Announcement
Race to the Top Phase 2 – Additional Webinars in Lieu of In-Person Visits
Attn: Superintendents
In a May 4 e-mail, CDE informed districts that Commissioner Jones would visit select school districts the week of May 17. Since the May 21 MOU due date is quickly approaching, CDE has decided to instead offer school districts two additional webinars in order to provide the most up-to-date and real-time information available.
Additional webinars:
• Monday, May 17 from 4 to 5 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 19 from 4 to 5 p.m.
Objectives:
1) Present full strategic summary of Phase 2 application
2) Provide forum for Q&A
Logistical Information:
Conference Number(s): 866-764-6750 Participant Code: None Needed
To join the meeting:
http://connect.cboces.org/rttt/
If you have never attended a Connect Pro meeting before:
Test your connection: http://connect.cboces.org/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm
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Adobe, the Adobe logo, Acrobat and Acrobat Connect are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.
All webinars will be recorded and posted on the CDE Web site.
For More Information, Contact:
Margo Allen
Phone: 303-866-6808
Email: allen_M@cde.state.co.us
2010 - 2011 Grants Available for Schools and Libraries
Attn: Superintendents, Principals, Librarians
The Colorado State Library has announced competitive grants for fiscal year 2010-2011 through Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) program, designed to distribute federal funds to eligible school, public, academic or special libraries. Total amount awarded during this funding period will be approximately $300,000.
For the purpose of this grant, libraries must meet the following LSTA five-year plan combined goal, “Colorado libraries will provide services to support educational achievement and lifelong learning of Colorado residents, people with disabilities, ethnic populations, institutional residents, and those underserved by libraries.”
Library-related projects should focus on activities in any of the following areas:
1) providing services that support educational achievement and lifelong learning;
2) providing educational resources in a variety of formats in all types of libraries for individuals of all ages;
3) expanding services for learning while providing access to information.
Extra consideration will be given to projects that develop partnerships with other agencies and/or community organizations.
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Jean Heilig, LSTA Grant Coordinator
Colorado State Library
Phone: 303-866-6731
Email: Heilig_J@cde.state.co.us
Next Race to the Top Phase 2 Webinar is Thursday, May 13 at 4 p.m.
Attn: Superintendents
We will host a third webinar on May 13 from 4 to 5 p.m.
This webinar will cover the following:
1. Strategic Summary of the Phase 2 Application
2. Address Frequent MOU Questions
3. Q&A Session
We look forward to your participation.
Web Conference Dial-In Details:
Conference Number(s): 866-764-6750
Participant Code: No Code Needed
To join the meeting:
http://connect.cboces.org/rttt/
----------------
If you have never attended a Connect Pro meeting before:
Test your connection: http://connect.cboces.org/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm
Get a quick overview: http://www.adobe.com/go/connectpro_overview
Adobe, the Adobe logo, Acrobat and Acrobat Connect are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.
For More Information, Contact:
Margo Allen
Phone: (303) 866-6808
Email: Allen_M@cde.state.co.us
Federal Programs
Enhancing Education Through Technology RFP Now Available
Attn: Superintendents, District Personnel
The new Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) Request for Proposal (RFP) is now available. This RFP is designed to distribute funds to qualified applicants pursuant to Title II-D, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 along with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, to improve student achievement through the use of technology in elementary and secondary schools.
Approximately $2.1 million is available to successful grantees to support school districts and/or consortia of school districts and state-wide initiatives to improve teaching and learning through the substantial, innovative integration of educational technology and information literacy into their educational practices, with a focus on building and sustaining Technology Rich 21st Century classrooms.
For more information and to access the RFP, please visit the Web site below.
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Lynn Bamberry
Competitive Grants and Awards
Phone: 303-866-6813
Email: bamberry_l@cde.state.co.us
Reminder: Consolidated Application ARAC Forms Due May 15!
Attn: Federal Program Contacts, Consolidated Application Coordinators
The 2010-2011 online NCLB Consolidated Application is now live. Remember, the first step in the Consolidated Application process is completing the Acceptance, Relinquishment and Assignment (ARAC) form. After submitting the ARAC form online, print out the signature page and fax the completed signature page to CDE at 303-866-6637.
Once CDE receives and processes the signed signature page, the local education agency's application will be opened and the LEA can begin completing the application. Please remember that the ARAC online form must be completed no later than Saturday, May 15 (including submission of the signature page). The district will not be able to access its application until the ARAC process has been completed.
