People › State Board of Education

Kathy Plomer

State Board of Education

Personal Financial Disclosures

debts: up to $520,996 on their latest disclosure with entries: the top of each range they selected, added up (the form asks for ranges, not amounts; a range with no top counts at its figure).

Statement	Filed	What it lists
2026 Annual State Board of Education Dir	2026-01-12	2 income sources, 3 assets, 2 colorado property, 1 state-regulated businesses, 6 debts
2025 State Board of Education Director	2025-01-10	2 income sources, 3 assets, 1 colorado property, 1 offices and directorships, 1 state-regulated businesses, 4 debts
2024 Annual (amendment) Colorado State Board of Ed	2024-01-09	1 income sources, 3 assets, 1 colorado property, 1 offices and directorships, 1 state-regulated businesses, 3 debts

Findings

Worth a look Gifts

$150 in gifts from DSST in 2024, over the gift ban's $75 limit

Their own gift reports list 1 item from DSST received in 2024, worth $150.00 in all: 20th anniversary gala ($150.00). The Colorado Constitution's gift ban limits what an official may accept from one person in a calendar year to $75 (as adjusted for inflation), with exceptions: food and admission where they speak or answer questions, a nonprofit's or government's reasonable expenses for a meeting where they take part, gifts from relatives and personal friends on a special occasion, tokens and informational material, and anything they paid fair value for. Reporting a gift is required either way; the report doesn't say which exception, if any, applies.

What to check

Whether an exception in art. XXIX, sec. 3(3) applies: a speaking role or scheduled program, a nonprofit (under 5% for-profit funding) or government paying for a meeting they took part in, a relative or personal friend, or payment of fair value by the official.
The Independent Ethics Commission's advisory opinions and letter rulings on similar gifts.
The report itself in TRACER (Supplemental Reports: Gifts, Honoraria and Other Benefits).

Rule: Gifts over the gift ban's limit

“shall solicit, accept or receive any gift or other thing of value having either a fair market value or aggregate actual cost greater than fifty dollars ($50) in any calendar year”Colorado Constitution, art. XXIX, sec. 3(2) (the Independent Ethics Commission's copy); the limit is $75 from 2023 (IEC Position Statement 23-01) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how this rule works

Worth a look Gifts

$100 in gifts from ALG (AFRICAN LEADERSHIP GROUP) in 2024, over the gift ban's $75 limit

Their own gift reports list 1 item from ALG (AFRICAN LEADERSHIP GROUP) received in 2024, worth $100.00 in all: Gala registration ($100.00). The Colorado Constitution's gift ban limits what an official may accept from one person in a calendar year to $75 (as adjusted for inflation), with exceptions: food and admission where they speak or answer questions, a nonprofit's or government's reasonable expenses for a meeting where they take part, gifts from relatives and personal friends on a special occasion, tokens and informational material, and anything they paid fair value for. Reporting a gift is required either way; the report doesn't say which exception, if any, applies.

What to check

Whether an exception in art. XXIX, sec. 3(3) applies: a speaking role or scheduled program, a nonprofit (under 5% for-profit funding) or government paying for a meeting they took part in, a relative or personal friend, or payment of fair value by the official.
The Independent Ethics Commission's advisory opinions and letter rulings on similar gifts.
The report itself in TRACER (Supplemental Reports: Gifts, Honoraria and Other Benefits).

Rule: Gifts over the gift ban's limit

“shall solicit, accept or receive any gift or other thing of value having either a fair market value or aggregate actual cost greater than fifty dollars ($50) in any calendar year”Colorado Constitution, art. XXIX, sec. 3(2) (the Independent Ethics Commission's copy); the limit is $75 from 2023 (IEC Position Statement 23-01) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how this rule works

Context Gifts

$375 in gifts from COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL EXECUTIVES (CASE) CONFERENCE in 2026, over the gift ban's $75 limit unless an exception applies

Their own gift reports list 1 item from COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL EXECUTIVES (CASE) CONFERENCE received in 2026, worth $375.00 in all: 2026 winter conference ($375.00). The Colorado Constitution's gift ban limits what an official may accept from one person in a calendar year to $75 (as adjusted for inflation), with exceptions: food and admission where they speak or answer questions, a nonprofit's or government's reasonable expenses for a meeting where they take part, gifts from relatives and personal friends on a special occasion, tokens and informational material, and anything they paid fair value for. The description (“conference”) suggests one may apply. Reporting a gift is required either way; the report doesn't say which exception, if any, applies.

What to check

Whether an exception in art. XXIX, sec. 3(3) applies: a speaking role or scheduled program, a nonprofit (under 5% for-profit funding) or government paying for a meeting they took part in, a relative or personal friend, or payment of fair value by the official.
The Independent Ethics Commission's advisory opinions and letter rulings on similar gifts.
The report itself in TRACER (Supplemental Reports: Gifts, Honoraria and Other Benefits).

Rule: Gifts over the gift ban's limit

“shall solicit, accept or receive any gift or other thing of value having either a fair market value or aggregate actual cost greater than fifty dollars ($50) in any calendar year”Colorado Constitution, art. XXIX, sec. 3(2) (the Independent Ethics Commission's copy); the limit is $75 from 2023 (IEC Position Statement 23-01) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how this rule works

Context Errors in the record

1 error in their public record: an amount written with a typo

We found these in the records as filed or as TRACER lists them, and read each as meant (shown here so anyone can check the reading): Their 2025 disclosure gives income from Umoja Biopharma as “Between 300,000 and $350,00” (a comma group short); we read it as $300,000 to $350,000.

What to check

The original filing in TRACER for each one.
These don't change what we show: we use the amount, name or date as meant.

Rule: Errors in the record

How this rule works

Context Gifts

$655 in gifts from COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL EXECUTIVES (CASE) WINTER CONFERENCE in 2025, over the gift ban's $75 limit unless an exception applies

Their own gift reports list 1 item from COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL EXECUTIVES (CASE) WINTER CONFERENCE received in 2025, worth $655.00 in all: 2025 winter conference ($655.00). The Colorado Constitution's gift ban limits what an official may accept from one person in a calendar year to $75 (as adjusted for inflation), with exceptions: food and admission where they speak or answer questions, a nonprofit's or government's reasonable expenses for a meeting where they take part, gifts from relatives and personal friends on a special occasion, tokens and informational material, and anything they paid fair value for. The description (“conference”) suggests one may apply. Reporting a gift is required either way; the report doesn't say which exception, if any, applies.

What to check

Whether an exception in art. XXIX, sec. 3(3) applies: a speaking role or scheduled program, a nonprofit (under 5% for-profit funding) or government paying for a meeting they took part in, a relative or personal friend, or payment of fair value by the official.
The Independent Ethics Commission's advisory opinions and letter rulings on similar gifts.
The report itself in TRACER (Supplemental Reports: Gifts, Honoraria and Other Benefits).

Rule: Gifts over the gift ban's limit

“shall solicit, accept or receive any gift or other thing of value having either a fair market value or aggregate actual cost greater than fifty dollars ($50) in any calendar year”Colorado Constitution, art. XXIX, sec. 3(2) (the Independent Ethics Commission's copy); the limit is $75 from 2023 (IEC Position Statement 23-01) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how this rule works

Context Gifts

$455 in gifts from COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL EXECUTIVES (CASE) CONFERENCE in 2025, over the gift ban's $75 limit unless an exception applies

Their own gift reports list 1 item from COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL EXECUTIVES (CASE) CONFERENCE received in 2025, worth $455.00 in all: Conference registration ($455.00). The Colorado Constitution's gift ban limits what an official may accept from one person in a calendar year to $75 (as adjusted for inflation), with exceptions: food and admission where they speak or answer questions, a nonprofit's or government's reasonable expenses for a meeting where they take part, gifts from relatives and personal friends on a special occasion, tokens and informational material, and anything they paid fair value for. The description (“conference”) suggests one may apply. Reporting a gift is required either way; the report doesn't say which exception, if any, applies.

What to check

Whether an exception in art. XXIX, sec. 3(3) applies: a speaking role or scheduled program, a nonprofit (under 5% for-profit funding) or government paying for a meeting they took part in, a relative or personal friend, or payment of fair value by the official.
The Independent Ethics Commission's advisory opinions and letter rulings on similar gifts.
The report itself in TRACER (Supplemental Reports: Gifts, Honoraria and Other Benefits).

Rule: Gifts over the gift ban's limit

“shall solicit, accept or receive any gift or other thing of value having either a fair market value or aggregate actual cost greater than fifty dollars ($50) in any calendar year”Colorado Constitution, art. XXIX, sec. 3(2) (the Independent Ethics Commission's copy); the limit is $75 from 2023 (IEC Position Statement 23-01) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how this rule works

Context Gifts

$595 in gifts from COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL EXECUTIVES (CASE) WINTER CONFERENCE in 2024, over the gift ban's $75 limit unless an exception applies

Their own gift reports list 1 item from COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL EXECUTIVES (CASE) WINTER CONFERENCE received in 2024, worth $595.00 in all: Registration for case winter leadership conference ($595.00). The Colorado Constitution's gift ban limits what an official may accept from one person in a calendar year to $75 (as adjusted for inflation), with exceptions: food and admission where they speak or answer questions, a nonprofit's or government's reasonable expenses for a meeting where they take part, gifts from relatives and personal friends on a special occasion, tokens and informational material, and anything they paid fair value for. The description (“conference”) suggests one may apply. Reporting a gift is required either way; the report doesn't say which exception, if any, applies.

What to check

Whether an exception in art. XXIX, sec. 3(3) applies: a speaking role or scheduled program, a nonprofit (under 5% for-profit funding) or government paying for a meeting they took part in, a relative or personal friend, or payment of fair value by the official.
The Independent Ethics Commission's advisory opinions and letter rulings on similar gifts.
The report itself in TRACER (Supplemental Reports: Gifts, Honoraria and Other Benefits).

Rule: Gifts over the gift ban's limit

“shall solicit, accept or receive any gift or other thing of value having either a fair market value or aggregate actual cost greater than fifty dollars ($50) in any calendar year”Colorado Constitution, art. XXIX, sec. 3(2) (the Independent Ethics Commission's copy); the limit is $75 from 2023 (IEC Position Statement 23-01) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how this rule works

Context Gifts

$540 in gifts from CASE 2024 SUMMER CONFERENCE in 2024, over the gift ban's $75 limit unless an exception applies

Their own gift reports list 1 item from CASE 2024 SUMMER CONFERENCE received in 2024, worth $540.00 in all: Registration for 2024 case conference ($540.00). The Colorado Constitution's gift ban limits what an official may accept from one person in a calendar year to $75 (as adjusted for inflation), with exceptions: food and admission where they speak or answer questions, a nonprofit's or government's reasonable expenses for a meeting where they take part, gifts from relatives and personal friends on a special occasion, tokens and informational material, and anything they paid fair value for. The description (“conference”) suggests one may apply. Reporting a gift is required either way; the report doesn't say which exception, if any, applies.

What to check

Whether an exception in art. XXIX, sec. 3(3) applies: a speaking role or scheduled program, a nonprofit (under 5% for-profit funding) or government paying for a meeting they took part in, a relative or personal friend, or payment of fair value by the official.
The Independent Ethics Commission's advisory opinions and letter rulings on similar gifts.
The report itself in TRACER (Supplemental Reports: Gifts, Honoraria and Other Benefits).

Rule: Gifts over the gift ban's limit

“shall solicit, accept or receive any gift or other thing of value having either a fair market value or aggregate actual cost greater than fifty dollars ($50) in any calendar year”Colorado Constitution, art. XXIX, sec. 3(2) (the Independent Ethics Commission's copy); the limit is $75 from 2023 (IEC Position Statement 23-01) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how this rule works

Gifts they reported

What Kathy Plomer listed on their quarterly reports of gifts, honoraria and other benefits since 2024: $2,920 across 8 items from 6 sources. Givers who are clients of a registered lobbyist are marked.

From	What, when	Value
COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL EXECUTIVES (CASE) WINTER CONFERENCE $1,250 in all	2025 WINTER CONFERENCE · 2025-02-19	$655
	REGISTRATION FOR CASE WINTER LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE · 2024-02-21	$595
COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL EXECUTIVES (CASE) CONFERENCE $830 in all	2026 WINTER CONFERENCE · 2026-02-16	$375
	CONFERENCE REGISTRATION · 2025-07-23	$455
CASE 2024 SUMMER CONFERENCE $540 in all	REGISTRATION FOR 2024 CASE CONFERENCE · 2024-06-28	$540
DSST $150 in all	20TH ANNIVERSARY GALA · 2024-04-19	$150
ALG (AFRICAN LEADERSHIP GROUP) $100 in all	GALA REGISTRATION · 2024-08-17	$100
PEBC COLO ED WORFORCE FORUM $50 in all	REGISTRATION · 2024-05-08	$50

From the reports in TRACER (search them: Gifts and Honoraria Report). Officials file one each quarter in which they receive a reportable item (C.R.S. 24-6-203).