West Denver Prep
Founded by: Chris Gibbons, 2004 BES Fellow
Year Opened: 2006
Location: Denver, CO
Grades Served: 6-8 (at capacity, 6-12)
Student Enrollment: 307
Website: www.westdenverprep.org
Overview
West Denver Preparatory Charter School provides a college-preparatory, middle grades option for sixth through eighth grade students in Southwest Denver. The vast majority of students in Southwest Denver, many of whom are Latino, will leave the eighth gradeseriously behind in the critical basic skills of math, reading, and writing, and enter local high schools to only continue this trend. Since the original charter proposal for West Denver Prep was approved in 2005, students in the surrounding three neighborhood middle schools have achieved among the lowest proficiency rates each year of the entire state of Colorado. In contrast, West Denver Prep has exceeded Denver Public Schools (DPS) district averages in all categories of the Colorado State Assessment Program (CSAP) during the first two years of operations, despite serving a considerably higher percentage of students who qualify for federal free or reduced lunch.
Mission Statement
Through a demanding education of high standards, structure, and accountability, West
Denver Preparatory Charter School prepares students in grades six through eight for
educational success from middle school through college.
Results
On the 2008 CSAP tests in 7th grade, West Denver Prep students were ranked first in all subject area proficiency among open enrollment Denver schools serving a similar population.
West Denver Prep’s 7th grade math CSAP scores ranked second among all Denver schools regardless of student population. 72% scored proficient or advanced, exceeding the state average by 26% and exceeding the average proficiency in such suburban districts as Cherry Creek and Douglas County.
West Denver Prep’s 7th grade students exceeded DPS average CSAP proficiency by 45% in math, 26% in writing, and 16% in reading. 6th grade students also exceeded the district proficiency average, by 21% in math, 11% in reading, and 6% in writing. These scores represented an average increase in proficiency of 25% over these same students’ scores last year in 5th grade.