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COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (KDVR) — The Adams 14 School District has lost its state accreditation after failing to confirm it’s still working with a board-ordered external manager to improve academic performance.

The state board of education in 2018 ordered the district to work with an external manager “in an effort to produce dramatic academic improvement,” the CDE said in a news release. Adams 14 quit working with the external management partner, MGT, back in August, and failed to abide by an Oct. 1 deadline to reaffirm their work together.

“Our board never wants to take a dramatic action like this — but it is clear that serious changes must occur to give students, teachers and staff what they need to thrive in this district,” State Board Chair Angelika Schroeder said in the release.

The state board voted Monday that Adams 14 could get its accreditation restored by Thursday if it signs a joint statement “to confirm MGT’s authority and access had been restored and that turnaround work had been restarted.”

The CDE said that losing accreditation should not affect learning.

“The doors will still be open, funding continues, and students, teachers and families should continue to go to school and focus on their studies,” Colorado Education Commissioner Katy Anthes said in the release. “This is effectively asking adults to work together, and do it right now.”

Adams 14 serves about 7,500 students just north of Denver and has a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students and students learning English, according to the state’s original order.

As of 2016:

  • 90% of the district’s students identified as a racial or ethnic minority, compared to 45% statewide;
  • 85% qualified for free or reduced-price lunch, compared to 42% statewide;
  • 53% of students were English learners, compared to 17% statewide;
  • 8.2% of students dropped out, more than triple the statewide rate of 2.3%.

Colorado’s state board accredits the state’s K-12 public schools and districts, ensuring they meet the requirements of the Education Accountability Act of 2009, according to the CDE.