AV #294 made the case that the State Board of Education is responsible for Colorado’s Graduation Guidelines, in effect now since 2021-22. If AV #294 was accurate, I hope that in 2026 the Board will review the quality and clarity of the Menu of Options (all eleven of them).
AV#295 presents
information relevant for such a review. I hope it is helpful. I find three
options of special concern. Are expectations clear? Are we expecting
enough?
A.
Two where there is no clear minimum
standard; expectations are “district determined”
B. A
third, ACT WorkKeys, where the minimum score is lower than in five other states
Addenda A-H – more
on the options that are “district determined” and on ACT WorkKeys
Background
- goals of the legislation
A review in 2026 of the Graduation Guidelines will examine to what extent the Menu of Options fulfill the goals of the initial 2007 legislation (H.B. 1118). That bill sought to create a variety of ways students in Colorado could meet the new expectations:
22-2-106. (4) (a) “Recognize and
address the multiple and diverse pathways to diplomas offered by school
districts of the state …”
We wanted flexibility, no one-size-fits-all
in a state with strong local control; we certainly achieved that with 11
options in our Graduation Guidelines. (A 2025 report by FairTest found that “Colorado has perhaps the most flexible allowance for graduation pathways
of any state.[i])
At the same time, HB 1118 expected each option or pathway to meet a
certain standard:
“The guidelines for high school
graduation adopted by the state board pursuant to this paragraph (a.5) shall
ensure, at a minimum, that, while not identical, each pathway is equally
rigorous.”
So flexibility on
HOW, but a shared understanding of WHAT we expect of students. And all eleven
options “equally rigorous.” Regardless of the pathway, students would achieve “minimum
standards or basic core competencies,” as stated in the opening paragraph of HB
1118:
(a.5) “… each school district
board of education shall retain the authority to develop its own unique high
school graduation requirements, so long as those local high school graduation
requirements meet or exceed any minimum standards or basic core competencies
or skills identified in the comprehensive set of guidelines for high school
graduation developed by the state board.” (“state board - duties.”) Emphasis
mine.
In 2013 the State Board of Education reaffirmed these goals. (See “Colorado
High School Graduation Guidelines - Adopted by the State Board of Education,”
May 2013.[ii])
In 2025 the Colorado Department of Education again made this point in its Annual Legislative Report. It stated: “These guidelines articulate shared expectations for the meaning of a high school diploma and outline minimum expectations ….” [iii]
The Menu of Options
speaks to these shared expectations: “Students must demonstrate readiness for
college and career based on at least one measure in Reading, Writing, and
Communicating, and one measure in Math.”[iv]
(Bold mine.)
Two
different concerns – related to three options
A. When we say the knowledge and skills we expect students to demonstrate are “district determined,” how is this consistent with the statute? With our goal of “shared expectations”?
|
Today’s Board should be aware that details on the Menu of Options
presented to the Board in the fall of 2017 are not exactly what is in place
today. Addendum H compares the version the Board reviewed in 2017,
versus today’s version. |
But the Board did not set clear
minimum standards for several options.
For both District Capstones and Industry Certificates, according
to the Menu of Options, what students must demonstrate in Reading, Writing, and
Math is “Individualized.” Expectations are “district determined.” (The
exact language of these two options is in Addendum A).
|
Addenda B
- E explore the merits of the Capstone option. B - From a Colorado
Education Initiative report. C & D - Other research. E -
From AV #264 (Oct. 2023) - quoting district leaders unwilling to use Capstone
projects as an option for graduation. |
As a result, we
have no “shared expectations for the meaning of a high school diploma.” For
example, if each district can “determine” its own expectations for the reading
and writing skills students must show in a Capstone project, how can we be
confident their work demonstrates “college and career readiness”? The fear is that anything goes.
(A third option - Concurrent
Enrollment - also invites these same questions. See Endnote.[vi])
B. Our Menu of Options includes a national assessment, ACT WorkKeys. To earn a high school degree in Colorado, our target is Bronze. Is this good enough? A number of states allow it as a pathway for graduation; however, at least five states set a higher target, Silver.
