Transcript Highlights:

• And so if we review your international program data and they meet the educational requirements that every
• Is it left to the business, to the nursing education program, to figure out these clinical placements
• To the nursing education program to figure out these clinical placements if they had a physical presence
• So each one of our nursing programs in the state of California are assigned a nursing education consultant
• In many ways, this creates a two-track system where out-of-state programs educating students within California

Summary: The joint Assembly and Senate Business and Professions sunset oversight hearing focused first on the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN), with committee chairs emphasizing oversight, consumer protection, workforce access, and economic mobility. BRN leaders reported improvements since the last review, including faster licensing timelines, streamlined enforcement, higher consumer satisfaction, growth in pre-licensure enrollment, and expanded data collection. Members questioned the board about nurse practitioner scope and supervision, international and military pathways to licensure, online nursing education and clinical requirements, rural workforce shortages, and the 30-unit LVN-to-RN option. BRN staff explained California’s tiered advanced practice system, the NCLEX and certification requirements, English proficiency rules, clinical hour standards, and the board’s role in approving programs and supporting schools through nursing education consultants. Several members and the board president also discussed the need to retain new graduates, improve diversity in the workforce, and better support nontraditional students and rural placements. Public comment on the BRN sunset review was extensive and largely supportive of the board, while also urging policy changes. Nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife, and nursing education groups generally supported the BRN report and especially backed clarification of APRN-to-RN delegation authority under issue 13. Other commenters asked for clearer implementation of AB 890, more flexibility for clinical nurse specialists, streamlined renewals for nurse midwives, and changes to federal loan limits affecting graduate nursing education. Higher education representatives and private nursing schools raised concerns about duplicative BRN documentation, clinical placement bottlenecks, and barriers faced by out-of-state and online programs seeking to serve California students. The California Medical Association and some physician groups opposed easing transition-to-practice requirements for out-of-state nurse practitioners and cautioned against changes to specialty and delegation rules, while the California Nurses Association and others stressed the importance of community college pathways, new graduate support, and workforce retention. The hearing then moved to the Physical Therapy Board of California. Board leadership reported that the board oversees more than 41,000 active licensees, has seen about 15% growth since 2021, and continues to maintain high exam pass rates among California physical therapy and physical therapist assistant programs. The board described its mission as consumer protection through licensing, enforcement, continuing competency oversight, and stakeholder engagement. The vice president’s remote testimony encountered technical problems, so the executive officer continued with a brief overview of the board’s work and its commitment to efficient service and public protection. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• > is the Education Freedom Account Program is the Education Freedom Account Program is the<01:
• We've had other programs in place over the years: manifest education hardship, best interests of the
• Our country is based on competition, and the EFA program and alternative education programs are competing
• education programs are alternative education programs are competing.<01:41:32.880> And<01:41:
• Another aspect of this program is that it's providing significant support to religious education.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Education Funding Committee met in executive session on a bill concerning school meal access and reimbursement. The bill would address local school districts’ responsibility to provide meals during school hours, reimburse schools for meals served at no cost, and make an appropriation. The committee first moved to retain the bill, with supporters saying it was complex, had uncertain fiscal impacts, and should be considered alongside other related meals bills. Opponents argued the committee already had enough information, that the bill served a small number of students at relatively low cost, and that delaying action would harm children who need food to learn. The committee also heard from Tim Roar, a Keene school business administrator and co-designer of the bill, who explained that the proposal was intended to be an opt-in program for districts, with rulemaking to set participation requirements. He said the bill was meant to target aid to students between 175% and 200% of poverty, reduce bad meal debt, and avoid spending taxpayer money on families who could afford to pay. He estimated the state cost at about $250,000 in year one, with local taxpayer costs around $8,500 for Keene, and said some districts already have systems for online applications while others do not. Committee members questioned him about meal debt, online application software costs, and how districts handle students who reach debt limits. Roar said districts still feed students who are hungry, but use other resources and family outreach when meal debt is capped, and he argued that parents should be responsible for providing lunch when they can afford it. Other members pushed back, saying they had seen students go hungry and that teachers sometimes pay for lunches themselves. One member noted the bill would increase eligibility, make it easier to apply, strengthen personal responsibility, and was not a mandate. The discussion ended without a recorded final vote in the excerpt, though the retain motion remained the central action under debate.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:13:45.600> program<01:13:46.159> and Hawaiian education program and Hawaiian education
• programs threaten higher education and programs threaten higher education and career<01:56:34.239>
• The knowledge studies program, a culturally based STEM program that provides educational programming
• provides educational program that provides educational programming<02:53:12.160> to<02:53:12.399
• The area has led our education program.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: This joint informational briefing on Act 310 grants and aid focused on organizations describing how federal funding cuts, Medicaid/SNAP changes, and related policy shifts are affecting their services and budgets. Committee members explained there would be no Q&A, testimony would be limited to one minute, and in-person participants would be heard before Zoom callers. Members repeatedly asked testifiers to identify the amount of federal funding lost or at risk. Testimony came from a wide range of nonprofits and community providers, including Aloha Care, Hawaii Bicycling League, Hawaii Literacy, Hawaii Youth Symphony, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii, the Tsunami Museum, The Kohala Center, West Hawaii Community Health Center, West Hawaii Region Hospital Foundation, Sounding Joy Music Therapy, Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaii, Dynamic Community Solutions, Feeding Hawaii Together, Girl Scouts of Hawaii, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Hawaiian Lending and Investments, Homana, Honolulu Theatre for the Youth, Kids Hurt Too Hawaii, and Kokua Kalihi Valley. Most described reduced or threatened federal support and requested state funding to maintain services such as health care access, food security, disaster preparedness, literacy and digital inclusion, youth mentoring, arts education, housing, and climate or agricultural resilience. Several speakers emphasized direct impacts on vulnerable populations, including kūpuna, low-income families, immigrants, homeless youth, and people with disabilities. Requests ranged from relatively small planning or program grants to multi-million-dollar stabilization asks, with some organizations citing specific losses such as reduced Medicaid or USDA funding, canceled EPA or FEMA support, or expiring federal grants. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• On line 101, the $100,000 per biennium transfer for the agricultural educators loan repayment program
• educators loan repayment program<00:13:31.120> is<00:13:31.880> eliminated.
• It's important to realize that this is an education program, and that there are costs of training.
• We have administration and program costs, accreditation, education materials, etc.
• <00:58:48.480> there an education program um and that there an education program um and that

