NOTE: The governor signed this measure on 5/24/2012. HOUSE BILL 12-1043 BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Conti, Bradford, Casso, Kerr J., Pace, Peniston, Priola, Summers, Williams A.; also SENATOR(S) King K., Aguilar, Boyd, Brophy, Cadman, Foster, Grantham, Heath, Hodge, Hudak, Jahn, King S., Lambert, Lundberg, Mitchell, Neville, Roberts, Scheffel, Schwartz, Spence, Tochtrop, White, Williams S. Concerning concurrent enrollment for students who may complete high school graduation requirements before the end of twelfth grade. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-32-109, amend (1) (nn) as follows: 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: (nn) To ensure that each student who enrolls in the sixth grade in a public school of the school district, including but not limited to a district charter school, on the day of enrollment is registered with the state-provided, free on-line college planning and preparation resource, commonly referred to as "CollegeInColorado.org". The school district, the department of education, and the department of higher education shall collaborate to monitor the implementation of this paragraph (nn) and to ensure optimal interactivity between the various data bases and student record systems employed by school districts and college in Colorado. Each public school shall assist each student and his or her parent or legal guardian to develop and maintain the student's individual career and academic plan no later than the beginning of ninth grade but may assist the student and his or her parent or legal guardian to develop and maintain the student's individual career and academic plan in any grade prior to ninth grade. At a minimum, each public school shall ensure that, in developing and maintaining each student's individual career and academic plan, the counselor or teacher explains to the student's parent or legal guardian, by electronic mail or other written form, and to the student the requirements for and benefits of concurrently enrolling in courses with an institution of higher education pursuant to the "Concurrent Enrollment Programs Act", article 35 of this title. Based on a request from the student or the student's parent or legal guardian, the counselor or teacher shall assist the student in course planning to enable the student to concurrently enroll in courses with an institution of higher education. SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-30.5-505, amend (3) (f) as follows: 22-30.5-505. State charter school institute - institute board - appointment - powers and duties - rules. (3) The mission of the institute board shall be to foster high-quality public school choices offered through institute charter schools, including particularly schools that are focused on closing the achievement gap for at-risk students. In discharging its duties pursuant to this part 5, the institute shall: (f) Ensure that each student who enrolls in the sixth grade in an institute charter school, on the day of enrollment, is registered with the state-provided, free on-line college planning and preparation resource, commonly referred to as "CollegeInColorado.org". The institute, the department, and the department of higher education shall collaborate to monitor the implementation of this paragraph (f) and to ensure optimal interactivity between the various data bases and student record systems employed by institute charter schools and college in Colorado. Each institute charter school shall assist each student and his or her parent or legal guardian to develop and maintain the student's individual career and academic plan no later than the beginning of ninth grade but may assist the student and his or her parent or legal guardian to develop and maintain the student's individual career and academic plan in any grade prior to ninth grade. At a minimum, each institute charter school shall ensure that, in developing and maintaining each student's individual career and academic plan, the counselor or teacher explains to the student's parent or legal guardian, by electronic mail or other written form, and to the student the requirements for and benefits of concurrently enrolling in courses with an institution of higher education pursuant to the "Concurrent Enrollment Programs Act", article 35 of this title. Based on a request from the student or the student's parent or legal guardian, the counselor or teacher shall assist the student in course planning to enable the student to concurrently enroll in courses with an institution of higher education. SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-35-104, amend (2) (b) as follows: 22-35-104. Enrollment in an institution of higher education - cooperative agreement. (2) (b) If a superintendent of a school district, the superintendent's designee, or a chief administrator of a district charter school, institute charter school, or high school of a BOCES receives a timely application from a qualified student pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (2), the superintendent, superintendent's designee, or chief administrator of a district charter school, institute charter school, or high school of a BOCES shall approve or disapprove the application and notify the student of the decision. In considering applications, the superintendent, designee, or chief administrator shall give priority consideration to qualified students who, by the time they would concurrently enroll, will have completed the high school graduation requirements and are applying for concurrent enrollment to begin earning credits toward a postsecondary degree or certificate or, if required to complete basic skills courses, to complete the courses during the remainder of the twelfth-grade year. SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-32-109 (1) (oo) as added by Senate Bill 12-047, add (III) as follows: 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: (oo) (III) The policy adopted pursuant to this paragraph (oo) shall also require each public school to ensure that, in developing and maintaining each student's individual career and academic plan, the counselor or teacher explains to the student's parent or legal guardian, by electronic mail or other written form, and to the student the requirements for and benefits of concurrently enrolling in courses with an institution of higher education pursuant to the "Concurrent Enrollment Programs Act", article 35 of this title. Based on a request from the student or the student's parent or legal guardian, the counselor or teacher shall assist the student in course planning to enable the student to concurrently enroll in courses with an institution of higher education. SECTION 5. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-30.5-523 as added by Senate Bill 12-047, add (3) as follows: 22-30.5-523. Individual career and academic plans. (3) Each institute charter school shall ensure that, in developing and maintaining each student's individual career and academic plan, the counselor or teacher explains to the student's parent or legal guardian, by electronic mail or other written form, and to the student the requirements for and benefits of concurrently enrolling in courses with an institution of higher education pursuant to the "Concurrent Enrollment Programs Act", article 35 of this title. Based on a request from the student or the student's parent or legal guardian, the counselor or teacher shall assist the student in course planning to enable the student to concurrently enroll in courses with an institution of higher education. SECTION 6. Act subject to petition - effective date. (1) This act takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August 8, 2012, if adjournment sine die is on May 9, 2012); except that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in November 2012 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor. (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) of this section: (a) Sections 1 and 2 of this act do not take effect if Senate Bill 12-047 becomes law; (b) Sections 4 and 5 of this act take effect only if Senate Bill 12-047 becomes law. ________________________________________________________ Frank McNulty Brandon C. Shaffer SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE PRESIDENT OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE ____________________________ ____________________________ Marilyn Eddins Cindi L. Markwell CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE SECRETARY OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE APPROVED________________________________________ _________________________________________ John W. Hickenlooper GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO