Announcement
Updates to Administrative Unit Contact Information
Attn: Special Education Directors, Gifted/Talented Directors and Coordinators
Please e-mail both Jenny Ballou (ballou_j@cde.state.co.us) and Wendy Ulibarri (ulibarri_w@cde.state.co.us) when there are changes to your administrative unit's contact information. Changes to report might be a new or interim special education director; new gifted/talented director/coordinator; address changes; phone number changes, general reorganization updates, and especially e-mail domain name changes.
Please help us to keep this important list as current as possible even if the changes are temporary (such as the case with interim directors).
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Jenny Ballou
Exceptional Student Leadership
Phone: 303-866-6694
Email: ballou_j@cde.state.co.us
Conference
Advanced Training on Autism by Dr. Mark Sundberg - Sept. 9 and 10
Attn: Special Ed Directors, Principals, Special Education Teachers, Consultants
This advanced level two-day training will cover the basic elements of the verbal behavior approach to language assessment and intervention for children with autism.
The first day of the conference will cover how to use a behavioral analysis of language to assess the language skills of a child with autism. The focus of the second day will cover advanced skills such as intraverbal (answering questions, conversations), social skills, and advanced listener skills. Additional topics will include how to set up a classroom for children with autism, data collection, behavior problems, augmentative communication, inclusion and peer interaction.
Attendees should be educators currently serving students in the field of autism, with direct impact to the field. This workshop is designed for those who have advanced skills in the area of autism and who are beyond the foundation level. Priority will be given to those with some knowledge and application in the principles of verbal behavior analysis. Dr. Mark Sundberg is an international expert in the field of autism. He is developing this training to meet the needs of teachers in public school classrooms.
Special education directors should consider who they want to attend this training. Participants will be required to submit a video of the strategies learned in this workshop within three months following this training. There will be no more than two participants from any administrative unit. Participants will be selected to represent regions from around the state. Training is limited to 80 people from the state.
The registration deadline is Monday, Aug. 30. Participants will be notified by Wednesday, Sept. 1 if they have been chosen to attend the workshop. The registration form is on the Autism Web page at the link below.
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Brooke Young
Exceptional Student Leadership Unit
Phone: (303) 866-6910
Email: young_b@cde.state.co.us
Federal Programs
CDE Invites Public Comment on State Waiver for ARRA Title I School Improvement Grants
Attn: Superintendents, Federal Program Contacts, Title I Directors
CDE is asking for public input regarding its request to the U.S. Department of Education for a waiver to section II.B.9(a) of the Title I School Improvement Grant funds (1003(g)), as authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This section reads:
If not every Tier I school in the state is served with FY 2009 school improvement funds, a state education agency must carry over 25 percent of its FY 2009 funds, combine those funds with FY 2010 school improvement funds and award those funds to eligible local education agencies consistent with these requirements. This requirement does not apply in a state that does not have sufficient school improvement funds to serve all Tier I schools in the state.
This waiver would enable CDE to award its FY 2009 1003(g) funds to the 19 Tier I and Tier II schools to be served as part of round one of the Tiered Intervention Grant program. All remaining FY 2009 1003(g) funds will be combined with FY 2010 1003(g) funds and awarded in their entirety as part of the second round of the Tiered Intervention Grants to be held during the fall of 2010. Without this waiver, CDE will be required to withhold a full 25 percent of its FY 2009 grant award and award those funds along with FY 2010 funds as part of round two. The state believes that this waiver reflects the urgency of serving as many at-risk students in as many low performing schools as we can during the upcoming school year.
CDE values your input as we move ahead with the implementation of the state’s school improvement efforts. Please submit any comments or concerns by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, August 3 to chapman_p@cde.state.co.us.
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For More Information, Contact:
Patrick Chapman
Office of Federal Program Administration
Phone: 303-866-6780
Email: chapman_p@cde.state.co.us
Colorado Department of Higher Education Teacher Quality Grant Opportunity
Attn: Federal Programs Contacts
The Colorado Department of Higher Education has released a request for proposals for Improving Teacher Quality Grants. The purpose of the grants is to increase K-12 student academic achievement by improving educator effectiveness through professional development activities and the equitable distribution of effective educators throughout the state. The grants are available to Institutions of Higher Education, in partnership with high-need local education agencies. The RFP is due Friday, Oct. 1 and is available at the link below.
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Ian Macgillivray, Grant Administrator & Academic Policy Officer for Teacher Education, Colorado Department of Higher Education
Phone: 303-866-2723
Email: ian.macgillivray@dhe.state.co.us
AYP and Comparability Training
Attn: Superintendents, Principals, Federal Program Contacts, Title I Directors, Human Resource Contacts
There still is time to register for the webinar on Friday, July 30 at 10 a.m.
In addition, there will be two in-person trainings covering both AYP and Comparability: Tuesday, Aug. 3 at the Adams 12 Conference Center, 1500 E. 128th Avenue, Thornton, and Wednesday, Aug. 4 at the Tesla Opportunity Center, 2560 International Circle, Colorado Springs. AYP trainings will begin at 8:30 a.m., followed by a break and Comparability training around 10:30 a.m., expected to run until noon.
To register for any of these trainings, contact Donna Morganstern (morganstern_d@cde.state.co.us or 202-866-6209).
For More Information, Contact:
Donna Morganstern
Phone: (303) 866-6209
Email: morganstern_d@cde.state.co.us
Early registration is Available for No Cost Colorado Safe Schools Regional Training in Pueblo, Oct. 20-21
Attn: Southern Colorado School Principals, Superintendents
The Colorado School Safety Resource Center (CDPS) and the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence (CU-Boulder) will host the next Colorado Safe Schools Regional Training in Pueblo on Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 20 and 21. There is no cost to participants. The conference includes informative sessions from the U.S. Department of Education and many more.
An information flyer is available at http://safeschools.state.co.us/training.html.
Please see the link below for more information, or contact the Colorado School Safety Resource Center at 303-239-4435.
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For More Information, Contact:
Joyce Washington
Phone: (303) 866-6708
Email: washington_j@cde.state.co.us
FYI
Concurrent Enrollment Programs Act Frequently Asked Questions
Attn: Principals, Superintendents, District Finance Office, School Counselors
In May 2009, the Colorado State Legislature passed House Bill 09-1319 and Senate Bill 09-285, the Concurrent Enrollment Programs Act. The collective intent is to broaden access to and improve the quality of concurrent enrollment programs, improve coordination between institutions of secondary education and institutions of higher education and ensure financial transparency and accountability. Beyond coordinating and clarifying the existing concurrent enrollment programs, the bill also creates the “5th year” ASCENT program for students retained by the high school for instruction beyond the senior year.
To help clarify the Concurrent Enrollment and ASCENT programs, we will release responses to frequently asked questions in the weekly Scoop newsletter. A new set of questions and answers will be included in The Scoop every other week.
FAQ's for this week:
Q: What is the difference between concurrent enrollment and ASCENT?
A: Concurrent enrollment is open to students in ninth-twelfth grade. Tuition for approved course(s) is paid through per pupil operating revenue funding. ASCENT a fifth year program for students that have completed or are on schedule to complete at least 12 credit hours (semester hours equivalent) of postsecondary course work prior to the completion of his or her twelfth grade year.
Q: Can districts mix and match Postsecondary Enrollment Options and Concurrent Enrollment or must they choose only one?
A: Districts have the option to use pieces of both programs until July 1, 2012; however, there would have to be two different cooperative agreements in place, one for each program. Beginning fall 2012, districts will have to use concurrent enrollment and ASCENT program criteria as Postsecondary Enrollment Options will no longer be available.
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For More Information, Contact:
Charles E. Dukes
Phone: 303-866-6142
Email: dukes_c@cde.state.co.us
Important Due Date
ARRA Interim Reporting
Attn: ARRA Grantees
Action Required: DUE MONDAY, AUG. 16:
Due to the requirements of ARRA Section 1512 reporting, CDE must collect year-end expenditures and FTE from districts and administrative units in August.
This collection will be accomplished through the Tracker system.
After collecting expenditures on Monday, Aug. 16, CDE will compare expenditures to the payments made for FY 2009-2010 to calculate cash on hand or close out payments for each of your district or administrative unit’s ARRA grants as well as determine carryover amounts. CDE will also compare FTE to quarterly reports in an effort to verify the consistency and accuracy of quarterly reports provided in FY 2009-2010.
Colorado was selected as one of 16 states to be monitored by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). The GAO has requested this information for a report to be issued in September.
Please note: This August interim report is in addition to the end of year reports required under EDGAR and does not replace the Annual Financial Report for NCLB ARRA 2009-2010 funds due Nov. 1 or the 2009-2010 IDEA/Preschool End of Year Report. In the event the district’s or administrative unit's books are not closed or final, please include any audit or other year-end adjustments that you were not able to report August 16 on your Annual Financial Report for NCLB and/or End of Year Report for IDEA .
Templates for the August interim expenditure reports are located at the following links:
*****Please follow instructions on first tab of reports*****
http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdefisgrant/IDEA_download.htm for Title I-A and II-D
http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdefisgrant/NCLB_download.htm for IDEA Part B and Preschool
For More Information, Contact:
David Lyon
Grants Fiscal Management Unit
Phone: 303-866-6836
Email: lyon_d@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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