District & School Accountability

State assessments are a common measuring tool for students in grades 3 through 11 and are aligned to Colorado Academic Standards. State assessments include the Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS), PSAT, and SAT. In addition, alternate assessments for students with significant cognitive disabilities include Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) for English language arts and math as well as CoAlt (Colorado Alternate) for Science and Social Studies.They are the only measures available to students, parents, schools, and districts to determine how students and schools are doing compared to other students and schools across the district and the state. Assessment results help students, parents, schools and districts understand whether students have mastered the content they need to know by the end of the school year and are on track to be ready for college or career after graduation.

 

State assessment results from each school year are used by the state for school and district accreditation ratings and for educator evaluations. Schools and districts receive their rating based on academic achievement, academic growth, post-secondary and workforce readiness, and participation rates on state assessments.

 

The Colorado Department of Education posts school performance frameworks on the Schoolview website at www.cde.state.co.us/schoolview.

 

You have the right to request information about the professional qualifications of your student’s teachers. Contact the Office of Human Resources by email at [email protected] or send a written request to 201 E. 12th St., Durango, CO 81301. In addition, the percentage of qualified teachers at each school will be published on the Colorado Department of Education website at http://www.cde.state.co.us/schoolview

 

Colorado schools and districts can improve student learning and system effectiveness by engaging in a cycle of continuous improvement to manage their performance. To support this purpose, the Education Accountability Act of 2009 requires each Colorado district and school to create an annual improvement plan, known as the Unified Improvement Plan (UIP). The District Accountability Advisory Committee (DAAC) reviews each school’s goals, objectives, and plans to ensure they align with district-wide goals and reflects the needs of each school’s students. These goals, objectives, and plans are presented in school accountability reports each fall.

 

UIPs are included in the annual report and may be found below by calling the individual school or District Office at (970) 247-5411, for copies.

 

If a survey asks students about the following questions, parents and guardians will either be asked for permission in advance or will be allowed to opt their student out of participation, depending upon the agency that is funding the survey. See below: