Second Regular Session Sixty-ninth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO INTRODUCED LLS NO. 14-0149.02 Julie Pelegrin x2700 HOUSE BILL 14-1039 HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Schafer, Peniston SENATE SPONSORSHIP Newell, House Committees Senate Committees Education A BILL FOR AN ACT Concerning procedures to link the student data collected by publicly funded early childhood education programs with the student data collected by public schools in the state. 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 bill directs the department of education to work with the state department of human services and the office of information technology to establish procedures to link the student data collected by publicly funded early childhood education programs with the student data collected by school districts and public schools. The departments and the office must begin implementing the procedures by October 1, 2014. If necessary, the state board of education and the state board of human services may promulgate rules to implement the procedures. The department of education may receive state education fund moneys to implement the procedures. The early childhood and school readiness legislative commission must meet annually with persons from the department of education and the state department of human services to receive a briefing on the departments' progress in linking the student data. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-2-134, amend (4); repeal (2); and add (5) and (6) as follows: 22-2-134. Early childhood education - data - interagency agreement - rules - legislative declaration. (2) The working group shall adopt protocols by which the department of education, the department of human services, school districts, charter schools, the early childhood councils, as described in section 26-6.5-103.3, C.R.S., and the early childhood care and education councils, as defined in section 26-6.5-101.5 (6), C.R.S., shall cooperate in assigning the uniquely identifying student numbers. The working group shall also consider methods by which to encourage and facilitate the assignment of uniquely identifying student numbers to students who are receiving early childhood education services that are not subsidized by state or federal funding. (4) Following adoption of the protocols, The department of education shall work with the state department of human services and the office of information technology to establish and implement procedures to link the student data collected by publicly funded early childhood education programs with the student data collected by school districts and public schools in Colorado. The department of education shall begin implementing the procedures by October 1, 2014. The state board of education shall may promulgate rules pursuant to the "State Administrative Procedure Act", article 4 of title 24, C.R.S., as if necessary for the assignment of uniquely identifying student numbers to students receiving early childhood education services to implement the procedures. If the state board promulgates rules as provided in this subsection (4), it shall collaborate with the state board of human services in promulgating rules as provided in this subsection (4) to ensure that they the rules do not conflict with any rules promulgated by the state board of human services pursuant to section 26-6-121, C.R.S. (5) For purposes of this section, "publicly funded early childhood education programs" include, but need not be limited to: (a) A head start program; (b) Early intervention services funded through part C of the federal "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act", 20 U.S.C. sec. 1400 et seq.; (c) An early childhood education program that is available through the Colorado child care assistance program as provided in part 8 of article 2 of title 26, C.R.S.; and (d) An early childhood education program that receives funding through the school-readiness quality improvement program pursuant to section 26-6.5-106, C.R.S. (6) (a) The general assembly finds that linking the student data collected by publicly funded early childhood education programs with the student data collected by school districts and public schools is necessary for the analysis of publicly funded early childhood education programs and to measure the return to the state on investments in early childhood education, the effectiveness of early childhood education in preparing students for kindergarten, the longevity of the effects of early childhood education, and students' academic growth from preschool through secondary school and high school graduation. (b) The general assembly declares that, for purposes of article IX of the state constitution, linking student data collected by publicly funded early childhood education programs with student data collected by school districts and public schools in the state is an important element in implementing accountability reporting and may therefore receive funding from the state education fund created in section 17 (4) of article IX of the state constitution. SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 26-6-121, amend (3); repeal (2); and add (4) as follows: 26-6-121. Early childhood education - data - interagency agreement - rules. (2) The working group shall adopt protocols by which the department of education, the department of human services, school districts, charter schools, the early childhood councils, as described in section 26-6.5-103.3, and the early childhood care and education councils, as defined in section 26-6.5-101.5 (6), shall cooperate in assigning the uniquely identifying student numbers. The working group shall also consider methods by which to encourage and facilitate the assignment of uniquely identifying student numbers to students who are receiving early childhood education services that are not subsidized by state or federal funding. (3) Following adoption of the protocols, The state department of human services shall work with the department of education and the office of information technology to establish and implement procedures to link the student data collected by publicly funded early childhood education programs with the student data collected by the school districts and public schools in Colorado. The state department of human services shall begin implementing the procedures by October 1, 2014. The state board shall may promulgate rules pursuant to the "State Administrative Procedure Act", article 4 of title 24, C.R.S., as if necessary for the assignment of uniquely identifying student numbers to students receiving early childhood education services to implement the procedures. If the state board promulgates rules as provided in this subsection (3), it shall collaborate with the state board of education in promulgating necessary rules to ensure that they the rules do not conflict with any rules promulgated by the state board of education pursuant to section 22-2-134, C.R.S. (4) For purposes of this section, "publicly funded early childhood education programs" include, but need not be limited to: (a) A head start program; (b) Early intervention services funded through part C of the federal "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act", 20 U.S.C. sec. 1400 et seq.; (c) An early childhood education program that is available through the Colorado child care assistance program as provided in part 8 of article 2 of this title; and (d) An early childhood education program that receives funding through the school-readiness quality improvement program pursuant to section 26-6.5-106. SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-37.5-105, amend (3) (k) and (3) (l); and add (3) (m) as follows: 24-37.5-105. Office - responsibilities - rules - repeal. (3) The office shall: (k) Develop a comprehensive risk assessment that will be applied to every new information technology project to assess risk levels related to the project and determine whether the project should be classified as a major information technology project; and (l) Assist the joint technology committee as necessary to facilitate the committee's oversight of the office; and (m) Work with the department of education and the state department of human services to establish and implement procedures to link the student data collected by publicly funded early childhood education programs with the student data collected by the school districts and public schools in Colorado. The office shall begin implementing the procedures by October 1, 2014. SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 26-6.5-203, add (2) (a.5) as follows: 26-6.5-203. Early childhood and school readiness legislative commission - creation - membership - duties - funding. (2) (a.5) Beginning in 2014, the commission shall annually meet with persons from the department of education and the state department of human services to receive a briefing on the departments' progress in implementing the process required in section 22-2-134, C.R.S., and section 26-6-121 for linking the student data collected by publicly funded early childhood education programs with the student data collected by school districts and public schools and the departments' use of the data in analyzing early childhood education programs. 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.