Colorado's Unified Improvement Plan for Schools

Highlands Ranch High School UIP 2024-25

      
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Content


  • Document icons and definitions

  • Priority Performance Challenges
  • Root Cause
  • Major Improvement Strategies
  • Action Steps
  • Progress Monitoring
  • Trend Direction

Executive Summary


Priority Performance Challenges Root Cause Major Improvement Strategies
  • Increase Reading Achievement among Demographic Groups (IEP & MLL)
    		•
  • Lack of aligned instruction and assessment
    		•
  • Enhancing achievement using targeted literacy resources and supports
    		•
  • Decrease Course Failures
    		•
  • Emerging instructional supports and interventions
    		•
  • Implementation of levels one and two interventions
    		•


    Access the School Performance Framework here: http://www.cde.state.co.us/schoolview/performance

    Access the Literacy Curriculum Transparency Dashboard here: https://www.cde.state.co.us/code/literacycurriculumtransparency-dashboard

    Improvement Plan Information


    Additional Information about the school


    Highlands Ranch High School was the first High School in the Highlands Ranch / North Douglas County Area. It has been open for over thirty years and is a school rich with many traditions of excellence. Highlands Ranch High School celebrates diversity and equity, and is well known in the community for its high academic honors and commitment of students and staff. Highlands Ranch High School is in a suburban community with a majority of business and personal residents numbering 102,000 located approximately 20 miles south of Denver. Highlands Ranch High School has a current student enrollment of approximately 1324 students and is home to approximately 148 faculty and staff. We continue to be the most diverse high school in Douglas County School District with (35.65%) of students coming from diverse backgrounds. Although we live in an affluent area, we have (13%) percent of students who qualify for the free/reduced lunch program. Highlands Ranch High School is proud to offer Special Education programming to (15%) of our student population offering a broad range of support and executive functioning skills in addition to gifted programming for (15.5%) of our students. 


    Academic Accomplishments

    Highlands Ranch High School offers a variety of academic opportunities. We offer more than 25 Advanced Placement (AP) courses for students to earn college credit. We offer concurrent enrollment (in high school and college credit courses) in over a dozen classes including Calculus, College Trigonometry, Public Speaking, Principles of Sales and Marketing, Colorado History, Spanish and American Sign Language. Highlands Ranch High School offers more than 30 CTE classes including our Early Childhood Development, Aviation Aerospace, Graphic Design, Film Production, Tech Theater, and Project Lead the Way Engineering. Highlands Ranch High School’s CTE programs including DECA continue to be leaders in the state of Colorado and have National qualifiers every year in multiple categories. Highlands Ranch CyberPatriots consistently qualifies nationally and had an all-female ranked team highlighted on the Today Show in 2017-2018. We are proud to offer ACE, a program focused on leadership and employment, as well as Drone science and engineering programs including SweNext, a Women's Engineering Mentorship program. We are extremely proud of our cosmetology program that began in the 2021-2022 school year. In the last two years, our Cosmetology program had 72 graduates, 65 of whom are licensed with four more pending their written exam. Highlands Ranch High School prides itself on our abundant course offerings that contain academic rigor while connecting students to their interests, focusing on 21st-century skills that empower students in their college and workforce pursuits long after graduation. 


    Highlands Ranch High School continues to be nationally recognized for academics in US News Best High Schools Awards. Highlands Ranch High School is honored to be the recipient of the Colorado Department of Education’s John Irwin Award for Academic Excellence two times for Academic Achievement and received the Governor's Distinguished Improvement Award for Academic Growth. Over our 30+ years, students from Highlands Ranch High School have received the Boettcher Scholar Awards, Daniels Fund Scholarships, Coca-Cola scholarships, and many National Merit Scholar Recipients. 

    In the 2023-24 school year, HRHS had 56 AP Scholars, 24 AP Scholars with Honors, and 59 AP Scholars with Distinction and has a graduation rate of 97%.In 2022-23 HRHS had 65 AP Scholars, 25 AP Scholars with Honors, and 53 AP Scholars with Distinction and had a graduation rate of 91.3% in four years. 


    Activities Accomplishments

    Highlands Ranch hosts 50 Clubs and 11 Honor Societies. During the 30-year history of the school, there have been many students representing the organizations at the State and National Level. Over 30 students have served as State Officers or Representatives for Senate, DECA, FBLA, and FCCLA. Over 200 students have qualified for the National Thespian Convention and over 250 students qualified for All-State Band, Choir, and Orchestra. CyberPatriots have been national qualifiers 5 times. The clubs and Activities at Highlands Ranch High School strive to enrich and provide opportunities for all students, and award-winning performing arts and musical departments that continue to enhance and expand upon the talents of our students in the areas of theater, choir, piano, band, and orchestra.


