HB 24-1264

House Bill 24-1264, titled "Supporting the Educator Workforce," aims to help teachers and staff in Colorado by creating an online platform that offers career support resources. This includes information on job opportunities, incentives like stipends and loan forgiveness, and pathways for professional development such as mentoring and leadership roles. The bill also requires schools and educator training programs to promote this portal on their websites. Additionally, it expands eligibility for a program that supports military-affiliated educators and candidates to include those enrolled in specific apprenticeship or special services provider programs. Since the bill has been signed into law, these provisions are now active and will be implemented by the Department of Education.

Official Summary

The bill requires the department of education to create, maintain, and manage an online career support and pathways portal (online portal) for educators; staff; school districts, district charter schools, institute charter schools, boards of cooperative services, or approved facility schools (local education providers); and educator preparation programs (educator programs). The online portal must have: Access to career incentives, stipends, and loan forgiveness; Career pathway information for educators and staff, including, but not limited to, mentoring, induction program coaching, instructional coaching, district curriculum support, special assignments for teachers, and principal leadership; and A job posting and application portal for local education providers to post open employment positions and to search for prospective candidates, and for educators and staff to upload resumes and to apply to open employment positions. Local education providers and educator programs shall post a link to the online portal on their websites to promote the online portal to educators and staff. The bill allows Indian tribes and tribal organizations to access and use the online portal. Pursuant to current law, the educator and retention program (ERR program) provides support to members of the armed forces and nonmilitary-affiliated educator candidates. The bill expands criteria for participation in the ERR program to include applicants who are: Enrolled in a teacher degree apprenticeship program and employed by an Indian tribe or tribal organization or a local education provider; or Enrolled in an educator program to attain a special services provider license with the appropriate endorsement.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)