1 Colo. Code Regs. § 301-95-2.00

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 20, October 25, 2024

Section 1 CCR 301-95-2.00 - Definitions

2.00(1) Charter School: A charter school authorized by a school district pursuant to part 1 of article 30.5 of title 22 or an institute charter school authorized by the state charter school institute pursuant to part 5 of article 30.5 of title 22 of the Colorado Revised Statutes.

2.00(2) Department: The Department of Education created and existing pursuant to section 24-1-115, C.R.S.

2.00(3) Institute: The State Charter School Institute established in section 22-30.5-503, C.R.S.

2.00(4) Program: The School Transformation Grant program created in section 22 13-103.

2.00(5) Provider: A public or private entity that offers a high-quality turnaround leadership development program for Colorado educators.

2.00(6) School District: A school district organized pursuant to article 30 of title 22, C.R.S.

2.00(7) School Turnaround Leader: A principal or teacher leader in a school that is required to adopt a priority improvement plan or turnaround plan pursuant to section 22-11-210, C.R.S. or a district-level administrator or employee of the State Charter School Institute that coordinates and supports turnaround efforts in schools of the School District or Institute Charter schools that implement priority improvement plans or turnaround plans.

2.00(8) State Board: The State Board of Education created pursuant to Section 1 of Article IX of the Colorado Constitution.

2.01 Turnaround Leadership Development Providers Request for Proposals The Department must issue a request for proposals (RFP) from providers who seek to participate in the program. Based on the criteria outlined below, the Department will identify one or more providers to provide turnaround leadership development programs for school districts, the Institute, and charter schools that receive grants.

2.01(1) Criteria for identifying approved Turnaround Leadership Development Providers The Department must develop an RFP, which consists of an application and scoring rubric template. Thereafter, the Department must undertake a fair and equitable application review. In such review, the Department must consider the following for identifying providers from among those that respond to the RFP:

2.01(1)(a) Each Provider's experience in developing successful, effective leadership in low-performing schools and school districts;

2.01(1)(b) The leadership qualities that each Provider's turnaround leadership development program is expected to develop;

2.01(1)(c) A Provider's capacity to implement identified program components that make up a comprehensive leadership development experience; and

2.01(1)(d) The availability of turnaround leadership development programs for school turnaround leaders in public schools throughout the state. The grant program shall seek to ensure approved providers are available for leaders in all regions of the state.

2.01(2) Timeline for approving new Turnaround Leadership Development Providers. Applications for new providers to apply will open at the Department's discretion and a decision notification will occur within 90 days of the closing application date.

2.01(3) Review of approved Turnaround Leadership Development Providers. The department, on a regular basis, shall review each provider's turnaround leadership development programs, including the success achieved by the persons who complete the programs, and revise the list of identified providers as appropriate to ensure that the turnaround leadership development programs that are available through the program are of the highest quality.

2.01(4) Reporting requirements for approved Turnaround Leadership Development Providers. Each approved provider shall track the effectiveness of persons who are engaged in and who complete a turnaround leadership development program and report the effectiveness to the department on or before July 1 of the year following the training. The report must use department rubrics to measure the effectiveness of persons who complete the turnaround leadership development program. Each grant recipient must report on the following:

2.01(5)(a) Number of participants in program;

2.01(5)(b) Schools served; and

2.01(5)(c) Change in principals' or aspiring leaders' actions/behavior (as data is available).

2.02 School Transformation Grants.

2.02(1) Use of funds for School Transformation Grants. Subject to available appropriations, the State Board shall award School Transformation Grants to one or more school districts or charter schools or the Institute to use in one or more of the following areas:

2.02(1)(a) Identifying and recruiting practicing and aspiring school turnaround leaders;

2.02(1)(b) Subsidizing the costs incurred for school turnaround leaders and their staff, if appropriate, to participate in turnaround leadership development programs offered by identified providers;

2.02(1)(c) Reimbursing the school turnaround leaders for costs they incur in completing turnaround leadership development programs offered by identified providers;

2.02(1)(d) Providing educator professional development for educators working in public schools that are required to adopt priority improvement or turnaround plans for the immediate or preceding school year;

2.02(1)(e) Providing services, support, and materials to transform instruction in public schools that are required to adopt priority improvement or turnaround plans for the immediate or preceding school year; or

