More Colorado schools and districts scored higher in the state’s annual report card, according to preliminary results released Wednesday, with overall trends largely consistent with last year. Notably, the state’s largest district, Denver Public Schools, achieved the highest green rating the second time in the district’s history.
The new data gives school leaders insight into how schools are performing while highlighting the districts and schools that need support from the state.
| You can look up your school’s rating on the school and district dashboard here. |
"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," said Colorado Education Commissioner Susana Córdova.
How does Colorado’s school and district “report card” generally work now?
The performance ratings are a key component of the state's accountability system. They measure how well students perform on a once-a-year state standardized tests, how much academic growth they show in one year, as well as graduation rates, dropout rates, and for high schools, college enrollment rates.
For school districts, the color-coded scorecard has five ratings:
- Blue: accredited with distinction
- Green: accredited
- Yellow: accredited with improvement
- Orange: accredited with priority improvement
- Red: accredited with turnaround
Fifty-five percent of districts earned one of the top two ratings, up from 52 percent in 2024-25. The number of districts on the state’s "accountability clock"— the two lowest performance ratings — increased slightly from 11 to 14.
Individual schools can earn one of four ratings:
- Blue: accredited with distinction
- Green: accredited
- Yellow: accredited with improvement
- Red: accredited with turnaround
Two-thirds of schools received the top rating, a slight bump from the previous year. The number of schools on the clock decreased from 190 to 176.
DPS celebrates
DPS’s green rating marks a major milestone for the district, which last earned this rating in 2019 before the pandemic.
“This year’s results are a strong reflection of the hard work, resilience and dedication shown by our students, educators, school leaders and support staff," said Superintendent Alex Marrero.
The district's total points earned increased from 53.4 percent of points earned last year to 57.6 percent this year, moving it out of the yellow category. Sixty percent of schools received the top green rating, 26 percent are in yellow, 10 percent in orange, while 4 percent are categorized as “turnaround” schools in the red zone.
Marrero said the achievement is just the beginning.
“We know there’s more work ahead.”
Accountability clock
State law requires the state board of education to intervene with more rigorous action when districts have had five consecutive years in the two lowest rating categories. Schools land on the state’s watch list or “accountability clock” in their first year in one of the low ratings. That gets them support from state officials. If they don’t improve after five consecutive years, the state board can intervene — take over or shut down a school.
After school officials criticized the rating system as inequitable, one that punishes schools with high numbers of Hispanic and low-income students, a task force recommended overhauling it. State lawmakers passed a bill that will give schools and districts a new option when they have five years of low ratings such as a comprehensive redesign of the school or contracting with external support partners.
Wednesday’s preliminary ratings are subject to change. School districts have until September 26 to ask the state to reconsider, which may alter their final rating before the frameworks are presented to the State Board of Education later this fall. The final frameworks will likely be released by the end of the year.
