ESSU Data Management System (DMS)

The ESSU DMS (and most CDE-hosted applications/systems) will be unavailable from 3:00PM on Friday, July 19, 2025, through Sunday, July 21, 2025, due to a planned power outage by Xcel Energy.

The Data Management System (DMS) is a single sign-on system that assists Administrative Units (AUs) in meeting accountability requirements for Special Education and Gifted Education.

Need Help?

Ascend Help Desk

Contact Ascend: 303-265-7011

Email Ascend: support@ascenddms.co

Forgot/Reset Password

Username: Full Email Address
Forgot Password: Reset and generate a temporary password

If you continue to have difficulties logging on to the DMS, please contact your AU LAM (Local Access Manager)

For all other DMS questions, Email DMS

Ascend Announcements

In response to feedback from the field, CDE made the decision to non-renew the contract with AnLar for the Ascend IEP system. To that end, Ascend will no longer be available as of July 1, 2022. Starting in the 2022-2023 school year, CDE will flow through IDEA dollars that would have been expended on the state-sponsored IEP system to AUs. These funds may be used on any IDEA allowable activities, including the purchase of an electronic IEP system. However, please note that there is no requirement that these funds be used by an AU to purchase an electronic IEP system. The CDE will continue to contract with AnLar for the DMS.

AU staff responsible for working in the DMS should try logging into the new DMS as soon as possible to ensure that there are no login issues. If AU staff do have issues logging into the Ascend DMS, please reach out to your AU LAM (Local Access Manager). If your LAM can not resolve the issue, please reach out to Josh Fails

Data Management System (DMS)

Getting Started: Overview of the Ascend DMS

Identity Management System (IMS)

For help with Roles and Responsibilities, and SPED DMS guidance:
Josh Fails
Online Project Coordinator (DMS) & Data Consultant
Email Josh Fails
Phone: (720) 618-0538

For help with Roles and Responsibilities, and Gifted DMS guidance:
Heather Baskin
Assistant Director, Gifted Education
Email Heather Baskin
Phone: (720) 557-4528

Having trouble with this webpage?

If you have problems with broken links or accessing the content on this page, please contact the Exceptional Student Services Unit at ESSU@cde.state.co.us. Please copy the URL link for this page into the email when referencing the problem you are experiencing.