Bill Tracker

Under current law, a school district, the state charter school
institute, or the governing board of a nonpublic school may adopt a policy
for a school to maintain a supply of and distribute opiate antagonists. The
bill allows the adoption of a similar policy for maintaining a supply of
opiate antagonists on school buses and extends existing civil and criminal
immunity to school bus operators and other employees present on buses
if they furnish or administer an opiate antagonist in good faith, in addition
to other requirements.
Under current law, a school district, the state charter school
institute, or the governing board of a nonpublic school may adopt a policy
for a school to maintain a supply of and distribute non-laboratory
synthetic opiate detection tests. The bill allows the adoption of a similar
policy for non-laboratory additive detection tests and extends existing
civil immunity provisions to include non-laboratory additive detection
tests.
The bill requires a school, school district, or the state charter
school institute to allow a student to possess or administer on school
grounds, on a school bus, or at any school-sponsored event an opiate
antagonist and possess a non-laboratory synthetic opiate detection test or
a non-laboratory additive detection test.

The bill requires the department of early childhood (department)
to provide education and information in plain language and in prevalent
languages to help individuals complete the paperwork required to meet
child care licensing compliance requirements.
The bill also requires the department to provide services in
prevalent languages to individuals seeking to open or otherwise
participate in the operation of an early childhood program or facility
licensed by the department.
The bill defines prevalent languages as the 2 most prevalent
languages spoken in Colorado.
The bill creates the bilingual licensing unit to help the department
satisfy its duties and requires the general assembly to appropriate
$235,000 from the general fund to the department for the 2024-25 state
fiscal year and for each year thereafter to pay the costs of the bilingual
licensing unit's activities.
The bill also requires the general assembly to appropriate $45,000
from the general fund to the department for the 2024-25 state fiscal year
to pay costs associated with updating the department's mobile licensing
application.

Section 1 of the bill creates, beginning on January 1, 2025, and
continuing indefinitely, a state sales and use tax exemption for baby and
toddler products. A baby and toddler product is defined to include a
baby crib, playpen, or play yard; a baby stroller; a baby safety gate,
cabinet lock or latch, or electrical socket cover; a baby monitor; a bicycle
child carrier seat, or trailer, including an adaptor or accessory; a baby
exerciser, jumper, bouncer seat, or swing; a breast pump, bottle sterilizer,
bottle, or nipple, pacifier, or teething ring; baby wipes; a changing table
or pad; and baby and toddler clothing.
Section 1 also creates a time-limited state sales and use tax
exemption, or sales and use tax holiday, for back-to-school items. The tax
holiday applies for 14 days beginning on January 1, 2025, and for an
additional 14 days beginning on July 24, 2025. A back-to-school item
is defined to mean an article of clothing, a bag, a school supply, a
learning aid, or a personal computer or personal computer-related
accessory that is purchased primarily for use by an individual who is a
minor. The exemption for each item is limited by cost as follows:
  • $100 for an article of clothing or a bag;
  • $50 for a school supply;
  • $30 for a learning aid; and
  • $1,500 for a personal computer or a personal
computer-related accessory.
Section 2 permits a town, city, or county to create sales and use tax
exemptions that are identical to the state exemptions.

Colorado's Child Welfare System Interim Study Committee.
The bill requires the department of health care policy and financing, in
collaboration with the behavioral health administration (BHA) and the
department of human services, to develop a system of care (system of
care) for children and youth who are less than 21 years of age and who
have complex behavioral health needs. At a minimum, the system of care
must include:
  • Implementation of a standardized assessment tool;
  • Intensive-care coordination;
  • Expanded supportive services; and
  • Expanded access to treatment foster care.
The bill creates the residential child care provider training
academy in the department of human services to create a pipeline of
high-quality staff for residential child care providers and ensure that
individuals hired to work at residential child care facilities receive the
necessary training to perform the individual's job functions responsibly
and effectively.
The bill requires the department of human services to develop a
system to establish and monitor quality standards for residential child care
providers and ensure the quality standards are implemented into all levels
of care that serve children and youth in out-of-home placement. The bill
requires the department of human services to develop a system to
incentivize residential child care providers to implement quality standards
above the department of human services' established minimum standards.
The bill requires the department of human services to make a
directory of each residential child care provider's quality assurance
publicly available on the department's website.
The department of human services program that provides
emergency resources to licensed providers to help remove barriers the
providers face in serving children and youth whose behavioral or mental
health needs require services and treatment in a residential child care
facility currently repeals on July 1, 2028. The bill extends the program
indefinitely and requires the department of human services to contract
with additional licensed providers for the delivery of services to children
and youth who are eligible for and placed in the program.
The bill requires the department of human services and the BHA
to increase the minimum reimbursement rates paid to qualified residential
treatment programs for the purpose of aligning room and board payments
across payer sources.
The bill requires the department of health care policy and
financing to contract with a third-party vendor to complete an actuarial
analysis in order to determine the appropriate medicaid reimbursement
rate for psychiatric residential treatment facilities.
The bill requires the department of human services to contract with
one or more third-party vendors to implement a pilot program to assess
the needs of, and provide short-term residential services for, juvenile
justice-involved youth who do not meet the criteria for detention.

Colorado Youth Advisory Council Review Committee. Section
1 of the bill:
  • Requires public schools and institute charter schools
(school) to use a student's preferred name, if a preferred
name is requested by the student; and
  • Deems a school's refusal to use a student's preferred name
a form of discrimination.
Section 2 of the bill:
  • Creates the non-legal name changes in schools task force
(task force) in the department of education (department)
consisting of 9 members appointed by the department to
examine existing school policies and provide
recommendations to schools on how to best implement
student non-legal name change policies;
  • Requires the department to appoint members to the task
force by June 30, 2024;
  • Requires the task force to submit a report to the department
detailing the recommended policy guidelines by January 1,
2025;
  • Requires the department to publish the report on its website
and submit the report to the superintendent of each school
district and chief administrator of each institute charter
school by February 1, 2025;
  • Requires a school to implement the task force's policy
recommendations by July 1, 2025; and
  • Repeals the task force, effective July 1, 2026.

With limited exceptions, current law limits the number of service
retirees that a state college or university or an employer in the school or
Denver public schools division of the public employees' retirement
association (PERA) can hire without a reduction in the service retirees'
benefits to 10 service retirees when an employer determines there is a
critical shortage of qualified candidates. The bill allows an employer to
hire such service retirees when the employer determines there is a need.
In addition, the bill authorizes an employer in the school or Denver
public schools division with a student enrollment above 10,000 to hire,
without a reduction in service retirees' benefits, an additional service
retiree for each 1,000 students enrolled above 10,000. An employer with
10,000 students or less will continue to be allowed to hire 10 service
retirees. The bill requires an employer in the school or Denver public
schools division to provide PERA with a list of all employed service
retirees by September 1 of an applicable calendar year.

Colorado Youth Advisory Council Review Committee. The bill
creates the licensed school mental health professional loan repayment
program (program) in the department of higher education. The purpose
of the program is to provide loan repayment of up to $10,000 to eligible
school counselors, school psychologists, and school social workers who
provide mental health services to students who have limited access to
mental health services. The commission on higher education
(commission) administers the program.
The bill creates in the state treasury the licensed school mental
health professional loan repayment program fund.
The bill requires that the commission submit an annual report to
the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate
on or before October 31 of each year the program is operational.
The program repeals on July 1, 2029.

The bill clarifies what constitutes an abbreviated school day and
describes the effects of placing children with disabilities on abbreviated
school day schedules (abbreviated schedule).
The bill requires the department of education (department) to
create and implement a policy that explains the:
  • Definition of an abbreviated school day;
  • Circumstances in which abbreviated schedules are
permissible and impermissible;
  • Roles of the teams who determine whether to assign
children with disabilities to abbreviated schedules;
  • Notice requirements that children with disabilities must not
be excluded from field trips, school functions, and
extracurricular activities due to abbreviated schedules;
  • Documentation and maintenance of records relating to
children with disabilities' abbreviated schedules;
  • Review of abbreviated schedules on a regular basis by the
teams who determine whether to assign children with
disabilities to abbreviated schedules;
  • Information that parents, legal guardians, or custodians of
children with disabilities (parents) must receive regarding
whether parents may consent to, revoke consent to, or
oppose abbreviated schedules; and
  • Procedural safeguard information distributed to parents
prior to meetings in which abbreviated schedules are
discussed.
Each administrative unit shall adopt the department's policy.
The department shall provide annual training and ongoing
technical assistance to administrative units.
On or before July 1, 2026, and each July 1 thereafter,
administrative units shall submit a report to the department summarizing:
  • The number of children with disabilities who were placed
on abbreviated schedules during the preceding school year;
  • The number of days each child with disabilities was placed
on an abbreviated schedule;
  • The student demographic information for each child with
disabilities placed on an abbreviated school day schedule,
including race, gender, English language learner status, and
whether the child has a disability pursuant to federal law,
to the extent possible while maintaining student privacy;
and
  • The student demographic data collected, disaggregated by
race, gender, English language learner status, and disability
status pursuant to federal law, to the extent possible while
maintaining student privacy.
The bill requires the department to post the reports to the
department's website on an annual basis.
Beginning in January 2027, and in January every year thereafter,
the department shall include as part of its presentation during its
SMART Act hearing information concerning abbreviated schedules.
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The bill requires that schools built, purchased, or leased and school
buses purchased or leased on or after July 1, 2024, be air conditioned.

The bill allows a preschool, public school, or public college or
university student to wear and display religious or cultural regalia at a
graduation ceremony.
The bill prohibits a preschool, school, or public college or
university from restricting what a student may wear under the student's
required graduation attire.
The bill allows a preschool, school, or public college or university
to prohibit a student from wearing or displaying an item that is likely to
cause substantial disruption of, or material interference with, a graduation
ceremony, but the prohibition must be the least restrictive means
necessary to accomplish a specifically identified important government
interest.
Prior to the start of the 2024-25 school year, the bill requires a
preschool, school, and public college or university to develop and adopt
a policy that aligns with the requirements of this bill.

Under current law, the independent ethics commission created in
article XXIX of the state constitution does not have jurisdiction over
officials or employees of special districts or school districts. The bill
gives the independent ethics commission jurisdiction to hear complaints,
issue findings, assess penalties, and issue advisory opinions on ethics
issues concerning a special district official or employee or school district
official or employee. Existing law establishes ethical standards for a
special district official or employee or school district official or employee.
The bill incorporates those standards under the independent ethics
commission's jurisdiction and expands the standards to include those
described in article XXIX of the state constitution.

The bill creates the purple star school program (program) in the
department of education (department). The purpose of the program is to
designate schools of a school district, district charter schools, institute
charter schools, or boards of cooperative services (public schools) that
provide services and supports to military-connected students and their
families to help mitigate the academic and social-emotional challenges
they may face as a result of frequent moves, new schools, parental
deployments, and different social circles and experiences.
The department is required to create:
  • An application for a public school to apply for a purple star
school designation;
  • A rubric to measure whether a public school qualifies for
a purple star school designation; and
  • A timeline for a public school to apply for and to renew the
purple star school designation.
The department shall designate a public school as a purple star
school if the public school applies and qualifies for the designation.
During the first week of April each year, the governor, or the
governor's designee, shall recognize each purple star school and present
the purple star schools with a certificate.
A purple star school designation is valid for 3 years.

