Office of Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Programs

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:

• Paraprofessional(s)
• Parent(s)
• Teacher(s) - Public School, Charter School, and Career and Tech
• Non-public School Representative(s)
• Other District Administrator(s)
• Neglected & Delinquent Representative(s)
• Early Childhood Practitioner(s)
• Geographic representation from the Southeast, Southwest, and West Central areas of the State

To apply for a position, fill out the 2022-23 Application (PDF) and submit to Emily Owen.

Nazanin (Nazie) Mohajeri-Nelson
Executive Director
720-626-3895 (c)
mohajeri-nelson_n@cde.state.co.us

Emily Owen
Program Support II
720-661-9065 (c)
owen_e@cde.state.co.us

Yazmine Patino
Program Assistant
720-456-9686 (c)
patino_y@cde.state.co.us

Tammy Giessinger
Supervisor of Program Monitoring
720-827-5291 (c)
giessinger_t@cde.state.co.us

Laura Meushaw
Supervisor of Program Implementation
720-728-9023 (c)
meushaw_l@cde.state.co.us

Tina Negley
Supervisor of Program Effectiveness
720-766-2793 (c)
negley_t@cde.state.co.us

ESEA Programs Team

ESEA Programs

Evita Byrd
ESEA Title I Specialist
720-347-5667 (c)
byrd_e@cde.state.co.us

Laura Meushaw
Title I Coordinator and Program Implementation Supervisor
720-728-9023 (c)
meushaw_l@cde.state.co.us

Nathan Hickman
ESEA Titles I, Part D and IV Specialist
720-833-8194 (c)
hickman_n@cde.state.co.us

Rachel Echsner
ESEA Title I and II Specialist
303-681-6486 (c)
echsner_r@cde.state.co.us

Karen Bixler 
ESEA Title II Specialist
720-357-4864 (c) 
bixler_k@cde.state.co.us

Rachel Temple
ESEA Title III Specialist
720-202-6135 (c) 
temple_r@cde.state.co.us

Tammy Giessinger
Title IV Coordinator and Program Monitoring Supervisor
720-827-5291 (c)
giessinger_t@cde.state.co.us

Vacant
ESEA/ESSER Grants Administration Coordinator
tbd@cde.state.co.us

Christina Adeboye-Sullivan
Program Implementation Coordinator
720-498-2252 (c)
adeboye-sullivan_c@cde.state.co.us

ESSER Programs Team

ESSER Programs

Kim Boylan
ESSER Monitoring Specialist
720-354-7031 (c)
boylan_k@cde.state.co.us

Kristin Crumley
ESEA/ESSER Monitoring Coordinator
720-660-1369 (c)
crumley_k@cde.state.co.us

Mackenzie Owens
ESSER Monitoring and Report Specialist
720-601-7112 (c)
owens_m@cde.state.co.us

Jonathan Schelke
ESSER Monitoring Specialist
720-388-0842 (c)
schelke_j@cde.state.co.us

Vacant
ESEA/ESSER Grants Administration Coordinator
tbd@cde.state.co.us

Data, Accountability, Reporting and Evaluation Team

Data, Accountability, Reporting and Evaluation

Tina Negley
DARE Coordinator
720-766-2793 (c)
negley_t@cde.state.co.us

Mackenzie Owens
ESSER Monitoring and Report Specialist
720-601-7112 (c)
owens_m@cde.state.co.us

Mary Shen
ESEA Program Evaluator and Lead Research Analyst
720-766-8723 (c)
shen_m@cde.state.co.us

Melissa Chaffin
ESEA Reporting Specialist 
720-908-1379 (c) 
chaffin_m@cde.state.co.us