DENVER – The Colorado Children’s Campaign is available to comment on two recent federal policy developments that have implications for the well-being of Colorado children: The passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill, and the nearly $80 million missing from Colorado school districts.
One Big Beautiful Bill and kids’ health coverage, food benefits, and more
Last week, Congress passed a bill that dramatically changes how the federal government is using its resources. And Colorado’s children, especially those in low-income families and immigrant households, will bear the brunt of those changes. Kids will lose support for food, health coverage, and other basic needs as a result of the One Big Beautiful Bill.
The Children’s Campaign team is analyzing what this bill means for Colorado children and has published a blog post highlighting provisions that will affect children’s health coverage, food security, and more. These include:
- New work requirements for parents of older children and increased eligibility checks will strain Colorado’s system, and changes to the Affordable Care Act marketplace will make health coverage less affordable.
- New work requirements, changes to the state’s funding responsibility, and changes to eligibility will likely lead to reduced SNAP benefits or coverage for kids.
- The Child Tax Credit increases temporarily for some families – but not those who need it most.
- Changes to student loans could affect the early childhood workforce and other professionals who provide essential care.
- Increases in funding for immigration enforcement will affect children’s well-being.
Missing federal funding for schools and education
Nearly $80 million in federal funding that had been committed to schools has not yet arrived, just weeks before school starts. Without these funds, districts will face immediate cash flow challenges that threaten everything from professional development to mental health support. The state typically begins distributing these funds in July, allowing school districts to pay staff salaries, launch summer and early-year programming, and provide vital services for students. The Children’s Campaign has published a blog post describing the missing funding and why it matters.
Here’s what’s missing:
- Title 1-C (Migrant Education) $7,895,641: Supports Colorado’s 4,000+ migrant students (kids whose parents travel seasonally for U.S. agriculture jobs).
- Title II-A (Effective Instruction) $25,973,650: Pays for professional development, hiring and retaining of high-quality teachers.
- Title III-A (English Language Acquisition) $11,140,491: Supports academic resources for English-learning students.
- Title IV-A (Flexible Block Grant) $13,529,610: Money that schools can spend to provide well-rounded learning experiences, improving school conditions for learning, or technology and digital literacy skills.
- Title IV-B: (Out-of-school Time Academic Enrichment) $13,609,461: Provides after-school and summer learning programs in high-poverty areas to support working families.
- CDC Grant for Improving Student Health and Academic Achievement $264,145: Supports healthy eating, physical activity, and the management of chronic conditions in schools.
- Adult Education and Family Literacy $2,151,197: Equips parents and adults with the foundational skills and knowledge necessary for economic self-sufficiency.
If Congress does not act, here is what is at stake for Colorado’s students and schools:
- Districts will face impossible trade-offs between school safety, student mental health, arts, STEM, and enrichment—critical supports funded across Title II, III and IV funding. Safe, welcoming schools support working-class families, improve learning, and prevent gun violence and youth substance abuse.
- Thousands of educators will go without the professional learning and instructional support funded by Title II. High-quality instruction is the biggest driver of improved student outcomes.
- Over 120,000 multilingual learners across Colorado could lose access to targeted language development and family engagement programs under Title III. MLs are in almost every classroom in Colorado. All students suffer when their classmates suffer.
- Rural districts and small systems—where federal funds represent a larger share of the budget—will be disproportionately harmed.
The Children’s Campaign is calling on Congress to clarify the status of this funding and make sure that this money reaches Colorado children.