January 2024 CDE Update for Superintendents and BOCES Executive Directors

Accountability, Performance & Support

• The State Board of Education finalized the new state accountability ratings for 2023. View the updated ratings on the District and School Performance Framework Results webpage.
• The Accountability, Accreditation, Student Performance and Resource Inequity Task Force, 1241 Task Force, has been established to study academic opportunities, inequities and promising practices in schools and improvements to the accountability and accreditation system. The 1241 Task Force will release a final report in November 2024. 
• The 2024 Teaching and Learning Conditions Colorado survey of all educators, special service providers, education support professionals and school leaders will launch on Wednesday, Jan. 24. The survey will be administered by Panorama Education.  
• Districts with schools eligible to apply for Alternative Education Campus designation for the first time or after a lapse in AEC status must email their intent to apply to April Thompson at thompson_april@cde.state.co.us by Wednesday, Jan. 31.
• The Unified Improvement Planning submission deadline for any sites that indicated the need for an extension is Tuesday, Jan. 16. Identified sites that submitted in October can access their feedback in the Online UIP system.

Assessment

• Students are registered for Colorado Measures of Academic Success math, English language arts and science, and CoAlt science assessments in PearsonAccessnext based on October Count data in Data Pipeline. Districts can update and make changes to student registrations within PearsonAccessnext until Friday, Jan. 26. 
• Initial orders for testing materials for districts and schools will be automatically created based on student registrations in PearsonAccessnext as of Friday, Jan. 26. 
• Orders for accommodations requiring special materials should be indicated in PearsonAccessnext by Friday, Jan. 26.

District Operations

Data and Security

No content for January 2024

Data Pipeline

• Special Education IEP interchange files and staff interchange files should now be error-free. The Special Ed December Count snapshot must be complete and error free by Thursday, Jan 25. 
• The Human Resources snapshot should be created at least once no later than Friday, Jan. 12. 
• The 2023-24 Educator Shortage Survey is open.
• The 2023-24 Designated Agency Data Collection closes Aug. 30.
• The 2023-24 teacher student data link interchange file is open for file submission. The snapshot will open in February.

Finance

• The 2022-23 December Finance collection was due by Dec. 31.  If an approved extension was received, the submission is due by Thursday, Feb. 29.  View the schedule of upcoming school finance training sessions on the School Finance Town Halls and Trainings webpage. 

Transportation

No content for January 2024

Educator Talent

• First-time substitute teachers may apply for a $300 stipend through the Colorado Substitute Stipend program on the University of Northern Colorado’s website.
• The new evaluator training requirement for all evaluators of licensed personnel goes into effect Aug. 1, 2024.

Federal Programs & Support

ESSA

No content for January 2024

ESSER

No content for January 2024

Nutrition & Health

No content for January 2024

Postsecondary Readiness​

• Accelerated College Opportunity Exam Fee Grant Program applications are due Friday, Jan. 12.
• Automatic Enrollment in Advanced Courses Grant applications are due Monday, Jan. 15.
• The final report for the Secondary, Postsecondary and Work-Based Learning Integration Task Force, or 1215 Task Force, is available with additional information regarding House Bill 22-1215 and the task force’s work on Secondary, Postsecondary and Work-Based Learning Integration.
• The 2024-25 School Counselor Corps Grant Application will open at the end of January. Selected grantees will receive funding to hire school counselors and enhance implementation of effective school-based counseling.

Teaching and Learning

READ Act

• The Early Literacy Assessment Tool Project supplies a state board-approved early literacy assessment tool at no cost to a school or district so teachers may obtain real-time assessment of the reading skill levels of K-3 students. Letters of Intent to Apply for the 2024-25 school year will open later this month. 
• Beginning in the 2024-25 budget year districts will be required to submit evidence that each K-3 principal and K-3 administrator has successfully completed evidence-based training in the science of reading. The Early Literacy and School Readiness team will hold a series of office hours to support districts in meeting this requirement.
• Apply for the Comprehensive Early Literacy Grant - Cohort 7 between Wednesday, Jan. 17, and Wednesday, March 13. A webinar on application information will be held at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 31, via Zoom.

Standards and Instruction

• Governor Polis announced a second round of funding for Zearn Math for the 2024-25 school year to bolster math skills after multiple years of disruptive learning. CDE is asking districts, regardless of their current use, to fill out a survey about their interest in using Zearn for the 2024-25 school year. 
• Residents of Colorado are invited to provide feedback on the proposed revisions to the Colorado Academic Standards for Computer Science through Friday, Jan. 5.​​

ESSU

No content for  January 2024