The Montezuma-Cortez District Accountability Committee on Monday approved new members and discussed goals and ideas for the 2024-25 school year.
After reviewing roles and responsibilities for members, the DAC said it was seeking two new members and a teacher. Other positions including an administrator position, have been filled.
The DAC works to support the district in part by providing input and feedback on district spending and by reviewing charter school applications.
Goals for school year included efforts to increase teacher retention and satisfaction and how to address concerns raised in a recent teacher survey, recognize academic achievement and increase parent engagement.
DAC members reiterated frustrations with the Montezuma-Cortez Board of Education, saying that the board has not attempted to partner with them to bring improvements to the district.
“We have yet to hear from the district how they want input for next year’s planning,” DAC co-chair Laura DeWitt told The Journal.
Executive Director of Student Academic Services Jim Parr, who attended the DAC meeting, said he would start adding a DAC portion to his monthly board report as a way to help get DAC projects and needs in front of the board, even when it isn’t the DAC’s official reporting time.
The DAC added that improved attendance is something they’d like to be part of, adding that they have requested data on a truancy report that the district hasn’t shared.
A list of DAC roles and responsibilities from the Colorado Department of Education, can be found online at www.cde.state.co.us/uip/dac-responsibilities-inventory-2020.
The next DAC meeting is Oct. 7 at 5:30 p.m.
DAC bylaw revisions, BOE budget, a vote on a parent engagement liaison, information for DAC feedback on the mill levy and parent engagement survey results are on the agenda.