Our Office
The ESEA Programs Office is a part of the the Federal Programs Unit and consists of three teams:
- Data, Accountability, Reporting, and Evaluation;
- ESEA Programs; and
- Competitive Grants and Awards.
The work of this office is to administer federally-funded programs, define program and systems quality for supporting historically underserved students, and establish standards, indicators, and protocols with which to assess local programs and systems. The goal is to help build the capacity of the field to implement higher quality programs and systems which are supported and funded under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), reauthorized as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Our office seeks to ensure that program applications, review protocols and approval criteria reflect high quality program standards and maximize efficiency, improve program design and implementation, and impact student outcomes.
Our Mission
The purpose of our work is ensure that the ESEA programs in Colorado provide all children significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education and close educational achievement gaps.
Our Stakeholders
The Every Student Succeeds Act Committee of Practitioners serves to advise the CDE in carrying out its responsibilities under the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015. It operates to identify issues across regions of the state and facilitate two-way communication between CDE and the preK-12 education community throughout Colorado.
At this time, CDE is accepting applications for the following representation on the committee:
- Charter school teacher(s)
- Career and technical education teacher(s)
- Principal(s) or other school leaders
- Specialized instructional support personnel
- Paraprofessional(s)
- Additional parents of school-age children
- Exceptional Student Services practitioner
- Geographic representation from the Southeast, West Central, and Northwest Regions of the State
To apply for a position, fill out the 2018-19 Application(DOC) and submit to Brad Bylsma.
Tools & Resources
- Colorado's ESSA State Plan (PDF)
- Guidance for Supplement, Not Supplant for Title I, Part A
- ESEA Regional Contacts
ESEA Office district contacts by region - ESEA Technical Assistance Request
- Year at a Glance
- Overview of ESEA Programs - administered by the Federal Programs Unit
- ESSA Information - In December of 2015, President Obama signed into law the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The title of the reauthorized legislation, which replaces the No Child Left Behind Act, is the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
- Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program - Teacher student loan cancellation and forgiveness program information based on the Low Income Directory (TCLI)
Our Teams
Director: Nazanin Mohajeri-Nelson, Ph.D.
Assistant Director: DeLilah Collins
Supervisor: Kim Burnham
ESEA Programs
Administrative Lead: Michelle Prael
Email: prael_m@cde.state.co.us
Phone Number: 303-866-6998
The work of the ESEA Programs Team is to define program and systems quality and to establish standards, indicators, and protocols with which to assess local programs and systems quality. The goal is to help build the capacity of the field to implement higher quality programs and systems. This office seeks to ensure that program applications, review protocols and approval criteria reflect high quality program standards and maximizes efficiency and impact.
Competitive Grants and Awards
Administrative Lead: Brittany Jimenez
Email: jimenez_b@cde.state.co.us
Phone Number: 303-866-6813
The Competitive Grants and Awards Team is dedicated to enhancing school improvement through federal and state grant opportunities. We offer support to students, teachers and administrators in the application and funding process for a wide variety of grant and award programs. We strive to develop high quality grant applications and review protocols, to recognize highly effective local programs and educators, utilize their expertise in support of increased program effectiveness, and create incentives for others to implement bold reforms in support of increased student achievement.
Data, Accountability, Reporting and Evaluation
Administrative Lead: Sofia Hernandez Sosa
Email: hernandez-sosa_s@cde.state.co.us
Phone Number: (303) 866-6963
The Data, Accountability, Reporting and Evaluation (DARE) team under the Office of ESEA Programs within the Federal Programs Unit is responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of ESEA programs, as reauthorized under ESSA, and fulfilling federal accountability and data reporting requirements. Our team collects, manages, and analyzes data to inform the development of applications for funding and standards for program quality, by going beyond accountability measures and evaluating the impact of programs and identifying best practices in program implementation.
Office of ESEA
Nazanin (Nazie) Mohajeri-Nelson
Director, ESEA Programs Office
303-866-6205
mohajeri-nelson_n@cde.state.co.us
DeLilah Collins
Assistant Director, ESEA Programs Office
303-866-6850
collins_d@cde.state.co.us
Sofia Hernandez Sosa
Program Support
303-866-6963
hernandez-sosa_s@cde.state.co.us
Michelle Prael
Program Support
303-866-6998
prael_m@cde.state.co.us
ESEA Programs Team
James (Joey) Willett
ESEA Senior Consultant, Title I and Title ID
303-866-6700
willett_j@cde.state.co.us
Barbara Vassis
ESEA Lead Consultant, Title I & Title II
303-866-6065
vassis_b@cde.state.co.us
Kristen Collins
ESEA Consultant, Title I Parent & Family Engagement Specialist & Title V
303-866-6705
collins_k@cde.state.co.us
Laura Meushaw
ESEA Senior Consultant, Title I & School Improvement
303-866-6618
meushaw_l@cde.state.co.us
Brad Bylsma
Director of Coordinated Supports, Title I
303-866-6937
bylsma_b@cde.state.co.us
Jeremy Meredith
ESEA Senior Consultant, Title II
303-866-3905
meredith_j@cde.state.co.us
Robert Thompson
ESEA Senior Consultant: Title III
303-866-6842
thompson_r@cde.state.co.us
Tammy Giessinger
ESEA Consultant: Title IV
303-866-6992
giessinger_t@cde.state.co.us
Data, Accountability, Reporting and Evaluation Team
Data, Accountability, Reporting and Evaluation
Donna Morganstern
Coordinator, ESEA Reporting
303-866-6209
morganstern_d@cde.state.co.us
Tina Negley
Research Analyst
303-866-5243
negley_t@cde.state.co.us
Alexandra Tolentino
Data Collection Specialist & Research Analyst
303-866-4571
tolentino_a@cde.state.co.us
Competitive Grants and Awards Team
Kim Burnham
CGA Supervisor
303-866-6916
burnham_k@cde.state.co.us
Patricia Gleason
CGA Senior Consultant
303-866-6143
gleason_p@cde.state.co.us
Nicole Dake
CGA Senior Consultant
303-866-6250
dake_n@cde.state.co.us
Brittany Jimenez
Program Support
303-866-6813
jimenez_b@cde.state.co.us
