C.R.S. § 22-52-103 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 52 / Section 22-52-103
22-52-103. Eligible schools
Status: in_force

22-52-103. Eligible schools. (1) Any of the following schools are eligible to apply to the department of education to participate in the second chance program:

(a) Public schools located in school districts that have a dropout rate above the statewide average dropout rate;

(b) Public schools in districts contiguous to districts specified in paragraph (a) of this subsection (1);

(c) Public schools offering vocational, technical, or adult education programs;

(d) Schools operated by boards of cooperative services;

(e) A community college.

(2) As a condition of continued participation in the second chance program, an eligible school shall provide to the school district in which it is located an accurate monthly report on each eligible student's attendance and performance.
C.R.S. § 22-95.5-204 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 95.5 / Part 2 / Section 22-95.5-204
22-95.5-204. Department of education reporting requirements
Status: in_force

22-95.5-204. Department of education reporting requirements. In its annual report before the house and senate committees of reference pursuant to section 2-7-203, the department shall include information describing the grants awarded through the grant program during the preceding year.
C.R.S. § 22-81-204 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 81 / Part 2 / Section 22-81-204
22-81-204. Science and technology education center grants advisory board - created - duties
Status: repealed

22-81-204. Science and technology education center grants advisory board - created - duties - repeal. (Repealed)
C.R.S. § 22-32-131 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 32 / Section 22-32-131
22-32-131. Voter approval of repayment of loans for capital improvements made to a growth d
Status: in_force

22-32-131. Voter approval of repayment of loans for capital improvements made to a growth district. (1) The board of education of a growth district, as defined in section 22-2-125 (1)(b), at any regular biennial school election or special election, may submit to the eligible electors of the growth district:

(a) The question of whether the growth district may repay any loan made pursuant to section 22-2-125 over a period exceeding one budget year; or

(b) The question of whether the growth district may repay any loan made pursuant to article 15 of title 23, C.R.S., over a period exceeding one budget year.

(2) Any question submitted pursuant to subsection (1) of this section may be combined with a question submitted by the growth district pursuant to section 22-40-110 at the same election.

(3) Any special election called pursuant to this section shall be held on the general election day in each even-numbered year or on the first Tuesday in November of each odd-numbered year and shall be conducted pursuant to the provisions of articles 1 to 13 of title 1, C.R.S.
C.R.S. § 22-60.5-214 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 60.5 / Part 2 / Section 22-60.5-214
22-60.5-214. Teacher and special services professional standards board - creation - membershi
Status: repealed

22-60.5-214. Teacher and special services professional standards board - creation - membership - repeal. (Repealed)
C.R.S. § 22-30.5-301 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 30.5 / Part 3 / Section 22-30.5-301
22-30.5-301. Legislative declaration
Status: in_force

22-30.5-301. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly hereby finds that section 2 of article IX of the state constitution requires the general assembly to provide for the establishment and maintenance of a thorough and uniform system of free public schools. The state therefore has an obligation to ensure that every student has a chance to attend a school that will provide an opportunity for a quality education. If a school is not providing a thorough and adequate education, as determined by the annual performance review conducted by the department pursuant to section 22-11-210, the state has an obligation to the students enrolled in that school to make changes to ensure that they have an opportunity to receive a quality education comparable to students in other public schools in the state.

(2) Therefore, the general assembly finds it necessary to establish a system for independent charter schools to operate within local school buildings when school districts have failed to provide adequate educational opportunities.
C.R.S. § 22-41-108 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 41 / Section 22-41-108
22-41-108. Transfer of records
Status: in_force

22-41-108. Transfer of records. On July 1, 1973, the state board of land commissioners shall deliver to the state treasurer all records relating to investments of the public school fund made by the board.
C.R.S. § 22-44-117 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 44 / Part 1 / Section 22-44-117
22-44-117. Budget - minimum content
Status: repealed

22-44-117. Budget - minimum content. (Repealed)
C.R.S. § 22-82.7-107 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 82.7 / Section 22-82.7-107
22-82.7-107. No individual entitlement
Status: in_force

22-82.7-107. No individual entitlement. (1) Nothing in this article shall be interpreted to create a legal entitlement in any participant to assistance provided pursuant to the program.

(2) The department in administering the program and a school food authority or a facility school in implementing the program may not create and shall not be deemed to create a legal entitlement in any participant to assistance provided pursuant to the program.
C.R.S. § 22-36-107 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 36 / Section 22-36-107
22-36-107. Inbound active duty military families - school enrollment - registration - legis
Status: in_force

22-36-107. Inbound active duty military families - school enrollment - registration - legislative declaration - definitions. (1) (a) The general assembly finds and declares that:

(I) Active duty military families make significant sacrifices in order to keep our country safe;

(II) These sacrifices often include frequent moves to military installations across the country and the world;

(III) As a result of frequent moves, children of military families may attend several different schools over the course of their elementary and secondary school education;

(IV) These frequent moves are especially difficult for military families with children who have special educational needs;

(V) The ability of military families to find the best schools for the needs of their children and to transition children to new school environments is further hindered when permanent change in station orders are not received prior to the close of school choice enrollment for many public schools; and

(VI) Furthermore, active duty military members who are required to live on a department of defense installation are not able to move into the geographic area assigned to the schools of their choice, making the opportunity to participate in open enrollment more critical.

(b) Therefore, the general assembly declares that it is the policy of the state to make the school enrollment process in Colorado, including school choice enrollment, more accessible for active duty military families.

(2) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) "Charter school" means a charter school authorized by a school district pursuant to part 1 of article 30.5 of this title 22 or an institute charter school authorized by the state charter school institute pursuant to part 5 of article 30.5 of this title 22.

(b) "Inbound active duty military member" means an active duty military member who receives new orders, or a command letter issued in lieu of orders, for a permanent change of station to a department of defense military installation within the state of Colorado.

(c) "School district" means a school district, other than a local college district, organized and existing pursuant to law.

(3) (a) Each school district and each charter school shall permit an inbound active duty military member to use the school liaison office address for the military installation to which the inbound active duty military member is or will be assigned:

(I) To apply for open enrollment in a school district school or program; and

(II) To enroll a child in a charter school and to apply for open enrollment in a charter school.

(b) The school district or charter school shall not require additional documentation of a child's Colorado address to apply for open enrollment.

(c) A school district, including a school district school or program, or a charter school shall allow an inbound active duty military member to submit applications for enrollment or open enrollment by electronic means and to register a child remotely, without requiring the child, the parent or legal guardian of the child, or another person to appear physically or by proxy at a location within the state for registration. If required, the inbound active duty military member must be allowed to provide proof of residency within the school district and records of disciplinary actions within ten days after the child's attendance in the school district or charter school. The school district school or program or charter school shall allow the child of an inbound active duty military member the same opportunity to request school assignments, register for courses, or apply for the same courses offered to students who are already present in the state.

(d) Nothing in this section requires an inbound active duty military member to use the school liaison office address for the military installation or to have permanent change of station orders or a command letter in lieu of orders prior to enrolling in or participating in open enrollment if such address, order, or letter would not otherwise be required for enrollment or open enrollment.

(e) The school district school or program or charter school in which the child of an inbound active duty military member is open enrolled shall grant guaranteed automatic matriculation while the child remains in the school district school or program, school district, or charter school. A school district or charter school shall grant guaranteed automatic matriculation to the next grade, even if the next grade is in a different school level or school building, in the same manner guaranteed automatic matriculation is provided to resident students. The school district school or program, school district, or charter school shall grant priority preference for the younger siblings of that child for purposes of enrolling in subsequent school years.
C.R.S. § 22-30.5-308 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 30.5 / Part 3 / Section 22-30.5-308
22-30.5-308. Independent charter schools - employee options - financing options - guidelines
Status: in_force

22-30.5-308. Independent charter schools - employee options - financing options - guidelines. (1) The provisions of section 22-30.5-111 shall apply to employees of an independent charter school.

(2) The provisions of section 22-30.5-112 shall govern the financing of independent charter schools.
C.R.S. § 22-82.9-105 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 82.9 / Part 1 / Section 22-82.9-105
22-82.9-105. Program funding
Status: repealed

22-82.9-105. Program funding. (1) For each fiscal year, the general assembly shall make an appropriation by separate line item in the annual general appropriation bill to allow school food authorities to provide lunches at no charge for children in state-subsidized early childhood education programs administered by public schools or in kindergarten through twelfth grade participating in the school lunch program who would otherwise be required to pay a reduced price for lunch and to offset the costs incurred by a facility school in providing lunch to students who are placed in the facility and are eligible to participate in the school lunch program. The appropriation to the department for the program must be in addition to any appropriation made by the general assembly pursuant to section 22-54-123 or 22-54-123.5 (1). The department may expend not more than two percent of the money annually appropriated for the program to offset the direct and indirect costs incurred by the department in implementing the program pursuant to this part 1.

(1.5) Repealed.

(2) The department is authorized to seek and accept gifts, grants, and donations from public and private sources for the purposes of this part 1, but receipt of gifts, grants, and donations are not a prerequisite to the implementation of the program.

(3) To the extent permitted by law, the department may, at its discretion, direct other moneys to fund the program.
C.R.S. § 22-23-103 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 23 / Section 22-23-103
22-23-103. Definitions
Status: in_force

22-23-103. Definitions. As used in this article, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) "Migrant agricultural worker" means any person engaged in agricultural labor in this state who is residing in a school district which is not his regular domicile during the performance of such agricultural labor.

(2) "Migrant children" or "migrant child" means any child of school age who is in the custody of migrant agricultural workers, regardless of whether they are his parents.

(3) "State board" means the state board of education.
C.R.S. § 22-2-404 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 2 / Part 4 / Section 22-2-404
22-2-404. Facility schools board - created - membership
Status: in_force

22-2-404. Facility schools board - created - membership. (1) There is created the facility schools board to adopt curriculum standards and set graduation requirements for facility schools and to collaborate with and advise the office. The facility schools board consists of seven members appointed by the state board as set forth in this section. The state board shall appoint the initial members of the facility schools board on or before November 1, 2008. The facility schools board is a type 1 entity, as defined in section 24-1-105, and exercises its powers and performs its duties and functions under the department of education.

(2) The state board shall appoint the members of the facility schools board as follows:

(a) Two persons who represent school districts within Colorado, one of whom shall have expertise in special education;

(b) One person who represents state-level child placement agencies within Colorado;

(c) One person who represents county departments of human or social services within Colorado;

(d) Two persons who represent facilities within Colorado; and

(e) One person who represents students who receive educational services provided by facility schools in Colorado. The state board may choose a person who, as a child, received educational services provided by a facility school or who is a parent of a student who is receiving or formerly received educational services provided by a facility school.

(3) (a) In appointing the members of the facility schools board, the state board shall seek to ensure that the membership of the facility schools board collectively has expertise in the areas of:

(I) Curriculum and assessment;

(II) Educating students who are placed in facilities;

(III) Mental health;

(IV) Special education services; and

(V) School finance.

(b) The state board shall ensure that members of the facility schools board are representative of the various geographic areas of the state and are representative of the ethnic and racial diversity and gender balance within the state.

(4) Members of the facility schools board shall serve three-year terms; except that, of the members initially appointed, two members shall serve one-year terms and two members shall serve two-year terms. The state board may reappoint a person to serve successive terms on the facility schools board.

(5) Members of the facility schools board shall serve without compensation but may receive reimbursement for reasonable travel expenses incurred in fulfilling their duties on the facility schools board. The department staff shall assist the facility schools board in performing its duties.
C.R.S. § 22-33-106.5 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 33 / Part 1 / Section 22-33-106.5
22-33-106.5. Information concerning offenses committed by students
Status: in_force

22-33-106.5. Information concerning offenses committed by students. (1) Upon adjudication or conviction of a person under the age of eighteen years for an offense specified in section 22-33-106 (1)(d), the adjudicating juvenile court or the convicting district court, whichever is applicable, shall notify the school district in which the person is enrolled that the person is subject to mandatory expulsion based on the adjudication or conviction.

(2) Upon adjudication or conviction of a person under the age of eighteen years for an offense that constitutes a crime of violence, as defined in section 18-1.3-406, C.R.S., or for an offense involving controlled substances, or, for a person under eighteen years of age but at least twelve years of age, for an offense that would constitute unlawful sexual behavior, as defined in section 16-22-102 (9), C.R.S., if committed by an adult the adjudicating or convicting court shall notify the school district in which the person is enrolled of the person's adjudication or conviction.
C.R.S. § 22-2-307 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 2 / Part 3 / Section 22-2-307
22-2-307. Data reporting requirements - interpretation of federal law - suspension
Status: in_force

22-2-307. Data reporting requirements - interpretation of federal law - suspension. (1) On or before October 1, 2009, and periodically thereafter, the state board shall review the rules for implementing the federal "Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974", 20 U.S.C. sec. 1232g, and shall adopt an interpretation of said act that will facilitate the exchange and sharing of student information to the greatest extent possible in compliance with the federal regulations for implementing said act. The state board shall consult with the EDAC in determining its interpretation of said act.

(2) The department shall periodically review its interpretation of federal regulations pertaining to education data collection and reporting and shall ensure that it takes into consideration the interpretations adopted by the departments of education in neighboring states.

(3) (a) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, in any year in which the general assembly does not appropriate moneys to implement a state program in which the department, a school district, the state charter school institute, or a public school was participating, any reporting requirements that are required under the provisions of the state program are suspended, and the department, school districts, the state charter school institute, and public schools need not comply with said reporting requirements; except that a participating school district, the state charter school institute if it is participating, or a participating public school shall comply with requirements to report information concerning the entity's participation in the state program during the period in which it was funded.

(b) For purposes of this subsection (3), "state program" means a program specifically created in state statute and for which the statute creating the program specifically provides funding to a participating school district, the state charter school institute, or a public school.
C.R.S. § 22-29-101 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 29 / Section 22-29-101
22-29-101. Legislative declaration
Status: in_force

22-29-101. Legislative declaration. The general assembly finds and declares that, while parents are the primary and most important moral educators of their children, such efforts should be reinforced in the school and community environments. The general assembly further finds that research indicating that core character qualities such as family support, community involvement, positive peer influence, motivation to achieve, respect for person and property, common courtesy, conflict resolution, integrity, honesty, fairness, a sense of civil and personal responsibility, purpose, and self-respect help give youth the basic interpersonal skills and attributes that are critical building blocks for successful relationships. The general assembly recognizes each school district's authority to exercise control over the specific instruction of students, yet also recognizes and hereby asserts a significant statewide interest in providing direction to school districts with regard to the character education of Colorado's youth. Therefore, the general assembly hereby encourages school districts to develop and strengthen character education instruction to students. By enacting this article, the general assembly acknowledges the importance of character development and encourages school districts, parents, and communities to work together to prepare youth for positive relationships in today's society.
C.R.S. § 22-9-103 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 9 / Section 22-9-103
22-9-103. Definitions
Status: in_force

22-9-103. Definitions. As used in this article 9, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) "Board of cooperative services" shall have the same meaning as provided in section 22-5-103 (2).

(1.1) "Council" means the state council for educator effectiveness established pursuant to section 22-9-105.5.

(1.4) "Department" means the department of education created pursuant to section 24-1-115, C.R.S.

(1.5) "Licensed personnel" or "licensed person" means a person who is employed to instruct students, to provide professional services to students in direct support of the education instructional program, or to administer, direct, or supervise the instructional program in a school in the state and who holds a valid license or authorization pursuant to article 60.5 of this title 22.

(2) "Local board of education" or "local board" means the board of education of the school district.

(2.5) "Performance standards" means the levels of effectiveness established by rule of the state board pursuant to section 22-9-105.5 (10).

(2.6) "Principal" means a person who is employed as the chief executive officer or an assistant chief executive officer of a school in the state and who administers, directs, or supervises the education program in the school.

(2.7) "Principal development plan" means a written agreement developed by a principal and district administration that outlines the steps to be taken to improve the principal's effectiveness. The principal development plan shall include professional development opportunities.

(2.9) "Quality standards" means the elements and criteria established to measure effectiveness as established by rule of the state board pursuant to section 22-9-105.5 (10).

(3) "School district" means any school district organized and existing pursuant to law but does not include a local college district.

(4) "State board" means the state board of education established by section 1 of article IX of the state constitution.

(5) "Teacher" means a person who holds an alternative, initial, or professional teacher license issued pursuant to the provisions of article 60.5 of this title and who is employed by a school district or a charter school in the state to instruct, direct, or supervise an education program.

(6) "Teacher development plan" means a written agreement mutually developed by a teacher and his or her principal that outlines the steps to be taken to improve the teacher's effectiveness. The teacher development plan may include but need not be limited to consideration of induction and mentorship programs, use of highly effective teachers as instructional leaders or coaches, and appropriate professional development activities.
C.R.S. § 22-2-104 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 2 / Part 1 / Section 22-2-104
22-2-104. Offices and positions - nature
Status: in_force

22-2-104. Offices and positions - nature. (1) As a matter of legislative determination, the offices of commissioner of education, assistant commissioners of education, and all positions of employment classified by the board as director, consultant, supervisor, or instructor are declared to be educational in nature and administrators of the department and not under the state personnel system in accordance with section 13 (2)(a)(VII) of article XII of the state constitution. The board may authorize the commissioner, as its designee, to classify positions of employment pursuant to this section.

(2) Any employee holding a position that was exempt from the state personnel system prior to January 1, 2017, may remain exempt from the state personnel system so long as the employee continues to hold that position.

(3) The board or the commissioner, as the designee of the board, shall determine which positions in the department meet the criteria set forth in subsection (1) of this section; except that a position shall not be determined to be exempt while it is held by an employee in the state personnel system.

(4) No later than December 31, 2017, and no later than December 31 of each year thereafter, the commissioner shall submit a report to the state personnel director, in the form prescribed by the director, listing all positions in the department that are exempt from the state personnel system in accordance with this section.
C.R.S. § 22-105.5-101 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 105.5 / Section 22-105.5-101
22-105.5-101. Short title
Status: in_force

22-105.5-101. Short title. The short title of this article 105.5 is the "Out-of-School Time Program Grant Program Act".
C.R.S. § 22-32-110.7 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 32 / Section 22-32-110.7
22-32-110.7. Board of education - specific powers - drug testing
Status: in_force

22-32-110.7. Board of education - specific powers - drug testing. (1) The general assembly recognizes that the safety issues which face schools have changed in the recent past. The general assembly finds the safety of school children should be a priority of the state. The general assembly further finds the use of illegal drugs by employees of school districts who hold safety-sensitive positions could endanger the lives and safety of school children. The general assembly therefore authorizes school districts to create school safety programs, which may include drug testing of all personnel who apply for, transfer to, or are promoted to safety-sensitive positions. The program may also include drug testing of personnel in safety-sensitive positions if there is probable cause to believe the person is using illegal drugs.

(2) For each collective bargaining agreement entered into on or after April 16, 2001, with a union representing personnel in safety-sensitive positions, the collective bargaining agreement shall include drug testing policies for personnel who occupy safety-sensitive positions.

(3) Implementation of this section shall be within existing appropriations.

(4) For the purposes of this section, "safety-sensitive positions" means positions in which a single mistake can create imminent threat of serious harm to students or teachers.
C.R.S. § 22-37-106 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 37 / Section 22-37-106
22-37-106. Reporting
Status: repealed

22-37-106. Reporting. (Repealed)
C.R.S. § 22-54-104.6 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 54 / Section 22-54-104.6
22-54-104.6. Implementation of at-risk measure - working group - creation - department duties
Status: repealed

22-54-104.6. Implementation of at-risk measure - working group - creation - department duties - reports - legislative declaration - definitions - repeal. (1) (a) The general assembly finds and declares that implementing a new at-risk measure for identifying students who are at risk of below-average academic performance because of socioeconomic disadvantages or poverty will benefit Colorado students by:

(I) Ensuring that public schools are able to participate in universal free meals programs and reducing the paperwork and administrative burden on public schools participating in those programs;

(II) Identifying at-risk students directly through their participation in certain public benefit programs without the need to collect forms or other verification of eligibility, which often leads to the undercounting of students in the public schools that need resources to serve these students; and

(III) Recognizing factors beyond household income that place a student at risk of below-average academic performance.

(b) Therefore, it is the intent of the general assembly to create a working group convened by the commissioner of education to determine how to construct and implement the new at-risk measure for use in the state's public school funding formula.

(2) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) "Children's basic health plan" has the same meaning as set forth in section 25.5-8-103.

(b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of education appointed pursuant to section 1 of article IX of the state constitution.

(c) "Identified student percentage" means the percentage of a district's or institute charter school's student enrollment who are certified as eligible for free meals under the school lunch program based on documentation of benefit receipt or categorical eligibility as described in 7 CFR 245.6, or any successor regulations.

(d) "Medicaid" has the same meaning as "medical assistance" as set forth in section 25.5-4-103.

(e) "School lunch program" means the federal "Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act" created in 42 U.S.C. sec. 1751, et seq.

(3) Beginning in the 2025-26 budget year, there is created a new at-risk measure in the public school funding formula for identifying students who are at risk of below-average academic outcomes because of socioeconomic disadvantage or poverty. The new at-risk measure replaces the at-risk measure in effect for the 2024-25 budget year. The new at-risk measure is designed to allocate financial resources to public schools to serve the needs of at-risk students. The new at-risk measure includes:

(a) A district's or institute charter school's identified student percentage, supplemented by students identified through Colorado's participation in the demonstration project operated pursuant to 42 U.S.C. sec. 1758 (b)(15) for direct certification for children receiving benefits through medicaid and the children's basic health plan; and

(b) Student needs that are weighted based on at least five socioeconomic-status neighborhood factors, linked to each student's census block group.

(4) On or before August 15, 2022, the commissioner shall convene a working group to prepare for the implementation in the 2024-25 budget year of the new at-risk measure created in subsection (3) of this section.

(5) (a) The working group consists of staff of the departments of health care policy and financing and human services, appointed by the executive directors of those departments in consultation with the commissioner, and other members appointed by the commissioner pursuant to subsection (5)(b) of this section. Each appointing authority shall appoint working group members on or before August 1, 2022.

(b) The commissioner shall appoint members to the working group to provide representation for the following groups:

(I) Staff of the department of education;

(II) Staff of the state charter school institute;

(III) District chief financial officers or school finance directors;

(IV) Superintendents of districts;

(V) School principals and directors of charter schools;

(VI) School social workers or nurses;

(VII) Child welfare education liaisons;

(VIII) The education data advisory committee created in section 22-2-304;

(IX) A statewide organization that represents educators;

(X) A statewide organization that represents school district boards of education;

(XI) A statewide advocacy group for charter schools;

(XII) An advocacy organization that represents rural districts;

(XIII) A statewide organization that represents parents;

(XIV) A statewide organization that represents school nutrition service providers;

(XV) Advocacy groups for children in poverty;

(XVI) Advocacy groups working to end hunger in Colorado; and

(XVII) Any other groups with relevant qualifications or expertise.

(6) In appointing members to the working group, the commissioner shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that the membership reflects the geographic diversity of the state, including members from rural, urban, and suburban districts and charter schools, as well as large and small districts. The commissioner shall also ensure representation from districts that serve a high number of at-risk students under the current school funding formula.

(7) The commissioner, or a member appointed by the commissioner, shall serve as chair of the working group. Members of the working group serve without compensation and without reimbursement for expenses.

(8) The commissioner, in consultation with the executive directors of the departments of health care policy and financing and human services, may form issue subgroups, consisting of working group members and others with relevant experience or expertise, to consider the issues addressed by the working group.

(9) The working group shall address issues concerning the construction and implementation of the new at-risk measure created in subsection (3) of this section. Among other considerations, the construction and implementation of the new at-risk measure may include:

(a) Collecting the necessary data to implement the new at-risk measure, which may include consideration of a survey of available data, the level at which data is collected, data sharing and data links, student data privacy, and minimizing the burden of data collection;

(b) Developing the neighborhood socioeconomic-status index, including the determination of five or more index factors, which may include median household income, homeownership rate, the percentage of adults twenty-five years of age or older with a bachelor's degree or higher, the percentage of children who are fostered or raised by a nonparental relative, or the percentage of households where a non-English language is spoken;

(c) Once census blocks are assigned a socioeconomic-status index value, determining how a student's neighborhood socioeconomic-status index value should be incorporated into the at-risk measure and how it will impact students identified as part of the district's or institute charter school's identified student percentage;

(d) Determining the composition of at-risk factor funding based on the identification of students through the new at-risk measure and ensuring that at-risk factor funding is equitably distributed to improve academic outcomes for identified students;

(e) Determining how districts and institute charter schools will demonstrate that at-risk funding is being expended to serve students identified through the new at-risk measure and resulting at-risk factor funding;

(f) Determining the process for identifying students during the first year of implementation and the design and length of a hold-harmless provision for districts and charter schools;

(g) Conducting pre-implementation modeling and testing using actual student data for each district and charter school, if available;

(h) Considering the impact of the new at-risk measure on other programs that rely on or reference the identification of at-risk students pursuant to this article 54; and

(i) Any other issues deemed relevant by the commissioner.

(10) Not later than January 31, 2023, the commissioner shall submit a report to the legislative interim committee on school finance, the joint budget committee, and the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate, or any successor committees, including:

(a) A summary of the progress of the working group in resolving issues concerning the composition and implementation of the new at-risk measure and at-risk factor funding;

(b) Findings and recommendations of the working group for implementation of the new at-risk measure, including recommendations for any legislation necessary to implement the new at-risk measure, as well as financial resources needed to administer the new at-risk measure;

(c) A summary of any financial modeling of the new at-risk measure for individual districts or charter schools, if available; and

(d) An estimate of the impact of the new at-risk measure on the cost of total program funding.

(11) The department of education shall apply to the United States secretary of agriculture to participate in the demonstration project operated pursuant to 42 U.S.C. sec. 1758 (b)(15) for direct certification for children receiving medicaid benefits, with the intent that the demonstration project is implemented statewide to the extent allowable under federal law. If the state is selected to participate in the demonstration project, the department of education shall comply with all of the requirements of the demonstration project, including entering into an agreement with the department of health care policy and financing to establish procedures by which a student may be certified, without further application, as meeting the eligibility requirements for free or reduced-price meals pursuant to the national school breakfast program and the national school lunch program based on information collected by the department of health care policy and financing in implementing the medicaid program.

(11.3) The department of education shall collect data necessary to identify individual student census block groups.

(11.5) (a) In order to prepare for the implementation of the new at-risk measure for the 2024-25 budget year, the department of education shall conduct pre-implementation modeling and testing of the new at-risk measure. At a minimum, the department shall simulate 2024-25 budget year total program calculations, including the new at-risk measure recommended by the working group instead of the at-risk measure in effect for the 2023-24 budget year.

(b) Not later than January 5, 2024, the commissioner of education shall submit a report to the education committees of the senate and house of representatives, or any successor committees, and the joint budget committee, including:

(I) A summary of the outcomes of the modeling and testing using the new at-risk measure, and the anticipated effects on the cost of total program funding;

(II) An identification of issues encountered in the modeling and testing using the new at-risk measure; and

(III) Recommendations for any legislation necessary to implement the new at-risk measure for the 2024-25 budget year, as well as financial resources needed to administer the new at-risk measure.

(11.7) Pursuant to House Bill 22-1202, for the 2022-23 budget year, the general assembly appropriated one hundred sixty-three thousand three hundred thirty-eight dollars from the general fund for the purposes of this section. Any unexpended money remaining at the end of the 2022-23 budget year from this appropriation may be used by the department in the 2023-24 budget year without further appropriation for the purposes of this section.

(12) Subsections (4) to (11) of this section are repealed, effective July 1, 2025.
C.R.S. § 22-30.5-401 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 30.5 / Part 4 / Section 22-30.5-401
22-30.5-401. Short title
Status: in_force

22-30.5-401. Short title. This part 4 shall be known and may be cited as the "Charter School Facilities Financing Act".
C.R.S. § 22-5-117 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 5 / Section 22-5-117
22-5-117. Employment of teacher transferred from school district
Status: in_force

22-5-117. Employment of teacher transferred from school district. Any teacher transferred from employment in a school district which is a member of a board of cooperative services to employment in said board of cooperative services shall retain the employment status he had attained prior to his transfer to the board of cooperative services, including credit for years of service as a probationary teacher, as provided in article 63 of this title, in the school district from which he transferred.
C.R.S. § 22-7-1001 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 7 / Part 10 / Section 22-7-1001
22-7-1001. Short title
Status: in_force

22-7-1001. Short title. This part 10 shall be known and may be cited as the "Preschool to Postsecondary Education Alignment Act".
C.R.S. § 22-30.5-103 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 30.5 / Part 1 / Section 22-30.5-103
22-30.5-103. Definitions
Status: in_force

22-30.5-103. Definitions. As used in this part 1, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) "Alternative administrative unit" means the state charter school institute acting in accordance with section 22-30.5-105.3 as the administrative unit, pursuant to section 22-20-106 (1)(b), for a charter school authorized by a school district, a charter school network authorized and acting as an administrative unit pursuant to section 22-20-106 (1)(b), or a charter school collaborative authorized and acting as an administrative unit pursuant to section 22-20-106 (1)(b).

(1.3) "At-risk pupil" means a pupil who, because of physical, emotional, socioeconomic, or cultural factors, is less likely to succeed in a conventional educational environment.

(1.5) "Automatic waiver" means the waiver of a state statute or state board rule:

(a) That is included on the list of automatic waivers adopted by rule of the state board;

(b) That is available to each charter school, including an institute charter school, and is valid for the initial, or subsequent renewal, term of the charter contract; and

(c) For which a charter school, including an institute charter school, is not required to submit a statement that specifies the manner in which the charter school intends to comply with the intent of the automatically waived state statute or state board rule.

(2) "Charter school" means a public school that enters into a charter contract pursuant to the provisions of this part 1.

(3) "Department" means the department of education created pursuant to section 24-1-115, C.R.S.

(3.5) "Education management provider" means a nonprofit, not-for-profit, or for-profit entity that contracts with a charter school to provide, manage, or oversee all or substantially all of the educational services provided by the charter school. Education management provider does not include a charter school collaborative established pursuant to part 6 of article 30.5 of this title.

(4) "Local board of education" means the school district board of education.

(5) "Moratorium" means a school district's official policy of refusing to authorize charter schools and an ongoing pattern or practice of refusing to accept or review charter school applications.

(6) "Online pupil" means:

(a) For the 2007-08 budget year, a child who receives educational services predominantly through an online program or online school created pursuant to article 30.7 of this title.

(b) For the 2008-09 budget year, and for each budget year thereafter, a child who receives educational services predominantly through a multi-district online school, as defined in section 22-30.7-102 (9.5), created pursuant to article 30.7 of this title.

(6.5) "Private school" means a primary or secondary educational institution for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade or any portion thereof that may or may not have attained nonprofit status, that does not receive state funding through the "Public School Finance Act of 2025", article 54 of this title 22, and that is supported in whole or in part by tuition payments or private donations.

(6.6) "Pupil enrollment count day" has the same meaning as set forth in section 22-54-103 (10.5).

(6.7) "School food authority" means:

(a) A school district or the state charter school institute;

(a.3) A charter school collaborative formed pursuant to section 22-30.5-603;

(a.5) A board of cooperative services created pursuant to article 5 of this title that elects to operate as a school food authority pursuant to section 22-5-120; or

(b) A district charter school or an institute charter school that:

(I) The commissioner of education or his or her designee provisionally authorizes as a school food authority pursuant to section 22-32-120 (6); or

(II) The department of education authorizes as a school food authority pursuant to section 22-32-120 (5).

(7) "State board" means the state board of education.
C.R.S. § 22-11-105 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 11 / Part 1 / Section 22-11-105
22-11-105. Funding
Status: in_force

22-11-105. Funding. (1) The department is authorized to seek, accept, and expend public and private gifts, grants, and donations for the implementation of this article; except that the department shall not accept a gift, grant, or donation if it is subject to conditions that are inconsistent with this article or any other law of the state.

(2) The general assembly hereby declares that, for purposes of section 17 of article IX of the state constitution, implementation of an aligned education accountability system for public education pursuant to this section is an important element in implementing accountable education reform and accountable programs to meet state academic standards and may therefore receive funding from the state education fund created in section 17 (4) of article IX of the state constitution.

(3) The general assembly anticipates that the department may receive significant amounts of federal moneys that may appropriately be used to implement this article and strongly encourages the department to apply said federal moneys to the greatest extent possible in implementing this article.
C.R.S. § 22-32-109.5 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 32 / Section 22-32-109.5
22-32-109.5. Board of education - specific duties - testing requirements - developmental educ
Status: repealed

22-32-109.5. Board of education - specific duties - testing requirements - developmental education placement or assessment tests - intervention plans. (1) In carrying out its duties under section 22-32-109 (1)(t) in determining educational programs, if a board of education imposes any special proficiency test for graduation from the twelfth grade beyond the regular requirements for satisfactory completion of the courses and hours prescribed for graduation, the results of such tests shall be used by school districts to design regular or special classes to meet the needs of all children as indicated by overall test results. If a board determines to impose such a proficiency test, such test shall be given at least twice during each school year, and initial testing shall take place in the ninth grade.

(2) Any child who does not satisfactorily fulfill the requirements of a special proficiency test imposed under the provisions of subsection (1) of this section shall be provided with remedial or tutorial services during the school day in the subject area in which the test indicates deficiencies for graduation purposes. Such child shall be provided with these services from the time of the initial testing until such time as the results of the special proficiency test are satisfactory. Parents of children not satisfactorily fulfilling the requirements of a special proficiency test shall be provided with all special proficiency test scores for their child a minimum of once each semester.

(3) Repealed.

(4) (a) Each school district may administer to students enrolled in grades nine through twelve in the schools of the school district the developmental education placement or assessment tests that are administered to matriculated first-time freshman students pursuant to section 23-1-113. The school district may administer the tests to a student at any time and as often as it deems necessary while the student is enrolled in any of grades nine through twelve, but the department of education shall allocate money to each school district to offset the costs incurred in administering each of the test units only once per student while he or she is enrolled in those grades.

