The Accountability Act of 2009 says: hold
low-performing schools accountable. But do we?
In its handling of school accountability,
the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) has made decisions, supported by the
State Board of Education, that must be questioned. CDE is saying that two of
the lowest-performing high schools in the state have “earned” (Abraham Lincoln
High)—or claim to have earned (Aurora Central High)—a higher rating on
the 2025 School Performance Frameworks. And yet, in 2025, student outcomes at
both high schools were again among the most alarming in Colorado. How do these
new ratings make sense?
|
School Plans – 4 types Overview - 2025 ratings The % of schools on … Performance – 68% Improvement - 19% Priority Improvement - 5% Turnaround - 1% |
In December the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) gave the final school performance ratings for 2024-25. Two of the biggest surprises:
1. In 2024 Abraham Lincoln had reached year 7 on the accountability clock and was given the lowest school rating, on Turnaround. Last December, CDE lifted the school’s 2025 rating up two levels, to on Improvement, with 41.8 points.
2. Aurora Central High School had been on the state’s accountability clock since 2010. In December, CDE rated the Aurora Central Campus, representing both a new K-8 building and Aurora Central High, on Improvement, with a highly dubious rating of “48.1 Points Earned.”
[BACKGROUND: In 2022, the Charles Burrell K-8 program opened on land adjacent to the high school. As CDE has explained to me, “In 2022, the district’s request to combine the high school into a K-12 campus was approved. For combined schools, the department looks across the entire school to assign an overall rating.”[i] Unfortunately, given its impact on accountability, CDE now uses “one school code”[ii] for two vastly different programs.]
AV #296 examined the achievement, growth, and attendance at these two high schools (and at Adams City High).[iii] I will not restate details that showed the schools made little if any progress from 2024 to 2025. Here I wish to make it clear that, whatever CDE’s 2025 ratings, these two high schools (or buildings, as CDE might prefer to call Aurora Central High) were two of the lowest-performing in Colorado. If our accountability process hides this truth, something is wrong.
|
CDE’s “Request to Reconsider Summary” explains the change in the rating
for these two schools last December. No evidence in either case that academic achievement had improved; achievement is not even a factor. See Addendum A. |
If CDE’s final 2025 school performance ratings no longer see Abraham Lincoln and Aurora Central as on Priority Improvement, let’s look at four other high schools that are on Priority Improvement this year. Compare their results with those at Abraham Lincoln and Aurora Central High. Judge for yourself which schools had the most anemic results.
I present 2025 data
from all six schools on four categories:
1. Achievement. How students performed on the state assessments.
2. The School Performance Framework – what a closer look reveals.
3. Student engagement: Attendance, Truancy, Chronic Absences, and Dropout Rate
4. Four-year graduation rate
**
1.
Achievement. How students performed on
the state assessments.
The data below shows the enormous gap between the state average and the students’ scores in all of these schools. But note which schools—scores in red—had the lowest scores. Note, too, that all PSAT/SAT Math scores at Abraham Lincoln and Aurora Central were in the single digits. Less than 10% Met Expectations.
Academic Achievement
(PSAT/SAT data from SchoolView[iv])
|
|
|
On Improvement |
4 high schools on
Priority Improvement |
||||
|
Points earned on School
Performance Framework (SPF) |
41.8 |
48.2 A.C. Campus |
40.0 |
35.5 |
35.7 |
40.1 |
|
|
|
STATE AVERAGE |
Abraham Lincoln H.S. |
Aurora Central H.S. |
Adams City H.S. |
Gateway H.S. |
Mitchell H.S. |
Thornton H.S. |
|
Read/Write - Mean Scale Score |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PSAT 9 |
452 |
308 |
357 |
356 |
354 |
358 |
367 |
|
PSAT 10 |
468 |
352 |
360 |
372 |
357 |
380 |
364 |
|
SAT 11 |
507 |
387 |
396 |
420 |
387 |
425 |
419 |
|
% Met/Exceeded
Expectations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PSAT 9 |
65.4% |
17.3% |
26.9% |
24.8%* |
30.6% |
29.2% |
35% |
|
PSAT 10 |
63.5% |
21.7% |
21.0% |
24.6%* |
28.4% |
32.5% |
24.4% |
|
SAT 11 |
61.5% |
16.7% |
22.4% |
28.0%* |
21.1% |
32.2% |
27.4% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Math - Mean Scale Score |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PSAT 9 |
428 |
331 |
346 |
340 |
355 |
329 |
346 |
|
PSAT 10 |
449 |
364 |
350 |
353 |
360 |
373 |
358 |
|
SAT 11 |
479 |
401 |
380 |
393 |
394 |
395 |
406 |
|
% Met/Exceeded
Expectations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PSAT 9 |
37.5% |
7.3% |
7.7% |
6.0%* |
11.7% |
6.8% |
10.7% |
|
PSAT 10 |
36.4% |
6.6% |
9.0% |
4.5%* |
8.5% |
12.7% |
8.6% |
|
SAT 11 |
32.5% |
7.3% |
6.1% |
4.3%* |
7.6% |
9.1% |
7.9% |
*Adams Ciy High – These are scores for the district. Numbers for the school are unavailable.[v]
Abraham Lincoln – Reading/Writing scores speak for themselves.
