Welcome to the CTE Gateway! We know the Gateway can be difficult to navigate for the new, or even the experienced user. Please consult these FAQs for answers to your questions. If you still don’t find the information you’re looking for, please contact the CTE Gateway team at cte@cccs.edu or submit a ticket at CTE Gateway Support Form

GENERAL QUESTIONS

The Gateway is the repository for all past and present CTE educators, administrators, and programs in the state of Colorado. We also collect documentation to disburse funds from the Perkins grant and Career and Technical Act (CTA) funds.

In the Gateway, users can view, access, and update academic programs and user accounts for their district or college, according to their permissions. The Gateway is also where districts and colleges submit grant applications and requests for funds from the Career and Technical Act (secondary only), and update their teachers and learners each year.

Your power user will need to create an account for you. Once that’s done, you’ll need to go to the Gateway at https://ColoradoCTE.com , click the Forgot Your Password? button and type in your work email. You should receive an email with a reset link. Reset your password and log in. You will see a screen with a QR code to set up Two-Factor Authentication, detailed below.  You may reach a page with a mountain goat and a message that says, “Nothing to See Here, Go Home.” Click Go Home. It may ask you to log in again, and if you log in a few times it should go through. If you’re having difficulty, try clearing your browser history, or switching to another browser. If that still doesn’t work, please contact the Gateway team at cte@cccs.edu and we can get you access.

The Gateway requires two-factor authentication to log in. You’ll need your email and password, and you’ll also need an authentication code. Before logging in for the first time, you’ll need to install the Microsoft Authenticator app on your phone. Please ensure that you’re using the free Microsoft authenticator; the logo is a blue padlock with a blue person inside. Open the app, and you should see a screen to add an account. If there is a plus sign at the top right, click that plus sign. You should see options for a Personal, Work or school, or Other account. Select Other. At that point, your camera should open. Scan the QR code on the computer with your camera, and then click Continue on the computer. You should have a six-digit code on your phone, to enter into the field on the computer. The code resets every thirty seconds, so if you have less than about 15 seconds, you’ll want to let it reset.

First, verify the URL: https://ColoradoCTE.com . If that’s correct, also ensure that you’re using the Microsoft Authenticator app; a logo of a blue padlock with a blue person inside.

Next, try clearing your browser history, or try another browser. Firefox and Microsoft Edge are both better than Chrome, and Incognito is always an option. If you still can’t get in, please submit a ticket at CTE Gateway Support Form

UNIVERSAL CONTACTS

Each district and college needs to designate a power user. This individual is the person who can add, change, or inactivate accounts in Universal Contacts, including permissions. The power user will also receive important emails about deadlines, upcoming training, and other time-sensitive information. It is up to each district and college to decide who this person will be.

The power user for each district or college is the person who can add, change, or inactivate accounts in Universal Contacts, including permissions. The power user will also receive important emails about deadlines, upcoming training, and other time-sensitive information. If your district or college needs to assign a new power user, please submit the following:

Send a letter via e-mail to cte@cccs.edu, on District or College letterhead, with the following contact information:

  • Name of the previous primary contact (this is currently the Perkins contact)
  • Name of the new primary CTE contact
  • Title of the new primary CTE contact
  • School mailing address for the new primary CTE contact
  • School e-mail address for the new primary CTE contact
  • Business phone number and fax number for the new primary CTE contact.
  • Include a statement in your letter, indicating clearly that this user will be the district/institution’s primary contact for Colorado CTE, and whether we need to inactivate or just assign different permissions to the previous primary contact.

The letter must be signed by someone at least one supervisory level above the new primary CTE contact or by the superintendent if the superintendent is taking over as the primary CTE contact. Unsigned letters will not be accepted. E-mails will continue to go to the old primary contact until this letter is received.

Only the power user can create a new account in Universal Contacts. Before doing so, please use the search box in Universal Contacts to verify that the user does not already have an account. Each user can only have one account for each district or college.  Use the Filter feature to the right of the search box to view only your own district or college.

To create a new user, start by logging into the Gateway and select Universal Contacts. At the top right-hand corner, click Create New Contact. This will open a new, empty record for you to complete. Please be sure to toggle “This user requires a login” to green and enter the user’s email if the user will need access to the Gateway. Also toggle any applicable credentials such as Teacher or CTE Specialist, and fill in the required information. Complete Personal, Address, and Contact Information.

Go to Add Districts and Schools (secondary) or Add Institutions and Departments (postsecondary), click the dropdown, and select your district/college. Be sure you click Add District/Institution. The information will not save if you neglect this step. Do the same under School/Department and be sure to click Add School/Department. Assign Programs Primary and/or CTA Supervisor if applicable. You cannot assign Perkins Primary to anyone; that must be done by an admin.

Continue to Assign Permissions and select the permissions which your new user should have. Select them one at a time and click Add.

When all required fields are complete, click Save Contact. If you’re missing anything, the record won’t save until that is fixed.

Only the power user can add or update a user in Universal Contacts. Power users can only update accounts for their own district or college. If the power user cannot make changes, please submit a help ticket.

If there is a mistake in an account in Universal Contacts, please do not create a new account for that user. Each user can only have one account for each district or college. Please submit a ticket for any of the following needs in Universal Contacts:

  • Login email needs to be changed
  • User has two or more accounts for the same district or college
  • Power user cannot update the account for a user in their district or college

The power user should be able to make any other needed updates.

PROGRAMS

Before creating a new program, check in the Gateway under Programs to ensure the program doesn’t already exist. Use the Filter feature to the right of the search box to narrow or expand your search.  Each district or college cannot have more than one program in a pathway at the same institution. If the existing program is inactive or expired, please submit a ticket for assistance at CTE Gateway Support Form

If there is no existing program:

  • Go to the Programs card on the dashboard and click New.
  • Select Program Level.
  • Select your district or college, and your school or department.
  • Enter your CIP code. If the program title does not autopopulate, please contact the CTE Gateway team for assistance. Please note, once a program is approved, the CIP code cannot be changed.
  • Click “Continue To General Information.”
  • Click the pencil in the General heading. Fill in all requested information. Click the O*NET toggle to green, then click “Save and Continue.”
  • Complete the rest of the program. Your program director is a good source if you have questions about any section, or you can contact the CTE Gateway team at CTE Gateway Support Form

New programs wishing to be approved for the current Academic Year must be submitted for approval by April 1 of that year.

An existing program can be revised or renewed.

Revisions can be done every 91 days. A revision is for edits to the currently approved instance of your program. Contact updates, adding courses, and revising information under the Assurances section are appropriate for a revision.

Renewals can be done within one year of the program’s expiration date and up to 120 days after the expiration, and must be completed if the program will be offered beyond its current approved time. Awards (postsecondary) can be added or removed when a program is in a state of renewal.

Programs wishing to be approved by June 30 of the current year for funding purposes must be submitted by May 15 of that year. Other requests such as revisions will be handled on a first-come, first-reviewed basis pending administrative capacity.

Each career pathway represented at your district or college will have a separate program. The program ID number will not change as long as the program is active. Each time the program is renewed, it will be assigned a new instance number. Previous instances are retained within the Gateway; however, only the most current active instance (generally the one with the highest instance number) is the valid instance.

Changes to a program can only be made if the current instance is in a state of renewal or revision. If your program is in this state and you can’t make changes, please submit a help ticket.

Each secondary program must have a postsecondary partner.  This demonstrates that there are opportunities for students to progress through a related sequence of content from middle school through postsecondary and into the workforce.  You can add a Program of Study to a program that is Under Development, or in a state of Revision or Renewal.  It’s advisable to contact the college and coordinate before selecting a Program of Study.  To add a Program of Study:

  • Open your program, and click the editing pencil next to Program of Study.
  • Click Add a Program of Study. A PoS partner does not have to be the nearest college.  Any college in the state can partner with any district.
  • Select the institution with whom you wish to partner.
  • Select the program in the same pathway as your program. There may be more than one suitable program.
  • Move the toggle at the right of the program to green.
  • Click Save Program of Study.

It is then up to the institution to approve your request.

DATA COLLECTION

Data Collection consists of three distinct aspects: student enrollment, student follow-up, and Active Teachers. Each of these has a separate deadline. Reminders will be sent to the power users in advance. Because of its ties to continued federal and state funding for CTE programs, it is critical that the data be timely, valid, complete, and reliable. Guidance documents for each aspect of data collection will be found on the submission page, and training sessions will be offered online for new users or those needing a refresher.

Data Collection can be accessed under the Data Collection card on the Gateway. Only users with Data Collection permission may access this section. An individual must have the DC Local – Student Record permission to update student enrollment and follow-up, and DC Local – Teacher Record to update teacher records. The user with the DC Local – Submission Approver permission will certify and submit the records once complete.

Each district and college is required to report student enrollment data for the academic year just past. Enrollment submission opens on May 1st for all education levels and closes on July 31st for secondary districts and August 31st for postsecondary institutions. Once all enrollment data is entered, the user with the DC Local – Submission Approver permission will certify and submit the records.

Each district and college is required to report follow-up data for the period corresponding between December 15 and March 31st for students flagged as CTE concentrators at the secondary level and CTE completers at the postsecondary level who completed their programming in the prior academic year. Once all follow-up data is entered, the user with the DC Local – Submission Approver permission will certify and submit the records. All follow-up data must be submitted by March 31.

Each district and college is required to report information on CTE instructors who were actively teaching during the period September 15th through September 1st of the given academic year. All Active Teacher data is due on August 31.

PERKINS GRANT

“The purpose of this Act is to develop more fully the academic knowledge and technical and employability skills of secondary education students and postsecondary education students who elect to enroll in” CTE (Section 2 of the Perkins Act) by:

  • Developing challenging CTE standards (academic & technical) to prepare the future workforce
  • Better linking secondary & postsecondary CTE programming
  • Improving CTE in each state
  • Promoting partnerships between education, industry, and workforce investment boards, and other partners
  • Providing opportunities for every learner to access lifelong learning to keep the US competitive
  • Serving special populations & working toward increased opportunities for these populations
  • Providing technical assistance at the federal and state levels

The Perkins grant provides funding to promote and advance CTE in Colorado schools. Each school district and college must reapply for Perkins funds each year, and the application must be submitted by September 30. Districts participating in a consortium will need to coordinate with the fiscal agent for their consortium. Award packets are released in the fall. If you need assistance, contact the CTE team at cte@cccs.edu or submit a ticket at CTE Gateway Support Form

To access your grant, go to the Grants card on the dashboard and search for your district, college, or consortium in the search box.  You can use the Filter feature to the right of the search box to narrow your search.

Career and Technical ACT (CTA)

The CTA statute, Article 8, Title 23 of the Colorado Revised Statutes, established that school districts conducting any course of career and technical education, approved by the State Board, are entitled to career and technical education program support from funds appropriated by the general assembly. The State delegated the responsibility for administrating CTA to CCCS.

CTA refunds a portion of the money that an eligible secondary district spends on CTE each academic year. Postsecondary institutions are not eligible for CTA funds. Eligible costs include:

  • Instructional Costs (including CTE Administrator and CTE specialist costs)
  • Equipment (costing $5,000 or greater per unit)
  • Supplies (costing less than $5,000 per unit)
  • Contracted Programs

An application must be submitted by September 1 of each year, detailing eligible costs.

To access your grant, go to the CTA Reporting card on the dashboard and search for your district, college, or consortium in the search box.  You can use the Filter feature to the right of the search box to narrow your search.

REPORTS

Reports consolidate the information in the Gateway into easily read formats. Viewable reports depend on your permissions. Available reports might include:

  • 5-year trends
  • Active programs
  • Approved programs
  • Expenses related to CTA
  • Data Collection for your district or college
  • Universal Contacts for your district or college

When searching for a report, ensure that your filters are set correctly.  If there’s a report you’re expecting to see that isn’t showing, try removing all filters at the top of the page to see if that resolves the problem.  Your power user may also be able to provide the needed information. If not, please contact the CTE Gateway team.