Posted April 12, 2023
Bear Valley International, since our inception in the 16-17 school year, has been an approved Colorado Innovation School.
The Innovation Schools Act provides a pathway for schools and districts to obtain greater individual school autonomy and managerial flexibility in order to implement diverse approaches to learning. The Act allows schools greater control over matters such as educational programming, personnel selection and evaluation, calendars and scheduling, and budgeting. Under the Act, a public school or group of public schools may submit an innovation plan to a local board of education outlining the innovative practices the school or schools intend to implement and identifying the state laws or rules and local policies that the school(s) seek to waive. Once approved by a local board of education, the district submits the innovation plans and waiver requests to the Colorado State Board of Education for approval.
The Schools of Choice Office works to inform boards, districts, schools and individuals about process of applying to be an innovation school or zone. The office also monitors the performance of innovation schools and produces an annual report for the legislature.
Innovation renewal happens every 3 years. Please review our 22-23 Innovation school renewal application linked below :
BV teachers and paraprofessionals will be asked to vote at a time when both they and the election administrator (Ana Kotecki) are available from April 25 – April 26. Votes will be counted at 3:45 on April 26th and all staff members are welcome to watch that count. Note: Innovation plans require 60% of staff to show consent for the plan to be approved. As such, abstention from voting would not count towards that 60% and be like a ‘no’ vote for the plan.
If you have any questions about voting or innovation status, please feel free to contact Samuel Liddell at samuel_liddell@dpsk12.net.