SB 22-192

Senate Bill 22-192, titled "Opportunities For Credential Attainment," aims to help students in Colorado by creating pathways for them to earn stackable credentials that can lead to better job opportunities and eventually a full degree. The bill requires the Department of Higher Education to work with colleges and businesses to develop these credential programs, focusing on growing industries like technology and healthcare. It also allocates funding to support community colleges and adult education programs, making it easier for students to access non-degree credentials and improve their skills. Since the bill has been signed into law, these initiatives are now underway, with specific deadlines set for 2024 and 2025 to create pathways in various industries.

Official Summary

The act requires: The department of higher education (department), in consultation with state institutions of higher education (institutions) and a business organization or industry representative, to develop and implement a process that encourages institutions to identify incremental achievements on the path to degree completion, organize stackable credentials, and identify how credentials may be evaluated and then may become stacked into stackable credential pathways to provide increased access to employment and may result in a degree; The department to facilitate the creation of stackable credential pathways for at least 3 growing industries by January 1, 2024, and at least 2 more growing industries by January 1, 2025; The general assembly to appropriate $1 million to the department from the workers, employers, and workforce centers cash fund for the 2022-23 fiscal year; and The department of higher education to submit a report to the education committees regarding implementation of the act that includes data collected by institutions to measure the total number of credits, credentials, certificates, and professional licenses earned in each pathway at each institution and the funding allocated and distributed to implement the act. The act requires the department to allocate and disburse funds to community and technical colleges and local district colleges to fund student access to nondegree credential programs. The general assembly is required to appropriate $1.8 million to the department for this purpose for the 2022-23 fiscal year. The act requires the general assembly to appropriate $800,000 to the department of education for the adult education and literacy grant program for the 2022-23 fiscal year. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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