(b) If a school district chooses to administer the developmental education placement or assessment tests, each student's individual career and academic plan must include the scores achieved by the student on the developmental education placement or assessment tests and, based on an analysis of the scores, the student's level of postsecondary and workforce readiness at the time he or she takes the tests. If a student's scores indicate that he or she is at risk of being unable to demonstrate postsecondary and workforce readiness prior to or upon graduating from high school, school personnel shall work with the student and the student's parent or legal guardian to create an intervention plan that identifies the necessary courses and education support services that the student requires to be able to achieve postsecondary and workforce readiness prior to or upon graduating from high school and to be prepared to continue into the postsecondary education option, if any, selected by the student in his or her individual career and academic plan without need for remedial educational services. If appropriate, the school, the student, and the student's parent or legal guardian may choose to enroll the student in gateway courses in English or mathematics, as defined in section 23-1-113 (11)(b.5), with additional supports through supplemental academic instruction, as defined in section 23-1-113 (11)(e), at an institution of higher education through the "Concurrent Enrollment Programs Act", article 35 of this title 22.
C.R.S. § 22-80-106.5 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 80 / Section 22-80-106.5
22-80-106.5. Compensation of teachers
Status: in_force

22-80-106.5. Compensation of teachers. (1) (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3) of this section, beginning with the budget year 1996-97 and for budget years thereafter through the 2014-15 budget year, the teachers employed by the school shall be compensated in accordance with the provisions of the salary schedule, salary policy, or combination salary schedule and salary policy adopted pursuant to section 22-63-401, as of January 1 of the previous fiscal year, by resolution of the board of education of the school district within the boundaries of which the main campus of the school is located.

(b) Beginning with the 2015-16 budget year and for budget years thereafter, the teachers that the school employs shall be compensated in accordance with the salary schedule adopted pursuant to section 22-63-401 as of January 1 of the preceding fiscal year by resolution of the board of education of the school district within which the main campus of the school is located and with the salary policies that the board of trustees adopts to implement the salary schedule. If the school district does not have a salary schedule as of January 1 of the preceding fiscal year, the school shall use the salary schedule most recently adopted before that date.

(c) Funding for the compensation of teachers employed by the school shall be included in the line item appropriation to the school in the general appropriation bill and shall not affect the amount of state funds distributed to the school district within the boundaries of which the main campus of the school is located.

(2) For purposes of this section, "teacher" includes any employee licensed as a teacher pursuant to section 22-60.5-201, as a special services provider pursuant to section 22-60.5-210, or as a principal pursuant to section 22-60.5-301.

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, any teacher who, when compensated in accordance with the provisions of the salary schedule, salary policy, or combination salary schedule and salary policy, would receive less compensation than he or she received from the Colorado school for the deaf and the blind in the budget year 1995-96 shall continue receiving the amount he or she received in the budget year 1995-96 until compensation of that teacher in accordance with the provisions of the salary schedule, salary policy, or combination salary schedule and salary policy would result in an increase in compensation over the amount received in the budget year 1995-96.

(4) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2003, p. 1583, § 8, effective July 1, 2004.)
C.R.S. § 22-32-147 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 32 / Section 22-32-147
22-32-147. Use of restraints on students - certain restraints prohibited - reports and revi
Status: in_force

22-32-147. Use of restraints on students - certain restraints prohibited - reports and review process - rules - definitions. (1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) "Chemical restraint" has the same meaning as set forth in section 26-20-102 (2).

(b) "Mechanical restraint" has the same meaning as set forth in section 26-20-102 (4).

(b.7) "Physical restraint" has the same meaning as set forth in section 26-20-102 (5).

(c) "Prone position" means a face-down position.

(d) "Prone restraint" means a restraint in which the individual being restrained is secured in a prone position.

(e) "Restraint" has the same meaning as set forth in section 26-20-102 (6).

(2) Pursuant to section 26-20-111, the use of a chemical, mechanical, or prone restraint upon a student in a school or charter school of a school district or board of cooperative services is prohibited.

(3) (a) On and after August 9, 2017, each school district shall require any school employee or volunteer who uses any type of restraint on a student of the school district to submit a written report of the incident to the administration of the school not later than one school day after the incident occurred.

(b) On and after August 9, 2017, each school district shall establish a review process, conduct the review process at least annually, and document the results of each review process in writing. Each annual review process must include a review of each incident in which restraint was used on a student during the preceding year. The purpose of each annual review process is to ensure that the school district is properly administering restraint, identifying additional training needs, minimizing and preventing the use of restraint by increasing the use of positive behavior interventions, and reducing the incidence of injury to students and staff. Each annual review process must include but is not limited to:

(I) Analysis of incident reports, including consideration of procedures used during the restraint, preventative or alternative techniques attempted, documentation, and follow-up;

(II) Training needs of staff;

(III) Staff-to-student ratios; and

(IV) Environmental considerations, including physical space, student seating arrangements, and noise levels.

(b.5) If a physical restraint is more than one minute but less than five minutes, the notification requirement is a written notice to the parent on the day of the restraint. The written notice must include the date, the name of the student, and the number of restraints that day that lasted between one and five minutes.

(c) If a physical restraint is five minutes or more, the school administration shall mail, fax, or e-mail a written report of the incident to the parent or legal guardian of the student not more than five calendar days after the use of the restraint on the student. The written report must be placed in the student's confidential file and include:

(I) The antecedent of the student's behavior, if known;

(II) A description of the incident;

(III) Any efforts made to de-escalate the situation;

(IV) Any alternatives to the use of restraints that were attempted;

(V) The type and duration of the restraint used;

(VI) Any injuries that occurred; and

(VII) The staff members who were present and staff members who were involved in administering the restraint.

(d) No later than June 30, 2023, and every June 30 thereafter, each school district shall submit the data from the annual review conducted pursuant to subsection (3)(b) of this section to the department of education pursuant to section 22-1-138.

(4) On or before November 1, 2017, the state board shall promulgate rules establishing a process by which a student or a parent or legal guardian of a student may formally complain about the use of restraint or seclusion by any employee or volunteer of any school or charter school of a school district or board of cooperative services. To the extent practicable, the process must reflect the complaint process for filing a state complaint under the federal "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act", 20 U.S.C. sec. 1400 et seq., as amended.

(5) The department of education shall make training available on the "Protection of Individuals from Restraint and Seclusion Act", sections 26-20-101 to 26-20-111, and on the department of education's corresponding rules for administration of such act to individuals certified in the use of restraint.

(6) The department of education has enforcement authority over the restraint investigation decisions. This enforcement authority must follow the same procedures outlined for state complaints under the federal "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act", 20 U.S.C. sec. 1400 et seq., as amended, and the department's state-level complaint procedures.
C.R.S. § 22-38-112 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 38 / Section 22-38-112
22-38-112. Discipline and expulsion of students
Status: in_force

22-38-112. Discipline and expulsion of students. (1) A pilot school may discipline, suspend, and expel students as provided in article 33 of this title.

(2) Based upon a reasonable belief that a student is using drugs, a pilot school may require a student to submit to drug testing after providing notice to the student's parent, guardian, or legal custodian.
C.R.S. § 22-32.5-105 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 32.5 / Section 22-32.5-105
22-32.5-105. Suggested innovations
Status: in_force

22-32.5-105. Suggested innovations. (1) In considering or creating an innovation plan or a plan for creating an innovation school zone, each local school board is strongly encouraged to consider innovations in the following areas:

(a) Curriculum and academic standards and assessments;

(b) Accountability measures, including but not limited to expanding the use of a variety of accountability measures to more accurately present a complete measure of student learning and accomplishment. The accountability measures adopted by an innovation school or an innovation school zone may include, but need not be limited to:

(I) Use of graduation or exit examinations;

(II) Use of end-of-course examinations;

(III) Use of student portfolio reviews;

(IV) Use of national and international accountability measures such as the national assessment of educational progress and the program for international student assessment;

(V) Measuring the percentage of students continuing into higher education; and

(VI) Measuring the percentage of students simultaneously obtaining a high school diploma and an associate's degree or a career and technical education certificate.

(c) Provision of services, including but not limited to special education services; services for gifted and talented students; services for English language learners; educational services for students at risk of academic failure, expulsion, or dropping out; and support services provided by the state department of human services or county departments or agencies of human or social services;

(d) Teacher recruitment, training, preparation, and professional development;

(e) Teacher employment;

(f) Performance expectations and evaluation procedures for teachers and principals;

(g) Compensation for teachers, principals, and other school building personnel, including but not limited to performance pay plans, total compensation plans, and other innovations with regard to retirement and other benefits;

(h) School governance and the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of principals in innovation schools or schools within an innovation school zone; and

(i) Preparation and counseling of students for transition to higher education or the work force.
C.R.S. § 22-7-1210 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 7 / Part 12 / Section 22-7-1210
22-7-1210. Early literacy fund - created
Status: repealed

22-7-1210. Early literacy fund - created. (1) The early literacy fund is hereby created in the state treasury and is referred to in this section as the "fund". The fund shall consist of:

(a) Any moneys remaining in the read-to-achieve cash fund as of June 30, 2012;

(b) and (c) Repealed.

(d) (I) For the 2013-14 budget year, an amount equal to sixteen million dollars from the state education fund, and for the 2014-15 budget year, and each budget year thereafter, an amount equal to thirty-four million dollars from the state education fund. On July 1, 2013, and on July 1 each year thereafter, the state treasurer shall transfer the appropriate amount from the state education fund to the early literacy fund.

(II) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that, for the purposes of section 17 of article IX of the state constitution, providing students enrolled in kindergarten, first, second, or third grade with the instructional programming, intervention instruction, and support necessary to ensure that students, by the completion of third grade, can demonstrate a level of competency in reading skills that is necessary to support them in achieving the academic standards and expectations applicable to the fourth-grade curriculum is a program for accountable education reform and may therefore receive funding from the state education fund created in section 17 (4) of article IX of the state constitution.

(e) Any other moneys that the general assembly may appropriate or transfer to the fund.

(2) The state treasurer may invest any moneys in the fund not expended for the purposes specified in subsection (4) of this section as provided by law. The state treasurer shall credit all interest and income derived from the investment and deposit of moneys in the fund to the fund. Any amount remaining in the fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the fund and shall not be credited or transferred to the general fund or to any other fund.

(3) Repealed.

(4) The money in the fund is subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly to the department. The department shall annually expend the money in the fund as follows:

(a) to (c) Repealed.

(d) (I) Beginning in the 2020-21 budget year and for budget years thereafter, the department shall annually expend the money credited to the early literacy fund for the following purposes:

(A) To implement the public information campaign to promote reading described in section 22-7-1209 (7);

(B) To contract with and pay the direct costs incurred in overseeing an independent evaluator as provided in section 22-7-1209 (8);

(C) To implement the early literacy grant program created in section 22-7-1211;

(D) To allocate per-pupil intervention money to local education providers as provided in section 22-7-1210.5; and

(E) To pay the costs incurred in providing to local education providers technical assistance in implementing this part 12, training in teaching reading for teachers employed to teach kindergarten and grades one through three and for reading interventionists employed to teach grades four through twelve, training for principals and administrators pursuant to section 22-7-1208 (6.5), and training for librarians pursuant to section 24-90-121; monitoring the use of money received as per-pupil intervention money or grants through the early literacy grant program; and fulfilling the administrative requirements specified in this part 12.

(II) The general assembly shall annually appropriate in the general appropriations bill the amount that the department may expend for the purposes specified in subsection (4)(d)(I) of this section.

(5) to (7) Repealed.
C.R.S. § 22-80-113 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 80 / Section 22-80-113
22-80-113. Educational training - expenditures
Status: in_force

22-80-113. Educational training - expenditures. (1) The superintendent of the Colorado school for the deaf and the blind is authorized to expend any moneys necessary, out of the appropriation for the support of the Colorado school for the deaf and the blind, to provide for the educational training of eligible deaf-blind students or students who have a multiple physical disability of hearing, sight, and speech who are residents of the state of Colorado in institutions located outside of the state of Colorado which are equipped to provide for the educational training of such students or by the employment of a skilled person, as a home teacher, trained in the work of teaching deaf-blind students or students who have a multiple physical disability of hearing, sight, and speech; except that the compensation of any such skilled person as a home teacher shall not be greater, in any one instance, than the expense of the education of any such deaf-blind pupil or pupil who has a multiple physical disability of hearing, sight, and speech if resident in any named institution located outside of the state of Colorado.

(2) In each instance, the institution selected or the skilled person employed for the educational training of such deaf-blind student or student who has a multiple physical disability of hearing, sight, and speech shall be approved by the board of trustees.

(3) Such deaf-blind students or students who have a multiple physical disability of hearing, sight, and speech who are unable to receive instruction in a special class in a public school may be provided an education in a special class at the Colorado school for the deaf and the blind if there are a sufficient number of such students to warrant the establishment of a class.

(4) No later than October 5 each year, the Colorado school for the deaf and the blind shall notify the department of education of the pupils' placement at the Colorado school for the deaf and the blind. The Colorado school for the deaf and the blind is entitled to receive, from the department of education, an amount equal to the state average per pupil revenues, as defined in section 22-54-103 (12), for the current fiscal year for those students in attendance. The Colorado school for the deaf and the blind shall bill the department of education for the applicable portion of such amount at the conclusion of each month during which such pupils continue to be placed at the Colorado school for the deaf and the blind.
C.R.S. § 22-9.7-102 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 9.7 / Section 22-9.7-102
22-9.7-102. Scholarship program - rules - criteria for awards
Status: repealed

22-9.7-102. Scholarship program - rules - criteria for awards. (1) The department, by rule, shall collaborate with the department of human services, the Colorado community college system, and the office of information technology, to establish the procedures by which a person may apply for a stipend through the scholarship program. At a minimum, the rules shall specify the information a person shall submit and the deadlines for submitting the application.

(2) The department shall award stipends to an applicant based on the following criteria:

(a) The applicant's demonstrated degree of financial need, based on the resources of the applying person and the cost of the associate of arts degree program for which the applicant requests a stipend;

(b) The applicant's demonstrated degree of professional need;

(c) The quality of the associate of arts degree program for which the applicant requests a stipend;

(d) The applicant's commitment to teach in early childhood education for at least two years after receiving the associate of arts degree;

(e) The applicant's current employment in an early childhood capacity; and

(f) Any other criteria adopted by rule of the department to identify applicants in the greatest need of assistance in obtaining a regionally accredited associate of arts degree to improve their performance as early childhood educators.

(3) The department shall set the amount of each stipend awarded based on the applicant's degree of need, the cost of the associate of arts degree program for which the applicant requests a stipend, the amount available in the early childhood educator development scholarship fund for the applicable budget year, and the anticipated number of persons who will apply to the scholarship program in the course of the applicable budget year.

(4) Repealed.
C.R.S. § 22-20-107 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 20 / Part 1 / Section 22-20-107
22-20-107. Authority to contract with institutions of higher education or case management a
Status: repealed

22-20-107. Authority to contract with institutions of higher education or case management agencies. (1) An administrative unit may contract with an institution of higher education, a case management agency, or an entity, as those terms are defined in section 25.5-6-1702, as provided in section 25.5-10-206, for the provision by the administrative unit of an education and training program for children with disabilities. If an agreement is arrived at by the two agencies, the administrative unit shall place the responsibility for administering the program with the director of special education of the administrative unit.

(2) Repealed.
C.R.S. § 22-55-104 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 55 / Section 22-55-104
22-55-104. Procedures relating to state education fund revenue estimates - legislative decl
Status: repealed

22-55-104. Procedures relating to state education fund revenue estimates - legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly finds and declares that:

(a) Section 17 (4)(a) of article IX of the state constitution requires that a portion of state income tax revenues be deposited in the newly created state education fund;

(b) Section 17 (4)(b) of article IX of the state constitution authorizes the general assembly to annually appropriate moneys from the state education fund to comply with the required increase in funding for preschool through twelfth grade public education and for categorical programs;

(c) In order to ensure the availability of moneys in the state education fund to comply with the increase in funding for preschool through twelfth grade public education and for categorical programs, the general assembly must preserve the fund, foster its growth, and protect its solvency;

(d) To preserve the fund, foster its growth, and protect its solvency, the general assembly must restrict appropriations from the fund and make an annual determination of the maximum amount that may be appropriated from the fund based on analyses prepared on a regular basis.

(2) Repealed.

(3) On or before each February 1, the legislative council staff of the general assembly, in consultation with the state auditor, the office of state planning and budgeting, the state treasurer, the department of education, and the joint budget committee, shall cause to be conducted a review of the model used to forecast revenues in and expenditures from the fund and the spending requirements of the "Public School Finance Act of 2025", article 54 of this title 22. Copies of the review must promptly be transmitted to the joint budget committee, and the office of state planning and budgeting, and the education committees of the senate and the house of representatives. The review must include, but need not be limited to, the following:

(a) A determination of the reasonableness of the assumptions used to forecast the revenues and expenditures;

(b) A revision of the assumptions as necessary;

(c) Information on the financial stability of the fund;

(d) Projections of the amount of total state moneys required to meet the funding requirements of sections 22-55-106 and 22-55-107 for the next state fiscal year;

(e) Projections of the amount of state moneys available from funds other than the general fund and the state education fund to meet the funding requirements of sections 22-55-106 and 22-55-107 for the next state fiscal year;

(f) Revenue projections for the state education fund;

(g) An estimate of the maximum amount of moneys that can be appropriated from the state education fund and the minimum amount of moneys that can be appropriated from the general fund to meet the funding requirements of sections 22-55-106 and 22-55-107 for the next state fiscal year without adversely impacting the solvency of the state education fund or the ability of the general assembly to comply with said funding requirements in future years; and

(h) Estimates of the impact of various levels of general fund appropriations above the minimum level identified pursuant to paragraph (g) of this subsection (3) on the amount of moneys available in the state education fund to provide funding in the next state fiscal year for programs that may be authorized by law and that are consistent with section 17 (4)(b) of article IX of the state constitution.
C.R.S. § 22-30-104 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 30 / Part 1 / Section 22-30-104
22-30-104. Conduct of elections
Status: in_force

22-30-104. Conduct of elections. (1) All elections authorized in this article 30 must be conducted pursuant to articles 1 to 13 of title 1. For each election, the governing body authorized to call the election shall name a designated election official who shall be responsible for calling and conducting the authorized election. Limits on contributions to candidates for the board of education of a school district are specified in section 1-45-103.7 (1.7). The disclosure of such contributions is governed in accordance with sections 1-45-108 and 1-45-109.

(2) A governing body may contract with a county clerk and recorder to be the designated election official or for the administration of any of the duties of the designated election official relating to the conduct of a school district election under this article.

(3) Election offenses in any election held pursuant to this article shall be the same as those prescribed in article 13 of title 1, C.R.S.

(4) The procedures for placing an issue or question on the ballot by a petition of school district electors that is pursuant to statute or the state constitution or that a school district board of education may refer to a vote of the electors pursuant to statute or the state constitution shall, to the extent no such procedures are prescribed by statute or the state constitution, follow as nearly as practicable the procedures for municipal initiatives and referred measures under part 1 of article 11 of title 31, C.R.S. The designated election official shall resolve any questions about the applicability of the procedures in part 1 of article 11 of title 31, C.R.S., after consultation with the county clerk of the county in which the school district administrative office is located.
C.R.S. § 22-9-105.7 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 9 / Section 22-9-105.7
22-9-105.7. Great teachers and leaders fund - created - gifts, grants, and donations - legis
Status: repealed

22-9-105.7. Great teachers and leaders fund - created - gifts, grants, and donations - legislative declaration. (1) The department is authorized to seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, and donations for the implementation of section 22-9-105.5; except that the department may not accept a gift, grant, or donation that is subject to conditions that are inconsistent with this or any law of the state. The department shall transmit all moneys received to the state treasurer, who shall credit the same to the great teachers and leaders fund, which fund is hereby created and referred to in this section as the "fund". Moneys in the fund are continuously appropriated to the department for the direct and indirect costs associated with implementing section 22-9-105.5.

(2) Any moneys in the fund not expended for the purposes of section 22-9-105.5 may be invested by the state treasurer, as provided by law. All interest and income derived from the investment and deposit of moneys in the fund shall be credited to the fund. Any unexpended and unencumbered moneys remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall remain in the fund and shall not be credited or transferred to the general fund or another fund.

(3) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that, for the purposes of section 17 of article IX of the state constitution, the implementation of the state council for educator effectiveness is a program for accountable education reform and may therefore receive funding from the state education fund created in section 17 (4) of article IX of the state constitution.

(4) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to require the department to solicit gifts, grants, or donations for the fund.

(5) Repealed.
C.R.S. § 22-20-113 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 20 / Part 1 / Section 22-20-113
22-20-113. School district report
Status: repealed

22-20-113. School district report. (Repealed)
C.R.S. § 22-1-129.5 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 1 / Section 22-1-129.5
22-1-129.5. Instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of automated external d
Status: in_force

22-1-129.5. Instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of automated external defibrillators - guidelines and content standards - definition. (1) Each public school in the state is strongly encouraged to adopt curriculum for instruction to students in grades nine through twelve on cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of an automated external defibrillator. The curriculum must include a training and education program included on the list maintained by the office of cardiac arrest management pursuant to section 25-53-202, and the instruction must:

(a) Incorporate the psychomotor skills necessary to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation; and

(b) Use an automated external defibrillator.

(2) As used in this section, "psychomotor skills" means skills using hands-on practice to support cognitive learning.
C.R.S. § 22-12-102 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 12 / Section 22-12-102
22-12-102. Legislative declaration
Status: in_force

22-12-102. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly hereby finds that:

(a) Promoting the quality of primary and secondary public education is a compelling state interest;

(b) Maintaining a safe environment is an important component of learning. At times, educators may feel they lack the authority to maintain safety and discipline in the public school classroom or they may hesitate to exercise this authority because of the threat of a lawsuit resulting from their actions.

(c) The filing of meritless lawsuits against school districts, teachers, administrators, and other school district employees interferes with attempts to ensure the quality of public education, particularly where the lawsuits arise out of the good-faith efforts of educators to maintain classroom discipline or address threats to student safety;

(d) Meritless litigation also diverts financial and personnel resources to litigation defense activities and reduces the availability of these resources for educational opportunities for students.

(2) The general assembly finds that legislation to deter meritless lawsuits and sanction deliberately false reports against educators is a rational and appropriate method to address the compelling public interest in protecting school districts and school district employees from unnecessary and harmful litigation.

(3) It is the intent of the general assembly that the provisions of this article and those of the "Colorado Governmental Immunity Act", article 10 of title 24, C.R.S., be read together and harmonized to give the greatest protection from liability in tort possible for educational entities and their employees. If the provisions of this article and those of the "Colorado Governmental Immunity Act" are interpreted as being in conflict, the provision that grants the greatest immunity and protection to an educational entity and its employees shall prevail.
C.R.S. § 22-7-609.6 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 7 / Part 6 / Section 22-7-609.6
22-7-609.6. School improvement - appropriations
Status: repealed

22-7-609.6. School improvement - appropriations. (Repealed)
C.R.S. § 22-106-102 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 106 / Section 22-106-102
22-106-102. Definitions
Status: in_force

22-106-102. Definitions. As used in this article 106, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) "Host institution" means the institution of higher education that the department of education contracts with on behalf of the state board of education pursuant to section 22-106-104 to operate the institute.

(2) "Institute" means the Colorado student leaders institute in section 22-106-103.
C.R.S. § 22-10-102 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 10 / Part 1 / Section 22-10-102
22-10-102. Legislative declaration
Status: in_force

22-10-102. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly finds that:

(a) Increased educational attainment is a proven pathway out of poverty. In general, research shows that average annual earnings increase and unemployment rates decrease with each successive level of education or training that a person achieves.

(b) Postsecondary education and credential attainment are increasingly central to a person's ability to earn family-sustaining wages, participate more fully in Colorado's twenty-first-century workforce, and contribute to the state's economic health and vitality;

(c) Both nationally and in Colorado, projections indicate that by 2025, two-thirds of all jobs will require some level of postsecondary education or technical skill training;

(d) Colorado has a substantial "middle-skill gap" in its workforce. Middle-skill jobs require some postsecondary education or training but less than a four-year degree. These positions make up approximately forty-seven percent of the state's jobs, but only thirty-six percent of Colorado workers have the training necessary to fill them.

(e) Before Colorado can meet its workforce, educational attainment, and poverty-reduction goals, the state must address the need for adult education. A significant percentage of the state's working-age population lacks a high school diploma or its equivalent. Many of these individuals do not have basic literacy, digital literacy, or numeracy skills and are unprepared for participation in postsecondary education and for participation in the twenty-first-century workforce. Further, these individuals are unprepared to provide the learning support and advocacy that their own children or the children they care for require.

(e.5) Literacy and level of educational attainment not only impact an individual's ability to gain employment at a self-sufficiency level, but extensive research shows that they are also key determining factors in the educational success and future employment potential of the individual's children or children for whom the individual is a caregiver. A two-generation approach to increasing literacy, digital literacy, and numeracy skills is essential for the workforce of today and tomorrow and for helping to break the cycle of poverty.

(e.7) While some adults require educational programs that will improve their literacy, digital literacy, or numeracy skills to gain higher-paying levels of employment, many adults have not completed ninth grade or may otherwise be identified as lowest-level learners. Before these adults can aspire to higher-level employment, they require more basic educational programs that specialize in English language skills and assistance in obtaining a high school diploma or an equivalency certificate.

(f) Effectively addressing the need for adult education requires the appropriation of state money to fund adult education and literacy programs that participate in workforce development partnerships or education attainment partnerships and that enable individuals to acquire the basic and more advanced skills needed to function effectively as parents, caregivers, employees, and citizens of the United States. Although there are several postsecondary programs that focus on workforce development and skills acquisition, these programs typically assume that participants are or have been in the workforce in some capacity and have already attained a base level of literacy, digital literacy, and numeracy. Adult education and literacy programs, however, are typically designed for adults who have been unable to enter the workforce in a meaningful capacity or are limited in their ability to support their children's education or participate in society due to a lack of basic literacy, digital literacy, and numeracy skills.

(g) In return for state investment in adult education and literacy programs, these programs must refocus their mission to ensure that more low-skilled, low-income adults attain the basic literacy, digital literacy, and numeracy skills that they lack so that they may improve their own and the next generation's ability to participate in the current and future in-demand sectors of employment, function effectively in supporting and advocating for their children's education, and actively participate in society; and

(h) Successfully refocusing the mission of adult education and literacy programs requires the active collaboration and coordination of a variety of state agencies and organizations that are involved in adult education and literacy; elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education; training and credential attainment; workforce development; economic development; and human services.

(2) The general assembly finds, therefore, that it is in the best interests of the state to establish an adult education and literacy grant program to provide state funding for public and private nonprofit adult education and literacy programs. Investing in these programs will enable them to serve a larger share of the state's eligible adult population and ensure that more adults can reach and complete the next level of education and training, thereby leading to better employment outcomes that enable more low-income, low-literacy adults to ultimately achieve economic self-sufficiency and leading to an adult population that is better prepared to support the educational attainment of the next generation and actively participate as citizens in a democratic society.
C.R.S. § 22-95.5-103 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 95.5 / Part 1 / Section 22-95.5-103
22-95.5-103. Reporting requirements
Status: in_force

22-95.5-103. Reporting requirements. In its annual report before the house and senate committees of reference pursuant to section 2-7-203, the department shall include information describing the grants awarded through the grant program during the preceding year.
C.R.S. § 22-2-127.7 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 2 / Part 1 / Section 22-2-127.7
22-2-127.7. Marijuana education materials - resource bank - technical assistance
Status: in_force

22-2-127.7. Marijuana education materials - resource bank - technical assistance. (1) (a) The department, with assistance from the department of public health and environment, shall create and maintain a resource bank of evidence-based, research-based, and promising program materials and curricula pertaining to marijuana, which materials and curricula may be used in elementary and secondary schools in the state. In creating the resource bank and curricula, the department, with the marijuana educational oversight committee established pursuant to section 24-20-112 (4), shall solicit input from persons both inside and outside of the marijuana industry. Subject to available appropriations, the department shall solicit requests for information and may contract for:

(I) The organization and enhancement of the resource bank, including materials on the prevention of marijuana use and education on medical and retail marijuana;

(II) The development of marijuana curricula for schools and providing such curricula to schools; and

(III) Training for educators and school staff concerning marijuana.

(b) The resource bank created pursuant to subsection (1)(a) of this section may be known as the "Jack Splitt Memorial Marijuana Resource Bank".

(2) On and after July 1, 2017, the department shall make material in the resource bank available without charge to school districts, charter schools, and boards of cooperative services. At the request of a school district, charter school, or board of cooperative services, the department shall provide technical assistance to the school district, charter school, or board of cooperative services in designing age-appropriate curricula pertaining to marijuana use.

(3) After the resource bank and curricula are available, school districts, charter schools, and boards of cooperative services are encouraged to report to the department on the effectiveness of the resource bank and curricula and to recommend changes to improve the resource bank or curricula. The department is encouraged to update the resource bank and curricula based on recommendations from school districts, charter schools, and boards of cooperative services.
C.R.S. § 22-30.5-404.5 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 30.5 / Part 4 / Section 22-30.5-404.5
22-30.5-404.5. Discretionary inclusion of institute charter schools in district bond elections
Status: in_force

22-30.5-404.5. Discretionary inclusion of institute charter schools in district bond elections - authority - security - legislative intent. (1) In enacting this section, it is the intent of the general assembly to respect the principle of school district local control and to permit, but not require, school districts to act in their sole discretion and best interest by using their best judgment in managing the relationships, if any, they maintain with an institute charter school located within the geographic boundaries of the school district.

(2) A school district may, in its sole discretion, engage in discussions with an institute charter school located within the geographic boundaries of the school district concerning the capital construction needs of the institute charter school.

(3) In order for a school district to consider, in its sole discretion, whether to include the capital construction needs of an institute charter school located within the geographic boundaries of the school district in a ballot question pursuant to subsection (4) of this section, an institute charter school must submit a capital construction plan to the board of education in which it is geographically located. The capital construction plan must include, but is not limited to:

(a) Reasons why the institute charter school capital construction must be financed by bonded indebtedness;

(b) A description of the capital construction that will be financed by bonded indebtedness;

(c) A description of the architectural, functional, and construction standards that meet applicable state building code requirements and that will be applied to each facility subject to the capital construction project;

(d) An estimate of the total costs for completing the capital construction that will be financed by the bonded indebtedness and, if any money other than the bonded indebtedness proceeds, including investments and interest earnings, will be used to finance the capital construction, a breakdown of the money that will be used to finance the capital construction;

(e) An estimate of the amount of time needed to complete the capital construction project;

(f) A statement addressing whether the construction or renovation, payment of overrun costs, and other capital construction project issues will be managed by the institute charter school or the school district and whether costs for project management will be negotiated between the institute charter school and the school district;

(g) Reasons why revenue sources other than bonded indebtedness are inadequate to fully finance the institute charter school capital construction; and

(h) The institute charter school's proposed method for disbursement of its share of the bonded indebtedness proceeds.

(4) A school district may, in its sole discretion, include the capital construction needs of an institute charter school as part of a ballot question for approval of bonded indebtedness to be submitted by the school district to the voters of the district.

(5) When a school district, in its sole discretion, wants to include the capital construction needs of an institute charter school in a ballot question, the board of education must, prior to submitting the ballot question to the voters of the school district, enter into a written agreement with the institute charter school that includes:

(a) The process by which investment and interest earnings on bonded indebtedness proceeds are distributed, and the process by which the investment and interest earnings proceeds and the bonded indebtedness proceeds are released to the institute charter school, including for design, pre-construction, and progress payments;

(b) The allocation of investment and interest earnings on the bonded indebtedness proceeds, and the allocation of the cost of submission of the bond question to the voters, between the school district and the institute charter school;

(c) Allocation of the costs to submit the ballot question, which must be borne by both the school district and the institute charter school in proportion to the respective portions of the total bonded indebtedness proceeds that are to be received, unless the school district and the institute charter school agree to a different cost-sharing agreement;

(d) An agreement that if the institute charter school's charter is revoked or not renewed, if the institute charter school becomes insolvent and can no longer operate as an institute charter school, or if the institute charter school otherwise ceases to operate, the school district has priority in recovering debt over all other debtors for costs and payments of all other debts secured by the capital construction and that the ownership of any capital construction, land, or facilities financed by the bonded indebtedness proceeds automatically reverts to the school district. The school district may release its interest in property, in its sole discretion, after the bonded indebtedness proceeds have been redeemed.

(e) An agreement that the institute charter school shall not encumber any capital construction financed by bonded indebtedness with any additional debt without the express approval of the school district. If the school district denies approval, the school district shall provide written reasons for the denial.
C.R.S. § 22-5-115 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 5 / Section 22-5-115
22-5-115. Financing boards of cooperative services
Status: in_force

22-5-115. Financing boards of cooperative services. (1) (a) No later than July 1, 1973, and July 1 of each year thereafter prior to July 1, 2007, the state board shall determine the number of eligible boards of cooperative services and, subject to available appropriations, award a ten-thousand-dollar grant to each such eligible board. For budget years commencing on or after July 1, 2007, the state board, subject to available appropriations, shall award at least ten thousand dollars to each eligible board of cooperative services.

(b) If available moneys are insufficient to award each eligible board the amount specified in paragraph (a) of this subsection (1), the state board shall reduce proportionately all awards for eligible boards for that year.

(2) The state board shall certify to the state treasurer the name and address of, and the amount payable to, each eligible board of cooperative services. Upon receipt of such certification, but no later than July 15, 1973, and July 15 of each year thereafter, the state treasurer shall make distribution of the amount so certified to the respective boards of cooperative services.

(3) The general assembly shall annually make a separate appropriation to the state board to cover the estimated cost of the basic grants to eligible boards of cooperative services as set forth in subsection (1) of this section.

(4) For budget years commencing on or after July 1, 1996, any amount received by a board of cooperative services pursuant to this section must be used to fund professional educator development in standards-based education, as implemented through part 10 of article 7 of this title, in each school district that is a member of such board and in any nonmember school district that chooses to participate in a professional educator development program with any board of cooperative services.
C.R.S. § 22-7-1006.1 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 7 / Part 10 / Section 22-7-1006.1
22-7-1006.1. Assessment selection - department of education - study - legislative declaration
Status: repealed

22-7-1006.1. Assessment selection - department of education - study - legislative declaration - repeal. (Repealed)
C.R.S. § 22-30.5-303 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 30.5 / Part 3 / Section 22-30.5-303
22-30.5-303. Independent charter schools - request for proposals - response contents
Status: in_force

22-30.5-303. Independent charter schools - request for proposals - response contents. (1) Whenever the state board determines that it is necessary to recommend conversion of a public school to an independent charter school to a local board of education pursuant to the provisions of section 22-11-210 (5), the state board shall issue a request for proposals pursuant to subsection (2) of this section and supervise the appointment of a review committee pursuant to section 22-30.5-304.

