As we await the coming of the next legislative session and the inauguration of a new Governor, new State Board of Education members and other statewide officials, much has taken place over the past few months: as always, please feel free to
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for updates and links.
Governor-Elect Hickenlooper’s Education Platform
Click here to learn more.
Colorado Achievement Plan for Kids (CAP4Kids)
The Assessment Development phase has been completed with CCHE and the State Board of Education unanimously adopting the ‘attributes’ of an Assessment System to replace the CSAPs. Key elements include:
- Statewide Summative Assessments in Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.
- Incorporation of the ICAPs in students reported progress toward Postsecondary and WorkForce Readiness (PWR).
- Commitment to ensuring that educators are prepared to implement the new assessments.
An ongoing Colorado Department of Education/Department of Education staff task force is working on the precise specifications for ICAP reporting. Click here to find the adopted attributes.
Expanded Learning Opportunities Commission
This newly formed commission has met a couple of times and held a series of statewide hearings on ideas for expanded learning opportunities. Click here for more information.
Higher Education Strategic Plan
CCHE has approved the Higher Education Strategic Plan (HESP), entitled “The Degree Dividend” – you may find recommendations that include a strong emphasis on pre-collegiate preparation, remediation and concurrent enrollment.
Concurrent Enrollment Advisory Board
The Board has re-convened.
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for more information.
Click here to find great Frequently Asked Questions.
For updates, we recommend that you subscribe to the CDE “Scoop.”
Budget
Governor Ritter, in his proposed budget, has requested renewal of funding for the Counselor Corps for FY 2012.
EagleNet
Colorado has won a $100 million grant to build out high-bandwidth connections to schools across the state, thus expanding access to online instruction and planning tools. More information will be presented at the annual Pre-Collegiate Conference on March 25, 2011.
CDHE Updates
- College In Colorado Regional Coordinators: a new region has been added for North Central and Northeastern Colorado, to be staffed by Liliana Diaz, who will divide her time between College In Colorado and the College Access Team. Click here to review the College In Colorado Regional Map.
- College In Colorado has appointed
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to coordinate professioanl trainings and training requests.
- Matt McKeever, who has been the Department of Higher Education's “go-to” person for HEAR, Concurrent Enrollment, Degree Completion etc., has been appointed Dean of WorkForce and Community Outreach at Arapahoe Community College.
- The Colorado Department of Higher Education has appointed Dr. Beth Bean as Interim Director of Research and Information.
- Misti Ruthven, Director of the College Access Team at the Department of Higher Education, was honored for her services to the profession at the December 2010 Colorado Council Conference.
It has been a very busy summer on the policy front: highlights below. For more information contact Gully Stanford or follow the links below.
A recent Georgetown University Survey reports that Colorado ranks third in the nation in terms of the number of jobs which will require a Bachelor’s degree by 2018. 609,000 of 924,000 new job vacancies, roughly 2/3, will require postsecondary training.
The ACT Conference on September 10 will feature a policy update, not to be missed. Please check on the updates CIC Parnter Network Calendar for latest dates of upcoming conferences and other events across the state.
Mark your Calendars for the PreCollegiate Conference, March 25, 2011 at Auraria Campus.
At the Federal Level:
Race to the Top: Although Colorado’s second application featured more emphasis on Postsecondary and WorkForce Readiness, it was not enough to win a grant. Rumor is that Secretary Duncan is planning on a third round next year, but, alas, Colorado placed 17 out of 19. On the positive note, CDE has won a $17.4 million Longitudinal Data Systems Grant under ARRA. Colorado won a $2.1 million grant to map the availability of broadband access across the state.
College Access Challenge Grant: Colorado DHE is poised to receive a $1.5 million grant over a five year span, which will include scholarships, funding Education Cents, support College In Colorado’s Adult Section, additional outreach staff, and much more.
CDHE’s Strategic Planning Initiative is under way, with a steering committee appointed by the Governor and four sub-committees include: Mission, Pipeline, Accessibility and Sustainability. Meetings are frequent and open to the public. With a deadline of November 4, the Higher Education Strategic Plan takes to the road for a tour of the state. All meetings will be from 4 – 6 pm
- Tuesday, September 14 – Pueblo
- Wednesday, September 29 – Grand Junction
- Tuesday, October 5 – Sterling
- Wednesday, October 13 – Greeley
- Thursday October 14 - Gunnison
CDE and CDHE continue working on statewide Assessments, due to be adopted by the State Board of Education by December 2010. Assessment Committee Meetings are being held around the state. To follow this process, see the Assessment Stakeholder Group and the series of Co-Convened Hearings. Your input is welcome and vital! Click here for more information.
Parent Involvement in Education: SACPIE (State Advisory Council for Parent Involvement in Education) meets on a monthly basis. Counselors, CTE and Higher Education are all represented. To be notified,
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Recent Legislation:
Several bills were enacted this past session, which impact PostSecondary and PreCollegiate policy ranging from expanding the offerings of Mesa State and Colorado Mountain Colleges to expanding Tuition Flexibility. For information, contact
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or check the annual digest.
Changes at College In Colorado: Dawn Taylor Owens has appointed BriAnne Bredenberg Outreach Coordinator for the Front Range; Maria Elena Rivera is now Outreach Coordinator for the southern region of the state (Arkansas Valley, San Luis Valley, 4 Corners) and continues as the Statewide Minority Outreach Coordinator. Ashley Sakker will no longer be with the team after September.Click here for the College In Colorado Fact Sheet, which include contact information.
At the State Level:
Work continues across the state for the ICAP implementation. CDE, the Community College System and CollegeInColorado have teamed up to offer all-encompassing workshops and trainings. Note that CollegeInColorado.org meets all the requirements of the ICAP.
