Second Regular Session Sixty-ninth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO INTRODUCED LLS NO. 14-0146.01 Julie Pelegrin x2700 SENATE BILL 14-006 SENATE SPONSORSHIP Newell, HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Peniston, Schafer Senate Committees House Committees Education A BILL FOR AN ACT Concerning continuation of the early childhood educator development scholarship program. Bill Summary (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://www.leg.state.co.us/billsummaries.) Early Childhood and School Readiness Legislative Commission. The early childhood educator development scholarship program (scholarship program) exists in current law to provide stipends to offset the costs of obtaining associate degrees for persons who are employed in early childhood education. The scholarship program is funded solely through federal grants and other gifts, grants, and donations. The bill expands the scholarship program to provide stipends to offset the costs of obtaining any postsecondary degree or certificate in early childhood education for a person employed in early childhood education. The criteria for awarding stipends are expanded to include consideration of the diversity of applicants and to allow the state board of education to choose to award stipends only to applicants who serve high-needs children. The bill authorizes the appropriation of state moneys, including state education fund moneys, to fund the scholarship program. The bill repeals the provision that repeals the scholarship program if the department of education does not receive grants or donations for the scholarship program. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 22-9.7-101 as follows: 22-9.7-101. Early childhood educator development scholarship program - creation - eligibility. Subject to the receipt of sufficient moneys pursuant to section 22-9.7-103, There is hereby created in the department of education, referred to in this article as the "department", the early childhood educator development scholarship program, referred to in this article as the "scholarship program", to award provide stipends to assist persons employed in early childhood education in offsetting the costs incurred in obtaining an associate of arts a postsecondary degree or certificate in early childhood education The department shall award stipends on a need basis, based on the criteria specified in section 22-9.7-102. The stipends shall be awarded on a yearly basis, and or in a related area. Subject to available appropriations, the state board of education, referred to in this article as the "state board", shall annually award stipends based on the criteria specified in section 22-9.7-102. Recipients shall must reapply each year that they are enrolled in the associate of arts degree or certificate program. The scholarships shall be paid are payable from any moneys available in the early childhood educator development scholarship fund created in section 22-9.7-103. SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 22-9.7-102 as follows: 22-9.7-102. Scholarship program - rules - criteria for awards. (1) The department, by rule, state board shall collaborate with the department of human services, the Colorado community college system, and the office of information technology to establish, by rule, the procedures by which a person may apply for a stipend through the scholarship program. At a minimum, the rules shall must specify the information a person shall must submit and the deadlines for submitting the application. (2) The state board, taking into account recommendations of the department, shall award stipends to an applicant based base the stipend awards on the following criteria: (a) The applicant's demonstrated degree of financial need, based on the resources of the applying person and the cost of the associate of arts degree or certificate program for which the applicant requests a stipend; (b) The applicant's demonstrated degree of professional need; (c) The quality of the associate of arts degree or certificate program for which the applicant requests a stipend; (d) The applicant's commitment to teach in early childhood education for at least two years after receiving the associate of arts degree or certificate; (e) The applicant's current employment in an early childhood capacity; and (f) The racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the group of persons selected to receive stipends to ensure, to the extent practicable, that the diversity of persons who receive stipends reflects the diversity of children who receive early childhood education; and (f) (g) Any other criteria adopted by rule of the department state board to identify applicants in the greatest need of assistance in obtaining a regionally accredited associate of arts degree or certificate to improve their performance as early childhood educators. (3) In addition to the criteria specified in subsection (2) of this section, the state board may consider the population of children served by an applicant and may choose to award stipends only to applicants who serve high-needs children, as defined by rule of the state board. (3) (4) The state board, taking into account recommendations from the department, shall set the amount of each stipend awarded based on the applicant's degree of need, the cost of the associate of arts degree or certificate program for which the applicant requests a stipend, the amount available in the early childhood educator development scholarship fund for the applicable budget year, and the anticipated number of persons who will apply to the scholarship program in the course of the applicable budget year. (4) Repealed. SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 22-9.7-103 as follows: 22-9.7-103. Early childhood educator development scholarship fund - created - legislative declaration. (1) It is the intent of the general assembly that any costs associated with implementing this article shall be paid for by the receipt of any available federal moneys or other gifts, grants, or donations and that no additional general fund moneys be appropriated for the implementation of the grant program. (2) The department is authorized to seek, accept, and expend any federal moneys or other gifts, grants, or donations for the purposes of this article. If necessary, The department shall transmit any gifts, grants, or donations shall be transmitted received for the purposes of this article to the state treasurer who shall credit them to the early childhood educator development scholarship fund, which fund is hereby created and referred to in this section as the "fund". The fund also consists of any moneys that the general assembly may appropriate to the fund, including any moneys from the state education fund created in section 17 (4) of article IX of the state constitution. (3) The moneys in the fund shall be continuously appropriated are subject to annual appropriation to the department for the direct and indirect costs associated with implementing this article. Any moneys in the fund not expended for the purpose of this article may be invested by the state treasurer as provided by law. All interest and income derived from the investment and deposit of moneys in the fund shall be credited to the fund. Any unexpended and unencumbered moneys remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall must remain in the fund and shall not be credited or transferred to the general fund or another fund. (4) The department shall may retain only the actual amount of direct and indirect costs necessary to implement this article. (5) The general assembly hereby declares that, for purposes of section 17 of article IX of the state constitution, the scholarship program is an important element in implementing accountable education reform and expanding the availability of preschool and kindergarten programs and may therefore receive funding from the state education fund created in section 17 (4) of article IX of the state constitution. SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, repeal 22-9.7-104 as follows: 22-9.7-104. Repeal of article. (1) (a) On or before July 1, 2011, or July 1 of any year thereafter, the executive director of the department shall notify the revisor of statutes in writing if federal moneys are not received and allocated to the department or if gifts, grants, and donations are not received by the department to provide for the award of grants pursuant to this article. (b) If the revisor of statutes does not receive notice pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (1), on July 1, 2011, or on July 1 of any year thereafter, the executive director of the department shall notify the revisor of statutes in writing if federal moneys or gifts, grants, or donations are not available to continue to provide for the award of grants pursuant to this article. (2) This article is repealed, effective the July 1 following the receipt of the notice by the revisor of statutes pursuant to paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (1) of this section. SECTION 5. 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.