Bill Summary for Bill Number HB12-1155

Date: 03/14/2012

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB12-1155

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Votes: View-->	Action Taken:
Adopt prepared Amendment L.003 (Attachment E). The Refer House Bill 12-1155, as amended, to the Commi	Pass Without Objection PASS

12:17 PM -- House Bill 12-1155

Representative Massey, sponsor of House Bill 12-1155, presented the bill. The bill concerns measures to increase the timely completion of postsecondary degrees. The bill:

specifies the minimum indicators of a student's academic performance that institutions of higher education use to determine the eligibility of first-time freshman and transfer students;
modifies the policies that the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE) establishes by which state institutions of higher education offer remedial education and ensures that the policies align with admissions policies;
requires the Department of Higher Education (DHE) to share the annual enrollment report with the Colorado Department of Education, in addition to other education policy makers;
clarifies the CCHE's authority in defining an institution's role and mission;
reduces a student's lifetime limit of College Opportunity Fund (COF) stipends from 145 to 140 credit hours;
directs the CCHE to adopt policies to reduce the lifetime limit for state supplied need-based financial aid from 145 to 140 credit hours;
prohibits a student from receiving COF stipends for any course in which he or she has been enrolled two or more times and received a grade of incomplete; and
requires the CCHE to analyze the effects of reducing COF and financial aid eligibility to inform the CCHE's recommendations for models of performance funding in higher education.

The following persons testified:

12:21 PM -- Dick Kaufman, CCHE, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Kaufman discussed the need to have more Coloradans hold degrees, noting the gap between degrees held and workforce demands. He stated that the bill allows colleges to use a host of criteria to determine student needs and will allow schools to work with students to complete their degrees in as little time as possible. He said that the bill will increase the attainment of degrees and improve student success. He discussed remedial education, saying that the bill provides a less expensive way to deal with remediation.

12:26 PM -- Dr. Matt Gianneschi, Deputy Executive Director, DHE, testified in support of the bill. He provided a packet of handouts to the committee members (Attachment A). He stated that the focus of the bill is to increase college completion in Colorado. He discussed the process for determining student eligibility for admission to Colorado's public colleges and universities.

Representative Peniston asked how access to Colorado's public colleges and universities will be impacted by the bill. Dr. Gianneschi responded that he does not see any way that the bill would harm access for students. He added that the bill provides greater supports for students, rather than taking support away.

Representative Hamner asked how the COF stipends would be impacted by the bill. Representative Massey responded, referring the committee to Amendment L.004 (Attachment B) and Amendment L.005 (Attachment C), and stated that he is trying to stretch COF stipends. He added that the whole purpose is to drive timely completion of degrees and to make sure that COF moneys go as far as possible for the students who really need it. Representative Peniston asked clarifying questions. Dr. Gianneschi responded, stating that a student who fails a course twice will not be eligible to use their COF stipend to attempt the course a third time; the student will be responsible for paying the full resident tuition for that course.

Dr. Gianneschi and the committee discussed the performance indicators that appear on page three of the printed bill.

12:49 PM -- Bruce Vandal, Education Commission of the States (ECS), testified on the bill. He stated that one of the main areas of focus at ECS is on increasing completion rates. He stated that more has been learned about why students are failing in developmental education courses and the bill addresses many of the research findings about what needs to be done to prevent failure. He discussed three keys provisions of the bill, including: allowing supplemental instruction at the four-year university; the use of multiple assessments to determine readiness for college; and distinguishing math components that are relevant to the student's chosen career path or course of study. He stated that whatever can be done to reduce the load on students will lead to greater success.

Representative Solano asked how the bill fits in with the state's current requirement that all students take the ACT. Mr. Vandal responded that they support the use of college entrance exams, but they also support the consideration of other measures to assess students' strengths and readiness for college.

12:57 PM -- Dr. Stephen Jordan, President, Metropolitan State College of Denver (Metro), testified in support of the bill. He stated that the bill is another tool to facilitate increased retention and graduation rates. He talked about the new student success building on his school's campus, which will allow students to receive supplemental education. He stated that faculty at Metro have already begun to create curricula in math and English in anticipation.

01:00 PM -- Nate Easley, representing himself as a subject matter expert, testified in support of the bill. He discussed the bill, noting that he supports the bill because it puts policies in place for determining student remedial education needs during the admissions process; it lays a foundation for supplemental education; and it allows students to keep attending and receiving credit for college courses while completing their remedial education.

01:03 PM -- Dr. Frank Waterous, Senior Policy Analyst, The Bell Policy Center, testified on the bill. He provided his testimony in a handout to the committee members (Attachment D). He stated that The Bell Policy Center is in an amend position on the bill. Dr. Waterous discussed the provisions of the bill that The Bell Policy Center does not support, including: supplemental academic instruction credits should not count against the student's lifetime COF limit; the lowering of the COF lifetime limit from 145 to 140 credit hours; and limiting students' lifetime eligiblity for state-funded, need-based financial aid to 140 credit hours.

Representative Todd asked if the bill puts more responsibility on high school students by providing a clearer picture of what needs to be done to avoid remediation. Dr. Waterous responded that the bill moves students into a better position to work with people at the college to get the support they need. He added that it will provide better information to the student, so that students know what they need and know what is available to them in the form of support.

Committee discussion of Amendments L.004 (Attachment B) and L.005 (Attachment C) ensued. The committee determined that those two amendments should not be moved at this time. Representative Massey discussed Amendment L.003 (Attachment E).


BILL:	HB12-1155
TIME:	01:07:58 PM
MOVED:	Massey
MOTION:	Adopt prepared Amendment L.003 (Attachment E). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Todd
		VOTE
	Hamner
	Holbert
	Joshi
	Kerr A.
	Murray	Excused
	Peniston
	Ramirez
	Schafer S.	Excused
	Solano
	Summers
	Todd
	Beezley
	Massey

YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

01:09 PM

Representative Massey provided closing remarks to the bill.


BILL:	HB12-1155
TIME:	01:12:02 PM
MOVED:	Massey
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 12-1155, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a roll call vote of 11-0.
SECONDED:	Hamner
		VOTE
	Hamner	Yes
	Holbert	Yes
	Joshi	Yes
	Kerr A.	Yes
	Murray	Excused
	Peniston	Yes
	Ramirez	Yes
	Schafer S.	Excused
	Solano	Yes
	Summers	Yes
	Todd	Yes
	Beezley	Yes
	Massey	Yes

Final YES: 11 NO: 0 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

01:15 PM

The committee adjourned.