This past week, the CSI Board of Directors approved the charter school performance ratings for our schools. These performance ratings, known as accreditation ratings, are established through the CSI Annual Review of Schools (CARS). CARS is the annual performance review looks at a school’s academics, operations, and finances for each CSI charter school. (The expectations for school performance are laid out in our Performance Frameworks.)
This review is similar to the state’s performance rating system since it also incorporates the same measures of academic performance. However, CARS also includes additional academic indicators as well as measures of financial and organizational performance.
Charter School Accreditation Process
To determine charter school performance ratings, CSI establishes a base rating from a school’s academic performance.
Then, if the school has also met financial and organizational expectations, the school keeps its base rating.
If a school has not met financial or organizational expectations, however, the base rating can be lowered. (Learn more about charter school accountability here.)
Charter School Performance Ratings
Colorado considers four school plan types when rating public schools:
- Performance,
- Improvement,
- Priority Improvement, and
- Turnaround
CSI has built upon this framework and includes an additional charter school performance rating: Performance with Distinction.
Performance with Distinction
CSI schools that perform in the top 25% of all schools in Colorado, and demonstrate financial and organizational performance, can earn the Performance with Distinction status.
Currently, the following CSI charter schools earned Performance with Distinction:
Colorado Early Colleges Fort Collins
Colorado Early Colleges Parker
Crown Pointe Academy
Golden View Classical Academy
James Irwin Charter Academy
Mountain Middle School
The Academy of Charter Schools
Thomas MacLaren School
Congratulations to these schools for their hard work and commitment to excellence!