Aurora Central High – Scores were similar to, or lower than,
those at the other four high schools. The obvious question: how did Aurora
Central Campus “earn” 48.2 points on its SPF, when its high school students
scored no better than those at four high schools receiving 40.1 points, or less
– placing them on Priority Improvement?
|
4/5 of the students on the
campus attended a program earning 35.9% points. 1/5 of the students were at a
K-8 school earning 66% points. How does that compute to the Campus receiving
48.2% points? |
One explanation might be that the “one school code” for the two
different programs, a K-8 arts magnet (enrolling 500 students) and a
comprehensive high school (1,900 students) led CDE to combine, in some fashion,
the points earned by each. Charles Burrell K-8 earned close to 66% points on
the SPF; the high school (or the 9-12 program, if you will) earned 35.9%
points.
Again, “one school”? Addendum B reveals the jarring contrast in
student outcomes: A tale of two “schools.”
Combining their results hides the reality of what takes place at each
“building.” As a result, CDE fails to provide meaningful accountability for either
the K-8 or the high school.
SAT scores – A shocking number who Did Not Yet Meet Expectations
In
2025, a higher percentage of juniors at Abraham Lincoln and Aurora Central High
scored DID NOT YET MEET EXPECTATIONS on the SAT than at the other four high
schools.
|
PSAT/SAT 4 Performance levels -Exceeded Expectations -Met Expectations -Approached Expectations -Did Not Yet Meet Expectations[vi] |
Among the most troubling findings from 2025
achievement scores is that the majority of students in grades 9-11 at
Abraham Lincoln High and Aurora Central High scored, not just short of Met
Expectations, but in the lowest performance category, Did Not Yet Meet
Expectations.
For grade 11: Among the six high schools,
Abraham Lincoln and Aurora Central had the highest percentage of juniors
scoring Did Not Yet Meet Expectations. (Note: This from the class of
2026, now graduating.)
For both Abraham Lincoln and Aurora Central, consider this startling
fact:
On the SAT in Reading/Writing, over 70% of 11th
graders scored Did Not Yet Meet
Expectations.
On the SAT in Math, over 80% of 11th
graders scored Did Not Yet Meet Expectations.
% of 11th graders scoring in the lowest performance category, Did Not Yet Meet Expectations
(Again, note the gap between the state average and results at all six schools.)
|
|
STATE AVERAGE |
Abraham Lincoln H.S. |
Aurora Central H.S. |
Adams City H.S.* |
Gateway H.S. |
Mitchell H.S. |
Thornton H.S. |
|
Reading/Writing |
26.9% |
72.7% |
70.3% |
59.3% |
67.5% |
57.3% |
56.3% |
|
# of students DNYM |
|
109 |
248 |
191 |
224 |
82 |
142 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Math |
46.6% |
80% |
82.9% |
82.1% |
79.5% |
78.3% |
72.7% |
|
# of students DNYM |
|
120 |
315 |
266 |
263 |
112 |
184 |
In grades 9 and 10, in both disciplines, at
both Abraham Lincoln and Aurora Central High, the majority of students also
scored Did Not Yet Meet Expectations. See Endnotes.[vii]
2. The School Performance Framework – what a
closer look reveals.
For high schools, CDE’s SPF presents an overall rating, and, where appropriate, a rating for each level (elementary, middle, high).
School Performance
Framework - Ratings
Note the similar scores and ratings for Aurora Central, Gateway, and Mitchell. Overall, each earned below 36 percentage points.
Six high schools
From the 2025 Final School Performance Framework
|
|
|
On Improvement |
4 high schools on
Priority Improvement |
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Abraham Lincoln H.S. |
*Aurora Central H.S. |
Adams City H.S. |
Gateway H.S. |
Mitchell H.S. |
Thornton H.S. |
|
Academic Achievement |
|
25% |
25% |
25% |
25% |
25% |
25% |
|
Academic Growth |
|
52.7%** |
46.4% |
46.4% |
49.1% |
44% |
49.1% |
|
Postsecondary & Workforce Readiness |
|
44.0% |
32.7% |
46.2% |
27.9% |
34.6% |
43.3% |
|
POINTS BY LEVEL |
|
|
35.9% |
|
|
|
|
|
OVERALL RATING |
|
41.8% |
|
40.0% |
35.5% |
35.7% |
40.1% |
**On growth at Abraham Lincoln:
This 52.7% is
less impressive, as AV #296 pointed out, when seen in the context of the
school’s extremely low achievement and growth scores in 2024 (and rated on Turnaround).
