Announcement
Commencement Challenge
Attn: Principals, Students
The White House and the U.S. Department of Education invite public schools across the country to participate in a Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge to compete to have President Obama speak at their graduation.
At the beginning of the school year, the President encouraged students across the country to take responsibility for their education, study hard and graduate from high school. The Race to the Top High School Commencement challenge encourages schools to show how they are making great strides on personal responsibility, academic excellence and college readiness.
Applications must be completed by students and submitted by the high school principal using the Commencement Challenge Application Form. Applications are due Monday, March 15.
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Nina Lopez
Phone: 303-916-5434
Email: Lopez_N@cde.state.co.us
Investing in Innovation Fund
Attn: Principals, Superintendents, Teachers, Community Groups
The U.S. Department of Education has released the guidelines for the Investing in Innovation Fund. This is a $650 million competitive grant opportunity available to districts and their non-profit partners and institutions of higher education.
The purpose of this program is to provide competitive grants to applicants with a record of improving student achievement and attainment in order to expand the implementation of, and investment in, innovative practices that demonstrate an impact on improving student achievement or student growth, closing achievement gaps, decreasing dropout rates, increasing high school graduation rates, or increasing college enrollment and completion rates.
These grants will (1) allow eligible entities to expand and develop innovative practices that can serve as models of best practices, (2) allow eligible entities to work in partnership with the private sector and the philanthropic community, and (3) identify and document best practices that can be shared and taken to scale based on demonstrated success.
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Nina Lopez
Phone: 303-916-5434
Email: Lopez_N@cde.state.co.us
Concurrent Enrollment Advisory Board Meeting
Attn: District Officials, School Counselors, Teachers, Principals
The Concurrent Enrollment Advisory Board will meet on Monday, March 15 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The public meeting will be held in the conference center at the Community College System Lowry Campus, 1061 Akron Way, Bldg. 697 in Denver.
During this meeting, the Advisory Board will review and approve drafts of guidelines, forms and agreements pertaining to the Concurrent Enrollment Programs Act and ASCENT Program. They will also finalize a proposed draft of the rules for establishing administration guidelines for the Concurrent Enrollment Programs Act.
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For More Information, Contact:
Vanessa Roman
Phone: 303-866-6678
Email: roman_v@cde.state.co.us
2010 -2011 State Assessment Testing Windows
Attn: Principals, Superintendents, District Assessment Coordinators
The 2010-2011 state assessment testing windows are now available for the CSAP, CELApro, CSAPA and COACT. These dates are posted on the Office of Standards and Assessments Web site at the link below.
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For More Information, Contact:
Maile Rieple
Office of Standards and Assessments
Phone: 303-866-6929
Email: rieple_m@cde.state.co.us
Federal Programs
NCLB Reauthorization
Attn: Superintendents, Principals and Federal Program Contacts
The U.S. House of Representative's Committee on Education and Labor is working on a bipartisan reform of the nation’s primary federal education law, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) – currently known as No Child Left Behind. Groups and stakeholders who share the Committee's serious interest in building a world-class education system are invited to e-mail their input and suggestions at eseacomments@mail.house.gov. The deadline for comments is Friday, March 26.
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For More Information, Contact:
--
Phone: --
Email: eseacomments@mail.house.gov
C-FIRS Tracker April Instrument - Request for Questions and Feedback
Attn: Federal Program Contacts
Reminder: The Office of Federal Program Administration is seeking feedback from the field about the new online C-FIRS (Colorado Federal Integrated Review System). Please provide this feedback in specific questions or concerns pertaining to the Tracker System or the April C-FIRS Instrument by Friday, March 12. Direct all questions to Jennifer Morgan via e-mail at morgan_j@cde.state.co.us.
We will answer these questions and address any concerns during the webinars scheduled for Wednesday, March 17 and Friday, March 19.
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Jennifer L. Morgan
Office of Federal Program Administration
Phone: 303.866.6108
Email: morgan_j@cde.state.co.us.
Webinar - April C-FIRS Instrument
Attn: Superintendents, Federal Program Directors, Business Managers
The Office of Federal Program Administration will conduct two webinars to clarify the requirements for the April C-FIRS (Colorado Federal Integrated Review System) Instrument. The webinars are scheduled for Wednesday, March 17 from 1 to 2 p.m. and Friday, March 19 from 9 to 10 a.m.
Please e-mail Clara Algiene for registration information. Clara will also e-mail registration information to all Consolidated Application/Federal Program coordinators.
