2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 8 - LABOR AND INDUSTRY (§§ 8-1-101 — 8-88-207) › EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING (§§ 8-83-101 — 8-84-304) › Article 83 - WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT (§§ 8-83-101 — 8-83-1002) › Part 6 - EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING (§§ 8-83-601 — 8-83-603) › Section 8-83-602.5 - Teacher externship program - creation - rules - repeal

(1)
(a)
On or before January 1, 2024, the department shall establish a teacher externship program to provide work-based learning opportunities for K-12 teachers in this state. The purpose of the externship program is for K-12 teachers to immerse themselves in a STEM or STEM-related field, or other fields that will provide value to K-12 teachers, in order to improve their classroom curriculums in a STEM or STEM-related area and foster student interest in jobs and internship opportunities that students may not be exposed to without the knowledge their K-12 teachers gain through an externship program.
(b)
The department shall establish at least one externship program model and develop consistency in offering the ability for K-12 teachers participating in an externship program to apply for graduate credits through an accredited college or university, career and technical education credits, and professional development credits.
(2)
(a)
In administering the externship program, the department shall work with the department of education to strive to create equal opportunities for K-12 teachers throughout the state to participate in work-based learning. The department may use work-based learning intermediaries selected pursuant to section
8-83-602 (3)
to aid in creating and finding work-based learning opportunities for K-12 teachers.
(b)
The department shall also collaborate with the department of education to establish minimum standards concerning:
(I)
The number of hours required in an externship opportunity;
(II)
Qualifications for K-12 teacher and employer participation in the externship program; and
(III)
Eligibility requirements for local education providers to receive direct payments.
(c)
The department shall work with the department of education to select appropriate employers for participation in the externship program. The department shall ensure that:
(I)
Each employer selected for the externship program is able to provide experience in a STEM or STEM-related field or in other appropriate working environments as determined by each local education provider that has a K-12 teacher who would like to participate in an externship program; and
(II)
The K-12 teachers who are placed with each employer have the opportunity to gain knowledge that can be transferred to the classroom to provide relevant and current information to students in subject matters that provide value to the K-12 teacher's local education provider.
(3)
For the purpose of providing incentives for employers to participate in the externship program, the department may allocate money directly to local education providers for teacher compensation and to work-based intermediaries, if applicable, to defray the costs of placing a K-12 teacher in an externship with an employer.
(4)
A K-12 teacher who participates in the externship program:
(a)
May be compensated by the local education provider, employer, or another entity for participation in the externship program; and
(b)
May apply for, as applicable:
(I)
Professional development credit as required by section
22-60.5-110
for license renewal;
(II)
Graduate credits through an accredited college or university; and
(III)
Career and technical education credits.
(5)
(a)
The department shall gather the following data regarding the externship program:
(I)
The number of employer participants;
(II)
The number of K-12 teacher participants;
(III)
The local education providers with K-12 teachers participating in the externship program; and
(IV)
A review from each K-12 teacher who participates in the externship program, including information on the value found in the externship program.
(b)
The department shall report this data on its website at least annually and shall share the information with the state board of education.
(6)
The director may seek and accept gifts, grants, and donations from private or public sources for the purposes of providing compensation to teachers who participate in the externship program.
(7)
If a teacher participating in the externship program is subject to a collective bargaining agreement or memorandum of understanding concerning the teacher's salary and the collective bargaining agreement or memorandum of understanding is in conflict with this section, the collective bargaining agreement or memorandum of understanding takes precedent over any payment authorized by this section.
(8)
The executive director of the department may promulgate rules to implement this section.
(9)
This section is repealed, effective September 1, 2025.
Added by 2023 Ch. 239,§ 2, eff. 8/7/2023.
2023 Ch. 239, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).