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And as you know, our our universities in our state colleges in the entire higher education program is
• And Brian Underhill who handles Florida education finance program and other K through 12 programs.
• The program also includes teacher education that we used to improve the state's capacity to provide that
• aligns with a comprehensive transition and post-secondary program as described in the Higher Education
• At this point in time, we have 33 approved programs at 35 institutions of higher education.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Certification Scholarship Program, the Grafton School of Education, and 1.5 million for that program
• So that extra $200,000 would go toward educator professional learning and the programming itself.
• It touches both higher education a little bit. in the educator preparation programs as well as school
• You all passed some higher ed provisions last session to require educator prep programs to use science
• For the most part, our current language In regards to how we're asking educator preparation programs

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• we have 305 different training education we have 305 different training programs<00:02:27.560> between
• the Family Medicine Residency education the Family Medicine Residency program<00:15:26.680> is
• <00:15:27.839> as program is paying for the program as program is paying for the program as
• The program itself, once approved, will take time and effort from the higher education system to find
• Our program has been receiving state funding through the higher education budget since 2012, and through

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It is not an alternative to a basic education. It's not an exception to a basic education program.
• We also conduct program reviews for the purpose of outreach, education, and support for statutorily aligned
• We also conduct program reviews for the purpose of outreach, education, and support for statutorily aligned
• general education student without any other special needs or special programs.
• We offer a special education program.

Summary: The committee met to hear an overview of Washington’s alternative learning experience (ALE) programs and then an update on artificial intelligence in schools. OSPI’s Anissa Sherritt explained that ALE is a course-level funding designation for instruction that occurs partly or wholly away from the traditional seat-time model, with online, site-based, and remote course types. She emphasized that ALE is still basic education, subject to the same public school requirements, and that OSPI provides technical assistance, annual reporting review, and program reviews. Representatives from several programs described different models: Washington Virtual Academy (a large online ALE operated through Omak School District and partnered with for-profit Stride), Columbia Virtual Academy in Valley School District (a district-run, nonprofit online/remote program), Pearl in Quilcene (a K-8 remote parent partnership program), and River Home Link in Battleground (a site-based hybrid program). They discussed student supports, special education, enrichment, family choice, transportation, and how they measure outcomes. Members asked for follow-up information on funding, demographics, racial and ethnic data, multilingual learners, and post-graduation outcomes, and OSPI agreed to provide additional data where available. The committee then heard from OSPI and several districts about AI guidance and implementation. OSPI’s Holly Ryan Calloway described the agency’s human-centered AI framework, three guidance documents for schools, statewide professional learning, an AI innovation summit, and new AI literacy and informatics course frameworks and CIP codes. Quincy School District described a multi-year effort to integrate AI by centering student needs, creating district policy and classroom guidance, and training teachers to use AI responsibly while building an AI readiness plan from elementary through high school. Peninsula School District described its AI action research team, teacher professional learning, and classroom uses of generative AI to support science instruction, communication, and prompt engineering, while stressing that AI should enhance rather than replace learning. Members raised questions about privacy, energy and water use, prompt engineering, workforce and university connections, and the need for clear standards and ongoing educator training. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is an education without walls.
• , so juvenile justice alternative education placement, or a disciplinary alternative education education
• It is an educational need.
• The bill also authorizes the commissioner of Education to grant a charter for the pilot program without
• Currently, early childhood education and childcare are managed and provided through a hodgepodge of programs

