News Release - State Board of Education approves rules for implementing Healthy School Meals for All

April 13, 2023

State Board of Education approves rules for implementing Healthy School Meals for All

DENVER -- At its monthly two-day meeting, the Colorado State Board of Education voted 7-2 to approve rules required to implement the voter-approved Healthy School Meals for All program. 

Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, the program will offer free meals to all students at districts choosing to participate. Details on the process for opting into the program will be available soon.  More information about Healthy School Meals for All is available on the CDE website.

Next steps outlined in commissioner search process 

McPherson & Jacobson, the firm selected to conduct the search for Colorado’s next Education Commissioner, presented a draft timeline for the search process, including promoting the job posting, gathering feedback from stakeholders, reviewing candidates and making a final selection. 

The board also reviewed and provided feedback on survey questions to gather feedback from education stakeholders and members of the public on characteristics needed in the next commissioner and challenges that need to be addressed. The vendor anticipates the survey will be open April 18-28 and promoted by the department and other organizations.

In other actions, the board:

• Held a hearing on proposed changes to the rules for the Administration of the Exceptional Children’s Educational Act. The proposed changes incorporate new rules to implement universal preschool for students with disabilities, and the changes align the rules with House Bill 22-1294 and the Individuals with Disabilities Act. The vote on the proposed rules was delayed until May to incorporate new information into the rules. 

• Held a hearing and voted on changes to rules for the Administration of the Protection of Persons from Restraint Act. The primary purpose of the proposed changes to the rules is to ensure alignment of the PPRA Rules with the requirements of House Bill 22-1376. The board’s operating procedures require a unanimous vote to approve rules during the same meeting as the hearing. The vote on the rules was 8-1, so the board will vote on the rules again in May. 

• Held a hearing and voted unanimously to approve amendments to the Colorado Rules for the Operation, Maintenance and Inspection of School Transportation Vehicles and the Rules for the Colorado Minimum Standards Governing School Transportation Vehicles. Among the changes, 15-person vans will be prohibited from use for transporting students starting Jan. 1, 2025.

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