Waterous supports proposals to boost college completion

Senior policy analyst Frank Waterous, the Bell's specialist on education issues, testified Thursday in support of House Bill 12-1155, a proposal that would make improvements aimed at helping more students complete college.

The improvements outlined in the bill include:

• Adjusting basic-skills and admissions requirements to better align with students' intended programs of study. This would include ensuring that the mathematics proficiency required of students is consistent with the skills necessary for success in their desired career paths.

• Sharing data on post-secondary student enrollment, placement and achievement with the school districts from which the students graduated in order to help guide K-12 improvement efforts.

• Allowing students to address limited academic deficiencies through focused supplemental instruction rather than requiring them to enroll in full basic-skills courses This would help qualified students improve their college-level skills while maintaining academic progress toward their credentials.

These improvements would help keep students on a path toward post-secondary success. That success is vital for students, and it will pay dividends for Colorado employers and our economy.

The bill passed unanimously out of the Senate Education Committee and now will be considered by the full Senate.

Click here for Waterous' full testimony.