Data, Accountability, Reporting and Evaluation (DARE)

The Data, Accountability, Reporting and Evaluation (DARE) team under the Office of ESEA Programs within the Federal Programs Unit is responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of ESEA programs, as reauthorized under ESSA, and fulfilling federal accountability and data reporting requirements. Our team collects, manages, and analyzes data to inform the development of applications for funding and standards for program quality, by going beyond accountability measures and evaluating the impact of programs and identifying best practices in program implementation.

For DARE contact information please view our contact us page.

Assessment and Accountability Waiver for 2019-2020 School Year

Due to school closures during the Coronavirus pandemic, the CDE applied for and received approval (PDF) to waive the assessment and accountability requirements under The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for 2019-2020 school year. See the submitted waiver request (PDF). For an alternative version of this information, please email ESSAquestions@cde.state.co.us.

For the 2019-2020 school year, the following requirements under the ESEA were waived:

Administration of all required assessments in the 2019-2020 school year, section 1111(b)(2) of the ESEA, and/or,
Annual meaningful differentiation of all public schools and identification of schools for comprehensive, targeted, and additional targeted support and improvement based on data from the 2019-20 school year, sections 1111(c)(4) and 1111(d)(2)(C)-(D), and/or,
State report card requirements related to assessments and accountability in section 1111(h) for the 2019-20 school year (see waiver for details)

Program Evaluation

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) calls for the use of evidence-based interventions which demonstrate a statistically significant effect on improving student outcomes or other relevant outcomes. The DARE team is responsible for evaluating the impact of various ESEA programs, in order to identify best practices in program implementation and ensure that program goals and objectives are being met. In addition, the ESEA Program Office has partnered with the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL Central) to develop and deliver a series of Program Evaluation Trainings to support schools and districts with evaluating the impact of programs supported with ESEA (or ESSA) funds.

Reports summarizing data analysis and program evaluation results for various programs, and recorded webinars from the Program Evaluation Trainings series can be found on the Program Evaulation Page. Links to upcoming training modules can be accessed below.

Program Evaluation Training and Modules and Dates:

Modules 1 & 2 | Logic Models and Evaluation Questions
Module 3 | Assessing the Availability and Quality of Existing Data
Module 4 | Identifying and Developing Data Collection Instruments
Module 5 | Coding, Cleaning, and Analyzing Data
Module 6 | Interpreting and Presenting Findings

Federal Reporting

Federal reporting under ESSA requires public dissemination of information that is relevant and meaningful to a wide range of stakeholders. Colorado’s report summarizes progress toward achieving educational excellence and equity for every student. Colorado’s ESSA State Report, developed with stakeholder input, fulfills statutory reporting requirements for academic assessments, accountability (progress toward meeting achievement targets by all students and various disaggregated groups), English proficiency of English learners, graduation rates, and teacher experience and qualifications. Current and prior year ESSA State Reports can be viewed on the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) State Report page.

In addition to the State Report, CDE reports outcomes concerning various programs under ESSA to the U.S. Department of Education as a condition for funding. The Consolidated State Performance Report (CSPR) includes information required for the Annual Report to the Secretary as described in ESSA. Reports submitted to the U.S. Department of Education are accessible on the Consolidated State Performance Reports page.

In addition, any Local Educational Agency (LEA) that receives assistance under ESSA shall prepare and disseminate an annual Local Report that includes information about the LEA as a whole and for each school it serves. To help LEAs meet the obligation to disseminate district- and school-level information, overall and by disaggregated groups, CDE will make those data available on the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Local Reports page.

For more detailed information about the changes in reporting requirements under ESSA, please visit the Changes to Federal Reporting Under ESSA page.

Data Collections Managed by DARE

School Support and Improvement under ESSA

ESSA requires each state that accepts federal education funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to develop and implement methodology for identifying schools for support and improvement based on the performance of all students and specific disaggregated groups. Colorado's methodology, the identified schools, requirements, and support available can be accessed on the CDE website.

Methodology for Identification of Schools:

Colorado uses indicators from the state accountability system for federal accountability purposes. For more information about the state accountability system, please visit:

District and School Performance Reports

Schools identified for support and improvement under ESSA must develop improvement plans that address the reasons for identification.

ESSA Improvement Planning Requirements

If you encounter issues finding the information you need and/or questions about the Data, Accountability, Reporting and Evaluation (DARE) webpages, please contact our Web Coordinator. Be sure to copy the URL of the page on which the issue is present into your e-mail.