HB 24-1364

House Bill 24-1364, titled "Education-Based Workforce Readiness," requires the Colorado Department of Education to conduct a study on how providing students with college credits and work-based learning experiences could benefit them and save money for schools. The bill also mandates the creation of a statewide data system to track education and workforce outcomes, helping policymakers make informed decisions. This will affect students, educators, and policymakers by improving educational pathways and career readiness. Signed into law on May 23, 2024, the bill is now in effect, with specific deadlines for reports and funding allocations set over the next few years.

Official Summary

The act authorizes the department of education (department) to commission a financial study (study) with an independent contractor to analyze the costs to the state and school districts, district charter schools, institute charter schools, and boards of cooperative services (local education providers) and potential cost savings to provide students the opportunity to obtain college credits, industry credentials, and work-based learning experiences. The study must also include an analysis of the effects of consolidating certain postsecondary and workforce readiness programs. The department shall submit the report by December 1, 2024, including recommendations for implementation in the 2025-26 state budget year. The act requires the office of information technology (office) to build, or contract with a third-party vendor to build, the Colorado statewide longitudinal data system (data system) to establish a consistent, appropriate, secure, and legal means of data sharing and connecting multiple data sets into the data system to support effective state investments, inform policy research, and assist Colorado citizens in making choices related to their education and training pathways. The office shall work with contributing state agencies, local education providers, institutions of higher education, partner entities, and policymakers. The act creates the Colorado state longitudinal data system governing board (governing board) to support the office with the development and implementation of the data system. The governing board is required to convene the systems build and implementation interagency advisory group and the sustainability interagency advisory group to support and advise the governing board on the technical development, implementation, use, and function of the data system. The act requires the office to submit an interim report on or before January 15, 2025, on the progress of the data system, the data governance processes and procedures, and recommendations for legislative changes and funding, as necessary, to the general assembly, the state board of education, and the governor. Beginning April 15, 2026, and each April 15 thereafter, the office shall submit an annual report summarizing key findings from the data system on education and workforce outcomes and education and workforce readiness to the general assembly, the state board of education, and the governor. The act creates the statewide longitudinal data system cash fund (cash fund). On July 1, 2024, the state treasurer shall transfer $5 million to the cash fund for purposes of the data system. Subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly for the 2024-25, 2025-26, and 2026-27 state fiscal years, the office and the department may expend money from the cash fund for purposes of the data system. The state treasurer shall transfer all unexpended and unencumbered money in the cash fund to the general fund on September 1, 2027. The act appropriates $4,432,419 from the cash fund to the office for purposes of the data system. The act appropriates $800,005 from the general fund to the department for purposes of the study. The act appropriates $202,992 from the cash fund to the department for purposes of the data system. APPROVED by Governor May 23, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 23, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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