District hears legislative update on school finance, accountability and potential new graduation requirements

Nate Fall, a district staff presenter, gave Greeley Evans School District 6 board members a legislative update during the Jan. 13 work session, outlining bills and priorities under consideration at the Colorado General Assembly and statewide education associations.

Fall said the biggest early issue is whether the state will continue averaging districts’ enrollment for school finance. He said the governor proposed eliminating averaging; Fall and others warned that change could sharply reduce funding for districts with declining enrollment and likely require a mechanism similar to a budget-stabilization factor to cover the shortfall. “If you eliminate the averaging, that is in effect reintroducing a budget stabilization factor,” he said.

The update listed other priorities and proposed bills state education groups are tracking: changes to the state accountability and accreditation system; a possible prohibition on facial recognition software in schools (a provision set to expire July 1); bills to refine grounds for suspension and expulsion; and discussion of a required financial‑literacy component for high‑school…