(1) (a) In preparing the application forms to be submitted by school districts or public schools when applying for grant moneys, except as otherwise required by statute, the department shall not require information from public schools or school districts which has been previously submitted to the department; except that this prohibition shall not apply to annual updates of information sought by the department.
(b) In preparing said application forms and in reviewing submitted applications, the department shall utilize a database of pertinent data previously received from, or otherwise obtained regarding, schools and school districts, so as to minimize the need to require schools and school districts to send duplicative information.
(2) Whenever, as part of a grant program, the department or a school or school district is required to prepare an evaluation of the effectiveness of the services provided using the grant moneys, the department shall compile the evaluations and make such evaluations readily available to all schools and school districts upon request. Any costs associated with the compilation and availability of such reports shall be paid from the amount appropriated to the department for costs incurred in administering such grant programs.
(3) (a) For each budget year, the department shall allocate to the boards of cooperative services established pursuant to article 5 of this title that provide a wide range of services described in section 22-5-118 to their member school districts, or school districts with student populations of less than four thousand students, an amount equal to one percent of the amount appropriated to all education grant programs for that fiscal year, or two hundred fifty thousand dollars, whichever is less. The amount allocated to the boards of cooperative services pursuant to this subsection (3) shall be taken from the amounts appropriated to all education grant programs. In the event the department allocates two hundred fifty thousand dollars, such amount shall be taken from each education grant program in the same proportion that the amount appropriated for that fiscal year to the education grant program bears to the total amount appropriated for that fiscal year to all education grant programs.
(b) The department shall proportionately divide the moneys allocated pursuant to this subsection (3) among the boards of cooperative services described in paragraph (a) of this subsection (3) on a per school district basis, based on the total number of school districts that have student populations of less than four thousand students and are members of boards of cooperative services that shall receive moneys pursuant to this subsection (3).
(c) The boards of cooperative services that receive moneys pursuant to this subsection (3) shall only use such moneys to assist member school districts and schools in applying for grants from education grant programs. One or more boards of cooperative services may use the moneys allocated pursuant to this subsection (3) jointly to provide services to member school districts from more than one board of cooperative services.
Source: L. 2002: Entire section added, p. 326, � 1, effective August 7. L. 2003: (1)(a), (2), (3)(a), and (3)(c) amended, p. 2140, � 44, effective May 22.
22-2-122.5. COVID-19 learning impacts - extended learning opportunities - funding - combined application, reporting, and evaluation process - rules - legislative declaration - definitions - repeal. (1) The general assembly finds and declares that:
(a) Ongoing gaps in learning opportunities for students, including opportunities for underserved students and communities, and disrupted learning have accelerated due to the unprecedented changes to the student learning environment and access to education due to the presence of the COVID-19 virus in Colorado;
(b) Pursuant to state and federal law, there may be a variety of programs and funding available to local education providers to address these learning impacts through extended learning opportunities. However, not all local education providers have the necessary resources, whether time, staff, or expertise, to navigate various funding opportunities.
(c) Because local education providers in communities across the state may have different needs with respect to addressing COVID-19 learning impacts, and because the funding available to address learning impacts may be tied to different goals and objectives, it is more efficient and a better use of the resources of both the department and local education providers to create a streamlined process for local education providers to access funding for extended learning opportunities based on the specific needs of the local education provider;
(d) Rather than completing multiple applications with different deadlines, the department has the ability to create a needs-based approach to the award of grants and other sources of funding, creating a robust process of matching a local education provider's needs with the extended learning opportunities that meet those needs; and
(e) The combined administration of grant programs and other funding sources allows for more efficient reporting on the use and the impact of the funding, as well as the opportunity, with sufficient appropriations, to conduct more robust evaluations of the outcomes and overall effectiveness of the extended learning opportunities implemented at the local level. The department of education is uniquely positioned to use the data collected locally to share best practices statewide for the effective implementation of extended learning opportunities that lead to academic gains across student demographic groups.
(2) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) Extended learning opportunities means a program or method of academic support beyond standard programming or school practice that takes place either outside of normal school hours or outside of the regular school program. Extended learning opportunities include supplemental programming that allows a local education provider to provide supplemental education targeted at opportunity gaps and recovering from disrupted learning due to the presence of COVID-19 in the state. Examples of extended learning opportunities include but are not limited to summer school programming, extended school days or extended school weeks, high-impact tutoring, creative enrichment tied to academic gains, social-emotional supports, and additional mental health supports tied to academic success. Extended learning opportunities do not include an education voucher, scholarship, or savings account.
(b) Local education provider means:
(I) A school district organized pursuant to article 30 of this title 22;
(II) A board of cooperative services created pursuant to article 5 of this title 22;
(III) A charter school authorized by a school district pursuant to part 1 of article 30.5 of this title 22;
(IV) An institute charter school authorized by the state charter school institute pursuant to part 5 of article 30.5 of this title 22; and
(V) Any other provider of public preschool through secondary school education in the state that is eligible to receive grants or other funding administered by the department pursuant to this section, regardless of the source, to address learning impacts resulting from the presence of the COVID-19 virus in the state.
