Senate Bill 25-178

BY SENATOR(S) Michaelson Jenet, Ball, Cutter, Exum, Hinrichsen, Jodeh, Sullivan, Weissman, Winter F., Coleman;

also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Gilchrist, Boesenecker, Brown, Carter, Duran, Froelich, Garcia, Hamrick, Jackson, Lieder, Lindsay, Lukens, Phillips, Rutinel, Smith, Stewart K., Story.

Concerning the Colorado K-5 social and emotional health pilot program.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:

SECTION 1.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-102-104, amend (2)(b) and add (2)(b.5) as follows:

22-102-104.  K-5 social and emotional health pilot program - creation - selection of pilot schools - rules. (2) (b)  The department shall select pilot schools, including rural, small, and geographically diverse schools, which schools shall be located in a school district that has a high rate of youth suicide, attempted suicide, or suicidal ideation; have a high-poverty student population and a high percentage of students who experience or may experience food insecurity, as evidenced by the number or percentage of students in the school who are eligible for free and reduced-priced meals and may include schools:and distribute money for the pilot program to the pilot schools pursuant to subsection (2)(b.5) of this section.

(I)  In large, metropolitan school districts;

(II)  That have significant ethnic, cultural, and language diversity within their student populations, which may include students from refugee populations;

(III)  That have a high number or density of youth who are students in out-of-home placement, as defined in section 22-32-138;

(IV)  That are in a school district that has a high percentage of students who are adjudicated delinquent; and

(V)  That are in a school district that has a plan in place to recruit, hire, and retain a diverse workforce that reflects the race, ethnicity, and other characteristics of the student body.

(b.5)  The state board shall adopt rules to distribute money appropriated for purposes of the pilot program that consider the following factors in calculating a per-school distribution rate:

(I)  Each pilot school's current student-to-counselor ratio;

(II)  The number of students identified as at risk of dropping out of school due to chronic absenteeism;

(III)  Each pilot school's dropout rate;

(IV)  The pilot school's graduation rate; and

(V)  The number of students from diverse ethnic, cultural, and language backgrounds within their student populations, which may include students from refugee populations.

SECTION 2.  Act subject to petition - effective date. This act takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.