Colorado § 22-32.5-105 - Suggested innovations.

§ 22-32.5-105. Suggested innovations.

(1) In considering or creating an innovation plan or a plan for creating an innovation school zone, each local school board is strongly encouraged to consider innovations in the following areas:

(a) Curriculum and academic standards and assessments;

(b) Accountability measures, including but not limited to expanding the use of a variety of accountability measures to more accurately present a complete measure of student learning and accomplishment. The accountability measures adopted by an innovation school or an innovation school zone may include, but need not be limited to:

(I) Use of graduation or exit examinations;

(II) Use of end-of-course examinations;

(III) Use of student portfolio reviews;

(IV) Use of national and international accountability measures such as the national assessment of educational progress and the program for international student assessment;

(V) Measuring the percentage of students continuing into higher education; and

(VI) Measuring the percentage of students simultaneously obtaining a high school diploma and an associate's degree or a career and technical education certificate.

(c) Provision of services, including but not limited to special education services; services for gifted and talented students; services for English language learners; educational services for students at risk of academic failure, expulsion, or dropping out; and support services provided by the state department of human services or county departments or agencies of human or social services;

(d) Teacher recruitment, training, preparation, and professional development;

(e) Teacher employment;

(f) Performance expectations and evaluation procedures for teachers and principals;

(g) Compensation for teachers, principals, and other school building personnel, including but not limited to performance pay plans, total compensation plans, and other innovations with regard to retirement and other benefits;

(h) School governance and the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of principals in innovation schools or schools within an innovation school zone; and

(i) Preparation and counseling of students for transition to higher education or the work force.

Source: L. 2008: Entire article added, p. 1425, § 1, effective May 28. L. 2010: (1)(c) amended, (SB 10-062), ch. 168, p. 595, § 12, effective April 29. L. 2014: (1)(c) amended, (HB 14-1298), ch. 244, p. 937, § 22, effective May 21. L. 2018: (1)(c) amended, (SB 18-092), ch. 38, p. 438, § 92, effective August 8.

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in SB 18-092, see section 1 of chapter 38, Session Laws of Colorado 2018.

ANNOTATION

A local school board may approve an innovation plan for a new school that has not previously opened as a non-innovation school and has yet to hire teachers. The requirement in subsection (3)(f) to provide evidence of majority consent from teachers and the school's accountability committee before submitting the plan is directory, not mandatory. The general assembly's intent was to give schools and school districts flexibility to address the needs of students and the communities in which they live. City & County of Denver v. Denver Classroom, 2017 CO 30, 407 P.3d 1220.

A public school need not be failing academically, or replacing a failing school, to be eligible to submit an innovation plan. Denver Classroom v. City & County of Denver, 2015 COA 71, 412 P.3d 721, rev'd on other grounds, 2017 CO 30, 407 P.3d 1220.