.png){kind=logo}
DENVER, CO – The Education Committee today passed legislation to expand Colorado Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA) benefits to teachers, administrators and school staff employed at facility schools.
“Facility schools sometimes can’t compete with traditional schools when it comes to educator recruitment and retention. This bill helps align retirement benefits to better support our facility teachers,” said Rep. Jacque Phillips, D-Thornton. “Educators at facility schools are multi-talented, often going above and beyond to meet the needs of their students. This bill makes sure the talented pool of facility educators and staff can access PERA benefits.”
“All Colorado students need supported and valued educators. Currently, our teachers, administrators and staff who work at facility schools in Colorado are missing out on state retirement benefits, which results in high turnover, impacting our most vulnerable students,” said Rep. Eliza Hamrick, D-Centennial. “This bill expands PERA benefits to state-approved facility schools so that our dedicated facility educators can receive the benefits extended to other educators in the state. Facility schools often serve our most vulnerable students with complex needs, and this bill supports our teachers, improves retention and prioritizes our students.”
HB26-1146 passed committee by a vote of 11-1. Facility schools serve students with behavioral or special education needs. These state-approved facilities specialize in high-needs academic and therapeutic services for their students and are often located outside of a traditional school setting. This bill ensures that teachers and school staff employed by certain state-approved facility schools can receive PERA benefits. This bill aims to strengthen educator recruitment, create parity and improve employee retention. To accomplish this, HB26-1146 would expand the definition of “employer” to include facility schools. Facility schools would still be required to apply with PERA for approval.
This bill would apply to more than 30 state-approved facility schools that serve approximately 3,000 students. According to the Colorado Department of Education, facility program types include residential, day treatment, hospitals and specialized day schools. Additionally, between the 2021-2022 and 2024-2025 school years, staff numbers at facility schools have increased by 19 percent.