# Colorado HB25-1278: Education Accountability System Colorado HB25-1278, Education Accountability System, is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Barbara Kirkmeyer (Republican), Dafna Michaelson Jenet (Democratic), Meghan Lukens (Democratic) and 1 others; status signed, last action 2025-05-23 (Governor Signed) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB25-1278-2025A - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Colorado HB25-1278 - State: Colorado - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Education Accountability System - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-02-20 - Last action: 2025-05-23, Governor Signed - Sponsors: Barbara Kirkmeyer (Republican), Dafna Michaelson Jenet (Democratic), Meghan Lukens (Democratic), Shannon Bird - Cosponsors: 20 - Subjects: Education & School Finance (Pre & K-12) - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 9 (217 yes, 59 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 15 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - New college and career school measures: benefit, medium. Beginning in 2027–28, Colorado measures readiness before graduation and progress afterward for high schools, districts, the State Charter School Institute, and statewide reporting. High schools also include graduation and dropout rates; the prior statutory framework ends July 1, 2027. Readiness mea… - Accessible state tests for disabled students: benefit, low. Colorado must provide paper versions of computer-based state tests when a student's individualized education program or Section 504 plan requires them. Local education providers must report how many students need paper tests. The state must also guide schools on shorter test sections with age-appro… - Clearer school results for families: benefit, low. Local education providers must adopt policies requiring staff to promptly share and explain each student's state test results to parents or guardians. Colorado must send providers results by June 1 each year, or as soon as practicable, plus data for tracking student progress. Subject to available f… - Graduation counting protects special education rights: benefit, low. Graduation-rate reporting counts students receiving special education services in the school year they complete minimum graduation requirements. This counting rule does not limit a student's right to a free appropriate public education. - More test languages for English learners: benefit, low. Colorado must offer math, science, and social studies tests beyond English and Spanish when a statewide language threshold is met. At least 1,500 English learners in an assessed grade must share that language background. A student must receive subject-area instructional support in that language and… - Grants support more school turnaround work: benefit, low. School transformation grants support more improvement activities for eligible districts, the State Charter School Institute, and charter schools. Covered schools include those implementing required priority-improvement or turnaround plans, with current-year, prior-year, and one-, two-, or three-con… - More state support for struggling schools: benefit, low. Colorado must support districts and the State Charter School Institute with improvement plans or identified signs of declining performance. Assistance depends on need and available resources; the state can require its own evaluation, an approved outside review, or an approved self-assessment. Schoo… - School accountability funding and student counting: benefit, low. For fiscal year 2025–26, the law provides Colorado’s Department of Education $559,187 in General Fund money for accountability and improvement planning. The budget assumes 3.4 additional full-time equivalent staff. The department calculates school performance for all students and accounts separatel… - Schools gain oversight of turnaround partners: benefit, low. Covered contracts with outside school-improvement partners must state which partner records schools, districts, or the State Charter School Institute can access. These must include records showing how contract funds are used. Colorado must create a qualified-partner list and a model contract to hel… - State tracks school turnaround actions regularly: benefit, low. The commissioner can assign the State Review Panel to assess school pathway plans. When a school makes inadequate turnaround progress or stays on watch for five years, panel review and at least one visit are required. After ordered action, panel review occurs at least every two years while the scho… - Less funding for testing and accountability: cost, low. For fiscal year 2025–26, Colorado cuts State Education Fund support for the statewide assessment program by $456,000. It also cuts General Fund support for local accountability system grants by $81,000. These are state program funding cuts, not stated changes to household taxes, fees, or benefits. - School improvement plans need sustainable budgets: mixed, low. Multi-year pathway plans are required for voluntary action in watch years three or four, entry into year five, or hearings under prior Board orders. Plans must identify actions, analyze causes of poor results, and set research-based strategies, implementation steps, short-term benchmarks, and annua… - Schools must address low test participation: mixed, low. Colorado must explain the value of state tests and guide educators on lawful ways to encourage participation without discouraging it. Districts, the State Charter School Institute, and schools labeled 'Insufficient Data for Low Student Participation' must prepare corrective plans. School plans go t… - Struggling schools face action after five years: mixed, low. Districts, the State Charter School Institute, and schools face State Board plan review and required action after five counted low-performance years. The count starts with two consecutive years at priority improvement or worse, followed by three more consecutive or nonconsecutive years. Before five… - Top district ratings require test participation: mixed, low. Districts and the State Charter School Institute must meet performance standards and have at least 85% test participation and completion to earn distinction. They must meet overall growth expectations, have no student group below growth standards, and at least approach overall achievement