October 2024 CDE Update for Superintendents and BOCES Executive 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 [email protected].

Dear Superintendents and BOCES directors,

September marked the first full month of the school year, and it also provided us with many opportunities to celebrate our state's school districts and BOCES.

Across the month, we visited seven school districts to celebrate our 2025 Teacher of the Year finalists:

Boulder Valley School District: Escuela Bilingüe Pioneer teacher Wanda Vasquez-Garcia
Cherry Creek School District: Summit Elementary teacher Ami Okimoto
Denver Public Schools: DELTA High School teacher Janet Damon
Douglas County School District: STEM School Highlands Ranch teacher Tera Johnson-Swartz
Harrison School District 2: Wildflower Elementary teacher Anthony Williams
Norwood Public Schools: Norwood Elementary teacher Shelley Donnellon
Summit School District: Summit Middle School teacher Ashley Smith

Congratulations to Superintendents Anderson, Smith, Marrero, Kane, Birhanzel, Bissell, and Byrd, and thank you for helping to make these celebrations so special.

We also announced our state's 2024 Blue Ribbon Schools:

DSST Cedar High School (DSST, authorized by Denver Public Schools)
Zach Elementary School (Poudre School District)
Mesa View Elementary School (Mesa County Valley School District 51)
Skyview Middle School (Pueblo County School District 70)

Congratulations to CEO García-Urban and to Superintendents Kingsley, Hill, and Rein on this national recognition of the work your teams are doing to improve student outcomes.

I want to remind you that we will host our second monthly Zoom meeting for superintendents and/or their delegates to review the information shared in our CDE Update emails. Thank you to those of you who joined us for our first of these monthly opportunities for my team and I to connect with and hear from you. Meetings will be held on the second Tuesday of each month at 8am on Zoom.

Thank you for all that you do, and have a great week,
Susana

Dr. Susana Córdova
Colorado Commissioner of Education

District Operations

We're asking for your help to assist with two surveys required by the legislature looking at the costs and other necessities to adequately provide Colorado students with a free and uniform public education. Please share your voice by completing both Colorado Financial Adequacy Study surveys and consider participating in a panel discussion. Each study will gather different information.
- Participate in the input-based study on APA Consulting's website.
- Participate in the output-based study on the American Institutes for Research's website.
The new Purple Star Schools Program designates Colorado public schools that provide exemplary services and support to military-connected students and their families. You can find more information on our website, and applications will open October 7 in GAINS.

Educator Talent

Reminder: two rulemaking hearings for rules that govern educator licensure and preparation are scheduled for the State Board of Education's Oct. 9-10 meeting. This brief presentation outlines the proposed updates and three ways to provide feedback.
English Learner Professional Development is required for teacher license renewals for licenses expiring on or after Sept. 1, 2025. The requirement applies to all educators holding an elementary, English language arts, math, science or social studies (or any middle-level) endorsement on a professional teacher license. Those with an ELPD designation on their credential already meet the requirement. Email [email protected] with questions.

Health & Nutrition

House Bill 22-1052 requires the following:
- Every public school student ID card must contain the phone number, website, and text talk number for Colorado Crisis Services.
- If a school does not issue ID cards, the school must request and display outreach materials and send information to parents and guardians at the beginning of each school year.
- The Behavioral Health Administration must notify each public and private school in the state about services provided by the behavioral health crisis response system and the possibility of peer-to-peer counseling as part of the offered services. BHA will provide behavioral health crisis response system awareness and educational materials to each public and private school in the state. BHA will mail these materials in the fall.

Federal Programs

Bookmark the ARP-ESSER III Countdown to Closeout webpage. This site includes steps for LEAs to prepare for the closeout of ESSER, monthly reminders and links to helpful information. Contact your ESSER Lead for questions.

Postsecondary Readiness icon of a graduation cap.

Postsecondary Readiness

The State Board of Education voted to temporarily adjust the SAT math cut score to 480 on the Graduation Guidelines Menu of Options for students graduating in 2024-25 and 2025-26. See the updated Menu of Options and more information on the Board's decision is available on the Graduation Guidelines webpage.
A rulemaking hearing for rules that govern Individual Career and Academic Plans is scheduled for the State Board of Education's Oct. 9-10 meeting. Learn more about the proposed changes and how to submit feedback on the ICAP Rules webpage.
Save the date and sign up to receive information on our 2024-25 regional trainings on updates to Individual Career and Academic Plan rules and integrating Multi-Tiered Systems of Support into the plans.
- Durango: Tuesday, Oct. 15, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Glenwood Springs: Wednesday, Oct. 30, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Lamar: Wednesday, Nov. 13, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- 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.

School Quality & Support

All school and district UIPs are due for public posting and/or CDE review on Tuesday, Oct. 15. Newly identified sites (Priority Improvement or Turnaround - Year 1, ESSA Comprehensive Support) and sites participating in request to reconsider may request an extension. Download a document with guidance for January submission.
New! We are offering UIP Consultation Reviews for identified schools and districts. This new consultation model for sites on Performance Watch and schools identified under ESEA creates a collaborative approach aimed at providing support and thought partnership, as well as an expedited timeline to get feedback.
District and School Performance Framework 2024-25 Request to Reconsider materials are due by Oct. 15. Districts choosing to participate in the request to reconsider process must submit additional evidence in the Accreditation Portal. Guidance and tools for submission are available on the CDE website. For more information or for support email Lisa Steffen at [email protected].

Teaching and Learning

Submit Early Literacy Assessment Tool Project Letters of Intent to Apply and Letters of Intent to Continue for 2025-26 between Wednesday, Oct. 2 and Wednesday, Oct. 23. ELAT supplies a State Board-approved free early literacy assessment tool to a school or district so that teachers may obtain real-time assessment of the reading skill levels of kindergarten through third grade students. Learn more on the ELAT webpage.
Apply for Cohort 5 of the School Bullying Prevention and Education Grant program by Thursday, Oct. 31. Grantees can receive up to $35,000 per school, per year to reduce bullying. Learn more and apply on the BPEG program webpage.