A 75% score

Aspen —A 75% score. That is the number that matters, because it is only one percentage point above the 74% cutoff required to keep the Aspen School District’s “Accredited with Distinction” rating.

On paper, the district is still the best in the state. Students outperformed state averages across nearly every grade and subject. Superintendent Tharyn Mulberry called it a time to “celebrate.” But let’s do the math. In 2025, the overall score was 79.8%. This year, it dropped to 75%. That is a significant slide, and it has left the district hovering on the edge of losing its top-tier status.

The obvious take is that Aspen schools are failing. That is wrong. The reality is more nuanced and, frankly, more concerning. The problem isn’t the whole system; it’s a specific, persistent leak in the hull. Fifth-grade reading. For the fourth year in a row, less than half the class is reading at grade level. In 2026, that number was 46%, below the 50% state average. Mulberry has labeled fifth grade the “highest academic priority,” a phrase that sounds less like a plan and more like a warning label.

Middle School Principal Tom Dodd pointed to chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of the school year — as a key driver. “If they’re not here, we can’t teach them,” he said. It’s a simple truth that cuts through the bureaucratic noise. You can have the best curriculum in the world, but if the student isn’t in the room, the data won’t care.

The district is now planning a “deep dive” into both English Language Arts and math programs. Board member Christa Gieszl voiced a sentiment many locals probably share: “I just want to make sure we’re not caught with a curriculum that’s not helping them achieve the potential they have.”

So, what does this actually change for folks around here? For now, nothing dramatic. Your property taxes aren’t changing based on this score. But the pressure is real. If the district loses that distinction, it signals a broader decline in academic rigor. The district is considering curriculum changes, and Mulberry noted, “This is the time to experiment and try something different.”

That’s the bottom line. We are still the top-rated district in Colorado, but we are no longer pulling away from the pack. We are slipping, and the fifth-grade reading gap is the clearest sign that the foundation is cracking. The next test scores will tell us if the experiments work or if we’ve just lost another point.