Ten years ago the State Board included both ACT WorkKeys – National
Career Readiness Certification and ASVAB (the aptitude test from the
armed services) as two of the eleven options for students to demonstrate “college
and career readiness.” (Colorado might be one of just six states to accept both
as pathways for graduation.[vii])
The current State Board would do well to review what we have learned about
these two options. Again, do they reflect “shared expectations for the meaning
of a high school diploma”?
ACT WorkKeys is the most troubling. How
many states that use this assessment for graduation set the minimum score on
the ACT WorkKeys at Bronze? Why not Silver, as is the case in
Alabama, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas? The Board will want to see
better research than I offer here (Addendum F), but I hope it encourages
a closer study.
Note that even the name
of the certificate speaks of Career Readiness. And yet our Menu of Options
states that each pathway expects students to demonstrate “college AND career
readiness.” Not OR. Does a Bronze score on the ACT WorkKeys meet that standard?
(See Addendum G for the type of questions asked on the ACT WorkKeys
assessment. This is all we expect of 12th graders?)
The
State Board might explore two central questions
1. For all 11 options, do they provide clear expectations for all 178
districts?
2. Do those expectations require students to demonstrate “college and
career readiness”?
I hope a State Board review will get at these questions. Such a review
is necessary, I believe, so that we can all be confident a high school degree
in Colorado is truly meaningful.
Addenda
Addendum A –
Options where the expectations for students are “district determined”
Addendum B – On the variability in the quality of
Capstone projects
Addendum C –
Information/research from CDE on Capstone projects
Addendum D – Criticism of
Capstone projects as an option in our Graduation Guidelines
Addendum E –
How AI describes Capstone projects – (It would be nice if true!)
Addendum F – ACT WorkKeys – Bronze or
Silver? – What is expected in other states?
Addendum G – ACT WorkKeys – Practice
Tests
Addendum H – The Menu of Options as
presented to the Board in 2017, versus today’s version
Addendum A –
options where the expectations for students are “district determined”
From CDE’s Menu of Options. (Bold mine.)
District Capstone - “A capstone is the culminating
exhibition of a student’s project or experience that demonstrates academic and
intellectual learning. Capstone projects are district determined and
often include a portfolio of a student’s best work.”
Industry Certificate - “Industry certificates are
credentials recognized by business and industry. They are district
determined, measure a student’s competency in an occupation, and they
validate a knowledge base and skills that show mastery in a particular
industry.”
(CDE – Graduation Guidelines / Fact Sheet / Menu of College
and Career-Ready Demonstrations - https://www.cde.state.co.us/postsecondary/graduationguidelinesmenuofoptionspdf )
Addendum
B -
On the variability in
the quality of Capstone projects –
and as a result, on “the rigor of a
diploma” among 178 districts
Excerpts from “What Makes a Graduate?
Unveiling the Opportunities and Challenges of Colorado’s Unique Graduation
Pathways,” by Amber Elias, Vice President, Policy Partnership, Colorado
Education Initiative, May 2024.[viii]
(Bold mine.)
… understanding state-level implications of
the state Graduation Guidelines, district policies, and their implementation is
nearly impossible for a number of reasons….
First, while each school district has a
graduation policy, they may be difficult to access, are not often readily
available to or interpretable by the general public, and are not centrally
collected by CDE to store and make available publicly. The lack of
comparability and transparency in the requirements makes any conversation
largely inaccessible to the general public.
Second, the implementation of Graduation
Guidelines and district policies and requirements varies widely across
districts, and even inside of districts … There is no publicly available data
about the nature of these pathway offerings in each district or school, and no
shared learning about their implementation when they do exist, resulting in
widely varying student experiences. Consider the capstone option, for
example: some districts prioritize a rich “capstone for all” strategy, and each
student has the opportunity to build toward this competency in a meaningful way
over time. In other cases, the capstone is used as a last resort option for
students who have not yet demonstrated other competencies.
We are
optimistic about the work of the 1241 Task Force thus far, but we know that
until we have a basis by which to compare the rigor of a diploma in one
district against the rigor of a diploma in another district, graduation
rates alone will not tell the full story in the framework.
Addendum C – Information/research from CDE on Capstone
Projects
We see some of the
impressive work the Colorado Department of Education staff has done to articulate
what a strong Capstone project looks like. And three cheers to CDE for its efforts
to gather and share information, to welcome research, and to support districts
and schools seeking to implement an effective Capstone option.[ix]
Some of that
research raises similar concerns raised in this newsletter about establishing
“shared expectations or standards” for Capstones.
Excerpt from a Case Study Report – “Learnings from a Large District’s Experience with Using Performance-based Assessments to Evaluate Graduation Competencies.”
Expectations for grading and evaluating graduation competencies using the PBAs vary across teachers. This highlights the importance of ensuring that shared expectations or standards for this work are discussed and normed across teachers and schools.
However, the PLC discussions at both sites and interview data from the two PLC leads suggest that there are no shared or common criteria established in the school for how students can achieve competency on these PBAs for graduation purposes. The interview with the district
math coordinator also revealed that the
lack of shared criteria expands beyond these two
schools since this appears to be an area
that all schools are trying to “figure out.” As shared by the district math
coordinator, “I don’t think we have had any type of district wide conversation and
therefore the definition [for graduation competency using PBAs] doesn’t exist
or it doesn’t at least align in multiple spaces.”
“Learnings from a Large District’s Experience with Using Performance-based Assessments to Evaluate Graduation Competencies,” Elena Diaz-Bilello, Kaitlin Nath, Adam York. A report prepared by the Center for Assessment, Design, Research and Evaluation (CADRE) at the CU Boulder School of Education. https://www.cde.state.co.us/postsecondary/2024cadrecasestudyreport.
Addendum D – Criticism
of Capstone projects as an option in our Graduation Guidelines
Excerpt from AV #264 (October 2023) –
Colorado’s
new graduation guidelines – early warning signs that they fall short
Hearing
from educators and leaders
If you wish to hear how a district has been
thoughtful and gone all-in with Capstone projects, I suggest you look to Canon
City. A school leader there made a strong case to me for why it has good
reason to be proud of what it has put in place these past several years. Other
than that, I hear doubts about the wisdom of including Capstone projects as
among the state’s 11 Menu of Options.
At least two districts in Colorado do not
provide* this option: District 27J and Roaring Fork Valley. A school leader in District 27J
explained their reluctance: “The Capstones I’ve seen only
required a signature from a department chair, who reviews the classes the
student had taken and passed in high school, and said that was enough to ‘earn’
the student a passing mark.” This long-time educator asked the question for me:
“Are the students prepared for college? No.” And added: “I want some proof.”
(*District 27J does allow its charter schools to use this option.)
Roaring Fork expects students to produce a Capstone project, and
yet, as the district’s former Superintendent Rob Stein wrote me, it is “not a
measure of graduation readiness.” Instead, it is a course requirement. He
expanded: “Our capstone was a way
for students to demonstrate that they could identify a question or goal of
their own choosing, pursue it with some discipline, and present their learning
to an appropriate audience. So it was a demonstration of the kind of college readiness
that schools mostly avoid: figuring out what you're interested in and going for
it.”
Educators in Jefferson County Schools
and Aurora Public Schools raised questions about how objective the
evaluation of a student’s project will be. Can it be sufficient when it comes
down to one teacher’s judgment? Especially by a teacher who has worked with
that student and wants him/her to graduate? “It’s completely subjective,” one
educator told me. “I don’t know how they’re being assessed.” Of the students
who “pass” the Capstone: “Do I think the students have reached graduation requirements? Absolutely no.”
A personal note (maybe a surprise). I am a
huge fan of capstone projects. Since 2015 I have
served on ten panels “judging” or responding to student presentations at
high schools in Adams 12, Denver, and Jeffco. (Such
projects were not tied to our new graduation guidelines.) Often 10-minute
talks; then a 10-15 minute q and a session. At times, really impressive; at
times, not—but I cheered the effort. To present to and hear from a panel can be
a powerful learning experience for our juniors and seniors. (Eons ago, I taught
at the Emma Willard School in New York. “Signature” projects are now a central
feature there.[x])
But I find it crazy to make this event into something grandiose, and
claim: With this one “culminating exhibition,” a senior will “demonstrate
readiness for college and career.” It puts more weight on one project
than it can bear. This was a flaw in our new guidelines from day one. It does
not belong.
