Resources
- Colorado Legacy Schools
- Professional Learning
- Health & Wellness
- Next Generation Learning
- STEM
Strategic Reopening Collaborative Toolkit
During the spring and summer of 2020, CEI partnered with 10 Colorado school districts to develop an actionable and timely set of goals and strategies for re-entering school in the fall. With a focus on building a foundation of social-emotional wellness to enable high quality academic learning, theory and ideas were linked with practice during real-time planning processes. This toolkit revolves around four goals for re-entry that districts should be working toward (Address Inequities, Connect, Reassure & Inspire, and Assess...
Next Generation Learning Toolkit
Explore Colorado’s vision for next generation learning. The goal is to provide students with a solid foundation in academics and other 21st century outcomes such as managing time, collaborating with others, taking risks, learning from failure, and making decisions that contribute to communities. See how Colorado educators are improving learning environments to be personal and personalized; competency-based; co-created; safe and healthy; and time-, talent-, and technology-enabled. NGL-TOOLKIT_SinglePage Download the NGL Toolkit
All In: Using Advisory to Transform School Climate
Students who feel a positive connection with peers, teachers, and other adults in school are more likely to achieve academic success. Struggling students, who do not experience positive connections with others, often exhibit behavior that undermines their academic growth. At Pagosa Springs High School, a high-quality advisory structure connects students to adults and to each other in ways that are transforming school culture. Students and adults participate in team building activities, intramural competition, contributions of excellence, service learning, advisory...
School Accountability EdPapers
Read CEI’s Series of EdPapers Focused on School Accountability: The Nature of Accountability is Ready for Change A Grass Roots Approach to Rethinking Accountability Is Accountability Holding Back High School Transformation? Accountability in a Competency-Based System To Whom Are Schools Most Accountable?
Teacher Perception Survey Toolkit
The Colorado Education Initiative (CEI) worked closely with 16 partner districts during a pilot process for Colorado’s Teacher Perception Survey (TPS) to identify best practices regarding survey planning, administration, and reporting. This comprehensive toolkit compiles all of the lessons learned and best practices that were gathered from this diverse group of partners. How to use this toolkit: Start on the Implement tab and download the TPS planning guide for a comprehensive overview of the entire planning, administration, and results processes....
Rangeview High School: Creating Safe, Caring, Engaging Schools
Rangeview High School in Aurora, CO is empowering students and creating a safe, caring, and engaging environment. Check out this five minute video to learn about innovative approaches in school climate and celebrating diversity at Rangeview High School. Learn more about how this school promoted ways to recognize differences and how students are empowered to address issues that impact their lives. This student-led model provides opportunities for youth to teach other youth and facilitate conversations around equity and diversity....
Colorado Framework for School Behavioral Health
The Colorado Framework for School Behavioral Health Services melds a System of Care within a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). The Framework includes three models of service delivery for students with high behavioral health needs: 1.) Co-located services, where a district or school has a school-based health center that includes behavioral health and primary care 2.) A school-based therapist, where a therapist from the community comes to the district or school to deliver group and individual based therapy 3.) A...
Integrating Health and Wellness for Student Success: The Story of Archuleta School District
When Colorado students are living in poverty, come to school hungry, or feel unsafe, this affects their ability to learn. In Archuleta School District’s Pagosa Springs Middle School they believe in the strong connection between student learning and health and wellness. Educators have woven health and wellness into the fabric of the school with great results. Pagosa Springs Middle School was the 2015 Healthy School Champions Platinum Governor’s Award for School Health and Wellness winner. Check out this video...
Students as Change Agents: The Use of Student Perception Survey and Climate Data Facilitation Guide
Schools and districts throughout the country are beginning to use student perception surveys (SPSs) to gather data about how students are experiencing their schools, classrooms, and teachers. Dolores School District in Dolores, Colo., has taken the SPS to the next level by engaging their youth and using these data with students to explore their school culture and create student-driven plans to improve it. “I think it’s important for students to look at this data because if just the teachers and...
Students as Change Agents: The Use of Student Perception Survey and Climate Data Webinar
Schools and districts throughout the country are beginning to use student perception surveys (SPSs) to gather data about how students are experiencing their schools, classrooms, and teachers. Listen in as this webinar explains the work in Dolores School District as they engage their youth to explore their SPS data, climate, and culture, and subsequently create student-driven plans to improve it. This webinar accompanies the Students as Change Agents Facilitation Guide which provides all of the materials used by the Dolores School...
Students Mentoring Students (SMS)
At Poudre High School in Fort Collins, CO, students teach other students important lessons in diversity, equity, and social-emotional skills that not only create a more inclusive climate but impact academic achievement as well. Both schools are seeing positive change on school climate indicators and in student behavior, as well as reduced “F” rates for 9th grade students, lower drop-out rates, and higher graduation rates. These lessons are researched, practiced, taught, debriefed, and continually improved as the bulk of a...
Innovative Approaches in School Climate: Using Students as Agents of Change
Programs that focus on the whole student, building social and emotion skills, and addressing social, emotional health issues are the most promising in yielding positive social, emotional outcomes. These programs empower students to change culture from within, which leads to the ownership and buy-in that can transform the culture of an entire school. This presentation promotes innovative and promising approaches in school climate by highlighting the work of Poudre High School in Fort Collins, CO and Rangeview High School...
