Announcement
Professional Development for Middle School Educators in Denver, Oct. 30- Nov. 1
Attn: Superintendents, Middle School Principals, Teachers
Plan now to attend the largest, most comprehensive (and likely the most cost-effective) middle-level professional development conference anywhere! In cooperation with CDE, the National Middle School Association (NMSA) is hosting its annual conference at the Denver Convention Center Oct. 30 – Nov. 1, 2008.
General sessions will include author Jim Collins (Good to Great), popular speaker Alan November and actress/advocate Marlee Matlin, while targeted sessions will feature Tanya Santangelo (SPED), Kathy Escamilla (ELL), Rick Smith (brain-based learning), Ruby Payne (working with parents) and many other experts in such areas as formative assessment, technology integration and literacy.
NMSA will also feature effective uses of technology through the conference, from the opening general session and technology stations through the convention center to the “21st Century Classroom” in the exhibit hall. See link below for more information.
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Tanya Price
Commissioner''s Office
Phone: 303-866-6397
Email: price_t@cde.state.co.us
Data Interpretation Guidelines
Attn: Principals, Superintendents, District Assessment Coordinators, Curriculum Coordinators, Educators
The unit of Student Assessment has released a new resource, The Colorado Data Interpretation Guide. This manual provides guidance to district and school personnel as well as parents and other interested stakeholders in the appropriate use of state assessment data, including the Colorado Growth Model.
This guide may be used to train and inform district and school personnel as well as parents in using the state student assessment results (CSAP, CSAPA, CELA or COACT) for their intended purposes. This manual may be helpful as a reference when discussing:
-the meaning of student performance ratings with parents
-the meaning of school and/or district data with stakeholders
-how to examine district curricular and program alignment to the state standards
-how to locate existing resources for district and school personnel to access to best utilize state assessment data
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Holly Baker
Unit of Student Assessment
Phone: 303-866-6664
Email: baker_h@cde.state.co.us
Important Due Date
Applications due on September 12th, 2008 for CELApro Standard Setting
Attn: Principals, ELL Directors, Curriculum Directors, Assessment Directors, Trainers
The CELApro Standard Setting event will be held Tuesday October 14, through Thursday October 16, 2008.
The CELApro Standard Setting Event will set cut scores on the test scale for each proficiency level. The standard setting process allows content experts to provide input about the content that students at each proficiency level should know. As a result of this process, participants will determine recommended cut scores for the CELApro state assessment.
Participants must be either: Educators who are highly qualified (ESL , Bi-lingual, Linguistically Different, Reading and Writing), CELApro district trainers , or Applied linguists with experience working with students.
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Marisol Enriquez
Phone: 303-866-6634
Email: enriquez_m@cde.state.co.us
Reminder
Senate Youth Notification - Scholarship Opportunity
Attn: Principals, Counselors, Superintendents
Each year, CDE supports the United States Senate Youth Program, created in 1962 by the U.S. Senate and sponsored by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation.
The annual United States Senate Youth Program, authorized by Senate Resolution 234, sanctions the selection of 104 student delegates, two from each state, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Office of Dependents Schools (DoDDS). The Hearst Foundation provides each delegate with a one-time college scholarship of $5,000 and a one-week all expense paid trip to the nation’s capitol.
The delegates are immersed in Washington activities throughout their weeklong stay, including visits to the Senate, the House of Representatives, the Supreme Court and the Pentagon.
Each state’s responsibility is to determine their two delegates and two alternates by a competitive process determined by the individual Departments of Education. Colorado’s process is announced in mid-August, following the release of program requirements as determined by the Hearst Foundation.
Each Colorado high school receives posters announcing the program and a copy of the application form. Building principals and counselors receive the information in late August.
We would welcome your assistance in the promotion of this program. Junior and senior students are eligible to apply with the qualification that the student must hold and elective office in an education oriented organization.
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Judy Haugh
AEFL
Phone: 303.866.6651
Email: Haugh_J@cde.state.co.us
To Do
School Safety Assurance Report Form Available for Districts
Attn: Superintendents
The school safety assurance report is now available for school districts to complete as part of the district accreditation process.
As a result of revisions to the district accreditation rules in the spring of 2008, the department will now collect school safety assurance information through a report similar in format to the annual finance accreditation report.
The school safety assurance report may be downloaded at the link below.
School districts are requested to complete and submit this report to the Accreditation and Regional Services unit, by September 15, 2008. In future years the report will be available to school districts through the Automated Data Exchange process. The report will then be due to CDE by June 1 of each year.
School safety is an important element of the accreditation process. Meeting compliance for school safety is a key indicator for district accreditation status.
Please send the completed school safety assurance report to Ai Dam; Accreditation and Regional Services unit; 201 E. Colfax Avenue, Room 201; Denver, Co 80203. Alternatively, districts may submit the report via fax: 303-866-6944 (attention Ai Dam).
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Jhon Penn
Accreditation/Regional Services
Phone: 303-866-6632
Email: penn_j@cde.state.co.us
Update
Model Accreditation Contract Posted as Word Document
Attn: Superintendents
As per the request of numerous superintendents, the model accreditation contract sample is now available on the CDE Web site, titled "Model Accreditation Contract," as a Word document instead of a PDF. Absolutely nothing has changed within the model accreditation contract sample. It is simply reposted as a Word document instead of a PDF to allow districts to more quickly and easily adapt the document for their submission.
If you have questions about the new accreditation contract, please contact your regional manager. As a reminder, the new accreditation contracts are due to your respective regional manager on/before October 15, 2008.
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Jhon Penn
Accreditation/Regional Services
Phone: 303-866-6632
Email: penn_j@cde.state.co.us
Change in Growth Model Software Release
Attn: Superintendents, Principals
The release date for software to view data from the Colorado Growth Model has been postponed.
The new target release date for statewide availability of the software is Wednesday, Sept. 10. Before then, CDE plans a phased release, starting with pilot users and then a roll out to selected groups of authorized district users. Specific login and deployment instructions will be sent via e-mail to district users currently authorized to view student-level data in CEDAR (the Colorado Education Data Analysis and Reporting system).
If you would like to know who in your district is currently authorized to access CEDAR and the software for the Colorado Growth Model, please e-mail the growth team at growth.questions@cde.state.co.us.
Thank you for being a partner in this important work to make student assessment data relevant and useful for educators.
Click Here for Additional Information
For More Information, Contact:
Richard Wenning, Associate Commissioner
Phone: 303-866-6764
Email: wenning_r@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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