Colorado Voters Approve Proposition NN to Boost Education Funding

Colorado voters approved Proposition NN in the November 3 election, a ballot measure designed to increase K-12 education funding. Unofficial results from the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office show the measure passing with 55% of the vote.

Kevin Vick and the supporting campaign Yes for Colorado Kids advocated for the measure to address educator pay and reduce class sizes. If fully implemented, the measure allows the state to retain and spend up to $4.6 billion annually over the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) cap, effectively eliminating TABOR refunds indefinitely. The retained revenue will increase K-12 education funding by 2% annually for the next 10 years.

The Colorado Legislative Council Staff estimates the measure will reduce TABOR refunds by $329.9 million in fiscal year 2026-27 and $521 million in 2027-28. Opponents of the measure argued that because spending restrictions phase out after a decade, the initiative creates a blank check for state lawmakers. The Yes for Colorado Kids campaign spent approximately $9.56 million to secure the victory.