Colorado’s School Performance Framework offers a yearly look at how public schools are doing, beyond just test scores. Designed to promote transparency and improvement, these ratings help families understand academic achievement, student growth, and readiness for the future.
Still, the process and what the final rating actually reflects isn’t always easy to interpret.
That’s why today, we break down how Colorado schools are rated, what school ratings are based on, and how to use that information to better understand your child’s educational environment.
Colorado’s School Performance Framework (SPF) is an accountability system used by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to evaluate how well public schools and districts are helping students learn and grow.
Rather than assigning traditional letter grades (as in Arizona, for example), the state groups schools into categories called plan types, which reflect overall performance in key areas like academic achievement, student growth, and readiness for life beyond school.
The ratings are updated each year and only apply to students who were enrolled for the full academic year, so the school had a meaningful chance to support their progress.
The framework isn’t meant to rank schools against one another, but to identify strengths, highlight areas for improvement, and ensure students across Colorado are getting the support they need to succeed.
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Colorado schools aren’t graded with simple A–F scores. Instead, each one earns a rating through a combination of measures that reflect student learning, academic growth, and overall readiness.
Here’s a closer look at what school ratings are based on and how the state determines them each year.
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Every school’s rating is based on five core areas:
• Academic Achievement: This looks at how well students perform on statewide tests like CMAS (grades 3–8) and the SAT® (high school), focusing on math, English language arts, and science.
• Academic Growth: Growth is about progress over time or how much students improve year over year compared to academic peers across the state. In elementary and middle school, this is the most heavily weighted factor.
• Postsecondary & Workforce Readiness (High School Only): For high schools, graduation rates and readiness for college or career are paramount. This includes things like earning a diploma on time or completing college-level coursework.
• English Language Proficiency: Schools earn credit for supporting English learners in making measurable progress on the ACCESS test, which tracks language development.
• Participation Requirements: To receive a full rating, schools must meet minimum participation thresholds for testing. If too few students take the assessments, the school’s score may be impacted.
So, which of these has the biggest impact on your child’s school level?
For elementary and middle schools, academic growth is often the strongest factor as it highlights how well a school is helping students improve, regardless of where they started.
In high schools, graduation rates and readiness indicators, like college-level coursework or career preparation, play a larger role in the overall rating.
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Each indicator contributes a percentage toward a school’s total score. Those scores are then used to assign one of four plan types or Colorado’s version of performance tiers.
Unlike a traditional ranking or letter grade, plan types reflect how well a school is meeting state expectations across all categories.
A school with strong growth but moderate test scores might still earn a solid rating based on how much students are improving.
It's a more balanced approach and one that helps paint a fuller picture of how schools are supporting learners at every level.
Strong growth shows students are making real progress, even if test scores aren’t the highest.
Colorado schools are assigned one of four plan types based on their performance across several key indicators.
Those categories reflect how well a school is meeting state expectations and where support may be needed.
• Performance Plan: This is the highest rating. The school is meeting or exceeding expectations in most areas.
• Improvement Plan: The school shows moderate performance and may need targeted support to strengthen academic outcomes.
• Priority Improvement Plan: Performance falls short in multiple areas. More significant interventions are often needed.
• Turnaround Plan: This rating signals serious performance concerns. The school receives state-directed support and oversight to improve outcomes.
Parents should keep in mind that while plan types offer valuable insight into how a school is performing overall, they don’t reflect everything that shapes a child’s day-to-day learning experience.
Important parts of a school experience that ratings don’t capture include:
• Teacher-student connection: A strong relationship with a caring teacher can make all the difference, but it doesn’t show up in performance data.
• Support for different learning styles: Every child learns differently. Some schools are better equipped than others to offer individualized support, even if their overall rating is lower.
• School culture and community: A welcoming, inclusive environment plays a big role in student motivation and confidence, but it’s not something a plan type can measure.
• Program fit: Your child might thrive in a school with specialized programs or flexible approaches, even if that school isn’t rated at the top of the scale.
• Gaps within high-performing schools: A strong overall rating doesn’t always mean every student is thriving. Some kids may still struggle to keep up or stay engaged.
To see beyond the ratings and into your child’s real experience, consider the following:
• Visit the school to get a feel for the environment, observe classrooms, and see how students and staff interact.
• Talk with teachers and administrators about how the school supports students who learn at different paces or need extra help.
• Ask specific questions about programs, communication practices, and how student progress is tracked beyond state testing.
• Trust what you know about your child: how they learn, what motivates them, and what kind of setting helps them feel confident and supported.
A school’s rating can’t tell you how your child will be supported day to day. Conversations with teachers and seeing the environment firsthand are essential to understanding the full picture.
Despite the value they offer, school ratings can’t always tell you whether your child is truly thriving. They don’t reflect whether a student feels confident in math, whether instruction matches how they learn best, or whether they’re getting the focused attention needed to stay engaged.
All of these are central to how we work with students at Mathnasium. We’re a math-only learning center dedicated to helping K–12 students learn math in a way that makes sense to them.
At the core of each learning center, including our Colorado locations, is the Mathnasium Method™, a proprietary teaching approach that unlocks each child’s true math potential.
This proven approach consists of:
1. Personalized learning: Each student begins with a diagnostic assessment, which helps us pinpoint students’ strengths, knowledge gaps, and preferred learning styles. With these insights, we develop a learning plan customized to each student's needs.
2. Teaching for understanding: Our instructors use natural language to explain math concepts clearly. We also incorporate verbal, visual, mental, tactile, and written techniques to support a variety of learning styles.
3. Caring guidance: In addition to being trained in math instruction, our tutors understand the emotional side of learning. They know when to encourage, when to challenge, and how to keep students motivated.
4. Building independent math thinkers: We are not about rote memorization. When teaching math, we guide students to discover the “why” and “how” behind each concept. This helps build critical thinking and problem-solving skills they can apply in math and beyond.
5. An empowering, fun learning environment: Our learning environment is designed to be engaging and confidence-building. Our activities are often game-based and our method includes plenty of rewards to keep the students motivated and ready to achieve more.
6. Singular focus on math: We specialize in math and math only. Our curriculum is built specifically around how students best absorb and retain math skills, from elementary basics to advanced high school topics.
Our results? Students across the country who enroll in Mathnasium report measurable progress:
• 94% of parents report an improvement in their child's math skills and understanding
• 93% of parents report an improved attitude towards math after attending Mathnasium
• 90% of students saw an improvement in their school grades
If you’re based in or near Denver, Mathnasium of Highlands is trusted by families throughout the local community. With years of experience and a passion for student growth, we’re here to support your child on their academic math journey.
Read what one parent had to say about their child’s experience at Mathnasium of Highlands
Whether your child needs to catch up, keep up, or get ahead in math, contact us to schedule a diagnostic assessment and start building a personalized path to math success.
Mathnasium of Highlands is a math-only learning center for K-12 students in Denver, CO. Trusted by over a million parents, Mathnasium uses personalized learning plans and the proprietary Mathnasium Method™ to help students catch up, keep up, and get ahead on their math journey.
Our specially trained tutors deliver face-to-face instruction in a supportive and fun small-group environment, working with students both in center and online to develop a deep understanding of math, build confidence, and improve academic performance.
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