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Work Groups
Life beyond high school is different from what it used to be. Most jobs in Colorado now and in the future require training or education beyond high school. Students who graduate and work in Colorado will need in-demand skills that meet business, industry, and higher education standards.
Colorado Graduation Requirements provide a road map to help students and their families plan for success after high school. Students in middle and high school must think about their passions and interests and plan for their future.
Next Steps
By 2017, when the class of 2021 is in ninth grade, Colorado school districts will begin implementing revised local high school graduation requirements that meet or exceed the state graduation requirements approved in May 2013 by the Colorado State Board of Education. This includes offering a list of options that students may use to demonstrate their readiness for college and careers in order to graduate from high school.
Beginning in fall 2013, CDE convened seven work groups to inform the implementation of graduation requirements. More than 300 educators, business and industry leaders, parents and students from across the state joined these work groups to identify implementation recommendations, best practices, tools and resources.
By July 2015, CDE will provide a Graduation Requirements Implementation Toolkit that incorporates the work of these committees, both in PDF and online.
Click on the name of the work group below to find members, meeting agendas, and a draft summary of their implementation recommendations.
Work Groups
- 21st Century Skills
- Assessment
- Capstone Projects
- Individual Career & Academic Plans (ICAP)
- Industry Certificates
- PWR Diploma Endorsement
- Special Populations ( English Language Learners, Gifted Students, and Students with Disabilities)
Cross- Collaborative Meeting, January 28, 2015
Representatives from each of the work groups met to discuss an outline for the Graduation Requirements Implementation Toolkit and to finalize draft summaries.
Cross- Collaborative Work Group Representatives, January 28, 2015
21st Century Skills
- Phil Goerner, St. Vrain Valley School District
- Terri Inloes, Academy District 20
- Becky Russell, CDE
- Nancy White, Academy District 20
Capstone Project
- Ron Cabrera, Boulder Valley School District
- Katherine Casey, Denver Public Schools
- Christina Jean, CDE
- Marty Lamansky, Steamboat Springs School District
- Rob McMullen, Frontier High School
- Samantha Messier, Boulder Valley School District
- Gretchen Morgan, CDE
- Kirk Quitter, New Vista School, Boulder
- Paula Stevenson, Rural Caucus
High School Diploma Endorsement
- John Keane, Colorado Springs D11
- John Lanning, University of Colorado Denver
- Tammy Lawrence, Adams 12
- Mimi Leonard, Littleton Public Schools
- Misti Ruthven, CDE
- Diana Zakhem, Englewood School District
Individual Career and Academic Plan
- Lauren Jones, Colorado Community College System
- Tammy Lawrence, Adams 12
- Sonya Sallak, Jefferson County Public Schools
Industry Certificates
- Jennifer Jirous, CDE
- Mimi Leonard, Littleton Public Schools
- Jay Seller, Think 360 Arts
- Wendy Nkomo, Colorado Technology Association
- Scott Fast
Special Populations - English Language Learners
- Christine Deines, CDE
- Nikki Stansfield, Poudre Schools
- Liz Pursley-Bush, Summit Schools
- Jean Burke, Aurora Public Schools
Special Populations - Gifted Students
- Julia Watson, CDE
- Jennie Belval, Boulder Valley Schools
- Cynthia Bolt, Summit County
- Jacquelin Medina, CDE
Special Populations - Students with Disabilities
- Diane Bassett, University of Northern Colorado
- Jennifer Gutierrez, Jefferson County Public Schools
- Cindy Holden, Parent, Eagle County Schools
- Gail Lott, CDE
- Bonnie Pottoroff, Eagle County Schools
- Linda Tegtmeier , CDE
- Renee Williams, Jefferson County Public Schools
To learn more about Graduation Guidelines or the work groups e-mail Robin Russel
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