DENVER -- Nearly three-fourths of Colorado's third-graders scored proficient or advanced on this year's reading achievement tests, according to results released Tuesday.

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See How One Elementary School Is Improving Its CSAP Reading Scores

There also was steady improvement among minorities, poor students and disabled students, state Education Commissioner Bill Moloney said.

"Our most vulnerable children are advancing at a faster rate than our general population," Moloney said. "In Colorado, unlike some other places, the learning gap is closing."

The Colorado Student Assessment Program scores showed 74 percent of third-graders were proficient or advanced in reading, compared with 72 percent in 2001 and 2002 and 69 percent in 2000.

"If there is one theme here, it's a theme of stability and coherence," Moloney said.

Gov. Bill Owens said that the third-grade reading scores are encouraging and show that education reforms in Colorado are working.

"The cornerstone of education is reading," said Owens. "Without a solid foundation in reading, a young person has little hope of true success in life. That's why I am very encouraged by the improvement in reading scores in some of our most challenged schools."

Fifty-nine percent of black students scored proficient or advanced this year, up from 55 percent last year and 54 percent in 2001. Among Hispanics, 56 percent of students scored in the two highest categories this year, up from 51 percent in each of the two previous years. Similar improvement was seen among Asians, Pacific Islanders and American Indians.

Among disabled students, 34 percent scored in the two highest categories this year, up from 32 percent last year and 31 percent in 2001. Fifty-eight percent of poor students scored proficient or advanced this year, up from 56 percent last year and 51 percent in 2001.

"There's nothing wrong with our kids," Moloney said. "What's different is what's put in front of them. Without the proper challenge and the proper support, it's not going to happen."

Moloney said the improvements stem from a concerted effort to improve and to ensure students perform well when tested against standards developed by teachers and school officials from around the state.

"What you concentrate on is what gets done," he said. "In every single classroom, school and district that is succeeding, we find two things: a very tight focus and high intensity. They don't do many things, but go at them with extraordinary zeal."

More than 50,000 students took the CSAP reading comprehension tests last February, where 74 percent received proficient and advanced scores. The third-grade results are used to help determine which students will be placed in literacy programs to improve their reading proficiency.

Denver Public Schools' third grade CSAP reading scores jumped five percentage points from last year, with 55 percent of third-graders scoring advanced or proficient.

Additional Info:

2003 CSAP Reading, Writing Results
Colorado Department of Education Student Assessment Page