Senate Bill 23-096 Summary

• Increases the Colorado Scholars cap from 8 percent to 15 percent of total in-state students that institutions can count for enrollment and tuition purposes in each academic year.

• Requires higher education institutions to report annually to the Joint Budget Committee and education committees on resident enrollment, Colorado Scholars usage, tuition revenue allocation for merit- and need-based scholarships, and entering Colorado residents by county who qualify as Colorado Scholars.

• Mandates institutions make recruitment efforts toward in-state students from rural schools and rural school districts, and make efforts to retain scholars from demographic backgrounds with disproportionately low retention rates.

• Establishes in-state tuition classification for Peace Corps volunteers certified by the Peace Corps director as having served satisfactorily, though such students cannot be counted as resident students for any other purpose.

• Requires state-supported institutions of higher education to grant in-state tuition status to students classified as Peace Corps volunteers under the new provision.