(2) (a) If an independent charter school is to be organized, the state board, on or before January 15 of the year in which the independent charter school is to open, shall cause to be issued a request for proposals. The request for proposals shall solicit proposals from interested parties, including but not limited to individuals, persons, nonprofit or for-profit companies, existing public schools or school districts, and institutions of higher education, for the operation of an independent charter school within a building that currently houses a public school of a school district. Responses to the request for proposals shall be due no later than the date specified by the state board pursuant to rules adopted by the state board in accordance with paragraph (b) of this subsection (2). The state board shall issue the request for proposals without regard to the provisions of the "Procurement Code", articles 101 to 112 of title 24, C.R.S.

(b) The state board shall adopt rules specifying a schedule for receipt of the responses to the request for proposals pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (2), the formation of a review committee and receipt of the recommendations of said committee pursuant to section 22-30.5-304, and the selection of an applicant and notification to the local board of education pursuant to section 22-30.5-305. Said schedule must ensure the completion of negotiations on the independent charter no later than May 30 of the year in which the independent charter school is to open. The rules must also specify the information that an independent charter proposal must include in order to be eligible for consideration. Such information must include, but need not be limited to, the following:

(I) Demonstrable evidence that the applicant for the independent charter has prior experience in improving the academic performance of students;

(II) The goals, objectives, and student performance standards to be achieved by the independent charter school, including but not limited to the measures for the performance indicators specified in section 22-11-204;

(III) A description of the independent charter school's educational program, student performance standards, annual targets for the measures used to determine the levels of attainment of the performance indicators specified in section 22-11-204, and curriculum, which must meet or exceed the state preschool through elementary and secondary education standards adopted pursuant to part 10 of article 7 of this title and must be designed to enable each student to achieve such standards and targets;

(IV) A description of the independent charter school's plan for evaluating student performance, the types of assessments that must be used to measure student progress toward achievement of the school's student performance standards and the targets for the measures used to determine the levels of attainment of the performance indicators, including but not limited to the state assessments administered pursuant to section 22-7-1006.3, the timeline for achievement of the school's student performance standards and the targets, and the procedures for taking corrective action in the event that student performance at the independent charter school fails to meet such standards and targets;

(V) Evidence that the applicant is economically sound, including balance sheets and operating statements for recent years of operation when appropriate, a proposed budget for the term of the independent charter, and a description of the manner in which an annual audit of the financial and administrative operations of the independent charter school is to be conducted;

(VI) A list of the rules and statutory requirements for which the independent charter school is requesting a waiver and an explanation of the manner in which the independent charter school shall comply with the intent of any rule or statutory requirement that is waived;

(VII) A description of the governance and operation of the independent charter school;

(VIII) An explanation of the relationship that will exist between the independent charter school and its employees;

(IX) The employment policies of the independent charter school;

(X) How the independent charter school will handle legal liability between the school and the school district and any applicable insurance coverage;

(XI) A description of how the independent charter school plans to meet the transportation needs of its students and, if the independent charter school plans to provide transportation for its students, a plan for addressing the transportation needs of low-income students;

(XII) A description of the independent charter school's enrollment policy, consistent with the requirements of section 22-30.5-104 (3), and the criteria for enrollment decisions, which shall include offering enrollment to students already enrolled in the school and students who would be assigned to the school under school district policy.

(c) If the commissioner finds that the information in any independent charter proposal is incomplete, the commissioner shall request the information necessary to complete the minimum requirements for the proposal.
C.R.S. § 22-63-403 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 63 / Part 4 / Section 22-63-403
22-63-403. Payment of salaries
Status: in_force

22-63-403. Payment of salaries. Upon the termination of employment of a teacher prior to the end of the employment contract and prior to receiving all salary installments, said teacher is entitled to a pro rata share of the salary installments due and payable pursuant to said contract for the period during which no services are required to be performed, except as provided in section 22-63-202 (2).
C.R.S. § 22-5.5-108 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 5.5 / Section 22-5.5-108
22-5.5-108. Reporting requirements
Status: in_force

22-5.5-108. Reporting requirements. On or before July 1 of the year following the approval of a regional service area's plan pursuant to section 22-5.5-105, and on or before January 1 each year thereafter, the regional service council shall submit a written report on behalf of the regional service area to the state board and the department summarizing its activities for the calendar year, especially those activities related to the measurable goals and objectives outlined in the plan, a summary of any efficiencies or improved effectiveness achieved at the district or regional level by the regional service area, and any proposed amendments to the plan originally submitted to the state board pursuant to this article.
C.R.S. § 22-7-604.7 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 7 / Part 6 / Section 22-7-604.7
22-7-604.7. Alternative education campuses - methods to measure quality performance - repeal
Status: repealed

22-7-604.7. Alternative education campuses - methods to measure quality performance - repeal. (Repealed)
C.R.S. § 22-54-134 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 54 / Section 22-54-134
22-54-134. Hold-harmless facility school student funding - legislative declaration - repeal
Status: repealed

22-54-134. Hold-harmless facility school student funding - legislative declaration - repeal. (Repealed)
C.R.S. § 22-80-114 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 80 / Section 22-80-114
22-80-114. Expenditures, how made
Status: in_force

22-80-114. Expenditures, how made. Any moneys expended under authority of section 22-80-113 shall be expended under the direction and control of the superintendent, and the state treasurer is authorized, upon presentation of vouchers of the superintendent duly issued and certified as provided by law, to draw warrants in payment thereof.
C.R.S. § 22-5-105.5 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 5 / Section 22-5-105.5
22-5-105.5. Regional education and support services plan - submittal - recommendations
Status: repealed

22-5-105.5. Regional education and support services plan - submittal - recommendations. (Repealed)
C.R.S. § 22-30.5-515 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 30.5 / Part 5 / Section 22-30.5-515
22-30.5-515. Institute charter school - additional aid
Status: in_force

22-30.5-515. Institute charter school - additional aid. (1) (a) For the 2004-05 budget year and each budget year thereafter, a qualified charter school, as that term is defined in section 22-54-124, that is an institute charter school shall receive state education fund moneys from the department in an amount equal to the percentage of the total qualified charter school pupil enrollment that is attributable to pupils expected to be enrolled in the institute charter school multiplied by the total amount of state education fund moneys distributed for the same budget year pursuant to section 22-54-124 (3).

(b) As used in this subsection (1), "pupils" means pupils other than pupils enrolled in an online program or online school, as defined in sections 22-30.7-102 (9) and 22-30.7-102 (9.5), who are enrolled in a qualified charter school.

(2) Funding received pursuant to subsection (1) of this section shall be in addition to any funding provided pursuant to section 22-30.5-513.

(3) The department shall provide funding to each qualified charter school that is an institute charter school by making a monthly payment to the institute as soon as possible after the department receives a monthly payment of state education fund moneys pursuant to section 22-54-124. The institute shall promptly remit the appropriate amount to each eligible institute charter school and shall not withhold any portion of the amount.

(4) An institute charter school shall use moneys it receives pursuant to subsection (1) of this section solely for capital construction, as defined in section 22-54-124 (1)(a).
C.R.S. § 22-3-102 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 3 / Section 22-3-102
22-3-102. Courses in which devices to be used - substances and activities dangerous to eye
Status: in_force

22-3-102. Courses in which devices to be used - substances and activities dangerous to eyes. (1) Eye protective devices shall be worn in courses including, but not limited to, vocational or industrial art shops or laboratories and chemistry, physics, or combined chemistry-physics laboratories, at any time at which the individual is engaged in, or observing, an activity or the use of hazardous substances likely to cause injury to the eyes.

(2) Hazardous substances likely to cause physical injury to the eyes include materials which are flammable, toxic, corrosive to living tissues, irritating, strongly sensitizing, or radioactive or which generate pressure through heat, decomposition, or other means.

(3) Activity or the use of hazardous substances includes, but is not limited to, the following:

(a) Working with hot molten metal;

(b) Milling, sawing, turning, shaping, cutting, grinding, and stamping of any solid materials;

(c) Heat treating, tempering, or kiln firing of any metal or other materials;

(d) Gas or electric arc welding;

(e) Working with hot liquids, solids, or chemicals which are flammable, toxic, corrosive to living tissues, irritating, sensitizing, or radioactive or which generate pressure through heat, decomposition, or other means.
C.R.S. § 22-5-103 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 5 / Section 22-5-103
22-5-103. Definitions
Status: repealed

22-5-103. Definitions. As used in this article, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) "Board" means the board of education of a school district or the governing board or governing agency of a postsecondary institution.

(2) "Board of cooperative services" or "BOCES" means a regional educational service unit designed to provide supporting, instructional, administrative, facility, community, or any other services contracted by participating members.

(2.3) "District charter school" means a charter school authorized by a school district board of education pursuant to part 1 of article 30.5 of this title.

(2.5) Repealed.

(2.7) "Institute charter school" means a charter school authorized by the state charter school institute pursuant to part 5 of article 30.5 of this title.

(3) "Postsecondary institution" means a community or technical college, a local district college, or a state-supported institution of higher education.

(4) "School district" means any public school district existing pursuant to law.

(5) "State board" means the state board of education.
C.R.S. § 22-63-102 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 63 / Part 1 / Section 22-63-102
22-63-102. Legislative declaration
Status: in_force

22-63-102. Legislative declaration. The general assembly hereby finds and declares that this article is enacted to ensure that the educational system of the state of Colorado is being served by the best teachers available while at the same time allowing such teachers the academic freedom necessary to provide the best education possible to the children of this state.
C.R.S. § 22-35.6-107 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 35.6 / Section 22-35.6-107
22-35.6-107. Repeal of article
Status: repealed

22-35.6-107. Repeal of article. This article 35.6 is repealed, effective July 1, 2025.
C.R.S. § 22-33-107.1 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 33 / Part 1 / Section 22-33-107.1
22-33-107.1. Parental notice of dropout status
Status: repealed

22-33-107.1. Parental notice of dropout status. (Repealed)
C.R.S. § 22-45-111 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 45 / Section 22-45-111
22-45-111. Local college districts - powers
Status: in_force

22-45-111. Local college districts - powers. Nothing in this article shall be construed to restrict the power of any local college district to pledge to the payment of revenue bonds all or part of the revenue of such district, other than revenues derived from ad valorem taxes of the district, pursuant to section 23-71-122 (1)(r), C.R.S.
C.R.S. § 22-31-123 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 31 / Section 22-31-123
22-31-123. Tie votes
Status: in_force

22-31-123. Tie votes. (Deleted by amendment)
C.R.S. § 22-60.5-106 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 60.5 / Part 1 / Section 22-60.5-106
22-60.5-106. Endorsement of license - effect - rules
Status: in_force

22-60.5-106. Endorsement of license - effect - rules. (1) The department of education is authorized to cause a license to be endorsed. Any such endorsement shall identify the grade, age, or developmental level or levels, subject matter area or areas, or other specialization appropriate to an applicant's preparation, training, or experience. Any endorsement made pursuant to this section shall be subject to review at the expiration of the license so endorsed. The state board of education may establish, by rule and regulation, appropriate endorsements and the criteria for such endorsements.

(2) Notwithstanding the discretionary authority granted in subsection (1) of this section, the department of education shall issue a special education teacher endorsement to an applicant who completes coursework and assessments, as specified by rule of the state board of education, in a program in special education offered by an accepted institution of higher education, or an alternative teacher preparation program for special education offered by a designated agency, which program has been approved by the state board of education.

(3) The department of education shall collaborate with the department of higher education to create a mentor teacher endorsement for teachers who provide mentoring and oversight for teacher candidates or novice teachers in accordance with the standards adopted by the department of higher education pursuant to section 23-78-105 (3). The state board of education by rule shall establish the criteria for the endorsement, which must, at a minimum, include successfully completing training provided by an educator preparation program, as defined in section 23-78-103, and at least one full school year of successful experience serving as a mentor teacher for a teacher candidate who is participating in clinical practice or for a novice teacher, as defined in section 23-78-103.
C.R.S. § 22-35-115 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 35 / Section 22-35-115
22-35-115. Postsecondary and workforce readiness programs - financial study - funding - rep
Status: in_force

22-35-115. Postsecondary and workforce readiness programs - financial study - funding - reports - legislative declaration - definitions. (1) (a) The general assembly finds and declares that:

(I) Colorado's economic vitality depends on a highly educated, skilled, and diverse workforce ready to meet the job demands of a post-pandemic world. This requires a learner-centered approach to offering programs designed to integrate secondary, postsecondary, and work-based learning opportunities for students enrolled in high school and, ultimately, creating pathways and workforce options that allow students in Colorado to graduate high school with a career-connected learning opportunity.

(II) Colorado is considered a national leader in postsecondary and workforce readiness policies and has enacted statutes that provide resources and funding mechanisms to districts that offer postsecondary and workforce opportunities in high school, including the ability to earn college credits, obtain industry credentials, or experience work-based learning;

(III) The general assembly has enacted statutes directing community colleges and the state workforce development council to create and expand career pathways in a wide variety of careers ranging from manufacturing career pathways to integrated career pathways within growing industry sectors to career pathways for teachers;

(IV) These statutes and programs have led to a significant expansion of work-based learning and partnerships with employers and a notable increase in the number of students completing courses in high school that qualify for both secondary and postsecondary credit, industry credential programs, and work-based learning experiences. The Colorado department of education reports that between 2016 and 2023, over sixty-five thousand students completed qualifying advanced placement courses through the career development success program, obtained industry credentials, and participated in work-based learning experiences.

(V) The task force created in House Bill 21-1330 called for expanding innovative high school, postsecondary, and workforce options and pathways, which broadly include work-based learning, credential completion, apprenticeships, and other experiences, with a focus on high-need, in-demand, high-value business- and industry-focused career pathways;

(VI) In response, the general assembly passed House Bill 22-1215, which created a task force to review the complicated and interwoven set of issues related to program approval, availability, and funding that results in unequal student access to postsecondary and workforce readiness programs across the state and to make recommendations to address these issues;

(VII) The important work conducted by the members of the task force provided critical recommendations for how the state can ensure that every student in Colorado can graduate from high school with college credits; an in-demand, industry credential; or a quality, work-based learning experience;

(VIII) The recommendations of the task force center on simplifying programs, aligning incentives, understanding effects, and developing and improving systems that better connect education and the workforce;

(IX) Notably, the task force was unable to evaluate the effect of postsecondary and workforce readiness programs due to the limited access to outcome data and lack of consistent outcome data, and the absence of disaggregated data and a longitudinal data system to connect long-term wage outcomes with participation in these programs;

(X) The task force made thirteen recommendations and recommended the state begin by focusing on streamlining administration, developing a longitudinal data system, and creating sustainable funding. The task force report concluded with encouragement to think beyond existing programs and to develop, "a streamlined system that serves learners in all their education and workforce readiness training and is easy to navigate for all those who support them."

(XI) The task force also recommended prioritizing the third recommendation: "Establish and utilize a robust statewide longitudinal data system. The system should interface with data reported from the relevant entities that is shareable across agencies and comply with existing statutory parameters, including state and federal data privacy laws. There should also be an investment in a public-facing dashboard with education and employment outcomes to help inform decisions made by learners and families."

(XII) The Colorado department of education, the Colorado workforce development council, the Colorado department of higher education, and the office of information technology have led efforts to expand data sharing to answer key questions regarding education and workforce issues, while protecting student privacy and security, at the behest of state agencies and the general assembly;

(XIII) These state partnerships are in addition to one-on-one data-sharing efforts that exist for specific, existing, statutorily required reports;

(XIV) Colorado does not have a single, longitudinal data system, which, as seen in other states, can provide a single stop in a neutral agency to examine the long-term effects of investments made by the state in workforce development programs that sit primarily, but not entirely, in education, workforce, and economic development agencies; and

(XV) Addressing the recommendations provided by the task force will require partnership within and beyond the general assembly and government partners and requires intentionality to ensure that the state is taking action in the best interest of its students.

(b) The general assembly finds, therefore, that:

(I) To begin the work of ensuring students have equitable access in high school to college credit, quality industry credentials, and work-based learning experiences, the state must begin by understanding the costs for students to obtain these experiences, and as recommended by the task force, examine the long-term effect of these opportunities for students;

(II) Studying the costs for postsecondary and workforce programs and implementing a statewide longitudinal data system will lay critical foundation for implementing the recommendations into state systems in 2025 to modernize, simplify, and better integrate opportunities for students to obtain college credit, industry credentials, and work-based learning opportunities; and

(III) There is understanding of and commitment to the conclusion of the task force report: "The recommendations are intertwined and should be scaffolded as such, with the understanding that they will take time to implement. The task force believes that implementing all recommendations is necessary to meaningfully improve [postsecondary and workforce readiness]..."

(2) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) "Colorado statewide longitudinal data system" means the statewide data system that connects data from contributing state agencies and partner entities and supports the purposes identified in section 24-37.5-125 (2)(a).

(b) "Postsecondary and workforce readiness programs" means programs for Colorado high school students to develop the knowledge and competencies needed to succeed in postsecondary settings and to advance in career pathways as lifelong learners and contributing citizens.

