Second Regular Session
Seventy-third General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
ENGROSSED
This Version Includes All Amendments Adopted
on Second Reading in the House of Introduction
LLS NO. 22-0118.01 Conrad Imel x2313
SENATE BILL 22-008
Senate Committees House Committees
Education
Appropriations
A BILL FOR AN ACT
C
ONCERNING POSTSECONDARY EDUCAT ION SUPPORT FOR CERTAIN101
STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN IN OUT -OF-HOME PLACEMENT , AND,
102
IN CONNECTION THEREWITH , MAKING AN APPROPRIATION .103
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
http://leg.colorado.gov/
.)
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
SENATE
Amended 2nd Reading
March 24, 2022
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Zenzinger and Priola, Fenberg, Moreno
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
McLachlan and McKean,
Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing statute.
Dashes through the words indicate deletions from existing statute. 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.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add part 14 to article
2
3.3 of title 23 as follows:3
PART 144
FOSTER YOUTH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM5
23-3.3-1401. Financial aid for students who have been in6
out-of-home placement - institution liaisons - regional navigators -7
definitions. (1) A
S USED IN THIS SECTION, UNLESS THE CONTEXT8
OTHERWISE REQUIRES:9
(a) "C
HAFEE ETV GRANT" MEANS AN EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING10
VOUCHERS PROGRAM GRANT MADE PURSUANT TO THE FEDERAL "JOHN H.11
C
HAFEE FOSTER CARE PROGRAM FOR SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION TO12
A
DULTHOOD", 42 U.S.C. SEC. 677.13
(b) "I
NSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION " OR "INSTITUTION"14
MEANS A STATE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION , AS DEFINED IN15
SECTION 23-18-102 (10)(a); LOCAL DISTRICT COLLEGE, AS DEFINED IN16
SECTION 23-71-102; OR AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE , AS DEFINED IN17
SECTION 23-60-103.18
(c) "Q
UALIFYING STUDENT" MEANS A RESIDENT OF COLORADO19
WHO HAS BEEN ACCEPTED FOR ENROLLMENT AT AN INSTITUTION OF20
HIGHER EDUCATION WHO:21
008-2- (I) HAS BEEN PLACED IN FOSTER CARE, AS DEFINED IN SECTION1
19-1-103,
IN COLORADO AT ANY TIME ON OR AFTER THE STUDENT 'S2
THIRTEENTH BIRTHDAY; OR3
(II) H
AS BEEN IN NONCERTIFIED KINSHIP CARE , AS DEFINED IN4
SECTION 19-1-103, IN COLORADO AT ANY TIME ON OR AFTER THE5
STUDENT'S THIRTEENTH BIRTHDAY AND WAS, AT ANY TIME, ADJUDICATED6
NEGLECTED OR DEPENDENT PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 3 OF TITLE 19.7
(2) (a) B
EGINNING IN THE 2022-23 ACADEMIC YEAR, EACH8
INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE STATE SHALL PROVIDE
9
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO A QUALIFYING STUDENT FOR THE REMAINING10
BALANCE OF THE STUDENT'S TOTAL COST OF ATTENDANCE IN EXCESS OF11
THE AMOUNT OF ANY PRIVATE, STATE, OR FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE12
RECEIVED BY THE STUDENT, REFERRED TO IN THIS SECTION AS "REMAINING13
BALANCE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ", DURING THE FIRST ONE HUNDRED14
THIRTY-TWO SEMESTER HOURS OR ONE HUNDRED NINETY -EIGHT QUARTER15
HOURS THAT THE STUDENT IS ENROLLED AT THE INSTITUTION . 16
(b) I
N ORDER TO RECEIVE REMAINING BALANCE FINANCIAL
17
ASSISTANCE, THE QUALIFYING STUDENT MUST:18
(I) C
OMPLETE THE FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID ,19
INCLUDING, IF APPLICABLE, ACKNOWLEDGING PAST OR CURRENT FOSTER20
CARE PLACEMENT;21
(II) I
F ELIGIBLE, COMPLETE THE APPLICATION FOR A CHAFEE ETV22
GRANT;23
(III) B
E ENROLLED IN COURSES LEADING TOWARD A BACHELOR 'S24
DEGREE, A POSTGRADUATE DEGREE , AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE , OR A25
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION AT AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION ;26
(IV) R
EQUEST THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
IN ACCORDANCE WITH27
008
-3- POLICIES SET FORTH BY THE INSTITUTION; AND1
(V) R
EMAIN IN SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC STANDING IN2
ACCORDANCE WITH THE ACADEMIC POLICIES OF THE INSTITUTION AND BE3
MAKING PROGRESS TOWARD COMPLETION OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE4
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM IN WHICH THE STUDENT IS ENROLLED .5
(3) T
HE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL APPROPRIATE MONEY TO THE
6
COMMISSION TO COVER FIFTY PERCENT OF PROVIDING REMAINING7
BALANCE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO QUALIFYING STUDENTS . SUBJECT TO8
AVAILABLE APPROPRIATIONS, THE COMMISSION SHALL PROVIDE FUNDING9
TO AN INSTITUTION EQUAL TO FIFTY PERCENT OF THE REMAINING BALANCE10
