At a glance
Colorado rates schools with School Performance Frameworks (SPF), which assign a plan type based on performance — rather than a letter grade or star rating.
How this state rates schools
The SPF awards points on academic achievement, growth, and (for high schools) postsecondary/workforce readiness (graduation, dropout, matriculation), then assigns one of four plan-type ratings: Performance (highest), Improvement, Priority Improvement, or Turnaround (lowest). Growth is heavily weighted — a plus for reading a school’s real effect.
What gets measured
Under the federal ESSA law, every state rates schools using several indicators. They typically include:
- Academic achievementHow students score on state tests (proficiency in reading/ELA and math)
- Academic growth / progressHow much students improve year to year — not just where they land
- Graduation rateFor high schools (the 4-year cohort rate)
- English-learner progressHow English learners are progressing toward proficiency
- School quality / student successAn extra indicator — often attendance/chronic absenteeism, college/career readiness, or similar
Finding & reading the report card
Look up any school’s framework and plan type on the Colorado Department of Education (SchoolView / SPF). Review the growth results and the trend alongside the plan type.
How families should use ratings
A rating is a helpful starting point, not a verdict. Use it wisely:
- Read it in contextA school’s score reflects its students’ circumstances too, not only its quality
- Look at growth, not just scoresGrowth shows how much a school moves students — often more telling than raw proficiency
- Check the trendIs the school improving over time?
- Look past the summaryDig into the underlying data (subgroups, attendance, readiness)
- Then visitData raises questions; a visit answers them (see our guide on evaluating a school)
Tips for families
- Start on the official portalLook up your specific school, not just district averages
- Weigh growth heavilyHow much a school moves students matters as much as test scores
- Mind the contextRatings partly reflect student demographics and circumstances
- Compare a few schoolsRatings are most useful for comparison, in context
- Pair data with a visitNumbers plus a tour give the real picture
Frequently asked questions
- How does Colorado rate schools?Colorado uses School Performance Frameworks with plan-type ratings (Performance, Improvement, Priority Improvement, Turnaround).
- What do the ratings measure?Test scores, growth, graduation rate, English-learner progress, and a school-quality indicator.
- Where do I look up my school?On the state’s official report-card portal (see below).
- Should I choose a school by its rating alone?No — use it as a starting point, weigh growth and context, and visit.
- What are CSI and TSI?Federal labels for schools flagged for Comprehensive or Targeted Support and Improvement.
At a glance
- FormatSchool Performance Frameworks (plan types)
- RatingsPerformance, Improvement, Priority Improvement, Turnaround
- ToolSchoolView / SPF
- Look up atcde.state.co.us
Where to look it up
Look up a specific school on the official portal: