December 2024 CDE Update for Superintendents and BOCES directors

Welcome to the CDE Update! This monthly publication for district superintendents and BOCES directors will show you what is happening in key priority areas at CDE and include details on implementation, milestones, deadlines and resources.

If you have any feedback regarding the CDE Update, email CDE_Communications_Office@cde.state.co.us.

Dear Superintendents and BOCES directors,

I hope you’ve had a chance to rest and recharge with friends and family over the holiday break!

I look forward to seeing you next week for our monthly superintendent Zoom meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 8 a.m. As a reminder, these optional meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 8 a.m. on Zoom.

Last month, we shared a draft of our new strategic plan, Start Strong, Stay Engaged, Leave Ready with the State Board of Education. We will bring the plan back to the board at its December meeting, and we want to hear from you in the interim! Please take a few minutes to complete this survey.

Our vision is simple: to create an equitable educational environment where every student and educator in Colorado can thrive. We will do this by focusing on four priority areas:

Increasing student engagement: Colorado students learn best when they stay engaged in safe and supportive learning environments.
Accelerating student outcomes: Colorado students start strong with effective literacy instruction and support. Colorado high school graduates leave ready with work-based learning experiences and post-secondary credentials.
Strengthening the educator workforce: Colorado students thrive when educators stay engaged because they feel prepared, supported, and valued.
Providing operational excellence: Colorado’s Department of Education provides exceptional service through improved efficiencies and a growth-oriented culture.

Thank you for all that you do,

Susana

Dr. Susana Córdova
Colorado Commissioner of Education

The 2025-26 FAFSA form is open at FAFSA.gov. Federal Student Aid is hosting a multi-session virtual event on December 10 about the StudentAid.gov account and navigating the FAFSA form.

Assessment

Let us know about your CMAS Science testing windows and format selections. The deadline for District Assessment Coordinators to notify us about early grade 11 CMAS science testing windows and test format selection is Sunday, Dec. 15. Use the link shared after the virtual CMAS administration training.. Contact Sara Loerzel at loerzel_s@cde.state.co.us for questions.
We will extract pre-ID data from Student October Count data for state assessments. Data will be pulled from approved Student October files for (ELA/math/science/social studies), CoAlt (ELA/math/science), and CO PSAT/SAT assessments.

District Operations

Did you know that CDE’s Facility Insight Team conducts regular Facility Condition Assessments? Find the results on our Facility Insight Dashboard designed to help you plan for facility needs. Schools applying for BEST grants get priority. Contact your Regional Program Manager if you need help or access.
Applications are open for the new Purple Star Schools Program. This designation is for Colorado public schools that provide exemplary services and support to military-connected students and their families. Find more information on our website and apply by Wednesday, Dec. 18 in GAINS.

Educator Talent

Content from Mentor Teacher Academy is now available by request. While we do not facilitate this course, we are pleased to help you access the curriculum content from the 2023-24 Mentor Teacher Academy. For questions, please contact educator_development@cde.state.co.us.
Share your thoughts on Teacher Externships! The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment offers a STEM-focused K-12 Teacher Externship Program to connect classroom learning with future careers. Take this survey to help the program better meet your needs.
Reminder: the ELPD requirement for licensure starts in 2025. Effective Sept 1. 2025, teachers renewing licenses with an endorsement in elementary education, English language arts, math, science, social studies, or any middle-level subject must complete English Learner Professional Development (ELPD). If you already have an ELPD designation, you're all set! Contact educator_development@cde.state.co.us for questions.

Health & Nutrition

USDA’s MyPlate has a collection of 100 high-quality food photos that are free to download and perfect for educational materials, presentations, and school communications. The images are inspired by MyPlate principles and feature dishes from more than 29 cultures.

Postsecondary Readiness icon of a graduation cap.

Postsecondary Readiness

Save the date and sign up to receive information on our 2024-25 ICAP regional trainings. These sessions cover rule updates and integrating Multi-Tiered Systems of Support. The remaining sessions are
- Greeley: Wednesday, Dec. 11, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Denver Metro: Tuesday, Jan. 14, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Colorado Springs: Tuesday, Feb. 4, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Apply for advanced course enrollment grant by Wednesday, Jan. 15. Approximately $220,000 is available for Local Education Providers through the 2024-25 John W. Buckner Automatic Enrollment in Advanced Courses Grant, which is intended to increase secondary student enrollment in advanced courses.

School Quality & Support

We will update districts that requested a reconsideration before December’s state board meeting. For sites that did not submit a request to reconsider, ratings were finalized at November’s State Board of Education meeting.
State board keeps existing targets for 2025 except for PSAT/SAT. The state board voted on Nov. 15 to keep the 2025 overall accountability targets in the school and district frameworks consistent with the 2024 targets, except for the PSAT/SAT targets at the high school level. The board voted to revise the three-year PSAT/SAT targets with an additional year of digital results and re-norm the one-year PSAT Exceeds for Reading and Writing targets, using the 15-50-85th percentile methodology.
We are reviewing submitted UIPs. We’re providing feedback on plans for identified sites (e.g., Performance Watch, ESSA Comprehensive Support) through the online UIP system. Plans for newly identified sites or those in the request-to-reconsider process may be submitted by Wednesday, Jan. 15. See guidance on CDE’s website for more information.
Reminder: Superintendents and board presidents must sign district accreditation contracts by Dec. 31. Contracts for "accredited" or "accredited with distinction" districts renew automatically for up to four years, but new signatures are recommended for leadership changes. Questions? Email accountability@cde.state.co.us or visit our website.
Reminder: UIP consultation reviews offer support for schools and districts on Performance Watch or identified under ESEA. This new, collaborative approach provides thought partnership and faster feedback. For more details, view the review types overview resource.
The 1241 Task Force Report is available. The Accountability, Accreditation, Student Performance and Resource Inequity Task Force posted its final report, which includes 30 recommendations across Performance Frameworks, Assessments, Improvement Planning, Supports and Interventions, Awards and Public Reporting and Engagement.