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY THE INSTITUTION .11
(4) T
HE COMMISSION SHALL PROMULGATE RULES NECESSARY FOR
12
THE ADMINISTRATION OF THIS SECTION.13
(5) (a) EACH INSTITUTION SHALL DESIGNATE ONE EMPLOYEE AS A14
LIAISON TO SERVE AS A DIRECT POINT OF CONTACT WITH THE INSTITUTION15
FOR QUALIFYING STUDENTS AND PROSPECTIVE QUALIFYING STUDENTS .16
T
HE LIAISON MAY HAVE OTHER DUTIES UNRELATED TO WORK AS THE17
LIAISON. THE LIAISON SHALL PROVIDE QUALIFYING STUDENTS AND
18
PROSPECTIVE QUALIFYING STUDENTS WITH INFORMATION REGARDING19
APPLICATION ASSISTANCE, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, SUPPORT SERVICES,20
AND OTHER RESOURCES AND ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE TO QUALIFYING21
STUDENTS AND PROSPECTIVE QUALIFYING STUDENTS .22
(b) E
ACH INSTITUTION SHALL PROVIDE THE FOSTER CARE STUDENT
23
NAVIGATOR OFFICE DESCRIBED SUBSECTION (4) OF THIS SECTION WITH THE24
CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE LIAISON .25
(6) (a) T
HE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION SHALL ESTABLISH
26
THE FOSTER CARE STUDENT NAVIGATOR OFFICE TO ASSIST PROSPECTIVE27
008
-4- QUALIFYING STUDENTS IN APPLYING FOR AND ENROLLING IN INSTITUTIONS1
OF HIGHER EDUCATION.2
(b) T
HE HEAD OF THE OFFICE IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE FOSTER
3
CARE STUDENT NAVIGATOR OFFICE . THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE4
C
OLORADO COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION SHALL APPOINT THE
5
DIRECTOR. THE DIRECTOR SHALL HIRE STAFF NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT6
THE OFFICE'S RESPONSIBILITIES.7
(c) T
HE DIRECTOR, AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMISSION ,
8
SHALL DIVIDE THE STATE INTO FOUR REGIONS AND ASSIGN A REGIONAL9
NAVIGATOR TO EACH REGION. EACH REGIONAL NAVIGATOR SHALL WORK10
WITH SCHOOL DISTRICT AND STATE CHARTER SCHOOL INSTITUTE CHILD11
WELFARE EDUCATION LIAISONS , DESCRIBED IN SECTION 22-32-138 (2),12
WITHIN THE NAVIGATOR'S REGION TO IDENTIFY PROSPECTIVE QUALIFYING13
STUDENTS. THE NAVIGATOR SHALL PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO PROSPECTIVE14
QUALIFYING STUDENTS WITH SELECTING INSTITUTIONS AND PROGRAMS IN15
WHICH THE STUDENT MAY WANT TO ENROLL . THE NAVIGATOR SHALL, AT16
THE REQUEST OF A STUDENT, ASSIST THE STUDENT WITH COMPLETING AN17
INSTITUTION'S APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION, THE FREE APPLICATION FOR18
FEDERAL STUDENT AID, AND, IF ELIGIBLE, THE APPLICATION FOR A CHAFEE19
ETV
GRANT.
20
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-32-138, amend21
(2)(b)(V) and (2)(b)(VI); and add (2)(b)(VII) as follows:22
22-32-138. Out-of-home placement students - school stability,23
transfer, and enrollment procedures - absences - exemptions -24
provision of academic supports - definitions. (2) (b) The child welfare25
education liaison shall be responsible for working with child placement26
agencies, county departments, and the state department of human services27
008
-5- to facilitate services to maintain students in out-of-home placement in1
their schools of origin or, if the county department determines that it is2
not in the students' best interests to remain in the school of origin,3
facilitate the prompt and appropriate placement, transfer, and enrollment4
in school of students in out-of-home placement within the school district5
or who are enrolled or enrolling in institute charter schools. The child6
welfare education liaison's specific duties include but need not be limited7
to:8
(V) Participating, or having his or her THE LIAISON'S designee9
participate, in any interagency collaboration teams or threat-assessment10
teams centered on students in out-of-home placement, which teams the11
education provider may develop or on which teams the education12
provider may be invited to participate; and13
(VI) Providing to the department of education, the department of14
human services, and the education committees of the house of15
representatives and the senate, or any successor committees, the16
information required pursuant to sections 22-2-139 and 26-1-138;
AND17
(VII) P
ROVIDING STUDENTS IN OUT-OF-HOME PLACEMENT WITH18
INFORMATION ABOUT THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE DESCRIBED IN SECTION
19
23-3.3-1401.20
SECTION 3. Appropriation. For the 2022-23 state fiscal year,21
$2,702,512 is appropriated to the department of higher education. This22
appropriation is from the general fund and is based on an assumption that23
the department will require an additional 4.6 FTE. To implement this act,24
the department may use this appropriation for the state aid for foster25
students program.26
SECTION 4. Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds,27
008
-6- determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate1
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety.2
008
-7-