The bill clarifies that a director, coach, assistant coach, or athletic
program personnel contracted by a private sports organization or program
is a mandatory reporter.
An organization that operates a youth athletic activity (youth sports
organization) is required to have each paid coach of the youth athletic
activity have a current CPR education certification. A youth sports
organization means a private for-profit or not-for-profit organization that
provides sports activities designed for the participation of youth 18 years
of age or younger. Youth sports organization does not include K-12
schools or institutions of higher education.
All youth sports organization employees and volunteers who work
directly with youth members, and any employee or volunteer who
accompanies the youth sports organization on any trip that includes one
or more overnight stays, must obtain a criminal history record check. A
volunteer who is not acting in the capacity of a coach or manager, who
only occasionally assists with the team, and who has an immediate family
member participating in the youth sports organization is not required to
obtain a criminal history record check. The bill creates a cause of action
for failing to conduct a background check.

Under current law, a person seeking a teaching endorsement in
special education or early childhood special education (endorsement)
must complete an approved program and a student teaching practicum
through an institution of higher education and pass one or more
appropriate content-based exams. The bill requires the department of
education (department) to establish an additional pathway for an educator
to obtain an endorsement. To receive the endorsement, the educator must
hold a valid teaching license other than an initial license; take and pass
the appropriate content-based exams, as determined by the department;
and complete a specialized induction program that meets the standards
and criteria established by rule of the state board of education. Upon the
educator's completion of all the components of the additional pathway,
the department shall grant the educator a professional endorsement for
instruction in special education or early childhood special education.

The bill enacts the School Psychologists Licensure Interstate
Compact (compact). The purpose of the compact is to facilitate the
interstate practice of school psychology in educational or school settings,
thereby improving the availability of school psychological services
(services) to the public.
The compact establishes a pathway to allow school psychologists
to obtain equivalent licenses to provide services in any state that is a
member of the compact (member state).
The compact outlines the requirements for a school psychologist
to obtain and maintain an equivalent license in another member state.
Provisions for active military members and their spouses are made.
The member states shall create the school psychologist licensure
interstate compact commission (commission). Requirements for
commission membership, voting, and meetings are set forth, along with
the commission's powers and responsibilities, including financing of the
commission. The commission is responsible for facilitating information
exchange between member states; rule-making; and oversight, dispute
resolution, and enforcement.

The bill establishes the school safety firearm detection funding
program (program) in the office of school safety (office) to disburse
money to local education providers to purchase, install, and operate
firearm detection software for use in schools. The office administers the
program.
In order to receive a disbursement, a local education provider must
submit an application. The office shall disburse program money to
eligible applicants in the order the applications are received. A recipient
shall use program money to purchase and operate firearm detection
software to detect, and alert local education provider personnel and first
responders about, the presence of visible, unholstered firearms on school
property.

The bill requires the department of education (department) to
create and maintain a resource bank of evidence-based, research-based,
and promising program materials and curricula pertaining to the mental
health impacts of social media use by children and teens (youth). The
resource bank will be used in elementary and secondary schools in the
state. The department is required to convene a stakeholder group to assist
in the creation of the resource bank.
The bill requires the department to expand local student wellness
programs to include programs that address the impacts of problematic
technology use on the mental and physical well-being of Colorado youth.
The bill requires a social media platform to display a pop-up
warning to a user who is under the age of 18 when the user:
  • Has spent one hour on social media platforms in a 24-hour
period; and
  • Is on a social media platform between the hours of 10 p.m.
and 6 a.m.
The warning must state that data shows that youth who spend more than
3 hours per day on social media double the risk of experiencing poor
mental health outcomes, including anxiety and depression symptoms. The
warning must include links to resources on the platform for setting screen
time limits and links to the health-effect data.

The bill allows a school district board of education (school district)
to submit to the eligible electors of the district the question of contracting
a bonded indebtedness for capital construction or land and facilities needs
of an institute charter school located within the school district if:
  • The school district, in the school district's sole discretion,
has approved support for the institute charter school's
capital construction or land and facilities needs; and
  • The school district has obtained security or assurances, if
any, regarding its interest in the land or facilities of the
institute charter school that the school district retains.

The bill imposes a moratorium until June 30, 2025, during which
the public employees' retirement association (PERA) is prohibited from
including in its membership an employee of a third-party private entity
that contracts with a public entity to perform services.

Beginning July 1, 2025, local education providers are required to
provide free menstrual products in at least half of applicable school
buildings in bathrooms that are accessible to students enrolled in sixth
through twelfth grade who menstruate, except for a small rural school
district and a local education provider with only one applicable school
building.
Beginning July 1, 2026, all local education providers, facility
schools, and the Colorado school for the deaf and the blind are required
to provide free menstrual products to students in applicable school
buildings in bathrooms that are accessible to students enrolled in sixth
through twelfth grade who menstruate.
The bill expands eligibility for the menstrual hygiene products
accessibility grant program (grant program) to make any local education
provider eligible for a grant award and requires the department of
education (department) to prioritize awards to certain applicants if the
demand exceeds the amount appropriated for the grant program.
For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the bill requires the general
assembly to appropriate $400,000 to the grant program. The bill allows
the department to retain up to 5% of any appropriation on actual
administrative costs for the grant program and allows grant awards to be
used to acquire a dispensing machine or disposal receptacle for menstrual
hygiene products.

The bill prohibits the use of seclusion on a student of a school
district, district charter school, or institute charter school on certain
property or while the student is participating in an off-campus,
school-sponsored activity or event.
The bill requires the state board of education (state board) to
promulgate or amend existing rules to reflect the prohibited use of
seclusion.
The bill requires the state board to create and maintain a resource
bank of materials regarding alternatives to seclusion and restraints for
schools and school personnel to employ.
The bill amends existing reporting requirements to ensure
incidents of seclusion are reported.

The bill requires state and local public bodies (public bodies) to
ensure that the following accessibility requirements are implemented by
July 1, 2025:
  • Any public meeting at which public business is discussed,
formal action may be taken, or recommendations to the
governing body of the public body may be discussed
(meeting) held by a public body is required to be accessible
in real time by live streaming video or audio that is
recorded and accessible to individuals with disabilities;
  • A public body is required to post on its website, at least 24
hours before a meeting, any documents that will be
distributed during the meeting;
  • For any meeting of a public body during which public
testimony will be heard, the public body is required to
allow any individual to participate in the meeting and offer
public testimony by using a video conferencing platform
unless the meeting occurs in a geographic location that
lacks broadband internet service; and
  • A public body is required to provide any auxiliary aids or
services requested in time for the meeting for which they
were requested. A public body may require that a request
for auxiliary aids or services to attend a meeting of the
public body with the use of the video conferencing
platform be made up to 7 days before the date of the
meeting.
Nothing in the bill prohibits a public body from promulgating rules
for the administration of public testimony so long as the rules apply to
both in-person and remote testimony, and nothing in the bill requires a
public body to provide hardware or software or internet or phone access
at an individual's home.
The failure of any public body to comply with the applicable
requirements of the bill constitutes discrimination on the basis of
disability. Any individual who is subjected to a violation is entitled to
seek relief as currently provided in law.

Joint Budget Committee. The general assembly recognizes that
the actual funded pupil count and the at-risk pupil count for the 2023-24
budget year are higher than expected when the appropriation amount for
the state share of total program funding was established during the 2023
legislative session, resulting in an increase in total program funding for
the 2023-24 budget year.
In addition, local property tax revenue and specific ownership tax
revenue are higher than anticipated, resulting in an increase in the local
share of total program funding for the 2023-24 budget year.
The bill declares the general assembly's intent to maintain the
budget stabilization factor at the amount of the original appropriation for
the 2023-24 budget year.
The bill decreases the appropriation for the state share of total
program funding by $23,964,790 in cash funds from the state education
fund and adjusts the 2023-24 state fiscal year long bill accordingly.

The bill establishes a bill of rights for K-12 students who are
involved in any capacity with the juvenile or criminal justice system
(justice-engaged student). School districts, boards of cooperative services,
charter schools, and institute charter schools (local education providers)
must follow the bill of rights for justice-engaged students. The bill of
rights includes, but is not limited to, providing the justice-engaged student
with a graduation and promotion plan; appropriate credit for coursework
completed while justice-engaged; prompt enrollment or re-enrollment no
later than 10 business days after the first request to the local education
provider; and allowing the justice-engaged student to participate in school
activities or career readiness pathways in accordance with rules
promulgated by the state board of education (board).
Each local education provider shall publish on its website an
explanation of the services and resources available for justice-engaged
students, including the name, phone number, and email address of a
designated, trained point-of-contact person (contact person) at the local
education provider. The contact person shall complete annual training
developed by the department of education (department) and be
knowledgeable about alternative education options and wraparound
services.
When notified that a student is justice-engaged, the contact person
shall schedule a meeting with the justice-engaged student and the
multi-tiered systems of supports team (MTSS), if one is available, at the
local education provider. If an MTSS is not available, the contact person
shall schedule a meeting with an intervention team. The MTSS or
intervention team shall, in collaboration with the justice-engaged student
and the justice-engaged student's family, develop a customized support
plan related to the justice-engaged student's education needs.
Beginning with the 2025-26 academic year, the department, in
collaboration with the division of youth services and the judicial
department, shall develop a data tracking system to track data on
attendance, drop-out rates, and graduation rates for justice-engaged
students.
The board shall promulgate rules to establish a process and
framework for interpreting and transferring credits and schoolwork
completed by a justice-engaged student while in custody.
The department shall provide guidance to local education
providers on how to allow a justice-engaged student to receive an
accommodation to participate in school activities, including, but not
limited to, graduation ceremonies, sporting events, after-school activities,
and college or career readiness pathways.
On or before September 1, 2025, the bill requires the department
to select and contract with an entity to establish and maintain a statewide
hotline for justice-engaged students, families and caregivers, justice
system personnel, and education personnel. Each justice-engaged student
shall be provided information about the hotline by law enforcement after
ticketing or arrest, by the division of youth services after release from the
division, and by local education providers after notification that a student
has become justice-engaged.
The bill requires the entity operating the hotline to submit a written
report to the department and board on or before June 30, 2025, and each
June 30 thereafter. The report must categorize and summarize the number
of calls received, the type of person calling, types of supports or referrals
provided, and the geography of calls received so that service gaps can be
identified.
The department shall create and maintain a position to serve as a
support person to assist students from frontier and rural school districts
who have been denied re-entry into school by a local education provider.
Under current law, if a child or youth is within a court's
jurisdiction, a preliminary investigation is made to determine whether
further actions be taken to protect the interests of the child or youth or the
community. The bill allows the court to extend the preliminary
investigation for an additional 6 months to make additional findings.

A public school contracting entity (entity) that executes a contract
on or after July 1, 2024, with a vendor or provider of a curated digital
research collection (collection) shall include in the terms of the contract
a termination clause stating that the contract is materially breached and
grounds for termination exist if, on 3 separate occasions, a collection is
found to have advertisements, promotions, or embedded links or URLs
that contain material that is harmful to students or direct students to
material that is harmful to students. A public school employee, contractor,
or volunteer shall report, and students, parents, guardians, legal
custodians, or community members (interested parties) may report, the
material that is harmful to students to the entity. The report must include
the name of the digital collection and the title of the document, the
reference number, or keywords used to access the collection. The entity
shall notify the vendor or provider and the department of education
(department) of each reported incident. The vendor or provider must
remove the material that is harmful to students within 3 business days
after receiving notice.
The bill requires public schools to annually notify interested
parties of the reporting procedures. Public schools may include
information on their websites regarding how to make a report.
If a public school contracts or enters into an agreement with a
public library that promotes a collection, the public school shall annually
disclose the details of the contract or agreement by e-mail to the local
school district board of education and parents, guardians, or legal
custodians of students enrolled in the public school. If any material
changes to the contract occur, the public school shall send an e-mail
notification to the local school district board of education, parents,
guardians, or legal custodians of students enrolled in the school.
The department is required to annually report to the general
assembly on the number of reports that occur each year.

The bill prohibits an employer from requiring an employee to
attend meetings, listen to speech, or view communications concerning
religious or political matters.
The bill also prohibits an employer from threatening an employee,
subjecting an employee to discipline, or discharging an employee on
account of the employee's refusal to attend or participate in an
employer-sponsored meeting where the employer communicates religious
or political matters or opinions.
Certain employer communications are exempt from the
prohibition, including communications required by law or that are
necessary for an employee to perform the employee's job duties.
The bill creates a private right of action in district court for
aggrieved persons who prevail in court seeking payment of front pay, lost
wages and compensation, costs, and attorney fees.
Each employer is required to post a notice of the employee rights
outlined in the bill at the employer's workplace.

The bill requires the department of education to create, maintain,
and manage an online career support and pathways portal (online portal)
for educators; staff; school districts, district charter schools, institute
charter schools, boards of cooperative services, or approved facility
schools (local education providers); and educator preparation programs
(educator programs). The online portal must have:
  • Access to career incentives, stipends, and loan forgiveness;
  • Career pathway information for educators and staff,
including, but not limited to, mentoring, induction program
coaching, instructional coaching, district curriculum
support, special assignments for teachers, and principal
leadership; and
  • A job posting and application portal for local education
providers to post open employment positions and to search
for prospective candidates, and for educators and staff to
upload resumes and to apply to open employment positions.
Local education providers and educator programs shall post a link to the
online portal on their websites to promote the online portal to educators
and staff.
The bill allows Indian tribes and tribal organizations to access and
use the online portal.
Pursuant to current law, the educator and retention program (ERR
program) provides support to members of the armed forces and
nonmilitary-affiliated educator candidates. The bill expands criteria for
participation in the ERR program to include applicants who are:
  • Enrolled in a teacher degree apprenticeship program and
employed by an Indian tribe or tribal organization or a local
education provider; or
  • Enrolled in an educator program to attain a special services
provider license with the appropriate endorsement.

Under current law, the ninth-grade success grant program (grant
program) provides funding to local education providers and charter
schools to implement a ninth-grade success program to assist students in
ninth grade to develop the skills needed to successfully graduate high
school and succeed in their education and careers. Beginning in the
2024-25 state fiscal year, and for each year thereafter, the bill requires the
general assembly to annually appropriate $2.8 million for the grant
program.
Under current law, the office of dropout prevention and student
re-engagement (office) submits an annual report to the state board of
education, education committees of the house of representatives and
senate, and the governor regarding findings and recommendations to
reduce the student dropout rate and increase graduation and completion
rates. Starting with the report submitted in March 2026, the bill requires
the office to include certain ninth-grade performance measures for each
public school, school district, the charter school institute, and the state as
a whole.

Current law identifies bullying behaviors that are subject to school
district and charter school discipline policies and reporting requirements.
The bill adds a pattern of bullying based on weight, height, or body size
to the prohibited bullying behaviors.

The bill requires the general assembly to appropriate money from
the state education fund to fund stipends under the student educator
stipend program, subject to available appropriations.

The bill makes the following changes to the Colorado Open
Records Act (CORA):
  • Requires a custodian to evaluate a request for public
records promptly and for no longer than 2 days. Within the
2-day period the custodian shall notify the requester
whether or not any costs or fees that may apply to the
request and if extenuating circumstances exist that allow
for an extension of the reasonable time to respond to a
CORA request (response period). If there are costs or fees
that may apply, the response period does not begin until the
custodian receives a response from the requester
acknowledging acceptance of the costs or fees.
Alternatively, a requester may revise their request and the
custodian shall evaluate the revised request within the
2-day evaluation period. Otherwise, the response period
begins after the custodian has provided notice to the
requester.
  • Adds an extenuating circumstance that allows for an
extension of the response period when the custodian is not
scheduled to work within the response period;
  • If public records are in the custody and control of someone
who is not scheduled to work within the response period,
a custodian shall notify the requester of the date the person
is scheduled to return to work and make best efforts to
make responsive records available for inspection within the
response period or extended response period, as applicable.
The requester may make a subsequent request for
additional responsive records, if any, on or after the date
the person who is authorized to have custody and control of
the records is scheduled to return to work.
  • Allows a custodian to determine that a requester is a
vexatious requester, requires the custodian to make a sworn
statement in support of the determination to provide to the
requester, allows the custodian a 30-day response period
when a requester is a vexatious requester, and permits the
requester to appeal the determination that the requester is
a vexatious requester to the district court;
  • Excludes a mass medium or newsperson from being a
vexatious requester;
  • Allows a custodian to determine that a request is made for
the direct solicitation of business for pecuniary gain,
requires the custodian to make a sworn statement in support
of the determination to provide to the requester, allows the
custodian a 30-day response period for such a request,
permits the requester to appeal the determination that the
request is made for the direct solicitation of business for
pecuniary gain to the district court, and allows a custodian
to charge the requester for the full cost of responding to the
request notwithstanding the allowance for the first hour of
research and retrieval to otherwise be free of charge and
notwithstanding the statutory cap on fees, which otherwise
would apply;
  • Prohibits disclosure of any other contact information of
students in any public elementary or secondary school in
addition to the prohibition of disclosure of addresses and
telephone numbers that is in current law;
  • Allows a custodian to deny the right of inspection of public
records that are an employee's calendar, unless the public
record is an elected official's calendar or the calendar of an
employee who is in a leadership position or the request is
made by a mass medium or newsperson; and
  • Allows a custodian to treat a CORA request made within
14 calendar days of another CORA request made by the
same person as one request for purposes of calculating the
fee that the custodian may charge to the requester for
research and retrieval of responsive public records.

The bill prohibits a labor union that is composed of school
employees from directly using union member dues to promote the
election or reelection of a public officer or to promote a local or state
ballot measure to which the union member has expressed opposition.

The bill creates the time-to-eat task force (task force) in the
department of education (department) to evaluate Colorado school
districts' and other states' policies regarding scheduled lunch time
(time-to-eat policies) and repeals the task force, effective January 1, 2025.
The bill creates the safe and healthy play grant program in the
department to assist schools in implementing programs that support social
and emotional learning through play.

The bill expands the types of programs a pathways in technology
early college high school (p-tech school) may focus on beyond science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Under current law, the college opportunity fund program provides
a stipend for eligible undergraduate students in Colorado. Generally, an
eligible undergraduate student is ineligible to receive a stipend for more
than 145 credit hours during the student's lifetime. The bill makes an
exception to this lifetime limitation for college-level credit hours earned
while the eligible undergraduate student was enrolled in a concurrent
enrollment program, the accelerating students through concurrent
enrollment program, the teacher recruitment education and preparation
program, or a p-tech school.

The bill requires a school district board of education, a charter
school, an institute charter school, a board of cooperative services, or the
Colorado school for the deaf and the blind (school administrative entity)
to satisfy certain requirements concerning installation, inspection, and
maintenance of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC)
systems in schools if the school administrative entity undertakes HVAC
infrastructure improvements using money made available by a federal
government source or by a federal government source in combination
with a state government source specifically for such purpose.
The requirements established in the bill concern:
  • Ventilation verification assessments, which include
assessments of an HVAC system's filtration, ventilation
exhaust, economizers, demand control ventilation, air
distribution and building pressurization, general
maintenance requirements, operational controls, and carbon
dioxide output;
  • The preparation of HVAC assessment reports;
  • The review of HVAC assessment reports by mechanical
engineers, who make recommendations regarding
necessary repairs and improvements and estimate
associated costs;
  • HVAC adjustments, repairs, upgrades, and replacements;
  • The preparation of HVAC verification reports and the
submission of the reports to the state board of education;
and
  • Periodic inspections and ongoing maintenance.
The bill establishes mandatory criteria that an HVAC contractor
must satisfy in order to perform work described in the bill. A school
administrative entity that undertakes HVAC infrastructure improvements
using money made available by a federal government source or by a
federal government source in combination with a state government source
must do so using only contractors on the certified contractor list
established by the department of labor and employment.
The bill allows a school administrative entity to apply for grants
to pay for HVAC infrastructure improvement projects and establishes
requirements for school administrative entities that apply for grants from
federal and state government sources.
The bill allows the governor's office to expend money from the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act cash fund to provide grant
writing support and project planning support to school administrative
entities that are undertaking HVAC infrastructure improvement projects.

The bill permits a school district, charter school, or board of
cooperative services (local education provider) to employ or retain by
contract a person as a school security officer only if:
  • The local education provider has a policy that governs
security officers' engagement with students;
  • The person completes school security officer or school
resource officer training; and
  • The person undergoes a background check and a
psychological evaluation.
The bill permits a school security officer to carry a handgun on
school property if the school security officer holds a valid permit to carry
a concealed handgun; completes firearms training, including ongoing
in-service training; and passed the peace officer standards and training
board's firearms skills test or an equivalent firearms skills test.
Existing law prohibits carrying, bringing, or possessing a deadly
weapon on school property and includes exceptions to the prohibition,
including for the purpose of a school employee carrying out necessary
duties and functions that require the use of a deadly weapon. The bill
repeals the exception for a school employee carrying out the employee's
duties and expressly permits a school security officer to carry a handgun
on school grounds, as described above.
The bill prohibits a school or law enforcement agency from storing
firearms on the grounds of a public or private elementary, middle, junior
high, or high school.

The bill creates the educator safety task force (task force) within
the office of school safety (office) in the department of public safety
(department).
The task force consists of the director of the office, teachers,
education support professionals, a school support professional, school
administrators, a representative of an organization representing students
and families from disproportionately impacted communities, a
representative of a statewide organization that represents students with
disabilities, an individual who works for a nonprofit that focuses on
school safety, and a restorative justice professional.
The task force shall meet at least 4 times in 2024 and at least 3
times in 2025 and may hold meetings with remote participation.
On or before June 30, 2025, the bill requires the task force to
review, investigate, and make recommendations to the education
committees of the house of representatives and the senate, the governor,
the state board, the commissioner of education, and the department
concerning:
  • Any issue relating to the safety and well-being of public
school staff, including laws or regulations that affect the
safety and well-being of public school staff;
  • The effects of the declining number of special education
professionals on student behaviors, as well as the impact of
widespread staff shortages and the effects of class size and
caseloads on disruptive learning environments;
  • Incidents of aggressive student behaviors toward educators
to inform solutions;
  • The work and recommendations of existing education task
forces;
  • The impact of insufficient funding and the lack of
wraparound services on disruptive learning environments;
and
  • The role resource inequality may play in staff safety issues.
The task force shall make recommendations for administrative and
statutory changes that are necessary to facilitate school staff safety
solutions.

The bill allows a preschool, public school, or public college or
university student to wear objects of cultural or religious significance as
an adornment at a graduation ceremony.
The bill prohibits a preschool, public school, or public college or
university from restricting what a student may wear under the student's
required graduation attire.
The bill allows a preschool, public school, or public college or
university to prohibit a student from wearing or displaying an adornment
that is likely to cause substantial disruption of, or material interference
with, a graduation ceremony, but the prohibition must be the least
restrictive means necessary to accomplish a specifically identified
important government interest.
Prior to the start of the 2024-25 school year, the bill requires a
preschool, public school, and public college or university to develop and
adopt a policy that aligns with the requirements of the bill.

