Greeley School Directed To Continue Innovation Plan

GREELEY, CO -- A Greeley elementary school deemed "chronically low performing" by the Colorado State Board of Education will continue its course as an "innovation school" in an attempt to improve, the Board of Ed said in a statement. District 6's Billie Martinez school, called a "high-poverty school" by the state, asked for and was recommended by state auditors to submit an innovation plan in 2017.

The school has had five years ranked by auditors with second lowest rating on the state’s School Performance Framework. The innovation plan pathway will help the school avoid potentially drastic action by the state, which could include being shut down or completely reorganized.

"Innovation status provides a way for the school to develop practices that can better meet the needs of students. It allows the school more autonomy to make decisions at the school level through waivers from local and state policies," according to a statement from the Board of Ed.

In June 2017, Dist 6 was given approval by the State Board of Education for its innovation plan. On Thursday, the board directed the district to continue the course.

In December, Dist. 6 Elementary Superintendent Wes Tuttle said breaking down distrust among faculty was identified as one of problems in the school improvement plan. Tuttle told the Greeley Tribune that the teachers were "all on the same page."

"That's not to say the culture was bad," Tuttle said in an interview. "It just wasn't as strong as we wanted it to be."

Martinez school was only three-tenths of a percentage point from being ranked as a "priority improvement" school last year, the Tribune reported.

The state board of ed will remain involved in monitoring progress of the school until it comes off the clock, they said in a statement.

Image via Shutterstock