Expiring Formula: Currently used and set to end after 2024-25.
New Formula: Adopted but not set to fully take over until 2030-31.
What the Bill Does
1. Extends the Transition Period
Delays full implementation of the new formula to 2031-32.
Transition period now lasts from 2025-26 through 2030-31 (previously would have ended in 2029-30).
2. Adjusts How Total Program Funding Is Calculated During Transition
For 2025-26: Districts receive the greater of:
Their 2024-25 total program, or
Expiring formula amount plus 15% of the difference between new and old formula.
For 2026-27: Same structure, but 30% of the difference is added.
For 2027-30: Adds 45%, 60%, 75%, 90% of the difference each year.
Ensures a gradual shift toward full adoption of the new formula.
3. Adds a Safety Valve If Fiscal Conditions Change
If certain budget conditions are met (e.g., recession or fund shortfall), the transition halts and prior year’s method continues.
Clarifies that corrections to income tax deposits do not trigger a halt to the transition.
4. Changes Funded Pupil Count Calculation
Under expiring formula: Based on current year or average of previous 4 years.
Under new formula:
2025-26: Uses average of current year and 3 prior years.
2026-27+: Switches to current year and 2 prior years.
However, if transition halts in 2026-27, 3-year averaging continues.
If state education fund falls below $200 million in 2027, fallback is to 1-year average only.
5. Aligns Pupil Count Across Formulas
Beginning 2027-28, both old and new formulas must use the same funded pupil count for consistency.
6. Sets Minimum Statewide Funding Levels
Base per-pupil amount for 2025-26 is increased by $195.42 for inflation.
New base amount: $8,691.80.
Total program minimum statewide funding for 2025-26: $10.036 billion.
7. Delays New At-Risk Funding Formula
The implementation of a new "at-risk" student funding measure is postponed from 2025-26 to 2026-27.
Summary This bill restructures Colorado’s school finance transition by delaying the full adoption of a new funding formula to 2031-32, establishing a phased-in approach over six years, aligning pupil count calculations, creating fallback triggers, setting inflation-adjusted base funding, and deferring a major change to at-risk funding by one year.
Summary
Under current law, there are 2 total program formulas to finance
public schools. Absent the satisfaction of a statutorily specified condition, the first formula is scheduled to stop determining total program after the 2024-25 budget year (expiring formula), and the second formula is scheduled to determine total program beginning in the 2030-31 budget year (new formula). For the 2025-26 budget year through the 2029-30 budget year (transition period), total program is scheduled to be determined by using figures that were calculated under both the expiring formula and the new formula.
The bill: •
Extends the transition period by one year, so that it is from the 2025-26 budget year through the 2030-31 budget year; and
•
Postpones the exclusive use of the new formula to determine total program until the 2031-32 budget year.
The bill changes how each school district's and institute charter
school's annual total program is determined during the transition period. For the 2025-26 and 2026-27 budget years, each school district's and institute charter school's annual total program is the greater of the school district's or institute charter school's total program for the 2024-25 budget year or the amount calculated under the expiring formula plus an amount equal to 15% in 2025-26 and 30% in 2026-27 of the difference between the amounts calculated under the new formula and the expiring formula. For the 2027-28 budget year through the 2030-31 budget year, each school district's and institute charter school's annual total program is the greater of the district's or institute charter school's calculation under the expiring formula plus 1% of that calculation, or:
•
For the 2027-28 budget year, the amount calculated under the expiring formula plus an amount equal to 45% of the difference between the amounts calculated under the new formula and the expiring formula;
•
For the 2028-29 budget year, the amount calculated under the expiring formula plus an amount equal to 60% of the difference between the amounts calculated under the new formula and the expiring formula;
•
For the 2029-30 budget year, the amount calculated under the expiring formula plus an amount equal to 75% of the difference between the amounts calculated under the new formula and the expiring formula; and
•
For the 2030-31 budget year, the amount calculated under the expiring formula plus an amount equal to 90% of the difference between the amounts calculated under the new formula and the expiring formula.
Under current law, there are specified conditions that apply to the
transition period. If the joint budget committee determines that a specified condition occurs in a budget year during the transition period, then for the next budget year and each budget year thereafter, the transition is suspended, and each school district's total program is determined pursuant to the calculation and determination required for the budget year when the condition occurred. For one of the existing conditions, the bill specifies that an income tax deposit to the state education fund that was made to correct an error does not count toward determining whether the condition has been satisfied. A school district's funded pupil count is a figure that is used as a
part of determining a school district's total program. Under the expiring formula, a school district's funded pupil count is calculated by determining the greater of the school district's pupil enrollment for the applicable budget year or the average of the school district's pupil enrollment for the applicable budget year and the immediately preceding 4 budget years. Under current law, the new formula calculates a school district's funded pupil count by determining the greater of the school district's pupil enrollment for the applicable budget year or the average of the school district's pupil enrollment for the applicable budget year and the immediately preceding 3 budget years.
The bill changes the new formula so that: •
For the 2025-26 budget year, a school district's funded pupil count is calculated by determining the greater of the school district's pupil enrollment for the applicable budget year or the average of the school district's pupil enrollment for the applicable budget year and the immediately preceding 3 budget years; and
•
For the 2026-27 budget year and each budget year thereafter, a school district's funded pupil count is calculated by determining the greater of the school district's pupil enrollment for the applicable budget year or the average of the district's pupil enrollment for the applicable budget year and the immediately preceding 2 budget years.
However:
•
If a statutorily specified condition is satisfied, and consequently for the 2026-27 budget year, a district's total program is not determined as scheduled under the transition period, then for the 2026-27 budget year, and each budget year thereafter, funded pupil count will continue to be determined by the greater of the school district's pupil enrollment for the applicable budget year or the average of the school district's pupil enrollment for the applicable budget year and the immediately preceding 3 budget years; and
•
If, for the 2027-28 budget year, the state education fund balance is projected to be less than $200 million, then the general assembly is required to implement a smoothing factor or the funded pupil count will be determined by the greater of the school district's pupil enrollment for the applicable budget year or the average of the school district's pupil enrollment for the applicable budget year and the immediately preceding budget year for the 2027-28 budget year and each budget year thereafter.
The bill changes the expiring formula so that starting in the 2027-28 budget year, the funded pupil count used in the expiring formula is the same funded pupil count that is used in the new formula to determine a district's total program during the transition period.
The bill determines total program for the 2025-26 budget year
using the formula changes in the bill. The bill:
•
Increases the statewide base per pupil funding for the 2025-26 budget year by $195.42 to account for inflation;
•
Sets a new statewide base per pupil funding amount for the 2025-26 budget year at $8,691.80; and
•
Sets the total program funding for the 2025-26 budget year for all school districts and institute charter schools to at least $10,035,615,917.80.
Under current law, a new at-risk measure is required to be
implemented in the 2025-26 budget year. The bill postpones the implementation of this requirement to the 2026-27 budget year.