The bill creates the out-of-school time program grant program
(grant program) to provide grants to eligible 501 (c)(3) nonprofit
organizations to provide academic enrichment and related services to
public school students during times when school is not in session.
The department of education (department) is required to administer
the grant program, and the state board of education is required to award
grants, subject to available appropriations. The general assembly is
required to appropriate $5 million to the department in the 2024-25,
2025-26, and 2026-27 state fiscal years for the grant program.
Grants must be used for the purposes specified in the bill.
Grantees are required to annually report to the department, and the
department is required to annually provide a report to the education
committees of the house of representatives and the senate.

The bill creates 2 separate state income tax incentives (incentives)
to encourage enrollment in institutions of higher education. For income
tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2024, but prior to January 1,
2030, the first incentive is available to a graduate of any Colorado
institution of higher education with a credential required or supported by
certain jobs identified by the 2023 Colorado talent pipeline report,
defined by the bill as top jobs, in the amount of $250 for the completion
of a qualified program less than one year in duration, $500 for the
completion of a qualified program between one year and 2 years in
duration, $1,500 for graduates of an associate's degree program, and
$3,000 for graduates of a bachelor's degree program.
For income tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2026, but
prior to January 1, 2030, the second incentive is available to an eligible
transfer student attending a 4-year Colorado institution of higher
education, in the amount of $50 per credit hour transferred from either a
2-year Colorado institution of higher education or earned while under
certain enrollment status in high school. The incentive is capped at 60
credit hours or $3,000 and may only be awarded after the student
completes at least 15 credits at the 4-year Colorado institution of higher
education.
Notwithstanding the incentive amounts otherwise allowed for both
incentives, if the revenue forecast prepared by either legislative council
staff or the office of state planning and budgeting in June of any income
tax year for which an incentive is allowed projects that the amount of
excess state revenues for the state fiscal year that ends during the income
tax year will be:
  • At least $500 million but no more than $750 million, the
amount of the incentive allowed is reduced by fifty percent
for that income tax year.
  • Less than $500 million, the incentive is not allowed for that
income tax year.

Current law permits a student to apply for open enrollment in
particular programs and schools within the student's district and in
schools and programs in other school districts. The bill requires the state
board of education (state board) to adopt a model policy on or before
December 15, 2024, to promote clarity and consistency for parents,
custodians, and legal guardians as they assess school enrollment options.
The model policy must include timelines and processes for the school or
program application, timelines for student notification of acceptance or
denial determinations, and open enrollment transparency measures for
student eligibility, school capacity, and transportation resources. The bill
allows school districts to adopt, publicize, and implement policies and
procedures for open enrollment that are consistent with the state board
model policy.
The bill requires the department of education to annually report to
the general assembly, governor, and state board on the number and
geographic location of students exercising an open enrollment option and
on open enrollment application denials.

The bill requires, when appointing members to a charter school's
governing body, that the appointing authority make reasonable efforts to
ensure that at least one-third of the board is comprised of parents or legal
guardians of students who are enrolled in the charter school and people
who reflect the demographics of the community where the charter school
is located.
The bill prohibits:
  • Automatic waivers from being included in charter contracts
executed or renewed on or after July 1, 2024; and
  • A charter contract from waiving educator personnel
performance evaluation system requirements.
Under current law, a charter school is not required to pay rent for
school district facilities that are available, and an independent charter
school is not required to pay more than $12 in rent per year for a building
of a public school that is subject to conversion. The bill repeals this
provision.
The bill repeals a requirement that a school district prepare, and
provide upon request, a list of vacant or underused buildings and land to
the district charter schools, charter school applicants, and other interested
persons, and repeals the ability of a district charter school or charter
school applicant to apply to use the district building or land.
The bill requires information about laws and policies waived by
the charter school to be provided in plain and easy-to-understand
language on:
  • A school district's enrollment website portal; and
  • A charter school's website. Failure to satisfy this
requirement is grounds for revocation or nonrenewal of the
charter contract.
The bill requires a charter school to publicly report on its website
its unredacted federal form 990 and an unredacted copy of any form
including revenue and expenses related to marketing and student
recruitment, except for redactions required to protect personal or
confidential information.
The bill requires a charter school application or renewal to include:
  • Descriptions of educational services that the applicant will
provide that meet the unmet needs of the students in the
community where the charter school is located and, in a
charter renewal application, information concerning the
progress and results in satisfying this purpose; and
  • Its annual minimum pupil enrollment requirement. Failure
to satisfy this requirement is grounds for revocation or
nonrenewal of the charter contract.
Under current law, certain local board of education (local board)
decisions may be appealed to the state board of education (state board).
The state board may remand a decision to the local board for
reconsideration. If the local board's decision remains unchanged, that
decision may be appealed to the state board again. The state board's
decision is then the final decision. The bill repeals the second remand to
the state board, so that the local board's final decision ends the appeal
process.
The bill creates a process for community members to appeal a
local board's decision to approve a charter application.
Under current law, a local board is prohibited from imposing a
moratorium on the approval of district charter schools. The bill creates an
exception for a school district whose pupil enrollment is less than the
immediately preceding budget year or is projected to decline over the next
3 budget years.
The bill allows a local board to revoke or not renew a district
charter school charter because of the school district's declining pupil
enrollment or the district charter school's declining enrollment. The
charter school may appeal the decision.
Under current law, a district accountability committee is required
to review a charter school application. The bill requires a district
accountability committee to also review a charter school renewal
application.
The bill prohibits a charter school governing board member or
leader from engaging in activity or having any financial interest that
might result in a conflict of interest between the board member's or
leader's charter school duties and personal or financial interest.
Under current law, as a part of a charter school contract, the school
district and charter school negotiate funding. A school district may retain
the actual amount of the charter school's per pupil share of central
administrative overhead costs for services provided to the charter school,
up to 5% of the district per pupil revenues for each pupil enrolled in a
charter school. The bill requires the school district to retain the costs,
including any costs that are otherwise not reimbursed for special
education services provided to the charter school, and repeals the 5% cap.
Under current law, the department of education is required to
submit an annual report to the governor and the house of representatives
and senate education committees concerning charter schools. The bill
requires the report to include data concerning attrition rates for charter
school student enrollment and teacher and administration employment.
Current law generally requires school districts and boards of
cooperative services to evaluate the performance of their licensed
personnel. The bill requires an evaluation of all personnel, including at
institute charter schools, regardless of whether the person is licensed.

The bill authorizes the department of education to commission a
financial study (study) with an independent contractor to analyze the costs
to provide students the opportunity to obtain college credits, industry
credentials, and work-based learning experiences. The study must also
include an analysis on the effects of consolidating certain postsecondary
and workforce readiness programs, including costs and opportunities for
savings to the state and school districts, district charter schools, institute
charter schools, and boards of cooperative services (local education
providers).
The bill requires the office of information technology (office) to
build, or contract with a third-party vendor to build, the Colorado
statewide longitudinal data system (data system) to establish a consistent,
appropriate, secure, and legal means of data sharing and connecting
multiple data sets into the data system to support effective state
investments, inform policy research, and assist Colorado citizens in
making choices related to their education and training pathways. The
office shall work with contributing state agencies, local education
providers, institutions of higher education, partner entities, and
policymakers.
The bill creates the Colorado state longitudinal data system
governing board (governing board) to support the office with the
development and implementation of the data system. The governing board
is required to convene the systems build and implementation interagency
advisory group and the sustainability interagency advisory group to
support and advise the governing board on the technical development,
implementation, use, and function of the data system.
The bill requires the office to submit an interim report on January
15, 2025, and an annual report on education and workforce readiness
beginning April 15, 2026, and each April 15 thereafter, to the general
assembly, the state board of education, and the governor summarizing the
education and workforce outcomes and postsecondary and workforce
programs using the data system.

Under current law, the teacher mentor grant program (grant
program) provides funding to partnerships between local education
providers and educator preparation programs to provide training and
stipends for experienced teachers who mentor teacher candidates in
clinical practice.
The bill expands the grant program to include mentorship of
novice teachers who have fewer than 3 years of teaching experience.
The bill requires the general assembly to appropriate $500,000
dollars to the department of higher education for the grant program for
the 2024-25 state fiscal year. Any appropriation remaining at the end of
the 2024-25 state fiscal year may be used for the grant program in
subsequent fiscal years.

Joint Budget Committee. The bill requires the department of
education (department) to apply to the United States department of
agriculture for a statewide community eligibility provision if the
department determines participation in a statewide community eligibility
provision will maximize federal funding.
The bill requires the department to annually establish options for,
and communicate the options to, school food authorities to maximize
federal funding. A school food authority that chooses an option other than
those established by the department will not receive healthy school meals
for all program funding and must use other eligible funding sources to
cover the costs of serving free meals to all students at the schools of the
school food authority.
The bill delays the implementation of the local food purchasing
grant, the wage increase or stipend program for school meals food
preparation and service employees (wage increase or stipend program),
and the local school food purchasing technical assistance and education
grant program until the 2025-26 budget year.
The bill requires the department to create a policy for school food
authorities to maximize the collection of household income application
forms for the national school lunch program to increase federal funding
for the program. School food authorities that choose to participate in the
program shall apply the policy to maximize the collection of household
income application forms.
The bill creates the healthy school meals for all program technical
advisory group (advisory group). As soon as practicable, the department
shall convene the advisory group. The advisory group shall collaborate
with school districts, the office of state planning and budgeting, and other
interested parties to:
  • Identify ways to maximize federal reimbursements;
  • Reduce costs of the program;
  • Review cost-savings options, including minimizing food
waste;
  • Strengthen the long-term resiliency of the healthy school
meals for all cash fund;
  • Create model revenue scenarios;
  • Provide options and recommendations to balance program
revenues and expenditures; and
  • Draft a report with legislative and administrative
recommendations and submit it to the education
committees of the house of representatives and the senate,
or any successor committees; the joint budget committee;
the state board of education; and the governor.
On January 1, 2024, the local school food purchasing program
(purchasing program) and the local school food purchasing technical
assistance and education grant program (grant program) repealed. The bill
recreates the purchasing program and the grant program, and extends the
programs through the 2024-25 budget year.
The bill eliminates the authorization for department expenditures
in excess of the appropriated amount to participating school food
authorities for the wage increase or stipend program.
1

Joint Budget Committee. Current law creates the fourth-year
innovation pilot program (pilot program) in the department of higher
education (department) to disburse state funding to postsecondary
education and training programs on behalf of low-income students who
graduate early from a participating high school.
The bill limits pilot program participation to local education
providers, groups of providers, and schools participating in the 2023-24
school year but it does not cap the number of students who may receive
postsecondary education scholarships through the pilot program.
Current law requires the department to annually report to the
department of education, the governor's office of state planning and
budgeting, the joint budget committee, and the education committees of
the general assembly certain information about the pilot program. The bill
adds a final evaluation component of the pilot program's data from each
student cohort, the pilot program's outcomes and cost-effectiveness, and
recommendations about any next steps beyond the pilot phase.

Joint Budget Committee. Under current law, the accelerating
students through concurrent enrollment (ASCENT) program is available
to all qualified students who are designated to participate by their local
education provider. The bill:
  • Starting in the 2025-26 state fiscal year, caps the number of
qualified students who participate in the ASCENT program
at the number of qualified students who participated in the
ASCENT program in the 2024-25 state fiscal year; and
  • Creates additional eligibility requirements to participate in
the ASCENT program.
The bill requires the department of education to submit a report to
the education committees of the house and the senate and the joint budget
committee regarding the ASCENT program.
Under current law, the district's total program formula includes
funding for a district's extended high school pupil enrollment, determined
by the district's number of pupils who are concurrently enrolled in a
postsecondary course multiplied by a dollar amount that annually
increases. Starting in the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the bill amends the
district's extended high school funding formula to cap the dollar amount
that is multiplied by the district's ASCENT program students within the
district's extended high school funding formula.

Joint Budget Committee. Current law requires the general
assembly to appropriate or transfer money to the mill levy equalization
fund (fund) for institute charter school funding. The bill repeals the fund.
For the 2024-25 budget year and each budget year thereafter, the
general assembly shall appropriate money from the general fund or the
state education fund to the state charter school institute to fund full mill
levy equalization for all institute charter schools.

Joint Budget Committee. The bill creates the school-based
mental health support program (program) in the behavioral health
administration (BHA) to provide high-quality training, resources, and
implementation and sustainment support for the existing public school
educator workforce to provide evidence-based mental health services to
students through a contract with an external provider. The program
emphasizes supporting schools in rural areas and schools with students
who do not have equitable access to mental health care.
No later than January 1, 2025, the bill requires the BHA to contract
with an external provider to implement the program no later than the start
of the 2025-26 school year.
The bill requires the BHA to collaborate with the external provider
to determine the cost of implementing the program in at least 400 public
schools by the start of the 2027-28 school year.
The bill requires the general assembly to appropriate $2.5 million
from the general fund to the department of human services for use by the
BHA to administer the program. The bill allows the BHA to use up to
$100,000 of the funds to select the external provider.

Joint Budget Committee. The state auditor, in cooperation with
the public employees' retirement association (PERA), is required to
contract with a nationally recognized and enrolled actuarial firm to
conduct the following analyses of PERA:
  • A comprehensive study (comprehensive study) comparing
the cost and effectiveness of the current hybrid defined
benefit plan design currently administered by PERA to
alternative plan designs in both the public and private
sector; and
  • As part of the comprehensive study, an analysis regarding
specified aspects of the defined benefit plan and the
defined contribution plan currently administered by PERA.
PERA and the state auditor are required to confer with the office
of state planning and budgeting regarding the scope of the analyses and
are required to provide a report detailing the findings of the
comprehensive study to the governor, the joint budget committee, the
legislative audit committee, and the finance committees of the senate and
the house of representatives, or any successor committees. PERA is
required to provide access to official member information and data under
a confidentiality agreement with the retained firm for the comprehensive
study.

The bill requires the department of education to develop and offer
a free, optional professional development program (program) to enhance
pedagogy around research-based Colorado academic standards in science.
The program must include instruction on interventions for students who
are below grade level or struggling in science, children with disabilities,
and students who are English language learners. The program must create
incentives for teacher participation by offering ongoing professional
development credit toward licensure renewal. The program prioritizes
professional development for eligible science teachers in rural school
districts and small rural school districts.

The bill creates a new total program formula (new formula), which
is used to determine each school district's (district) and institute charter
school's annual total program amount to fund public education. With
limited exception, the district or the institute charter school has the
discretion to determine the budgeting and expending of its total program
money.
The new formula:
  • Starts with a district's foundation funding, which is
determined by multiplying the statewide base per pupil
funding by the district's funded pupil count, excluding the
district's extended high school pupil enrollment and the
district's online pupil enrollment; then
  • Adds the district's at-risk funding, which is determined by
multiplying the statewide base per pupil funding by 25%
and then multiplying that result by the district's at-risk pupil
enrollment; then
  • Adds the district's English language learning funding,
which is determined by multiplying the statewide base per
pupil funding by 25% and then multiplying that result by
the district's English language learner pupil enrollment;
then
  • Adds the district's special education funding, which is
determined by multiplying the statewide base per pupil
funding by 25% and then multiplying that result by the
district's special education pupil enrollment; then
  • Adds the district's cost of living factor, which is determined
by multiplying the statewide base per pupil funding by the
district's funded pupil count, excluding the district's
extended high school pupil enrollment and the district's
online pupil enrollment, and then multiplying that result by
the district's cost of living factor; then
  • Adds the district's locale factor, which is determined by
multiplying the statewide base per pupil funding by the
district's funded pupil count, excluding the district's
extended high school pupil enrollment and the district's
online pupil enrollment, and then multiplying that result by
the district's locale factor; then
  • Adds the district's size factor, which is determined by
multiplying the statewide base per pupil funding by the
district's funded pupil count, excluding the district's
extended high school pupil enrollment and the district's
online pupil enrollment, and then multiplying that result by
the district's size factor; then
  • Adds the district's extended high school funding, which is
determined by multiplying the district's extended high
school pupil enrollment by an amount that increases by the
same percentage that the statewide base per student funding
increases; then
  • Adds the district's online funding, which is determined by
multiplying the district's online pupil enrollment by an
amount that increases by the same percentage that the
statewide base per student funding increases.
Beginning in the 2030-31 state fiscal year, the new formula will
determine each district's and institute charter school's annual total
program amount.
For the 2025-26 state fiscal year through the 2029-30 state fiscal
year, each district's and institute charter school's annual total program
amount will be determined by calculating each district's and institute
charter school's annual total program amount under the new formula and
the expiring formula. During these state fiscal years, a district's or
institute charter school's annual total program amount is the district's or
institute charter school's calculation under the expiring formula, unless:
  • For the 2025-26 state fiscal year, if the total program
calculation under the new formula is greater than the total
program calculation under the expiring formula, the
district's or institute charter school's annual total program
amount is the amount calculated under the expiring formula
plus an amount equal to 18% of the difference between the
amount calculated under the new formula and the expiring
formula;
  • For the 2026-27 state fiscal year, if the total program
calculation under the new formula is greater than the total
program calculation under the expiring formula, the
district's or institute charter school's annual total program
amount is the amount calculated under the expiring formula
plus an amount equal to 34% of the difference between the
amount calculated under the new formula and the expiring
formula;
  • For the 2027-28 state fiscal year, if the total program
calculation under the new formula is greater than the total
program calculation under the expiring formula, the
district's or institute charter school's annual total program
amount is the amount calculated under the expiring formula
plus an amount equal to 50% of the difference between the
amount calculated under the new formula and the expiring
formula;
  • For the 2028-29 state fiscal year, if the total program
calculation under the new formula is greater than the total
program calculation under the expiring formula, the
district's or institute charter school's annual total program
amount is the amount calculated under the expiring formula
plus an amount equal to 66% of the difference between the
amount calculated under the new formula and the expiring
formula; and
  • For the 2029-30 state fiscal year, if the total program
calculation under the new formula is greater than the total
program calculation under the expiring formula, the
district's or institute charter school's annual total program
amount is the amount calculated under the expiring formula
plus an amount equal to 82% of the difference between the
amount calculated under the new formula and the expiring
formula.
The bill repeals the expiring formula on July 1, 2030.
The bill makes amendments to conform with these changes and to
repeal obsolete provisions within the Public School Finance Act.
The bill requires the department of education to contract with
third-party entities to conduct 2 studies and publish reports concerning
weighted student budgeting and implementing a multiple count day
method for determining pupil enrollment. The third-party entities are
required to submit reports to the education committees of the house of
representatives and the senate, and the governor, by June 30, 2025.
Under current law, there is the public school fund of the state
(permanent school fund). The bill requires that:
  • For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the first $11 million of
interest and income earned on the deposit and investment
of money in the permanent school fund (interest and
income) is credited to the state public school fund, the next
$11 million of interest and income becomes part of the
principal of the permanent school fund, and the remaining
interest and income is credited to the restricted account of
the public school capital construction assistance fund
(assistance fund);
  • For the 2025-26 state fiscal year, the first $6 million of
interest and income is credited to the state public school
fund, the next $6 million of interest and income becomes
part of the principal of the permanent school fund, and the
remaining interest and income is credited to the restricted
account of the assistance fund; and
  • For the 2026-27 state fiscal year, and state fiscal years
thereafter, all interest and income is credited to the
restricted account of the assistance fund.
The bill requires the state treasurer to allocate any money
remaining in the state land board trust administration fund to pay for the
services provided by the investment consultant hired by the public school
investment board and for the reimbursement for travel and other
necessary expenses incurred by the members of that board.
Under certain circumstances, the bill requires to be credited to the
assistance fund:
  • For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the greater of $10 million
from proceeds received from certain resources from public
school lands plus 50% of the gross amount of public school
lands income other than interest or income, or $40 million;
  • For the 2025-26 state fiscal year, the greater of $15 million
from proceeds received from certain resources from public
school lands plus 50% of the gross amount of public school
lands income other than interest or income, or $40 million;
and
  • For the 2026-27 state fiscal year, and each state fiscal year
thereafter, the greater of $21 million from proceeds
received from certain resources from public school lands
plus 50% of the gross amount of public school lands
income other than interest or income, or $40 million.
The bill credits an amount to the charter school facilities assistance
account from the assistance fund.
The bill increases the total maximum amount of annual payments
payable by the state during a state fiscal year under the terms of all
outstanding financed purchase of an asset or certificate of participation
agreements entered into by the state treasurer from $125 million to $150
million.
Current law dictates the distribution of proceeds received from
certain resources from public school lands, of which, a certain amount is
credited to the permanent school fund. The bill requires that:
  • For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the first $10 million is
credited to the assistance fund;
  • For the 2025-26 state fiscal year, the first $15 million is
credited to the assistance fund; and
  • For the 2026-27 state fiscal year, and each state fiscal year
thereafter, the first $21 million is credited to the assistance
fund.

Current law requires state agencies and public entities to comply
with digital accessibility standards on or before July 1, 2024. The bill
provides a one-year extension to July 1, 2025, of immunity from liability
for failure to comply with the digital accessibility standards for an agency
that demonstrates good faith efforts toward compliance or toward
resolution of any complaint of noncompliance.

The temporary youth mental health services program (program),
commonly known as I Matter, is scheduled to repeal on June 30, 2024.
The bill continues the program indefinitely.
Under existing law, the selection of a vendor to create or use an
existing online portal to facilitate the program (program vendor) is
exempt from the requirements of the state's procurement code. The bill
repeals the exemption.
Existing law requires the state department of human services to
report to the general assembly about the program twice each year. The bill
requires one annual report, due June 30 of each year.
The bill requires the behavioral health administration (BHA) to
annually evaluate the efficacy of the program. The bill requires the BHA
to conduct surveys of youth and providers who participate in the program
and collect data from providers and the program vendor for the annual
evaluation.

