ALAMOSA – The Education Accountability Act of 2009 (SB-09-163) directs the State Board of Education to "annually review the performance of the statewide public education system" after setting "appropriate, ambitious but attainable statewide targets." Adams State University Dr. Matt Nehring, professor of physics and interim vice president of Academic Affairs, will give the next Faculty Lecture, The CDE’s Rating of Colorado Schools: A Poverty Bias, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25, in McDaniel Hall room 101.

Nehring is the Monte Vista School Board president. His talk will provide a brief introduction to the School Performance Framework (SPF) designed by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) followed by a detailed analysis of the effectiveness and fairness of their model for elementary schools across the state. Spoiler alert: Examining statewide data from several different angles leads to the conclusion that the SPF has disproportionate negative impact on rural districts and/or schools, as well as districts and schools with high-poverty rates. While both state legislation and ESSA limit the flexibility afforded to the CDE regarding accountability measures, several adjustments could be made to improve equity and level the landscape of Colorado schools.

All ASU Faculty Lectures in the series are free and open to the public. Complimentary light refreshments will be offered. For further information on the series of lectures, contact Dr. Courtney Allen, assistant professor of counselor education, at 719-587-7888 or [email protected].