Westminster schools placed in ‘priority improvement’; district outlines literacy, math strategies

WESTMINSTER, Colo. — Westminster Public Schools officials told the Board of Education on Sept. 9 that the district earned 43.3 points under the Colorado Department of Education accountability framework for 2025, placing it in the state’s "priority improvement" category and 0.7 points short of the 44-point cutoff for an "improvement" rating. Doctor Brian Casina, the district’s director of education, presented the results and described next steps.

Casina said the difference is small but consequential: "44 is the cut score between priority improvement and improvement. That means we are just 0.7 points away from that improvement label. We're right on the bubble." He warned the board the rating starts the state's accountability clock; continued placement in priority improvement or turnaround for five consecutive years can trigger state review and possible intervention.

Why it matters: the accountability label determines whether schools and the district qualify for state review processes and, at later stages, potential intervention and additional funding streams. Casina said the district is treating 2025 as year…