Monday Churn: ASSET delay

What’s churning:

Updated 7:45 a.m. – A planned vote has been delayed on the bill that would allow state colleges to charge lower tuition for undocumented students.

Lynea Hansen, spokeswoman for the Colorado ASSET campaign, said the vote was being delayed because of some expected absences.

Senate Bill 12-015 won a 20-13 preliminary vote in the Democratic-controlled Senate on Feb. 10. But supporters have been delaying a final vote so they could build additional outside support, especially from college and university boards, to put pressure on the House Republican leadership. The bill is expected to pass on a final vote in the Senate.

Prime sponsor Sen. Mike Johnston, D-Denver, hopes the bill will at least get out of a House committee and make it to the floor.

The bill would create a new level of tuition at state colleges and universities for undocumented students, an amount higher than resident tuition but below out-of-state rates, which is what undocumented students have to pay now even if they live in Colorado. The measure would apply to students who have attended a Colorado high school for three years prior to graduation and who apply for legal status. Individual colleges can decide whether to offer the special rate.

The ASSET bill is supported by a wide variety of civic and education groups (see list). Most legislative Republicans oppose it, arguing that it would reward illegal behavior and wouldn’t be fair to students who earn a college degree but couldn’t legally work after graduation.

What’s on tap:

Check here for this week’s full legislative calendar.

TUESDAY

The Aurora school board meets at 6 p.m. in the Mt. Massive Room of the Professional Learning and Conference Center, 15771 E. First Ave. Agenda items include a discussion of the district’s Rebounds, Futures and Options programs.

Douglas County’s school board meeting originally set for this date has been canceled and re-scheduled for April 10.

WEDNESDAY

Adams 12 Five Star board members are scheduled to meet; no agenda has been posted.

The Colorado Legacy Foundation holds it annual luncheon, including a discussion on “Reversing the Childhood Obesity Epidemic” by Dr. James Marks, director of the Health Group at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. More info.

THURSDAY

The Colorado Commission on Higher Education meets at 2:30 p.m. at the State Capitol in the Old Supreme Court Chambers.

The Jefferson County school board meets at 6 p.m. at the Education Center, 1829 Denver West Drive, Bldg. 27, Golden, in the board room on the fifth floor. Agenda items include a discussion of the recent student survey, a vote on the district’s unified improvement plan to be submitted to the Colorado Department of Education and a vote on the 2012-13 calendar, shortened for budget reasons.

Good reads from elsewhere:

Flipping classes: Two rural Colorado teachers are credited with beginning the increasingly popular “flipped classroom” model, allowing students to access their teacher’s lectures 24/7 via the Internet, according to this article in The Arizona Republic.

Innovation schools: Seattle’s school district is considering adopting an innovation schools model much like Colorado’s, except 80 percent of teachers would have to agree to the innovation plan. In an editorial, the Seattle Times points out Colorado requires only 60 percent buy-in and argues 80 percent is too high.

The EdNews’ Churn is a daily roundup of briefs, notes and meetings in the world of Colorado education. To submit an item for consideration in this listing, please email us at EdNews@EdNewsColorado.org.