Announcement
Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Assessment Pilot
Attn: Superintendents, Principals
In the coming year, the Colorado Department of Education will explore new ways of assessing high school students. We invite your school to join this exploration by participating in a statewide Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Assessment Pilot.
All Colorado schools serving grades eight, nine, 10 or 11 are eligible to apply; though only a limited number of schools will be accepted based on available funding. While schools will be selected on a first come, first served basis, priority will be given to schools able to clearly articulate how the information will be shared and used by the school/district, teachers, parents and students. Additional consideration will be given to schools using a series of assessments in grades eight/nine, 10, and 11.
As an incentive for participation, costs of the assessment will, in part, be covered by the state; schools will receive between $1 and $4 per student for each assessment.
The application, list of vendors and program budget template are on the Web site at the link below.
The application should be turned in as soon as possible, but no later than Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009.
We encourage, but do not require, electronic submission of the application. Applications received early will be reviewed first.
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Holly Baker
Student Assessment
Phone: 303-866-3266
Email: baker_h@cde.state.co.us
News
Districts Encouraged To Apply For Funds To Develop Alternative Plans for Teacher Compensation
Attn: Superintendents, Board of Education Members, Director of the Colorado Charter School Institute, Director of the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind, BOCES Directors
The Colorado Department of Education is inviting school districts, the Colorado Charter School Institute, the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind and Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) to apply for funds to develop plans to alternatively compensate teachers. The program is designed to reward teacher excellence and to encourage creative and innovative approaches to helping improve the academic performance of all Colorado students.
The program will allow districts to develop their own individual plans to alternatively compensate educators. A result of the passage of House Bill 08-1388, CDEs Office of Professional Services will manage the program, with money appropriated from the Colorado Education Fund.
A total of $980,000 is available for distribution. There is no maximum that any applicant may request.
Applications are due Friday, Jan. 30, 2009.
Questions regarding writing of the proposals should be directed to Jacki Paone at jacki.paone@gmail.com or by calling 303-868-0420. Questions regarding submissions should be addressed to Anne Marie Roberts at 303-866-6648 or roberts_a@cde.state.co.us. Questions regarding the budget portion of the plans should be addressed to Steve Mayfield at 303-866-6868 or mayfield_s@cde.state.co.us.
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Anne Marie Roberts
Office of Professional Services
Phone: 303-866-6648
Email: roberts_a@cde.state.co.us
Update
Model Content Standards Review Update
Attn: ALL (please distribute)
CDE's review of the Model Content Standards is progressing. The most recent stakeholder meeting (held Monday, Dec. 15) reflected common agreements and decisions grounded in mastery, lower remediation, fewer, clearer higher standards and the conjoining of early childhood and higher education/workforce.
The recommendations are:
CDE will ask the P-3 Council if they will continue to collaborate and provide subcommittees with school readiness indicators by the end of January.
The expectation for higher education to have both post-secondary and workforce readiness descriptions and indicators by June 2009. This gives the standards review subcommittees time to adjust to any new direction from the draft from which they will first use.
Conceptually, 21st century skills are the driver of the standards edits and revisions. For example, students will need to both know fractions and then PROVE they know them with actionable application.
Pre-school through eighth grade articulation of grades was recommended rather than current grade spans.
High school will be articulated. Specific bundling of subject specific content will be drafted by CDE content specialists and discussed by subcommittee members and stakeholders.
CONTENT CO-CHAIR SUBCOMMITTEES TRAINING (for Phase I only)
Beginning in January, math, science, reading/writing and music academic state content standards will be revised. (Phase I of all content areas.)
The next steps are, in part, to read a neutral, third party review by WestEd of the state standards, set meeting dates and determine communication protocols.
Following a series of subcommittee meetings, regional forums will be held beginning in late March. On-going revisions will be available for public review and comment following each meetings. The final recommendations for the revisions will go to the state board at the December 2009 meeting.
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Angela Norlander
Office of Standards and Assessments
Phone: 303-866-6931
Email: standards_review_com@cde.state.co.us
School Safety Resource Center Hires Director and Chooses Pilot Districts
Attn: School Safety Advocates
The Colorado Department of Public Safety has hired Dr. Linda Kanan to direct the School Safety Resource Center. She started December 1, 2008. Gov. Bill Ritter granted exceptions from the state hiring freeze so that the Center can move forward with hiring additional staff in the coming months.
Dr. Kanan comes to the center from the Cherry Creek School District where she served as the district's intervention coordinator. She earned her doctorate of philosophy in education/school psychology from the University of Denver in 1995. Her extensive experience as a school psychologist has included training school staff in emergency planning and psychological crisis response, intervention, and recovery; recognizing warning signs and responding to suicidal and violent students; and threat assessment. She has developed policies for substance abusing students and led the district's design team for creating safe and caring school environments.
The center's advisory board selected three pilots for implementing various safe school strategies. They are the Montezuma-Cortez School District RE-1, Durango School District 9-R, and Adams County School District 14.
For More Information, Contact:
Janelle Krueger
Office of Federal Programs Administration
Phone: 303-866-6660
Email: Krueger_J@cde.state.co.us
Colorado Department of Education
201 East Colfax Avenue
Denver, Colorado
80203-1799
Phone: 303-866-6822 or 303-866-2334
Do you know somebody in your school district who needs to read The Scoop each week? Send an e-mail to: CDE_Communications_Office@cde.state.co.us with "Sign Me Up For The Scoop" in the subject line. If you are having trouble signing up, please call the communications office at the telephone numbers above.
|
