The FY 24-25 Colorado State Budget Makes Investments to Fully Fund K-12 Education, Boost Behavioral Healthcare Services, Support Colorado’s State Parks, and Working Families
On Friday the Senate gave initial sign-off to the FY 2024-2025 state budget. Major components of the budget make what Senate leadership calls “balanced investments” to fully fund K-12 education, boost behavioral healthcare services, support Colorado’s state parks, and deliver for hardworking families.
“Of all the budgets that I have proudly helped to craft over the years, this one will stand out in my memory years from now,” said Joint Budget Committee Vice Chair Rachel Zenzinger (D-Arvada). “I am pleased to see that we have reached this milestone in the process. Every budget-making process has its challenges, and this one certainly has been no exception. But the hard work has been worthwhile: We eliminated the budget stabilization factor that we inflicted upon our schools a decade ago; and now K-12 is fully funded. What a joy to make that statement.”
The state’s $40.6 billion budget is a 3.7 percent increase over last year’s budget. This year’s budget, HB24-1430, includes a total of $58.6 million to support hardworking families and boost education and workforce efforts.
“This year’s bipartisan budget is a reflection of our Colorado values of opportunity and responsibility,” said Joint Budget Committee member Jeff Bridges (D-Arapahoe County. “The investments included in this budget will address our workforce shortages, expand access to behavioral health resources, support public schools, and make our communities safer. With this balanced budget, we’re delivering the support hardworking Coloradans need right now while setting our state up for success in the years to come.”
A Few Key Highlights of the Budget Bill focused on Student Success:
Fully-funded Colorado’s K-12 Schools
After years of careful budgeting and planning, this year’s state budget eliminates the Budget Stabilization Factor (BSF), which has restricted funding for Colorado’s K-12 public education funding for more than a decade.
As outlined in the budget, the total funding for public schools will increase by more than $500 million. This includes an increase in per-pupil funding by $736 per student, bringing the total per-pupil amount to $11,406 – the largest in state history. Final action on per-pupil funding, and total program funding, is included in this year’s School Finance Act, which advanced on an initial vote by the Senate today.
Fully Funding Special Education for the First Time
To make it easier for every learner to succeed, the budget increases special education funding for students with disabilities by 10.2 percent, or $34.7 million, bringing the state’s total investment in special education funding for students with disabilities to $375.5 million.
Supporting English Language Learners and New Arrival Students
The budget outlines an increase in funding of 10.6 percent, or $3.3 million, to help students become proficient in the English language. Additionally, to help Colorado school districts across the state support and meet the needs of the influx of new students, the budget includes an appropriation of $24 million from the State Education Fund to be distributed directly to schools as quickly as possible.
Providing Mental Health Resources for Students
To help our learners succeed and access the mental and behavioral health services they need, this budget creates the School-Based Mental Health Support Program. This $2.5 million program will help students enhance their social, emotional or behavioral well-being and support students going through adjustment periods.
Supporting At-Risk Students
To create pathways for each and every student to succeed in school, the budget allocates $1.16 million more for at-risk students to better support those with a higher probability of not graduating K-12 schooling.
Capping Tuition Hikes, Boosting Funding for Higher Education, Supporting College Students
The budget caps tuition hikes at 3 percent for in-state students and 4 percent for non-resident students. The budget also boosts funding by $114.3 million to help higher education institutions streamline services and operational support. Additionally, the budget sets aside $26.6 million in the General Fund for aligned financial aid support and $1.67 million to provide assistance to students experiencing homelessness during high school. Students could use this funding to assist with housing, tuition, fees and textbooks.
Supporting Universal Preschool
Universal preschool (UPK) has saved families thousands of dollars and helped prepare our youngest learners for success. This year’s budget includes an increase of $65.5 million to the UPK program, specifically for provider payments, quality improvement initiatives, and improvements to the online application process.
Increasing Funding for the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program: To help families find childcare options they can afford, the budget includes a $21.1 million increase to the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program, which connects low-income families to childcare options.
Boosting Pay for Early Childhood Professionals
The budget includes a two percent increase, or $4.9 million, to community providers including early childhood mental health service providers, social workers, family resource center staff, and early childhood educators.
New, In-Home Support for New Mothers
To provide all-around services to our state’s new mothers, the budget includes a $2.8 million increase to support a universal home visiting pilot program, which will offer comprehensive in-home evaluations and supportive follow-up visits to new mothers and infants. Funding will support births at certain hospitals in ten counties including Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Eagle, Garfield, Jefferson, Pitkin, Summit, Weld, and Mesa counties.
Streamlining the Child Lead Testing Program
Everyone deserves clean water to drink. To help combat and prevent childhood lead poisoning across the state, the budget invests $1.2 million for testing and outreach to alert families to specific hazards.
Next week: Key Budget Bill Highlights – Healthy Families
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