The Exceptional Student Services Unit (ESSU) of the Colorado Department of Education serves students with exceptional educational needs. This monthly e-newsletter is sent to administrators, educators and support staff throughout Colorado. To access a calendar of upcoming events, training sessions and other important dates, please follow this link.
In this email:
Recent News
Guidelines for identifying young children with special needs
A revised version of the Guidelines for Identifying Young Children with Special Needs for Children Ages Three through Five Years Old has been released. Extensive updates occurred to the original release (May 2017), and this version includes the child evaluation section, thus making the document complete. The guidelines serve as the definitive state resource for implementation of a comprehensive AU Child Find system for children ages 3 through 5 years old. Please contact Chris Miller with any questions at miller_christopher@cde.state.co.us.
Colorado IDEA Part B application for federal fiscal year 2018
The Colorado Department of Education is making available for public review and comment Colorado’s Part B Application for grant funding under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act for federal fiscal year 2018. This document is available online, and hard copies can be requested by calling Kim Boylan at (303) 866-6690.
Written comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 15. Send written comments to Kim Boylan, Colorado Department of Education, Exceptional Student Services Unit, 1560 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, CO 80202-5149, or by fax to (303) 866-3808, or by email to boylan_k@cde.state.co.us
Recruit speech-language pathologists at Baltimore conference
The American Speech-Language Hearing Association's annual conference will be July 20-22 in Baltimore. If you are interested in your district participating in a career booth to recruit speech-language pathologists and have speech-language pathologists attending who could work a shift or two at the booth, let Tami Cassel know by Friday, April 27. Or, if you are interested in having your district’s information included but don’t have speech language pathologists attending, you can still let Tami Cassel know by Friday, April 27. Her email is cassel_t@cde.state.co.us.
AU Determinations 2018
The drafted versions of AU Determinations 2018 are now available in the Data Management System profile tab for each AU. Please take advantage of the recorded webinar, cheat sheet and technical document to review your AUs’ determination carefully. If there are any concerns, let Toby King know at king_t@cde.state.co.us by Monday, April 16. Finalized AU Determinations will be publicly available on this website on Friday, April 20.
December count 2017 now available
Colorado has increased its special education population from 97,439 (10.67 percent of public school pupil) in 2016 to 101,679 (11.06 percent of public school pupil) in 2018, according to the Special Education December Count 2017. Special education data that includes reports detailing students served in each Administrative Unit are available by disability, setting, grade level, age group, race/ethnicity and gender. Please contact the ESSU data team for data requests and questions.
Least Restrictive Environment information is available from December Count 2017
The 2017-18 December Count results for Indicator 5 (Least Restrictive Environment for school age) and Indicator 6 (Least Restrictive Environment for preschool) are available on the Data Management System summary tab. School-age students who are inside the regular class at least 80 percent of the time increased just over 1 percent to 74.7 percent of students statewide. Students in regular early childhood programs also increased about 1 percent to 87.4 percent of students statewide. Please also check out the “LRE by School” report for your Administrative Unit in the Data Management System's profile tab.
Determinations
Reminder: The 2018 determinations are in the Data Management System to support Administrative Unit planning for next year. Final determinations with the determination letters will be posted to ESSU's website on Friday, April 20. There will be a note in the May monthly Update for superintendents when the determinations are available on the website. Contact Toby King, king_t@cde.state.co.us, for more information.
Additional preschool assessment tool available
The COR Advantage was approved for use with the Results Matter program. More information is now available for programs interested in COR Advantage. Click here to learn more. For more information, please contact Nick Ortiz, ortiz_n@cde.state.co.us.
2018-19 Results Matter Assessment Checkpoint Calendar
The 2018-19 assessment checkpoint schedule for Results Matter has been released.
The deadlines are:
- Fall: Oct. 26, 2018
- Winter: Feb. 1, 2019
- Spring: May 10, 2019
- Summer (optional): Aug. 9, 2019
Click here to download a PDF copy. Note the additional detail on page two clarifying what to do when children enter mid-checkpoint and other attendance issues. For more information, contact Nick Ortiz at Ortiz_N@cde.state.co.us.
Gifted Education
The spring updates, “News and Notes”, for gifted education directors, coordinators and other interested educators are posted for your information. Please visit the Office of Gifted Education’s website for the recent publication in the What’s New section.
Training and Professional Development
Out-of-District Consortium Meeting
The Out of District Consortium will meet at 9 a.m., Thursday, April 19, at Mount St. Vincent, 4159 Lowell Blvd. in Denver. The group will review student transition information, identify next steps in possible revisions to the process/structure for tuition costs and PPR, as well as discuss other challenges. Here is the Zoom link to connect remotely. Contact Judy Stirman with questions at stirman_j@cde.state.co.us or (303) 866-6684.
2018 Secondary Transition Leadership Institute (TLI)
Upcoming Training: Post-School Outcome Webinar Training, Tuesday, May 1
For more information, please contact Cindy Petersen at petersen_c@cde.state.co.us.
Post-School Outcome Interviews
See our website for additional resources. For more information, please contact Cindy Petersen. petersen_c@cde.state.co.us
Twice exceptional learners workshops
Special education educators, support services personnel, and teachers are invited to attend upcoming workshops on twice exceptional learners. The spring offering is a two-day Level 2 workshop, Friday, May 4, to Saturday, May 5, in Loveland. The Summer Institute, offering both Level 1 and Level 2 offerings, will be in the Jefferson County Public Schools Education Center. Click here for more details.
Colorado Continuous Improvement process general supervision and monitoring webinar
For more information, contact Cindy Petersen at petersen_c@cde.state.co.us.
2018 Summer Institute on deaf-blindness and significant support needs
The 2018 Summer Institute on Deaf-Blindness And Significant Support Needs will be June 26-27 at the Lowry Conference Center, 1061 Akron Way, Denver. The topic is How We All Learn, the Brain, the Body, and Communication. The two-day training will address building a sensory, physical, cognitive, and communication profile for instructional next steps. Mark Campano is the key presenter. He is the statewide coordinator of the Delaware program for children with deaf-blindness. Share this information with school staff working with children with deaf-blindness and/or significant support needs. Here is a link to the course details and registration.
For more information, contact Tanni Anthony at anthony_t@cde.state.co.us or (303) 866-6681.
Deadlines
April
AU Determinations uploaded to DMS
May
1 - Sample available for Post School Outcome Interviews
13 - Verify TS GOLD spring checkpoint data/finalized, Pre-K Spec. Educ. (Results Matter)
14 - IDEA Federal Application Narrative submission window opens
21 - IDEA Federal Application Budget submission window opens
Standard Record Review (SRR) Notice
Due date: June 1
Where to submit: Compliance tab in the Data Management System (DMS)
Status: 48 percent of AUs have begun the process
Who to contact for help: Heidi Derr at 303-866-6109 or email derr_h@cde.state.co.us
IDEA Part B and Preschool Federal Application Narrative Window
The IDEA Part B and Preschool Federal Application Narrative window opens on Monday, May 14, and closes Monday, June 11, for Administrative Units who are due for a new three-year narrative. The three-year narrative cycle can be found here. Contact Kim Boylan, boylan_k@cde.state.co.us or 303-866-6690 for more information.
February 2018: In This Issue
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