See Endnotes.[viii]
Furthermore, the SAT Math was taken by 154
juniors. Mean scale scores improved, 2024 to 2025, from 378 to 401. Leading
to a modest increase in those who Met Expectations, from 5.1% to
7.3%.
The PSAT Math was
taken by 408 freshmen and sophomores. Almost no change in scores, 2024
to 2025, from 348.1 to 348.3. Both years, roughly 7% of these students Met
Expectations.[ix]
SchoolView
presents Academic Growth on both Reading/Writing and Math for all schools.[x]
At Abraham Lincoln, as at all six of these high schools, in both disciplines,
growth was between 35% to 45%. These scores fell short of the Median Growth
Percentile needed to Meet Expectations (50% - 64.5%.)
The SPF on Academic
Achievement (PSAT) and Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness (SAT)
Reading and Writing,
and Math
CDE’s 2025 Final
School Performance Framework for each school rates how well students performed
on the state assessments. Freshmen and sophomores take the PSAT, juniors the
SAT. The SPF gives a rating for All Students and also for four student
groups: Free/Reduced-Price Lunch
Eligible, Minority Students, Multilingual Learners, and Students with
Disabilities.
At all six
schools, for both Reading/Writing and Math, in every category, the SPF
rating reads Does Not Meet. (Addendum C shows what the SPF reports
for each these schools. A bleak picture.)
Aurora Central
HIGH SCHOOL – School Performance Framework, 2022-2025
Below: 1) The 2022 rating for Aurora Central High School, before the K-8 school opened on this campus. 2) Since then, CDE’s SPF primary rating is for the Aurora Central Campus (the K-8 and the 9-12 programs). Page one of the SPF now also includes a rating and percentage points earned for each level. Here is what the SPF has reported for the high school level.
Aurora Central (2022-2025) - Points on School Performance Framework at the high school level
|
|
Points for the high
school |
Points by Level – SPF score for high school level |
||
|
|
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
Aurora Central High School |
Turnaround |
Priority Improvement |
Priority Improvement |
Priority Improvement |
|
32.4 |
39.9% |
37.7% |
35.9% |
|
The declining ratings for the high school program between 2023 and 2025 refute the claim made by the principals at both Aurora Central High and the Charles Burrell K-8.
|
After the CDE revealed the new Improvement rating for the
Aurora Central Campus in December, the principals at both Charles Burrell and
the high school released similar statements sharing “the exciting news.” Each
made this false assertion. “Aurora
Central High School has made enough improvement to earn a state performance
rating of ‘Improvement’ status.” [xi] |
Are such misleading statements due to a misunderstanding? To prevent that, it would have been useful if, at that December meeting before the State Board, CDE staff had taken a moment to give a brief update on the school the Board has been watching for over a decade, Aurora Central High. But not a word was said about the high school.
For CDE, a
conundrum of its own making
The Colorado Department of Education’s decision to give Charles Burrell
K-8 and Aurora Central High School “one school code” creates a conundrum. CDE
now presents a good news story for the Campus, even as it has to acknowledge the
high school’s ongoing struggles.
We saw the contradiction in CDE’s progress monitoring update to the
State Board last September. CDE’s report on Aurora Central Campus, before the
Request to Reconsider was approved, asserted: “Aurora Central earned points for
an Improvement rating, but were decreased due to participation.” (“Earned.” As
I have shown, the impressive 48.1% points came about in spite of the
terribly low rating for the high school program: 35.9% points.)
|
Having it both ways Listen closely to these State Board meetings and you find that,
when convenient, “Aurora Central” means the Campus, but when it is about the
turnaround struggles, it refers to the high school. |
What did CDE’s update say about the “Aurora Central Campus”? Every word from
Dr. Andy Swanson, Director of Transformation Strategy at CDE,[xii]
and in the ten-page “2024-25 End-of-Year Progress Monitoring Update” for the
Board,[xiii]
addressed the turnaround work at Aurora Central High (partial management
by TNTP, Tier I instruction, low attendance). Not one mention of Charles
Burrell K-8.
