DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Colorado State Board of Education
ADMINISTRATION OF THE ACCREDITATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS
1 CCR 301-1
Preliminary Draft of Proposed Rules
				DRAFT For Review 2/14/08 6:57 pm
Disclaimer:  This draft is not yet final.  The proposed changes to be considered at the public rule-making hearing may be different than the proposed changes in this draft.  This draft is submitted to the Department of Regulatory Agencies for the purpose of complying with § 24-4-103 (2.5), C.R.S., which requires that a draft be submitted to the Department at the time that a notice of proposed rule-making is filed with the Secretary of State.

A final copy of the proposed rule changes will be available to the public on the date stated in the Notice of Rule-making, and a copy will be posted on the Department of State’s web site, in compliance with the requirement of §  24-4-103 (4) (a), C.R.S., that “Any proposed rule or revised proposed rule by an agency which is to be considered at the public hearing . . . shall be made available to any person at least five days prior to said hearing.” 
2202-R-0.00  Statement of Basis and Purpose.
These accreditation requirements are adopted under authority granted the State Board of Education in the Colorado Constitution, Article IX, Section 1; and Colorado Revised Statutes 22-2-106, 22-7-401 through 410, 22-7-501 through 505, 22-11-101 through 22-11-204, 22-11-301 through 304, 22-32-109, 22-7-601 through 610, 22-44-101 through 206, and 22-45-101 through 113.
Proposed changes are necessitated by statutory changes to accreditation including C.R.S § 22-30.5-503, § 22-11-201(4)(IV), § 22-11-104(2)(n), and § 22-11-201(6). Changes are intended to improve the accreditation process of public schools. The changes include direction from the “Forward Thinking” document created by the commissioner and state board of education and input from school leaders.  The proposed changes implement the goal of the Colorado Department of Education to provide greater assistance to school districts to rectify potential problems before they have accreditation issues.  Also, an increased focus is placed on postsecondary preparation of students. 
The basic purposes of the Colorado Accreditation Program are:
To foster greater accountability from public schools and School Districts for the betterment of public education;
To provide a process for the State Board of Education to fulfill its constitutional responsibility for supervising the public schools of the state;
To encourage excellence by assessing student performance in relation to state standards and assessments;
To help all schools and School Districts improve academic achievement for All Students in safe schools;
To ensure equal access to educational opportunities for every student in the state;
To support local efforts to reform and restructure public education;
To promote high standards, equal access, and educational opportunities for All Students' academic growth;
To develop and maintain a school and community partnership for the ongoing improvement of public education and
To strengthen local efforts to ensure postsecondary readiness; and 
To enhance the publics' understanding of school and District performance by reporting on accreditation indicators in concise, specific and comparable formats.
1.00  DEFINITIONS.
1.01  (1)  “Accreditation” means certification by the State Board of Education that public School Districts meet the requirements established by § 22-11-101 C.R.S., et seq., § 22-44-101 C.R.S., et seq. and § 22-45-101 C.R.S. et seq.  and the rules promulgated there under. It includes the process for accrediting public schools and School Districts pursuant thereto.
1.01  (2)  “Accreditation Contract” or “Contract” means the agreement between the State Board of Education and a local board that binds the school District and the State Charter School Institute to manage the accreditation of public schools within such School District, consistent with the standards and goals to be met according to the Accreditation Indicators and State Board rules and regulations.
1.01  (3)  “Accreditation Indicators” means the indicators that determine the accreditation category of a public school and School District pursuant to the provisions of  § 22-11-204, C.R.S., et seq., § 22-44-101 C.R.S., et seq. and § 22-45-101 C.R.S. et seq.
These may include other indicators established in the Accreditation Contract by the local District and the Department.
1.01  (4)  “Commissioner” means the State Commissioner of Education.
1.01  (5)  “Corrective Action Cycle” means the corrective actions described in § 22-11-204, C.R.S., to which a School District shall be subject in the event that it fails to comply with provisions of the Accreditation Contract.
1.01  (6)  “Department” means the State Department of Education.
1.01  (7)  “School District” or “District” means a School District organized and authorized pursuant to 22-32-101, C.R.S. et seq.
1.01  (8)  “State Board” means the State Board of Education established pursuant to Section 1 of Article IX of the state constitution.
1.01  (9)  “All Students” means every student regardless of gender, socio-economic level, at-risk status, racial, ethnic, or cultural background, exceptional ability, disability, or limited English proficiency.
1.01  (10)  “Contextual learning” establishes connections between school-based instruction and the world of work, careers, and learning that occurs beyond the school itself. Examples are service learning, internships, and school collaboration with business and community enterprises. 
1.01 (10) “State Charter School Institute” or “Institute” means the state charter school institute created pursuant to § 22-30.5-503, C.R.S.
