Colorado Educator Talent Pool

About

The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) maintains a resource of emerging classroom leaders who are considered distinguished teachers and principals. These educators may be candidates for advisory boards, task forces and other recognition programs.

For 2025, we are requesting confidential recommendations of elementary level leaders, representing the very best of Colorado’s educators. These emerging leaders have a minimum of five years’ experience and a maximum of 15 years, demonstrate leadership beyond the classroom and who positively affect school culture and student achievement.

Candidates are building level personnel. They are typically classroom teachers and are recognized by peers and supervisors as unique in their growth. They may also be educators who are outstanding but have not received other recognitions of special interest.

We invite you to recommend distinguished classroom teachers and/or principals who have demonstrated each of the following:

• Exceptional educational talent as evidenced by effective and innovative instructional practices and student learning results in the classroom and school;
• Exemplary educational accomplishments and leadership beyond the classroom that provide models of excellence for the profession;
• Individuals whose contributions to education are largely unheralded yet worthy of the spotlight;
• Early- to mid-career educators who offer strong long-range potential for professional and policy leadership; and
• Engaging and inspiring presence that motivates and impacts students, colleagues and the community.

Note: For 2025, we are especially looking to expand the pool of early- to mid- career elementary and secondary teachers.

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Submission Process

Please complete the online recommendation form for each recommended individual and upload the items below. Note: the online recommendation form will not save works in progress. You may find it useful to compose your answers in the Talent Pool Recommendation planning document and copy them into the online form.

​Talent Pool Recommendation Planning Document (Word)

Talent Pool Recommendation Form

In addition to completing the recommendation form questions, please upload:

• a one-page letter explaining how this person meets the specified criteria; and
• the recommended educator’s most recent available résumé.