The confusion was then compounded by a disingenuous comment from Board member Dr. Lisa Escarcega: “... this is really, for Central, that's amazing that they got improvement...” [xiv] More than amazing, totally inaccurate, if she was referring to the high school, which was the subject of Swanson's update. Escarcega was on Superintendent Rico Munn’s leadership team in Aurora Public Schools a decade ago when it allowed the high school to stumble forward, never demonstrating meaningful progress.[xv] No one on the Board knows as much as she does about the high school’s chronic low performance. But CDE and the Board seem intent on not speaking this truth.
With the “one school code,” CDE presents this split screen:
accountability for the Campus, but not for the high school.
3.
Student engagement: Attendance, Truancy,
Chronic Absences, and Dropout Rate
The Request to Reconsider from Aurora Central Campus (see Addendum A)
pertained to the percentage of students who took the state assessments.
It had nothing to do with how students performed on them. (See above.)
Furthermore, I
trust we agree that data on attendance, truancy, and chronic absenteeism at a
school in 2025 says a lot more about the student engagement throughout the
year than how many students show up for three days to take the state tests.
Again, CDE’s final
2025 school performance ratings placed four of these six high schools on
Priority Improvement. However, of the six, notice which schools had the …
Lowest attendance
- Aurora Central High
Highest rate of
truancy – Aurora Central High
Highest rate of
chronic absences – Aurora Central High
Highest dropout
rate – Aurora Central High
Highest
percentage (over 50%) of students identified as truant vs. not truant– Thornton
High and Abraham Lincoln High
In red – highest percentage.
|
|
Student Count |
Attendance % |
Truant % |
TRUANT A* |
NOT TRUANT B* |
CHRON ABS % |
DROPOUT % |
|
STATE OF COLORADO |
|
91.4% |
3.6% |
|
|
28.4% |
1.6% |
|
Aurora Public Schools |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aurora
Central High School** |
1,924 |
77.0 |
19.9 |
607 |
1,317 |
69.4 |
9.2 |
|
Gateway High
School |
1,845 |
78.7 |
16.8 |
592 |
1,253 |
64.9 |
5.3 |
|
Adams 14 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adams City
High School |
1,664 |
84.4 |
12.7 |
519 |
1,145 |
54.6 |
1.9 |
|
Adams 12 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thornton
High School |
1,677 |
79.6 |
15.3 |
887 |
790 |
58.2 |
1.0 |
|
Colorado Springs |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mitchell
High School |
831 |
80.3 |
13.6 |
360 |
471 |
67.9 |
4.7 |
|
Denver Public Schools |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Abraham
Lincoln High School |
1,006 |
83.8 |
10.7 |
513 |
493 |
61.4 |
1.6 |
Data and explanation - see Endnotes.[xvi]
*A
= TRUANT – MEANS - Missed 4 or more days in a month or 10 days in a year. B =
NOT TRUANT
**Data
is for the high school (population of 1,924 in 2024-25) for most categories. It
is not for all the students on the Aurora Central Campus. (2,468 enrolled in
2024-25, which included 498 students at Charles Burrell K-8.)
Another
comparison – five high schools
CDE
“celebrates” schools that ADVANCED TO ON WATCH
At the State Board
of Education meeting on Dec. 10, 2025, CDE staff said: “We want to celebrate
those (schools) that Advanced to on Watch.” Abraham Lincoln and Aurora
Central Campus were among the 33 schools to “celebrate.” Compare their outcomes
with those at three high schools that also Advanced to On Watch. Again,
of the five, note which schools had the …
Lowest attendance
- Aurora Central High
Highest rate of
truancy – Aurora Central High
Highest rate of
chronic absences – Aurora Central High
Highest dropout rate – Aurora
Central High
Highest
percentage (over 50%) of students identified as truant vs. not truant– Abraham
Lincoln
In red – highest percentage.
|
|
Count
|
Attendance % |
Truant % |
TRUANT A |
NOT TRUANT B |
CHRON ABS % |
DROPOUT % |
|
STATE OF COLORADO |
|
91.4% |
3.6% |
|
|
28.4% |
1.6% |
|
Aurora
Central High School |
1,924 |
77.0 |
19.9 |
607 |
1,317 |
69.4 |
9.2 |
|
Abraham
Lincoln High (DPS) |
1,006 |
83.8 |
10.7 |
513 |
493 |
61.4 |
1.6 |
|
Hinkley High
(APS) |
1,676 |
84.8 |
10.7 |
415 |
1,261 |
53.9 |
4.8 |
|
Harrison
High (Harrison 2) |
1,212 |
84.1 |
12.5 |
259 |
953 |
50.3 |
1.6 |
|
Jefferson
Jr/Sr. High (Jeffco) |
695 |
83.2 |
11.6 |
296 |
399 |
58.7 |
1.7 |
Data and explanation – as above.
