A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning alternative education campuses.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov.)
For alternative education campuses (AECs), the bill:
- Directs the department of education (department) when administering state education grants to allocate priority points to AECs;
- Authorizes AECs to include certain high-risk students in the AEC's pupil count who are 21 years of age or younger during the budget year;
- Requires the department to prepare and post a report on enrollment trends, student demographics, and student mobility in AECs; and
- Exempts an AEC from losing its designation due to a fluctuation in enrollment for one school year.
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly finds and declares that:
Page 2, Line 3(a) Alternative education campuses (AECs) play a critical role in
Page 2, Line 4Colorado's education system by serving students who face extraordinary challenges;
Page 2, Line 5(b) Despite serving some of Colorado's most impacted students,
Page 2, Line 6AECs frequently operate with insufficient funding and resources.
Page 2, Line 7Consequently, many AECs often struggle to meet the critical needs of the
Page 2, Line 8students they are dedicated to serving and are reliant on additional funding through gifts, grants, and donations.
Page 2, Line 9(c) By prioritizing existing education grant programs, AECs will
Page 2, Line 10be able to access more of the resources that they need to best address the unique circumstances and challenges of the students they enroll;
Page 2, Line 11(d) AECs often also see great variability in their enrollment
Page 2, Line 12throughout the school year due to the transient nature and urgent needs of
Page 2, Line 13many AEC students. As a result, the current funding system, which relies
Page 2, Line 14on a single enrollment count date, does not accurately reflect the fluctuating enrollment of AECs throughout the year.
Page 2, Line 15(e) To assess the impact of an alternative funding system, such as
Page 2, Line 16a dual enrollment count, the department of education should annually
Page 2, Line 17monitor and report on AEC enrollment trends, student demographics, and
Page 2, Line 18student mobility; and
Page 3, Line 1(f) Despite the mission of helping students who are often
Page 3, Line 2marginalized, current statute caps the age of parents and expectant
Page 3, Line 3pregnant moms who can be served at AECs at twenty years of age. The
Page 3, Line 4eligibility age for these students at AECs should be expanded to include individuals up to twenty-one years of age.
Page 3, Line 5SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-7-604.5, amend (1.5)(j); and add (1.2), (4), (5), and (6) as follows:
Page 3, Line 622-7-604.5. Alternative education campuses - criteria -
Page 3, Line 7application - rule-making - report - definition.
Page 3, Line 8(1.2) Notwithstanding the requirement in subsection
Page 3, Line 9(1)(a)(VI)(B) of this section, an alternative education campus
Page 3, Line 10that has a pupil enrollment of less than two hundred fifty
Page 3, Line 11students shall not lose its designation if the campus met the
Page 3, Line 12ninety percent threshold during the school year, did not fall
Page 3, Line 13below eighty percent during the subsequent school year, and again met the ninety percent threshold the following year.
Page 3, Line 14(1.5) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires, a "high-risk student" means a student enrolled in a public school who:
Page 3, Line 15(j) Is a parent or pregnant woman
under the age of twentyPage 3, Line 16(4) In the administration of a grant existing pursuant to
Page 3, Line 17this title 22, the department of education shall allocate
Page 3, Line 18priority points to an alternative education campus if the
Page 3, Line 19alternative education campus is eligible and satisfies the grant's requirements.
Page 3, Line 20(5) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an
Page 3, Line 21alternative education campus may include in its pupil
Page 4, Line 1enrollment a high-risk student, as defined in this section, who is
Page 4, Line 2twenty-one years of age or younger on the pupil enrollment
Page 4, Line 3count day if the high-risk student has sufficient credits so that
Page 4, Line 4the student will be eligible for a diploma by the end of the same school year.
Page 4, Line 5(6) Beginning in September 2025, and each September
Page 4, Line 6thereafter, the department of education shall prepare and post
Page 4, Line 7an annual report on enrollment trends, student demographics,
Page 4, Line 8and student mobility in alternative education campuses. The report must include, but need not be limited to:
Page 4, Line 9(a) Year-round enrollment trends, including fluctuations beyond the official October count date;
Page 4, Line 10(b) A demographic breakdown of alternative education
Page 4, Line 11campus students, including factors such as age, race and
Page 4, Line 12ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and special education status; and
Page 4, Line 13(c) Data on student mobility, including transfers into and
Page 4, Line 14out of alternative education campuses throughout the school year.
Page 4, Line 15SECTION 3. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,
Page 4, Line 16determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
Page 4, Line 17preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for
Page 4, Line 18the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state institutions.