CDE Update - Strategic Priorities

Partner Districts will gather for an all-day summit on Wednesday, Dec. 14 (Harrison, Denver, Brighton and Eagle). These districts are already implementing a robust evaluation system. The districts will share specific aspects of each system and trouble-shooting challenging spots.  It will focus on 1) how to ensure inter-rater reliability for teacher evaluations, 2) effective change management strategies for districts, and 3) how to fairly incorporate student growth measures into evaluations. Both CDE and the partner districts will learn from each other and give input into the state system.

The next focus is to create a detailed pilot roll-out plan with the data collected from each pilot site and a set of trainings on standard weightings and incorporating school performance frameworks into the principal evaluation rating. An accelerated roll-out of the teacher evaluation is also anticipated by conducting a few small beta tests of the rubric in the spring with some of the interested pilots.  

There are no impending deadlines currently for districts. CDE delivered part one of the state’s Race to the Top application on Nov. 22.  The grant focuses on supporting districts and the state implementation of S.B. 10-191. 

• CDE in partnership with the Department of Higher Education will host seminars for institutions of higher education related to Colorado’s new standards.  Initial outreach efforts will be made January – March 2012.  Outreach is initially targeted to educator preparation programs and will extend to content area faculty for entry level freshman courses.  The partnership between CDE and DHE illustrates the enactment of the principles within Colorado’s Achievement Plan for Kids.
• Academic and Instructional Support online office hours provide an opportunity for Colorado educators to stay informed on the latest standards implementation efforts and provide input to the Colorado Department of Education. Online office hours will take place on the first and third Tuesdays of the month.  The Tuesday, Dec. 6 webinar from 3:15 p.m. to 4 p.m. will focus on CAP4K deadlines related to standards adoption and implementation. http://connect.enetcolorado.org/officehours/
• CDE is interested in working with Colorado’s small, rural districts to provide standards implementation workshops and resources. CDE would like to work with multiple districts to collaboratively plan inter-district workshops.  CDE staff can present half or full day workshops related to the new standards and implementation strategies designed to fit the needs of your team. If interested, please contact Anna Huffman at huffman_a@cde.state.co.us.

• Hold the date: CDE is partnering with ASCD (formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) to provide a statewide standards implementation summit on Monday, Feb. 27, 2012.  Details will follow in December.
• CDE will soon release two new tools for standards implementation. The critical consumer tool will support districts in reviewing vendor services and products to determine alignment to the Colorado Academic Standards. The transition planning guide is a quick check to ensure districts transition and implementation plans include essential elements. It also provides a deeper look at each element through guiding questions to help create a comprehensive, integrated plan.

• Dec. 15 - CAP4K requires that each district review its standards in comparison with the standards adopted by the state and revise as necessary. 

The CDE cost study for the development of the new comprehensive postsecondary and workforce assessment system (including interim tests) is determined to be approximately $25.9 million. Various scenarios and options are being discussed and proposed to offset the full costs and still keep Colorado into an “on time schedule” of assessing students on the new standards it adopted in 2009/2010. For example, should Colorado elect not to support interim assessments which are intended to give teachers, students and parents more on-going feedback throughout the school year and instead focus on developing a summative assessment system in line with the new standards, the required additional funding falls to around $10 million.

Also, the State Board of Education heard directly in November from both national assessment consortia (SMARTER/Balanced and PARCC) about the latest details pertaining to their design, progress and future prospects.  No decision to commit to either one was discussed by the State Board of Education.

The Joint Budget Committee will meet with the State Board of Education and the Colorado Department of Education in December to discuss these state cost options. Working closely with the Joint Budget Committee to provide information on options regarding how to proceed with an assessment system supports the instructional programs focused on preparing Colorado students for postsecondary and workforce readiness, as well as, the rest of the reform efforts.

While 2007 legislation regarding High School Graduation Guidelines indicated that December 2011 was the deadline for the State Board to adopt guidelines, this has been extended. Working with the sponsors of the legislation, the State Board agreed to continue the discussion for 18 months based on funding, issues of seat time versus mastery, assessment designs, higher education admission topics and other research.

Final DPF and SPF Release.  The final 2010-11 DPF and SPF reports will be publicly released at the Tuesday, Dec. 6 State Board of Education meeting. These will include revisions based on any approved Requests to Reconsider. For districts, DPFs and SPFs can be accessed via CEDAR. For the public, DPFs and SPFs can be accessed via SchoolView at: http://www.schoolview.org/performance.asp.

Final Pre-Populated UIP Reports.  CDE has finalized the 2011-12 pre-populated Unified Improvement Plan (UIP) reports. For districts, pre-populated UIPs can be accessed via CEDAR or via the customized UIP link emailed to superintendents and accountability contacts in September. Districts and schools must submit plans by January 2012 or April 2012 depending on their accreditation rating or plan type and improvement designations under ESEA (i.e., Titles IA, IIA, III). 

UIP Submissions.  Districts will submit plans in 2011-12 using the online Tracker System as they did in 2010-11. Most districts have already identified a Tracker Contact who will be responsible for submitting their improvement plans to CDE. Districts should e-mail uiphelp@cde.state.co.us if they have not identified a Tracker Contact; one will be required to submit a UIP in 2011-12.

UIP Resources.  Additional UIP resources, including annotated, reviewed examples from 2010-11, have been updated at the CDE UIP website at: http://www.cde.state.co.us/Accountability/UnifiedImprovementPlanningResources.asp.