Abraham Lincoln
– The chronic absence rate at Abraham Lincoln increased, from 53.1% in 2024 to
61.4% in 2025. Few high schools the size of Abraham Lincoln saw more students
identified as truant than not truant. Add that to the shocking number of
students who do not return to Abraham Lincoln after their freshman year. See Addendum
D - Voting with their feet - What students at Abraham Lincoln are
telling us.
4.
Four-year graduation rate – 2024-25
|
STATE AVERAGE |
Abraham Lincoln H.S. |
Aurora Central H.S. |
Adams City H.S. |
Gateway H.S. |
Mitchell H.S. |
Thornton H.S. |
|
|
On Improvement |
4 high schools on
Priority Improvement |
||||
|
85.6% |
70% |
59.5% |
87.9% |
65.4% |
68.8% |
81.9% |
(Data
from SchoolView, 2025)
To provide
students the education they deserve
“In 2009, Colorado’s legislature passed the Education Accountability Act that created a system to hold the state, school districts, and schools accountable for student academic performance on specific indicators and measures, including achievement and growth on state tests and graduation rates.” Colorado Department of Education [xvii]
Is there any doubt that, in 2024-25, Abraham
Lincoln High and Aurora Central High were two of the lowest-performing high
schools in Colorado? At present, the state seems unwilling to say this, based
more on technicalities than on the obvious fact that student outcomes at both
schools were abysmal.
In lowering expectations of what is needed for schools to earn an Improvement rating,
we might feel we are doing these schools a favor. In reality, we do a
disservice to their students.
|
When the Education
Accountability Act of 2009 (SB 09-163) was being debated, Chalkbeat Colorado
called it “the top legislative priority of the Colorado Department of
Education.”[xviii] |
The Accountability Act of 2009 called on the state to provide more
support for chronically low-performing schools, as well as continued pressure
to improve.
The Colorado Department of Education and the State Board of Education
should honor that expectation.
Let’s carry out the essential principle of the Accountability Act: to
provide students the education they deserve, low-performing schools must be
held accountable.
Addendum A
CDE’s 2025
District Accreditation and School Plan Type Assignments
Request to Reconsider Summary
Pursuant to the Education
Accountability Act of 2009
The
Education Accountability Act requires the Colorado Department of Education
(CDE) to evaluate all districts and schools based on their level of attainment
on key performance indicators: academic achievement, academic growth, and
postsecondary and workforce readiness….
If, in
reviewing the performance of the district overall or the performance of an
individual school, a district finds that a different accreditation rating or
plan type assignment better describes the performance of students, then the
district may engage in the request to reconsider process.
Aurora Central Campus
The Colorado Department of Education
(CDE) determined Aurora Central Campus met the conditions for the
Accountability Participation Impact condition by (1) meeting the 95%
accountability participation rate threshold in their informational 1-year
performance framework, and (2) providing a district narrative that described
this data and included a sufficient rationale for participating in the request
process, including ways that participation will be addressed next year.
Accountability participation rates in their informational performance framework
are 96.5% for English Language Arts and 96.9% for Math, which is sufficient to
request that their rating is not “Decreased Due to Participation”. By meeting
these criteria, the CDE recommends the State Board of Education adjust Aurora
Central Campus’ s rating from Priority Improvement: Decreased to Participation
- Year 11 to Improvement Plan - Year 10 On Watch.
Abraham Lincoln High
The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) determined Abraham
Lincoln High School met the conditions for the Body of Evidence condition by
including (1) documentation that demonstrates students matriculated into a
higher education institution, a Career or Technical Education program, or
military option, (2) demonstrating that these student records, if included,
would result in an improved plan type, and (3) providing a district narrative
that described this data and included a sufficient rationale for participating
in the request process. Total points earned with supplemental data is
sufficient for a Improvement plan type. By meeting these criteria, the CDE
recommends the State Board of Education adjust Abraham Lincoln High School’s
rating from Priority Improvement - Year 8 to Improvement - Year 7 On
Watch. From CDE - 2025 Request to Reconsider
Summary
Addendum B
Aurora Central Campus – A tale of two
“schools”
With a “one school
code” for the “campus,’ CDE seems intent on taking away what common sense tells
us, that Aurora Central High School is a school, all by itself. As is
the Charles Burrell K-8 magnet. By insisting the state will view them as one
K-12 school, CDE becomes entangled in talking about “the K-8 program” and “the
9-12 level,” or words to that effect. A school that has existed for over a
century is no longer a school, but sits on a campus, which is now the school.