(3) (a) The department shall commission a financial study to analyze costs to the state, local education providers, and students, and potential cost savings when providing students the opportunity to obtain college credits, industry credentials, and work-based learning experiences. The financial study must include an analysis on the effects of consolidating certain postsecondary and workforce readiness programs. The department shall contract with an independent contractor, in accordance with the "Procurement Code", articles 101 to 112 of title 24, to conduct the financial study and prepare a final report summarizing the financial study's methodologies, findings, and recommendations.

(b) The department, the department of labor and employment, the Colorado workforce development council, the department of higher education, the Colorado commission on higher education, and the career and technical education division within the Colorado community college system shall provide guidance and input, as necessary, to assist the independent contractor in preparing the final report.

(c) Legislative council staff and joint budget committee staff shall provide input on the financial modeling to assess the costs and savings of postsecondary and workforce readiness programs.

(4) (a) The financial study commissioned pursuant to subsection (3)(a) of this section must include a review of the following postsecondary and workforce readiness programs:

(I) The ASCENT program created in section 22-35-108;

(II) The career development success program created in section 22-54-138;

(III) The concurrent enrollment programs described in section 22-35-104;

(IV) Early college high schools;

(V) Pathways in technology early college high schools created in part 1 of article 35.3 of this title 22;

(VI) The teacher recruitment education and preparation program created in section 22-35-108.5; and

(VII) K-12 work-based learning opportunities described in section 8-83-602 (5).

(b) The financial study may include a review of:

(I) The John W. Buckner automatic enrollment in advanced courses grant program created in part 2 of article 95.5 of this title 22;

(II) The accelerated college opportunity exam fee grant program created in section 22-95.5-102;

(III) The concurrent enrollment expansion and innovation grant program created in section 22-35-114;

(IV) The school counselor corps grant program created in part 1 of article 91 of this title 22; and

(V) Any other pilot program or grant program that supports postsecondary and workforce readiness.

(c) The independent contractor shall interview school district leaders from a broad range of school districts, including, but not limited to, large, urban, and small rural school districts, in order to understand the actual costs to school districts to implement postsecondary and workforce readiness programs.

(d) The independent contractor shall take into consideration:

(I) The study for adequate public school funding described in section 22-54-104.7 (7), as applicable; and

(II) The department's ongoing grant program evaluation work.

(5) The purposes of the financial study commissioned pursuant to subsection (3) of this section are to:

(a) Understand the actual costs to local education providers, especially in rural and small rural districts, to develop, offer, and maintain opportunities for students to obtain college credits, industry credentials, and work-based learning experiences;

(b) Study the actual costs, which include, but are not limited to, infrastructure, staffing, exam fees, transportation, and start-up costs;

(c) Examine the variation in costs by geographic region, especially rural and small rural districts, the types of industry credentials offered, the quality of nondegree credentials described in section 23-5-145.6 (2), and the types of work-based learning opportunities described in section 8-83-602;

(d) Identify how to streamline the financial administration and reporting of postsecondary and workforce readiness programs in the secondary education system into one comprehensive program;

(e) Analyze different funding mechanisms, which may include outcomes-based funding, guaranteed funding, innovation funding, a hybrid system of funding, or another type of funding mechanism to provide opportunities for students to obtain college credits, industry credentials, or work-based learning experiences;

(f) Identify and model the costs, benefits, and potential cost savings of the different funding mechanisms described in subsection (5)(e) of this section and the financial effects the consolidation of postsecondary and workforce readiness programs may have on local education providers and state agencies;

(g) Project the costs required to equitably expand opportunities for students to obtain college credits, industry credentials, or work-based learning experiences to additional local education providers and students;

(h) Analyze state-level incentives and barriers that may encourage or discourage the adoption of postsecondary and workforce readiness programs within a consolidated system for local education providers;

(i) Review and analyze, to the extent possible, the statutory purposes and outcomes of the postsecondary and workforce readiness programs, including students' attainment of college credits or industry credentials, when determining how to streamline postsecondary and workforce readiness programs; and

(j) Develop and consider implementing recommendations in the 2025-26 state budget year.

(6) On or before December 1, 2024, the department shall submit the financial study and final report, including the consideration to implement recommendations in the 2025-26 state budget year, described in this section to the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate, or their successor committees, the governor, the joint budget committee, the state board, and the Colorado statewide longitudinal data system governing board created in section 24-37.5-125 (3)(a).

(7) For the 2024-25 state budget year, the general assembly shall appropriate eight hundred thousand dollars from the general fund to the department for purposes of this section.
C.R.S. § 22-54-104.5 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 54 / Section 22-54-104.5
22-54-104.5. School finance study
Status: repealed

22-54-104.5. School finance study. (Repealed)
C.R.S. § 22-30.5-527 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 30.5 / Part 5 / Section 22-30.5-527
22-30.5-527. Institute charter schools - child sexual abuse and assault prevention plan
Status: in_force

22-30.5-527. Institute charter schools - child sexual abuse and assault prevention plan. (1) Each institute charter school is encouraged to adopt a child sexual abuse and assault prevention plan. Each institute charter school is encouraged to include in the plan delivery of a comprehensive, age-appropriate curricula for each grade level that the institute charter school serves regarding child sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention. The curricula may address, but need not be limited to:

(a) The skills to recognize:

(I) Child sexual abuse and assault;

(II) Boundary violations and unwanted forms of touching and contact; and

(III) Behaviors that an offender uses to groom or desensitize a victim; and

(b) Strategies to:

(I) Promote disclosure;

(II) Reduce self-blame; and

(III) Mobilize bystanders.

(2) Each institute charter school is encouraged to include in the child sexual abuse and assault prevention plan professional development for school personnel and parents in preventing, identifying, and responding to child sexual abuse and assault. Professional development may include providing training in preventing, identifying, and responding to child sexual abuse and assault, including using the child abuse reporting hotline system created pursuant to section 26-5-111, C.R.S., and distributing resources to raise the awareness of school personnel and parents regarding child sexual abuse and assault and preventing child sexual abuse and assault.

(3) An institute charter school is encouraged to use curricula and professional development materials, training, and other resources available from the school safety resource center pursuant to section 24-33.5-1809, C.R.S.

(4) As used in this section, "school personnel" includes teachers, administrators, school resource officers, and other employees of an institute charter school.
C.R.S. § 22-43.7-105 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 43.7 / Part 1 / Section 22-43.7-105
22-43.7-105. Division of public school capital construction assistance - creation - director
Status: in_force

22-43.7-105. Division of public school capital construction assistance - creation - director - function - powers and duties. (1) (a) There is hereby created within the department a division of state government to be known and designated as the division of public school capital construction assistance, the head of which shall be the director of the division of public school capital construction assistance. Pursuant to section 13 of article XII of the state constitution, the commissioner of education shall appoint the director, and the commissioner shall give good faith consideration to the recommendations of the state board and the board prior to appointing the director. The commissioner shall also appoint such other personnel as may be necessary to fulfill the functions and exercise the powers and duties of the division.

(b) The division and the director of the division are type 2 entities, as defined in section 24-1-105, and exercise their powers and perform their duties and functions under the department.

(2) The function of the division is to provide professional and technical support to the board as the board exercises its powers and duties as specified in this article so that financial assistance can be provided for public schools in an equitable, efficient, and effective manner. In furtherance of its function, the division, subject to board direction, has the following powers and duties:

(a) To support the board in establishing public school facility construction guidelines pursuant to section 22-43.7-107;

(b) To support the board in conducting or causing to be conducted the financial assistance priority assessment of public schools throughout the state required by section 22-43.7-108, and, as part of such support, to inspect and assess public school facilities or evaluate the results of any such inspection and assessment conducted by any contractor retained by the board;

(c) At the request of the board, to undertake a preliminary review of financial assistance applications submitted by applicants and assist the board in the development of the prioritized list of public school facility capital construction projects recommended for financial assistance that the board is required to prepare pursuant to section 22-43.7-106 (2)(c);

(d) To assist applicants and potential applicants in identifying critical capital construction needs using the public school facility construction guidelines as specified in section 22-43.7-107; and

(e) To exercise such other powers and duties as may be necessary to adequately fulfill its function.

(3) In addition to the functions of the division specified in subsection (2) of this section, if the governor declares, by executive order or proclamation, a disaster emergency in any area of the state pursuant to section 24-33.5-704 (4), C.R.S., the division shall, as soon as possible following the declaration of the disaster emergency, contact each affected school facility in any area of the state in which the governor declared the disaster emergency to assess any facility needs resulting from the declared disaster emergency. The division must report its findings to the board as soon as possible following its outreach.
C.R.S. § 22-60.5-207 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 60.5 / Part 2 / Section 22-60.5-207
22-60.5-207. Alternative teacher contracts
Status: in_force

22-60.5-207. Alternative teacher contracts. (1) Alternative teacher contracts may include terms and conditions that:

(a) Differ from any terms and conditions of contracts of the school district or charter school for first-year employees who are licensed other than as alternative teachers;

(b) Define those conditions unique to the responsibilities and duties of an alternative teacher and the alternative teacher program of the school district or charter school;

(c) Establish the right of the employing school district or charter school to terminate the alternative teacher contract at any time during the first three months of employment; however, the employing school district or charter school must only take such action after consideration of a recommendation of the alternative teacher support team for the alternative teacher and is not subject to appeal by the alternative teacher.

(2) The term of an alternative teacher contract shall be for one or two years; except that an employing school district, nonpublic school, or charter school may extend a one-year alternative teacher contract for only one additional year based on written evidence of unforeseen circumstances that prevent the alternative teacher from completing the one-year alternative teacher program in one year and the expectation of the alternative teacher's support team that he or she can complete the one-year alternative teacher program in one additional year.

(3) The provisions of this section do not apply to alternative teacher contracts entered into by nonpublic schools.
C.R.S. § 22-30.5-305 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 30.5 / Part 3 / Section 22-30.5-305
22-30.5-305. Independent charter schools - selection
Status: in_force

22-30.5-305. Independent charter schools - selection. (1) On or before the date specified by rule adopted by the state board in accordance with section 22-30.5-303 (2)(b), the state board shall select an applicant to recommend to the local board of education. The state board may select the applicant without regard to the provisions of the "Procurement Code", articles 101 to 112 of title 24, C.R.S.

(2) On or before the date specified by rule adopted by the state board in accordance with section 22-30.5-303 (2)(b), the commissioner shall forward to the local board of education a copy of the selected applicant's response to the request for proposals.

(3) The commissioner or the commissioner's designee shall assist the selected applicant in negotiating an independent charter with the local board of education pursuant to section 22-30.5-306.
C.R.S. § 22-30.5-304 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 30.5 / Part 3 / Section 22-30.5-304
22-30.5-304. Review committee - membership - recommendations
Status: in_force

22-30.5-304. Review committee - membership - recommendations. (1) Whenever an independent charter school is to be organized pursuant to this part 3, on or before the date specified by rule adopted by the state board in accordance with section 22-30.5-303 (2)(b), the commissioner shall cause a review committee to be formed. The review committee shall consist of:

(a) The commissioner or a designee of the commissioner, who shall chair the review committee but shall be a nonvoting member of the committee;

(b) A member of the board of education of the school district in which the school is geographically located who shall be the member elected from the director district in which the school is geographically located, if members of the board are elected from director districts, or the member who resides closest to the school, if members are not elected from director districts;

(c) (I) A licensed professional employed at the school who is elected by a vote of all licensed professionals who provide instruction at the school or have an office in the school.

(II) The election required by this paragraph (c) shall be conducted during the month specified by rule adopted by the state board in accordance with section 22-30.5-303 (2)(b).

(d) (I) Two parents of students enrolled in the school who are members of the school accountability committee and are elected by a vote of the members of the school accountability committee.

(II) The election required by this paragraph (d) shall be conducted during the month specified by rule adopted by the state board in accordance with section 22-30.5-303 (2)(b).

(e) (I) A principal of a school at the same elementary, middle, or high school level as the independent charter school that is to be organized, appointed by the governor.

(II) In appointing a principal pursuant to this paragraph (e), the governor shall appoint a principal of a public school that received the highest possible accreditation rating pursuant to the accreditation policy implemented pursuant to section 22-11-307 by the public school's local board of education or by the state charter school institute, whichever is applicable, for the immediately preceding school year.

(f) (I) A teacher in a school at the same elementary, middle, or high school level as the independent charter school that is to be organized, appointed by the governor.

(II) In appointing a teacher pursuant to this paragraph (f), the governor shall appoint a teacher from a public school that received the highest possible accreditation rating pursuant to the accreditation policy implemented pursuant to section 22-11-307 by the public school's local board of education or by the state charter school institute, whichever is applicable; and

(g) A business representative, appointed by the governor, who resides in the neighborhood of the school.

(2) The committee shall meet by call of the chair of the review committee as needed to review the proposals received in response to the request for proposals issued pursuant to section 22-30.5-303. The committee shall evaluate the proposals and, on or before the date specified by rule adopted by the state board in accordance with section 22-30.5-303 (2)(b), shall forward to the state board all proposals and its recommendations on each proposal. The committee may make recommendations on applicants without regard to the provisions of the "Procurement Code", articles 101 to 112 of title 24, C.R.S.
C.R.S. § 22-40-104 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 40 / Section 22-40-104
22-40-104. County treasurer - accounts - warrants
Status: in_force

22-40-104. County treasurer - accounts - warrants. (1) (a) It is the duty of the county treasurer to keep separate accounts by funds and subsidiary accounts for the bond redemption fund of each school district in his or her county, and said funds and accounts shall be subject to the warrants of said district. The tax revenues shall be credited to the proper fund and account, together with any penalty interest collected thereon.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of this subsection (1), upon receipt of a notice from the state treasurer issued pursuant to section 22-41-110 (3), a county treasurer shall withhold from the school district named in the notice and forward to the state treasurer the amount of tax revenues specified in the notice that would otherwise be credited to the school district.

(2) If only a portion of a school district is situate within the territorial limits of said county and the headquarters of said school district are not located therein, the county treasurer shall transfer, at the end of each month, all moneys which have accrued to the credit of said district to the county treasurer of the county wherein the headquarters of said school district is located. No warrant shall be drawn by a school district situate in more than one county against its moneys except against those moneys in the custody of the county treasurer of the county wherein the school district headquarters is located.

(3) Except in the case of a school district which has elected to withdraw its moneys, if a school district warrant is presented to the county treasurer of a school district situate in his county and there are no moneys or insufficient moneys to the credit of said school district in the proper fund or account thereof to pay such warrant, it is the duty of said county treasurer to register such warrants in the order of presentment and endorse each such warrant "no funds". Registered warrants shall draw interest from the date of such registration and endorsement at the rate and in the manner as registered county warrants. The county treasurer shall keep a list of all warrants so registered and endorsed and furnish a copy of said list to the treasurer of said school district. The county treasurer shall pay both the principal and interest of said warrants, in the order of registration, when there are sufficient moneys to the credit of the school district fund or account upon which any such warrant was drawn. It is his duty to cause to be published in a newspaper with general distribution in said school district for five days a notice that certain school district warrants, describing said warrants by numbers and amounts, will be paid upon presentation at the expiration of said five days notice, at which time said warrants shall cease to bear interest.

(4) It is unlawful for a school district to issue warrants in excess of the amount budgeted or appropriated to or the anticipated revenues for any fund, whichever is less, for said school district's fiscal year whether or not the board of education of said district has elected to withdraw its moneys from the custody of the county treasurer.

(5) It is the duty of the county treasurer to cancel all paid school district warrants with a proper canceling stamp and indicate the date of payment thereof.
C.R.S. § 22-33-201.5 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 33 / Part 2 / Section 22-33-201.5
22-33-201.5. Definitions
Status: in_force

22-33-201.5. Definitions. As used in this part 2, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) "Behavioral management plan" means an action plan to address behavioral, attendance, and truancy issues, including appropriate services and supports that are developed in coordination with students, parents, and school personnel.

(2) "Chronic absenteeism" means a student is absent for any reason, excused or unexcused, ten percent or more of the days for which the student is enrolled in a public school during the school year.

(3) "Educational services" means any of the following types of services to provide instruction to meet state academic standards, reduce course failure, and increase postsecondary and workforce readiness:

(a) Tutoring services, course remediation, credit recovery, and supplemental education services;

(b) Alternative educational programs; and

(c) Career and technical education programs, work-based learning opportunities, and concurrent enrollment.

(4) "Facility school" means an approved facility school as defined in section 22-2-402 (1).
C.R.S. § 22-25-101 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 25 / Section 22-25-101
22-25-101. Short title
Status: in_force

22-25-101. Short title. This article shall be known and may be cited as the "Colorado Comprehensive Health Education Act".
C.R.S. § 22-31-124 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 31 / Section 22-31-124
22-31-124. Canvass of votes - certificate of election
Status: in_force

22-31-124. Canvass of votes - certificate of election. (Deleted by amendment)
C.R.S. § 22-37-102 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 37 / Section 22-37-102
22-37-102. Legislative declaration
Status: in_force

22-37-102. Legislative declaration. The general assembly hereby finds and declares that the purpose of this article is to provide means for encouraging experimentation in the management of students suspended from public schools or facility schools and to evaluate programs that will provide continuous education, supervision, and discipline to suspended students in order to maintain the education of a suspended student and prevent the continuation of disruptive behavior, further suspension, or expulsion of the student.
C.R.S. § 22-25-107 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 25 / Section 22-25-107
22-25-107. Reports required
Status: repealed

22-25-107. Reports required. (1) Each school district, facility school, or board of cooperative services that receives funding for a local comprehensive health education program or a local student wellness program pursuant to this article shall annually file a written report with the department of education concerning the status of the program. The report shall include such information and data as the department of education shall require, including but not limited to the information received in the public forum held pursuant to section 22-25-106 (4), if applicable. The report shall be filed on or before such date as the department of education shall determine.

