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District and School Performance Frameworks
Overview
Each year, Colorado schools and districts receive performance ratings to let them and their communities know how well they are doing. These reports are called the District Performance Frameworks (DPFs) and School Performance Frameworks (SPFs). The overall ratings assigned are based on achievement and growth on state assessments, along with such postsecondary measures as graduation rates, drop-out rates, college entrance exams and college matriculation rates. The ratings help the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) and State Board of Education (SBE) make decisions about how to help struggling schools.
View your school or district's Performance Snapshot!
This new report presents a high-level summary of the performance and improvement efforts for each individual school and district across the state. Alongside a summary of student demographic information, this report combines key elements of the District or School Performance Framework results and Unified Improvement Plans and makes both easier to access. The additional contextual information in this report is designed to enable a deeper understanding of performance and greater engagement in improvement planning efforts. Be sure to check out all the information icons and share with friends!
How is performance measured?
CDE assesses performance based on three key performance indicators.
How are the frameworks calculated?
Schools and districts earn points based on various sub-indicator metrics within each of the above three performance indicators. On each of these metrics, schools and districts earn one of the following ratings and earn points accordingly:
Points are aggregated at the performance indicator level. After applying the performance indicator weightings, shown in the pie charts above, overall school and district ratings are assigned based on the total percentage of points earned.
What overall ratings are assigned?
Schools are assigned one of four plan types and districts are assigned one of five accreditation ratings. Insufficient state data is assigned if there is not enough outcome data to assign a rating.
What do these ratings mean?
School Ratings
Performance Plan - Schools with a Performance Plan are meeting expectations on the majority of performance metrics.
Improvement Plan - These schools are identified as lower performing. They may be meeting expectations on some performance metrics, but they are not meeting or are only approaching expectations on many.
Priority Improvement Plan - These schools are identified as low performing. They are not meeting or are only approaching expectations on most performance metrics. The state will provide support and oversight to these schools until they improve.
Turnaround Plan - These schools are identified as among the lowest performing schools in the state. They are not meeting or are only approaching expectations on most performance metrics. The state will provide support and oversight to these schools until they improve.
District Accreditation Ratings
Accredited with Distinction - This is assigned to the highest performing districts. These districts are meeting or exceeding expectations on the majority of performance tasks.
Accredited - Districts with an overall rating of Accredited are meeting expectations on the majority of performance metrics.
Accredited with Improvement Plan - These districts are identified as lower performing. They may be meeting expectations on some performance metrics, but they are not meeting or are only approaching expectations on many.
Accredited with Priority Improvement Plan - These districts are identified as low performing. They are not meeting or are only approaching expectations on most performance metrics. The state will provide support and oversight to these districts until they improve.
Accredited with Turnaround Plan - These districts are identified as among the lowest performing districts in the state. They are not meeting or are only approaching expectations on most performance metrics. The state will provide support and oversight to these districts until they improve.
How many schools and districts earn each of these ratings?
The general distribution of schools and districts is pictured below and remains fairly consistent each year, in accordance with the framework calculation methodology.
When are the frameworks released?
Preliminary SPFs and DPFs are released annually in September. Following the optional Request to Reconsider process and subsequent approval by the State Board of Education, final DPF reports are released in November and final SPF reports are released in December.
Resources
Introductory Resources
- 2022 Annotated Framework Report (PDF) - August 18, 2022.
This resource is an annotated report with call out boxes that identify key information and changes to the performance framework report since the prior release. - Colorado Educational Accountability Overview (Recording) - August 30, 2019
This webinar includes an overview of the accountability system, performance frameworks, framework changes from the prior year, and accountability timelines.
Technical Resources
- 2019 District and School Performance Framework: Calculation Guidebook (PDF) - August 3rd, 2020
The purpose of this document is to provide clarity and transparency in all calculation steps required for determining both District Performance Framework (DPF) and School Performance Framework (SPF) results. - Framework Participation Rate Calculations: Fact Sheet (PDF) - August 28, 2018
This fact sheet explains how school and district total participation rates and accountability participation rates are calculated, including inclusion and exclusion rules for student records. - Performance Indicator Summary (PDF) - Updated 2022
This document provides a high level summary of the performance indicators that ground the state accountability and improvement planning systems. - Scoring Guide for 2019 District/School Performance Frameworks (PDF) - August 14, 2019
This guide provides the cut-scores and associated point values for school and district performance on each of the sub-indicator metrics included on the frameworks (e.g., exceeds expectations, meets expectations, approaching expectations, does not meet expectations), as well as the cut-points for assigning performance indicator ratings and overall ratings based on the total percentage of points earned.
Helpful Links
- For additional reports on performance data, view our State Accountability Data Tools and Reports page.
- For information on AEC framework reports, view our Alternate Education Campus Accountability page.
- For information about the implications of consistently low performance on the district and school framework reports and new Performance Watch information, view our Accountability Clock page.
Contact Us
For more information, please contact accountability@cde.state.co.us.
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