K-12 EDUCATION
Our students are our future, which is why we worked to pass important legislation that will prepare Colorado’s future leaders for success. These measures will uplift all students, regardless of ability, to ensure they are equipped with the tools and support necessary to access higher education opportunities, help develop our workforce, and achieve their dreams.
Transition Back To Standard K-12 Accountability | SB22-137
Zenzinger & Coram / McLachlan & Young
Due to the pandemic, the state stopped evaluating schools and districts under the state’s school performance framework for two years; this bill resumes the accountability system with modifications to account for the disruption. Under the current framework, schools that perform in the lowest two tiers (of four possible ratings) for five years consecutively are subject to a variety of actions that can be imposed by the State Board of Education.
This bill reinstates the ratings, but they won’t be used to move any school further along the 5-year clock until the 2023-24 school year, which will be measured as if consecutive to 2019-20. This aligns with the State Board of Education’s unanimous resolution that districts won’t advance on accountability clock for 2022-23 school year. To address the issue of low standardized test participation, which can compromise the accuracy of the data, the bill requires schools to include data on how many students take the tests. In addition, the bill allows school transformation grants to go to schools rated in the second highest of the four tiers, rather than just the two lower tiers, for FY 2022-23 only.
Learning Disruption Effect On Teacher Evaluation | SB22-069
Story / Froelich & McLachlan
Under current law, all licensed educators must be evaluated annually, and 50 percent of the evaluation must be based on quality standards set by the State Board of Education and 50 percent of teacher and principal evaluation must be based on student academic growth, though for the 2020-21 school year, evaluation ratings for licensed personnel did not include consideration of student academic growth or other student performance measures. This bill provides that for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years, evaluations must not include measures of student academic growth or consideration of the performance plan type implemented at the school or district.
Kindergarten Through Twelfth Grade Licensed Personnel Performance Evaluations | SB22-070
Bridges / McLachlan & McCluskie
This bill reduces the amount of a teacher evaluation that is derived from student performance. All licensed educators must be evaluated annually, and under current law, 50 percent of the evaluation must be based on quality standards set by the State Board of Education, and 50 percent of teacher and principal evaluation must be based on student academic growth. Per SB 22-069, evaluations may not include measures of student academic growth in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years. Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, the bill provides that 30 percent of a teacher or principal be based on student performance, and with that 30 percent, up to 10 percent may be based on collective growth of a grade level or school. In addition, the bill requires the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to create a modified rubric for educators consistently rated as highly effective and provide free evaluator training to school districts.
Department Early Childhood And Universal Preschool Program | HB22-1295
Fenberg & Buckner / Garnett & Sirota
Access to child care not only supports critical early development and future educational outcomes, but also the very well-being of families across our state. As we work to move Colorado forward, this bill will directly benefit families across our state, saving people money and setting our future leaders up for success. The legislation establishes the Department of Early Childhood (DEC) and creates the Colorado Universal Preschool Program to provide 10-hours per week of preschool for all children prior to kindergarten. The department will administer the program and work with Local Coordinating Organizations to make a mix of public and private providers available. The executive director will establish quality standards. DEC will work with the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to ensure all 3 and 4 year old children with disabilities are served. DEC will set annual per-child rates for universal preschool services and distribute funding to providers throughout the FY based on enrollment. Funding for universal preschool services must be prioritized. Preschool program funding is paid from the Preschool Programs Cash Fund, which comes from taxes collected on cigarette and other tobacco sales.
Public Employees' Retirement Association Employment After Teacher Retirement | HB22-1057
Bradfield & McLachlan / Woodward & Zenzinger
Colorado is facing a significant teacher shortage, and rural school districts are suffering from an extreme labor shortage that extends beyond the classroom. Under current law, the Public Employment Relations Act (PERA) limits the number of days that retired teachers can work as substitute teachers without a reduction in retirement benefits. The bill temporarily waives this limit for retired teachers who are hired as substitute teachers in any school while there are critical substitute teacher shortages through the 2023-24 school year.
Public Employees' Retirement Association Service Retiree Employment In Rural Schools | HB22-1101
Catlin & McLachlan / Zenzinger & Sonnenberg
During the 2020-2021 school year, nearly 13% of teacher positions were filled through a shortage mechanism and more than 200 positions went unfilled statewide. The bill makes permanent a program that allows Public Employment Relations Act (PERA) retirees to work full-time without any reduction in their retirement benefits for a rural school district that has a critical shortage of qualified individuals. The program is currently scheduled to repeal on July 1, 2023. The bill also adds school nurses and paraprofessionals to those who are eligible for program participation. Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) and charter schools are also added to the program.
Special Education Funding (Interim School Finance Committee Bill) | SB22-127
Kirkmeyer & Zenzinger / Larson & McCluskie
Every Colorado student deserves a quality, public education – this bill will help us get critical resources to the classrooms that need them most while making sure every student, regardless of ability, has what they need to succeed. The bill increases categorical funding for special education for the almost 100,000 students in the state with a disability. The increase is $500 for each student in Tier A (with at least one disability), and an additional allocation of $26.825 million spread throughout the total pool of students in Tier B (with more intensive needs), which comes to about $1,150 per student. These amounts increase by inflation beginning FY 2024-25. Generally, special education expenses are mandatory for schools, so this money will free up those funds for general education rather than increase the total amount spent on special education.
In addition, the bill requires the Special Education Fiscal Advisory Committee to report to the education committees on other states' special education funding models, the actual cost of providing special education, and other aspects and analyses of the current funding model
State Match For Mill Levy Override Revenue | SB22-202
Zenzinger & Rankin / McCluskie
Beginning in FY 2022-23, the bill directs the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to distribute to each eligible school district and institute charter school an amount of state matching money for local money raised through mill levy overrides (MLOs). If a district’s MLO capacity is less than its MLO maximum, the district is eligible to receive a state match. The CDE must calculate the state match for each eligible district and institute charter school as specified in the bill and distribute the state match from the newly created Mill Levy Override Match Fund. In a fiscal year in which the General Assembly does not appropriate enough money to fully fund distributions for eligible districts, the distribution to each eligible district and institute charter school is prorated based on the amount appropriated.
Colorado Career Advisor Training Program | SB22-165
Bridges / Lindsay & Geitner
To support youth and adult learners in the workforce, this bill ensures career advisors are properly trained and prepared to help Coloradans navigate which positions or credentials they must pursue to secure strong career opportunities in high-growth industries. The bill creates a career advisor training program in the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to provide training programs and courses for career advisors, and appropriates $1 million from the General Fund in one-time funds for this purpose.
At-risk Student Measure For School Finance (School Finance Interim Committee bill) | HB22-1202
Coleman & Zenzinger / McCluskie & Herod
Right now, we don’t do enough to support our at-risk students, and that needs to change. More accurately identifying our at-risk students will allow us to do a better job allocating the critical resources school districts need to serve them. The current school finance formula uses free and reduced lunch percentage as a component in the school finance formula. It is a proxy for low-income students who are at-risk of below average educational outcomes. Due to the federal government providing free lunches to all students during the pandemic, the data that was previously used to make this determination is no longer collected as completely. This bill provides for the creation of a new at-risk measure relying on other administrative data such as Medicaid enrollment and socioeconomic factors from the census.
Board of Education Executive Session | HB22-1110
Story / Boesenecker & Bradfield
This bill creates an exception to state open meetings laws by allowing school boards or governing bodies to meet in executive session when interviewing finalists for superintendent or character school chief executive, negotiating contracts, or to prioritize among finalists.
In-state Tuition For Colorado High School Graduates | HB22-1155
Gonzales & Moreno / McCluskie & Will
The cost of higher education shouldn't deter Colorado's students from pursuing a post-secondary degree at one of the excellent colleges and universities in the state. By expanding the pool of students who qualify for in-state tuition, we lower the cost of education and empower students to make decisions for their future based on their goals rather than the price tag. Under current law, students who attend high school in the state for at least three years prior to enrolling at a state supported institution of higher education must be classified as in-state for tuition purposes if admitted within one year of graduation. This bill instead requires in-state status be granted if the student graduated in Colorado and has resided in the state for at least one year prior to enrolling at the institution.
Removing Barriers to Educator Preparation | HB22-1220
Zenzinger & Coram / Kipp & McLachlan
It is nearly impossible for student teachers to meet their prep obligations while supporting themselves financially via a second or third job. This bill establishes several programs that will help reduce students’ stress and make the pathway toward a career in education far more appealing. The bill creates two stipend programs. The Student Educator Stipend Program will award stipends to eligible students to reduce the financial barriers to entering the workforce while placed as a student teacher. The Educator Test Stipend Program will award stipends to institutions of higher education to reduce student fees and costs associated with professional competency assessments required for licensure and license endorsements.
The bill also allows access to temporary teaching certification for new teachers prior to them meeting all the certification requirements, expands options for new teachers to meet existing competency requirements, and provides $10 million for a temporary educator loan forgiveness program in FY 2022-23 and FY 2023-24.
Healthy Meals for All Public School Students | HB22-1414
Pettersen & Fields / Gonzales-Gutierrez & Michaelson Jenet
Every student should have access to a healthy meal during the school day, regardless of socioeconomic status. Conditional upon voter approval at the November 2022 election, the bill creates the Healthy School Meals for All Program which would provide reimbursement to participating school food authorities (SFAs) for offering meals without charge to all students, beginning in FY 2023-24. The bill also establishes a funding mechanism for the program, and requires the state to participate in the federal demonstration program for Medicaid direct certification.
Investment of Public School Fund Study And Report (Interim School Finance bill) | HB22-1146
Lundeen & Kirkmeyer / McCluskie & Larson
Beginning FY 2022-23, this bill requires that the appropriation to the State Treasurer for an investment consultant and expense reimbursement be calculated first. After that, up to $21 million is credited to the State Public School Fund, any remaining funds up to $20 million is credited for public school capital construction, and the remaining funds may be credited or appropriated by the General Assembly.
Extend School Leadership Pilot Program | HB22-1248
Simpson & Zenzinger / McLachlan & Ortiz
The School Leadership Pilot Program, which provides mentorship and training to school principals, is scheduled to repeal on July 1, 2022; this bill continues the program indefinitely. It requires that the General Assembly annually appropriate up to $250,000 for the program, and removes a requirement that employers receive grants for their cost of a principal’s participation in the program.
Contribution Limits in School Board Elections | HB22-1060
Gonzales / Sirota
Under current law, there are no campaign contribution limits for school board elections. Following an increase in spending on recent school board elections, this bill establishes such limits at $2,500 from an individual and $25,000 from a small donor committee. It also subjects these contributions to existing campaign contribution disclosure laws and establishes certain reporting guidelines.
Access To Medically Necessary Services For Students | HB22-1260
Simpson & Fields / Froelich
We need to ensure that students have access to the medication they need throughout the day while at school. By July 1, 2023, each school administrative body must adopt a policy that addresses how a student who has a prescription from a qualified health-care provider for medically necessary treatment may receive the treatment in the school setting. Schools must provide data to the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) on the number of requests for treatment by a private health care provider and how many were approved and denied.
Evidence-based Training In Science Of Reading | SB22-004
Bridges & Rankin / McCluskie
Every student deserves the chance to succeed, no matter where they come from. Learning to read is the most critical part of a student's public education, and it's on us to make sure we deliver. Under current law, schools that receive per-pupil intervention money or grants under the Early Literacy Grant Program (READ Act) must ensure that all early grade teachers successfully complete evidence-based training in the science of reading instruction. If requested, the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) must provide the training at no cost. Beginning with the 2024-25 school year, this bill requires that reading specialists and principals in schools serving kindergarten through third grade, and any administrator with responsibility for early grade programs, also receive similar training. It also encourages the directors of public libraries to work with CDE to offer similar training to librarians working with early grade readers, and if requested, CDE must likewise provide the training at no cost.
Recommend Community School For Turnaround Plan | SB22-054
Zenzinger & Kirkmeyer / Titone
When a school district fails to show improvement after being accredited with a turnaround plan or is on performance watch for the full five years, this bill adds another option to the list of potential actions that can be ordered by the Board of Education: conversion of one or more of a district's schools to a community school, which is a type of school that currently exists under innovation statutes and requires specified community involvement. Adding the option of allowing a public school to convert to a Community School as a turnaround plan will not only diversify the number of paths a poor performing school can take to regain success; community schools have also been proven to be a model that enhances community wellbeing and parental engagement.
