Colorado § 23-3.3-1302 - Definitions.

§ 23-3.3-1302. Definitions.

As used in this part 13, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) "Department" means the department of higher education created pursuant to section 24-1-114.

(2) "Department of education" means the department of education created in section 24-1-115.

(3) "Eligible graduate" means a low-income student who has graduated early from a high school participating in the pilot program and who has met the requirements of this part 13 to receive state funding under the pilot program.

(4) "Fourth-year innovation pilot program fund" or "fund" means the fourth-year innovation pilot program fund created in section 23-3.3-1306.

(5) "Graduate early" means being awarded a high school diploma from a high school participating in the pilot program, prior to enrolling in the fourth year of high school or prior to the second semester of the fourth year of high school.

(6) "Institution of higher education" means a state institution of higher education, as defined in section 23-18-102 (10), or any accredited campus of a state institution of higher education; a local district college, as defined in section 23-71-102 (1)(a); an area technical college, as defined in section 23-60-103 (1); or a private occupational school, as defined in section 23-64-103 (20), that is authorized by the private occupational school division pursuant to article 64 of this title 23.

(7) "Local education provider" means:

(a) A school district organized pursuant to article 30 of title 22;

(b) A board of cooperative services created pursuant to article 5 of title 22 that operates a high school;

(c) A charter school authorized by a school district pursuant to part 1 of article 30.5 of title 22; or

(d) An institute charter school authorized by the state charter school institute pursuant to part 5 of article 30.5 of title 22.

(8) "Low-income student" means a student who was eligible for free or reduced-price lunch pursuant to the provisions of the federal "Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act", 42 U.S.C. sec. 1751 et seq., in any of grades eight through twelve or who satisfies the income requirements for a grant from the federal Pell grant program or a successor grant program based on the school year in which the eligible graduate graduated early.

(9) "Pilot program" means the fourth-year innovation pilot program created in section 23-3.3-1303.

(10) "Postsecondary program" means a degree or certificate program, other than a professional degree in theology, as defined in section 23-18-102 (9.5), offered by an institution of higher education, and a training program offered through an approved provider included on the list of approved providers disseminated by the department of labor and employment pursuant to section 8-83-225, and that meets the requirements set forth in section 23-3.3-1304 (3).

(11) (a) "State funding" means:

(I) For an eligible graduate graduating prior to the graduate's fourth year in high school, the amount of money that an eligible graduate receives, calculated as the greater of:

(A) Seventy-five percent of an amount equal to the average state share of the state average per-pupil revenues for the 2021-22 budget year; or

(B) Three thousand five hundred dollars; and

(II) For an eligible graduate graduating prior to the second semester of the graduate's fourth year of high school, the amount of money that an eligible graduate receives, calculated as the greater of:

(A) Forty-five percent of an amount equal to the average state share of the state average per-pupil revenues for the 2021-22 budget year; or

(B) Two thousand dollars.

(b) For purposes of the calculations in subsection (11)(a) of this section, "the average state share of the state average per-pupil revenues for the 2021-22 budget year" is the amount calculated during the 2021 regular legislative session.

Source: L. 2021: Entire part added, (SB 21-106), ch. 486, p. 3478, § 5, effective July 7.