Statewide News

Morgridge Family Foundation hosts Sal Khan May 4

You may have seen the recent 60 Minutes feature on the Sal Khan Academy or heard about it through education circles. Khan Academy provides free educational videos via the Internet that help kids (and adults) learn math and other subjects. The Morgridge Family Foundation (MFF) is hosting Sal Khan as a keynote speaker from 6-7:15 p.m., Friday, May 4 at the Magness Arena at the University of Denver. He will talk about the success of his blended learning techniques and how they apply to schools. His speech is free and open to the public. To register, or for more information, visit the event’s registration webpage.

Student scholarships available

The Colorado Municipal Bond Dealers Association (CMBDA) is currently offering a scholarship program designed to reward high school graduates with $1,000 scholarships to an accredited Colorado college or university. Up to 12 scholarships will be awarded. Recipients will not be eligible to renew the scholarship.

Eligibility – Applicants must be full-time Colorado residents, United States citizens, and enroll as a full-time student. Applicants must have a minimum 3.25 GPA on a 4.0 scale for all high school work and be considering a major in business, economics, political science, or public administration. Employees of CMBDA member firms and their immediate family members are not eligible.

Basis of Award – The selection of scholarship recipients will be based on scholarship, work experience, community and school activities, personal statement and, if necessary, an interview by the CMBDA Scholarship Committee

Deadlines Extended – The deadline to receive your application has been extended to Friday, May 18, 2012. Recipients of the awards will be notified by mail by June 1, 2012. Scholarship funds will be disbursed directly to the college once proof of enrollment has been received.

Student Deadline -- Submit application to guidance counselor by Thursday, May 10, 2012.

Additional Requirement – Applicants must agree to their name being used in one or more newspapers or periodicals announcing that they have received the scholarship.

Download the application form.

Second cost study on CAP4K released

Education consulting firm Augenblick, Palaich and Associates has released its second of three reports to estimate costs of implementing the Colorado Achievement Plan for Kids (CAP4K).

Established with Senate Bill 212 in 1998, CAP4K was designed to align Colorado’s public education system from preschool through post-secondary readiness. The work has included a definition of “post-secondary readiness,” new standards and new state assessments.

An initial report released in March 2010 focused on the planning phase. This report focuses on implementation of that plan. A third and final report will revisit these costs and is expected to be released in 2012.

Total costs for one-time preparation were about $178 million, according to the report. Ongoing implementation costs top $200 million. Read the full report or visit the Colorado School Finance Project’s Costing Out website for more information.

Content and resources available on iTunes U

Colorado on iTunes U is giving public school teachers and students the ability to download the latest education-related multimedia content for free, including CASB Podcasts. iTunes U is an area of the iTunes store dedicated to free audio and video content from leading educational institutions. Audio and video presentations, professional development activities, curriculum materials and more are available.

The program is a partnership among CDE, eNetColorado and the Centennial Board of Cooperative Services. eNetColorado has posted the material on iTunes U and will continue to post new content. All content can be used on a PC or Mac, iPod, iPhone or iPad.

Educator licensure now online

The Colorado Department of Education is now accepting initial and renewal applications for educator licensure online. Visit CDE’s licensure webpage for more information, including a webinar on the topic.

Educator resource directory available online

The Statewide Extended Studies Program is pleased to present the new Resource Directory for Educators website. The website is designed to support professional development needs and provides educators with one convenient source of information about Colorado extended studies and continuing education opportunities for professional advancement, re-licensure, or progress toward an advanced degree. SEDL seeking schools/districts for reading and math study

Schools and districts across the United States have an opportunity to participate in a study of widely used elementary reading and math programs. Researchers at SEDL and the University of Wisconsin-Madison are undertaking a study that will determine the impact of Imagine It!, an Open Court Reading program, and Everyday Mathematics on teacher practices and student academic achievement. SEDL is currently looking for volunteers to participate in the study. By participating, your school or district will help researchers take steps toward identifying effective core math and reading programs. Your actions may also increase students’ performance on state-mandated reading and math assessments.

To be eligible to participate, districts need to have at least four elementary schools containing kindergarten through fifth grade that are willing to implement either Imagine It! or Everyday Mathematics. Each school must have at least 44 students in each grade (K–5) included in the study. Participating schools will receive approximately $3,200 worth of either Imagine It! or Everyday Mathematics materials for each classroom as well as training and technical support for the duration of the study. The study will begin with the 2011-2012 school year and last for three years. Learn more about the study by visiting www.sedl.org/new/es-study.html. If you have questions or would like to nominate your district, contact Dewi Smith at (800) 476-6861.