Senate Committee on Education (03/19/2009)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Date:	03/19/2009	ATTENDANCE

Time:	01:34 PM to 03:56 PM	Groff	E
		Heath	X
Place:	SCR 354	Hudak	X
		King K.	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Scheffel	*
	Senator Bacon	Spence	X
		Romer	*
This Report was prepared by		Bacon	X
	Jennifer Thomsen
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
Conf 09-CollegeInvest Board of Directors Conf 09-State Bd for Community Colleges & Occupational Ed Conf 09-Charter School Institute Board HB09-1240 HB09-1264 HB09-1285		Favorably Refer to the Full Senate Favorably Refer to the Full Senate Favorably Refer to the Full Senate Referred to the Committee of the Whole Referred to the Committee of the Whole Amended, Referred to the Committee of the Whole

01:35 PM -- Confirmation of Appointees to the CollegeInvest Board of Directors

Ashley Burt, Katie Kramer, Richard Martinez, and Jean Jones, appointees to the CollegeInvest Board of Directors, came to the table, introduced themselves, and explained their interest in serving or continuing to serve on the board. The letter appointing the appointees is contained in Attachment A. Their applications and resumes may be viewed at the State Archives.

Mr. Martinez provided information on CollegeInvest and the challenges it faces.

01:39 PM

The appointees responded to committee questions and comments.


BILL:	Conf 09-CollegeInvest Board of Directors
TIME:	01:46:25 PM
MOVED:	Romer
MOTION:	Refer the confirmations of Ashley Burt, Katie Kramer, Richard Martinez, and Jean Jones to the CollegeInvest Board of Directors to the full Senate with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed on a 7-0-1 vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Groff	Excused
	Heath	Yes
	Hudak	Yes
	King K.	Yes
	Scheffel	Yes
	Spence	Yes
	Romer	Yes
	Bacon	Yes

Final YES: 7 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

01:47 PM -- Confirmation of Appointees to the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education

Margaret Porfido and Maury Dobbie, appointees to the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education, came to the table to introduce themselves and describe their interest in serving on the board. The letter appointing Ms. Porfido and Ms. Dobbie is contained in Attachment B. Their applications and resumes may be viewed at the State Archives.

01:51 PM

The appointees responded to committee questions and comments.


BILL:	Conf 09-State Bd for Community Colleges & Occupational Ed
TIME:	02:05:29 PM
MOVED:	Romer
MOTION:	Refer the confirmations of Margaret Porfido and Maury Dobbie to the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education to the full Senate with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed on a 5-0-3 vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Groff	Excused
	Heath	Yes
	Hudak	Yes
	King K.	Yes
	Scheffel	Excused
	Spence	Excused
	Romer	Yes
	Bacon	Yes

Final YES: 5 NO: 0 EXC: 3 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:06 PM -- Confirmation of Appointee to the Charter School Institute Board

John Schlichting, appointee to the Charter School Institute Board, came to the table to introduce himself and describe his reasons for wanting to serve on the board. The letter appointing Mr. Schlichting is contained in Attachment C. His resume and application may be viewed at the State Archives.

02:08 PM

Mr. Schlichting responded to committee questions and comments.


BILL:	Conf 09-Charter School Institute Board
TIME:	02:12:22 PM
MOVED:	Romer
MOTION:	Refer the confirmation of John Schlichting to the Charter School Institute Board to the full Senate with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed on a 6-0-2 vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Groff	Excused
	Heath	Yes
	Hudak	Yes
	King K.	Yes
	Scheffel	Excused
	Spence	Yes
	Romer	Yes
	Bacon	Yes

Final YES: 6 NO: 0 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:13 PM -- House Bill 09-1240

Senator Foster, sponsor of House Bill 09-1240, presented the bill to the committee. The bill creates the Colorado Teacher of the Year Program in the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). She explained that the program would be funded using gifts, grants, and donations.

02:15 PM

Senator Foster responded to questions from the committee. She talked about promoting people who are skilled, and about how highly skilled people can share their expertise. Senator Hudak described her experience serving on the committee that chooses the Colorado Teacher of the Year, and talked about the value of having those teachers travel for a year.

02:20 PM

Senator Foster responded to a committee question about the mentoring component of the bill.

