Eight school districts have been added to an “accreditation watch” list for falling short of state standards, according to the Colorado Department of Education.
Meanwhile, the Hanover School District, which last year feared losing its accreditation, has been removed from “accreditation probation.”
“They had done quite a bit of work,” said Henry Roman, superintendent of the 300-student district south of Colorado Springs.
A shake-up in leadership, including hiring Roman and replacing two principals, the realignment of the district’s curriculum, staff development programs and new tools for analyzing test results all helped clear the district’s name, officials said.
Districts that fail to meet certain state standards receive a warning letter. Failure to improve can result in the district being placed on “watch,” and the district must devise an improvement plan.
A district that fails to improve can then be placed on “accreditation probation” and ultimately lose its accreditation, as well as funding, from the state.
In all, 16 districts are on accreditation watch. None are on probation.
This year 32 new districts received letters warning them that lapses could put them in “watch” status. Last year, 23 districts got warning letters, but none of them were put on watch this year.
No Colorado school district has ever lost its accreditation.
Each of the state’s 178 districts have accreditation contracts with the State Board of Education.
|
WATCH LIST
|
|
|
In them, they agree to uphold 11 standards that include performance on the Colorado Student Assessment Program tests, overall safety and bookkeeping.
In Fort Lupton School District RE-8, which was placed on academic watch this year, officials have assembled an audit team to address low CSAP scores, Superintendent Mark Payler said.
Students’ CSAP scores fell below the state’s average in 23 areas, he said.
Though students in Sheridan School District 2 improved on CSAP tests, the district maintained its watch status from last year.
