§ 22-32.5-107. District of Innovation – Designation

1. Each local school board may seek for its school district designation by the state board as a district of innovation. A local school board may seek the designation on the basis of innovation plans or plans for creating innovation school zones approved or collaboratively created by the local school board pursuant to section 22-32.5-104.
2. A local school board that seeks designation as a district of innovation shall submit one or more innovation plans or plans for creating an innovation school zone to the commissioner for review and comment by the commissioner and the state board. Within sixty days after receiving a local school board’s plan, the commissioner and the state board shall respond to the local school board with any suggested changes or additions to the plan, including but not limited to suggestions for further innovations or for measures to increase the likelihood that the innovations will result in greater academic achievement within the innovation schools or innovation school zones. Based on the commissioner’s and the state board’s comments, the local school board may choose to withdraw and resubmit its innovation plan or plan for creating an innovation school zone.
3. 1. Within sixty days after receiving a local school board’s innovation plan or plan for creating an innovation school zone, the state board shall designate the local school board’s school district as a district of innovation if the state board concludes that the submitted plan:
      1. Is likely to enhance educational opportunity, standards, and quality within the innovation schools or innovation school zones; and
      2. Is fiscally feasible.
   2. If the state board does not designate a school district as a district of innovation, it shall provide to the local school board a written explanation of the basis for its decision. The local school board may resubmit an amended innovation plan or plan for creating an innovation school zone and seek designation of its school district as a school district of innovation at any time after denial.
4. It is the intent of the general assembly that the department of education receive a one-time appropriation to offset the costs incurred by the department and the state board in adopting rules and otherwise establishing the procedures for implementation of this section. The general assembly finds, however, that the department of education and the state board may implement this section in future years without additional state funding.

Source: L. 2008: Entire article added, p. 1426, § 1, effective May 28. L. 2017: (3)(a) amended, (HB 17-1271), ch. 343, p. 1813, § 1, effective August 9.