DISTRICT AND SCHOOL PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORKS
Colorado Department of Education recently released ratings for schools and districts. The ratings are included in detailed performance framework reports, available here, that provide a great deal of data on schools and districts. The ratings themselves are intended to highlight schools and districts that are doing well and identify those that need improvement.
These frameworks help parents and communities understand specific, detailed information about academic performance of schools and districts with data that can be compared to other schools and districts around the state. The frameworks look at:
Performance on statewide assessments in English language arts, math and science.
Growth from year to year on English language arts and math assessments as well as growth by English language learners on the ACCESS tests.
Secondary schools’ graduation rates, dropout rates, matriculation rates and college entrance exam scores.
All of this is combined into an overall accountability score report every year for the schools and districts. Last year the system was put on pause while educators and students gained more experience with the new Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) assessments.
Center Consolidate School District
District Performance Framework
Accredited
The Center Consolidated School District is pleased to announce the district’s official accreditation rating of “Accredited”. Each year School Districts across the state are designated an accreditation category based on the overall percent of points earned and meeting assurances. Academic achievement, academic growth and post-secondary and workforce readiness along with test participation are some of the primary indicators that are used along with assurances pertaining to finance, safety and accountability participation rate.
The Colorado Department of Education uses 5 different categories to rate each school district on an annual basis based on a percentage of points earned.
Accredited with Distinction: at or above 74.0%
Accredited: at or above 56.0%-below 74.0%
Accredited with Improvement Plan: at or above 44.0%-below 56.0%
Accredited with Priority Improvement Plan: at or above 34.0%-below 44.0%
Accredited with Turnaround Plan: below 34.0%
Along with the District Accreditation Rating, CDE will also provide the district with a plan type according to the metrics on the performance framework. The Center School District has been assigned the “Performance Plan”.
The Center Schools Staff, Administration, and Students have worked very hard together in reaching an Accredited rating with a Performance Plan for the second year in a row. It wasn’t but 6 years ago that the Center Schools was accredited with a Turnaround Plan. We are always working to improve and will continue doing so as we have our sights set on being Accredited with Distinction in the near future.
Colorado’s accountability system was created by the Education Accountability Act of 2009, a law based on the notion that every student should have an opportunity to receive an excellent education and graduate ready to succeed. The system is intended to identify successful schools and districts and learn from their practices, while those whose students struggle are identified and receive extra assistance.
It is important to note that the system is set up to provide parents, teachers and the community comparable information about the performance of their children’s school, their district and the state’s public education system in general. The ratings, however, don’t tell the whole story about a school or district and the hard work that goes on every day in every classroom by teachers, staff and students. The scores can be seen as a one-time measurement that allows us to reflect on accomplishments we have made and what needs to be accomplished to continuously improve our schools to ultimately help every child succeed in life.