By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice
Colorado lawmakers hit the ground running as the 75th General Assembly opened last week, introducing more than 130 bills on the first day. Ten of those bills were education-related.
The bills cover diverse topics, from workforce development in natural resources to food waste reduction in schools.
Below is an overview of the education bills, their prime sponsors and some pros and cons to be considered.
1. HB25-1078: Forestry & Firefighter Workforce & Education
Prime Sponsors:
- House: Rep. Andrew Boesenecker (D, District 53) and Rep. Elizabeth Velasco (D, District 57)
- Senate: Sen. Janice Marchman (D, District 15) and Sen. Lisa Cutter (D, District 20)
Summary: Aims to enhance workforce development in forestry and firefighting by expanding youth outreach programs, providing grants for firefighting training and supporting paid internships in forest health careers.
Pros:
- Addresses workforce shortages in critical areas.
- Provides educational and career pathways for youth.
- Enhances public safety through better training.
- Leverages workforce development for proactive forest management.
Cons:
- Requires significant funding.
- Logistical challenges in program implementation.
- Uncertainty about long-term retention impact.
2. HB25-1059: Food Waste Reduction in Public Schools
Prime Sponsors:
- House: Rep. Ron Weinberg (R, District 51)
- Senate: Sen. Janice Rich (R, District 7) and Sen. Janice Marchman (D, District 15)
Summary: Encourages Colorado schools to adopt food waste reduction policies, like composting and share tables, where students can return unopened food for redistribution or donation. It tasks the Colorado Circular Communities Enterprise with incentivizing schools to implement these programs and grants schools and staff limited civil and criminal liability protection for supervising food redistribution efforts.
Pros:
- Improves food resource management by repurposing whole, uneaten items.
- Reduces environmental impact of food waste.
- Supports community by redistributing food to those in need.
- Provides educational opportunities on sustainability.
Cons:
- Implementation requires training and resources.
- Food safety concerns.
- Participation is voluntary, leading to inconsistent adoption.
3. HB25-1038: Postsecondary Credit Transfer Website
Prime Sponsors:
- House: Rep. Shannon Hamrick (D, District 61)
- Senate: Sen. Janice Marchman (D, District 15)
Summary: The bill mandates the creation of a publicly accessible online platform to help students understand the transferability of academic credits across Colorado’s public institutions.
Pros:
- Enhances transparency in credit transfers.
- Reduces time and costs for students.
- Supports non-traditional learners.
Cons:
- High implementation costs.
- Ongoing maintenance and data accuracy challenges.
- Voluntary participation from private institutions.
4. HB25-1061: Community Schoolyards Grant Program
Prime Sponsors:
- House: Rep. Rick Taggart (R, District 55) and Rep. Jennifer Bacon (D, District 7)
- Senate: Sen. Judy Amabile (D, District 18) and Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer (R, District 23)
Summary: The bill creates a grant program to convert schoolyards into community spaces accessible outside school hours. The grant program consists of two parts: a planning and design grant, offering up to $150,000 for community schoolyard planning, and a capital construction grant, offering up to $850,000 for schoolyard construction. The division is responsible for managing both programs, including announcing them, selecting recipients, distributing funds and setting reporting requirements.
Pros:
- Enhances community engagement.
- Optimizes use of public spaces.
- Promotes health and education.
Cons:
- Requires significant funding.
- Maintenance and security concerns.
- Depends on community participation.
- Does not address academic performance objectives.
- Overlooks status quo of districts closing schools due to decreased enrollment.
5. HB25-1006: School District Solar Garden Lease Term
Prime Sponsors:
- House: Rep. Meghan Lukens (D, District 26) and Rep. Anthony Hartsook (R, District 44)
- Senate: Sen. Jeff Bridges (D, District 26)
Summary: This bill removes the 10-year limit on leasing school district property for solar energy projects and affordable housing.
Pros:
- Promotes renewable energy.
- Provides financial benefits for schools.
- Supports affordable housing initiatives.
Cons:
- Potential misalignment with educational priorities.
- Long-term commitments limit flexibility.
- Community concerns over property use.
- Benefits are exclusive to the solar energy industry and affordable housing initiatives.
