HB21-1010 Summary

• Creates a workgroup convened by the Colorado Department of Higher Education and Department of Education to investigate barriers to preparing, recruiting, and retaining a diverse educator workforce in Colorado's public schools.

• Workgroup must include representatives from teacher preparation programs, school districts, community colleges, researchers, and nonprofit organizations, with at least 50% of members from historically underrepresented minority groups.

• Requires workgroup to examine issues including licensing test disparities (only 38% of Black candidates, 54% of Hispanic candidates, and 75% of white candidates pass licensing tests), educator preparation program effectiveness, and strategies to retain diverse educators through financial incentives and professional development.

• Directs the departments to submit a written report by September 30, 2022, to the legislature with findings, effective strategies, and recommendations for statutory or rule changes; workgroup may submit interim findings during the 2022 legislative session.

• Requires annual educator preparation program reports disaggregated by gender, race, and ethnicity of candidates and graduates, including first-time pass rates on licensing assessments; appropriates $20,115 to Department of Education and $7,400 to Department of Higher Education for fiscal year 2021-22; workgroup authorization repeals July 1, 2024.