First Regular Session
Sixty-second General Assembly
LLS NO. 99-0221.01 Julie Pelegrin SENATE BILL 99-059
STATE OF COLORADO
BY SENATOR Evans;
also REPRESENTATIVES Kaufman and Gotlieb.
EDUCATION
A BILL FOR AN ACT
101 CONCERNING CREATION OF THE COLORADO SCHOLAR PROGRAM.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
not necessarily reflect any amendments that may be subsequently
adopted.)
Creates the Colorado scholar program to reward 10th and 12th
grade students who perform at the proficient or greater level on statewide
assessments in the areas of reading, writing, and mathematics. Specifies
those students who qualify as Colorado scholars. Directs the state
department of education to award certificates to Colorado scholars.
Requires each Colorado scholar's transcript to identify him or her as such
and state his or her level of achievement on the statewide assessment.
Directs that each Colorado scholar, and certain students who do
not qualify as Colorado scholars but show high achievement, shall be
admitted to any state institution of higher education upon graduation from
high school and completion of any subject area requirements.
Makes a conforming amendment.
1 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
2 SECTION 1. Part 4 of article 7 of title 22, Colorado Revised
3 Statutes, is amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION to
4 read:
5 22-7-409.5. Colorado scholar program - creation. (1) THE
6 GENERAL ASSEMBLY HEREBY FINDS THAT STUDENTS SHOULD BE
7 RECOGNIZED AND REWARDED FOR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE ON THE
[ ] denotes HOUSE amendment. { } denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters indicate new material to be added to existing statute.
Dashes through the words indicate material to be deleted from existing statute.
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1 STATEWIDE ASSESSMENTS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THEM WITH INCENTIVES
2 FOR HIGH ACHIEVEMENT. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FURTHER FINDS THAT
3 CREATION OF A PROGRAM TO RECOGNIZE OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE ON
4 THE STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT CAN PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO COLORADO'S
5 INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION AS THEY CONSIDER STUDENT
6 APPLICATIONS AND TO COLORADO'S BUSINESSES AS THEY CONSIDER
7 PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES. FINALLY, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS THAT
8 REWARDING HIGH ACHIEVEMENT ON THE STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT MAY
9 PROVIDE INCENTIVES FOR STUDENTS TO REMAIN IN COLORADO AND
10 CONTRIBUTE THEIR SKILLS AND TALENTS, THEREBY IMPROVING THE
11 WORKFORCE AND ENRICHING THE CITIZENRY OF THE STATE. FOR THESE
12 PURPOSES, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HEREBY ESTABLISHES THE COLORADO
13 SCHOLAR PROGRAM TO RECOGNIZE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO HAVE
14 DEMONSTRATED PROFICIENT OR GREATER ACHIEVEMENT IN THE AREAS OF
15 READING, WRITING, AND MATHEMATICS.
16 (2) AS USED IN THIS SECTION, UNLESS THE CONTEXT OTHERWISE
17 REQUIRES:
18 (a) "COLORADO SCHOLAR" MEANS A STUDENT WHO MEETS THE
19 QUALIFICATIONS SPECIFIED IN SUBSECTION (3) OF THIS SECTION FOR
20 PARTICIPATION IN THE COLORADO SCHOLAR PROGRAM.
21 (b) "STATE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION" MEANS A
22 POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION, INCLUDING ANY
23 COMMUNITY, JUNIOR, OR VOCATIONAL COLLEGE THAT IS IN THE STATE
24 SYSTEM OF COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGES, ESTABLISHED AND
25 EXISTING PURSUANT TO LAW AS AN AGENCY OF THE STATE OF COLORADO
26 AND SUPPORTED WHOLLY OR IN PART BY TAX REVENUES.
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1 (3) IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COLORADO SCHOLAR
2 PROGRAM, A STUDENT SHALL:
3 (a) ACHIEVE RATINGS OF PROFICIENT OR GREATER IN EACH OF THE
4 SUBJECTS OF READING, WRITING, AND MATHEMATICS ON THE STATEWIDE
5 ASSESSMENT ADMINISTERED TO TENTH GRADE STUDENTS PURSUANT TO
6 SECTION 22-7-409 (1) (e); OR
7 (b) ACHIEVE ADVANCED RATINGS IN EACH OF THE SUBJECTS OF
8 READING, WRITING, AND MATHEMATICS ON THE STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT
9 ADMINISTERED TO CERTAIN TWELFTH GRADE STUDENTS PURSUANT TO
10 SECTION 22-7-409 (1.5).
11 (4) (a) EACH COLORADO SCHOLAR SHALL RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE
12 IDENTIFYING HIM OR HER AS A COLORADO SCHOLAR. THE COLORADO
13 SCHOLAR CERTIFICATE SHALL BE PRESENTED BY THE DEPARTMENT AND
14 SHALL BE SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR, THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD, THE
15 SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE
16 SENATE.
17 (b) EACH COLORADO SCHOLAR'S TRANSCRIPT SHALL IDENTIFY HIM
18 OR HER AS A COLORADO SCHOLAR AND SPECIFY THE RATING ACHIEVED BY
19 THE COLORADO SCHOLAR IN EACH OF THE AREAS OF READING, WRITING,
20 AND MATHEMATICS ON THE STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT ADMINISTERED
21 PURSUANT TO SECTION 22-7-409 (1) (e) OR (1.5), WHICHEVER IS
22 APPROPRIATE.
23 (5) (a) EACH COLORADO SCHOLAR SHALL BE ADMITTED TO ANY
24 STATE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION, CONDITIONAL UPON
25 SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL GRADUATION
26 REQUIREMENTS AND COMPLETION OF ANY SPECIFIC COURSE REQUIREMENTS
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1 ESTABLISHED BY THE STATE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
2 (b) ANY STUDENT WHO ACHIEVES A RATING OF PROFICIENT IN EACH
3 OF THE AREAS OF READING, WRITING, AND MATHEMATICS ON THE
4 STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT ADMINISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 22-7-409
5 (1.5) SHALL ALSO BE ADMITTED TO ANY STATE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER
6 EDUCATION AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (a) OF THIS SUBSECTION (5).
7 SECTION 2. 23-1-113, Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended
8 BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SUBSECTION to read:
9 23-1-113. Commission directive - admission standards for
10 baccalaureate and graduate institutions of higher education.
11 (4) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF THIS SECTION TO THE
12 CONTRARY, ALL STATE-SUPPORTED BACCALAUREATE AND GRADUATE
13 INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION SHALL ADMIT AS A FRESHMAN
14 STUDENT ANY PERSON IDENTIFIED AS A COLORADO SCHOLAR PURSUANT TO
15 SECTION 22-7-409.5, C.R.S., WHO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETES ALL
16 SECONDARY SCHOOL GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS AND COMPLETES ANY
17 SPECIFIC COURSE REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED BY THE STATE-SUPPORTED
18 BACCALAUREATE OR GRADUATE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
19 SECTION 3. Effective date. This act shall take effect at 12:01
20 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the ninety-day period after
21 final adjournment of the general assembly that is allowed for submitting
22 a referendum petition pursuant to article V, section 1 (3) of the state
23 constitution; except that, if a referendum petition is filed against this act
24 or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act,
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1 item, section, or part, if approved by the people, shall take effect on the
2 date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by proclamation of the
3 governor.