George Orwell would shake his head at such nonsense.
A. Accountability, at present, does not address the vastly different student outcomes
“Combining” results in the School Performance Framework obscures the
simple truth: the two programs produce enormously different student outcomes.
If CDE won’t classify them as two distinct schools, their results tell a
different story.
Charles Burrell -
grades 5-8, scores well above the district average
Aurora Central High School – grades 9-12, scores well below the district average
|
Charles
Burrell K-8 |
District average |
School vs. district average |
|
Aurora
Central High |
District average |
School vs district average |
|
CMAS
English |
|
|
|
Reading/Writing |
|
|
|
Grade 5 -
56.3 |
27.2 |
+29.1 |
|
PSAT 9 - 26.9 |
39.8 |
-12.9 |
|
6 - 32.4 |
25.5 |
+6.9 |
|
PSAT 10
- 21.0 |
36.3 |
-15.3 |
|
7 - 35.5 |
29.7 |
+5.8 |
|
SAT 11 - 22.4 |
35.9 |
-13.5 |
|
8 - 38.6 |
27.6 |
+11.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
CMAS Math |
|
|
|
Math |
|
|
|
Grade 5 - 22.9 |
18.2 |
+4.7 |
|
PSAT 9 - 7.7 |
16.7 |
-9 |
|
6 - 22.1 |
16.6 |
+5.5 |
|
PSAT 10
- 9.0 |
20.6 |
-11.6 |
|
7 - 24.2 |
18.9 |
+5.3 |
|
SAT 11 - 6.1 |
16.4 |
-10.3 |
|
8 - 27.4 |
17.5 |
+9.9 |
|
|
|
|
|
CMAS
Science |
|
|
|
CMAS
Science |
|
|
|
Grade 4 - 27.1 |
19.0 |
+8.1 |
|
Grade 12 - 3.4 |
10.7 |
-7.3 |
|
8 - 27.4 |
15.8 |
+11.6 |
|
|
|
|
https://ed.cde.state.co.us/assessment/cmas-dataandresults-2025
https://ed.cde.state.co.us/assessment/sat-psat/sat-psat-data
Aurora Central Campus came about when a K-8 magnet arts school opened next to a large comprehensive high school. It is not at all clear the two “buildings” see themselves as part of a “combined school” with a common purpose. One small example: the Aurora Central Campus Unified Improvement Plan for 2025-26 makes little mention of Charles Burrell K-8. It examines a school struggling to improve. That is not Charles Burrell K-8.
And we see that each “program” articulates
its mission in different terms.
At the
website for the high school: “Aurora
Central High School strives to graduate leaders who are self-aware, locally
active and globally engaged.” https://central.aurorak12.org/home
At the
website for the Charles Burrell K-8: “Our campus community
provides a rigorous, arts-integrated education that honors diverse perspectives
and experiences, fosters deep inquiry, and develops student self-awareness” (https://burrellarts.aurorak12.org/about/vision_mission).
It speaks of “our campus community.”
However, the arts-integrated education is only central for students at the K-8
program.
The Aurora Central Campus UIP 2025-26
states: “The goal is for the Arts to permeate throughout the entire campus.”
And yet the UIP then proceeds to say little about the arts. Not until the
bottom of page 10 (see “Strengthen Student Postsecondary & Workforce
Readiness”) do we read of plans for the Visual and Performing Arts and the
Burrell Arts pathway throughout the high school.
We read there: “The Burrell Arts pathway
includes 9th-12th grade students, making up approximately 200 students out of
1,800 total high school students.”
The arts pathway is just one component of
the high school program.
At Charles Burrell K-8 the arts are central
to the mission.
https://co-uip.my.site.com/uipv2/apex/uipV2PrintPublic?dcode=0180&scode=1458
Addendum C
For all six schools, on the Final SPF rating on the PSAT and
SAT, results look something like this:
|
2025 - Rating |
||
|
Subject |
Student
Group |
|
|
CO PSAT –
Reading/Writing |
All students |
Does
Not Meet |
|
|
English Learners |
Does
Not Meet |
|
|
Free/Reduced Lunch Eligible |
Does
Not Meet |
|
|
Minority Students |
Does
Not Meet |
|
|
Students with Disabilities |
Does
Not Meet |
|
CO PSAT –
Math |
All students |
Does
Not Meet |
|
|
English Learners |
Does
Not Meet |
|
|
Free/Reduced Lunch Eligible |
Does
Not Meet |
|
|
Minority Students |
Does
Not Meet |
|
|
Students with Disabilities |
Does
Not Meet |
|
POSTSECONDARY
AND WORKFORCE READINESS (11th
GRADE) |
||
|
Subject |
Student
group |
2025 -
Rating |
|
CO SAT – Reading/Writing |
All students |
Does Not Meet |
|
|
English
Learners |
Does Not Meet |
|
|
Free/Reduced
Lunch Eligible |
Does Not Meet |
|
|
Minority
Students |
Does Not Meet |
|
|
Student for
Disabilities* |
Does Not Meet |
|
CO SAT – Math |
All students |
Does Not Meet |
|
|
English
Learners |
Does Not Meet |
|
|
Free/Reduced
Lunch Eligible |
Does Not Meet |
|
|
Minority
Students |
Does Not Meet |
|
|
Students with
Disabilities* |
Does Not Meet |
*For Abraham Lincoln, no rating - N<16.
