(1) The general assembly finds that: (a) The statewide accountability system relies substantially on large-scale, state- administered assessment results to measure public school and school district performance. Using these results provides a limited picture of the successes of and challenges faced by public schools and school districts and may not fully reflect the priorities and values of local communities. (b) Several public schools and school districts in Colorado and in other states have begun experimenting with accountability structures that measure a broader range of student competencies and system effectiveness, which provides an opportunity for the state to learn from different approaches to measuring public school and school district performance; (c) Public schools and school districts in Colorado have also begun experimenting with additional measures of college and career readiness; and (d) A broader-based accountability system is consistent with the vision and framework adopted by the state education leadership council, created by executive order B 2017 001, and may provide the information necessary to move toward the council's goals concerning student competencies and learning environment characteristics. Specifically, the council's report recommends the following with regard to accountability: (I) Continuous evaluation of state-level accountability and assessment policies, taking into consideration the viewpoints of multiple stakeholders; (II) Support for ongoing research and evaluation of state assessment systems; (III) Allowance for the experimentation necessary to effectively eliminate performance gaps, give local value to accountability, and drive meaningful, continuous improvement efforts; and (IV) Definition and inclusion of locally important measures, such as engagement, employment, and higher education attainment outcomes, and incorporation of these measures into accountability policies. (2) The general assembly finds, therefore, that it is in the best interests of the state to strengthen the accountability system for public schools and school districts by encouraging and supporting the development of local accountability systems that may inform the continuous improvement of the state's public school accountability system.
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