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S_ED_2024A 01/17/2024 10:30:36 AM Committee Summary

PUBLIC
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING
JOINT COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ON JOINT EDUCATION
Date 01/17/2024
Attendance
Bacon X
Baisley X
Bradfield X
Bradley X
Fields X
Hamrick X
Hartsook X
Kolker X
Lukens X
Lundeen X
Marchman X
Martinez X
Rich X
Story X
Wilson X
Young X
McLachlan X
Buckner X
Time 10:30:36 AM to 05:59:45 PM
Place Old State Library
This Meeting was called to order by Buckner
This Report was prepared by Rachel Kurtz-Phelan
Hearing Items Action Taken
Briefing by the Joint Budget Committee Committee Discussion Only
Presentation from the Office of the State Auditor on the Audit Recommendations Not Fully Implemented Committee Discussion Only
Presentation from History Colorado Committee Discussion Only
SMART Act Presentation from the Department of Education Committee Discussion Only
SMART Act Presentation from the Department of Early Childhood Committee Discussion Only
SMART Act Presentation from the Department of Higher Education Committee Discussion Only

Briefing by the Joint Budget Committee - Committee Discussion Only
10:31:40 AM  
Senator Buckner,
Chair, called the meeting to order. She invited members of the Joint Budget
Committee (JBC) to present on the Governor's November 1st budget request.
JBC members explained to the committee how to read the budget briefing
booklet (Attachment A) and appropriations requests.
10:40:00 AM  
Senator Zenzinger
reviewed portions of the budget request for the Department of Early Childhood
(DEC), with a focus on the Universal Preschool Program.
10:48:08 AM  
Senator Zenzinger continued to review the budget request for the DEC and answered questions from the committee.
11:08:31 AM  
The members of the JBC continued to answer questions on funding for the DEC.
11:15:21 AM  
Senator Zenzinger
reviewed the budget request for the Colorado Department of Education (CDE),
the majority of which is comprised of funding for public schools through
the annual School Finance Act.
11:25:14 AM  
Senator Zenzinger
told the committee that the new definition for the at-risk factor will
not be used in this year's School Finance Act.  Instead, an interim
definition will continue to be used by including students who qualify for
free or reduced price lunch and direct certification.
11:28:30 AM  
Senator Zenzinger reviewed the budget request for the Department of Higher Education.
12:00:30 PM  
The members of the
JBC answered questions from the committee.



Presentation from the Office of the State Auditor on the Audit Recommendations Not Fully Implemented - Committee Discussion Only
12:01:11 PM  
The committee recessed
for lunch.
01:10:29 PM  
The committee came
back to order.  Senator Buckner invited the presenters from the Office
of the State Auditor, Marisa Edwards and Crystal Dorsey, to begin their
presentation on audit recommendations not fully implemented which can be
found as Attachment B. They reviewed the portions of the report pertinent
to the committee.
01:14:29 PM  
The presenters answered questions from the committee.



Presentation from History Colorado - Committee Discussion Only
01:24:06 PM  
Senator Buckner invited
the presenters from History Colorado to the table.  Dawn DiPrince,
President and CEO, and April Legg, Head of Education, began their presentation,
which can be found as Attachment C.
01:52:18 PM  
Ms. DiPrince and Ms. Legg answered questions from the committee.



SMART Act Presentation from the Department of Education - Committee Discussion Only
01:58:40 PM  
Susana Cordova, Commissioner
of Education, and Alyssa Pearson, Deputy Commissioner of Education, Colorado
Department of Education (CDE), came to the table to begin their presentation,
which can be found as Attachment D.
02:03:48 PM  
Commissioner Cordova
reviewed the department's strategic plan, shared information about Colorado's
current education landscape, and post-pandemic achievement and growth.
She discussed student and educator mental health and well being, educator
recruitment and retention, and the administrative burden on districts.
02:28:12 PM  
Commissioner Cordova
reviewed the work of several task forces that the department oversees.
 