    Athletic Accomplishments

    Highlands Ranch High School offers 22 sports with multiple levels and 6 additional Co-ops. Highlands Ranch High School is proud to have extremely competitive Athletic sports programs offered to connect and encourage students in their personal extra-curricular pursuits. HRHS Athletics has won 110 League Championships, 26 State Championships, and recognized 10 Gatorade Players of the Year. The dedicated coaches are some of the best in the state and the Athletic Highlands Ranch is a special place that creates a sense of belonging and pride. Highlands Ranch also continues to host Unified Sports and has 10+ student-athletes each year who participate in 3 different sports. ''My children experienced high school in totally different ways: one as an activity-based student and the other as an athlete. Each came away with incredible foundations thanks to the support, care, and love of the fabulous teachers, staff, and administration at HRHS. The opportunities provided by THE Highlands Ranch High School, including the chance for them to go outside of the United States, enriched my children's learning tremendously. They both stay in touch with a number of faculty because they were so special to them.'' - Susie Wargin, Parent.


    Data analysis is accomplished by:

    1. The leadership team reviews all data points from the previous year using the school performance framework, PSAT, SAT, NMSQT, and Advanced Placement data. The purpose of reviewing this data is to identify areas of improvement. Our School Performance Framework overall data was 73.5 in 2023.

    2. Data is shared and evaluated by department chairs and then shared with the entire staff. We celebrate success and share areas of growth.

    3. Every year we share all of the data above with our highly involved SAC to create and approve our UIP. We answer questions and ask for input and direction from the SAC members, which is a validating process.


    Review Current Performance:

    Overall we continue to be pleased with our school's performance. We continue to monitor our test participation as parent excusals continue to rise for CMAS. A celebration is our state PSAT/SAT test scores indicate our most struggling students in the does not meet expectations categories are moving closer to college readiness. This is the highest score HRHS has achieved with the SAT State Test. As mentioned above, we reviewed the following data: I-Ready, SAT, and Advanced Placement. Our area of growth continues to be with school performance framework data in the area of Reading and Writing, academic growth, and academic growth gaps. In addition, our Advanced Placement testing data was stellar: Advanced Placement Testing - 474 students took 898 tests with a 75% pass rate. We are very proud of our continued excellence with our Advanced Placement and various other programs that are so good for our students.

    Improvement Plan Information

    The school/district is submitting this improvement plan to satisfy requirements for (check all that apply):


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    Narrative on Data Analysis and Root Cause Identification


    Prior Year Targets

    Provide a summary of your progress in implementing the Major Improvement Strategies and if they had the intended effect on systems, adult actions, and student outcomes (e.g. targets).


    Based on your reflection and evaluation, provide a summary of the adjustments that you will make for this year's plan.

    Current Performance

    The identified student performance priorities at our school are to increase reading achievement among specific demographic groups and to decrease course failures. Currently, students on Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and Multilingual Learner (MLL) students in grades 9-10 are performing below expectations, with mean scale scores of 406.3 and 407.3, respectively, on the Reading and Writing section of the Colorado PSAT. These scores are in the ''Does Not Meet'' range, highlighting significant reading and writing challenges within these groups. Addressing this gap is critical as literacy skills are foundational to success across all subject areas and are essential for post-secondary readiness. By focusing on increasing reading achievement among these groups, we aim to provide targeted support that will help improve their overall academic performance and engagement.


    Additionally, decreasing course failures is a priority as it directly impacts students’ ability to stay on track for graduation. High course failure rates often indicate broader issues, such as a lack of academic support, disengagement, or unmet social-emotional needs. Reducing course failures not only supports students in achieving their credit requirements but also promotes their self-efficacy and reduces dropout risk. By prioritizing these areas, we can foster an environment that supports equitable learning opportunities and helps students build the skills they need for success during and beyond high school.

    Priority Performance Challenge and Associated Root Cause

    Priority Performance Challenge:  Increase Reading Achievement among Demographic Groups (IEP & MLL)

    Area of Focus: English/Language Arts achievement


    Root Cause: Lack of aligned instruction and assessment

    The root cause of "lack of aligned instruction and assessment" refers to a disconnect between what is being taught (instruction) and how students are evaluated (assessment). When these two elements are not aligned, several issues can arise including inconsistent learning goals, inconsistent teaching practices, and ineffective feedback.