Addendum E – A
revision to AI’s description of Capstone projects
The key word here
that needs to be revised is ARE ….
Based on what you
have seen in Addenda B-D, it would be more accurate to say:
Captone
projects in Colorado CAN BE …
For surely this description is only accurate in the best of
circumstances. What we need to find out is how often this represents the
quality of Capstone projects across Colorado.
AI Overview (Jan. 2,
2026)
(Bold mine.)
Capstone projects in Colorado
education are culminating, personalized experiences where high school
students demonstrate skills through in-depth research, creative work, or
community service, often tied to their Individual Career and Academic Plans (ICAPs) and Colorado's graduation guidelines, involving mentorship,
public presentation, and creating a portfolio of work. Districts tailor these
projects, which can range from building a hydropower system (Mines) to creating art or starting a
business, to showcase readiness for college and careers.
Key Characteristics
- Culminating Experience: A multi-faceted project at
the end of high school.
- Personalized: Aligned with student interests, career
goals, and ICAPs.
- Mentored: Students often work with a mentor in their
field of interest.
- Skill Demonstration: Shows mastery of academic
content, research, problem-solving, and 21st-century skills.
- Authentic & Public: Involves real-world
application and public presentation/defense of the work.
Examples of Capstone Projects
- Research-Based: In-depth study of a topic, leading to a
paper or presentation (e.g., climate policy, political behavior).
- Work-Based Learning: Internships, job shadowing,
or creating a business/service (e.g., coffee shop at the School for the
Deaf, Olympia Training Facility).
- Creative/Applied Projects: Developing a product,
writing a book, creating art, or designing solutions (e.g., small-scale hydropower, concrete canoe, dolls, computer build).
- Community Service: Projects focused on civic
responsibility and community betterment.
District & University Involvement
- CDE (Colorado Department of
Education): Provides frameworks and criteria for
districts to implement capstones as part of Graduation Guidelines.
- School Districts: Poudre, Jeffco, and others have specific
guidelines, sometimes embedding capstones in focus programs or career
pathways.
- Universities: CU Denver and Mines (Colorado School of Mines)
feature capstone design showcases, bridging high school to higher ed with
engineering, design, and public affairs projects.
How They Work
Students typically choose a topic, conduct research, develop a product or
solution, receive feedback, and present their findings, often culminating in a
portfolio with artifacts like research papers, designs, or photos.
Addendum F – ACT
WorkKeys
Colorado’s
Graduation Guidelines reads: “Bronze or higher.” What is expected in other
states?
(All bold is mine.)
1. AI Overview – Bronze or above – Oct. 30, 2025
To meet high school graduation requirements, a student
typically needs a bronze level or higher on the ACT WorkKeys National
Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC), which requires a score of at least 3 on
the three assessments: Applied Mathematics, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace
Documents. This is a common requirement in states that use WorkKeys, but
specific state and district rules may vary, so students should check with their
local school for confirmation.
WorkKeys graduation requirements
• Bronze level: Students must achieve at least a
Level 3 in all three sections (Applied Mathematics, Graphic Literacy, and
Workplace Documents) to earn the National Career Readiness Certificate.
• State-specific requirements: While the bronze level is a common benchmark for graduation in states using WorkKeys, the specific requirements can vary by state and even by school district. Some districts might have additional requirements or offer alternative pathways to graduation.
2. Five states where Silver is the required
score
A.
AI – Overview on two states (Oct. 31,
2025)
Question: Do some
states require a score higher than Bronze on the ACT WorkKeys?
Yes, some states require a score higher than Bronze on the
ACT WorkKeys for certain designations, such as being considered "career
ready" within the state's accountability framework.
While the Bronze certificate (achieving a Level 3 or higher
on each of the three core assessments: Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and
Workplace Documents) is the minimum score required to earn any National Career
Readiness Certificate (NCRC), some states set a higher benchmark. For example:
AI Overview for South Carolina and Texas
South Carolina
“For graduation in South Carolina, students must score at
least SILVER on the WorkKeys assessments.”
