Durango School District 9-R has been recognized by the Colorado Department of Education as a statewide model for supporting students with disabilities.
Each year, the Department of Education evaluates how well school districts across the state serve students with disabilities. The federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires each district to be assessed on 14 key performance indicators, ranging from graduation rates to timely evaluations and inclusive practices.
This year, 9-R saw significant improvement.
“When we’re talking about gains, we’re talking about really significant gains,” said Vanessa Giddings, executive director of student support services. “And so I just want to be able to celebrate that for all of our staff and community. Without everyone involved, I don’t think we would have achieved those scores.”
According to a district news release, Durango’s overall performance score jumped from 81% to 93%. Its compliance rating increased from 93.75% to 100%, and the achievement score rose from 67.5% to 85.42%.
Across Colorado, the average graduation rate for students with individualized education plans is 75%. In Durango, it is 92%, Giddings said.
Giddings attributed the improvements to a core belief in meaningful inclusion for all students, supported by a broad array of services rather than a single initiative.
“It’s a collection of things, and it’s a core belief around ensuring all kids are meaningfully included,” she said.
Mari Goldstrand, director of special education, said the department supports students with disabilities to help ensure their success in college, careers and community life. What sets 9-R apart, she said, is the range of services that combine inclusive practices in general education with specialized programs tailored to individual student needs.
One example Goldstrand and Giddings gave is co-teaching, in which two certified teachers – typically a special-education teacher and a content-area teacher such as math or language arts – share a classroom and responsibility for all students.
“We are really dedicated to making sure that every-single student with a disability is in the general-ed setting to the highest extent possible. We want them with their grade level peers,” Giddings said.
Co-teaching, she explained, is a highly effective way to provide the needed support while ensuring students remain part of the broader school community.
The department also provides access to speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, behavioral health specialists and physical therapists for students with mobility needs.
From 2023 to 2024, the 9-R compliance score jumped from 93% to 100%.
A major factor in that improvement: the school district addressed the overidentification of Native American students with learning disabilities.
When Giddings and Steve Steiner, special education coordinator, joined School District 9-R about six years ago, they inherited the issue. In their first meeting with the Department of Education, they were told the district had a “significant disproportionality” problem.
“Initially, we overidentified the number of Native American students with what is called a specific learning disability,” Steiner explained.
The Department of Education classifies specific learning disabilities as a disorder that interferes with a student’s ability to listen, think, speak, write, spell or perform mathematical calculations. It does not include learning problems resulting from physical or intellectual disabilities.
Later, Steiner said it was determined that Native American students in the district were being disproportionately diagnosed with all 13 federally defined disability categories.
Over the past six years, a team has reviewed and revised district policies, procedures, and practices to address the root causes. One key finding, Goldstrand said, was that the district’s evaluation system collected insufficient information and lacked range.
More comprehensive evaluations were implemented to include additional student data, she said.
Steiner said the district also enhanced faculty training in equitable learning practices and formed an Inclusive Excellence Committee made up of community members from a wide range of perspectives. The committee ensures that all people and students are represented, acknowledged and valued, he said.
jbowman@durangoherald.com
