At-Risk Count

2025 Count Date: Wednesday, October 1

Summary

Each year all public school districts across the state of Colorado participate in the Student October Count data submission to the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). The purpose of this data collection is to obtain required student level data as provided for by state statute, including information regarding students’ funding eligibility and lunch eligibility (“Free,” “Reduced,” or “Paid”) as outlined in the Public School Finance Act of 1994 (Section 22-54-101, C.R.S.). The Colorado Department of Education collects these data through the Data Pipeline with the Information Management Services (IMS) unit of CDE overseeing the collection.

In an effort to ensure accurate reporting of those data fields associated with student and at-risk funding, the School Auditing Office of the School Finance Unit for the Colorado Department of Education conducts periodic compliance audits of each district’s student October count data, including a review of documentation to support free and reduced-price lunch eligibility.

Upcoming At-Risk Count Webinars

Some forms recommended by the School Auditing Office may contain personally identifiable information of students and districts should take additional precautions.​ Local education agencies must use secure means when sending Personally Identifiable Information (PII) to CDE.  If transferring PII between districts, schools, or with other parties, CDE strongly recommends that districts use a secure method of transferring PII between districts, schools, or with other parties (for example, a secure file sharing tool like Syncplicity, or including the PII in a password-protected document). For more information, please visit the Data Privacy and Security website or contact CDE’s Data Privacy Office.