Colorado Student Leaders Institute

C.R.S. tit. 22, art. 106

in effect

C.R.S. § 22-106-101 Legislative declaration

22-106-101. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly finds that: (a) The state is committed to increasing the number of students who graduate from a Colorado high school, enroll in a Colorado institution of higher education, and graduate with a postsecondary credential in two to four academic years; (b) Several states have implemented a summer residential education program for high school students who demonstrate exceptional intellectual curiosity, creativity, and maturity. While participating in the summer program, students attend classes, lectures, seminars, concerts, art exhibits, theatrical performances, and films and have the opportunity to learn independently and from distinguished faculty, staff members, and guest lecturers. (c) The summer residential education programs implemented in other states have: (I) Successfully developed a civic voice among the states' best students so that they graduate from high school as civic participants; (II) Prepared motivated students to participate in a competitive workforce; (III) Helped to create young leaders who are energized to find solutions for the pressing issues facing their states; and (IV) Motivated students to remain in their home states for their postsecondary education and careers; and (d) A high percentage of the students who have participated in the summer residential education programs have subsequently enrolled in postsecondary education in their home states and earned a baccalaureate degree in four years. (2) The general assembly finds, therefore, that it is in the best interests of the state to continue the Colorado student leaders institute using the model of summer residential education programs implemented in other states and to appropriate state money to ensure the successful operations of the institute for the benefit of Colorado high school students. (3) The general assembly further finds that, for purposes of section 17 of article IX of the state constitution, the Colorado student leaders institute is an accountable program that assists students in meeting state academic standards and may therefore receive funding from the state education fund created in section 17 (4) of article IX of the state constitution.

C.R.S. § 22-106-102 Definitions

22-106-102. Definitions. As used in this article 106, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Host institution" means the institution of higher education that the department of education contracts with on behalf of the state board of education pursuant to section 22-106-104 to operate the institute. (2) "Institute" means the Colorado student leaders institute in section 22-106-103.

C.R.S. § 22-106-103 Colorado student leaders institute - applications

22-106-103. Colorado student leaders institute - applications. (1) There is in the department of education the Colorado student leaders institute. The year-long institute shall operate a competitive residential summer academic program for students who are entering tenth or eleventh grade in the coming fall semester. The program operated by the institute must be for four weeks each summer during which time students who are accepted to the institute attend college-level classes, lectures, and seminars as well as enrichment activities, including concerts and theatrical productions. Each student who is accepted to the institute is encouraged to donate up to four hundred dollars to the institute to assist in meeting operational costs. Subject to available appropriations, up to one hundred students may annually participate in the institute. (2) (a) The institute shall annually offer classes in at least the following two areas: (I) Science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics; and (II) International social studies. (b) The institute shall annually provide enrichment activities for students who participate in the institute, which must include but need not be limited to activities relating to visual expression and music appreciation. (c) In addition to participating in classes and enrichment activities, students who participate in the institute must: (I) Complete a history research project for a competition held during the term of the institute; and (II) Complete a public service practicum that includes a final report of findings and recommendations to the general assembly for legislative action. (3) (a) (I) To apply to participate in the institute: (A) A student who is enrolled in a public school that is not a charter school must be nominated by the superintendent of the school district in which the student is enrolled; and (B) A student who is enrolled in a charter school or in a private school must be nominated by the principal of the school. (II) A student who is participating in a nonpublic home-based educational program, as described in section 22-33-104.5, may apply without having been nominated. (b) To apply to participate in the institute, a student must submit an application to the host institution that is in the form and meets the requirements established by the host institution. If the applying student is enrolled in a public school, the student must submit a copy of the student's individual career and academic plan, as described in section 22-2-136, with the application. (4) The host institution shall award three hours of postsecondary academic credit to each student who successfully completes the institute. The school district or high school in which each student is enrolled is encouraged to apply the academic credit hours that a student receives for completing the institute toward academic credit hours earned in civics, to apply toward the completion of the student's high school graduation requirements.

