ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. — The Colorado State Board of Education approved an order Tuesday morning will begin the reorganizing process for the Adams County School District 14, which has been struggling with low academic performance for nearly a decade. 

Adams 14, which serves about 6,000 students in the Commerce City area, has been struggling with its accreditation rating since 2010, and was previously ordered to work with an outside manager to turn student performance around. In January, the school district fired that consulting company, citing a "pattern of misconduct." 

"I’ve heard no one say they can believe this district can really solve their own problems, and they’re declining to accept meaningful help from others, and that’s unfortunate," Steve Durham, a member of board of education, said ahead of the vote on Tuesday. 

In April, the state board heard from the school district, as well as an independent review board on recommendations for how to move forward. The school district suggested they work with a different management company, and the board asked the district to come back in May with a detailed plan outlining the responsibilities of that partner.

"We did everything that the state board of education asked us to do after the April 14th meeting, and we did it working alongside [Colorado Department of Education] officials," Adams 14 attorney Joseph Salazar said earlier this month. "We literally followed everything that [the department of education] has on their own website. So we follow it to a 'T' and despite that, they moved the goal post on us."  

RELATED: Adams 14 accuses former management partner of suspicious financial activity

Now the neighboring Adams County school districts must create a committee to figure out what is the best course of action for Adams 14.  Once they have a plan, they will bring it to the public to receive feedback. 

The reorganization plan can include consolidating with another district, having other districts absorb certain schools or dissolving the district completely.

Ultimately, voters from all the impacted school districts will decide whether to absorb Adams 14 schools. Adams 14 Superintendent Karla Loria, Ed.D. said they will fight the reorganization process. 

"Adams 14 is here, and we’ll be here next year and years to come," Loria said. "I understand for many years that we have done a disservice to our students and our families and not engaging them in a genuine manner, but things are changing and I want them to genuinely engage with us to determine what is best for students and our kids." 

On Tuesday, teachers held a rally in support of fighting the reorganization process. SD14 Classroom Teachers' Association, the teachers union for the district, confirmed the order has scared teachers from returning to the district, ultimately hurting the students more. 

"It’s the stress, it’s the instability, what’s going to happen. It seems like every time [the state board members] have a meeting it’s hard to tell what’s going to come out of it," said Jason Malmber, union president and an Adams 14 teacher. "Now that they’ve announced plans to dissolve the district, of course that’s going to be destabilizing to anybody."

However, Malmberg added he was encouraged by the teachers that have stuck around. On Tuesday, he and dozens of others vowed to continue to fight to keep the school district intact. 

"Nothing ever comes easy here, our staff and our community are used to fighting and we’re ready," Adams 14 teacher Lacey Mueller-Taschdjian, said. "If local control is truly part of our constitution and our state board chooses to follow that, then they need to leave the decisions in the hands of this community who knows what’s best for the kids."

RELATED: Adams 14 School District fires outside manager, calls state board of education biased

The board also approved a partial manager for the school district, which was the district's initial solution to the student performance problems. The reorganization process will start in the next 30 days, but some Adams 14 parents hope the school board will reverse course before then. 

"Members of the state board look into your hearts and think about what is truly in the best interest of the students," Adams 14 parent Elizabeth Rivas said. 

"What you may be considering in saying what is the best interest really doesn’t support what this community needs most, and what we would really ask for is that you spend time in this community," Rivas added "That you be here with us to learn what we need and how to work together with us, rather than making decisions from a distance and without having that true understanding of how to support the students and families of Commerce City and Adams 14."

RELATED: State board removes Adams 14's accreditation, starts reorganization process

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RELATED: State board asks Adams 14 to provide detailed plan for partial management

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COLORADO, USA — Colorado schools don't need a bunch of data to figure out cell phones in schools are a distraction, but maybe they need money to do something about it. The Colorado attorney general is offering school districts up to $50,000 to find ways to reduce or ban cellphone use in classrooms. 

The funding comes from the state’s settlement with Juul after an investigation found the company targeted young people in their marketing and misrepresented the health risks posed by their products.

It's an effort that brings mixed reviews. 

"I don't send my son to school with a cell phone for him to play video games or to do whatever kids do nowadays. I send him [with it] mainly for safety reasons," Colorado parent Maja Smith said. She understands why school districts may want to restrict cellphone use, but the thought of banning it all together worries her. 

Violent threats to schools are something she thinks about often. Her son already went through a false alarm. 

"And that time he did forget his cell phone at home and first thing he said was, 'Mom I couldn't get ahold of you,' so, he was in a lot of distress," she explained. "When he got out, he was extremely traumatized. He thought he would never talk to me again. It was really sad to see that in his state." 

9NEWS parenting expert and family therapist Dr. Sheryl Ziegler wants to see school districts ban cell phones. She said having access to a cell phone means access to social media and the distractions and mental health risks that come with it. 

A ban could possibly change that. 

"My guess would be, we would have less bullying, we would have less aggression, we would have less unsafe situations for parents to even be concerned about that they need to get in touch with their kids," Ziegler said. "The biggest hump is getting parents comfortable to not have immediate instant access to their kids." 

A spokesperson with Denver Public Schools told 9NEWS, a district-wide ban is not something being considered. They said each school can create their own policy, and they're not aware of any schools with a ban. 

Moms like Smith hope it stays that way. 

"Instead of taking things away, we need to teach our kid, give them clear expectations," she added. "The more you ban something the more it's going to be wanted." 

If a district signs up the incentive program the money will go towards paying for different ways to limit cell phone use, like pouches or cell phone storage systems or even launching programs for responsible cell phone use. 

9NEWS also asked other metro area school districts if they had any interest in a district-wide ban. The Douglas County School District said a cell phone ban is a decision made by each principal or building leader for the students at their school, both for class time and lunch or free time.