Skip to main content
Colorado General AssemblyToggle Main Menu
Agency NameToggle Agency Menu

S_ED_2016A 03/03/2016 01:35:27 PM Committee Summary

Final

STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING



SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Date: 03/03/2016
ATTENDANCE
Time: 01:35 PM to 04:55 PM
Holbert
X
Johnston
X
Place: SCR 356
Kerr
X
Merrifield
X
This Meeting was called to order by
Neville T.
X
Senator Hill
Todd
X
Woods
X
This Report was prepared by
Marble
X
Rachel Kurtz-Phelan
Hill
X
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
Presentation on Teacher Training and Recruitment

HB16-1083

HB16-1144

SB16-104

HB16-1082
Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only

Referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar

Referred to the Committee of the Whole

Amended, Referred to Appropriations

Referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar





01:35 PM -- Presentation on Teacher Training and Recruitment



Senator Hill, chair, called the meeting to order. He asked Senator Johnston to introduce several guests in the audience. Emily Volkert and Tyler Lawrence from the America Achieves Fellowship told the committee about their professional backgrounds and the fellowship program. Senator Hill asked the next group of presenters to come to the table. Richard Crandall, Commissioner of Education, introduced himself and spoke about issues surrounding teacher recruitment and the need to fill open teaching positions with high quality teachers. Robert Mitchell, Academic Policy Officer for Educator Preparation, Department of Higher Education, spoke about the decrease in enrollment in teacher preparation programs and the difficulty recruiting teachers to rural school districts. Colleen O'Neil, Executive Director of the Office of Professional Services and Educator Licensing, Colorado Department of Education, introduced herself and spoke about alternate education pathways for teacher training and recruitment.





01:59 PM



The presenters answered questions from the committee.





























02:17 PM -- HB16-1083



Senators Donovan and Grantham, co-sponsors, presented House Bill 16-1083 which concerns the role and mission of Western State Colorado University (western state). Senator Grantham explained that the bill changes the school's admissions standards from moderately selective to selective. The co-sponsors answered questions from the committee.



The following person testified on the bill:



02:21 PM --
Greg Salsbury, President of Western State, spoke in support of the bill. Mr. Salsbury answered questions from the committee.





02:26 PM



There were no more witnesses present and Senator Hill closed public testimony.

BILL: HB16-1083
TIME: 02:27:13 PM
MOVED: Holbert
MOTION: Refer House Bill 16-1083 to the Committee of the Whole with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. The motion passed on a vote of 9-0.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Holbert
Yes
Johnston
Yes
Kerr
Yes
Merrifield
Yes
Neville T.
Yes
Todd
Yes
Woods
Yes
Marble
Yes
Hill
Yes
Final YES: 9 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS





































02:28 PM -- HB16-1144



Senator Grantham, sponsor, presented House Bill 16-1144 which concerns transparency in postsecondary courses offered to high school students.



The following people testified on the bill:



02:30 PM --
Kerry Hart, President of Morgan Community College, spoke in support of the bill. Dr. Hart answered questions from the committee.



02:33 PM --
Jason Hopfer representing the Colorado Community College System, spoke in support of the bill. Mr. Hopfer answered questions from the committee.





02:35 PM



There were no more witnesses and Senator Hill closed public testimony. Senator Grantham provided closing comments to the bill.

BILL: HB16-1144
TIME: 02:36:20 PM
MOVED: Marble
MOTION: Refer House Bill 16-1144 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 9-0.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Holbert
Yes
Johnston
Yes
Kerr
Yes
Merrifield
Yes
Neville T.
Yes
Todd
Yes
Woods
Yes
Marble
Yes
Hill
Yes
Final YES: 9 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS































02:38 PM -- SB16-104



Senators Todd and Sonnenberg, co-sponsors, presented Senate Bill 16-104 which concerns incentives to become a teacher in a rural school district in Colorado. Copies of several amendments were distributed to the committee (Attachments A-F). Committee discussion ensued.



16SenateEd0303AttachA.pdf16SenateEd0303AttachA.pdf 16SenateEd0303AttachB.pdf16SenateEd0303AttachB.pdf



16SenateEd0303AttachC.pdf16SenateEd0303AttachC.pdf 16SenateEd0303AttachD.pdf16SenateEd0303AttachD.pdf



16SenateEd0303AttachE.pdf16SenateEd0303AttachE.pdf 16SenateEd0303AttachF.pdf16SenateEd0303AttachF.pdf





02:50 PM --
Jane Ritter, Office of Legislative Legal Services, came to the table to answer questions about the amendments.





