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Enrollment
Enrollment
The following requirements and best practices pertain to the process of a student enrolling in a school.
A checklist is provided for school and district personnel to help ensure that students are fully supported during each step.
- Pregnant or Parenting Youth
- Records for Transferring Students
- Tracking Students (District Level)
- Transportation (District Level)
- Youth in Foster Care
Attendance
School Attendance Law of 1963
C.R.S. 22-33-107, Title 22: Education, Article 33: School Attendance Law Of 1963
Summary of Impact
School personnel must collect parents/guardian contact information and a signed agreement of the attendance policy upon enrollment into a public school. The attendance policy holds the parent accountable of ensuring their child will attend school regularly.
CASB Sample Policies Affected
Note: CASB policy reference is for those districts that are members of the Colorado Association of School Boards.
- JH*, Student Absences and Excuses
- JHB, Truancy
Charter Schools
Charter Schools
C.R.S. 22-30.5-104, Title 22: Education, Article 30.5: Charter Schools
Summary of Impact
- Enrollment in a charter school must be open to any child who resides within the school district.
- In cases when enrollment is denied is when a charter school shall be required to make alterations in the structure of the facility used by the charter school or to make alterations to the arrangement or function of rooms within the facility, except as may be required by state or federal law.
- Enrollment decisions shall be made in a nondiscriminatory manner specified by the charter school applicant in the charter school application, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, ancestry, or need for special education services.
See also:
Denial of Admission
School Attendance Law of 1963
Summary of Impact
The School Attendance Law requires that every Colorado resident between ages 6 and 21 is entitled to attend public school in the district where he or she is a resident, except for a limited number of circumstances. The following may be grounds for denial of admission to a public school:
- Physical or mental disability such that the child cannot reasonably benefit from the programs available;
- Physical or mental disability or disease causing the attendance of the child suffering therefrom to be unfavorable to the welfare of other students.
- Having been expelled from any school district during the preceding twelve months;
- Not being a resident of the district
Any denial of admission for such failure to comply shall be recorded with the student's immunization record with an appropriate explanation.
CASB Sample Policies Affected
Note: CASB policy reference is for those districts that are members of the Colorado Association of School Boards.
- JF, Admission and Denial of Admission
- JF-E*, Admission and Denial of Admission — Exhibit
General Provisions
C.R.S. 22-1-102 , Title 22: Education, General And Administrative, Article 1: General Provisions
Summary of Impact
A school district bylaw does not justify a refusal to accept a transfer student from a school of another state.
Notes
This was written in the annotation section of the statute
English Language Proficiency
No Child Left Behind
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Subsection 3302 (No Child Left Behind)
Summary of Impact
The language proficiency exam must be administered within 30 days at the start of the school year for any student identified as a student whose first language is other than English and/or who is not proficient in English. If the student enrolls after the first 30 days of the school year, the student must be assessed within 2 weeks of arrival.
CASB Sample Policies Affected
Note: CASB policy reference is for those districts that are members of the Colorado Association of School Boards.
- IHBEA, English Language Learners
See also:
Expelled Students
School Attendance Law of 1963
C.R.S. 22-33-105 – Suspension, expulsion, and denial of admission
Summary of Impact
- Parents, guardians, or legal custodians must be notified immediately that the pupil has been suspended, the reason for suspension, and a time to meet with the suspending authority.
- Student is not readmitted into the school until a the meeting occurs;
- Any student suspended for ten or more days may request to review the grounds for suspension with an appropriate official of the school district;
- When a petition in court is filed regarding unlawful sexual behavior or a crime of violence, the district may remove child from the educational setting. If found guilty, pleads guilty, or is adjudicated a delinquent juvenile, the district has the right to proceed with suspension or expulsion.
- Expulsion from or denial of admission, beyond the suspension period, shall not be made without an opportunity for a fair hearing.
CASB Sample Policies Affected
Note: CASB policy reference is for those districts that are members of the Colorado Association of School Boards.
- JF
- JICDD*
- JKD/JKE
C.R.S. 22-33-203: Educational Alternatives for Expelled Students
Summary of Impact
- School districts are required to provide information to the student’s legal guardian about educational alternatives available during the period of expulsion and provide the services requested of the parent;
- If home-based educational program is requested, school districts must assist legal guardians, if requested, in obtaining appropriate curricula for the student;
- The educational services to be provided must be designed to provide a second chance for the student to succeed in achieving an education, enabling the student to return to the school in which they were enrolled in prior to the expulsion, to successfully complete the high school equivalency examination, or to enroll in a nonpublic, nonparochial school or in an alternative including a charter school.
- If student is suspended or expelled while receiving expulsion-related educational services, the district is not required to provide services, except as required by federal law
CASB Sample Policies Affected
Note: CASB policy reference is for those districts that are members of the Colorado Association of School Boards.
- JF
- JICDD*
- JKD/JKE
Article 36 Public Schools of Choice
C.R.S 22-36-101(3)(e)
Summary of Impact
School districts may deny enrollment to students from outside of the district if the student has been expelled, or is in the process of being expelled.
Extracurriculars
School District Boards
C.R.S. 22-32-116.5, Title 22: Education, School Districts, Article 32: School District Boards
Summary of Impact
If a student transfers enrollment to another school without an accompanying change of address by the student's parent or legal guardian, the student's eligibility to participate in extracurricular activities at the new school of attendance shall be determined under the rules of participation adopted by the school district where the student now attends.
CASB Sample Policies Affected
Note: CASB policy reference is for those districts that are members of the Colorado Association of School Boards.
- JJJ*, Extracurricular Activity Eligibility
- JJJ-R*, Extracurricular Activity Eligibility — Regulation
Homeless
School Attendance Law of 1963
C.R.S. 22-33-103.5, Title 22: Education, Article 33: School Attendance Law Of 1963
Summary of Impact
- The Homeless Child Liaison should be present when discussing placement of the homeless student. The school selected for a homeless child should immediately enroll the student even if the child lacks records normally required prior to enrollment.
- The enrolling school shall immediately contact the school last attended by the homeless child to obtain any records necessary for enrollment.
- If the homeless child's immunization record is incomplete or if the homeless child's immunization records are unavailable, the enrolling school shall arrange for such immunizations as necessary.
CASB Sample Policies Affected
Note: CASB policy reference is for those districts that are members of the Colorado Association of School Boards.
- JFABD*, Homeless Students
- JFABD-R*, Homeless Students — Regulation
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance and Education Act
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance And Education Act, 42 U.S.C. § 11431-11435
Summary of Impact
Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, reauthorized in 2015 by Title IX, Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act, (42 U.S.C. § 11431 et seq.) is a Federal law that addresses the educational needs of children and youth experiencing homelessness.
The McKinney-Vento Act addresses educational barriers and challenges created by homelessness by guaranteeing students experiencing homelessness the right to enroll in and attend school, and providing supports needed for school success. The law places the responsibility for ensuring the rights of homeless students on states and school districts. McKinney-Vento eligible students have the right to:
• receive a free, appropriate public education;
• enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment, or having missed application or enrollment deadlines during any period of homelessness;
• continue attending the school of origin, or enroll in the local attendance area school if attending the school of origin is not in the best interest of the student or is contrary to the request of the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth;
• receive transportation to and from the school of origin, if requested by the parent or guardian, or by the local liaison on behalf of an unaccompanied youth; and
• receive educational services comparable to those provided to other students, according to each student’s need.
CASB Sample Policies Affected
Note: CASB policy reference is for those districts that are members of the Colorado Association of School Boards.
- JFABD*, Homeless Students
- JFABD-R*, Homeless Students — Regulation
Corresponding Best Practice
Notes
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance and Education Act
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance And Education Act, 42 U.S.C. § 11431-11435
Summary of Impact
Expedited Record Transfers:
Districts (LEA’s) and schools must immediately contact each other for records. Also, any record ordinarily kept by the school, including immunization or medical records, academic records, birth certificates, guardianship records, and evaluations for special services or programs, regarding each eligible child or youth shall be maintained so that the records are available, in a timely fashion, when a child or youth enters a new school or school district.
CASB Sample Policies Affected
Note: CASB policy reference is for those districts that are members of the Colorado Association of School Boards.
- JFABD*, Homeless Students
- JFABD-R*, Homeless Students — Regulation
Notes
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance and Education Act
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance And Education Act, 42 U.S.C. § 11431-11435
Summary of Impact
To counteract the educational disruption caused by mobility, the McKinney-Vento Act provides students experiencing homelessness with the right to continue attending the school of origin or enroll in any public school that students who live in the same attendance area are eligible to attend, according to the student’s best interest.
The term “school of origin” means the school that a child or youth attended when permanently housed, or the school in which the child or youth was last enrolled, including a preschool. When a homeless child or youth completes the final grade level served by the school of origin, the term “school of origin” includes the designated receiving school at the next grade level for all feeder schools.
