S_ED_2019A 04/25/2019 01:39:08 PM Committee Summary

Senator Todd invited Tim Foster, President of Colorado Mesa University (CMU), to the table to introduce the appointees to the CMU Board of Trustees: Daniel Ramos, Kasia MacLeod, and Amy Lentz.  Copies of the Governor's appointment letter can be found as Attachment A.  The appointees took turns telling the committee about their backgrounds and about why they would like to serve on the CMU board.

The panel of witnesses answered questions from the committee.

Senator Todd invited the appointee and reappointee to the Colorado Educational and Cultural Facilities Authority (CECFA) Board to the table.  Mark Heller, Executive Director of CECFA, provided background information about CECFA and introduced the appointee and reappointee: Amanda Mountain and Samuel Todd.  A copy of the Governor's appointment letter can be found as Attachment B.  The appointees told the committee about their background and about why they would like to serve on the board.

Senator Pettersen, sponsor, presented House Bill 19-1110. The bill concerns implementing media literacy in elementary and secondary education. Senator Pettersen provided opening comments and distributed and explained amendment L.017 (Attachment C).

The following people testified on the bill:

Jill Farschman, CEO of the Colorado Press Association, spoke in support of the bill.

Joyce Rankin, member of the State Board of Education, read into the record a written statement from a constituent, Christian Hartman, in opposition to the bill. She distributed a handout to the committee (Attachment D).

Ms. Farschman answered questions from the committee.

Senator Todd laid the bill over for a vote until the sponsor could return to the committee room.

Senator Bridges, sponsor, presented House Bill 19-1187, which concerns increasing completion rates of applications for student financial aid for higher education.  Senator Bridges responded to questions from the committee.

Senator Bridges continued to answer questions from the committee. Committee discussion ensued.

The following people testified on the bill:

Morgan Royal, representing New Era Colorado, spoke in support of the bill.

Stephanie Ricker, representing the Colorado Department of Higher Education, spoke in support of the bill.

Tonette Salazar, representing the Colorado School Counselors Association, spoke in support of the bill.

Prateek Dutta, representing Education Reform Now and Democrats for Education Reform, spoke in support of the bill.

The panel of witnesses answered questions from the committee.

Senator Bridges provided closing comments on the bill and answered questions from the committee. He distributed a packet of handouts to the committee (Attachment E).

Senator Todd, sponsor, presented House Bill 19-1134, which concerns researching effective methods for assisting early-grade students with dyslexia.

Melissa Colsman, Associate Commissioner for Student Learning, Colorado Department of Education, came to the table to answer questions from the committee.

Sue Hirsch, representing herself as a parent, spoke in opposition to the bill.

Kristen DeBeer, representing herself as a parent, spoke in support of the bill.

Michael Bucey, representing himself as a parent, spoke in support of the bill.  He distributed a handout to the committee (Attachment F).

Lindsey Drakos, representing Colorado Kids Identified with Dyslexia (COKID), spoke in support of the bill.  She distributed two handouts to the committee (Attachments G and H).

Natalie Mitchell, representing herself as a dyslexic student, spoke in support of the bill.

Amy Dubronyi, representing COKID, spoke in support of the bill.

Cali Nichols, representing COKID, spoke in support of the bill.

Karin Johnson, representing COKID, spoke in support of the bill.  She distributed two handouts to the committee (Attachments I and J).

Michael Neil, representing the Colorado Cross Disability Coalition, spoke in support of the bill.

Laura Mitchell, representing COKID, spoke in support of the bill.  

Jennifer Atlas, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill.

Lisa Escarcega, Executive Director of the Colorado Association of School Executives and also representing the Colorado Rural Alliance, spoke in support of the bill.

Kaden Forsha, representing himself as a dyslexic student, spoke in support of the bill.

Jennifer Forsha, representing herself as a parent of a dyslexic student, spoke in support of the bill.

Lindsey Drakos came back to the table to answer questions from the committee.

Senator Todd provided closing comments on the bill. Committee discussion ensued.