1 Colo. Code Regs. § 301-71-2.0

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

Section 1 CCR 301-71-2.0 - Definitions

2.1 "Authorizer" means an entity that authorizes an online program or online school. "Authorizer" shall include a school district, any group of two or more school districts, a board of cooperative services created pursuant to § 22-5-104 C.R.S., or the state Charter School Institute established pursuant to § 22-30.5-503, C.R.S.

2.2 This definition of "complete educational program" is applicable to all public school educational programs that derive their support, in whole or in part, from moneys raised by a general state, county, or School District tax.

2.2.1 "Complete Educational Program" means for the purposes of § 22-32-109(2) C.R.S., only, a sequential k-12 program of instruction, managed and operated by a local school district, for the education of a child that is intended to qualify for per pupil revenues under the Public School Finance Act of 1994 and, for children under seventeen years of age, qualifies the child by his or her attendance to be in compliance with Colorado compulsory school attendance laws.

2.2.2 For purposes of § 22-32-109(2) C.R.S., the term "Complete Educational Program" shall exclude an online education program as defined by rule 2.10 and which is not delivered in a Learning Center as defined in rule 2.06.

2.2.3 For purposes of § 22-32-109(2) C.R.S., the term "Complete Educational Program" shall also exclude a Learning Center as defined by rule 2.06, which is operating in the district pursuant to an MOU negotiated with the district, or pursuant to an order of the State Board of Education under rule 10.07.

2.3 "Course Completion Requirements," for the purposes of transcript recording and statistical enrollment reporting, means the student completion of a course based on meeting the Authorizer's approved academic content work and testing requirements.

2.3.1 The course may be counted as having been completed when academic content work, as based upon authorizer accreditation curriculum standards, has been completed.

2.3.2 Any student counted as an enrollment for the pupil enrollment count date, as defined in section 22-54-103 (10.5) (a), C.R.S., must be included in the course completion rate data.

2.3.3 For calculation purposes, any student who leaves the course within the first 25% of said course shall not be counted in course completion rates.

2.3.4 Mastery or passing a course is not a requirement of course completion, but mastery levels should be consistent with the Authorizer.

2.4 "Department" means the Department of Education created and existing pursuant to § 24-1-115, C.R.S.

2.5 "Learning Center" means a facility in which a consistent group of students meets more often than once per week under the supervision of a Teacher or Mentor for a significant portion of a school day for the purpose of participating in an Online School or Program. A group of Parents and students meeting repeatedly, occasionally, and informally, even if facilitated by a school, shall not constitute a "Learning Center", and a private home shall not be considered a "Learning Center" under any circumstances pursuant to § 22-30.7-102 C.R.S.

2.5.1 For purposes of these rules, a "significant portion of the school day for the purpose of participating in an online program" means that students of the Learning Center must be actively participating in the curricula of the certified online program for more than fifty- percent of the school day.

2.5.2 A curriculum that is not part of the certified Online School or Program must be non- religious and non- sectarian and may only be offered for less than fifty-percent of the school day.

2.5.3 In no event shall the parents or guardians of the students enrolled in the Online School or Program be required to pay tuition on behalf of such students for the Online School or Program at such Learning Center.

2.6 "Mentor" means an individual who is responsible for providing supervision at a Learning Center. A "Mentor" shall not be required to be a licensed Teacher but shall, at a minimum, satisfy the requirements specified for a paraprofessional as such requirements are described in the federal law "Every Student Succeeds Act", 20 U.S.C. § 6301 et seq.

2.7 "Multi-District Online School" means an Online School that serves a student population drawn from two or more school districts.

2.8 "Online Division" means the division of online learning created in the Department pursuant to §22- 30.7-103, C.R.S

2.9 "Online Program" means a full-time education program authorized pursuant to Title 22 of the Colorado Revised Statutes that delivers a sequential program of synchronous or asynchronous instruction directed by a teacher primarily through online digital learning strategies that provide students choice over time, place, and path, and teacher-guided modality of learning. "Online Program" does not include a supplemental program. Accountability for each student in an online program is attributed back to a designated school that houses the online program. An Online Program with one hundred or more students is an Online School and not an Online Program

2.10 "Online School" means a full-time, education school authorized pursuant to Title22 of the Colorado Revised Statutes that delivers a sequential program of synchronous or asynchronous instruction directed by a teacher primarily through online digital learning strategies that provide students choice over time, place, and path, and teacher- guided modality of learning. An Online School has an assigned school code and operates with its own administrator, a separate budget, and a complete instructional program. An Online School is responsible for fulfilling all reporting requirements and is held to state and federally mandated accountability processes.

2.11 "Parent" means a biological parent, adoptive parent, or legal guardian.

2.12 "Single-District Online Program" means an Online Program that serves only students who reside within a single school district.

2.13 "Standard MOU Form" means the standard Memorandum of Understanding Form adopted by the State Board pursuant to section § 22-30.7-111 (5) C.R.S.

2.14 "State Board" means the State Board of Education created and existing pursuant to section 1 of Article IX of the Colorado State Constitution.

2.15 "Supplemental Program" means a program that offers one or more online courses to students to augment an educational program provided by a school, school district, charter school, or board of cooperative services.

2.16 "Successor School" means an online school that is a replication, addition, division, or reorganization of an existing or previously authorized online school as determined by the criteria adopted by the Department.

2.17 "Teacher" means any person who holds a Teacher's license issued pursuant to the provisions of article 60.5 of Title 22, CRS and who is employed to instruct, direct, or supervise the instructional program, "Teacher" includes those persons employed by a charter school as a Teacher pursuant to a waiver granted to the charter school by the State Board pursuant to § 22-30.5-105(3), C.R.S., or who are employed by a school district as a Teacher pursuant to a waiver granted to a school district pursuant to § 22-2-117, C.R.S.

2.18 "Teacher-pupil contact and teacher-pupil instruction" means that time when a pupil is actively engaged in the educational process of a district.

2.18(1) Each local board of education shall define "educational process".

1 CCR 301-71-2.0

37 CR 24, December 25, 2014, effective 1/15/2015

40 CR 01, January 10, 2017, effective 1/30/2017

42 CR 24, December 25, 2019, effective 1/15/2020

47 CR 11, June 10, 2024, effective 6/30/2024