As used in this article 35, unless the
context otherwise requires:
(1) Apprenticeship program means a Colorado-based apprenticeship
program that is registered with the United States department of labor's office of
apprenticeship or a state apprenticeship agency recognized by the United States
department of labor.
(1.5) (a) ASCENT program means the accelerating students through
concurrent enrollment program created in section 22-35-108.
(b) This subsection (1.5) is repealed, effective July 1, 2026.
(2) Repealed.
(3) Board means the concurrent enrollment advisory board created in
section 22-35-107.
(4) Board of cooperative services or BOCES means a board of
cooperative services created and operating pursuant to article 5 of this title that
operates one or more public schools.
(5) Commission means the Colorado commission on higher education
created pursuant to section 23-1-102, C.R.S.
(6) (a) Concurrent enrollment means the simultaneous enrollment of a
qualified student in a local education provider and in one or more postsecondary
courses, including academic or career and technical education courses, which may
include coursework related to apprenticeship programs or internship programs, at
an institution of higher education pursuant to the provisions of this article 35, at no
tuition cost to the qualified student or the qualified student's parent or legal
guardian.
(b) Concurrent enrollment does not include a student's simultaneous
enrollment in:
(I) A local education provider and in one or more secondary career and
technical education courses, advanced placement courses, or international
baccalaureate courses;
(II) An early college and a postsecondary course, which enrollment is not
subject to the provisions of this article 35;
(III) A p-tech school, as defined in section 22-35.3-102, and a postsecondary
course, which enrollment is subject to the provisions of article 35.3 of this title 22;
or
(IV) A local education provider and a postsecondary course that does not
meet the requirements specified in subsection (6)(a) of this section.
(7) Cooperative agreement means an agreement entered into by a local
education provider and an institution of higher education pursuant to section 22-35-104 (6).
(8) Department means the department of education created and existing
pursuant to section 24-1-115, C.R.S.
(8.5) Developmental education course has the same meaning as set forth
in section 23-1-113 (11)(b).
(9) District charter school means a charter school authorized by a school
district pursuant to part 1 of article 30.5 of this title that serves any of grades nine
through twelve.
(10) (a) Early college means a secondary school that provides only a
curriculum that requires each student to enroll in and complete secondary and
postsecondary courses while enrolled in the four years of high school such that,
upon successful completion of the curriculum, the student will have completed the
requirements of a high school diploma and an associate's degree or other
postsecondary credential or at least sixty credits toward the completion of a
postsecondary credential. The curriculum must be designed to be completed within
four years. Early college includes only the following:
(I) Dolores Huerta preparatory high school in Pueblo;
(II) Southwest early college charter high school in Denver;
(III) Front range early college in Denver;
(IV) Colorado Springs early colleges in Colorado Springs;
(V) Early college high school in Arvada;
(VI) A secondary school that satisfies the provisions of this subsection (10)
and identifies itself as an early college on May 21, 2009; and
(VII) A secondary school that is designated, after May 21, 2009, as an early
college by the state board of education.
(b) As soon as practicable after June 6, 2018, the state board shall review the
secondary schools described in subsection (10)(a)(VI) of this section and the
secondary schools designated as provided in subsection (10)(a)(VII) of this section
and confirm whether each secondary school meets the curriculum requirements
specified in subsection (10)(a) of this section, as amended on June 6, 2018. Effective
July 1, 2018, a secondary school that the state board determines does not meet the
curriculum requirements specified in subsection (10)(a) of this section is no longer
designated as an early college. In reviewing a school's designation, the state board
shall not require the school to submit documentation beyond the minimum
necessary to confirm that the school's curriculum meets the requirements specified
in subsection (10)(a) of this section.
(11) Institute charter school means a charter school authorized by the state
charter school institute pursuant to part 5 of article 30.5 of this title that serves any
of grades nine through twelve.
(12) Institution of higher education means:
(a) A state university or college, community college, local district college, or
area technical college described in title 23, C.R.S.;
(a.5) A postsecondary career and technical education program; or
(b) An educational institution operating in this state that:
(I) Does not receive state general fund moneys in support of its operating
costs;
(II) Admits as regular students only persons having a high school diploma or
the recognized equivalent of such a certificate;
(III) Is accredited by a regional accrediting agency or association;
(IV) Provides an educational program for which it awards a bachelor's degree
or a graduate degree;
(V) Is authorized by the department of higher education to do business in
Colorado pursuant to section 23-2-103.3, C.R.S.;
(VI) Maintains a physical campus or instructional facility in Colorado; and
(VII) Has been determined by the United States department of education to
be eligible to administer federal financial aid programs pursuant to Title IV of the
federal Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.
(13) Local education provider means a school district, a board of
cooperative services, a district charter school, or an institute charter school.
(13.5) Postsecondary career and technical education program means a
career and technical education program that offers postsecondary courses and is
approved by the state board for community colleges and occupational education
pursuant to section 23-8-103, C.R.S.
(14) Postsecondary education means all formal public education that
requires as a prerequisite the acquisition of a high school diploma, its equivalent, or
the achievement of a minimum score on a placement assessment that is
administered by an institution of higher education, which minimum score is
determined by the institution. Postsecondary education includes programs
resulting in the acquisition of a certificate, an associate degree of applied sciences,
an associate degree of general studies, an associate degree of arts, or an associate
degree of science and all baccalaureate degree programs.
(15) Qualified student means a person who is less than twenty-one years of
age and is enrolled in the ninth grade or a higher grade level in a local education
provider.
(16) State board means the state board of education created pursuant to
section 1 of article IX of the state constitution.
(17) Student group has the same meaning as provided in section 22-11-103.
(18) TREP program means the teacher recruitment education and
preparation program created in section 22-35-108.5.