SB 23-007

Senate Bill 23-007, also known as the Adult Education bill, expands Colorado's adult education programs by adding digital literacy skills and allowing eligible adults to earn a high school diploma or equivalency certificate. The bill requires providers to offer various services like online instruction and mentorship while limiting administrative costs to no more than 10% of awarded funds. It also allows community colleges to set their own graduation requirements for high school diplomas based on local school district standards. The governor signed the bill into law on June 2, 2023, making it effective immediately, which means adult education providers can now start offering these new services and requirements right away.

Official Summary

Current law requires adult education providers (providers) that participate in the department of education's (department) adult education and literacy grant program (program) to offer eligible adults basic education in literacy and numeracy that leads to additional skills acquisition, postsecondary credential attainment, and employment. The act adds "digital literacy" to the basic education offered to eligible adults and adds that an eligible adult may earn a high school diploma or equivalency certificate. The act describes services that providers may offer to eligible adults, which include in-person or online instruction, the development of learning plans, coaching, and mentorship. The act amends the reporting requirements for providers of the program, including that administrative costs not exceed 10% of the awarded funds. The act permits the office within the department that is responsible for adult education to use data matching with relevant state agencies to determine post-program participation outcomes. The act allows community colleges, area technical colleges, and local district colleges (colleges) to develop and implement minimum graduation requirements for a high school diploma based on the high school graduation requirements of a school district within the geographic area of the colleges. Colleges are required to award a high school diploma to a student who successfully completes the high school graduation requirements implemented by the colleges. The act appropriates $2 million from the general fund to the department for the program. APPROVED by Governor June 2, 2023 EFFECTIVE June 2, 2023 (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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