Press Release: EPSD Shows Promising Academic Improvement

Press Release

Issued: August 22, 2025

Photo caption: Superintendent Bode welcomes Kindergarten students to the District and shares guiding words for their K-12 academic journey.

Estes Park School District R-3 Shows Promising Academic Improvement 

According to state and federal laws, all Colorado school districts administer the Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) and Scholastic Assessment Test or Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT/PSAT) to students at the end of each school year to measure their progress. These assessments provide a common measure of students' academic achievement against the Colorado Academic Standards in English language arts (ELA), math, and science. In addition, multilingual learners participate in the ACCESS for English Language Learners assessment, which measures their English language acquisition and growth.

On August 21, 2025, the Colorado Department of Education publicly released school district results from assessments administered in April. Students in grades 3 through 8 took the CMAS for ELA and math. Students in grades 5, 8, and 11 took the CMAS science assessment. High school students in grades 9 and 10 took the PSAT, while grade 11 students took the SAT, assessing their proficiency in reading, writing, and math.

Superintendent Ruby Bode shared, “For the second year in a row, the results demonstrate that EPSD students are making academic growth. The most significant academic gains are in the area of math and science in grade levels 3-8, English language acquisition in grades 6-12, and in English language arts in grades 9-11. This data reinforces results from our district-level assessments given at the end of the school year. These assessments provide important information to help guide and focus our efforts as we continue to support and grow the students in our district.”

The participation of Estes Park School District (EPSD) students has increased. The overall rate of student participation in the 2025 assessments was 94.6% which is an increase from a rate of 90.4% in 2024. (Note: Colorado law allows parents to excuse their children from taking state-required tests.)

On the CMAS assessment, the overall achievement of 3rd-8th grade students in every test subject improved from the previous year.  The most significant gains were in the percentage of 5th and 8th grade students meeting or exceeding expectations, which was higher than the state average. Other areas in which the percentage of EPSD students exceeded the state average include 5th grade math, 6th grade English language arts, 8th grade math, and 8th grade language arts. At the high school level, students taking the PSAT and SAT marked an improvement in English language arts over last year, but no marked improvement in math. 

What is not immediately visible in the review of these achievement scores is the substantial academic growth our students have made. Academic achievement is a measurement based on a single point at which an assessment is taken. Academic growth refers to progress over time. EPSD students are showing continued growth especially in the areas of math and English language acquisition. On the ACCESS for English Language Learners assessment, students achieved a median growth percentile (MGP) of 54, and on the CMAS math assessment, students in grades 3-8 achieved a 57 MGP overall. Both of which surpassed the state median which is 50. The area where growth was not as significant was in English language arts, where students in grades 3-8 achieved a 49 MGP, just shy of the state median.

Academic growth was also evident on the PSAT and SAT assessment for grades 9 through 11 overall in Evidence Based Reading and Writing. Estes Park High School students achieved a 51.5 MGP, surpassing the state median. Math growth was not as significant, with students achieving a 41 MGP, which is below the state median.

Superintendent Bode states, “We have been on a clear strategic journey to improve our schools, and we are seeing results. I am proud of our students and staff, and am confident in our direction for the future.”  

Both achievement and growth measurements will determine the accreditation rating that the schools and district will receive from the Colorado Department of Education. Results are scheduled to be released publicly in September.