Colorado 2024 2024 Regular Session

Colorado House Bill HB1364 Introduced / Fiscal Note

Filed 03/19/2024

                    Page 1 
March 18, 2024  HB 24-1364 
 
 
 Legislative Council Staff 
Nonpartisan Services for Colorado’s Legislature 
 
Fiscal Note  
  
 
Drafting Number: 
Prime Sponsors: 
LLS 24-0963  
Rep. McCluskie; Bacon 
Sen. Bridges; Lundeen  
Date: 
Bill Status: 
Fiscal Analyst: 
March 18, 2024 
House Education  
Anna Gerstle | 303-866-4375 
anna.gerstle@coleg.gov  
Bill Topic: EDUCATION-BASED WORKFORCE READINESS  
Summary of  
Fiscal Impact: 
☐ State Revenue 
☒ State Expenditure 
☐ State Transfer 
☐ TABOR Refund 
☐ Local Government 
☒ School District 
 
The bill requires the Colorado Department of Education to complete a financial study 
on postsecondary and workforce readiness programs, and creates the Colorado 
Statewide Longitudinal Data System in the Office of Informational Technology. The bill 
increases state expenditures, and minimally increases school district workload, on an 
ongoing basis. 
Appropriation 
Summary: 
For FY 2024-25, the bill requires an appropriation of $6.3 million to multiple state 
agencies. See State Appropriations section. 
Fiscal Note 
Status: 
The fiscal note reflects the introduced bill. 
Table 1 
State Fiscal Impacts Under HB 24-1364 
  
Budget Year 
FY 2024-25 
Out Year 
FY 2025-26 
Revenue  	-     	-     
Expenditures 	General Fund 	$6,295,028  $1,557,900  
 
Centrally Appropriated 	$225,355  $166,275  
 
Total Expenditures 	$6,520,383  $1,724,175  
 	Total FTE 	9.7 FTE 7.3 FTE 
Transfers  	-  	-  
Other Budget Impacts General Fund Reserve 	$944,254  $233,685  
   Page 2 
March 18, 2024  HB 24-1364 
 
 
Summary of Legislation 
The bill requires the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to complete a financial study and 
creates the Colorado Statewide Longitudinal Data System in the Office of Information 
Technology (OIT).  
Financial study. The bill requires that CDE contract for a financial study to review of a variety of 
existing postsecondary and workforce readiness programs and to analyze potential costs and 
cost savings related to the programs. Specifically, the study must: 
 analyze state and local education provider costs to provide such opportunities; 
 examine cost variation by region, types of credentials offered, quality of non-degree 
credentials, and types of work-based learning opportunities; 
 streamline financial administration and reporting into one comprehensive program;  
 analyze different funding mechanisms and identify and model costs, benefits, and potential 
savings of funding mechanisms; 
 project costs to expand opportunities for students and education providers; 
 analyze state-level incentives and barriers for adoption of programs; 
 review statutory purposes and outcomes of programs; and 
 develop and implement recommendations for the FY 2025-26 budget. 
In FY 2024-25, the General Assembly must appropriate $800,000 from the General Fund for the 
study. State agencies with programs related to education and workforce must provide guidance 
as necessary. Legislative Council Staff and Joint Budget Committee Staff must provide input on 
the financial modeling on the costs and savings of these programs. The CDE must provide the 
financial study and final report to the General Assembly by December 1, 2024. 
Statewide Longitudinal Data System. The bill creates the Colorado Statewide Longitudinal 
Data System (SLDS) in OIT to establish a means to share education and workforce data and 
outcomes that support decision making by students, families, educators, and policy makers. For 
FY 2024-25, the General Assembly must appropriate $5.0 million for the system, which can be 
spent through FY 2025-26.    
OIT must adopt a timeline to phase-in the system, initiate work on the system, ensure data 
privacy and security, provide technical support to contributing agencies, and align existing data 
systems. State agencies are required to contribute data to the system.  
The bill creates the following boards to support the system: 
 The SLDS Governing Board, which oversees creation of the system, establishes processes 
and procedures for aligning data systems, defining metrics, and determining system 
requirements, data sharing agreements and protocols. It includes leadership from 
contributing agencies, which include OIT, CDE, the Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), 
CDHE, CDLE, the Governor’s Office, Office of State Planning and Budgeting (OSPB), the 
Department of Law (DOL). Nonvoting members also include the Colorado Community 
College System (CCCS) and the public.  Page 3 
March 18, 2024  HB 24-1364 
 
