Case Study: Accountability System Development and Implementation Support
As Colorado schools began approaching the end of the state’s five-year accountability calendar, the Colorado Department of Education wanted to ensure that its review process, facilitated by its State Review Panel, was transparent, consistent, and fair.
The Challenge
- Work with the Colorado Department of Education to design and establish a clear, consistent, and transparent process for site visits that elicits key information to aid the Department’s decision-making processes
- Train State Review Panelists to conduct the resulting reviews, coordinating their activities, and overseeing their work to ensure quality and consistency
SchoolWorks Approach
- Collaborate with the Department to develop and refine a site visit protocol for schools entering the fifth and final year of the accountability process
- Train State Review Panel members to administer the resulting protocol, aligning evidence and findings to the six key areas outlined in the Education Accountability Act
- Provide quality assurance for the review process, overseeing all Panelists’ work and facilitating discussions about results
The Results
- SchoolWorks oversaw roughly 40 site visits in schools and districts for the Colorado Department of Education
- Schools and districts reported that the process helped them better understand the State’s accountability measures and identify areas for improvement
Dates: 2014 – 2015
"From co-designing protocols to coordinating field work, SchoolWorks has been an invaluable partner throughout this process. They have helped us take what is in law and create a functioning and dynamic system in a relatively short amount of time."
- Lisa Medler, Colorado Department of Education