(2) Repealed.
C.R.S. § 22-60.5-218 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 60.5 / Part 2 / Section 22-60.5-218
22-60.5-218. Employment of certain school-based therapists - legislative declaration - defini
Status: in_force

22-60.5-218. Employment of certain school-based therapists - legislative declaration - definitions. (1) The general assembly finds and declares that:

(a) In 2021, children's hospital in Colorado declared a youth mental health state of emergency and in 2022 said that conditions are worse;

(b) In 2022, the centers for disease control and prevention released a survey that found that forty-four percent of high school students reported that they felt persistently sad or hopeless during the past year and that schools are crucial partners in supporting the health and well-being of students;

(c) The complex and time-consuming process for school-based therapists to receive a special services license from the department of education prevents schools and school districts from employing school-based therapists who might otherwise help students;

(d) School-based therapists are already licensed by various state boards in the department of regulatory affairs; and

(e) Students can be protected by requiring school-based therapists employed in schools to submit to fingerprint-based criminal history background checks and to be supervised by administrators who are licensed by the department of education.

(2) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) "Eligible school-based therapist" means a person who meets the eligibility requirements described in subsection (4) of this section and who is a:

(I) Psychologist licensed pursuant to part 3 of article 245 of title 12;

(II) Social worker licensed pursuant to part 4 of article 245 of title 12;

(III) Marriage and family therapist licensed pursuant to part 5 of article 245 of title 12;

(IV) Licensed professional counselor licensed pursuant to part 6 of article 245 of title 12; or

(V) Addiction counselor licensed pursuant to part 8 of article 245 of title 12.

(b) "School" means a school of a school district, a charter school authorized by a school district pursuant to part 1 of article 30.5 of this title 22, a charter school authorized by the state charter school institute pursuant to part 5 of article 30.5 of this title 22, or the Colorado school for the deaf and the blind.

(c) "School district" means a school district organized and existing pursuant to law. "School district" includes the state charter school institute, a board of cooperative services that operates a school, and schools operated by the division of youth services.

(3) Notwithstanding any provision of this article 60.5 to the contrary, and subject to the requirements of this section, a school or a school district may employ an eligible school-based therapist to work in coordination with licensed special service providers at the school or school district coordinating mental health supports for students. A person employed as an eligible school-based therapist may be supervised by a special services provider with a school counselor endorsement or an administrator licensed pursuant to section 22-60.5-306. When hiring an eligible school-based therapist, schools and school districts should ensure that the therapist has a background and expertise in working with children and adolescents. An eligible school-based therapist should supplement and not replace or supplant a special services provider.

(4) Prior to employment, the school or a school district and an eligible school-based therapist shall comply with the requirements of section 22-32-109.8, including the requirement for the eligible school-based therapist to submit fingerprints.

(5) If an eligible school-based therapist provides services to a student related to the student's individualized education program, as developed pursuant to part 1 of article 20 of this title 22, the eligible school-based therapist must have qualifications consistent with the student's individualized education program.
C.R.S. § 22-9.5-103 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 9.5 / Section 22-9.5-103
22-9.5-103. Scholarship program - rules - criteria for awards
Status: in_force

22-9.5-103. Scholarship program - rules - criteria for awards. (1) The state board, by rule, shall establish the procedures by which a person may apply for a stipend through the scholarship program. At a minimum, the rules shall specify the information a person shall submit and the deadlines for submitting the application.

(2) The state board shall award stipends to applying persons based on the following criteria:

(a) A person's demonstrated degree of financial need, based on the resources of the employing school district and the applying person, and the cost of the professional development program for which the person requests a stipend;

(b) A person's demonstrated degree of professional need, based on the applying person's performance evaluations conducted pursuant to the district's licensed personnel performance evaluation system;

(c) The quality of the professional development program or activity for which the person requests a stipend; and

(d) Any other criteria adopted by rule of the state board to identify persons in the greatest need of assistance in obtaining high-quality professional development programs and activities to improve their performance as principals.

(3) The state board shall set the amount of each stipend awarded based on the person's degree of need, the cost of the professional development program or activity for which the person requests a stipend, the amount available in the principal development scholarship fund for the applicable budget year, and the anticipated number of persons who will apply to the scholarship program in the course of the applicable budget year.
C.R.S. § 22-25-110 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 25 / Section 22-25-110
22-25-110. Funding of existing programs - operation of other health education programs
Status: repealed

22-25-110. Funding of existing programs - operation of other health education programs. (1) Nothing in this article shall be interpreted to prevent a school district or board of cooperative services currently offering health education programs from being eligible to receive funding pursuant to this article.

(2) Nothing in this article 25 requires a school district or board of cooperative services to establish a local comprehensive health education program nor shall it be interpreted to prevent a school district or board of cooperative services from offering a health education program that is not operated under the requirements of this article 25; except that any school district or board of cooperative services offering such a health education program shall:

(a) Comply with the public information requirements contained in section 22-25-106 (4); and

(b) Establish a procedure to exempt a student, upon request of the parent or guardian of such student, from a specific portion of the health education program on the grounds that it is contrary to the religious or personal beliefs and teachings of the student or the student's parent or guardian.

(c) Repealed.
C.R.S. § 22-32-142 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 32 / Section 22-32-142
22-32-142. Parent engagement - policy - communications - incentives
Status: in_force

22-32-142. Parent engagement - policy - communications - incentives. (1) (a) Each school district board of education shall adopt a district policy for increasing and supporting parent engagement in the public schools, including charter schools, of the school district. In adopting the policy, the board of education may take into account, but need not be limited to, the best practices and strategies identified pursuant to section 22-7-304 by the Colorado state advisory council for parent involvement in education and the national standards for family-school partnerships, as defined in section 22-7-302 (5). The board of education shall work with the parent members of the district accountability committee in creating, adopting, and implementing the policy.

(b) As part of the district parent engagement policy, a district is encouraged to provide training concerning best practices and skills for district and school personnel in working with parents.

(c) Each school district shall identify an employee of the district to act as the point of contact for parent engagement training and resources. The identified person shall also serve as the liaison between the district, the district accountability committee, the Colorado state advisory council for parent involvement in education, and the department of education and shall facilitate the district's efforts to increase parent involvement within the district. The school district shall submit to the department of education the name of the identified employee.

(d) Notwithstanding any provision of this subsection (1) to the contrary, a school district is not required to comply with the requirements specified in this subsection (1) if the department of education determines that the school district is rural, based on the geographic size of the school district and the distance of the school district from the nearest large, urbanized area, and the school district enrolls fewer than one thousand students in kindergarten through twelfth grade.

(2) (a) If the state board of education, pursuant to section 22-11-210, determines that a school of the school district is required to adopt and implement a school priority improvement plan as described in section 22-11-405 or a school turnaround plan as described in section 22-11-406, the school district, within thirty days after receiving the initial notice of the determination or, if the determination is appealed, the final notice of the determination, shall notify the parents of the students enrolled in the school of the required plan and the issues identified by the department of education as giving rise to the need for the required plan. The notice shall also include the timeline for developing and adopting the required plan and the dates, times, and locations of the public meeting described in paragraph (b) of this subsection (2) and the public hearing described in paragraph (c) of this subsection (2).

(b) The school accountability committee shall hold a public meeting to solicit input from parents concerning the contents of the required plan before the plan is written. At the school accountability committee's public meeting, the school principal shall review the school's progress in implementing its plan for the preceding year and in improving its performance.

(c) The school district board of education shall hold a public hearing after the plan is written to review the required plan prior to final adoption. The date of the public hearing shall be at least thirty days after the date on which the school district provides the written notice. A member of the school accountability committee is encouraged to attend the public hearing.

(3) Each school district board of education may solicit and accept public or private gifts, grants, or donations to implement all or a portion of the parent involvement programs implemented under a policy adopted pursuant to this section.
C.R.S. § 22-60.3-204 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 60.3 / Part 2 / Section 22-60.3-204
22-60.3-204. Program eligibility - financial assistance - funding
Status: in_force

22-60.3-204. Program eligibility - financial assistance - funding. (1) (a) A member of the armed forces who seeks to receive financial assistance through the program must submit a program application within three years after retirement or separation from the military. If a program application is not submitted within three years after retirement or separation, a member of the armed forces is not eligible for financial assistance through the program, but is eligible to receive counseling and referral services.

(b) As a condition of receiving financial assistance through the program, an applicant must agree to teach for a period of three years in a rural or small rural school district or in an educator shortage area, as determined by the state board of education. If an applicant does not fulfill the service condition of the program, the applicant shall repay the awarded financial assistance to the department in accordance with the rules promulgated by the state board.

(c) A member of the armed forces or a nonmilitary-affiliated educator candidate may apply to the program to receive financial assistance of up to ten thousand dollars for the tuition cost of an educator preparation program in which the applicant is enrolled. An applicant must apply to the department in accordance with the rules promulgated by the state board.

(2) The department shall review each application received and determine whether the applicant meets the following criteria for participation in the program:

(a) If the applicant is a member of the armed forces, the applicant has an honorable discharge status or is currently serving in one of the armed forces;

(b) (I) The applicant has a baccalaureate or advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education at the time of application; or

(II) The applicant is currently employed as a paraprofessional, as defined in section 22-60.3-102, in a school district, charter school, or board of cooperative services and is working toward a baccalaureate degree as required to pursue a professional teaching license; or

(c) (I) The applicant meets state career and technical education requirements; or

(II) Has the equivalent of eighteen semester hours of postsecondary enrollment and six years of military experience in a career or technical field.

(3) Subject to available appropriations, the department shall provide one-time financial assistance of up to ten thousand dollars paid from the amount appropriated for the program to a qualified program participant for the tuition cost of the educator preparation program in which the qualified program participant is enrolled. The department shall distribute the financial assistance for a qualified program participant to the educator preparation program in which the qualified program participant is enrolled.

(4) The general assembly shall annually appropriate money to fund the program, including an amount for the direct and indirect costs incurred by the department in implementing the program.
C.R.S. § 22-5.5-107 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 5.5 / Section 22-5.5-107
22-5.5-107. Regional service areas - programs and services
Status: in_force

22-5.5-107. Regional service areas - programs and services. (1) A regional service area may provide any of the following services and programs, including but not limited to:

(a) Data and assessment centers;

(b) Shared financial services among school districts and boards of cooperative services;

(c) Cooperative purchases;

(d) Technology infrastructure and support;

(e) Distance, online learning, and other alternative learning opportunities for students;

(f) Precollegiate programs, counseling, and dropout prevention;

(g) Capital construction planning assistance;

(h) Curriculum and instructional expertise and support;

(i) Professional development for teachers and administrators;

(j) Regional and state initiatives;

(k) Shared administration and support services for school districts;

(l) Early childhood and preschool programs; and

(m) Postsecondary partnerships and services to support student transitions into postsecondary schools.
C.R.S. § 22-2-123 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 2 / Part 1 / Section 22-2-123
22-2-123. Eligible facilities education task force - creation - membership - duties - repe
Status: repealed

22-2-123. Eligible facilities education task force - creation - membership - duties - repeal. (Repealed)
C.R.S. § 22-41-103 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 41 / Section 22-41-103
22-41-103. Certain lands considered to be investments of fund
Status: in_force

22-41-103. Certain lands considered to be investments of fund. (1) All lands, title to which has or may become vested in the state as the result of foreclosure proceedings, shall be designated as "public school fund lands" and shall be considered an investment of the public school fund.

(2) Such lands shall be under the control and direction of the state board of land commissioners and may be disposed of by the board in the same manner as public school lands; except that any mineral rights acquired under said foreclosure proceedings may be sold with the land. The board shall keep a separate list of all such lands in its office.
C.R.S. § 22-16-106 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 16 / Section 22-16-106
22-16-106. Department - support for local education providers
Status: in_force

22-16-106. Department - support for local education providers. (1) The department shall develop data security guidance that may be used by local education providers. The department's data security guidance must include:

(a) Guidance for authorizing access to the student data system and to student personally identifiable information, including guidance for authenticating authorized access;

(b) Privacy compliance standards;

(c) Best practices for privacy and security audits;

(d) Security breach planning, notice, and procedures;

(e) Data retention and destruction procedures;

(f) Data collection and sharing procedures;

(g) Recommendations that any contracts that affect databases, assessments, or instructional supports that include student personally identifiable information and are outsourced to vendors include express provisions that safeguard privacy and security and include penalties for noncompliance;

(h) Best security practices for privacy when using online education services, including websites and applications;

(i) Guidance for contracts involving the outsourcing of educational services;

(j) Guidance for contracts involving online education services;

(k) Guidance for publishing a list of vendors that local education providers contract with that hold student personally identifiable information;

(l) Consequences for security breaches; and

(m) Examples of staff training regarding the procedures.

(2) Based on the data security guidance adopted pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, on or before March 1, 2017, the department shall create and make available to local education providers a sample student information privacy and protection policy. The department shall annually review the sample policy and revise it as necessary to ensure that it remains current and adequate to protect the privacy of student personally identifiable information in light of advances in data technology and dissemination. At a minimum, the sample policy must include protocols for:

(a) Creating and maintaining a student data index;

(b) Retaining and destroying student personally identifiable information;

(c) Using student personally identifiable information for purposes internal to a local education provider;

(d) Preventing breaches in the security of student personally identifiable information and for responding to any security breaches that occur;

(e) Contracting with school service contract providers and using school services provided by school service on-demand providers;

(f) Disclosing student personally identifiable information to school service contract providers, school service on-demand providers, or other third parties;

(g) Notifying parents regarding collection of, retention of, and access to student personally identifiable information; and

(h) Providing training in student information security and privacy to employees of a local education provider.

(3) The department shall prepare and make available to local education providers sample contract language for use in contracting with school service contract providers. The department shall update the sample contract language as necessary to ensure that it remains current and adequate to protect the privacy of student personally identifiable information in light of advances in data technology and dissemination.

(4) The department shall identify and make available to local education providers resources that the local education providers may use in training employees with regard to student information security and privacy. At the request of a local education provider, the department shall provide training related to student information security and privacy.

(5) If the department receives notice that a local education provider has ceased using a school service on-demand provider for reasons described in section 22-16-107 (3), the department shall post the notice on the department's website. The department shall also post any written response from an on-demand provider that the local education provider may submit. The department shall post the notices and written responses for twenty-four months following the date received.
C.R.S. § 22-24-107 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 24 / Section 22-24-107
22-24-107. English language proficiency act excellence award program - created - rules - le
Status: repealed

22-24-107. English language proficiency act excellence award program - created - rules - legislative declaration. (1) There is created in the department the English language proficiency act excellence award program to award grants to local education providers and charter schools that achieve the highest English language and academic growth among English language learners and the highest academic achievement for English language learners who transition out of the English language proficiency program. The department shall administer the program by annually identifying, based on rules of the state board, the local education providers and charter schools that qualify for grants and distributing the moneys that the general assembly appropriates to the department for the program. The state board by rule shall set the grant amount based on the student enrollment of the local education providers and charter schools that qualify for grants and the concentration of English language learners enrolled by the local education providers and charter schools as a percentage of the total student enrollment. Subject to available appropriations, the department shall distribute the moneys in accordance with the rules to the local education providers and charter schools that qualify for the grants.

(2) The state board shall promulgate rules that create the criteria or measures that the department must apply to identify the local education providers and charter schools that achieve the highest English language and academic growth among English language learners and that achieve the highest academic achievement for English language learners who transition out of the English language proficiency program.

(3) (a) Each local education provider and charter school that receives a grant pursuant to this section, at the conclusion of each school year for which it receives a grant, must submit to the department:

(I) A data analysis and summary of the local education provider's or charter school's English language proficiency program; and

(II) A report of the local education provider's or charter school's use of the grant moneys received.

(b) The department shall provide the information received pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (3) to local education providers and shall make the information available to the public through the data portal operated pursuant to section 22-11-502.

(4) Repealed.

(5) The general assembly finds that, for purposes of section 17 of article IX of the state constitution, the English language proficiency act excellence award program is an important component of an accountable program to meet state academic standards and, therefore, may be funded from moneys in the state education fund created in section 17 (4) of article IX of the state constitution.
C.R.S. § 22-45-113 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 45 / Section 22-45-113
22-45-113. Validation - effect - limitations
Status: in_force

22-45-113. Validation - effect - limitations. (1) All bonds issued and other contracts, leases, or agreements executed by school districts, all district bond elections held and carried, and all acts and proceedings had or taken prior to July 1, 1973, by or on behalf of such districts, preliminary to and in the authorization, execution, sale, and issuance of all bonds, the authorization and execution of all other contracts, leases, or agreements, and the exercise of other powers in section 22-45-103 are hereby validated, ratified, approved, and confirmed, notwithstanding any defects and irregularities, other than constitutional, in such bonds, acts, and proceedings, in such authorization, execution, sale, and issuance, and in such exercise of powers; and such bonds and other contracts, leases, or agreements are and shall be binding, legal, valid, and enforceable obligations of the district to which they appertain in accordance with their terms and their authorization proceedings.

