Office of Sen.

Mike Johnston
Colorado General Assembly | 200 E. Colfax Avenue | Denver, CO 80203 | 303.866.4864

FACT SHEET MEMORANDUM

SB 12-106 Statutory Changes Related to Education Sen. K. King Staff Name: Antonio A. Mendez What the Bill Does: Current statute requires that three performance measures be used to ascertain the post-secondary and workforce readiness of Colorado students: (1) The percentage of eleventh graders who score at each achievement level on the standardized, curriculum-based, achievement, college entrance examination and workforce readiness exams administered by the high schools, (2) the overall percentage of students graduating from post-secondary schools and institute charter high schools who receive diplomas that are endorsed for post-secondary and workforce readiness, and (3) the overall graduation and dropout rates.1 SB 12-106 creates a fourth indicator used to measure post-secondary and workforce readiness assessments: the number of students who, upon enrollment in an institution of higher education, need remediation course work. This bill also gives Early Colleges the ability to transfer students credits to other institutes of higher education and the ability to award degrees based on accreditation by the state department of higher education. Colorado Context: Early college means a secondary school that provides only a curriculum that is designed in a manner that ensures that a student who successfully completes the curriculum will have completed either an associate's degree or sixty credits toward the completion of a postsecondary credential.2 In 2009 there were five early colleges in Colorado: Dolores Huerta Preparatory High School, Southwest Early College Charter High School, Front Range Early College, Colorado Springs Early Colleges, and Early College High School in Arvada. Bill Provisions: Creates a fourth performance indicator used to measure the workforce readiness of students who enroll in an institution of higher education. The new measure asks for the percentage of students who need remediation course work upon enrollment into an institute of higher learning. Creates the ability for early colleges to transfer students credits to other public institutions for higher learning.

C.R.S. 22-11-204 requires that the Department of Education collect performance measures from high schools, school districts, institutions and the state as a whole. 2 Definition found in C.R.S. 22-35-103.

DRAFT 2/6/2012 10:02 AM

For a complete list of fact sheets, visit www.mikejohnston.org/in-the-legislature.

Creates the ability to award degrees if they have been accredited by the department of higher education.

Fiscal Impact: There is currently no fiscal note available for SB 12-106.

DRAFT 2/6/2012 10:02 AM

For a complete list of fact sheets, visit www.mikejohnston.org/in-the-legislature.