Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Date:04/22/2015
ATTENDANCE
Time:11:08 AM to 12:32 PM
Everett
X
Fields
X
Place:HCR 0112
Garnett
X
Lundeen
X
This Meeting was called to order by
Moreno
*
Representative Pettersen
Priola
*
Wilson
X
This Report was prepared by
Windholz
X
Lisa Gezelter
Young
X
Lee
X
Pettersen
X
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
HB15-1350
HB15-1347		Amended, Referred to the Committee of the Whole
Amended, Referred to Finance


11:09 AM -- HB15-1350

Representative Lee, Chair, called the meeting to order. Representative Pettersen, sponsor, presented House Bill 15-1350, which forms a work group to report on improving success measurements for Alternative Education Campuses (AECs). She discussed AECs in turnaround status and spoke about an AEC in her district, the New America School. Representative Pettersen responded to questions from the committee.


11:12 AM

The following people testified:

11:12 AM -- Dominic DiFelice, Superintendent of New America Schools, spoke in support of the bill. He described his organization's three schools in metropolitan Denver, all of which are AECs. He defined AECs for the committee as schools at which at least 95 percent of the student body is classified as high-risk. He described the demographics of the students that attend his schools. He spoke about the dropout risks to the students that attend his schools and the need for accountability. He described the flaws in the current accountability framework as they apply to AECs. He spoke about provisions of the bill and how they would benefit his schools, as well as the risks to his students if the schools are forced to close. He spoke about former dropouts that have returned to his schools and subsequently graduated. He discussed using attendance as a measure of success and how social-emotional growth is not counted in current accountability measures. He described his vision for a more appropriate evaluation system. Mr. DeFelice responded to questions from the committee.

11:27 AM -- Vinny Badolato, Board Chair for New America Schools, spoke in support of the bill. He talked about what a better evaluation system would look like and how a study to find recommendations would benefit the state.




11:29 AM

The preceding two witnesses responded to questions from the committee. The committee discussed the difference between at-risk and high-risk students.

11:32 AM -- Ken Crowell, President and Chief Executive Officer of Goal Academy, spoke in support of the bill. He spoke about the number of drop outs in the state and their cost to the state economy. He discussed the ways AECs meet high-risk students' needs.

11:34 AM -- Jody Ernst, representing the Colorado Coalition of Alternative Education Campuses, spoke about her research on high-risk students and their academic potential. She spoke about her work on the alternative school performance framework that is currently in place. She told the committee how schools get the AEC designation from the State Board of Education every year. She stated that the bill will work to clarify the current alternative school performance framework. She spoke about her organization's support for the bill, including the make-up of the task force, and discussed the need for flexibility. She discussed the 95 percent criteria and how schools that come close but do not meet the threshold would like to see it changed. Dr. Ernst responded to questions from the committee.

11:42 AM -- Jeani Frickey, representing the Colorado Charter School Institute (CSI), spoke in support of amending the bill. She spoke about her organization's concerns with the provisions of the bill as drafted. She spoke about the CSI's AECs. She spoke about CSI's accountability clock and stated that high-risk students need better schools. She advocated for stronger standards in the school performance framework that applies to AECs. She thanked Representative Pettersen for including CSI in the make-up of the task force and urged the committee to consider changes to the make-up of the task force. Ms. Frickey responded to questions from the committee.

11:48 AM -- Sophia San Miguel, representing herself, spoke about the bill. She described her experiences at a school of the arts.


11:50 AM

Representative Pettersen described the provisions of amendment L.001 (Attachment A). Representative Lundeen moved to amend the amendment by adopting L.004 (Attachment B).

15HouseEd0422AttachA.pdf15HouseEd0422AttachA.pdf 15HouseEd0422AttachB.pdf15HouseEd0422AttachB.pdf
















BILL:HB15-1350
TIME: 11:53:35 AM
MOVED:Lundeen
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.004 (Attachment B). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Everett
VOTE
Everett
Fields
Garnett
Lundeen
Moreno
Priola
Wilson
Windholz
Young
Lee
Pettersen
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection
BILL:HB15-1350
TIME: 11:50:44 AM
MOVED:Pettersen
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment A), as amended. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Young
VOTE
Everett
Fields
Garnett
Lundeen
Moreno
Priola
Wilson
Windholz
Young
Lee
Pettersen
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection








11:55 AM

Representative Pettersen offered closing comments to the bill.
BILL:HB15-1350
TIME: 11:55:18 AM
MOVED:Pettersen
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1350, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 11-0.
SECONDED:Lundeen
VOTE
Everett
Yes
Fields
Yes
Garnett
Yes
Lundeen
Yes
Moreno
Yes
Priola
Yes
Wilson
Yes
Windholz
Yes
Young
Yes
Lee
Yes
Pettersen
Yes
Final YES: 11 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS


11:58 AM -- HB15-1347

Representatives Pettersen and Young, co-sponsors, presented House Bill 15-1347, which promotes savings for college for middle class families by altering the income tax deduction for contributions to qualifying college savings programs. Representative Pettersen spoke about how the bill would benefit families. Representative Young discussed families who make too much money to receive Pell Grants, but not enough to afford a college education. He went over student loan debt statistics for college students in Colorado. He spoke about CollegeInvest and how the bill does not affect the program at all, as it will encourage people to save and invest more. Committee discussion ensued.


12:10 PM

The committee continued to discuss the merits of the bill.











12:16 PM

The following people testified:

12:16 PM -- Ali Mickelson, representing the Colorado Fiscal Institute, spoke in support of the bill. She described her organization and the reasons why it supports the bill.


12:22 PM

Representative Pettersen explained the provisions of amendment L.001 (Attachment C).

15HouseEd0422AttachC.pdf15HouseEd0422AttachC.pdf
BILL:HB15-1347
TIME: 12:22:42 PM
MOVED:Pettersen
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment C). The motion passed on a vote of 6-5.
SECONDED:Garnett
VOTE
Everett
No
Fields
Yes
Garnett
Yes
Lundeen
No
Moreno
Yes
Priola
No
Wilson
No
Windholz
No
Young
Yes
Lee
Yes
Pettersen
Yes
YES: 6 NO: 5 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

















12:23 PM

Committee discussion ensued. Representatives Pettersen and Young offered closing comments to the bill.
BILL:HB15-1347
TIME: 12:24:01 PM
MOVED:Pettersen
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1347, as amended, to the Committee on Finance. The motion passed on a vote of 6-5.
SECONDED:Garnett
VOTE
Everett
No
Fields
Yes
Garnett
Yes
Lundeen
No
Moreno
Yes
Priola
No
Wilson
No
Windholz
No
Young
Yes
Lee
Yes
Pettersen
Yes
Final YES: 6 NO: 5 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS


12:31 PM

The committee adjourned.