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For More Information, Contact:
Clara Algiene
Office of Federal Program Administration
Phone: 303-866-6777
Email: algiene_c@cde.state.co.us
FYI
ARRA Procurement Guidance Update
Attn: Purchasing Directors
The State of Colorado has recently updated the procurement guidance for purchases made with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds. The updated guidance may be found at the link below.
The primary change relates to the use of competition for small dollar purchases. The new guidance no longer requires competition for all purchases regardless of the dollar amount. The guidance now aligns with ARRA to promote competition to the maximum extent practicable.
This revision supersedes the Sept. 1, 2009 version. Please note the following pages and sections where the revisions have been made:
Page 5 - Section D-3 Use of Competition
Page 6 - Section D-4 Publication of Non-Competitive Procurements
Page 6 - Section D-5 Use of Small Purchase Discretionary Authority
Page 8 - Section D-14 Reporting
Page 19 -Appendix 2-J Publication
Page 31 -Appendix 7 Non-Competitive Sourcing Justification Form
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For More Information, Contact:
Dave Grier
Accounting & Purchasing
Phone: 303-866-6801
Email: grier_d@cde.state.co.us
News
National Board Certification Stipend Applications Due to School Districts March 31
Attn: Principals, Superintendents, Payroll Administrators, Board of Education Members, Director of the Colorado Charter School Institute, BOCES Directors, National Board Certified Teachers
School Districts are reminded to encourage their teachers who have earned certification through the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards to submit their applications for a legislated stipend. The deadline for teachers to submit their applications to either their school district, BOCES or the Colorado Charter School Institute (in the case of charter schools), is Wednesday, March 31.
School districts, BOCES and CCSI have until Thursday, April 15 to send their original summary application forms to CDE.
For more information, please visit the link below.
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For More Information, Contact:
Anne Marie Roberts
Office of Professional Services
Phone: 303-866-6648
Email: roberts_a@cde.state.co.us
Reminder
CAP4K Town Hall Meeting in Steamboat Springs on Wednesday, March 17
Attn: Principals, Superintendents, Teachers, Parents, Students, Assessment Coordinators, Early Childhood Educators
CDE and the Colorado Department of Higher Education will jointly host a town hall meeting in Steamboat Springs from 5-7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 17 as part of the ongoing effort to discuss the next generation of the state assessment system.
The Steamboat meeting is devoted to school readiness and primary grade assessments (preschool – sixth grade). The meeting will take place at the Steamboat Springs Community Center, 1605 Lincoln Ave Steamboat Springs, CO.
The joint tour will wrap up at the end of March. The last school readiness meeting will be in Glenwood Springs on Wednesday, March 24 and the final post-secondary and workforce readiness meeting will convene in Greeley on Wednesday, March 31.
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Emmy Glancy
Standards and Assessments
Phone: 303-866-6118
Email: glancy_e@cde.state.co.us
Update
ARRA Reporting Must be Submitted by Monday, March 15
Attn: ARRA grantees
CDE is requiring all recipients of ARRA grants to submit a request for funds and accompanying ARRA report from February 11 through March 15. Additional information can be found by clicking on the “end of quarter reporting requirements” link below.
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Andy lake
Grants Fiscal Management Unit
Phone: 303-866-6829
Email: lake_a@cde.state.co.us
Office of Dropout Prevention and Student Re-engagement
Attn: Superintendents, Principals, Interventionists, Teachers, Community Members
CDE's Office of Dropout Prevention and Student Re-engagement was created by Colorado Revised Statute 22-14-101 and was launched in October 2009 with State Fiscal Stabilization Funds.
The office works to reduce the dropout rate and increase the graduation and completion rate in Colorado. This effort focuses on providing coordination, research and leadership in assisting and cooperating with local education providers, current efforts within CDE, state agencies and community organizations.
Law requires the state board of education to promulgate rules in several areas including establishing criteria to identify local education providers in need of assistance with increasing graduation rates. By identifying these districts, CDE can provide direct technical assistance by working closely with the districts’ administrative teams to identify ways to incorporate dropout prevention best practices within the confines of a district’s current initiatives.
On Feb. 10, 2010, the state board adopted emergency rules, which allows the office to begin working with identified districts. A public hearing for final rules will be held on Wednesday, April 14.
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Judith Martinez, Principal Consultant
Prevention Initiatives
Phone: 303-866-6127
Email: martinez_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.
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