Sales And Use Tax Exemption Municipal Public School Construction | HB22-1024
Hansen & Kolker / Bird & Woog
This bill, which comes from the Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning Tax Policy, requires home rule cities to exempt from sales and use tax sales of construction and building materials used in public school construction to contractors and subcontractors. This exemption was created in 1979 and currently exists outside of home rule cities.
Promoting Crisis Services To Students (CYAC bill) | HB22-1052
Moreno & Priola / McKean & McLachlan
We need to ensure that our students are aware of the resources available to them if they are experiencing a crisis in case they need immediate help. This bill requires that student IDs at public schools contain the phone number, website address, and text talk number for Colorado Crisis Services. The bill also requires that the Colorado Department of Human Services (DHS) annually notify schools and provide educational materials concerning behavioral health crisis services.
Sunset CO Interagency Working Group of School Safety | HB22-1274
Gonzales / Larson & Michaelson Jenet
SB20-023 created the Colorado Interagency Working Group on School Safety, a 14-member group dedicated to enhancing school safety through the cost-effective use of public resources, which is currently set to expire on September 1, 2022. The bill specified that the working group could not meet until DPS identified sufficient funding to cover the costs of the working group. DPS did not receive sufficient funding, thus the working group never met and the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) recommended the program be allowed to sunset. This bill appropriates $100,000 to the program and requires that it convene its first meeting by the end of 2022.
Prevention Of Title IX Misconduct In Public Schools | SB22-207
Winter / Bacon
Sexual misconduct of any kind in our public schools cannot be tolerated, which is why we worked this year to ensure we are better monitoring policies within our school system related to prevent poor behavior. The bill requires the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to contract with a third party to conduct a study on the amendments to the Title IX regulations issued by the US Department of Education, in collaboration with the Sexual Advisory Misconduct Committee within the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE), a K-12 advocacy organization, and a Colorado student government organization. The bill also establishes deadlines for CDE to submit the study to the General Assembly.
Sunset School Safety Resources Center Advisory Board | HB22-1275
Fields / Larson & McLachlan
The bill continues the School Safety Resource Center Advisory Board in the Colorado Department of Public Safety (DPS) indefinitely with no modifications. The advisory board advises the resource center, both of which were created by SB 08-001.
Special Education Services In Charter Schools | HB22-1294
Gardner & Zenzinger / Young & Michaelson Jenet
We need to make sure we’re providing diverse learners with greater opportunities for special education access within our charter school system. The bill makes changes to state law related to special education services in charter schools. With approval from the school’s authorizer, the bill permits a charter school to develop and administer an enrollment preference plan for children with disabilities.
Foster Care Success Act | HB22-1374
Moreno / Michaelson Jenet
Children in the foster care system typically face extraordinary challenges, which is why we worked this year to help prepare them for educational success. The bill creates the Fostering Educational Opportunities for Youth in Foster Care program in the Colorado Department of Human Services (DHS). The new program must be modeled after a Jefferson County School District pilot program that provides students in foster care with dedicated educational specialists who can advocate for and support the students’ educational attainment. The bill expands the program by at least two but no more than five school districts starting in FY 2022-23, and requires the DHS to administer and continue funding of the Jefferson County School District program starting in FY 2023-24. By July 1, 2023, and each year thereafter, the DHS must publish an annual report on its website and submit it to the General Assembly with information about program implementation and performance metrics of program participants.
Supportive Learning Environments for K-12 Students | HB22-1376
Priola & Winter / Herod & Young
To create more supportive and safe learning environments for students, this bill initiates a stakeholder process to standardize how we report data about chronic absenteeism, bullying, and school discipline incidents and the actions taken by schools to address them. The bill prohibits a school resource officer (SRO) or law enforcement officer acting in their official capacity on school property from using handcuffs on any student. Specifies that restraint must not be used as a form of discipline or to gain compliance from a student, and may not be used for more than one minute, with limited exceptions. If a school uses a seclusion room, the bill requires that there must be at least one window for monitoring when the door is closed, or video monitoring must be available. The bill also modifies state laws related to data reporting and availability, enforcement authority, and SROs. It also provides additional funding for the Expelled and At-risk Students Services (EARSS) grant program.
