DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Colorado State Board of Education RULES (FOR THE) ADMINISTRATION OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIC CONTESTS FUND 1 CCR 301-44 [Editor’s Notes follow the text of the rules at the end of this CCR Document.] _________________________________________________________________________ 2202-R-1.00 Statement of Basis and Purpose The statutory authority for the establishment of these Rules is found in Article 2 of Title 22, C.R.S., in section 22-2-121. The purpose of these Rules is to govern distribution of monies in the National Academic Contests Fund. These monies are available to school districts for the purpose of sending pupils from the school district, who are state-level winners of academic contests, and their chaperones to represent the state at the national level competitions of these contests. 2202-R-2.00 Definitions 2.01 “Academic contests” means contests relating to an area of academic or instructional programming within the public schools of a public school district, including contests intended to stimulate creativity and productive thinking. Examples of such academic contests include, but are not necessarily limited to, Academic Decathlon, Future Business Leaders of America, Geography Bee, History Day, Knowledge Bowl, MathCounts, Odyssey of the Mind, Science Olympiad, Vocational Industrial Clubs of America, etc.

2202-R-3.00 Application and Criteria 3.01 School districts may apply to the department of education for travel funds to allow pupils who are state winners of academic contests that have a national-level competition to represent the state and their school and school district at the national-level competition.

3.02 For a district to qualify to receive funding under these Rules, the district's application shall satisfy the following criteria:

1. 3.02(1) Contest Certification 3.02(1)(a) The contest must have been conducted within an academic program or as an academic extracurricular or interscholastic activity offered by the school district. 3.02(1)(b) The contest must be sponsored by a nationally recognized organization. 3.02(1)(c) The contest must be academic in nature, as defined in section 2.01 of these Rules, and shall motivate pupils to be creative and to demonstrate excellence. 3.02(1)(d) The contest shall be open to all pupils regardless of race, creed, sex, national orgin, or disability; except that a contest may have separate levels of competition by age or grade level.

3.03 Participating Pupils and Chaperones

Code of Colorado Regulations 1 3.03(1) Pupils shall be students of the district making application. For purposes of these Rules, students enrolled in the academic programs of a school in the school district and pupils participating in an academic extracurricular or interscholastic activity offered by a public school district pursuant to section 22-32-116.5 or 22-33-104.5, C.R.S., shall be deemed pupils of the school district.

1. 3.03(2) Pupils shall be eligible for travel funds under these Rules only by being awarded the opportunity to compete at the national level of a contest as a result of successfully competing at the state level of that contest.
   1. 3.03(3) Chaperones duly selected and sponsored by the school district to accompany pupils to the national competition shall also be eligible for travel funds under these Rules. 2202-R-4.00 Funds Distribution

4.01 A school district may request funds for travel on behalf of district pupils who qualify for a national competition under these Rules. These travel funds include the cost of travel for participating pupils and chaperones only. Travel costs may include both transportation and lodging.

4.02 Application for travel funds must be made to the department within 30 days following the state contest through which pupils qualify for national competition.

4.03 In order for a district application to qualify for funding within the current fiscal year, the state level contest specified in 4.02 of this section must take place between July 1 and May 31 of the current fiscal year. Distribution of funds will be made in June of the current fiscal year.

4.04 Funds shall be awarded by the department to qualified district applicants on the basis of: 4.04(1) Monies available in the National Academic Contest Fund on June 1 of the current fiscal year;

1. 4.04(2) The number of district applicants requesting funds under these Rules as of June 1 of the current fiscal year, and, 4.04(3) The level of contribution by the sponsoring school district, school, community organizations, and any other sources of funds, toward the travel cost of participating pupils and their chaperones, at a rate of 1:1, up to one-half of the total travel cost. Examples:

Ex. 1 Ex. 2 Ex. 3 Ex. 4 Total in Fund as of June 1 $50,000 $50,000 $50,000 $35,000 Number of applicants as of June 1 50 100 20 40 Potential available/applicant $1000 $500 $2500 $875 Applicant's cost of travel (transportation and lodging) $5000 $5000 $5000 $2000 District/school/community organization $2000 $2000 $2500 $750 contribution/other funding sources Amount of Award $1000 $500 $2500 $750 Code of Colorado Regulations 2 _________________________________________________________________________ Editor’s Notes History Code of Colorado Regulations 3