HB 23-1231

Abstract

The bill requires the department of education (department), by January 2024, to make available free optional trainings in evidence-based evidence-informed practices in mathematics, including a training specifically designed for elementary school educators and a training specifically designed for secondary school mathematics educators. Each training must include interventions to help students who are below grade level or struggling in mathematics, children with disabilities, and students who are English language learners. The training is available to relevant staff of school districts, related administrative units, district charter schools, institute charter schools, boards of cooperative services, and community-based organizations. School district boards of education and institute charter schools are strongly encouraged to adopt procedures for schools to provide support to students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade and students' families to improve mathematics outcomes. Procedures may include: Identifying students who are below grade level or struggling in mathematics based on academic assessments; Notifying the parents, guardians, or legal custodians if a student is below grade level or struggling in mathematics; Providing parents, guardians, or legal custodians with a list of interventions and acceleration strategies to assist with mathematics at home, including any state-approved curriculum options state-advisory list of curricula , referrals for mathematics tutoring, or other intervention opportunities, when applicable; Publishing mathematics curricula annually, including supplemental curricula or interventions; and Implementing train-the-trainer or train-the-parent framework plans to improve mathematics achievements for students. The bill creates the Colorado academic accelerator grant program (grant program). The purpose of the grant program is to create community learning centers that: Provide opportunities for academic enrichment and support activities during nonschool hours, periods when school is not in session, or during extended learning hours, including tutorial services; and Offer families of students opportunities for engagement in students' education, including opportunities for mathematics literacy and related educational development. Eligible entities that apply to the grant program are selected for a grant that runs for a period of 3 years. The department shall prioritize eligible entities that: Adopt intervention strategies; Use evidence-informed and evidence-based programs that build student skills in STEM and mathematics; Use digital math accelerator programs; Serve high-needs students, as determined by the department; or Have an established presence and relationship in the community ; and Have demonstrated in the application how the eligible entity will meet the needs of diverse student populations. The bill requires school districts, public schools, the state charter school institute, and institute charter schools that are on an improvement plan, priority improvement plan, or a turnaround plan to identify strategies to address the needs of students who are below grade level or struggling in mathematics and set or revise, as appropriate, ambitious but attainable targets that the public school shall attain in reducing the number of students who are below grade level or struggling in mathematics to increase the number of students who achieve grade-level expectations in mathematics. The bill amends the ninth-grade success grant program and requires the department to prioritize applicants that propose programming focused on evidence-based evidence-informed mathematics skills , acceleration strategies, and intervention strategies, including a focus on students who are below grade level or struggling in mathematics and have academic achievement levels in mathematics that are consistently ranked the lowest for public high schools in the state, as determined by the department. The bill includes a requirement that elementary and secondary school mathematics teacher candidates of educator preparation programs candidates for an elementary education endorsement, a middle school mathematics endorsement, or a secondary mathematics endorsement be trained in evidence-based evidence-informed practices in mathematics, including interventions to help students who are below grade level or struggling in mathematics, children with disabilities, and students who are English language learners. The bill includes developmentally appropriate early numeracy as part of the continuing professional development requirements for teachers employed by a preschool provider. The department of early childhood shall include developmentally appropriate early numeracy as a subject matter area in the resource bank of preschool curricula for use by preschool providers.The bill makes an appropriation to the department. (Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.) (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)