Joint Committee Committee on Joint Education (01/14/2015)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

COMMITTEE ON JOINT EDUCATION

Date:	01/14/2015	ATTENDANCE

Time:	09:44 AM to	Everett	X
		Fields	X
Place:	HCR 0112	Garnett	X
		Holbert	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Johnston	X
	Senator Hill	Kerr	X
		Lee	X
This Report was prepared by		Lundeen	X
	Rachel Kurtz-Phelan	Marble	X
		Merrifield	*
		Moreno	X
		Neville T.	*
		Pettersen	X
		Priola	E
		Todd	X
		Wilson	X
		Windholz	E
		Woods	X
		Buckner	X
		Hill	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
- Briefing by JBC on department budget requests - Introduction by legislative and legal staff - Status update from the Standards and Assessments Task Force		Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only

09:45 AM -- - Briefing by JBC on department budget requests

Senator Hill, Chair, welcomed the committee members to the Joint Education meeting. He welcomed members of the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) to the table to begin their presentation. Representative Hamner introduced the other JBC members and explained that she would be discussing the budget requests for the Department of Education (CDE) and Department of Higher Education (DHE). Representative Hamner referred the committee members to page 7 of their budget briefing booklets for an overview of CDE, which is responsible for distributing state and federal funds to school districts and administering a variety of education programs and student assessments. She discussed the increases that the General Assembly funded during the 2014 legislative session, and explained the additional funding provided by the Student Success Act and School Finance Act. She told the committee that 21.4 percent of the state operating budget goes to K-12 education. Representative Hamner spoke about the Governor's budget request for this year, and about funding increases by at least the rate of inflation for categorical programs which is required both statutorily and constitutionally. She told the committee about CDE's
request for a funding increase to assist school districts with implementing some of the recent reforms passed by the
legislature. She outlined the items in the budget request for Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST), and talked

about the balance of the State Education Fund and the Governor's request for a $200 million one-time reduction in the negative factor. The committee discussed the State Education Fund, as well as a lawsuit pertaining to the implementation of and funding required by Amendment 23.

09:57 AM

The committee discussed minimum requirements for state aid to school districts and associated equity issues due to local share and total program amounts distributed to districts. Representative Hamner continued to discuss CDE's budget request and answered questions from the committee. She talked about several bills that will be introduced to fix double line items, issues with transparency, and continued spending authority for five years for CDE to improve the process of teacher licensure. The JBC members answered questions from the committee about reducing the negative factor.

10:11 AM

The JBC members continued answering questions from the committee about reducing the negative factor through one-time money and recurring revenue, and about the portion of General Fund growth that funds K-12 education.

10:20 AM

Representative Hamner discussed the DHE budget request, which she stated is 14 percent of the total state operating budget, or approximately 8 percent of the General Fund. She talked about legislation passed last year that impacts funding for higher education, caps on tuition increases, the new funding model being implemented as a result of House Bill 14-1319, and a request for seed money for a new scholarship fund. Representative Hamner talked about the new higher education funding model, which incentivizes college completion and success, and stated that funding will be more performance-driven. The JBC members answered questions from the committee about whether there is a negative factor for higher education funding.

10:34 AM -- - Introduction by legislative and legal staff

Senator Hill invited Julie Pelegrin, Office of Legislative Legal Services (OLLS), to the table to begin her presentation. Ms. Pelegrin told the committee about the services and assistance that OLLS can provide to the committee members. She discussed the sections of the Colorado Constitution that pertain to governance over education, and stated that it is divided across three institutions: the General Assembly, which is required to ensure thorough and uniform education across the state; the State Board of Education (state board), which is in charge of supervision of schools as prescribed in law; and local school districts, which control instruction and curriculum. She discussed the rulings in the Lobato v. State of Colorado and Booth v. Board of Education cases.

10:45 AM

Ms. Pelegrin told the committee that there is very little case law pertaining to the authority of the state board to provide general supervision over schools. She said the state board serves as a conduit of and a source for educational information and policy, and has the ability and authority to look at the whole school system from a statewide perspective. She explained that local boards of education have control over instruction and curriculum for the schools they oversee, and the General Assembly has the power to divide, combine, or abolish school districts. Ms. Pelegrin answered questions from the committee.

10:54 AM

Kristen Koehler and Josh Abram, Legislative Council Staff, came to the table to introduce themselves and explain the fiscal notes process. Ms. Koehler stated that fiscal notes are a tool for committee members to make an informed decision before voting on legislation. Mr. Abram and Ms. Koehler answered questions from the committee.

11:00 AM -- - Status update from the Standards and Assessments Task Force

The committee recessed.

11:08 AM

The committee came back to order. Senator Hill invited Dan Snowberger, Superintendent of Durango School District 9-R and Chair of the Standards and Assessments Task Force, to the table to provide a brief status update to the committee. Mr. Snowberger explained that the task force was created by House Bill 14-1202 and is charged with looking at the implications and impact of state assessments on local school districts. He introduced the other task force members in attendance, and explained that the task force wants to produce a final report that is supported by all 15 members. He stated that the task force worked to come up with recommendations that are feasible and realistic, that take into account federal requirements and waivers, and recognize that the General Assembly, CDE and DHE have worked hard to align with each other in terms of postsecondary and work force readiness. He explained that the task force hopes the recommendations reduce the burden on districts, students, and parents, and spoke about the assistance provided to the task force by CDE staff, the U.S. Department of Education, and outside stakeholders. He talked about issues of representation and transparency, and stated that any and every document considered by the task force is posted on its website for public viewing. He stated that every task force meeting was broadcast for the public, and discussed the nine public input meetings that were held across the state. He told the committee that the feedback and input received from the attendees of those public meetings will be included in the appendices to the final report.

11:20 AM

Mr. Snowberger answered questions from the committee about the transparency of the School Vault initiative and how it relates to formative student assessments at the local level, and about what the final report will look like, especially in terms of dissenting positions on final recommendations.

11:28 AM

The committee adjourned.