Colorado Legislative Council Staff

NO FISCAL IMPACT

TITLE:            CONCERNING REPORTING OF DROPOUT RATES OF STUDENTS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THE STATE.

Summary of Assessment

            This bill would change the definition of a "dropout" to mean a person who has been absent from class for six consecutive weeks or more in any one school year, except for reasons of expulsion or death. The definition would not apply to a student who transfers to another public or private school or enrolls in an approved home study program or in an on-line program. The State Board of Education would be required to adopt rules to require school districts to report between districts the enrollment of transferring students. The rules are designed to improve the ability of school districts to accurately identify which students have in fact dropped out of school and which students have transferred to another school or school district.

            The Department of Education would incorporate these changes as part of the student data collection system under the Automated Data Exchange System. The bill is assessed as having no fiscal impact on the state or on local school districts. Schools, however, may experience an increase in paperwork in order to notify the student's previous school that a transfer has occurred.

            It should be noted that the change in the definition of a "dropout" will result in a statistical increase in the number of dropouts reported in the state. The Department of Education currently collects data based on the status of the student at the end of the school year. Under the change in the definition, if a student drops out during the school year, and later returns to an educational program, the student may be double counted as enrolled and as a dropout.

            The bill would become effective upon signature of the Governor.

Departments Contacted

            Education