The Colorado Department of Education

Offices | Staff Contacts | Colorado.gov

Colorado Department of Education

Various offices, units and projects provide information on partnering with families in education.

  • Adult Education and Family Literacy
    http://www.cde.state.co.us/index_adult.htm

    There are numerous resources and programs to support adult and family learning, which can be accessed and coordinated by school communities.
  • Colorado State Library
    http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdelib/Outreach.htm

    Libraries statewide offer opportunities and resources which support early literacy, family learning, digital literacy and connections between schools and communities.
  • Educator Effectiveness
    http://www.cde.state.co.us/EducatorEffectiveness/

    This multi-faceted site has specific information on the implementation of Senate Bill 10-191, which includes a systematic focus on involving families in educator evaluation and meaningfully supporting the academic achievement of their children.
  • Exceptional Student Services Unit
    • Colorado Special Education Advisory Committee (CSEAC)
      http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/CSEAC.asp

      This statewide and federally mandated group, with family member representation, focuses on the quality of education for students with disabilities and advises the Colorado Department of Education and State Board of Education.

    • Colorado State Advisory Committee for Gifted and Talented Education (SAC)
      http://www.cde.state.co.us/gt/councomm.htm

      This committee advises and recommends best practices as to all aspects concerning gifted education and includes parents and other representatives from across Colorado.

    • Family Information and Resources
      http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/Family.asp

      This site provides varied information for educators and families related to educational opportunities, supports, and services for students with disabilities.
  • Early Learning and School Readiness
    http://www.cde.state.co.us/early/

    Various programs and projects support families in participating in the early education of their children.

  • Federal Programs
    http://www.cde.state.co.us/FedPrograms/

    The Elementary and Secondary Education Act includes explicit requirements for district policy development and implementation for the meaningful involvement of parents in their children’s education and this office oversees this effort throughout Colorado.
    • Strengthening Parent Involvement: A Toolkit (2002)
      http://www.cde.state.co.us/FedPrograms/dl/ti_parents_pitoolkit.pdf

      This resource, developed by numerous education stakeholders, contains forms, sample documents, and practical tips for involving parents in education, following the mandates defined in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

    • Breaking Down Barriers, Creating Space: A Guidebook for Increasing Collaboration Between Schools and the Parents of English Language Learners (2006)
      http://www.cde.state.co.us/FedPrograms/dl/ti_parents_ELLGdbk.pdf

      Research, strategies, and Colorado programs are described, all of which support school practitioners effectively connecting with families who are learning English.

  • Language, Culture, and Equity
    http://www.cde.state.co.us/cde_english/index.htm

    Related to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, educational resources and support are provided for students and families learning English, including those who are migrant.
  • Response to Intervention: Family, School, and Community Partnering
    http://www.cde.state.co.us/rti/Family.htm
    http://www.cde.state.co.us/rti/ProfDevelopmentRtI.htm

    One of the six components of Response to Intervention (RtI) is Family, School, and Community Partnering (FSCP) and numerous resources are available to support all stakeholders in implementation – online courses, face-to-face trainings, RtI Family and Community Partnering: “On the Team and At the Table” Toolkit, support network communication, presentation slides and activities, and articles/websites.
  • Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
    http://www.cde.state.co.us/pbis/ParentInvolvement.htm

    PBIS encourages partnering with families and works with Response to Intervention (RtI) to create a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS).
  • READ Act
    http://www.cde.state.co.us/ColoradoLiteracy/ReadAct/index.asp

    Legislated in 2012, the READ Act focuses on every student learning to read proficiently by the third grade and requires that schools reach out to families as partners in developing, implementing, and monitoring plans when there are concerns.
  • Secondary Initiatives
    http://www.cde.state.co.us/SecondaryInitiatives/

    Numerous secondary school programs specifically involve families in educational partnering; examples are the Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP), 21st Century Community Learning Centers, and Dropout Prevention and Student Engagement.
  • Summer Symposia
    These opportunities brought educators together in sharing best practices around Colorado’s reform initiatives. Family-school partnering was a component of each year’s workshop.
  • Teaching, Empowering, Leading, & Learning (TELL) Survey
    http://2011.tellcolorado.org

    This biennial survey of Colorado educators, administered in 2009 and 2011, has found that Community Support and Involvement – whether parents/guardians in the community are engaged, influential, and supportive of teachers and schools - is highly correlated with student achievement.

 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on this webpage are those of the State Advisory Council for Parent Involvement in Education and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Colorado Department of Education or the Colorado State Board of Education.