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As the clock winds down on the 2019 legislative session, two groups packed the Capitol Wednesday afternoon for a final say on two controversial bills: asking voters to raise taxes on nicotine products and making it harder to get vaccination exemptions. Both bills would require an initial vote on the Senate floor Thursday, followed by…

The Senate this week celebrated what many in the education world are looking forward to: a significant funding increase for the first time in nearly a decade and the ability of all districts to offer full-day kindergarten. There are still a few steps left for those measures. The House must approve Senate amendments to the…

An effort to change Colorado’s teacher evaluation system landed in limbo Thursday as a Senate committee postponed action on the bill beyond the end of the legislative session. State Sen. Nancy Todd, an Aurora Democrat who chairs the Senate Education Committee, said she hopes the controversial evaluation system gets a review. Todd moved to lay…

An anti-tax group wants to overturn a law allowing local governments to create special districts to pay for early childhood education. The Colorado Union of Taxpayers received approval Friday to gather signatures to try to repeal House Bill 1052. That bill allows local governments to ask voters to approve special districts and seek voter approval…

A measure aimed at increasing the number of Colorado students taking college courses while in high school received a unanimous Senate committee endorsement Wednesday. That came despite concerns voiced by representatives of rural school districts about costs and difficulty finding qualified teachers to offer such courses. Senate Bill 176 next goes to the Senate Appropriations…

Colorado high school juniors and seniors won’t get to vote in school board elections, after lawmakers expressed concerns over constitutional and transparency issues. The House State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee voted 8-1 Wednesday to postpone House Bill 1243 indefinitely, effectively killing the bill. It would  have allowed 16- and 17-year-olds to vote for school…

Colorado’s 178 school districts include some with fewer than 50 students, some that don’t serve all grades, and some that have struggled academically and financially for years. Yet it’s been nearly two decades since a school district dissolved and merged with a neighbor. A bill that passed the state Senate Wednesday lays out a new…

An effort to limit school suspensions and expulsions for Colorado’s youngest students took its first step to becoming law Thursday. House Bill 1194 would allow such actions only if a young student – one in second grade or below – has a weapon or drugs or creates a safety risk. It next heads to the House…

Charter schools survived a funding challenge Tuesday, retaining an expected $10.5 million for the next school year. All but one Democrat joined Republicans on the House Education Committee to defeat a bill aimed at reversing part of a 2017 law that shares a portion of local tax money with charter schools. House Bill 1190 illustrated…

American history and government lessons in Colorado schools would have to give students a better understanding of the culture and contributions of all Americans under a bill approved by the House Education Committee Tuesday. House Bill 1192 adds the history and culture of Asian-Americans to the groups already required to be included in civics lessons:…