# Colorado SB26-023: School Finance Act Colorado SB26-023, School Finance Act, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Barbara Kirkmeyer (Republican), Chris Kolker (Democratic), Emily Sirota (Democratic) and 1 others; status signed, last action 2026-05-28 (Governor Signed); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-16). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB26-023-2026A - As of: 2026-10-16 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Colorado SB26-023 - State: Colorado - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: School Finance Act - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-14 - Last action: 2026-05-28, Governor Signed - Sponsors: Barbara Kirkmeyer (Republican), Chris Kolker (Democratic), Emily Sirota (Democratic), Meghan Lukens (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 54 - Subjects: Education & School Finance (Pre & K-12) - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 10 (323 yes, 13 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 12 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Colorado sets school funding baselines: benefit, high. For 2026–27, Colorado sets base school funding at $8,900.40 per student: $8,691.80 plus $208.60 for inflation. This is a base rate, not each school's final funding or a payment to families. Total district funding, including institute charter schools, must reach at least $10.189918642 billion. State… - More school retirees can preserve pensions: benefit, medium. The law adds assistant superintendents, vice principals, and assistant principals to covered jobs for qualifying Colorado PERA retirees. They can earn salary without pension cuts for any length of employment in a calendar year. The hiring district, cooperative services board, or charter school must… - Broader funding for student career pathways: benefit, medium. Education providers can receive multiple sustain-funding payments for one student, including students in P-TECH schools or TREP programs. Students also qualify through prior-year college credit, industry credentials, or completed work-based learning requirements. In 2026–27, funding shares are 20%… - Districts get funding floors and aid: benefit, medium. For 2026–27, each district's total program funding is no lower than its 2024–25 amount. The state compares that floor with the older formula amount plus 30% of any increase under the newer formula. If the newer formula gives less, the state compares only the older formula amount with the 2024–25 fl… - Inflation-linked funding for special education students: benefit, medium. For budget years beginning in 2022–23, the stated special education funding amount is $1,750 per child receiving services. The stated amount for earlier years is $1,250. The amount adjusts annually using the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood consumer price index, or its successor, rounded to the nearest dolla… - Dedicated pay funding for meal workers: benefit, low. Participating school food authorities and charter schools under participating charter school food authorities qualify for dedicated meal-worker pay funding. Recipients must use 100% of that dedicated amount for wage increases or stipends for employees who directly prepare and serve meals. They must… - Clearer district rules for disabled children: benefit, low. The State Board must make rules for deciding a child's district of residence when existing law does not cover the situation. These rules address children with disabilities. They help identify the district responsible for the child but do not create a direct household payment. - Grants support struggling schools' redesign plans: benefit, low. The law creates school transformation grants for districts, the Charter School Institute, and charter schools. For awards issued on or after July 1, 2026, recipients must be carrying out a priority improvement or turnaround plan. Grants support planning and carrying out rigorous school redesign str… - Schools get help with placement costs: benefit, low. Beginning in 2026–27, Colorado provides $1 million each year to reimburse school units for qualifying special education placement costs. Students must have an individualized education program and lack a parent or guardian available or authorized to make education decisions. A public agency must pla… - Past rural school aid rule ends: cost, low. On July 1, 2026, the law repeals a contingency-reserve aid rule for rural and small rural districts. It covered financial burdens from withheld property taxes following audit delays caused by extraordinary, unforeseeable problems districts could not prevent. The aid rule covered only the 2021–22, 2… - School food grants expand with limits: mixed, low. Local food grants include eligible charter schools operating under participating charter school food authorities. Grantees must purchase Colorado-grown, raised, or processed products and run advisory committees with students and parents reflecting student demographics. Spending limits are 25% for v… - Student pathways funding shifts from administration: mixed, low. The law provides $267,424 for 2026–27 Student Pathways workforce-readiness sustain support for students with limited English proficiency. It also reduces the State Education Fund appropriation for Student Pathways administration by $267,424. These adjustments take effect only if the 2026–27 general… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Barbara Kirkmeyer (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Chris Kolker (Democratic), Senate - Sponsor: Emily Sirota (Democratic), House - Sponsor: Meghan Lukens (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Andrew Boesenecker (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Amy Paschal (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Bob Marshall (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Chad Clifford (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Eliza Hamrick (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Gretchen Rydin (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jennifer Bacon (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jamie Jackson (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Julie McCluskie (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jacque Phillips (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kyle Brown (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Karen McCormick (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kenny Nguyen (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Katie Stewart (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Lorena Garcia (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Lindsay Gilchrist (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Lori Goldstein (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Lesley Smith (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Monica Duran (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Meg Froelich (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Mandy Lindsay (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Manny Rutinel (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Naquetta Ricks (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Regina English (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Ryan Gonzalez (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Rebekah Stewart (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Rick Taggart (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Sean Camacho (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Tisha Mauro (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Tammy Story (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Yara Zokaie (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Cathy Kipp (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Cleave Simpson (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Dylan Roberts (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Iman Jodeh (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Judy Amabile (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Jeff Bridges (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: John Carson (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: James Coleman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Julie Gonzales (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Janice Marchman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Kyle Mullica (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Katie Wallace (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Lisa Cutter (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Lindsey Daugherty (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Lisa Frizell (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Larry Liston (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Matt Ball (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Marc Catlin (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Marc Snyder (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Mike Weissman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Rod Pelton (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Scott Bright (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Tony Exum (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-05-13 | Senate | House amendments: Concur | pass | 34 | 1 | | | 2026-05-13 | Senate | House amendments: Repass | pass | 32 | 3 | | | 2026-05-12 | House | Third reading: Perm | pass | 65 | 0 | | | 2026-05-12 | House | Third reading: Amd (l.044) | pass | 65 | 0 | | | 2026-05-12 | House | Third reading: Bill | pass | 57 | 8 | | | 2026-05-11 | House | Refer Senate Bill 26-023, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. | pass | 9 | 1 | | | 2026-04-30 | House | Refer Senate Bill 26-023 to the Committee on Appropriations. | pass | 13 | 0 | | | 2026-04-29 | Senate | Third reading: Bill | pass | 34 | 0 | | | 2026-04-24 | Senate | Refer Senate Bill 26-023, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. | pass | 7 | 0 | | | 2026-04-20 | Senate | Refer Senate Bill 26-023, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. | pass | 7 | 0 | | ## Actions (16) - 2026-05-28: Governor Signed (House) - 2026-05-19: Signed by the President of the Senate (Senate) - 2026-05-19: Signed by the Speaker of the House (House) - 2026-05-19: Sent to the Governor (House) - 2026-05-13: Senate Considered House Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass (Senate) - 2026-05-12: House Third Reading Passed with Amendments - Floor (House) - 2026-05-12: House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments (House) - 2026-05-11: House Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole (House) - 2026-05-11: House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor (House) - 2026-04-30: House Committee on Education Refer Unamended to Appropriations (House) - 2026-04-29: Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments (Senate) - 2026-04-29: Introduced In House - Assigned to Education (House) - 2026-04-28: Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor (Senate) - 2026-04-24: Senate Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to Senate Committee of the Whole (Senate) - 2026-04-20: Senate Committee on Education Refer Amended to Appropriations (Senate) - 2026-01-14: Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Education (Senate) ## Bill text - Engrossed: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115349/download) - Final Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116506/download) - Introduced: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/110728/download) - Reengrossed: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115418/download) - Rerevised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116413/download) - Revised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116351/download) - Senate Appropriations Preamend: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115206/download) - Senate Education Preamend: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114969/download) - Signed Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116901/download) ## Related bills - HB26-1250: Procedures Related to Civil Asset Forfeiture (signed) - HB26-1298: Background Checks for Child Welfare Placements (signed) - HB26-1414: Medical Record Requests (signed) - SB26-155: Increase Access Homeowner's Insurance Enterprise (signed) - HB26-1429: County Administration Public Assistance Programs (signed) - HB26-1430: Transportation Funding Adjustments (signed) ## Sources - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115349/download) - [Final Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116506/download) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/110728/download) - [Reengrossed (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115418/download) - [Rerevised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116413/download) - [Revised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116351/download) - [Senate Appropriations Preamend (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115206/download) - [Senate Education Preamend (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114969/download) - [Signed Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116901/download) ## Related - [HB26-1250: Procedures Related to Civil Asset Forfeiture](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1250-2026A) - [HB26-1298: Background Checks for Child Welfare Placements](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1298-2026A) - [HB26-1414: Medical Record Requests](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1414-2026A) - [SB26-155: Increase Access Homeowner's Insurance Enterprise](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB26-155-2026A) - [HB26-1429: County Administration Public Assistance Programs](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1429-2026A) - [HB26-1430: Transportation Funding Adjustments](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1430-2026A) - [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-SB26-023-2026A (as of 2026-10-16).