Trevista at Horace Mann Posts Highest Elementary ELA Growth in Colorado, Spotlighting a Decade of Transformation Supported by Relay GSE
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Denver Public Schools central office leaders visited Trevista on September 10 to study the systems behind the school's historic results, in a visit facilitated by Relay Graduate School of Education
DENVER, CO — October 12, 2026 — Trevista at Horace Mann, a Title I elementary school in Denver Public Schools (DPS), has posted the highest Median Growth Percentile (MGP) in English Language Arts of any elementary school in the state of Colorado — 82.5, against a state-average benchmark of 50 — along with an MGP of 79 in math. On the 2026 CMAS results released by the Colorado Department of Education, Trevista posted the highest reading scores, highest reading growth, highest math growth, and second-highest math scores of any Title I elementary or middle school in Denver.
The results reflect what DPS and Relay Graduate School of Education (Relay) describe as roughly a decade of intentional school system design at Trevista, under the leadership of Principal Jessica Mullins. On September 10, DPS central office leaders visited the school for a "Bright Spot" visit organized by Sandy Lochhead, Elementary Network Director for Denver Public Schools, Emily Yates, Director of School Improvement, Denver Public Schools, and Dr. Ben Klompus, Chief Growth Officer of Relay, designed to spotlight the specific practices behind Trevista's transformation so other DPS leaders could study and replicate them.
“I wanted visiting leaders to see firsthand that these results are not magic—they are the direct outcome of clear, replicable, and deeply intentional systems that empower our educators and unlock the potential of our students. By grounding our daily work in consistent planning, purposeful use of data, and a culture of coaching and learning, we have built an environment where teachers feel supported and students truly thrive,” said Jessica Mullins, principal of Trevista at Horace Mann.
Inside the Visit
Principal Mullins designed the visit's agenda personally, giving visiting leaders a close look at the school and classroom systems driving Trevista's results, including:
- A 5th grade math internalization meeting incorporating teacher practice
- Dual language, math, and literacy classroom instruction
- A 2nd grade literacy data meeting
- A "monitoring the learning" meeting between an instructional coach and a teacher
The visit was facilitated by leaders from Relay, who have been central partners in and consistent supporters of Trevista's transformation for more than a decade.
“DPS and Relay collaborated on this visit as a first step to identify and scale the strategies that have worked to achieve such consistent growth. The level of consistent support over time from Relay for Principal Mullins and the Instructional Leadership Team has supported building shared language, strong systems and instructional practices that have become a part of the DNA of the school. Through this bright spot visit, we want to make visible the invisible, so others can see what is leading to continuous improvement in student growth, staff retention and school stability. We want to shine a light on the journey of Trevista to identify the enabling conditions and specific strategies that could be applied and adapted at other schools to spread what works.” Sandy Lochhead on how DPS and Relay are using Bright Spot visits to identify the conditions and strategies driving school improvement and explore how successful practices can be adapted to support other schools.
A Decade of Growth
Trevista's results this year cap a sustained, multi-year trajectory:
- ELA proficiency (CMAS Met/Exceeded, grades 3-5) rose from 14% in 2018-19 to 54% in 2025-26
- Math proficiency rose from 9% in 2021-22 to 43% in 2025-26
- Early literacy proficiency (K-3, at or above grade level) climbed from 38% in 2022 to 76% in 2026
- Trevista's overall Colorado School Performance Framework (SPF) score rose to 86.8% in 2026, up from 69.9% the prior year — moving the school from an Improvement Plan rating as recently as 2023 to a Performance Plan rating today
- Trevista is now Denver's highest-performing Title I school, ranking #1 among Denver Title I schools in ELA and #2 in math
About Trevista at Horace Mann
Trevista at Horace Mann was formed in 2008 through the merger of three Denver schools — Smedley Elementary, Horace Mann Middle School, and Remington Elementary. Its name reflects that history: "Tre" for the three founding schools, and "vista" for a single, shared vision of success for all children. Today, Trevista serves more than 550 students from ECE through 5th grade, including a dual language immersion program, and is recognized as Denver Public Schools' highest-achieving Title I school.
About Relay Graduate School of Education
Relay Graduate School of Education is an accredited not-for-profit institution of higher education serving thousands of educators from across the country, from pre-service teachers to system-level leaders. Relay’s mission is to ensure that all students are taught by excellent educators, in order to build a more just world where every student has a clear path to a fulfilling life. Their graduate and certification programs, teacher residencies, and professional education offerings are rooted in pedagogical theory and practice-based, led by experienced practitioners and designed to build community among a diverse set of peers. Through in-person and online programming, Relay offers students flexibility and the opportunity to learn with a wide network of faculty and experienced, supportive advisors.