Bill Tracker

Under current law, a qualified student who is selected to participate in the accelerating students through concurrent enrollment (ASCENT) program by the department of education (department) may enroll in postsecondary courses and be included in the pupil enrollment of a school district, board of cooperative services, or charter school (local education provider) for funding during the year following the student's fourth year of high school. The number of students who are selected to participate in the ASCENT program is limited each year through the budget process.

The bill:

Removes the limit on the number of participants;

Reduces the number of postsecondary credits needed to be eligible in the ASCENT;

Provides 3% of the per-pupil extended high school funding for nontuition expenses; and

Repeals the provision that the student needs to repay the tuition if not successful.

Recommendation: Support

League Position:

Access to Higher Education and Persistence by Students:

The League believes that all qualified students should have the opportunity to attend postsecondary education and that successful participation should be facilitated by a variety of resources. . . . education should be viewed as a continuum . . .

Status: Passed the House Education Committee on 2/3/2022

Under current law, a qualified student who is selected to
participate in the accelerating students through concurrent enrollment
(ASCENT) program by the department of education (department) may
enroll in postsecondary courses and be included in the pupil enrollment
of a school district, board of cooperative services, or charter school (local

education provider) for funding during the year following the student's
fourth year of high school. The number of students who are selected to
participate in the ASCENT program is limited each year through the
budget process.
The bill removes the limit on the number of program participants
and allows each qualified student selected by the enrolling local education
provider to participate in the program. The bill reduces the number of
postsecondary credits a qualified student must have completed to be
eligible to participate in the ASCENT program. The bill directs the
department to distribute to each local education provider for each
ASCENT program participant an amount equal to 3% of the per-pupil
extended high school funding amount to pay for non-tuition expenses the
qualified student incurs in participating in the postsecondary courses.
Under existing law, a qualified student who fails to complete a
concurrent enrollment course must repay the local education provider for
the amount of tuition, and a local education provider may require a
qualified student to repay the tuition amount if the qualified student earns
a failing grade for a concurrent enrollment course. The bill repeals these
provisions.

• February 03, 2022: House Education Committee Report

The bill requires the Department of Higher Education to contract with an organization that has demonstrated success in assisting students with intellectual and developmental disabilities attend institutions of higher education to administer the grant program, perform annual evaluations of the grant recipients, and produce an annual report that is submitted to the education committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

This bill is backed by the Colorado Cross Disabilities Coalition among others and the legislation has significant justice, equity, diversity and inclusivity implications.

It was passed by House Education Committee and referred to Appropriations on Feb. 17.

The bill creates in the department of higher education (department)
the inclusive higher education grant program to provide grants to state
institutions of higher education for the purpose of establishing, or
expanding existing, inclusive higher education programs for students with
intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The bill requires the department to contract with an organization
that has demonstrated success in assisting students with intellectual and
developmental disabilities attend institutions of higher education to
administer the grant program, perform annual evaluations of the grant
recipients, and produce an annual report that is submitted to the education
committees of the house of representatives and the senate.

• May 09, 2022: Senate Appropriations Committee Report
• April 29, 2022: House Appropriations Committee Report
• February 17, 2022: House Education Committee Report
• February 16, 2022: House Education Committee Report

The bill requires the Department of Higher Education to submit, as part of its annual “State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act hearing, data related to postsecondary outcomes for students with a disability. The department shall gather the data in collaboration with intuitions of higher education.

LWVCO supports this bill.

The bill requires the department of higher education (department)
to submit, as a part of its annual State Measurement for Accountable,
Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act hearing, data
related to postsecondary outcomes for students with a disability. The
department shall gather the data in collaboration with institutions of
higher education (institutions).

The bill creates the postsecondary services advisory committee
(committee) in the department for the purpose of making
recommendations to institutions and the general assembly concerning
necessary services and best practices to improve successful outcomes for
students with disabilities at institutions. The committee is required to
complete and submit a report to the education committees of the house of
representatives and the senate by June 15, 2023, and June 14, 2024. The
committee is repealed on June 30, 2024.

• March 31, 2022: Senate Education Committee Report
• March 16, 2022: House Education Committee Report

League supports this bill which permits community colleges to offer a bachelor of science degree in nursing to students pursuing a certificate in nursing. League supports health care access which is enhanced through workforce education opportunities. Justice, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (JEDI) may be promoted through workforce education opportunities in the community colleges. The bill was introduced in the House 1-12-22 and assigned to Education, where it will be heard on February 9, no specified time.

Under existing law, community colleges may offer a bachelor of
science degree in nursing as a completion degree to students who have or
are pursuing an associate degree in nursing. The bill permits community
colleges to offer a bachelor of science degree in nursing to students who
have or are pursuing a certificate in nursing.

• March 17, 2022: House Education Committee Report
• February 09, 2022: Senate Education Committee Report

Colorado Youth Advisory Council Review Committee. The bill
requires all public higher education institutions (institutions) in Colorado
to waive undergraduate tuition and fees for Colorado resident students
who have been in foster care or, following an adjudication as neglected
or dependent, in noncertified kinship care in Colorado at any time on or
after reaching the age of 13 (qualifying students). The institutions are

required to designate an employee to serve as a liaison to qualifying or
prospective qualifying students.
Under existing law, school districts and the state charter school
institute must designate an employee to act as the child welfare education
liaison. The bill requires child welfare education liaisons to provide
students in out-of-home placement with information and assistance
regarding the tuition waiver for qualifying students.

• April 26, 2022: House Appropriations Committee Report
• April 14, 2022: House Education Committee Report
• March 18, 2022: Senate Appropriations Committee Report
• February 03, 2022: Senate Education Committee Report

Under federal law, money deposited in a qualified tuition program
under section 529 of the internal revenue code (529 plan) grows tax
deferred and is withdrawn tax free when used for eligible expenses. In

addition to the federal tax benefit, the state provides an incentive for the
deposit of money into a 529 plan by offering a state income tax deduction
for contributions to a plan.
In 2019, the federal government included paying principal or
interest on any qualified education loan, up to a $10,000 lifetime limit per
plan beneficiary or sibling of a plan beneficiary, as an eligible expense.
Current law requires the state income tax deduction to be
recaptured from the taxpayer if a distribution is not used for listed
purposes. The bill specifies that using a 529 plan for paying principal or
interest on any qualified education loan, not to exceed $10,000, is also an
eligible distribution for purposes of the state income tax deduction for
contributions to such 529 plans.

• February 08, 2022: Senate State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Committee Report

Under current law, there is a tuition assistance program (program)
for students enrolled in career and technical education certificate
programs at certain state institutions. The commission on higher
education establishes policies and procedures for the program. The bill
requires the policies and procedures to give some preference to students
enrolled in building and construction trade certificate programs. The bill

also requires the general assembly to annually appropriate $650,000 for
the program.

• February 16, 2022: Senate Education Committee Report