Colorado schools gain high ratings, but progress remains uneven

Colorado Schools See Mixed Results in State Ratings

Colorado’s education system is showing a mixed picture as preliminary state data reveals that two-thirds of the state’s 1,700 schools and 55% of its 180 school districts received high ratings this year. This slight increase compared to last year highlights both progress and ongoing challenges across the state.

The ratings are based largely on standardized test results, which have shown gradual improvement over recent years but still haven’t fully returned to pre-pandemic levels in all grades and subjects. While the overall numbers remain stable, individual schools and districts show both positive developments and areas of concern.

One notable success story is Denver Public Schools (DPS), which moved from a middle-tier yellow rating to the second-highest green rating. This is the first time DPS has achieved a green rating since 2019, before the pandemic disrupted learning. Superintendent Alex Marrero celebrated the achievement with a playful moment at Bear Valley International School, where he was slimed by students. The slime, ordered online, was green to match the district’s new rating.

“This recognition is not just about numbers,” Marrero said. “It reflects the collective effort of our entire DPS community.”

Despite these wins, the state continues to monitor schools and districts that perform below expectations. Those with low ratings are placed on the accountability clock, a watchlist that signals potential intervention if performance doesn’t improve. After five years on the clock, the State Board of Education must take action, which could include school closures or district mergers. However, such drastic measures have been avoided so far.

Currently, 14 districts are on the accountability clock, an increase from 11 last year. Westminster Public Schools is one of the newly added districts, serving approximately 8,000 students north of Denver. The district faced staffing challenges last year, including 37 unfilled instructional positions. Brian Kosena, the district’s chief learning officer, attributed some of the drop in test scores to these shortages, particularly for multilingual learners.

“We know that we’re better than any state label,” Kosena said. “That ‘priority improvement’ places an unfortunate label on the district right now. But we’re confident we’re going to be able to bounce back out of the ‘priority improvement’ and get to the ‘improvement.’”

Other districts, like Montezuma-Cortez in southwestern Colorado, have also returned to the accountability clock after a one-year reprieve. Meanwhile, two of the state’s largest districts—Adams 12 and District 49—saw their ratings drop from green to yellow. These districts are not currently on the clock, but they remain under scrutiny.

Adams 14, a district that has spent 12 years on the accountability clock, made modest gains this year. One of its schools, Alsup Elementary, improved from the lowest rating to the next level. However, Rose Hill Elementary dropped to the lowest red “turnaround” rating, making it the only red school in the district.

Statewide, 176 schools are on the accountability clock, down from 190 last year. Denver’s Lake Middle School exited the list after receiving back-to-back green ratings, while Abraham Lincoln High School remains on the watchlist.

In response to persistent low-performing schools, Denver’s superintendent introduced a new policy called the School Transformation Process. This policy allows the district to close or replace schools with four years of low ratings before the state intervenes. Two schools—John F. Kennedy High School and Rocky Mountain Prep Noel—are currently under this process.

Rocky Mountain Prep, a large charter network, has chosen not to participate voluntarily. The district is working to negotiate with charter schools, but participation remains optional. John F. Kennedy High School will not be closed this year but may face reconfiguration next year, which could involve reducing grade levels.

As the state continues to monitor progress, the focus remains on improving outcomes for all students, regardless of the labels assigned to their schools. The journey toward educational recovery is ongoing, with both successes and setbacks along the way.