H_ED_2019A 03/12/2019 01:33:39 PM Committee Summary

Representative Titone presented Sentate Bill 19-102, concerning an innovation school operating as a community school. Under current law, a local school board may approve an innovation plan and designate a public school, or a group of public schools, as an innovation school or innovation school zone. The bill allows the board to approve an innovation plan for a school to operate as a community school. Representative Titone distributed Amendment L.003 (Attachment A) and answered questions from the committee about the bill.

The following people provided testimony:

Rhiannon Wenning, Colorado Education Association and Jefferson Jr./Senior High School, testified in support of the bill.

Francesca Craver, representing Malley Drive Elementary, a community school, testified in support of the bill.

Kendall Bolton, Colorado Education Association, testified in support of the bill.

The above three-person panel responded to committee questions about the bill.

Carrie Weaver, Malley Drive Elementary and District Twelve Education Association, testified in support of the bill.

Celene Rubio, Malley Drive Elementary, testified in support of the bill.

The above two-person panel responded to committee questions.

Representative Titone explained Amendment L.003.

Representative Titone made concluding comments on the bill and committee discussion ensued.

Representatives Coleman and Larson, co-prime sponsors, presented House Bill 19-1206, concerning higher education supplemental academic instruction. The bill makes changes to state law related to supplemental academic instruction and basic skills courses in order to assist students who are not academically ready for introductory college courses. Representative Coleman distributed Amendment L.001 (Attachment B) and information about the bill from Bell Policy Center (Attachment C). Representative Larson also distributed information from the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) (Attachments D and E). The sponsors responded to committee questions.

Dr. Angie Paccione, CDHE, testified in support of the bill.

Dr. Kim Poast, CDHE, testified in support of the bill.

Bruce Vandal, Complete College America, testified in support of the bill and distributed information about remedial college courses (Attachment F).

Dr. Landon Pirius, Colorado Community College System, testified in support of the bill and distributed information about developmental education in CCCS (Attachment G).

The panel responded to questions from the committee.

Representatives Coleman and Larson discussed Amendment L.003 and responded to committee questions.

Brita Darling, Office of Legislative Legal Services, responded to questions about the amendment.

Dr. Pirius returned to the table to answer questions about the amendment, and committee discussion ensued.

Representatives McCluskie and Soper, co-prime sponsors, presented Senate Bill 19-097, concerning a grant program for area technical colleges.  The bill creates a grant program in the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) to provide up to $4 million per year to area technical colleges for specific capital and equipment purposes.

Mike Klouser, Technical College of the Rockies, testified in support of the bill.

Teina McConnell, Pickens Technical College, testified in support of the bill.

Zach Hermsen, Emily Griffith Technical College, testified in support of the bill.

The panel responded to committee questions.

Representatives McCluskie and Soper made concluding comments on the bill, and committee discussion ensued.