Education Reform in Colorado
Improving student achievement and preparing students for success after high school is one of the major issues in Colorado today.
The work to reduce the dropout rate and increase the number of students fully prepared for college or the workplace is being propelled by Gov. Bill Ritter, Colorado Commissioner of Education Dwight D. Jones, the Colorado State Board of Education and The Colorado State Legislature. They are working closely with teachers, administrators and community leaders who share the same passion to improve schools for all.
There are meetings across the state that involve a variety of state agencies, councils, committees and elected leaders.
This page is designed as a guide to the initiatives and work to date. A companion document, Who’s Who in Education Reform, may be of useful in identifying all the individuals and groups involved.
Please check back for updates regularly.
Reform Initiatives:
- 21st Century Community Learning Centers
Providing opportunities for academic enrichment.
(Updated: 2/23/2009) - Accountability Alignment
Information about the Accountability Alignment Act (SB 09-163) and its implementation.
(Updated: 11/11/2009) - Accreditation Process Improvements
Improving support and service to school districts through accreditation.
(Updated: 2/9/2009) - BEST (Building Excellent Schools Today)
Increasing financial assistance for capital construction projects.
(Updated: 6/19/2009) - CDE - Allocation of Resources
Lining up resources to function at the department.
(Updated: 6/19/2009) - CDE Educator Licensing
Improving the educator licensing process.
(Updated: 6/19/2009) - CDE Federal Programs - District Improvement Tech. Solutions
Improving systems to support federal programs in schools and districts.
(Updated: 3/17/2009) - CDE Special Education Monitoring Project
Improving data collection and reporting for special education program
(Updated: 6/19/2009) - Charter Schools and Choice
Providing support to create innovative, high-quality choice solutions.
(Updated: 9/11/2009) - Civic Education
Strengthening instruction in civics.
(Updated: 12/2/2008) - Closing The Achievement Gap
CDE's pilot effort to close achievement gaps associated with race and poverty.
(Updated: 5/15/2009) - Colorado Achievement Plan for Kids (CAP4K)
New description of "Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness" due Dec. 2009.
(Updated: 1/21/2009) - Colorado Legacy Foundation
A new non-profit to support a variety of CDE reforms.
(Updated: 7/22/2009) - Colorado Reading First
Supporting proven methods of reading instruction.
(Updated: 1/22/2009) - Colorado State Library
(Updated: 3/12/2009) - Colorado State Library - Closing the Achievement Gap
Increased outreach of AskColorado - virtual reference service.
(Updated: 3/12/2009) - Colorado State Library - Connect With Youth
Supporting K-12 literacy through community programs.
(Updated: 6/19/2009) - Content and Curriculum Support
Professional development in best practices, building content expertise.
(Updated: 12/1/2008) - Counselor Corps
Increasing effective school-based counseling services.
(Updated: 6/15/2009) - Dropout Prevention and Student Reengagement
Improving Colorado's graduation rate.
(Updated: 3/4/2009) - Early Childhood Councils
Changing the way early childhood stakeholders do business.
(Updated: 1/23/2009) - Enhancing Education Through Technology
Improving student achievement through technology.
(Updated: 6/19/2009) - Expanding Quality in Infant Toddler Care Initiative
Expanding quality experiences for very young children.
(Updated: 12/2/2008) - Financial Literacy
Increasing instruction of financial skills and knowledge.
(Updated: 1/27/2009) - Focused School Improvement Grant Program
Service and assistance to Title I schools on "improvement" status.
(Updated: 12/3/2008) - Online Learning
Strengthening oversight, awareness, and reporting of online schools.
(Updated: 10/23/2009) - P-20 Council
An overview of Gov. Bill Ritter's education reform council.
(Updated: 6/19/2009) - P-20 Council / P-3 Subcommittee
The P-20 subcommittee focused on issues with the early years of learning.
(Updated: 3/6/2009) - P-20 Council / System Transformation Subcommittee
The P-20 subcommittee looking at big-picture issues.
(Updated: 6/19/2009) - P-3 Successful Practices
Improving curriculum, instruction and assessment in early grades.
(Updated: 11/30/2008) - Preschool through 3rd Grade - Successful Practices
Improving curriculum, instruction and assessment in early grades.
(Updated: 1/30/2009) - Read To Achieve
Supporting the Colorado Basic Literacy Act.
(Updated: 1/22/2009) - Regional Service Areas & Increased Support for BOCES
Enhancing support to smaller and more rural schools and districts.
(Updated: 1/23/2009) - Research and Evaluation (Part 1)
Providing high-quality analysis to inform policy decisions.
(Updated: 1/22/2009) - Research and Evaluation (Part 2): Results Matter
Using assessment data to inform day-to-day instruction.
(Updated: 12/2/2008) - Response to Intervention
A framework for educational reform
(Updated: 6/19/2009) - Rural Secondary Literacy Project
Increasing student achievement across the state.
(Updated: 1/23/2009) - School and District Improvement Grants
Support for Title I schools and districts on "improvement" status.
(Updated: 12/4/2008) - School Leadership Academy
Improving recruitment and training of school leaders.
(Updated: 11/28/2008) - Schools of Innovation
Supporting "zones of innovation" statewide.
(Updated: 8/14/2009) - Science & Technology Grants
Improving science and technology instruction.
(Updated: 1/22/2009) - Standards Revision
Statewide effort to update content standards for the first time in 14 years.
(Updated: 1/22/2009) - Summer School Grants
Intensifying the summer school experience.
(Updated: 12/2/2008)