Student Perception Survey Toolkit
We know that teachers care about improving their instructional practice and their students. Historically, direct feedback from students has been not been included in the data available to improve instructional practice. In an effort to create an effective and reliable tool that makes it safe for teachers to experience relevant and actionable feedback from students, The Colorado Education Initiative (CEI) created Colorado’s Student Perception Survey (SPS). The survey was developed with input from over 1,400 teachers throughout Colorado and is grounded...
Working as a Consortium
“Bigger consortia with a truly shared goal may (counter-intuitively) come to a consensus more easily as compared to smaller groups, as the need to compromise is more clear to all partnering organizations.” Download PDF Within this document, you’ll learn the benefits and consideration of forming a consortia.
Improving Success for All Students: A Toolkit for Using Data Effectively
Districts across Colorado are creating cultures that use data in new and better ways to improve outcomes for students. These districts are providing tools and supports to students, parents, and educators to interpret, analyze, and use data to identify gaps, solve problems, differentiate instruction, and target areas of improvement. The Colorado Education Initiative (CEI) has gathered innovative practices from across the state and compiled them into a Data Use Toolkit, which profiles educators who are changing the way all...
Motivated Readers and Writers: Elementary Literacy Design Collaborative
What does Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC) look like in action? Watch fourth-grade students and teachers run through a module — and see kids who are interested and engaged in reading and writing. “The thing that I’m most excited about with this module is that all of my kids felt successful. I had no reluctant writers. There was no one that didn’t know how to go through the writing process,” said Linda Crocker, fourth-grade teacher, Ponderosa Elementary School, Loveland, Colorado. LDC...
How to Build AP Programs that Excel
How to Build AP Programs that Excel: Best Practices for School Leaders FACILITATE extended learning opportunities for students. Develop AP-specific peer tutoring (bring in members of the private sector and higher ed). Ensure AP teachers have access to the building outside of school hours. Develop an AVID to AP pipeline. SUPPORT Saturday Study Sessions. Arrange transportation. Post signs. Make regular announcements. RECRUIT students. Specifically address AP at class meetings and recruitment fairs (feel free to invite us!). Advertise AP in...
How Colorado Legacy Schools Can Help Your Student
“Students who earn qualifying scores on AP exams are three times more likely to graduate from college than students who do not take AP classes.” Download PDF Download Spanish PDF Above is an informational flyer for parents with details on the Colorado Legacy Schools Initiative and how it can help your student. English and Spanish version available.
Designing Community Partnerships to Expand Student Learning Toolkit
Community Partnerships Matter — This Toolkit Can Help Community partnerships are one of the best ways to create next generation learning environments that expand learning time, engage students, and energize the school community. They bring real-world learning to students — by learning code from parent volunteers who work in high tech; by building rockets with an engineering and architectural firm; or by taking a baking class with a local pastry chef to learn about food science, local agriculture, and...
Navigating Change
NavigatingChange This Navigating Change tool from The Colorado Education Initiative (CEI) is for anyone leading or managing an individual, small-group, or large-group change process. It maximizes the power of conversation by meeting people where they are in the change process — and moving them toward sustainable change. How to Use This Tool How leaders choose to manage change is crucial. This tool can help determine where people are in the change process based on what you’re seeing and...
Reimagining Human Capital to Support Expanded Learning Time
In 2011-2012, The Colorado Education Initiative partnered with four Colorado School districts that were committed to thinking creatively about their school calendar and use of time to build a stronger school day and year. The enclosed information provides a snapshot of what they did, what they learned, and what they achieved as it relates to the ELO Vision Element: Reimagine Human Capital. This interactive guide shares resources created by these districts and their partners, and provides various examples of opportunities...
Youth Engagement
Youth engagement is a critical component in creating a supportive environment for social and emotional wellness and academic growth for students. This page serves as a resource for schools seeking to develop and maintain a successful youth engagement effort. Youth engagement is a powerful approach to improving policies, programs and practices related to youth. What does youth engagement mean? Meaningful youth engagement occurs when young people are involved in responsible, challenging actions to create positive social change. This means involving...
School Retool: Small Hacks for Big Change
Colorado school leaders are redesigning their school cultures with small, scrappy experiments called “hacks.” See what they’re learning in School Retool — a unique fellowship that helps educators deliver on Colorado’s vision for next generation learning, which lets students connect with the larger world; learn about careers; work on solving social problems; and develop skills they need to be happy, healthy, and productive adults. Gaining Momentum in Fort Collins When Poudre High School Principal Kathy Mackay signed up for CEI’s first School Retool, a...
STEM Education Roadmap
Vision for STEM Education in Colorado Colorado will be the most innovative state in the country in growing a local talent pipeline by ensuring all learners have the STEM education and experiences needed to succeed in an innovation economy. Theory of Change for STEM Education in Colorado If Colorado… Builds community awareness and support for STEM, and fully coordinates and aligns STEM policies, practices, and partners to increase student interest, participation, and achievement in STEM Focuses on ensuring all students...
Creating Youth Advisory Councils
This resource was developed by adults and youth to: Provide a “how-to” guide for starting a youth advisory council Share resources and lessons learned Empower and inspire schools and districts to develop youth engagement opportunities This guide is for elementary, secondary, and district-level councils. KPCO_CreatingYouthAdvisoryCouncilsToolKit_April2018 Youth advisory councils create an opportunity to build leadership skills for youth and can focus on an endless number of topics. However, the topic of health can be a conduit to a broader...