Date: 03/05/2015
Final
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
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02:16 PM -- Presentation by Students from Colorado Early Colleges
Senator Hill invited former Senator Keith King and the student representatives from Colorado Early Colleges to the table to begin their presentation. Senator King provided background information about the Colorado Early Colleges program. Sierra Glenn, a student at Colorado Early College Fort Collins, told the committee that she is a first generation college student and third generation Coloradoan. She talked about her personal background and stated that the program has given her the opportunity to complete over 30 college credits in one year for free. Braden Shindell, a student at Colorado Early Colleges Douglas County, talked about his experience with the program and the benefits to high school students of being able to take college-level courses. He told the committee that he signed up for the program as a freshman in high school, so when he graduates high school he will also be graduating with an associate degree and possibly also a bachelor's degree. Darius Heinz Cross, a 2014 graduate of Colorado Early Colleges Colorado Springs, told the committee that he recently graduated with over 160 credit hours and is now working full time. He explained that he is finishing a bachelor's degree in cybersecurity and will obtain that within the year.
02:25 PM
Senator King answered questions about how the program is different from concurrent enrollment. Senator King stated that the Colorado Early Colleges program allows students to obtain an associate degree while still in high school, and concurrent enrollment programs are statutorily prohibited from conferring associate degrees upon students. The students answered questions from the committee about their experiences in the program.