Wednesday, August 7, 2019

** Action Item

This Week in The Scoop

Early Learning & School Readiness

Updated Selection Criteria for Results Matter/Preschool Assessments

A revised rubric for adopting assessments for the Results Matter preschool assessment menu is available (PDF).

CDE invites public comment via Google Forms until Friday, Aug. 23.

All preschoolers eligible for state-funded preschool (Colorado Preschool Program and Preschool Special Education) must be assessed using a Results Matter approved assessment tool. This new rubric applies to Results Matter assessment tools only. It does not apply to kindergarten school readiness assessments, which are subject to different laws and policies.

For more information, visit the Results Matter Resources webpage.

For More Information, Contact:
Nicholas Ortiz
P-3 Office
Phone: 303-866-3368
Email: ortiz_n@cde.state.co.us

Kindergarten School Readiness fall webinar 

A webinar will be available at 3 p.m. Monday, Aug. 19, concerning the Colorado Kindergarten Readiness Assessment. The webinar will provide information about the assessment and offer new information related to Jefferson County School District’s use of the North Carolina Kindergarten Assessment.

Those interested can attend via Zoom.

For more information, visit the School Readiness homepage.

For More Information, Contact:
Anji Gallanos
Preschool through Third Grade Office
Phone: 720-527-0497
Email: gallanos_a@cde.state.co.us

Educator Talent

Teacher Cabinet applications due next week

Applications are still being accepted from teachers seeking to join the Education Commissioner’s Teacher Cabinet advisory group.  Teacher Cabinet members meet four times a year to share their hands-on classroom experiences and ensure that the voice of practicing teachers can be heard by policy makers and legislators on important education policy.

The application deadline is Thursday, Aug. 15. To be considered, submit this application (DOC) along with a résumé, narrative, signatures and letters of recommendation.

For more information, visit the Commissioner’s Teacher Cabinet webpage.

For More Information, Contact:
Gladis Gee
Communications Office
Phone: 303-866-6800
Email: gee_g@cde.state.co.us

RFP for Retaining Teachers Grant Program due Sept. 12

The Retaining Teachers Grant Program provides school districts, BOCES and charter schools the opportunity to implement a wide variety of locally appropriate strategies to improve their ability to successfully retain teachers.

Approximately $2.8 million is available to be awarded over a two year period (2019-20 and 2020-21 school years) with applications due in September. More detailed information, including the RFP and registration for an informational webinar, can be found on the Retaining Teachers Grant Program webpage.

For More Information, Contact:
Jennifer Simons
Educator Development
Phone: 303-866-6793
Email: simons_j@cde.state.co.us

Exceptional Student Services

Online course on functional behavioral assessment available

An eight-week online course focused on functional behavioral assessment will be provided to school- and/or district-level teams beginning Sunday, Sept. 15.

Participating teams will be able to implement basic Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP) by the end of the course. 

Registration opens Thursday, Aug. 15. Thirty CDE credit hours are available.

For more information, visit the Behavior webpage on the Special Education section of the CDE website.

For More Information, Contact:
Amanda Nieser
Exceptional Student Services
Phone: 303-866-6121
Email: nieser_a@cde.state.co.us

Federal Programs

2020 Binational Teacher Exchange Application

The application for participation in the Binational Teacher Exchange is available.

Over one week, teachers will visits a variety of Mexican schools and shares pedagogy with Mexican teachers. Teachers must be bilingual. The Migrant Education Program will cover travel costs.

Applications are due by Monday, Sept. 30, to Laura Leyva using the following address:

Office of Migrant Education
Attn: Laura Leyva
1560 Broadway, Suite 1100
Denver, CO 80202

Visit the Binational Initiative webpage for more information, including the application and applicant guidelines.

For More Information, Contact:
Laura Leyva
Federal Programs
Phone: 303.866.6490
Email: leyva_l@cde.state.co.us

Fall 2019 ESEA Directors' Meeting

A series of New Directors’ Meetings will be available in September along with the Fall Regional Network Meetings. The content will be covered over one and a half days and will discuss following topics:

• ESSA Program Requirements (Title IA, IC, ID, II, III, IV & V)
• Civil Rights requirements for English Learners
• ESEA Monitoring
• Comprehensive Needs Assessment
• Program Evaluations
• ESSA Accountability and Planning Requirements, including Stakeholder Engagement

The  meeting is intended for Federal Program directors and staff, but any district staff that works with ESEA, Migrant Education Programs, or English Language Development programs is welcome. 

For questions reach out to your Regional Contact. For dates, locations and registrations, visit the ESEA Regional Networking Meeting webpage.

For More Information, Contact:
Michelle Prael
Federal Programs
Phone: 303-866-6998
Email: prael_m@cde.state.co.us

Innovation & Choice

Manual released to support secondary students in foster care

The Fostering Opportunities Program Manual is available for download (PDF). The program works to engage middle and high school students who have experienced foster care and help set them up for success in school and ultimately earn a high school credential.

The program is aligned to the standards for the Title IV-E Clearinghouse which sets the bar for evidence-based interventions under the Families First Prevention Services Act.  The manual is a free resource available  via the University of Denver's Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab.

For More Information, Contact:
Kristin Myers
Dropout Prevention and Student Re-Engagement
Phone: 303-866-6007
Email: myers_k@cde.state.co.us

Learning & Results

Last chance to apply for Media Literacy Advisory Committee

Applications for the Media Literacy Advisory Committee are due Friday, Aug. 9. Fill out the application via Survey Monkey.

For details, visit the Media Literacy in Elementary and Secondary Education webpage.

For More Information, Contact:
Melissa Colsman
Student Learning
Phone: 303-866-6737
Email: colsman_m@cde.state.co.us

Apply for Dyslexia Working Group by Aug. 9

The application process for the Dyslexia Working Group closes on Friday, Aug. 9.

Fill out the application via Survey Monkey or visit the Dyselxia Working Group webpage for more information. 

For More Information, Contact:
Melissa Colsman
Student Learning
Phone: 303-866-6737
Email: colsman_m@cde.state.co.us

Standards & Assessments

Communication materials for assessment release available

A toolkit with sample materials to help districts and schools communicate with parents and students about the CMAS, PSAT and SAT scores is available on the CDE website.

The materials are meant to be flexible. They can be used as is or the pieces that are most useful can be copied and pasted into district or school materials. Spanish-language versions of some of the documents will be added soon.

For More Information, Contact:
Jeremy Meyer
Communications Division
Phone: 303-866-2334
Email: meyer_jeremy@cde.state.co.us