The Colorado Department of Education has released its preliminary 2025 school and district performance frameworks, which are based on data from the 2024-25 academic year. These frameworks are a key part of the state’s accountability system, used to accredit school districts and assign ratings to schools using measures such as graduation rates, academic achievement, and student growth.
Colorado Education Commissioner Susana Córdova commented on the release: “The steady progress in the school and district frameworks is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our students, staff, and communities over the past few years. These frameworks provide valuable insight into how our schools are performing, while also highlighting the areas where we need to continue strengthening support for schools and districts still navigating significant challenges.”
Preliminary ratings for 2025-26 can be found on the Performance Frameworks Results webpage or through the school and district dashboard.
According to this year’s preliminary results—before any adjustments from the “request to reconsider” process—55% of districts received an Accredited or higher rating, up from 52% last year. Similarly, 66% of schools earned a Performance plan type or higher compared with 64% in 2024-25. Fourteen districts were identified as being on the Accountability Clock (having received one of the two lowest performance ratings), compared with eleven last year. The number of schools on the Accountability Clock decreased from 190 last year to 176 this year.
Performance frameworks combine several indicators: student academic growth, academic achievement levels, and postsecondary/workforce readiness metrics such as graduation rates, dropout rates, and college matriculation rates. Districts have until September 26 to submit additional data if they wish their ratings to be reconsidered before finalization later this fall by the State Board of Education.
A more detailed breakdown shows that out of 182 districts evaluated this year (one rating is pending), nine percent were rated Accredited with Distinction; forty-six percent were Accredited; twenty-six percent received Accredited with Improvement; four percent each received Accredited with Priority Improvement or Turnaround; thirteen percent had insufficient state data for a rating.
For schools (excluding Alternative Education Campuses whose ratings will be released mid-September), sixty-six percent earned a Performance plan type rating; eighteen percent were rated Improvement; seven percent Priority Improvement; two percent Turnaround; six percent had insufficient state data; less than one percent were new schools; one percent closed.
Schools or districts placed on the Accountability Clock after five consecutive years may have an improvement course directed by the Colorado State Board of Education. The finalized frameworks are expected by year-end.
