Date: 10/16/2013

Final
Discussion of Bill 5

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY POVERTY REDUCTION TASK FORCE

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
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01:07 PM -- Discussion of Bill 5

Representative Fields introduced Bill 5 (Attachment G) concerning adult education and literacy programs. She stated that the best path out of poverty is to ensure educational opportunity. She explained that the bill provides funding for adult education and literacy programs throughout the state and that currently adult education programs in Colorado only receive federal funding and no state funding. She stated that increasing literacy in math and reading will help adults become more competitive in the middle-skill job market and that technical certification programs will help people be more employable. Senator Kefalas asked how the bill helps foster collaboration. Representative Fields responded that currently, CDE has an office that is responsible for adult education programs so the infrastructure is already in place in the state. She said the funding provided in the bill will help fund the office so that it can further expand the programs it offers. Senator Kefalas asked about the fiscal impact of the bill and where the funding will come from. Representative Fields stated that it will require an approximately $1.2 million appropriation, but exact figures will be determined at a later time. The task force discussed the differences between the Family Literacy Act and the Adult Education and Literacy Act in the bill.

13EconPov1016AttachG.pdf13EconPov1016AttachG.pdf

The following people testified:

01:18 PM -- Frank Waterous, representing the Bell Policy Center, Laurie Harvey, representing the Center for Work, Education, and Employment (CWEE), and Chaer Robert, representing the Skills to Compete Coalition, came to the table as a group to speak about the bill. Ms. Robert talked about the need for people to access skills training in order to help them get a better job. She talked about the organizations that are members of the Skills to Compete Coalition. Ms. Harvey talked about CWEE's programs and the need for additional programs to enhance skills. Mr. Waterous talked about the process the working group and coalition went through to develop the bill. He said that educational attainment is one of the key pathways out of poverty and talked about the benefits of increased skills to employers. He reiterated the partnerships and collaboration defined in the bill are crucial, and said that the state must make a meaningful investment in order to support the partnerships created by the bill and to ensure its success..


01:32 PM

Mr. Waterous responded to questions from the committee about program funding and the importance of the partnerships outlined in the bill.

01:35 PM -- Margaret Kirkpatrick, Director of the Adult Education and Family Literacy Office in the Colorado Department of Education, came to the table to answer questions from the committee. She said that currently the office is not allowed to offer skills training or transition assistance programs and told the task force how the funding in the bill will assist her office with implementing adult education programs that are not currently being offered. The task force members expressed concern about putting the 17 percent set-aside for administrative costs into statute.

01:40 PM -- Jennifer Mello, representing the Colorado Department of Education, came to the table to talk about the 17 percent set-aside for administrative costs in the bill.


01:44 PM

There were no more witnesses. Representative Fields distributed amendment L.001 (Attachment H) which allocates an appropriation for the bill.

13EconPov1016AttachH.pdf13EconPov1016AttachH.pdf