A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning expanding work-based learning experiences in
Page 1, Line 102higher education.
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://leg.colorado.gov.)
The bill creates the work-based learning consortium pilot program (pilot program) in the department of higher education (department). The purpose of the pilot program is to develop and expand the integration of work-based learning experiences for students enrolled in higher education.
On or before July 1, 2026, or within 90 days after the department receives sufficient funding, the department shall convene a consortium consisting of a group of representatives from institutions of higher education to:
- Share best practices on improving access to quality work-based learning opportunities for students;
- Help participating institutions of higher education meet workforce needs in Colorado and connect academic learning with real-world experiences through career preparation and skill development for students; and
- Make recommendations to the general assembly and institutions of higher education on the best practices.
- A description of the consortium's findings and recommendations;
- Details on 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
- Recommendations for statutory changes, financial resources, department policy changes, and institution of higher education policy changes necessary to improve successful work-based learning opportunities for students in institutions of higher education.
Subject to available appropriations, at the end of the 3-year pilot program, the consortium shall complete and submit a report to the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate, or their successor committees. The report must include:
Funds appropriated to the commission on higher education (commission) may be used by the commission to cover the costs of work-based learning requirements for students who are required to complete credit-bearing work-based learning requirements to graduate from an institution of higher education.
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly finds and declares that:
Page 2, Line 3(a) To ensure the economic vitality of Colorado, every industry
Page 2, Line 4needs access to a skilled workforce and every Coloradan needs access to sustainable employment;
Page 2, Line 5(b) According to the 2024 Colorado workforce development
Page 3, Line 1council's talent pipeline report, Colorado ranks fourth among states in
Page 3, Line 2terms of its proportion of jobs that will require postsecondary education
Page 3, Line 3beyond high school in 2031. Of all jobs in Colorado, 73% of jobs will
Page 3, Line 4require some postsecondary education training beyond high school in 2031.
Page 3, Line 5(c) Research has shown that work-based learning leads students
Page 3, Line 6to develop essential skills, broadening a student's social capital and leading to job offers;
Page 3, Line 7(d) There is a strong connection between internships and
Page 3, Line 8college-level employment after graduation. Controlling for factors,
Page 3, Line 9including gender, race, ethnicity, and institutional characteristics,
Page 3, Line 10graduates who have had at least one internship are 48.5% less likely to be underemployed than graduates who did not have an internship.
Page 3, Line 11(e) Inequities in who can participate in work-based learning
Page 3, Line 12persist. Students who identify as women, Black, Hispanic, and
Page 3, Line 13first-generation are underrepresented in paid internships and overrepresented in unpaid internships.
Page 3, Line 14(f) The 2 largest barriers for students participating in an internship are the competing demands of college and existing work commitments;
Page 3, Line 15(g) Incorporating project-based and work-based learning
Page 3, Line 16opportunities into curriculum is one way to address competing demands
Page 3, Line 17and to reduce inequities in a student's ability to participate in a work-based learning experience;
Page 3, Line 18(h) Currently, faculty must work independently to integrate
Page 3, Line 19work-based learning into their curriculum and to develop partnerships
Page 3, Line 20with employers, which creates a heavy burden for faculty and results in
Page 3, Line 21an uneven inclusion of work-based learning across multiple subjects or courses; and
Page 4, Line 1(i) Colorado does not currently collect statewide data allowing the
Page 4, Line 2state to examine the effect postsecondary work-based learning experiences have on postsecondary post-graduate outcomes.
Page 4, Line 3(2) The general assembly finds, therefore, that to meet the current
Page 4, Line 4and future economic demands in Colorado, it is essential to eliminate
Page 4, Line 5barriers and create more work-based learning opportunities so students
Page 4, Line 6and employers can participate in and benefit from the postsecondary work-based learning experiences.
Page 4, Line 7SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add article 82 to title 23 as follows:
Page 4, Line 8ARTICLE 82
Work-based Learning Consortium
Page 4, Line 9Pilot Program
Page 4, Line 1023-82-101. Definitions.As used in this article 82, unless the context otherwise requires:
Page 4, Line 11(1) "Community of practice" means a group of people who
Page 4, Line 12share a common concern, set of problems, or an interest in a
Page 4, Line 13topic and who come together to fulfill both individual and group goals.
