CDE’s Office of Standards and Instructional Support is excited to announce the Teaching and Learning CoLabs -- free professional development opportunities for K-12 teachers and administrators that are developed in collaboration with institutions of higher education and state teaching organizations.

This year’s CoLabs will be held at the following locations:

• Colorado Mesa University on Thursday, June 2
• The University of Northern Colorado. Tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, June 8.
• CSU Pueblo. TBD.

Participants will be able to attend sessions focused on reading, writing, and communicating; health and physical education; mathematics; and science. School leaders can register for sessions in the administration track. Schools are encouraged to register in teams. 

For more information, visit the Teaching and Learning CoLabs main page.

The 2022-23 School Counselor Corps Grant Request for Application is available for education providers. Approximately $600,000 will be available for the new RFA, which will focus on planning in the first year and implementation in the second, third and fourth years of the grant.

The School Counselor Corps Grant program seeks to increase the availability of effective school-based counseling within schools to increase the graduation rate within the state and increase the percentage of students who appropriately prepare for, apply to, and continue into postsecondary education.

This RFA is released prior to the approval of a four-year grant cycle and is contingent on any funding appropriated to the School Counselor Corps Grant program in May 2022. In order for this program to continue, funds must be appropriated for the program during the 2022 Colorado Legislative Session.

--Intent to Apply due: Friday, March 4, by 11:59 p.m.

--Applications due: Friday, March 18, by 11:59 p.m.

Read more about the School Counselor Corps Grant Program.

School districts operating a four-day school week (less than 160 scheduled days per school year) are required to submit a request for approval.

To be considered for the 2022-23 School Year, please complete the application via the Directory in Data Pipeline by Wednesday, May 11. Districts requesting approval are not obligated to follow their proposed calendar if their local planning is not finalized.

In addition to submitting the four-day application through Data Pipeline, districts accredited with Priority Improvement Plan or with Turnaround Plan that are submitting a district-wide application must submit the following additional information separately to Jhon Penn:

• A copy of their respective school calendars
• Building class schedules, assembly schedules
• Bell schedule including lunchtime interval and professional development calendar.

CDE will review the additional materials for the use and prioritization of instructional time. The executive director of Field Services and the associate commissioner of School Quality and Support must recommend approval of the application before it is forwarded to the commissioner for consideration.

Visit the Directory in Data Pipeline for additional information.

In response to requests for additional time, the survey window will be extended until the end of the day Friday, March 4. Educators need 15 minutes to complete the survey that provides useful feedback for school and district improvement planning efforts.

More than 50 districts have hit the 50% participation threshold for the Teaching and Learning Conditions Colorado survey, a statewide, confidential survey intended to provide schools, districts, and policymakers with reliable data on teaching and learning conditions.

Schools must have 50% participation and five responses to be able to access their data.

Codes are available in multiple ways:

• Self-service portal
• Online support form
• Help Desk by toll-free number at 866-329-1530 (Monday-Friday 8 a.m.- 4 p.m.) or by email.

For more information and helpful resources, visit the TLCC survey website.

A rural principal is needed to serve a two-year term on the Dyslexia Working Group.

The working group was established in the 2019 legislative session by the Colorado General Assembly through House Bill 19-1134. The legislation directs the Commissioner of Education to convene a Dyslexia Working Group to improve the identification of and educational support for students with dyslexia to improve their educational outcomes.

Applications will be accepted until Tuesday, Feb. 15.

Visit the Dyslexia Working Group webpage for more information.