Colorado lawmakers are moving to phase out the Teacher Recruitment Education and Preparation (TREP) program, even as students and parents organize to keep the tuition‑free teacher pathway alive.
House Bill 26-1357, introduced by the Joint Budget Committee, would formally repeal the TREP program after the 2026–27 budget year. The bill blocks the Colorado Department of Education from designating any new qualified students for TREP beginning in the 2026–27 school year, effectively closing the door to future cohorts.
Because TREP runs for two years, current participants would be allowed to finish, but graduating seniors who hoped to enter the program next year would no longer have that option, according to Chalkbeat.
An April 2026 update from the Colorado Department of Education explains that the proposed law would ensure that fifth‑year TREP students can complete the program, while discontinuing new enrollments, including among current 12th graders who would otherwise qualify.
On Mar. 20, 2026, districts were informed that the Joint Budget Committee had already voted to phase out TREP funding, citing inequitable access and the state's budget shortfall.
Read more: Montclair School Board Votes To Close Renaissance Middle School Amid $20 Million Budget Crisis
Some districts have since warned families that there will be no scholarship funding for students who applied this year, though funding will continue for those already in their final TREP year through 2026–27.
TREP was created by Senate Bill 21-185 to address Colorado's teacher shortage by building a pipeline of homegrown educators.
The program allows qualified high school students in an educator career pathway to stay enrolled in their local district and take college classes for up to two years after 12th grade, with tuition covered at the resident community college rate, BVSD reported.
Students earn free college credit while preparing for teaching or school counseling careers, and the district uses a special per‑pupil allocation to pay their tuition.
Under HB26-1357, per‑pupil funding for TREP participants in 2026–27 would be capped at 7,104 dollars as the program winds down.
Supporters say TREP has opened college doors for students who could not otherwise afford it and helped diversify the teacher workforce, especially in districts that partnered with institutions like Front Range Community College, the University of Northern Colorado, and Colorado Mountain College.
As students and parents rally, they argue that ending TREP will shrink the pipeline of future educators just as Colorado schools continue to struggle with hiring and keeping teachers, as per PSD Future Ready.
