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Colorado Commissioner of Education

From Ballotpedia
Colorado Commissioner of Education

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General information
Office Type:  Nonpartisan
Office website:  Official Link
Compensation:  $300,684
2025 FY Budget:  $7,805,228,556
Term limits:  None
Structure
Length of term:   Serves as the pleasure of the Board of Education
Authority:  Colorado Revised Statutes, Section 22-2-110
Selection Method:  Appointed by the Colorado Board of Education
Current Officeholder(s)

Colorado Commissioner of Education Susana Cordova
Nonpartisan
Assumed office: June 26, 2023

Other Colorado Executive Offices
Governor •Lieutenant Governor •Secretary of State •Attorney General •Treasurer •Controller •Commissioner of Education •Agriculture Commissioner •Insurance Commissioner •Natural Resources Exec. Director •Labor Executive Director •Public Utilities Commission •Colorado State Board of Regents

TheColorado Commissioner of Education is a state executive position in the Colorado state government. The commissioner is the chief state school officer and executive officer of the department of education.[1] The commissioner is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Colorado Board of Education.

Current officeholder

The current Colorado Commissioner of Education isSusana Cordova (nonpartisan). Cordova assumed office in 2023.

Authority

The office of superintendent is established by Colorado law as executive officer of the state department of education.[2]

Colorado Revised Statutes, Section 22-2-110

(1) The commissioner of education shall be the chief state school officer and executive officer of the department of education.

Qualifications

By law, commissioners must have demonstrated personal and professional leadership, preferably in the administration of public education, and must possess an advanced degree, preferably in education.[2]

Colorado Revised Statutes, Section 22-2-110

(4) The person appointed to the office of commissioner of education by the state board pursuant to subsection (2) of this section shall, at a minimum, satisfy the following professional qualifications.
(a) The person shall have demonstrated personal and professional leadership success, preferably in the administration of public education; and
(b) The person shall possess an earned advanced degree, preferably in education or educational administration awarded from a regionally or nationally accredited college or university.

Appointments

Commissioners of education are appointed by the Colorado Board of Education and serve at its pleasure.[2]

Colorado Revised Statutes, Section 22-2-110

(2) The commissioner shall be appointed by the state board, serve at the pleasure of the board, and receive such compensation as may be determined by the board.

Term limits

This office does not have term limits.

Vacancies

There is no particular procedure for dealing with vacancies in the office of commissioner.

Duties

The commissioner oversees the Colorado Department of Education (CDE), the administrative arm of the Colorado State Board of Education, which makes policy for the state's public schools. The CDE's official website lists its main responsibilities as follows:[3]

“
  • Supervising many aspects of school administration, including teacher licensing, school transportation, school nutrition, special education, and early childhood education;
  • Administering--and distributing funds for--a number of federal and state educational programs, centering on issues such as student literacy, technology, school reform and the prevention of at- risk behavior, to name a few;
  • Administering the state's library system, as well as all adult education efforts that don't fall under the supervision of Colorado's higher education system. The commissioner of education is the ex officio state librarian.
  • Providing consultation services on education issues to administrators and educators throughout the state;
  • Overseeing school finance and audits the distribution of education funds;
  • Developing new educational policies;
  • Acting as a link between school districts and state and federal legislators;
  • Accumulating, evaluating, and making public Colorado education data and information.[4]
”

Divisions

As of January 12, 2021, divisions within the Department of Education included:[5]

  • Field Services
  • Communications
  • Information Management Services
  • Assessment
  • Student Learning
  • School Quality & Support
  • School Finance and Operations
  • Educator Talent
  • Deputy Commissioner

State budget

See also:Colorado state budget and finances

The budget for the Colorado Department of Education in the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year was $7,805,228,556.[6]

Compensation

The commissioner's compensation is determined by the state board of education.

2023

In 2023, the officer's salary was $300,684, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[7]

2022

In 2022, the officer's salary was $291,924, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[8]

2021

In 2021, the commissioner received a salary of $283,416, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[9]

2020

In 2020, the commissioner received a salary of $283,416 according to theCouncil of State Governments.[10]

2019

In 2019, the commissioner received a salary of $262,656 according to theCouncil of State Governments.[11]

2018

In 2018, the commissioner received a salary of $255,000 according to theCouncil of State Governments.[12]

2017

In 2017, the commissioner received a salary of $245,688 according to theCouncil of State Governments.[13]

2016

In 2016, the commissioner’s salary was increased to $245,688 according to theCouncil of State Governments.[14]

2015

In 2015, the commissioner received a salary $225,000 according to theCouncil of State Governments.[15]

2014

In 2014, the commissioner received a salary of$225,000 according to theCouncil of State Governments.[16]

2013

In 2013, the commissioner received a salary of$225,000 according to theCouncil of State Governments.[17]

2011

In 2011, the commissioner received a salary of$223,860 according to theCouncil of State Governments.[18]

Historical officeholders

There have been 18 Colorado Commissioners of Education since 1950.

List of officeholders from 1950-Present
#NameTenure
1Nettie S. Freed1950-1951
2J. Burton Vasche1951-1952
3Burtis E. Taylor (Interim)1952-1953
4H. Grant Vest1953-1959
5John H. Swenson (Interim)1959-1960
6Byron W. Hansford1960-1971
7E. Dean Coon (Interim)1971
8Donald D. Woodington1971-1973
9Calvin M. Frazier1973-1987
10William T. Randall1988-1997
11Richard A. Laughlin (Interim)1997
12William J. Moloney1997-2007
13Dwight D. Jones2007-2010
14Robert Hammond2010 - 2015
15Elliott Asp (Interim)2015
16Richard Crandall2016
17Katy Anthes2016-2023
18Susana Cordova2023-Present

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the termsColorado Education Commissioner. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Contact info

Physical address:
201 East Colfax Ave.
Denver, CO 80203
Phone: (303) 866-6600
Fax: (303) 830-0793

See also

ColoradoState Executive ElectionsNews and Analysis
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External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑Colorado Revised Statutes, "22-2-110," accessed January 12, 2021
  2. ↑2.02.12.2Colorado Revised Statutes, "22-2-110," accessed January 12, 2021
  3. ↑Colorado Department of Education, "CDE's Tasks and Responsibilities," accessed January 12, 2021
  4. ↑Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  5. ↑Colorado Department of Education, "Organizational Structure," accessed January 12, 2021
  6. ↑Colorado General Assembly, "Appropriations Report Fiscal Year 2024-25," accessed January 15, 2025
  7. ↑Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 15, 2025
  8. ↑Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
  9. ↑Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
  10. ↑Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2020," accessed January 12, 2021
  11. ↑Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2019," accessed January 12, 2021
  12. ↑Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2018," accessed January 12, 2021
  13. ↑Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2017," accessed January 12, 2021
  14. ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
  15. ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
  16. ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed November 14, 2014
  17. ↑The Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2013, Table 4.11," accessed February 2, 2014
  18. ↑The Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2010 -- Table 4.11," accessed July 15, 2011
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