NONDISCRIMINATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Bill ID:
SB 170
Branch:
Senate
Year:
2009 This bill was entirely rewritten in the Senate Education Committee, and I am addressing only the revised version here.
The bill allows students whose parents are not legal citizens to be classified as in-state students for tuition purposes if they have been enrolled in a Colorado high school for at least 3 years, are high school graduates (or have obtained a GED), and meet the admissions requirements of a state institution of higher education. However, unlike regular in-state students, they are NOT eligible for a stipend under the College Opportunity Fund (COF) and may NOT receive state-funded need-based financial aid. They must sign an affidavit indicating that they have filed an application to be come a permanent resident or will file one as soon as they are an adult. Finally, they must enroll in college within a year after graduating from high school.
Ten other states have passed similar legislation, including our neighboring states of Kansas, Utah, Oklahoma, and New Mexico, as well as Texas and California. The bill has the support of Governor Ritter, the Denver Post, the Colorado Council of Churches, the Colorado Children’s Campaign, Dick Monfort (owner of the Colorado Rockies and chairman of the board for the University of Northern Colorado), and a long list of local newspapers, religious groups, education associations and institutions, women’s groups, and philanthropic and charitable organizations.
Tuition equity is not a “free pass” to college. These students will have to get good grades in high school and meet all the admissions requirements for college. Although their parents are not legal residents, the students themselves have grown up in Colorado and attended our schools. Since the state is already funding their K-12 education, as federal law mandates, we would be wasting this initial investment in these high-performing students if we did not provide them with an opportunity to pursue higher education and ultimately give back to the state. Studies have shown that college graduates are less likely to get caught in a cycle of poverty and crime, and they tend to be more productive and civically engaged.
These students have more requirements to meet than regular in-state students. They will not be eligible to receive the state COF subsidy and must pay the full tuition, which averages about $7,000 per year. Also, while the requirement for U.S. citizens to receive in-state tuition is only to live in Colorado for one year, these students must attend a Colorado high school for three years and apply for college admission within a year of graduation.
I am supporting the bill. I believe it is good for our state’s economy and our communities. It keeps us competitive with other Western states. I have heard many people argue the futility of educating illegal immigrants because legally they cannot be hired by Colorado businesses, but these students will be required to seek citizenship, and with their college education, they will be highly attractive employees. I believe that any student who is willing and able to reach the “high bar” of requirements in SB 170 deserves the opportunity.