Youth Involvement Education Standards Review

The bill creates several opportunities for youth, defined as the age of eligibility for membership in the Colorado youth advisory council, to be involved in the review of the state's education standards. Youth representatives shall be appointed as follows:

• The commissioner of education (commissioner) shall appoint youth representatives from nominations submitted by schools throughout the state to participate in the standards development process, which includes community engagement;
• The commissioner shall appoint 2 youth representatives to any regional educator meetings; and
• Each local education provider shall appoint 2 youth representatives to any review committees for local education providers.

In each instance, the appointing authority shall select the youth representatives from nominations submitted by schools throughout the state, and, if applicable when possible , one must be from an urban area and one must be from a rural area.

Youth representatives will serve as voting members of the committees and may be reappointed pursuant to each committee's process. The department of education (department) may compensate youth representatives for actual expenses incurred with participation, and, if appropriate, provide a stipend in an amount determined by the department.

The department shall promote the opportunities for youth involvement and request schools nominate youth to participate.

(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)