2007 Enacted Legislation
House Bills
House Bill 1048
- Longitudinal Student Growth
Sponsored by Representative Merrifield and Senator Windels
Re-establishes a technical advisory committee for purposes of using an individual student growth model for all state and federal academic accountability. State Fiscal Impact: None. (Signed by the Governor 2/6)
House Bill 1050- Concerning the Display of Flags
Sponsored by Representative Todd, Representative A. Kerr and Senator Williams
Allows school boards to adopt policies regulating the display of flags on district property and at school buildings. Allows for the display of prisoner of war and missing in action flags, veteran commemoration flags, and foreign flags on ceremonial occasions. Prohibits the display of foreign flags on a permanent flagstaff at any state, local, or other public building. Removes petty offense involving display of flags likely to cause a disturbance of the peace. State Fiscal Impact: None (Signed by the Governor 4/9)
House Bill 1059- School Security Infrastructure Grant Program
Sponsored by Representative Massey
Creates the school security infrastructure grant program with the intent to prevent intruders from entering schools. Allows access to three existing funds for capital construction to be expanded for remodeling or renovation projects aimed at improving school security infrastructure. No additional appropriation; using existing capital construction funding. (Signed by the Governor 5/3)
House Bill 1066- Reimbursement for Supplemental Online Education Courses
Sponsored by Representative Massey
Allocates $480,000 to the San Luis BOCES to use in contracting with Colorado Online Learning to provide supplemental online education courses to school districts. Courses shall not exceed more than $200 per semester per course. Establishes $50K grant fund through CDE to assist small districts with providing supplemental online education. StatePublic School Fund.(Signed by the Governor 5/23)
House Bill 1073- Public Contract Employment Eligibility
Sponsored by Representative Judd and Senator Keller
For public contracts for services, the federal basic pilot program must be used to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. State Fiscal Impact: None(Signed by the Governor 3/16)
House Bill 1077- Requirement on Supplemental Service Providers
Sponsored by Representative Casso and Senator Tupa
Bill amended to require that any employee of a supplemental service provider who interacts with students must undergo a fingerprint and background check. Requires that employees of service providers who interact with students meet paraprofessional standards. States that in its advertising, supplemental service providers must refrain from mentioning whether district will pay some or all of cost of tutoring services. State Fiscal Impact: None(Signed by the Governor 4/9)
House Bill 1087- Wind for Schools Grant Program
Sponsored by Representative A. Kerr
Creates the Wind for Schools Grant Program that public schools and community colleges may apply to for funds. Funds must be used for a project to include installation of a wind turbine to help defray school's energy costs. Only one school per district may receive funds each year not to exceed $5 K. State Fiscal Impact: No additional state appropriation; OEMC required to spend federal money to support this program. (Signed by the Governor 4/16)
House Bill 1091 - Extension of Alternative Teacher
Licensure Program
Sponsored by Representative Gagliardi
Allows a school district or independent school to extend the one-year alternative teacher training program for one year if the alternative teacher is unable to complete the program, and the district expects that the teacher will be able to complete the program in the additional year. Allows CDE to extend the alternative teacher license for one year. State Fiscal Impact: None(Signed by the Governor 3/14)
House Bill 1118 -High School Graduation Requirements
Sponsored by Representative Todd and Senator Tupa
Requires the state board to adopt suggested guidelines for minimum high school graduation by July 1, 2008. Directs local school boards to establish requirements using the guidelines and after seeking community input. Amended to clarify that local school boards have the flexibility as to the order a student may take classes. Requires CCHE to align its admission standards to the state board's guidelines. Amended to create Graduation Guidelines Development Council to create guidelines for high school graduation that the State Board will use in establishing their guidelines. State Fiscal Impact: None(Signed by the Governor 5/3)
House Bill 1176- Physician Treatment Under Worker's Compensation Act of Colorado
Sponsored by Representative M. Carroll and Senator Tochtrop
Amended to require an employer to provide an injured employee at least 2 corporate medical providers or unaffiliated networks of health care providers to choose from. Allows employee to change physicians by selecting another from the list prepared by the employer using certain procedures. State Fiscal Impact: None (Signed by the Governor 5/14)
House Bill 1178-Use of District Facilities by Charter Schools
Sponsored by Senator Spence and Representative Butcher
HB 1178 would allow a charter school that has operated continuously for at least 5 years to purchase the buildings and grounds from the school district at a fair market price. HB 1178 has been amended to allow a school district, at its discretion, to sell at a fair market value the buildings and grounds to a charter school. It has also been amended to specify that if a charter school vacates its purchased facility, the school district shall have first right of refusal to require and purchase the building and grounds at fair market value. Amended on 3/15 to remove the requirement that a charter school first occupy a facility for 5 continuous years before being able to purchase it. State fiscal impact: Conditional local impact.(Signed by the Governor 5/31)
House Bill 1232- Aid School Districts With Military Families
Sponsored by Representative Merrifield and Senator Tapia
For 2007-08 school year and through 2010-11, allows districts to apply to CDE for military dependent supplemental pupil enrollment aid for students who are enrolled as of 2/1 but weren't included in the October count. Students must be dependents of a full-time member of the military. States that districts are eligible for supplemental funding only if military dependent enrollment represents either an increase equal to or greater than 1% over the district's pupil enrollment, or an increase of at least 25 pupils. Specifies that an eligible district shall receive aid as calculated by computing a number equal to the district's military dependent pupil enrollment, multiplied by an amount equal to 1/2 of the district's per pupil revenues for the applicable budget year. State Fiscal Impact: FY 2007-08: $8K from GF (Signed by the Governor 6/4)
