Transcript Highlights:

• institutions to Document educational institutions to Document program<00:56:57.440> participant
• and higher education.
• the<03:44:00.720> Arts<03:44:00.960> the program the science program the Arts the program
• So at that time, where we've gone with some of the education choice programs since a lot farther, but
• in the program.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard HB 659, which would establish the New Hampshire College Graduate Retention Incentive Program. A Department of Revenue Administration analyst explained technical issues in the bill, focusing on whether the incentive is intended to operate as a rebate or a tax credit, how it would be administered, and how it would interact with the business enterprise tax and business profits tax. She said the bill’s language was unclear on the administering agency, effective tax years, caps, and carry-forward treatment, and noted that reducing BET can also reduce the BET credit against BPT, though not on a one-for-one basis. Committee members asked follow-up questions about the BET/BPT interaction, administrative costs, and whether the Department of Business and Economic Affairs would need additional staffing. Andrew Horn then testified in support, saying the bill is meant to address the large number of New Hampshire college graduates who leave the state after graduation by encouraging them to stay and by incentivizing businesses to hire them. The chair closed the hearing on HB 659 after no further public testimony. The committee then took up HB 770, a bill to establish a program allowing New Hampshire high school students to earn tuition credits at state higher education institutions through community service. Representative Schultz described the bill as a “triple play” intended to increase volunteerism, expand service and internship opportunities for students, and make college more affordable. Ryan Casey, a junior at Bishop Brady High School, testified that the proposal would help students reduce future loan debt while benefiting communities and encouraging young people to attend college in New Hampshire. Committee members asked about eligibility, including why private and preparatory school students were excluded, whether public school students would qualify, whether mandatory service hours would count, and how the bill’s references to education and business eligibility should be read. Schultz said the exclusion of private and prep schools was intended because public school students are more clearly New Hampshire residents, and she noted that mandatory school service hours had been excluded in revisions. The Department of Education then testified that the program would require significant administration, estimating at least three full-time staff, software or tracking systems, and rulemaking to oversee volunteer sites, schools, student eligibility, and tuition credit distribution. No vote was taken in the excerpt, and the hearing remained in testimony phase.

Transcript Highlights:

• relating to educational scholarship programs.
• Today, the Florida Education Finance Program—he sent me a fan—has been overtaken by change.
• And that number will follow them so long as they're part of the Florida Education Finance Program.
• to educate them in.
• Now, she may have definitions about it that lead to, you know, structural programs or building programs

Summary: The committee first heard the proposed Pre-K-12 education budget for fiscal year 2025-26, totaling $34.7 billion. The chair highlighted major increases for the FEFP, including $29.6 billion for public schools and K-12 scholarships, a $984 million year-over-year increase, along with higher per-FTE funding, $4 billion for the Family Empowerment Scholarship, $431.4 million for VPK, funding for school safety, the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, school hardening, Jewish day school security, and an education enrollment stabilization fund. With no public comment, the committee adopted a motion for staff technical corrections and then approved the budget proposal as a recommendation to the full Senate Appropriations Committee. The committee then considered SB 1402 on dropout retrieval programs. The bill expands eligibility so any individual who has withdrawn from high school may enroll in dropout retrieval services and clarifies how school grades are calculated for virtual instruction providers that offer those services. An amendment clarifying the grading calculation was adopted, and the committee reported the bill favorably. Next, the committee took up SPB 7030 on educational scholarship programs, a broad measure addressing school choice funding and administration. The bill would fund the Family Empowerment Scholarship as a separate categorical, expand the education stabilization fund, create fall and spring application windows, require a single scholarship application and more documentation, assign student IDs, standardize payment timing to monthly installments, require continued eligibility verification, and add Level 2 background checks for providers receiving state funds. Members raised questions about background-check enforcement, payment timing, data sharing, and the impact on homeschool and private-school families. Public testimony included support from school-choice advocates and concerns from private-school representatives about added regulatory burdens and deadlines. The committee adopted the bill as a committee bill and reported it favorably, with Senator Osgood voting no. Finally, the committee considered SB 508 on the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program, which requires private schools to disclose in writing what accommodations, modifications, and services they will provide to students with existing plans such as IEPs, EEPs, 504 plans, or ELL plans before enrollment. An amendment was adopted to require public schools to consult with private schools about equitable services. Testimony was mixed: supporters said the bill would give parents needed information for informed choice, while private-school representatives said the language could be burdensome and vague. The committee reported the bill favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• content and programs. content and programs.
• It's a two plus two program where they can earn their associates in early childhood education at Navajo
• Tech close to home. program where they can earn their associates in early childhood education at Navajo
• program in your school?
• And so, as I mentioned, like NTU, in addition to doing the early childhood education two plus two program

