• As required by state statute, CDE released a request for proposals for the next five-year contract cycle of the high school college entrance suite of assessments today, Thursday, Dec. 1. The CDE Assessment Division will convene a review committee to evaluate vendor proposals, with an announcement of a selected vendor to be made prior to the end of the school year. The vendor chosen through this procurement will begin administering a new computer-based college entrance suite of exams to students in ninth, 10th and 11th grade starting in spring 2024.

Contact Joyce Zurkowski, chief assessment officer, at zurkowski_j@cde.state.co.us with any questions.

• District Assessment Coordinators must submit the following items to CDE by Thursday, Dec. 15:
  • District or school-wide CMAS paper-based testing mode selections
  • District-selected CMAS and CoAlt administration windows
  • 2022-23 Unique Accommodations Request forms for CMAS along with appropriate supporting data. 

For additional information about CMAS deadlines, contact Sara Loerzel at loerzel_s@cde.state.co.us.

Dec. 1: ACCESS Unique Accommodations Requests due to CDE. Details emailed to the district assessment coordinator in November.

Dec. 15: 

• Deadline for submitting CMAS paper testing mode and CMAS and CoAlt administration windows to CDE

• CMAS Unique Accommodations Requests due to CDE

• ACCESS for ELLs materials arrive in Districts

Dec. 16: ​

• ACCESS for ELLs additional material ordering window opens

• Deadline for schools to submit PSAT/SAT offsite testing plans to College Board (if needed)

• Mid December: Pre-ID extract data pulled from finalized October count files for CMAS (including CSLA), CoAlt, and PSAT/SAT

• Additional communications about the Educational Data Advisory Council’s Program Monitoring and Fiscal Self-Assessments will be emailed to LEAs. Updates will be provided during Office Hours and posted on the Federal Programs Monitoring webpage. For questions, reach out to the Program Monitoring Supervisor, Tammy Giessinger at giessinger_t@cde.state.co.us.
• If a local education agency is notified they have more than 15% carryover for 2021-22 Title I funds, they must submit an Ed-Flex Title I 15% carryover waiver to the Federal Programs and Supports Unit. For questions about the waiver process, contact Evita Byrd at byrd_e@cde.state.co.us or Rachel Temple at temple_r@cde.state.co.us.
• CDE invites districts to assist in the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual School District Review Program. District leaders should review their district boundaries using TIGERweb, to determine if the mapped boundaries, which inform Title I funding, accurately reflect the school district’s boundaries effective on or before Jan. 1, 2023. Errors must be submitted by Dec. 15, to Tina Negley, the Colorado State Mapping Coordinator, at negley_t@cde.state.co.us. 
• CDE seeks stakeholder comment on proposed revisions to the ESSA State Plan. The proposed changes are explained on the ESSA webpage. The feedback survey is available for public comment until Monday, Dec. 19. For questions, contact Nazanin (Nazie) Mohajeri-Nelson at mohajeri-nelson_n@cde.state.co.us.

• 2022-23 applications for the Accelerated College Opportunity Exam Fee Grant Program, also known as the AP/IB Exam Fee Program, are due Friday, Jan. 6. This grant helps increase the number of eligible students who take AP/IB exams and receive scores for which college academic credit is awarded. The program provides funds to high schools to pay all or a portion of AP/IB exam fees on behalf of eligible students.

Dec. 9: Innovative Learning Opportunities Pilot Intent to Apply Due

Dec. 16: 

• Innovative Learning Opportunities Pilot Application Due
• John W. Buckner Automatic Enrollment in Advanced Courses Grant applications due
• Deadline for schools to submit PSAT/SAT offsite testing plans to College Board (if needed)

Jan. 6: Accelerated College Opportunity Exam Fee Grant Program (AP/IB Exam Fee Program) Applications Due