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Having one excellent school isn't good enough for the Steamboat Springs School District.

A year after Strawberry Park Elementary School became the district's first school to be rated "excellent" by the state, district officials are hoping each district school receives the state's top designation.

"Of course we want to move our district toward all schools being excellent," Superintendent Donna Howell said Tuesday, the day before the state was scheduled to release the latest School Accountability Reports, or school report cards. Public school superintendents received the report cards last week, but a state-mandated embargo doesn't allow their public release until 11 a.m. today. Howell said superintendents are allowed to share the results with district principals, which she has.

"Everyone was very anxious to find out how they did," Howell said.

Today marks the third release of the annual school report cards, by which every public school in the state is rated. The ratings use student scores on Colorado Student Assessment Program tests to designate every school with a ranking of unsatisfactory, low, average, high or excellent.

Last year, Soda Creek Elementary School, Steamboat Springs Middle School and Steamboat Springs High School were rated high. North Routt Community Charter School received a rating of average. Strawberry Park Elementary School led the district with an excellent rating.

According to the Colorado Department of Education, only the top 8 percent of all public schools receive a rating of excellent.

Other Routt County schools also fared well in last year's ratings.

Hayden Elementary School and Soroco High School each earned the Governor's Distinguished Improvement Award after their ratings on the report cards soared from low during the 2000-01 school year to high for the 2001-02 school year.

South Routt's Yampa Elementary School was rated high last year. Soroco Middle School and Hayden's middle school and high school each received a rating of average.

South Routt and Hayden school district officials didn't immediately return calls seeking comment Tuesday.

While the School Account

ability Reports provide an important measure of achievement for the state and the community, districts usually view the reports as one piece of information, not an all-encompassing report on the success of a school system, Howell said.

The Steamboat Springs School District is working toward developing and implementing assessments in every content area, Howell said. In doing so, the district will have a more valuable tool for how it directs instruction for its students, she said.

Nonetheless, her goal is for each district school to be rated excellent by the state. It's a goal Howell said is obtainable.

-- To reach Brent Boyer call 871-4234

or e-mail bboyer@steamboatpilot.com