The Woodland Park School District already has reasons for cheer early into this fall.

According to state data released last week, Woodland Park RE-2 recorded massive improvements in its Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) test scores across the board from last year.

Across the district’s five public schools and one charter, composite score increases ranged from 6 percent (Woodland Park Middle School) to nearly 22 percent (Summit Elementary School).

The district itself scored a composite score of 73.8% and was awarded a Distinction rating for elementary and middle school performance. This year’s results follow one that landed them in the middle of the pack of all Colorado school districts.

The state data calculated by the Gazette indicated that the district saw the fourth most improvement and ranked 29th out of the 169 districts with sufficient data in Colorado.

“This academic leap forward is a testament to the resilience and determination of our students and staff,” RE-2 Superintendent Ken Witt said in a statement.

“We have been laser-focused on academic excellence, and exceeding the state averages in both math and English reflects our commitment to continuous improvement and the effectiveness of new initiatives, preparing our students for future success.”

Cripple Creek-Victor RE-1 ranked 155th in the state with 24% and 11.5% of its students meeting or exceeding ELA and math expectations respectively.

CMAS annually tests students in grades 3-8 for math and English Language Arts (ELA) annually, and fifth, eighth and 11th grade students for science. High School students take the SAT and PSAT college-readiness exams administered by the College Board.

This year’s average scores for ELA and math statewide were 44.1% and 34.2% respectively. Every school in the district except Gateway Elementary exceeded these scores, who scored 28.8% in math and 35.4% in ELA.

The district’s highest performing school was Merit Academy, ranking 301 in the state out of 1,389, followed by Summit Elementary at 406. Merit Academy ranked {span}560 for the 2022-23 schoolyear.

The vast improvements made during the 2023-24 schoolyear come following a year that saw massive instructional changes and dispute in the district.

Since Witt became the district’s superintendent in Jan. 2023, administration approved the American Birthright Standard, {span}a social studies curriculum standard developed by a conservative coalition that’s been met with some local backlash, imposed a so-called employee gag order against the district’s teachers and opted not to reapply for $1.5 million in mental health service grants.

Among the changes taking effect this year are a cell phone ban in classrooms, the closure of Gateway Elementary and the relocation of the district’s middle school students to its high school.

“We’re incredibly proud of the progress made, and these results underscore the importance of the educational direction this board has set,” RE-2 Board of Education President Mick Bates said.

“We are committed to providing the best possible education for our students, and will continue to support initiatives that drive academic success, ensuring every student in WPSD has the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

Gazette contributor Evan Wyloge provided the data analysis of Colorado Measures of Academic Success test scores.