Center Schools Achieves Full Accreditation Status!
Each year the Colorado Department of Education, based on state achievement test results, graduation rates, and ACT scores, determines accreditation ratings for all 178 school districts in the state of Colorado. Accreditation categories a district can earn range from Turnaround to Priority Improvement to Improvement to Accredited, to the state's highest rating Accredited With Distinction. When this new accreditation process began during the 2009-10 school year the Center School District achieved a score of only 46.2% on the rating's 100 point scale. This meant we were placed on Accredited with Priority Improvement status, the second lowest rating a district can receive in Colorado.
This rating of Accredited with Priority Improvement also put the district on CDE's 5 year countdown clock, at the end of which the state department of education could significantly intervene and even possibly require a complete reorganization of the district.
Since this first district accreditation rating, and as a result of continual increased academic growth and achievement, the district has methodically raised its rating, first to 56.1% in 2011 (Accredited with Priority Improvement again), then 58.8% in 2012 (Accredited with Improvement, and off the state intervention countdown clock), to 61.9% in 2013 (still Accredited with Improvement) to 65.2% in 2014, the district's first year with a fully Accredited rating!
This rating of Accredited with Priority Improvement also put the district on CDE's 5 year countdown clock, at the end of which the state department of education could significantly intervene and even possibly require a complete reorganization of the district.
Since this first district accreditation rating, and as a result of continual increased academic growth and achievement, the district has methodically raised its rating, first to 56.1% in 2011 (Accredited with Priority Improvement again), then 58.8% in 2012 (Accredited with Improvement, and off the state intervention countdown clock), to 61.9% in 2013 (still Accredited with Improvement) to 65.2% in 2014, the district's first year with a fully Accredited rating!
High Poverty, High Mobility, High English Language Learner Population, High Rating!
With a student poverty rate hovering around 90%, a migrant student population around 30%, and half of students served needing some form of English Language Learner instruction, Center Consolidated Schools has still become one of the very few districts in Colorado to increase its rating from Priority Improvement all the way up to Accredited! This has been accomplished as a result of the continual hard work and professional growth of teachers and administrators, and the effect this has had on improved instruction of students, as well as the application of the district's four core beliefs which are as follows: 1. Our purpose is to increase academic achievement for ALL students. 2.
With our support ALL students can achieve at high levels and be successful in
life. 3.
Quality planning, instruction, and assessments lead to high achievement for ALL
students. 4.
EVERYONE must be committed to excellence in ALL they do EVERY day.
Center Schools Leads the San Luis Valley In Growth!
2014 TCAP test growth percentiles show Center Schools students significantly outgrowing all San Luis Valley district students in Reading and Writing, while tied for 3rd in Math. Additionally, Center Schools students have outgrown all San Luis Valley district students in Reading for the past 4 years, in Writing for the past 5 years, and in Math for 4 of the past 5 years!
Strong Individual School Results Translate to Increased Overall District Rating!
This increased district rating comes as a result of sustained excellence at the middle and high school levels, and a successful turnaround project implemented in Center's Haskin Elementary School. As recently as 2010 Haskin was identified as a Turnaround school based on CDE's school performance framework rating system, the lowest rating a single school can achieve. As a result of an infusion of dollars and teacher and leadership training provided by district partners Focal Point and Lindamood Bell, Haskin improved its rating from Turnaround to Priority Improvement in 2011 and 2012, then jumped from Improvement to Performance in 2013, the state's highest possible single school rating! Then at the Center Schools September 2014 district accountability and board of education meetings, recommendations were made and approved to accredit Haskin Elementary School, Skoglund Middle School, and Center High School each with Performance ratings once again, based on the accreditation formula recommended by the Colorado Department of Education.
Explore For Yourself!
We encourage each of you to explore this data for yourself by visiting the Colorado Department of Education website at http://www.cde.state.co.us and to access its SchoolView data and accountability database at http://www.cde.state.co.us/schoolview to view full district and school performance framework documents for each of our buildings and each of the schools in our region, or even the state of Colorado. To view school and district subject growth percentiles click on the link labeled "Colorado Growth Model." To view district and school performance frameworks click on the link labeled Performance Framework Reports and Improvement Plans.
Next Steps? Turn the District Blue!
As most of you know blue and white are our district colors and blue is the color signifying the rating of Accredited With Distinction. With district performance framework growth of 20 points over the past 4 years, the district is now less than 15 points away from achieving this once thought impossible rating. Achieving this status will take continued high growth and yet higher student achievement across the board on statewide tests. Though the state testing system will be changing this year from TCAP to PARCC in order to measure student knowledge of Common Core standards, the Center Schools staff believes it is up to the challenge of taking the district to this highest accreditation level in the state. Blue and white, fight-fight, blue and white, fight-fight, Vikings are simply meant to be blue!
Congratulations to the students and staff members of the Center Consolidated School District for this great achievement!
Congratulations to the students and staff members of the Center Consolidated School District for this great achievement!