If a McKinney-Vento eligible child or youth continues to live in an area served by the local educational agency (LEA) in which the school of origin is located, the child’s or youth’s transportation to and from the school of origin must be provided or arranged by the LEA in which the school of origin is located . If the homeless child’s or youth’s living arrangements in the area served by the LEA of origin terminate and the child or youth, though continuing his or her education in the school of origin, begins living in an area served by another LEA, the LEA of origin and the LEA in which the homeless child or youth is living must agree upon a method to apportion the responsibility and costs for providing the child with transportation to and from the school of origin. If the LEAs are unable to agree upon such a method, the responsibility and costs for transportation must be shared equally [42 U.S.C. §
CASB Sample Policies Affected
Note: CASB policy reference is for those districts that are members of the Colorado Association of School Boards.
- JFABD*, Homeless Students
- JFABD-R*, Homeless Students — Regulation
Homeschool
School Attendance Law of 1963
C.R.S. 22-33-104.5, Title 22: Education, School Districts, Article 33: School Attendance Law Of 1963
Summary of Impact
Any child who has participated in homeschool and who enrolls in the public school may be tested for the purpose of placing the child in the proper grade and shall then be placed at the grade level deemed most appropriate by said school district, with the consent of the child's parent or legal guardian.
CASB Sample Policies Affected
Note: CASB policy reference is for those districts that are members of the Colorado Association of School Boards.
- IHBG, Home Schooling
School Attendance Law of 1963
C.R.S. 22-33-104., Title 22. Education, School Districts, Article 33. School Attendance Law Of 1963
Summary of Impact
The school district shall accept the transcripts for credit from the homeschool educational program for the student who has enrolled into a public school who has previously participated in homeschool; except that the school district may reject such transcripts if the school district administers testing to such child and the testing does not verify the accuracy of the transcripts.
CASB Sample Policies Affected
Note: CASB policy reference is for those districts that are members of the Colorado Association of School Boards.
- JGA, Assignment of New Students to Classes and Grade Levels
See also:
Immigrant and Refugee Students
Legal protections to ensure all school aged children regardless of immigration status receive an education.
Legal References
Title VIInformation on the webpage is not legal advice. The intent is to provide guidance on best practice and to increase awareness of policies that impact student transitions. Policies and statutory requirements change, and the transition webpages may not have the most current policy information.
See also:
Immunization Records
School Entry Immunization
Summary of Impact
Each school shall maintain an official certificate of immunization for every student enrolled on file.
CASB Sample Policies Affected
Note: CASB policy reference is for those districts that are members of the Colorado Association of School Boards.
- JLCB, Immunization of Students
See also:
Migrant (Binational) Youth
Binational Migrant Initiative
Summary of Impact
The major focus of the Binational Initiative is to develop, revise and promote the use of the Transfer Document. The student needs to provide a transfer document when he/she returns to the U.S. The Binational Program can retrieve student’s grades through a request for transcripts form that has been developed by the Binational Program and has been accepted by the U.S. and Mexico’s Binational Initiative. Migrant students come from migrant and seasonal farm worker backgrounds and reflect different nationalities. The College Assistance Migrant Program assists eligible migrant students in pursuing college. Mexico has a Binational Youth program to facilitate transfers for eligible youth who migrate between both nations. Binational Initative
See also:
Online School
Certification and Oversight of Colorado Online Programs
CCR 301-71 Rules for the Administration, Certification and Oversight of Colorado Online Programs
Summary of Impact
The State Board of Education's Rules for the Administration of Online Programs says that a student may enroll in an online school if the student and his/her parent/guardian is currently residing in Colorado, and evidence that they are residing (living) in Colorado may be established by documentation including, but not limited to property tax payments, rent payments, payment of utility bills, or a written statement from the parent/guardian declaring that the parent/guardian is a resident.
Notes
This is a very permissive rule that should allow students who are residents of Colorado (based on property taxes, income sources, or any of the other factors outlined in section 1-2-102) to enroll in an online school even if the student is temporarily absent from Colorado.
Pregnant or Parenting Youth
Regulation and Requirements
Title IX prohibits discrimination based on a student’s pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery from any of these conditions. Title IX also prohibits schools from applying any rule related to a student’s parental, family, or marital status that treats students differently based on their sex.
CASB Sample Policies Affected
Note: CASB policy reference is for those districts that are members of the Colorado Association of School Boards.
- JIE/JIG, Pregnant/Married Students
Records for Transferring Students
Rules for the Administration of the Accreditation of School Districts
CCR- 301-01 Rules For The Administration Of The Accreditation Of School Districts
Summary of Impact
Colorado Public Schools are required to send transcripts or confirm attendance when requested from another Colorado Public School or district within two weeks of receiving the request.
CASB Sample Policies Affected
Note: CASB policy reference is for those districts that are members of the Colorado Association of School Boards.
