Transcript Highlights:

• We're also seeking $3 million to continue ESL literacy instruction programming.
• We're also seeking $3 million to continue ESL literacy instruction programming.
• These areas have the second-lowest literacy rates in California and high poverty.
• These areas have the second-lowest literacy rates in California and high poverty.
• I am a librarian and I volunteer as a one-on-one literacy coach with Sonoma County Library Adult Literacy

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chief Shainer replied that it is focused on early K-3 literacy instruction.
• And what this bill does is it literacy.
• And so the uh K3 literacy instruction.
• . literacy and um again provide sort of literacy and um again provide sort of those<00:03:38.159><c>
• Wyoming is the only state in the nation without a literacy department.

Bills: HB0111, HB0112, HB0122

Keywords: capital construction, state funding, Wyoming, major maintenance, community colleges, task force, legislative services, budget appropriation, unexpended funds, sunset clause, healthcare, rural health, transformation program, funding, incentives, training, access, perpetuity fund, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Literacy.
• I want to say that structured literacy, Letters training, AIM training, and disciplinary literacy in
• literacy have been provided.
• and the structured literacy as possible.
• We're doing our structured literacy.

Transcript Highlights:

• going to do the first one, which is a certificate of recognition for the 40th anniversary of the literacy
• going to do the first one, which is a certificate of recognition for the 40th anniversary of the literacy
• Certificate of recognition for the 40th anniversary of the Literacy Volunteers of Santa Fe.
• When we get done with the introduction of guests, I'll do the certificate for the Literacy Volunteers
• Yeah, literacy is my passion. It's why I ran for office.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Adult and family literacy sits at the heart of meaningful social change. Thank you so much.
• We're also seeking $3 million to continue ESL literacy instruction programming.
• Our library is one of hundreds of libraries statewide offering adult literacy services.
• These areas have the second-lowest literacy rates in California and high poverty.
• I am a librarian and I volunteer as a one-on-one literacy coach with Sonoma County Library Adult Literacy

Summary: The subcommittee opened with remarks on the state budget and K-12 education, noting the large increase in the Proposition 98 minimum guarantee, the use of deferrals and reserves in the prior budget, and the challenge of balancing education funding against other state priorities. Superintendent Tony Thurmond described California education as improving overall, citing gains in test scores, graduation, and college readiness, but said major gaps remain for low-income students, students of color, agricultural communities, English learners, foster youth, and students with disabilities. He praised recent investments in universal meals, transitional kindergarten, community schools, arts, broadband, and special education, while warning that declining enrollment, chronic absenteeism, and the proposed $5.6 billion Prop. 98 settle-up create uncertainty for districts. He also urged a long-term literacy plan, expanded tutoring, universal kindergarten, and continued protections for students and families affected by immigration enforcement, including ICE-related fear and attendance loss. The committee then heard a detailed presentation on Proposition 98 from the Department of Finance and the Legislative Analyst’s Office. Finance explained that the Governor’s budget projects the minimum guarantee will rise by about $21.7 billion over three years, with a $5.6 billion settle-up obligation in 2025-26 intended to avoid overappropriation if revenues weaken. Finance also described revised reserve deposits and withdrawals, ending with about $4.1 billion in the Public School System Stabilization Account by 2026-27. The LAO said recent revenue collections were stronger than expected in the current year but warned that the outlook for 2026-27 is weaker and that stock-market-driven revenues remain volatile. The LAO supported maintaining reserves and one-time spending buffers, but recommended fully funding the guarantee and using other budget solutions rather than shifting the settle-up into future deficits. Members asked about the settle-up process, certification timeline, the effect of attendance declines tied to immigration enforcement, and wildfire-related impacts, including Pasadena Unified’s $4 million special appropriation. On LCFF and necessary small schools, Finance proposed a 2.41% COLA and about $2.2 billion in additional LCFF funding for districts and charters in 2026-27, plus a $30.7 million ongoing increase to raise the necessary small schools allowance by 20%. The LAO supported funding the COLA but said the small-school increase was not tied to a specific cost study and could be redesigned to better target small districts, noting that only a fraction of very small districts would benefit. Questions focused on how small schools access supplemental and concentration grants and how attendance recovery programs are being implemented. The Department of Education said only 130 LEAs had reported attendance recovery so far, likely because it is a new program with compliance requirements, though interest appears to be growing. FICMAT then reviewed the fiscal health of local districts, reporting an uptick in qualified and negative certifications, though still far below Great Recession levels. It said declining enrollment, rising special education costs, and higher labor and insurance costs are the biggest fiscal pressures, and that some districts are using fiscal stabilization plans and staff reductions ahead of second interim reports. FICMAT also discussed wildfire impacts on Pasadena Unified and Los Angeles Unified, explaining that Pasadena’s $4 million state appropriation was based on an early post-fire assessment and that the district is being monitored with the county office of education. Members raised concerns about Pasadena’s leadership, special education staffing shortages, AB 218 sexual abuse litigation costs, insurance premium increases, and the need for stronger prevention and training measures. FICMAT said SB 848 and related policies address some of those concerns by strengthening standards, training, and reporting requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> costs for literacy aid. costs for literacy aid.
• Section 20 renames the literacy incentive aid as literacy aid.
• Section 20 renames the literacy incentive aid as literacy aid.
• Section 20 renames the literacy incentive aid as literacy aid.
• Section 20 renames the literacy incentive aid as literacy aid.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Do I get a gumball or a toy or increased literacy?
• If we look at Mississippi and their model in literacy.
• Structured literacy, same thing that we're doing.
• Chair, Senator Trujillo, we're further in terms of literacy obviously with structured literacy, we frankly
• Structured literacy as an example.

Transcript Highlights:

• Literacy and professional development, etc., but it's not reflected in the budget.
• literacy or lack thereof in our older students?
• We're having a lot of conversation about retention, about literacy, all of these things.
• I think it's looking at literacy is quite important, but as I mentioned the exesX's and.
• Invest literacy just that alone would.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A fourth is strengthening the foundational skill of early literacy through Mass Literacy.
• need for stronger early literacy education.
• Literacy Launch institutes run by the agency.
• literacy launch institutes run by the agency.
• Launch, with $25 million for year three of Literacy Launch to improve early literacy in young learners

Keywords: 1212, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Ways and Means held a hearing in Lawrence focused on the governor’s proposed FY27 education and local aid budget, with opening remarks from co-chairs Senator Pavel Payano and Representative Pat Duffy, local officials, and Lawrence Public Schools Superintendent Ralph Carrero. Lawrence leaders emphasized the city’s high-need student population, the importance of Chapter 70 and Student Opportunity Act funding, and the need for continued support for English learners and other students requiring additional services. Superintendent Carrero highlighted Lawrence High School’s early college, dual degree, career pathway, and early childhood programs, and said the school’s graduation rate is at a decades-high level. Acting Secretary of Education Amy Kershaw outlined the administration’s education priorities, including literacy, universal pre-K, student mental health, school meals, reimagined high school programs, and early education and child care. She said the budget includes more than $50 million for literacy initiatives, $32 million for universal access to high-quality preschool, $17 million for student mental and social-emotional health, and increased funding for school meals. She also pointed to support for the Bright Act and Drive Act, and described the administration’s opposition to federal education cuts and efforts to protect students and families. Commissioner of Higher Education Noe Ortega testified that the FY27 budget continues investments in affordability and access, including free community college, financial aid, early college, dual enrollment, and student success programs. He said enrollment at public colleges has rebounded to near pre-pandemic levels and that the budget expands support for community college, state university, and UMass student success efforts, as well as hunger-free campus grants. Commissioner Pedro Martinez of DESE said the budget totals $9.1 billion for K-12 education, with record funding for Chapter 70, special education circuit breaker, regional aid, transportation, and literacy. He also described a new Accelerating Achievement Initiative aimed at schools serving about 200,000 students, and said the department’s local contribution formula study is expected to have a draft by the end of June. Commissioner Amy Kershaw of Early Education and Care said the budget funds child care and preschool expansion, including C3, child care financial assistance, and CPPI, and restores agency administrative funding. During questions, lawmakers pressed for updates on the local contribution formula and on how to address remaining funding gaps as Student Opportunity Act implementation enters its final year.

Transcript Highlights:

• of high-dosage early literacy tutoring at no cost to families.
• A fourth is strengthening the foundational skill of early literacy through Mass Literacy.
• need for stronger early literacy education.
• Literacy Launch institutes run by the agency.
• Launch, with $25 million for year three of Literacy Launch to improve early literacy and young learners

Summary: The Joint Committee on Ways and Means held a public hearing in Lawrence focused on the governor’s proposed FY27 budget for education and local aid. Opening remarks from Senator Pavel Payano, Representative Pat Duffy, and local leaders emphasized the importance of education funding for Lawrence and other Gateway Cities, with Acting Mayor Giovanni Rodriguez and Superintendent Ralph Carrero highlighting the city’s high-need student population, Chapter 70 and Student Opportunity Act funding, early college and career pathways, and the need for sustained support to close achievement gaps. The Education Secretariat testified in support of the budget, with Acting Secretary Amy Kershaw outlining investments in early literacy, universal pre-K, student mental health, school meals, high school redesign, higher education affordability, and early childhood systems. Commissioner Noi Ortega described higher education proposals including expanded free community college, continued free tuition at public four-year institutions, student success funding, early college and dual enrollment investments, and the Bright Act and Drive Act. Commissioner Pedro Martinez detailed K-12 proposals such as full Student Opportunity Act funding, increased Chapter 70 aid, special education circuit breaker funding, transportation aid, literacy initiatives, and a new Accelerating Achievement Initiative aimed at schools with the greatest needs. Commissioner Kershaw also described early education proposals including funding for C3, child care financial assistance, CPPI, workforce supports, and administrative funding restoration. Committee members questioned the administration about the pending local contribution formula study, the final year of Student Opportunity Act implementation, and the need to address health care and other cost drivers in school funding. Officials said the local contribution report is expected by the end of June and that a draft will be shared for public comment after data analysis is complete. Members also raised concerns about Chapter 70 disparities between districts and urged a broader review of the formula. In response, the commissioners said the Student Opportunity Act narrowed funding gaps but further work is needed, and they pointed to the new achievement initiative, literacy efforts, and early college expansion as ways to improve outcomes. No votes were taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:09:24.800><c> and</c> in students information literacy and in students information literacy and
• ,</c><00:21:04.880><c> digital</c> students information literacy, digital students information literacy
• </c> citizenship, technology, and literacy citizenship, technology, and literacy engagement.<00:21:08.559
• They are the link to true literacy, bridging the gap between decoding words and full literacy skills.
• </c><01:21:17.360><c> That</c> early literacy programming. That early literacy programming.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• On line 124 and digital literacy, so what does that entail?
• Dixon, would you give a very concise definition of digital literacy?
• So we that entails digital literacy.
• 15:07.680><c> for</c> &gt;&gt; And find digital literacy for &gt;&gt; And find digital literacy for &
• literacy? literacy?

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, um, there is with literacy.
• </c><00:50:05.680><c> instruction</c> structured literacy instruction structured literacy instruction
• </c> accompanied by those early literacy accompanied by those early literacy screening<00:50:08.800><
• </c> participating specifically in literacy participating specifically in literacy interventions.<00:
• :52.079><c> including</c> structured literacy programs, including structured literacy programs, including

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 1454 is the next big step to take for our kids on literacy.
• Literacy is life. We represent 2,000.
• My name is Jocelyn Condo with Families for Literacy and I support this bill.
• And center literacy in the work that we get to do as a legislature.
• This is a bill on literacy.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Administrator training includes proven evidence-based literacy strategies.
• AB 1454 is the next big step to take for our kids on literacy.
• On behalf of the Sacramento Literacy Foundation, the Sacramento Literacy Coalition, the 200,000 kids
• Literacy is life.
• This is a bill on literacy, with no other comments from my colleagues.

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee heard AB 84, a charter school accountability measure focused on non-classroom-based charter schools and fraud prevention. The author and supporters said the bill was intended to respond to the A3 charter fraud case and related scandals by strengthening audits, transparency, authorizer oversight, and funding determination rules, while ensuring public education dollars are used for public education. Supporters included FCMAT, CSEA, CTA, and CSBA, who argued the bill would improve oversight and protect taxpayers. Opponents, including the California Charter Schools Association, Green Dot, many charter parents, educators, and charter operators, said the bill was too broad, would impose major new costs and bureaucracy on all charter schools, and could reduce options for families, especially those using flexible, homeschool, or special-needs charter programs. After extensive testimony and committee discussion, the bill passed on a 5-1 vote and was sent to Appropriations, with the item left open for additional votes. The committee then approved a consent calendar of 11 education bills, including AB 542, AB 563, AB 731, AB 753, AB 784, AB 964, AB 988, AB 1034, AB 1233, AB 1255, and AB 1381, all moving to Appropriations. The consent calendar passed unanimously. Later, the committee heard AB 1454, a literacy and reading instruction bill authored by Assembly Members Rubio and Revis. The bill would require the state to create professional development resources for evidence-based literacy instruction, update English language arts and English language development instructional materials, and revise administrator preparation standards to include literacy training. The authors and a broad coalition of supporters, including CTA, EdVoice, Families in Schools, Decoding Dyslexia, school administrators, and parent advocates, described the measure as a compromise aimed at improving reading outcomes and addressing California’s literacy crisis. There was no opposition testimony at the hearing, and members voiced strong support for the bill and its collaborative approach.

Transcript Highlights:

• local literacy plan reporting.
• local literacy plan reporting.
• local literacy plan reporting.
• using literacy aid.
• </c><01:20:24.880><c> Thank</c> library, a hotbed of literacy. Thank library, a hotbed of literacy.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Section six modifies the definition of structured literacy and refers to the science of reading.
• Section six modifies the definition of structured literacy and refers to the science of reading.
• It broadens it to include all external partners offering literacy supports in schools.
• It broadens it to include all external partners offering literacy supports in schools.
• </c> a missed opportunity to rethink literacy a missed opportunity to rethink literacy incentive<01:08

Bills: HF1388

Keywords: BARR Center, Building Assets, Reducing Risks, education finance, school funding, grant appropriation, evidence-based program, student achievement, social and emotional learning, school climate, teacher effectiveness, high school graduation, students in poverty, students of color, BIPOC, equity in education, Minnesota Department of Education, urban schools, suburban schools, rural schools, school coaching

Transcript Highlights:

• It establishes Braille literacy as a policy of the state, requires literacy assessments for eligible
• </c> establishes brille literacy as a policy establishes brille literacy as a policy of<00:05:42.400>
• the state requires literacy of the state requires literacy assessments<00:05:44.800><c> for</c><00:05
• </c> establishes the Braille literacy establishes the Braille literacy Resource<00:05:57.720><c> Center
• and that literacy then leads to literacy and that literacy leads<00:09:42.120><c> to</c><00:09:42.320

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Committee on Education and Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs heard Senate Bill 422, which would authorize the Department of Education to award a high school diploma to qualified people whose schooling was interrupted by military service or wartime practices during World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War. The Department of Education testified in support, noting a prior law that created the Kono diploma program before it sunset in 2020. Several members of the public also testified in support. Both committees later recommended passage of SB 422 without amendments, and the recommendation was adopted by voice votes. The committees then heard Senate Bill 530 on Braille literacy. The bill would establish Braille literacy as state policy, require Braille-related literacy assessments for eligible blind and low-vision students, authorize DOE rulemaking, create a Braille Literacy Resource Center, and appropriate funds. DOE and the Department of Human Services supported the measure, as did the National Federation of the Blind, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, and a blind testifier who described the importance of early Braille instruction. The Attorney General’s office raised concerns about statutory language requiring yearly assessments and suggested revisions so annual decisions remain with IEP teams. The committees voted to pass SB 530 with amendments, including the Attorney General’s suggested changes, and adopted the recommendation. The next measure was Senate Bill 532, which would allow school staff and agents trained by a licensed clinician to volunteer to administer medication to students in public schools under certain conditions and clarify who may prescribe such medication. DOE and Department of Health testimony supported the bill. The Attorney General recommended replacing the term “licensed clinician” with the defined term “health care professional.” The Hawaii Academy of Physician Assistants supported the bill but asked that physician assistants be included among providers who may prescribe medications for school administration. After questions about current school health aide duties and field-trip medication procedures, the committees voted to pass SB 532 with amendments, including the Attorney General’s terminology change, and adopted the recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:04:59.199><c> honoring</c> commitment to literacy honoring commitment to literacy honoring commitment
• </c><01:30:18.920><c> is</c> that literacy is that literacy is learning<01:30:20.600><c> that</c><01:
• </c> about uh from the testifiers literacy about uh from the testifiers literacy skills<01:31:08.719>
• </c><01:31:17.040><c> reading</c> leader in our caucus on literacy reading leader in our caucus on literacy
• </c> language and and balanced literacy language and and balanced literacy approach<01:37:34.040><c>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• exciting day for the Senate and the House coming together to announce that we have an agreement on the literacy
• As we all know, we filed this bill because we saw a glaring gap in our literacy curriculum, and we saw
• Our literacy curriculum for the next generation of children coming forward.
• We check to evidence-based literacy—that's the whole point of this bill.
• Evidence-based literacy curriculum is the next wave of requirements for our school districts.

Summary: House and Senate leaders announced a conference committee agreement on a literacy bill that both chambers had previously passed, with plans to bring the compromise version to the floor that week. They said the bill responds to weak reading outcomes, especially by third grade, and is intended to strengthen literacy instruction for future students. The speakers thanked legislative leadership and staff, and noted that conferees from both chambers supported the final package. The bill would require school districts to adopt K-3 reading curricula approved by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and grounded in evidence-based literacy practices. It would provide free approved curriculum options for districts that need them, set implementation for the 2027-2028 school year, and allow waivers for districts already using evidence-based curricula. The compromise also removes unproven teaching methods, adds student progress monitoring, supports dyslexia screening and public reporting of data, and includes professional development and apprenticeship opportunities for teachers. Supporters said the measure is meant to address persistent reading gaps, including lower performance among children of color and low-income students, and to move away from teaching students to guess at words rather than focus on letters and phonics. They described the final product as a stronger combination of the best parts of the House and Senate versions and said they expected continued broad support, noting prior unanimous roll call votes on the earlier versions.