CDE Summer Symposium, 2012
All Schools and districts are working hard on the implementation of new standards, assessments, educator effectiveness, and the new accountability system. We must see these as connected and integrated strategies that build our capacity to serve our students and support their readiness for postsecondary and workforce options. This series of two day Summer Learning Symposia, facilitated by the Colorado Department of Education, will assist schools and districts in unifying their work around Colorado's reform agenda. Participants will be encouraged to contribute to the conversations by sharing current practices and opportunities for improvement.
Each symposium will present up to date information on components of Colorado's reform agenda as well as powerful ideas regarding how to leverage these opportunities to maximize the results of our students.
A pre-conference session will be provided for education leaders who would like a refresher on the essential components of Colorado's strategic education priorities or leaders new to the state or leadership positions.
Target Group: District leadership teams, comprised of district, school, and classroom representatives who are responsible for implementation. The intent is to enhance the capacity of all schools and districts to implement these important initiatives. We will cap district enrollment to ensure all Colorado districts have access to the events.
Location and Dates
- Monday and Tuesday, June 4-5, 2012 in La Junta at Otero Junior College
- Monday and Tuesday, June 11-12, 2012 in Grand Junction at Colorado Mesa University
- Tuesday and Wednesday, June 19-20, 2012 in Denver at the CenturyLink Conference Center
Registration
Registration for all locations and dates is currently open. Registration will be capped at 200-300 participants depending on location. Please note that district enrollment will be capped at 10 team members per districts; any additional district staff registered over the cap will be placed on a wait list.
- Registration (online)*
* Registration for La Junta, Grand Junction and Denver is now closed.
Participants will:
- Gain knowledge related to the reform initiatives, including requirements, timelines, and resources;
- Increase understanding of the interdependent nature of the reform initiatives; and
- Expand capacity to plan and accomplish an integrated and effective approach to implementation of the reform initiatives.
Pre-Conference Sessions
The pre-conference sessions will offer foundational information similar to the content presented in the 101 sessions at the 2011 Summer Symposia.
Accountability and Support 101: UIP Overview
This session will provide a basic overview of Colorado's Performance Frameworks and the Unified Improvement Plan process. The Performance Framework section will include discussion of the indicators and measures, and their weighting, used for school and district accountability. We will also provide a brief orientation to the components of the Unified Improvement Plan process. Due to the limited time, only a brief overview will be provided. To learn more about the performance frameworks, this on-line tutorial provides additional detail and explanation. For more information about the Unified Improvement plan, access this on-line tutorial.
This session will provide an overview of Colorado's Performance Frameworks and the Unified Improvement Planning (UIP) process.
Session Objectives
Participants will:
- Be able to describe the performance indicators, measures, metrics and weightings used in the performance frameworks;
- Be able to describe the core components of the UIP process; and
- Learn where they can access more in-depth information.
Educator Effectiveness 101
Great teachers and great leaders matter. Classroom teaching and Principal leadership are two of the strongest predictors of student achievement. Educator Effectiveness is a synthesis of the elements of a comprehensive human capital system: preparation; recruitment; licensure and qualification; induction; evaluation; ongoing, targeted professional development; retention; and recognition. Due to the new legislative focus of S.B. 191, this session will provide participants with a broad perspective of the elements of S.B. 191 and the state model evaluation system.
Session Objectives
Participants will:
- Review and requirements and effects of S.B. 191 and the State Board Rules;
- Review the framework and basis components of the State Evaluation Model; and
- Review the "Top-10 readiness questions" to assess district readiness to implement S.B. 191;
*Details of the principal and teacher rubrics will not be discussed in this pre-conference session - but but will be in the main symposia session
Standards and Assessment 101
Colorado has new standards that articulate grade by grade progressions of skills and concepts to prepare all students for college and career. The state assessment system is being designed to provide feedback to students, teachers, and parents to support students in achieving better outcomes.
This introductory session will review tools for schools in adapting their curricula to the new standards and changes in the present and future of Colorado's assessment program.
Session Objectives
Participants will:
- Gain familiarity with the terminology and structure of the new standards;
- Know the relationship between the Colorado Academic Standards, Colorado English Language Proficiency Standards, Extended Evidence Outcomes, and the Common Core State Standards';
- Be introduced to the standards implementation tools available from the Colorado Department of Education (CDE);
- Learn how the timelines for standards implementation and assessment transition are integrated; and
- Understand the vision, features, and future changes to Colorado's assessment program.
Session Presentations and Handouts
For more information, please contact Liz Lenz at (303) 866-5648 or lenz_e@cde.state.co.us