CCCS Internal State and Federal Legislative Priorities
The Colorado Community College System is committed to providing best-in-class educational and training opportunities as the state’s partner of choice for workforce development. We champion state and federal efforts that advance our open access mission, support student success, and bolster workforce training.
The Chancellor’s Office of Public & Legislative Affairs helps share the many facets of that story, illuminating the system’s impact on Colorado and beyond.
Advocating for Colorado Students
We seek to:
- Reduce barriers to Concurrent Enrollment for students and families that allow for more participation in the state’s Concurrent Enrollment program. CCCS will seek to leverage opportunities from the 1215 Taskforce recommendations to mitigate issues such as covering the costs for course materials and prohibiting high schools from “capping” the number of CE courses offered and who is allowed to participate.
- Evaluate and Ensure Transferability of Statewide Articulation Agreements. CCCS/Colleges will continue working with four-year college and university partners to reduce barriers and support efficient paths to completion for transfer students.
- Educate Colorado’s Prison Population: Currently, colleges that provide courses/programs to incarcerated students are not able to count students as resident full-time equivalent (FTE) and students are not able to access the Colorado Opportunity Fund (COF). These factors restrict revenue to colleges and make it difficult to serve this population. CCCS will seek resources and other funding opportunities to help its colleges deliver more programs and better serve incarcerated students across the state.
- Sustain zero-cost programs (Care Forward and Career Advance).Through reporting mechanisms, CCCS will showcase the positive impact and on-going need to extend or expand the state’s “free community college” programs for in-demand workforce areas, as identified by the Colorado Talent Pipeline Report.
- Startup costs support to meet industry demand. CCCS is strategically planning to create two Centers of Excellence for aerospace and construction management to foster strong industry/education partnerships focused on meeting current and future workforce needs. However, there are large upfront costs in terms of equipment, program development, and personnel. With front-end investments, these future programs have the potential to sustain themselves through strong industry partnerships and student enrollments.
- Non-credit, industry-recognized credential programs. Demand for industry recognized credentials, that help folks get jobs now versus in two to four years, is rising but resources are needed to provide these programs (because there is no credit going toward a college degree and, in Colorado, these programs are not recognized in the higher education allocation formula). There are many non-credit courses and programs. CCCS will seek resource support to build this program type. This effort also aligns with Commission on Higher Education’s state strategic goals.
Rural institutions are some of the state’s oldest colleges and they are facing an existential crisis. The industries that once drove small town economies are rapidly changing and, as a result, jobs are harder to find, and populations are shrinking and aging. Our small, rural colleges provide education and training, but they are also resources for their communities in diversifying and growing rural economies. Our colleges serve not only as educators, but as conveners and as thought partners and resource generators. We can and must work to secure funding for these colleges (preferably funding from outside the higher education allocation formula).
When rural community colleges were created 70-100 years ago, they were done so with a large state/community investment to buy the land, build the buildings, develop programs, etc. These colleges are small and do not generate sufficient enrollment to produce the revenue needed to maintain on-campus housing, high-cost CTE programs, and basic operations (roofs, boilers, technology, programs to meet local workforce needs, etc). Additional resources, outside the higher education funding allocation, are needed to help with basic operations to ensure rural community colleges exist in the future.
Our State Legislative Priorities
View our Legislative Priorities document (PDF)
CCCS’s legislative priorities are aimed at the following strategic goals:
- Increase funding to support base operating expenses
- Support student success and increase access
- Expand workforce and apprenticeship opportunities
Increase the State Allocation for Higher Education. Build up from the proposed FY-25 budget for higher education.
Last year, fiscal year 2023-24, the state operating appropriation for CCCS increased by $27.4 million (11.3% increase from the previous year) and resident tuition increases were capped at 5%.
For this coming fiscal year, FY 2024-25, the Governor’s budget proposal equates to a minimal increase for CCCS of $6.6 million in state operating appropriations (2.5% increase from the previous year) and tuition flexibility is capped at 2.5% for resident and 6.5% for non-resident tuition. To put this in perspective, this year’s recommendation only covers half of CCCS’s projected operating costs in FY 2024-25. So, it is critical for CCCS to advocate for additional funding.
