2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 22 - EDUCATION (§§ 22-1-101 — 22-108-109) › FINANCING OF SCHOOLS - CONTINUED (§§ 22-53-101 — 22-58-101) › Article 54 - Public School Finance Act of 2025 (§§ 22-54-101 — 22-54-147) › Section 22-54-145 - Additional funding for rural schools - 2023-24 budget year - definitions - repeal

(1)
As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a)
"Eligible institute charter school" means an institute charter school that has a small rural district or a large rural district as its accounting district.
(b)
"Large rural district" means a district that the department of education determines is a rural district, based on the geographic size of the district and the distance of the district from the nearest large, urbanized area, and that had a funded pupil count for the 2022-23 budget year of at least one thousand but fewer than six thousand five hundred pupils in kindergarten through twelfth grade.
(c)
"Per pupil distribution amount" means:
(I)
For a large rural district, an amount equal to thirty million dollars multiplied by the percentage specified in subsection (2)(a)(I) of this section divided by the sum of the total funded pupil count for the 2022-23 budget year of all large rural districts and the total student enrollment for the 2022-23 budget year of all eligible institute charter schools that have a large rural district as the accounting district; or
(II)
For a small rural district, an amount equal to thirty million dollars multiplied by the percentage specified in subsection (2)(a)(II) of this section divided by the sum of the total funded pupil count for the 2022-23 budget year of all small rural districts and the total student enrollment for the 2022-23 budget year of all eligible institute charter schools that have a small rural district as the accounting district.
(d)
"Small rural district" means a district that the department of education determines is a rural district, based on the geographic size of the district and the distance of the district from the nearest large, urbanized area, and that had a funded pupil count for the 2022-23 budget year of fewer than one thousand pupils in kindergarten through twelfth grade.
(2)
(a)
For the 2023-24 budget year, the general assembly shall appropriate thirty million dollars to the department of education to provide additional funding for large rural districts, small rural districts, and institute charter schools. The department of education shall distribute:
(I)
Fifty-five percent of the money appropriated to large rural districts and to eligible institute charter schools that have a large rural district as their accounting district as provided in this section; and
(II)
Forty-five percent of the money appropriated to small rural districts and to eligible institute charter schools that have a small rural district as their accounting district as provided in this section.
(b)
Large rural districts, small rural districts, district charter schools, and eligible institute charter schools that receive money pursuant to this section may use the money only for nonrecurring expenses for the purpose of improving student learning and the educational environment, including, but not limited to, initiatives that help attract educator employees, initiatives to improve educator training, initiatives to retain educators, loan forgiveness for educators and staff, and technology.
(3)
(a)
The department of education shall distribute to each large rural district and each small rural district an amount equal to the applicable per pupil distribution amount multiplied by the large rural district's or small rural district's funded pupil count for the 2022-23 budget year.
(b)
Each large rural district and each small rural district that is the authorizer for a charter school shall distribute to the charter school one hundred percent of an amount equal to the amount received pursuant to subsection (3)(a) of this section divided by the funded pupil count of the large rural district or small rural district for the 2022-23 budget year multiplied by the number of students enrolled in the charter school for the 2022-23 budget year.
(4)
The department of education shall calculate for each eligible institute charter school and distribute to the state charter school institute an amount equal to the applicable per pupil distribution amount multiplied by the number of students enrolled in the eligible institute charter school for the 2022-23 budget year. The state charter school institute shall distribute to each eligible institute charter school one hundred percent of the amount received for the eligible institute charter school pursuant to this subsection (4).
(5)
This section is repealed, effective July 1, 2025.
Added by 2023 Ch. 189,§ 4, eff. 5/15/2023.