House Bill 1237 -Modification to State Public School Fund
Sponsored by Representative Pommer and Senator Keller
Specifies that the publishing costs associated with the annual printing of the laws enacted by the general assembly concerning education shall be paid out of the state public school fund rather than out of the public school income fund. Creates the contingency reserve fund in the state treasury to replace and to be used for the same purposes as the contingency reserve created in the state public school fund. Relocates certain provisions regarding the contingency reserve and the contingency reserve fund. Creates the school capital construction expenditures reserve fund in the state treasury to replace and to be used for the same purposes as the school capital construction expenditures reserve created in the state public school fund. Creates the lottery proceeds contingency reserve fund in the state treasury to replace and to be used for the same purposes as the contingency reserve that is created in the state public school fund and into which certain lottery proceeds are transferred. State Fiscal Impact: None (Signed by the Governor 4/26)
House Bill 1238- Modifications to State Public School Transportation Fund
Sponsored by Representative White and Senator Tapia
Authorizes money in the Public School Transportation Fund that are overpayments to instead be appropriated to CDE for use. Specifies that the moneys from such overpayments are not to be used for categorical programs. Increases the appropriation for small attendance center aid for 2006-07 by decreasing the appropriation from the State Education Fund for school transportation by $71,040, increasing the appropriation for for public school transportation by the same amount, and increasing the appropriation from the state education fund for small attendance center aid by $71,040. State Fiscal Impact: $71,000 from public transportation recovered funds (Signed by the Governor 6/1)
House Bill 1243- Funding for Science Related After School Programs
Sponsored by Representative Todd and Senator Williams
Establishes the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) after school pilot grant program. Allows providers that coordinate STEM programs to apply for grant monies to offset costs. Source of grant funds to consist of gifts, grants, and donations. Amended in Senate to specify that programs can be either before or after school to qualify for grant monies. State Fiscal Impact: None (Signed by the Governor 5/2)
House Bill 1244 - Provision of Educational Programs to Gifted Students
Sponsored by Representative Peniston
Administrative units are required to develop a program plan that will identify and serve gifted students through advanced learning plans. Administrative units are not required to implement program plans if sufficient funds are not provided. State Fiscal Impact: None (Signed by the Governor 6/1)
House Bill 1248 - Funding for Tony Grampsas Program
Sponsored by Representative Todd and Senator Kester
Creates the CO Before and After School Project within the Tony Grampsas Program and provides funding primarily for students in grades 6 to 8. Describes types of programs eligible for funding. Specifies that funding shall come from gifts, grants, donations, and moneys from alcohol tax. Fiscal note amended 3/21. State Fiscal Impact: FY 2007-08: $300K from Dept. Public Health and Environment increase. (Signed by the Governor 5/31)
House Bill 1270 - Review of State Education Data Infrastructure
Sponsored by Representative Stephens
Authorizes Governor's Office of Information and Technology to contract with a third party to conduct a comprehensive review of CDE's educational data collections and infrastructure. State Fiscal Impact: $150K 07-08 from audit recovery dollars. (Signed by the Governor 5/23)
House Bill 1271- Family Literacy Education Grant Program
Sponsored by Representative A. Kerr and Senator Tupa
Eliminates the stipulation in statute that no general fund moneys be appropriated for the implementation of the Family Literacy Education Grant Program. Eliminates the conditional repeal of the "Colorado Family Literacy Act of 2002." State Fiscal Impact: $1 M from General Fund.(Signed by the Governor 5/30)
House Bill 1292 - Adoption of Science-Based Content Standards for Instruction Regarding Human Sexuality
Sponsored by Representative Todd and Senator Windels
Requires school districts, family resource centers, and teen pregnancy prevention programs that offer instruction regarding human sexuality to adopt science-based content standards. Specifies minimum requirements for curriculum concerning human sexuality that include: encouragement of parental involvement and communication, emphasis of abstinence as way to avoid STD's and pregnancy, and no promotion of religious values. State Fiscal Impact: None (Signed by the Governor 5/14)
House Bill 1320 - Education Data Management
Sponsored by Representative Benefield and Senator Bacon
Directs CDE to create a data dictionary that will specify what data districts must collect and submit each year. Requires CDE to provide advance notice to districts and data system vendors about any new reporting requirements, or changes to existing reporting requirements. Establishes two 90-day implementation windows for new data collections/submissions (CDE will get 90 days. Districts will then get an additional 90 days to implement new requirements). Requires CDE to regularly update reporting requirements listed on website. Gives more authority and responsibility to Educational Data Advisory Committee. State Fiscal Impact: FY 07-08: $274,704; FY 08-09: $65,389. Will be funded from audit recovery dollars (Signed by the Governor 5/23)
House Bill 1345 - Modifications to School Accountability Reports
Sponsored by Representative Massey, Representative Merrifield and Senator Windels
Defines primary audience for SAR as parents; puts emphasis on information parents have said they want, in addition to federally required data. Overall status and growth ratings will remain the same. Includes new information to make the SAR more meaningful: CSAP performance over time. Achievement gaps for designated subgroups. More school-specific information, including non-CSAP course offerings, school academic goals and sources of school pride. Eliminates rigid statutory constraints detailing formatting. State Fiscal Impact: FY 07-08: $270,250 from audit recovery dollars (Signed by the Governor 5/23)
House Bill 1348 - Extension of Accreditation Contracts
Sponsored by Representative Massey and Senator Windels
Extends school district accreditation contracts for one year to 2008. State Fiscal Impact: None (Signed by the Governor 5/14)