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Local Accountability System Grant Cohort 2 application open

Requests for Proposals for the second cohort of the Local Accountability System Grant are due Monday, April 22, in GAINS. CDE seeks schools, districts and BOCES interested in innovating in their local accountability and continuous improvement efforts and willing to share those learnings with the state as a part of a three-year cohort. Intents to Apply are due Friday, April 5. Attend for an informational webinar on Thursday, April 4, at 2 p.m.

UCCS GenCyber Combo Camp

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs is hosting a cybersecurity training camp for high school students and teachers from Monday, July 22, through Friday, July 26. The teacher roster is full, but UCCS is still looking for high school students interested in cybersecurity. The UCCS GenCyber Combo Camp, funded by the National Security Agency, is an innovative way to educate both teachers and students in the same classroom. Attendees will learn the basic skills of defending a computer network using the Network Defender Essentials curriculum. Students must apply by Friday, April 12.

For more information email [email protected]

Technical Advisory Panel for Longitudinal Student Growth meeting

The Technical Advisory Panel for Longitudinal Student Growth will meet via Zoom at 1 p.m. on Thursday, April 18. The meeting agenda will focus on CMAS Science and other accountability-related topics. 

Public School Finance Act rules update

On Thursday, March 14, the State Board of Education approved changes to the Rules for the Administration of the Public School Finance Act of 1994 (1 CCR 301-39), which will be implemented in the 2024-25 school year. The School Auditing Office will continue to host office hours to discuss these changes and provide clarification as the office works to update the Student October Count Audit Resource Guide for 2024. Districts are encouraged to send their questions to the School Auditing Office at [email protected] by Friday, June 7.  

Upcoming Office Hours:

Tuesday, April 16, from 1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m.
Thursday, May 16, from 1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m.
Thursday, May 30, from 1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m.
Thursday, June 13, from 1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m.

To access these office hours, click on the link found in the green box located on the Training and Office Hours webpage. The link will be activated approximately 15 minutes prior to the start of the session.

America's Field Trip

Contribute to the portrait of America at 250 years. America250 is launching America’s Field Trip, a nationwide contest to voice your ideas and dreams for America and earn an unforgettable visit to landmarks such as Rocky Mountain National Park, Boston National Historical Park, and Statue of Liberty National Monument. To enter, students in grades three through 12 can answer the prompt, “What does America mean to you?” through art, poetry or writing.

Strategies and resources for elevating the teaching profession

To recruit and retain a robust and diverse educator workforce, it is important that youth, families, and the community understand the benefits and importance of the teaching profession. Join CDE at the Region 12 Comprehensive Center from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 23, to discover free forthcoming communication resources, including videos, that districts and schools can use to help promote the teaching profession. Participants will have opportunities to discuss strategies from across Colorado and other states on elevating the teaching profession. Register via Zoom

For more information email [email protected].

Shape the future of cybersecurity education

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs is partnering with Education Pathway National Center and a variety of educators across the state to move cybersecurity education forward. Higher Ed and K-12 educators across Colorado will convene on Monday, April 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. to discuss the future of cybersecurity education and how best to grow opportunities in cyber for our young citizens. Register to join in person at UCCS Kevin W. O’Neil Cybersecurity Education & Research Center or online via Zoom.

For more information email [email protected]

Project AWARE Lunch and Learn: Amplifying Student Voices for School Improvement

Join Colorado Project AWARE via Zoom to learn about improving your school setting with student voice as a driving force from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17. Presenters will discuss idea generation and how to enhance current student voice efforts. Learn more and register for the Lunch and Learn webinar. 

For more information email [email protected].

Share your insights on the state's accountability system

The 1241 Task Force wants insights from Colorado educators and advocates on the state's accountability system. Take the survey by Sunday, April 28, to help us improve academic opportunities and address inequities.

The Scoop reader questionnaire

To make sure we are sharing the information of greatest interest to our readers, we want to know more about you! Please take a few minutes to share your insights with the CDE Communications Team, via a brief questionnaire.

2024-2025 Early Literacy Assessment Tool Project application

The Early Literacy Assessment Tool Project application closes on Wednesday, April 10. The ELAT Project supplies a state board-approved, free early literacy assessment tool to a school or district for teachers to obtain real-time assessment of the reading skill levels of K-3 students. Visit the ELAT Application Process webpage for Request for Applications, application webinar recordings, and additional information.

Save the dates for school safety trainings

The Enhancing School Safety Regional Training will explore the fundamentals of preventing school violence by emphasizing the creation of systems and structures essential for positive school environments. Participants will engage in a collaborative session to identify, integrate, and align evidence-based school violence prevention strategies. Registration details will be posted soon on the Preventing School Violence webpage

Friday, June 20:  Front Range Community College in Westminster
Friday, Aug. 2: Adam’s State University in Alamosa
Friday, Sept. 20: Northeastern Junior College in Sterling
TBD: Western Slope

For more information email Preventing School Violence at [email protected].

Secondary School Student Substance Use Committee report

Per House Bill 23-1009, the Secondary School Student Substance Use Committee developed a report with a practice that secondary schools may implement to identify students who need substance use treatment, as well as interventions, resources and referrals. Learn more about the report on the Secondary School Student Substance Use Committee webpage.

Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer data collection due Tuesday, April 30

The mandatory Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer data collection will be open from Monday, April 1, to Tuesday, April 30. Household income information may be collected from families through free and reduced lunch applications, a combo form or the Family Economic Data Survey form.

CDE will host an S-EBT webinar training at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26. and will also provide updates on the data collection during the Data Pipeline Town Hall every Thursday in March from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. 

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The Scoop reader questionnaire

To make sure we are sharing the information of greatest interest to our readers, we want to know more about you! Please take a few minutes to share your insights with the CDE Communications Team, via a brief questionnaire.

Annual student art competition

Students can enter the 2024 Congressional Art Competition, a nationwide visual art competition for high school students, by Friday, April 12. One student from each congressional district will be selected by that district’s representative in Congress. The winning pieces will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building and the winning artist receives free airfare to visit the Capitol and attend a reception in their honor.

Updated READ Act Advisory List of Instructional Programming

The READ Act Advisory List of Instructional Programming has been updated to include core, supplemental and intervention reading programs that were approved during the 2023-24 review cycle. The advisory list includes K-3 reading programs that are approved for purchase with READ Act funds. The review of online reading programs that were submitted for the 2023-24 review will be conducted at a later date. 

Nominate an Exceptional Teacher for the 2025 Colorado Teacher of the Year

Do you know an exceptionally dedicated, knowledgeable and skilled K-12 teacher? Nominate him or her to apply for the 2025 Colorado Teacher of the Year award by Tuesday, May 28. The selected teacher will represent the entire profession in the state and automatically become Colorado’s nominee for the National Teacher of the Year Program.

Title FSCP Promising Partnership Practices call for submissions

The State Advisory Council for Parent Involvement in Education, in collaboration with CDE, is collecting promising partnership practices from across the state to publish in the 10th annual Promising Partnership Practices—Colorado book.  SACPIE and CDE invite schools, districts, early childhood centers, institutions of higher education, accountability committees, parent-teacher committees or any other school- or district-based council to submit an application for consideration in the publication on the Promising Partnership Practices webpage

Nominate an exceptional teacher for the 2025 Colorado Teacher of the Year

Each year the Colorado Teacher of the Year Program honors an exceptionally dedicated, knowledgeable, and skilled K-12 classroom teacher to represent the entire profession in the state. The selected teacher will automatically become Colorado’s nominee for the National Teacher of the Year Program. Nominations are due Monday, May 20.

Visit the Colorado Teacher of the Year webpage for more information on the Colorado Teacher of the Year program, the application process and to access the online application form.