SCHOOL RESEARCH TOPICS

Notable Internet Resources from State Government

Revised January 2012

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Blog on State Information / Colorado State Publications Library
Weekly entries with research tips on current topics under health, history, outdoors, politics, etc.
http://cospl.blogspot.com/

Colorado Data Book / Office of Economic Development and International Trade
Includes text and statistics for population, technology, education, quality of life, recreation & tourism, transportation, natural resources, etc.
http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/OEDIT/OEDIT/1178305420531 

Colorado Information and History / Colorado State Archives
Site includes links to 1876 State Constitution, Geography, Governors, historical facts, and much more.
http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives 

Colorado State Agency Databases / Government Documents Roundtable, American Library Association
An annotated list of free databases produced by Colorado state agencies.
http://wikis.ala.org/godort/index.php/Colorado 

Colorado Talking Book Library / Colorado State Library
Provides free recorded cassettes, Braille, and large-print library materials to eligible readers.
http://www.myctbl.org 

Colorado Virtual Library / Colorado State Library
Links to library catalogs statewide as well as digital photographic collections; kids, parents, and teachers web sites by subjects; and best websites for health, business, etc.
http://www.coloradovirtuallibrary.org/

Focus on Children and Youth: Resources from Colorado State Government Agencies / Colorado State Publications Library
A list of print and Internet information on issues such as, adoption, child welfare, early childhood, health, education, parenting, reading, safety/violence, etc.
http://www.cde.state.co.us/stateinfo/slstpfocusbiblio.htm

Maps of Colorado / Colorado State Archives
Describes the geography of the state and links to current and historical maps of cities, counties, and various districts plus historical boundary and exploration maps.
http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/geography.htm 

Quick Guide to Colorado Government Statistical Information / Colorado State Publications Library
Web links to state data on topics such as business, crime, health, education, revenue, traffic, etc.
http://www.cde.state.co.us/stateinfo/QGGovtStatistics.htm 

State Demography Office / Department of Local Affairs
Statistics on current, historic, and projected state population plus economic data and race/ethnicity data for counties.
http://www.colorado.gov/demography 
 

CORRECTIONS:

Capital Punishment in Colorado / Department of Corrections
History and current information on death row procedures including inmates currently on death row.
http://www.doc.state.co.us/death-row

Correctional Populations / Department of Public Saftey, Office of Research and Statistics
Quarterly reports on populations in the department of corrections, youthful offender system, parole, probation and community corrections 1999 to present.
http://dcj.state.co.us/ors/correction_pop.htm

General Statistics / Department of Corrections
Statistics statewide on inmate populations, admissions & releases, commitments, youth offenders, and inmate gender, age, and ethnicity.
http://www.doc.state.co.us/gsr

State Penitentiary Records and History / Colorado State Archives
Includes summary of State Archives holdings in the area of corrections from the 1870's on. Features hot links to prisoner index, prison records, history of the State Penitentiary, and mug shots.
http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/pen/history.htm 

Youth Corrections Resources and Publications / Division of Youth Corrections
Summary of statewide and regional statistics on juvenile offenders plus reports on commitment and detention programs.
http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/CDHS-ChildYouthFam/CBON/1251581932050
 

CRIME AND COURTS:

Community Corrections / Colorado Division Of Criminal Justice
Annual statistics on this program
http://dcj.state.co.us/occ/reports.htm 

Crime in Colorado / Colorado Bureau of Investigation
Yearly statistics on major crimes and arrests reported by law enforcement agencies, including hate crimes.
http://cbi.state.co.us/CNC/index.html

Crime Statistics / Division of Criminal Justice
Facts on violent crimes, incarceration, offenses, adult and juvenile arrest rates.
http://dcj.state.co.us/ors/statistics.htm
 
Educational Resources / Colorado Supreme Court
Provides a general overview of the courts, jury duty, judges' appointments, historical background, and more.
http://www.courts.state.co.us/Courts/Education/Index.cfm 

Identity Theft Resources / Colorado Bureau of Investigation
Use the links on the left to access information on types of identity theft, prevention information, and links to recent news articles on identity theft.
http://cbi.state.co.us/inv/ID_Theft/Index_IDTheft.html

