HB 22-1207

HB 22-1207, known as "Choice in Low-performing School Districts," is a Colorado bill that aims to help students in struggling school districts by giving their parents more educational options. If a district is deemed chronically low-performing, it must create an account for each student's family with funds from the state and possibly local money. Parents can use these funds for eligible education expenses until the district improves its performance rating. The bill has been signed into law, meaning that affected districts will now have to implement parent choice programs as described.

Official Summary

The bill identifies a school district that is on performance watch as a chronically low-performing school district. The bill requires a chronically low-performing school district to establish a parent choice program to create accounts for the parents of students who reside within the school district and are enrolled in the school district. The school district must deposit into each account an amount equal to the per-pupil amount of the school district's state share of total program and the per-pupil share of categorical funding for the eligible student. The school district may deposit into each account an amount equal to the school district's local share of total program. A parent may withdraw money from the account for eligible expenses related to education. A chronically low-performing school district is required to maintain the parent choice program until the school district achieves an accreditation rating of accredited or higher. However, the chronically low-performing school district is required to maintain all accounts in existence from when the school district was chronically low-performing until all accounts are closed. A chronically low-performing school district must adopt certain procedures for the parent choice program. If a parent misuses money provided into the account twice within a school year, the chronically low-performing school district will stop depositing money into the account. A parent may appeal the decision. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

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