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Read. Follow. Verify.Colorado reduces state school funding by $103.5 million for the 2025-26 budget year
Last action · March 26, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Kyle Brown and 8 others
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What This Bill Does
Colorado reduces the state share of public school funding by $103,472,508 for the 2025-26 budget year due to lower-than-expected student enrollment and higher local revenue shares. The measure adjusts funding formulas and cuts appropriations to the state department of education.
School districts statewide receive less state funding for the 2025-26 academic year because fewer students enrolled than previously projected and local tax revenues increased.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
school districts
School districts experience a decrease in the state share of their total program funding for the 2025-26 budget year.
department of education
The department of education receives a $103,472,508 reduction in appropriations for the 2025-26 budget year.
Key Facts
- The general assembly decreases the state share of districts' total program funding by $103,472,508 for the 2025-26 budget year.
- Actual funded pupil counts and at-risk pupil counts for the 2025-26 budget year are lower than anticipated during the 2025 regular session.
- The local share of total program funding is higher than originally anticipated for the 2025-26 budget year.
- For the 2025-26 budget year, if the calculation under the new school finance formula is less than the calculation under the old formula, a district's total program funding is the greater of the 2024-25 total program amount or the amount calculated under the old formula.
Show all 5 facts
- Appropriations to the department of education are reduced by $103,472,508 for the 2025-26 budget year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the state reducing public school funding for the 2025-26 budget year?
How much is the state cutting from public school funding?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
12 actions- Mar 26, 2026Office of the GovernorEnrolledGovernor Signed
- Mar 17, 2026SenateFloorSigned by the President of the Senate
- Mar 17, 2026Office of the GovernorEnrolledSent to the Governor
- Mar 16, 2026HouseFloorSigned by the Speaker of the House
- Feb 20, 2026SenateFloorSenate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
- Feb 19, 2026SenateSenate Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments
Show 6 earlier actions
- Feb 18, 2026SenateCommitteeSenate Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole
- Feb 17, 2026SenateIntroducedIntroduced In Senate - Assigned to Appropriations
- Feb 12, 2026HouseFloorHouse Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
- Feb 11, 2026HouseHouse Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments
- Feb 10, 2026HouseCommitteeHouse Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole
- Feb 6, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced In House - Assigned to Appropriations
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Voting Record
Refer House Bill 26-1174 to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar.
Total
7
- Yes
- 7
- No
- 0
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 0
- Abstain
- 0
Show 1 earlier roll call
Refer House Bill 26-1174 to the Committee of the Whole.
Total
7
- Yes
- 6
- No
- 1
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 0
- Abstain
- 0
Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Mid-Year Formula Adjustment
The general assembly adjusted public school funding formulas mid-year to account for lower-than-projected student counts and higher local tax revenues.
Connected Entities
Sources
leg.colorado.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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