A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning the implementation of an online platform to
Page 1, Line 102provide students pursuing postsecondary education
Page 1, Line 103with information about academic credit transfers.
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 requires the department of higher education (department), subject to available appropriations, to develop and maintain a free, publicly accessible online platform (platform) to provide current and potential students who are pursuing postsecondary education in Colorado with relevant information about which credits and courses, work-related experiences, and prior learning opportunities are transferable to or between the state's public institutions of higher education (institution).
On or before January 1, 2026, an institution shall submit to the department for inclusion in the platform:
- A comprehensive record of the institution's most recent awards of postsecondary transfer credit for all courses that the institution has identified as having learning outcomes equivalent to corresponding offerings at other institutions; and
- Descriptions of work-related experiences or prior learning opportunities for which the institution awards postsecondary academic credit.
Using the data provided by an institution, the department shall include in the platform information about the transferability to or between institutions for several sources of postsecondary academic credit. These sources include courses in the statewide common course numbering system, now referred to as the guaranteed transfer pathway matrix, and credits earned through various standardized tests.
A not-for-profit private institution of higher education may, but is not required to, submit applicable information for inclusion in the platform.
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 23-1-125.5 as
Page 2, Line 3follows:
Page 2, Line 423-1-125.5. Department directive - statewide transfer credit
Page 2, Line 5online platform - funding - definitions. (1) As used in this section,
Page 2, Line 6unless the context otherwise requires:
Page 2, Line 7(a) "Advanced placement exam" means the final
Page 2, Line 8examination administered at the completion of a course that
Page 2, Line 9delivers a college-level curriculum in a particular field of
Page 2, Line 10study and that may result in awarding postsecondary academic
Page 2, Line 11credit based on the score achieved on the end-of-course
Page 2, Line 12examination.
Page 2, Line 13(b) "College level examination program exam" or "CLEP
Page 3, Line 1exam" means a standardized test created and administered by
Page 3, Line 2the College Board that may result in awarding postsecondary
Page 3, Line 3academic credit based on the score achieved. A test taker who
Page 3, Line 4has acquired comprehensive subject knowledge through
Page 3, Line 5independent or prior study, on-the-job training, or cultural
Page 3, Line 6pursuits may demonstrate an understanding of college-level
Page 3, Line 7material by achieving a certain score on the CLEP exam.
Page 3, Line 8(c) "DANTES Subject Standardized Test" or "DSST" means
Page 3, Line 9a credit-by-examination, subject matter test originated by the
Page 3, Line 10United States department of defense's Defense Activity for
Page 3, Line 11Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) program that
Page 3, Line 12may result in awarding postsecondary academic credit.
Page 3, Line 13(d) "General education course" means a lower-division
Page 3, Line 14course offered by an institution that any degree-seeking
Page 3, Line 15student enrolled at the institution must successfully complete
Page 3, Line 16in order to obtain an associate or a bachelor's degree from the
Page 3, Line 17institution.
Page 3, Line 18(e) "Guaranteed transfer pathway matrix" means a group
Page 3, Line 19of general education courses or lower-division courses required
Page 3, Line 20for a specific program at the institution that every student
Page 3, Line 21enrolled in the specific program at the institution must
Page 3, Line 22successfully complete in order to transfer to or from an
Page 3, Line 23institution and that has equivalent learning outcomes as the
Page 3, Line 24same level of courses offered by another institution.
Page 3, Line 25(f) "Institution of higher education" or "institution"
Page 3, Line 26means a state institution of higher education as defined in
Page 3, Line 27section 23-18-102 (10)(a), a local district college created
Page 4, Line 1pursuant to article 71 of this title 23, or an area technical
Page 4, Line 2college as defined in section 23-60-103.
Page 4, Line 3(g) "International baccalaureate" means a program of
Page 4, Line 4international education offered to high school students by a
Page 4, Line 5nonprofit educational foundation that may result in awarding
Page 4, Line 6postsecondary academic credit.
Page 4, Line 7(h) "Lower-division course" means a course numbered from
Page 4, Line 8one hundred to two hundred ninety-nine or one thousand to two
Page 4, Line 9thousand nine hundred ninety-nine.
Page 4, Line 10(i) "Reverse transfer" means a process that permits
Page 4, Line 11students who transferred from a two-year institution to a
Page 4, Line 12four-year institution to combine credits and apply the credits
Page 4, Line 13toward an associate degree from the two-year institution.
Page 4, Line 14(j) "Statewide transfer articulation agreement" means an
Page 4, Line 15agreement among all of the state institutions of higher
Page 4, Line 16education for the transfer of an associate of arts or an
Page 4, Line 17associate of science degree. A statewide transfer articulation
Page 4, Line 18agreement applies to common degree programs and specifies the
Page 4, Line 19common terms, conditions, and expectations for a student
Page 4, Line 20enrolled in a statewide degree transfer program.
Page 4, Line 21(2) Subject to available appropriations or money from
Page 4, Line 22other sources, the department shall develop, implement,
Page 4, Line 23manage, and maintain a free, publicly accessible online platform
Page 4, Line 24to provide a current or potential student pursuing
Page 4, Line 25postsecondary education in Colorado with relevant
Page 4, Line 26information to assist the student in understanding which credits
Page 4, Line 27and courses, work-related experiences, and prior learning
Page 5, Line 1opportunities, as awarded postsecondary academic credit, are
Page 5, Line 2transferable to or between the state's institutions.
