State Report Highlights Progress and Ongoing Challenges in Colorado Schools

By KDVR Staff | KDVR Fox 31

DENVER (KDVR) — A total of 55% of Colorado school districts received an accredited or higher rating for the 2025-2026 school year in the preliminary school and district accountability frameworks released Wednesday by the Colorado Department of Education.

The frameworks are used to accredit school districts and assign school ratings by measures such as graduation rates, academic achievement and growth, according to the CDE, which said this year’s preliminary frameworks were based on data from 2024-2025.

“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 Susan Córdova, in a statement.

The 55% accredited or higher figure is an increase of 3% from 52% in 2024-2025.

Additional “key results” of the preliminary release for the 2025-2026 school year include:

• 66% of schools earned a performance plan type or higher, compared to 64% in 2024-25;
• 14 districts were on the accountability clock (receiving the two lowest performance ratings – priority improvement/turnaround), compared to 11 in 2024-25
• 176 schools were on the accountability clock, compared to 190 in 2024-25.

The CDE said performance frameworks are part of the state’s accountability system, and that this year’s results will be finalized in the coming months. School districts have until Sept. 26 to provide additional data via a “request to consider process,” according to the CDE, which said doing so could lead to a rating change before frameworks are presented to the State Board of Education later this fall.

“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,” Córdova said.

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