Welcome to this week’s edition of Capitol Week in Review, a weekly update on education policy at the Capitol!
Legislative Update
HB22-1202 At-risk Student Measure For School Finance, which will update the school funding formula as well as how at-risk students are counted, was signed into law by the Governor.
HB22-1220 Removing Barriers to Educator Preparation, which will remove barriers in educator preparation to support educator candidates entering the workforce, is headed to the Governor for signature.
HB22-1260 Access To Medically Necessary Services For Students, which ensures that physically, cognitively, or emotionally impaired students will be able to access services in their schools with local providers, is headed to the Governor for signature.
HB22-1358 Clean Water In Schools And Child Care Centers passed out of House Appropriations and is awaiting second reading debate on the House floor. This bill would provide filters to schools for lead-free drinking water.
HB22-1376 Supportive Learning Environments for K-12 Students passed out of the Senate Finance Committee and will move to a vote on the Senate floor on May 9. This bill updates Colorado’s policies and practices to improve school climate for students.
SB22-004 Evidence-based Training In the Science of Reading, which will require principals and administrators to be trained in the science of reading, is awaiting final vote in the House.
SB22-099 Sealing Criminal Records passed out of the House Appropriations Committee and is now headed to the Governor for signature. This bill will automatically seal the criminal records of individuals who are convicted of a non-violent offense if the person has completed their sentence, completed a waiting period of several years, and has not committed another criminal offense.
SB22-197 Innovation School Zones With Alternative Governance, passed out of the House Education Committee. This bill allows innovation schools to set up their own form of governance, provided they also provide student success data to the state and sets up a dispute resolution process.
Our Take
We are incredibly excited that two of our top priority bills are headed to the Governor for signature and are so grateful to the parents, educators, and community members who signed petitions, emailed lawmakers and testified at the Capitol. Hear directly from parents and educators why these bills are so important.
Brooke Sassi, Literacy Interventionist, on HB22-1220 Removing Barriers to Educator Preparation
“The traditional pathways to teaching are creating artificial barriers to BIPOC teacher candidates from entering the profession in greater numbers. Unpaid student teaching is another barrier that reduces the diversity of the teaching force, requiring some students to take on second and third jobs in their attempts to satisfy the requirements of their programs. Addressing these issues would remove some of the barriers that are keeping Colorado schools from diversifying their teaching staff.”
Natalie Perez, Parent and Stand Advocacy Fellow, on SB22-099 Sealing Criminal Records
“I have seen how friends and family members cannot find homes to live in because of having criminal records. Many come out of prison with high hopes, ready to make a better life for themselves and when they try to get a job, they are turned down because of their past…We need to allow them to make a better life for themselves, and by passing this bill we will do just that.”
Take Action
Stay tuned! Colorado’s 2022 legislative session is quickly coming to an end, and we’re excited to celebrate all that we, alongside you, accomplished for Colorado’s students, educators, and families. Keep an eye out for updates in the coming weeks!
More Information
Colorado Education Bill Tracker 2022, Chalkbeat
