The state House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday to expand eligibility for financial assistance programs for educators, in an attempt to address the ongoing teacher shortage.

House Bill 1001 – the first bill introduced of the session – would update existing stipend programs to include student educators who have slightly higher family incomes and who teach outside of Colorado but within 100 miles of the state border. The bill would also change the state’s educator loan forgiveness program to include principals and special services providers.

“We’re tackling Colorado’s teacher shortage through a multi-faceted approach, and that includes breaking down financial barriers future educators face while entering the workforce,” said bill sponsor Rep. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango. “Investing in our teachers strengthens our schools and supports our students.”

The bill builds off of House Bill 22-1220 passed last session, which created and designated $52 million in federal pandemic relief funds for the student educator stipend program, the educator test stipend program, and the temporary educator loan forgiveness program.

House lawmakers voted 52-11 in favor of the bill Thursday, sending it to the Senate for consideration. If passed by the Senate, the bill would need final approval from the governor before taking effect.

Though the bill received bipartisan support, all 11 of the representatives who voted against it are Republicans. Rep. Scott Bottoms, R-Colorado Springs, said he opposed the bill because he does not want principals to be included in the state’s educator loan forgiveness program.

“Statewide, principals and vice principals earn $35,000 more, on average, than the average teacher,” Bottoms said while testifying against the bill. “I’m about teachers. I’m about the people that are actually in the classrooms with the students. … The disparity says that teachers should have this benefit.” 

Bill sponsor Rep. Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins, defended the inclusion of principals, saying the state is also suffering from a shortage of administrators in addition to teachers.

During the 2021-22 school year, approximately 7,000 teaching positions needed to be filled – representing 10% of all teaching positions in the state, according to a report from the Colorado Department of Education. That year, there were also over 300 principal/assistant principal positions and over 2,000 paraprofessional positions unfilled.

By the end of 2022, 85% of Colorado educators said the shortage of teachers in their school is worse than in previous years and 90% said the shortage of support staff is worse, according to a survey by the Colorado Education Association. 

“Every school district in Colorado is feeling the effects of the teacher shortage,” Kipp said. “Colorado’s teacher shortage is dire, and our bill works to get more qualified teachers in classrooms across the state.”