(1) On or before December 15, 2009, the state board shall adopt standards that identify the knowledge and skills that a student should acquire as the student progresses from preschool through elementary and secondary education. (2) (a) The state board shall ensure that the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards, at a minimum, include standards in reading, writing, mathematics, science, history, geography, visual arts, performing arts, physical education, world languages, English language competency, economics, civics, financial literacy, and any other instructional areas for which the state board had adopted standards as of January 1, 2008. (b) In developing the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards, the state board shall also take into account any career and technical education standards adopted by the state board for community colleges and occupational education, created in section 23-60- 104, C.R.S., and, to the extent practicable, shall align the appropriate portions of the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards with the career and technical education standards. (c) In developing the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards, the state board shall include identification of the levels of attainment that a student shall achieve in order to demonstrate readiness for promotion from elementary grades to middle school grades and from middle school grades to high school grades. (2.3) On or before July 1, 2020, the state board shall adopt standards that identify the knowledge and skills that an elementary through secondary education student should acquire related to mental health, including suicide prevention. When the state board is adopting standards, the state board shall take into account what local education providers are currently teaching with regard to mental health. (2.5) On or before July 1, 2018, the state board shall adopt standards that identify the knowledge and skills that a secondary student should acquire related to computer science, including computer code writing, in one or more courses that qualify as a graduation requirement in either mathematics or science. Local education providers may elect to implement the standards adopted pursuant to this subsection (2.5). (2.6) (a) The state board shall adopt revisions to the reading, writing, and civics standards that identify the knowledge and skills that an elementary through secondary education student should acquire relating to media literacy. The knowledge and skills relating to media literacy must give due consideration to recommendations made by the media literacy Advisory committee's report pursuant to section 22-2-145 (2)(a)(I). (b) The initial adopted revisions required by subsection (2.6)(a) of this section, and subsequent reviews and adoptions of any appropriate revisions, must occur pursuant to the standard schedule described in subsection (6) of this section. (2.7) (a) On or before July 1, 2021, the state board shall adopt standards that identify the knowledge and skills that students should acquire as a condition of high school graduation related to Holocaust and genocide studies, as defined in section 22-1-104.7 (1), including but not limited to the Armenian Genocide. (b) In creating the standards described in subsection (2.7)(a) of this section, the department of education shall utilize a stakeholder process that is cost-effective and efficient, including the use of experts in the community. (c) The adoption of the standards identified in this subsection (2.7) is conditional on the receipt of gifts, grants, or donations. (2.8) Pursuant to the schedule of revisions set forth in subsection (6)(b)(II)(A) of this section, the state board shall ensure that the ninth through twelfth grade financial literacy standards include an understanding of: (a) (I) The costs associated with obtaining a postsecondary degree or credential in Colorado and out of state, including but not limited to tuition and fees, room and board, and other costs; (II) How to assess the affordability of and budget for different options for obtaining a postsecondary degree or credential; (III) The ways in which students pay for higher education, including but not limited to using funds from savings accounts and obtaining student loans, grants, or scholarships; (IV) Types of student loan programs and types of student loan debt, including public and private loans; (V) The purpose of the free application for federal student aid, or FAFSA, or a successor form, to access federal student aid; its use in determining a student's eligibility for federal, state, and private financial aid, including grants, scholarships, and work study, which are forms of financial aid that do not need to be repaid by the student; how to access the FAFSA electronically or in another format; and where to access help from the student's school or from other sources in completing the FAFSA; (VI) The purpose of the Colorado application for state financial aid, or CASFA, or a successor form, to access state student aid; its use by students who are not eligible for financial aid pursuant to Title IV, Part B of the federal "Higher Education Act of 1965", as amended, or an equivalent statewide financial aid application that uses FAFSA methodology to determine student financial need and eligibility for state financial aid programs; how to access the CASFA electronically or in another format; and where to access help from the student's school or from other sources in completing the CASFA. (VII) Repayment of student loans and the requirement to repay student loans, even if the student does not complete the credential, and the consequences of defaulting on student loans; (VIII) State and federal programs that may be available to manage student loan debt; and (IX) Potential career earnings, including starting salary by field and level of degree or credential; (b) Common methods for saving for retirement, including long-term investments, tax- deferred accounts, pensions, and government retirement benefits; (c) Credit cards and managing credit card debt; and (d) Homeownership and mortgages. (3) The state board in adopting the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards shall: (a) Align the standards to ensure that a student who demonstrates attainment of the standards as the student advances from preschool through elementary and secondary education will be able to demonstrate postsecondary and workforce readiness prior to or upon attaining a high school diploma; (b) Collaborate with the commission to ensure that the standards are aligned with the description of postsecondary and workforce readiness adopted pursuant to section 22-7-1008; (c) Ensure that the standards will facilitate longitudinal measurement of each student's academic growth from preschool through elementary and secondary education; (d) Ensure that the standards include development of postsecondary planning skills and the application of those skills; (e) Ensure that, in addition to measuring a student's subject matter knowledge, the standards, to the extent practicable, will require a student to develop and demonstrate creativity and innovation skills; critical-thinking and problem-solving skills; communication and collaboration skills; social and cultural awareness; civic engagement; initiative and self- direction; flexibility; productivity and accountability; character and leadership; the ability to use information and communications technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information; and other skills critical to preparing students for the twenty-first-century workforce and for active citizenship; and (f) Ensure that the standards are comparable in scope, relevance, and rigor to the highest national and international standards that have been implemented successfully and are consistent with and relevant to achievement of the goals specified in section 22-7-1002. (4) Repealed. (5) The state board shall modify the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards adopted pursuant to this section as necessary in response to comments received through the peer review process and to reflect the contents of the state plan approved pursuant to section 22-7-1012. (6) (a) Pursuant to subsection (6)(b) of this section, the state board shall review and adopt any appropriate revisions to the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards specified in this section. In adopting revisions, the state board may add or delete one or more of the specific instructional areas based on the needs of the state and changes in national and international academic expectations. In adopting revisions to the standards pursuant to this subsection (6), the state board shall ensure that the standards continue to meet the requirements specified in subsection (3) of this section. In adopting revisions to the standards related to history and civics, the state board shall take into consideration any recommendations provided by the history, culture, social contributions, and civil government in education commission established in section 22-1-104.3. (b) (I) The state board shall ensure that all preschool through elementary and secondary education standards specified in this section are reviewed at least, but not more than, once every six years pursuant to subsection (6)(b)(II) of this section. (II) (A) On or before July 1, 2022, and on or before July 1 every six years thereafter, the state board shall perform the requirements pursuant to subsection (6)(a) of this section for approximately one-third of the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards specified in this section. (B) On or before July 1, 2024, and on or before July 1 every six years thereafter, the state board shall perform the requirements pursuant to subsection (6)(a) of this section for approximately one-third of the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards specified in this section. (C) On or before July 1, 2026, and on or before July 1 every six years thereafter, the state board shall perform the requirements pursuant to subsection (6)(a) of this section for the remaining approximately one-third of the preschool through elementary and secondary education standards specified in this section.
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