expectati… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Barbara Kirkmeyer (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Dafna Michaelson Jenet (Democratic), Senate - Sponsor: Meghan Lukens (Democratic), House - Sponsor: Shannon Bird - Cosponsor: Andrew Boesenecker (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Chad Clifford (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Gretchen Rydin (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Junie Joseph (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Julie McCluskie (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Karen McCormick (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Katie Stewart (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Lorena Garcia (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Monica Duran (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Mandy Lindsay (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Matthew Martinez (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Manny Rutinel (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Naquetta Ricks (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Ryan Gonzalez (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Sean Camacho (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Sheila Lieder (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Cathy Kipp (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Iman Jodeh (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Jeff Bridges (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Lisa Cutter (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-05-05 | Senate | Third reading: Bill | pass | 32 | 3 | | | 2025-05-02 | Senate | Refer House Bill 25-1278 to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. | pass | 7 | 0 | | | 2025-04-30 | Senate | Refer House Bill 25-1278 to the Committee on Appropriations. | pass | 6 | 0 | | | 2025-04-28 | House | Third reading: Perm | pass | 43 | 21 | | | 2025-04-28 | House | Third reading: Bill | pass | 51 | 13 | | | 2025-04-28 | House | Third reading: Amd (l.022) | pass | 47 | 17 | | | 2025-04-25 | House | Refer House Bill 25-1278, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. | pass | 9 | 2 | | | 2025-03-26 | House | Refer House Bill 25-1278, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. | pass | 12 | 1 | | | 2025-03-26 | House | Adopt amendment L.004 | pass | 10 | 2 | | ## Actions (15) - 2025-05-23: Governor Signed (House) - 2025-05-20: Signed by the Speaker of the House (House) - 2025-05-20: Signed by the President of the Senate (Senate) - 2025-05-20: Sent to the Governor (House) - 2025-05-05: Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments (Senate) - 2025-05-02: Senate Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole (Senate) - 2025-05-02: Senate Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments (Senate) - 2025-04-30: Senate Committee on Education Refer Unamended to Appropriations (Senate) - 2025-04-29: Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Education (Senate) - 2025-04-28: House Third Reading Passed with Amendments - Floor (House) - 2025-04-25: House Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole (House) - 2025-04-25: House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor (House) - 2025-03-26: House Committee on Education Refer Amended to Appropriations (House) - 2025-03-13: House Committee on Education Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only (House) - 2025-02-20: Introduced In House - Assigned to Education (House) ## Bill text - Engrossed: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/86276/download) - Final Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/86272/download) - House Appropriations Preamend: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/86279/download) - House Education Preamend: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/86278/download) - Introduced: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/86277/download) - Reengrossed: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/86275/download) - Rerevised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/86273/download) - Revised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/86274/download) - Signed Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/40992/download) ## Related bills - SB25-279: Colorado Code of Military Justice Updates (signed) - HB25-1234: Utility Consumer Protection (signed) - HB25-1307: Updating Technical References in Education Law (signed) - SB25-163: Battery Stewardship Programs (signed) - SB25-261: Property Tax Deferral Program Administration (signed) - SB25-167: Invest State Funds to Benefit Communities (signed) ## Sources - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/86276/download) - [Final Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/86272/download) - [House Appropriations Preamend (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/86279/download) - [House Education Preamend (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/86278/download) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/86277/download) - [Reengrossed (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/86275/download) - [Rerevised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/86273/download) - [Revised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/86274/download) - [Signed Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/40992/download) ## Related - [SB25-279: Colorado Code of Military Justice Updates](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB25-279-2025A) - [HB25-1234: Utility Consumer Protection](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB25-1234-2025A) - [HB25-1307: Updating Technical References in Education Law](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB25-1307-2025A) - [SB25-163: Battery Stewardship Programs](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB25-163-2025A) - [SB25-261: Property Tax Deferral Program Administration](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB25-261-2025A) - [SB25-167: Invest State Funds to Benefit Communities](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB25-167-2025A) - [Colorado bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/colorado/bills) - [Colorado state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/colorado) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB25-1278-2025A (as of 2026-10-19).