Signed! Pair of Bills to Bolster Workforce Readiness and Support Colorado Students

DENVER, CO – Governor Polis on Friday signed two bills into law to support Colorado students and bolster workforce readiness. 

HB25-1278, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City, and Representatives Shannon Bird, D-Westminster, and Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs, will implement recommendations from the Accountability, Accreditation, Student Performance, and Resource Inequity Task Force created by HB23-1241. 

Co-sponsored by Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Weld County, HB25-1278 makes a number of improvements to benchmarks for student success, including standardized assessments and performance indicators. It will also increase measures to gauge accountability from the Colorado Department of Education (CDE), including the appointment of an Accountability Work Group to provide feedback on state and federal accountability policies and make recommendations to the State Board of Education. 

“Making sure that every student is receiving a high quality education no matter where they attend school is critically important,” said Bird, sponsor of HB25-1278 and SB25-315. “A new law I sponsored will update how we measure the quality of education being offered in our public schools. The goal is to ensure that K-12 students are receiving the best education to prepare them for the future ahead – whether that be higher education or career readiness. Additionally, we’re streamlining how our state funds career readiness programs so our students have more, higher quality opportunities to find in-demand, well-paying careers after graduation.”

“Meeting students where they are and providing accurate benchmarks to measure their success is one of the best ways we can support students and educators,” said Michaelson Jenet. “I’m proud to sponsor this new law that will invest in our students and invest in our state’s future.”

“As a teacher, I know students succeed in the classroom when they have resources tailored to them,” said Lukens. “This new law will ensure that statewide tests are more accessible for all students – including students living with a disability and Spanish-speaking students. We want every student, no matter where they live in Colorado, to receive a world-class education and this law implements some important accountability measures to ensure the diverse needs of our K-12 students are being met.”

The updated state accountability laws for public schools and districts will better measure student outcomes and create a new sub-indicator to support postsecondary and workforce readiness before graduation.

SB25-315, sponsored by Senators Jeff Bridges, D-Arapahoe County, Kirkmeyer, and Reps. Bird, and Emily Sirota, D-Denver, restructures existing postsecondary workforce (PWR) readiness funding into a singular, coordinated distribution mechanism in the CDE to improve access to programs that will boost highly-skilled, in-demand career opportunities. 

The new PWR Innovation Grant Program will distribute grants to local education providers for the development and implementation of programs that support students in completing postsecondary credit, credentials, or work-based learning.

“Opportunity is a Colorado value, and this bill ensures that more kids across our state will have the skills they need to succeed in Colorado’s highly skilled workforce,” said Bridges. “I’ve said for years that every high schooler should graduate with an associates degree, certificate, or meaningful internship. Over the last 10 years, we’ve made incredible progress toward that goal, and this bill will ensure that those opportunities are available in districts throughout the entire state.”

“We’re taking steps today to help our students land good-paying, high-demand careers after graduation,” said Sirota. “This law simplifies the postsecondary workforce readiness grant program to make it easier for our students to access education programs, including work-based learning and apprenticeships. Strengthening Colorado’s workforce requires us to invest today in our students, and this new law boosts educational opportunities and opens career pathways for students.”

Earlier this week, Governor Polis signed an executive order directing Colorado’s state agencies - including the Departments of Education, Higher Education, Labor & Employment, and the Office of Economic Development and International Trade - to coordinate more closely on the state’s efforts to better prepare learners for the future.