1.01  (11)  “Correction Plan” means the plan required from a District, State Charter School Institute, or school if it is placed on Accreditation watch notice with support, Accreditation probation, or non accreditation status. The Correction Plan will include specific goals, actions, timelines, and resources required to return the school,  District, or Institute to accredited status.
1.01  (12)  “Education Improvement Plan” means the annual Education Improvement Plan prepared by each District or the State Charter School Institute, setting forth the measurable objectives and strategies to be used to improve student achievement for the coming academic year, in order to meet the District on Institute goals set forth in the Accreditation Contract, required by § 22-7-205 (2), C.R.S., with the additions set forth in section 4.01 (1) (a) of these rules and regulations.
2.00  THE ACCREDITATION CONTRACT.
School Districts and the State Charter School Institute are accredited through an Accreditation Contract as follows:
2.01  (1)  A local board of education or the Institute board shall contract with the Colorado State Board of Education to administer the accreditation process for each school in its District. The Department shall administer the accreditation process for each District and the State Charter School Institute. Each District and the Institute shall enter into an Accreditation Contract which shall take effect July 1, 2001 2008. The Contract shall specify the process that the District will use to accredit its schools consistent with 1.01(2).
2.01  (2)  A local board of education or the Institute board may sub-contract with a Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) or other approved entity to administer the accreditation process for the District. Under such conditions, the local board of education or the Institute board remains accountable to the State Board for the continued success of its schools.
2.01  (3)  The length of an Accreditation Contract term is six years. The Contract may be renegotiated at any time by the parties, based upon appropriate and reasonable changes in circumstances upon which the original terms and conditions of the Contract were based.
2.01  (4)  The Contract must specify the following elements:
2.01  (4)  (a)  The District's or Institute’s content standards for student learning, including achievement performance levels;
2.01  (4)  (b)  The District's or Institute’s standards, goals and requirements to be met over the term of the Contract;
2.01  (4)  (c)  The assessments that will be used to measure each student's progress toward and achievement of the District's or Institute’s adopted content standards, including specification of an acceptable performance level;
2.01  (4)  (d)  Evidence that the District's or Institute’s content standards meet or exceed state model content standards;
2.01  (4)  (e)  Evidence that the District or Institute assessments are either comparable to or more rigorous than state assessments;
2.01  (4)  (f)  Goals and strategies to improve All Students academic achievement and to identify and reduce consistent patterns of low academic achievement and discrepancies in academic achievement related to gender, socio-economic level, at-risk status, racial, ethnic, or cultural background, exceptional ability, disability, or limited English proficiency.
2.01  (4) (g)  Periodic reviews of each school on a cycle established by the local School District or the State Charter School Institute, consistent with 1.01 (2) of these rules;
2.01  (4) (h)  Adoption of procedures for recognition of high performing schools and intervention for schools with unsatisfactory performance;
2.01  (4) (i)  Adoption of procedures for placing schools on Corrective Action Cycles;
2.01  (4) (j)  Goals and processes for informing and involving parents and families, the business community, local advisory committees and other interested citizens, and District and school advisory accountability committees;
2.01  (4) (k)  Assurance that the schools will participate in all state assessments; and
2.01  (4) (l)  Assurance that Districts or the Institute have adequate policies and that these policies are being implemented and in compliance with state statutes, rules and regulations.;
2.01  (4) (m)  Assurance that the District or Institute is in compliance with budgeting, accounting, and reporting requirements set forth in § 22-44-101 C.R.S., et seq. and § 22-45-101 C.R.S. et seq.;
2.01  (4) (n) Assurance that principal professional development as required by § 22-11-201 (4) (b) (IV), C.R.S. is conducted;
2.01  (4) (o) Assurance of compliance with § 22-31-109 (1) (ii) through adoption of a policy to ensure that the right of School District employees and students to display reasonably the flag of the United States is not infringed, § 22-11-104 (2) (n) C.R.S.;
2.01 (4) (p) Assurance of compliance with § 22-7-408 (1) through (6) C.R.S. 
2.02  An annual written Accreditation Assessment Report pursuant to theAccreditation Contract will be provided by the Department to each local District beginning in 2001-2002.
During this annual the Accreditation review, each District and the Institute shall report on the following:
2.02  (1)  A plan for technology and information literacy that is integrated into the district's standards-based educational plan.
The technology plan shall include policies and procedures to prevent students from accessing inappropriate material on the Internet.
2.02  (2)  A plan to recruit, provide staff development, and retain licensed teachers.
2.02  (3) (1)  Changes the School District or the State Charter School Institute wishes to make in its existing standards, goals or requirements.
2.02  (4)  A plan for contextual learning [see definition 1.01 (10)].