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Brad Bylsma
Office of Federal Program Administration
Phone: 303-866-6937
Email: bylsma_b@cde.state.co.us
FYI
Guidance on Annual HR Data Collection
Attn: HR Directors, Personnel Managers, Superintendents
Many of you have recently received information about new data elements to be included in the next annual HR Collection. CDE is required to collect these additional items in order to comply with the assurances made to the U.S. Department of Education as part of Colorado’s receipt of State Fiscal Stabilization Funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Several elements reflect items that have not previously been reported. A full description of how to accurately complete the collection will be included in the annual training this Fall. However, because we know that many districts are currently trying to structure local records in a manner that anticipates the collection, we are working to prepare some guidance prior to the fall training. We hope to have something out to the field within the next month. Thank you for your patience and cooperation in making this collection a success.
For More Information, Contact:
Annette Severson
Phone: (303) 866-6824
Email: Severson_A@cde.state.co.us
Important Due Date
Race to the Top Phase 2: MOU Confirmation Due Friday, May 21
Attn: Superintendents
A reminder to superintendents:
Phase 1 Participants (i.e., your district signed an MOU):
1. Please send an e-mail to Margo Allen at Allen_M@cde.state.co.us no later than Friday, May 21, to confirm or withdraw your participation in Phase 2.
2. Please indicate whether your confirmation is on behalf of the superintendent, chair of your local school board and/or your local education association, if applicable.
3. You do not need to execute a new memorandum of understanding, but you may do so at your preference.
New Participants (i.e., you did not sign an MOU in Phase 1):
1. You will need to execute a memorandum of understanding (attached in a May 4 e-mail) and return it to Margo Allen at Allen_M@cde.state.co.us no later than Friday, May 21.
2. The MOU must be signed by both the superintendent and the chair of your school board. You are encouraged also to secure the signature of the president of your local education association, if applicable, but that signature is not required.
For More Information, Contact:
Margo Allen
Phone: (303) 866-6808
Email: Allen_M@cde.state.co.us
Update
Revised Compliance Tips for Indicator 13
Attn: Special Education Directors, Secondary Special Education Personnel
CDE's compliance tips for Indicator 13 have been revised. The Compliance tips provide the foundation for writing meaningful and compliant transition IEPs. It is also the primary reference for our training materials. Please replace your old copy of the compliance tips with the revised one.
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Maureen Wirth
ESLU
Phone: (303) 866-6885
Email: wirth_m@cde.state.co.us
Standards Implementation Update
Attn: Superintendents, Curriculum Directors, Assessment Directors
Reminder: Registration Open for the Accountability/Standards Implementation Tour
CDE is providing a series of regional sessions to support district leaders as they plan and strategically respond to two major changes in education within the state of Colorado: 1) revisions to the Colorado Educational Accountability System (S.B. 09-163 implementation), including unified improvement planning, and 2) implementation of the revised Colorado P-12 Academic Standards. Information about the training can be found at: http://www.schoolview.org/learningcenter.asp
Questions about the accountability session or registration can be addressed to Erin Loften at loften_e@cde.state.co.us; questions about the standards implementation session can be addressed to Melissa Colsman at colsman@cde.state.co.us.
Launch of Online Searchable Standards with Depth of Knowledge Indicators
This week the Office of Standards Assessments and Research & Evaluation will launch an online searchable tool for the new Colorado Academic Standards. This feature will allow users to easily extract specific grade levels from within a desired content area. It also provides an opportunity for one to extract all grade level expectations related to a particular prepared graduate competency. This unique feature will help districts map curriculum that will build to each prepared graduate competency.
In addition, depth of knowledge indicators for each evidence outcome and nature of science statements have been embedded into the online searchable tool. Depth of knowledge indicates the level at which a student must learn and apply the thinking processes/skills to successfully demonstrate a particular evidence outcome. Depth of knowledge measures cognitive demand or complexity and is assigned using a hierarchy of levels one through four, with a range of levels assigned to each evidence outcome in all content areas. More information can be found at: http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeassess/UAS/CoAcademicStandards.html.
For More Information, Contact:
Melissa Colsman
Office of Teaching and Learning
Phone: (303) 866-6737
Email: colsman_m@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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