Education Committee Advances Zenzinger Bill to Increase Colorado Special Education Funding By More Than $93 Million

DENVER, CO – Today, the Senate Education Committee unanimously approved a bill sponsored by Senator Rachel Zenzinger (D-Arvada) and Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer (R-Weld County) that would increase funding for special education students by more than $93 million per year. The bill, SB22-127, would help ensure that every Colorado student has the resources and support they need to thrive. 

“Every Colorado student deserves a quality, public education, but the current level of state support for schools just isn’t getting the job done,” said Sen. Zenzinger. “We’ve been working to fix that, and this legislation 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.”

SB22-127 will dramatically increase funding for more than 100,000 Colorado special education students, from about $220 million per year currently to more than $313 million per year moving forward. This increase will bring down student-teacher ratios, decrease class sizes, and help schools provide the tailored assistance and support special education students need to learn and receive the quality education they deserve. 

The bill now moves to the Appropriations Committee for further consideration. Track the progress of the bill here.