SENATE BILL 24-143
BY SENATOR(S) Coleman and Zenzinger, Bridges, Buckner, Cutter,
Exum, Ginal, Gonzales, Hinrichsen, Jaquez Lewis, Marchman,
Michaelson Jenet, Mullica, Priola, Sullivan, Winter F., Fenberg;
also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Herod and Hamrick, Amabile, Bacon, Bird,
Boesenecker, Brown, Clifford, Daugherty, English, Froelich, Garcia, Jodeh,
Kipp, Lieder, Lindsay, Lukens, McLachlan, Ortiz, Ricks, Sirota, Snyder,
Story, Titone, Woodrow, Young, McCluskie.
C
ONCERNING CREDENTIAL ASSESSMENT TOOLS , AND, IN CONNECTION
THEREWITH
, INTEGRATING FRAMEWORKS FOR NONDEGREE
CREDENTIAL EVALUATION AND CLASSIFICATION INTO STATE
EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE SYSTEMS
, ALIGNING STACKABLE
CREDENTIAL PATHWAYS AND APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS WITH
INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFICATION STANDARDS
, AND MAKING AN
APPROPRIATION
.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly
finds and declares that:
(a) The strength and prosperity of Colorado's economy hinges on
NOTE: This bill has been prepared for the signatures of the appropriate legislative
officers and the Governor. To determine whether the Governor has signed the bill
or taken other action on it, please consult the legislative status sheet, the legislative
history, or the Session Laws.
________
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material added to existing law; dashes
through words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law and such material is not part of
the act. economic mobility and educational opportunities for all Coloradans and on
the cultivation of a skilled workforce. According to the 2022 Colorado
talent pipeline report, 91.4 percent of tier one top jobs and 70.4 percent of
tier two top jobs in the state required some form of postsecondary education
beyond high school, including traditional academic degrees, as well as
industry certifications, badges, sub-baccalaureate certificates, professional
licenses, and apprenticeships.
(b) Traditional undergraduate and graduate degree programs are the
foundation of our postsecondary training system. However, they cannot
fully meet Colorado's evolving skilled workforce needs. Nondegree
credentials provide a valuable and complementary approach to bridging the
skills gap. They offer learners a practical and expedited pathway to acquire
the precise skills that employers urgently require to meet their immediate
workforce needs.
(c) In 2021, Credential Engine reported 967,734 unique secondary
and postsecondary education credentials in the United States. Existing
accreditation and regulation systems provide quality assurance for degree
programs but, with the exception of sub-baccalaureate certifications, do not
take a sufficiently holistic approach to quality assurance for nondegree
credentials. Existing systems fail to validate the legitimacy of nondegree
credentials, specify how they relate to degree programs, and fail to indicate
whether they develop in-demand skills that lead to good jobs. This places
a considerable burden on both learners and employers who lack the time,
expertise, and resources to verify the legitimacy and quality of these
credentials. As a result, employers and learners continue to rely heavily on
traditional degrees while quality nondegree credentials remain underused
and undervalued.
(d) To address this need, Colorado requires a system that brings
quality assurance, clarity, and order to the complex landscape of both
nondegree and traditional degree credentials by validating high-quality
credentials and indicating the level of training or skill mastery they deliver;
and
(e) With the help of a quality assurance framework and an
internationally recognized standard classification system, Colorado
employers can more easily assess candidate qualifications and skill profiles
and align their hiring practices and policies with proper recognition of
PAGE 2-SENATE BILL 24-143 nondegree credentials. Knowing their chosen program carries validation,
legitimacy, and value in the labor market empowers Colorado learners to
make informed decisions about their careers.
(2) Therefore, the general assembly declares that the implementation
of a quality nondegree credentials framework and a standard classification
system is an essential step toward an equitable economy, economic
mobility, workforce development, and clarity in educational and training
attainment.
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 23-5-145.8 as
follows:
23-5-145.8. Credential quality standards - report - definitions.
(1) A
S USED IN THIS SECTION, UNLESS THE CONTEXT OTHERWISE REQUIRES :
(a) "A
PPRENTICESHIP CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION " MEANS A
CERTIFICATE AWARDED TO AN APPRENTICE IN RECOGNITION OF THE
SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM
.
(b) "C
OLORADO TALENT REPORT " MEANS THE REPORT PREPARED
PURSUANT TO SECTION
24-46.3-103.
(c) "D
EPARTMENT" MEANS THE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION
CREATED AND EXISTING PURSUANT TO SECTION
24-1-114.
(d) "I
NDUSTRY CERTIFICATION" MEANS A CREDENTIAL AWARDED BY
AN INDUSTRY
-RECOGNIZED THIRD PARTY OR INDUSTRY -GOVERNING BOARD
BASED ON AN INDIVIDUAL DEMONSTRATING BY ASSESSMENT THAT THE
INDIVIDUAL HAS ACQUIRED THE DESIGNATED KNOWLEDGE
, SKILLS, AND
ABILITIES RELATED TO A SPECIFIC OCCUPATION OR SKILL
. INDUSTRY
CERTIFICATIONS MAY BE TIME
-LIMITED DEPENDENT UPON THE OCCUPATION
OR INDUSTRY
.
(e) "I
NTERNATIONAL STANDARD CLASSIFICATION OF EDUCATION " OR
"ISCED" MEANS A COMPREHENSIVE FRAMEWORK FOR ORGANIZING
EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT APPLIES UNIFORM AND
INTERNATIONALLY AGREED
-UPON CLASSIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE
COMPARISONS OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS ACROSS C OUNTRIES
.
PAGE 3-SENATE BILL 24-143 (f) "NONDEGREE CREDENTIAL " MEANS A POSTSECONDARY
CERTIFICATE
, APPRENTICESHIP CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION, PROFESSIONAL
LICENSE
, OR INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION.
(g) "P
OSTSECONDARY CERTIFICATE " MEANS A CREDENTIAL
AWARDED BY AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION AT AN
UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL BASED ON COMPLETION OF ALL REQUIREMENTS FOR
A PROGRAM OF STUDY
, INCLUDING COURSEWORK AND EXAMS .
P
OSTSECONDARY CERTIFICATES ARE NOT TIME -LIMITED AND DO NOT
REQUIRE RENEWAL
. "POSTSECONDARY CERTIFICATE " DOES NOT INCLUDE A
DEGREE OR A CREDENTIAL AWARDED BY AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER
EDUCATION AFTER COMPLETION OF A BACHELOR
'S DEGREE IN THE SAME
PATHWAY
.
(h) "Q
UALITY NONDEGREE CREDENTIALS FRAMEWORK " MEANS THE
QUALITY AND IN
-DEMAND NONDEGREE CREDENTIALS FRAMEWORK
DEVELOPED PURSUANT TO SECTION
23-5-145.6 (2) TO ASSESS
CERTIFICATIONS
, OCCUPATIONAL LICENSES, APPRENTICESHIP CERTIFICATES
OF COMPLETION
, NON-CREDIT CERTIFICATES, MICRO-CREDENTIALS, AND
SUB
-BACCALAUREATE FOR -CREDIT CERTIFICATES AND ESTABLISHES A
RUBRIC FOR EVALUATING CREDENTIALS IN STATE
-RECOGNIZED PROGRAMS .
(i) "S
TACKABLE CREDENTIAL PATHWAY " MEANS A SEQUENCE OF
DEGREE OR NONDEGREE CREDENTIALS EARNED THROUGH VARIOUS MEANS
,
INCLUDING THROUGH ASSESSMENT OF PRIOR LEARNING , THAT MAY BE
ACCUMULATED OVER TIME AND MOVE AN INDIVIDUAL ALONG A CAREER
PATHWAY OR UP A CAREER LADDER
.
(j) "S
TATE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION " OR "INSTITUTION"
HAS THE SAME MEANING AS SET FORTH IN SECTION 23-1-135.
(2) (a) T
HE STATE OF COLORADO FORMALLY RECOGNIZES THE
QUALITY NONDEGREE CREDENTIALS FRAMEWORK DEVELOPED PURSUANT TO
SECTION
23-5-145.6 (2) AS THE PRIMARY TOOL FOR EVALUATING AND
ENSURING THE QUALITY OF NONDEGREE CREDENTIALS OFFERED WITHIN THE
STATE
.
(b) T
HE DEPARTMENT, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE COLORADO
WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ,
THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT , THE COLORADO OFFICE OF
PAGE 4-SENATE BILL 24-143 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT , AND THE COLORADO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
SYSTEM SHALL ENSURE THE EFFECTIVE INTEGRATION OF THE QUALITY
NONDEGREE CREDENTIALS FRAMEWORK WITHIN THE STATE
'S EDUCATION
AND WORKFORCE SYSTEMS
.
(c) B
EGINNING JANUARY 1, 2026, AND ANNUALLY THEREAFTER , THE
DEPARTMENT
, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE COLORADO WORK FORCE
DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION , THE
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
, AND THE COLORADO OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
, SHALL EVALUATE NONDEGREE CREDENTIALS
OFFERED THROUGH STATE
-RECOGNIZED PROGRAMS TO ENSURE THE
CREDENTIALS MEET THE QUALITY STANDARDS SET FORTH IN THE QUALITY
NONDEGREE CREDENTIALS FRAMEWORK
. STATE-RECOGNIZED PROGRAMS
THAT ARE REQUIRED TO ENSURE NONDEGREE CREDENTIAL OFFERINGS MEET
THE QUALITY STANDARDS SET FORTH IN THE QUALITY NONDEGREE
CREDENTIALS FRAMEWORK INCLUDE
, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:
(I) T
HE CAREER DEVELOPMENT SUCCESS PROGRAM CREATED
PURSUANT TO SECTION
22-54-138; AND
(II) THE STACKABLE CREDENTIAL PATHWAYS IDENTIFIED PURSUANT
TO SECTION
23-5-145.6 (3).
(d) B
EGINNING JANUARY 1, 2026, AND ANNUALLY THEREAFTER, THE
DEPARTMENT
, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ,
THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT , AND THE COLORADO OFFICE
OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
, SHALL SUPPLY THE STATE WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL WITH A LIST OF QUALITY NONDEGREE CREDENTIAL
PROGRAMS THAT MEET THE QUALITY STANDARDS SET FORTH IN THE QUALITY
NONDEGREE CREDENTIALS FRAMEWORK FOR INCLUSION IN THE
COLORADO
TALENT REPORT PRODUCED PURSUANT TO SECTION
24-46.3-103 (3)(a) AND
IN A CREDENTIAL REGISTRY ENDORSED BY THE STATE
.
(3) (a) T
HE DEPARTMENT SHALL ENGAGE STATE AGENCIES ,
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS , INDUSTRY
ASSOCIATIONS
, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO STUDY AND MAKE
RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING THE ADOPTION OF
ISCED AS THE STATE'S
STANDARD FRAMEWORK FOR CLASSIFYING NONDEGREE CREDENTIALS AND
ISCED'S WIDER APPLICATION IN THE STATE'S EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE
SYSTEMS
. ON OR BEFORE JULY 31, 2025, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL COMPLETE
PAGE 5-SENATE BILL 24-143 A STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PROCESS TO INFORM A REPORT . THE
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PROCESS MUST
:
(I) S
OLICIT INPUT FROM EMPLOYERS AND THEIR INDUSTRY OR TRADE
ASSOCIATIONS
;
(II) S
OLICIT INPUT FROM STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER
EDUCATION
;
(III) S
OLICIT INPUT FROM THE COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND EMPLOYMENT
, INCLUDING THE OFFICE OF FUTURE OF WORK AND THE
STATE APPRENTICESHIP AGENCY
, THE STATE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
COUNCIL
, AND THE COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION STUDENT
PATHWAYS UNIT
; AND
(IV) LEVERAGE THE RESOURCES AND TOOLS OF THE ISCED
COMMUNITY.
(b) T
HE DEPARTMENT SHALL STUDY AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS
CONCERNING HOW
ISCED EQUIVALENCY LEVELS MAY BE:
(I) I
MPLEMENTED AS THE STATE 'S STANDARD FRAMEWORK FOR
ORGANIZING AND CLASSIFYING NONDEGREE CREDENTIALS
;
(II) A
SSIGNED TO CREDENTIALS OR PACKAGES OF CREDENTIALS
IDENTIFIED AND APPROVED PURSUANT TO SECTION
23-5-145.6 (3) AND (4);
(III) A
SSIGNED TO REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIPS ;
(IV) W
IDELY ADOPTED BY STAKEHOLDERS TO FACILITATE
ALIGNMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS AND ASSOCIATED
QUALIFICATIONS
; AND
(V) EFFECTIVELY INTEGRATED WITHIN THE STATE 'S EDUCATION AND
WORKFORCE SYSTEMS
.
(c) O
N OR BEFORE JULY 31, 2025, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL REPORT
ITS FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE EDUCATION COMMITTEES OF
THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
, OR ANY SUCCESSOR
COMMITTEES
.
PAGE 6-SENATE BILL 24-143 (d) ON OR BEFORE JULY 31, 2025, USING THE PROCESS
RECOMMENDED PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION
(3)(b) OF THIS SECTION, THE
DEPARTMENT SHALL ASSIGN
ISCED EQUIVALENCY LEVELS TO THE
CREDENTIALS INCLUDED IN THE STACKABLE CREDENTIAL PATHWAYS
IDENTIFIED AND APPROVED PURSUANT TO SECTION
23-5-145.6 (3) AND (4).
T
HE ISCED ALIGNMENT PROCESS MUST CONSIDER CREDENTIAL PROGRAM
RIGOR AND RELEVANCE
.
(4) T
HE DEPARTMENT SHALL IMPLEMENT THIS SECTION SUBJECT TO
AVAILABLE APPROPRIATIONS
.
SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add part 10 to article
83 of title 8 as follows:
PART 10
APPRENTICESHIP INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS
8-83-1001. Definitions. A
S USED IN THIS PART 10, UNLESS THE
CONTEXT OTHERWISE REQUIRES
:
(1) "I
NTERNATIONAL STANDARD CLASSIFICATION OF EDUCATION " OR
"ISCED" MEANS A COMPREHENSIVE FRAMEWORK FOR ORGANIZING
EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT APPLIES UNIFORM AND
INTERNATIONALLY AGREED
-UPON CLASSIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE
COMPARISONS OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS ACROSS C OUNTRIES
.
(2) "O
FFICE" MEANS THE OFFICE OF FUTURE OF WORK CREATED IN
SECTION
8-15.8-103.
8-83-1002. Apprenticeship program alignment with
international standards. (1) B
EGINNING JANUARY 1, 2026, AND
ANNUALLY THEREAFTER
, THE OFFICE, IN COORDINATION WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
, THE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION , THE
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
, AND THE CAREER AND
TECHNICAL EDUCATION DIVISION WITHIN THE
COLORADO COMMUNITY
COLLEGE SYSTEM
, SHALL COLLABORATE WITH THE STATE APPRENTICESHIP
AGENCY TO DETERMINE
ISCED EQUIVALENCY LEVELS FOR EACH
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM REGISTERED ON OR AFTER
JULY 31, 2025. IN
MAKING
ISCED EQUIVALENCY LEVEL DETERMINATIONS , THE OFFICE SHALL:
PAGE 7-SENATE BILL 24-143 (a) APPLY THE PROCESS RECOMMENDED PURSUANT TO SECTION
23-5-145.8 (3)(b); AND
(b) REQUIRE POSTING OF THE DETERMINED ISCED LEVEL ALONGSIDE
THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM ON ALL ISSUED APPRENTICESHIP
CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION AND IN ALL PUBLIC LISTINGS
, INCLUDING, BUT
NOT LIMITED TO
, THE ELIGIBLE TRAINING PROVIDER LISTS DISSEMINATED BY
THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION
8-83-225 (1)(c) AND THE COLORADO STATE APPRENTICESHIP RESOURCE
DIRECTORY CREATED PURSUANT TO SECTION
8-83-308.
