BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Martinez and Lukens, Bacon, Bird, Boesenecker, Brown, Camacho, Clifford, Duran, English, Gonzalez R., Hamrick, Lieder, Lindsay, Marshall, Mauro, McCormick, Phillips, Rydin, Smith, Stewart K., Story, Titone, Zokaie, McCluskie;
also SENATOR(S) Rich and Michaelson Jenet, Amabile, Ball, Bridges, Catlin, Cutter, Daugherty, Exum, Gonzales J., Jodeh, Kipp, Mullica, Roberts, Wallace.
Concerning expanding work-based learning experiences in higher education.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly finds and declares that:
(a) Colorado has continued to improve access to high-quality work-based learning through the creation of tools like the work-based learning continuum, work-based learning quality expectations, and the talent development glossary;
(b) The Colorado department of higher education and the Colorado commission on higher education find that work-based learning opportunities significantly enhance a student's exposure to the workforce and empower students with the skills necessary to succeed in a rapidly evolving economy; and
(c) The Colorado department of higher education and the Colorado commission on higher education find that work-based learning opportunities are a critical element of postsecondary success and blur the lines between K-12 education, postsecondary education, and the workplace in all fields;
(2) The general assembly finds, therefore, that Colorado's learners and earners will be well-served by the expansion of work-based learning opportunities that are strategically developed, monitored, and continuously improved, and function as a part of an intentionally designed and managed effort among institutions of higher education, program design experts, workforce development and economic experts, and industry leaders, particularly industry leader employers in high-demand fields.
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add article 82 to title 23 as follows:
ARTICLE 82
Work-based Learning Consortium
Pilot Program
23-82-101. Definitions.As used in this article 82, unless the context otherwise requires:
(1) "Consortium" means the work-based learning consortium convened pursuant to section 23-82-102 (2)(a).
(2) "Department" means the department of higher education created and existing pursuant to section 24-1-114.
(3) "Fund" means the higher education work-based learning consortium fund.
(4) "Institution of higher education" means:
(a) A state institution of higher education, as defined in section 23-18-102, or an accredited campus of a state institution of higher education;
(b) A participating private institution of higher education, as defined in section 23-18-102;
(c) A local district college, as defined in section 23-71-102; and
(d) An area technical college, as defined in section 23-60-103.
(5) "Industry-sponsored projects" means projects that create a high-quality opportunity for students in which the work-based learning content will enhance educational learning objects of the project and courses to which the project is applied. "Industry-sponsored projects" are a type of work-based learning.
(6) "Pilot program" means the work-based learning consortium pilot program created in section 23-82-102 (1).
(7) "Work-based learning" has the same meaning as set forth in section 8-83-601.
23-82-102. Work-based learning consortium pilot program - created - duties - repeal. (1) The work-based learning consortium pilot program is created in the department. Upon receiving sufficient funds as described in section 23-82-104 (1), the department shall establish, implement, manage, and maintain the work-based learning consortium pilot program.
(2) The purpose of the pilot program is to:
(a) Demonstrate the value of work-based learning in postsecondary curricula by studying the impact of industry-sponsored projects on course objectives and learning outcomes;
(b) Promote the adoption of work-based learning in higher education by working with faculty at participating institutions of higher education to embed project-based learning opportunities into credit-bearing programs;
(c) Provide broader access to collegiate work-based learning for students;
(d) Measure the impact of work-based learning on participating students; and
(e) Learn how institutions of higher education can increase the value of postsecondary education through career exposure and preparedness.
(3) (a) Pending the receipt of sufficient funds, the department shall convene a consortium of the following representatives after the effective date of this section:
(I) At least three representatives from each participating institution of higher education, who may be participating faculty members, leaders from a career center, chief academic officers, or provosts;
(II) A member from the Colorado commission on higher education;
(III) Members of the Colorado department of labor and employment;
(IV) A member of the Colorado department of education; and
(V) A local or national subject matter expert with experience implementing work-based learning.
(b) The consortium shall meet for three years after the effective date of this section.
(c) The department shall select the participating institutions of higher education described in subsection (3)(a) of this section based on available funding and other criteria established by the department.
(d) The department shall work with the Colorado department of labor and employment and the office of economic development, as relevant subject matter experts, to facilitate employer engagement and to promote industry-sponsored projects.
(e) The members of the consortium serve without compensation and without reimbursement for expenses.
(f) Subject to available funding, faculty participants from participating institutions of higher education may receive a stipend from the fund.
(4) The consortium shall:
(a) Work with each participating institution of higher education's faculty to embed industry-sponsored projects in course curriculum that meet the work-based learning quality standards established pursuant to section 8-83-602 (5);
(b) Work with the department to determine the impact of industry-sponsored projects;
(c) Work with a third-party platform to connect faculty from participating institutions to employers for the purpose of developing high-quality project-based learning opportunities for classroom instruction;
(d) Advise the Colorado commission on higher education on strategies to improve student access to high-quality, work-based learning opportunities for students based on participating faculty members' experience embedding industry-sponsored projects into curriculum;
(e) Develop best practices for institutions of higher education to expand access to work-based learning in the classroom through industry-sponsored projects; and
(f) Develop findings and recommendations based on the consortium's duties described in this subsection (4).
(5) The third-party platform described in subsection (4)(c) of this section must:
(a) Work, as necessary, with the department of labor and employment, institutions of higher educations' career services and workforce development teams, the office of economic development, and the department to recruit industries to participate in industry-sponsored projects;
(b) Work with each participating institution of higher education's faculty to support their work aligning industry-sponsored projects with existing content and curricula, including, but not limited to:
(I) Using models tailored to different disciplines, student-team collaboration frameworks, including project guidelines and expectations and faculty-integrated experiential learning models;
(II) Partnering with each participating institution of higher education's career services or workforce development team and faculty and staff to develop a strategy to grow their industry and employer networks;
(III) Working with participating institutions of higher education to develop new employer engagement strategies to expand industry collaboration;
(IV) Providing an online platform for structured work-based learning opportunities, including industry-sponsored projects that are shared with participating institutions of higher education;
(V) Providing project-based learning models to support program development;
(VI) Providing relevant data regarding the effectiveness of the pilot program and its impact; and
(VII) Providing institutional support and training, including support for faculty through training workshops on integrating experiential learning into curricula; a custom consortium dashboard for tracking projects, student progress, and institutional engagement; best practice guides for scaling across programs and departments; and a resource hub with case studies.
(6) (a) No later than three years after the effective date of this section, the consortium shall complete and submit a report to the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate, or their successor committees, on the following:
(I) A description of the consortium's findings and recommendations described in subsection (4)(f) of this section;
(II) The details of the consortium's impacts on participating institutions of higher education and the effects of creating additional work-based learning activities on students, faculty, and employers; and
(III) Recommendations for statutory changes, financial resources, department policy changes, and institutions of higher education policy changes necessary to improve successful work-based learning opportunities for students enrolled in institutions of higher education.
(b) This subsection (6) is repealed, effective June 30, 2031.
23-82-103. Higher education work-based consortium fund - gifts, grants, and donations. (1) The department may seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations from private or public sources for the purposes of this article 82. The department shall transmit all money received through gifts, grants, or donations to the state treasurer, who shall credit the money to the higher education work-based learning consortium fund created in this section.
(2) The department may accept donations of in-kind services for the purposes of this section, including for technical assistance.
(3) The higher education work-based learning consortium fund is created in the state treasury. The fund consists of gifts, grants, and donations credited to the fund pursuant to subsection (1) of this section and any other money that the general assembly may appropriate or transfer to the fund. The state treasurer shall credit all interest and income derived from the deposit and investment of money in the fund to the fund.
(4) Money in the fund is continuously appropriated to the department for purposes of this article 82.
(5) (a) If, by June 30, 2028, the money in the fund has never reached or exceeded two million dollars, the state treasurer shall return each grantor's or donor's gift, grant, or donation.
(b) If section 23-82-102 takes effect pursuant to section 23-82-104 (1), on the day prior to the repeal of the fund three years later pursuant to section 23-82-104 (2), the state treasurer shall return from the fund to each grantor or donor the money remaining in the fund in an amount that is proportional to the grantor's or donor's share of the total amount of gifts, grants, or donations deposited to the fund.
(c) If any money remains in the fund after the state treasurer returns money to donors or grantors as described in subsection (5)(a) or (5)(b) of this section, as applicable, the state treasurer shall, prior to the repeal of the fund, transfer all unexpended and unencumbered money in the fund to the general fund.
23-82-104. Effective dates - repeal of part - notice to revisor of statutes. (1) Section 23-82-102 will take effect if the fund receives two million dollars in gifts, grants, or donations for purposes of this article 82. The executive director of the department of higher education shall notify the revisor of statutes in writing of the date when the condition specified in this section has occurred by emailing the notice to revisorofstatutes.ga@coleg.gov. Section 23-82-102 takes effect upon the date identified in the notice that the department receives two million dollars in gifts, grants, or donations for purposes of this section or, if the notice does not specify that date, upon the date of the notice to the revisor of statutes.
(2) This article 82 is repealed, effective July 1, 2031; except that, if the revisor of statutes receives notice pursuant to this section, then this article 82 is repealed, effective three years after section 23-82-102 takes effect.
SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add article 83 to title 23 as follows:
ARTICLE 83
Collegiate Work-based Learning
23-83-101. Definitions.As used in this article 83, unless the context otherwise requires:
(1) "Commission" has the same meaning as set forth in section 23-1-101.1.
