Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB05-1024

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Votes:
Action Taken:
Moved a conceptual amendment page 8, lines 5-13, t
Moved amendment .001 (Attachment B). The motion p
Moved amendment .002 (Attachment C). The motion
Moved to amend page 5, line 19, after "MAINTENANCE
Moved to refer House Bill 05-1024 to the Committee		Pass Without Objection
Pass Without Objection
Pass Without Objection
Pass Without Objection
PASS



02:30 PM -- Call to Order

The meeting was called to order by the chairman, Representative Merrifield.


02:31 PM -- House Bill 05-1024

Representative Solano reviewed the provisions of House Bill 05-1024, concerning the creation of the dropout prevention activity grant program for the reduction of the student dropout rate, and in connection therewith, She discussed statistics on Colorado's high school dropout rate. She distributed a hand-out based on attrition from the Colorado Class of 2003 (Attachment A). She discussed her concern with the issue.
02:36 PM

Representative Solano discussed the type of program that would be funded through a tax check-off program.


02:38 PM

The following persons testified on the bill:


02:38 PM -- Van Scholes, representing the Colorado Children's Campaign, introduced himself and noted that he oversees education reform initiatives for the Colorado Children's Campaign. He expressed support for the bill and discussed the challenges he feels the state faces in regard to the high school drop-out rate. He said that the bill could help strengthen some existing drop-out prevention programs, which are often community-based.



02:40 PM -- Ken Seeley, representing the Colorado Foundation for Families and Children, discussed the impact of after-school programs and the existing research into the issue. He voiced support for the bill and discussed the impact of these types of programs. Mr. Seeley also discussed the circumstances under which truant students sometimes engage in after-school programs.



02:45 PM

Mr. Seeley responded to questions about the reporting of drop-out rates. He said that the count is generally made when the student does not appear at school and there is not a subsequent and corresponding request for school records. He said there is a discrepancy between the official drop-out rate and the number of students who are not in school. She said that requests for after-school programs are growing. She voiced support for the bill.


02:47 PM -- Lucy Trujillo, representing the Colorado After-School Alliance, discussed the entities and goals of the Alliance and voiced support for the bill.


02:52 PM -- Margene Drost, representing herself, discussed her support for the bill and discussed the need in rural areas of the state. She said that the impact of arts education in rural areas is significant. She responded to questions about the drop-out rate in rural areas and said that the rate can be very high. She noted the Alamosa area as an example of a rural area that has struggled with high drop-out rates.


02:55 PM -- Larry Botnick, representing himself as a mental health care professional, discussed his support for the bill. He said that many high school dropouts end up in detention centers and students there often feel that their needs were not being met in public schools. He said that his son is a pupil at the Denver School for the Arts, where the demand for enrollment is very high relative to the space available at the school.

02:57 PM -- Ken Barela, Mayor of Fountain, Colorado, and the Executive Director of Aspen Diversified Industries testified in support of the bill. He described the demographics in the Fountain community. He said that there is interest and need in helping children who need alternative educational opportunities . He said that his company, Aspen Diversified Industries, employs persons with disabilities, but also has a vocational program in which School District #8 can earn high school credits. He said that program has proven very successful, and that other school districts are looking at the program. He also noted a high graduation rate of 97 percent at Fountain-Fort Carson School District. He attributes the district's success to programs such as his.

03:02 PM

Representative Solano responded to several additional questions from committee members. Representative Solano discussed the current tax check-off list and the issues raised in the fiscal note. Representative Pommer noted that there was room for one additional tax check-off on the state income tax return, and that the House Committee on Finance would be considering bills with an income tax check-off.
BILL:HB05-1024
TIME: 03:10:21 PM
MOVED:Solano
MOTION:Moved amendment .001 (Attachment B). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Paccione
VOTE
Balmer
Benefield
King
Larson
McKinley
Penry
Pommer
Rose
Solano
Todd
White
Paccione
Merrifield
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

3:10 PM

Representative Solano discussed the provisions in amendment .001 and responded to several more questions about the bill. Representative Paccione noted that the bill gives rule-making authority to the State Board of Education.


BILL:HB05-1024
TIME: 03:14:16 PM
MOVED:Solano
MOTION:Moved amendment .002 (Attachment C). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Paccione
VOTE
Balmer
Benefield
King
Larson
McKinley
Penry
Pommer
Rose
Solano
Todd
White
Paccione
Merrifield
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection
3:14 PM

Representative Solano explained amendment .002, which defines "qualified community organization" and sets forth the partnership agreement that would be a part of a grant.


03:17 PM

There was additional committee discussion regarding the priority given to applications, as set forth in the bill.
BILL:HB05-1024
TIME: 03:17:52 PM
MOVED:Pommer
MOTION:Moved a conceptual amendment page 8, lines 5-13, to give first consideration to applications to fund programs at school that have high drop-out rates, and then consider the percentage of students who are minority or at-risk students. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Balmer
VOTE
Balmer
Benefield
King
Larson
McKinley
Penry
Pommer
Rose
Solano
Todd
White
Paccione
Merrifield
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:HB05-1024
TIME: 03:19:08 PM
MOVED:White
MOTION:Moved to amend page 5, line 19, after "MAINTENANCE", insert "DRIVER'S TRAINING,". The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Larson
VOTE
Balmer
Benefield
King
Larson
McKinley
Penry
Pommer
Rose
Solano
Todd
White
Paccione
Merrifield
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:HB05-1024
TIME: 03:22:23 PM
MOVED:Solano
MOTION:Moved to refer House Bill 05-1024 to the Committee on Finance, as amended. The motion passed on a 12-0-1 roll call vote.
SECONDED:Paccione
VOTE
Balmer
Yes
Benefield
Yes
King
Yes
Larson
Yes
McKinley
Yes
Penry
Yes
Pommer
Yes
Rose
Excused
Solano
Yes
Todd
Yes
White
Yes
Paccione
Yes
Merrifield
Yes
Final YES: 12 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS