News Release - State Board directs innovation, management pathway for Aurora Central

State Board directs innovation, management pathway for Aurora Central

Charter appeal denied for Pueblo Vocational Academy

April 12, 2017

DENVER – The Colorado State Board of Education at its regular monthly meeting Wednesday directed Aurora Public Schools to continue working with a management partner and implement an innovation plan designed to improve student achievement at Aurora Central High School.

Colorado’s 2009 Accountability Act requires the board to direct action to dramatically improve student academic outcomes at Aurora Central following six consecutive years of poor performance at the school.

The plan adopted by the board was recommended by both the Colorado Department of Education staff and the district, in part because of the community support for the plan. The state board in May 2016 granted innovation status to a group of schools in Aurora, including Aurora Central, known as the Action Zone. To develop the plan for each school in the zone, the district launched a broad community engagement process.

The district has also engaged Mass Insight as a management partner, provided leadership training to school leaders, and hired new educators. 

A final, written directive for Aurora Central High School will be developed and approved by the board later this spring.

The board denies charter appeal for school in Pueblo 60

The state board denied the appeal by Pueblo Vocational Academy (PVA), whose new charter school application was rejected by the Pueblo 60 Board of Education on Jan. 12. The charter school appealed to the State Board of Education, which on Wednesday agreed with the local board that the charter school had not proven by a preponderance of evidence that the local board’s decision was contrary to the best interest of the students, district or community. 

Pueblo 60’s stated reasons for denying the charter was that PVA would have used the same building, staff and board as Youth and Family Academy (YAFA), whose charter was not renewed by the Pueblo 60 board in 2011, and that it would effectively be a change in name only. YAFA joined the Charter School Institute in 2011, but the contract was not renewed and will be terminated on June 30.  

Accountability recommendations approved for Montezuma-Cortez and Julesburg school districts

The state board approved an amended final written determination for the accountability pathway for Montezuma-Cortez School District. The pathway requires an external management partnership between the district and the University of Virginia.

The board also voted on an amended final written determination for Julesburg School District RE-1’s accountability pathway for the closure of the Destinations Career Academy Middle School.

Rulemaking

Additionally, the board approved the amended sections of the Rules for the Administration of the Educator Licensing Act.

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