887C93AE9FD7DC66872583AF00755C43 Hearing Summary

The committee recessed.

The committee came back to order.

Representatives Buckner and Wilson presented House Bill 19-1134, concerning identifications and interventions for students with dyslexia. The bill requires that the Commissioner of Education convene a 10-member work group, which is required to analyze the relevant data and research related to dyslexia and to evaluate the implementation and efficacy of other state legislation related to dyslexia screening and educator training.

Representatives Buckner and Wilson answered committee questions about the bill. Representative Wilson discussed the pilot program created in the bill, and the need for a safety clause on the bill.  The following people provided testimony:

Dr. Melissa Colsman, Colorado Department of Education, testified in support of the bill and responded to committee questions.

Peter Hilts, Colorado Association of School Executives, testified in support of the bill.

Rebecca Thompson, Academy for Literacy, Learning, and Innovation Execellence (ALLIES), testified in support of the bill.

Krista Spurgin, Stand for Children, testified in support of the bill.

The panel responded to questions from the committee about ALLIES and its programming to help dyslexic students.

Shannon Gaines, representing herself as a student from Vertical Skills Academy, testified in support of the bill and described her experience with dyslexia.

Orion Watkins, representing himself as a student with dyslexia, testified in support of the bill.

Jack Griggs, representing himself as a student with dyslexia, testified in support of the bill.

Mindi Russel, representing herself as a parent, testified in support of the bill and described programs that help students with dyslexia.

Jill Parks, representing herself as a parent, testified in support of the bill and spoke about her daughter's experience at Vertical Skills Academy.

Kelsey Vitek, representing herslef as a student of Vertical Skills Academy, testified in support of the bill and talked about her experience with dyslexia.

Anastasia Raush, representing herself as a student, testified in support of the bill.

Mareck Russell, representing herself as a student, testified in support of the bill.

Holly Yankovich, representing herself as a student with dyslexia, testified in support of the bill.

James Beck, representing himself as a student at Vertical Skills Academy, testified in support of the bill.

Rowan Parks, representing herself as a student with dyslexia, testified in support of the bill.

John Williamson, representing himself as a student with dyslexia, testified in support of the bill.

Committee discussion ensued with the above panel of students.

Kaden Forsha, repsenting herself as a student with dyslexia, testified in support of the bill.

Margaret Wilson, representing herself as a parent, testified in support of the bill.

Diane Lauer, representing herself as a parent of a student in St. Vrain Valley School district, testified in support of the bill.

The above panel responded to questions about the Orton Gillingham method of teaching dyslexic students.

Samantha Wagner, representing herself as a student, testified in support of the bill.

Michael Neil, Colorado Children's Coalition, testified in support of the bill.

Nolan McGuirk, representing himself as a student, testified in support of the bill.

Anne Boris, representing herself as a parent, testified in support of the bill.

Elin Johnson, representing himself as a student, testified in support of the bill.

Anna Johnson, representing herself as a student, testified in support of the bill.

Derek Johnson, representing himself as a parent, testified in support of the bill.

Tayo McGuirk, representing herself as a parent, testified in support of the bill.

Audrey Drakos, representing herself as a student, testified in support of the bill.

Thalia Drakos, representing herself as a student, testified in support of the bill.

Eva Leon, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. McGuirk responded to committee questions.

Terri Terrell, representing Inspiring Talkers, LLC, testified in support of the bill.

Beck Trout, representing himself as a student with dyslexia, testified in support of the bill.

Colleen Jensen, representing herself as a student, testified in support of the bill.

Monica Jensen, representing herself as a parent, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. Jensen responded to questions from the committee about her daughter's experience.

Mary Cella, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Cheryl O'Hare, representing herself as a parent, testified in support of the bill.

Camden O'Hare, representing himself as a student, testified in support of the bill.

Courtney Zehnder, representing herself as a student, testified in support of the bill.

Jay Mayer, representing himself and International Dyslexia Association Rocky Mountain Branch, testified in support of the bill.

Committee discussion ensued, and Ms. Cella answered committee questions.

Alexandria Faulkner, representing herself as a parent, testified in support of the bill.

Tabitha Persch, representing herself as a parent, testified in support of the bill, and introduced her daughter, Avery, to the committee.

John McCoy, representing himself as a student, testified in support of the bill.

Matthew McCoy, representing himself as a student, testified in support of the bill.

Jack DeBeer, representing himself as a student, testified in support of the bill.

Tamara Gallucci, representing herself as a parent, testified in support of the bill.

Caron Trout, representing herself as a parent and Boulder Valley Kids Identified with Dyslexia (BVKID), testified in support of the bill.

Nicholas Brown, representing himself as a student, testified in support of the bill.

The above four-person panel answered questions from the committee.

Wendi Kirkpatrick, representing herself as a parent and a teacher, testified in support of the bill.

Nancy Brown, representing herself as a parent, testified in support of the bill.

Erin Nelson, representing herself as parent, testified in support of the bill.

Heather Smith, representing herself as a parent, testified in support of the bill.

Susan McCoy, representing herself as a parent, testified in support of the bill.

Joan Eichrich, representing herself as a parent, testified in support of the bill.

Leslie Suh, representing herself as a parent, testified in support of the bill.

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

Christina Prothero, representing herself as a parent, testified in support of the bill.

Eileen Waldow, representing herself as a grandparent, testified in support of the bill.

Kristi Selfridge, representing herself as a parent, testified in support of the bill.

Corina Martin, representing herself as a parent and ALLIES, testified in support of the bill.

Sally Pistilli, representing Dyslexia Resource Group, testified in support of the bill.

Michael Dobronyi, representing himself as a student, testified in support of the bill.

Clayton Dobronyi, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Rachel Dobronyi, representing herself as a student, testified in support of the bill and talked about her experience with dyslexia.

Karen Leopold, International Dyslexia Association Rocky Mountain Branch (IDARMB), testified in support of the bill.

Lynn Kuhn, IDARMB, testified in support of the bill.

Pearl Henderson, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Elisa Sodja, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Lindsay Drakos, Colorado Kids Identified with Dyslexia (COKID), testified in support of the bill.

Michael Bucey, BVKID and COKID, testified in support of the bill.

Cali Nichols, COKID, testified in support of the bill.

Karin Johnson, COKID, testified in support of the bill.

Amy Dobronyi, representing herself as a parent, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. Drakos submitted written testimony from parents and advocates of the bill (Attachment A).

Lisa Escarcega, Colorado Association of School Executives and Colorado Education Assocation, testified in support of the bill.

Dr. Escarcega responded to questions from the committee.

Representatives Wilson and Buckner distributed and explained Amendment L.002 (Attachment B).

Committee discussion ensued regarding possible future amendments to the bill.

Representatives Buckner and Wilson made concluding comments on the bill, and committee discussion ensued.