Second Regular Session
Seventy-fourth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
INTRODUCED
LLS NO. 24-0417.02 Jacob Baus x2173
HOUSE BILL 24-1305
House Committees Senate Committees
Education
A BILL FOR AN ACT
C
ONCERNING CHANGES TO PROGRAM S TO BENEFIT STUDENTS WHO101
EARN POSTSECONDARY COURSE CREDIT WHILE ENROLLED IN102
HIGH SCHOOL.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
.)
The bill expands the types of programs a pathways in technology
early college high school (p-tech school) may focus on beyond science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Under current law, the college opportunity fund program provides
a stipend for eligible undergraduate students in Colorado. Generally, an
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Lindstedt and Lukens,
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Baisley, Buckner
Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law.
Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law. eligible undergraduate student is ineligible to receive a stipend for more
than 145 credit hours during the student's lifetime. The bill makes an
exception to this lifetime limitation for college-level credit hours earned
while the eligible undergraduate student was enrolled in a concurrent
enrollment program, the accelerating students through concurrent
enrollment program, the teacher recruitment education and preparation
program, or a p-tech school.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly2
finds and declares that:3
(a) The pathways in technology early college high school,4
commonly referred to as a p-tech school or program, model has proven5
successful in fostering collaborations between kindergarten through6
twelfth grade schools, higher education, and industry partners to deliver7
a free associate degree to students upon high school graduation;8
(b) The success of the p-tech schools and programs in Colorado9
is evident with the establishment of twenty different programs across10
Colorado school districts, in both rural and urban school districts; and11
(c) To ensure continued success, it is important that p-tech schools12
and programs evolve by creating greater flexibility within the p-tech13
model.14
(2) Therefore, the general assembly finds it prudent and necessary15
to update the p-tech model to ensure students have the ability to pursue16
a focus beyond science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and17
to be rewarded for valuable higher education achievement during high18
school.19
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-35.3-103, amend20
(1) as follows:21
22-35.3-103. Pathways in technology early college high schools22
HB24-1305-2- - design - requirements - approval. (1) A pathways in technology early1
college high school, or p-tech school, is a public school that includes2
grades nine through fourteen and is designed to prepare students for3
high-potential careers in industry by enabling them to graduate with a4
high school diploma and an industry-recognized associate degree.5
Students in a p-tech school may also earn pre-apprenticeship certificates6
and other industry-recognized certificates in addition to an associate7
degree. A p-tech school is operated as a collaborative effort by a local8
education provider, a community college, and one or more local9
high-growth industry employers. Throughout grades nine through10
fourteen, a p-tech school integrates high school and college courses and11
certificate programs that are informed by current and projected industry12
standards and focused on science, technology, engineering, and13
mathematics with mentoring, job shadowing, internships,14
pre-apprenticeship training, and other workplace education experiences.15
SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 23-18-202, amend16
(5)(c)(III) as follows:17
23-18-202. College opportunity fund - appropriations -18
payment of stipends - reimbursement - report. (5) (c) (III) For an19
eligible undergraduate student who has completed one or more college20
courses while enrolled in high school pursuant to the "Concurrent21
Enrollment Programs Act", article 35 of title 22, or while designated as22
an ASCENT program participant pursuant to section 22-35-108 or as a23
TREP program participant pursuant to section 22-35-108.5, or while24
enrolled in a pathways in technology early college high school pursuant25
to article 35.3 of title 22, all college-level credit hours earned by the26
student while so enrolled
DO NOT count against the lifetime limitation27
HB24-1305
-3- described in subsection (5)(c)(I) of this section. except that credit hours1
earned from enrollment in a developmental education course, as defined2
in section 23-1-113 (11)(b), do not count against the lifetime limitation.3
SECTION 4. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,4
determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate5
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for6
the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state7
institutions.8
HB24-1305
-4-