2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 26.5 - EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS AND SERVICES (§§ 26.5-1-101 — 26.5-6-103) › Article 4 - CHILD CARE AND EDUCATION (§§ 26.5-4-101 — 26.5-4-403) › Part 2 - COLORADO UNIVERSAL PRESCHOOL PROGRAM (§§ 26.5-4-201 — 26.5-4-211) › Section 26.5-4-203 - Definitions

As used in this part 2, unless the context otherwise requires:
(1)
"Additional preschool services" means hours of preschool services provided to a child in the year preceding enrollment in kindergarten that are in addition to the universal preschool services the child receives.
(2)
"Charter school" means a charter school that is:
(a)
A district charter school authorized pursuant to part 1 of article
30.5
of title
22
, an institute charter school authorized pursuant to part 5 of article
30.5
of title
22
, or a charter school authorized by the Colorado school for the deaf and the blind pursuant to section
22-80-102 (4)(b)
;
(b)
Authorized in its charter contract to provide preschool services; and
(c)
Licensed pursuant to part 3 of article
5
of this title 26.5 to operate as a preschool provider.
(3)
"Children with disabilities" has the same meaning as provided in section
22-20-103
.
(4)
"Colorado universal preschool program" or "preschool program" means the program established within the department pursuant to section
26.5-4-204
, and includes all participating preschool providers.
(5)
"Community plan" means the community plan adopted by a local coordinating organization pursuant to section
26.5-2-104
.
(6)
"ECEA" means the "Exceptional Children's Educational Act", article
20
of title
22
, and its implementing rules.
(7)
"Eligible child" means a child who is eligible to receive preschool services as provided in section
26.5-4-204 (3)
.
(8)
"IDEA" means the federal "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act",
20 U.S.C. sec. 1400
et seq., as amended, and its implementing regulations.
(9)
"Individualized education program" has the same meaning as provided in section
22-20-103
.
(10)
"Inflation" means the annual percentage change in the United States department of labor bureau of labor statistics consumer price index for Denver-Aurora-Lakewood for all items paid by all urban consumers, or its applicable successor index.
(11)
"Local coordinating organization" means the entity selected by the department pursuant to section
26.5-2-103
to implement a community plan for early childhood and family support programs and services within a specified community.
(12)
"Mixed delivery system" means a system for delivering preschool services through a combination of school- and community-based preschool providers, which include family child care homes, child care centers, and head start agencies, that are funded by a combination of public and private money.
(13)
"Parent" has the same meaning as provided in section
22-20-103
.
(14)
"Preschool provider" means any of the following entities that are licensed pursuant to part 3 of article
5
of this title 26.5:
(a)
A family child care home, as defined in section
26.5-5-303
;
(b)
A child care center, as defined in section
26.5-5-303
;
(c)
A school district licensed to operate as a public preschool provider;
(d)
A charter school licensed to operate as a public preschool provider; or
(e)
A head start program.
(15)
"Qualifying factor" means a child or family circumstance, as identified by department rule pursuant to section
26.5-4-204 (4)(a)(II)
, that may negatively impact a child's cognitive, academic, social, physical, or behavioral health or development.
(16)
"School district" means a school district organized pursuant to article
30
of title
22
that provides preschool services and is licensed pursuant to part 3 of article
5
of this title 26.5 as a preschool provider; or a board of cooperative services organized pursuant to article
5
of title
22
that provides preschool services and is licensed pursuant to part 3 of article
5
of this title 26.5 as a preschool provider.
(17)
"Universal preschool services" means ten hours of preschool services per week made available, at no charge, to children in the state during the school year preceding the school year in which a child is eligible to enroll in kindergarten.
Added by 2022 Ch. 123, §3, eff. 7/1/2022.