Juror Information / Colorado Supreme Court
Provides general information on the jury system and a map of the 22 judicial districts.
http://www.courts.state.co.us/Jury/Index.cfm 

Juvenile Justice System / Office Of Adult and Juvenile Justice Assistance, Division Of Criminal Justice
Links to information and plans for the implementation of improvements and solutions to problems with delinquency and youth.
http://dcj.state.co.us/oajja/index.html

Office of Research and Statistics / Colorado Department of Public Safety
Crime Statistics, Correctional Population data, maps and research articles.
http://dcj.state.co.us/ors/

State Patrol Statistical Information / Colorado State Patrol
Links to traffic crash statistics statewide and by county with numbers and causes.
http://csp.state.co.us/trafficsafety.html
 

DRIVING INFORMATION:

EDUCATION:

At-Risk Students/Prevention Initiatives / Colorado Department of Education
Links to resources for migrant education, Indian education, homeless children, child abuse, service learning, HIV/AIDS, refugees, school violence, etc.
http://www.cde.state.co.us/index_atrisk.htm 

College in Colorado / Colorado Department of Higher Education
Online resource to help students and their families select a college, apply for admission, and plan for financing.
http://www.collegeincolorado.org/ 

Education Statistics / Colorado Department of Education
Facts for the state and for school districts on attendance, home schooling, charter schools, graduation rates, dropout rates, staff statistics and more.
http://www.cde.state.co.us/index_stats.htm

Higher Education Enrollment and Degrees Database / Commission on Higher Education
http://highered.colorado.gov/Data/Search/default.html 

K12 Student Achievement Resources / Colorado State Publications Library
List of selected Internet sites and print publications related to CSAP, No Child Left Behind, Model Content Standards, School Accountability, etc.
http://www.cde.state.co.us/stateinfo/slst_k12_student_Resources.htm 

Model Content Standards for Grades K-12 / Colorado Department of Education
Links to standards and suggested grade level expectations by subjects.
http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeassess/documents/OSA/k12_standards.html

SchoolVIEW / Colorado Department of Education
Interactive portal for the Colorado Growth Model, and school performance data.
http://www.schoolview.org/

Student Assessment / Colorado Department of Education
Data on CSAP results, schedules, rubrics, and more.
http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeassess/index_assess.html

Technology in PreK-12 Education / Colorado Department of Education
Reports and resources on access to technology and the impact of technology on student achievement.
http://www.cde.state.co.us/index_technology.htm
 

ENVIRONMENT / ENERGY:

Colorado Oil and Gas Facts / Colorado Geological Society
Facts, maps and background information on oil in Colorado.
http://geosurvey.state.co.us/Default.aspx?tabid=103

Colorado Water Knowledge / Colorado Water Resources Research Institute
Basic information on Colorado water. A good starting place for water information.
http://waterknowledge.colostate.edu/

Energy Literacy / Governor's Energy Office
Publications on renewable energy along with the Colorado Utilities Report.
http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/GovEnergyOffice/CBON/1251597774824 

Environment Topics A-Z / Department of Public Health and Environment
Alphabetical listing of links to pages on air quality, drinking water, hazardous materials, etc.
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/environmentatoz/index.html 

Ground Water Administration and Well Permitting / Colorado Division of Water Resources
Guides and general information about water issues in Colorado,including: the history of water rights; a guide to well permits, water rights and water administration; Colorado Water Courts; and water rights terminology. http://water.state.co.us/groundwater/Pages/default.aspx

Mineral and Energy Resources / Colorado Geological Survey
Background information on coal, oil, natural gas and other energy sources.
http://geosurvey.state.co.us/Default.aspx?tabid=61

Natural Areas Program / Colorado State Parks
Lists native/rare plants, animals, geology, and paleontology located/preserved in the state's natural areas.
http://parks.state.co.us/NaturalResources/CNAP/

Natural Diversity Information Source / Colorado State University
Mapping, data, information, and related links concerning hunting, fishing, wildlife, habitat, and conservation planning issues, by county and regions, for differing needs and levels of subject expertise.
http://ndis.nrel.colostate.edu/index.html
 

GOVERNMENT:

