ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Parth was elected to the District 11 School Board in 2019. In his four years on the Board, he has served as the Treasurer (2019-21) and the President (2021-Present). Parth holds himself accountable for his words and actions, ensuring the collective work of the Board delivers measurable outcomes that benefits the entire D11 community.
In December 2021, soon after being elected to serve as the President, Parth collaboratively worked with board members in developing the current Board Priorities, centered around Student Success, Staff Investment, and Community Engagement. Highlighted are some key district and personal accomplishments during his tenure as the Board President.
STUDENT SUCCESS
- The overall ranking of District 11 in the state of Colorado has improved from 158th in the state in 2021 to 79th this year, in terms of percentage of students who met or exceeded grade-level expectations in math and English.
- The 15 schools that were on the state watch list (Turnaround & Priority Improvement) at the end of 2021-22 academic year have been reduced to 8.
- Beginning in 2023, D11 has expanded its pre-K offerings with over 1,200 seats in 42 pre-K classrooms, the highest in El Paso county.
- Increased opportunities for high school students to find their excellence through experience at significant cost savings to families. Students earned over 630 college credits and 130 industry certifications last year.
- Free after-school enrichment opportunities at 10 school sites to support working families.
- Thirty minutes added in 2022 to the instructional learning day at elementary schools to address pandemic learning loss.
- Beginning in the 2023 academic year, D11 offers personalized academic pathways including Visual and Performing Arts (Columbia and Martinez), STEM (Bristol and McAuliffe), IB (Steele), and Outdoor Education (Howbert).
- Di11 now has the Mitchell Promise – a 100% tuition match for Mitchell High School graduates – to attend a two-year college program at Pikes Peak State College.
- Doherty and Coronado High Schools will have state-of-the-art track & field facilities in 2023. Mitchell and Palmer in upcoming years.
STAFF INVESTMENT
- Historic pay raises for all three employee groups in consecutive years to attract and retain quality staff.
- Certified teacher salary starts at $50,000, one of the highest in the Pikes Peak region.
- Better healthcare plan with increased benefits at lower overall costs for all staff.
- Two additional paid professional development days added to the calendar.
- D11 has now started investing in teacher and leadership pipelines to develop talent.
- Elevate supports for delivering Best First Instruction (BFI) in every single classroom.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
- Prompt and direct communications from the Board to stakeholders through newsletters to build trust and transparency.
- Regular school visits from board members to build authentic relationships.
- Periodic townhall meetings to solicit community input on key issues.
- Parent Partnership is a foundational board policy that recognizes parental authority and the importance of parental involvement in schools.
- Parents now have a clear voice and choice in their child’s education.
- Periodic staff, parent, and student surveys to deliver on the promise of supportive and improved culture and climate in schools.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Update on District 11’s reforms and improvements
Board President Parth Melpakam – Colorado Springs Gazette – September 2023
D11 seeking to fulfill vision of excellence for city’s students
Board President Parth Melpakam – Gazette – July, 2022
D11 projects cutting schools on the state accountability watchlist by half
Colorado Springs Gazette – August 2023
Colorado Springs District 11 expands college scholarship program to all high school seniors
Colorado Springs Gazette – Sept. 2023
