ACTION ALERT!

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Proposition 119 Was Defeated

701,467 (45.75%) Yes

831,668 (54.24%) No

Proposition 119, (Initiative 25) (Learning Enrichment and Academic Progress (LEAP) Program)

This initiative is vague and overly broad. While it proposes to provide after-school learning opportunities for children, it does nothing to address the underfunding of our public schools, but instead takes money away from public school finance and opens the door for the private sector to tap into critically needed public education funding. It would create an independent, unregulated organization with no oversight, public input, or recourse for mismanagement or fraud.

See our position paper on Proposition 119.

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Proposition 120 Was Defeated

652,380 (42.96%) Yes

866,194 (57.04%) No

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• Proposition 120, (Initiative 27) (Property Tax Assessment Rate Reduction and Voter-Approved Revenue Change)

This ballot proposal would reduce the residential property tax assessment rate from 7.15% to 6.5% and the non-residential property tax assessment rate from 29% to 26.4%.  To make up for the lost property tax revenue to school districts, the measure would require an increase in state expenditures by at least $257.7 million per year beginning in budget year 2022-23.  The measure would result in cuts to many state programs and services. 

See our position paper on Proposition 120.

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Amendment 78 Was Defeated

646,979 (43.03%) Yes

856,703 (56.97%) No

• Amendment 78, (Initiative 19) (Requirements for Spending Custodial Money)

Initiative 19 would transfer the power to appropriate “custodial funds” (money received by the state that is provided for a particular purpose that originated from a source other than the state taxes ) from the executive branch (Governor, State Treasurer, and heads of departments and agencies) to the State Legislature. Because the Legislature is in session only 120 days of the year, this amendment would lead to a disruption of services or federal payments.  In order to access custodial funds in a timely manner, the part-time Legislature would have to be called back into numerous special sessions at a cost of $25,000/day; otherwise, the money in the custodial fund would remain inaccessible and unspent until the following January when the Legislature would reconvene.

See our analysis of Amendment 78

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​Advocates for Public Education Policy supported HB21-1295

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This bill concerned the reasons a school district could reject a charter school's initial application or renewal and that the charter school must address those reasons in its appeal to the State Board of Education.

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We believe that current law fails to address the fact that charter schools can have a negative impact on traditional public schools, especially those in declining enrollment districts.

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We support the proposed requirement that the success of existing schools and the fiscal health of the school district should be an integral part of a charter application.

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Read HB21-1295 and our Position Paper.

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Status:  House Committee on Education Postpones this bill Indefinitely

A4PEP Supported:

Audit of State Accountability/Accreditation System HB21-1294

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Colorado's current public education accountability system was adopted over a decade ago with the intent that it lead to improved student's test scores.  HB21-1294 asks for an audit of this accountability system to determine if it has done as intended. 

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Read HB21-1294 and our Position Statement.

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Status:  Passed and signed by the Governor.

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Proposition 119 (​Ballot Initiative 25)

Defeated: 701,476 for and 831,668 against.

Proposition 119, Learning Enrichment and Academic Progress (L.E.A.P.) Program, is a corporate grab for education tax dollars dressed up as mom and apple pie. Don’t support it.

Proposition 119 proposes to do good things for children by funding after-school programming, but it proposes to create an independent, unregulated organization within the Colorado Department of Education with no oversight, public input, or recourse for mismanagement or fraud.

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To help you understand the flaws in this bill Advocates for Public Education Policy has done an analysis of the ballot initiative and issued a Position Statement.

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You can also read the text of the ballot initiative and the Legislative Council’s Fiscal Summary.

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Status:  Defeated at the ballot box.

Analysis and position papers

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Amendment 78 (Initiative 19)- Requirements for Spending Custodial Money  DEFEATED

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Proposition 119 (Initiative 25) - Learning Enrichment and Academic Progress (LEAP) Program  DEFEATED

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Proposition 120 (Initiative 27) - Property Tax Assessment Rate Reduction and Voter-Approved Revenue Change  DEFEATED

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HB21-1294 - Audit of State Accountability/Accreditation System  (Passed and signed)

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HB21-1295 - Rebuttable Presumption in Charter School Appeals  (Postponed Indefinitely)

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Issues with Charter School Law (1993-2021)

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Resolution to Redesign Colorado's Educatiion Accountability System