| Summary |
The bill establishes a refundable state income tax credit for
parental engagement in schools for income tax years commencing on or
after January 1, 2025, but before January 1, 2030, that allows a taxpayer
who is a parent, guardian, or legal custodian (taxpayer) to claim a credit
when the taxpayer volunteers in the school of the taxpayer's child.
Taxpayers are allowed a credit of $20 for each volunteer hour, up to
$500.
An eligible school includes a school of a school district, a district
charter school, an institute charter school, or a board of cooperative
services at which the percentage of students receiving free or
reduced-cost lunch under the national school lunch program equals at
least 40%.
An eligible school shall issue a credit certificate to any taxpayer
who volunteers in the school. The credit certificate allows the taxpayer to
claim a credit with respect to the income taxes imposed by the state. To
claim a credit, the taxpayer must submit the credit certificate to the
department of revenue (department) with the taxpayer's income tax return
for the income tax year for which a credit is claimed. The amount of the
credit that exceeds the taxpayer's income taxes due is refunded to the
taxpayer.
The bill encourages eligible schools to promote the credit to
parents at the start of each school year and to provide volunteer
opportunities throughout the year to accommodate parent schedules and
interests.
The bill requires the Colorado state advisory council for parent
involvement in education (council) to develop marketing materials to
promote the credit to parents. The council shall conduct training sessions
to instruct eligible schools on how to implement and manage a volunteer
program to align with the credit. The training sessions must use best
practices for parental engagement. On or before May 1, 2026, the council
shall create and distribute a statewide parental engagement feedback
survey (survey) to solicit and collect parental engagement feedback from
parents. The purpose of the survey is to measure parental engagement
participation and to determine whether parental engagement provides
support to eligible schools.
At the end of each school year through 2030, eligible schools are
required to solicit feedback, using the council's survey, from parents
concerning volunteer experiences. On or before July 1, 2026, and each
July 1 thereafter through July 1, 2030, eligible schools shall submit the
survey data to the school districts. On or before October 1, 2026, and each
October 1 thereafter through October 1, 2030, school districts shall report
the survey data to the department of education.
The bill requires the department of education to submit an annual
report summarizing the survey data reported by the school districts to the
department on February 15, 2027, and each February 15 thereafter
through February 15, 2031, to the state auditor, the education committees
of the house of representatives and the senate, or their successor
committees, and the finance committees of the house of representatives
and the senate, or their successor committees.
The bill repeals the state income tax credit, effective July 1, 2033.
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