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• another program?
• The student-to-faculty ratio in a program versus another program?
• policy, an understanding of educational finances, an understanding of education law.
• policy, an understanding of educational finances, an understanding of education law.
• an understanding of education law. an understanding of education law.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met to review the annual report on collaboration between the University System of New Hampshire and the Community College System of New Hampshire, and the meeting began with approval of the prior minutes and a gubernatorial proclamation recognizing the community college system’s 80th anniversary. Both chancellors praised the proclamation and described the report as a statutory follow-up to the public higher education task force. They said the two systems have built a close working relationship and that the collaboration is intended to continue, though progress may be limited by resources and staffing changes. Much of the discussion focused on transfer pathways and new academic models. The chancellors said House Bill 1530 helped drive the creation of more than 100, and possibly about 130, “universal pathways” between the systems, with a reported 30% increase in community college associate-degree graduates transferring to the university system in the last academic year. They also discussed direct-admit outreach for community college graduates, early college and CTE-to-workforce pathways, and the development of three-year bachelor’s programs at Plymouth State and in some health-care fields. Members asked about nursing, allied dental health, and radiologic technology, and the chancellors said they are exploring whether some programs can be streamlined, while noting that nursing’s requirements may limit how short a pathway can be. Members also raised concerns about whether transfer pathways could affect university enrollment, but the university chancellor said declining enrollment is more likely due to a smaller pool of college-age students and broader competition, not the transfer programs. Another topic was the ERP/technology platform recommendation from the task force: the university system is moving to Workday, while the community college system is working to align business practices and move from an on-premises system to a cloud-based solution. Officials said a shared enterprise system could create efficiencies in the future, but it is not expected in the short term; student-facing tools like Canvas are already shared. The committee also discussed House Bill 112, which would require passing a civics test for graduation, and the chancellors said they support civic education but see implementation challenges. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the minutes and receiving the report.

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 5 expands the adult basic education program approval term from five to six years.
• It makes the program permanent and it's a program that allows qualifying education support personnel
• and applied learning program.
• from a department program.
• Programs (IEPs).

Bills: HF1306

Keywords: education, school policy, teacher training, student health, emergency response

Transcript Highlights:

• It's unusual in the country to have so many educators sitting on the education committees making education
• I became an educator because of an educator. My goodness.
• There should have been one to two years of training in both of those programs for every single educator
• programs.
• I mean, you build programs in education from the top down.

Transcript Highlights:

• So in terms of that's what the resources are for the basic education program.
• So in terms of that's what the resources are for the basic education program, the actual CTE grants for
• programs.
• programs.
• programs.

