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Larimer and Weld counties, Colorado

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Thompson reports uneven growth in math, English language arts

·Loveland·Larimer County

From the Thompson School District Board of Education meeting of

Elementary English language arts and PSAT reading and writing improved, while secondary math materials no longer align with state standards. A curriculum pilot is underway, with a board update expected in coming months.

Thompson School District reported uneven growth in English language arts and math, along with achievement challenges for multilingual learners and students with disabilities, in its 2026 performance update.

“One of the things that was noticed is that we were not focusing on the high-leverage essential standards,” a district presenter told the board. That left critical-thinking tasks and standards out of math assessments and interventions, a lapse the presenter said the district believes contributed to its decline in math data. The district’s secondary math curriculum materials also no longer align with state standards, the presenter said.

The district’s board briefing memorandum also identified gains in elementary English language arts and on the PSAT. Third- through fifth-graders outperformed the state in English language arts, and each grade increased its share meeting or exceeding expectations from the prior year. On PSAT reading and writing, both ninth- and 10th-graders outperformed the state and increased their shares meeting or exceeding expectations. In PSAT math, ninth grade improved but was 0.5% below the state; 10th grade improved and outperformed the state.

This year, the district is focusing on essential standards to better understand what students need to learn, the presenter said. A pilot of secondary math curriculum materials is underway. The board will receive information about the pilot in the coming months, the presenter said.

More from this meeting

  1. Thompson School District Board of Education study session, Oct. 7, 2026

    Thompson district drafts five-year plan to guide learning, spending; Thompson board steers four student goals toward Oct. 21 vote; Thompson plan targets students with disabilities; staff member cites first percentile.

  2. Item 4.1Thompson district drafts five-year plan to guide learning, spending

    If approved, district leaders would set first-year priorities and develop an annual plan. The draft also calls for technology-use guidance and an audit of how much instruction time student assessments take.

  3. Item 4.2Thompson board steers four student goals toward Oct. 21 vote

    The proposed goals pair reading, writing and math benchmarks with a 15% narrowing of test-score gaps for students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, minority students, bilingual learners and students with disabilities. Workforce readiness may be considered later, after…

  4. Item 4.3Thompson plan targets students with disabilities; staff member cites first percentile

    The draft budgets in-person coaching and on-demand teacher training, with semester reviews planned over two school years. The board must approve it before submission to the state.

  5. Item 4.4Peakview principal says only 47% of students making typical growth

    The improvement plan targets classroom instruction, student reengagement and family partnerships. It lists August as a proposed start, with formal progress checks in December and May 2027.

  6. Item 4.5Thompson accountability committee has parent-representation gaps, speaker says

    The proposed roster is expected to go to the board for approval at its next meeting, with an Oct. 21 start date proposed. Recruitment remains largely word of mouth; nonvoting participants can join discussions but cannot vote.

  7. Item 4.6Thompson district proposes selling Community Connections building for Mary Blair move

    A proposed Thompson School District resolution would declare the Community Connections Building surplus and begin the sale process as the district plans to move the program to Mary Blair.

  8. Item 4.7, Item 4.8 and Item 4.9Thompson considers pregnancy, parental status in nondiscrimination policy

    The revisions would apply to students, staff and community members in district programs, with separate board votes planned on the policy and two related exhibits. Broader changes, including an appeals process, remain under review.

  9. Item 4.11 and Item 4.12Thompson proposal would allow charges for records work after first hour

    The proposal would require a district website form with details such as date ranges and search terms. The board is set to discuss the policy and a related regulation, then vote on each separately in two weeks.