First Regular Session
               Seventieth General Assembly
                    STATE OF COLORADO
                                                 INTRODUCED
                                                           
                                                           
 LLS NO. 15-0226.01 Brita Darling x2241  HOUSE BILL 15-1124
                    HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
 Buck, 
 
                   SENATE SPONSORSHIP
 (None),
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 House Committees
 Senate Committees
 
 
 Education
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                         A BILL FOR AN ACT
       Concerning flexibility regarding the requirements imposed
            on certain rural school districts.
       
       
                           Bill Summary
       
            (Note:  This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
       not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
       passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
       applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
       http://www.leg.state.co.us/billsummaries.)
       
            The bill permits rural school districts, as defined in the bill, to
       request automatic waivers of certain state statutes and state board of
       education (state board) rules, as applicable, that are automatically granted
       to charter schools.
            A rural school district may also request a waiver from the state
       board from administering the school readiness assessment to kindergarten
       students if the rural school district demonstrates that it is able to measure
       each student's progress toward demonstrating school readiness through
       other means.
       
       
       
       Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
            SECTION 1.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 22-32-110.2 as
       follows:
            22-32-110.2.  Rural school districts - waivers - biennial
       reporting - definitions. (1) (a)  Pursuant to the same applicable
       restrictions and conditions that apply to charter schools, a
       rural school district may operate free from the same state
       statutes and state board of education rules as identified in the
       list of automatic waivers promulgated for charter schools
       pursuant to section 22-30.5-104, as applicable to rural school
       districts.
            (b)  The board of education of a rural school district
       shall notify the state board of education of its intent to
       operate pursuant to the automatic waivers authorized pursuant
       to this section.
            (c)  The automatic waiver of state statutes or state board
       of education rules made pursuant to this subsection (1) remain
       in effect until the board of education of a rural school district
       notifies the state board of education that it no longer intends
       to operate under the automatic waivers; except that the state
       board of education may periodically review the waivers
       pursuant to state board of education rule and may revoke the
       waivers if it determines that the waivers are no longer
       necessary.
            (d)  Pursuant to the provisions of section 22-2-117, the
       board of education of a rural school district may apply to the
       state board of education for a waiver from state statutes and
       state board of education rules that are not included in the
       automatic waivers authorized pursuant to this section.
            (2)  Notwithstanding any provision of article 7 of this
       title to the contrary, beginning with the 2015-16 school year
       and for school years thereafter, a rural school district may
       request a waiver from the state board of education of the
       requirement to administer the school readiness assessment
       pursuant to section 22-7-1014 to kindergarten students. The
       state board of education may grant the waiver if the rural
       school district can demonstrate that it is able to measure each
       student's progress toward demonstrating school readiness
       through teacher observation of the student, through
       assessments administered pursuant to the "Colorado READ
       Act", or through compliance with other statutory requirements
       specified in the rural school district's request. If granted, the
       waiver must be for the term specified by the state board of
       education; except that the state board of education may
       periodically review the waiver pursuant to state board of
       education rule and may revoke the waiver if it determines that
       the waiver is no longer necessary.
            (3)  As used in this section, "rural school district" means
       a school district in Colorado that the department of education
       determines is rural based on the size of the district, the distance
       from the nearest large urban or urbanized area, and a student
       enrollment of approximately six thousand five hundred or
       fewer students.
            SECTION 2.  Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds,
       determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
       preservation of the public peace, health, and safety.