Secure funding for CCCS’s controlled maintenance projects, three capital requests and two IT project requests.
Responding to community and student demand for CTE and health programs, many of CCCS’s capital project requests are focused on building out new facilities and equipment that can be used as cross-disciplinary, hands-on learning labs for students enrolled in STEM and other workforce-related disciplines.
• Colorado Northwestern Community College’s capital renewal project for siding, insulation, and window replacement at the Rangely Campus ($3.6M).
• Pikes Peak State College’s capital construction project for a first responder emergency education complex ($39M).
• Trinidad State College’s capital construction project to renovate and expand space for allied health programs at the Valley Campus in Alamosa ($20M).
• Front Range Community College’s capital IT project for cellular improvements ($2.6M).
• Otero College’s capital IT project for security software and computer equipment upgrades ($438,000).
Legislative Agenda:
CCCS initiated this bill with Senators Rachel Zenzinger and Barbara Kirkmeyer and Representatives Cathy Kipp and Marc Catlin to amend implementation provisions, granted by Senate Bill 22-007, to allow the governing board for community colleges and board of trustees for local district colleges to set standards for high school graduation requirements. The legislation will allow flexibility needed for community colleges and local district colleges to develop customized curriculum relevant to adult learners and ability to couple a high school diploma with a career and technical education credential. Learn more.
The bill provides resources for CCCS’s Career & Technical Education (CTE) Office to work with CDLE’s State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA) to align the high school CTE system and registered apprenticeship system for programs related to infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, education, or health care. This alignment between education and workforce systems will be a first-in-nation collaboration and – most importantly – provide more success pathways and career-connected programs for the thousands of high school students. Learn more.
The bill provides state funding, via Certificates of Participation, to bolster the healthcare workforce through investment in the Valley Campus Building Addition at Trinidad State College (TSC), Health Institute Tower at MSU Denver, College of Osteopathic Medicine at UNC and the Veterinary Health Education Complex at CSU. If passed, TSC will be able to improve and expand critical allied health programs in nursing, emergency medical technician, dental assisting, and medical assisting, as well as, provide much needed space for student wrap around services as the college works to reduce long-standing educational inequities across the rural San Luis Valley. Learn more.
We seek to:
- Reduce barriers to Concurrent Enrollment for students and families that allow for more participation in the state’s Concurrent Enrollment program. CCCS will seek to leverage opportunities from the 1215 Taskforce recommendations to mitigate issues such as covering the costs for course materials and prohibiting high schools from “capping” the number of CE courses offered and who is allowed to participate.
- Evaluate and Ensure Transferability of Statewide Articulation Agreements. CCCS/Colleges will continue working with four-year college and university partners to reduce barriers and support efficient paths to completion for transfer students.
- Educate Colorado’s Prison Population: Currently, colleges that provide courses/programs to incarcerated students are not able to count students as resident full-time equivalent (FTE) and students are not able to access the Colorado Opportunity Fund (COF). These factors restrict revenue to colleges and make it difficult to serve this population. CCCS will seek resources and other funding opportunities to help its colleges deliver more programs and better serve incarcerated students across the state.
- Sustain zero-cost programs (Care Forward and Career Advance).Through reporting mechanisms, CCCS will showcase the positive impact and on-going need to extend or expand the state’s “free community college” programs for in-demand workforce areas, as identified by the Colorado Talent Pipeline Report.
- Startup costs support to meet industry demand. CCCS is strategically planning to create two Centers of Excellence for aerospace and construction management to foster strong industry/education partnerships focused on meeting current and future workforce needs. However, there are large upfront costs in terms of equipment, program development, and personnel. With front-end investments, these future programs have the potential to sustain themselves through strong industry partnerships and student enrollments.
- Non-credit, industry-recognized credential programs. Demand for industry recognized credentials, that help folks get jobs now versus in two to four years, is rising but resources are needed to provide these programs (because there is no credit going toward a college degree and, in Colorado, these programs are not recognized in the higher education allocation formula). There are many non-credit courses and programs. CCCS will seek resource support to build this program type. This effort also aligns with Commission on Higher Education’s state strategic goals.
