In Colorado, districts, BOCES, and the Colorado Charter School Institute (CSI) can serve as Administrative Units (AUs). AUs are responsible for the oversight of services to students with disabilities within their schools.
Currently, CSI serves as the Administrative Unit (AU) for its 40+ charter schools.
House Bill 22-1294
House Bill 22-1294 seeks to address structural, legal, and financial impediments by creating additional pathways for charter schools to better serve students with special needs. Pathways include:
- Grant charter schools the option to give students with special needs a higher weight in their enrollment process.
- Enable charter schools to form collaboratives for the purpose of enhanced special education service provision.
- Permit charter school networks or collaboratives to pursue administrative unit status for special education purposes.
- Permit district charter schools to join CSI’s administrative unit solely for special education purposes.
CSI’s Special Education Administrative
Unit Application Process
CSI anticipates launching its application in the 2022-23 school year for charter schools seeking to join CSI’s Administrative Unit for the 2024-25 school year.
The application process will include a letter of intent, an orientation for prospective applicants highlighting CSI and School roles and responsibilities, and an application aligned to state requirements.
Following a comprehensive review, approved applicants will contract to join CSI’s AU and access an onboarding program to ensure a smooth transition for the subsequent school year.
More details, including an application timeline, are coming soon!