Page 4, Line 14(2) "Consortium" means the work-based learning consortium convened pursuant to section 23-82-102 (2)(a).
Page 4, Line 15(3) "Department" means the department of higher education created and existing pursuant to section 24-1-114.
Page 4, Line 16(4) "Institution of higher education" means:
Page 4, Line 17(a) A state institution of higher education, as defined in
Page 4, Line 18section 23-18-102, or an accredited campus of a state institution of higher education;
Page 5, Line 1(b) A participating private institution of higher education, as defined in section 23-18-102;
Page 5, Line 2(c) A local district college, as defined in section 23-71-102; and
Page 5, Line 3(d) An area technical college, as defined in section 23-60-103.
Page 5, Line 4(5) "Internship" means a form of experiential learning
Page 5, Line 5that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom
Page 5, Line 6with practical application and skills development in a professional workplace setting.
Page 5, Line 7(6) "Pilot program" means the work-based learning consortium pilot program created in section 23-82-102 (1).
Page 5, Line 8(7) "Work-based learning"means a continuum of activities
Page 5, Line 9that occur, in part or in whole, in the workplace, providing the
Page 5, Line 10learner with hands-on, real-world work experience. Within the
Page 5, Line 11work-based learning continuum, project-based learning
Page 5, Line 12provides experiences that may be embedded within the
Page 5, Line 13educational curriculum that help students learn about work and inform career decisions.
Page 5, Line 1423-82-102. Work-based learning consortium pilot program -
Page 5, Line 15created - duties. (1) The work-based learning consortium pilot
Page 5, Line 16program is created in the department. The department shall
Page 5, Line 17establish, implement, manage, and maintain the work-based
Page 5, Line 18learning consortium pilot program. The purpose of the pilot
Page 5, Line 19program is to develop and expand the integration of work-based
Page 5, Line 20learning experiences for students enrolled in higher education.
Page 6, Line 1(2) (a) On or before July 1, 2026, or within ninety days
Page 6, Line 2after the department receives sufficient funding from gifts,
Page 6, Line 3grants, or donations, the department shall convene a
Page 6, Line 4consortium of representatives from each of the higher
Page 6, Line 5education governing boards, each four-year institution of
Page 6, Line 6higher education, and a representative sample of the
Page 6, Line 7participating two-year institutions of higher education,
Page 6, Line 8participating area technical colleges, participating local
Page 6, Line 9district colleges, and participating private institutions of
Page 6, Line 10higher education. If sufficient funding is secured, the consortium must meet for three years.
Page 6, Line 11(b) The department shall select the participating
Page 6, Line 12institutions of higher education described in subsection (2)(a) of
Page 6, Line 13this section based on available funding and other criteria as established by the department.
Page 6, Line 14(c) The members of the consortium serve without compensation and without reimbursement for expenses.
Page 6, Line 15(3) (a) The consortium shall:
Page 6, Line 16(I) Share best practices on improving access to quality work-based learning opportunities for students;
Page 6, Line 17(II) Help participating institutions of higher education
Page 6, Line 18meet workforce needs in Colorado and connect academic
Page 6, Line 19learning with real-world experiences through career preparation and skill development for students; and
Page 6, Line 20(III) Make recommendations to the general assembly and
Page 6, Line 21institutions of higher education based on the best practices
Page 6, Line 22described in subsection (3)(a)(I) of this section.
Page 7, Line 1(b) Using a third-party platform, the consortium shall
Page 7, Line 2connect faculty with businesses to embed work-based learning opportunities into higher education curriculum.
Page 7, Line 3(c) The consortium shall serve as a community of practice
Page 7, Line 4and support faculty on how to best embed work-based learning opportunities into current degree pathways.
Page 7, Line 5(4) The department may seek, accept, and expend gifts,
Page 7, Line 6grants, or donations from private or public sources for the purposes of this article 82.
