House Passes Bill to Address Teacher Shortage and Boost Educator Workforce

DENVER, CO – The House today passed legislation to address the teacher shortage by expanding the pool of student educators who qualify for state loan forgiveness and stipend programs. HB23-1001 passed on third and final reading by a vote of 52-11.

“Every school district in Colorado is feeling the effects of the teacher shortage, and our bill eliminates financial barriers educators face when entering the workforce,” said Rep. Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins. “Building on the work of last year, our bill expands the pool of educators who can take advantage of loan forgiveness programs and student educator stipends. Colorado’s teacher shortage is dire, and our bill works to get more qualified teachers in classrooms across the state.”

“We’re tackling Colorado’s teacher shortage through a multi-faceted approach, and that includes breaking down financial barriers future educators face while entering the workforce,” said Rep. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango. “Teacher’s across the state have echoed the same concerns; they’re facing considerable burnout and are overworked. In order to get more teachers in classrooms, our bill expands the number of educators who qualify for loan forgiveness and stipend programs. Investing in our teachers strengthens our schools and supports our students.” 

HB23-1001 is part of the Colorado House Democrats' first five bills. HB23-1001 builds upon last year’s work to save student educators money by expanding eligibility for financial assistance and offering loan forgiveness to a larger pool of educators who qualify for these state programs. 

This includes more than $52 million in federal pandemic relief funds for the student educator stipend program, the educator test stipend program, and the temporary educator loan forgiveness programs made possible through HB22-1220.