(2) O
N OR BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2027, THE OFFICE SHALL DETERMINE
ISCED EQUIVALENCY LEVELS FOR EACH APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM
REGISTERED BEFORE
JULY 31, 2025. AFTER MAKING ISCED EQUIVALENCY
LEVEL DETERMINATIONS
, THE OFFICE SHALL REQUIRE POSTING OF THE
DETERMINED
ISCED LEVEL ALONGSIDE THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM ON
ALL ISSUED APPRENTICESHIP CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION AND IN ALL
PUBLIC LISTINGS
, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE ELIGIBLE TRAINING
PROVIDER LISTS DISSEMINATED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND
EMPLOYMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION
8-83-225 (1)(c) AND THE COLORADO
STATE APPRENTICESHIP RESOURCE DIRECTORY CREATED PURSUANT TO
SECTION
8-83-308.
SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-54-138, amend
(3)(a) as follows:
22-54-138. Career development success program - created -
funding - report - legislative declaration - definitions - repeal.
(3) (a) On or before August 15, 2016, and on or before July 1 each year
thereafter, the work force development council, in collaboration with the
department of higher education, the department of education, the
department of labor and employment, the Colorado community college
system, and the Colorado office of economic development, shall publish on
the council's website a list of the qualified industry-credential programs and
qualified workplace training programs
THAT MEET THE QUALITY STANDARDS
REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION
23-5-145.8 (2)(c) for that school year. At
least annually, the council and its partners shall identify and review the
qualified industry-credential programs and qualified workplace training
programs by identifying the jobs included in the Colorado talent report,
prepared pursuant to section 24-46.3-103, with the greatest regional and
PAGE 8-SENATE BILL 24-143 state demand, including high-skill, high-wage jobs in in-demand industries,
and, after consultation with relevant industries, identifying the programs
that have labor market value and are likely to lead to the identified jobs.
Any programs that the council determines do not demonstrate labor market
value may be removed from the council's website.
SECTION 5. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 23-5-145.6, add (4.5)
as follows:
23-5-145.6. Opportunities for credential attainment - fund -
report - definitions - repeal. (4.5) T
HE STACKABLE CREDENTIAL
PATHWAYS MUST MEET THE QUALITY STANDARDS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO
SECTION
23-5-145.8 (2)(c).
SECTION 6. Appropriation. (1) For the 2024-25 state fiscal year,
$124,287 is appropriated to the department of higher education for use by
the Colorado commission on higher education and higher education special
purpose programs. This appropriation is from the general fund and is based
on an assumption that the commission will require an additional 1.2 FTE.
To implement this act, the office may use this appropriation for S.B. 22-192
development and implementation of stackable credentials.
(2) For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, $30,000 is appropriated to the
department of labor and employment for use by the office of future of work.
This appropriation is from the general fund. To implement this act, the
office may use this appropriation for program costs.
SECTION 7. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except
that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V
of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act
within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect
unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in
PAGE 9-SENATE BILL 24-143 November 2024 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official
declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.
____________________________ ____________________________
Steve Fenberg Julie McCluskie
PRESIDENT OF SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES
____________________________ ____________________________
Cindi L. Markwell Robin Jones
SECRETARY OF CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE
THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APPROVED________________________________________
(Date and Time)
_________________________________________
Jared S. Polis
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO
PAGE 10-SENATE BILL 24-143