First Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
INTRODUCED
LLS NO. 25-0627.01 Megan McCall x4215
SENATE BILL 25-153
Senate Committees House Committees
Education
A BILL FOR AN ACT
C
ONCERNING ADDITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL FINANCIAL REPORTING101
REQUIREMENTS.102
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
http://leg.colorado.gov
.)
Under current law, the state charter school institute and each
school district, board of cooperative services, and charter school is
required to publicly report certain financial information online. The bill
requires a school district to report all information for itself and for each
of its traditional public schools beginning July 1, 2027. Each report must
include additional information concerning actual marketing, student
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Kolker,
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Garcia,
Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law.
Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law. recruitment, lobbying, contractor, and education management provider
expenditures and all sources of revenue.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-44-304, amend2
(1)(a) introductory portion, (1)(d)(I), (1)(e), (1)(f), (3)(a), (4), and (5); and3
add (1)(a.1), (1)(a.5), (1)(a.7), (1)(d)(III), (3)(a.5), and (6) as follows:4
22-44-304. Financial reporting - online access to information5
- repeal. (1) (a) Commencing July 1, 2010, and on a continuing basis6
thereafter,
THROUGH THE 2026-27 BUDGET YEAR, the institute and each7
school district, board of cooperative services, and charter school shall8
post the following information online, in a downloadable
AND9
ACCESSIBLE format, for free public access:10
(a.1) (I) S
UBSECTION (1)(a) OF THIS SECTION IS REPEALED ,11
EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2027.12
(II) T
HIS SUBSECTION (1)(a.1) IS REPEALED, EFFECTIVE JULY 1,13
2028.14
(a.5) B
EGINNING JULY 1, 2027, AND ON A CONTINUING BASIS15
THEREAFTER, THE INSTITUTE, EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE SCHOOL16
DISTRICT AND FOR EACH OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S TRADITIONAL PUBLIC17
SCHOOLS, EACH BOARD OF COOPERATIVE SERVICES , AND EACH CHARTER18
SCHOOL SHALL POST THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION ON ITS PUBLIC19
WEBSITE FOR FREE, IN A DOWNLOADABLE, ACCESSIBLE, AND SORTABLE20
FORMAT:21
(I) T
HE ANNUAL BUDGET;22
(II) T
HE ANNUAL AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ;23
(III) T
HE SALARY SCHEDULES OR POLICIES;24
(IV) A
N ITEMIZATION OF EACH REVENUE SOURCE , INCLUDING, AT25
SB25-153-2- A MINIMUM, EACH LOCAL SOURCE; STATE SOURCE; FEDERAL SOURCE;1
PRIVATE SOURCE; GIFT, GRANT, OR DONATION WITH A VALUE EQUAL TO OR2
GREATER THAN FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ; INVESTMENT INCOME; AND3
PROPERTY INCOME. EACH ITEMIZATION MUST INCLUDE , AT A MINIMUM,4
THE REVENUE SOURCE 'S NAME, THE REVENUE AMOUNT , AND A5
DESCRIPTION OF THE REVENUE'S INTENDED PURPOSE, IF ANY.6
(V) (A) A
CTUAL EXPENDITURES, INCLUDING ACTUAL SALARY7
EXPENDITURES AND ACTUAL BENEFIT EXPENDITURES REPORTED BY JOB8
CATEGORY SPECIFIED IN THE STANDARD CHART OF ACCOUNTS AND9
INCLUDING AN ITEMIZATION OF EACH EXPENDITURE PAID FOR MARKETING ,10
FOR STUDENT RECRUITMENT , TO A LOBBYIST, A CONTRACTOR, OR AN11
EDUCATION MANAGEMENT PROVIDER . EACH ITEMIZATION MUST INCLUDE,12
AT A MINIMUM, THE EXPENDITURE RECIPIENT'S NAME, THE EXPENDITURE13
AMOUNT, AND A DESCRIPTION OF THE EXPENDITURE 'S PURPOSE.14
(B) N
OTWITHSTANDING SUBSECTION (1)(a.5)(V)(A) OF THIS15
SECTION, A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT TH E DEPARTMENT DETERMINES IS16
RURAL BASED ON THE GEOGRAPHIC SIZE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE17
DISTANCE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FROM THE NEAREST LARGE ,18
URBANIZED AREA, AND THAT ENROLLS FEWER THAN ONE THOUSAND19
STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH TWELFTH GRADE , IS NOT REQUIRED20
TO REPORT EXPENDITURES AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL EXCEPT FOR SCHOOL21
LEVEL EXPENDITURES THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT CHARGES TO A DISTRICT22
CHARTER SCHOOL.23
(VI) T
HE FEDERAL FORM 990, 990-EZ, OR 990-PF, OR ANY24
ASSOCIATED SCHEDULES THAT THE INSTITUTE , SCHOOL DISTRICT, SCHOOL25
DISTRICT SCHOOL, BOARD OF COOPERATIVE SERVICES , OR CHARTER26
SCHOOL FILES, IF ANY.27
SB25-153
-3- (a.7) BEGINNING JULY 1, 2027, AND ON A CONTINUING BASIS1
THEREAFTER, IN ADDITION TO THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS2
ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (1)(a.5) OF THIS SECTION, EACH3
SCHOOL DISTRICT, IF REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 22-32-108.5, SHALL4
POST THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION ON ITS PUBLIC WEBSITE FOR FREE , IN5
A DOWNLOADABLE, ACCESSIBLE, AND SORTABLE FORMAT:6
(I) A
COPY OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S PLAN FOR DISTRIBUTING7
ADDITIONAL MILL LEVY REVENUE COLLECTED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ;8
OR9
(II) A
STATEMENT OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL MILL10
LEVY REVENUE COLLECTED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR EACH PROPERTY11
TAX YEAR, THE AMOUNT DISTRIBUTED TO SUPPORT SPECIFIC STUDENT12
POPULATIONS AS DESCRIBED IN SECTION 22-32-108.5 (5)(b), AND THE13
TOTAL AMOUNT DISTRIBUTED FOR SAID STUDENT POPULATIONS AND ON A14
PER-PUPIL BASIS TO EACH CHARTER SCHOOL AND INNOVATION SCHOOL OF15
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AS A PERCENTAGE AND AS A DOLLAR AMOUNT .16
(d) (I) Additionally, commencing July 1, 2015,
THROUGH THE17
2026-27
BUDGET YEAR, the institute and each school district, board of18
cooperative services, and charter school shall post in a format that can be
19
downloaded and sorted IS DOWNLOADABLE, ACCESSIBLE, AND SORTABLE,20
for free public access, the institute's, school district's, BOCES's, or charter21
school's actual expenditures, including but not limited to actual salary22
expenditures and actual benefit expenditures reported by job category23
specified in the standard chart of accounts, at the institute, school district,24
and BOCES level and at the school-site level.25
(III) T
HIS SUBSECTION (1)(d) IS REPEALED, EFFECTIVE JULY 1,26
2027.27
SB25-153
-4- (e) (I) Additionally, commencing July 1, 2018, THROUGH THE1
2026-27
BUDGET YEAR, the institute and each school district, board of2
cooperative services, and charter school shall post on its website for free3
public access an easily accessible link to the federal form 990, 990-EZ,4
or 990-PF and any associated schedules that the institute, school district,5
board of cooperative services, or charter school files, if any.6
(II) T
HIS SUBSECTION (1)(e) IS REPEALED, EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2027.7
(f) (I) Additionally, commencing July 1, 2018, and on a8
continuing basis thereafter,
THROUGH THE 2026-27 BUDGET YEAR, each9
school district, if required in section 22-32-108.5, shall:10
(I)
(A) Post a copy of the school district's plan for distributing the11
additional mill levy revenue collected by the school district; or12
(II) (B) For the 2018-19 budget year, post a statement of intent to13
distribute the additional mill levy revenue to the charter schools and14
innovation schools of the school district on a per-pupil basis and, for the15
2019-20 budget year and for each budget year thereafter, a statement of16
the total amount of additional mill levy revenue collected by the school17
district for each property tax year, the amount distributed to support18
specific student populations as described in section 22-32-108.5 (5)(b),19
and the total amount distributed for said student populations and on a20
per-pupil basis to each charter school and innovation school of the school21
district, as a percentage and as a dollar amount.22
(II) T
HIS SUBSECTION (1)(f) IS REPEALED, EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2027.23
(3) (a) (I) T
HROUGH THE 2026-27 BUDGET YEAR, the institute and24
each school district, board of cooperative services, and charter school25
shall update the information specified in subsections (1)(a) to (1)(c) and26
subsection (1)(e) of this section within sixty days after the institute's,27
SB25-153
-5- school district's, BOCES's, or charter school's completion or receipt of the1
applicable report, statement, or document. The institute and each school2
district, BOCES, and charter school shall update the information specified3
in subsection (1)(d) of this section annually by a date specified by the4
financial policies and procedures advisory committee. Each school district5
shall update the information specified in subsection (1)(f) of this section6
