House Committee on Education (03/09/2009)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Date:	03/09/2009	ATTENDANCE

Time:	01:36 PM to 03:08 PM	Baumgardner	X
		Benefield	X
Place:	HCR 0112	Massey	E
		Middleton	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Murray	X
	Representative Merrifield	Peniston	X
		Priola	X
This Report was prepared by		Scanlan	X
	Katey McGettrick	Schafer S.	X
		Summers	E
		Todd	X
		Solano	X
		Merrifield	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
HB09-1295 HB09-1250 SB09-062 HB09-1296 SB09-112		Referred to the Committee of the Whole Amended, Referred to the Committee of the Whole Amended, Referred to the Committee of the Whole Referred to the Committee of the Whole Referred to the Committee of the Whole

01:36 PM -- Call to Order

Representative Merrifield, the chair, called the committee to order.

01:36 PM -- House Bill 09-1295

Representative Todd, sponsor of House Bill 09-1295, concerning the authorization of Metropolitan State College of Denver (MSCD) to offer master's degrees. Representative Todd noted the importance of having a graduate degree for a variety of fields, and specifically mentioned the professions of social work, accounting, and teacher education. She also shared remarks from Representative Massey, the co-prime sponsor, who was not able to be at the committee hearing. Representative Massey's remarks noted that the bill has the support of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE), and noted the benefits the bill will provide to working students.

01:40 PM

The following people testified on the bill :

01:41 PM -- Steve Jordan, president, MSCD, testified in support of the bill. He noted the efforts the institution has made to be a Hispanic serving institution. He also stated that institutions with masters programs attract better faculty and improve student retention, because of the peer mentor aspect between graduate and undergraduate students Dr. Jordan explained that more than 1/5 of all resident undergraduate students in the state attend MSCD, with 97 percent hailing from the seven-county Denver metropolitan area. He shared with committee members a federal grant the school has been awarded for the school's teacher education program. Dr. Jordan noted that the grant is the largest awarded by the federal government in the country, and includes a partnership with Denver Public Schools (DPS). He also discussed the school's social work program

01:48 PM -- Adele Phelan, representing the MSCD board of trustees, testified in support of the bill and explained how the bill improves access and affordability for students. She shared the names of groups who endorse the bill.

01:50 PM -- John Karakoulakis, representing the CCHE, testified in support of the bill, and noted that the CCHE passed a resolution of support of the bill.

01:52 PM

Representative Todd concluded her remarks on the bill, and asked for the committee's support.


BILL:	HB09-1295
TIME:	01:52:24 PM
MOVED:	Todd
MOTION:	Moved to refer House Bill 09-1295 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 11-0-2 vote.
SECONDED:	Solano
		VOTE
	Baumgardner	Yes
	Benefield	Yes
	Massey	Excused
	Middleton	Yes
	Murray	Yes
	Peniston	Yes
	Priola	Yes
	Scanlan	Yes
	Schafer S.	Yes
	Summers	Excused
	Todd	Yes
	Solano	Yes
	Merrifield	Yes

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

01:53 PM -- House Bill 09-1250

Representative Merrifield, sponsor of House Bill 09-1250, concerning the allocation of the federal national forestry land moneys, reviewed the previous committee work on the bill (see committee summary dated February 23, 2009, for information on previous committee discussion and testimony). He also shared information from an October 2008 memorandum from the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) concerning changes to federal funding, which Representative Merrifield noted was sent from the department to the affected counties, but not to the affected school districts. Representative Merrifield stated that with the new influx of federal dollars passed in the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) , there is sufficient money to increase the percentage of money that goes to schools . He noted that there is an amendment to phase in funding in the "B" counties. He stated he believes the bill creates a fair split of the federal funding.

02:03 PM

The following people testified on the bill:

02:03 PM -- Jarrod Biggs, representing the Department of Local Affairs, provided information to the committee on the federal payment in lieu of taxes program (PILT) and federal Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program (Attachment A). He shared the difference between PILT, SRS, and the effect it has on option "A" and option "B" counties.