Texas
“For WorkKeys in Texas, the requirement is generally
Silver for graduation, not Bronze. A Silver National Career Readiness
Certificate (NCRC) requires a score of at least Level 4 on each of the three
core assessments: Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace Documents.”
B.
From State Departments of Education - Alabama,
Ohio and Pennsylvania
Alabama
Alabama High School Graduation Requirements College and
Career Readiness
COLLEGE AND
CAREER READINESS (August 1, 2025)
|
NOTE that Alabama has higher
expectations than Colorado on two measures, AP exams and ACT WorkKeys. |
• Earning a benchmark score in
any subject area on the ACT® college entrance exam.
• Earning a qualifying score
of three or higher on an Advanced Placement® exam.
• Earning a qualifying score of
four or higher on an International Baccalaureate® exam.
• Earning college credit while
in high school.
• Earning a silver or gold
level on the ACT® WorkKeys® Exam
Ohio (recent change)
“Department
shifting required competency score”
“The Ohio Department
of Education and Workforce is updating the ‘Workforce Readiness’ score for the
WorkKeys Assessments. Based on updates to the assessments and review of score
alignments to job readiness, the Department will shift the required
competency score to the Silver National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC).
This level equates to a minimum score of “4” on each of the three assessments
…”
“This score will be effective for the 2024-2025 school year for students
utilizing WorkKeys as part of their pathway to high school graduation.” https://education.ohio.gov/Media/Ed-Connection/Oct-22-2024/WorkKeys-Assessments-scoring-update
Pennsylvania
From Pennsylvania’s Graduation
Requirements Guidance – “For graduation in Pennsylvania, the required score
on the ACT WorkKeys assessment is Silver. This is a requirement to meet the
evidence-based pathways for graduation, and it signifies a student has scored
at least a Level 4 on each of the three WorkKeys assessments.” https://pdesas.org/Page/Viewer/ViewPage/73?SectionPageItemId=3339&ItemContainer=sortableItemContainer3341
3. AI Overview – Academic Rigor – Level 3 - Nov.
14, 2025
An ACT WorkKeys test at Level 3 represents a basic, foundational academic rigor, focused on essential skills for entry-level jobs. It is
the least complex of the WorkKeys score levels, which range from 3 to 7.
Academic Rigor of Level 3
Level 3 signifies that an individual has the fundamental skills needed
for the simplest work-related problems. It is associated with the Bronze
National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC), indicating basic career
readiness.
The academic rigor involves skills typically developed by students who
may be near, but not yet fully meeting, college-ready academic standards.
|
Assessment
Area |
Level
3 Skills Demonstrated |
|
Applied Math |
Solving problems using a single type of mathematical
operation (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division using positive
numbers). The information needed is straightforward and presented in logical
order with no extra information. Tasks include calculating the total cost of
several items and making change, or converting between common fractions,
decimals, or percentages (e.g., converting 1/2 to 0.50 or 0.75 to 75%). |
|
Workplace Documents |
Identifying the main idea and specific details in simple
documents. Examinees can apply straightforward instructions to situations
identical to those described in the document. |
|
Graphic Literacy |
Reading and comprehending basic graphical materials to
solve problems (e.g., simple charts, graphs, or diagrams). |
Comparison to Higher Levels
The key difference between Level 3 and higher levels is the complexity of
the tasks:
- Level 3 problems are straightforward, typically requiring one
simple operation, with information presented in a logical order.
- Level 4 and higher introduce more complexity, such as multiple
operations, extraneous information, information presented out of order, or
more complex diagrams/formulas.
In summary, Level 3 demonstrates the minimum level of performance that
many businesses look for when considering potential employees for entry-level
positions. It does not indicate the higher level academic achievement
associated with college-ready benchmarks (which generally correlate with Silver
NCRC levels or higher).
4. ACT WorkKeys in nine
states - AI Overview – Oct. 30, 2025
Several states use the ACT WorkKeys assessment as an option
or a required component within a menu of options for students to meet high
school graduation or career and college readiness requirements
States where WorkKeys plays a role in graduation pathways
include:
• Alabama: Students who do not meet benchmark scores
on the ACT in multiple categories may be required to take the WorkKeys to
graduate. It is a component of career and college readiness (CCR) pathways.
• Colorado: The ACT WorkKeys is included in the
state's Graduation Guidelines as a "Menu of Options" for students to
demonstrate college or career readiness competencies. The National Career
Readiness Certificate (NCRC) earned from WorkKeys is one way to meet these
guidelines.
• Louisiana: The state uses WorkKeys and the NCRC to
help students meet graduation requirements, recognizing the credential as a
valuable postsecondary award.
• Michigan: WorkKeys is a mandatory component of the
Michigan Merit Examination (MME) program for all 11th graders, alongside the
SAT, and the results contribute to graduation requirements.
• Ohio: Students can use WorkKeys scores in
combination with industry-recognized credentials to meet one of the pathways to
earning a high school diploma.
• South Carolina: The state requires all high school
students to take the WorkKeys tests, or uses it as part of their graduation and
accountability systems.
• Texas: Texas allows for alternative options,
including WorkKeys, for students who may have failed one or two of the five
required subject-area exit exams.
• Vermont: All 11th and 12th-grade Career and
Technical Education (CTE) students are required to take specific WorkKeys
assessments, and the NCRC is recognized as a valuable postsecondary credential
for accountability.
• Wisconsin: All high school students in Wisconsin
take the WorkKeys tests as part of their required state assessments.
Addendum
G - ACT WorkKeys - Practice Test
Math Level 3 (Bronze level) - Sample questions
1) Camp Copeland ordered 20 cases of eggs. There are one dozen (12) eggs in each case. How many eggs were ordered all together?
a. 240
b. 120
c. 180
d. 200
e. 32
2) Nora spent 2 hours and 30 minutes on the train. How many total minutes did she spend on the train?
a. 160
b. 230
c. 138
d. 60
e. 150
3) Ellie is in the process of selling 33 collectible dolls. The first week she sells 12 dolls. The second week she sells another 7 dolls. How many dolls remain?
a. 21
b. 13
c. 14
d. 28
e. 24
(WorkKeys
Practice Test – Applied Math Level 3 - https://workkeyspracticetest.com/quizzes/applied-math-level-3/)
Graphics Literacy Level 3 (Bronze level) - Sample
questions
The manager of a municipal recycling
center is reviewing data from a conference he attended in 2015. According to
the chart below, in what year did the “Percent Recycled” for metal first
exceed 20%?
a.
1970
b.
1980
c.
1990
d.
2000
Graphic Literacy Level 3 - https://workkeyspracticetest.com/quizzes/graphic-literacy-level-3/
Addendum H
Menu of Options as
presented to the Board in 2017, versus today’s version
The Menu of Options
presented to the Board in meetings in the fall of 2017 (Oct.-Dec.) is not
exactly what is in place today. I consider this one more reason why it is imperative
that today’s State Board review the Menu of Options.
From the Colorado
High School Graduation Guidelines, adopted by the State Board of Education May
2013:
“Expectations should remain high
for all students, regardless of their post high school plans. Colorado has
clearly articulated an expectation that all students graduate ready for
postsecondary AND the workforce.” [xi]
(Emphasis mine)
1.) On the Menu of Options – the headline of the
Fact Sheet at CDE’s website in both 2017 and today reads:
Menu of College and
Career-Ready Demonstrations
That “and” is significant.
In 2017 the Graduation Guidelines presented to the State
Board read:
“Students
must demonstrate college or career readiness in English and
math.” (Emphasis mine.)
In 2026 this is what the State Board sees on the Menu of
Options:
“Students must
demonstrate college and career readiness on at least one measure in Reading,
Writing, and Communication, and one measure in Mathematics.” (Emphasis
mine.)
In reviewing all 11 options, the current State Board will
want to be sure that each one asks students to meet this
higher bar, both college AND career readiness, in three disciplines: Reading,
Writing, and Mathematics.
2.) The shift from “English” (in 2017) to “Reading,
Writing, and Communicating” (the current language) occurred, according to
the Fact Sheet:
“to match the language in statute for Colorado Academic
Standards, and to better reflect the skills necessary for success in life after
high school …”
In 2017 perhaps the Board understood that English represented Reading, Writing, and Communicating. But the new wording makes this expectation explicit. Today’s State Board will want to learn if and how all 11 options expect students to demonstrate college AND career readiness in both reading AND writing.
3.) What the Board
looked at in the fall of 2017 included ACT Compass (which is no longer
an option) and did not include what the Board now sees, the Accuplacer Next
Generation assessment for both Reading, Writing, and Communications, and
for Mathematics.
4.) What the Board
adopted in 2017, for the option of Collaboratively developed,
standards-based performance assessment, the demonstration of skills read “State-wide
scoring criteria.” But under that it
immediately added – “(In development).”
In 2026, for Collaboratively developed, standards-based
performance assessment, the Menu of Options simply reads: “State-wide
scoring criteria.”
So assuming State-wide criteria have been written and
are now available, the current State Board will want to see and understand the
criteria. Do they set clear and sufficiently rigorous standards?
[i] “Multiple Pathways to Graduation: A Survey,” a report by FairTest. Part
of two reports in “The Changing Graduation Landscape – Portrait and Pathways,”
July 23, 2025. https://fairtest.org/the-changing-graduation-landscape-portraits-and-pathways/. The report highlighted the flexibility in seven states.
Colorado’s Graduation Guidelines are included in the
summary of various pathways in our state.
[ii] This statement is quoted at length in the Addendum to AV#294. Colorado High School Graduation Guidelines - Adopted by the State Board of Education, May 2013, https://www.cde.state.co.us/postsecondary/graduation-guidelines
[iii] Colorado Department of Education,
“Colorado’s Achievement Plan for Kids (CAP4K) - 2025 Annual Legislative Report,
March 2025, https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdedepcom/cap4klegislativeannualreport
[iv] Graduation Guidelines / Fact Sheet / Menu of College and Career-Ready Demonstrations.” CDE, https://www.cde.state.co.us/postsecondary/graduationguidelinesmenuofoptionspdf
[v] See full Menu of Options. https://www.cde.state.co.us/postsecondary/graduationguidelinesmenuofoptionspdf
Four examples of “the minimum scores required” in the Menu of Options.
|
|
Reading,
Writing, & Communicating |
Mathematics |
|
Accuplacer - Classic |
62 on
Reading Comprehension or 70 on Sentence
Skills |
61 on Elementary Algebra |
|
Advanced Placement |
2 |
2 |
|
ASVAB |
31 (Armed Forces Qualification Test) |
31 |
|
SAT |
470 |
480 |
[vi] Concurrent Enrollment. For this option, the language in the Menu of Options states that students must demonstrate a “Passing grade per district and higher education policy.” It then explains: “School district and institutions of higher education each determine passing grades for credit and concurrent enrollment.” (Bold mine.) Which invites the question: what if a C is a passing grade in some districts and a D a passing grade in others? Again, with this option, as currently written, the state has set no clear minimum standard.
[vii] Based
on a query to AI, Jan. 2, 2026: The others are Alabama, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania,
Washington. A 2023 study from the Education Commission of the States, “50-State
Comparison - High School Graduation Requirements – 2023,” is helpful but not
current. https://reports.ecs.org/comparisons/high-school-graduation-requirements-2023-02
[viii]
“What Makes a Graduate? Unveiling the
Opportunities and Challenges of Colorado’s Unique Graduation Pathways,” by
Amber Elias, Vice President, Policy Partnership, Colorado Education Initiative,
2024 Accountability EdPapers, May 2024..
[ix] “Graduation Guidelines – Capstone,” Colorado Department of Education, https://ed.cde.state.co.us/postsecondary/grad-capstone
[x] “Signature
is Emma Willard School’s capstone program for juniors and seniors centered
around exploring a personal interest.” Emma Willard School, Troy, N.Y. https://www.emmawillard.org/academics/curriculum/experiential-learning/signature
[xi] Colorado
High School Graduation Guidelines - Adopted by the State Board of Education,
May 2013, https://www.cde.state.co.us/postsecondary/graduation-guidelines.
