College Credit For Work Experience

The bill requires the council created and existing pursuant to section 23-1-108.5 (council) to implement a plan for determining and awarding academic credit for postsecondary education based on past and present work-related experience.

As a part of the plan, the council must also determine how academic credit for postsecondary education will transfer to the extent possible from career and technical education programs and technical certificate programs to state public 2-year and 4-year institutions of higher education.

The council must consult with representatives from state institutions of higher education, representatives of the Colorado work force development council, and representatives from growing industries in implementing the plan.

The bill requires state institutions of higher education to develop plans to evaluate whether postsecondary education was acquired by work experience and to accept and transfer academic credit awarded for work-related experience as courses with guaranteed-transfer designation or as a part of a statewide articulation agreement.

The bill supplements Colorado's student bill of rights to include a provision declaring that the council shall implement a plan to award academic credit for past and present work-related experience.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)