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CDE Update for Superintendents and BOCES directors
Welcome to the CDE Update! This monthly publication for district superintendents and BOCES directors will show you what is happening in key priority areas at CDE and include details on implementation, milestones, deadlines and resources.
If you have any feedback regarding the CDE Update, email CDE_Communications_Office@cde.state.co.us.
August 2025 CDE Update
Dear Superintendents and BOCES directors,
Welcome back to the 2025-26 school year! I hope you had a chance to rest, relax and recharge over the break. It was great seeing so many of you at CASE and hearing about the exciting work happening in your districts to prepare for the new year. Even better was the news that federal title funds will be coming soon, which will help continue the work underway.
The start of school is always a busy time, and at CDE, we are preparing for some important data releases, including CMAS/PSAT, attendance, and preliminary frameworks. We’ll be sharing dates and timelines on those soon.
On the topic of attendance, make sure to sign up your district for the 50% Chronic Absenteeism Reduction Challenge to receive monthly communication, tips, and resources to help reach your goals. Currently, 44 school districts and 44 schools have signed up. We will be launching our 2025-26 Attendance Challenge Kickoff at 8 a.m. Sept. 4.
Finally, our monthly superintendent calls will resume at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 12. We sent out invitations in July, but let Chief Communications Officer Emma Garrett-Nelson know if you haven’t received it at garrett-nelson_e@cde.state.co.us.
Warm regards,
Susana
Dr. Susana Córdova
Colorado Commissioner of Education
Action Items
Due 12/31/25: Training on preventing discrimination in schools required by SB 24-162
- SB 24-162 requires public schools to provide anti-discrimination training for all school employees.
- Training must be consistent with these best practices
- Contact for questions: Joanna Bruno at bruno_j@cde.state.co.us.
Reminders and FYI Items
Assessment
CMAS and PSAT/SAT data released at State Board meeting on Aug. 21
- School- and district-level embargoed CMAS and PSAT/SAT and disaggregated achievement data will be released to district assessment contacts on Monday, Aug. 18.
- Our public release will be Thursday, Aug. 21, at the State Board of Education meeting.
- Some important reminders:
- Schools and districts received confidential student-, school- and district-level results throughout June and July.
- Families have been able to access their students’ CMAS scores directly through the Family Score Report Portal since June.
- English and Spanish assessment communication toolkits are available for you to use with your school communities.
- If you have had personnel changes, please notify us about your new District Assessment Coordinators. Submit your updates through the DAC Appointment Form or DTC Appointment Form.
District Operations
New Integrated Timelines for the 2025-26 school year are available
- New integrated timelines for 2025-26 are available to help superintendents and principals plan for the year ahead.
Educator Talent
Educator Career Navigation monthly office hours and support
- We hold office hours on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from 11 a.m. to noon for anyone with questions about hiring, educator licensure, or early childhood qualifications.
- Register once to join a session—after that, you’re welcome to drop in anytime.
Health & Nutrition
The Local Food Program has been extended for 2025-26; apply by 4 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 21
- Open to sponsors of Healthy School Meals for All, charter schools, residential childcare institutions, and facility schools.
- Sponsors that served more than 2.15 million lunches in 2023-24 are not eligible.
- Contact for questions: Becca Boone at boone_r@cde.state.co.us or 720-450-4357.
School Quality & Support
Academic growth and performance frameworks preliminary release set for the end of August
- Districts will receive embargoed preliminary performance frameworks on Wednesday, Aug. 27, with public release planned for Wednesday, Sept. 3.
- WIDA ACCESS growth data has been available since July 1 via Syncplicity.
- Visit CDE’s Accountability webpage for tools and resources.
Applications for alternative education campuses to be reviewed by SBE
- The State Board of Education will review applications for Alternative Education Campuses (AEC) at its August meeting to determine schools that can use the AEC designation for accountability purposes.
Deadline for Accreditation Forms is Sept. 26
- Accreditation Reports are due by Thursday, Sept. 26. Forms are available in the Accreditation Portal (within the UIP/ACI system) for District Accountability Contacts.
- Learn more on CDE
Keep your district’s accountability contact updated
- Make sure to update your district’s accountability contact information to access the performance framework and growth data. Visit this document for instructions on the UIP online system setup.
New Family, School and Community Partnerships Year-at-a-Glance Calendar
- Our 25-26 Family, School and Community Partnerships yearly calendar of events is available.
- Our 2025 Promising Practices Book highlights 70 practices at schools across Colorado.
- Add district contacts to the Office of FSCP's monthly distribution list.
Student Pathways & Engagement
Districts to receive embargoed 2024-25 attendance data Aug. 22
- District data respondents will receive embargoed data about their attendance on Friday, Aug. 22.
- School- and district-level attendance data, including chronic absenteeism and daily average attendance, will be released publicly on Wednesday, Aug. 27.
- Join the Attendance Campaign to help raise awareness and connect with others.
Professional Learning & Resources
PWR Regional Trainings and a Town Hall to discuss changes in programming and funding
- Our Office of Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness (PWR) will hold regional training sessions starting in September.
- We are also hosting a town hall at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 13, on changes to PWR programming and funding.
CDE and InquiryHub are offering free PD for science teachers
- We are working with CU Boulder and the InquiryHub to provide free professional development for K-12 teachers with a focus on the Colorado Academic Standards for science.
Three-part e-learning series on overcoming chronic absenteeism this fall
- Register for the three-part e-learning series with Attendance Works on how to tackle the complex problems of attendance and chronic absenteeism.
Upcoming sessions: Preventing School Violence Training Series
Educators, administrators, counselors, community members, and law enforcement can register to join our free 45-minute trainings.
- Wednesday, Aug. 27, at 9 a.m.: Restorative Practices: Building Trust Before Conflict
- Wednesday, Oct. 8, at 9 a.m.: Cultivating Mental Health Awareness
Sign up for 2025-26 professional learning cohorts
- This year’s Leadership Learning Cohorts include bilingual leadership, chronic absenteeism, teaching elementary English language arts, rural leadership, new educator leadership, highly mobile student leadership, and instructional coherence leadership.
Commissioner's Communications
Updates for superintendents & BOCES directors from Commissioner Córdova.
Most recent at the top, PDF format.
- July 28, 2025: Sharing that the US Department of Education will release title funding for the 2025-2026 school year starting this week
- July 25, 2025: Update and sharing a news article that the US Department of Education will release title funding for the 2025-2026 school year
- July 23, 2025: Update on Title IV-B 21st Century Community Learning Center - grantees can expect funding
- July 21, 2025: Update on PRWORA lawsuit, statewide federal funding dashboard, and info from our federal programs team
- July 18, 2025: Update on Title IV-B 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant
- July 14, 2025: Updates about Attorney General files lawsuit, ED’s March reduction in force, Colorado School Finance Project fact sheets for districts, and CDE updates on Title I-C and Adult Education Program funding, 21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV-B) funding, CDE systems outage scheduled
- July 7, 2025: CDE Update on Resources on Federal Funding Delay, ESEA Consolidated Application Process, Substantial Approval Letters, and ED Announces NCES Acting Commissioner
- July 1, 2025: Update on preliminary Title IV allocations, message from ED about Title I-C, II-A, III-A, IV-A, IV-B, Adult Education Grants, and message from CDC about the Healthy Schools Grant
- July 2025 CDE Update
- June 30, 2025: USDE guidance on school choice and update on federal allocations
- June 24, 2025: Updates about Federal guidance for Federal Funds allocation delays, Senate HELP Committee to Vote on ED Nominations, and US Department of Education lay-offs
- June 16, 2025: Updates from CCSSO on FY 2025 Preliminary Allocations
- June 10, 2025: Recordings available of Secretary McMahon’s testimony, ED Release on New Appointees, Recording of Schwinn and Richey Confirmation Hearing, and Slides from Superintendent Call
- June 2, 2025: Updates from CCSSO and McMahon's Senate and House Testimony
- June 2025 CDE Update
- May 29, 2025: Update on Title I (A and D) LEA calculations
- May 27, 2025: Update on FY2025 reconciliation, FY2026 appropriations, and Kirsten Baesler Senate HELP Committee Nomination
- May 22, 2025: Updates on US DOE supplemental grant priorities, McMahon Appropriations testimony, March 20 EO preliminary injunction
- May 19, 2025: Sharing about US Department of Education increasing charter funding and Secretary McMahon scheduled to testify before House Committee
- May 15, 2025: Notification of preliminary Title I-A allocations received.