 
 The Systems Build and Implementation Interagency Advisory Group, which advises the 
governing board on the technical development and implementation of the system. It 
includes staff with technical and systems expertise from contributing agencies.  
 The Sustainability Interagency Advisory Group, which advises the governing board on the 
use and function of the system. It includes staff from contributing agencies who have an 
understanding of the data in the system and how agencies use it for decision making.  
OIT must submit an interim report on the system to the General Assembly by January 15, 2025, 
and an annual report by April 15, 2026, and each year thereafter, that includes education and 
workforce outcomes.  
State Expenditures 
The bill increases state expenditures by $6.5 million in FY 2024-25 and $1.7 million beginning in 
FY 2025-26 and ongoing, paid from the General Fund. Expenditures are shown in Table 2. 
Table 2 
Expenditures Under HB 24-1364 
 	FY 2024-25 FY 2025-26 
Department of Education   
Personal Services 	$169,846  $72,521  
Operating Expenses 	$1,536  	$640  
Capital Outlay Costs 	$6,670  	-  
Financial Study Contract 	up to $753,245  	- 
Request for Proposals 	$21,700  	- 
Technical Support  	$200,000  	- 
Centrally Appropriated Costs
1
 	$29,023  $12,257  
FTE – Personal Services 	1.2 FTE 	0.5 FTE 
CDE Subtotal 	$1,182,020  $85,418  
Office of Information Technology   
Personal Services 	$907,586  $669,696  
Operating Expenses 	$9,856  $7,424  
Capital Outlay Costs 	$53,360  	-  
Data System Contract 	$3,000,000  	- 
Data Software Licenses 	$500,000  $500,000  
Centrally Appropriated Costs
1
 	$181,357  $135,299  
FTE – Personal Services 	7.7 FTE 
 
 
5.8 FTE 
OIT Subtotal 	$4,652,159  $1,312,419   Page 4 
March 18, 2024  HB 24-1364 
 
 
Table 2 
Expenditures Under HB 24-1364 (Cont.) 
 	FY 2024-25 FY 2025-26 
Department of Labor and Employment   
Vendor Costs – Employment & Training Systems – OIT  $150,000  	- 
Vendor Costs – Unemployment Insurance – OIT   	$100,000  	-    
CDLE Subtotal 	$250,000  	- 
Department of Higher Education   
Contract Costs 	$196,000  $150,000  
CDHE Subtotal 	$196,000  $150,000  
Department of Early Childhood   
Personal Services 	$61,595  $76,994  
Operating Expenses 	$1,024  $1,280  
Capital Outlay Costs 	$13,340  	- 
Vendor Costs – UPK and PDIS 	$125,703  $25,141  
Integration – OIT  	$23,567  $54,204  
Centrally Appropriated Costs
1
 	$14,975  $18,719  
FTE – Personal Services 	0.8 FTE 	1.0 FTE 
CDEC Subtotal 	$240,204  $176,337  
Total $6,520,383  $1,724,175  
Total FTE 	9.7 FTE 7.3 FTE 
1
 Centrally appropriated costs are not included in the bill's appropriation. 
Department of Education. CDE requires staff and contract costs to conduct the financial study 
and participate in the SLDS system.  
 Staff. In FY 2024-25 only, CDE requires 0.2 FTE to manage the financial study contract. In 
FY 2024-25, CDE requires 1.0 FTE to participate in the development of the SLDS and manage 
the integration of CDE data collections into the new SLDS; this role reduces to 0.5 FTE in 
FY 2025-26 and ongoing to manage CDE system interactions with the SDLS. 
 Contract costs. The bill provides $800,000 for the financial study in FY 2024-25 only. After 
administrative costs and $21,700 for procurement, about $753,245 is available for the 
financial study contract. Actual costs will be determined through the procurement process.   Page 5 
March 18, 2024  HB 24-1364 
 
 
 Technical assistance. In FY 2024-25 only, CDE requires $200,000 for contract technical 
assistance to align CDE data systems with the SLDS. Work will include modifying current 
systems and building integration between systems. 
Office of Information Technology. OIT will incur staff, data system, and software licensing 
costs.  
 Staff. OIT requires 7.7 FTE in FY 2024-25 and 5.8 FTE in subsequent years to manage the 
implementation and ongoing function of the SLDS, including the following positions: 
• a project manager to manage the development and implementation of the SLDS;  
• data engineer to develop the processes for the other agencies to align with the new 
system and submit data;  
• a data architect to design the system and data flows;  
• a platform manager to implement the set-up of the new data platforms and connects to 
other platforms;   
• a data governance manager to ensure data collection and sharing meetings all policies, 
privacy, and other data regulations; and 
• data analyst and visualization developers to produce reports and develop interactive 
dashboards. 
 Data system and software costs. In FY 2024-25 only, OIT requires $3.0 million to contract 
for the data system. Beginning in FY 2024-25, OIT requires $500,000 per year for the 
software licenses associated with the SLDS.  
Department of Labor. In FY 2024-25 only, CDLE requires $250,000 for vendor costs for software 
development and data submission to the SLDS from the employment and training systems 
($150,000), and unemployment insurance systems ($100,000). These costs are reappropriated to 
OIT. 
Department of Higher Education. CDHE requires $196,000 in FY 2024-25 and $150,000 in 
subsequent years to provide data and connect the Student Unit Records System to the SLDS. 
Costs are assumed to be contract costs, and may be used for either vendor costs or contract 
staff, depending on whether existing vendors are utilized.  
Department of Early Childhood. CDEC requires 0.8 FTE in FY 2024-25 and 1.0 FTE in 
subsequent years to develop and manage the connection of the Professional Development 
Information System and Universal Preschool Program system to the SLDS, and will incur vendor 
costs for modifications to the two systems. In addition, OIT manages the integration of CDEC 
systems and requires $23,567 in FY 2024-25 and $54,204 in subsequent years to complete the 
integration with SLDS. These costs are reappropriated to OIT.  
   Page 6 
March 18, 2024  HB 24-1364 
 
 
Office of Economic Development and International Trade. The bill increases workload and 
potentially costs for OEDIT to participate in the working groups and connect their data systems 
to the SLDS. It is unknown which data systems within OEDIT may need to be aligned with the 
SLDS. As a result, no appropriation is required and any resources in future years will be 
requested through the budget process.  
Department of Law. The bill increases workload for the Department of Law to serve on the 
working groups and provide legal counsel to participating agencies related to the SLDS. No 
change in appropriations is required.  
Governor’s Office. The bill increases workload for the Governor’s Office to serve on the working 
groups. No change in appropriations is required. 
Legislative Department. The bill increases workload for Legislative Council Staff and Joint 
Budget Committee staff to provide input on the modeling for the financial study. No change in 
appropriations is required. 
Centrally appropriated costs. Pursuant to a Joint Budget Committee policy, certain costs 
associated with this bill are addressed through the annual budget process and centrally 
appropriated in the Long Bill or supplemental appropriations bills, rather than in this bill. These 
costs, which include employee insurance and supplemental employee retirement payments, are 
shown in Table 2. 
Other Budget Impacts 
General Fund reserve. Under current law, an amount equal to 15 percent of General Fund 
appropriations must be set aside in the General Fund statutory reserve. Based on this fiscal note, 
the bill is expected to increase the amount of General Fund held in reserve by the amounts 
shown in Table 1, decreasing the amount of General Fund available for other purposes. 
School Districts 
The bill minimally increases workload for school districts that engage in the financial study 
process.  
Effective Date 
The bill takes effect upon signature of the Governor, or upon becoming law without his signature. 
State Appropriations 
For FY 2024-25, the bill requires the following General Fund appropriations: 
 $1,152,997 to the Colorado Department of Education, and 1.2 FTE; 
 $4.470,802 to the Office of Information Technology, and 7.7 FTE; 
 $250,000 to the Department of Labor and Employment, which is reappropriated to OIT;  Page 7 
March 18, 2024  HB 24-1364 
 
 
 $196,000 to the Colorado Department of Higher Education; and 
 $225,229 to the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, and 0.8 FTE, of which $23,567 is 
reappropriated to OIT. 
Departmental Difference 
CDEC and OIT estimate that an additional $277,987 in FY 2024-25 and $79,392 in subsequent 
years for OIT staff to support the integration of CDEC systems into the SLDS. The fiscal note 
assumes that the new project staff in CDEC, vendor contracts, integration costs incurred by OIT, 
and technical OIT data integration staff are sufficient to manage the integration of CDEC 
systems into the SLDS. 
State and Local Government Contacts 
Early Childhood      Education      Governor's Office  
Higher Education      Information Technology  Joint Budget Committee Staff  
Labor         Law       Legislative Council Staff 
Office of Economic Development  
 
 
The revenue and expenditure impacts in this fiscal note represent changes from current law under the bill for each 
fiscal year. For additional information about fiscal notes, please visit the General Assembly website.