Senate Education

Monday, February 2, 2026·1h 39m·▶ Watch / Listen

Senate Education opened its 2026 session by advancing Gov. Polis's pick to lead the Colorado Department of Higher Education and two nominees to the Private Occupational School Board on consent, then spent the bulk of the hearing on SB26-019, a consolidation of local early childhood coordinating bodies that cleared 6-0 as amended even as front-line providers pleaded for more time.

Key Actions

·Early Childhood Local System ConsolidationPassed

+ 2 more actions

Notable Quotes

“This is like trying to restructure the foundation while a house is still under construction. Statewide funding is dropping from 4.5 to 2.8 million to do this work and the QRS refresh will take two years. The order is backwards. We cannot responsibly redesign a system before we even know what our work will be.”
Kelly Altizer (Director, Adams County LCO) · witness — The central objection from those seeking a delay: sequencing the consolidation ahead of a two-year quality-rating overhaul amid falling funding.

+ 4 more quotes

Votes

Referred to Committee of the WholeAction

Yes (6)Scott Bright, Lisa Frizell, Cathy Kipp, Janice Rich, Janice Marchman, Chris Kolker

Excused (1)Dafna Michaelson Jenet

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TranscriptPreview

The first meeting of the Senate education committee for 2026 will come to order. Ms. Chris Phelan, will you please call the roll? Senators Bright. Here. Frizzell. Excused. Kip. Here. Michaelson. Janay. Present. Rich. Excused. Merchman. Excused. Mr. Chair, I am here. Thank you. We do have a full slate here today, but first we're going to start off with appointments. We have a confirmation hearing for the Executive Director of the Department of Higher Ed. So if those people would like to come down. Anyone here? J.B. holston. And looks like we have someone from the Governor's office, Allie Kimmel. Who would like to start us off. Ms. Kimmel, On the table. There you go. Yep. We do put a. A sign right there, so I don't know if it's. Perfect. Okay. All right. Go ahead and begin. It's my first day. Thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the Education Committee. My name is Allie Kimmel, and I serve as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Legislative affairs for Governor Polis. Is my honor to appear before you today to introduce JB Holston as the Governor's nominee for Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education.…

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