Westminster loses performance appeal for schools

The Colorado Board of Education voted unanimously Monday to deny Westminster Public Schools’ appeal to raise its quality rating.

The board voted after minimal discussion mostly criticizing the district for blaming poor performance on minority and disadvantaged students.

“The ‘why’ students are not performing at grade level is an excuse, but what it should do is give us a road map to remedy that failure,” said board member Steve Durham.

Pam Swanson, Westminster’s superintendent, and school board members said the state board members’ comments were ridiculous.

“We have very high expectations,” Swanson said. “Every teacher listening to that comment was disgusted because we know that we have high expectations. We know all of our kids can get there. It just takes them longer.”

The district has argued that the annual performance evaluation was not legal because it discriminated against the district’s large number of English learners, mobile students and those who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

They also contend the state isn’t making allowances to account for Westminster’s so-called “competency-based” learning model, which does away with grade levels and moves students instead based on when they’ve met certain education standards.

State education department officials disputed the district’s appeal stating in part that the district has the flexibility to determine student grade levels for testing purposes.

The decision means Westminster now must go through with an accountability hearing. Proposed plans for that hearing on May 4 have already been prepared.