APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

THE DEADLINE FOR THE 2026 DESIGNATION IS OCTOBER 15, 2025.

Use the official School to Watch Self-Study to facilitate your school’s reflection prior to the application completion process. This self-study rubric contains the criteria of best practices required for being identified as a School to Watch. This rubric can promote staff reflection and support the continuous improvement process for any middle grades school.

If after analyzing your school in relation to these criteria, you believe you have the evidence in place to be designated as a School to Watch, we invite you to submit an application following the procedures described below.

Please read through the entire process prior to beginning your application. The National Forum has made recent adjustments to the overall process.

If you have any questions related to the application process, please contact Katie Gustafson, Colorado State Director.

TO BE CONSIDERED FOR COLORADO TRAILBLAZER SCHOOL TO WATCH DESIGNATION, READ THROUGH THE PROCEDURES AND COMPLETE THE ENTIRE APPLICATION:

2026 SCHOOL TO WATCH APPLICATION (CLICK TO DOWNLOAD)

ELIGIBILITY

• Schools seeking initial designation as a STW® school must serve any combination of young adolescents aged 10-15.
• Middle schools, junior high schools, and K-8 or K-12 schools with distinct middle-level programs are eligible.
• All schools must satisfy the following requirements:
• • State and Federal Monitoring - Schools are not being state or DOJ monitored and do not have any unanswered or ongoing civil rights violations.
  • Replicability - School programs need to be replicable by other schools with varying student populations.

Processes for New and Redesignated Schools are embedded in the application above.

DO NOT COMPLETE the online rubric unless you are certain you will be applying for the Schools to Watch designation. If you do not complete an application, you will be charged $300 by the University of Illinois/National Forum. If you do submit an application for Schools to Watch – there is NO COST.  If you are curious about the the content of the rubric, please review the Self-Study Rubric – there is no cost to use this resource with your staff.

SUBMISSION PROCESS

Your school will need to submit completed documents to both the national and state program. ALL of the documents will be submitted to your state via email and uploaded for the National Forum.

1. Request the National Forum’s online Schools to Watch Self-Study Rating Rubric. To begin the online rubric process, complete the form.  Request the online survey at least two weeks in advance.  The survey will take staff 20-25 minutes for staff to complete.  

2. Save the finished application as a PDF (example: COYourSchoolNameNarrative2026.pdf).

3. Upload ALL supporting documents via the 2026 Schools to Watch Application Uploads. Be sure all files are complete and named correctly before beginning the upload process.

4. Email State Director, Katie Gustafson, confirming you have uploaded all documents and attach application materials to the email.

5. Email the National Forum, informing us you have uploaded all documents (and therefore submitted your application).

You DO NOT need to send a copy of the completed STW Rubric, as we will receive a copy after your school completes it online.

If you have any questions related to the application process, please contact Katie Gustafson.