    Root Cause Category: Instruction


    Priority Performance Challenge:  Decrease Course Failures

    Area of Focus: Student Engagement (e.g. attendance, mobility, chronic absenteeism)


    Root Cause: Emerging instructional supports and interventions

    Students may experience difficulties that lead to course failures for many different reasons. For example, students have varying abilities, backgrounds, and learning styles, necessitating tailored approaches to ensure equitable access to their education. In addition, some students may struggle with social-emotional issues or behavioral problems that hinder their learning, requiring additional support. It is also possible that external factors like socioeconomic status, family situations, or health issues can impact a student’s ability to learn, necessitating additional resources.

    Root Cause Category: Intervention Systems

    Action and Progress Monitoring Plans

    Major Improvement Strategy and Action Plan

    > >

    Enhancing achievement using targeted literacy resources and supports

    Describe the research/evidence base supporting the strategy:

    		Research by Wayman et al. (2012) emphasizes the importance of data-driven decision-making processes in schools. By analyzing student performance data, educators can make informed decisions about curriculum alignment and instructional strategies. In addition, studies show that using data from formative assessments helps educators identify student learning gaps and adjust instruction accordingly. Black and Wiliam (1998) highlighted that formative assessments can lead to increased student achievement by providing timely feedback. Numerous studies have demonstrated a positive correlation between data-informed instructional practices and student achievement. Finally, programs that incorporate data analysis in teacher professional development have been shown to improve instructional practices. A study by Penuel et al. (2017) found that teachers who engage with data collaboratively are more likely to implement effective instructional changes and our PLS builds this into the PD that she develops for our faculty.

    Strategy Category:

    		Data Analysis & Reflection Practices

    Associated Root Causes:

    Lack of aligned instruction and assessment: The root cause of "lack of aligned instruction and assessment" refers to a disconnect between what is being taught (instruction) and how students are evaluated (assessment). When these two elements are not aligned, several issues can arise including inconsistent learning goals, inconsistent teaching practices, and ineffective feedback.

    Implementation Benchmarks Associated with Major Improvement Strategy

    Benchmark Name Description Start/End/Repeats Key Personnel Status
    Improved achievement in reading and writing for students

    		Teachers particularly of sudents who are ELL or have IEPs

    Action Steps Associated with Major Improvement Strategy

    Name Description Start/End Date Resource Key Personnel Status
    a05PU000003OZ1J
    		08/19/2024
    06/06/2025     		Administration, PLS and Department Chairs
    > >

    Implementation of levels one and two interventions

    Describe the research/evidence base supporting the strategy:

    		In Douglas County, schools often implement IMTSS to provide targeted interventions based on students' needs. This might involve different tiers of support, where Tier 1 includes high-quality classroom instruction, Tier 2 offers more focused interventions, and Tier 3 provides intensive support for students who need it. Our active and extensive team at HRHS identifies or works with students who are teacher or self-identified to find systems of support that suit their specific needs to combat academic struggles. Even without the team, the school is focused on student success and tailors students' experiences and interventions to reduce our course failure number.

    Strategy Category:

    		Continuous Improvement

    Associated Root Causes:

    Emerging instructional supports and interventions: Students may experience difficulties that lead to course failures for many different reasons. For example, students have varying abilities, backgrounds, and learning styles, necessitating tailored approaches to ensure equitable access to their education. In addition, some students may struggle with social-emotional issues or behavioral problems that hinder their learning, requiring additional support. It is also possible that external factors like socioeconomic status, family situations, or health issues can impact a student’s ability to learn, necessitating additional resources.

    Implementation Benchmarks Associated with Major Improvement Strategy

    Benchmark Name Description Start/End/Repeats Key Personnel Status

    Action Steps Associated with Major Improvement Strategy

    Name Description Start/End Date Resource Key Personnel Status

    Progress Monitoring: Student Target Setting

    Priority Performance Challenge : Increase Reading Achievement among Demographic Groups (IEP & MLL)

    Performance Indicator:

    Measures / Metrics:
    ANNUAL
    PERFORMANCE
    TARGETS
    2024-2025: Both students on an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and Multilingual Learner (MLL) students in grades 9-10 to achieve an average scale score of at least 410 on the Reading and Writing section of the Colorado PSAT
    2025-2026:

    INTERIM MEASURES FOR 2024-2025:

    Priority Performance Challenge : Decrease Course Failures

    Performance Indicator:

    Measures / Metrics:
    ANNUAL
    PERFORMANCE
    TARGETS
    2024-2025: No more than 15% of the students will receive at least one failing semester grade
    2025-2026:

    INTERIM MEASURES FOR 2024-2025:

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