Colorado Lawmakers OK School Rating Plan

By Jessica L. Sandham

Colorado schools will be assigned letter grades based on their state test results, under a bill that Gov. Bill Owens is poised to sign into law this week.

The final compromise version of the measure, approved by the Senate 20-14 on March 27, would also give some schools a second letter grade showing how their test scores improved or declined from year to year. The House had previously voted 40-23 in favor of the plan.

If the governor signs the bill, Colorado will join more than 20 states that rate their schools according to student...