C.R.S. § 22-106-104 Colorado student leaders institute - state board of education - duties

22-106-104. Colorado student leaders institute - state board of education - duties. (1) The state board of education, when operating the student leaders institute, has the following duties and powers: (a) Oversee and direct the operations of the institute; (b) (I) The department of education, on behalf of the state board of education, shall follow the applicable provisions of the "Procurement Code", articles 101 to 112 of title 24, to choose a higher education institution to host the institute. The department may enter into a multi-year contract with a public or private institution of higher education, subject to annual review and renewal. (II) The contract to host the institute must require the host institution, at a minimum, to provide the following services in managing the institute: (A) Establish requirements for and create the form of the applications that students submit to participate in the institute and establish the timelines for submitting applications and selecting participants; (B) Review applications received from students and annually select students to participate in the institute. In reviewing applications and selecting students to participate in the institute, the host institution must ensure that at least fifty percent of the students selected to attend the institute each year are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch pursuant to the federal "Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act", 42 U.S.C. sec. 1751 et seq., or would be the first in their immediate families to attend an institution of higher education; that the students who are selected reside in areas throughout the state and represent gender, ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic diversity of the state; that the students represent the educational program options available throughout the state; and that the students demonstrate through their individual career and academic plans a commitment to continuing postsecondary education after high school graduation. (C) Annually solicit educators to participate as faculty for the institute and annually select faculty and courses for the institute; (D) Provide space for classes, lectures, and seminars; (E) Provide living and eating facilities for students who participate in the institute; and (F) Collect any necessary data for the report and compile it as required under subsection (1)(d) of this section. (c) The state board of education may appoint an advisory board consisting of persons in the community who are supportive of education to assist the state board of education and host institution in marketing the institute and soliciting public and private gifts, grants, and donations for the institute. Any persons appointed to an advisory board pursuant to this subsection (1)(c) serve without compensation and without reimbursement for expenses. (d) Beginning in 2024, the host institution shall annually report to the state board and the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate, or any successor committees, the host institution's progress and success in implementing the institute. The host institution must, at a minimum, report the success of the institute as measured by the enrollment and progress of institute alumni in postsecondary educational programs.

C.R.S. § 22-106-105 Colorado student leaders institute - funding - cash fund created

22-106-105. Colorado student leaders institute - funding - cash fund created. (1) (a) The general assembly shall annually appropriate money to the department of education for the institute to pay the direct and indirect costs that the state board of education incurs in operating the institute, including costs relating to the host institution and stipends for the institute faculty members. (b) If the department of education does not spend the total amount appropriated pursuant to this subsection (1) by the end of the fiscal year for which it is appropriated, any amount not expended up to fifty percent of the total amount appropriated is further appropriated to the department for the subsequent state fiscal year for the same purpose. (2) (a) In addition to the amount appropriated pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the state board of education may solicit, accept, and expend public or private gifts, grants, or donations to implement the institute. The state board of education shall transmit any money that it receives pursuant to this subsection (2)(a) and any money it receives from participating students to the state treasurer. The state treasurer shall deposit the money in the Colorado student leaders institute cash fund, referred to in this section as the "cash fund", which is created in the state treasury. Annual operation of the institute is conditional upon receiving at least forty thousand dollars in gifts, grants, or donations by June 1 of each year. (b) The money in the cash fund is continuously appropriated to the state board of education for the direct and indirect costs incurred in implementing the institute. The state treasurer may invest as provided by law any money in the cash fund that is not expended for the purposes of this article 106. The state treasurer shall credit to the cash fund all interest and income derived from the investment and deposit of money in the cash fund. Any unexpended and unencumbered money remaining in the cash fund at the end of a fiscal year remains in the cash fund and is not credited to another fund. (3) Repealed.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2024-title-22.docxFetched: 10/6/2026