A Denver principal will count kids enrolled in college as high school students – and break a state Board of Education rule – to get per-pupil funding, Denver Public School leaders said Wednesday.
Unless state law is clarified before the federal student-count day on Oct. 3, DPS plans to count the roughly 65 Abraham Lincoln High School students enrolled in post-secondary programs as high-schoolers, said DPS spokeswoman Tanya Caughey.
“Since there’s confusion around the status of the current law, we will count those students,” she said.
By doing so, the district will get about $6,600 per student to pay their tuition. Most are attending classes at the Community College of Denver.
Last week, the state Board of Education decided not to clear up the ambiguities of the state law – which tries to define when high school starts and stops.
Literally, state law promises a kindergarten-through-12th-grade education to all students up to age 21.
DPS’ Lincoln, and Sheridan High School in the Sheridan district, have changed their graduation requirements to allow students to take college classes before receiving a diploma.
But the two programs sparked concern among state officials that paying for college – while admirable – would break the state financially if everyone started doing it.
The board last week upheld a 2001 rule that banned the so-called “fifth year” programs.
“We can’t forbid them (districts) to submit the numbers of students to us,” said state Education Commissioner William Moloney. He said the state did not encourage them to do so.
Denver could have to reimburse the state about $429,000 if the district is audited, state officials said.
State board member Rico Munn, who represents Denver, said he is working on a legislative resolution.
Sheridan district officials haven’t decided whether to count their 74 students enrolled in community college on federal count day.
“We’re going to have this program, but we have to figure out how to fund it,” said Michael Poore, superintendent of the Sheridan school district.
Staff writer Allison Sherry can be reached at 303-820-1377 or asherry@denverpost.com.
