HB 23-1001

House Bill 23-1001, which has been approved and signed into law in Colorado, aims to help more students become educators by increasing financial aid eligibility. It raises the income threshold for receiving stipends from state programs, making it easier for families with higher incomes to qualify. The bill also allows student teachers to complete their placements in schools near the Colorado border and expands loan forgiveness options for educators working in various roles across public schools in the state. This means that more aspiring teachers will have access to financial support, and current educators can get help repaying loans if they work in certain positions.

Official Summary

The act expands student eligibility for the educator preparation stipend programs by increasing students' expected family contribution from no more than 200% to no more than 250% of the maximum federal Pell-eligible expected family contribution. For the 2022-23 and 2023-24 state fiscal years, expected family contribution is temporarily expanded to no more than 300% of the maximum federal Pell-eligible expected family contribution. The act allows a student who is eligible for the student educator stipend program to be placed as a student educator in a school- or community-based setting in Colorado or within 100 miles of the Colorado state border. The act modifies the Colorado commission on higher education considerations of student eligibility for the educator preparation stipend programs specific to funds appropriated for the programs from the economic recovery and relief cash fund. The act broadens the temporary educator loan forgiveness program (forgiveness program) requirements to allow applicants to be principals or special service providers in addition to teachers. The act extends the forgiveness program through July 2023, removes requirements that a school's at-risk student population must exceed 60% in order for an educator to be eligible for the forgiveness program, and expands qualified positions to include positions in any public school, board of cooperative services, or facility school in Colorado. The act also changes how the program prioritizes applicants for the program. The act directs a portion of the appropriation for the 2022-23 state fiscal year to the department of education for a portfolio management system to facilitate the multiple measures approach to the assessment professional competencies. APPROVED by Governor April 10, 2023 EFFECTIVE April 10, 2023 (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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