?

UpdatedDenver Public Schools is looking for 75 math tutors to help students in seven schools improve their math performance.

The initiative is part of the district’s turnaround plan in Far Northeast Denver. The math tutors, or fellows, will serve one-year fellowships with DPS and receive intensive summer training and ongoing professional development from Boston-based Blueprint Schools Network, a turnaround partner.

Students in grades 4, 6 and 9 are slated to receive daily, small-group tutoring in an attempt to ensure they make more than one year’s worth of growth in math in 2012-13. The initiative aims to add 50 minutes of math help every day.

The district began the tutoring effort this year and says 30 percent of students have moved a proficiency level in math in six months. Learn more.

What’s churning:

Ten Colorado high schools will participate in the 2012-13 inaugural year of a state program to improve college readiness.

The schools, located across the state, were named Wednesday as participants in the Colorado Legacy Schools Initiative, which will focus on dramatically improving the number and diversity of students who enroll in Advanced Placement coursework and receive qualifying scores on their exams.

The initiative is funded through a $10.5 million investment from the National Math and Science Initiative. It will include teacher training and incentives for students and teachers.

The ten schools – Abraham Lincoln High School in Denver, Northglenn High School, Aurora Central High School, Arvada High School, Centennial High School in Pueblo, Central High School in Grand Junction, Fruita Monument High School, Grand Junction High School, James Irwin Charter High School in Colorado Springs and Vista Ridge High School, also in Colorado Springs.

“Recruiting and supporting students from all walks of live in rigorous, college-level coursework is a proven method to help close the achievement gap,” Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia said in a press release.

The program is based on the Advanced Training and Incentive Program, which supporters say has an “unprecedented track record” in increasing college readiness.

“This program gets results and it gets results for kids that too often don’t pursue or are not encouraged to pursue advanced classes,” said Helayne Jones, president of the Colorado Legacy Foundation.

Ten more schools will be selected for the 2013-14 school year, and another ten schools will be chosen in 2014-15, for a total of thirty participating schools.

Douglas County school district and teachers’ union leaders on Wednesday held their second day of public negotiations on a 2012-13 contract. Some progress was made, according to Dougco officials. You can read a brief update and hear audio of the discussions here.

What’s on tap today:

Aurora Public Schools is hosting a Pathway to Results celebration at 9:30 a.m. that highlights the district’s unique P-20 programs. Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia is expected among the guests for what’s described as a demonstration of how Aurora’s Academic and Career Pathways are impacting student achievement. Students will provide hands-on demonstrations and there will be a simulated hospital room, a 21st century classroom and anatomy sculptures molded from clay. It’s all at 15771 E. First Ave. in Aurora.

Jefferson County school board members meet for a study session at 5 p.m. at district headquarters, 1829 Denver West Drive in Golden. The agenda includes a discussion with Edgewater city leaders and a legislative update.

Good reads from elsewhere:

Stolen tests: Cherry Creek School District officials say they’ve recovered ACT and Advanced Placement tests stolen Sunday from the basement of a building at the Cherry Creek High School campus. The theft prompted the school to cancel ACT testing for students this week – but they still have to take the test on the statewide make-up day. 9News has the story.

Neighborhood charters: Some Washington, D.C. leaders are intrigued by charter schools with attendance boundaries, like some charters in Chicago and Denver, where examples include West Denver Prep at Lake. The Washington Post‘s Bill Turque says the idea isn’t popular with “charter purists.”

The EdNews’ Churn is a daily roundup of briefs, notes and meetings in the world of Colorado education. To submit an item for consideration in this listing, please email us at EdNews@EdNewsColorado.org.