NOTE: The governor signed this measure on 6/5/2015. HOUSE BILL 15-1350 BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Pettersen, Wilson, Becker K., Hamner, Kraft-Tharp, Lee, Ryden, Salazar, Tyler, Winter, Young, Conti, Fields, Priola, Rosenthal, Williams; also SENATOR(S) Hill, Merrifield, Todd. Concerning performance measures for accrediting an alternative education campus. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that: (a) An alternative education campus, referred to as an "AEC", is a public school with greater than ninety-five percent of its students meeting high-risk criteria; (b) In 2015-16, a number of AECs will enter into their fifth consecutive year of being in either turnaround or priority improvement performance status; (c) A review of the current accountability framework is needed to ensure that the educational achievement and success of high-risk students served in alternative education campuses is adequately captured in the accountability framework; and (d) The Colorado standards and assessment task force, created pursuant to House Bill 14-1202, enacted in 2014, recently released findings and recommendations, including the specific recommendation that all schools and districts should be held harmless from the consequences associated with school and district performance accountability frameworks through the 2015-16 school year. (2) Therefore, the general assembly hereby finds and declares that a thoughtful reevaluation of the accountability framework imposed on AECs is necessary to add criteria that are relevant and that adequately capture the success of high-risk students served by AECs. To accomplish this review, the Colorado department of education shall work with stakeholders to identify new measures and standards of measurements that are uniquely suited to AECs. SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-11-210, add (1.5) as follows: 22-11-210. Public schools - annual review - plans - supports and interventions - rules - repeal. (1.5) (a) The department shall convene stakeholder meetings for the purpose of reviewing state statutes and the state board's rules pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of this section relating to the performance indicators for an alternative education campus. The review may include, but need not be limited to: (I) Qualitative measures, in addition to quantitative measures of a school's performance in serving high-risk students; (II) Development of measure-specific cut points; (III) Consideration of the current "N" weighting system and suggesting changes to weights to address the unique socio-emotional needs of the students served by the alternative education campus; (IV) Identification of possible methods and costs associated with using a comparison group to analyze hard data comparing high-risk students across schools; and (V) Consideration of the ninety-five percent threshold for designation of an alternative education campus, the student groups included in the ninety-five percent threshold, and the documentation and verification requirements for certifying that the threshold has been met. (b) Based on the review, no later than December 1, 2015, the department shall submit to the commissioner, the stakeholders who participated in the meetings, the education committees of the house of representatives and of the senate, and the state board written recommendations relating to the accreditation of alternative education campuses. (c) The department shall invite, but is not limited to inviting, the following stakeholders to attend the meetings: (I) One representative from a school district or authorizer with more than one alternative education campus; (II) One representative from a school district or authorizer serving only one alternative education campus in a rural area of less than one thousand students; (III) One representative from an on-line alternative education campus; (IV) One representative from a charter alternative education campus; (V) One representative from an alternative education campus that exclusively serves students with an individualized education plan; (VI) One representative from an alternative education campus that serves students who attend on a part-time basis; (VII) One representative from an alternative education campus that has more than fifty percent of its students identified as over-age and under-credited; (VIII) One representative from an alternative education campus that has more than fifty percent of its students previously dropped out from or expelled from another school; (IX) One representative from an alternative education campus that currently offers postsecondary opportunities in high school; (X) One representative from a statewide organization that represents alternative education campuses; (XI) A member of the department's accountability and data analysis unit; (XII) A member of the department who specializes in dropout prevention; (XIII) A member representing the state charter school institute; (XIV) A student enrolled in an alternative education campus; and (XV) A parent or legal guardian of a student enrolled in an alternative education campus. (d) This subsection (1.5) is repealed, effective July 1, 2017. SECTION 3. Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety. ________________________________________________________ Dickey Lee Hullinghorst Bill L. Cadman SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE PRESIDENT OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE ____________________________ ____________________________ Marilyn Eddins Cindi L. Markwell CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE SECRETARY OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE APPROVED________________________________________ _________________________________________ John W. Hickenlooper GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO