A new bill, Comprehensive Black History & Culture Education in K-12, would require the Colorado State Board of Education to adopt standards related to Black historical and cultural studies.
That would be accomplished by creating a Black Historical and Cultural Studies Advisory Committee within the state education department, which is tasked with providing support to the state's school districts, schools, teachers and administrators.
The bill also states the board would recommend both standards as well as teaching materials and “contribute technical assistance at the request of local education providers implementing the standards.” The bill had initially set a date for implementation of July 2026, but during a hearing Thursday afternoon, that date was pushed to 2028.
Local school districts would not be able to make their own decisions about whether to implement the legislation, according to the language, which says “For school years beginning on or after July 1, 2028, local education providers shall incorporate the standards into courses for public elementary and secondary school students in the state.”
A fiscal note states the committee would consist of 17 unpaid educators and implementation of the bill would cost about $44,000 for fiscal year 2025-2026.
At a press conference in the Old Library at the Capitol on Thursday, one of the bill’s sponsors, State Rep. Regina English, pointed out the need for such a bill by explaining that the contributions Black people make need to be a part of national history.
"There's more to Black people than slavery and oppression,” she said. “We are inventors; we are entrepreneurs; we are creators! We are educators; we are doctors; we are attorneys; we are judges, and the list goes on and on."
The bill’s other sponsor, State Sen. Tony Exum of Colorado Springs, noted the value of such a bill at a time when DEI is being attacked by the federal government.
The proposal was introduced on January 29, 2025, then assigned to the Education committee. At a hearing after the press conference, the committee voted along party lines to advance the bill, 8-5, and move to Appropriations. That committee will decide whether there’s room in the budget for the plan.
The new bill builds on one passed in 2019 that mandated history and civil government curricula be more inclusive to the culture and social contribution of underrepresented groups.
