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NSBA Federal Insider Podcast

The South Carolina Supreme Court recently prevented South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster from using federal coronavirus relief aid from the CARES Act to provide tuition grants for private schools in SC. Joining the conversation around this topic is South Carolina School Boards Association Executive Director & CEO, Scott Price.

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2020 Colorado Talent Pipeline Report

 

Yesterday, the CWDC released the seventh annual Colorado Talent Pipeline Report, which analyzes issues related to the supply and demand of talent in Colorado. The report offers a collection of strategies, investments, and policy recommendations in response to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Read the Report

The 2020 Talent Pipeline report identifies:

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CDE News Release: Education stakeholders do not reach consensus on administration of CMAS math, English language arts tests for this spring

Dec. 2, 2020
For more information, contact:
CDE Communications Division, 720-668-6434

News Release

Education stakeholders do not reach consensus on administration of CMAS math, English language arts tests for this spring

Group supports PSAT, SAT tests for high school students 

DENVER – The final report by the COVID-19 Policy Implications Stakeholder Group released today recommends some statewide assessments should continue as planned this spring while others should not occur. No decision was reached on whether the Colorado Measures of Academic Success tests in mathematics and English language arts should be administered to the state’s third through eighth graders.

The Colorado General Assembly last spring called for the creation of a stakeholder group of Colorado education leaders to advise policymakers on what, if any, changes should be made to state law around testing and accountability because of the COVID-19 crisis. Final decisions are up to the legislature since these matters are tied to state law. 

On assessments, the group said schools should administer the PSAT and SAT to the extent that local health orders allow and that CMAS tests in science and social studies should be canceled in the spring. The group did not reach a consensus agreement on administering the CMAS mathematics and English language arts tests to third through eighth graders for a range of conflicting reasons. Some stakeholders wanted to administer the tests to be able to measure student learning loss and others did not want the tests to be conducted out of concern over the misinterpretation of the results within the context of COVID-19.




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News Release: Statewide survey shows districts struggle with critical workforce shortages

Dec. 3, 2020
For more information, contact:
CDE Communications Division, 720-668-6434

News Release

Statewide survey shows districts struggle with critical workforce shortages

Top priorities are K-3 reading loss, mental health of students and teachers 

DENVER – Critical staff shortages -- from bus drivers and janitors to special education and classroom teachers -- are presenting significant challenges for school districts as they struggle to maintain operations for both in-person and remote learning during the pandemic. 

The vast majority of districts responding to the survey of needs conducted in October by the Colorado Department of Education and the Colorado Education Initiative said they do not have enough substitute teachers and bus drivers. Shortages in special education teachers, classroom teachers and janitorial staff are also impacting many areas of the state. 


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CDE Update

Nov. 30, 2020
For more information, contact:
[email protected]
Dear Superintendents and BOCES Executive Directors,

We hope you all had a restful and safe holiday break. 

In this special edition of the CDE Update, we've included a reminder that districts must notify teachers by tomorrow about the extended READ Act teacher training deadline.

Below there is also information about the updated COVID-19 cases and outbreak guidance from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and news about the postponement of 2021 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) assessments. Finally, we've included information about the Governor's Back-to-School Working Group.


Past editions of the CDE Update, and all COVID-19 special editions, are available on our website. Visit the COVID-19 Resources for Schools webpage for additional resources.
 

Skip to any of the following sections:

 

READ Act


READ Act teacher training deadline extended; districts must notify teachers by Dec. 1
 
The State Board of Education granted a six-month extension for kindergarten through third-grade teachers to complete the training requirements in evidence-based reading instruction required by the READ Act. Teachers will now have until Jan. 31, 2022, to complete their training requirements.

The extension is contingent upon districts notifying all K-3 teachers of the requirement by Tuesday, Dec. 1. The department anticipates including an assurance that districts, BOCES, and charters schools have communicated the requirement as part of the annual READ data collection this spring.  Districts, BOCES and charters that do not meet the requirements will be ineligible for READ Act funds for the 2022-23 school year. 

Teachers have various avenues for completing the requirement, including a no-cost option provided by CDE.  

For more information about the training requirement, visit the CDE website, or contact Andreia Simon, in the the P-3 Office, at [email protected]
 

Public Health Guidance


Updated isolation guidance and decision tools for educators
 
CDPHE recently updated the decision-support tools for educators, to aid them in determining who needs to quarantine after an exposure in the classroom or school setting.

The update is based on outbreak data and stakeholder input and is expected to result in schools being able to maintain staffing and remain in-person to a greater extent. This update also standardizes the protocol no matter what phase a county is on the Colorado COVID-19 Dial.

For a list of detailed changes, visit the Archived Latest Updates: 2020-21 Planning Framework and Toolkit webpage.

For more information, visit the CDPHE guidance on cases and outbreaks webpage.
 

Assessments


National Assessment of Education Progress postponed until 2022
 
NAEP grade four and eight mathematics and reading assessments have been postponed through the spring of 2022 due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as decided by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Commissioner, with support of the National Assessment Governing Board. 

Based on how NCES has approached sampling in the past, we expect that a new sample will be selected for 2022, meaning that schools selected for the reduced administration in 2021 may not be selected for 2022 and additional schools will be selected for the typical sized sample for 2022. 

The pandemic has presented a number of challenges that prevent a NAEP administration in the 2020-21 school year. Local restrictions on access to schools by outside personnel would reduce NAEP’s ability to validly, reliably, and safely collect and report NAEP data in 2021. In addition, the use of variable instructional models such as full-time online and hybrid instruction would have created administration challenges, such as requiring multiple sessions with smaller number of students within a school. Multiple NAEP administration sessions may create health and safety concerns for both testing proctors and students by increasing the risk of COVID-19 transition between NCES proctors and students, in part because the NAEP assessments are administered on NCES-provided devices. 

NCES continues to believe the exploration of educational experiences within the context of COVID-19 could be valuable to states and districts for the 2020-21 school year. NCES developed questions related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for inclusion in the school and teacher questionnaires, and is considering delivering them to teachers and administrators originally selected for the 2021 administration, despite the postponement of the NAEP assessments themselves. We will share more information on the questionnaires as it becomes available. 
 

Updates from Governor's Office


Back-to-school working group convened by governor
 
Gov. Polis recently announced the formation of a back-to-school working group to help plan the safe return of students to classrooms in January 2021.
 
The working group consists of teachers, other school staff, superintendents, elected school boards, charter school leaders, health officials and parents. The group will share perspectives and feedback with the governor, Commissioner of Education Katy Anthes and key public health leaders about school reopening.

The group held its first meeting on Nov. 25. For a list of group membership, read the governor's press release.

CASB Letter to Governor Polis: Working Together

The following letter was sent to Governor Polis on Thursday, November 19 in response to the press conference held this week. 

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CDE News Release Commissioner, State Board of Education Chairwoman urge communities to do their part as department releases new funding to support school reopening $15 million in one-time funding will help schools struggling to reopen

Nov. 19, 2020
For more information, contact:
CDE Communications Division, 720-668-6434

News Release

Commissioner, State Board of Education Chairwoman urge communities to do their part as department releases new funding to support school reopening 

$15 million in one-time funding will help schools struggling to reopen

DENVER – The Colorado Department of Education today announced a new $15 million grant opportunity for school districts and BOCES that are struggling to return to in-person learning and need additional resources to safely reopen when possible.

Applications for the Safe Schools Reopening Grant may be submitted by districts and BOCES that operate public schools on behalf of any school, including charter schools. Applications are due Nov. 30 and funds must be spent by Dec. 30.


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CDE News Release: State Board extends deadline for READ Act teacher training Board grants DSST Public Schools appeal of DPS board's requirements

Nov. 19, 2020
For more information, contact:
CDE Communications Division, 720-668-6434

News Release

State Board extends deadline for READ Act teacher training

Board grants DSST Public Schools appeal of DPS board's requirements

DENVER – The State Board of Education agreed today to provide educators an additional six months to complete the teacher training required by the READ Act. Kindergarten through third-grade teachers will now have until Jan. 31, 2022 to complete their training requirements on evidence-based reading instruction. 

The board directed districts to communicate the requirement to all K-3 teachers by Dec. 1, 2020, and ensure teachers meet the new January 2022 deadline. Districts, BOCES and charters that do not meet the requirements will be ineligible for READ Act funds for the 2022-23 school year.

Only 40% of Colorado's third graders are meeting expectations on the Colorado Measures of Academic Success tests in English language arts, yet research shows that students need to learn to read at grade level by the end of third grade so they can read to learn in fourth grade and beyond.

The Colorado Reading to Ensure Academic Development Act was passed in 2012 with the goal of dramatically improving reading for our youngest learners. Since then, however, Colorado has seen only a 2% increase in third graders meeting or exceeding expectations on the Colorado Measures of Academic Success tests in English language arts. In addition, statewide data shows only a 1% reduction in the number of students identified with a significant reading deficiency.

The READ Act aims to ensure all students can read at grade level by the end of third grade. In 2019, the legislature made several changes to the READ Act to help educators support reading success among our state's youngest learners. Not all of Colorado's educators have had the opportunity to learn the science of teaching reading in their teacher training programs, so one of the changes to the READ Act required training on the latest evidence-based reading instruction strategies for all K-3 teachers. 

Teachers have a variety of avenues to complete the training, including no-cost options provided by the Colorado Department of Education. 
 
Board grants DSST Public Schools appeal
Following a formal hearing, the state board found the Denver Public Schools Board of Education's decision to delay the opening of DSST’s Noel High School from the 2021-22 school year to the 2022-23 school year is contrary to the best interests of students. The state board remanded the matter back to the DPS board with instructions to allow Noel High School to open in the 2021-22 school year and include Noel High School in the enrollment process opening Jan. 15, 2021.

The state board also found that it was not in students’ best interest for DPS to require improvement plans for Cole High School, Cole Middle School and Henry Middle School as a condition for Noel High School’s opening. The state board remanded this condition back to the DPS board with instruction to remove the improvement plan requirement.

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FBI data shows sharp jump in number of Colo. reports

Denver Post

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Colorado launches human trafficking awareness campaign

Colorado Politics

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3 ways K-12 schools can evolve post-pandemic

Education Dive

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CDE News Release: School and district ratings to remain the same this year

Nov. 12, 2020
For more information, contact:
CDE Communications Division, 720-668-6434

News Release

School and district ratings to remain the same this year

Extension of K-3 teacher training requirement to be considered next week

DENVER – The Colorado State Board of Education at its regular monthly meeting Wednesday and Thursday extended the school and district ratings assigned in 2019 to this year. With the cancellation of state assessments in spring 2020, the accountability system was paused by Gov. Jared Polis’ Executive Order in March and later codified by the legislature in the School Finance Act. Districts and schools will not receive performance framework reports or updated plan types in 2020. 

Extension considered for READ Act K-3 teacher training 
In response to the challenges teaching are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic, the board considered providing kindergarten through third-grade teachers with a six-month extension to meet the READ Act requirement to complete evidence-based training in teaching reading. The board will take up the proposal again during a special meeting scheduled for Nov. 19. 

About 23,000 teachers in Colorado must complete the training, as required by changes the legislature made in 2019 to the READ Act. The legislation requires teachers to complete the training before the beginning of the 2021-22 school year and provides an allowance for CDE to grant a one-year extension if districts demonstrate a good cause for their inability to comply. The proposal considered by the board would extend the deadline to January 2022. 

In other action, the board declined to consider a district waiver application from the Education reEnvisioned Board of Cooperative Educational Services. The Innovation Schools Act gives only districts -- not BOCES -- the ability to request waivers from certain state statutes, so the board found the BOCES to be ineligible for the waivers under state statute.







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Troops to Teachers helps veterans start careers in the classroom

Troops to Teachers helps veterans start careers in the classroom
 

On this Veteran’s Day, CDE would like to highlight the work of Troops to Teachers, which helps military service members and veterans start new careers in the classroom. The program is run through the U.S. Department of Defense and provides counseling, financial aid and placement for veterans to help facilitate a successful transition to teaching. 

The Troops to Teachers consortium between Colorado and New Mexico, now in its third year, assists teacher candidates enrolling in educator preparation programs and veterans currently serving as educators in Colorado and New Mexico school districts. 

Click Here for Additional Information

For More Information, Contact:
Korey Brown
Phone: 303-945-5537
Email: [email protected]

Colorado to recruit 100 AmeriCorps members for COVID-19 containment force

The Denver Gazette

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Colorado innovation grants will buoy kindergarten, college, and work readiness

Chalkbeat

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Governor Polis Announces Millions in Education Grants for Colorado

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

Conor Cahill |[email protected] 

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Biden is president-elect: What could it mean for K-12?

Education Dive

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Colorado needs more people to help redraw political maps. And lack of diversity remains an issue.

The Colorado Sun

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The Association of Latino Administrators Announces its New Executive Board

 

 

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Biden is president-elect: What could it mean for K-12?

Education Dive

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