SB 25-218 — Permissible Colorado Department of Education Uses of School Transformation Grants
Status: Governor signed (Apr 25, 2025)
Introduced: Mar 31, 2025
Sponsors: Shannon Bird (primary); J. Phillips, R. Taggart, B. Kirkmeyer (cosponsors); Judy Amabile, Jeff Bridges, Emily Sirota (primaries)
Summary — Purpose and intent
SB 25-218 clarifies and/or expands the permitted uses by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) of "school transformation" grant funds. The bill’s purpose is to specify how the department may invest transformation grants to support turnaround and improvement efforts in low-performing schools, align state-level grant spending with evidence-based strategies, and provide clear authority and limitations on CDE expenditures tied to school transformation.
Key provisions (based on bill title and legislative posture)
The legislative record provided does not include the bill text. Based on the title and usual scope of such legislation, SB 25-218 likely does one or more of the following:
- Defines categories of permissible expenditures for CDE-administered school transformation grants (for example: instructional supports, leadership development, teacher professional learning, curriculum adoption, student behavioral/mental health services, extended learning time, and family/community engagement).
- Authorizes grants or contracts with school districts, charter schools, nonprofit partners, or external technical assistance providers to implement transformation activities.
- Establishes or clarifies accountability and reporting requirements tied to grant use (performance metrics, quarterly/annual reporting, audit provisions).
- Sets limits or prohibitions on uses of funds (for example, restricting general operating subsidies unrelated to transformation, or specifying capital expenditure rules).
- Provides direction about prioritization (e.g., targeting schools with persistent low performance or certain demographics).
- May include definitions, implementation timelines, and delegation of administrative rulemaking authority to CDE.
Who is affected
- Colorado Department of Education — gains clarified authority and constraints for deploying transformation grant funds.
- School districts and charter schools — potential direct recipients of grants and technical assistance.
- Educators, school leaders, students and families in targeted schools — beneficiaries of improvement activities.
- Community organizations and vendors that provide professional development, curriculum, or wraparound services.
Procedural/timeline notes
- Passed both chambers without amendments; passed Senate and House in April 2025 and was signed by the Governor on April 25, 2025.
- The effective date and any specific appropriation language are not included in the supplied materials; implementation timing depends on the bill’s operative clause (commonly immediate upon signature or a specified later date).
Fiscal impact and oversight
No fiscal details were provided. Typical fiscal effects could include redirected state grant funds, administrative costs for CDE oversight, and funding to local recipients. For exact fiscal notes, consult the bill text or the Legislative Council Staff fiscal analysis.
Where to get the full text
To review the precise statutory language, definitions, limitations, and any appropriation, consult the official SB 25-218 bill text and fiscal note on the Colorado General Assembly website or contact the bill sponsors’ offices.
