Plans for Adams 14 will be discussed in June

SESIÓN DE SIETE HORAS| Karla Loría, Superintendente del Adams 14 defendió ante la Junta Estatal de Educación la gestión del distrito.
(Foto /El Comercio de Colorado)

LOOKING FOR EXTERNAL CONSULTANT FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT

El Comercio de Colorado

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The Colorado Board of Education decided to give the authorities of the Adams 14 school district a new opportunity. That instance decided to grant some autonomy to the administrators, but they require the Adams 14 board to hire a new external consultant to collaborate and validate the actions taken by school district administrators.

This new scheme would be of partial external administration. This modality will be different from that of the total external administration that operated in Adams 14 between mid-2018 and February 2021. The district authorities indicated that they will work to identify a company that can carry out this work.

On the other hand, the district leaders assure that they will clearly define the functions and responsibilities that this new external management company will have. The Colorado school board wants to avoid the power struggles that have erupted between the school district and its previous management company.

Central Elementary and Adams High School in the crosshairs

The State Board rejected an advisory committee’s recommendation to immediately close Adams High School and other schools. These actions could be considered again at a later date if the Adams authorities do not present a comprehensive action plan that addresses the strategies to overcome the deficiencies of the school district.

Adams 14 must present the plan as soon as possible. That plan must contain the actions contemplated for Central Elementary and Adams High School. Additionally, the State Board will be waiting for Adams 14 to submit candidates for outside administrators. The plan presented by Adams 14 will be discussed by the State Board in June 2022.

Superintendent Loría speaks

Karla Loría, Superintendent of the district, expressed her joy at the decision of the State Board. “We are even more energized by the assurances we have received for the future of our district. The State Board unanimously declared that all Adams 14 schools would remain open now and in the future,” she stated.

Loría, however, is aware of the challenges facing the district authorities. The superintendent continued: “We have a lot of work ahead of us, but it is the right kind of work. The kind of work that makes a lasting difference on behalf of every student, staff member and family in this district.”

Large proportion of Hispanic students

The school district serves about 7,000 students who reside in the northern suburbs of Denver where the Suncor refinery and other manufacturing companies operate. Some 50 percent of families in the area live in poverty. About 85 percent of the students are of Hispanic origin and 36 percent of the students are in the process of learning English.

District officials spent much of their time before the State Board explaining the demographics they serve. They assure that in some way this demographic composition is related to the difficulties they have had to improve student performance. Since 2010 plans to improve the district have failed