(2) "Department" means the department of higher education created and existing pursuant to section 24-1-114.
(3) "Institution of higher education" means:
(a) A state institution of higher education, as defined in section 23-18-102, or an accredited campus of a state institution of higher education;
(b) A participating private institution of higher education, as defined in section 23-18-102;
(c) A local district college, as defined in section 23-71-102; and
(d) An area technical college, as defined in section 23-60-103.
(4) "Talent development glossary" means a tool created and maintained by the Colorado workforce development council to define terms related to talent development.
(5) "Work-based learning" has the same meaning as set forth in section 8-83-601.
(6) "Work-based learning quality expectations" means the tool created pursuant to section 8-83-602 (5) that describes a variety of strategies to offer learners experiential, career-connected opportunities. The activities promote learning about work, learning through work, and learning at work.
23-83-102. Collegiate work-based learning - talent development glossary. (1) On or before November 1, 2026, the commission shall recommend a list of terms used by institutions of higher education related to work-based learning to the Colorado workforce development council for inclusion in the talent development glossary.
(2) The purpose of the list of terms is to:
(a) Augment the talent development glossary so that collegiate work-based learning activities are accurately reflected in statewide efforts to promote work-based learning; and
(b) Demonstrate to institutions of higher education relevant opportunities to participate in statewide efforts to promote work-based learning.
(3) The list of terms must be developed in partnership with the institutions of higher education, the Colorado workforce development council, nonprofit organizations, and institutional faculty with experience developing collegiate work-based learning opportunities.
(4) (a) On or before July 1, 2026, the commission shall work with institutions of higher education; the Colorado workforce development council; the department of education; the consortium created pursuant to section 23-82-102 (3)(a), if section 23-82-102 becomes effective pursuant to section 23-82-104 (1); nonprofit organizations; industry associations; and businesses to develop recommendations on how to best embed work-based learning opportunities into current degree pathways.
(b) The recommendations described in subsection (4)(a) of this section must be used to inform the review and revision of work-based learning quality expectations set forth in section 8-83-602 (5).
(5) On or before December 31, 2026, the department shall work in collaboration with institutions of higher education to identify which work-based learning activities are measurable and how to best report work-based learning activities by considering the appropriate data standards, methodology of data collection, and the frequency of reporting.
SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 23-3.3-401, amend (1); and add (4) as follows:
23-3.3-401. Work-study program established - requirements. (1) The commission shall use a portion of any moneysmoney remaining after meeting the requirements of this part 4 and parts 2 and 3 of this articlearticle 3.3 to provide a work-study program of employment of qualifying students in good standing with the institution in which they are enrolled in positions that are directly under the control of the institution in which the student is enrolled or in positions with nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies, or for-profit organizations with which the institution may execute student employment contracts.
(4) Institutions of higher education that are eligible for the work-study program may use work-study program money to cover the costs of work-based learning credits for students who are required to complete credit-bearing work-based learning requirements to graduate from an institution of higher education. Funding used for the purposes of this subsection (4) is exempt from the requirements to use a student employment contract.
SECTION 5. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-48.5-502, amend (3)(c), (3)(d), and (3)(f) as follows:
24-48.5-502. Universal high school scholarship program - established - administration - cash fund - eligibility. (3) (c) The state treasurer shall transfer all unexpended and unencumbered money in the cash fund on December 30, 2026June 30, 2027, to the general fund.
(d) For state fiscal year 2023-24, the general assembly shall appropriate twenty-five million dollars from the cash fund for the program. Any unexpended or unencumbered money appropriated pursuant to this subsection (3)(d) remains available for expenditure for the same purpose in the 2024-252025-26 state fiscal year without further appropriation. Except as otherwise permitted in this subsection (3), the office shall use the money for scholarship awards.
(f) The office may, on or before December 31, 2023, allocate money from the program appropriation for the direct and indirect costs associated with the administration of the program; except that expenditures for administrative costs shall not exceed six percent of the total appropriation. The office shall use the money described in this subsection (3)(f) that was not allocated for administrative costs on or before December 31, 2023, for scholarship awards.Expenditures for the administrative costs of the program must not exceed one million five hundred thousand dollars.
SECTION 6. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 24-48.5-506 as follows:
24-48.5-506. Repeal of part. This part 5 is repealed, effective December 31, 2026July 1, 2027.
SECTION 7. Act subject to petition - effective date. 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; 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 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.
Signed By: Julie McCluskie, Speaker of the House of Representatives
Signed By: James Rashad Coleman, Sr., President of the Senate
Signed By: Vanessa Reilly, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives
Signed By: Esther van Mourik, Secretary of the Senate
Signed By: Jared S. Polis, Governor of the State of Colorado