within thirty days after the school district board of education adopts a new7
or updated plan for distribution of additional mill levy revenue or, if the8
school district distributes the additional mill levy revenue on a per-pupil9
basis to the charter schools and innovation schools of the school district,10
within thirty days after the end of each budget year.11
(II) T
HIS SUBSECTION (3)(a) IS REPEALED, EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2027.12
(a.5) T
HE INSTITUTE, EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE SCHOOL13
DISTRICT AND FOR EACH OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S TRADITIONAL PUBLIC14
SCHOOLS, EACH BOARD OF COOPERATIVE SERVICES , AND EACH CHARTER15
SCHOOL SHALL UPDATE THE INFORMATION SPECIFIED IN SUBSECTIONS16
(1)(a.5)(I), (1)(a.5)(II), (1)(a.5)(III),
AND (1)(a.5)(VI) OF THIS SECTION17
WITHIN SIXTY DAYS AFTER THE INSTITUTE'S, SCHOOL DISTRICT'S, BOARD18
OF COOPERATIVE SERVICES ', OR CHARTER SCHOOL 'S COMPLETION OR19
RECEIPT OF THE APPLICABLE DOCUMENT . THE INSTITUTE AND EACH20
SCHOOL DISTRICT, BOARD OF COOPERATIVE SERVICES , AND CHARTER21
SCHOOL SHALL UPDATE THE INFORMATION SPECIFIED IN SUBSECTIONS22
(1)(a.5)(IV)
AND (1)(a.5)(V) OF THIS SECTION ANNUALLY BY A DATE23
SPECIFIED BY THE FINANCIAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ADVISORY24
COMMITTEE. EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL UPDATE THE INFORMATION25
SPECIFIED IN SUBSECTION (1)(a.7) OF THIS SECTION WITHIN THIRTY DAYS26
AFTER THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION ADOPTS A NEW OR27
SB25-153
-6- UPDATED PLAN FOR DISTRIBUTION OF ADDITIONAL MILL LEVY REVENUE1
OR, IF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DISTRIBUTES THE ADDITIONAL MILL LEVY2
REVENUE ON A PER -PUPIL BASIS TO THE CHARTER SCHOOLS AND3
INNOVATION SCHOOLS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT , WITHIN THIRTY DAYS4
AFTER THE END OF EACH BUDGET YEAR .5
(4) No later than July 1, 2015, The financial policies and6
procedures advisory committee of the department shall create a template7
that the institute and school districts, BOCES, and charter schools must8
use to post all of the information specified in subsection (1) of this9
section, including but not limited to the site-level reporting requirements.10
The template may include both the type of electronic file posted as well11
as the information to be included in the posting. T
HE TEMPLATE MUST BE12
IN AN ACCESSIBLE FORMAT.13
(5) In addition to the information required in subsection (1) of this14
section, the institute and each school district,
TRADITIONAL PUBLIC15
SCHOOL, BOCES, and charter school shall provide a link to the16
department's website or the location information for the department's17
website where a member of the public may access information or reports18
that are submitted directly to the department.19
(6) T
HE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH IN THIS SECTION DO20
NOT APPLY TO ANY EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM .21
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-30.5-104.7,22
amend (2) introductory portion and (2)(d)(III) as follows:23
22-30.5-104.7. Charter school networks - authority -24
definitions. (2) Notwithstanding any provision of this article
ARTICLE25
30.5 to the contrary, a charter school network:26
(d) Is authorized to make necessary and appropriate expenditures27
SB25-153
-7- from any lawful source for central office purposes and to allocate funds1
among the schools that it operates, as permitted by law and consistent2
with the terms of the charter contract. A charter school network:3
(III) Commencing July 1, 2015, SHALL comply with section4
22-44-304 (1)(d) SECTION 22-44-304 in reporting expenditures at the local5
education provider and school-site level.6
SECTION 3. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act7
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the8
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except9
that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V10
of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this11
act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take12
effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in13
November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the14
official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.15
SB25-153
-8-