HB 26-1028
signedSecond Language Educational Program for High School Students
Plain-English Summary
AI-generatedHB 26-1028, a Colorado bill that has been signed into law, introduces a new diploma endorsement for high school students who are bilingual. This means graduating seniors can earn recognition for their proficiency in two languages. The bill also updates the requirements for schools to offer this program and allows students from districts without such programs to participate through certified entities like community colleges or universities. This change aims to make biliteracy opportunities more accessible to all high school students across Colorado.
Official Summary
Current law provides for a diploma endorsement of biliteracy by completing certain educational requirements in English in addition to a second language. The act changes the educational requirements for the biliteracy program and creates a diploma endorsement for bilingualism for graduating high school students. The act allows high school students in local education providers that do not offer the biliteracy or the bilingualism program to access the program through other local education providers or a state institution of higher education. If the student's local education provider does not offer and chooses not to establish a program that offers the endorsement that the student is seeking, the student's local education provider may enter into an agreement with another local education provider or state institution of higher education that offers the endorsement that the student is seeking. A local education provider or state institution of higher education may charge a fee to provide the diploma endorsement program. The fee must reflect the actual and indirect costs of running the diploma endorsement program. The enrolled student's local education provider must pay the fee on behalf of the student.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Details
- Chamber
- House
- First action
- 2026-06-02
- Latest action
- 2026-01-14
- Last action desc.
- Introduced In House - Assigned to Education
- OpenStates
- View source ↗
Sponsors
- Lorena García (sponsor) · Democratic
- Elizabeth Velasco (sponsor) · Democratic
- Lisa Cutter (sponsor) · Democratic
- Jennifer Bacon (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Andy Boesenecker (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Kyle Brown (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Sean Camacho (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Michael Carter (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Chad Clifford (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Monica Duran (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Regina English (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Cecelia Espenoza (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Meg Froelich (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Lori Goldstein (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Eliza Hamrick (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Jamie Jackson (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Junie Joseph (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Sheila Lieder (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Mandy Lindsay (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Meghan Lukens (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Javier Mabrey (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Matt Martinez (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Julie McCluskie (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Kenny Nguyen (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Jacque Phillips (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Manny Rutinel (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Emily Sirota (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Lesley Smith (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Katie Stewart (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Tammy Story (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Brianna Titone (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Yara Zokaie (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Matt Ball (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Adrienne Benavidez (cosponsor) · Democratic
- James Coleman (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Lindsey Daugherty (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Tony Exum (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Julie Gonzales (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Nick Hinrichsen (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Iman Jodeh (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Cathy Kipp (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Chris Kolker (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Janice Marchman (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Kyle Mullica (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Tom Sullivan (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Katie Wallace (cosponsor) · Democratic
- Mike Weissman (cosponsor) · Democratic