(1) It is the duty of the state board:
To exercise general supervision over the public schools of the state and the educational programs maintained and operated by all state governmental agencies for persons who have not completed the twelfth-grade level of instruction;
(a.5) To adopt, on or before May 15, 2013, a comprehensive set of guidelines for the establishment of high school graduation requirements to be used by each school district board of education in developing local high school graduation requirements. Each school district board of education retains the authority to develop its own unique high school graduation requirements, so long as those local high school graduation requirements meet or exceed any minimum standards or basic core competencies or skills identified in the comprehensive set of guidelines for high school graduation developed by the state board pursuant to this paragraph (a.5). In developing the guidelines for high school graduation, the state board shall utilize the recommendations of the state graduation guidelines development council established in section 22-7-414, as it existed prior to July 1, 2008, and shall:
Take into account recommendations from the 2006 report of the Colorado educationalignment council appointed by the governor pursuant to executive order B 009 05;
Ensure that the state graduation guidelines are aligned with the description of postsecondary and workforce readiness, including but not limited to the minimum required English language competencies, adopted by the state board and the Colorado commission on higher education pursuant to section 22-7-1008 and with the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards adopted by the state board pursuant to section 22-7-1005;
Work with the Colorado commission on higher education to ensure that the stateboard's guidelines for high school graduation adopted pursuant to this paragraph (a.5) and the postsecondary academic admission standards established pursuant to section 23-1-113, C.R.S., are aligned for students entering a four-year public postsecondary education institution on or after August 1, 2013;
Recognize and address the multiple and diverse pathways to diplomas offered byschool districts in the state. The guidelines for high school graduation shall accommodate the differing and broad categories of student interests and economic needs, including but not limited to agriculture, architecture, arts, communications, business and management, construction technology, education, finance, government, health sciences, tourism, human services, information technology, law and public safety, manufacturing, marketing and sales, physical education, science and technology, and transportation. The guidelines for high school graduation adopted by the state board pursuant to this paragraph (a.5) shall ensure, at a minimum, that, while not identical, each pathway is equally rigorous.
Utilize standards-based education, as described in part 10 of article 7 of this title, asthe framework for the development of the guidelines for high school graduation and consider how high school graduation requirements can be articulated in a standards-based education system;
Recognize and acknowledge the importance of obtaining the core competency skillsand standards to succeed in the twenty-first century, including but not limited to proficiency in math, science, and written and verbal communication skills;
(VI.5) Recognize and acknowledge the importance of education in performing arts, as defined in section 22-1-104.5 (1)(b), and visual arts, as defined in section 22-1-104.5 (1)(c), in strengthening student learning in other subjects and in supporting students' ability to succeed in the twenty-first century; and
Take into account the importance of pre-high school and postsecondary career planning that provides middle school and junior high school students and parents with awareness of the school district's high school graduation requirements, the multiple pathways a student can follow, and other pertinent information that will help prepare a student for a successful high school experience.
To appoint a commissioner of education;
To review and evaluate annually the job performance of the commissioner of education using procedures and criteria determined by the state board. The procedures and criteria shall include, at a minimum, consideration of the comments and opinions of school district superintendents and school board members regarding the commissioner's job performance. Notwithstanding section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I), the state board shall report the results of its evaluation to the education committees of the house of representatives and senate, or any successor committees.
To appraise and accredit the public schools and school districts in this state and thestate charter school institute pursuant to the provisions of article 11 of this title, and to submit recommendations to the governor and general assembly for improvements in education;
To approve the annual budget request for the department prior to submission;
To order the distribution or apportionment of federal and state moneys granted orappropriated to the department for the use of the public schools of the state, except moneys granted or made available to another agency specifically designated;
To review the annual report prepared by the commissioner and to transmit it to thegovernor in the form and manner prescribed by the heads of the principal departments pursuant to the provisions of section 24-1-136, C.R.S.;
To comply with the requirements of section 24-1-136.5, C.R.S., concerning thepreparation of operational master plans, facilities master plans, and facilities program plans, as if the state board were the executive director of the department;
(f.7) To provide such aggregate, nonidentifying information concerning student enrollment in every school district in the state that the department of human services may request pursuant to section 19-1-115.5, C.R.S.; (f.9) Repealed.
