First Regular Session

Sixty-first General Assembly

LLS NO. 97­0282.01 JBB HOUSE BILL 97­1148

STATE OF COLORADO

BY REPRESENTATIVE S. Williams

EDUCATION

A BILL FOR AN ACT

CONCERNING INFORMATION REQUIRED TO BE INCLUDED WITH HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS.

Bill Summary

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not necessarily reflect any amendments which may be subsequently adopted.)

Requires each school district to imprint on or attach to high school diplomas:

• The number of days that a student was absent and the number of days that school was in session while the student attended high school;
• The student's cumulative grade point average during high school; and
• The student's score on the 11th grade district assessments for reading and mathematics.
  
  

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:

SECTION 1.  22­32­109.3 (1), Colorado Revised Statutes, 1995 Repl. Vol., as amended, is amended, and the said 22­32­109.3 is further amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SUBSECTION, to read:

22­32­109.3.  Board of education ­ specific duties ­ student records. (1)  Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2) OR (3) of this section, each school district, as required under section 24­72­204 (3), C.R.S., shall maintain the confidentiality of the addresses and telephone numbers of students enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools within the school district and any medical, psychological, sociological, and scholastic achievement data collected concerning individual students.

(3) (a)  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS AND DETERMINES THAT:

(I)  A CORRELATION EXISTS BETWEEN A STUDENT'S ATTENDANCE AND PERFORMANCE AT HIGH SCHOOL AND THE STUDENT'S LATER ATTENDANCE AND PERFORMANCE IN THE WORKPLACE;

(II)  CURRENTLY, FEW EMPLOYERS SEEK INFORMATION CONCERNING A PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEE'S ATTENDANCE AND PERFORMANCE AT HIGH SCHOOL;

(III)  MAKING SUCH INFORMATION MORE EASILY AVAILABLE TO EMPLOYERS MAY ASSIST THEM IN SELECTING QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES; AND

(IV)  ONCE STUDENTS LEARN THAT ATTENDANCE AND PERFORMANCE AT HIGH SCHOOL IS AN IMPORTANT CRITERIA FOR EMPLOYMENT, ATTENDANCE AND PERFORMANCE AT SCHOOLS MAY IMPROVE.

(b)  ON AND AFTER JANUARY 1, 1999, EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL REQUIRE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO BE IMPRINTED UPON OR ATTACHED TO ANY DIPLOMA ISSUED TO A STUDENT WHO SATISFACTORILY COMPLETES THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION FROM THE TWELFTH GRADE:

(I)  THE NUMBER OF DAYS THAT A STUDENT WAS ABSENT AND THE NUMBER OF DAYS THAT THE SCHOOL WAS IN SESSION DURING THE TIME PERIOD THAT THE STUDENT ATTENDED HIGH SCHOOL;

(II)  THE STUDENT'S CUMULATIVE GRADE POINT AVERAGE DURING HIGH SCHOOL; AND

(III)  THE STUDENT'S SCORE ON THE ELEVENTH GRADE ASSESSMENTS FOR READING AND MATHEMATICS ADMINISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 22­53­409 (3).

SECTION 2.  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.