Senator Foster responded to questions from Senator King about the rule-making provisions in the bill and about the entity with whom the CDE is to collaborate in implementing the program. Senator Foster related her experiences as a student, talking about the importance of effective teachers and the qualities that make an excellent teacher.

02:28 PM

Committee discussion with Senator Foster continued, with conversation around Senator King's questions about the private entity identified in the bill, as well as discussion around what the State Board of Education should consider in rule-making for the program.

02:30 PM

The following persons testified:

02:30 PM -- Susan Elliott, the Colorado Teacher of the Year, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Elliott explained that she is a teacher at Highlands Ranch High School. She talked about the qualities that make her an effective teacher, saying she never gives up on her students. She said quality education depends on quality, effective teachers in the classroom. Ms. Elliott talked about what the Teacher of the Year Award has meant to her. She described the number of teachers who leave the classroom after a short time and said that to become a quality educator, a teacher must stay in the classroom. She also described the benefits of a national Teacher of the Year gathering she attended.

02:39 PM

Ms. Elliott responded to committee questions and comments.

02:41 PM

Senator Foster spoke to Senator King's earlier questions around identifying effective teachers. Committee conversation ensued around the criteria for picking the Teacher of the Year, with Senator Hudak providing clarification to the criteria that is considered in choosing a teacher of the year.

02:45 PM -- Jami Goetz, representing the Colorado Department of Education, testified in support of the bill. Dr. Goetz talked about the duties of the Teacher of the Year, and the benefits the Teacher of the Year brings back to the state.

Dr. Goetz responded to committee questions about the CDE's involvement in the Teacher of the Year competition. She also confirmed that the bill is putting into statute what is the current practice. Dr. Goetz explained that there is currently no funding for the program. Senator Foster clarified that the moneys raised under the bill would be held at the Office of the State Treasurer.

02:49 PM -- Beverly Ingle, representing the Colorado Education Association, testified in support of the bill. She said the single greatest factor influencing student achievement is an effective teacher. She said having Teachers of the Year travel around the state is a good way to spread best teaching practices.

02:53 PM -- Kelly Leid, representing the Colorado Legacy Foundation, testified in support of the bill. He said the activities of the Teacher of the Year under the bill send a statement that the state values teachers and promote best practices. He said to be successful as a state, we need to get the right people into the classroom.

Mr. Leid responded to committee questions.

02:58 PM

Senator Foster provided closing comments on the bill, asking for the committee's support.


BILL:	HB09-1240
TIME:	02:59:08 PM
MOVED:	Heath
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 09-1240 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 6-0-2 vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Groff	Excused
	Heath	Yes
	Hudak	Yes
	King K.	Yes
	Scheffel	Yes
	Spence	Yes
	Romer	Excused
	Bacon	Yes

Final YES: 6 NO: 0 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:59 PM -- House Bill 09-1264

Senator Hudak, sponsor of House Bill 09-1264, presented the bill to the committee. The bill clarifies that inmates in state correctional facilities who take part in college-level academic programs may obtain financial assistance from private and federal sources. Senator Hudak explained that the bill is a recommendation of the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice.

Senator Hudak responded to committee questions and comments.

03:02 PM

The following persons testified:

03:03 PM -- Ann Terry, representing the Colorado Department of Public Safety and the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice (CCJJ), testified in support of the bill. She provided an overview of the CCJJ, saying that the bill is a recommendation of the commission.

Ms. Terry responded to committee questions and comments.

03:10 PM -- Inta Morris, representing the Department of Higher Education and a member of the CCJJ, testified in support of the bill. She explained that the bill does not require educational programs for inmates, rather it allows inmates to take advantage of existing programs.

Ms. Morris responded to committee questions.

03:13 PM -- Ari Zavaras, representing the Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC) and a member of the CCJJ, testified in support of the bill. He responded to earlier committee questions about the number of inmates that participate in educational opportunities. He spoke to the importance of changing behavior to reduce recidivism. Mr. Zavaras said education is a key factor in reducing recidivism. He said the bill clears up questions within the DOC.

Mr. Zavaras answered committee questions, as did Ms. Morris. Ms. Morris explained that, due to security issues, inmates are not allowed internet access. Mr. Zavaras provided further information about the courses, explaining that they are correspondence courses.

