Section 23-60-1201 - Support for in-demand short-term credentials program - created - report - appropriation - definitions - repeal(1) Subject to available appropriations, the board, in coordination with its career and technical education role and mission as Colorado's state administrator of the federal "Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006", 20 U.S.C. sec. 2301 et seq., as amended, shall administer the in-demand short-term credentials program to support the expansion of the number of available and qualified professionals who are able to meet Colorado's in-demand workforce needs.(2) The board shall allocate money to an eligible institution based on the number of students enrolled in eligible programs for state fiscal years 2023-24 through 2025-26 to provide assistance to students for eligible expenses that support their enrollment in eligible programs.(3) An eligible institution that receives funds pursuant to the program shall provide employment eligibility requirements to students who express interest in participating in the eligible program prior to the student's admission to the program, in accordance with the federal "Higher Education Act of 1965", as amended, and regulations adopted in accordance with the act.(4) The program begins no later than the start of the 2023-24 academic year.(5)(a) A student participating in the program shall complete and submit the free application for federal student aid or Colorado application for state financial aid.(b) Any financial aid received pursuant to subsection (5)(a) of this section, and any other financial aid or scholarships received by the student, must be fully applied to the student's cost of attendance before program resources are applied to the student's eligible expenses.(6)(a)(I) For the 2023-24 state fiscal year, the general assembly shall appropriate to the department of higher education for allocation by the board thirty-eight million six hundred thousand dollars from the general fund for the program, of which not more than eighty thousand dollars may be used for purposes of marketing the program and not more than one percent may be used for administration pursuant to this section.(II) Any unexpended money from the appropriation pursuant to this subsection (6)(a) must be used to pay for expenses that are not eligible expenses but are related to a student's housing, transportation, child or dependent care, and food expenses.(b) Any unexpended money remaining from the appropriation pursuant to this subsection (6) at the end of the 2023-24 state fiscal year: (I) Does not revert to the general fund or any other fund;(II) May be used by the board in the 2024-25 or 2025-26 state fiscal year without further appropriation; and(III) Must not be used for any purpose other than the purposes set forth in this section.(7)(a) On or before January 1, 2024, and on or before every January 1 thereafter, the board shall submit a report to the Colorado commission on higher education, the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate, or any successor committees, and the joint budget committee. The report must include:(I) The number of students awarded funds pursuant to the program in each eligible program, in total and disaggregated by any factors determined by the board;(II) If available, the number of students awarded funds pursuant to the program who continued enrollment in the eligible program in a subsequent academic term, in total and disaggregated by any factors determined by the board;(III) If available, the number of students awarded funds pursuant to the program who completed an eligible program, in total and disaggregated by any factors determined by the board;(IV) If available, employment and earnings outcomes for students awarded funds pursuant to the program, in total and disaggregated by any factors determined by the board; and(V) A detailed statement of the allocation of funds for the program, including costs incurred to administer the program.(b) Beginning in 2024 and each year thereafter, the Colorado commission on higher education shall submit a report compiling the data collected pursuant to subsection (7)(a) of this section to the senate and house of representatives education committees, or their successor committees, during the hearings held pursuant to the "SMART Act", part 2 of article 7 of title 2.(c) Notwithstanding section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I), the reporting requirement in this subsection (7) continues indefinitely.(8) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires: (a) "Eligible expenses" means tuition, fees, books, materials, or supplies for eligible programs.(b) "Eligible institution" means a community or technical college described in section 23-60-205, an area technical college defined in section 23-60-103 (1), a local district college defined in section 23-71-102 (1), and Colorado Mesa university established pursuant to section 23-53-101.(c) "Eligible program" means an in-demand credential in early childhood, education, law enforcement, fire and forestry, construction, or nursing that is two years or less in duration.(d) "Program" means the in-demand short-term credentials program described in subsection (1) of this section.(9) This section is repealed, effective July 1, 2027.Added by 2023 Ch. 199,§ 2, eff. 5/16/2023.