2.02  (5) (2)  A plan to increase academic achievement, graduation, and attendance rates.

3.00  ACCREDITATION INDICATOR REPORTING.
Annually by December 1 the local board of education and the State Charter School Institute shall report in writing its progress on District or Institute and school accreditation indicators. Progress shall be reported in a way that does not identify individual students and shall contain all elements required by the Educational Accountability Act, § 22-7-205 (2) C.R.S. These reports may be disseminated placed on the District or Institute’s web site to meet dissemination requirements. Notice shall be provided to each school’s local community and the District’s taxpayers of the web site address for this annual report along with a statement of the report’s availability in printed copy.  to each school's local community, and the district's taxpayers and  The annual report shall be available to the State Board Of Education, the general assembly, the governor, and the public at large.  Districts, without a web site or electing to not use the website, shall disseminate the annual report to each school’s local community and the District’s taxpayers and shall be available to the state board, the general assembly, the governor, and the public at large.
The Department, using the Colorado Student Assessment program data pursuant to § 22-7-409 C.R.S. and the data submitted by Districts or the Institute via the automated data exchange process, shall place on the Department’s web site pre-populated tables of data that meet district No Child Left Behind and accreditation annual reporting requirements.  Districts and the Institute may use these pre-populated tables to complete the annual report to the public.  It shall be the responsibility of Districts or the Institute to complete and publish elements of the annual reporting requirements not submitted electronically to the Department via the automated data exchange or available to the Department via the Colorado student assessment program.   
3.01  District accreditation summary.
The accreditation summary shall contain the following:
3.01  (1)  Results of statewide assessments administered as part of the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) reported in a manner consistent with the performance measures evaluated under 4.01 (1) (b) (c) and (d) :
3.01  (1)(a)  CSAP scores aggregated
3.01  (1)(b)  CSAP scores by grade and subject area
3.01  (1)(c)  CSAP scores disaggregated by all student groups defined in 1.01 (9)
3.01  (2)  Results of third grade (CSAP) literacy assessments
3.01  (3)  The number of students taking one or more advanced placement examinations; the total number of students enrolled in advanced placement classes; and the percentage of those students obtaining a passing grade on an advanced placement examination  The percentage of students taking advanced placement courses, students enrolled in an international baccalaureate diploma program, or students enrolled in an institution of higher education pursuant to the “High School Fast Track Program”, § 22-34-101, et seq., the  “Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act”, § 22-35-101, et seq., or the “Fast College Fast Jobs Act”, § 22-35.5-101, et seq., as defined in the Accreditation Contract; and/or equivalent indicators of high academic performance as defined in the local District or the State Charter School  Institute /State Board of Education Accreditation Contract.
3.01  (4)  Results of district assessments administered for district standards that meet or exceed state model content standards. These standards and assessments must include but are not limited to the following areas:
Art	Mathematics	
Civics	Music	
Economics	Physical Education	
Foreign Language	Reading	
Geography	Science	
History	Writing	

3.01  (5) (4) Trend data for CSAP and for the Third Grade (CSAP) Literacy Assessment.
3.02  Other State Accreditation Indicators
The prime determiner of accreditation status will be performance on CSAP assessments.
3.02  (1)  The following indicators will be reported using procedures and definitions provided by the Department:
3.02  (1)  (a)  Numbers of expelled and suspended students
3.02  (1)  (b)  Graduation Rates 
3.02  (1)  (c)  Dropout Rates
3.02  (1)  (d)  Percentage of students not taking CSAP
3.02 (1) (e) District budget, revenues, and expenditures
3.02 (1) (f) “Curriculum-Based Achievement College Entrance Exam” as defined in § C.R.S. 22-7-409 (1.5) (a)
3.02  (2)  The following indicators will be reported using locally developed procedures and definitions:
3.02  (2)  (a)  Attendance Rates
3.02  (2)  (b)  Graduation Requirements
3.02  (2)  (c)  Evidence of a safe, civil learning environment
3.02  (2)  (d)  Number and identity of schools in each accreditation category
3.03  Local Indicators.
School Districts or the State Charter School Institute may develop additional indicators which assess progress on local District goals and objectives. These indicators would be described in the Accreditation Contract and reported using locally developed procedures and definitions.
4.00  DISTRICT ACCREDITATION CATEGORIES AND APPEALS.
4.01  (1)  To be accredited, Districts or the State Charter School Institute must meet or exceed the following Department accreditation indicators:4.01  (1)  (a)  Implementation of an Education Improvement Plan which includes best educational practices, including (1) setting high goals for student achievement, (2) advancing recognized instructional strategies, (3) promoting standards-based instruction, (4) using state and local assessments, (5) promoting postsecondary readiness (5) (6) incorporating parent, student and community participation, (6) (7) assurance that Districts have adequate policies and that these policies are being implemented and in compliance with state statutes, rules and regulations, and (7) (8) other requirements as outlined in the Accreditation Contract.
