Dr. Celine Wicks Appointed to Colorado Educator Preparation Advisory Committee
Steamboat Springs, Colo. - Dr. Celine Wicks, the superintendent of the Steamboat Springs School District, was appointed to serve on the Colorado Educator Preparation Advisory Committee (CEPAC).
The eight-person committee will provide input on relevant topics related to educator preparation and educator quality, including authorization and reauthorization processes, new or revised educator preparation standards, strategies to better intersect and support Colorado schools, and ways to increase the educator talent pipeline that meets Colorado’s hiring needs, especially among underrepresented communities.
"I am truly honored to be part of this crucial initiative,” said Dr. Wicks. “I hope to leverage this opportunity to contribute meaningfully, striving to make a positive impact on educator quality and advocate for inclusive practices that benefit all communities in Colorado."
The committee was created as part of Senate Bill 23-258, passed in May 2023. The Colorado Department of Education convened the committee with representation from a variety of partner groups, including:
-
An urban school district;
-
A rural school district
-
A traditional educator preparation program;
-
An alternative educator preparation program;
-
A recent graduate from a Colorado educator preparation program that is currently teaching in a Colorado school;
-
The Colorado Department of Education;
-
The Department of Higher Education; and
-
The State Charter School Institute
The first CEPAC meeting took place in November 2023. The initial meetings will support developing the group norms, purpose, function, and background knowledge during the winter and early spring of the 2023-2024 school year. Current CEPAC members will inform the scheduling of future meetings to maximize opportunities for full group participation while addressing barriers to participation as much as possible.
Background on Senate Bill 23-258
All educator preparation programs in Colorado, both traditional and alternative, provide a route to ensure that all educators have a consistent, high-quality baseline of content competency and teaching skills. Colorado is one of only a handful of states in the nation with an educator preparation approval process that was the joint responsibility of a state department of education and a state department of higher education.
While Colorado's joint approval process allows for collaboration between the Department of Education and the Department of Higher Education, the bill consolidates responsibilities in a way that allows for continued collaboration and leads to greater transparency and efficiency for educator preparation programs.
###
Media contact:
Laura Milius, Director of Communications
lmilius@ssk12.org