Date: 02/27/2013

Final
BILL SUMMARY for SB13-031

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Refer Senate Bill 13-031 to the Committee of the WPASS



10:07 AM -- Senate Bill 13-031

Representative Hamner, Chair, called the meeting to order and welcomed the committee members and audience. Representative Pettersen, prime sponsor, came to the table and presented Senate Bill 13-031 regarding tuition for dropout recovery programs. Under current law, a school district and a community college may establish a dropout recovery program permitting students who have dropped out of high school, or who are at-risk of dropping out of high school, to complete their high school requirements exclusively at a community college or district junior college. The bill requires that a school district participating in the program pay the student portion of tuition for each class in which the student enrolls. Current law requires that school districts pay only for those courses the student completes.

The following persons testified:

10:10 AM -- Andy Dorsey, President of Front Range Community College (FRCC), testified in support of the bill. Mr. Dorsey discussed the Gateway to College program that is offered at FRCC. He stated that the program allows students who are at-risk of dropping out of high school to come to college to take the courses they need to complete their high school requirements. He explained how the program functions, and described the student population that the program serves. He responded to questions from the committee.

10:21 AM -- Sue-Lin Toussaint, representing Mapleton Public Schools, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Toussaint stated that Mapleton Public Schools partners with FRCC in the Gateway to College program. She stated that, in her district, the program provides an opportunity for students who have dropped out of school to attend college. She stated that if it is important to encourage dropout re-engagement, then there must be an investment made in students has they learn to become successful college students. She responded to questions from the committee.


10:26 AM

Representative Pettersen provided closing comments to the bill.
BILL:SB13-031
TIME: 10:28:11 AM
MOVED:Pettersen
MOTION:Refer Senate Bill 13-031 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 11-2.
SECONDED:Buckner
VOTE
Buckner
Yes
Court
Yes
Everett
No
Fields
Yes
Holbert
Yes
Landgraf
No
Murray
Yes
Pettersen
Yes
Priola
Yes
Wilson
Yes
Young
Yes
Peniston
Yes
Hamner
Yes
Final YES: 11 NO: 2 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS