Five state lawmakers joined Chalkbeat Colorado for our 2026 Legislative Preview to discuss education topics likely to surface during the session. Here’s what they said.

The virtual event will focus on key education topics expected to surface during the legislative session. This year, we are joined by five lawmakers on the House and Senate education committees.

Colorado education issues to watch in 2026 include budgetary constraints, declining enrollment, and the fate of Colorado’s first “public Christian school.”

As part of a proposed settlement reached last week, all SAVE borrowers will have limited time to choose a new repayment plan.

JB Holston will lead the Colorado Department of HIgher Education following a career in business and civic leadership. He also advised on a report that recommended merging the department with other workforce functions.

A new report from the governor says the state should create a new Department of Education and Workforce Development, which would merge the functions of 7 current agencies.

Polis appears to be the second Democratic governor to opt into a tax-credit program that is expected to expand private school choice. An education coalition wants him to reconsider.

Of the bottom 10 states in the country with the lowest number of students completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, nine are western states. Bill DeBaun of the National College Attainment Network has a few theories as to why.

Angie Paccione has served as the Colorado Department of Higher Education’s executive director since 2019.

Colorado’s community colleges have rebounded since the pandemic, with the most gains among dual-enrolled high school students. But the state also reported enrollment gains among older students.