co-co-2026-00414: RULES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL ACT

Code of Colorado Regulations eDocket Skip to content  |  About Secretary Griswold  |  Español   Home  Colorado Revised Statutes  Search  Browse  Colorado Register  eDocket  Log in  Contact Us Code of Colorado Regulations eDocket Official Publication of the State Administrative Rules (24-4-103(11) C.R.S.) Details of Tracking Number   2026-00414 CCR details Tracking Number 2026-00414 Type of Filing Permanent Rule Department 300 Department of Education Agency 301 Colorado State Board of Education CCR Number 1 CCR 301-8 CCR Title RULES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL ACT Proposed rule Notice Filed with SOS 09/10/2026 Rule ProposedRuleAttach2026-00414.docx Statutory Authority These rules implement the Exceptional Children's Educational Act (ECEA), § 22-20-101 et seq., C.R.S., under the rulemaking authority granted in §§ 22-20-104, 22-20-108(4), 22-20-114(1)(a)(I)(A)–(C), and 22-20-123(3)(b), C.R.S. Description of Subjects/Issues The proposed rules are responsive to new state legislation, a settlement agreement resulting from a state complaint filed against the Colorado Department of Education by Disability Justice (formerly Disability Law Colorado), and recent stakeholder input. They clarify Administrative Unit (AU) responsibilities for determining whether a facility school placement constitutes a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) prior to any placement, establish required timelines for AU action following public agency notifications or emergency placements, strengthen expectations for AU monitoring of FAPE and LRE during a facility placement, formalize discharge and exit procedures, and refine residency, public placement, and reimbursement definitions and processes. The proposed amendments also clarify the roles of the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind (CSDB) and districts of residence and establish explicit timelines for district responses to parent evaluation requests. Collectively, these proposed revisions improve statewide consistency, reinforce statutory and IDEA alignment, and provide clearer operational guidance for AUs, facility schools, and public agencies. Submitted in response to issues raised by COLS/OLLS? Is this rule adopted in response to recent legislation? Hearing Date 11/12/2026 Hearing Time 09:00 AM Hearing Location Department of Education, 201 E. Colfax Ave. State Board RoomDenver, CO 80203 Contact Name Daniel Van Schooten Contact Title Director, State Board Relations Contact Telephone 720-556-8564 Contact email van_schooten_d@cde.state.co.us Adopted rule Adopted Rules Redline AGO requested date          Terms & conditions | Accessibility statement | Browser compatibility