Dive Brief:

• The lowest-performing districts in Colorado have had five years to turn themselves around or face state intervention and now Adams County School District 14 is presenting a plan to the state to outline more ambitious changes.
• The Denver ABC affiliate reports the new Superintendent, Javier Abrego, wants to bring in Arizona’s Vail School District to hold Adams County teachers accountable and offer remediation to students who don’t meet state standards.
• The Adams County plan also includes provisions for home visiting and parent engagement, and if the state approves the plan, the district will have two years to show improvement or face more state intervention.

Dive Insight:

State education officials have generally been hesitant to step in and take over districts, in part because their peers around the country have had limited success doing the same thing. In Michigan, Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas, parents have reported feeling disenfranchised by state takeovers that ultimately haven’t greatly improved student achievement.

In Michigan, nearly 40 low-performing schools have been slated for closure, another extreme resolution to poor outcomes, but State Superintendent Brian Whiston told district administrators last week they can buy themselves more time by entering into community partnerships.