Career and Technical Education

C.R.S. tit. 23, art. 8

in effect

C.R.S. § 23-8-101 Legislative declaration

23-8-101. Legislative declaration. Nothing in this article shall be construed to prohibit or limit existing programs of career and technical education in any grade level, the value of which is specifically recognized by the general assembly.

C.R.S. § 23-8-101.5 Definitions

23-8-101.5. Definitions. As used in this article, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Board" means the state board for community colleges and occupational education created in section 23-60-104. (2) "Board of cooperative services" shall have the same meaning as set forth in section 22-5-103 (2), C.R.S. (3) "Education provider" means a school district, a board of cooperative services, an institute charter school, or a facility school. (4) "Education provider's per pupil revenues" means: (a) For a school district, the district's per pupil revenues, as defined in section 22-54-103 (9.3), C.R.S.; (b) For a board of cooperative services, the amount received by a board of cooperative services as tuition for students enrolled in an approved career and technical education program; (c) For an institute charter school, the amount received by an institute charter school pursuant to the provisions of section 22-54-115 (1.3), C.R.S., for any budget year, divided by the number of pupils enrolled in the institute charter school for that budget year; and (d) For a facility school, the amount received by a facility school pursuant to section 22-54-129 (2)(c)(II), C.R.S. (5) "Facility school" means an approved facility school, as defined in section 22-2-402 (1), C.R.S. (6) "Institute charter school" means a charter school that enters into a charter contract with the state charter school institute pursuant to part 5 of article 30.5 of title 22, C.R.S.

C.R.S. § 23-8-102 School districts, boards of cooperative services, and institute charter schools conducting career and technical education courses - eligibility for state money

23-8-102. School districts, boards of cooperative services, and institute charter schools conducting career and technical education courses - eligibility for state money. (1) An education provider of the state conducting a course of career and technical education approved pursuant to section 23-8-103 by the board is entitled to career and technical education program support from money appropriated for that purpose by the general assembly. The amount of career and technical education program support that an education provider is entitled to receive pursuant to this part 1 shall be computed as follows: (a) The cost of providing the approved career and technical education programs of the education provider shall be computed in accordance with subsection (1)(c) of this section. The cost so computed shall be divided by the number of full-time equivalent students to be served by the programs, and the result shall be designated, for purposes of this part 1, as the education provider's career and technical education program cost per full-time equivalent student. (b) As career and technical education program support, the state shall provide, to each education provider conducting an approved career and technical education program for each twelve-month period beginning July 1, eighty percent of the first one thousand two hundred fifty dollars, or part thereof, by which the education provider's approved career and technical education program cost per full-time equivalent student exceeds seventy percent of the education provider's per pupil revenues, for the school budget year during which the twelve-month period begins. In addition, if the education provider's approved career and technical education cost per full-time equivalent student exceeds seventy percent of its per pupil revenues by an additional amount in excess of one thousand two hundred fifty dollars, the state shall provide fifty percent of the additional amount. (c) For the purpose of computing approved career and technical education program costs, the following shall be included: (I) The cost of providing the services of instructional personnel for the time involved; (II) The cost of services to be provided by another education agency or institution; (III) The cost of necessary books and supplies; and (IV) The cost of equipment approved for purchase by the board. (V) Repealed. (1.5) Any moneys that are transferred from the department of education to the board to be used by the board to provide career and technical education program support to an education provider pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, and which moneys are so used, shall not be considered a state grant for the purpose of calculating whether the board qualifies as an enterprise, as defined in section 24-77-102 (3)(b), C.R.S. (2) To be eligible to receive the moneys appropriated pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the education provider shall assume the obligation of paying the balance of the program costs. (3) The provisions of this section shall not be construed to prevent an education provider from conducting any course in career and technical education with costs in excess of those for which state career and technical education program support moneys are approved by the board. (4) Money made available under this part 1 shall be distributed quarterly on the basis of the report of actual expenditures furnished to the board by participating education providers at the end of the previous fiscal year. As soon as practicable after July 1 of each year, beginning in 1971, each participating education provider shall file with the board a report of actual expenditures for all career and technical education programs for which the education provider is eligible to receive money pursuant to this part 1 during the preceding twelve-month period. education providers at the end of the previous fiscal year. As soon as practicable after July 1 of each year, beginning in 1971, each participating education provider shall file with the board a report of actual expenditures for all career and technical education programs for which the education provider is eligible to receive money pursuant to this part 1 during the preceding twelve-month period. (5) If the appropriations to implement subsections (1) to (4) of this section are less than the total amount required to pay the career and technical education program support for approved career and technical education courses, the board shall prorate the amount to be paid to each education provider in the same proportion that the appropriation bears to the total amount so required for distribution. Any unexpended balance of an appropriation shall revert to the general fund at the end of the fiscal year for which the appropriation is made. (6) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the Colorado customized training program created in section 23-60-306. For the purposes of this section, the costs of such program shall not be included in computing approved career and technical education program costs, and trainees in the Colorado customized training program shall not be counted in computing the number of full-time equivalent students to be served by approved career and technical education programs. Nothing in this section shall preclude the use of school district career and technical education program sites as delivery sites for specific training programs funded by the Colorado customized training program. (7) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the Colorado existing industry training program created pursuant to section 23-60-307. For the purposes of this section, the costs of such program shall not be included in computing approved career and technical education program costs, and trainees in the Colorado existing industry training program shall not be counted in computing the number of full-time equivalent students to be served by approved career and technical education programs. Nothing in this section shall preclude the use of school district career and technical education program sites as delivery sites for specific training programs funded by the Colorado existing industry training program. (8) For purposes of recording career and technical education data, the board shall contribute education and workforce readiness data beginning in the 2025-26 state fiscal year, as necessary, to the Colorado statewide longitudinal data system consistent with the governance practices established by the Colorado statewide longitudinal data system governing board pursuant to section 24-37.5-125 (4).

C.R.S. § 23-8-103 Standards for eligibility for grants - rules

23-8-103. Standards for eligibility for grants - rules. (1) The board shall not approve career and technical education program support to be provided under section 23-8-102 unless the courses of career and technical education conducted by an education provider meet the standards prescribed in subsection (2) of this section. (2) Any course approved pursuant to subsection (1) of this section shall: (a) Be designed to provide students with an entry-level occupational skill or prepare students for further education, including but not limited to skills or preparation in the areas of visual arts, as defined in section 22-1-104.5 (1)(c), C.R.S., or performing arts, as defined in section 22-1-104.5 (1)(b), C.R.S.; (b) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2008, p. 310, § 1, effective August 5, 2008.) (c) Have a technical advisory committee that functions at the state, regional, or local level to assist education providers in planning and conducting their career and technical education curricula; (d) Be conducted in facilities that are sufficiently equipped to permit adequate training and education; the facilities may be located within or outside the school district, or, in the case of a program conducted by a board of cooperative services, within or outside any of the school districts participating in the board of cooperative services, and they may be housed in buildings that are not owned or operated by an education provider; and (e) Meet an employment potential that is found to exist by any survey of the board concerning economic opportunities. (3) In approving career and technical education programs and career and technical education program support money under this part 1, the board shall attempt to avoid unnecessary duplication in either facilities or staffing for career and technical education in an education provider or within an area of this state; and, where feasible, sharing of facilities shall be required by the board. (4) The board shall adopt such rules as may be necessary to administer this part 1.

C.R.S. § 23-8-104 Reports

23-8-104. Reports. (1) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2008, p. 311, § 1, effective August 5, 2008.) (2) Notwithstanding section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I), on or before February 28, 2009, and on or before February 28 each year thereafter, the board shall submit a report to the joint budget committee and to the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate, or any successor committees, on the implementation and results of programs funded pursuant to this part 1, including: (a) The types of programs funded; (b) The numbers of students and full-time equivalent students served; (c) The total cost and the full-time equivalent student cost; (d) The placement of those students who completed the programs, including job placement and continuing education; and (e) Other aspects of the programs that will enable the general assembly to evaluate the results, cost effectiveness, and viability of the approved programs and to determine whether or not this part 1 should be extended.

C.R.S. § 23-8-105 Change of name - authorization

23-8-105. Change of name - authorization. The revisor of statutes is authorized, where appropriate, to change all references to "vocational education" in the Colorado Revised Statutes to "career and technical education".

C.R.S. § 23-8-201 Funding for technical education equipment, facilities, and instruction capacity - allocation to CTE providers - definitions - repeal

23-8-201. Funding for technical education equipment, facilities, and instruction capacity - allocation to CTE providers - definitions - repeal. (1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires: (a) "Colorado talent report" means the annual Colorado talent report prepared pursuant to section 24-46.3-103 (3). (b) "CTE provider" means any of the following that provides career or technical education programs approved by the board: (I) An area technical college as defined in section 23-60-103 (1); (II) A community college included in the state system of community and technical colleges pursuant to section 23-60-205; (III) Colorado Mesa university established pursuant to section 23-53-101; or (IV) A local district college as defined in section 23-71-102 (1)(a). (c) "Department" means the department of higher education created and existing pursuant to section 24-1-114. (2) (a) For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, the general assembly shall appropriate ten million dollars from the workers, employers, and workforce centers cash fund created in section 24-75-231 (2)(a) to the department for allocation by the board in accordance with the program approval process identified in sections 23-8-102 and 23-60-202 to CTE providers to expand equipment, facility, and instruction capacity in key career and technical education job demand areas as identified in the Colorado talent report. (b) Any money appropriated pursuant to this subsection (2) that is not expended or encumbered at the end of the 2021-22 state fiscal year remains available for expenditure in subsequent fiscal years without further appropriation, subject to the requirements for obligating and expending money received under the federal "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021", Pub.L. 117-2, as the act may be subsequently amended, as specified in section 24-75-226 (4)(d). (3) The board shall comply with the requirements of section 24-75-226 (4) and (5) regarding the obligation, expenditure, and tracking of and reporting on the use of any money appropriated to the department and allocated to the board pursuant to this section. (4) This section is repealed, effective July 1, 2027.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2024-title-23.docxFetched: 10/6/2026