Education

signed · Colorado · Senate Jun 4, 2026

SB 170: Task Force to Expand Effective Public Schools

The act creates the access to opportunity task force (task force) to study and report on how to expand access to effective public schools to address opportunity gaps.     The act requires the task force to report its findings and recommendations to the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate, the governor, the state board of education, the commissioner of education, and the department of education on or before January 1, 2027. If the first meeting of the task force is not until after July 31, 2026, then the report deadline is 5 months after the task force's first meeting.     The act specifies that the task force will only conduct a study and prepare a report if the department of education receives sufficient gifts, grants, and donations.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates task force to expand access to effective public schools and address opportunity gaps. Intent aligns with support indicators for educational access and improvement.85% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Choice School Funding

passed · Colorado · Senate May 6, 2026

SB 166: School Board Member Disqualifying Convictions

Current law disqualifies a person convicted of committing a sexual offense against a child from being a school director of a school district, commonly known as a school board member. The bill adds convictions for crimes of violence and for felony drug offenses involving distribution, manufacturing, dispensing, or sale of a controlled substance to the list of offenses that disqualify a person from being a school board member. The bill specifies that a person is disqualified only for crimes of violence offenses and felony drug offenses committed when the person was an adult and when fewer than 10 years have passed since the person satisfied every aspect of the sentenced imposed for the conviction, including incarceration, financial penalties, and parole .(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill expands disqualifying convictions to include violent crimes and drug offenses, strengthening public safety and protecting communities from potential harm by school board members.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill strengthens school governance by expanding disqualifying criteria for board members, aiming to protect the educational environment and student safety.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Drug Policy Probation & Parole

Track

signed · Colorado · House Jun 1, 2026

HB 1371: Adding Repeal Dates for Certain Higher Education Programs

The act repeals limited purpose fee-for-service contracts for: the career pathways program, the multidisciplinary health-care provider access training program, and the career and technical education and apprenticeship programs alignment, on June 30, 2028; and cybersecurity and distributed ledger technologies and the food systems advisory council, on June 30, 2026.     The act repeals, on June 30, 2028, the multidisciplinary health-care provider access training program, the career pathways program, and the state apprenticeship agency's career and technical education and apprenticeship programs alignment requirement.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill sets repeal dates for specific program funding, effectively cutting future appropriations and defunding initiatives like healthcare training and cybersecurity.90% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill explicitly repeals higher education and career training programs and cuts associated funding, limiting educational access and resources.95% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyBill explicitly repeals funding for cybersecurity and distributed ledger technologies programs, effectively defunding these specific technology initiatives.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Higher Education Cybersecurity

signed · Colorado · House Jun 1, 2026

HB 1359: Credit State Public School Fund from Natural Resources

Under current law, with certain exceptions, royalties and other payments for the depletion or extraction of a natural resource on public school lands is credited to the state public school fund, which is also known as the permanent fund.     The act requires that:For the 2025-26 state fiscal year, $25 million of this money be credited to the state public school fund; andFor the 2026-27 state fiscal year, $45 million of this money be credited to the state public school fund.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates specific funding allocations from natural resource royalties to the state public school fund, directly strengthening budgetary support for education.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill allocates $25M and $45M from natural resource royalties into the state public school fund, directly increasing financial resources for K-12 education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget School Funding

vetoed · Colorado · House May 28, 2026

HB 1355: Reduce Appropriation Out-of-School Time Grant Program

The act repeals the requirement for the general assembly to appropriate money in the 2026-27 state fiscal year for the out-of-school time program grant program (grant program).     The act reduces the appropriation for the 2026-27 state fiscal year to the department of education for use by the grant program by $1,750,000.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill repeals mandatory appropriation requirement, converting it to discretionary spending. This action limits guaranteed budget allocations for the program.95% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill removes mandatory funding for out-of-school time grants, converting it to discretionary. This restricts guaranteed financial support for educational programs and student services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget School Funding

Track

signed · Colorado · House Jun 1, 2026

HB 1358: Reduce Academic Accelerator Grant Program Appropriation

The act reduces by $5.2 million the appropriation for the Colorado academic accelerator grant program for the 2023-24 state fiscal year, which is available for expenditure through the 2026-27 state fiscal year.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill explicitly reduces an appropriation for an education grant program, constituting a cut to public service funding within the budget.95% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationThe bill explicitly reduces funding for the Academic Accelerator Grant Program, which falls under Education & School Finance. Cutting appropriations limits resources available for educational initiatives.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Government Spending School Funding

signed · Colorado · House May 27, 2026

HB 1354: Repeal Science Teacher Professional Development Program

The act repeals a professional development program for science teachers (program) on July 1, 2027. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the general assembly appropriated $3 million from the state education fund for the program, which money is available for expenditure through the 2026-27 state fiscal year. The act reduces the appropriation to $1.5 million.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill reduces state appropriation from $3 million to $1.5 million and repeals a program, directly cutting public service funding.95% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill reduces funding for science teacher professional development from $3M to $1.5M and repeals the program, cutting educational resources.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Government Spending State Budget Teachers

signed · Colorado · House May 29, 2026

HB 1384: Direct Transfers for Colorado Department of Labor & Employment School-to-Work Programs

Pursuant to existing law, a school district (district) may direct, by written instruction to the state board of education (board), that a specified portion of its monthly payment of the state's share of the district's total program for the budget year be paid to the department of labor and employment to cover the district's costs for participation in school-to-work alliance programs. The board is required to certify to the state treasurer on a monthly basis the amount, if any, to be transferred directly to the department of labor and employment instead of paid to the district.     The act clarifies that the amount of money transferred from the state public school fund directly to the department of labor and employment for school-to-work alliance program costs instead of paid to a district is not state fiscal year spending for purposes of section 20 of article X of the state constitution.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill facilitates funding transfers to support school-to-work programs, strengthening fiscal management for essential education initiatives.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill enables direct funding transfers to cover costs for school-to-work programs, facilitating financial support for specific educational initiatives and student programs.75% confidence

signed · Colorado · House Jun 4, 2026

HB 1345: Higher Education Funding Allocation Model Changes

This bill updates how Colorado state colleges and universities receive performance-based funding starting in the 2027-28 fiscal year. It renames "performance funding" to "results-informed funding" and modifies the metrics used to calculate these funds, including graduation rates, student retention, and Pell-eligible student enrollment. The legislation also introduces a new definition for "co-located degree partnerships" and excludes students in these programs from certain graduation rate calculations. Additionally, the bill changes how funding components are ordered and removes requirements for sequential calculation of funding amounts.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill introduces results-informed funding with metrics like graduation rates and Pell-eligible enrollment, aiming to improve higher education outcomes and access.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

signed · Colorado · Senate May 28, 2026

SB 151: Modify Public Employees Retirement Association Allowed Affiliation and Board of Trustees

This bill brings Denver School of Science and Technology charter schools into the Denver Public Schools division of the Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA), allowing their employees to participate in the same retirement benefits as other Denver public school workers. The legislation also changes the PERA Board of Trustees by adding one voting member elected by Denver Public Schools employees and removing a non-voting ex officio member from that division. Additionally, the bill extends the deadline for charter school employees to purchase additional retirement service credit for years worked before affiliation, moving the cutoff date from November 1, 2006, to July 1, 2026. These changes affect Denver public school employees, retirees, and the governance structure of the state's public employee retirement system.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill extends retirement benefits to charter school employees, strengthening teacher compensation and supporting educators in the education sector.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill expands retirement benefits for public school employees and adds employee representation to the PERA Board, strengthening worker benefits and collective representation.75% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice Public Employees