SB 25-154: Access to Educator Pathways - Colorado

Revised (04/16/2025) → PA1 (03/06/2025) · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to clarify that institutions participating in the Transfer and Retention Education Program (TREP) must offer courses at tuition rates not exceeding those set by the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education. The amendment also adds specific language to exclude TREP courses from certain statutory provisions, ensuring these courses are treated differently under existing education laws.

Scope change

The bill's scope now explicitly includes institutions of higher education offering off-campus instruction with courses in the Guaranteed Transfer Pathway Matrix or part of a statewide degree transfer agreement, provided they meet the new tuition rate requirement.

ELIGIBILITY

Added eligibility criteria requiring TREP program courses to be offered at tuition rates not exceeding those established by the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education.

DEFINITION

Added specific language to Section 22-35-110 to exclude TREP program courses from certain article 35 provisions, clarifying how these courses are treated under existing law.

TECHNICAL

Changed document status from 'Revised' to 'Preamended' and updated sponsorship lists to reflect committee amendments not yet adopted on second reading.

Rerevised (04/17/2025) → Revised (04/16/2025) · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised to correct formatting and sponsorship information while adding new provisions allowing Colorado teachers to demonstrate professional competencies through multiple measures. The revision also updates the version status from 'Rerevised' to 'Revised' and modifies the list of House sponsors.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on teacher recruitment and education, but new provisions expand how teachers can demonstrate competencies for licensure endorsements.

REQUIREMENT

Added new text allowing Colorado teachers seeking additional licensure endorsements to demonstrate professional competencies using multiple measures set forth in subsection (3)(a).

Added new subsection (8) to C.R.S. 22-35-108.5 regarding institutions of higher education that offer off-campus instruction programs.

TECHNICAL

Removed the '3rd Reading Unamended' date stamp from April 17, 2025.

Updated version header from 'REREVISED' to 'REVISED' and modified House sponsorship list formatting.

Final Act (05/07/2025) → Rerevised (04/17/2025) · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was reorganized and renumbered from a final act to a rerevised version for the 75th General Assembly. The substantive policy content remains largely the same, focusing on allowing currently licensed Colorado teachers to add new licensure endorsements by demonstrating professional competencies through coursework grades or assessments. The document structure was updated to reflect standard legislative formatting with committee assignments and reading dates.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains unchanged, continuing to apply to Colorado teachers seeking additional licensure endorsements in early childhood, elementary, and special education areas.

TECHNICAL

Document formatting and numbering were updated from final act status to rerevised version with new header information including session details and committee assignments.

Page numbering and layout were restructured to conform to standard legislative bill format rather than final act signature format.

Bill summary and reading dates were added to provide context about the bill's legislative progress.

Engrossed (03/10/2025) → Reengrossed (03/11/2025) · 3 edits · Mar 11, 2025

MINOR

The bill was reengrossed with expanded Senate sponsorship and updated metadata. The substantive text shows a partial deletion of Section 3, which previously excluded TREP program courses from certain statutory provisions. This change removes an exemption for specific early childhood education courses, potentially broadening the bill's applicability to those programs.

Scope change

The bill's scope may expand by removing an exemption that previously excluded TREP program courses from the article's provisions.

TECHNICAL

Senate sponsorship list was expanded to include additional sponsors: Ball, Bridges, Coleman, Cutter, Exum, Gonzales J., Jodeh, Kolker, Marchman, Michaelson Jenet, Mullica, Snyder, Sullivan, Weissman, and Winter F.

Bill status changed from 'Engrossed' to 'Reengrossed' with updated amendment language and date stamp.

REQUIREMENT

Section 3 was partially deleted, removing an exclusion that previously exempted TREP program courses from certain provisions in Article 35 of the Colorado Revised Statutes.

Introduced (02/05/2025) → Engrossed (03/10/2025) · 4 edits · Mar 11, 2025

MODERATE

This bill was amended to change the statute it modifies from 22-60.5-106 to 22-60.5-203, which governs teacher assessment requirements. The amendment adds new provisions for currently licensed teachers seeking additional endorsements to demonstrate professional competencies through coursework grades rather than just assessments. It also adds a new section regarding tuition rates for off-campus instruction programs participating in the Teacher Recruitment and Preparation (TREP) program.

Scope change

The bill now targets currently licensed Colorado teachers seeking additional endorsements rather than just initial licensure applicants, and adds eligibility criteria for off-campus instruction programs in the TREP program.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the statute being amended from 22-60.5-106 to 22-60.5-203 to align with the correct section governing professional competency assessments.

Added new section 22-35-108.5(8) specifying that institutions of higher education offering off-campus instruction courses included in a guaranteed transfer pathway matrix or statewide degree transfer agreement may participate in the TREP program only if tuition rates do not exceed the state board rate for community colleges and occupational education.

ELIGIBILITY

Added provisions allowing currently licensed Colorado teachers seeking early childhood education, early childhood special education, elementary education, or special education generalist endorsements to demonstrate professional competencies by submitting evidence of achieving high coursework grades aligned with relevant standards.

SCOPE

Modified the bill to apply to currently licensed teachers seeking additional licensure endorsements rather than focusing primarily on initial licensure applicants.

Access to Educator Pathways

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