02:11 PM

The committee asked Mr. Biggs questions regarding his handout to committee members, and asked for further clarification between the two federal programs.

02:11 PM -- Bruce Caughey, representing the Colorado Association of School Executives (CASE), testified in support of the bill because it aligns Colorado's SRS spending with other states.

02:13 PM -- Charlie Warren, representing Moffat Consolidated School District, testified in support of the bill because he believes it will assist the school with matching funds for capital construction projects.

02:16 PM -- Chris Mendez, representing Colorado Counties Incorporated (CCI), testified against the bill, and discussed the complexity of the PILT-SRS formula does not fit well with the object of the bill.


BILL:	HB09-1250
TIME:	02:17:37 PM
MOVED:	Merrifield
MOTION:	Moved amendment L.002 (Attachment B). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Benefield
		VOTE
	Baumgardner
	Benefield
	Massey	Excused
	Middleton
	Murray
	Peniston
	Priola
	Scanlan
	Schafer S.
	Summers	Excused
	Todd
	Solano
	Merrifield

Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

02:18 PM

Representative Peniston asked Representative Merrifield why he did not offer the other amendment which would have phased in the funding change over time. Representative Merrifield replied that he did not think it was necessary, but that if it would make Representative Peniston more comfortable with the bill, they could work on it for second reading.


BILL:	HB09-1250
TIME:	02:21:13 PM
MOVED:	Merrifield
MOTION:	Moved to refer House Bill 09-1250, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 8-3-2 vote.
SECONDED:	Todd
		VOTE
	Baumgardner	No
	Benefield	Yes
	Massey	Excused
	Middleton	Yes
	Murray	No
	Peniston	Yes
	Priola	No
	Scanlan	Yes
	Schafer S.	Yes
	Summers	Excused
	Todd	Yes
	Solano	Yes
	Merrifield	Yes

Final YES: 8 NO: 3 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:24 PM -- Senate Bill 09-062

Representative Apuan, sponsor of Senate Bill 09-062, concerning veterans' teaching incentives, presented his bill to the committee, and explained that the bill expands the criteria for awarding grants from the Teach Colorado Grant Program. He noted it does not change the amount of grant money available or add more work for the department. Representative Peniston asked Representative Apuan the rationale for adding veterans over other groups. Representative Apuan explained that it aligns state law with the federal program Troops to Teachers.

02:28 PM

The following people testified on the bill:

02:28 PM -- John Karakoulakis, representing the Department of Higher Education, testified in support of the bill, and provided an update on the grants that the department awarded in the last fiscal year for the Teach Colorado Grant Program.

02:29 PM

Representative Benefield asked how large is the grant pool. Karakoulakis replied the program receives a $500,000 General Fund appropriation, and was awarded to 5 schools. Representative Todd asked which schools received the awards, and the amounts awarded to each. Representative Benefield asked if it takes the incentive away to teach in high need areas because the grant money can go to a veteran, regardless if he or she teaches in a high need area. Mr. Karakoulakis explained that the program does not require that the teacher be employed in a high need area, but that it is given special consideration.

02:33 PM -- Dan Daly, representing the Colorado Education Association (CEA), testified in support of the bill, and shared the other grant criteria for the Teach Colorado Grant Program.

02:35 PM -- Walter Paul, representing the Department of Veterans and Military Affairs (DVMA), testified in support of the bill because it assists veterans take their life experience and apply it to the teaching profession.

02:37 PM -- Joe Morgan, representing the Troops to Teachers program, testified on the bill and provided information on the Troops to Teachers (TTT) program. He noted that the program has an 82 percent retention rate, and 67 percent of the participants teach mathematics and special education. He noted that TTT provides bonuses to troops who choose to teach in high need areas. He also responded to Representative Peniston's question about why veterans were selected by noting that the leadership training for teachers and troops parallel each other. He also addressed questions raised by Representatives Benefield.