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The Concurrent Enrollment Advisory Board continues to meet on a monthly basis. The State authorized 250+ ASCENT Students for 2010-2011. A great set of FAQs has been posed on the CDE website.
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The Counselor Corps Grant Program continues into its third year.
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CDHE’s Strategic Planning Initiative is under way, with a steering committee appointed by the Governor and four sub-committees include: Mission, Pipeline, Accessibility and Sustainability. Meetings are frequent and open to the public. With a deadline of November 4, the Higher Education Strategic Plan takes to the road for a tour of the state: all meetings will be from 4 – 6 pm.
It’s a well-known aphorism that neither property nor liberty are safe while the Legislature is in session! Suffice it to say that great changes are afoot at the Federal, State and Local levels – much of which affects the world of post-secondary and workforce preparation. For more information contact
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or follow the links below.
At the Federal Level:
Colorado has been named as a finalist for Race to the Top funding. A team went to Washington to make our case on March 16: Counseling and CTE and Postsecondary Preparation are all referenced, as is STEM education. Click here to read more.
SAFRA (Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act) is the acronym for HR3221, which abolishes FFELP (in favor of Direct Loans), renews the College Access Challenge Grant and creates the College Access and Completion Grant Program. It was rolled into the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Reconciliation Act of 2010 and has been signed by the President.
At the State Level:
The State Board of Education adopted its rules for the ICAP (Individual Career and Academic Plans ). Note that CollegeInColorado.org meets all the requirements of the ICAP. Contact
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The Concurrent Enrollment Advisory Board continues to meet on a monthly basis. Contact
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Despite a scary week, in which it was thought that the JBC would recommend its elimination, the Counselor Corps Grant Program continues. Contact
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Click here for more information.
CDHE’s Strategic Planning Initiative is under way, with a Steering Committee appointed by the Governor and four Sub-Committees include: Mission, Pipeline, Accessibility and Sustainability. Meetings are frequent and open to the public.
Having adopted the Post-Secondary and Workforce Readiness Definition (June 2009) and new Content Standards in 13 subject areas (December 2009), CDE and CDHE are working on statewide Assessments, due to be adopted by the State Board of Education by December 2010. To follow this process, see the Assessment Stakeholder Group and the series of Co-Convened Hearings. Your input is welcome…and vital! Click here for more information.
Parent Involvement in Education: SACPIE (State Advisory Council for Parent Involvement in Education) meets on a monthly basis. Counselors, CTE and Higher Education are all represented. To be notified, contact Janna Oakes.
Current Legislation:
The Governor’s Budget proposal would limit the College Invest Early Achievers Scholarship Fund to existing undergraduates and eligible HS juniors and seniors. Click here for more information.
Legislation has been proposed to apply remaining College Invest Early Achievers Scholarship funding to scholarships for job training (SB10-39) and Green and Medical Job Training (HB10-1262).
Other bills range from expanding the offerings of Mesa State and Colorado Mountain Colleges to expanding Tuition Flexibility.
Changes at CDHE: Rico Munn has appointed Kim Poast Deputy Executive Director and Cheryl Lovell Chief Academic Officer.
Changes at College In Colorado: Dawn Taylor Owens has appointed Mackenzie Altman as the Outreach Coordinator for the Western Slope and Timpi Webber as the Outreach Coordinator for the Eastern Plains. Bridget Black has been appointed Communications Manager. Ashley Sakker is now in charge of scheduling trainings. Click here for the College In Colorado Fact Sheet, which include contact information.
Over a very busy summer, CDE has made vast strides towards implementing key elements to P-20 Education. Please see below for some of the many updates:
Post Secondary and Workforce Readiness Definition (adopted by the State Board of Education and CCHE on June 30, 2009): Combines CAP4Kids, P-20 reform and the work of the transitions profession.
Individual Career and Academic Plans (ICAP): The State Board of Education must adopt standards by February 1, 2010. CSCA, CCHS/CR and CACTE have been monitoring progress. Note that College In Colorado has developed some tools for ICAP implementation. Watch for information about the special ICAP section of the CollegeInColorado.org portfolio and ICAP guideways for each grade coming in December. Click here to learn how others are implementing the ICAP in their school districts.
Parental Involvement in Education (Senate Bill 90): The State Advisory Council for Parental Involvement in Education (SACPIE) has been named. Cori Canty and Janna Oakes will represent Counselors and CTE. Contact is
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.
Concurrent Enrollment: The Advisory Council has been named and the first meeting is set for November 13th. Contact
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at CDE for more information.
The New Model Content Standards will be adopted by the State Board of Education in December. For more detail of the Financial Literacy Standards, please contact
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at CDE.
Assessments: There will be new assessments for all Colorado students, replacing the CSAPs. Assessments will be adopted by December 2010, and introduced in 2012. CDE has set up an Assessments Stakeholder group and a calendar of public hearings- participation is encouraged. EPAS, Career Readiness, Work Keys and other tests indicative of postsecondary readiness will be discussed.
Race to the Top (R2T) will likely bring as much as half-a-billion dollars to Colorado, starting next March. STEM interests have set up an “affinity group” which features several postsecondary prep elements.
New Executive Director for CDHE – The Governor has appointed Rico Munn as the Executive Director of the Department of Higher Education.
These items will be discussed at upcoming conferences, like CSCA, Colorado Council and CACTA. The Lt. Governor is confirmed as the Keynote Speaker for the Statewide Pre-Collegiate Conference, which will held on March 12, 2009 in Denver.
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This Recent Policy Updates page hosts up-to-the-minute information on legislation and regulations affecting postsecondary planning.
2010-2011 Conferences and Events (3489)
