1 Colo. Code Regs. § 301-39-1

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 22, November 25, 2024

Section 1 CCR 301-39-1 - Definitions

1.01 "Alternative teacher-pupil instruction" means the organized delivery of educational content (aligned to state standards where applicable) for pupils enrolled in a brick-and-mortar public school under the supervision of a licensed educator that may take place asynchronously. The following types of courses with alternative teacher-pupil instruction can be funded with appropriate documentation: independent study, work-based learning (work-study, internships, apprenticeships), blended learning, and supplemental online learning.

1.01(1) Work-based learning courses are credit-bearing courses that must be incorporated within the student's Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) in order to qualify for funding. They are learning opportunities that occur in part or in whole in the workplace and provide the learner with hands-on, real-world experience.

1.01(2) Blended Learning courses are credit-bearing courses for a student enrolled in a traditional brick-and-mortar school where some of the direct instruction is regularly received in-person and on-site and some of the digitally-delivered asynchronous instruction is received off-site (with some element of student control over the time and place of participation).

1.01(3) Independent study courses are credit-bearing courses in which some or all of the course is being completed off-site, independently by the student. They include the provision of content aligned to grade-level standards (where applicable) and are substantially equivalent to a traditional course. In order to qualify for funding, the independent study course must have a written learning plan that includes the course outline or plan for study, the digital or print curriculum or materials to be used, requirements for submitting assignments and recording the academic progress, and the role of the supervising licensed teacher. A pupil can be funded for only one alternative instruction independent study course for the fall semester unless the student has exhausted the curriculum options in their brick-and-mortar school.

1.01(4) Supplemental online courses are credit-bearing courses taken by students enrolled in traditional, brick-and-mortar schools in which all of the instruction is digitally delivered and is received off-site or is taken on-site but not at a scheduled time where attendance is mandatory.

1.01(5) Credit-bearing means that a passing grade and credits are given for satisfactory completion of course requirements within the parameters of the academic calendar.

1.01(6) Asynchronous means the delivery of educational content designed to allow the teacher and the pupils to engage with the educational content at different times.

1.01(7) On-site means the physical location where the school or contractor regularly delivers in-person instruction.

1.01(8) Equivalency refers to the fundable time for alternative instruction courses. Whereas direct instruction is funded based on "time in seat," alternative instruction courses are based on an equivalency to the time that a pupil would have been "in a seat" if they had taken a similar course in-person and on-site. The instructional time for all alternative instruction courses will be determined based on equivalency to a same or similar credit-bearing course in the school or district that is delivered 100 percent on site.

1.02 "Applicable count date" means the pupil enrollment count date under section 3 of these rules or, if approved by the Department, the alternative count date under section 4 of these rules.

1.03 "BOCES" means a board of cooperative services pursuant to Article 5 of Title 22, C.R.S.

1.04 "Catalog of Courses Using Alternative Teacher-Pupil Instruction" means a listing of alternative teacher-pupil instruction courses that are eligible for student enrollment by a district, BOCES, innovation school, innovation zone, or charter school.

1.04(1) The catalog of courses using alternative teacher-pupil instruction must include a listing of courses, a description of each of the courses and identification of course provider if applicable, and the credit associated with each course.

1.05 "Commissioner" means the commissioner of education.

1.06 "District" means any public school district organized under the laws of Colorado, except a junior college district. "District" includes a BOCES, innovation school, innovation zone, charter school, or other entity when said entity has legal responsibility for the applicable school calendars and student schedules.

1.07 "Department" means the Colorado Department of Education.

1.08 "Direct teacher-pupil instruction" means the organized delivery of educational content (aligned to state standards where applicable) for pupils enrolled in brick-and-mortar public schools under the supervision of a licensed educator that takes place synchronously, when the licensed educator and the pupil are in the same physical location or when the licensed educator and the pupil are in the same virtual classroom. Direct instruction also includes engagement with educational content in courses, such as study hall or advisory or credit recovery lab or independent study, that are on-site at a scheduled time during regular school hours and for a set amount of time and where attendance is mandatory.

1.08(1) For the purpose of these rules, "synchronous" refers to the organized delivery of educational content which occurs during scheduled times and includes real-time interactions between teacher and pupils in-person, by video, or by phone.

1.09 "Home-bound pupil" means a pupil who cannot receive instruction in a school setting due to a temporary or permanent illness, hospitalization, medical or mental health impairment or condition, or due to an expelled or incarcerated status.

1.10 "Home school pupil" means a pupil receiving a non-public home-based educational program pursuant to Section 22-33-104.5, C.R.S. who is also enrolled and receiving instruction part-time from a Colorado public school.

1.11 "Licensed educator" or "licensed teacher" means a teacher with an active Colorado educator credential. Each local board shall define "supervision of a licensed teacher." For purposes of these Rules only, "licensed teacher" shall be construed to include any educator of record when the district is not required by law to use a licensed teacher.

1.12 "Local board" means the board of education of a district or the board of a BOCES, charter school, innovation school, innovation zone, or other entity when said entity has legal responsibility for the applicable school calendar and student schedule.

1.13 "Major Religious Holiday," for purposes of identifying a statewide pupil enrollment count, means a day or days on which approximately two (2) percent of the state's K-12 pupil population is likely to be absent in order to observe a religious holiday. The Department will identify the percentage of pupils likely to observe a religious holiday based on the most current religious demographic data available from a reliable research organization, such as the Association of Religious Data Archives or The Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion and Public Life.

1.14 "Private school pupil" means a pupil enrolled in an independent or parochial school which provides a basic academic education pursuant to Section 22-33-104(2)(b), C.R.S. and who is also enrolled and receiving instruction part-time from a Colorado public school.

1.15 "Pupil" means, except as otherwise provided in Section 22-2-402(7) or Articles 20 and 28 of Title 22, C.R.S, a student (1) under age 21 as of October 1 of the applicable budget year who has not met the graduation requirements of the district as of the applicable count date, and (2) at least age five as of October 1 of the applicable budget year.

1.16 "Semester" means the total number of scheduled student contact days for the school year as documented by the district's adopted board calendar divided by two.

1.17 "State Board" means the state board of education.

1 CCR 301-39-1

43 CR 19, October 10, 2020, effective 10/30/2020

47 CR 08, April 25, 2024, effective 5/15/2024