'We Are Hopeful': Adams County School District 14 Regains State Accreditation
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (CBS4) - The Adams 14 School District has regained its accreditation with the State of Colorado. This, after accreditation was removed Monday for failing to comply with the state's orders to come to an agreement with the district's private management company.
The state had originally ordered the district in 2018 to hire a private firm to run Adams 14, after the district had consistently poor student performance. Adams 14 subsequently hired MGT Consulting.
After the school district hired a new superintendent this summer, Adams 14 administrators felt the company was charging unfair prices for inadequate work, and tried to back out of its 2018 agreement with MGT.
"There was examination on what happened before, and questions raised about how resources were being allocated, and whether they were leading to the right results for kids," said Robert Lundin, Executive Director of Communications for Adams 14.
Throughout September, the district and MGT were at odds over various issues with the district. The state school board gave Adams 14 until Friday, Oct. 1, to come to an agreement, but because they failed to do so, the district lost its accreditation. Thursday, the district regained accreditation after the Adams County School Board voted unanimously on a new agreement with MGT. Read the full agreement by clicking here.
Asked why the district was unable to meet the Friday deadline, Lundin said MGT put forward unreasonable demands at the last minute, demands to which the district did not want to agree under duress.
"We as a district are firmly committed to ensuring that whatever happens in the background with adults, we maintain a steadfast focus on delivering the best possible outcomes for our students," Lundin said. "The activities of the last few days reflect that commitment."
Lundin says the new agreement "allows for reexamination of payment structures."
"Fundamentally, this is about thoughtful use of taxpayer funds, it's also about ensuring that we are not squandering a moment of our energy that every child in Commerce and Adams 14 is getting the best possible education," Lundin said.
Asked if the district is confident that the new agreement will help reach performance goals, Lundin said, "we are hopeful."
In a statement to CBS4, MGT said the agreement is a "step forward for Adams 14."
MGT also wrote, "it's unfortunate that there's been a dispute at all, but our focus now is on removing this distraction from the critical work we need to do on behalf of students and families."
Adams 14 also provided the following statement to CBS4 for parents and constituents who may have questions or concerns:
"Adams 14 truly appreciates the steadfast efforts of its Board of Education leading to this critically beneficial resolution for the district and its students. The district further thanks its dedicated team of educators, administrators, support staff, and volunteers for maintaining their continuous focus on high-quality teaching and learning in the midst of these external events.
The Adams 14 Board of Education has indicated its intent to communicate directly with its constituents regarding this action and the events that preceded it. Further information related to upcoming board member outreach events will be shared with members of the Adams 14 and Commerce City communities in the weeks ahead via the district's website (www.adams14.net), the Flyer Connect app accessible on iOS and Android platforms, and local media.
Additional questions related to last night's unanimous vote by the Adams 14 Board of Education and/or the district's long-term strategy for continued academic improvement may be directed by e-mail to communications@adams14.org or by phone to (303) 853-3249."
