Date: 04/27/2015

Final
BILL SUMMARY for SB15-223

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
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02:04 PM -- SB15-223


02:05 PM

The committee recessed.


02:07 PM

The committee came back to order. Representatives Lebsock and Ransom, co-sponsors, presented Senate Bill 15-223, which prevents the state from penalizing schools, teachers, and districts for low participation rates when parents choose to opt their children out of standardized assessments. Representative Lebsock spoke about his choices as a parent and stated that schools, districts, and teachers should not be held accountable for parents' choices. Representative Ransom spoke about the current unrest and controversy surrounding standardized testing in Colorado. She discussed her experiences as a teacher and about how parents, teachers, and schools are being penalized. She spoke about how policies vary widely throughout the state and explained the provisions of the bill. The co-sponsors responded to questions from the committee.


02:24 PM

The co-sponsors continued responding to questions from the committee.


02:55 PM

The following people testified:

02:55 PM -- Lisa Escarcega, representing the Colorado Association of School Executives (CASE), spoke in support of the bill. She discussed how districts and schools are caught between parent refusals and the state accountability system. She described the consequences to schools and districts when participation rates fall below 95 percent. She described the need for a plan in both small and large districts.

03:00 PM -- Ilana Spiegel, representing Seeking Excellence and Equity for Kids (SEEK), spoke in support of the bill. She spoke about the definition of accountability and about the reasons why parents choose to opt their children out of assessments. She spoke about her experiences on the House Bill 14-1202 task force.


03:01 PM

The preceding two witnesses responded to questions from the committee.

03:11 PM -- Judy Solano, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill. She discussed her experiences as a legislator and a teacher. She discussed her former students and the accountability system. She spoke about a disabled student who was forced to take a test several years above his cognitive ability level. She described how his parents requested to opt him out, but the principal denied the request. She described Supreme Court decisions supporting parental opt-out rights and the wave of parents exercising their rights. Representative Solano responded to questions from the committee.

03:27 PM -- Princess Mack, representing Together Colorado, spoke in opposition to the bill. She spoke about her personal experiences and stated that the bill encourages parents, teachers, and administrators to fail to recognize when students fall behind. She discussed graduation rates and remediation rates once children reach college.

03:31 PM -- Christine Kirtdoll, representing Together Colorado, spoke in opposition to the bill and discussed the importance of standards and assessments in improving outcomes for children of color.

03:33 PM -- Angela Cobian, representing Together Colorado, spoke in opposition to the bill. She read testimony for Liliana Flores, who spoke about her personal experiences as a parent and the importance of standards and assessments to children of color. She spoke about unintended consequences of endorsing opt-outs, such as unrealistic pictures of how schools are doing and the collapse of the accountability system. She spoke about federal Title 1 funding that may be in jeopardy if schools and districts find themselves in violation of federal law.


03:38 PM

The preceding three witnesses responded to questions from the committee.

03:39 PM -- Terrance Carroll, representing himself, spoke in opposition to the bill. He described his experiences as a former representative and Speaker of the House. He discussed the need to balance public sentiment with sound judgment. He described the complexities of the assessment debate. He spoke about Meyer versus Nebraska, a Supreme Court case used by many as legal justification for parental opt-outs. He described the benefits of the accountability system. Speaker Carroll responded to questions from the committee.

03:48 PM -- Christina Chase, representing herself, spoke in opposition to the bill. She spoke about the importance of accountability and about the need to remove factors that could be used to manipulate scores.

03:52 PM -- Luke Ragland, representing Colorado Succeeds, spoke in opposition to the bill. He described his experiences on the House Bill 14-1202 task force. He questioned the need for the bill since parents can already opt children out of tests. He described the importance of all students taking tests. Mr. Ragland responded to questions from the committee.

03:56 PM -- Leslie Colwell, representing the Colorado Children's Campaign, spoke in opposition to the bill. She spoke about the reasons her organization opposes the bill. She spoke about unintended consequences, including an incomplete picture of Colorado's education system. She encouraged the committee to find a better balance of assessments, and not to codify opt-outs in state law. Ms. Colwell responded to questions from the committee. Ms. Colwell distributed a letter from the United States Department of Education to Commissioner Robert Hammond (Attachment F).

15HouseEd0427AttachF.pdf15HouseEd0427AttachF.pdf

04:03 PM -- Lauren Fine, representing herself as a teacher, spoke in opposition to the bill. She stated that the bill sends the wrong message, and that the opt-out movement threatens the accountability system. She described Colorado's strides in accountability and explained that the bill will reverse that progress. She said that the state does test too much and needs to make changes, but urged the committee not to throw the baby out with the bath water. Ms. Fine answered questions from the committee.

04:09 PM -- Elizabeth Meneelay, representing herself as a parent, spoke in opposition to the bill. She talked about the reasons she chose not to opt her child out of taking assessments, and about the importance of data. She spoke about her son's experiences and the importance of developing test-taking skills. She talked about her experience as a teacher of English-language learner (ELL) students.

04:13 PM -- Chelsea Henkel, representing Stand for Children Colorado, spoke in opposition to the bill. She described her organization and the reasons it opposes the bill. She said that the bill will punish parents and students who need and value the information about their schools. She spoke about the rights of parents to have valid information about the quality of their children's education. Ms. Henkel responded to questions from the committee.

04:20 PM -- Melissa Scully, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill. She spoke about her personal experiences as a parent who opted her child out of statewide assessments. She discussed data privacy and responded to questions from the committee.

04:33 PM -- Angela Engel, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill. She discussed her personal experiences and addressed earlier questions asked by committee members. Ms. Engel responded to questions from the committee.

04:38 PM -- Charlene Sheldon, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill. She spoke about her personal experiences and the experiences of her children. Ms. Shelton responded to questions from the committee.

04:46 PM -- Nathan Schwalen, representing himself as a science teacher in Denver Public Schools, spoke in support of the bill. He spoke about his experiences developing the Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) tests, the time and costs of the tests, and the minimal value the tests deliver in return. Mr. Schwalen responded to questions from the committee.

04:53 PM -- Val Flores, representing herself as a member of the State Board of Education (state board), spoke in support of the bill. She described her personal experiences as a teacher. She described the state board's decision to hold districts harmless from low participation rates. Dr. Flores responded to questions from the committee.

05:07 PM -- Lynn Roberts, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill. She described her experiences as an ELL teacher, mental health specialist, and mother. She spoke about threats to teachers, children, and parents if parents chose to opt children out. She described threats to school ratings and accreditation. She talked about her children's school. Ms. Roberts responded to questions from the committee.

05:17 PM -- Nicole Caldwell, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill. She described her experience as an educator administering assessments. She talked about how parents in her school react to testing. Ms. Caldwell responded to questions from the committee.

05:22 PM -- Amie Baca-Oehlert, representing the Colorado Education Association, spoke in support of the bill. She spoke about the penalties imposed by the federal government on the state, and penalties imposed by the state on districts and teachers. She discussed the importance of not penalizing schools, districts, and teachers for decisions they do not have a part in making. Ms. Baca-Oehlert responded to questions from the committee.

05:33 PM -- Wendy Rubin, representing Colorado Association of Secondary School Principals, spoke in support of the bill. She spoke about parents who refuse to allow their children to take standardized assessments. She described her successes at her school and about the consequences of parental refusals. She spoke about her school's incipient loss of an accreditation rating due to parental refusals and how she as principal had no voice in those decisions. Ms. Reuben responded to questions from the committee.


05:48 PM

No further witnesses being present, Representative Pettersen closed public testimony. Representative Pettersen laid the bill over for action only.