Senate Approves Bipartisan Bill to Support Students with Disabilities at Colorado Universities & Colleges

DENVER, CO – Today the Senate approved bipartisan legislation to ensure students with disabilities have the resources they need to thrive at their university or college.

Sponsored by Senator Janice Marchman, D-Loveland, SB25-087 would require Colorado institutions of higher education to create policies that would allow students to voluntarily self-disclose a disability to receive an “academic adjustment” that helps to ensure they have the resources necessary to succeed. 

“Higher education is the key to success for so many, and every student at a Colorado university and college deserves the chance to succeed, regardless of a disability,” said Marchman. “This bipartisan bill would enable students, faculty, and administration to work together to expand access to critical disability resources, give students more agency over their education, and save Colorado families time and money.”

Under the bill, the policy must include the process to determine eligibility for adjustments, documentation requirements for eligibility, information on available disability resources and adjustments, and an appeals process procedure for disputing decisions. Institutions must distribute this policy in accessible formats to applicants, students, parents, and faculty during the application process, orientation, in academic catalogs, and on their websites.

As defined in federal law, an “academic adjustment” is a modification to an institution’s academic requirements to ensure that these requirements do not discriminate against qualifying students.

SB25-087 now moves to the House for further consideration. Track its progress HERE.