DENVER - Today, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as The Nation’s Report Card, released their 2024 NAEP Mathematics and Reading results, providing insights into state and national student achievement. Denver Public Schools is proud to report steady NAEP performance across all four tested areas, with greater gains in fourth grade reading and mathematics than the state of Colorado.
According to NAEP, DPS remains one of the top performers among the 27 districts who participated in the 2024 Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA), which focuses on trends in urban education. The district achieved the second highest average eighth grade reading scores and the sixth highest average fourth grade reading scores amongst TUDA districts. DPS joined the group of urban districts participating in TUDA in 2017.
“The district’s strong performance on NAEP is a testament to the board, administration, and staff remaining steadfast in the pursuit of their goals for improving outcomes for all students in the district,” said Dr. Ray Hart, executive director of the Council of the Great City Schools.
The district showed increases from 2022 in both fourth and eighth grade reading, compared to statistically significant decreases in public schools nationally. Denver's mean scale score increased nominally but with greater magnitude than the national public or Colorado schools. Notably, the district's 2024 scores in three out of four tested areas are not significantly different from the 2019 pre-pandemic performance levels, compared to the national public schools report of significant decreases across all four assessments.
"The gains we've seen reflect the commitment of our entire community to educational excellence,” said DPS Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero. “We must continue to push forward, ensuring that even more of our students are equipped and on track for long-term academic success. Every step we take is a step closer to achieving the high standards we’ve set for all of our learners."
Overall 2024 NAEP data highlights for DPS:
Fourth grade students:
DPS had a nominal scale score increase in fourth grade reading between 2022 to 2024.
DPS had a nominal scale score increase in fourth grade math between 2022 to 2024.
2024 data showcases that DPS ranked eighth out of 27 among TUDA districts in fourth grade reading proficiency.
2024 data showcases that DPS ranked ninth out of 27 among TUDA districts in fourth grade math proficiency.
DPS surpassed the national rate of students at or above NAEP Proficient in fourth grade reading, increasing by 4% points from 2022 to 2024, compared to the nation and state of Colorado's 4% point decline. 2017 is when DPS joined TUDA and therefore, no results are available to compare to from previous years.
DPS fourth grade students scoring at or above NAEP Proficient in math increased 8% points since 2017.
DPS is above pre-pandemic by 1% point in both fourth grade reading and math.
Eighth grade students:
DPS had a nominal scale score increase in eighth grade reading between 2022 to 2024.
DPS eighth grade students scoring at or above NAEP Proficient in math increased 2% points from 2022 to 2024 from 22% to 24%.
In eighth grade reading proficiency, DPS ranked third out of 27 among TUDA districts, with no other TUDA districts statistically higher than DPS at 31% of scores at or above NAEP Proficient.
In eighth grade math proficiency, DPS ranked fifth out of 27 among TUDA districts.
DPS surpassed the nation in the rate of students at or above NAEP Proficient
in eighth grade reading, increasing by 2% points since 2017, compared to the nation and state of Colorado's decline of 6% points.DPS is above pre-pandemic by 2% points in eighth grade reading, compared to a decline in the national public schools mean scores over the same time period.
NAEP, first administered in 1969, is the country’s largest continuing measure of trends in academic achievement for K-12 students. Please note: NAEP proficient achievement level does not represent grade level proficiency as determined by other assessment standards, such as CMAS or SAT. to learn more about NAEP results, including those for DPS, visit https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/.