District 6 reports 87.3% four-year graduation rate, outlines steps to sustain gains

Greeley Evans School District 6 officials told the school board at a work session that the district’s four‑year graduation rate reached 87.3%, above the Colorado average of 84.2%.

The figure, presented by Anthony, assistant superintendent of secondary education, came with district-by-district and student-group breakdowns showing gains across historically lower-performing cohorts and three main action steps the district plans to scale: increase engagement in career pathways and concurrent enrollment, create systematic supports including personalized graduation plans, and expand freshman transition and support programs.

Anthony said the district now counts roughly 1,300 students in concurrent enrollment and more than 80 career-pathway offerings (the presentation noted an earlier figure of “29” was updated to “80+”). He also reported roughly 130 students earned AP Scholar recognition and that the district serves more than 23,000 students. “We celebrate our graduation rate this year, which is 87.3, compared to the state average this year of 84.2,” Anthony said during the presentation.

District data shown to the board broke out subgroup results: economically disadvantaged students hit an all‑time high of 85.9% (state 76.9%); students with disabilities reached 80.4% (an increase of about 5 percentage points year over year); limited English proficient and newcomer cohorts were reported at 78.8% (compared with about 70% statewide), while students who had achieved fluent English proficiency were shown at roughly 90% on‑time graduation. The board also saw completion-rate data that aggregate on‑time graduates plus later completers; the district reported six‑ and seven‑year completion rates above 89% and 90% respectively.

Board members and presenters attributed gains to multiple initiatives: a district emphasis on co‑teaching and inclusion since about 2017, targeted supports to keep students on track, expanded before‑ and after‑school programming, and outreach to re‑enroll students who had left school. Dr. Pilch, the superintendent, described the co‑teaching model and a WestEd audit and follow‑up training (including work with consultant Richard Villa) as part of a multi‑year instructional shift that the district said produced steady gains after COVID interruptions. “It’s really been a whole system change around the teaching of English language learners and including those language learners in on‑grade‑level content,” Dr. Pilch said.

Officials noted dropout and completion nuances: the reported dropout rate was 1.9% (unchanged from the prior year), while completion figures include on‑time graduates plus those who finish in later years or via equivalent credentials; district staff emphasized they continue outreach to former students to re‑enroll and complete diplomas. Presenters said common reasons students leave school include work and limited English proficiency, and that targeted career‑and‑technical programs and family engagement have helped retention, particularly among Hispanic males.

The district also described partnerships with local postsecondary institutions. Officials said they are working with Aims Community College and the University of Northern Colorado on auto‑admission and tuition‑promise arrangements to increase transition options for graduates.

Board members asked about longitudinal tracking from middle to high school and about how the district measures which interventions produced the largest gains; presenters said the district is aligning K–12 systems (including organization and tools) and will bring additional detail in future briefings and the later business meeting. The board did not take a formal vote on these initiatives during the work session; presenters characterized the items as ongoing district strategies and next steps for implementation.