Bill Summary for Bill Number SB15-216

Date: 05/04/2015

Final
BILL SUMMARY for SB15-216

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE, VETERANS, & MILITARY AFFAIRS

Votes: View-->	Action Taken:
Postpone Senate Bill 15-216 indefinitely. The moti Refer Senate Bill 15-216 to the Committee of the W	PASS FAIL

02:47 PM -- SB15-216

The committee returned to order. Representative Fields, prime sponsor, presented Senate Bill 15-216. The bill requires that the State Board of Education (SBE) revoke a school district's exclusive chartering authority if the school district is accredited with either a priority improvement plan or turnaround plan for three consecutive school years, unless the school district has a memorandum of understanding with the state Charter School Institute (CSI) that allows the institute to authorize charter schools within the district, or partner with the district to authorize charter schools. The SBE may reinstate a school district's exclusive chartering authority when the school district's accreditation status improves.

Currently, to recover exclusive chartering authority or retain it when challenged, a school district must demonstrate that it provides fair and equitable treatment to charter schools by taking actions identified in the law. This bill also requires that the school district demonstrate compliance with the authorizer standards established in SBE rules, and further requires that the district:

issue an annual charter application information packet;

adopt differentiated and streamlined application, renewal, and replication processes for high-quality charter schools; and

demonstrate that the school district closes or takes meaningful action to reform schools that are low-performing for 3 consecutive school years.

If a school district does not have but desires exclusive charting authority, the district must submit a resolution to the SBE and provide a copy of the resolution to each of the district's charter schools at least 30 days before submitting the resolution. A charter school or an organization that represents charter schools may also submit a written description to the SBE concerning the suitability of exclusive chartering authority for the district.

02:52 PM -- Nora Flood, representing the Colorado League of Charter Schools, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Flood indicated that the bill provides options for high-quality public schools.

02:55 PM -- Michael Clough, representing the Sheridan School District, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Clough indicated that the bill is less about choice and more about local control.

02:57 PM -- Dr. Kathy DeNiro, representing Pueblo City Schools, testified in opposition to the bill.

02:59 PM -- Dr. Constance Jones, representing Pueblo City Schools, testified in opposition to the bill.

03:00 PM -- Tom Weston, representing Pueblo City Schools, testified in opposition to the bill.

03:01 PM -- Larry Quintana, representing the Adams 14 School District, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Quintana distributed a written statement (Attachment C).

15HouseState0504AttachC.pdf

03:02 PM -- Liz Wolfson, representing the Girls' Academic and Leadership School, testified in support of the bill.

03:03 PM -- David Singer, representing University Prep School, testified in support of the bill.

03:04 PM -- Brian Tanner, representing the Colorado Education Association, testified in opposition to the bill.

03:06 PM -- Richard Wilson, representing Crowne Point Academy, testified in support of the bill.

03:08 PM -- Shelly Hora, representing Crowne Point Academy, testified in support of the bill.

03:13 PM -- Joy Morales Cress, representing Career Building Academy, testified in support of the bill.

03:16 PM

Representative Fields wrapped up her presentation of the bill and asked for a favorable recommendation.


BILL:	SB15-216
TIME:	03:19:16 PM
MOVED:	Tate
MOTION:	Refer Senate Bill 15-216 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion failed on a vote of 5-6.
SECONDED:	Humphrey
		VOTE
	Foote	No
	Humphrey	Yes
	Lontine	No
	Neville P.	Yes
	Primavera	No
	Tate	Yes
	Thurlow	Yes
	Tyler	No
	Willett	Yes
	Salazar	No
	Ryden	No

YES: 5 NO: 6 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL


BILL:	SB15-216
TIME:	03:19:58 PM
MOVED:	Salazar
MOTION:	Postpone Senate Bill 15-216 indefinitely. The motion passed on a vote of 6-5.
SECONDED:	Foote
		VOTE
	Foote	Yes
	Humphrey	No
	Lontine	Yes
	Neville P.	No
	Primavera	Yes
	Tate	No
	Thurlow	No
	Tyler	Yes
	Willett	No
	Salazar	Yes
	Ryden	Yes

Final YES: 6 NO: 5 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS