Section 23-3.9-101 - DefinitionsAs used in this part 1, unless the context otherwise requires:
(1) "Approved program of preparation" means a program of study for preparation that is approved by the department of education pursuant to section 22-60.5-121 and that upon completion leads to a recommendation for licensure.(2) "Commission" means the Colorado commission on higher education.(2.5) "Educator" means a teacher, principal, or special services provider, as those terms are defined in section 22-60.5-102; except that a special services provider need not be employed by a school district.(3) "Facility school" means an approved facility school as defined in section 22-2-402 (1), C.R.S.(3.7) "Qualified loan" means an educational loan incurred while completing a program of preparation, including an alternative preparation program approved pursuant to article 60.5 of title 22, that leads to educator licensure pursuant to article 60.5 of title 22, or a bachelor's or master's degree in the area in which the educator is employed in a qualified position. The commission shall determine if a loan is a qualified loan for purposes of the educator loan forgiveness program created in section 23-3.9-102.(4) "Qualified position" means: (a) A hard-to-staff educator position in a rural school or rural school district or in a facility school that is in a rural school district identified by the department of education pursuant to section 23-3.9-102 (6); or(b) A hard-to-staff educator position in a Colorado public school, a school operated by a board of cooperative services created pursuant to article 5 of title 22, or a facility school in a content shortage area identified pursuant to section 23-3.9-102 (6).(5) "Rural school" or "rural school district" means a public school or school district identified by the department of education pursuant to section 23-3.9-102 (6).(6) "School" or "public school" means a public school as provided in section 22-1-101, including a charter school authorized by a school district pursuant to part 1 of article 30.5 of title 22, an institute charter school authorized by the state charter school institute pursuant to part 5 of article 30.5 of title 22, or a school operated by a board of cooperative services created and operating pursuant to article 5 of title 22.Amended by 2023 Ch. 334,§ 15, eff. 8/7/2023.Amended by 2020 Ch. 198, § 1, eff. 6/30/2020.Amended by 2019 Ch. 333, § 2, eff. 5/29/2019.Amended by 2018 Ch. 257, § 2, eff. 5/25/2018.L. 2001: Entire article added, p. 1503, § 30, effective June 8. L. 2005: (3.5) and (5) added and (4) amended, p. 533, § 1, effective August 8. L. 2008: (3) amended, p. 1409, § 64, effective May 27; (5) amended, p. 1627, § 1, effective August 5. L. 2018: IP amended, (HB 18-1002), ch. 1586, p. 1586, § 2, effective May 25. L. 2019: (2.5), (3.7), and (6) added, (3.5) repealed, and (4) and (5) amended, (SB 19-003), ch. 3076, p. 3076, § 2, effective May 29. L. 2020: (3.7) amended, (SB 20-158), ch. 968, p. 968, § 1, effective June 30.2023 Ch. 334, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).