(1) (a) For the 2012-13 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter, a BOCES may receive state moneys in addition to any other moneys received pursuant to this article by submitting a plan to the state board, in a form and manner specified by rule of the state board, that details how the BOCES will use the additional moneys to assist its participating school districts in implementing and meeting the state's educational priorities as determined by the commissioner of education pursuant to subsection (2) of this section. The state board may specify additional information that a BOCES is required to include in a plan submitted pursuant to this paragraph (a). (b) For the 2012-13 fiscal year, a BOCES that seeks additional moneys shall submit a plan pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (1) to the state board on or before August 1, 2012. For the 2013-14 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter, a BOCES that seeks additional moneys shall submit a plan pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (1) to the state board on or before May 1 of the preceding fiscal year. (c) For the 2013-14 fiscal year, and each fiscal year thereafter, if a BOCES that submits a plan to the state board pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (1) also submitted a plan in the previous fiscal year, the BOCES shall include a report detailing the results of the previous year's plan in its new plan submission. (2) On or before June 1, 2012, on or before March 1, 2015, and on or before March 1 every third year thereafter, the commissioner of education, in consultation with a statewide association in the state that represents one or more BOCES in the state and a council created by the commissioner of education that advises the commissioner and the department of education regarding the needs and concerns of rural school districts in the state, shall determine the state's educational priorities for the purposes of this section. The priorities may include, but need not be limited to, educator effectiveness, school district accreditation and accountability, and standards and assessments for preschool through elementary and secondary education. (3) A BOCES may develop a memorandum of understanding with a school district that is contiguous to the area of the BOCES, but that is not a member of the BOCES, to enable the district to participate with the BOCES in the plan submitted pursuant to subsection (1) of this section. In addition, two or more adjoining BOCES may collaborate regarding the implementation of a plan submitted pursuant to this section. (4) (a) The department of education shall establish a method to allow the member school districts of a BOCES that chooses not to submit a plan pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of this section to submit a plan as a consortium of districts or as a newly formed BOCES to the state board and to receive moneys to assist the districts in implementing and meeting the state educational priorities as determined pursuant to subsection (2) of this section. (b) A member district of a BOCES that has submitted a plan pursuant to subsection (1) of this section may choose not to participate in the BOCES plan to assist the member districts in implementing and meeting the state's educational priorities. If a member district chooses not to participate, the BOCES shall work with the other member districts in the BOCES to implement the plan. (5) (a) The general assembly may appropriate moneys to the department of education for the purposes of this section. Of the amount appropriated, the department may retain up to one hundred twenty thousand dollars annually for the purpose of funding a departmental liaison for rural school districts and up to fifty thousand dollars annually for the purpose of funding the department's ongoing support of a council created by the commissioner of education that advises the commissioner and the department regarding the needs and concerns of rural school districts. The department shall distribute the remaining amount as specified in paragraph (b) of this subsection (5). (b) The department of education shall distribute the remaining amount appropriated by the general assembly for the purposes of this section, after subtracting the amounts specified in paragraph (a) of this subsection (5), as follows: (I) Equally distribute forty-five percent to the BOCES that submit plans pursuant to subsection (1) of this section; (II) Distribute forty-five percent based on the total number of member school districts of the participating BOCES and nonmember school districts that participate with the BOCES as detailed in a memorandum of understanding entered into pursuant to subsection (3) of this section; and (III) Distribute ten percent based on the total number of students enrolled in the member school districts of the participating BOCES and enrolled in the nonmember school districts that participate with the BOCES as detailed in a memorandum of understanding entered into pursuant to subsection (3) of this section. (c) Any state moneys appropriated by the general assembly for the purposes of this section shall not be used to supplant the level of state moneys appropriated to support and for use by BOCES during the 2011-12 fiscal year. (6) The state board shall promulgate rules pursuant to the "State Administrative Procedure Act", article 4 of title 24, C.R.S., for the administration of this section. (7) The general assembly finds and declares that, for purposes of section 17 of article IX of the state constitution, a program to assist school districts in implementing and meeting the state's educational priorities is a program for accountable education reform and may therefore receive funding from the state education fund created in section 17 (4) of article IX of the state constitution.
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