Rural institutions are some of the state’s oldest colleges and they are facing an existential crisis. The industries that once drove small town economies are rapidly changing and, as a result, jobs are harder to find, and populations are shrinking and aging. Our small, rural colleges provide education and training, but they are also resources for their communities in diversifying and growing rural economies. Our colleges serve not only as educators, but as conveners and as thought partners and resource generators. We can and must work to secure funding for these colleges (preferably funding from outside the higher education allocation formula).
When rural community colleges were created 70-100 years ago, they were done so with a large state/community investment to buy the land, build the buildings, develop programs, etc. These colleges are small and do not generate sufficient enrollment to produce the revenue needed to maintain on-campus housing, high-cost CTE programs, and basic operations (roofs, boilers, technology, programs to meet local workforce needs, etc). Additional resources, outside the higher education funding allocation, are needed to help with basic operations to ensure rural community colleges exist in the future.
Our Federal Legislative Priorities
Beyond advocating for community colleges at the local and state level, the CCCS Public & Legislative Affairs Office works closely with Colorado’s congressional delegation and federal departments and agencies to advocate for federal legislation and funding that support students. Read about our federal policy priorities below.
CCCS supports establishing Pell Grant eligibility for shorter-term programs, accompanied by rigorous and relevant quality standards. Currently, programs must be two-thirds of a year to be eligible for Pell Grants. This excludes many workforce-oriented programs that greatly benefit both students and local businesses. Many students cannot participate in these programs because of their cost. CCCS supports lowering the threshold for Pell Grant eligibility to 150 clock hours, as in the bipartisan JOBS Act (S. 161, H.R. 793) and Workforce Pell Act (H.R. 6585), which would increase access to these programs.
CCCS supports making Pell Grants tax-free. Under current law, community college students must pay taxes on any portion of their Pell Grants that helps meet living expenses. These are qualified educational expenses covered by federal student aid; reducing Pell Grant funds by taxing them makes it even harder for the lowest-income students to succeed in college.
CCCS also supports altering the $2,500 American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) so that Pell Grant awards do not count against a student’s eligibility. This change would help hundreds of thousands of low-income community college students receive the $2,500 credit each year. These two overdue changes are included in the bipartisan, bicameral “Tax Free Pell Grant Act.” (S. 2920, H.R. 3000).
With 40% of CCCS students qualifying for Pell Grants, CCCS supports boosting the maximum award, at minimum by an inflationary adjustment, and setting the long-term goal to double the Pell Grant from the 2021-22 award year to $13,000. Pell Grants enable thousands of CCCS students to pay tuition and fees and meet other college expenses and are the foundation of all other student aid. Increasing the maximum award promotes affordability and student success while reducing the need to borrow. CCCS also supports funding increases for key financing and student support programs, such as:
- Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG)
- Federal Work-Study
- Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS)
- TRIO
- Postsecondary Student Success
- GEAR UP
- Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students programs
CCCS has voiced support for The Community College Agriculture Advancement Act (S. 1740, H.R. 3425), bipartisan and bicameral legislation that would fund community college workforce training, education, and research programs in agriculture. Seven of CCCS’s colleges serve rural communities, and several offer innovative programs in precision agriculture, agribusiness, and other areas that keep rural economies competitive. Through this legislation, CCCS would be able to expand these programs and ensure they meet the evolving needs of the industry. The legislation will be considered for inclusion in this year’s Farm Bill.
CCCS supports draft legislation that would allow the U.S. Secretary of Energy to designate five regional Energy Innovation Centers at community colleges in Colorado and across the country. Among other activities, the bill would provide funding for expanding training programs, developing apprenticeships, forging community and industry partnerships, and supporting services that promote student success and completion.
With six Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) and two emerging HSIs within CCCS, we support increasing funding for programs serving traditionally underrepresented populations. Robust funding for these programs will help reduce equity gaps at our colleges and other institutions in Colorado. Additionally, CCCS supports investments in programs that support student needs and success, such as the Basic Needs Grant and the Postsecondary Student Success Grants.