1 CCR 301-99
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION RULES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE SCHOOL BULLYING PREVENTION AND EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM 1 CCR 301-99 [Editor’s Notes follow the text of the rules at the end of this CCR Document.] _________________________________________________________________________ AUTHORITY: ARTICLE XCII, SECTION 1, COLORADO CONSTITUTION. 22-93-101 ET SEQ.; 22-2- 107(1)(C) OF THE COLORADO REVISED STATUTES (C.R.S.).
0.0 STATEMENT OF BASIS AND PURPOSE
The Bullying Prevention and Education Program, 22-93-101 et. seq., C.R.S., requires the State Board of Education to promulgate rules to implement and administer the program. At a minimum, the rules must include: Application procedures by which public schools, facility schools, and collaborative groups of public schools and facility schools may apply for grants; criteria for the department to apply in selecting the public schools, facility schools, and collaborative groups of public schools and facility schools that shall receive grants and determining the amount of grant moneys to be awarded to each grant recipient.
1.0 DEFINITIONS
1.01 For purposes of the bullying prevention and education grant program, “bullying” means any written or verbal expression, or physical or electronic act or gesture, or a pattern thereof, that a reasonable person would believe is intended to coerce, intimidate, or cause any physical, mental, or emotional harm to any student. Bullying is prohibited against any student for any reason, including but not limited to any such behavior that is directed toward a student on the basis of his or her academic performance; or against whom federal and state laws prohibit discrimination upon any of the bases described in section 22-32-109(1)(ll)(I). This definition is not intended to infringe upon any right guaranteed to any person by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and shall not be used to prevent the expression of any religious, political, or philosophical views.
1.02 “Cash Fund” means the school bullying prevention and education cash fund created in section 22-93-105, C.R.S.
1.03 “Department” means the department of education created and existing pursuant to section 24-1- 115, C.R.S.
1.04 “Evidence-based best practices” means that the bullying prevention practice is based on research that applies rigorous, systematic, and objective procedures to obtain valid knowledge that is relevant to bullying and bullying prevention.
1.05 “Facility Schools” means an approved facility school, as defined in section 22-2-402 (1), C.R.S.
1.06 “Program” means the school bullying prevention and education grant program created in section 22-93-102, C.R.S.
1.07 “Public School” means a school of a school district, a district charter school, an institute charter school, or a board of cooperative services, as defined in section 22-5-103, C.R.S.
1.08 “State Board” means the state board of education created pursuant to section 1 of article IX of the state constitution.
1.09 “Website” means the Department of Education’s Bullying Prevention Website as outlined in section 2.0., created pursuant to 22-93-106, C.R.S.
2.0 BULLYING PREVENTION WEBSITE
2.01 The department of education shall maintain a page on its public website pursuant to 22-93-106, C.R.S.
2.01.1 As a part of this website, the department continuously makes publicly available resources and evidence-based best practices in bullying prevention.
2.01.2 Using the website, the department will also continuously make publicly available procedures for the distribution, collection, standardization, and analysis of data collected from surveys of students’ impressions of the severity of bullying in their schools for the Bullying Prevention and Education Grant Program.
2.01.2.1 These procedures shall include those to ensure the confidentiality of
2.01.2.2 The website will also provide guidance on survey questions, such as the forms of bullying that the student has experienced, where those incidents occurred, how frequently the student witnessed bullying at his or her school and how frequently the student perceives himself or herself to be a victim of bullying.
3.0 APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS AND TIMELINE
3.01 As legislated monies are available, the department shall solicit, review, and award grants to public schools, facility schools, and collaborative groups of public schools and facility schools for periods of one to three years.
3.02 On an annual basis on a date determined by the Department, public schools, facility schools, and collaborative groups of public schools and facility schools interested in obtaining funding shall submit a bullying prevention grant application electronically to the department, using the application form provided by the Department.
3.03 Each application submitted shall include, but need not be limited to the following:
3.03.1 A description of the evidence-based best practices for preventing bullying that applicants plan to implement using the grant moneys, including a description of the evidence supporting the chosen practices that have proven successful in other public schools in the country. These evidence-based practices for bullying prevention may be drawn from the department’s bullying prevention website, pursuant to section 2.01.1;
3.03.2 A description of the methods that will be used to ensure sustained implementation of evidence-based best practices in bullying prevention that result in improved outcomes and reduced bullying over time and past the grant period;
3.03.3 A description of how grantees will use at least a portion of awarded grant moneys for the purpose of educating students’ parents and legal guardians regarding the grant recipient’s policies concerning bullying prevention and education, the grant recipient’s ongoing efforts to reduce the frequency of bullying incidents, and the grant recipient’s strategies for including families and the community in school bullying prevention.
3.03.4 A description of how grantees will include student leadership and voice in the creation and implementation of bullying prevention strategies.
