School Meal Programs (2016)
This issue brief outlines federal and state school nutrition programs, including eligibility, funding, and reimbursement.
Second Regular Session | 74th General Assembly
Colorado General AssemblyThis issue brief outlines federal and state school nutrition programs, including eligibility, funding, and reimbursement.
Personally identifiable information (PII) is information that can be used to trace or identify an individual. In Colorado K-12 education, the term refers to student data collected and retained by public schools and school districts, and maintained by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE)....
In Colorado, three types of online educational choices are available for students: online schools and programs; supplemental online education; and blended learning. This issue brief covers each type of online education, as well as recently passed legislation related to supplemental online and...
Colorado law provides distinct roles for the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) and the State Board of Education (state board) in overseeing charter schools. Colorado's charter schools are authorized through a local school district or the state Charter School Institute (CSI). The CSI was...
This memorandum provides information regarding the regulation of school districts, charter schools, innovation schools, and home schools. Specifically, it describes the waivers to state law granted by the State Board of Education (SBE) to school districts, charter schools, innovation districts...
House Bill 16-1422 amends the Public School Finance Act of 1994 to provide funding for school districts in FY 2016-17. The bill was signed by the Governor on June 10, 2016, and became effective on that date. House Bill 16-1405, the "Long Bill," appropriates most of the state aid distributed to...
Legislative Council Staff conducts a study of the cost of living in each school district every two years, as required by state law. The results of the 2015 study indicate that the cost of living, adjusted by where employees live, increased in 177 of the 178 school districts in the state. In 137...
This memo discusses the scope of bullying in Colorado schools; summarizes the provisions and programs in Colorado state law related to bullying prevention, including safe school plans and criminal penalties; and provides information on training resources and best practices for preventing...
2015 Colorado School District Cost of Living Analysis
The forecast for the State Education Fund and the level of General Fund appropriations needed to pay for school finance has changed from when the General Assembly adjourned in May 2015. Property values grew rapidly in 2015, and are expected to continue to grow over the next few years, helping to...
Pursuant to Article 15 of Title 22, Colorado Revised Statutes. The purpose of this committee is to study issues relating to school safety and threat prevention in public and private schools; programs and methods for identifying and monitoring students in crisis; standardized criteria for school...
Pursuant to Section 26-6.5-203, Colorado Revised Statutes. The purpose of this commission is to study issues related to early childhood and school readiness in order to improve the state’s early childhood policies.
The “negative factor” is a provision in state law that reduces the amount of total program funding and state aid provided to K-12 school districts. This issue brief discusses how the negative factor is applied in the School Finance Act (SFA), gives a short history of school finance leading to...
Senate Bill 15-267 amends the Public School Finance Act of 1994 to provide funding for school districts in FY 2015-16. The bill was signed by the Governor on June 5, 2015, and became effective on that date. Senate Bill 15-234, the "Long Bill," appropriates most of the state aid distributed to...
Senate Bill 15-267 amends the Public School Finance Act of 1994 to provide funding for school districts in FY 2015-16. The bill was signed by the Governor on June 5, 2015, and became effective on that date. Senate Bill 15-234, the "Long Bill," appropriates most of the state aid distributed to...
ESTIMATED VALUE OF SCHOOL FINANCE FACTORS, INCLUDING NEGATIVE FACTOR, FY 2015-16
Additional At-Risk Student Funding Under SB 15-267, FY 2015-16 (estimated allocation is about $16.13 per at-risk student)
Reengrossed Senate Bill 15-267 FY 2015-16 Compared with FY 2014-15
Senate Bill 15-267 as Introduced by the General Assembly
FY 2015-16 Compared with FY 2014-15
Overview of the State Education Fund and K-12 Public School Funding
Joint Education Committee
The forecast for the State Education Fund and the level of General Fund appropriations needed to pay for school finance have changed from when the General Assembly adjourned in May 2014. Property values are expected to grow more rapidly over the next few years, helping to boost the local...
K-12 funding rankings are of perpetual interest to legislators, educators, parents, and the general public because they provide a measure to evaluate where Colorado stands nationally on education funding. However, rankings can also result in confusion because of data differences and metrics used...
The General Assembly is required by the Colorado Constitution to establish and maintain a thorough and uniform system of free public schools, where any person between the ages of 6 and 21 may be educated. At the same time, the constitution places control of public school instruction in locally...
Pursuant to Section 26-6.5-203, Colorado Revised Statutes. The purpose of this commission is to study issues related to early childhood and school readiness in order to improve the state’s early childhood policies.
State law defines "achievement gap" as the difference in academic achievement attained by student groups on the statewide assessments and "growth gap" as the differences among student groups in the rates of academic growth.1 Achievement gaps are observable between racial or ethnic groups of...