6. SB25-027: Trauma-Informed School Safety Practices
Prime Sponsors:
- Senate: Sen. Janice Marchman (D, District 15)
- House: Rep. Junie Joseph (D, District 10)
Summary: The bill mandates each school safety office to create and oversee a workgroup to develop best practices for trauma-informed school safety drills.
Pros:
- Reduces potential psychological impact of drills.
- Improves training for school personnel.
- Aims to address student mental health needs.
Cons:
- Implementation challenges.
- May delay safety drill execution.
- Inconsistent application across districts.
- Possible knowledge gaps in trauma-informed practices within the work group.
- Mandates training of trauma-informed practices for school personnel.
- Increased administrative burden amid competing demands and time constraints.
- Increased top-down oversight from state, decreased local control.
7. HB25-1041: Student Athlete Name, Image, or Likeness Rights
Prime Sponsors:
- Senate: Sen. James Coleman (D, District 33)
- Senate: Sen. Judy Amabile (D, District 18)
Summary: This bill extends NIL rights to student athletes and permits institutions to compensate athletes for using their name, image or likeness.
Pros:
- Increases financial opportunities for athletes.
- Aligns with national trends.
- Protects privacy through public record exemptions.
Cons:
- Potential institutional pressure on athletes.
- Equity concerns in NIL opportunities.
- Administrative challenges for institutions.
- May displace emphasis on athletic development, competing as a team and sportsmanship.
8. HB25-1037: Income Tax Credit for Eligible Teachers
Prime Sponsors:
- House: Rep. Bob Marshall (D, District 43) and Rep. Matt Soper (R, District 54)
- Senate: Sen. Lisa Frizell (R, District 2) and Sen. Kyle Mullica (D, District 24)
Summary: This bill provides a refundable state income-tax credit for licensed teachers employed in public schools on a full-time basis for at least one-half of an academic year. The credit aims to offset the various expenses teachers incur throughout the school year, such as classroom supplies and professional development costs. The credit amount is $1,000 for teachers employed for a full academic year and $500 for those employed for half the year. Joint filers who are both eligible teachers can each claim the credit.
Pros:
- Provides financial relief for teachers.
- Recognizes teacher-funded classroom expenses.
- Encourages retention of public school teachers.
Cons:
- Temporary credit set to expire after two years.
- May reduce state tax revenue.
- Requires administrative oversight to verify eligibility.
9. Private Equity Acquisition of Child Care Centers
Prime Sponsors:
- House: Rep. Lorena García (D, District 35) and Rep. Emily Sirota (D, District 9)
- Senate: Sen. Cathy Kipp (D, District 14)
Summary: The bill imposes specific requirements on child care centers owned by institutional investment entities in order to receive state funding. It includes provisions to cap waitlist fees, require accurate pricing on websites and mandate a 60-day notice before significant changes, such as layoffs or eligibility changes.
Pros:
- Protects families from unexpected disruptions in child care services.
- Promotes transparency in child care pricing.
- Ensures state funding goes to child care centers that meet community-focused standards.
Cons:
- May deter private equity investments in child care centers.
- Could create administrative burdens for child care centers.
- Potentially limits funding flexibility for some child care operators.
- Increased state-level control of local services.
10. HB25-1075: Regulate Speech-Language Pathology Assistants
Prime Sponsors:
- House: Rep. Lori Sander (R, District 65)
- Senate: Sen. Jacqueline Phillips (R, District 31) and Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer (R, District 23)
Summary: This bill authorizes the certification of speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs) through the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). SLPAs must work under the supervision of certified speech-language pathologists, adhere to clinical guidelines and complete continuing education requirements. The bill prohibits SLPAs from specific speech-language pathology tasks, including patient diagnosis and preparing treatment plans.
Pros:
- Establishes clear guidelines for SLPA certification.
- Expands support services for individuals with speech and language needs.
- Enhances professional oversight.
- Provides a career pathway into the field of speech-language pathology, aimed at addressing a critical shortage .
Cons:
- Increases regulatory burdens for practitioners.
- May limit the flexibility of school-based SLPAs.
- Requires ongoing certification renewals.
Keep an eye on these bills by monitoring the session schedule at: https://leg.colorado.gov/session-schedule.
Share your thoughts on specific bills in person, remotely via Zoom or by submitting written testimony. Instructions on how to do so are here: https://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2025A/commsumm.nsf/NewSignIn.xsp.