The legislative session has finally come to an end, and despite it being difficult for conservative policies in general, there was bipartisan support for a number of bills we drafted, supported, and testified on. For the first time in Colorado history, schools authorized by the Charter School Institute will receive equal funding as their district counterparts. A huge win for choice!
Improving school transportation system is a priority issue for Ready Colorado because for too many kids school choice is not a reality if they don’t have a ride to the school of their choice. Senate Bill 23-094, which creates a task force to study the issue, is a step in the right direction. We were also excited to see Gov. Polis sign into law House Bill 23-1231 to accelerate math learning. Ready Colorado is incredibly grateful to the bipartisan sponsors of these bills for their leadership on these important issues.
Below, you’ll see a summary of the bills Ready Colorado engaged on this session, both in support and opposition, and their final status. For a deeper dive, check out Chalkbeat’s summary.
Choice in education remains popular with the general public, but we are increasingly fighting an uphill battle with the progressive legislature on school choice as well as school finance and accountability. Ready Colorado will continue the fight in the committee rooms, at the ballot box, and in the court of public opinion. Why? Because every kid matters.
BILLS WE SUPPORTED
| Senate Bill 23-094: School Transportation Task Force BY SENATORS PAUL LUNDEEN (R) & RACHEL ZENZINGER (D) The bill creates a school transportation task force, comprised of representatives from school districts, advocacy groups, alternative transportation providers and parents. The task force is directed to report back to the legislature with its findings and recommendations to modernize the school transportation system. The goal is to better meet the needs of families and help all students access the school of their choice and have transportation to critical enrichment opportunities such as off-campus career and technical education courses and after-school programming. PASSED BOTH CHAMBERS AND SENT TO GOVERNOR POLIS |
| House Bill 23-1241: Task Force to Study K-12 Accountability System BY REPRESENTATIVES SHANNON BIRD (D) & ROSE PUGLIESE (R) This bill creates a 25-member Accountability, Accreditation, Student Performance, and Resource Inequity Task Force in the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to study academic opportunities, inequities, best practices, and improvements to the K-12 accountability and accreditation system. Membership includes representatives from school districts, parent organizations, teachers, the CDE, and other stakeholders. PASSED BOTH CHAMBERS AND SENT TO GOVERNOR POLIS |
| House Bill 23-1231: Math in Pre-kindergarten Through Twelfth Grade BY REPRESENTATIVES ROSE PUGLIESE (R) & BARBARA McLACHLAN (D) This bill provides teacher training and resources in math education, establishes a grant program for STEM out-of-school learning programs, and encourages schools to adopt evidence-based strategies for improvement in math education and to engage parents in supporting their children in math. SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR |
| Senate Bill 23-065: Career Development Success Program BY SENATORS JEFF BRIDGES (D) & PAUL LUNDEEN (R) The Career Development Success Program provides financial incentives to schools in order to encourage students to enroll in career pathway programs that earn them an industry credential. This bill reauthorizes the program for an additional 10 years and increases the annual appropriation to reach more students. SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR |
| Senate Bill 23-080: Tax Credit Parental Engagement in Schools BY SENATOR PAUL LUNDEEN (R) This bill allows parents to claim a state income tax credit for volunteer hours spent at their child’s school. The tax credit would be $20 per volunteer hour, up to a $500 maximum (which equates to about 25 hours over the course of the school year). KILLED IN SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE |
| Senate Bill 23-003: Colorado Adult High School Program BY SENATORS JANET BUCKNER (D) & BOB GARDNER (R) This bill creates the Colorado Adult High School Program in coordination with CDE and a non-profit intermediary. The program would create a pathway for Colorado students (21+) who do not have a high school diploma to earn a diploma, industry certificate, and/or college credits at no cost. PASSED BOTH CHAMBERS AND SENT TO GOVERNOR POLIS |
| Senate Bill 23-099: Special Education Funding BY SENATORS BARBARA KIRKMEYER (R) & RACHEL ZENZINGER (D) This bill increases the Colorado Department of Education’s funding by $40.2M per year for the purpose of funding students who have one or more disabilities and receive special education services from neighborhood or charter schools. SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR |
| Senate Bill 23-205: Universal High School Scholarship Program BY SENATORS JEFF BRIDGES (D) & PAUL LUNDEEN (R) This bill establishes the universal high school scholarship program in the Office of Economic Development And International Trade (OEDIT) to provide scholarships for the 2024-25 academic year to students who pursue an in-demand or high-priority postsecondary pathway, including degrees, certificates, apprenticeships, and programs eligible for support through the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. It includes public and private providers approved by OEDIT. These 1,500 scholarships are applied after all other financial aid. OEDIT will contract with vendors to administer the program, develop policies and support student advising. SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR |
| House Bill 23-1246: Support In-Demand Career Workforce BY SPEAKER JULIE MCCLUSKIE (D) & REPRESENTATIVE ROSE PUGLIESE This bill creates two new programs to encourage the completion of credentials for specific occupations and provides funding for new short-term nursing programs by partnering with Colorado’s community college system. SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR |
| Senate Bill 23-087: Teacher Degree Apprenticeship Program BY SENATORS MARK BAISLEY (R) & JANICE MARCHMAN (D) The bill creates a teacher degree apprenticeship program that builds on elements of current alternative teacher licensure programs, including a bachelor’s degree requirement, training programs approved by the state department of education (CDE), and structured on-the-job training. It differs from other alternative licensure programs in that candidates who do not have a bachelor’s degree are eligible, and it provides an “earn-and-learn” option for candidates to earn their degree while earning a salary as an apprentice teacher. SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR |
| House Bill 23-1207: Stipends For National Board-certified Educators BY REPRESENTATIVES ELIZA HAMRICK (D) & RON WEINBERG (R) Under current law, the Colorado Department of Education awards an annual $1,600 stipend to teachers, principals, school psychologists, and school counselors who hold a National Board Certification, and an additional $3,200 stipend to eligible national board certified educators who are employed in a low-performing, high-needs school. The bill extends both stipends to school social workers and librarians; extends the $3,200 stipend to National Board-certified educators who are employed in a rural school district, or who are employed as math teachers in any school; and specifies that an educator remains eligible for the $3,200 stipend if they transfer between eligible schools or subjects, but an educator does not remain eligible if they leave employment with a rural school district or low-performing school, or no longer teach math. DIED ON THE CALENDAR |
| Senate Bill 23-030: Eligible Educator Classroom Expenses Tax Credit BY SENATOR JANICE RICH (R) This bill creates a state income tax credit of up to $500 for eligible K-12 educators that incur out-of-pocket classroom expenses. KILLED IN SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE |
BILLS WE OPPOSED
| Senate Bill 23-061: Eliminate State Assessment In Social Studies BY SENATORS JANICE MARCHMAN (D) & CHRIS KOLKER (D) The bill eliminates the requirement that Colorado administers a state assessment in social studies to elementary and secondary students. DIED ON THE CALENDAR |
| House Bill 23-1239: Local Innovation for Education Assessments BY REPRESENTATIVES ELIZA HAMRICK (D) & JENNIFER BACON (D) This bill requires the Colorado Department of Education to seek a federal waiver to reduce statewide standardized testing and to support the creation of district-by-district testing assessment standards. DIED ON THE CALENDAR |
| Senate Bill 23-071: Education Accountability Act BY SENATOR JESSIE DANIELSON (D) This bill amends the Education Accountability Act of 2009 in order to allow school districts or the Charter School Institute to seek judicial review or bring lawsuits against rules, regulations, or final orders promulgated by the State Board of Education. DIED ON THE CALENDAR |
About the Author: Sage Naumann
