RBC | Last week the Colorado Department of Education released the spring 2018 school testing results. Elementary students in third through fifth grades and all middle school students took the Colorado Measures of Academic Success test which reports back on English language arts, math and science. High school students participated in the PSAT and SAT tests.
We have compiled the data by subject for the Meeker schools (Meeker Elementary—MES, Barone Middle—BMS, Meeker High—MHS) and Rangely schools (Parkview Elementary—PVE, Rangely Junior High—RJS, Rangely High—RHS) as well as compared those scores to the statewide average. The numbers listed represent the percentage of students in those schools who received a score of Met or Exceeded Expectations. The remainder of students tested below standards.
English
Language Arts
Elementary
PVE—32.6%
MES—49%
State—44.6%
Middle School
RJS—44.6%
BMS—46.2%
State—44.4%
Meeker Elementary scores reflect an upwards trend from the previous year, while Parkview lost ground.
Rangely Junior High grew by 13 points as compared to 2017, however Barone went down by more than seven points.
Math
Elementary
PVE—32.9%
MES—49%
State—36.2%
Middle School
RJS—21.7%
BMS—45.5%
State—29.1%
Both schools saw a slight upward trend from 2017.
Rangely Junior High experienced a nine point growth while Barone’s scores were stagnant.
Science
Elementary
PVE—35.3%
MES—35%
State—35.5%
Middle School
RJS—15.5%
BMS—27.9%
State—31.2%
Middle school science was the worst performing area for both districts.
High School SAT
Ninth through 11th graders took grade level SAT tests. Below is a grade by grade comparison of Rangely High School (RHS), Meeker High School (MHS) and the state average composite scores.
11th Grade
RHS—975
MHS—1010
State—1014
10th Grade
RHS—938
MHS—975
State—944
Ninth Grade
RHS—834
MHS—950
State—902
SCHOOL FUNDING
Colorado public schools receive funding from the state on a per pupil basis. Additionally individual districts have a variety of mill levies. According to the Colorado Department of Education’s website, Meeker schools are 78 percent locally funded, receiving more than $6 million in mill levy funds in 2017 while Rangely schools are only 56 percent locally funded, pulling in $3.78 million mill levy funds in 2017.
These numbers do not include the mill levies Rangely voters approved last fall which should provide approximately another $640,000. The Meeker district serves more children with 745 students enrolled in 2017 while Rangely had 536 students across the district that year.
Average Amount Spent Annually Per Student
Rangely—$11,963
Meeker—$9,891
State—$10,196
By Jen Hill | [email protected]
