Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Date:04/29/2015
ATTENDANCE
Time:12:17 PM to 01:17 PM
Holbert
X
Johnston
*
Place:SCR 356
Kerr
X
Merrifield
X
This Meeting was called to order by
Neville T.
*
Senator Hill
Todd
X
Woods
X
This Report was prepared by
Marble
X
Rachel Kurtz-Phelan
Hill
*
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
HB15-1321
Presentation by teacher and students
SB15-281
HB15-1350		Referred to Appropriations
Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only
Referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar
Amended, Referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar


12:18 PM -- HB15-1321

Senator Marble, chair, called the meeting to order. Senators Grantham and Donovan, co-sponsors, presented House Bill 15-1321 which concerns measures to support rural school districts. Senator Donovan distributed two handouts to the committee (Attachments A and B). She explained that the bill exempts small rural school districts from certain state requirements. She said the bill will help small rural districts achieve their goals, and talked about what is required under current law and what changes to current law are made by the bill. The committee discussed the bill's $10 million appropriation made to rural school districts from the State Education Fund. The co-sponsors answered questions from the committee.

15SenateEd0429AttachA.pdf15SenateEd0429AttachA.pdf 15SenateEd0429AttachB.pdf15SenateEd0429AttachB.pdf

The following people testified on the bill:

12:23 PM -- Benjamin Waters, representing the Opportunity Coalition, spoke in support of the bill. He told the committee why he supports the bill.

12:24 PM -- Frank Reeves, Superintendent of Genoa-Hugo School District, spoke in support of the bill. He stated that rural districts have been hard hit by the negative factor so this one time funding will help districts with technology upgrades and security needs. He stated that the bill gives rural districts much needed flexibility, and talked about the challenges faced by his district because of mandates imposed by the state. Mr. Reeves answered questions from the committee.







12:30 PM

There were no more witnesses and Senator Hill closed public testimony. The co-sponsors answered questions from the committee.

12:32 PM -- Mr. Reeves came back to the table to answer questions from the committee.
BILL:HB15-1321
TIME: 12:33:40 PM
MOVED:Kerr
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1321 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 5-4.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Holbert
No
Johnston
Yes
Kerr
Yes
Merrifield
Yes
Neville T.
No
Todd
Yes
Woods
No
Marble
No
Hill
Yes
Final YES: 5 NO: 4 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS


12:36 PM -- Presentation by teacher and students

Senator Hill invited John Leaf to the table to talk about his experiences as an art teacher at Mitchell High School in Colorado Springs. He talked about several programs at his school and introduced two of his students, Hector Medrano and Ignacio Gonzales. The students distributed two handouts to the committee (Attachments C and D). Mr. Gonzales introduced himself and told the committee about his personal background. Mr. Medrano introduced himself to the committee and talked about his personal background and the importance of art in his life. The presenters answered questions from the committee.

15SenateEd0429AttachC.pdf15SenateEd0429AttachC.pdf 15SenateEd0429AttachD.pdf15SenateEd0429AttachD.pdf













12:54 PM -- SB15-281

Senator Marble invited Senator Hill, sponsor, to the table to present Senate Bill 15-281 which concerns parent engagement in institute charter schools. Senator Hill explained that the bill is a clean up bill to fix a technical glitch in state law.

The following person testified on the bill:

12:55 PM -- Jeanie Frickey Saito, representing the Colorado Charter School Institute, spoke in support of the bill. She reiterated that the bill fixes a small technical issue.


12:56 PM

There were no more witnesses and Senator Marble closed public testimony.
BILL:SB15-281
TIME: 12:56:50 PM
MOVED:Hill
MOTION:Refer Senate Bill 15-281 to the Committee of the Whole with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. The motion passed on a vote of 9-0.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Holbert
Yes
Johnston
Yes
Kerr
Yes
Merrifield
Yes
Neville T.
Yes
Todd
Yes
Woods
Yes
Marble
Yes
Hill
Yes
Final YES: 9 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS


12:57 PM -- HB15-1350

Senator Hill, sponsor, presented House Bill 15-1350 which concerns performance measures for accrediting alternative education campuses (AEC). He said the bill provides more flexibility for AECs and distributed amendment L.006 (Attachment E) to the committee.

15SenateEd0429AttachE.pdf15SenateEd0429AttachE.pdf







The following people testified on the bill:

12:58 PM -- Dominic DeFelice, Superintendent of the New America School, testified in support of the bill. He provided background information about the school, and discussed factors that cause a student to be classified as high-risk. He talked about issues with the current accountability framework and suggested several improvements to the framework. Mr. DeFelice answered questions from the committee.

01:10 PM -- Jody Ernst, representing the Colorado Coalition of Alternative Education Campuses, spoke in support of the bill. She expressed her support for amendment L.006 (Attachment E).


01:13 PM

There were no more witnesses and Senator Marble closed public testimony. Senator Hill explained amendment L.006 (Attachment E). Senator Woods offered a conceptual technical amendment to the amendment.
BILL:HB15-1350
TIME: 01:15:20 PM
MOVED:Hill
MOTION:Moved to technically amend amendment L.006 (Attachment E), on line 11, after "Page 3", insert "line 27." The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Holbert
Johnston
Kerr
Merrifield
Neville T.
Todd
Woods
Marble
Hill
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection
















BILL:HB15-1350
TIME: 01:16:07 PM
MOVED:Hill
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.006 (Attachment E) as amended. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Holbert
Johnston
Kerr
Merrifield
Neville T.
Todd
Woods
Marble
Hill
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

BILL:HB15-1350
TIME: 01:15:35 PM
MOVED:Hill
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1350, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. The motion passed on a vote of 9-0.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Holbert
Yes
Johnston
Yes
Kerr
Yes
Merrifield
Yes
Neville T.
Yes
Todd
Yes
Woods
Yes
Marble
Yes
Hill
Yes
Final YES: 9 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS


01:17 PM

The committee adjourned.