Elementary and middle school students will take more responsibility for their learning by partnering with teachers in fall 2009, when Adams County School District 50 introduces standards-based education. Similar changes will happen for high school students beginning in fall 2010. Our goal is to make certain that students have the time and resources to learn the skills they absolutely need to graduate from high school and succeed in work and in life.

What is Standards-based Education?
Standards-based Education defines exactly what students should know and be able to do from one level to the next in all subjects. This proven approach helps teachers, students and families know when students need extra help, and when they need more challenging work and a faster pace.

What will be different?
Students, in partnership with teachers, will know what they are expected to learn. Under their teacher's careful guidance, students can track their own progress and will move at their own pace. Students will get the extra help and time they need to achieve the standards. As soon as they master the standards at one level, they advance to the next.

Beginning with two subjects in the elementary schools - literacy and math - teachers will group students by performance instead of age. Middle schools will group for language arts, math, science and social studies. With their teacher's help, small groups of students will learn with others, who have mastered a set of skills, and are now working at the same skill level.

Expectations will be consistent from class to class and school to school. Every teacher will use a scoring guide to make sure students are learning what they need to in each subject. Standards will be clearly defined so teachers know exactly what they are expected to teach and students are expected to learn. Students may use multiple ways to demonstrate what they know and can do.

Want more information?
We know parents will have lots of questions, and we will keep you well informed. Watch school newsletters this year. In the coming months, we'll invite you to see for yourself how standards-based education will work in classrooms. Questions? Call Dr. Copper Stoll at 720.542.5081 or ask here.