Fewer Colorado schools are on the state’s watchlist for low performance, according to new ratings
Fewer schools are on Colorado’s watchlist for low performance this year, according to preliminary data released Monday by the Colorado Department of Education. More than 50 schools exited what Colorado calls the accountability clock ,…
This year, fewer Colorado schools are on the state's watchlist for low performance, according to new ratings released by the Colorado Department of Education. Over fifty schools have exited the Accountability Clock, which leads to state intervention if left unchecked. These schools include Abraham Lincoln High in Denver, Highland Park Elementary in Pueblo, and the Aurora Central Campus.
Nearly two-thirds of Colorado's over 1,700 schools earned a green rating, the highest, which is slightly fewer than last year. Around 55% of the state's 184 school districts and co-ops earned a high rating, matching last year's figure. Denver Public Schools and Jeffco Public Schools both received green ratings for the second year in a row.
Twelve districts earned top-tier blue ratings. The ratings are primarily based on standardized test scores. If a school or district has five or more years of low ratings, the State Board of Education can order changes to improve student performance, like closing a school. However, they've only done so once in history. Schools and districts can appeal their preliminary ratings with more academic data.
After reviewing appeals, the state will finalize the ratings later in the fall. Colorado Education Commissioner Susana Córdova commented on the encouraging trend, noting that while most schools meet or exceed expectations, too many students still attend struggling schools. Our job is to learn from what's working, strengthen instruction where it matters most, and partner with local leaders to provide necessary support.
Only one district and 30 schools received the lowest red rating this year, down from last year. The Deer Trail 26J district, 60 miles east of Denver, faced a downgrade due to low test participation. The 30 red schools include two in Denver Public Schools, one in Jeffco Public Schools, and two in Adams 12 Five Star Schools. Twelve districts are on the Accountability Clock this year, down from last year.
Among those on the clock, Fort Morgan, East Otero, and Las Animas districts exited this year. The Adams 14 district, with the longest time on the clock at 13 years, has its longest-serving schools, Alsup Elementary and Central Elementary, improving enough to exit the clock. The number of schools on the accountability clock based on preliminary ratings decreased from 176 to 148 this year.
The number of schools with the longest time on the clock, six years or more, also dropped from 10 to four, including Aurora Public Schools' Gateway High and North Middle.
Written by urgent.news from Chalkbeat's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
