Colorado Revised Statutes Title 22. Education § 22-35.6-101. Legislative declaration

The general assembly finds that it is important that high school students have opportunities to enrich their education by participating in innovative learning opportunities that occur outside the classroom, such as working in apprenticeships or residency programs, enrolling in postsecondary courses taught on college campuses, completing capstone projects, and engaging in competency-based learning projects. These opportunities assist students in developing essential skills in the areas of personal skills, entrepreneurial skills, civic and interpersonal skills, and professional skills identified by the department of education and in attaining competencies beyond the high school curricula that support the students in successful transitions from high school into postsecondary education or directly into the workforce. The general assembly further finds, however, that the pupil enrollment count for purposes of school finance is based on seat-time requirements; full-time enrollment and full per pupil funding are based on demonstrating a minimum number of teacher-pupil instruction and contact hours. The challenges of accurately tracking students' time inside and outside of the classroom lead many local education providers to avoid the risk of offering these types of innovative learning opportunities. The general assembly finds, therefore, that it is in the best interests of the state and the high school students in the state to encourage greater participation in innovative learning opportunities by allowing selected local education providers to count the students who are enrolled in high school and are participating in innovative learning opportunities as full-time pupils, regardless of the actual amount of time the students may spend in the classroom.