Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

COMMITTEE ON JOINT EDUCATION

Date:01/28/2009
ATTENDANCE
Time:07:35 AM to 08:45 AM
Baumgardner
Benefield
Place:HCR 0112
Groff
Heath
This Meeting was called to order by
Hudak
Senator Bacon
King K.
Kopp
This Report was prepared by
Massey
Jennifer Thomsen
Middleton
Murray
Peniston
Priola
Romer
Scanlan
Schafer S.
Solano
Spence
Summers
Todd
Merrifield
Bacon
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
College in Colorado
Colorado Transcript Center
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07:35 AM -- College in Colorado

Dawn Taylor Owens, Executive Director of College in Colorado, introduced herself and her colleagues Julia Pirnack, Director of Web and Curriculum, and Gully Stanford, Director of Partnerships. Ms. Taylor Owens provided a packet of marketing materials to committee members (Attachment A may be viewed at the State Archives). Information about College in Colorado may also be found on their website, www.collegeincolorado.org.

090128AttachA.pdf

Ms. Taylor Owens described College in Colorado, explaining that it is federally funded. Ms. Taylor Owens provided information about what each division of College in Colorado has done the past year, beginning with the website. She explained the products that are offered on the College in Colorado website, and spoke about the next generation products that would be offered on the College in Colorado website.


07:39 AM

Next, Ms. Taylor Owens talked about the assistance College in Colorado provides to schools around curriculum, and she also spoke about College in Colorado outreach. She provided a number of statistics about the number of students, parents, and educators College in Colorado has reached in the past year. She talked specifically about outreach to students and the impact of that outreach.

Ms. Taylor Owens spoke next about College in Colorado partnerships. Then she spoke about marketing, talking about stepped up efforts to do grassroots marketing.

07:44 AM

Ms. Taylor Owens talked about College in Colorado's College Guide, noting that, year-to-date, they have had over 16,000 requests for the guide.

Ms. Taylor Owens responded to questions from committee members. In response to a question from Senator Romer, Mr. Taylor Owens described how student account tracking would be enhanced in future products. She described the increase in accounts created, and responded to follow-up questions from Senator Romer about the number of students that are reached through College in Colorado, explaining that College in Colorado has not tracked students up to this point, but will do that going forward. Senator Romer commented on the possibility of financial incentives for students to set up a College in Colorado account. Conversation between Ms. Taylor Owens and Senator Romer ensued. Ms. Taylor Owens described changes to the system going forward, explaining that students could opt-in to receive emails and information from College in Colorado.

07:52 AM

Conversation between Ms. Taylor Owens and the committee around outreach to students continued.

Senator King asked Ms. Taylor Owens about the content of the college planning website. She responded, speaking specifically about cost estimators students can access on the website. Senator King asked whether it would be possible for students to use the website to estimate cost savings around getting an associate's degree before transferring to a four-year institution. Ms. Taylor Owens said College in Colorado is working with the community college system regarding articulation agreements and community college costs.

07:57 AM

Ms. Pirnack came to the table to speak to a question from Senator King regarding G.T. Pathways. She explained that the website is oriented around Colorado career clusters, which allows the use of locally and regionally specific paths. Conversation between Ms. Pirnack and Senator King on this issue ensued. Ms. Pirnack talked briefly about virtual campus tours.

Senator Romer asked how College in Colorado can reach younger students -- seventh and eighth graders -- who would not otherwise consider college. He noted that the group that needs to be targeted is the group with the least internet access. He said many low-income students do not start thinking about college until 11th grade, and at that point it is very late in the game. Senator Romer talked about the need to get to these kids. Ms. Taylor Owens described College in Colorado's efforts to reach low-income students and their parents, providing specific examples. She also noted that most content on the website can be accessed in Spanish.








08:07 AM

President Groff asked what outreach is done for parents that do not go to school parent nights, or who are otherwise unengaged. Ms. Taylor Owens responded, talking about partnerships with PTA and other organizations, and talking about how they are reaching out to those parents.

In response to a question from Representative Todd, Ms. Taylor Owens described outreach to churches and other outside entities.

08:11 AM

Senator King suggested putting Accuplacer preparation on the College in Colorado website. Ms. Pirnack noted that College in Colorado has contacted the College Board about this possibility. Senator Romer suggested working with cable companies and cell phone companies, which reach more students than internet. He talked further about the need to get "hard-nosed" in reaching students sooner.

08:14 AM

Senator Bacon thanked Ms. Taylor Owens, Ms. Pirnack, and Mr. Stanford for the information.

08:15 AM -- Colorado Transcript Center

Dan Domagala and Jerry Taylor from the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) came to the table to talk about the Colorado Transcript Center (CTC). Mr. Domagala provided a handout (Attachment B), which contained information about the topics covered in the presentation:

090128AttachB.pdf

Mr. Domagala began his discussion by talking about the Longitudinal Data Systems Grant that was awarded to CDE in July of 2007. He described the three primary initiatives funded by the grant, which include automating EDFacts Federal Reporting, enabling transfer of electronic student records and transcripts, and enabling wider access to longitudinal data analysis and reports.

He described the goals of the Colorado Transcript Center, which are to reduce the time required for schools to receive accurate records for transferring students; to help districts save money, staff time, and resources; and to improve transmission security and help prevent transcript fraud.


08:20 AM

Mr. Taylor provided an overview of the National Transcript Center (NTC), talking about each state that contracts with the NTC.

Next, Mr. Taylor talked about the current status of the Colorado Transcript Center project, saying it is fully operational. He described how districts become members of the CTC. He directed the committee to pages in the handout illustrating the CTC home page. He walked through the page with members, describing each portion of it.

08:28 AM

Mr. Taylor responded to a question from Senator Bacon about privacy issues around the transfer of records.

Mr. Taylor responded to questions from Senator King about what would be involved in rolling the CTC out to all districts in the state. He provided information about the interoperability of the system. Conversation between Mr. Taylor and Senator King on these issues, as well as funding issues, ensued.

Representative Benefield asked for information about what it costs a district to sign up for the CTC. Mr. Taylor explained that now, under the grant period, there would be no cost to districts. Committee discussion of district costs continued. Mr. Taylor talked about a Texas study of the cost of using a system such as the CTC versus the cost of transferring transcripts other ways.

08:37 AM

Representative Todd asked for information on the process being used to notify districts about the CTC. Mr. Taylor explained that under the grant, the NTC is initiating communications with districts, and the CDE is the overseer of the project.

Mr. Taylor responded to a question about the districts that are using the CTC, referring the committee to the handout for a list of districts.

Representative Solano commented on issues faced by foster children who move from school to school, and said the CTC would seem to take care of that issue as well. Mr. Taylor responded, saying a document such as an IEP can be appended to the transcript.

Mr. Domagala commented that the CDE is working to notify districts of the CTC. Mr. Taylor said the NTC is also working to contact counselors in school districts about the CTC. He explained that demonstrations are webinars. Committee discussion about the CTC outreach continued.

08:45 AM

The committee adjourned.