(3) To the extent possible, the department shall streamline the application process and other requirements for various extended learning opportunities that address learning impacts resulting from the presence of the COVID-19 virus in the state. The department is authorized to:
(a) Create a single, combined application for local education providers to apply for grant programs or other sources of funding, regardless of the funding source, for extended learning opportunities that address the needs of the local education provider and for which the local education provider is eligible, and, to the extent possible, to align the application process and deadlines;
(b) Identify one or more extended learning opportunities and funding sources that match the needs identified by the local education provider;
(c) Create streamlined data collection and common reporting requirements for local education providers for extended learning opportunities administered pursuant to this section that reduce burdens on local education providers, minimizing the need for a local education provider to provide the same information more than one time or to provide information that has previously been provided to the department, with reporting deadlines to the department that facilitate the department's reporting pursuant to subsection (3)(d) of this section;
(d) Streamline annual reporting by the department to the governor and executive branch agencies and to the general assembly concerning extended learning opportunities administered pursuant to this section, allowing combined reports and common deadlines, with reporting commencing by or before the department's annual presentation to the legislative committee of reference in January 2023, pursuant to the State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act, created in part 2 of article 7 of title 2; and
(e) Subject to available funding for the evaluation of one or more extended learning opportunities, create common data collection and evaluation criteria and metrics for all extended learning opportunities being evaluated.
(4) The single, combined application to apply for funding for extended learning opportunities pursuant to subsection (3)(a) of this section, regardless of the funding source, must include, at a minimum:
(a) The local education provider's plan to utilize the funding to implement extended learning opportunities, including the type of extended learning opportunity, the number of students to be served, the estimated cost of implementing the extended learning opportunity, and whether the local education provider will contract with any third-party extended learning opportunity provider, and, if so, the name of the proposed provider and the amount of the proposed contract;
(b) A description of the local education provider's internal progress-monitoring and reporting system, as described in subsection (7) of this section;
(c) The local education provider's time frame for implementing the extended learning opportunity; and
(d) A description of the local education provider's staff and family engagement efforts to determine the community-informed extended learning opportunity that best meets the needs of the local education provider.
(5) The streamlined data collection and common reporting requirements for local education providers pursuant to subsection (3)(c) of this section are subject to the department's data privacy and suppression policies that are aligned to the Student Data Transparency and Security Act, article 16 of this title 22, and the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, 20 U.S.C. sec. 1232g. The streamlined data collection and common reporting requirements must include, at a minimum:
(a) A description of the extended learning opportunity and its implementation by the local education provider receiving funding;
(b) Whether the local education provider contracted with a third-party extended learning opportunity provider, and, if so, the name of the provider and the amount of the contract;
(c) Data concerning the number of students served by the local education provider as a result of the funding and demographic information for students served; and
(d) Data and information concerning student academic outcomes, as defined by the local education provider as part of the application, that are associated with the implementation and monitoring of the extended learning opportunity.
(6) The department's reporting to the general assembly pursuant to subsection (3)(d) of this section must include, at a minimum, a summary of the reports submitted by local education providers pursuant to subsection (5) of this section, data and information relevant to student outcomes resulting from the implementation of the extended learning opportunity, and the overall effectiveness of the extended learning opportunity. Notwithstanding section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I), the department's annual reporting to the general assembly pursuant to subsection (3)(d) of this section continues so long as extended learning opportunities are administered by the department pursuant to this section.
(7) A local education provider receiving funding to implement an extended learning opportunity shall establish an internal progress-monitoring system to monitor progress using family- and community-informed practices to measure the effectiveness of the extended learning opportunity through student educational gains. The internal progress-monitoring system must allow for reporting on specific student demographic categories, allowing the sharing of best practices across student demographics and across the state.
(8) (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the department shall ensure that eligibility requirements, application requirements, allowable uses of funding, data collection and reporting, and any other requirements specific to the extended learning opportunity or funding source are met for all extended learning opportunities and related grant programs administered pursuant to this section.
(b) The department shall reserve a proportionate share of the money available for state-funded grants for extended learning opportunities for rural local education providers, as determined by the department, and is encouraged to reserve a proportionate share of federal funding for implementation of extended learning opportunities by rural local education providers.
(9) If required by law and subject to available appropriations, the department shall evaluate one or more extended learning opportunities implemented across local education providers using a common set of evaluation criteria and metrics.
(10) The state board may adopt any rules necessary for the implementation of this section.
(11) The general assembly may annually appropriate money to the department for the implementation of state-funded extended learning opportunities by local education providers.
(12) This section is repealed, effective July 1, 2026.
Source: L. 2021: Entire section added, (HB 21-1259), ch. 210, p. 1088, � 1, effective June 7.
22-2-123. Eligible facilities education task force - creation - membership - duties - repeal. (Repealed)
Source: L. 2002: Entire section added, p. 907, � 2, effective July 1. L. 2003: (3) amended, p. 2006, � 81, effective May 22.
Editor's note: Subsection (7) provided for the repeal of this section, effective January 1, 2004. (See L. 2002, p. 907.)
22-2-124. Family literacy education grant program - rules - repeal. (Repealed)
Source: L. 2002: Entire section added, p. 814, � 2, effective May 30. L. 2003: (9) amended, p. 2166, � 1, effective June 3. L. 2006: (9)(b)(I) amended, p. 597, � 6, effective August 7; (2)(c)(I) amended, p. 1213, � 6, effective July 1, 2007. L. 2007: (7)(c) repealed, p. 756, � 3, effective May 10; (9)(a)(I) repealed, p. 1038, � 10, effective May 22; (9) amended, p. 1406, � 2, effective May 30. L. 2012: (2)(i)(XI) and (2)(i)(XII) amended, (HB 12-1120), ch. 27, p. 107, � 21, effective June 1. L. 2014: (10) added, (HB 14-1085), ch. 343, p. 1534, � 2, effective June 5.
Editor's note: Subsection (10) provided for the repeal of this section, effective July 1, 2014. (See L. 2014, p. 1534.)
22-2-125. Loan program for capital improvements in growth school districts - use of public school fund. (1) For purposes of this section:
(a) Capital improvement means:
(I) The acquisition or purchase of buildings or grounds;
(II) The enlargement, improvement, remodeling, repairing, or making of additions to any school building;
(III) The construction or erection of school buildings;
(IV) The equipping or furnishing of any school building, but only in conjunction with a construction project for a new building or for an addition to an existing building or in conjunction with a project for substantial remodeling, improvement, or repair of an existing building; or
(V) The improvement of school grounds.
(b) Growth district means any district whose supplemental pupil enrollment exceeded the district's pupil enrollment for the most recently completed budget year by a number greater than one percent of the district's pupil enrollment for that budget year or fifty pupils, whichever is less.
(2) As authorized under the provisions of section 3 of article IX of the state constitution, the state treasurer may make loans to growth districts for the purpose of funding capital improvements. The procedures for the making of loans shall be determined by the state treasurer subject to the following:
(a) No loan shall be authorized for any capital improvement that has not been approved by the state board in accordance with subsection (3) of this section.
(b) No loan shall be authorized in an amount other than the amount determined by the state board unless the state board approves the change in the loan amount; except that the state board shall not authorize an amount of a loan for any growth district that exceeds ten percent of the amount of the public school fund that the state treasurer has determined may be loaned out in accordance with subsection (5) of this section.
(c) No loan shall be authorized unless the debt is approved by the voters of the growth district.
(d) No loan shall be authorized unless the method for repayment of the loan is specified in the application. If the loan is to be repaid from a property tax mill levy, such levy must be approved at the same election that authorized the creation of the debt.
(e) The loan shall be made as soon as possible upon approval of the loan by the state board.
(3) (a) On and after January 1, 2003, a growth district may apply to the state board for a loan of public school fund moneys to be used by the growth district to pay for one or more capital improvements. The amount of the loan requested shall be an amount equal to the full cost of the capital improvement or a lesser amount that in combination with other financial resources of the growth district shall allow the capital improvement to be completed. The loan application shall be in a form prescribed by the state board and shall include:
(I) A description of the capital improvement for which a loan is sought and a statement of the reasons why the capital improvement is necessary;
(II) A timeline for completion of the capital improvement;
(III) A building permit for the capital improvement, if applicable;
(IV) A statement of the amount of the loan requested together with an estimate of the cost of the capital improvement prepared by a qualified builder or contractor. If the amount of the loan requested differs from the amount of the estimate of the cost of the capital improvement, the growth district shall also provide an explanation for the difference.
(V) A plan for repaying the loan, including a proposed repayment schedule;
(VI) A statement of the amount of moneys from other sources, if any, that the growth district intends to use to help defray the costs of the capital improvement; and
(VII) Any additional information that the state board may reasonably require, by rules promulgated in accordance with article 4 of title 24, C.R.S., to help it determine whether or not to approve the loan application.
(b) To ensure that a growth district applying for a loan can move forward with any capital improvements quickly or develop alternative financing strategies without undue delay, the state board shall approve or disapprove a loan application no later than forty-five days after the application is submitted. To ensure that loan applications can be processed efficiently, the state board may delegate the authority to approve loan applications to a designated employee of the department. The state board or its designee shall consider all of the information in an application before approving or disapproving the application and a growth district whose loan application is denied shall have no right to further review by the state board or its designee.
(4) The state board shall establish a repayment schedule that shall require the growth district to make monthly payments on the loan and fully repay all moneys borrowed within ten years after the date a loan is made available pursuant to subsection (2) of this section.
(5) The state treasurer shall determine the amount of the public school fund that may be loaned out pursuant to this section and the rate of interest to be charged on loans. The state treasurer shall charge interest on loans made at a rate designed to match the rate of interest derived from the deposit and investment of moneys in the public school fund. Payments of the principal of and interest on all loans shall be returned to the fund.
(6) The general assembly shall appropriate money from the general fund to restore moneys to the public school fund, together with interest, that are lost by reason of the failure of any school district to repay a loan made pursuant to this section.
Source: L. 2002: Entire section added, p. 1742, � 15, effective June 7.
Editor's note: This section was originally numbered as 22-2-122 in House Bill 02-1349 but has been renumbered on revision for ease of location.