- May 12, 2025: Sharing about FY 2025 Title I Allocations and Senate Overturns FCC Rule from the Council of Chief State School Officers' email from May 9
- May 8, 2025: Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!
- May 5, 2025: Update on White House FY26 discretionary budget request and CCSSO message
- May 1, 2025: Updates on School Based Mental Health Grant and Title VI Certification Follow Up
- May 2025 CDE Update
- Apr. 28, 2025: Update on Measles Information Session and Updated link for 2024-2025 LEA assurances
- Apr. 24, 2025: Update on Title VI Certification Request, New executive orders related to K-12, and ED press release on new executive orders
- Apr. 21, 2025: Update on Title VI assurance options for districts
- Apr. 17, 2025: Update on Title VI certification, superintendent/AG meeting, CO Senate Ed Committee hearing, 2026 NAEP, and new ED appointees
- Apr. 14, 2025: Update on USDE agreement on request for certification, agreement in NEA v USDE case
- Apr. 10, 2025: Sharing ED's Title VI Compliance Certification message, National Education Association et al v. US Department of Education et al. case
- Apr. 9, 2025: Update to the field about US Department of Education’s request for Title VI assurance
- Apr. 7, 2025: ED launches Title IX investigations team, ED provides extension for Title VI assurances
- Apr. 3, 2025: USDE press release on Title VI certification
- April 2025 CDE Update
- Mar. 31, 2025: USDE info on FERPA and PPRA, COVID relief liquidation, and Dear Colleague Letter on Title I
- Mar. 27, 2025: Education Secretary at CCSSO and USDE press releases
- Mar. 20, 2025: New Improving Education Outcomes EO, White House Statement on Education, BruMan Group Training
- Mar. 17, 2025: USDE update, continuing resolution, FAFSA, and Federal Bureacracy EO
- Mar. 13, 2025: US Department of Education RIF, Colorado Attorney General Joins Lawsuit
- Mar. 10, 2025: Update on federal appropriations
- Mar. 6, 2025: US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon statement
- Mar. 3, 2025: Secretary of Education, FAQs on Dear Colleague letter, federal appropriations, English as official language, newsletter sign-up
- March 2025 CDE Update
- Feb. 28, 2025: Update on "Dear Colleague" letter, USDE launches discrimination reporting portal
- Feb. 24, 2025: Update on implementation of executive orders around DEI
- Feb. 20, 2025: COVID vaccine mandates, CCSSO guidance on Dear Colleague letter, USDE COVID funding guidance
- Feb. 18, 2025: Update on "Dear Colleague" letter, CCSSO updates on RELs, Sensitive Locations
- Feb. 13, 2025: Update on funding cuts, USDOE leadership, Confirmation hearing for Sec. of Ed
- Feb. 10, 2025: Update on Executive Order on anti-Christian Bias, Sec. Ed confirmation, USDA
- Feb. 6, 2025: Update on Title IX, Executive Order on Men out of Women's Sports, CCSSO statement.
- Feb. 3, 2025: Update on Executive Orders
- February 2025 CDE Update

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