Bills: HB117

Keywords: county regulation, impervious cover, land use, unincorporated areas, environmental management

Transcript Highlights:

• programming and the Reach education programming and the communities<01:42:26.480> that<01:42:
• and Title I programs, PAC continues to provide high-quality education, global education to Hawaiʻi's
• > educational<02:49:35.520> programming<02:49:36.560> to provides educational programming
• This is a hands-on education program.
• The area has led our education program.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: This joint informational briefing focused on Act 310 grants and aid, with committee members hearing one-minute testimony from organizations first in person and then by Zoom. At the outset, the chairs explained there would be no Q&A during the briefing and asked testifiers to focus on how federal cuts were affecting their work. The meeting was organized by registration number and included both neighbor island and Oʻahu applicants. Testimony centered on organizations seeking state support to offset federal funding losses or anticipated reductions. Health and social service providers described impacts from Medicaid, SNAP, ACA subsidy, Title X, and other federal changes, including Aloha Care, Community Clinic of Maui, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, West Hawaiʻi Community Health Center, Hawaiʻi Disability Rights Center, Hawaiʻi Youth Services Network, Alcoholic Rehabilitation Services of Hawaiʻi, and Kokua Kalihi Valley. Other groups highlighted losses affecting food security, housing, disaster preparedness, and climate resilience, including the Kohala Center, Feeding Hawaiʻi Together, Hawaiian Lending and Investments, Dynamic Community Solutions, and the Pacific Tsunami Museum. Several arts, youth, and education organizations also testified, including Hawaiʻi Literacy, Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony, Honolulu Theatre for the Youth, Sounding Joy Music Therapy, Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaiʻi, Girl Scouts of Hawaiʻi, Kids Hurt Too Hawaiʻi, and US Vets, each requesting funding to preserve programs and staffing. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the briefing. The only action was procedural: the chairs moved through the applicant list, limited testimony time, and then transitioned from neighbor island in-person testimony to Oʻahu and later Zoom participants.

Transcript Highlights:

• We believe that with an education, The foundation for that is education.
• And then finally, stability, meaning that a sound education... Educational system.
• Educational Adequacy Fund.
• the Educational Adequacy Fund as requested by the Department of Education.
• The Department of Education also receives general revenue, Educational Excellence Trust Fund, and Educational

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Education Freedom Account Program established in 2021 had a clear promise to provide educational
• <00:10:34.000> The<00:10:34.240> Education the EFA program today.
• The Education the EFA program today.
• program was achieving its educational program was achieving its educational goals.<00:12:16.639>
• c><00:12:48.880> in for every other educational program in for every other educational program

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the past, and that's the Fostering Independence Higher Education Grant Program.
• the past, and that's the Fostering Independence Higher Education Grant Program.
• the past, and that's the Fostering Independence Higher Education Grant Program.
• the past, and that's the Fostering Independence Higher Education Grant Program.
• Another program that was newer since the last session was the Inclusive Higher Education Grants Program

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have House Bill 1, an act implementing the federal education opportunity program in Kentucky.
• Credit Program on Kentucky's behalf and administer the program.
• Education Education Freedom<00:04:37.919> Tax<00:04:38.320> Credit<00:04:38.720> Program
• <00:10:21.519> of program sets up a two-tier program of program sets up a two-tier program
• . program. program.