02:32:31 PM  
Commissioner Cordova answered questions from the committee.
03:04:10 PM  
Commissioner Cordova continued to answer questions from the committee.



SMART Act Presentation from the Department of Early Childhood - Committee Discussion Only

03:21:22 PM  
The presenters from
the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (DEC) came to the table and
included Dr. Lisa Roy, Executive Director, Mary Alice Cohen, Chief Program
Officer, Stephanie Beasley, Deputy Executive Director, Jeanni Stefanik,
Chief Financial Officer, and Dawn Odean, Universal Preschool Director.
 Their presentation can be found as Attachment E.
03:27:28 PM  
Dr. Roy discussed the department's mission, vision, and values and reviewed its strategic planning, project management, and performance management systems. Ms. Odean explained the department's Wildly Important Goals (WIGs) in relation to universal preschool.
03:36:19 PM  
Ms. Cohen spoke about
the Office of Program Delivery and its goal to support infant and toddler
child care capacity. She discussed several programs and grants aimed at
increasing capacity in these areas.
03:38:17 PM  
Ms. Cohen continued
by discussing the goal of expanding Colorado's early childhood workforce.
03:43:45 PM  
Ms. Cohen spoke about the department's stimulus funding implementation and the ways in which the department is using the stimulus funding to strengthen Colorado's early childhood sector.
03:51:32 PM  
Ms. Stefanik spoke
about the department's FY 2024-25 budget requests.  Ms. Beasley discussed
the Office of Administrative Solutions within the DEC and the department's
legislative and regulatory agendas.
04:15:22 PM  
The panel answered questions from the committee.
04:15:34 PM  
Kristina Heyl, State
and Community Partnerships Manager for the DEC, spoke to the committee
about the Early Childhood Leadership Commission (ECLC).  The presentation
can be found as Attachment F. Shannon Wilson, ECLC Administrator, discussed
the ECLC's 10-year strategic plan.



SMART Act Presentation from the Department of Higher Education - Committee Discussion Only

04:39:33 PM  
Dr. Angie Paccione,
Executive Director of the Department of Higher Education (DHE) and Colorado
Commission on Higher Education, came to the table to begin her presentation,
which can be found as Attachment G. Dr. Paccione discussed the department's
mission, vision, and strategic plan. Michael Vente, Chief Performance Officer,
reviewed the department's Wildly Important Goals.
04:59:34 PM  
Dr. Paccione discussed
higher education performance management strategies and metrics. Crystal
Collins, Chief Financial Officer, reviewed the department's budget requests.
Dr. Sophia Laderman, Chief Policy and Research Officer, discussed a cybersecurity
breach that occurred in June 2023 as well as the department's legislative
agenda.
05:15:56 PM  
Dr. Gillian McKnight
Tutein, Chief Educational Equity Officer, spoke about the department's
equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives. Corey Evans, Interim Budget
Director, spoke about the implementation of federal stimulus and recovery
funds. Dr. Cynthia Armendariz, Managing Director of the Colorado Opportunity
Scholarship Initiative (COSI), reviewed the COSI program and Dr. Tricia
Johnson discussed the Care Forward Colorado and Career Advance Colorado
programs.  Dr. Callie McKennie, Talent Pipeline Economist, spoke about
the Return on Investment and Colorado Talent Pipeline reports.  
05:32:22 PM  
Carl Einhaus, Senior
Director of Student Affairs and P20 Alignment, presented the results collected
on students with disabilities as required by House Bill 22-1255.  Angela
Baier, Chief Executive Officer of CollegeInvest, provided an overview of
the First Step/Kickstarter Program Update which was created by House Bill
19-1280.  She spoke about federal funding the program received in
2022.
05:35:53 PM  
The panel answered
questions from the committee. Dr. Paccione distributed a handout to the
committee (Attachment H).
05:53:07 PM  
The panel continued to answer questions from the committee.


05:59:45 PM   The committee adjourned.






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