SchoolView Web site gets four stars for innovation
By Paula Noonan 
| August 13, 2009 | 10:59 AM
Many people are skeptical about whether the government actually gives what it promises, or whether the money going in provides value going out.
That’s why Sens. Evie Hudak, D-Arvada, and Keith King, R-Colorado Springs, along with Reps. Tom Massey, R-Poncha Springs, and Karen Middleton, D-Aurora, sponsored Senate Bill 163. The bill requires the Colorado Department of Education to implement the Colorado Growth Model, tracking districts, schools and kids by academic and readiness growth and achievement.
The new law has resulted in SchoolView, a DOE Web site that makes it easy to see how schools are doing compared within districts, across districts and across the state.
Grandparents can see how their grandkids’ schools compare with each other and with the state median. Parents can check out growth trends. Home buyers can see where individual schools stand on a four-quadrant growth grid measuring progress in math, reading and writing.
The growth grid offers a more nuanced view of schools, a big improvement over the previous grading system. A school that used to be graded poorly may be making great strides in helping its kids succeed academically.
The Web site also shows school performance reports, including CSAP scores, giving anyone interested a more detailed view of school performance by grade level.
The state added 2.7 positions to build the SchoolView Web site and manage the data at a cost of $185,132 in 2009, growing to three positions and $205,701 in 2010. But it saves $252,445 in postage to print and mail the former School Achievement Report to parents.
With an outstanding product that also lowers costs, this project appears to be government that’s working.
Paula Noonan is with Colorado Capitol Watch
academic achievement, accountability, colorado department of education, schools, schoolview
