You are here

September 2023 Update

A banner with text that says

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 CDE_Communications_Office@cde.state.co.us.

print this page

 

Assessment


Accountability, Performance & Support

  • Preliminary performance frameworks and 2023 growth data for CMAS, PSAT/SAT, and WIDA ACCESS, were released to districts Aug. 23 through Syncplicity and publicly on Aug. 28 on CDE’s website. For questions related to the performance frameworks, Colorado growth model, or related training support, email accountability@cde.state.co.us

  • All districts must submit the Accreditation Form, which can be found on the Accreditation Portal within the UIP/ACI online system, indicating the district and local school board’s accreditation ratings for their schools by Friday, Sept. 22. Accreditation and request to reconsider guidance and support are available here

  • 2023-24 school and district pre-populated reports will be updated in the Unified Improvement Plan Online System under the “School/District Requirements & Information” tab of the UIP. All school and district UIPs will be due for public posting and/or CDE review on Monday, Oct. 16. 


Federal Programs &Support

ESSER

  • Nearly 13,000 teachers applied for and received classroom supplies through a special CDE initiative that allocated $11 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds to help pre-K to 12th grade public school educators obtain classroom resources to address COVID-19 learning loss. The campaign, a collaboration between CDE and DonorsChoose, provided Colorado  teachers who applied up to about $800 in materials after fees and other costs. If your project didn’t get funded or if you were late to apply, don’t fret. Your project will remain available for any DonorsChoose donor to support. Officials at DonorsChoose say about 70% of projects that are posted get funded. Go to www.donorschoose.org to learn more.

District Operations

Data Pipeline

Grants Administration

  • CDE's department-wide grants management system, GAINS, will launch this fall, and will streamline and consolidate multiple CDE application systems and processes into a single location and system.
  • CDE will host in-person trainings throughout Colorado. Including, Tuesday, Sept. 19, at Adams State College in Alamosa; Wednesday, Sept. 20, at Pikes Peak BOCES; Monday, Sept. 25, at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction; Wednesday, Sept. 27, at Front Range Community College in Westminster; and Thursday, Sept. 28, at the Fort Morgan School District in Fort Morgan. There will also be one virtual training offered. 
  • The training sessions will be targeted for people responsible for district fiscal operations and staff who approve and/or submit funding applications. Though all potential system users are welcome to attend. There is an initial limit of four attendees per district or two per other organization type, but a waitlist will be maintained if spaces open up. 

 
Please take note of the following training dates:

  • Tuesday, Sept. 19 - Alamosa - Location: Adams State College
  • Wednesday, Sept. 20 - Pikes Peak - Location: Pikes Peak BOCES
  • Monday, Sept. 25 - Grand Junction - Location: Colorado Mesa University
  • Wednesday, Sept. 27 - Metro - Location: Front Range Community College (Westminster)
  • Thursday, Sept. 28 - Fort Morgan - Location: Fort Morgan School District 

2023 GAINS LEA Training Schedule - Sept. 19 (Alamosa), Sept. 20 (Pikes Peak), Sept. 27 (Metro), Sept. 28 (Fort Morgan)

This training is the first of several that aims to provide LEAs with the necessary tools and knowledge to support the grant application process. The focus will be on the following key areas: 

  • General Navigation 
  • Applications for Funding 
  • Reimbursement Requests 
  • Checklist, History Log, and Comments 

CDE realizes that the vendor-hosted trainings may conflict with upcoming events and have tried very hard to avoid these conflicts. CDE will provide additional ongoing training opportunities, and information regarding those opportunities will be made available soon.
Dates, locations, and registration links are available on CDE’s GAINS webpage. For questions, please contact us at CompetitiveGrants@cde.state.co.us


Postsecondary Readiness icon of a graduation cap.

Postsecondary Readiness

  • The Office of Postsecondary & Workforce Readiness will hold regional tours around the state this school year to facilitate strategic conversations about Graduation Guidelines, capstone, work-based learning, industry certifications, ICAP, and other programs.

 


Teaching and Learning

  • Districts and schools can still sign up to use the Zearn Math accelerator platform for the 2023-24 school year at no cost to school districts. In addition, school districts have access to Zearn's K-8 instructional curriculum to complement the math accelerator platform at no cost.