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News Release - State Board says APS must allow HOPE Online to continue operating Power Learning Academy
Sept. 12, 2019
State Board of Education says APS must allow HOPE Online to continue operating Power Learning Academy
Preliminary 2019 Performance Frameworks reviewed
DENVER – The State Board of Education at its monthly two-day meeting ordered Aurora Public Schools to allow HOPE Online Learning Academy to continue operating the Power Learning Academy, which has served middle and high school students in the district for four years.
The state board found that APS’s August 2019 decision to deny the learning center was not in the best interest of the community, and it ordered the district to enter into a memorandum of understanding that will allow the learning center to reopen.
Preliminary Frameworks
The board was presented with preliminary ratings for Colorado schools and districts - the first step in the state's annual accountability process. Later this year the results will be made final after districts have had a chance to appeal ratings under the request-to-reconsider process.
Preliminary findings showed 93% of the state’s 185 districts and BOCES received one of the three highest ratings of Accredited with Distinction, Accredited, or Accredited with Improvement Plan. Approximately 84% of the state’s 1,849 schools received one of the two highest ratings of Performance or Improvement Plans on the School Performance Framework. This does not include schools with Alternative Education Campus designations, which will receive their final ratings in December. The preliminary ratings can be found on the Performance Frameworks Results webpage.
Districts are allowed to submit to CDE additional information that could change their final ratings through the request-to-reconsider process. Final ratings for districts and schools that do not participate in the request-to-reconsider process will be adopted by the State Board of Education in November. The ratings for the remaining schools and districts will be adopted by the State Board of Education in December.
Adams 14 Update
Adams 14 School District's external management organization, MGT, presented a three-month progress report to the board.
MGT was approved by the state board in May to manage the district in order to improve student outcomes after eight years of low performance ratings by the district and the district's high school, Adams City High School. This year, with a preliminary rating of Priority Improvement, Adams 14 and Adams City High School advance to Year Nine on the state’s accountability clock.
In its report, MGT shared findings, achievements and ongoing goals and next steps for working toward positive change with the district's local board of education, central office and operations. MGT also shared specific information around improvement efforts in Adams City High School as well as Central Elementary School.
In other actions, the board:
- Approved a charter waiver request submitted by Poudre School District on behalf of Liberty Common School. The waiver will excuse Liberty Common from meeting the requirements of a recent change in state law about sex education. The statute requires schools that choose to offer sex education for its students to provide a comprehensive curriculum that includes lessons on healthy relationships, consent and LGBTQ issues, among other topics.
- Approved the rules for the administration of the Computer Science Education Grant intended to provide more students access to computer science classes. The grant will provide a total of $250,000 to schools from the 2020-21 school year through 2022-23.
- Approved amended rules for the administration of the Early Literacy Grant program. Updates include increased funding, additional reporting requirements and training for K-3 teachers.
- Referred a traffic matter from the Town of Windsor to the Office of Administrative Courts. The town had asked the state board to direct Colorado Early College to pay for street improvements around its new charter school site to address traffic increases.
Notices of Rulemaking:
- Approved the notice of rulemaking for the Rules for Administration, Certification and Oversight of Colorado Online Programs.
- Approved the notice of rulemaking for the Rules for the Administration of the Educator License Endorsements. Updated rules would discontinue the Trade and Industry endorsement and add a new mentor teacher endorsement. The anticipated vote to adopt the rules will be in November.
- Approved the notice of rulemaking for the John W. Buckner Automatic Enrollment in Advanced Courses Grant Program. The hearing is scheduled for November.
- Approved the notice of rulemaking for the School Health Professional Grant Program.
- Approved the notice of rulemaking for Innovative Learning Pilot Program.
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