Colorado Governors Since 1861 / Colorado State Archives
List of the Governors of Colorado with photos, biographies and party affiliation.
http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/offic/gov.html 

Colorado Legislative Council Research Publications / Westminster Law Library, University of Denver
Reports on a wide variety of topics containing general information and addressing impacts to Colorado.
http://www.law.du.edu/forms/library/clcsearch.cfm

Colorado Legislators Past and Present / Colorado Joint Legislative Library
Biographies of legislators appointed or elected to the Colorado territorial or state legislature.
http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/CGA-LegislativeCouncil/CLC/1200536136308

Colorado Lieutenant Governors' Profiles / Colorado State Archives
List of Lieutenant Governors from 1887-2003 with brief biographies.
http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/offic/ltgov.html 

Colorado State Capitol / Colorado State Archives
History and description of the Capitol including biographies of men associated with the Capitol, a fact sheet, and a bibliography.
http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/cap/first.htm 

Colorado State Seal / Secretary of State
Provides a history, description, and use of the seal.
http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/info_center/coloSeal.html 

Current Legislative Session / Colorado General Assembly
Provides access to current session bills, calendars, journals, legislator directory, Session Laws, Colorado Revised Statutes, and much more.
http://www.leg.state.co.us/ 

Governor's Page / Office of the Governor
Current governor's links to speeches, executive orders, offices, policies, biography, etc.
http://www.colorado.gov/governor/ 

Official State Seal, Flag, Motto, Emblems and Symbols / Colorado State Archives
List of official symbols, and links to interesting, in-depth discussions about each symbol's history.
http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/history/symbemb.htm#Seal 
 

HEALTH:

Air Pollution Control Division Studies and Reports / Air Quality Control Commission
Looks at air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, ozone reduction, and regional haze.
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/op/aqcc/

Consumer Protection Topics / Consumer Protection Division
Provides information on subjects such as child care facilities, food borne illnesses, bioterrorism, product safety, and more.
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/cp/index.html

Health Information Dataset / Department of Public Health and Environment
Access to neighborhood, community, county, and regional health data including births, deaths, population, and behavioral risk factors.
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/cohid/index.html 

Health Topics A to Z / Department of Public Health and Environment
Alphabetical listing of links for diseases, programs, health issues, etc. from adolescent health to medical marijuana to zoonotic diseases.
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/healthatoz/index.html

Programs of HIV/STD / Disease Control and Environmental Epidemiology Division
Includes statistics, facts, and profiles of cases reported yearly.
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/dc/HIVandSTD/index.html

Rabies in Colorado / Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
General information about rabies, educational materials, and statistics.
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/dc/zoonosis/rabies/index.html

Rocky Flats Program / Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division
Includes facts, status report to the public and a link to superfund information.
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hm/rf/index.htm 

Tobacco Information Page / Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Includes facts, statistics, reports and plans, tips on quitting, prevention and more.
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/pp/tobacco/index.html
 

HISTORY:

50th Anniversary of the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways / Department of Transportation
Origins and history of the U.S. Interstate System with a focus on interstate highways in Colorado.
http://www.dot.state.co.us/50Anniversary/index.cfm 

Alfred Packer Collection / Colorado State Archives
Documents and photographs of Alfred Packer, including confessions, and court documents. Has a warning guaranteed to whet the interest of any grade school child.
http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/packer.html 

Architects of Colorado / Colorado Historical Society
Biographical series focusing on architects and landscape architects who practiced professionally in Colorado after 1860.
http://www.coloradohistory-oahp.org/guides/architects/architectindex.htm

Builders of Colorado / Colorado Historical Society
Biographical series focusing on engineers, builders, developers, contractors and manufacturers who practiced professionally in Colorado after 1860.
http://www.coloradohistory-oahp.org/guides/builders/buildersindex.htm 

Colorado Civilian Conservation Corps Records / Colorado State Archives
History of the Corps in Colorado including photographs and CCC Enrollment Index.
http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/ccc/cccscope.html 

Colorado License Plate History / Department of Revenue
Listing of changes in plates from 1913 to 2000 with color and designation history.
http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/Revenue-MV/RMV/1222252742936 

