Colorado School District Earns Top Rating for Student Growth

A Colorado school district is proving that high expectations and strong support can create remarkable results for every student.

Adams 12 Five Star Schools received a Performance rating and full accreditation from the Colorado Department of Education for the 2025-2026 school year. The achievement reflects strong academic growth, high graduation rates, and impressive college and career readiness among students.

The district's elementary schools stood out with particularly impressive gains. Students at all tested elementary grade levels met or exceeded state expectations on the Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS). Multilingual learners also thrived, showing strong progress on ACCESS, the state's language proficiency assessment.

"We are so excited to see the hard work of our educators and students reflected in this state rating, and we know we can keep building on this success," said Chief Academic Officer Megan Cain. She emphasized that the district's goal goes beyond test scores to ensuring students can shape their own futures.

The Performance rating is part of Colorado's accountability system, which evaluates districts on multiple factors including academic achievement, student growth over time, graduation rates, and how well schools prepare students for life after high school.

The Ripple Effect

The district's success reflects a deeper commitment to creating environments where all students feel they belong. By fostering that sense of connection, teachers can challenge students with rigorous coursework while supporting them through the journey. When students feel valued and supported, they're more likely to take on ambitious goals and persist through challenges.

This approach appears to be working across diverse student populations. The strong showing among multilingual learners demonstrates that language barriers don't have to limit academic achievement when schools provide the right resources and support.

The results suggest that other districts facing similar challenges could find success by prioritizing both academic rigor and student belonging. When schools focus on both the head and the heart, students rise to meet high expectations.

Adams 12 Five Star Schools is showing that every student can achieve when given the right combination of challenge, support, and belief in their potential.