AURORA | Two schools in the Aurora area go before the Colorado Board of Education this week to seek approval for plans to address continued performance issues.
Aurora Central High School and HOPE Online Academy Co-Op elementary and middle schools are about to enter the sixth year in either a turnaround or priority improvement status. Both HOPE schools are charter schools authorized by the Douglas County School District and are part of a larger network of academies.
APS and HOPE declined to speak prior to their respective hearings before the state board of education. Aurora Central’s hearing is set for April 12, HOPE’s for April 13. Check The Aurora Sentinel’s website for coverage of the hearings.
The CDE is recommending the board of education give Aurora High School more time to continue the work its doing through an innovation pathway plan approved by the state last year. While the CDE wants Aurora Central to have more time to implement its plan, it also said serious improvement was needed in supporting staff, streamlining that support and working with an outside management partner.
The CDE’s recommendation for both HOPE’s middle and elementary schools includes replacing the existing governing body of the school and working with an outside partner to help support the school’s operations. While the recommendations from the state recognized the work HOPE had made in improvements in many areas like hiring skilled staff, the CDE plan said more work was needed.
HOPE blends both online and classroom learning for its students. The state said one possibility for the schools would be to transition into a “brick and mortar” facility, which it believed would help with accountability along with increasing per pupil funding. But the CDE also recognized there were multiple barriers, including seeking new charters for the schools to that plan.