Page 5, Line 3(3) (a) On or before January 1, 2026, an institution may
Page 5, Line 4submit to the department for inclusion in the online platform:
Page 5, Line 5(I) A comprehensive record of the institution's awards
Page 5, Line 6of postsecondary transfer credit for each semester or term
Page 5, Line 7beginning with the fall 2023 semester or term for all courses
Page 5, Line 8that the institution has identified through the institution's
Page 5, Line 9current transfer and course articulation process as having
Page 5, Line 10learning outcomes equivalent to corresponding courses at
Page 5, Line 11other Colorado institutions; and
Page 5, Line 12(II) Descriptions of the institution's policy on
Page 5, Line 13work-related experiences or work-based learning, the
Page 5, Line 14institution's policy on prior learning opportunities, and the
Page 5, Line 15industry-recognized credentials, licenses, or apprenticeship
Page 5, Line 16certificates for which the institution awards postsecondary
Page 5, Line 17academic credit, including learning opportunities from
Page 5, Line 18work-related experience for which the institution awards
Page 5, Line 19postsecondary academic credit for courses in the guaranteed
Page 5, Line 20transfer pathway matrix or a statewide transfer articulation
Page 5, Line 21agreement described pursuant to section 23-5-145.5.
Page 5, Line 22(b) To ensure the accuracy of the information reflected
Page 5, Line 23in the online platform, each institution may update the
Page 5, Line 24information identified in subsection (3)(a) of this section on a
Page 5, Line 25schedule to be ongoing as determined by the department in
Page 5, Line 26consultation with the institutions.
Page 5, Line 27(4) Using statewide data provided by institutions, the
Page 6, Line 1department shall include in the online platform, pending the
Page 6, Line 2availability of data, information about the transferability to
Page 6, Line 3or between institutions for the following sources of
Page 6, Line 4postsecondary academic credit:
Page 6, Line 5(a) All courses in the guaranteed transfer pathway
Page 6, Line 6matrix system;
Page 6, Line 7(b) All courses in statewide transfer articulation
Page 6, Line 8agreement pathways;
Page 6, Line 9(c) All reverse transfer courses;
Page 6, Line 10(d) All advanced placement exam cut-off scores
Page 6, Line 11demonstrating the level of proficiency required for a student
Page 6, Line 12to receive general education credit in a course in the
Page 6, Line 13guaranteed transfer pathway matrix;
Page 6, Line 14(e) All international baccalaureate exam cut-off scores
Page 6, Line 15demonstrating the level of proficiency required for a student
Page 6, Line 16to receive general education credit in a course in the
Page 6, Line 17guaranteed transfer pathway matrix;
Page 6, Line 18(f) All CLEP exam cut-off scores demonstrating the level
Page 6, Line 19of proficiency required for a student to receive general
Page 6, Line 20education credit in a course in the guaranteed transfer
Page 6, Line 21pathway matrix; and
Page 6, Line 22(g) All DSST exam cut-off scores demonstrating the level
Page 6, Line 23of proficiency required for a student to receive general
Page 6, Line 24education credit in a course in the guaranteed transfer
Page 6, Line 25pathway matrix.
Page 6, Line 26(5) The department shall design and implement a
Page 6, Line 27statewide database to store and organize the information
Page 7, Line 1obtained pursuant to subsections (3) and (4) of this section to
Page 7, Line 2populate the online platform.
Page 7, Line 3(6) A private institution of higher education, as defined in
Page 7, Line 4section 23-18-102, may, but is not required to, submit applicable
Page 7, Line 5information pursuant to subsections (3) and (4) of this section
Page 7, Line 6for inclusion in the online platform.
Page 7, Line 7(7) The department shall review existing transfer
Page 7, Line 8resources and policies of institutions of higher education and
Page 7, Line 9participating private institutions of higher education to inform
Page 7, Line 10the development of the online platform.
Page 7, Line 11(8) The department shall work with institutions of higher
Page 7, Line 12education and participating private institutions of higher
Page 7, Line 13education to test the functionality of the online platform and
Page 7, Line 14the accuracy of the online platform's content before
Page 7, Line 15publication.
Page 7, Line 16(9) As a resource for prospective students, information
Page 7, Line 17published on the online platform does not constitute a
Page 7, Line 18guarantee of admission to an institution or a guarantee that a
Page 7, Line 19first-time or transfer student meets criteria for admission
Page 7, Line 20established pursuant to section 23-1-113 or institution policy.
Page 7, Line 21(10) The department may seek, accept, and expend gifts,
Page 7, Line 22grants, or donations from private or public sources for the
Page 7, Line 23purposes of the development, implementation, management, and
Page 7, Line 24maintenance of the online platform. The department shall
Page 7, Line 25transmit all money received through gifts, grants, or donations
Page 7, Line 26to the state treasurer, who shall credit the money to the
Page 7, Line 27postsecondary transfer credit platform cash fund, which fund
Page 8, Line 1is created in the state treasury. The fund consists of gifts,
Page 8, Line 2grants, or donations credited to the fund and any other money
Page 8, Line 3that the general assembly may appropriate or transfer to the
Page 8, Line 4fund. The state treasurer shall credit all interest and income
Page 8, Line 5derived from the deposit and investment of money in the
Page 8, Line 6postsecondary transfer credit platform cash fund to the fund.
Page 8, Line 7Subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly, the
Page 8, Line 8department may expend money from the fund for the purposes of
Page 8, Line 9this section.
Page 8, Line 10SECTION 2. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act
Page 8, Line 11takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the
Page 8, Line 12ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except
Page 8, Line 13that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V
Page 8, Line 14of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this
Page 8, Line 15act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take
Page 8, Line 16effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in
Page 8, Line 17November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the
Page 8, Line 18official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.