(2) This section shall operate to supply such legislative authority as may be necessary to accomplish the validations provided and authorized in this section but shall be limited to validations consistent with all provisions of applicable law in effect at the time of such action or other matter. This article shall not operate to validate any action or other matter the legality of which is being contested or inquired into in any legal proceedings pending and undetermined prior to July 1, 1973, nor to validate any action or other matter which has been determined in any legal proceedings prior to July 1, 1973, to be illegal, void, or ineffective.
C.R.S. § 22-97-102 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 97 / Part 1 / Section 22-97-102
22-97-102. Computer science education grants for teachers - creation - legislative declarat
Status: in_force

22-97-102. Computer science education grants for teachers - creation - legislative declaration - rules. (1) There is created in the department a grant program for eligible teachers who wish to pursue additional postsecondary education in order to provide computer science education to students in public schools. A school district or a school district on behalf of an eligible teacher or teachers may apply for a grant.

(2) The department shall administer the grant program in accordance with state board rules. The department shall accept and review grant applications received from school districts or school districts on behalf of an eligible teacher or teachers and shall make recommendations to the state board for the award of grants. In making its recommendations, the department may consider the priorities contained in subsection (4) of this section.

(3) Pursuant to article 4 of title 24, the state board shall promulgate rules necessary for the implementation of the grant program, including rules relating to:

(a) The application process, including application requirements and deadlines;

(b) Criteria for the award of grants, including the priorities for awarding grants contained in subsection (4) of this section;

(c) The amount and duration of the grants; and

(d) The approved uses of the grant, including tuition, fees, training program costs, and books and materials.

(4) In awarding grants, the state board may:

(a) Give priority to grant applications that benefit a teacher or teachers in a school district that serves:

(I) A high-poverty student population;

(II) A high number of minority students; or

(III) Students in rural areas;

(b) Give priority to grant applications that benefit a teacher or teachers who intend to continue teaching in public schools in Colorado after completing postsecondary education obtained through the grant program; and

(c) Give priority to grant applications for postsecondary course work or training that enables a teacher to teach computer science, including concurrent enrollment courses in computer science, and that applies toward the completion of a degree in computer science, the completion of an industry-recognized certificate in computer science, or the completion of a high-quality training program, or that results in the mastery of a teaching content area in computer science.

(5) The state board may award grants to school districts for high-quality training programs offered to teachers in the district that enable the teachers to teach computer science courses.

(6) Subject to available appropriations, the state board shall annually award grants.

(7) The general assembly declares that, for purposes of section 17 of article IX of the state constitution, computer science education grants for teachers are an important element in expanding technology education and may therefore receive funding from the state education fund created in section 17 (4) of article IX of the state constitution.
C.R.S. § 22-81-104 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 81 / Part 1 / Section 22-81-104
22-81-104. Pre-K-16 mathematics, science, and technology education strategic plan
Status: in_force

22-81-104. Pre-K-16 mathematics, science, and technology education strategic plan. (1) The department of education and the Colorado commission on higher education, in cooperation and consultation with the business, industry, and professionals in the fields of mathematics, science, technology, and engineering, shall develop a plan for improving Pre-K-16 mathematics, science, and technology education in the state of Colorado through the use of telecommunications networks and facilities. The department of education and the Colorado commission on higher education shall use existing resources and personnel to develop the plan and may collaborate with interested parties, including, but not limited to, those described in this subsection (1).

(2) At a minimum, the plan shall provide direction for program development including:

(a) Identification of curricular goals, which goals reflect the systemic change in the mathematics, science, and technology education curriculum so as to be consistent with the contemporary understanding and emerging patterns of content and pedagogy. Such goals shall also reflect current guidelines and standards, such as those defined by the national council of teachers of mathematics, the American association for the advancement of science, and the national science teachers association.

(b) Identification of essential teacher characteristics;

(c) A statement of desired levels of mathematics, science, and technology achievement by students;

(d) A description of recommended courses of action to improve educational programs, practices, and service;

(e) The improvement of access and availability of mathematics, science, and technology courses, especially for rural school districts and particularly to those groups which are traditionally underrepresented. The plan shall include goals for using telecommunications facilities.

(f) Pre-K-16 teacher training in mathematics, science, and technology; and

(g) Cost estimates.

(3) The plan should provide a framework that enables the teachers, school districts, and institutions of higher education to solve the stated problems as they deem appropriate. The plan should provide mechanisms and incentives to:

(a) Course providers and receivers at the Pre-K-16 and postsecondary levels to design and implement new curricula and to develop new course materials;

(b) Course providers and receivers for leveraging distance learning technologies and applying distance learning instructional design techniques;

(c) Pre-K-16 teachers for taking graduate mathematics, science, and technology courses and degree programs. Such incentives may include a tuition matching program.

(d) Involve appropriate Colorado state agencies, federal agencies, professional organizations, public television stations, and business and industry in the development of the strategic plan; and

(e) Business, industry, and individuals for volunteering their time and community resources.

(4) The plan shall provide a mechanism for incorporating the cost for accomplishing these goals into the ongoing operating budget beginning in 1991.
C.R.S. § 22-1-109 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 1 / Section 22-1-109
22-1-109. Taught at what stages
Status: in_force

22-1-109. Taught at what stages. Such instruction in the constitution of the United States shall begin not later than the opening of the junior high schools or seventh grade and shall continue in the high school course and in courses in state colleges, universities, and the educational departments of state and municipal institutions to an extent to be determined by the commissioner of education.
C.R.S. § 22-7-701 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 7 / Part 7 / Section 22-7-701
22-7-701. Short title
Status: in_force

22-7-701. Short title. This part 7 shall be known and may be cited as the "Teacher Development Act".
C.R.S. § 22-42-129 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 42 / Section 22-42-129
22-42-129. Limitation on actions
Status: in_force

22-42-129. Limitation on actions. No action shall be brought questioning the legality of any bonds or loans authorized by this title or any resolution, proceeding, or contract in connection with such bonds or loans on and after thirty days from the effective date of the resolution authorizing the issuance of such bonds or the execution of any loan agreement.
C.R.S. § 22-14-111 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 14 / Section 22-14-111
22-14-111. Report to general assembly, state board, and governor - exception to three-year
Status: repealed

22-14-111. Report to general assembly, state board, and governor - exception to three-year expiration. (1) On or before February 15, 2010, through February 15, 2016, and on or before March 15, 2017, and on or before March 15 each year thereafter, the office shall submit to the state board, to the education committees of the senate and the house of representatives, or any successor committees, and to the governor a report making state policy findings and recommendations to reduce the student dropout rate and increase the student graduation and completion rates. At a minimum, in preparing the findings and recommendations, the office shall:

(a) Consider which state statutes and rules may be appropriately amended to provide incentives and support for and remove barriers to reducing the student dropout rate and increasing the student graduation and completion rates, including but not limited to statutes and rules pertaining to funding for local education providers' operating costs, funding for categorical programs, and truancy;

(b) Consider research-based dropout prevention and student engagement and re-engagement strategies;

(c) Determine the amount of state moneys spent on reducing the dropout rates in schools operated or approved by local education providers in the preceding fiscal year and determine the effects of those expenditures; and

(d) Consult with the persons specified in section 22-14-104 (2).

(2) Beginning with the report submitted pursuant to this section on February 15, 2012, the office shall add to the report a summary of the actions taken by local education providers statewide to reduce the student dropout rate and increase the graduation and completion rates and the progress made in achieving these goals. At a minimum, the summary shall include:

(a) A summary and evaluation of the student graduation and completion plans adopted by the local education providers;

(b) A list of the local education providers whose schools have experienced the greatest decrease in student dropout rates and the greatest increase in student graduation and completion rates in the state in the preceding academic year;

(c) Identification of local education providers and public schools that are achieving the goals and objectives specified in their student graduation and completion plans and those that are not achieving their goals and objectives;

(d) Explanation of the actions taken and strategies implemented by the local education providers with the highest student dropout rates to reduce those rates and by the local education providers with the lowest student graduation and completion rates to increase those rates;

(e) Identification of the local education providers that have demonstrated the greatest improvement in reducing their student dropout rates and increasing their student graduation and completion rates and descriptions of the actions taken and strategies implemented by the local education providers operating or approving these schools to achieve these improvements; and

(f) An evaluation of the overall progress across the state in meeting the goals specified in section 22-14-101 for reducing the student dropout rate and increasing the student graduation and completion rates.

(2.5) (a) Beginning with the report submitted pursuant to this section on March 15, 2026, the office shall include information regarding ninth-grade performance. At a minimum, the following measures must be included:

(I) For each public school that serves the ninth grade, the number and percentage of first-time ninth-grade students who at the end of the school year have not earned at least four core credits or have failed one or more core credits, reported for the school in total and disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, English language learner status, and whether or not the student has an individualized education program;

(II) For each school district, the number and percentage of first-time ninth-grade students who at the end of the school year have not earned at least four core credits or have failed one or more core credits, reported for the school district in total and disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, English language learner status, and whether or not the student has an individualized education program;

(III) For the charter school institute, the number and percentage of first-time ninth-grade students who at the end of the school year have not earned at least four core credits or have failed one or more core credits, reported for the charter school institute in total and disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, English language learner status, and whether or not the student has an individualized education program; and

(IV) For the state as a whole, the number and percentage of first-time ninth-grade students who at the end of the school year have not earned at least four core credits or have failed one or more core credits, reported for the state as a whole in total and disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, English language learner status, and whether or not the student has an individualized education program.

(b) In performing their duties pursuant to this subsection (2.5), the department, the office, each school district, the charter school institute, and each public school shall comply with the federal and state laws regarding privacy, including the federal "Family Educational Rights and Privacy Rights Act of 1974", 20 U.S.C. sec. 1232g, as amended, and its implementing regulations, and the "Student Data Transparency and Security Act" created pursuant to article 16 of this title 22, as amended, and its implementing rules.

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 24-1-136 (11), C.R.S., the reporting requirements specified in this article shall not expire but shall continue to be required until repealed by the general assembly.
C.R.S. § 22-5-121 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 5 / Section 22-5-121
22-5-121. BOCES healthy food grant program - application process - fund - rules - repeal
Status: repealed

22-5-121. BOCES healthy food grant program - application process - fund - rules - repeal. (Repealed)
C.R.S. § 22-30.5-403 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 30.5 / Part 4 / Section 22-30.5-403
22-30.5-403. Definitions
Status: in_force

22-30.5-403. Definitions. As used in this part 4, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) "Board of education" or "board" means a school district board of education.

(2) "Budget year" means the period beginning on July 1 of each year and ending on the following June 30 for which a budget for a district is adopted.

(3) "Charter school" means a charter school as described in section 22-30.5-104, and also includes a nonprofit corporation exempt from taxation under section 501 (c)(3) of the federal "Internal Revenue Code of 1986", as amended, that owns a facility used for occupancy by pupils enrolled or to be enrolled in a charter school on behalf of a charter school and that was created for the sole purpose of holding title to such facility.

(4) "Charter school capital construction" or "capital construction" means constructing, demolishing, remodeling, financing, or refinancing the acquisition of land, buildings, or facilities used for occupancy by pupils enrolled in or to be enrolled in a charter school or an institute charter school. The term also includes actions taken to achieve the purposes set forth in section 22-42-102 (2)(a)(I) to (2)(a)(V), (2)(a)(VII), and (2)(a)(VIII).

(5) "Charter school per pupil facilities aid program moneys" means state education fund moneys to be distributed to charter schools and institute charter schools for capital construction pursuant to section 22-54-124.

(5.5) "Institute charter school" means a charter school authorized by the state charter school institute pursuant to part 5 of this article, and also includes a nonprofit corporation exempt from taxation under section 501 (c)(3) of the federal "Internal Revenue Code of 1986", as amended, that owns, on behalf of an institute charter school, a facility used for occupancy by pupils enrolled or to be enrolled in the institute charter school, which nonprofit corporation was created for the sole purpose of holding title to the facility.

(6) "School district" or "district" means a school district organized and existing pursuant to law; except that the term does not include a local college district.

(7) "Special mill levy" means a mill levy authorized by section 22-30.5-405.
C.R.S. § 22-1-127 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 1 / Section 22-1-127
22-1-127. Incentives for school enrollment or attendance - prohibited - exceptions - defin
Status: in_force

22-1-127. Incentives for school enrollment or attendance - prohibited - exceptions - definitions. (1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) "Item of value" means an item, cash, or an instrument or device that can be used to obtain cash, credit, property, services, or any other thing of value, which item, cash, or instrument or device exceeds twenty dollars in value.

(b) "Local education provider" means:

(I) A school district, other than a local college district, organized and existing pursuant to law;

(II) A board of cooperative services created and operating pursuant to article 5 of this title that operates one or more public schools;

(III) A public school of a school district, including but not limited to a charter school authorized by a school district pursuant to part 1 of article 30.5 of this title;

(IV) An institute charter school authorized by the state charter school institute pursuant to part 5 of article 30.5 of this title; and

(V) The state charter school institute established in section 22-30.5-503.

(c) "Parent" means the biological or adoptive mother or father or stepmother or stepfather of a child or any other person having legal or physical custody of a child.

(2) A local education provider shall not offer or provide to a school-aged child or the child's parent an item of value prior to, upon, or after enrolling in or attending an educational program operated by the local education provider unless:

(a) The local education provider makes the item of value available to the child continuously or at regular intervals throughout the school year and ceases providing the item of value if the child leaves the education program prior to the end of the school year;

(b) The local education provider awards the item of value at the end of the school year or upon matriculation in recognition of student performance; or

(c) The local education provider pays the item of value to the school-aged child or to his or her parent in exchange for services rendered by the child or by the child's parent at the request of the local education provider. For purposes of this paragraph (c), "services rendered" does not include school attendance or enrollment.
C.R.S. § 22-5-113 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 5 / Section 22-5-113
22-5-113. Approval for postsecondary occupational programs
Status: in_force

22-5-113. Approval for postsecondary occupational programs. No board of cooperative services shall establish a new postsecondary program of occupational education without first obtaining approval from the state board for community colleges and occupational education.
C.R.S. § 22-44-205 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 44 / Part 2 / Section 22-44-205
22-44-205. Reports
Status: repealed

22-44-205. Reports. (Repealed)
C.R.S. § 22-82.9-304 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 82.9 / Part 3 / Section 22-82.9-304
22-82.9-304. Evaluation - report
Status: in_force

22-82.9-304. Evaluation - report. (1) On or before December 1, 2025, the department shall submit a report to the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate, the house of representatives agriculture, water, and natural resources committee, the senate agriculture and natural resources committee, or their successor committees, on the effect of the purchasing program on the amount of Colorado grown, raised, or processed products purchased by participating providers, including:

(a) Names and demographic data of participating providers;

(b) The dollar amount spent on Colorado grown, raised, or processed products during the purchasing program, including local purchasing data from the 2023-24 school year, that the participating provider included in the application to the purchasing program;

(c) Product categories purchased;

(d) Number of Colorado producers or businesses participating by participating provider and in total;

(e) Economic effect on participating providers, producers, and economies; and

(f) Qualitative producer and participating provider surveys.
C.R.S. § 22-1-142 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 1 / Section 22-1-142
22-1-142. Tribal regalia at school graduation ceremonies - definitions
Status: in_force

22-1-142. Tribal regalia at school graduation ceremonies - definitions. (1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) "Graduation attire" means attire that a school or school district requires a student to wear as part of the dress code for a graduation ceremony.

(b) "Qualifying student" means a student who is a descendant of people who were living in North America prior to the time people from Europe began settling in North America, is an enrolled member of a federally recognized or state-recognized Indian tribe, or is a lineal descendant of a tribally enrolled parent or grandparent.

(c) "Tribal regalia" means a tribe's traditional dress or recognized objects of religious or cultural significance and includes the following items of cultural significance:

(I) Tribal symbols;

(II) Beads; and

(III) Feathers, in line with the federal "Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918".

(d) "Tribe" means a tribe, band, nation, or Alaskan Native village that is recognized by federal law or that a state formally acknowledges.

(2) A qualifying student may wear tribal regalia during a graduation ceremony; except that a qualifying student who is not an enrolled member of a tribe shall not wear eagle feathers. Wearing tribal regalia includes decorating graduation attire with tribal regalia; except that a qualifying student who is not an enrolled member of a tribe shall not decorate with eagle feathers.

(3) (a) An immediate family member of a qualifying student may wear and display tribal regalia during the qualifying student's graduation ceremony if the immediate family member is:

(I) An enrolled member of a tribe;

(II) Eligible to be enrolled as a member of a tribe; or

(III) A lineal descendant of a tribally enrolled parent or grandparent.

(b) Notwithstanding subsection (3)(a) of this section, an immediate family member who is not an enrolled member of a tribe shall not wear eagle feathers.

(4) A school or school district shall not prohibit a qualifying student or the qualifying student's immediate family from wearing and displaying tribal regalia at a graduation ceremony.

(5) This section applies to all public school graduations, including, but not limited to, kindergarten, middle school, junior high school, and high school graduations.
C.R.S. § 22-31-126 — CO Code / Title 22 / Article 31 / Section 22-31-126
22-31-126. Preservation of ballots
Status: in_force

22-31-126. Preservation of ballots. (Deleted by amendment)