CDE seeks peer reviewers for the endorsement standards content of educator preparation programs.

Reviewers should have knowledge in one or more of the following content areas: principal, administration, CLD, CLD bilingual, early childhood, early childhood special education, elementary, English/Language Arts, science, social studies, instructional technology specialist, middle school math, reading teacher, reading specialist, school counselor, special education, school audiology, school social worker, school occupational therapist or world language.

Peer reviews will be conducted virtually during the week of July 11. Reviewers will have access to a training video and the review itself can take between 2 to 5 hours. Educators from school districts throughout the P-20 educational system, internal CDE content experts as well as higher education faculty are invited to register for the reviews by completing this form no later than Tuesday, May 31.

Colorado’s educators who teach literacy to K-3 students must submit proof that they completed their evidence-based training in teaching reading by Monday, Aug. 15.

Teachers must complete the training by Monday, Aug. 1.

Teachers may submit evidence of successfully completing an undergraduate or graduate course in teaching reading for CDE to review to determine whether it meets the statutory requirements. This application closes on Wednesday, June 1.

Please note that the READ Act training requirement is not mandatory to maintain a teacher’s license status in any way. The benefit of adding the READ Act training designation to an educator’s license is that the proof of completion will stay on the educator’s Colorado credentials for future years as they may change grade levels, schools or districts.

View the K-3 Teacher Evidence-based reading training requirements webpage for additional information.

New on-demand training videos are available on the Unified Improvement Planning and Accountability training webpage:

• “Early Literacy UIP Requirements”: an overview of UIP requirements related to the READ Act, including requirements related to data analysis and action planning to support struggling readers.
• “How to Use Strategy Guides in the Improvement Planning Process”: a brief introduction to CDE's Strategy Guides.
• “Implementing an Early Learning Needs Assessment”: a summary of what an Early Learning Needs Assessment (ELNA) is and how to incorporate it into the UIP.
• “Small N Analysis & Data Analysis for Disaggregated Groups”: guidance for schools and districts on how to conduct analysis for public reporting on small student populations.

CDE maintains a file of emerging classroom leaders who are considered distinguished teachers and principals. These educators may be candidates for advisory boards, task forces, and special recognition programs. Your recommendations will identify educators who will be of great value to your community and state, and who may also ultimately be considered for a prestigious recognition.

We are fortunate to have a rich base of veteran educators represented in our current talent pool. What is particularly lacking is representation from elementary educators new to the profession with five to 12 years of experience, who demonstrate unusual instructional and leadership ability.

A minimum of five years in education is a must. Candidates are building-level personnel. They are typically classroom teachers as opposed to specialists and are recognized by peers and supervisors as unique in their growth. Occasionally a principal or specialist is considered. Educators who are outstanding but have not received other recognition are of special interest. Recommendation deadline is Friday, June 20.

For more information and to access the Talent Pool Recommendation Form, please visit the Colorado Educator Talent Pool webpage.

The application for the 2023 Colorado Teacher of the Year is available. Each year, the Colorado Teacher of the Year Program honors an exceptionally dedicated, knowledgeable, and skilled K-12 classroom teacher to represent the entire profession in the state. The selected teacher will also automatically become Colorado's nominee for the National Teacher of the Year competition.

Applications for this honor will be due by Wednesday, June 29. Visit CDE's webpage for more information on the 2023 Colorado Teacher of the Year program, the application process, and to access the online application form.

The Technical Advisory Panel for Longitudinal Student Growth will meet at 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 19. The public meeting will be held by Zoom.

The meeting agenda will focus on growth participation calculations, ELP on-track growth, and other accountability-related topics.

Visit the TAP webpage for additional information.

CDE is offering new learning cohorts for school and district leaders for the 2022-23 school year to support learning and collaboration in targeted areas of school improvement. Learning cohorts will convene for three to six sessions to learn together, share and observe practices of other schools, and discuss strategies for implementation. The cohorts will meet via Zoom and/or in-person sessions depending on the cohort. Learning cohorts are free to participants. Districts may be required to cover costs of travel if applicable.

CDE will host the following cohorts for the 2202-23 school year:

• Alternative Education Campus
• Best Practices in 6-12 Grading
• Improving District Services for English Learners
• Online School & Program Leaders

View the Learning Cohort webpage to apply, and access additional information on each cohort.

This summer, teachers, and leaders are invited to attend Teaching and Learning CoLabs, a new kind of no-cost event that brings together stakeholders from districts, higher education, professional teaching, and other organizations and CDE. The dates and host sites for this summer's CoLabs are:

• Thursday, June 2, hosted by Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction
• Wednesday, June 8, hosted by the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley
• Tuesday, June 21, hosted by CSU-Pueblo in Pueblo

Schools are encouraged to attend a CoLab in teams, with teachers representing multiple grades and/or content areas. Focus content areas for 2022 include English language arts, health, and physical education, mathematics, science, and computer science. Leadership-focused sessions will be provided for principals and other school leaders.

For more information and to register, see the Teaching and Learning CoLabs website.