Higher Education Supplemental Academic Instruction

State institutions of higher education - requirements for developmental education and basic skills courses - supplemental academic instruction. The act directs the Colorado commission on higher education (commission) to adopt a developmental education policy requiring the governing boards of state institutions of higher education (institutions) to maximize the likelihood of success in entry-level (gateway) college-level course work when placing students into developmental education. The act also specifies that institutions cannot place a student into developmental education based on a single instrument or test.

For institutions authorized to offer developmental education, the act requires that, by 2022, such institutions shall directly enroll no more than 10 percent of students enrolling in the institution into stand-alone developmental education courses that may extend the student's time to degree. Instead, a student should be enrolled in a gateway college-level course with additional supports through supplemental academic instruction (SAI) or co-requisite remediation.

The act allows institutions to pilot new approaches to remediate students who may not benefit from SAI or co-requisite remediation and to seek waivers from the commission to expand or duplicate successful pilots.

The act authorizes all 4-year institutions to offer SAI, without approval from the commission, to students who need additional supports to be successful in college-level courses.

The act clarifies and adds reporting requirements relating to developmental education and SAI.

The act changes the term "basic skills" in statute to "developmental education" and makes conforming amendments throughout.

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