The bill creates the behavioral health first aid training program
(training program) in the office of suicide prevention (office) in the
department of public health and environment. The purpose of the training
program is to:
  • Improve overall community climate and promote adult,
teen, and youth behavioral health, mental health, and
mental well-being;
  • Train educators and school staff; employees of
community-based, youth-based, or nonprofit organizations;
employees of organizations that serve underserved
populations; faith-based community members; law
enforcement officers; first responders; and active duty or
retired military personnel (candidates) to recognize the
warning signs and symptoms of mental illness and
substance use among adults, teens, and youth;
  • Train candidates on how to respond to an adult, teen, or
youth who is experiencing mental health or substance use
challenges;
  • Train candidates on crisis intervention strategies and best
practices;
  • Prepare candidates to teach adults and teens how to
recognize warning signs and symptoms of mental health or
substance use challenges;
  • Prepare candidates to teach teens how to find a responsible
and trusted adult for assistance when a peer is struggling
with mental health or substance use challenges; and
  • Prepare candidates to teach adults how to respond to a teen
or youth struggling with a mental health or substance use
challenge or crisis.
The office is required to contract with a Colorado-based nonprofit
organization (third-party entity) to offer and administer the training
program to organizations that apply to participate and are accepted in the
training program that include, but are not limited to, school districts,
district charter schools, institute charter schools, boards of cooperative
services, the Colorado school for the deaf and the blind,
community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, organizations
that serve underserved communities, law enforcement agencies, first
responder organizations, military forces, and faith-based organizations
(organizations). Subject to available appropriations, the training program
is available at no cost to the organizations selected to participate.
The bill requires the office to promulgate rules to establish criteria
for an application process. The third-party entity shall create an
application process based on the rules promulgated by the office.
The office shall use pre- and post-course surveys developed by a
national mental and behavioral health organization to evaluate the
effectiveness of the training program. The third-party entity shall
administer the pre- and post-course surveys to collect evaluation data
from the organizations.
The third-party entity shall submit a report to the office
summarizing the evaluation data collected. The office is required to
include a summary of the evaluation data collected and recommendations,
if necessary, concerning the training program in the office's annual report
submitted to the general assembly each November 1.

The bill authorizes a school district, board of cooperative services,
district charter high school, or institute charter high school (local
education provider) to grant a high school diploma endorsement in
climate literacy (seal of climate literacy) to graduating students who
demonstrate mastery in climate literacy and attain green skills or technical
green skills. To obtain a seal of climate literacy, a student must complete
the minimum high school graduation requirements of the local education
provider, successfully complete 2 courses in the area of climate literacy
selected by the local education provider, and successfully complete a final
experiential learning project (final project) that is approved, supported,
and facilitated by a climate literacy experiential learning provider
(learning provider).
The local education provider may collaborate with local
businesses, nonprofit organizations, industry leaders, and institutions of
higher education to support students' climate literacy.
Beginning with students in the sixth grade, each local education
provider shall annually notify students and their legal guardians of the
requirements for obtaining a seal of climate literacy.
On or before July 1, 2025, and every July 1 thereafter, each local
education provider shall collect data on the seal of climate literacy,
including:
  • The schools that awarded the seal of climate literacy;
  • The number of students who received the seal of climate
literacy;
  • The types of final projects students have completed;
  • The names of the learning providers that approve, support,
and facilitate students' final projects;
  • A list of academic courses students have completed to earn
the seal of climate literacy; and
  • Any other findings related to the seal of climate literacy.
On or before October 1, 2025, and every October 1 thereafter, each
local education provider shall submit a report to the department of
education (department) summarizing the data collected.
The department may collaborate with a nonprofit organization to
evaluate the data collected and prepare a report summarizing the data. On
or before January 15, 2026, and every January 15 thereafter, the
department shall submit the report to the house of representatives
education committee and the senate education committee, or their
successor committees, and the state board of education.

The bill creates the dual licensure stipend program (stipend
program) in the division of professions and occupations (division). The
purpose of the stipend program is to increase the number of licensed
professional counselors in communities by:
  • Reimbursing licensed professional counselor supervisors
(supervisors) who provide clinical supervision to school
counselors who are seeking licensure as licensed
professional counselors (dual licensure candidate); and
  • Reimbursing dual licensure candidates for the cost of
examination fees and application fees.
A dual licensure candidate is eligible for the stipend program if the
dual licensure candidate is a licensed special services provider and has
completed a master's or doctoral degree in professional counseling from
an accredited school or college or an equivalent program.
The bill requires the division to contract with a Colorado nonprofit
organization or membership organization (Colorado organization) to
manage and administer the stipend program. The Colorado organization
must have experience administrating grant programs and working with
school counselors or mental health professionals.
The bill requires the division to provide the Colorado organization
publicly available information on supervisors who can provide clinical
supervision to dual licensure candidates. The Colorado organization shall
maintain the list of supervisors by confirming whether a supervisor opts
in to the stipend program and provides clinical supervision to dual
licensure candidates. The Colorado organization shall determine a set rate
for supervisors who provide clinical supervision to dual licensure
candidates.
The bill requires the Colorado organization to annually collect data
on:
  • The number of dual licensure candidates participating in
the stipend program;
  • The number of supervisors participating in the stipend
program; and
  • The geographic locations of the dual licensure candidates
and supervisors participating in the stipend program.
The Colorado organization shall draft a report summarizing the
data collected. The bill requires the division to submit the report to the
education committee and the public and behavioral health and human
services committee of the house of representatives, the education
committee and the health and human services committee of the senate, or
their successor committees.

Under current law, the state distributes its share of a school
district's total program funding in 12 approximately equal monthly
payments during the budget year.
The bill changes this distribution schedule so that the state
distributes its share of a school district's total program funds in a pattern
over the course of the budget year that considers the projected timing of
when the district will receive the property tax component of its local share
of its total program funding and is as equal as possible each month when
combined with the property tax component of its local share.

For purposes of the school-based health center grant program
(grant program), the bill expands the definition of a school-based health
center and the purposes of the grant program to authorize grants for
evidence-informed, school-linked health-care services. Services may
include primary health-care, behavioral health-care, oral health-care, and
preventive health-care services.
School-linked health-care services may be delivered through
telehealth, mobile services, and referrals for health-care services at a
clinic near school grounds.
Subject to available appropriations, the bill authorizes grant money
to be directed to evidence-informed, school-linked models to expand
access to school-based health care, unless the prevention services division
in the department of public health and environment determines that
adequate proposals have not been submitted for the grant cycle.
The bill also requires the department of health care policy and
financing to create a service-location identifier for claims for services
provided at school-based health centers or through school-linked
health-care services.

The bill amends the Colorado Privacy Act to add enhanced
protections when a minor's data is processed and there is a heightened risk
of harm to the minor. The bill applies to any entity that controls consumer
personal data (controller) and that conducts business in Colorado or
delivers products or services that are targeted at Colorado residents,
regardless of the volume of or amount of revenue derived from that
activity.
A controller that offers an online service, product, or feature to a
consumer that the controller knows or willfully disregards is a minor is
required to:
  • Use reasonable care to avoid any heightened risk of harm
to minors caused by the service, product, or feature; and
  • Conduct, and review as necessary, a data protection
assessment for the service, product, or feature and maintain
documentation regarding the assessment for a specified
period.
Unless the minor or, for a minor who is under 13 years of age, the
minor's parent or legal guardian has consented, a controller is prohibited
from processing a minor's personal data:
  • For targeted advertising, selling the minor's personal data,
or profiling the minor's personal data;
  • For any processing purpose other than the purpose
disclosed at the time the minor's personal data is collected
or a purpose reasonably necessary for the disclosed
processing purpose; or
  • For longer than reasonably necessary to provide the
service, product, or feature.
A controller is also prohibited from:
  • Using a system design feature to significantly increase,
sustain, or extend a minor's use of the service, product, or
feature; or
  • Collecting a minor's precise geolocation, except under
specified circumstances.
The attorney general and district attorneys are authorized to
enforce the requirements of the bill in the same manner as authorized
under the Colorado Privacy Act, including notifying a controller of, and
allowing a controller time to cure, a violation.

Pension Review Commission. The bill creates a refundable
income tax credit that is available for income tax years commencing on
or after January 1, 2024, but prior to January 1, 2026, for a qualifying
public employees' retirement association retiree, which means a full-time
Colorado resident individual who:
  • Is 65 years of age or older at the end of the 2024 or 2025
income tax year; and
  • Has an annual gross income of no more than $38,000 as a
single filer or $76,000 as a joint filer.

The bill establishes a process by which a student, parent, or
member of the community may object to a library resource in a school or
public library. Each library resource that is reconsidered pursuant to the
process must be evaluated based on standards applied by a committee for
school libraries and a director of a public library. Members of the
committee for school libraries are appointed by the superintendent of the
school district, and the committee covers reconsideration requests in all
schools in the district. For public libraries, the director is selected by the
library's board of trustees and covers the library or libraries in the library
district.
A library resource may not be removed while a request for
reconsideration is pending. A principal, librarian, media specialist, other
employee, contractor, or volunteer may refuse a directive to remove a
library resource if such an individual has a good faith belief that the
directive conflicts with law or policy established pursuant to the bill, and
such an individual may not be subjected to retaliation.
The bill prevents the state board of education from waiving the
requirements of the bill as they are applied to public schools, district
charter schools, and institute charter schools.
The bill specifies that it is a discriminatory practice and unlawful
for anyone to discriminate against anyone in the selection, retention,
reconsideration, or display of a library resource.