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call: 0:03 Bills for Consideration: 3:10 Adjournment: 56:19, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Education Committee heard House Bill 1, which would have Kentucky opt into a federal education freedom tax credit program allowing donations to scholarship-granting organizations (SGOs) for K-12 educational expenses. The bill sponsors said it would not use Kentucky general funds, would be administered through the Secretary of State, and would let donors claim up to a $1,700 federal tax credit for contributions to SGOs. They argued the program could support public, private, religious, and homeschool-related educational needs, including tutoring, transportation, technology, special needs services, and other school expenses. Several senators raised concerns about whether the bill would favor larger districts with more school-choice options over rural counties with only one public school, creating a two-tier system. The sponsors responded that public school districts could also create SGOs and that the federal rules limit eligibility to families at or below 300% of area median gross income. They also said the program would not reduce existing state or federal school funding, but would instead redirect federal tax credit dollars that Kentucky donors might otherwise send to other states or back to the federal government. Members asked about the structure and oversight of SGOs, including whether they must be nonprofits, how broad their missions could be, and whether funds could be earmarked for specific purposes. The sponsors said SGOs must be certified, serve at least two schools and 10 students, spend at least 90% of receipts on scholarships, and cannot be directed to a specific student, though they can be targeted to categories such as elementary students or special needs services. They also said homeschool families would need to organize through a co-op or existing approved SGO. No vote was taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:19:16.039> the in approved education program at the in approved education program at the State
• million<00:20:32.039> um Education Program included $4 million um Education Program included
• comes<00:21:42.000> with education programming um that comes with education programming um
• c> of into an education program um because of into an education program um because of the<00:22:55.720
• 67 education program accounting unit 67 education program accounting unit 67 6379<01:51:37.360

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Division II committee heard a Department of Education budget presentation from Commissioner Frank Edelblut and CFO Tammy Valen-cour. The department outlined its organizational structure and emphasized that it functions largely as a flow-through agency for school funding. The commissioner reviewed general fund and Education Trust Fund items, including state aid, dropout prevention, special education, building aid, lease aid, charter schools, Education Freedom Accounts, and the district adequacy calculation. He also highlighted the public school infrastructure fund, saying the state has invested well over $50 million in school safety since 2018 for measures such as access controls, locks, and window film, and argued that safety spending should be ongoing rather than reactive. Members asked about the variability in the school infrastructure line, special education aid, and the Discovery Education learning platform. Edelblut explained that some safety funding had come from one-time surplus appropriations rather than the agency line, and said special education aid was underappropriated because districts submitted more invoices than expected; he said the governor added $16 million to address the shortfall. He also described CTE renovation funding, noting four projects were initially proposed but only Jaffrey and Milford were still moving forward, with local votes required and the state covering 75% of costs. He said Milford’s project was omitted from the governor’s budget by oversight. The department also reviewed enrollment trends, noting public school enrollment has fallen from about 230,000 students in 2002 to about 185,000 today. Edelblut clarified that charter students are not eligible for Education Freedom Accounts, while EFA students attending non-public schools are counted as EFA students. He described several one-time surplus-funded initiatives, including Student Clearinghouse, MTSSB work, civics curriculum development, computer science education, and adult education. He also discussed a $4 million CTE tuition and transportation grant, saying it was kept as a competitive grant rather than a formula grant to avoid creating an ongoing maintenance-of-effort commitment that could jeopardize federal Perkins funding. In the final portion, Edelblut identified prioritized needs in the department’s budget, especially funding for a state administrator for assessment to support the legislatively required civics assessment, and additional support for the Discovery Education platform. He said every school in the state is using the platform and cited more than 1.5 million educator engagements, while a member raised concerns about mixed reviews and uneven district awareness of the program. No votes or formal actions were taken during the presentation and question period.

Transcript Highlights:

• educators.
• If I was a higher education institution, that's maybe one of the questions I would ask. programs um programs
• of higher education, post-secondary education.
• . education. education.
• funds in the program to meet program demand.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• or the 21st Century program.
• that operate a federal school breakfast program or a federal national program...
• Educational agencies that operate a federal school breakfast program or a federal national school lunch
• The programs also create clear on-ramps to graduate education in fields like social work and other adjacent
• These programs are modeled on the UC Medical School's PRIME framework, programs in medical education,

Summary: The committee heard testimony on three education budget items: the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), differentiated assistance/statewide system of support, and universal school meals plus kitchen infrastructure grants. For ELOP, the Department of Finance described the Governor’s proposal to provide $4.7 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funding and $62.4 million to set a minimum Tier 2 rate of $1,800 per pupil. The LAO recommended instead fixing the Tier 2 rate at $1,579, and committee members questioned how the rate was determined, how much funding is actually spent, and whether overlapping funding from ELOP, ACEs, and 21st Century programs is being tracked. CDE said ELOP is showing positive attendance and math outcomes, but some requested data will not be available until mid-2027; members also raised concerns about double-funding, transparency, and whether middle and high school students are being equitably served. On differentiated assistance, CCEE outlined the statewide system of support and the various tiers of universal, targeted, supplemental, and intensive assistance. Finance explained the Governor’s proposal to replace the current DA structure with a more stable universal and targeted assistance model, funded at $131.9 million ongoing, with a three-year support cycle aligned to LCAP and ESSA timelines and broader State Board authority to revise eligibility criteria. The LAO objected to considering the proposal before the State Board finalizes the new performance criteria, and committee members expressed concern that moving to a three-year cycle could delay support for LEAs that newly fall into need mid-cycle. There was also discussion about whether the proposal would weaken subgroup-based equity guardrails or give the State Board too much discretion over who qualifies for support. For school meals and kitchen infrastructure, Finance proposed $1.8 billion ongoing for universal meals and an additional $100 million ongoing plus $100 million one-time for a fourth round of kitchen infrastructure and training grants. The LAO recommended rejecting the new kitchen grant round because prior rounds are still being spent and the unmet need is not yet clear. CDE said prior investments have improved meal participation, efficiency, and menu variety, but many schools still lack the facilities for scratch cooking and face construction, electrical, and procurement barriers. Members asked for more data on how prior grants were used, which schools are benefiting, and whether funds could also support lower-cost food access strategies such as pantries, while noting federal restrictions on some meal-service innovations.

Transcript Highlights:

• the lower half of the state and kind of up the east side, visiting alternative education programs that
• So, um, the first page I have given you is the 16 components for our alternative education programs.
• You cannot place students for discipline or academic reasons in an alternative education program.
• So it is, um, all of the alternative education students that come to our programs have to have one of
• not considered an alternative education program based on the 16 criteria that I gave you in the front

Summary: The committee held an interim study on how to educate and support students with severe violent or disruptive behavior while protecting classmates, teachers, and school staff. Members framed the issue as one involving students who have often experienced trauma and may be removed from class through suspension, expulsion, or juvenile placement, but who still need a meaningful path back to school. Several legislators shared personal experiences as former educators or administrators and emphasized that schools need clearer criteria for removal and return, along with stronger support for families and staff. Dr. Michelle Butler, an alternative education director, testified that Oklahoma’s current alternative education system is not designed to serve students removed for major discipline issues because placement is generally voluntary and programs are built around students who need a different learning environment, not punitive removal. She argued for early intervention, stronger attendance enforcement, trauma screening, teacher training, and a regional or cooperative model that would combine credentialed educators, social workers, therapists, and family counselors. She also described existing programs such as Trace Academy, Rogers County Youth Services diversion programs, and the limitations of virtual-only models and current funding, saying the system lacks sufficient resources and staffing. Representatives and senators asked about funding, staffing, credentials, and whether statutes should be changed to prevent alternative education dollars from going to programs that do not provide direct services. Other testimony came from Family and Children’s Services and Mid-Del Youth and Family Services, both of which described embedded school-based mental health, crisis response, intensive outpatient services, family engagement, and juvenile diversion programs. Witnesses stressed that wraparound services, school-community partnerships, and a bridge back to the home school are essential, and that many students and families need mandatory or strongly supported participation rather than purely voluntary help. The study concluded with members noting possible next steps, including expanding or supplementing alternative education, improving early intervention, and examining participation requirements and transition supports; no votes were taken, and the committee adjourned after the presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is another bill that reflects a couple of years of work on how educator preparation programs are
• A working group, including Elliot's staff, the LFC, lawmakers, educator preparation programs, current
• , with the exception of educator preparation programs.
• They may receive a general education diploma, the GED, or high school equivalency through those programs
• programs, which run through the Higher Education Department and are funded through a separate formula

Transcript Highlights:

• We offer an opportunity for cost savings programs through the Midwestern Higher Education Compact, so
• And what's important about this program is it's not just for higher education.
• With that, WICHE is not just an education program, it is also a workforce pipeline for Arizona, encouraging
• schools to use program monies to ...program provisions, including authorizing schools to use program
• Going back to 2018, the school safety program was a $12 million program.

Keywords: 1182, all