Colorado's Historic Newspaper Collection / Colorado Digitization Program, Colorado State Library
Access articles from Colorado newspapers dating from 1859.
http://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org 

Colorado Volunteers During the Civil War (1861-1865) / Colorado State Archives
History of the voluntary military regiments including a bibliography.
http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/civwar/civilwar.html 

Governor's Council of Defense Collection - World War One and World War Two / Colorado State Archives
Samples of photographs from special war topics both military and civilian.
http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/wwcod/codhome.htm 

Guide to Colorado's Historic Architecture and Engineering / Colorado Historical Society
Photos and descriptions of 45 styles represented in the state from pioneer log to foursquare to early high rise/commercial.
http://coloradohistory-oahp.org/guides/architecture/archindex.htm 
 

KIDS' PAGES:

Colorado Historical Society - For Kids Only!
Games and illustrated stories about the history of Colorado, along with educational materials for school programs, and a list of activities for kids and families.
http://www.coloradohistory.org/kids/kidspage.htm 

Discovery Pages / Division of Wildlife
Links to information about animals, kids' fun pages, newsletters, endangered species listings, career information, resources for educators, etc. Explore this site in depth, as it has too many useful sites to list.
http://wildlife.state.co.us/Education/StudentActivities/KidsPage/

Doing History Keeping the Past / Colorado Historical Society
An interactive page on Colorado history. Topics include: Colorado Indians, Farmers and Ranchers, Trappers and Traders, Miners and virtual field trips. Also provides a section with resources for teachers. http://hewit.unco.edu/dohist/

DRMS's Kids Page / Department of Natural Resources
Information for kids about mining, geology, and environmental responsibility.
http://mining.state.co.us/kids/dmgkids.htm

Secretary Of State's Kids Page / Colorado Secretary of State
Learn about the Secretary and the Office plus links to basic state information.
http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/info_center/kids.htm 

Severe Weather Kids Page / Colorado Division of Emergency Management
Puzzles and pictures to color with facts about lightning, severe weather and wildfires.
http://www.dola.state.co.us/dem/public_information/light_wild/kids/kidspage.htm
 

OUTDOORS AND WILDLIFE:

Colorado Avalanche Information Center / Department of Natural Resources
Facts, statistics, and educational information.
http://geosurvey.state.co.us/avalanche/ 

Colorado Climate Center / Colorado State University
Weather and water data, drought resources, historical weather events, trains students to be weather observers, etc.
http://climate.atmos.colostate.edu/index.shtml 

Colorado Scenic Byways / Colorado Department of Transportation
Shows and describes routes through the statewide scenic areas.
http://www.coloradobyways.org/Main.cfm 

Colorado State Parks Information / Colorado State Parks
Provides maps and detailed information about each state park.
http://parks.state.co.us/

The Cryosphere: Where the World is Frozen / National Snow and Ice Data Center - University of Colorado
http://nsidc.org/cryosphere/ 

Hazards In Colorado / Office of Emergency Management
Links to information on counter terrorism, floods, hailstorms, tornados, winter storms, etc.
http://dola.colorado.gov/dem/public_information/public_information.htm

Listing of Endangered, Threatened, and Wildlife Species of Special Concern / Colorado Division of Wildlife
This web site lists the species' common name, scientific name, and status, plus many have links to further description of the species.
http://wildlife.state.co.us/WildlifeSpecies/SpeciesOfConcern/ThreatenedEndangeredList/Pages/
ListOfThreatenedAndEndangeredSpecies.aspx  

Wildlife in Colorado / Colorado State Publications Library
Resource list of Internet sites and print information about wildlife, wildlife protection, and the impacts on wildlife.
http://www.cde.state.co.us/stateinfo/slstpbiwildlife.htm 
 

SOCIAL AND MENTAL HEALTH:

For further information regarding these sites or any state government information, please contact:

Colorado State Publications Library
Colorado State Library
Colorado Department of Education
201 E. Colfax Ave., Room 314
Denver, CO 80203
voice: 303-866-6725  fax: 303-866-6940
E-mail: spl@cde.state.co.us  Web site: http://www.cde.state.co.us/stateinfo
 

For additional information e-mail:  spl@cde.state.co.us