Colorado's Child Welfare System Interim Study Committee.
The bill requires the behavioral health administration (BHA), in
partnership with the office of children, youth, and families in the
department of human services; the department of health care policy and
financing; the division of insurance in the department of regulatory
agencies; and the department of public health and environment, to
develop, establish, and maintain a comprehensive children's behavioral
health statewide system of care (system of care). The system of care will
serve as the single point of access to address the behavioral health needs
of children and youth in Colorado, regardless of payer, insurance, and
income.
The system of care shall serve children and youth up to twenty-one
years of age who have mental health disorders, substance use disorders,
co-occurring behavioral health disorders, or intellectual and
developmental disabilities.
The system of care must include, at a minimum, a statewide
behavioral health standardized screening and assessment,
trauma-informed mobile crisis response and stabilization services for
children and youth, tiered care coordination for moderate and intensive
levels of need, parent and youth peer support, intensive in-home and
community-based services, and respite services.
The bill establishes the office of the children's behavioral health
statewide system of care (office) in the BHA. The office is the primary
governance entity and is responsible for convening all relevant state
agencies involved in the system of care, including, but not limited to, the
department of human services office of children, youth, and families, the
division of child welfare, and the division of youth services; the
department of health care policy and financing; the division of insurance
in the department of regulatory agencies; and the department of public
health and environment. The office will be directed by the deputy
commissioner of the office.
The bill requires the office to create and convene, on or before
November 1, 2024, a leadership team responsible for decision-making
and oversight. The leadership team is required to provide a report to the
house of representatives public and behavioral health and human services
committee and the senate health and human services committee, or their
successor committees, on or before July 1, 2027.
The office is required to create and convene, on or before January
15, 2025, an implementation team that shall create an implementation
plan for the system of care. The implementation plan must receive an
annual minimum appropriation of $10 million and include the creation of
a capacity-building center, which shall develop, implement, and fund,
within available appropriations, the following:
  • A student loan forgiveness program for students in
behavioral health disciplines who make a 3- to 5-year
commitment to work in shortage areas in the system of
care;
  • Paid internships and clinical rotations in the system of care
and a description of multiple options for payment;
  • Revisions to graduate medical education programs at
Colorado institutions of higher education to support
internships, residencies, fellowships, and student programs
in child and youth behavioral health;
  • A financial aid program for youth transitioning out of
foster care who wish to pursue a career in children and
youth behavioral health, developed in partnership with
Colorado institutions of higher education and community
colleges; and
  • An expansion of current BHA efforts related to behavioral
health apprenticeships, internships, stipends, and
pre-licensure workforce support specific to service
children, youth, and families.
On or before January 15, 2025, the office is required to create an
advisory council, composed of, at a minimum, family and youth
providers, local partners, county departments of human and social
services, county commissioners, juvenile justice agencies, families or
individuals with lived experience using children's or youths' behavioral
health services, consumer advocacy organizations, and university
partners.
The BHA shall develop a state-level process to monitor, report on,
and promptly resolve complaints, grievances, and appeals, including
recipient rights issues. The process must be available to providers, clients,
case management entities, and anyone else working with the children and
youth in the system of care.
The bill requires the leadership team to begin, or contract for, on
or before January 1, 2025, a cost and utilization analysis of the
populations of children and youth who are included in the system of care.
On or before July 1, 2025, the department of health care policy and
financing, in consultation with the office, is required to establish standard
and uniform medical necessity criteria for all system of care services. The
department of health care policy and financing is required to set standard
rate and utilization floors for all system of care services across all
managed care entities.
On or before July 1, 2025, the bill requires the department of
health care policy and financing to establish a standard statewide
medicaid fee schedule or rate frame for behavioral health services for
children and youth and incorporate the fee schedule and rate frame into
the contracts with managed care entities and behavioral health
administrative services organizations. The fee schedule or rate frame must
increase rates and incorporate enhanced rates or quality bonuses for
evidence-based practices and extended weekday and weekend clinic
hours and allow maximum flexibility for use of telehealth to expand
access.
The bill requires that each managed care entity or behavioral
health administrative services organization contract with or have
single-use agreements with every qualified residential treatment facility
or psychiatric residential treatment facility that is licensed in Colorado.
The office, advised by state and county partners, providers, and
racially, ethnically, culturally, and geographically diverse family and
youth representatives, is required to develop and establish a data and
quality team. The data team shall track and report annually on key child
welfare factors.
The bill requires the BHA, advised by the office, to establish or
procure a capacity-building center. The capacity-building center shall, at
a minimum:
  • Train, coach, and certify providers of the array of services
offered through the system of care;
  • Provide training, coaching, and certification related to the
use of behavioral health screening and assessment tools to
support a uniform assessment process and training in
trauma-informed care to staff at relevant state agencies;
  • Work with rural health clinics and federally qualified
health centers to expand their capacity to provide
behavioral health services to children and youth;
  • Offer training and other strategies to expand the number of
behavioral health providers in rural and other underserved
communities; and
  • Utilize data and reports to target its investment to build
capacity in regions identified as lacking capacity.
The bill requires the BHA to develop a website to provide
regularly updated information to families, youth, providers, staff, system
partners, and others regarding the goals, principles, activities, progress,
and timelines for the system of care. The website must include key
performance dashboard indicators; changes in access by the child welfare
population; changes in access disparities between racial, ethnic, and
regional groups; and changes in access to intensive- and moderate-care
coordination with high-fidelity wraparound.

On or before July 1, 2026, the bill requires the department of
education to:
  • Create and deliver a training program, in plain and
easy-to-understand language, regarding individualized
education program laws and procedures for special
education advocates and parents; and
  • Make certain training program information publicly
available on its website, in plain and easy-to-understand
language.

The bill allows online schools or online programs (online
education program) to offer remote state assessment testing (testing) to
students who attend an online education program in a setting that aligns
with the student's regular educational instruction.
To offer remote testing, online education programs shall put the
following procedures in place:
  • A student must take the assessment at an assigned date and
time;
  • The student must attend a synchronous assessment session
initiated and managed by online education program
personnel;
  • The student must take the state assessment using a device
with a camera that is monitored by an assessment proctor
via video for the duration of the state assessment or, if the
assessment platform does not allow integrated camera
proctoring, the student must use 2 devices, one to take the
state assessment and one the assessment proctor uses to
monitor the student;
  • The online education program must maintain a ratio of no
more than 10 students to one assessment proctor for the
duration of the state assessment;
  • The student must not exit the state assessment until
instructed by the assessment proctor; and
  • The assessment proctor shall verify the submission of each
student's state assessment.

The bill includes outdoor nature-based preschool programs
(outdoor programs) as a type of licensed child care center (center) in the
department of early childhood (department) for licensing-related matters.
No later than December 31, 2025, the executive director of the
department shall promulgate rules for centers operating as outdoor
programs. The rules must include, but are not limited to:
  • Land-use agreement requirements for outdoor programs
operating on public or private land;
  • Policies for site-specific alternate shelter plans;
  • Policies for site-specific risk mitigation plans;
  • Policies for site-specific emergency and disaster
preparedness plans;
  • Policies for site-specific evacuation plans; and
  • Policies and procedures for outdoor programs to opt out of
certain department requirements through the site-specific
risk mitigation plan.
The bill requires the department to provide training to licensing
staff who oversee outdoor program site inspections and to outdoor
program operators and staff.
The department shall collaborate with local fire departments on
fire prevention and protection requirements for outdoor programs. The
department shall collaborate with the department of public health and
environment on sanitary standards for outdoor programs.

Under current law, every year, the department of education
(department) is required to prepare a report and evaluation on the
successes or failures of charter schools, school reform efforts, and
suggested changes to laws affecting charter schools. Beginning in the
2024-25 budget year, the bill requires the department to:
  • Report additional school district information, that primarily
compares district charter schools or institute charter
schools located within the school district to traditional
district schools, and report information relating to a school
district that has no charter schools; and
  • Publicly post the additional information on the
department's website, with explanations in plain and
easy-to-understand language.

Current law limits the duration of employment a public employees'
retirement association (PERA) service retiree can work for a PERA
employer without a reduction in PERA retirement benefits. Under certain
circumstances, a rural school district may hire a service retiree who is a
teacher, a school bus driver, a school food services cook, a school nurse,
or a qualified paraprofessional without the service retiree receiving a
deduction in benefits for any length of employment in the calender year.
The bill adds superintendents and principals to the list of service
retirees hired by a rural school district who may be employed without a
reduction in benefits and clarifies that the exemption for a rural school
district also includes a small rural school district which has a funded pupil
count for the prior budget year of less than 1,000 pupils.

The bill requires the state apprenticeship agency in the department
of labor and employment, in coordination with the career and technical
education division of the Colorado community college system, to align
the high school career and technical education system and the registered
apprenticeship system for programs and occupations related to
infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, education, or health care. On or
before July 1, 2026, the bill requires both entities to expand the number
of aligned pathways, prioritizing programs and occupations identified as
top jobs by the annual Colorado talent pipeline report.

For property tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2025, the
bill creates a new subclass of residential real property called
qualified-senior primary residence real property, which includes
residential real property that as of the assessment date is used as the
primary residence of an owner-occupier, as defined in the bill, if:
  • The owner-occupier applies to the county assessor for the
classification in the manner required by the bill;
  • The owner-occupier previously qualified for the property
tax exemption for qualifying seniors (exemption) for a
different property for a property tax year commencing on
or after January 1, 2016, and does not qualify for the
exemption for the current property tax year; and
  • The circumstances that qualify the property for the
classification have not changed since the filing of the
application.
The bill also:
  • Classifies property that might otherwise be classified as
multi-family residential real property that contains a unit
that qualifies as qualified-senior primary residence real
property as multi-family qualified-senior primary residence
real property and treats such property as qualified-senior
primary residence real property;
  • Sets the valuation for assessment for qualified-senior
primary residence real property at 7.15% of the amount
equal to the actual value of the property minus the lesser of
$100,000 or the amount that causes the valuation for
assessment of the property to be $1,000;
  • Establishes the processes by which an owner-occupier of
residential real property may apply to have the
owner-occupier's primary residence classified as
qualified-senior primary residence real property and by
which such an application is approved or denied;
  • Requires the state to reimburse local governmental entities
that levy property taxes for total property tax revenue lost
due solely to the reduced valuation for assessment of
qualified-senior primary residence real property as
compared to the valuation for assessment of other
residential real property and specifies the process by which
the proper amount of reimbursement is calculated and
reimbursement is made; and
  • For state fiscal years in which excess state revenues are
required to be refunded pursuant to the Taxpayer's Bill of
Rights, establishes the reimbursement to local
governmental entities as a means of refunding such excess
state revenues.

The bill requires each public and private middle school, junior
high school, and high school (school) and organization that operates a
youth athletic activity to have each coach of a youth athletic activity
complete an abuse prevention training program.
The bill requires the office of school safety (office) to develop a
code of conduct for coaches, parents, spectators, and athletes, and
requires coaches to comply with the code. A person may report a
violation of the code by a coach to the office, and the office will forward
the report to the appropriate school or organization. If a violation is
established, the school or organization must forward the found violation
to the office and the office shall determine whether the violator received
adequate due process. If the office makes that determination, the office
must include the found violation on the statewide list of found violations
on its website.

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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The bill creates the empowerment scholarship program (program)
in the department of education (department). The purpose of the program
is to meet the educational needs of every eligible student by assisting with
certain education expenses. The bill requires:
  • The department to contract with an entity that will
administer the program (administering entity);
  • The department to transfer to the administering entity an
amount equal to 80% of the prior budget year's statewide
average of district per pupil funding for an eligible student
who receives a scholarship, except to prorate the amount
based on the amount of time remaining in the budget year
if the eligible student is found eligible after the beginning
of the budget year;
  • The parent of an eligible student to apply to the
administering entity for an empowerment scholarship
account (account);
  • A parent of an eligible student to only spend money in the
account on defined eligible expenses; and
  • The administering entity to oversee the program and
comply with an audit to ensure scholarship money is spent
on defined eligible expenses.

The bill prohibits a person from carrying a firearm, both openly
and concealed, in public locations specified in the bill. A violation is an
unclassified misdemeanor, punishable by a maximum $250 fine; except
that a second or subsequent offense is punishable by a maximum $1,000
fine. The bill includes exceptions for law enforcement officers, members
of the United States armed forces or Colorado National Guard, security
personnel, firearms stored in locked containers in vehicles, and
possession for instruction in conjunction with an organized class,
extracurricular activity, or athletic team authorized by a college or
university.
Existing law prohibits openly carrying a firearm within any polling
location or central count facility, or within 100 feet of a ballot drop box
or any building in which a polling location or central count facility is
located, while an election or any related ongoing election administration
activity is in progress. The bill prohibits carrying a firearm in any manner
at those locations.

Under current law, an evaluation report and all public records used
in preparing the evaluation report for licensed education personnel
(personnel) are confidential and available only to the personnel being
evaluated, to the duly elected official and appointed public officials who
supervise the personnel's work, and to a hearing officer conducting a
hearing or a court of appeals reviewing a decision of the board of
education.
The bill extends the confidentiality of evaluation reports and
public records used in preparing the evaluation reports to all teachers,
principals, administrators, special service providers, and education
support professionals.

The bill amends the Colorado oral health community grants
program administered by the department of public health and
environment (department) to award grants for the implementation of oral
health screening in public schools through the oral health screening pilot
program (pilot program) created in the bill.
The purpose of the pilot program is to provide oral health
screening to students in kindergarten, first grade, or second grade (early
grades) at a minimum of 5 pilot program sites at school districts or
schools of a school district, charter schools, institute charter schools, or
boards of cooperative education services (local education providers) to
demonstrate the effectiveness of oral health screening in early grades of
reducing dental decay, the costs of providing oral health screening to
students, and best practices for providing oral health screening that could
be scaled statewide.
The department, in conjunction with the department of education,
shall select local education providers as pilot program participants to each
receive a grant of up to $20,000 per year for 2 years to screen students in
one early grade.
The bill includes requirements for the pilot program regarding:
  • Qualifications for participating oral health screeners;
  • The oral health screening;
  • The selection by the department of an oral health screening
tool;
  • Notice to parents, including the ability of parents to refuse
oral health screening for their children;
  • Reporting to parents of the outcome of the oral health
screening and information and referral if dental concerns
are identified for a student; and
  • The protection of confidential health data.
A participating oral health screener shall provide data and
information to the department for purposes of evaluating the effectiveness
of the pilot program, including the number of students screened and oral
health concerns identified, as well as other relevant data and information
as determined by the department.
The department shall submit a report of the findings to the health
and human services committees of the house of representatives and of the
senate, or their successor committees.
The pilot program repeals July 1, 2028, after the screening and
reporting on the pilot program is completed.

