CDE Update - Strategic Priorities

CDE, in collaboration with the Colorado Association of School Executives, the Colorado Association of School Boards and the Colorado Education Association and in partnership with the Colorado Legacy Foundation will host a workshop and summit on March 5. More than 70 districts will be represented at the summit with about 500 educators participating. CASE, CASB and CEA will model the collaboration skills that districts are expected to demonstrate within their organizations. School districts will bring teams including superintendents, principals, school board members, teachers and other professional involved in implementing the educator effectiveness system. The workshop will provide an opportunity for attendees to learn from each other, the pilot districts and partner districts. Attendees will be updated on the rules and receive practical advice for implementing the legislation. District teams will work together during the workshop to plan for transitioning to a new evaluation system.

With the new resources coming in from our Race to the Top Phase 3 grant, the Educator Effectiveness Unit will hire two more trainers to support districts in the implementation of SB 191. In addition, the CDE Educator Effectiveness Unit will host more workshops, similar to the March 5 event so all districts can begin their transition planning for the new requirements. 

The first year of statewide implementation is 2013-14.

CDE’s standards implementation toolkit provides resources for standards based curriculum design including Discipline Concept Maps (DCMs). DCMs provide a visual representation of the organizing and supporting concepts and skills within the standards for each content area at each grade level. DCMs can serve as a framework for standards based curriculum development by illustrating the role of concepts and skills in mastering all grade level expectations. The Discipline Concept Maps can be found at http://www.cde.state.co.us/sitoolkit/DesignTools.htm   

In March, CDE will add the newest resource to the CDE standards implementation toolkit, a comprehensive Transition Action Planning Guide. The guide will help districts develop or expand their transition plans to include: (a) systems change, (b) curriculum and instruction, (c) professional development, and (d) stakeholder involvement and communication. Visit the Standards Implementation Toolkit at http://www.cde.state.co.us/sitoolkit/

Input from participants of the March 6 Standards Implementation Summit will be used to inform standards implementation resource development, including anticipated summer curriculum development support meetings.

• There are no upcoming deadlines at this time.

RFP update: RFP for summative, alternate and interim assessments, along with a dashboard, was posted on Feb. 11. Responses are due on March 23. Based on submitted letters of intent to respond, CDE expects a range of respondents. The RFP reflects flexibility to account for potential funding, legislative and policy decisions that may be made in Colorado.

 Spring 2012 testing:

CELApro testing has concluded with all materials picked up by Feb. 6.

CoAlt testing began on Feb. 2 and will run through March 23.

The first administration of the Transitional Colorado Assessment Program (TCAP) began with the early grade 3 reading testing on Feb. 13. The regular window for grade 3 reading begins on Feb. 27 and ends March 9. The regular window for the rest of the grades and content areas starts on March 12 and runs through April 13. Districts select three of the five weeks for their testing.

2012-2013:

Work has begun on the development of the Spring 2013 TCAP with the start of passage review. Test dates for spring 2013 are posted online as noted below.

The results of the assessment request for proposal will come in May.

 

ESEA Flexibility Waiver. CDE is working with the U.S. Department of Education to identify the specifics of the ESEA waiver to develop guidance for districts regarding the impact of the waiver on ESEA accountability, including Title I choice, supplemental education services and improvement set-asides.

The State Review Panel is reviewing plans of schools and districts assigned to Turn-around Plans.

The Department uploaded feedback from the UIP reviews in the Tracker system as it was available. Feedback includes recommendations and specifications for required changes (if any). Please remind school and district staff to continue implementing strategies articulated in the plans. They should not wait for “approval” from the state.

All districts and schools will need to submit their UIPs on April 16, to be posted publicly on SchoolView.org

ESEA Waiver.  CDE will release guidance regarding the impact of the ESEA waivers on schools districts and schools in the near future.

• March 30: Deadline for districts to submit revised district UIPs to CDE for plans submitted in January via Tracker System.
• April 16: 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.org.

The Schools of Choice Unit just closed its job posting on two vacant positions. The Unit will hire a senior consultant to oversee the Charter School Program Start Up and Implementation Grant. The other position is a general support position for the Schools of Choice Unit.

Amy Anderson and Amanda Heiney represented CDE at the Colorado Cyber School Association’s annual “Online Learning Day at the Capitol” on Thursday, Feb. 23. Despite bad weather, more than 1,000 people attended – the majority of which was parents and students from online schools.

CDE is partnering with the Colorado Legacy Foundation and the Donnell-Kay Foundation to conduct a series of blended learning seminars this spring. The first seminar is geared toward practitioners who are integrating digital and online learning into their districts and schools. It will take place on March 22 and participation by webinar is available, but limited. If you’re interested in participating, please email Jessica Fuller at fuller_j@cde.state.co.us.  

·         The Expanded Learning Opportunities Strategic Plan is expected to be complete by the end of March and available to share in April.

CDE is completing its work with LEAs that chose to participate in the grant. LEAs indicated their intent to take part in the grant late last month when they submitted a Memorandum of Understanding. CDE is now in the process of notifying LEAs of their final award amounts.  

The next step is for those LEAs to submit a complete Scope of Work by March 14.

To access the Memorandum of Understanding, Scope of Work, and more detailed instructions, visit:  http://www.cde.state.co.us/index_educator_RTTT3.asp.

LEAs must submit a Scope of Work by March 14.

•  March 14 - LEA scopes of work and budgets due
• April - U.S. Department of Education review of state and local scopes of work
• May - Anticipated awarding of funds