Table of Contents

• Important Legislative Dates

• 2014 General Election • Candidates • Ballot Initiatives

• Standardized Assessments • CDE Study • HB14-1202 Task Force

• Interim Committees • HB14-1382 Online Task Force • Early Childhood & School

Readiness Commission

• 2015 Legislative Session • School Violence Reporting • American Indian Mascots • Full –Day Kindergarten Funding • Early Childhood Education

• Graduation Guidelines Update

LPS Legislative Newsletter

September 2014

Overview & Contents This newsletter is provided to clients of Colorado Consulting as an information source for legislative activity related to education that occurs during the Summer and Fall interim period. The 2014 Summer interim period was relatively quiet in regard to drafting new education legislation. This can largely be attributed to a demanding election season and numerous contentious Colorado state races. All 65 House seats and 18 of 35 Senate seats will be voted upon. 24 standing legislators will be vacating their seats, which means that in 2015 a significant number of the legislature will be freshmen. A substantial amount of institutional knowledge is lost within the General Assembly and legislative staff when the majority of seats are in question. New legislator education by stakeholders is important during significant election years. In contrast to the quiet Summer interim, the chaotic 2014 legislative session brought about 621 individual pieces of legislation, resulting in 417 new state laws. Since the General Assembly’s adjournment in May, the state departments have been busy implementing the new laws and in August began holding rulemaking hearings, introductory committee meetings, and setting task force agendas for the coming months. Legislative conversations about reducing the $894 million ‘K12 negative factor’ are ongoing. Also in this newsletter are the results of the Department of Education’s standardized assessments review, a list of potential 2015 legislation, and a revised graduation guidelines implementation timeline. * Updated 9/10/2014

Important Legislative Dates General Election - Tuesday November 4, 2014

Next State Revenue Forecast - Monday September 22, 2014 70th General Assembly Convenes - Wednesday January 7, 2015 70th General Assembly Adjourns - Wednesday May 6, 2015

The 2014 election carries a unique importance as the nation nears the end of a two-term Democratically-controlled White House. Political pundits are carefully monitoring Colorado’s public opinions in an effort to gauge the direction of the 2016 Federal campaigns. Democratic incumbents Governor John Hickenlooper (Denver) and Lieutenant Governor Joe Garcia (Pueblo) are seeking election for their final term. The state Senate elections are particularly notable this year given the slim one-vote majority currently held by Democrats. Predictions on the outcome of the Senate elections remain mixed. A large number of House incumbents are seeking reelection and the Democrats are expected to retain their majority in 2015. Colorado seats up for election

• Governor & Lt. Governor • Secretary of State, Attorney General, Treasurer • 65 State House of Representatives • 18 State Senate • State Board of Education - Congressional Districts 1, 3, & 7 • 7 Federal Congress & 1 Federal Senate

Colorado House of Representatives & Senate During the 2014 legislative session, the Senate was comprised of 18 Democrats and 17 Republicans. The margin was larger in the House with 37 Democrats and 28 Republicans. The likelihood of Democrats maintaining control of the 2015 House majority is illustrated by the significant number of unchallenged races. In contrast, only 5 Senate seats are uncontested and they are all held by Republicans. Breakdown of state legislative races

• 48 House incumbents (31 D / 17 R) are seeking reelection. • 12 Senate incumbents (6 D / 6 R) are seeking reelection.

• 33 of the 65 House seats (20 D /13 R) are single-candidate

races. • 5 of the 18 Senate seats (0 D / 5 R) are single-candidate

races. 18 House seats and 6 Senate seats are open due to term limits or resignations. 1 LPS legislator is term-limited in 2014:

• Spencer Swalm (R - Arapahoe Co.)

2014 Education-Related Ballot Initiatives

Ballots will be mailed to voters beginning October 14, 2014. Amendment 68: Horse Racetrack Limited Gaming Proceeds for K-12 Education • To increase funding for K-12 education

by creating a new revenue source from limited gaming at Class B horse racetracks located in Arapahoe, Pueblo and Mesa Counties.

• To legalize limited gaming at horse racetracks to the extent that it is currently legal in the cities of Blackhawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek.

Proposition 104: School Board Open Meetings • For purposes of school board meeting

transparency, defining a "local public body" as including members of a board of education or school administration personnel who are involved in a meeting concerning a collective bargaining agreement.

• Specifies that meetings of the members of a board of education of a school district during which collective bargaining negotiations or employment contract negotiations take place are meetings open to the public.

Colorado General Election September 2014

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2014 Interim Committees Wo

Standardized Assessments CO Department of Education Assessments Study In response to study feedback, CDE is considering three potential changes to state assessment systems:

1. Phase-in of online assessments: Potential paper option for Math and 3rd grade English. 2. Shorter assessments: Potential decrease in PARCC English language arts assessment length.

This requires a vote of approval by the State Board. 3. Clearer, simplified test administration procedures: Requested changes are currently being

integrated into procedures for the Spring 2015 administration.

During their September meeting, several members of the State Board emphasized their commitment to moving Colorado away from the PARCC tests. The Board also explored other options, including:

§ Pathways for use of local assessments in state’s assessment system § Analysis of moving to Federal minimum standards for assessments (Math, English & Science) § Investigate the use of assessments and alternate measurements of performance in high school.

HB14-1202 Standards & Assessments Task Force A 15-member task force comprised of education stakeholders was authorized by HB14-1202 to study state and local student assessment systems. The group will address curriculum, the cost of implementing assessments, timelines, and how those interface with educator evaluation and district accountability measures and develop legislative recommendations by Jan. 2015. Three subgroups were formed at the August meeting to investigate 1) State Assessments, 2) Local Assessments and 3) System Considerations. In September the group will discuss the critical question “What does an effective state assessment system include?”. Education Interim Committees HB14-1382 Online Education Task Force The Colorado Commissioner of Education Robert Hammond has selected a group of online education experts to assist CDE in designing pilot programs to explore initiatives related to online education. Meetings began in late August. The pilot programs must address the following:

§ Multiple student achievement measures, including Colorado Academic Standards, as indicators of school quality.

§ Examining alternate student-count processes, including the Average Daily Membership method. § Tiered intervention methods to support students’ academic, social-emotional, and behavioral

needs. § Identify and explain the required responsibilities for student success in online programs.

Early Childhood & School Readiness Legislative Commission (ECSR) The ECSR Commission was created by HB09-1343 to examine early childhood issues related to school readiness, health care, mental health, parental involvement, family support, child-care, and early learning.

September 2014

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Potential Legislation * Interim committees are required to submit bill titles by Oct. 15th. * Legislators are required to submit bill titles by Dec. 1st. School Violence & Incident Reporting Rep. Polly Lawrence (R, Douglas/Teller Co.) Education and law enforcement stakeholders met with Rep. Lawrence to discuss potential legislation regarding the alignment of school violence reporting by districts and law enforcement. Rep. Lawrence identified the following possible bill components: • Modifying how school administrators use and interpret school violence reporting requirements. • Potential streamlining reporting requirements and processes. • Need for additional reporting categories (i.e. sexual assault, bullying, etc.) to avoid over-use of the

"other" category. • Evaluate the possibility of CDE producing an annual report that uses both school and CDPS data. • Determine any monetary resources CDE requires to modify school violence reporting. • No new reporting requirements for school districts.

American Indian School Mascots Rep. Joe Salazar (D, Adams Co.) Requires the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs to approve the use any American Indian-themed mascot by a public school. State funding support would be suspended for any non-approved schools. Full Day Kindergarten Funding Rep. Jim Wilson (R, Salida) Increases total program funding under the School Finance Act for full-day kindergarten programs from 0.58 per pupil to 1.0. Representative Wilson introduced an identical measure last session, HB14-1212, that was ultimately killed due to lack of available funding. The fiscal note for HB14-1212 estimated FY2015-16 total program expenditures would increase (including inflation) to “about $182 million”. The Early Childhood & School Readiness (ECSR) Legislative Commission discussed and voted against recommending Representative Jim Wilson’s proposed bill draft. School districts noted issues with lack of classroom space and the high cost associated with expanding these programs statewide. Also noted was the issue of duplicative funding for the districts that already offer and locally fund full-day kindergarten programs. Early Childhood Education Senators Nancy Todd (D, Arapahoe Co.) and John Kefalas (D, Ft. Collins) have expressed interest in drafting legislation to provide training and resources for school principals to evaluate pre-k educators. Commission Chair Representative Brittany Pettersen (D, JeffCo) intends to introduce legislation to increase funding for the Colorado Preschool Program. The ECSR Commission may endorse up to 5 bills each session and will vote to endorse working group recommendations on September 22nd. The ‘Quality of Early Childhood Workforce’ group recommended two concepts involving education for 2015 legislation:

1. Create a refundable tax credit for child care providers to include teachers, directors, and family child care providers. All programs must serve CCCAP children.

2. Creation of a statewide scholarship fund to improve the postsecondary education levels of the early childhood workforce.

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Beginning in Summer 2015, Colorado school districts are required to adopt a set of guidelines for

high school graduation that “meet or exceed” minimum standards adopted by the State Board.

2014 • Working groups products circulate and conclude in late Fall.

2014-2015 • School districts and local boards review guidelines.

• Identify current activities, progress and policies already aligned with guidelines.

2015-2016 Local board adoption of graduation guidelines criteria.

District implementation of graduation guidelines begins.

2016-2017 • District implementation continues.

2017-2018 • District implementation continues.

2018-2019 • District implementation continues.

• Refine implementation to assess strengths and areas for improvement.

2019-2020 • Implementation refinements continue.

2020-2021 First high school graduating class under full implementation of the Colorado Graduation Guidelines.

Stacey M. Lestina Colorado Consulting Stacey@ColoradoConsulting.org P 303-241-6670

Michael L. Beasley 5280 Strategies Mike@5280Strategies.com P 303-916-0579

DISTRICT LOBBYIST INFORMATION

Graduation Guidelines Update September 2014

Working groups are concluding

The following 7 topic-specific working groups met from Summer 2013 to Fall 2014 to develop statewide recommendations for graduation guidelines (required by HB07-1118). 58 school districts and 19 organizations have participated in the working groups. • Capstone • Individual Career & Academic Plan

(ICAP) • 21st Century Skills • Industry Certificate • Unique / Special Populations • Assessment • Postsecondary & Workforce

Readiness (PWR) Endorsed Diploma

• Licensed School Counselor State Standards

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