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Tuition Cost for Public Charter Schools and Public On-Line Programs
Public Charter Schools Tuition Cost
Overview
Per state ECEA Rules, a public charter school may charge tuition to the responsible LEA for the additional cost of providing special education services to students with disabilities. Tuition costs is the amount of expenditures for special education services over and above applicable revenues for a child with a disability who receives special education services in a public charter school. Tuition may be owed to the public charter school for a child identified with an eligible disability: Intellectual Disability; Serious Emotional Disability; Hearing Impairment, including Deafness or Hearing Disability; Visual Impairment, including Blindness or Visual Disability; Deaf-Blindness; Multiple Disabilities; Autism Spectrum Disorders; or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Of the programs that serve students with eligible disabilities, the specific special education program provided to these students must exceed the duration and intensity of the regular special education program at the public charter school.
ECEA Rules require the Colorado Department of Education to have a process in place to calculate a tuition cost rate for public charter schools. The application for Documentation of a Tuition Cost Rate for Public Charter Schools is a formatted excel form containing sections: Program Identification, Instructional and Support program costs, relevant Regular Education and Other Educational program costs, applicable education program revenues, and staff workbooks to record data on staff providing services at the public charter school to students with disabilities. Staff licensing status is verified to ensure that all staff reported in the application are appropriately licensed and endorsed for the student disabilities served in the public charter school program per State and Federal reporting requirements.
The Department is responsible for the annual submission of tuition cost rates for public charter schools to the State Board of Education for approval.
Application for a Tuition Cost Rate for Public Charter Schools
- The 2024-25 application window is closed.
- The 2025-26 application is coming in July 2025.
Checklist for Completion and Submission of Application
- The 2024-25 application window is closed.
- The 2025-26 checklist is coming July 2025.
Guidance for Completion and Submission of Application
- The 2024-25 application window is closed.
- The 2025-26 guidance is coming in July 2025.
Deadlines
- The 2025-26 application open and close window have not yet been determined.
Submission to the ESSU Data Management System (DMS)
The Application for a Tuition Cost Rate for Public Charter Schools contains information that must be protected. Submission of the application is through the Exceptional Student Services Unit (ESSU) Data Management System (DMS), a secure site for submission of sensitive information. Specific guidelines are outlined in the checklist. Email the CDE Tuition Cost Administrator, Lisa Schmit, at schmit_l@cde.state.co.us once the entire application is uploaded to the DMS in Documents, Fiscal Tab. The DMS does not have a notification feature. Failure to notify the CDE Tuition Cost Administrator may result in possible processing delays. NOTE: The formatted Excel application is required for CDE processing. Applications submitted in PDF will not be accepted as this format is “read only” and cannot be used in the CDE application review process.
Tuition Cost Rates
- 2024-25 Public Charter Schools Tuition Cost Rates (PDF)
- 2023-24 Public Charter Schools Tuition Cost Rates (PDF)
- 2022-23 Public Charter Schools Tuition Cost Rates (PDF)
Public On-Line Programs Tuition Cost
Application for a Tuition Cost Rate for Public On-Line Programs
- The 2024-25 application window is closed.
- The 2025-26 application is coming in July 2025.
Checklist for Completion and Submission of Application
- 2024-25 Online Programs Checklist (PDF)
- The 2025-26 checklist is coming July 2025.
Guidance for Completion and Submission of Application
- The 2024-25 application window is closed.
- The 2025-26 guidance is coming in July 2025.
Deadlines
- The 2025-26 application open and close window have not yet been determined.
Submission to the ESSU Data Management System (DMS)
The Application for a Tuition Cost Rate for Public On-Line Programs contains information that must be protected. Submission of the application is through the Exceptional Student Services Unit (ESSU) Data Management System (DMS), a secure site for submission of sensitive information. Specific guidelines are outlined in the checklist. Email the CDE Tuition Cost Administrator, Lisa Schmit, at schmit_l@cde.state.co.us once the entire application is uploaded to the DMS in Documents, Fiscal Tab. The DMS does not have a notification feature. Failure to notify the CDE Tuition Cost Administrator may result in possible processing delays. NOTE: The formatted Excel application is required for CDE processing. Applications submitted in PDF will not be accepted as this format is “read only” and cannot be used in the CDE application review process.
Contact the CDE Tuition Cost Administrator
Email Lisa Schmit, at Schmit_l@cde.state.co.us.
Having trouble with this webpage?
If you have problems with broken links or accessing the content on this page, please contact the Exceptional Student Services Unit at ESSU@cde.state.co.us. Please copy the URL link for this page into the email when referencing the problem you are experiencing.
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