School Security Disbursement Program Recreation | HB22-1120
Woodward & Bridges / Neville & Van Winkle
We’re committed to ensuring that our public schools are a safe place for students to grow and learn. This bill recreates the School Security Disbursement Program in the Colorado Department of Public Safety (DPS). The program provides funding to local education providers (LEPs) and eligible nonprofit entities to improve security in public schools. Funds may be used for capital construction to improve the security of public school facilities or vehicles, training for threat assessment, training for peace officers on interactions with students, staff training programs to help students become more resilient, and developing best practices related to a school safety incident response.
School Security and School Behavioral Health Services Funding | HB22-1243
Kolker & Hinrichsen / Exum & Van Winkle
Too many kids don’t know where to turn when they are in a mental health crisis. This bill puts an additional $2 million in federal funds toward the behavioral health care professional matching grant program and $6 million in federal funds to extend the popular I-Matter program beyond its scheduled repeal in June 2022, paving the way to serve youth with free counseling sessions for another two years.
Study Of Expanding Extended High School Programs | HB22-1215
Bridges / Bacon & McCluskie
In order for students to be successful in the future, we need to increase opportunities for them to prepare for careers in high-demand industries .The bill creates the Secondary, Postsecondary, and Work-based Learning Integration Task Force. The task force must solicit input from employers, teachers, school districts, charter schools, and institutions of higher education and is required to make recommendations concerning: policies to allow high schools and institutions of higher education to sustain integration programs; policies to expand postsecondary and workforce credential options and career pathways through integration programs, focusing on high-need industries; the creation of a statewide corps of counselors to assist students in navigating concurrent and dual enrollment options; a uniform and comprehensive funding mechanism for integration programs; methods for publicizing integration programs; identify challenges students face in accessing and completing credentials through integration programs; and characteristics of and standards for integration programs in order to measure the program performance and effectively utilize data.
Clean Water In Schools And Child Care Centers | HB22-1358
Fields & Winter / Sirota
Every child should have access to clean drinking water at school, but the presence of lead in water pipes continues to threaten many students’ health and well-being. The bill requires eligible schools, child care centers, and family child care homes to test and remediate for the presence of lead in drinking water sources. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) will provide training, technical assistance, and funds to help schools and child care facilities comply. Eligible schools include schools that serve any grades between preschool through eighth grade.
Innovation School Zones With Alternative Governance | SB22-197
Coleman & Hansen / Bacon
The bill permits a group of schools to submit an innovation school zone plan that would authorize the schools to adopt an alternative governance model allowing management by an organization that forms a partnership with the local school board. The bill specifies what must be included in the plan as it relates to alternative governance.
Public School Finance | HB22-1390
Zenzinger & Lundeen / McCluskie & McLachlan
The 2022 Public School Finance Act increases funding for K-12 schools so our districts can maintain small class sizes, boost teacher pay and make sure classrooms have the resources they need to provide high-quality public education. The bill increases base per pupil funding for FY 2022-23 by $252.88 to $7,478.16, which reflects a 3.5 percent inflation rate. The bill decreases the Budget Stabilization Factor (BSF) by $182.0 million, from $503.3 million in FY 2021-22 to $321.2 million in FY 2022-23. For FY 2023-24, the bill specifies that the BSF cannot exceed FY 2022-23 levels. The Joint Budget Committee (JBC) hopes to continue its work to significantly reduce the BSF in the upcoming legislative session.
The bill modifies the Accelerating Students through Concurrent Enrollment (ASCENT) program. The number of participating students, which is determined through the budget process, is currently capped at 500 students, and students must be designated by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to participate. The bill removes the limit on the number of students who can participate, and allows the district or school to designate eligible students for participation instead of the CDE. The bill appropriates $1.0 million from the General Fund to the Mill Levy Equalization Fund in FY 2022-23.