News Article

DENVER – August 14, 2025: The Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) today released its annual Return on Investment (ROI) report, providing a comprehensive analysis of how Colorado’s public colleges and universities are preparing students for successful careers and long-term economic mobility. The ROI report helps lawmakers, taxpayers, students, and families understand the value of postsecondary education in Colorado.

DENVER- July 24, 2025: Today, Governor Polis announced several Open Educational Resource (OER) awards that increase access, equity, and affordability in higher education. Polis re-issued the Zero Textbook Cost "ZTC" Challenge for Colorado institutions. Zero textbook cost (ZTC) programs enable students to complete their degree without paying for textbooks through the use of open educational resources. Polis first issued the ZTC Challenge in 2020. View the Governor’s recent message

Celebration of Educational Excellence honors foster youth graduates

DENVER (May 21, 2025) — On June 5, the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) and Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) will host the 27th annual Celebration of Educational Excellence. This special event honors young people involved in the foster care system or youth services who have earned their high school diploma, General Education Development (GED) or college degree.

DENVER – May 8, 2025: The Colorado Department of Higher Education and Colorado Department of Education honored Colorado’s future educators at an event on Wednesday, May 7, as part of Teacher Appreciation Week (May 5-9).

Coloradans wear gear from their alma mater and encourage young people to reach higher

DENVER – Feb. 11, 2025: Today, the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) announced the launch of COSI Achieve, a new initiative within the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative (COSI) that works to deliver comprehensive support encompassing both scholarships and critical student success services.

DENVER - Colorado students submitted nearly 66,000 college and university admissions applications during Colorado Free Application Days. The seventh annual statewide initiative took place from Tuesday, Oct. 15 through Thursday, Oct.

DENVER- Dec. 20, 2024: The Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE) is seeking public input on the state’s funding allocation formula for higher education. The funding formula is an integral part of Colorado’s commitment to postsecondary education and aims to increase the number of Coloradans earning a high-quality postsecondary credential. The CCHE survey on the Higher Education Funding Formula is open through Jan. 17, 2025, to provide feedback on the new formula.

DENVER- The Colorado Commission on Higher Education approved 21 proposals for Open Educational Resources (OER) projects that will produce high-quality teaching and learning materials at no cost to Colorado students and 10 professional development awards that will catalyze OER expertise at rural institutions of higher education.

DENVER – Nov. 7, 2024: In recognition of First Generation Celebration Week, the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) announces the new First Generation-Serving Campus designation for higher education institutions across the state. The U.S. Department of Education defines a first generation college student as someone whose parents did not complete a bachelor's degree.