The Colorado Senate on Wednesday passed the $10.2 billion school budget for 2026-27 amid the state's wider financial struggles.

The K-12 finance bill received near-unanimous, bipartisan support by the Senate as its supporters emphasized their commitment to public education.

Despite some complaints about the bill, the School Finance Act passed its third reading in the Senate quickly and will now go to the House before being sent to Governor Jared Polis’ desk to be signed into law.

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“As we went into this school finance bill this year, there were rumblings that we were going to cut education funding,” said Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer, a Republican representing the 23rd District, in Wednesday’s Senate session. “Well, no we did not. We kept our word. We kept our funding.”

The School Finance Act, Senate Bill 26-023, sets the 2026-2027 Colorado school budget at $10.2 billion. Largely accounting for inflation, the budget increased slightly from last year’s $10 billion. The budget increases the base-per-student funding by $209 to $8,692.

The School Finance Act received a 34-0 vote on Wednesday with one senator excused.

While the bill got widespread support from senators, many still expressed concern about the state’s education system. Senator Mark Baisley, a Republican from the 4th District, voted in favor of the legislation but said the budget should be re-prioritized to pay teachers more.

“[As] the biggest expenditure outside of the general funding of the state itself, we ought to expect more from our education,” said Baisley. “It should not be an environment where parents are hesitant to send their children. We need to have a safe environment.”

The infamous Columbine school shooting in 1999 took place in Colorado. More recently, a September 2025 school shooting in the state saw two students injured and one killed at Evergreen High School near Denver.

Senator Janice Marchman, a Democrat representing the 15th District and a teacher, said this year’s school budget process was much faster and smoother than previous years. But she added the budget process should take place earlier next year.

“I do encourage us to  move forward on school finance earlier,” said Marchman. “It is April 29. We are finalizing this, it's headed that way, and school's out in no time. Budgets have already been made. Decisions have already been made.”