State Review Panel.  The commissioner is finalizing nominations for field experts to serve on a panel of educators to review district and school turnaround plans.  This is an opportunity for district and school staff to peer review other districts’ and schools’ turnaround plans and advise the commissioner on needed changes. Nominations must be received by Friday, Dec. 9 to be submitted to the State Board of Education.  Panelists will begin training and reviews in Jan. 2012.  For more information, go to: http://www.cde.state.co.us/Accountability/Downloads/RequestForStateReviewPanelNominees2011.pdf

Superintendents Advisory Panel for Senate Bill 09-163. On Nov. 29, Commissioner Hammond hosted the first of a series of meetings with a representative group of field experts to consider the current accountability system, including, but not limited to, comments and proposed changes already received on the implementation of S.B.09-163. The panel’s task will be to provide feedback and recommendations (in addition to any recommendations from the Technical Advisory Panel) to the commissioner on what changes, if any, should be made to the way SB-163 has been implemented, particularly with regard to the state performance frameworks. The committee members prepared for the meeting by consulting with stakeholders in their region or organization, and brought these issues to the table for a statewide discussion of where the S.B. 09-163 implementation needs adjustments, and where it is already working. They began tackling the highest-priority issues and using their expertise to generate recommendations for solutions to the issues they identified.

Rural Education Council. CDE will ask the Rural Education Council to provide ongoing feedback to the commissioner and the department about the unique needs of rural communities and school districts throughout the state and how those needs can be supported by the department.

Grant Opportunities.  CDE released two Title I School/District Improvement RFPs in mid-November.

1. Diagnostic Review RFP: The Colorado Department of Education has funds to provide planning and appraisal services to eligible Title I schools and districts. Through the grant funds each eligible school/district receives money for a facilitated data review, a school or district diagnostic team review (e.g., CADI, SST) and assistance with aligning findings to inform UIP development.
2. Improvement Support Partnership RFP: The purpose of this grant is to provide funds to eligible Title I schools and districts to support a focused approach to improvement in the following areas:

Option 1:  Conduct a Facilitated Data Analysis (student performance data)

Or

Option 2:  (For schools or districts that have already conducted, and can provide evidence of a facilitated data review) Initiatives that address: Best First Instruction; Leadership; and/or Positive Climate and Culture.

ESEA Waiver.  To align Colorado’s systems of accountability, CDE has taken advantage of Secretary of Education Duncan’s offer to waive certain provisions of the federal No Child Left Behind law (NCLB).  CDE’s waiver proposal was submitted on Nov. 14.  The peer and USDE review process is expected to be completed by January 2012. CDE’s proposal is posted on CDE’s website at http://www.cde.state.co.us/communications/NCLBWaiver.html. Commissioner Hammond was one of four state commissioners invited to participate in a panel discussion related to ESEA waivers at a press event sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers held in Washington D.C. on the day waiver requests were due to the USDE.  CDE’s waiver request team will be participating in conference calls with the USDE and its peer reviewers throughout the month of December.

• Dec. 6: State Board of Education finalizes school plan type assignments; CDE publishes final DPF and SPF reports on SchoolView for the public.
• Dec. 9: Deadline for nominations for the State Review Panel.
• Jan. 17: Deadline for districts to submit district and school UIPs to CDE for: Districts on Priority Improvement or Turnaround; Districts on Dropout/Reengagement designation; Districts identified for improvement through ESEA Title I, IIA and/or III; Schools on Priority Improvement or Turnaround via Tracker System.
• February 2012: This committee will wind up its work in time for any adjustments to be implemented in the next accountability cycle (autumn 2012).
• March 30: Deadline for districts to submit revised district UIPs to CDE for plans submitted in January via Tracker System.
• April 15: Deadline for districts to submit/re-submit all district and school UIPs to CDE via Tracker System.
• Summer 2012: CDE publishes final district and school UIPs on SchoolView.

The division is developing a strategic plan to rollout the recommendations stemming from the Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELO) Commission’s report released in September. Input from key internal and external partners will be collected in December and January and the final report is expected to be completed by February 2012.

Amanda Heiney in the Online Unit recently released information about mobility rates in Colorado’s multi-district online programs titled, “A look at mobility rates in Multi-District Online Schools.”

The division will soon hire a new director for the Schools of Choice Unit. Applications have been received and the selection process in underway.

Beginning after the first of the year, the division will work with external researchers to study online learning in the state.  In next month’s Update there will be more information about the focus and timing of this important research.

There are no critical deadlines for schools and districts this month regarding Innovation and Choice.

In early November, CDE shared and solicited feedback on a draft concept paper for the Race to the Top application with a range of constituent groups. Based on this preliminary feedback and the USDOE guidance, CDE staff members are preparing a draft application. We are focusing our application on the standards implementation and educator effectiveness activities outlined in Round Two. Specifically, we will focus on the development of content collaboratives (teams comprised of instructional and assessment experts in our 10 content areas) to design measures of student learning in the tested and non-tested subjects and instructional resources to support teachers in implementing the new standards.  As part of the content collaborative work, we will include collaboratives specific to math and science to help develop model measures and model instructional tools to assist math and science teachers with implementing the new content standards as well as to support educator effectiveness in math and science. In addition, we will focus funds on the development of the state’s model educator evaluation system (evaluation rubrics, weighting systems, training, resources, and evaluation tools) and on supporting districts with the implementation of the educator effectiveness law, S.B. 10-191. 

CDE must submit the grant application by Friday, Dec. 16.  Awards will be announced by Dec. 31.  The department will have 100 days to work with districts on their participation in the grant by developing scopes of work aligned with the focus areas of the grant – standards implementation and educator effectiveness. We will be communicating with districts directly on participation and related next steps.

• Dec. 16 – Application due
• Between December 20 and 31- Awards announced