The Colorado Department of Education announced that 10 school districts, BOCES, and charter schools are approved to participate in the next cohort of the Innovative Learning Opportunities Pilot Program (ILOP), bringing the network up to 17 participants, in total.
Through this program, schools and districts can provide more out-of-school and work-based learning opportunities to students through greater flexibility around seat time policies.
Seat time policies usually require that students have a certain number of hours of instruction within the classroom walls, and adherence to these standards is tied to state funding.
Through ILOP, participating school districts can count students as full-time while they participate in opportunities outside of school, like industry certificates, apprenticeships, and internships. This allows students to gain real-world experience with businesses and community partners that will help them develop essential 21st-century skills that will propel them to greater post-secondary and career success.
New ILOP participants include:
- Clear Creek School District
- Durango School District
- East Grand School District
- Education ReEnvisioned BOCES
- El Paso District 49
- Estes Park School District
- Holyoke School District
- Vilas School District
- Vision Charter Academy
- Weld RE 3-J
Also supporting seat time flexibility in schools, Colorado Succeeds is currently advocating for the passage of SB21-106, Successful High School Transitions, sponsored by Sens. Coleman (D) and Priola (R) and Reps. McLachlan (D) and Baisley (R), which would expand (ILOP) to allow an additional 20 districts to be a part of this program. In addition, this legislation includes new requirements for schools and districts to explain in their applications how their plans will particularly benefit underserved students and provides high-quality examples of effective work-based learning opportunities.