4.01  (1)  (b)  Achievement of District or Institute established goals, consistent with the academic growth calculation model established by 1 CCR 301-72, for improvement longitudinal student growth over time in reading, writing and mathematics measured by the CSAP and for annual student achievement levels as measured by the CSAP. District weighted scores of student cohorts.
4.01  (1)  (c)  Achievement of District or Institute established goals for reducing learning gaps in reading, writing, and mathematics measured by disaggregated CSAP data for All Students as defined in 1.01 (9), in accordance with house joint resolution 01-1014 concerning closing the learning gap and as defined by the academic growth calculation model established by 1 CCR 301-72 related to growth percentiles for disaggregated groups.
4.01  (1)  (d)  The achievement of District or Institute established CSAP goals for annual student achievement levels and which demonstrate a minimum of one year's increase in student achievement for each year in school academic growth consistent with the academic growth calculation model established by 1 CCR 301-72, for all disaggregated groups of students as defined in 1.01 (9). Additional Department approved measures may be presented to demonstrate one year's academic growth in student achievement, consistent with the academic growth calculation model established by 1 CCR 301-72.
4.01  (1)  (e)  Achievement of District or Institute established achievement goals in the following curriculum areas: science, history, geography, art, music, physical education, foreign language, economics, and civics.
4.01  (1)  (f)  Evidence of compliance with all requirements of the school accountability report, § C.R.S. 22-7-601 through 610.
4.01  (1)  (g)  Evidence of compliance with the educational accreditation act, § C.R.S. 22-11-101 through 204.
4.01  (1)  (h)  Evidence of compliance with the safe schools requirements pursuant to, § C.R.S. 22-32-109.1 (1) and (2) and evidence of compliance with the gun-free schools act, and public law 107-110 (Federal Law), section 4141.
4.01  (1)  (i)  Evidence of compliance with the Colorado Basic Literacy Act, § C.R.S. 22-7-501 through 505.
4.01  (1)  (j)  Plan for the improvement of  technology/information literacy, contextual learning, teacher recruitment &retention, attendance, rates, graduation rates, and district or institute established performance goals for the “curriculum-based achievement college entrance exam” as defined in § C.R.S. 22-7-409 (1.5) (a).
4.01  (1)  (k)  Evidence of compliance with budgeting, accounting, and reporting requirements § 22-44-101 through 206, and § 22-45-10 through 113.
4.01  (2)  Accredited: Accreditation Watch notice with support. A school or District or Institute is placed on Accreditation Watch notice with support if it does not meet one of the accreditation indicators described in 4.01 (1) (a) through (k).
4.01  (2)(a)  A District or Institute that is unable to submit the Accreditation Contract by July 1, 2001 2008 will be placed on Accreditation Watch notice with support.
4.01  (2)(b)  A District or Institute that does not meet the provisions of its Accreditation Contract shall provide an improvement plan to the Department within 90 days of receiving written notice of its lack of compliance. The Department shall approve or deny the plan within 30 days of receiving it.
4.01  (3)  Accredited: Accreditation Probation. A school or District or Institute is placed on Accreditation Probation if, after one two years of Accreditation Watch notice with support, it failed to either:
4.01  (3)(a)  Meet state accreditation indicators defined in 4.01 (1),
4.01  (3)(b)  Show adequate growth on the improvement plan approved by the Department (for Districts or Institute) or the District or Institute (for schools).
4.01  (4)  Nonaccredited. A school or District or Institute may be designated as Nonaccredited if, after one year on Accreditation Probation followed by one year of probation with bridge assistance, the school or District or Institute failed to either:
4.01  (4)(a)  Meet state accreditation indicators defined in 4.01 (1),
4.01  (4)(b)  Show adequate growth on the improvement plan approved by the Department (for Districts or Institute) or the District or Institute (for schools).
4.01  (5)  In accordance with C.R.S. 22-11-301, the Department shall annually recommend to the State Board of Education those schools to be recognized as excellent schools.
4.02  (1)  Hearing/Appeal Process
4.02  (1)  (a)  Appeal to the Commissioner. Districts or the Charter School Institute placed in the Accredited: Accreditation Watch  notice with support, Accredited: Probation and Nonaccredited categories may appeal for a hearing to the Commissioner or designee to determine whether the District or Institute implemented the plan approved by the Department.
4.02  (1)  (b)  Appeal to the State Board. Districts or the Charter School Institute placed in the Accredited: Probation and Nonaccredited categories may appeal the Commissioner's decision to the State board to determine whether the District or Institute implemented the plan approved by the Department.