By Rebecca Holmes
As national conversations around education priorities continue to evolve, Colorado Education Initiative remains grounded in listening closely to the educators, students, and communities we serve. Over the past year, this has meant returning to the topic of school and district accountability — not simply as a policy framework, but as a shared commitment to continuous improvement and meaningful outcomes for all learners.
One way this commitment has taken shape is through CEI’s role in informing the recommendations of the HB23-1241 Task Force. Grounded in the priorities and best practices of school districts across Colorado, these recommendations laid the foundation for HB25-1278 — legislation that aims to meaningfully update our state’s accountability system.
Among the most promising changes are updates to the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness (PWR) measures, which would shift the focus toward the “Big Three”: meaningful work-based learning experiences, in-demand industry credentials, and college credit.
Creating statewide infrastructure to help school districts implement these changes is central to the Pathways to College and Career report, which CEI recently released in partnership with Colorado Succeeds and 20 policy, advocacy, and implementation organizations. The report formally launches the Homegrown Talent Coalition as a structure for streamlined collaboration and change management, organized around three priority tables: Data, Pathways, and Policy. The Policy Table, in particular, was created to align accountability systems with sustained PWR pathways and ensure funding access for school districts.
This work reflects a commitment by state organizations to respond to longstanding feedback from educators who have consistently called for more relevant and updated ways to determine high school quality. The passage of the bill also stands as a reminder that accountability policy can evolve, and does so most well when we put the voices and expertise of seasoned practitioners at the forefront.
One shining example of the work the policy intends to encourage and recognize is that of Cañon City Schools. Recognizing that the traditional high school experience wasn’t serving most students, district leaders prioritized career pathways to increase relevance and engagement. Within just three years, their high school graduation rate rose from 78 percent to 93 percent, even as expectations increased. This year, for the first time in over a decade, all eight Cañon City schools achieved a “performance” rating — a powerful indicator of instructional leadership, strategic focus, and deep community partnership.
Our May newsletter highlights this milestone and the leadership that made it possible. Cañon City’s story is a powerful reminder that investing in relevance, trust, and continuous improvement creates the conditions for young people and communities to thrive.
Rebecca Holmes is CEI President and CEO.