Keywords: 996, all

Summary: The meeting began as an informal education budget work group focused on reviewing a revised House Appropriations and Finance Committee scenario and flagging concerns rather than taking votes. Staff outlined the main changes from the LFC recommendation, including moving the statewide student information system appropriation, adding funding for the Black, Bilingual, Multicultural and Hispanic Education Act, universal school meals overrun costs, an evidence-based CTE pilot with a 50% local match, STEM network funding, wellness room pilots, Martinez-Yazzie action plan items, and changes to innovation zone and out-of-school time appropriations. A separate handout on the seven-year CTE pilot explained spending patterns, reversions, and possible federal maintenance-of-effort concerns if the state continues funding beyond a true pilot. Members then debated CTE extensively, with several arguing it improves attendance, graduation, and career readiness and should be sustained or expanded, especially in rural areas, while staff and others emphasized that much of the current funding has gone to general operational costs rather than intentional program design and that regional or matched funding models may be more effective. Members also discussed STEM and math initiatives, the need for more industry involvement, and whether the proposed match requirements would be too burdensome for smaller districts and BIE schools. The discussion also covered the Black, Hispanic, and Multilingual Education Acts and the Martinez-Yazzie lawsuit. Some members stressed that the acts should be explicitly named in the budget language and not merely implied, while staff said the scenario reaffirms prior commitments by building the costs into agency operating budgets. Members raised concerns about charter school hold-harmless funding, declining enrollment, and the need to align spending with the needs of at-risk students. The work group ended the education portion without any votes, with staff noting they would incorporate the feedback and return with clarifications, including on CTE funding, the educational acts, and the charter hold-harmless item. The meeting then shifted to the child well-being and early childhood work group, where staff presented a revised Early Childhood Education and Care Department scenario. The proposal moved money toward child care assistance and early pre-K, kept the FIT program funding level unchanged, and used a mix of trust fund, TANF, federal, and operating-budget adjustments to close part of the gap between the executive and LFC recommendations. Members questioned the policy direction, especially the shift toward infant and toddler care and pre-K expansion, the impact on school-age child care, and the implications for continuity of care and provider costs. Staff explained that the scenario prioritizes younger children and at-risk families, includes language for a wage and career ladder, and would require legislation to raise the early childhood trust fund distribution cap from 500 to 525. Members also discussed a separate proposed CYFD pilot bill (HB 65), which would be distinct from ECECD funding. No votes were taken, and staff said they would return with more cost information on full pre-K plus wraparound care. A final work group reviewed C2 and Department of Information Technology-related appropriations. Staff compared the LFC and executive recommendations for new funding and reauthorizations, noting that the LFC generally limited new projects while the executive funded more. Members discussed several IT modernization requests, including the Secretary of State’s voter registration and election management systems, the Spaceport Authority, Game and Fish, the State Engineer’s WATERS system, ECECD’s FitKids and EPIC replacement discovery, and Aging and Long-Term Services’ enterprise system modernization. The main themes were whether to fund planning versus full replacement, how to avoid piecemeal spending, and whether new systems should wait for incoming leadership. The Secretary of State’s office said its system is nearing end of life and the planning funds would help prepare a realistic replacement request, while other agencies described aging infrastructure, cybersecurity risks, and the need for modernization. The work group did not vote on any of the items and ended with staff noting additional follow-up on funding needs and reauthorization details.

Transcript Highlights:

• PROGRAM PLACEMENT, HAS SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES, AND ALLOWS MILITARY CHILDREN PLACEMENT FLEXIBILITY
• Holcomb: I LOVE THIS PROGRAM.
• WHAT OTHER FUTURE INITIATIVES OR PROGRAMS ARE BEING CONSIDERED TO ADDRESS THE EDUCATIONAL NEED OF THOSE
• YOUR PROGRAM, WHEN THE CHILDREN GET INTO THE PROGRAM IN A NEW SCHOOL, COMMUNITY, OR STATE YOUR PROGRAM
• THE PROGRAM FOCUSES ON COACHING NEW EDUCATORS AND THEN TOURING TEACHERS WHO HAVE COME THROUGH THE MILITARY

Transcript Highlights:

• The counseling program and the psychology program at Highlands...
• Our programs are clinical psychology... Programs. It's an on-campus program here in Las Vegas.
• Department of Education. So, what funding is distributed for this type of program?
• Beyond participating in the program, the program has grown.
• Programming that Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• teacher credentialing program, and the pathways to bilingual teaching program.
• program capacity.
• And I think our education chair and our education budget sub-chair and our education staff that's here
• We're continuing our investments in our early childhood education programs, not just those programs,
• workforce and higher education.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So the quality of the teacher education program shapes the quality of its graduates.
• programs compared to the least successful education programs.
• The program is a...
• They have their master's in elementary education. It's a K-8 program.
• They have their master's in elementary education. It's a K-8 program.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Education Committee began with a lengthy presentation from Dr. Victoria Dyson Homer on the Arizona Teacher Residency Program. She argued that Arizona faces a teacher shortage and high attrition, with many teachers uncertified or leaving early, and said research shows high-quality, practice-based residencies improve retention, teacher confidence, and student outcomes. She compared Arizona with Texas, described Arizona Teacher Residency’s structure as a year-long apprenticeship paired with coursework and mentorship, and said the program’s early data show strong retention and positive student feedback. Committee members asked about how the residency differs from traditional student teaching, its master’s-degree structure, and whether it should influence broader teacher-preparation and salary policies. The committee then heard and debated SCR 1006, a ballot referral dealing with school restroom and pronoun policies. The measure would require schools to provide reasonable accommodations for students unwilling or unable to use sex-designated multi-occupancy restrooms or sleeping quarters, and would bar school employees from using pronouns or names inconsistent with a student’s biological sex without written parental permission. The sponsor framed it as a parental-rights and student-safety measure, while opponents from education, civil liberties, and mental health backgrounds called it discriminatory, unnecessary, and harmful to transgender and non-binary students. After public testimony and member debate, the committee approved SCR 1006 on a 7-5 vote. The committee also considered SB 1126, which would require schools to provide certain student records and related information to Department of Child Safety caseworkers during abuse or neglect investigations and would prohibit schools from blocking staff from speaking directly with DCS. DCS testified neutrally, saying the bill could help resolve delays and improve information sharing, while members raised FERPA and guardianship concerns. The bill passed 10-0 with two members present. Finally, the committee took up SB 1210, which requires certain out-of-state private postsecondary institutions offering fully online programs to Arizona residents to register with the state’s private postsecondary regulator and comply with tuition recovery fund requirements unless covered by reciprocity. Supporters said the bill closes a regulatory loophole and protects students financially; it passed 11-1. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• >> THE PRECURSORS TO THE UNIQUE ABILITIES PROGRAM WENT ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE ELS A PROGRAM.
• REMAIN ACTIVE IN THE PROGRAM.
• BILLION FOR THE FES PROGRAM.
• ENROLLMENT STABILIZATION PROGRAM.
• IT'S THE SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAM.

Transcript Highlights:

• We know it's a huge expense in our education programming, and what are we going to do about it?
• of programs related to special<00:06:55.120> education<00:06:55.960> aid/<00:06:56.960
• to participate in the educating to participate in the educating education<01:09:49.440> program
• So I mean I think education program.
• Services are both part of the special education aid program.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee met to begin work on HB 742, which would require catastrophic special education aid to be drawn from the education trust fund, and more broadly to study special education aid/differentiated aid and related costing issues. The chair said the group was starting early because the issue has been debated for years without resolution, local districts are being forced to absorb prorated costs, and the committee wants to send the Department of Education and HHS Medicaid a clear request for data and recommendations before retained bills return in the fall. A committee clerk was also selected, with Representative Reverend volunteering to take notes for the meeting. Members reviewed background materials on special education enrollment, high-cost students, and possible funding formulas, including data on students in high-cost brackets and prior ideas such as category-based funding and caseload-based approaches. The chair also referenced research on other states, including Arkansas, which uses a different special education funding structure and audits IEPs. The committee emphasized that it was focused on the funding mechanics and costs, not on questioning whether services should be provided. Henry Lipman of HHS explained how Medicaid-to-schools currently works in New Hampshire. He said 172 school districts participate, but utilization dropped during the pandemic and remains below historical levels, in part because districts need the capacity to bill Medicaid. Under the current system, schools receive reimbursement based on half of the Medicaid fee schedule, with the school district effectively providing the state share. He said the federal government is requiring a shift by July 1, 2026, to a true certified public expenditure model based on actual costs, which should allow schools to recover 50% of their true costs and some administrative overhead. The department has received a roughly $2.5 million grant to hire a vendor and support districts through the transition, and an RFP and stakeholder meetings are underway. Committee members asked about how costs would be determined, whether the new system would use actual district-specific costs rather than averages, and how the department would support districts that do not currently participate. Lipman said the cost model would be based on each district’s own reasonable costs, subject to audit standards, and that the department expects to provide templates and technical assistance through the vendor because its staff is limited. He also said about one in four New Hampshire children are enrolled in Medicaid, that child enrollment has been relatively stable, and that continuous coverage rules should reduce churn. No votes or formal actions on HB 742 were taken during the meeting beyond organizing the subcommittee and beginning testimony and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's been redirected into mandates and categorical programs. education funding has lost about 20% of
• like education savings accounts and their results over time, including how these programs have demonstrated
• So voucher programs and education savings account programs are often framed in terms of how they will
• c> education So voucher programs and education So voucher programs and education savings<01:31:39.160
• Then in my junior year, I was passed the state education saving program.

Bills: HF3493, HF4114

Keywords: safe schools, charter schools, nonpublic schools, Tribal education, funding increase, special education, funding, education finance, appropriations, budget, cross subsidy

Transcript Highlights:

• The educators aren't doing a good job.
• It sounds like a good program. Yes.
• One key way has been through Gloucester education foundations or local education fund, but there have
• We save the students' educations.
• , that in this state actually school, one library program or two library programs, that in this state

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education heard testimony on several bills centered on school accountability, receivership, graduation requirements, charter school access, community schools, school libraries, and student voting rights. Much of the discussion focused on the Thrive Act, S. 374, which would end state receivership and change the state’s accountability approach. Supporters, including educators, parents, advocacy groups, and students, argued that receivership has not improved outcomes in districts such as Lawrence, Holyoke, Southbridge, Boston, and the Dever, and that local communities should have more control, with greater emphasis on community schools, wraparound services, and broader measures of school quality. They also supported related bills on community schools and school library standards, and several witnesses backed a bill to expand student representative voting rights on school committees. Opponents of S. 374, especially charter school leaders, parents, students, and some education advocates, focused on Section 4 of the bill, which would change the charter school net school spending cap in the lowest-performing districts. They argued that the provision would reduce access to charter seats in communities where families are seeking more options, and that schools such as Roxbury Prep, Excel Academy, Brook, Veritas Prep, and Libertas Academy have produced strong results for students, including students of color, low-income students, and students with special needs. Several witnesses said the section would force schools to shrink or close and would remove opportunities for families in districts with long waitlists. Committee members questioned witnesses on both the effectiveness of receivership and the charter school cap language. Chair Lewis and Chair Gordon emphasized the need for a better accountability system and noted concerns about whether current measures, including MCAS-based designations, accurately reflect school quality. Some witnesses said they had discussed the possibility of removing Section 4 from the Thrive Act and suggested it might be addressed in separate charter reform legislation. No votes were taken during the hearing; testimony was received and the committee later closed testimony on S. 374 and several related bills before moving on to the student voting rights bill, S. 367.

Transcript Highlights:

• , entry-level driver training programs, transportation, distribution, and logistical programs.
• programming on Tuesday.
• programs provide for adolescent literacy, to provide requirements of the Department of Education, public
• assign early childhood education identification numbers to children enrolled in certain programs, to
• assign early childhood education identification numbers to children enrolled in certain programs, to

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• relating to educational scholarship programs.
• to educational scholarship programs.
• Today, the Florida Education Finance Program—he sent me a fan—has been overtaken by change.
• And that number will follow them so long as they're part of the Florida Education Finance Program.
• to educate them in.

Summary: The committee first heard the Pre-K-12 education budget proposal for fiscal year 2025-26 and voted to adopt it as the committee’s recommendation to the full Senate Appropriations Committee. The proposed $34.7 billion budget includes increases for the FEFP, Family Empowerment Scholarships, VPK, school safety, the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, school hardening, Jewish day school security, and an education enrollment stabilization fund. Members asked no questions on the budget before it was advanced, and staff was authorized to make technical corrections. The committee then passed CS/SB 1402, which expands eligibility for dropout retrieval services to any individual who has withdrawn from high school and clarifies how school grades are calculated for virtual instruction providers that offer only dropout retrieval services. An amendment to clarify the grading calculation was adopted without objection, and the bill was reported favorably after a roll call vote. The committee also took up SPB 7030, a comprehensive scholarship-program bill sponsored by Senator Gates, which would separate Family Empowerment Scholarship funding as its own categorical, expand the education stabilization fund, create fall and spring application windows, require a single scholarship application and more documentation, assign student IDs, change payments to a monthly schedule, require background checks for paid instructional providers, mandate annual FTE audits by the Auditor General, and standardize reimbursement and eligibility procedures. After extensive discussion and public testimony, the bill was adopted as a committee bill and reported favorably, with Senator Osgood voting no. Finally, the committee considered CS/SB 508, which requires private schools participating in the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program to disclose in writing what accommodations, modifications, and services they will provide for students with existing plans such as IEPs, 504 plans, or ELL plans. An amendment was adopted to require public schools to consult with private schools about equitable services, and the bill was reported favorably. Public testimony included support from parent-choice advocates and concerns from private-school representatives about administrative burden and the scope of the required disclosures. The meeting concluded after the final roll call votes and adjournment motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Funding this program will enable these schools to educate hundreds of these students and provide working
• Funding this program will enable these schools to educate hundreds of these students and provide working
• Funding this program will enable these schools to educate hundreds of these students and provide working
• So a lot of programs that are inclusive postsecondary education programs, students are auditing the class
• So a lot of programs that are inclusive postsecondary education programs, students are auditing the class

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As part of our review of the programs and the base budget, we have asked the Department of Education
• Collectively, these programs total $16 million in the Pre-K-12 education budget.
• Now, you know in education, we love our acronyms, and so you may hear me say our RAISE program.
• The Consortium of the Florida Education Foundations is the administrator of this program.
• Because then the Florida Education Finance Program becomes a kind of a trip through the Oki-Fanokey.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met with a quorum and first heard a Department of Education program review on three district support programs: assistance to low-performing schools, the Florida Partnership program, and regional literacy teams (RAISE). Dr. Paul Burns described how the Bureau of School Improvement supports schools with D/F grades through regional teams, classroom observations, professional learning, and targeted funding, noting that 104 of 168 low-performing schools improved after 2022-23 and that the share of failing schools fell from 6% to 4%. He also outlined the Florida Partnership’s $4 million annual appropriation for advanced-course teacher training and student access, and the RAISE literacy program’s $5 million funding, universal/targeted/intensive supports, and progress monitoring results. Senators asked about rural participation, post-COVID reading data, parent support, and how long schools remain under monitoring after improving; Burns said rural districts can participate statewide, parents can access school and department support, and schools continue to receive monitoring after exiting low-performing status to prevent recidivism. The committee then received a presentation on the school district education foundation matching grants program from Suzanne Pridgen, who explained that the Consortium of the Florida Education Foundations administers the grants, which require private matching funds and support tutoring, literacy, STEM, career education, professional learning, books, and supplies. She said the program leverages about $1.44 in private support for every state dollar. The committee then moved to the regional education consortia, where representatives from PAEC, NEFEC, and Heartland, along with several rural superintendents, described the consortia as member-led organizations that provide economies of scale, professional learning, HR, risk management, purchasing, legal and operational support, crisis assistance, and leadership development for small and fiscally constrained districts. Superintendents from Lafayette, Holmes, Calhoun, Union, DeSoto, and Hendry counties testified that the consortia are essential because rural districts often have very small staffs, multiple-duty administrators, and limited in-house expertise. They cited support with insurance and hurricane recovery, training for new finance and HR staff, instructional coaching, CTE and leadership programs, and help with turnaround schools. Members emphasized that these districts can be high-performing despite limited resources, and several senators praised the consortia’s value. Senator Gaetz asked about additional back-office collaboration, possible regulatory relief, and FEFP issues tied to scholarship-related enrollment swings; rural superintendents responded that more local control would help. The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn, which was adopted without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• Getting those kids the opportunity, because this is a voluntary program, to go to one of those educational
• Getting those kids the opportunity, because this is a voluntary program, to go to one of those educational
• 00:46:13.440> expansion<00:46:13.920> program program, our our prek expansion program program
• <00:47:16.800> programs<00:47:17.280> will childhood education programs will childhood
• education programs will provide<00:47:17.839> a<00:47:18.079> 13%<00:47:18.800> return

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee met without a quorum and first heard from Kentucky Department of Education officials on career and technical education funding. KDE explained that House Bill 499 created a CTE funding formula using 60% weighted full-time equivalent enrollment and 40% incentives, but House Bill 6’s budget language excluded area technology centers (ATCs) from that supplemental funding. KDE requested approval of an additional budget request of $14,789,352 in each fiscal year 2027 and 2028 to include ATCs in the formula and hold local districts harmless. Officials said ATCs serve students from 117 of Kentucky’s 171 districts and argued the change would reduce funding disparities and better reflect the return on investment from CTE programs, citing growth in dual credit and work-based learning participation. Members asked whether the issue would need to be revisited each budget cycle. KDE responded that the problem could be fixed by removing the notwithstanding language from the budget bill, which they said would allow ATCs to be included under the existing statute. Representative Klein supported the request, saying the current clause could lead to stagnation and that the committee should help the program continue to grow. No vote was taken on the CTE item during the portion of the meeting provided. The committee then heard a presentation from PreK for All on expanding preschool access in Kentucky. Advocates said the state’s preschool program has been funded since 1990 and currently serves about 14,200 children at roughly $84 million per year, but that many working families still fall into a coverage gap. They proposed expanding eligibility to 250% of the federal poverty line, which they said would add about 9,600 children at a cost of $40 million in year two, after a planning year. The proposal also included regulatory flexibility for classrooms and partnerships with private child care providers and nonprofits, with speakers emphasizing child care deserts in some counties and citing research that early learning improves kindergarten readiness and later outcomes. No action or vote was taken on the preschool proposal in the transcript provided.