S_ED_2020A 01/16/2020 01:36:49 PM Committee Summary

Senator Todd invited Anna Gerstle, Legislative Council Staff, and Amanda Bickel, Joint Budget Committee Staff, to come to the table.  Ms. Gerstle and Ms. Bickel introduced themselves to the committee and explained the purpose and roles of their individual legislative service agencies.

Senator Todd invited Steve Turner, Executive Director of History Colorado, and Dawn DiPrince, Chief Operating Officer of History Colorado, to the table to introduce themselves and speak about the role and mission of History Colorado.

Mr. Turner answered questions from the committee. He spoke about FY 2020-21 budget decision items, a new project at History Colorado called the Democracy Project 2020, and the Hands-On History program.

Mr. Turner and Ms. DiPrince continued to answer questions from the committee.

Senator Todd invited the presenters from the Colorado Department of Education to the table.  Dr. Katy Anthes, Commissioner of Education, Dr. Melissa Colsman, Associate Commissioner of Student Learning, and Alyssa Pearson, Deputy Commissioner of Education, introduced themselves to the committee.  A copy of their PowerPoint presentation can be found as Attachment C.  Dr. Anthes talked about several of the department's advisory councils and provided an update on the department's strategic plan and five core initiatives.  Dr. Anthes answered questions from the committee.

Dr. Anthes told the committee about the department's library of promising practices.  Dr. Colsman spoke about the Strong Foundations initiative, updates to the Colorado Reading to Ensure Academic Development (READ) Act, the Colorado Preschool Program and Early Childhood At-Risk Enhancement (ECARE) slots, and the dyslexia working group.

Dr. Colsman and Dr. Anthes spoke about identifying and providing intervention and supports for students with significant reading deficiencies and the impact that teacher training has had on this process.  Dr. Colsman answered questions from the committee.  Committee discussion ensued.

Dr. Anthes discussed the definition of quality schools, schools and districts that have come off the accountability clock, districts accessing resources for improvement, grants for a local accountability pilot program, and adjustiong frameworks for elementary and middle schools.  Dr. Anthes and Ms. Pearson answered questions about district accountability committees.

Ms. Pearson spoke about the accountability clock.  Dr. Anthes discusse dthe department's goal that all students graduate ready for all types of postsecondary options.  She discussed teacher preparation programs, alternative licensing programs, and the importance of strong school leadership to teacher retention.

Senator Todd invited the presenters from the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) to come to the table.  Dr. Angie Paccione, Executive Director, Ben Boggs, Chief of Staff, and Michael Vente, Senior Director of Research, introduced themselves to the committee.  A copy of their presentation can be found as Attachment D.  Dr. Paccione discussed the make up of Colorado's public institutions of higher education, as well as the Division of Private Occupational Schools in CDHE and projected student enrollment for 2020.  Dr. Paccione explained the CDHE Performance, Accountability, and Transparency Structure.

Dr. Paccione discussed the department's strategic goals, which include increasing attainment and completion, erasing equity gaps, improving student success, and committing to affordability and innovation.  She talked about state funding.  Mr. Vente answered questions about the average length of credential achievement.  Dr. Paccione distributed a document to the committee (Attachment D).

Dr. Paccione talked about high-demand credentials in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), and alternative licensure.  She talked about the department's goals, including increasing overall credential completion, and programs and legislation recently passed to help students save money on postsecondary degree attainment, such as college credit for work experience and concurrent enrollment programs. She explained a budget request item for Area Technical Colleges and the Department of Private Occupational Schools to help them collect more data.  She discussed the need to erase equity gaps and discussed a recent increase in degree attainment of pell-eligible students.

Dr. Paccione discussed ways to improve student success and help retention rates, and stated that the last strategic goal for the department is to commit to affordability and innovation.