(1) The general assembly finds that: (a) Online education courses that are supplemental to the education program provided by a school district, charter school, or BOCES are a valuable resource for schools because they allow a school district, charter school, or BOCES to provide a much richer, more varied curriculum of courses for students at all levels of achievement. Further, enrollment in such courses decreases the need for college remediation and helps prepare students to meet higher education admission guidelines. (b) Although small or rural school districts, charter schools, and BOCES may have the greatest need for supplemental online education, these school districts, charter schools, and BOCES may face financial or technical barriers when attempting to provide supplemental online education courses to their students. Often these barriers are conquerable but out of reach for these school districts, charter schools, and BOCES. (b.5) Educational programs provided for students in out-of-home placement or through day treatment facilities are generally small and have difficulty accessing resources or employing a large number of teachers. Supplemental online education courses are especially helpful and necessary for facility schools to enable them to provide a much wider variety of courses and to help their students meet graduation standards. (c) It is therefore in the best interests of the state to help small or rural school districts, charter schools, BOCES, and facility schools provide supplemental online education courses to their students by allowing these school districts, charter schools, facility schools, and BOCES to apply for grants to help them overcome their financial and technical barriers. (2) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires: (a) "BOCES" means a board of cooperative services created pursuant to article 5 of this title, all member school districts of which are eligible school districts. (b) "Eligible charter school" means: (I) A charter school that is authorized by an eligible school district pursuant to part 1 of article 30.5 of this title and that does not operate an online program or as an online school; or (II) An institute charter school that is authorized pursuant to part 5 of article 30.5 of this title, that enrolls fewer than three thousand students, as determined by the institute charter school's pupil enrollment certified by the state charter school institute on behalf of the institute charter school to the state board pursuant to section 22-30.5-513 (3)(a), and that does not operate an online program or as an online school. (c) "Eligible school district" means a school district that does not export an online program or online school to students receiving the program at a location outside of the school district's geographic boundaries and that enrolls fewer than three thousand students, as determined by the school district's pupil enrollment certified to the state board pursuant to section 22-54-112. (c.5) "Facility school" means an approved facility school as defined in section 22-2-402 (1). (d) "Grant program" means the supplemental online education grant program created in subsection (3) of this section. (e) "Provider" means an entity that sells supplemental online education courses that are taught by employees of the provider who are teachers licensed in Colorado pursuant to article 60.5 of this title. (f) "Supplemental online education course" means an education course that is: (I) Taught by a teacher who is licensed pursuant to article 60.5 of this title; (II) Delivered via an internet format to one or more students at a location that is remote from the delivery point; and (III) Purchased by an eligible school district, eligible charter school, BOCES, or facility school from a provider to augment the education program provided by the eligible school district, eligible charter school, BOCES, or facility school. (3) There is hereby created the supplemental online education grant program to assist an eligible school district, an eligible charter school, a BOCES, or a facility school in providing supplemental online education courses to students. Subject to available appropriations, the state board shall award grants pursuant to this section to assist eligible school districts, eligible charter schools, BOCES, and facility schools in removing financial and technical barriers to providing supplemental online education courses. Grants awarded pursuant to this section shall be used for one or more of the following purposes: (a) As additional reimbursement for the cost of purchasing supplemental online education courses; or (b) To increase the eligible school district's, eligible charter school's, BOCES's, or facility school's ability to access supplemental online education courses by: (I) Providing technical equipment or hiring technical specialists to audit and configure computer networks; (II) Providing staff development and training for on-site personnel; or (III) Providing financial assistance to help hire site coordinators or other personnel needed to facilitate online access. (4) An eligible school district, an eligible charter school, a BOCES, or a facility school may apply to the department, in accordance with the procedures and time frames adopted by rule of the state board pursuant to subsection (5) of this section, to receive moneys through the grant program. The department shall administer the grant program as provided in this section. (5) The state board shall promulgate rules specifying the procedures and time frames for applying for a grant, the form of the grant application, the information to be provided by the applicant, and any criteria for awarding grants that are in addition to those specified in paragraph (b) of subsection (6) of this section. (6) (a) The department shall review each grant application received pursuant to this section and shall make recommendations to the state board concerning whether the grant should be awarded and the amount of the grant. (b) In selecting grant recipients, the state board shall give priority to grant applications from eligible school districts, eligible charter schools, BOCES, or facility schools that have been financially or technologically unable to provide supplemental online education courses in the past and that demonstrate the greatest need for a grant to be able to begin providing supplemental online education courses. In addition, the state board shall consider: (I) The degree to which students enrolled in the eligible school district or eligible charter school, or in a school operated by a BOCES or in a facility school require supplemental online education courses to be able to meet the higher education admission standards adopted by the Colorado commission on higher education; and (II) Other revenue sources available to the eligible school district, eligible charter school, BOCES, or facility school to assist in overcoming the financial and technological barriers to providing supplemental online education programs. (c) A grant awarded pursuant to this section shall not exceed five thousand dollars in a fiscal year. An eligible school district, an eligible charter school, a BOCES, or a facility school may receive grants in consecutive years. (7) (a) The general assembly shall annually appropriate to the department of education, from federal mineral leasing revenues transferred to the state public school fund pursuant to section 34-63-102, C.R.S., and section 22-54-114 (1), an amount to be used for purposes of this section. (b) The department may expend up to two percent of the moneys annually appropriated for the grant program to offset the direct and indirect costs incurred in implementing the grant program pursuant to this section. (8) Repealed.
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