File: AED* - Accreditation File: AED* - AccreditationThe Board of Education believes its primary responsibility is to provide leadership in the area of student achievement. To foster greater accountability and enhance improvement in student achievement, the Board shall enter into an accreditation contract with the State Board of Education regarding district accreditation and shall accredit the schools within the district.
District accreditation
The accreditation contract shall bind the Board to manage the district and its schools to meet certain standards, goals and requirements over the term of the contract, in accordance with the Education Accountability Act of 2009 and applicable State Board of Education rules. At a minimum, the accreditation contract shall address the following elements:
the district's level of attainment on the four key performance indicators: student longitudinal academic growth, student achievement on statewide assessments, postsecondary and workforce readiness, and progress made on closing the achievement and growth gaps;
the district's adoption and implementation of its performance, improvement, priority improvement or turnaround plan (whichever is required based on the district's assigned accreditation category);
the district's implementation of its system for accrediting its schools; and
the district's substantial, good-faith compliance with the provisions of Title 22, C.R.S. and other statutory and regulatory requirements applicable to school districts.
In conjunction with accreditation, the Board is committed to adopting academic standards for student learning, achievement performance levels, systems for measuring student achievement and methods for improving student achievement.
School accreditation
While the state accredits the district, the Board accredits the schools within the district, including district charter schools. The Board's accreditation of district schools shall emphasize attainment on the four key performance indicators: student longitudinal academic growth, student achievement on statewide assessments, postsecondary and workforce readiness, and progress made on closing the achievement and growth gaps. The Board may adopt additional accreditation indicators and measures for district schools that meet or exceed the state standards for district accreditation. In accordance with law, the school accreditation process shall include a review of each full-time online program's alignment to the State Board of Education's quality standards for online programs.
The Board directs the superintendent to develop a school accreditation process for the Board's input and approval. Such process shall be developed in accordance with the Education Accountability Act of 2009 and shall assign an accreditation category to each district school on an annual basis. The accreditation process shall also require each district school to enter into an accreditation contract with the Board that is comparable to the accreditation contract between the Board and the State Board of Education. By October 15 of each year, the district shall provide the Colorado Department of Education with the accreditation category assigned to each district school.
In accordance with the process required by the Education Accountability Act of 2009 and applicable State Board of Education rules, the superintendent, principals and other district administrators shall develop a proposed school performance, improvement, priority improvement or turnaround plan for each district school. The school district shall notify parents/guardians of students enrolled in each school that is required to adopt a school improvement, priority improvement, or turnaround plan of the required plan, the identified issues to be addressed by the plan and the timeline for the plan's development. Among other issues, the school's priority improvement or turnaround plan must incorporate strategies to increase parent engagement in the school. A public meeting and/or hearing shall be held prior to the adoption of a school improvement, priority improvement, or turnaround plan.
Pursuant to the Board's constitutional and statutory authority to control instruction in its schools and determine the allocation of district resources, the Board shall review and approve all school plans, regardless of whether the plan is a performance, improvement, priority improvement or turnaround plan. Each school plan shall be submitted to the Colorado Department of Education in accordance with the timelines prescribed by applicable State Board of Education rules.
Adopted October 15, 2001
Revised December 12, 2005
Revised November 13, 2006
Revised October 11, 2010
Revised July 11, 2012
Revised February 10, 2014
Revised July 13, 2015
LEGAL REFS.: Colo. Const. Art. IX, Sect. 15 (board has control of instruction within the district)
C.R.S. 22-7-1013 (1) (adoption of content standards)
C.R.S. 22-11-101 et seq. (Education Accountability Act of 2009)
C.R.S. 22-11-307 (board accreditation of district schools)
C.R.S. 22-30-105 (school district organization planning process)
C.R.S. 22-30.5-104 (2)(b) (district charter schools subject to accreditation by local board)
C.R.S. 22-32-109 (1)(t) (Board duty to determine educational program and prescribe textbooks)
C.R.S. 22-32-109 (1)(mm) (Board duty to adopt policy for accreditation of district schools)
C.R.S. 22-32-142 (2) (parent notice and public meeting and hearing requirements for schools on priority improvement or turnaround status)
1 CCR 301-1, Rules 2202-R-1.00 (State Board of Education rules for the Administration of the Accreditation of School Districts)
1 CCR 301-71 (State Board of Education rules for the Administration, Certification and Oversight of Colorado Online Programs)
CROSS REFS.: AE, Accountability/Commitment to Accomplishment
AE-R, Accountability/Commitment to Accomplishment-Regulation
AEA, Standards Based Education
IHBK*, Preparation for Postsecondary and Workforce Success
IK, Academic Achievement
IKA, Grading/Assessment Systems
KB, Parental Involvement in Education
NOTE: A school district with 1000 students or fewer may submit a single plan to satisfy the school district and school plan requirements. School districts with between 1000 to 1200 students may request the Colorado Department of Education's permission to submit one plan.