HB 23-1207

House Bill 23-1207, which has been signed into law in Colorado, expands financial support for educators with national board certification. It increases the annual stipend from $1,600 to qualified librarians and school social workers who are employed by local education providers. Additionally, it extends an extra $3,200 stipend to these professionals if they work in low-performing or high-need schools, rural districts, or as math teachers anywhere in the state. This bill aims to retain highly skilled educators in challenging educational environments and specific subject areas like mathematics.

Official Summary

Current law requires the department of education (department) to award an annual stipend of $1,600 to teachers, school counselors, principals, and school psychologists who hold national board certification and who are employed by a school district, board of cooperative services, charter school of a school district, or an institute charter school (local education provider). The bill extends the $1,600 stipend to qualified librarians and school social workers who hold national board certification and who are employed by a local education provider. Current law allows the department to award an additional $3,200 annual stipend to teachers, principals, school counselors, and school psychologists who are employed in a low-performing, high-needs school. The bill allows the department to also extend an additional $3,200 stipend to librarians or school social workers who are employed in a low-performing, high-needs school. The additional $3,200 stipend is also extended to teachers, librarians, school counselors, school psychologists, or school social workers (national board-certified educators) who are employed in a rural school district. The bill allows the department to extend an additional $3,200 stipend to national board-certified educators who are employed as math teachers in any school. If a national board-certified educator transfers employment from one low-performing, high-needs school or rural school district to another low-performing, high-needs school or rural school district, the educator remains eligible for the additional stipend. However, if a national board-certified educator leaves employment with a low-performing, high-needs school or rural school district, the educator is no longer eligible for the additional stipend. If a national board-certified math teacher transfers schools as a math teacher, the educator remains eligible for the additional stipend. However, if a national board-certified educator who is a math teacher stops teaching math, the educator is no longer eligible for the additional stipend. If there are insufficient funds, the department shall reduce the amount of each stipend by the same percentage that the deficit bears to the amount required to fully fund the total number of national board-certified educators who qualify for the stipend. A national board-certified educator who is employed as a principal or an administrator in a school and maintains a national certification is eligible for a stipend. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)