Anyone interested in assessment will be interested in the new report from the Colorado Department of Education and the Department of Higher Education. The study shows that students who need remediation or who were on track toward postsecondary readiness could have been identified by looking at CSAP scores from as early as sixth grade. Click here for the full report. Continue reading
School Leaders Tool Box is a new online resource from The New Teacher Project (TNTP). Collected from the nation’s top charter schools and informed by more than 1,000 teachers and school leaders, the Toolbox offers proven tools and innovative strategies for managing teacher workforces to high performance. The tool box contains resources and tools on recruitment and hiring, evaluation, retaining high performers, performance accountability, and building a professional culture.
A February 2011 report from The New Teacher Project (TNTP) contains useful information, as districts are faced with difficult decisions entering budget planning for 2011. The Case Against Quality-Blind Teacher Layoffs: Why Layoff Policies that Ignore Teacher Quality Need to End Now.
Two more educator licenses are available online through CDE’s Web page. The eLicense system now includes:
The state board of education approved a motion that will raise the fee for an educator license from $60 to $80. The $80 initial fee will cover the base license with one endorsement. Continue reading
The State Council for Educator Effectiveness recently launched a new website and survey to gather input about draft recommendations to develop a new statewide teacher and principal evaluation system to improve teaching and learning for Colorado students. The survey deadline is March 28.
To prepare for the new evaluation system, start by familiarizing district leaders with new requirements and use this self assessment tool to assess whether your educator evaluation system meets state requirements. 
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The Colorado Department of Higher Education’s i3 website is available at http://highered.colorado.gov/i3/default.aspx. This site can be used to search Colorado higher education data and find state reports, like the annual Report on Remedial Education or the Report on Educator Preparation. Continue reading
The U.S. Department of Education has launched the dashboard at http://dashboard.ed.gov/dashboard.aspx. The dashboard shows what the U.S. Department of Education considers to be important indicators of how the nation, and each state, is progressing on the outcomes necessary to achieve the national goal. Continue reading
Click here to view the DRAFT recommendations for new teacher and principal standards that may replace the current Performance Based Standards for Colorado Teachers (PBSCTs) and current Performance Based Principal Licensure Standards. Until CDE and DHE notify your programs that the new standards are in effect, please continue to use the current teacher and principal performance based standards.
Founded in 1911, the Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education fosters excellence in education and promotes fellowship among those dedicated to teaching. On February 1, 2011, eight students from the MAT program were initiated into the society. Continue reading
On January 29, 2011, the Colorado College Education Department partnered with the Professional Engineers of Colorado (Pikes Peak Chapter), Colorado Springs Utilities, and Associated Design Professionals to host the 2011 Bridge Building Contest. 158 high school students participated, and the winning bridge from Max Vanatta of Cheyenne Mountain High School held 3,437 times its own weight before breaking. Continue reading
