Schools throughout Colorado continue to post gains in academic recovery, according to new state data released Tuesday, but Pikes Peak region districts were more mixed than the statewide trends.

Results from the Department of Education’s preliminary performance frameworks report released Tuesday showed that schools and districts overall earned higher marks than last year, continuing a trend of statewide improvement following the 2020 pandemic’s learning loss.

“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,” said Colorado Education Commissioner Susana Córdova in a press release. 

The performance frameworks are part of Colorado’s accountability system and are used to accredit school districts and assign school ratings. The frameworks are calculated by combining student academic and achievement along with postsecondary and workforce readiness data like graduation, dropout, and college matriculation rates.

Using set percentages of the total points earned, CDE then assigns ratings to determine what level of accreditation districts will receive and which schools require extra support.

The levels of accreditation from lowest to highest are turnaround, priority improvement, improvement, performance and distinction.

In the Pikes Peak region, nine of its 17 school districts posted improved scores from last year, with gains ranging from .9 to seven percentage points, while others saw their scores drop this year along a similar range.

Pikes Peak School Districts

D-20, D-12 and D-38 continued their respective 16-year streaks as districts to achieve distinction since the ratings were launched in 2009. They are among 17 districts to earn distinction this year.

“I am so grateful for our dedicated teachers and support staff, engaged administrators and leaders, public servants on the Board of Education and finally, our families who partner with us hand-in-hand, to ensure success and cause students to thrive,” D-20 superintendent Jinger Haberer said in a news release.

Fountain-Fort Carson District 8 was the only district this year to improve its rating category, going from “improvement” to “performance,” while both Harrison District 2 and Hanover District 28 were the only two districts to lower theirs. D-2 is now designated as an “improvement” district and D-28 is now a “turnaround” district.

Like last year, D-28 was the lowest performing district in the region with sufficient data recorded and dropped 4.9 percentage points down to 40.20%. Only three districts statewide received this ranking in 2024.

Schools and districts that receive the lowest two ratings, “priority improvement” or “turnaround,” are placed on the state’s “Accountability Clock” or performance watch and have roughly five years to improve their performance and distinction before receiving intervention from the Colorado State Board of Education.

The state’s total number of individual schools on the performance watchlist decreased from 222 to 190. And 15 of these schools come from the Pikes Peak region

Continuing progress in recent years is also Colorado Springs School District 11, which cut the number of schools on the watchlist from 15 to seven in 2023. This year the district saw the number of its schools rated at “performance” increasing to 33.

“Now, we’re at just about 70% performance. Two years ago, we were at less than half,” D-11 Superintendent Michael Gaal said. “So, we have gotten a 20% increase in our performance portfolio.”

Despite drops in other schools like Mitchell High School and Adams Elementary (both lowered their rankings to “turnaround” schools) this year, district leadership said they remain optimistic about continuing recent progress.

“We are not going to stop until we ensure that each and every student is reading, writing and doing math at greater proficiency,” D-11 Board of Education President Parth Melpackam said. “We are happy with the progress at this time but there is still a considerable amount of work that needs to be done in the coming weeks and months.”

The preliminary 2024-25 ratings are available on the CDE website’s Performance Frameworks Results webpage. A separate dashboard is also available for individual schools and districts.

The preliminary results will be finalized in the coming months. During this time, districts may provide the state with additional data through a “request to reconsider” process that may change their rating before the frameworks are presented to the State Board of Education.