Announcements
DSST Posts Lowest College Remediation Rates in Denver, Among the Lowest Statewide
For Immediate Release on: February 8, 2012
Contact: Christine Nelson, christine.nelson@scienceandtech.org
DSST Posts Lowest College Remediation Rates in Denver, Among the Lowest Statewide
DENVER – The Denver School of Science and Technology (DSST) at Stapleton has the lowest college remediation rate among all public Denver high schools and the fifth lowest remediation rate of all secondary schools—public or private— in the state of Colorado. According to the “2011 Legislative Report on Remedial Education,” issued yesterday by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, only 11 percent of DSST graduates who enrolled at Colorado colleges or universities were required to take remedial coursework.
Other DSST highlights include:
· DSST: Stapleton High School had the 5th lowest college remediation rate of any private or public school in the state. Only 11 percent of graduates (or 4 students) who attended in-state schools were required to take a remedial class before earning college credit toward a degree program.
· DSST graduates a larger number of students qualifying for free and reduced priced lunch. Among schools with lower remediation rates in the state, only 11 percent of their 2010 total student populations are considered low income, compared to 44 percent of 2010 DSST Stapleton students.
· DSST: Stapleton High School has the lowest remediation rate in Denver Public Schools. On average, almost 60 percent of Denver Public Schools graduates required one or more remedial class in college.
· DSST’s low college remediation rate and high student re-enrollment rate is a very unusual combination. Students choose to stay enrolled at DSST at a rate that is the second highest among secondary schools in Denver Public Schools.
· Approximately half of DSST students attend four year college out of state. Though national data was not tracked in this report, DSST does not believe that any of these students were required to complete remedial courses.
“I am so pleased that 100 percent of our seniors earn acceptance to a four year college, but I am absolutely thrilled that they are prepared to succeed in college from day one,” said Bill Kurtz, CEO of DSST Public Schools. “Our goal is to make sure students are well prepared for life beyond high school. DSST’s low remediation rates are reassuring that we are on track to accomplishing that goal.”
About DSST Public Schools
DSST Public Schools (DSST) operates open-enrollment STEM charter schools and is part of the Denver Public Schools (DPS) district. DSST currently serves approximately 1,500 students with five schools on three campuses. DSST has been approved to open five additional schools on three campuses over the next five years. At full enrollment, DSST Public Schools will serve over 4,400 students, and will nearly double the number of four-year college-ready DPS graduates by 2020.
DSST Public Schools was founded as the Denver School of Science and Technology which opened in 2004. DSST: Stapleton serves students from all parts of Denver with a student population of 68 percent minority and 43 percent low income. At DSST’s second campus, DSST: Green Valley Ranch, opened in August, 2010, the student population is 85 percent minority and 68 percent low income. DSST opened its 3rd campus at Cole K-8 in the Whittier neighborhood in July, 2011 which serves 74 percent low income and 80 percent minority students.
DSST: Stapleton is widely considered to be one of the leading open enrollment STEM schools (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) in the U.S. DSST: Stapleton has consistently been the highest performing high school in DPS, based on growth and absolute performance. DSST: Stapleton’s first four graduating classes earned 100% acceptances into four-year colleges. DSST: Stapleton Middle School was one of six middle schools nationally to earn an EPIC award for outstanding student growth and achievement results in 2011.
Students are selected to attend DSST through a random lottery; there are no admissions criteria. Additional information about DSST Public Schools is available at www.dsstpublicschools.org.
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