3.03.5 A description of how the applicant will adopt specific policies concerning bullying education and prevention that includes:
3.03.5.1 Creation or revision of a district safe school plan as indicated in 22-32- 109.1;
3.03.5.2 Provisions for the administration of surveys of students’ impressions of the severity of bullying in their schools;
3.03.5.3 The designation of a team of persons at each school of the school district who advise the school administration concerning the severity and frequency of bullying incidents;
3.03.5.4 Provisions for adequate due processes and safeguards for students
3.03.6 A description of the procedures for the distribution, collection, standardization, and analysis of student impression survey data collected, and procedures that ensure the confidentiality of each student’s answers to the survey, and clarify that the completion of a survey shall be voluntary and shall not be required of any student.
3.03.6.1 A description of the survey that will be used to ask about how frequently the student witnesses bullying at his or her school and how frequently the student perceives himself or herself to be a victim of bullying;
3.03.6.2 To the extent practicable, grantees may utilize existing forms and
3.03.6.3 Grantees may use a digital or paper and pencil version of the survey;
3.03.6.4 Grantees are required to implement an active opt in procedure for
3.03.7 A description of the procedures for the distribution, collection, standardization, and analysis of implementation data that indicates the degree to which the school, leadership teams, and school staff implement the evidence-based bullying prevention best practices; and 3.03.8 An explanation of the cost of the bullying prevention program that the applicant(s) plan to implement using the grant moneys and an explanation of how grant funding will be used to supplement and not supplant any funding currently being used on bullying prevention practices already provided to the students, school, families, and community.
4.0 APPLICATION EVALUATION CRITERIA
4.01 In reviewing grant applications to determine which applicants should receive grant funding and the duration and amount of each grant, the Department shall consider the following criteria:
4.01.1 The quality of the evidence-based best practices for preventing bullying that the applicant(s) plans to implement using the grant moneys, including the evidence supporting the chosen practices that have proven successful in other public schools in the country;
4.01.2 The quality of the methods that will be used to ensure sustained implementation of the best practices in bullying prevention that can result in improved outcomes and reduced bullying over time and beyond the grant period;
4.01.3 The quality of the plan for using at least a portion of awarded grant moneys for the purpose of educating students’ parents and legal guardians regarding the grant recipient’s policies concerning bullying prevention and education, the grant recipient’s ongoing efforts to reduce the frequency of bullying incidents, and the grant recipient’s strategies for including families and the community in school bullying prevention;
4.01.4 The quality of the plan for including student leadership and voice in the creation and implementation of bullying prevention strategies;
4.01.5 The quality of the plans to adopt specific policies concerning bullying education and prevention;
4.01.6 The rigor with which the applicant(s) intend(s) to monitor the distribution, collection, standardization, and analysis of survey data collected, and procedures that ensure the confidentiality of each student’s answers to the survey and clarify that the completion of a survey shall be voluntary and shall not be required of any student;
4.01.7 The rigor with which the applicant(s) intend(s) to monitor the distribution, collection, standardization, and analysis of implementation data that indicates the degree to which the school, leadership teams, and school staff implement the evidence-based bullying prevention best practices; and 4.01.8 The cost of the bullying prevention best evidence-based practices that the applicant(s) plan to implement using the grant moneys.
5.0 DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING
5.01 Each public school, facility school, and collaborative group of public schools and facility schools funded through the Bullying Prevention and Education Grant Program shall submit annually information to the Department describing the following:
5.01.1 The evidence-based best practices in bullying prevention that the applicant(s) implemented using the grant moneys;
5.01.2 The number and grade levels of students who participated in each of the bullying prevention practices or services provided;
5.01.3 The progress made by the participating public schools, facility schools, and collaborative groups of public schools and facility schools in including family and community partnering in school bullying prevention strategies;
5.01.4 The progress made by the participating public schools, facility schools, and collaborative groups of public schools and facility schools in adopting specific policies concerning bullying education and prevention;
5.01.5 The progress made by the participating public schools, facility schools, and collaborative groups of public schools and facility schools in implementing the evidence-based best practices in bullying prevention with fidelity; and 5.01.6 The progress made by the participating public schools, facility schools, and collaborative groups of public schools and facility schools in reducing the frequency of bullying as indicated by school surveys and other relevant measures.
5.02 On or before May 1, 2017, and each year thereafter as long as monies are available, the Department shall submit annually to the state board and to the education committees of the senate and house of representatives, or any successor committees, the following information regarding the administration of the program in the preceding year:
5.02.1 The number of grant recipients that received grants under the program;
5.02.2 The amount of each grant awarded to each grant recipient;
5.02.3 The average amount of each grant awarded under the program;
5.02.4 The number of pupils who are either enrolled at each public school of each grant recipient or receiving services through each facility school of each grant recipient; and 5.02.5 The source and amount of each gift, grant, and donation received by the Department for the implementation of the bullying prevention program, pursuant to section 22-93-105 (3) (b), C.R.S.
_________________________________________________________________________ Editor’s Notes History Entire rule eff. 06/30/2016.