02:48 PM

Representative Todd stated that the statistics provided by Colonel Morgan are encouraging, specifically referencing the number of men who participate in the program. She also noted that the quality of teachers that come from the program are important. Colonel Morgan responded to Representative Todd's comments and shared a personal experience of a soldier who was interested in the TTT program, and how he became a special education teacher, then worked to get funding for classroom technology through a charity golf tournament, which has become an annual event. Colonel Morgan noted that this soldier is now a principal at a middle school in Colorado. Colonel Morgan concluded his remarks and suggested that the language "honorably discharged" be added to the bill. Representative Apuan said that he would be amenable to the change if the committee was.


BILL:	SB09-062
TIME:	02:54:59 PM
MOVED:	Solano
MOTION:	Page 2, line 18, after "assist", moved to insert "honorably discharged". The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Middleton
		VOTE
	Baumgardner
	Benefield
	Massey	Excused
	Middleton
	Murray
	Peniston
	Priola
	Scanlan
	Schafer S.
	Summers	Excused
	Todd
	Solano
	Merrifield

Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

02:55 PM

Representative Apuan concluded remarks and asked for the committee's support of the bill.


BILL:	SB09-062
TIME:	02:55:51 PM
MOVED:	Todd
MOTION:	Moved to refer Senate Bill 09-062, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 10-0-3 vote.
SECONDED:	Priola
		VOTE
	Baumgardner	Yes
	Benefield	Yes
	Massey	Excused
	Middleton	Yes
	Murray	Yes
	Peniston	Yes
	Priola	Yes
	Scanlan	Yes
	Schafer S.	Excused
	Summers	Excused
	Todd	Yes
	Solano	Yes
	Merrifield	Yes

Final YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 3 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:56 PM -- House Bill 09-1296

Representative Green, sponsor of House Bill 09-1296, concerning the extension of the reading assistance grant program, presented her bill to the committee, and shared background on the program. She also explained the challenges students with learning disabilities face in the classroom. She noted that when the program was initially established, the department did not receive the funding until late in the 2006-07 fiscal year.

03:01 PM

The following people testified on the bill:

03:01 PM -- Jim Sandstrum, representing the University of Colorado - Denver, testified in support of the bill, and confirmed that the program received funding late in its initial year of existence. He noted that the University works with Denver Public School, Pueblo 60 School District and Cherry Creek Schools.

03:04 PM

03:04 PM -- Eugene Hainer, representing CDE, offered to answer questions for the committee, but the committee did not have any questions.


BILL:	HB09-1296
TIME:	03:05:29 PM
MOVED:	Middleton
MOTION:	Moved to refer House Bill 09-1296 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 9-0-4 vote.
SECONDED:	Solano
		VOTE
	Baumgardner	Yes
	Benefield	Yes
	Massey	Excused
	Middleton	Yes
	Murray	Excused
	Peniston	Yes
	Priola	Yes
	Scanlan	Yes
	Schafer S.	Excused
	Summers	Excused
	Todd	Yes
	Solano	Yes
	Merrifield	Yes

Final YES: 9 NO: 0 EXC: 4 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

03:06 PM -- Senate Bill 09-112

Representative Scanlan, sponsor of Senate Bill 09-112, explained that the bill repeals the Online Learning Advisory Board. Brian Tobias, of the Department of Regulatory Agencies, was available for questions, but no committee members requested that he testify.


BILL:	SB09-112
TIME:	03:07:11 PM
MOVED:	Scanlan
MOTION:	Moved to refer Senate Bill 09- to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 9-0-4 vote.
SECONDED:	Benefield
		VOTE
	Baumgardner	Yes
	Benefield	Yes
	Massey	Excused
	Middleton	Yes
	Murray	Excused
	Peniston	Yes
	Priola	Yes
	Scanlan	Yes
	Schafer S.	Excused
	Summers	Excused
	Todd	Yes
	Solano	Yes
	Merrifield	Yes

Final YES: 9 NO: 0 EXC: 4 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

03:07 PM

The committee adjourned.