To perform any other duty which may be required by law;
On or before January 15, 2012, to adopt by rule standards for charter schools andcharter school authorizers based on the recommendations made by the charter school and charter authorizer standards review committee pursuant to section 22-30.5-104.5;
To ensure that the rules promulgated by the state board and the policies and guidelines adopted by the department pursuant to this title impose the least possible administrative or financial burden on school districts, charter schools, or boards of cooperative services and, when appropriate to reduce potential administrative burden, to promulgate rules and instruct the department to adopt policies and guidelines that specifically apply to rural school districts, charter schools, and boards of cooperative services, as identified by the department.
(2) and (3) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2009, (SB 09-163), ch. 293, p. 1528, § 7, effective May 21, 2009.)
Source: L. 64: R&RE, p. 530, § 1. C.R.S. 1963: § 123-1-6. L. 80: (1)(c) amended and
(2) and (3) added, p. 550, § 1, effective May 1. L. 83: (1)(f) amended, p. 832, § 33, effective July 1. L. 93: (2) amended, p. 1047, § 2, effective June 3. L. 94: (1)(f.5) added, p. 563, § 5, effective April 6. L. 97: (1)(f.7) added, p. 150, § 3, effective July 1; (2)(b) amended, p. 460, § 2, effective August 6. L. 98: (1)(c), (2), and (3) amended, p. 985, § 2, effective July 1. L. 2001: (3) amended, p. 1176, § 6, effective August 8. L. 2007: (1)(b.5) added, p. 170, § 3, effective March 22; (1)(a.5) added, p. 675, § 2, effective May 2; (1)(f.9) added, p. 1085, § 5, effective July 1. L. 2008: IP(1)(a.5) and (1)(a.5)(V) amended and (1)(a.5)(II) added, p. 768, § 2, effective May 14. L. 2009: (1)(c), (2), and (3) amended, (SB 09-163), ch. 293, p. 1528, § 7, effective May 21;
IP(1)(a.5) amended, (SB 09-292), ch. 369, p. 1950, § 40, effective August 5. L. 2010: IP(1)(a.5), (1)(a.5)(III), and (1)(a.5)(VI) amended and (1)(a.5)(VI.5) added, (HB 10-1273), ch. 233, p. 1020, § 3, effective May 18; (1)(h) added, (HB 10-1412), ch. 248, p. 1108, § 2, effective May 21; IP(1)(a.5) amended, (HB 10-1013), ch. 399, p. 1907, § 20, effective June 10. L. 2012: IP(1)(a.5) amended, (HB 12-1240), ch. 258, p. 1308, § 1, effective June 4. L. 2015: IP(1)(a.5) and (1)(a.5)(V) amended, (HB 15-1323), ch. 204, p. 720, § 19, effective May 20. L. 2016: (1)(i) added, (HB 16-1440), ch. 316, p. 1277, § 4, effective August 10. L. 2017: (1)(b.5) amended, (HB 17-1267), ch. 242, p. 994, § 3, effective August 9.
Editor's note: Subsection (1)(f.9)(II) provided for the repeal of subsection (1)(f.9), effective July 2, 2008. (See L. 2007, p. 1085.)
Cross references: (1) For additional duties of the state board of education, see § 22-2109; for duties concerning the collection of data on dropout rates, see § 22-2-114.1; for the duty to approve moneys for boards of cooperative services, see § 22-5-114; for duties concerning educational accountability, see article 7 of this title; for duties concerning the evaluation of performance of certificated personnel, see § 22-9-104; for duties concerning the education of exceptional children, see article 20 of this title; for the duty to supervise summer school programs under the "Migrant Children Educational Act", see § 22-23-106; for the duty to adopt rules and regulations concerning comprehensive health education programs, see § 22-25-104; for duties concerning the establishment of financial policies and procedures for school districts, see part 2 of article 44 of this title; for the duty to prescribe the minimum accounts to be maintained by school districts, see § 22-45-102; for duties concerning the reimbursement of transportation costs of school districts, see article 51 of this title; for duties concerning the second chance program for problem students, see article 52 of this title; for duties concerning school finance, see article 54 of this title.
(2) For the legislative declaration in the 2007 act adding subsection (1)(a.5), see section 1 of chapter 182, Session Laws of Colorado 2007. For the legislative declaration in the 2007 act adding subsection (1)(b.5), see section 1 of chapter 48, Session Laws of Colorado 2007. For the legislative declaration in the 2010 act amending the introductory portion to subsection (1)(a.5) and subsections (1)(a.5)(III) and (1)(a.5)(VI) and adding subsection (1)(a.5)(VI.5), see section 1 of chapter 233, Session Laws of Colorado 2010.