District and School Performance Frameworks - Overview

Purpose

The District Performance Framework and the School Performance Framework serve to:

1. hold districts and schools accountable for performance on the same, single set of indicators and measures; and

2. inform a differentiated approach to state support based on performance and need.

These aims are a central part of the Colorado Department of Education’s Statewide System of Accountability and Support and the goals outlined in the Education Accountability Act of 2009 (SB 09-163). They are critical to enabling the state to better support district evaluation, planning, decision-making, and implementation in improving schools. To support the various state, district and school uses of the performance frameworks, both district and school performance frameworks will be provided to districts annually at the start of the school year.

The performance frameworks measure attainment on the four key performance indicators identified in SB 09-163 as the measures of educational success: academic achievement, academic longitudinal growth, academic gaps and postsecondary and workforce readiness. State identified measures and metrics for each of these performance indicators are combined to arrive at an overall evaluation of a school’s or a district’s performance. For districts, the overall evaluation leads to their accreditation. For schools, the overall evaluation leads to the type of plan schools will implement. Districts will continue to accredit schools, and they may do so using the state’s performance framework or using their own more exhaustive or stringent framework.

The District Performance Framework assigns to each district one of five accreditation categories:

1. Accredited with Distinction: The district meets or exceeds statewide attainment on the performance indicators and is required to adopt and implement a Performance Plan.

2. Accredited: The district meets statewide attainment on the performance indicators and is required to adopt and implement a Performance Plan.

3. Accredited with Improvement Plan: The district is required to adopt and implement an Improvement Plan.

4. Accredited with Priority Improvement Plan: The district is required to adopt and implement a Priority Improvement Plan.

5. Accredited with Turnaround Plan: The district is required to adopt and implement a Turnaround Plan.

The School Performance Framework assigns to each school one of four plan types:

1. Performance Plan: The school meets or exceeds statewide attainment on the performance indicators and is required to adopt and implement a Performance Plan.

2. Improvement Plan: The school is required to adopt and implement an Improvement Plan.

3. Priority Improvement Plan: The school is required to adopt and implement a Priority Improvement Plan.

4. Turnaround Plan: The school is required to adopt and implement a Turnaround Plan.