- JRCA* Sharing of Student Records/Information between School District and State Agencies
Tracking Students (District Level)
State Accountability
Summary of Impact
If a public school is restructured, the department, to the extent possible, shall track the students enrolled in the public school in the school year preceding the restructuring to determine whether the students reenroll in the public school the following school year or transfer to another public school of the school district, an institute charter school, or a public school of another school district in the state. The department shall provide the student tracking information, without personally identifying the students, to the local school board or the institute upon request.
Transportation (District Level)
General Provisions
C.R.S. 22-1-122, Education, General And Administrative, Article 1, General Provisions
Summary of Impact
This law allows low-income students in grades 1-8 in low-performing schools, as designated by the state, to use transportation tokens to attend a different school within their school district or a school within another school district, if the other school district agrees to accept such students.
Youth in Foster Care
Rules for the Administration of the Accreditation of School Districts
CCR- 301-01 Rules For The Administration Of The Accreditation Of School Districts
Summary of Impact
Children and youth in foster care have a right to immediate enrollment, regardless of the ability to produce records. The sending school is mandated to transfer all records to the new school as soon as possible, but not to exceed 5 school days. 22-32-138, C.R.S.
CASB Sample Policies Affected
Note: CASB policy reference is for those districts that are members of the Colorado Association of School Boards.
- JF-E, Admission and Denial of Admission (Procedures for Students in Out-of-Home Placements)
Foster Care Provisions in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
Every Student Succeeds Act
Summary of Impact
To ensure educational stability, minimize disruptions, ensure collaboration between state and local education agencies and child welfare agencies, and formalize cross-agency collaboration to work on behalf of children and youth in foster care.
ESSA Foster Care Provisions Include:
- Remain in the same school when it is in the child’s best interest
- Immediate enrollment in school and immediate transfer of school records
- Transportation to the school of origin when necessary
- Point of contact designated within State Educational Agency
- Local Educational Agency point of contact
- Required data collection
- Removal of “Awaiting Foster Care Placement” from the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
CASB Sample Policies Affected
Note: CASB policy reference is for those districts that are members of the Colorado Association of School Boards.
- JF-E, Admission and Denial of Admission - Exhibit
- JFABE*, Students in Foster Care
- JFABE*-R, Students in Foster Care – Regulation
- JFABE*-E, Memorandum of Understanding – School Stability for Students in Foster Care – Exhibit (NEW)
- JJJ, Extracurricular Activity Eligibility
- JQ, Student Fees, Fines and Charges
Additional Resources
Uninterrupted Scholars
Uninterrupted Scholars Act Signed By President January 2013
Summary of Impact
Child welfare professionals can access a foster youth’s education records and help transfer their credits to new schools.
CASB Sample Policies Affected
Note: CASB policy reference is for those districts that are members of the Colorado Association of School Boards.
- JF-R, Admission and Denial of Admission (Procedures for Students in Out-of-Home Placements)
Additional Resources
Out-of-Home Placement (Foster Care) Students
Colorado House Bill 8-1019, C.R.S. 22-32-138, Title 22: Education, Out-of-home Placement Students - Transfer Procedures - Absences - Exemptions
Summary of Impact
- Requires county human services departments to conduct a Best Interest Determination meeting when a change in placement could result in a school change. All parties must attempt to promote the child/youth’s educational stability that allows the child/youth to remain in their school of origin.
- When a school change is necessary, and a student transfers from their school of origin to a new school, the school of origin is required to transfer records to the new school district immediately.
- The child/youth is immediately enrolled in the new school regardless of the ability to include records. The sending school is mandated to transfer all records to the new school as soon as possible, but not to exceed 5 school days. 22-32-138, C.R.S.
CASB Sample Policies Affected
Note: CASB policy reference is for those districts that are members of the Colorado Association of School Boards.
- JF-E, Admission and Denial of Admission - Exhibit
- JFABE*, Students in Foster Care
- JFABE*-R, Students in Foster Care – Regulation
- JFABE*-E, Memorandum of Understanding – School Stability for Students in Foster Care – Exhibit (NEW)
- JJJ, Extracurricular Activity Eligibility
- JQ, Student Fees, Fines and Charges
Notes
A school district or school in which a student in out-of-home placement is enrolled shall waive all fees that would otherwise be assessed against the student, including but not limited to any general fees, fees for books, fees for lab work, fees for participation in in-school or extracurricular activities, and fees for before-school or after-school programs.
Additional Resources
See also:
Financial information on schools and districts throughout Colorado. Learn more about financial transparency.
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Phone: 303-866-6600
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UPDATED
November 5, 2024
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