A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning the designation of state institutions of higher
Page 1, Line 102education as thriving institutions.
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) to:
- Identify institutions of higher education (institutions) that meet the definition and outcome standards to be designated as a thriving institution;
- Notify each institution that meets the outcome standards to be designated as a thriving institution and request the institution to respond within 10 calendar days with the institution's decision of whether to be recognized as a thriving institution;
- Post on the department's website the names of the institutions that earn a thriving institution designation and agree to be listed as a thriving institution; and
- Notify the general assembly of the names of the institutions that are recognized as thriving institutions.
The bill requires the department to establish an advisory committee to provide input to the department on the outcome and recognition standards, and continuous improvements set by the department to identify institutions that meet the requirements for one or more thriving institution designations.
The bill requires the advisory committee to submit a report to the department summarizing the outcome standards for thriving institution designations determined by the advisory committee, practices and continuous improvement efforts, and recommendations for policy or resource alignment to support the state's attainment and workforce goals. The department is required to include this report as part of its "SMART Act" hearing and submit the report to the Colorado commission on higher education and to each institution of higher education's governing board.
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
Page 2, Line 3finds and declares that:
Page 2, Line 4(a) Expanding educational opportunities and improving outcomes
Page 2, Line 5for historically underserved student populations, including Hispanic or
Page 2, Line 6Latino students, first-generation students, students with low incomes,
Page 2, Line 7adult learners, transfer students, and students attending colleges and
Page 2, Line 8universities in rural areas, are compelling state interests that are critical
Page 2, Line 9to Colorado's prosperity, civil vitality, and workforce talent pipeline;
Page 2, Line 10(b) Recognition of institutional performance should be grounded
Page 2, Line 11in student outcomes and performance rather than being based solely on
Page 2, Line 12enrollment share;
Page 2, Line 13(c) Increasing degree and credential attainment through student
Page 3, Line 1persistence, retention, and successful transfers and aligning education and
Page 3, Line 2training to labor market outcomes are necessary to achieve the state's
Page 3, Line 3postsecondary attainment and workforce goals;
Page 3, Line 4(d) The Colorado commission on higher education's strategic plan
Page 3, Line 5calls for increasing the number of Coloradans with skills obtained while
Page 3, Line 6in high school or through postsecondary education that, at a minimum,
Page 3, Line 7result in lifetime earnings that exceed the cost of attendance; and
Page 3, Line 8(e) Outcome-based state designations recognizing institutional
Page 3, Line 9excellence provide policy continuity, promote accountability, and support
Page 3, Line 10continuous improvement aligned with the state's attainment and
Page 3, Line 11workforce goals.
Page 3, Line 12SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 23-1-144 as
Page 3, Line 13follows:
Page 3, Line 1423-1-144. Thriving institution designations - advisory
Page 3, Line 15committee - report - rules - definitions.
Page 3, Line 16(1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise
Page 3, Line 17requires:
Page 3, Line 18(a) "Advisory committee" means the advisory committee
Page 3, Line 19on thriving institution outcomes created pursuant to subsection
Page 3, Line 20(4) of this section.
Page 3, Line 21(b) "Institution of higher education" means a public
Page 3, Line 22institution of higher education, including a local district
Page 3, Line 23college, as defined in section 23-71-102, and area technical
Page 3, Line 24colleges, as defined in section 23-60-103.
Page 3, Line 25(c) "Labor market outcomes" means workforce results of
Page 3, Line 26students upon postsecondary-education completion as
Page 3, Line 27established by the department with input from the advisory
Page 4, Line 1committee.
Page 4, Line 2(d) "Rural campus" means a campus of an institution of
Page 4, Line 3higher education that:
Page 4, Line 4(I) Is located in a county designated as a nonmetropolitan
Page 4, Line 5or micropolitan area by the United States office of management
Page 4, Line 6and budget;
Page 4, Line 7(II) Enrolls students who graduated from a rural school
Page 4, Line 8district or small rural school district, as the terms are defined
Page 4, Line 9in section 22-2-146.5, at a rate determined by the advisory
Page 4, Line 10committee; or
Page 4, Line 11(III) Is rural based on geographic isolation, population
Page 4, Line 12density, community, or other factors, as determined by the
Page 4, Line 13advisory committee.
Page 4, Line 14(e) "Student success expert" means an individual with
Page 4, Line 15demonstrated expertise in assisting postsecondary students
Page 4, Line 16with successful credential and degree completion or
Page 4, Line 17evidence-based practices to close attainment gaps among
Page 4, Line 18historically underserved student populations.
Page 4, Line 19(f) "Thriving institution designation" means a designation
Page 4, Line 20granted to a public institution of higher education.
Page 4, Line 21(2) A thriving institution is a public institution of higher
Page 4, Line 22education that demonstrates strong performance, as defined by
Page 4, Line 23the department with input from the advisory committee
Page 4, Line 24established in subsection (5) of this section, for certain student
Page 4, Line 25populations, institutional missions, or workforce roles that are
Page 4, Line 26recognized in:
Page 4, Line 27(a) Federal law, including those noted in the federal
Page 5, Line 1"Higher Education Act of 1965", 20 U.S.C. sec. 1001 and 20 U.S.C.
Page 5, Line 2sec. 1057-1059d;
Page 5, Line 3(b) Federal student aid and accountability programs
Page 5, Line 4authorized pursuant to 20 U.S.C. sec. 1070a;
Page 5, Line 5(c) The federal workforce and education-to-workforce
Page 5, Line 6accountability frameworks authorized pursuant to 29 U.S.C.
Page 5, Line 7sec. 3111 et seq.;
Page 5, Line 8(d) Colorado statutes governing higher education,
Page 5, Line 9workforce programs, and adult education; and
Page 5, Line 10(e) Federal or state accountability, reporting, or data
Page 5, Line 11systems authorized by statute.
Page 5, Line 12(3) (a) Within thirty days after the annual public release
Page 5, Line 13of enrollment, retention, and graduation data from each state
Page 5, Line 14institution of higher education in 2026 and each year thereafter,
Page 5, Line 15the department, with input from the advisory committee
Page 5, Line 16established in subsection (5) of this section, shall:
Page 5, Line 17(I) Identify institutions of higher education that meet the
Page 5, Line 18outcome standards identified in subsection (4) of this section for
Page 5, Line 19one or more thriving institution designations;
Page 5, Line 20(II) Notify each institution of higher education that meets
Page 5, Line 21the outcome standards identified in subsection (4) of this section
Page 5, Line 22for one or more thriving institution designations and request
Page 5, Line 23that the institution of higher education respond within ten
Page 5, Line 24calendar days with a decision of whether the institution of
Page 5, Line 25higher education would like to be recognized for its thriving
Page 5, Line 26institution designation;
Page 5, Line 27(III) Post on the department's website the names of the
Page 6, Line 1institutions of higher education that earn a thriving institution
Page 6, Line 2designation and agree to be recognized for their thriving
Page 6, Line 3institution designation; and
Page 6, Line 4(IV) Notify the general assembly of the name of each
Page 6, Line 5institution of higher education that earns a thriving institution
Page 6, Line 6designation.
Page 6, Line 7(b) The outcome standards used to determine thriving
Page 6, Line 8institution designations, as required by subsection (3)(a)(I) of
Page 6, Line 9this section, must be used to improve outcomes for the student
Page 6, Line 10populations impacted by a thriving institution's designation
Page 6, Line 11without diminishing the success of other student populations at
Page 6, Line 12the institution of higher education.
Page 6, Line 13(c) An institution of higher education's designation as a
Page 6, Line 14thriving institution does not create an entitlement to state
Page 6, Line 15funding and does not require the general assembly to replace or
Page 6, Line 16supplement federal or private funding to the institution of
Page 6, Line 17higher education.
Page 6, Line 18(4) After consultation with the advisory committee
Page 6, Line 19established in subsection (5) of this section, the department
Page 6, Line 20shall set outcome standards, measures, data sources,
Page 6, Line 21calculation methods, validity protections, performance
Page 6, Line 22thresholds, multi-tier recognition levels, and review periods
Page 6, Line 23used to evaluate institutional performance for the thriving
Page 6, Line 24institution designations. The standards must:
Page 6, Line 25(a) Rely on existing state or federal data collections and
Page 6, Line 26not require additional institutional reporting beyond existing
Page 6, Line 27submissions;
Page 7, Line 1(b) Ensure statistical validity and compliance with
Page 7, Line 2privacy laws;
Page 7, Line 3(c) Promote continuous improvement aligned with the
Page 7, Line 4state's established postsecondary attainment targets and
Page 7, Line 5statewide workforce developmental priorities; and
Page 7, Line 6(d) At a minimum, include graduation, credential and
Page 7, Line 7degree completion, retention, transfer success, adult learner
Page 7, Line 8reentry and completion, and labor market outcomes.
Page 7, Line 9(5) (a) On or before September 1, 2026, the department
Page 7, Line 10shall convene an advisory committee on thriving institution
Page 7, Line 11outcomes to obtain input on the outcome standards set by the
Page 7, Line 12department as required pursuant to subsection (4) of this
Page 7, Line 13section.
Page 7, Line 14(b) The advisory committee includes the following
Page 7, Line 15members, each appointed by the executive director of the
Page 7, Line 16department:
Page 7, Line 17(I) A representative from a four-year university;
Page 7, Line 18(II) A representative from a community college, as defined
Page 7, Line 19in section 23-81-101;
Page 7, Line 20(III) A representative from a local district college, as
Page 7, Line 21defined in section 23-71-102;
Page 7, Line 22(IV) A representative from a rural campus;
Page 7, Line 23(V) At least two individuals with research expertise in
Page 7, Line 24the field of higher education or a closely related discipline;
Page 7, Line 25(VI) A student enrolled at an institution of higher
Page 7, Line 26education;
Page 7, Line 27(VII) A representative from an organization that provides
Page 8, Line 1program oversight and policy guidance for federally, state, and
Page 8, Line 2locally funded workforce development programs;
Page 8, Line 3(VIII) A student success representative with
Page 8, Line 4demonstrated experience in student affairs; and
Page 8, Line 5(IX) An individual with expertise in lawful data use
Page 8, Line 6related to postsecondary education and methods for ensuring
Page 8, Line 7compliance with state and federal privacy laws.
Page 8, Line 8(c) The members of the advisory committee serve without
Page 8, Line 9compensation but may be reimbursed for actual and necessary
Page 8, Line 10expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
Page 8, Line 11(6) On or before November 15, 2026, and each November 15
Page 8, Line 12thereafter, the advisory committee shall submit a report to the
Page 8, Line 13department that includes a summary of the outcome standards
Page 8, Line 14for thriving institution designations determined by the advisory
Page 8, Line 15committee, practices and continuous improvement efforts, and
Page 8, Line 16recommendations for policy or resource alignment to support
Page 8, Line 17the state's attainment and workforce goals. The department
Page 8, Line 18shall include the report in its "SMART Act" hearing, required
Page 8, Line 19pursuant to section 2-7-203, and submit the report to the
Page 8, Line 20Colorado commission on higher education and to each
Page 8, Line 21institution of higher education's governing board.
Page 8, Line 22(7) The department may seek, accept, and expend gifts,
Page 8, Line 23grants, or donations from private or public sources for the
Page 8, Line 24purposes of this section.
Page 8, Line 25(8) All use and disclosure of student information for
Page 8, Line 26purposes of this section must comply with all applicable state
Page 8, Line 27and federal privacy laws. The department shall aggregate data
Page 9, Line 1to prevent the disclosure of student personally identifiable
Page 9, Line 2information.
Page 9, Line 3(9) The department may adopt rules as necessary to
Page 9, Line 4implement this section.
Page 9, Line 5SECTION 3. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,
Page 9, Line 6determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
Page 9, Line 7preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for
Page 9, Line 8the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state
Page 9, Line 9institutions.