03:20 PM

Committee discussion with Ms. Morris and Mr. Zavaras continued, with conversation around the importance for inmates of programs such as educational and vocational programs. Mr. Zavaras talked about other steps that could be taken in this arena, speaking to the importance of reaching people before they end up in DOC. Committee discussion on this issue ensued.

03:24 PM

Ms. Morris described the cooperation between the DOC and the community college system. She also explained that inmates are not eligible for federal Pell Grants and responded to committee questions about this issue. Senator Hudak asked the witnesses to provide further information about how instruction for inmates takes place. Ms. Morris explained that many times instructors come to inmates. Ross Kimbrel from the DOC came to the table to provide further detail about educational programs provided to inmates.

03:28 PM

Senator Hudak made closing comments to the bill.


BILL:	HB09-1264
TIME:	03:29:04 PM
MOVED:	Hudak
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 09-1264 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 6-0-2 vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Groff	Excused
	Heath	Excused
	Hudak	Yes
	King K.	Yes
	Scheffel	Yes
	Spence	Yes
	Romer	Yes
	Bacon	Yes

Final YES: 6 NO: 0 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

03:30 PM -- House Bill 09-1285

Senator King, sponsor of House Bill 09-1285, presented the bill to the committee. The bill eliminates the Data Protocol Development Council and replaces it with a Government Data Advisory Board and an Education Data Subcommittee. The bill sets forth duties for the board and the subcommittee. Senator King explained the importance of the bill and said he would offer an amendment that would ensure an opportunity to access federal "Race to the Top" funds for data systems (amendment L.004, Attachment D).

03:34 PM

Senator King responded to committee questions, including a question about the Data Protocol Development Council and a request for clarification about the newly created board and subcommittee. Conversation between Senator King and Senator Hudak about the collaborative effort in the Education Data Subcommittee ensued.

Senator Hudak suggested that a parent should be included in the membership of the subcommittee. Committee discussion on this issue ensued.

03:39 PM

Committee questions for the sponsor continued, with discussion around confidentiality of data under the bill.

03:40 PM

The following persons testified:

03:40 PM -- Micheline Casey, representing the Governor's Office of Information Technology (OIT), testified in support of the bill. She provided an overview of the Data Protocol Development Council and its work. She talked about the recommendations that came out of the council's work, noting that the council's report may be found on the OIT website.

03:44 PM -- Matt Gianneschi, representing the Governor's Office, testified in support of the bill. He said the recommendation comes from the P-20 Council, which was looking at creating interoperability. He explained that the initial recommendation for the creation of a board came from departmental data administrators who wanted to self-govern. The education subcommittee piece, he said, came from the P-20 Council's work this year. Dr. Gianneschi said the bill places the state at the front on "Race to the Top."

Dr. Gianneschi responded to committee questions, including a question about whether federal moneys can be used to ensure access to student progress by low-income parents. Dr. Gianneschi talked about the possibility of private funding for data initiatives.

03:50 PM

Senator King explained amendment L.004.


BILL:	HB09-1285
TIME:	03:50:44 PM
MOVED:	King K.
MOTION:	Moved amendment L.004 (Attachment D). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Groff	Excused
	Heath	Excused
	Hudak
	King K.
	Scheffel
	Spence
	Romer
	Bacon

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


BILL:	HB09-1285
TIME:	03:51:05 PM
MOVED:	King K.
MOTION:	Moved an amendment to the bill to add a community college information officer to the Education Data Subcommittee. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Groff	Excused
	Heath	Excused
	Hudak
	King K.
	Scheffel
	Spence
	Romer
	Bacon

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


BILL:	HB09-1285
TIME:	03:55:05 PM
MOVED:	Hudak
MOTION:	Moved an amendment to the bill to add a PTA member to the Education Data Subcommittee. The motion failed on a 3-3 tie vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Groff	Excused
	Heath	Excused
	Hudak	Yes
	King K.	No
	Scheffel	Yes
	Spence	No
	Romer	No
	Bacon	Yes

Not Final YES: 3 NO: 3 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: TIE


BILL:	HB09-1285
TIME:	03:55:56 PM
MOVED:	King K.
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 09-1285, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 6-0-2 vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Groff	Excused
	Heath	Excused
	Hudak	Yes
	King K.	Yes
	Scheffel	Yes
	Spence	Yes
	Romer	Yes
	Bacon	Yes

Final YES: 6 NO: 0 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

03:56 PM

The committee adjourned.