NOTE: This bill has been prepared for the signature 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. SENATE BILL 08-212 BY SENATOR(S) Romer and Penry, Boyd, Gibbs, Keller, Mitchell S., Morse, Schwartz, Veiga, Bacon, Gordon, Groff, Tapia, Tochtrop, Williams, Windels, Isgar, Shaffer, and Tupa; also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Witwer and Scanlan, Benefield, Casso, Hodge, Jahn, Kerr A., Marostica, Massey, May M., McFadyen, McNulty, Middleton, Mitchell V., Rice, Summers, Todd, Carroll T., Ferrandino, Fischer, Kerr J., King, Labuda, Looper, Peniston, Romanoff, Stephens, Lambert, Marshall, and Rose. Concerning alignment of preschool to postsecondary education, and making an appropriation in connection therewith. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. Article 7 of title 22, Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW PART to read: PART 10 PRESCHOOL TO POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION ALIGNMENT 22-7-1001. Short title. This part 10 shall be known and may be cited as the "Preschool to Postsecondary Education Alignment Act". 22-7-1002. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly hereby finds that: (a) Since 1993, implementation of standards-based education has resulted in significant increases in the ability of school districts and the state to measure what each student knows and is able to demonstrate at various levels in the student's academic career and in significant increases in learning and academic achievement among some students enrolled in the public schools of the state; (b) However, Colorado continues to see a widening of the achievement gap, unacceptably high dropout rates throughout the state, unacceptably low numbers of high school graduates who continue into and successfully complete higher education, and an unacceptably high need for remediation among those students who do continue into higher education; (c) From the inception of the nation, public education was intended both to prepare students for the workforce and to prepare them to take their place in society as informed, active citizens who are ready to both participate and lead in citizenship. In recent years, the emphasis in public education has been squarely placed on the areas of reading, writing, mathematics, and science, but it is important that education reform also emphasize the public education system's historic mission of education for active participation in democracy. (d) With the advent of the twenty-first century and increasing expectations and demands with regard to the use of technology and higher-level critical thinking skills, coupled with increasing levels of national and international economic competition, it is now imperative that the state move to the next generation of standards-based education. (2) The general assembly finds that: (a) More and more studies indicate that high-quality early learning experiences are crucial to ensuring students' ultimate success in school, in postsecondary education, in the workforce, and in life, generally; (b) The next generation of standards-based education must take into account the fact that children enter school with varying skills and experiences. Under the Colorado student assessment program, Colorado does not have the ability to describe achievement gaps until students are in third grade, which, in most circumstances, is too late to adequately address the varying skill levels and experiences with which the students entered school. Understanding the skills, knowledge, and behavior that students bring to their earliest years of public education will provide crucial information to families, communities, schools, and teachers so that they can better support young children's learning and development. (c) With the increasing number of children who participate in preschool and the recognized importance of providing a high-quality preschool experience, the next generation of standards-based education must ensure that preschools provide very high-quality services that are most likely to help students develop the necessary skills to excel as they enter elementary school. (3) The general assembly finds that: (a) The next generation of standards-based education must consider the needs of the whole student by creating a rich and balanced curriculum; (b) The next generation of standards-based education must also take into account the fact that, while all students must be well prepared for active citizenship, different students will have different career aspirations: Some will seek higher education upon graduation; some will seek career or technical training to pursue a particular vocation; others will immediately seek to enter the workforce; (c) In the modern world, however, there is little variation in the level of academic preparedness that a student must achieve in order to succeed after high school, regardless of the student's aspirations. To be successful in the workforce and earn a living wage immediately upon graduation from high school, a student needs nearly the same level of academic achievement and preparation that he or she would need to continue into career and technical or higher education. (d) In providing the curricula to ensure that each student attains the level of academic achievement and preparation he or she needs to continue into the student's chosen post-graduation path of entering the workforce, career and technical education, or higher education, a wide variety of curricular and program options will be necessary to spark in each student the ambition and desire to graduate from high school and achieve his or her aspirations; (e) Public education must encourage and accommodate students' exposure to and involvement in postsecondary planning and in activities that develop creativity and innovation skills; critical-thinking and problem-solving skills; communication and collaboration skills; social and cultural awareness; civic engagement; initiative and self-direction; flexibility; productivity and accountability; character and leadership; information technology application skills; and other skills critical to preparing students for the twenty-first-century workforce and for active citizenship; (f) The ultimate goal of public education, whatever the student's post-high school aspirations may be or whatever they may become over time, is to ensure that, to the extent possible, each student is prepared to meet his or her full potential. To this end, the system of preschool through postsecondary public education, and the educators who ensure its success, should never cease in striving to help a student achieve mastery of both knowledge and skills. (4) The general assembly concludes, therefore, that: (a) To educate students to their full potential, the state must align the public education system from preschool through postsecondary and workforce readiness. This alignment will ensure that a student who enters school ready to succeed and achieves the required level of proficiency on standards as he or she progresses through elementary and secondary education will have achieved postsecondary and workforce readiness when the student graduates from high school, if not earlier. As such, the student will be ready to enter the workforce or to enter postsecondary education without need for remediation. (b) Alignment of standards from preschool through postsecondary and workforce readiness requires that the state board of education and the Colorado commission on higher education, with the departments of education and higher education, work in close collaboration to create a seamless system of public education standards, expectations, and assessments; (c) Creating this seamless system of standards, expectations, and assessments from preschool through postsecondary and workforce readiness is a multi-faceted and complex project that will require multiple stages of planning, design, and implementation and that will likely continue over years. Further, achieving the goals outlined in this part 10 will likely require the reallocation of existing state resources and the identification and allocation of new resources to meet increased needs at the state and local levels, including but not limited to significant investment in professional development for educators. (d) Aligning standards from preschool through postsecondary and workforce readiness and creating a seamless system of public education will place even greater demands on principals, teachers, and other educators. The general assembly recognizes that, enabling them to meet these demands will require an investment in professional development. (e) Throughout the process of creating a seamless system of public education in Colorado, the state board of education and the Colorado commission on higher education must ensure that the standards for preschool through elementary and secondary education, culminating in postsecondary and workforce readiness, are sufficiently relevant and rigorous to ensure that each student who receives a public education in Colorado is prepared to compete academically and economically within the state or anywhere in the nation or the world. (5) The general assembly finds and declares that, for purposes of section 17 of article IX of the state constitution, adoption and implementation of a school readiness description, of standards and aligned assessments for preschool through elementary and secondary education, and of a postsecondary and workforce readiness description are critical elements of accountable education reform and accountable programs to meet state academic standards and may therefore receive funding from the state education fund created in section 17 (4) of article IX of the state constitution. 22-7-1003. Definitions. As used in this part 10, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Assessment" means the method used to collect evidence of what a student knows and is able to do and to measure a student's academic progress toward attaining a standard. (2) "Board of cooperative services" or "BOCES" means a board of cooperative services created and operating pursuant to article 5 of this title that operates one or more public schools. (3) "Commission" means the Colorado commission on higher education created pursuant to section 23-1-102, C.R.S. (4) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of education appointed by the state board pursuant to section 22-2-110. (5) "District charter school" means a charter school authorized by a school district pursuant to part 1 of article 30.5 of this title. A district charter school is a "district charter high school" if it serves any of grades nine through twelve. (6) "Division of child care" means the division within the department of human services that is responsible for child care regulation. (7) "Executive director" means the executive director of the department of higher education appointed by the governor pursuant to section 24-1-114, C.R.S. (8) "Institute charter school" means a charter school authorized by the state charter school institute pursuant to part 5 of article 30.5 of this title. An institute charter school is an "institute charter high school" if it serves any of grades nine through twelve. (9) "Local education provider" means a school district, a board of cooperative services, a district charter school, or an institute charter school. (10) "Local school board" means a school district board of education. (11) "P-20 council" means the P-20 education coordinating council appointed by the governor pursuant to executive order B 003 07. (12) "Pilot program" means the pilot program for administration of postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments implemented pursuant to section 22-7-1007. (13) "Postsecondary and workforce planning assessment" means an assessment or battery of assessments administered to students in eighth or ninth grade that, at a minimum, tests in the areas of reading, mathematics, and science, provides guidance regarding a student's level of academic preparation for entry into postsecondary education or the workforce, and is relevant to the student for purposes of postsecondary planning. (14) "Postsecondary and workforce preparation assessment" means an assessment or battery of assessments administered to students in tenth grade that, at a minimum, tests in the areas of reading, mathematics, and science, provides guidance regarding a student's level of academic preparation for entry into postsecondary education or the workforce, and is relevant to college admission determinations. (15) "Postsecondary and workforce readiness" means the knowledge and skills that a student should have attained prior to or upon attaining a high school diploma, as adopted by the state board and the commission pursuant to section 22-7-1008. (16) "Postsecondary and workforce readiness assessment" means an assessment or battery of assessments administered to students in eleventh grade that, at a minimum, tests in the areas of reading, mathematics, and science and is relevant to college admission determinations by institutions of higher education throughout the United States. (17) "Postsecondary and workforce readiness program" means a program of study that, prior to or beginning in ninth grade and continuing through twelfth grade, is designed to prepare a student to demonstrate postsecondary and workforce readiness prior to or upon attaining a high school diploma. (18) "Postsecondary education" means all formal public education that requires as a prerequisite the acquisition of a high school diploma or its equivalent. "Postsecondary education" includes programs resulting in acquisition of a certificate, an associate degree of applied sciences, an associate degree of general studies, an associate degree of arts, or an associate degree of science and all baccalaureate degree programs. (19) "Regional educator meeting" means a meeting convened pursuant to section 22-7-1011 by the commissioner and the executive director in a regional service area. (20) "School district" means a school district, other than a junior college district, organized and existing pursuant to law. (21) "School readiness" means the level of development that indicates a child is able to engage in and benefit from elementary school classroom environments, as adopted by the state board pursuant to section 22-7-1004. (22) "Standard" means a clear, measurable, learning target for what a student should know or be able to do relative to a particular instructional area. (23) "State board" means the state board of education created pursuant to section 1 of article IX of the state constitution. (24) "State plan" means the state plan required by the federal "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001", 20 U.S.C. sec. 6301 et seq. 22-7-1004. School readiness description - school readiness assessment - adoption - revisions. (1) On or before December 15, 2008, the state board shall adopt a description of school readiness. The state board, in adopting the school readiness description shall ensure that, at a minimum, school readiness includes physical well-being and motor development, social and emotional development, language and comprehension development, and cognition and general knowledge. (2) (a) On or before December 15, 2010, the state board shall adopt one or more assessments that are aligned with the description of school readiness and are suitable for measuring students' levels of school readiness. In adopting assessments of students' school readiness, the state board shall consider assessments that are research-based; recognized nationwide as reliable instruments for measuring school readiness; and suitable for determining the instruction and interventions students need to improve their readiness to succeed in school. School readiness assessments shall not be used to deny a student admission or progression to kindergarten or first grade. (b) School readiness assessment results shall not be publicly reported for individual students. Following adoption of the school readiness assessment, the state board shall adopt a system for reporting population-level results that provide baseline data for measuring overall change and improvement in students' skills and knowledge over time. (3) (a) On or before July 1, 2015, and on or before July 1 every six years thereafter, the state board shall review the school readiness description and the school readiness assessments and shall adopt any appropriate revisions to either the description or the assessments. (b) The state board shall ensure that any revisions adopted pursuant to this subsection (3) continue to meet the requirements for the description of school readiness and the school readiness assessments specified in this section. 22-7-1005. Preschool through elementary and secondary education - aligned standards - adoption - revisions. (1) On or before December 15, 2009, the state board shall adopt standards that identify the knowledge and skills that a student should acquire as the student progresses from preschool through elementary and secondary education. (2) (a) The state board shall ensure that the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards, at a minimum, include standards in reading, writing, mathematics, science, history, geography, visual and performing arts, physical education, world languages, English language competency, economics, civics, and any other instructional areas for which the state board had adopted standards as of January 1, 2008. (b) In developing the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards, the state board shall also take into account any career and technical education standards adopted by the state board for community colleges and occupational education, created in section 23-60-104, C.R.S., and, to the extent practicable, shall align the appropriate portions of the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards with the career and technical education standards. (c) In developing the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards, the state board shall include identification of the levels of attainment that a student shall achieve in order to demonstrate readiness for promotion from elementary grades to middle school grades and from middle school grades to high school grades. (3) The state board in adopting the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards shall: (a) Align the standards to ensure that a student who demonstrates attainment of the standards as the student advances from preschool through elementary and secondary education will be able to demonstrate postsecondary and workforce readiness prior to or upon attaining a high school diploma; (b) Collaborate with the commission to ensure that the standards are aligned with the description of postsecondary and workforce readiness adopted pursuant to section 22-7-1008; (c) Ensure that the standards will facilitate longitudinal measurement of each student's academic growth from preschool through elementary and secondary education; (d) Ensure that the standards include development of postsecondary planning skills and the application of those skills; (e) Ensure that, in addition to measuring a student's subject matter knowledge, the standards, to the extent practicable, will require a student to develop and demonstrate creativity and innovation skills; critical-thinking and problem-solving skills; communication and collaboration skills; social and cultural awareness; civic engagement; initiative and self-direction; flexibility; productivity and accountability; character and leadership; information technology application skills; and other skills critical to preparing students for the twenty-first-century workforce and for active citizenship; and (f) Ensure that the standards are comparable in scope, relevance, and rigor to the highest national and international standards that have been implemented successfully and are consistent with and relevant to achievement of the goals specified in section 22-7-1002. (4) In adopting the standards for preschool through elementary and secondary education pursuant to this section, the state board shall ensure that they include standards for grades nine through twelve that are aligned with the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments adopted by the state board and the commission pursuant to section 22-7-1008. (5) The state board shall modify the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards adopted pursuant to this section as necessary in response to comments received through the peer review process and to reflect the contents of the state plan approved pursuant to section 22-7-1012. (6) On or before July 1, 2015, and on or before July 1 every six years thereafter, the state board shall review and adopt any appropriate revisions to the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards specified in this section. In adopting revisions, the state board may add or delete one or more of the specific instructional areas based on the needs of the state and changes in national and international academic expectations. In adopting revisions to the standards pursuant to this subsection (6), the state board shall ensure that the standards continue to meet the requirements specified in subsection (3) of this section. 22-7-1006. Preschool through elementary and secondary education - aligned assessments - adoption - revisions. (1) (a) On or before December 15, 2010, the state board shall adopt a system of assessments that are aligned with the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards and are designed to measure students' levels of attainment of the standards and to longitudinally measure students' academic progress toward attaining the standards and toward attaining postsecondary and workforce readiness. In adopting the system of assessments, the state board shall ensure, at a minimum, that the system is designed to: (I) Provide relevant, timely results that will aid teachers, parents, and students in identifying areas in which students may need additional support or assistance in attaining the standards; (II) Facilitate and ensure longitudinal measurement of students' academic growth over time; (III) Provide guidance to teachers, parents, and students in determining whether each student is making the necessary progress toward achieving postsecondary and workforce readiness; (IV) Provide results that may be used across multiple education systems as a student progresses from preschool through elementary and secondary education and into postsecondary education; (V) Maintain a high level of accountability across the state for students, schools, and school districts; (VI) Comply with the requirements of federal law with regard to statewide standardized testing; and (VII) Provide assessment scores that are useful in measuring student academic performance, the academic performance of a school, and the academic performance of a school district for purposes of state and federal accountability systems. (b) In adopting a system of assessments, the state board shall give consideration to the use of authentic assessment methods, such as portfolios, projects, and performances, so long as the assessment methods are valid and reliable, employ standard scoring criteria, and align with the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards. (c) In adopting a system of assessments, the state board shall also adopt scoring criteria for measuring a student's level of attainment of a standard based on the student's performance on a particular assessment and for measuring a student's progress toward attaining postsecondary and workforce readiness. (d) In adopting a system of assessments, the state board shall also make recommendations concerning a system of ratings for public schools that recognizes each school's success in supporting the longitudinal academic growth of the students enrolled in the public schools and in achieving adequate yearly progress as required by federal law. (e) In adopting a system of assessments, the state board shall recommend legislative changes as necessary to implement the system and the proposed changes to the system of ratings for public schools. (2) In adopting the system of assessments, the state board shall ensure that they include the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments adopted by the state board and the commission pursuant to section 22-7-1008. (3) In adopting an assessment that is aligned with the state standards for writing, the state board shall: (a) Ensure that any writing assessment that is included within the system of assessments can be evaluated and the results returned to the local education providers in a timely manner and that the assessment is designed to provide relevant, useful results; and (b) Seek input from local education providers concerning the writing assessments used by each local education provider, the usefulness of the assessments, and recommendations from the local education provider concerning writing assessments that would be effectively used at a statewide level. (4) The state board shall modify the system of assessments adopted pursuant to this section as necessary in response to comments received through the peer review process and to reflect the contents of the state plan approved pursuant to section 22-7-1012. (5) On or before July 1, 2016, and on or before July 1 every six years thereafter, the state board shall review and adopt any appropriate revisions to the system of assessments specified in this section. The state board may adopt revisions to an assessment or adopt additional assessments, regardless of whether it adopts any revision to the standards with which the assessment is aligned. In adopting revisions to the system of assessments, the state board shall ensure that the system of assessments continues to meet the requirements specified in this section. 22-7-1007. Postsecondary and workforce readiness assessments pilot program - rules. (1) (a) Beginning in the 2008-09 academic year, the department of education shall implement a pilot program for the purpose of evaluating standards and collecting data regarding student performance on postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments from assessment vendors and local education providers that volunteer to participate in the pilot program. The state board shall apply the data in creating standards for grades nine through twelve, and the state board and the commission shall apply the data in creating the description of postsecondary and workforce readiness and in selecting the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments that will be administered statewide following completion of the pilot program. (b) To implement the pilot program, the department of education shall invite nationally recognized vendors of postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments to participate in the pilot program. In selecting the vendors that will be invited to participate, the department shall include, but need not be limited to, at least one vendor that provides a system of postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments that are aligned to demonstrate a student's academic growth through the ninth, tenth, and eleventh grades. (c) The department of education shall provide information to local education providers concerning the creation and operation of the pilot program, including but not limited to a list of the vendors that will be participating and the duties of a local education provider that chooses to participate in the pilot program. (d) As part of the pilot program, the department of education shall survey local education providers concerning the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments, if any, administered by the local education providers within the preceding five years. The department of education shall solicit information concerning the local education providers' determination of the effectiveness and relevance of the assessments administered and shall request any data compiled by the local education providers in making their determination. (e) As soon as possible following the effective date of this section, the state board shall promulgate rules pursuant to the "State Administrative Procedure Act", article 4 of title 24, C.R.S., for the implementation of the pilot program, including but not limited to the procedures and time frames by which a local education provider shall notify the department of education of its intent to participate in the pilot program. (f) For the 2008-09 budget year, the general assembly shall appropriate moneys to the department of education for distribution to local education providers who participate in the pilot program to assist them in defraying the costs incurred in administering the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments. The state board shall promulgate rules describing the process by which the department shall distribute the moneys to participating local education providers, ensuring to the extent practicable that moneys are distributed to local education providers in areas throughout the state and of varying enrollment size and taking into account the fiscal needs of each participating local education provider and whether the participating local education provider was administering postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, or readiness assessments prior to implementation of the pilot program. (2) Each assessment vendor that chooses to participate in the pilot program shall provide to the department of education data concerning administration of the vendor's assessments in other states, including but not limited to test score unit records. The department shall apply the data in preparing amendments to the state plan, as described in section 22-7-1012, and in adjusting the longitudinal growth model adopted pursuant to section 22-7-604.3 to ensure that the results of each assessment that is included in the pilot program can be used to measure individual student growth toward attaining postsecondary and workforce readiness. (3) Each local education provider that chooses to participate in the pilot program shall: (a) During the spring semester of each academic year beginning in 2009, administer a postsecondary and workforce planning assessment, selected by the local education provider from among the assessments provided by the participating vendors, to students enrolled in ninth grade. A local education provider may also choose to administer the postsecondary and workforce planning assessment during the fall semester to students enrolled in eighth grade. (b) During the spring semester of each academic year beginning in 2009, administer a postsecondary and workforce preparation assessment, selected by the local education provider from among the assessments provided by the participating vendors, to students enrolled in tenth grade; (c) During the spring semester of each academic year beginning in 2009, administer a postsecondary and workforce readiness assessment, selected by the local education provider from among the assessments provided by the participating vendors, to students enrolled in eleventh grade; (d) Develop and implement a process by which the local education provider will share the results received by each student on the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments with the student and the student's parents as soon as possible following receipt of the results; and (e) Annually, on or before a date specified by rule of the state board, provide to the department of education the results achieved by each student on the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, or readiness assessment and any other information pertaining to the operation of the pilot program that may be required by state board rule. (4) The pilot program shall continue to operate as described in this section until the state board and the commission, pursuant to section 22-7-1008 have adopted the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments to be administered statewide. 22-7-1008. Postsecondary and workforce readiness description - postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments - adoption - revision. (1) (a) On or before December 15, 2009, the state board and the commission shall negotiate a consensus and adopt a description of postsecondary and workforce readiness. In describing postsecondary and workforce readiness, the state board and the commission shall, at a minimum: (I) Describe the knowledge and skills that are required for a student to demonstrate postsecondary and workforce readiness; (II) Ensure that postsecondary and workforce readiness includes demonstration of postsecondary planning skills and the ability to apply those skills; (III) Describe the level of English language competency that a student must demonstrate in order to demonstrate postsecondary and workforce readiness; (IV) Ensure that postsecondary and workforce readiness includes demonstration of a sufficiently high level of comprehension or skill to successfully complete, without need for remediation, the core academic courses identified by the commission pursuant to section 23-1-125 (3), C.R.S.; and (V) Ensure that, to the extent practicable, postsecondary and workforce readiness requires a student to demonstrate creativity and innovation skills; critical-thinking and problem-solving skills; communication and collaboration skills; social and cultural awareness; civic engagement; initiative and self-direction; flexibility; productivity and accountability; character and leadership; information technology application skills; and other skills critical to preparing students for the twenty-first-century workforce and for active citizenship. (b) Based on the data received by the department of education from the operation of the pilot program pursuant to section 22-7-1007, the state board and the commission may modify the description of postsecondary and workforce readiness as appropriate to ensure alignment of the standards for grades nine through twelve, the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments, and the description of postsecondary and workforce readiness. The state board and the commission may further modify the description of postsecondary and workforce readiness as necessary based on the recommendations received through the peer review process on the amended state plan pursuant to section 22-7-1012 to ensure alignment of the postsecondary and workforce readiness description with the standards and assessments. (2) (a) On or before December 15, 2010, the state board and the commission shall negotiate a consensus and adopt one or more postsecondary and workforce planning assessments, postsecondary and workforce preparation assessments, and postsecondary and workforce readiness assessments that local education providers shall administer pursuant to section 22-7-1016. The state board and the commission shall base the selection of the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments on the information received through the operation of the pilot program, ensuring that the selected assessments are aligned with the standards for grades nine through twelve and with the description of postsecondary and workforce readiness. (b) Following adoption of the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments, the state board and the commission shall negotiate a consensus and adopt scoring criteria for the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments to indicate a student's level of postsecondary and workforce readiness, based on the student's level of performance on the assessments. The state board and the commission shall ensure that the scoring criteria for the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments are aligned with the scoring criteria that apply to the system of assessments for preschool through elementary and secondary education standards. (c) The state board and the commission shall negotiate a consensus and modify the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments adopted pursuant to this section as necessary in response to comments received through the peer review process and to reflect the contents of the state plan approved pursuant to section 22-7-1012. (3) (a) On or before July 1, 2015, and on or before July 1 every six years thereafter, the state board and the commission shall review, negotiate a consensus, and adopt any appropriate revisions to the description of postsecondary and workforce readiness. The state board and the commission shall ensure that any revisions adopted pursuant to this paragraph (a) meet the requirements for the description of postsecondary and workforce readiness specified in subsection (1) of this section. (b) On or before July 1, 2016, and on or before July 1 every six years thereafter, the state board and the commission shall review, negotiate a consensus, and adopt any appropriate revisions to the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments. The state board and the commission may adopt revisions to the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments, regardless of whether they adopt any revisions to the postsecondary and workforce readiness description. In adopting revisions to the assessments, the state board and the commission shall ensure that the assessments continue to meet the requirements specified in subsection (2) of this section. The state board and the commission shall also review and adopt any appropriate revisions to the scoring criteria. 22-7-1009. Diploma endorsements - adoption - revisions. (1) On or before July 1, 2011, the state board shall adopt criteria that a local school board, BOCES, or institute charter high school may apply if the local school board, BOCES, or institute charter high school chooses to endorse high school diplomas to indicate that students have achieved postsecondary and workforce readiness. The criteria shall include, but need not be limited to, the required minimum level of postsecondary and workforce readiness that a student must achieve to receive a readiness endorsement on his or her diploma from the local school board, BOCES, or institute charter high school. In identifying the required minimum level of postsecondary and workforce readiness, the state board shall ensure that the minimum level of postsecondary and workforce readiness reflects the expectations for postsecondary and workforce readiness that are applied nationally and internationally. (2) The state board shall also adopt criteria for an endorsement that a local school board, BOCES, or institute charter high school may choose to grant to graduating students that would indicate extraordinary academic achievement or exemplary demonstration by a student of postsecondary and workforce readiness. (3) Following adoption of the criteria for diploma endorsements pursuant to subsections (1) and (2) of this section, the state board shall consult with the commission and the governing boards of the state institutions of higher education. The provisions of section 22-7-1017 (2) shall take effect only if the commission and the governing boards approve the criteria. (4) The state board shall also consider and may adopt criteria for a range of additional endorsements that a school district, BOCES, or institute charter high school may choose to grant to graduating students to recognize concentrated focus and outstanding achievement in a variety of subject areas, including but not limited to performance and fine arts, career and technical education, history and civics, mathematics, and science. (5) In adopting endorsement criteria pursuant to this section, the state board shall take into consideration any career and technical education standards that are adopted by the state board for community colleges and occupational education, created in section 23-60-104, C.R.S. (6) On or before July 1, 2017, and on or before July 1 every six years thereafter, the state board shall revise and adopt any appropriate revisions to the criteria for endorsements specified in this section. 22-7-1010. State board - commission - public input - staff assistance. (1) In fulfilling their duties under this part 10, the state board and the commission, at a minimum, shall: (a) Meet with interested persons throughout the state, including but not limited to: (I) Early care and education providers; (II) Representatives of early childhood councils and early childhood care and education councils; (III) Elementary and secondary teachers, specialists in special education services, counselors, and administrators; (IV) Boards of cooperative services; (V) Local school boards and governing boards of district charter schools and institute charter schools; (VI) Parents and students; (VII) Precollegiate and postsecondary service providers and concurrent enrollment program managers; (VIII) Career and technical education faculty and administrators; (IX) Postsecondary faculty and administrators; (X) Governing boards of institutions of higher education; and (XI) Employers and other members of the business community and labor, workforce, and economic development experts; (b) Take into consideration the recommendations of and consult with the P-20 council; (c) Solicit and take into consideration information from local boards of education specifically regarding the input received by the local boards from their respective communities in developing the blueprints for the education systems in their respective communities pursuant to section 22-32-109 (1) (kk); (d) Take into consideration, as applicable, the recommendations of the state graduation guidelines development council made pursuant to section 22-7-414, as it existed prior to July 1, 2008; (e) Consult and collaborate with state and national organizations of early care and education providers and experts, state and national organizations of educators, and other state, national, and international academic organizations that specialize in creation, maintenance, and implementation of relevant and rigorous education standards and curriculum and in alignment of standards and assessments from preschool through postsecondary education. (2) (a) Staff from the department of education, the department of higher education, the state board for community colleges and occupational education, the division of child care, and the early childhood policy team in the office of the lieutenant governor shall provide technical assistance and support for the state board and the commission in fulfilling their duties under this part 10. (b) To further assist in fulfilling their duties under this part 10, the state board and the commission may appoint one or more task forces consisting of state, national, and international education experts. (3) The department of education and the department of higher education are authorized to receive and expend gifts, grants, or donations of any kind from a public or private entity to carry out the purposes of this part 10, subject to the terms and conditions under which given; except that the department of education or the department of higher education may not accept a gift, grant, or donation if the conditions attached thereto require the use or expenditure thereof in a manner contrary to law. 22-7-1011. Regional educator meetings - purpose - recommendations. (1) Beginning in the 2008-09 academic year, the commissioner and the executive director, at least annually, shall convene meetings of professional educators in preschool, elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education within each of the regional service areas created by the state board. In convening the regional educator meetings, the commissioner and the executive director shall work with: (a) The president of the state system of community and technical colleges; (b) One or more representatives of the junior college districts; (c) The chief academic officers or executive directors of the state institutions of higher education; (d) The school district superintendents throughout the state; and (e) Representatives of the division of child care and the early childhood policy team in the office of the lieutenant governor. (2) At a minimum, the following persons shall be invited to attend the regional educator meetings in each regional service area: (a) Early care and education providers; (b) Members of the local school boards of the school districts included in the regional service area; (c) The preschool, elementary, and secondary teachers, principals, administrators, counselors, and other special services providers employed by the local education providers located in the regional service area; and (d) The postsecondary faculty, academic advisors, and administrators employed by the state institutions of higher education and junior colleges, if any, located in the regional service area. (3) The commissioner and the executive director shall convene regional educator meetings for the purpose of collaborating in the planning, design, and implementation of the alignment of the preschool through postsecondary public education systems, including but not limited to: (a) Collaborating in the planning, design, and implementation of: (I) The school readiness description, the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards, and the postsecondary and workforce readiness description; (II) Programs of instruction for preschool, elementary, secondary, and postsecondary students; and (III) Assessments that are aligned with the school readiness and postsecondary and workforce readiness descriptions and the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards; (b) Collaborating in identification and provision of the supportive services that are necessary to implement the school readiness and postsecondary and workforce readiness descriptions, the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards, and the aligned assessments; (c) Identifying and reviewing the levels of financial support needed to implement the school readiness and postsecondary and workforce readiness descriptions, the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards, and the aligned assessments, and formulating recommendations concerning the reallocation of state resources and the identification of additional state resources for said implementation; and (d) Reviewing the school readiness description, the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards, the postsecondary and workforce readiness description, the assessments aligned with the descriptions and standards, and the criteria for diploma endorsements, and making recommendations for revisions to the state board and the commission. (4) Each regional service area may submit to the state board and the commission the recommendations arising from the regional educator meetings held in the regional service area. The state board and the commission shall take the recommendations into account in fulfilling their duties pursuant to this part 10. In addition, a regional service area may submit any recommendations for legislative changes to the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate, or any successor committees. 22-7-1012. State plan - amendments - peer review - final adoption. (1) The department of education shall solicit information from local education providers that began administering postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments prior to implementation of the pilot program and from local education providers and assessment vendors that are participating in the pilot program. The department of education may contract with an independent, nationally recognized third party to conduct a rigorous evaluation of the information received and, based on the evaluation, to make recommendations to the department and the state board concerning amendments to the state plan. (2) (a) As soon as practicable under federal law, based on the evaluation of information received pursuant to subsection (1) of this section and on information received by the state board pursuant to section 22-7-1010 and on any information received from the regional educator meetings pursuant to section 22-7-1011, the department of education shall submit to the federal department of education amendments to the state plan for peer review and approval. The amendments, at a minimum, shall include: (I) Amendments to incorporate the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards adopted by the state board pursuant to section 22-7-1005, including the standards for grades nine through twelve that are aligned with the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments adopted pursuant to section 22-7-1008; and (II) Amendments to incorporate the system of assessments adopted pursuant to section 22-7-1006. (b) Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, in order to preserve flexibility and adaptability at the state level, the amended state plan shall include only those components of the aligned preschool through postsecondary public education systems that are required by or subject to approval under federal law and shall not include any components of the aligned preschool through postsecondary public education systems that are not required by or subject to approval under federal law. (c) The limitations on the contents of the state plan specified in paragraph (b) of this subsection (2) shall not be construed to prohibit the state board and the commission from adopting, and the state board and the commission are encouraged to adopt, descriptions, standards, assessments, and other components of the aligned preschool through postsecondary public education systems that exceed the minimum requirements of federal law and that are comparable in scope, relevance, and rigor to the highest national and international standards that have been implemented successfully and are consistent with and relevant to achievement of the goals specified in section 22-7-1002. (3) The department of education shall provide public notice of the amendments to the state plan, any comments and suggestions received through the peer review process, and any changes made to the amendments in response to the peer review comments. 22-7-1013. Local education provider - preschool through elementary and secondary education standards - adoption. (1) (a) On or before December 15, 2011, each local education provider shall review its preschool through elementary and secondary education standards in comparison with the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards adopted by the state board pursuant to section 22-7-1005. Following review, each local education provider shall revise its standards, as necessary, to ensure that: (I) The standards meet or exceed the state preschool through elementary and secondary education standards; and (II) The standards are aligned to ensure that a student who demonstrates attainment of the standards while advancing through preschool and elementary and secondary education will be able to demonstrate postsecondary and workforce readiness prior to or upon attaining a high school diploma. (b) In revising its preschool through elementary and secondary education standards, each local education provider shall ensure that it adopts standards, at a minimum, in those subject matter areas that are included in the state preschool through elementary and secondary education standards, including but not limited to English language competency. (c) In revising its preschool through elementary and secondary education standards, a local education provider may choose to adopt the state preschool through elementary and secondary education standards. (2) Following the review and revision of its preschool through elementary and secondary education standards, each local education provider shall adopt curricula that are aligned with the standards. The local education provider shall design the curricula to ensure that, beginning in preschool or kindergarten and continuing through elementary and secondary education, each student receives a program of study that will enable the student to demonstrate attainment of each of the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards. (3) Each local education provider shall adopt assessments that are aligned with the local education provider's standards and curricula and that will adequately measure each student's progress toward and attainment of the local education provider's standards for the subject areas that are not assessed by the state through the system of assessments adopted by the state board pursuant to section 22-7-1006. (4) A local education provider may allow a student who is receiving special education services to demonstrate attainment of the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards and postsecondary and workforce readiness through a differentiated plan if required in the student's individualized education program. (5) On or before July 1, 2017, and on or before July 1 every six years thereafter, each local education provider shall review its preschool through elementary and secondary education standards and, taking into account any revisions to the state preschool through elementary and secondary education standards, shall revise and readopt its standards if necessary to ensure that they continue to meet or exceed the state preschool through elementary and secondary education standards. The local education provider shall revise its curricula accordingly to ensure that the curricula continue to align with the local education provider's preschool through elementary and secondary education standards. 22-7-1014. Preschool individualized readiness plans - school readiness - assessments. (1) (a) Beginning in the fall semester of 2012, each local education provider that provides a preschool or kindergarten program shall ensure that each student enrolled in a preschool or kindergarten program operated by the local education provider receives an individualized readiness plan that addresses the preschool standards or kindergarten standards, as appropriate, knowledge and skill areas in which a student needs assistance to make progress toward school readiness. (b) In creating and implementing the individualized readiness plans, a local education provider shall use assessment instruments that are research-based, valid, and reliable to facilitate the systematic measurement of a student's increasing knowledge, skills, and accomplishments within the classroom context. The purpose of the continuing assessments shall be to help direct teachers' practice within the classroom with each student and thereby maximize each students' progress toward demonstrating school readiness. (2) (a) Beginning with students who enter kindergarten in the fall semester of 2013, each local education provider shall ensure that each student enrolled in a kindergarten program operated by the local education provider progresses toward demonstrating school readiness. Each local education provider shall administer the school readiness assessment to each student enrolled in a kindergarten program operated by the local education provider to measure each student's progress toward demonstrating school readiness. (b) The results of the school readiness assessments shall not be used to deny a student admission or progression to first grade. (3) The department of education, the division of child care, and the staff of the early childhood policy team in the lieutenant governor's office shall, upon request and subject to available appropriations, provide support to local education providers in implementing the preschool standards, individualized readiness plans, and school readiness assessments and in assisting students in progressing toward school readiness. Support may include, but need not be limited to: (a) Assisting the local education provider in reviewing and revising curriculum; (b) Communicating with early care and education providers, educators, local school board members, board of cooperative services members, charter school governing board members, school district and school administrators, and parents; (c) Providing professional development for educators; and (d) Collecting and making available a resource bank of examples of best practices in national, state, school district, school, and classroom reform efforts in early childhood and school readiness consistent with the intent of this part 10. 22-7-1015. Postsecondary and workforce readiness program - technical assistance. (1) On or before December 15, 2011, each local education provider shall review the curricula provided by the public high schools operated by the local education provider in the subject matter areas included in postsecondary and workforce readiness. The local education provider shall revise its curricula, or adopt new curricula, as necessary to ensure that the curricula content for said subject matter areas are aligned with postsecondary and workforce readiness such that a student who successfully completes the curricula will be prepared to demonstrate postsecondary and workforce readiness prior to or upon attaining a high school diploma. (2) (a) The revised or newly adopted curricula described in subsection (1) of this section shall constitute the postsecondary and workforce readiness program for each public high school operated by the local education provider. In revising or adopting the postsecondary and workforce readiness program, a local education provider is not required to base its courses or means of awarding course credits on carnegie units. A local education provider may choose to base the awarding of course credits on a student's demonstration of attainment of the standards addressed by the course. (b) A local education provider may accommodate the range of student interests and aspirations by adopting multiple curricula that, combined, create multiple postsecondary and workforce readiness programs within a school district or within a high school that are designed to prepare a student for differing post-graduation goals, including but not limited to immediate entry into the workforce or matriculation into career and technical education or higher education. The local education provider shall ensure, however, that every postsecondary and workforce readiness program adopted by the local education provider is aligned with postsecondary and workforce readiness such that a student who successfully completes the program will be prepared to demonstrate postsecondary and workforce readiness prior to or upon attaining a high school diploma. (c) For purposes of this section, a district charter high school shall be deemed to be operated by the chartering local school board; except that the chartering local school board, by charter contract, may allow the district charter high school to adopt its own postsecondary and workforce readiness program, separate from that adopted by the local school board. Each district charter high school that adopts its own postsecondary and workforce readiness program shall ensure that the program is aligned with postsecondary and workforce readiness such that a student who successfully completes the postsecondary and workforce readiness program will be prepared to demonstrate postsecondary and workforce readiness prior to or upon attaining a high school diploma. (3) (a) It is the intent of the general assembly that, on or before December 15, 2012, each student who enrolls in a public high school operated by a local education provider shall enroll in and successfully complete a postsecondary and workforce readiness program. Each local education provider shall require each high school student, beginning in ninth grade and continuing through twelfth grade, to enroll in the local education provider's postsecondary and workforce readiness program. (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of this subsection (3), a local education provider may allow a student who is receiving special education services to demonstrate attainment of postsecondary and workforce readiness through a differentiated plan for purposes of the postsecondary and workforce readiness program and the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments, if required in the student's individualized education program. (4) The department of education, the department of higher education, and the state institutions of higher education, upon request, shall provide support to local education providers in implementing postsecondary and workforce readiness. Beginning with the 2009-10 budget year, the department of education and the department of higher education may include in their annual budget requests an amount necessary to offset the costs incurred in complying with this section. Support may include, but need not be limited to: (a) Assisting the local education provider in reviewing and revising curriculum; (b) Communicating with educators, local school board members, board of cooperative services board members, charter school governing board members, school district and school administrators, parents, and members of the business community; (c) Providing professional development for educators; and (d) Collecting and making available a resource bank of examples of best practices in national, state, school district, school, and classroom reform efforts consistent with the intent of this part 10. 22-7-1016. Postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments - transcripts. (1) On or before December 15, 2012, each local education provider shall administer the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments adopted by the state board and the commission pursuant to section 22-7-1008. Upon receiving the results following administration of the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments, the local education provider shall provide to each student a printed copy of the student's assessment results, and a teacher or counselor shall review each student's results with the student and, to the extent practicable, with the student's parent or legal guardian and determine the areas in which the student continues to need instruction in order to demonstrate postsecondary and workforce readiness prior to or upon attaining a high school diploma. (2) Each high school student's final transcript shall describe the student's level of postsecondary and workforce readiness by: (a) Indicating the student's level of performance in the postsecondary and workforce readiness program; and (b) Indicating the student's level of performance on the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments. (3) A local education provider, at its discretion, may choose to identify demonstration of postsecondary and workforce readiness as a graduation requirement for the school district or for the school. (4) (a) A local education provider shall not apply a student's level of performance in the postsecondary and workforce readiness program or on the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments to prohibit the student from participating in any program operated by the local education provider through which the student may earn postsecondary or career and technical education course credits while enrolled in high school. (b) A student who demonstrates attainment of postsecondary and workforce readiness while enrolled in any of grades nine through twelve shall be eligible to participate in a program through which the student may earn postsecondary or career and technical education course credits while enrolled in high school. (5) (a) Beginning in the 2011-12 academic year, if a student whose dominant language is not English, as defined in section 22-24-103 (4), is enrolled in eleventh or twelfth grade and the student has not demonstrated attainment of the standard for English language competency and has not demonstrated postsecondary and workforce readiness, the local education provider with which the student is enrolled shall provide to the student additional services and supports as necessary to assist the student in attaining the standard. (b) Following receipt of the cost study report delivered March 1, 2010, pursuant to section 22-7-1018 (2) (a), the general assembly shall address the services and resources necessary for implementation of paragraph (a) of this subsection (5). 22-7-1017. High school diploma - endorsement - effect. (1) (a) Following adoption by the state board, pursuant to section 22-7-1009, of the criteria for endorsing a diploma as reflecting postsecondary and workforce readiness, a local school board, a BOCES, or an institute charter high school may choose to grant a postsecondary and workforce readiness endorsement to each graduating high school student who meets the criteria. (b) Following adoption by the state board of the criteria for endorsing a diploma as reflecting extraordinary academic achievement or exemplary demonstration by a student of postsecondary and workforce readiness, a local school board, a BOCES, or an institute charter high school may choose to grant such an endorsement to each graduating high school student who meets the criteria. (c) A local school board, a BOCES, or an institute charter high school may also choose to grant endorsements in specified areas of focus and achievement, following adoption of the criteria for said endorsements by the state board pursuant to section 22-7-1009. (2) Following approval of the criteria by the commission and the governing boards of the state institutions of higher education, as provided in section 22-7-1009 (3), a student who graduates with a high school diploma that includes a postsecondary and workforce readiness endorsement shall be guaranteed: (a) To meet minimum academic qualifications for admission to, and to be eligible, subject to additional institutional review of other admission and placement qualifications, for placement into credit-bearing courses at, all open, modified open, or moderately selective public institutions of higher education in Colorado; and (b) To receive priority consideration, in conjunction with additional admissions criteria, and to be eligible, subject to additional institutional review of other admission and placement qualifications, for placement into credit-bearing courses, at all other public institutions of higher education in Colorado. The additional admissions criteria shall be determined by each institution of higher education. 22-7-1018. Cost study. (1) (a) On or before September 15, 2009, the department of education, in consultation with the department of higher education, shall contract with an independent entity to conduct a study of the costs of implementing the provisions of this part 10. At a minimum, the study shall address the anticipated costs to be incurred by the department of education, the department of higher education, local education providers, and state institutions of higher education in implementing the provisions of this part 10. (b) In selecting an independent entity to conduct the cost study, the department of education shall consult with the department of higher education and shall ensure that the selected entity has expertise in school finance and higher education finance statutes and issues in this state and nationally. (c) At a minimum, the cost study shall address the costs associated with: (I) Reviewing, adopting, and implementing standards and curricula to meet or exceed the newly adopted preschool through elementary and secondary education standards, including but not limited to implementing the English language competency standards and providing services and supports as required in section 22-7-1016 (5); (II) Implementing the assessment system for the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards; (III) Implementing the school readiness description and assessments, including creating and implementing individualized readiness plans; (IV) Incorporating career and technical education standards into the curricula; (V) Aligning the preschool, elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education curricula with the postsecondary and workforce readiness description and administering and reviewing the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments; (VI) Making changes to the postsecondary admissions processes and publications to take into account the postsecondary and workforce readiness description and the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments; and (VII) Reviewing, adopting, and implementing standards in teacher preparation programs to incorporate the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards, the school readiness description, the system of assessments, the individualized readiness plans, the postsecondary and workforce readiness description, and the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments. (2) The entity selected to conduct the cost study shall submit reports to the department of education and the department of higher education in accordance with the following time line: (a) On or before March 1, 2010, a report of the costs pertaining to adoption and implementation of the school readiness description; the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards, including but not limited to the English language competency standards; and the postsecondary and workforce readiness description; (b) On or before October 1, 2010, a report of the costs pertaining to implementation of the school readiness assessments, the system of assessments that is aligned with the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards, and the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments; and (c) On or before October 1, 2011, a report of the costs pertaining to implementation of the diploma endorsements. (3) As soon as possible following receipt of each report specified in subsection (2) of this section, the department of education shall submit the report to the joint budget committee of the general assembly and to the education committees of the senate and the house of representatives, or any successor committees. 22-7-1019. Preschool to postsecondary and workforce readiness - progress reports - effectiveness reports. (1) On or before February 15, 2009, and on or before February 15 each year thereafter through 2012, the department of education shall submit to the education committees of the senate and the house of representatives, or any successor committees, a report summarizing the actions taken by the state board, the commission, and local education providers in implementing the requirements specified in this part 10. The department may include in the report recommendations, as may be necessary, for legislative changes in the time line for implementation of this part 10. (2) On or before February 15, 2013, and on or before February 15 each year thereafter, the department of education shall submit to the education committees of the senate and the house of representatives, or any successor committees, a report concerning the results achieved through implementation of school readiness, the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards, and postsecondary and workforce readiness. (3) (a) At a minimum, the report shall include the following information for the preceding academic year: (I) The levels of school readiness demonstrated by students enrolled in kindergarten; (II) The number of students enrolling in the postsecondary and workforce readiness programs and the number of students making adequate longitudinal progress through and completing the postsecondary and workforce readiness programs; (III) The levels of postsecondary and workforce readiness demonstrated by high school students; and (IV) Beginning with the report submitted in 2016, the number of students receiving a high school diploma that includes an endorsement, identified by type of endorsement. (b) The department of education shall present the information in the report on a statewide basis and shall disaggregate the information by school district, school, grade level, free or reduced-cost lunch eligibility status, gender, and ethnicity, and by any other characteristic deemed by the department to be meaningful. (4) Each local education provider shall cooperate with the department of education in providing the information necessary for the reports prepared pursuant to this section. SECTION 2. The introductory portion to 22-2-106 (1) (a.5) and 22-2-106 (1) (a.5) (V), Colorado Revised Statutes, are amended, and the said 22-2-106 (1) (a.5) is further amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SUBPARAGRAPH, to read: 22-2-106. State board - duties - repeal. (1) It is the duty of the state board: (a.5) To adopt, on or before July 1, 2008 December 15, 2009, a comprehensive set of guidelines for the establishment of high school graduation requirements to be used by each school district board of education in developing local high school graduation requirements. Each school district board of education shall retain the authority to develop its own unique high school graduation requirements, so long as those local high school graduation requirements meet or exceed any minimum standards or basic core competencies or skills identified in the comprehensive set of guidelines for high school graduation developed by the state board pursuant to this paragraph (a.5). In developing the guidelines for high school graduation, the state board shall not identify specific courses that a student shall take nor the level of proficiency a student shall achieve to meet the guidelines established by the state board. In developing the guidelines for high school graduation, the state board shall utilize the recommendations of the state graduation guidelines development council established in section 22-7-414 and shall: (II) Ensure that the state graduation guidelines are aligned with the description of postsecondary and workforce readiness, including but not limited to the minimum required English language competencies, adopted by the state board and the Colorado commission on higher education pursuant to section 22-7-1008 and with the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards adopted by the state board pursuant to section 22-7-1005. (V) Utilize standards-based education, as described in section 22-7-402, and as revised pursuant to part 10 of article 7 of this title, as the framework for the development of the guidelines for high school graduation and consider how high school graduation requirements can be articulated in a standards-based education system. In the process of developing the guidelines for high school graduation, the state board shall ensure that the state model content standards, adopted pursuant to section 22-7-406, are sufficiently rigorous, particularly in the core academic subject areas of mathematics, science, reading, and writing so that students are exposed to subject matter that research indicates will adequately prepare them for entrance into the workforce or the postsecondary education system. On or before August 1, 2007, the state board shall begin to receive public comment on the adequacy of the existing state model content standards. As part of receiving public comment, the state board is encouraged to form a stakeholder group of parents, teachers, administrators, and others to develop recommendations related to modernizing the state model content standards in mathematics, science, reading, and writing. On or before February 1, 2008, the state board shall report to the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate, or any successor committees, on the adequacy of the existing state model content standards in these subject matters. SECTION 3. 22-32-109 (1) (kk) (I), Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended to read: 22-32-109. Board of education - specific duties. (1) In addition to any other duty required to be performed by law, each board of education shall have and perform the following specific duties: (kk) (I) To undertake a community-based process to develop a blueprint for the education system in the community and to determine the skills students will need to be successful after graduation. Each board of education shall seek input from the community at large, which may include, but need not be limited to, students, parents, business persons, neighboring school districts, and regional boards of cooperative services. Each board of education shall use this blueprint, together with the guidelines for high school graduation requirements developed by the state board pursuant to section 22-2-106 (1) (a.5), to establish local high school graduation requirements applicable to students enrolling in ninth grade beginning July 1, 2009 2010. To assist the state board of education in fulfilling its duties under part 10 of article 7 of this title, each board of education shall provide to the state board of education information concerning the blueprint and the input received in developing the blueprint. A board of education that has undertaken a comprehensive community-based process and has revised its high school graduation requirements within the previous two years shall not be required to develop a new blueprint for the education system in its community or make any revisions to its high school graduation requirements. SECTION 4. 22-35-104, Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SUBSECTION to read: 22-35-104. Enrollment in institution of higher education - cooperative agreement. (1.5) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, a student who is enrolled in any of grades nine through twelve and who demonstrates attainment of postsecondary and workforce readiness pursuant to section 22-7-1016 is eligible to apply to an institution of higher education and enroll in courses at the institution in accordance with the provisions of this article. SECTION 5. 23-1-113, Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended BY THE ADDITION OF THE FOLLOWING NEW SUBSECTIONS to read: 23-1-113. Commission directive - admission standards for baccalaureate and graduate institutions of higher education. (5) (a) On or before December 15, 2009, pursuant to section 22-7-1008, C.R.S., the commission shall consult with the state board of education, and the commission and the state board of education shall negotiate a consensus and adopt the description of postsecondary and workforce readiness. (b) On or before July 1, 2015, and on or before July 1 every six years thereafter, the commission and the state board of education may adopt revisions to the postsecondary and workforce readiness description. (6) (a) On or before December 15, 2010, pursuant to section 22-7-1008, C.R.S., the commission and the state board of education shall negotiate a consensus and adopt one or more postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments for use by school districts, boards of cooperative services, district charter high schools, and institute charter high schools. The commission and the state board of education also shall negotiate a consensus and adopt scoring criteria to indicate a student's level of postsecondary and workforce readiness, as provided in section 22-7-1008, C.R.S. (b) On or before July 1, 2016, and on or before July 1 every six years thereafter, the commission and the state board of education may negotiate a consensus and adopt revisions to the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments. The commission and the state board of education may also revise the scoring criteria for the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments, as necessary. (7) Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, a student who graduates with a high school diploma that includes a postsecondary and workforce readiness endorsement based on criteria adopted by the state board and approved by the commission and the governing boards of the state institutions of higher education pursuant to section 22-7-1009, C.R.S., shall be guaranteed: (a) To meet minimum academic qualifications for admission to, and to be eligible, subject to additional institutional review of other admission and placement qualifications, for placement into credit-bearing courses at, all open, modified open, or moderately selective public institutions of higher education in Colorado; and (b) To receive priority consideration, in conjunction with additional admissions criteria, and to be eligible, subject to additional institutional review of other admission and placement qualifications, for placement into credit-bearing courses, at all other public institutions of higher education in Colorado. The additional admissions criteria shall be determined by each institution of higher education. (8) (a) On or before December 15, 2014, based on adoption of the description of postsecondary and workforce readiness, the commission shall, if necessary, revise the minimum academic admission standards for first-time freshmen at all state-supported baccalaureate and graduate institutions of higher education in the state to ensure that the minimum academic admission standards are aligned with the description of postsecondary and workforce readiness adopted by the commission and the state board of education. (b) On or before December 15, 2012, the commission shall review the basic skills placement or assessment tests administered pursuant to sub-subparagraph (B) of subparagraph (I) of paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of this section, and the associated policies, to ensure that the tests and associated policies are aligned with the postsecondary and workforce readiness description. (c) Consistent with any revisions adopted pursuant to this section to the description of postsecondary and workforce readiness, the commission shall, if necessary, adopt revisions to the minimum academic admission standards and the basic skills placement or assessment tests to ensure continued alignment with the postsecondary and workforce readiness description. (d) In revising the minimum academic admission standards and the basic skills placement or assessment tests pursuant to this subsection (8), the commission shall consult with the governing boards of the state institutions of higher education. (9) On or before February 15, 2012, and on or before February 15 each year thereafter, the department of higher education shall submit to the state board of education and the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate, or any successor committees, a report concerning the enrollment, first-year college grades, and, subject to available data, types of academic certificates and degrees attained for the high school graduating classes of the preceding six academic years. The department of higher education shall report the information disaggregated by school district of graduation, ethnicity, gender, financial aid status, and any other characteristic deemed relevant by the commission. The department of higher education shall also make the report available on its web site. (10) On or before February 15, 2009, and on or before February 15 each year thereafter, the department of higher education shall submit to the department of education the unit records used for its reporting purposes under this section to enable the department of education to evaluate the effectiveness of the alignment of the preschool through postsecondary education systems in preparing students who demonstrate postsecondary and workforce readiness and subsequently succeed in postsecondary education. SECTION 6. 23-1-121 (2) (c), Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended to read: 23-1-121. Commission directive - approval of teacher preparation programs. (2) On or before July 1, 2000, the commission shall adopt policies establishing the requirements for teacher preparation programs offered by institutions of higher education. The commission shall work in cooperation with the state board of education in developing the requirements for teacher preparation programs. At a minimum, the requirements shall ensure that each teacher preparation program may be completed within four academic years, is designed on a performance-based model, and includes: (c) Course work and field-based training that integrates theory and practice and educates teacher candidates in the methodologies, practices, and procedures of teaching standards-based education, as described in part 4 parts 4 and 10 of article 7 of this title title 22, C.R.S., and specifically in teaching to the state model content standards adopted pursuant to section 22-7-406, C.R.S., or, beginning December 15, 2012, teaching to the state preschool through elementary and secondary education standards adopted pursuant to section 22-7-1005, C.R.S.; SECTION 7. 22-7-604.3, Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SUBSECTION to read: 22-7-604.3. Academic growth calculation - model - rule-making. (3.5) Academic growth calculation model - revision. Within thirty days after receiving the information from the 2009-10 administration of the postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments pursuant to section 22-7-1007, the department shall make any necessary adjustments to the growth model adopted pursuant to subsection (3) of this section to ensure that it measures student growth over time toward attainment of the standards adopted pursuant to section 22-7-1005 and attainment of postsecondary and workforce readiness as described pursuant to section 22-7-1008. In adjusting the growth model, the department shall consult with the technical advisory panel appointed pursuant to subparagraph (I) of paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of this section. SECTION 8. 22-7-604 (3), Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW PARAGRAPH to read: 22-7-604. Academic performance - academic growth of students - rating - designation and methodology. (3) CSAP assessments. (e) (I) Notwithstanding any provision of this subsection (3) to the contrary, beginning with the scores calculated pursuant to this subsection (3) using the results of assessments administered in the 2007-08 academic year, the department shall identify and implement alterations in the calculation method, or other appropriate measures, to ensure that, to the fullest extent practicable, a public school is not penalized in the calculation of the school's CSAP-area standardized, weighted total score by inadvertent errors committed in the administration of an assessment. The state board shall promulgate rules as necessary for the implementation of this paragraph (e), including defining inadvertent errors in the administration of an assessment. The decision by the commissioner of education that an error is or is not inadvertent shall be final and shall not be appealable to the state board. (II) If the department cannot calculate a public school's CSAP-area standardized, weighted total score without penalizing the public school for inadvertent errors committed in the administration of an assessment, the department shall include on the public school's school accountability report a notation specifying what the school's overall academic performance rating would have been had it been calculated without including the scores that resulted from the misadministered assessment. SECTION 9. Appropriation. (1) In addition to any other appropriation, there is hereby appropriated, out of any moneys in the state education fund created in section 17 (4) of article IX of the state constitution, not otherwise appropriated, to the department of education, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008, the sum of five hundred forty-two thousand four hundred fifty-three dollars ($542,453) and 5.0 FTE, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for the implementation of this act. (2) In addition to any other appropriation, there is hereby appropriated to the department of higher education, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008, the sum of one hundred five thousand one hundred eighty dollars ($105,180) and 1.0 FTE, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for the implementation of this act. Said sum shall be from reappropriated funds received from the department of education out of the appropriation made in subsection (1) of this section. (3) In addition to any other appropriation, there is hereby appropriated, out of any moneys in the state education fund created in section 17 (4) of article IX of the state constitution, not otherwise appropriated, to the department of education, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008, the sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000), or so much thereof as may be necessary, for the implementation of the postsecondary and workforce readiness assessments pilot program pursuant to section 22-7-1007, Colorado Revised Statutes. SECTION 10. Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety. ____________________________ ____________________________ Peter C. Groff Andrew Romanoff PRESIDENT OF SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES ____________________________ ____________________________ Karen Goldman Marilyn Eddins SECRETARY OF CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES APPROVED________________________________________ _________________________________________ Bill Ritter, Jr. GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO