You are here
Special Education Directors' Corner
Jump to
Quick Links
- Technical Assistance Documents
- Upcoming and Archived Trainings
- (Special Education under "Topics" on the left)
- View CDE Publications
COVID Quick Links
Meetings and Conferences
2025 Spring Directors Meeting Information Coming Soon.
Important Dates Coming Up
Year-at-a-Glance for SY 2024-2025 (PDF)
October 2024
31st 2022-23 End of Year (EOY) Expenditure Window Closes
31st 2022-23 Performance Reports due
November 2024
1st SPED December Count Student and Staff Snapshot open for 2024-2025
Educational Surrogate Parent (ESP)
- Special Education and Educational Surrogate Parents - Technical Assistance and Training Manual 2023 (PDF)
- Educational Surrogate Parent (ESP) Guidance Memo, June 2018 (PDF)
- Update on Educational Surrogate Parent and Counsel for Youth Fact Sheet (PDF)
- Assignment of an ESP Form 2024-2025 (PDF)
- Click here if you are interested in serving as an ESP.
Address Educational Surrogate Parent (ESP) questions to:
Katherine Rains
Rains_k@cde.state.co.us
Submit form via FAX to:
303-866-6767
Mail form to:
Colorado Department of Education
Exceptional Student Services Unit, ESP Assignments
1560 Broadway, Suite 1100
Denver CO 80202
New Special Education Director
AU Special Education Director of Record and Fiscal Contact Information
ESSU must have current contact information for all state-level Special Education Directors and Special Education Fiscal Contacts. Our office communicates important updates and information through our listserv, please be sure that we have accurate, updated information. Communications from this listserv will come from CDE_SPED.
ESSU Newsletter
The ESSU e-newsletter is our office's primary form of communication with the field. It is published once a month and contains information from the Office of Gifted and Talented, Office of Facility Schools, and Office of Special Education.
What's New
ML Enrollment Scenarios Flowchart
It is the Administrative Unit's responsibility under Child Find to locate and identify all students with disabilities including Multilingual Learners (MLs) with disabilities. School teams must not identify MLs with disabilities when linguistic and cultural differences or lack of instruction in literacy and math are the determinative causes for their difficulties in school. When parents or staff members report concerns about a student's academic, social-emotional, functional, or behavioral concerns, IEP teams including educators who are knowledgeable in language acquisition and acculturation should work to investigate these concerns before the special education evaluation referral.
Special Education Teacher Shortage Grant
The Colorado Department of Education’s (CDE) Office of Special Education is offering 2024-2025 IDEA grant funding to administrative units and local education agencies to reduce the critical shortage of special education teachers. McVey and Trinidad (2019) noted that the lack of special education teachers has been the most frequently cited shortage since the late 1990s. This funding aims to assist a cohort of special education teacher candidates in fulfilling the requirements to achieve full licensure. CDE is asking Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and Administrative Units (AUs) to serve as fiscal agents in partnership with university educator preparation programs to recruit, employ, and support teacher candidates from preservice to induction. By fostering partnerships at the state, regional, and district levels, we can create a robust support system that ensures every student, regardless of location, has access to qualified and dedicated educators. Visit here For more information on the Special Education Teacher Shortage Grant
10/17/24
Memos to AU and Special Education Directors
- Adoption of Extended Part C Option for Colorado (PDF) - April 2022
- Early Intervention Evaluation Responsibilities Transfer to CDHS/Early Intervention (PDF)
- K - 12 Resources for Afghan Evacuees (PDF)
- Questions and Answers On Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), Evaluations, and Reevaluations (PDF)
- Letter to State Directors of Special Education (PDF)
- Non-Regulatory Guidance: Ensuring Educational Stability for Children in Foster Care U.S. (PDF)
- OSERS FAQ: The Rights of Students with Disabilities in Public Charter Schools under the IDEA (PDF)
- OCR FAQ: The Rights of Students with Disabilities in Public Charter Schools under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (PDF)
New or Reorganization Application & Checklist
*Applications for New or Reorganized AUs, dates for the 25/26 school year TBD.
Resources
There are many ways that children and families can be displaced. There are floods, fires, and other types of natural disasters that can destroy homes or make them uninhabitable for periods of time. Families can also experience hardships that result in major home life changes.
Having trouble with this webpage?
If you have problems with broken links or accessing the content on this page, please contact the Exceptional Student Services Unit at ESSU@cde.state.co.us. Please copy the URL link for this page into the email when referencing the problem you are experiencing.
Connect With Us