02:55 PM



The committee continued to discuss the amendments to the bill.



The following people testified on the bill:



02:58 PM --
Robert Mitchell, Academic Policy Officer for Educator Preparation, Department of Higher Education, came to the table to speak about several of the amendments. He answered questions from the committee.



03:10 PM --
Atticus Yondorf, representing himself, spoke in opposition to the bill. He answered questions from the committee.



03:29 PM --
Jammie Brian, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill. Ms. Brian answered questions from the committee.



03:40 PM --
Melissa Smith, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill.



03:44 PM --
Jane Urschel, representing the Colorado Association of School Boards, spoke in support of the bill.



03:45 PM --
Nathan Roskop, representing himself, spoke in support of the bill. Mr. Roskop answered questions from the committee.

















03:54 PM --
Brad Baca, representing Western State Colorado University, spoke in support of the bill. Mr. Baca answered questions from the committee.



03:59 PM --
Leslie Colwell, representing the Colorado Children's Campaign, spoke in support of the bill.



04:02 PM --
Michelle Murphy, representing the Colorado Rural Schools Alliance, the Colorado Association of School Executives, and the Colorado Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) Association, spoke in support of the bill. Ms. Murphy answered questions from the committee.



04:15 PM -- Rita Merrigan, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill.





04:19 PM



There were no more witnesses and Senator Hill closed public testimony. Senator Todd and Senator Sonnenberg provided closing comments.

BILL: SB16-104
TIME: 04:20:17 PM
MOVED: Todd
MOTION: Adopt amendment L.007 (Attachment B). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Holbert
Johnston
Kerr
Merrifield
Neville T.
Todd
Woods
Marble
Hill
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection






























BILL: SB16-104
TIME: 04:20:45 PM
MOVED: Todd
MOTION: Adopt amendment L.008 (Attachment C). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Holbert
Johnston
Kerr
Merrifield
Neville T.
Todd
Woods
Marble
Hill
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL: SB16-104
TIME: 04:21:07 PM
MOVED: Todd
MOTION: Adopt amendment L.009 (Attachment D). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Holbert
Johnston
Kerr
Merrifield
Neville T.
Todd
Woods
Marble
Hill
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection






















BILL: SB16-104
TIME: 04:28:37 PM
MOVED: Todd
MOTION: Adopt amendment L.010 (Attachment E). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Holbert
Johnston
Kerr
Merrifield
Neville T.
Todd
Woods
Marble
Hill
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection







































































04:42 PM



Jane Ritter, Office of Legislative Legal Services, came back to the table to answer questions about the bill.

BILL: SB16-104
TIME: 04:44:12 PM
MOVED: Todd
MOTION: Adopt amendment L.011 (F). The motion passed on a vote of 5-4.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Holbert
No
Johnston
Yes
Kerr
Yes
Merrifield
Yes
Neville T.
No
Todd
Yes
Woods
No
Marble
No
Hill
Yes
YES: 5 NO: 4 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS
BILL: SB16-104
TIME: 04:49:41 PM
MOVED: Todd
MOTION: Refer Senate Bill 16-104, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 6-3.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Holbert
No
Johnston
Yes
Kerr
Yes
Merrifield
Yes
Neville T.
No
Todd
Yes
Woods
Yes
Marble
No
Hill
Yes
Final YES: 6 NO: 3 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

















04:53 PM -- HB16-1082



Senator Todd, sponsor, presented House Bill 16-1082 which concerns changing the name of area vocational schools to area technical colleges. There were no witnesses present, and no committee discussion.

BILL: HB16-1082
TIME: 04:53:43 PM
MOVED: Todd
MOTION: Refer House Bill 16-1082 to the Committee of the Whole with a recommendation it be placed on the consent calendar. The motion passed on a vote of 9-0.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Holbert
Yes
Johnston
Yes
Kerr
Yes
Merrifield
Yes
Neville T.
Yes
Todd
Yes
Woods
Yes
Marble
Yes
Hill
Yes
YES: 9 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS





04:55 PM



The committee adjourned.


Colorado legislature email addresses ending in @state.co.us are no longer active. Please replace @state.co.us with @coleg.gov for Colorado legislature email addresses.  Details