Colorado Department of Higher Education

06/12/2026

Changes are coming to My Colorado Journey, the free, online tool made to help Coloradans with career exploration and planning. The updated platform is scheduled to launch July 1. The refreshed experience will introduce a modern new look, improved navigation, and two new industry career pathways: Electrician and Project Management.
Learn more about the refresh: https://cwdc.colorado.gov/resources/my-colorado-journey.

06/12/2026

CDHE's new Basic Needs Campus Designation builds on our previous basic needs work -- the Hunger Free and Healthy Minds campus designations. CDHE has expanded the new framework to reflect the broader reality of our students' lives and the full range of factors that shape whether a student can succeed. Housing, transportation, childcare, legal support, financial wellness, and technology access are key conditions for student success.

Institutions that previously earned a Hunger Free or Healthy Minds designation helped lay the foundation for this expansion. We see you, and we're grateful.

Learn more about the new Basic Needs Campus Designation at https://cdhe.colorado.gov/basic-needs.

06/12/2026

Yesterday, the Colorado Commission on Higher Education held its June meeting.

Commissioners heard updates from the Standing Committee on Student Success and Workforce Alignment and the Standing Committee on Finance, Performance and Accountability. They also renewed the Colorado-New Mexico Tuition Reciprocity agreement, and approved Guaranteed Transfer Pathways courses and waiver requests. The meeting concluded with a fund management update and a discussion wrapping up the legislative session.

Thank you to all who attended, asked questions and presented to the Commission! We appreciate your dedicated work.
See the meeting agenda and minutes at https://cdhe.colorado.gov/agendas-and-minutes.

06/12/2026

Colorado Department of Higher Education Deputy Chief Policy and Research Officer Michael Vente co-authored a new report about college student participation in SNAP!

The report, Levers for Increasing College Student Access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, examines Colorado SNAP data to estimate how different approaches might increase student SNAP participation. The authors found that efforts to broaden student eligibility would expand SNAP participation more than other methods analyzed.

Read more from RAND:https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA4846-1.html.

06/11/2026

The Colorado Workforce Development Council, in partnership with Impact Finance Center, is launching the Colorado Workforce Impact Investing Landscape Scan to explore how private, philanthropic, and public capital can work together to support workforce education and training statewide.
Investors, foundations, financial institutions, and mission-aligned organizations are invited to join a two-part webinar series featuring guest speakers from across Colorado’s workforce, policy, and investment ecosystem.
Register for the first webinar on June 26: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/colorado-workforce-impact-investing-landscape-scan-tickets-1981799674174?aff=oddtdtcreator.

We invite investors, foundations, financial institutions, and mission-aligned organizations to join a two-part webinar series on workforce.

06/11/2026

The 2026 Colorado Open Educational Resources Grant program's Request for Applications is open now! The OER Grant program funds the adoption and development of OER at institutions across the state. Public institutions of higher education are encouraged to apply. Applications are due on September 10, 2026. Grant funding is limited.
Find more information about the application, FAQs, and more: https://ow.ly/1e0G50ZaB4b.

06/11/2026

Yesterday, Colorado Department of Higher Education executive director JB Holston visited the CrossPurpose Northeast Denver campus. JB and CDHE leadership met with members of the CrossPurpose team to learn more about their mission, toured the campus, and spoke with learners about their programs. Thank you for welcoming us to your space!

CrossPurpose is committed to abolishing economic, relational, and spiritual poverty through holistic support and programs designed to help learners plan for a career, develop professional and personal skills, and build generational wealth. Learn more about CrossPurpose: https://www.crosspurpose.org/.

06/11/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Heath and Emily Griffith Technical College! We look forward to Dr. Heath's impact in her new role.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Sarah Heath as the incoming, inaugural President of Emily Griffith Technical College! 💚 👏 As Vice Chancellor of the Colorado Community College System and Colorado State Director for Career and Technical Education, Dr. Heath brings extensive experience to champion the vision of Emily Griffith to expand access for all who wish to learn. Her career has been dedicated to stewarding academic policy, building high-performing industry-aligned institutions, and advancing equity. Dr. Heath steps into this role with a profound reverence for our founder's legacy and a clear vision for how we can continue to strengthen Colorado’s workforce. In accepting the position, Dr. Heath shared her commitment to our community:

"To be entrusted as the first President of Emily Griffith Technical College is one of the greatest honors of my professional life. Emily Griffith believed deeply that education could transform lives and that opportunity should be available to all who wish to learn. Her vision opened doors for generations of Coloradans, and I am humbled by the opportunity to carry that vision forward.”

Dr. Heath will officially begin her role on July 27, 2026, and we are excited to share this announcement as we build the next chapter of Emily Griffith’s legacy. 🚀

06/11/2026

Dual enrollment allows high school students to enroll in postsecondary institutions and earn college credit. Students can get a head start on a college degree, saving money and time; earn industry-recognized credentials; and build essential academic and professional skills.

As of 2025, over 77,000 Colorado students were enrolled in a dual enrollment program! Get to know the options in your school district and prepare your student for success.

Explore data on dual enrollment: https://cdhe.colorado.gov/concurrent-and-dual-enrollment.
Learn more about dual enrollment programs in Colorado: https://ed.cde.state.co.us/concurrentenrollment.

Concurrent Enrollment - Information about Colorado K-12 public schools, school districts, and the Colorado State Board of Education.

06/10/2026

Last week, Governor Jared Polis signed Senate Bill 080 into law. This bill creates the Cradle to Career grant program, which will connect children and youth with high-quality educational and extracurricular programming to improve student achievement, workforce readiness, and wealth-building opportunities.
Learn more: https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb26-080.

Pursuant to the sine die adjournment of the General Assembly on May 13, 2026, any legislation enacted without a safety clause goes into effect on August 12, 2026. Read more.