St. Vrain Valley School District’s four-year graduation rates surpassed the state average for 2020, increasing to close to 88% up from 83% last year.
Statewide, the class of 2020 saw the highest graduation rate — 81.9% — in a decade despite the coronavirus pandemic and the disruption it caused, according to the Colorado Department of Education.
“We know how tough the spring was for our seniors, with many not able to attend their proms or graduation ceremonies due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Katy Anthes, Colorado Education Commissioner, stated in a news release.
Over the past 10 years, SVVSD graduation rates have increased by 13.8% for all students and 30.4 % for Hispanic students, said Ann Reed, the district’s executive director of assessment.
“The dramatic increase is remarkable for all student populations, and the results are achieved by design,” she said.
Kahle Charles, SVVSD assistant superintendent, said the district has some of the most rigorous graduation requirements in the state, with 24.5 credits required to graduate, including four years of English, and three years of math, science and social studies.
“We focus on advancing student well-being, learning and success across all of our high-quality schools,” he said of what has contributed to the continuous increase in local graduation rates.
“St. Vrain offers a diverse and extensive selection of rigorous academic and co-curricular programs that provide student choice in selecting a school that best aligns with their interests and educational goals,” Charles said.
Among the high school options offered to students are instructional focus academies in aerospace and engineering, energy, biomedical sciences, business, medical and biosciences, leadership and STEM, as well as honors courses, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and dual enrollment programs that allow high school students to simultaneously earn college credits.
“We want to ignite student interest and engagement by offering high-quality, rigorous preschools, elementary schools, middle schools, and the fully online LaunchED program,” Charles said.
In addition to academics, students are encouraged to participate in arts and music programs, athletics and other activities that support the development of “well-rounded citizens who embody teamwork, leadership and strong character,” he said.
Students who have failed core courses are provided another opportunity for success through the SVVSD eCredit Recovery Program, a hybrid credit recovery program that allows students to recover credit by retaking only the concepts in which they were previously unsuccessful through a blended learning model, he said.
The vision of SVVSD is for a strong public education system that is not only preparing students for graduation success but to be successful after they graduate, Charles said.
“By providing current and future generations a strong competitive advantage, our students can achieve success in a globalized world,” he said.
In future years, Reed said the district expects the trend of increasing graduation rates to continue.
“As we have seen the graduation rates gap close, we expect the trend to continue as a result of increasing achievement, increasing participation rates in advanced coursework, increasing Advanced Placement enrollment, increasing student engagement in co-curricular activities, and increasing access to the robust focus programs across St. Vrain that propel students into college and careers,” she said.
