ColoradoSB25-3152025 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

Postsecondary & Workforce Readiness Programs

Sponsored By: Barbara Kirkmeyer (Republican), Emily Sirota (Democratic), Jeff Bridges (Democratic), Shannon Bird

Signed by Governor

Education & School Finance (Pre & K-12)

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

13 provisions identified: 8 benefits, 5 costs, 0 mixed.

Students lose new ASCENT enrollment options

For 2025-26, each provider's ASCENT participant designations cannot exceed its 2024-25 number. Beginning in 2026-27, providers cannot designate any qualified students as new ASCENT participants. This ends new designations for that extended high school college-credit program. The section is repealed July 1, 2029.

Students gain college course access support

Qualified students in grades 9-12 can take college courses tied to apprenticeships or internships, generally without course-number caps. Legal exceptions and technology limits remain; students outside TREP who have unmet graduation requirements need required supports above nine college credits. Schools must regularly explain college courses, credentials, and work-based learning to middle and high school families, using understandable languages when possible. Beginning July 1, 2026, state departments must support high school college-credit pathways into early childhood education careers. Those pathways include concurrent enrollment and career and technical education, but no longer expressly list ASCENT.

Schools earn incentives for student achievements

Participating districts, cooperative education boards, and charter schools can receive up to $1,000 per qualifying student. Students must complete an approved industry credential, workplace training program, or Advanced Placement course in the prior budget year. Payments go to education providers, not students or families. Incentives are available only through 2025-26; the program is scheduled for repeal July 1, 2029.

Schools get career program start-up funding

Colorado provides school start-up funding for college credit, job credentials, and work-based learning from 2025-26 through 2027-28. A State Board formula accounts for school and student traits; eligible costs include equipment, staff, training, advising, and college courses. For 2025-26, distributions total $4.536498 million: $4.291366 million from the General Fund and $245,132 from the State Education Fund. Another $482,217 supports administration, assuming 5.1 additional full-time-equivalent staff. Administrative spending is capped at 5% in 2026-27 and 2027-28; the start-up funding section ends July 1, 2029.

Schools get ongoing career learning support

Beginning in 2026-27, schools receive ongoing funding based on students' prior-year college credits, credentials, or work-based learning. Students can count in multiple categories, including eligible P-TECH and teacher preparation program participation. The 2026-27 shares are 20% for credits, 40% for credentials, 35% for work-based learning, and 5% for administration. Starting in 2027-28, the State Board sets program shares; administration remains 5%, and payments shrink proportionately when appropriations fall short. Schools must report student data and use funds to maintain or expand programs, including registered apprentice wages; charter schools receive 100% of their students' funding.

Schools receive four-year counseling grants

The education department awards School Counselor Corps grants for four-year terms. Education providers must apply under State Board rules, and awards depend on available appropriations. An advisory board reviews applications and recommends awards and amounts. The department consults counseling and admissions experts; no grant amount or new appropriation is specified.

Struggling schools gain career learning grants

The John W. Buckner career-readiness innovation grants begin in 2028-29, subject to yearly appropriations. Providers qualify when they or an authorized school need a priority improvement or turnaround plan this school year or last. The provider or school must also have low career-readiness results from the prior school year. Grants support workforce-aligned college credit, credentials, or work-based learning for up to three budget years. The department can withdraw remaining funds for inadequate progress and use no more than 5% of program money for administration.

Students get annual approved credential lists

State education and workforce officials must publish approved industry credentials by January 30, 2026, and every January 30 afterward. Each list covers the next school year. Listed credentials must meet state quality standards. The list identifies credentials that count in state college and career-readiness programs.

Schools get higher student funding amounts

The law raises two amounts used in extended high school funding formulas to $10,480, from $9,588 and $6,135. The increase from $6,135 begins in 2025-26 and follows the statewide base-funding adjustment rule. Calculations include TREP, P-TECH, and ASCENT students where specified; the ASCENT amount is $7,104 for 2025-26 only. The law also adds $2.257275 million from the State Education Fund to districts' state-share program funding for 2025-26. These amounts fund schools, not direct student or family checks.

Required career pathway inventories become narrower

Beginning July 1, 2026, required stackable credential inventories no longer expressly include credentials offered by colleges. They also no longer expressly include programs recognized by the Career Development Success Program. Inventories must still cover other listed providers, including high schools, training providers, industry credential providers, and nonprofits. This applies to pathways for growing industries identified in the latest Colorado talent report.

College readiness grants face funding cuts

For 2025-26, concurrent enrollment expansion and innovation grants lose $1.476948 million from the Marijuana Tax Cash Fund. The Buckner automatic enrollment in advanced courses grants lose $247,914 from the General Fund. Each program's related staffing falls by 0.3 full-time equivalent; General Fund grants administration also loses $3,999. The law also repeals two education statutes, but the supplied description does not identify their program effects. These are section 22-35-114 and title 22, article 95.5, part 2.

Extended high school funding protections shrink

For 2025-26, the law cuts extended high school operating funds from the State Education Fund by $6.703048 million. It removes the requirement to fund every potential TREP teacher preparation participant at the ASCENT per-student rate. This does not end TREP funding. It also removes an old 200-participant TREP limit that applied only to 2022-23.

Student achievement incentive funding shrinks

For 2025-26, required Career Development Success Program funding is $5 million, replacing the annual minimum of $9.5 million. The department can use as much as necessary for direct and indirect start-up funding administration costs. The law also cuts the program's General Fund appropriation by $4.52167 million and staffing by 0.6 full-time equivalent. These are program funding changes, not a stated reduction in any individual student's payment.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Cosponsors

Andrew Boesenecker
Democratic • House
Alex Valdez
Democratic • House
Eliza Hamrick
Democratic • House
Jennifer Bacon
Democratic • House
Jacque Phillips
Democratic • House
Lesley Smith
Democratic • House
Michael Carter
Democratic • House
Monica Duran
Democratic • House
Meg Froelich
Democratic • House
Mandy Lindsay
Democratic • House
Ryan Gonzalez
Republican • House
Sean Camacho
Democratic • House
Sheila Lieder
Democratic • House
James Coleman
Democratic • Senate
Kyle Mullica
Democratic • Senate
Tony Exum
Democratic • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 164 • No: 23

Senate vote • 5/5/2025

House amendments: Repass

Yes: 33 • No: 2

Senate vote • 5/5/2025

House amendments: Concur

Yes: 35 • No: 0

House vote • 5/2/2025

Third reading: Bill

Yes: 50 • No: 14

House vote • 5/1/2025

Refer Senate Bill 25-315, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole.

Yes: 8 • No: 3

Senate vote • 4/30/2025