Page 7, Line 723-82-103. Reporting - repeal. (1) On or before December
Page 7, Line 82026, and annually thereafter, institutions of higher education
Page 7, Line 9shall provide to the department work-based learning data on
Page 7, Line 10students and degree programs using existing data collection mechanisms. The information must include, at a minimum:
Page 7, Line 11(a) Whether a course included work-based learning for each enrolled student; and
Page 7, Line 12(b) Whether a degree-granting program includes a work-based learning component.
Page 7, Line 13(2) The department shall collect data from each
Page 7, Line 14institution of higher education, subject to data availability, to report the following:
Page 7, Line 15(a) The number and percentage of degree programs that
Page 7, Line 16require a work-based learning or internship requirement for
Page 7, Line 17degree completion by institution of higher education and degree level;
Page 7, Line 18(b) The number and percentage of students who complete
Page 7, Line 19a credit-bearing work-based learning experience during their
Page 8, Line 1postsecondary program, disaggregated by first-generation
Page 8, Line 2status, full- and part-time enrollment status, transfer student
Page 8, Line 3status, federal Pell grant eligibility, race, ethnicity, and sex or gender;
Page 8, Line 4(c) The average number of credits earned that are
Page 8, Line 5associated with work-based learning experiences,
Page 8, Line 6disaggregated by first-generation status, full- and part-time
Page 8, Line 7enrollment status, transfer student status, federal Pell grant eligibility, race, ethnicity, and sex or gender;
Page 8, Line 8(d) Graduation rates, as available, for students who have
Page 8, Line 9a range of credits earned that are associated with work-based
Page 8, Line 10learning experiences, disaggregated by first-generation status,
Page 8, Line 11full- and part-time enrollment status, transfer student status,
Page 8, Line 12federal Pell grant eligibility, race, ethnicity, and sex or gender; and
Page 8, Line 13(e) Postgraduate outcomes, if available, for students who
Page 8, Line 14have a range of credit hours earned that are associated with
Page 8, Line 15work-based learning experiences, disaggregated by
Page 8, Line 16first-generation status, full- and part-time enrollment status,
Page 8, Line 17transfer student status, federal Pell grant eligibility, race, ethnicity, and sex or gender.
Page 8, Line 18(3) Beginning January 2027, and each January through
Page 8, Line 192030, the department shall include the data collected pursuant
Page 8, Line 20to subsections (1) and (2) of this section as part of the department's "SMART Act" hearing required by section 2-7-203.
Page 8, Line 21(4) (a) Subject to available appropriations, at the end of
Page 8, Line 22the three-year pilot program, the consortium shall complete
Page 9, Line 1and submit a report to the education committees of the house of
Page 9, Line 2representatives and the senate, or their successor committees. The report must include:
Page 9, Line 3(I) A description of the consortium's findings and recommendations pursuant to section 23-82-102 (3)(a)(III);
Page 9, Line 4(II) Details on the consortium's impacts on participating
Page 9, Line 5institutions of higher education and the effects of creating
Page 9, Line 6additional work-based learning activities on students, faculty, and employers; and
Page 9, Line 7(III) Recommendations for statutory changes, financial
Page 9, Line 8resources, department policy changes, and institution of higher
Page 9, Line 9education policy changes necessary to improve successful
Page 9, Line 10work-based learning opportunities for students in institutions of higher education.
Page 9, Line 11(b) This subsection (4) is repealed, effective June 30, 2028.
Page 9, Line 12SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 23-3.3-401, add (4) as follows:
Page 9, Line 1323-3.3-401. Work-study program established - requirements.
Page 9, Line 14(4) Funds appropriated to the commission may be used by the
Page 9, Line 15commission to cover the costs of work-based learning
Page 9, Line 16requirements for students who are required to complete
Page 9, Line 17credit-bearing work-based learning requirements to graduate
Page 9, Line 18from an institution of higher education. Funding used for the
Page 9, Line 19purposes of this subsection (4) is exempt from the requirements to use a student employment contract.
Page 9, Line 20SECTION 4. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act
Page 9, Line 21takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the
Page 10, Line 1ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except
Page 10, Line 2that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V
Page 10, Line 3of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this
Page 10, Line 4act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take
Page 10, Line 5effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in
Page 10, Line 6November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.