Addendum D
Voting with their
feet - What students at Abraham Lincoln are telling us.
After freshmen
year at Abraham Lincoln, over 100 do not return for sophomore year.
Pupil membership -
Abraham Lincoln High School 2019-20 to 2025-26
|
|
Grade 9 |
Grade 10 |
Grade 11 |
Grade 12 |
TOTAL |
|
2019-20 |
344 |
242 |
186 |
199 |
971 |
|
2020-21 |
374 |
215 |
177 |
198 |
964 |
|
2021-22 |
421 |
227 |
171 |
174 |
993 |
|
2022-23 |
341 |
292 |
185 |
168 |
986 |
|
2023-24 |
349 |
228 |
224 |
191 |
992 |
|
2024-25 |
339 |
243 |
160 |
223 |
965 |
|
2025-26 |
282 |
209 |
162 |
177 |
830 |
The number enrolled
freshman year, then the declining number enrolled as sophomores the next year.
344 to 215
374 to 227
421 to 292
341 to 228
349 to 243
339 to 209
A large number of sophomores do not return for junior year.
Number enrolled sophomore year, then the declining number
enrolled as juniors the next year.
242 to 177
215 to 171
227 to 185
292 to 224
228 to 160
243 to 162
Endnotes
[i]
Email from Lisa Medler to me, Dec. 27, 2025. “For combined schools, the department
looks across the entire school to assign an overall rating. The
frameworks include detail report on each school level to show what each level
(E, M and H) would have been had it stood on its own, but this is only
informational. The high school’s board order has stayed with the overall
campus (e.g., years on the clock continued), and the framework was calculated
just like any other K-12 school.”
[ii]
Email from Lisa Medler to me, Oct. 1, 2025. “Because the full K-12 school has one school code, the entire
school is technically on the accountability clock – Year 9.”
[iii] AV #296 - These 4,500 high school students deserve something better - Three low-performing high schools, with rarely seen numbers/graphs. A learning gap? More like a learning chasm. (Feb. 2026), https://anotherviewphj.blogspot.com/2026/02/
[iv] From
the Colorado Department of Education’s SchoolView - https://www.cde.state.co.us/schoolview/explore/welcome
and from CDE’s https://ed.cde.state.co.us/assessment/sat-psat/sat-psat-data
[v] Adams City High School scores - The far majority of high school students in Adams 14 who take the PSAT and SAT assessments are students at Adams City High. (Fo example, for Math: on PSAT 9, 361 out of 365 students taking the assessment were Adams City High students; on PSAT 10, 350 out of 358; on SAT 11, 293 out of 324. The only other high school program in Adams 14 is the much smaller alternative high school.) https://ed.cde.state.co.us/assessment/sat-psat/sat-psat-data
[vi] From CDE: For the PSAT/SAT, scores
fall into four performance levels. Level 1: “Students
performing at this level may minimally approach the academic expectations for the
knowledge, skills and practices known to be most relevant for success in
college and careers …”
[vii]
From AV #296 –
# and % of students who Did Not Meet Expectations
– PSAT Reading/Writing
Abraham Lincoln High – Gr. 9 – 149/220 (68%) Gr. 10 – 134/212 (63.2%)
Aurora Central High - Gr. 9 - 187/334 (56%) Gr. 10 - 209/333 (62.8%)
# and % of student who Did Not Meet Expectations
– PSAT MATH
Abraham Lincoln High - Gr. 9 – 193/220 (88%) Gr. 10 – 167/211 (79.1%)
Aurora Central High - Gr. 9 – 303/365 (83%) Gr. 10 – 293/355 (82.5%)
[viii]
From AV #296 - “COMMENT: Growth scores at Abraham Lincoln. Context matters.”
“To be
specific, at Abraham Lincoln, comparing scores in 2024 to 2025:
SAT mean
scale score on English - up from 372 in 2024 to 387 in 2025.
Which equated to an increase from 12.8% to 16.7% Meeting Expectations.
SAT mean
scale score on Math – up from 378 to 401. Which only meant an
increase from 5.1% to 7.3% Meeting Expectations.
And for younger students, PSAT scores for 9th graders declined in both Reading/Writing (353 dropped to 308) and Math (336 to 331).”
[ix] Scores from the School Performance
Framework for Abraham Lincoln in 2024 and 2025.
https://ed.cde.state.co.us/assessment/sat-psat/sat-psat-data
[x] SchoolView
- https://www.cde.state.co.us/schoolview/explore/welcome
“For the Academic Growth performance indicator, the framework assigns ratings based on median student growth percentile (MGPs) and Percent On-Track to Proficiency calculations that are generated using the Colorado Growth Model.”
[xi]
From ACHS Principal Kurtis Quig (excerpt)
Dear Aurora Central High School Community
(Bold mine)
I am deeply
proud to share some exciting news about our school’s performance progress.
It is now
official that for the first time in more than 15 years, Aurora Central High
School has made enough improvement to earn a state performance rating of
“Improvement” status. In previous years, our school received ratings of
“Priority Improvement” or “Turnaround,” so this newly earned status represents
a truly significant celebration for our entire school community.
I want to thank
and celebrate the hard work, commitment and perseverance of our students, staff
and families.
From Anne Ferris, Principal, Charles Burrell K-8
Dear Burrell K-8 Community,
I am happy to share some exciting news about our Charles Burrell campus’ performance progress. Recently, the Colorado State Board of Education voted to finalize our appeal on our campus’ performance framework rating. It is now official that for the first time in more than 15 years, Aurora Central High School has made enough improvement to earn a state performance rating of “Improvement” status. I do want to emphasize that our K-8 school’s performance has always been at the highest rating of “Performance” since our school opened, so we are excited to be part of this newly earned status as part of one campus, which represents a truly significant celebration for our entire community.
[xii] Colorado
Department of Education – presentation to the State Board of Education, Sept.
10, 2026.
“Progress Monitoring Updates - Aurora Central Campus
(Aurora Public Schools)
❖ Aurora Central Campus received
a Priority Improvement - Year 11 (decreased due to participation) rating on the
2025 Preliminary SPF.
❖ Focus of Pathway Plan ➢
Partial Management (TNTP) and Innovation, focused on enhancing instructional
practices, strengthening PLCs, goal setting, and leadership capacity building.
❖ 24-25 End-of-Year Summary ➢
Aurora Central began their partnership with TNTP in 24-25, following a summer
re-hearing in 2024. The partnership has been focused on developing teacher
practices in Tier 1 Instruction and effective progress monitoring practices by
the school’s leadership, district leadership, and TNTP.
❖ Data Update ➢ Despite progress in improving their attendance from previous years (7 out of 9 months demonstrated improved attendance), attendance continues to be low at Aurora Central Campus (high 70s, low 80s for most months).”
[xiii] On page 10 of this report for the State Board, in the next-to-last sentence, we read “of ninth graders in accessing all 3 pathways on campus (Career and Technical Education, Concurrent Enrollment, and the Charles Burrell Arts Pathway).” “2024-25 End-of-Year Progress Monitoring Update September 2025,” https://go.boarddocs.com/co/cde/Board.nsf/files/DL6TF4771969/$file/2024-25%20EOY%20Aurora%20Central%20Campus%20(Aurora%20Public%20Schools)%20Progress%20Monitoring%20Report.pdf
[xiv] State Board Meeting, Progress Monitoring Update, Sept. 10, 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AWXHm_efus
[xv] “APS school board
signs off on ‘innovation’ plan for Aurora Central High School,“ The Sentinel,
June 2, 2015, https://sentinelcolorado.com/metro/aps-school-board-signs-off-innovation-plan-aurora-central-high-school/
[xvi] Attendance,
truancy data, chronic absenteeism data - from CDE: https://ed.cde.state.co.us/cdereval/attendancestatistics
|
The number of students at each school differs from those at CDE’s Pupil Membership page. CDE explains: “The attendance enrollment numbers capture students who were
enrolled throughout the year so add students who may have arrived to a school
later in the school year. The attendance collection student counts
should be used for truancy, attendance rate and chronic absenteeism.” (Email
to me from Johann Liljengren, March 29,
2026.) |
|
. |
Dropout statistics - data from CDE: https://ed.cde.state.co.us/cdereval/dropoutstatistics
[xvii] "Accountability Pathways and Hearings, Fact Sheet," Colorado Department of Education, https://www.cde.state.co.us/accountability/accountabilitypathwayshearingsfactsheet
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