Current law requires the department of higher education
(department) and other higher education institutions to develop a
framework for evaluating the quality of nondegree credentials. The bill
formally recognizes the resulting quality and in-demand nondegree
credentials framework (quality nondegree credentials framework) as the
primary tool for assessing the quality of nondegree credentials offered in
the state.
The bill requires the department to collaborate with various
agencies to ensure the effective integration of the quality nondegree
credentials framework within the state's education and workforce systems
and to evaluate nondegree credentials offered through state-recognized
programs to ensure the credentials meet the framework's quality
standards. At least annually, the department shall supply a list of
nondegree credential programs that meet the framework's quality
standards for inclusion in the Colorado talent report and a credential
registry endorsed by the state.
The department shall engage state agencies, educational
institutions, international organizations, and other stakeholders to study
and make recommendations about the adoption of the international
standard classification of education (ISCED) as the state's standard
framework for classifying nondegree credentials and ISCED's wider
application in the state's education and workforce systems. The
recommendations must include a process for assigning ISCED
equivalency levels to nondegree credentials included in stackable
credential pathways and apprenticeship programs. The bill requires the
department to report its findings and recommendations on or before
January 1, 2025.
Current law requires the department to create stackable credential
pathways in growing industries. The bill requires the department to align
the stackable credential pathways with appropriate ISCED equivalency
levels on or before January 1, 2025.
The bill requires the office of future of work to coordinate with
various agencies to determine ISCED equivalency levels for each
apprenticeship program registered on and after January 1, 2025. The
office of future of work shall then determine ISCED equivalency levels
for each apprenticeship program registered before January 1, 2025.

The bill creates the Colorado College Preparation and Enrichment
Program (program) in the department of higher education (department),
to be administered by the office of educational equity (office). The
purpose of the program is to create partnerships between local education
providers (K-12 schools) and institutions of higher education (IHE). The
goals of the program are to increase the number of students who graduate
from high school, matriculate to an IHE, and ultimately graduate from an
IHE.
The department shall appropriate $500,000 annually to each IHE
that participates in the program. An IHE may opt out of the program at
any time.
Each participating IHE shall partner with eligible K-12 schools,
beginning in eighth grade, to provide a number of services to encourage
students to apply to an IHE, apply for financial aid, and ultimately be
accepted at an IHE. Participating IHEs shall create guaranteed admissions
pathways so participating students are provided with the exact steps
necessary for admission.
Once enrolled in an IHE, participating students will be identified,
organized, and monitored in cohorts at each IHE. A primary contact
person will be appointed to communicate with and coordinate services for
students from participating K-12 schools. As part of the allowable uses
for program funding, each IHE may provide a number of services to
students, including targeted academic and financial advising, community
building, initiatives focused on retention and on-time completion, and
recruitment and outreach and multi-language marketing.
Eligibility criteria are set forth for both the IHEs and K-12 schools.
The office shall submit an annual report to the department on the
overview of the program and the program's return on investment. The
department shall include this report in its annual SMART Act hearing.

The bill requires that on or before July 1, 2025, a social media
company must post published policies for each of its social media
platforms. Thereafter, a social media company must post any updates to
the policies within 14 days after the implementation of the updated
policies. The published policies must include:
  • Contact information that allows a user to ask the social
media company questions about the published policies;
  • A description of the process that a user must follow to flag
content, groups, or other users that the user believes violate
the published policies;
  • A process to which the social media company commits for
the purpose of responding to and resolving user questions
and flags;
  • A statement that the use of the social media platform for
the promotion, sale, or advertisement of any illicit
substance; for the sale of any firearm in violation of state
or federal law; for sex trafficking of a juvenile; or for the
possession, display, exchange, distribution, sale, or creation
of, or the inducement to create, sexually exploitative
material is prohibited;
  • A description of the social media company's process for
enforcing its published policies and the potential
consequences of violating the published policies; and
  • A statement that violations of the published policies that
also violate state or federal law will be reported to law
enforcement for investigation and potential prosecution.
A social media company must annually submit to the attorney
general a report that includes, for each social media platform owned or
operated by the social media company:
  • The current version of the published policies of the social
media platform;
  • If the social media company has filed its first report, a
complete and detailed description of any changes to the
published policies since the previous report;
  • A statement of whether the current version of the published
policies contains definitions and provisions relating to
illicit substances, the sale of firearms in violation of state
or federal law, sex trafficking of a juvenile, or the
possession, display, exchange, distribution, sale, or creation
of, or the inducement to create, sexually exploitative
material and, if so, the definitions of those categories and
a description of those provisions;
  • A detailed description of content moderation practices used
by the social media company;
  • Data describing actioned items of content and related
actions taken by the social media company;
  • Data concerning how juveniles in Colorado use the social
media platform;
  • A detailed description of the social media platform's age
verification practices, how they are enforced, and how the
social media platform responds to user reports of
violations; and
  • Data concerning a social media platform's application of its
published policies.
The bill also requires a social media company to:
  • Use a commercially reasonable process to verify each user's
age;
  • Allow each user of its social media platforms to select an
option to apply the protections available to juveniles;
  • Retain any information obtained for age verification
purposes only for the purpose of compliance and for no
other purpose and to dispose of such information securely
after age verification is complete. Additionally, any agent
of a social media company that processes age verification
information must have its principal place of business in the
United States.
  • Provide readily accessible and easy-to-use tools and
settings for parents and guardians to support an individual
that a social media platform knows or reasonably should
know is a juvenile with respect to the individual's use of the
social media platform. A social media platform must
provide similar tools to an individual that the social media
platform knows or reasonably should know is a juvenile.
  • Provide an individual that the platform knows or
reasonably should know is a juvenile with clear and
conspicuous warnings of certain threats and events
regarding content that the individual shares or accesses on
a social media platform;
  • Immediately remove any user of a social media platform
who promotes, sells, or advertises an illicit substance or
engages in the sale of a firearm in violation of state or
federal law, the sex trafficking of a juvenile, or the
possession, display, exchange, distribution, sale, or creation
of, or the inducement to create, sexually exploitative
material; keep the user removed until there is human
review of this activity; and permanently remove the user if
human review confirms the user engaged in such an action;
  • Retain for at least one year any data and metadata
concerning users' identities and activities on the social
media platform;
  • Initially respond to any inquiry from a law enforcement
agency within 3 days after receiving the inquiry to confirm
receipt and to fulfill the law enforcement request within 30
days after receiving the inquiry. A social media company
shall preserve the data needed to respond to an inquiry
from a law enforcement agency.
The bill prohibits a social media company from:
  • Alerting a user to the fact that a law enforcement agency is
investigating the user's activity and account; or
  • Using dark patterns to lead or encourage juveniles to
provide personal information beyond what is reasonably
expected, to disable safeguards or parental controls, to
forgo privacy protections, or to take any action that the
social media platform knows is not in the best interest of
juveniles reasonably likely to access the social media
platform.
A violation of the bill's provisions is a deceptive trade practice and
punishable pursuant to the Colorado Consumer Protection Act.

The bill requires the department of education (department) to enter
into an agreement with an organization (selected organization) to develop
best practices for local education providers, and specifically public
schools, to effectively respond to reports of harassment or discrimination.
The selected organization shall submit a report to the department, the
office of school safety, and the general assembly's education committees
that includes an explanation of the best practices developed by the
selected organization.
Current law requires public schools to provide training to all
employees about harassment and discrimination, beginning no later than
July 1, 2024. The bill repeals that deadline and instead requires
harassment and discrimination training beginning with employee training
for the 2025-26 school year, with the training beginning no later than
December 31, 2025. The bill requires that harassment and discrimination
training that occurs after August 1, 2025, be consistent with the best
practices developed by the selected organization.
The bill requires the selected organization to develop a harassment
or discrimination training program curriculum for use by schools that is
consistent with the best practices developed by the selected organization
and that complies with the requirements for public schools' harassment
and discrimination training. The department shall make the training
program curriculum available to public schools at no cost.

The bill adds the following rights to the rights of higher education
students:
  • Cost transparency regarding a postsecondary education
program;
  • A timely response on whether transfer credit will be
accepted by a public institution of higher education
(institution); and
  • The right to appeal an institution's decision not to accept a
student's request to transfer credits.
The bill makes changes to the statewide common course
numbering system to guarantee certain course transfer credits between
community colleges, local district colleges, and area technical colleges.
The bill requires the department of higher edcation to establish an
appeal process if an institution wrongfully denies a student's transfer
credit.
The bill requires an institution to issue a decision to a student
regarding the acceptance or denial of transfer credits within 30 days after
the date the student submits a request for transfer credit.
Beginning January 1, 2025, the bill requires an institution to
provide a financial aid and cost disclosure form to a student prior to the
student decision deadline to accept admission to the institution.

The bill:
  • Increases the statewide base per pupil funding for the
2024-25 budget year by $419.97 to account for inflation;
  • Sets a new statewide base per funding amount of $8,496.38
for the 2024-25 budget year; and
  • Sets the total program funding for the 2024-25 budget year
for all school districts and institute charter schools to not
less than $9,735,767,429.
The bill repeals the total program reserve fund on July 1, 2025.
The bill adds rural funding to the district's total program formula
to provide additional funding to small rural districts or large rural
districts.
The bill requires the state treasurer to transfer $15,715,539 from
the state education fund to the mill levy override match fund.
Current law requires a new at-risk measure in the public school
funding formula to be implemented in the 2024-25 budget year. The bill
extends the implementation of this requirement to the 2025-26 budget
year.
For the 2024-25 budget year, a school district's at-risk funding is
the greater of the school district's at-risk funding amount for the 2023-24
budget year or the 2024-25 budget year.
Current law requires a qualified third-party evaluator (evaluator)
who facilitates a facility school work group (work group) to submit a
report to the work group and the office of facility schools by September
1, 2025. The department of education (department) is required to submit
the evaluator's report to the joint budget committee by October 1, 2025.
The bill extends the report deadlines to September 1, 2026, and October
1, 2026, respectively.
The bill requires school districts, a district charter school, an
institute charter school, or a board of cooperative services to offer the
writing portion of a college entrance exam to students digitally.
Current law requires a school district to receive the daily rate for
education services provided by approved facility schools for a juvenile
who is held in a jail or facility and receives at least 4 hours of educational
services per week from the school district. The bill changes the daily rate
to the rate for educational services provided by the Colorado school for
the deaf and the blind or the education program operated by the Colorado
mental health institute at Pueblo or Fort Logan.
The bill increases the cap on how much can be spent on
administration for the ninth-grade success grant program from 5% to 8%.
The bill clarifies that a student with disabilities (student) who
receives transition services and has postsecondary goals outlined in the
student's individualized education program is eligible for concurrent
enrollment courses.