HB 17-1004

HB 17-1004, also known as "College Credit for Military Education and Training," is a Colorado law that requires colleges and universities to recognize military education and training by awarding academic credit. This means that veterans and active-duty military members can get college credits for the skills they learned in the military, making it easier for them to earn degrees. The bill also asks these institutions to provide guidance to help military personnel choose courses that best use their existing knowledge. As of now, since the bill has been signed into law, Colorado's higher education institutions are required to follow its guidelines and report back to the state legislature in 2018 on how they have implemented it.

Official Summary

The bill requires the governing board of each institution of higher education to adopt, make public, and implement a prior learning assessment policy for awarding academic credit for college-level learning acquired while in the military. The policy adopted by the governing board must require each campus to use the American Council on Education's recommendations on the joint services transcript and, at its discretion, assign appropriate credit. Further, the institutions shall provide specific guidance to active duty and veteran military members in selecting a program of study and optimizing prior learning assessment credit. Finally, the institutions shall accept in transfer from other state institutions prior learning assessment credit awarded for courses with guaranteed-transfer designation. During the 2018 legislative session, the department of higher education shall report to certain committees of the general assembly concerning the policies adopted by the institutions. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

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