2.02(1)(f) Planning for and implementing one or more of the following rigorous school redesign strategies:

(I) Converting a district public school to a charter school if it is not already authorized as a charter school;

(ii) Granting innovation school status to a district public school pursuant to section 22-32.5-104;

(iii) With regard to a district or institute charter school, replacing the school's operator or governing board;

(iv) Contracting with a public or private entity other than the school district to partially or wholly manage a district public school, which entity is accepted by the department and the local school board as using research-based strategies and having a proven record of success working with schools under similar circumstances; or

(v) Closing a public school or revoking the charter for a district or institute charter school.

2.02(2) Timeline for School Transformation Grants. For the 2018-19 school year and each year thereafter, subject to available appropriations, School Transformation Grant applications will be due each year no later than January 15. Application decision notification will occur directly after State Board approval, no later than by the following April meeting.

2.02(3) Application procedures for School Transformation Grants. The Department must develop a grant application and scoring rubric template. Thereafter, the Department must undertake a fair and equitable application review.

2.02(4) Application requirements for School Transformation Grants-turnaround leadership development applicants. The following minimum requirements will be included in applications for School Transformation Grants for turnaround leadership development programs:

2.02(4)(a) The goals that the applicant expects to achieve through the grant;

2.02(4)(b) The number of individuals to participate in leadership programs, including: existing leaders, aspiring leaders, district managers or support staff;

2.02(4)(c) A clear plan for leadership development, implementation, and application of skills in the schools and district; and

2.02(4)(d) A plan to evaluate impact of program.

2.02(5) Application requirements for School Transformation Grants-all other applicants. The following minimum requirements will be included in all other applications for School Transformation Grants:

2.02(5)(a) The goals that the applicant expects to achieve through the grant;

2.02(5)(b) A clear action plan and corresponding budget for grant activities comprised of reasonable and necessary requests for funding; and

2.02(5)(c) A plan for monitoring and reporting on the effectiveness of grant funds.

2.02(6) Criteria for selecting recipients of School Transformation Grants. The following minimum criteria will be considered in selecting School Transformation Grant recipients:

2.02(6)(a) For applying school districts, the concentration of schools of the school district or, for the Institute, the concentration of Institute charter schools, that must implement priority improvement or turnaround plans. For applying charter schools, those that are implementing priority improvement or turnaround plans will be prioritized.

2.02(6)(b) Quality of grant applications and demonstrated need, based on the applicant's:

(i) Goals to be achieved through the grant;

(ii) Action plan and corresponding budget for grant activities comprised of reasonable and necessary requests for funding; and

(iii) A plan for monitoring and reporting on the effectiveness of grant funds.

2.02(7) Duration of School Transformation Grant awards. Each grant may continue for up to three budget years. The Department shall annually review each grant recipient's use of the grant money and may rescind the grant if the Department finds that the grant recipient is not making adequate progress toward achieving the goals identified in the grant application.

2.02(8) Reporting requirements for School Transformation Grant-turnaround leadership development. Each grant recipient will annually track the effectiveness of persons who complete a turnaround leadership development program and report the effectiveness to the department on or before July 1 of the year following the training. The report must use department surveys to measure the effectiveness of persons who complete the turnaround leadership development program and include the following information, at a minimum:

2.02(8)(a) Number of people who participated and in which programs;

2.02(8)(b) Schools served;

2.02(8)(c) Impact of the grant on raising student achievement and establishing a positive school culture; and

2.02(8)(d) Change in principals' or aspiring leaders' actions/behavior.

2.02(9) Reporting requirements for School Transformation Grant- all other grantees. Each grant recipient will annually report the following at a minimum:

2.02(9)(a) Impact of the grant on raising student achievement and establishing a positive school culture.

2.02(10) Evaluation of School Transformation Grant Program. The Department will analyze and summarize the reports received from grant recipients and annually submit to the State Board, the Governor, and the Education Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives, or any successor committees, a report of the effectiveness of the School Transformation Grants awarded pursuant to this section. The Department will also post the annual report on its web site.

1 CCR 301-95-2.00

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

39 CR 01, January 10, 2016, effective 1/30/2016

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

41 CR 23, December 10, 2018, effective 12/30/2018