Transcript Highlights:

• This gender gap emerges early in middle school and persists throughout high school.
• So from high school to college, there's wellness coach scholarship programs as one example of trying
• Once they graduate from high school, not everyone goes to college.
• of providers that are in and about our high schools and junior highs as well, so I don't know that I
• But the one-on-one interaction between a high school student and another high school student is not reimbursable

Summary: The Select Committee on Youth Mental Health and Treatment Access held its third hearing to review the state of youth mental health, progress under the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), and remaining implementation and funding challenges. The chair emphasized that schools are often the main point where education, health care, and social services intersect for students, and that the committee’s goal is to ensure public investments translate into better access and outcomes. The hearing featured testimony from researchers, a youth advocate, state officials, and local practitioners. PPIC researcher Shalini Mostala reported that teen mental health remains a serious concern, with high rates of chronic sadness, hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts, though recent California data show some improvement since the pandemic. She noted persistent disparities by gender, race, and rural status, and said school-based health centers, wellness centers, and community schools are associated with lower suicidal thoughts. Youth advocate Ella Cruz, speaking for NAMI California, described her own mental health struggles and argued that youth voice, peer-to-peer support, and reducing stigma are essential; she also said technology and AI cannot replace trusted adults or trained professionals. Committee members asked about phone use, stigma, cultural barriers, and how to make supports more accessible and relatable to students. Dr. Sohill Sood of the California Health and Human Services Agency said statewide survey data show declining stigma, increased counseling use, and lower suicide ideation among students, and he highlighted CYBHI’s certified wellness coaches, digital tools, awareness campaigns, and the first-in-the-nation fee schedule that allows schools and colleges to bill health plans for behavioral health services. He said the program is growing quickly, with more than 230,000 claims and over $11 million in new revenue to date, while acknowledging that billing systems and coordination are still being built. Trina Frazier of Fresno County described a multi-tiered system of care supported by CYBHI, CalAIM, and other grants, serving thousands of students through school-based services, wellness centers, and mobile therapy units; she said ongoing funding and flexibility are critical. Rachel Kroberniski of El Segundo High School’s James Morehouse Project described a long-running wellness center and peer mentorship model that supports students in multiple languages, and said peer programs help students feel seen, connected, and more willing to seek help. Members broadly praised the flexibility, collaboration, and peer-based approaches described by the witnesses. Questions focused on sustaining funding after one-time grants expire, improving coordination among schools, counties, and providers, expanding the fee schedule to higher education, and ensuring continuity of care for students after high school. Officials said county offices of education, DHCS, and other partners are using communities of practice and technical assistance to spread best practices, and that CYBHI services can follow some young adults through age 25, with additional supports through community-based programs and digital platforms.

Transcript Highlights:

• high schools currently.
• Here in Albuquerque, and that includes West Mesa High School, Atrisco High School, Del Norte, and RFK
• : Atrisco High School, Del Norte, and RFK Charter School.
• the SBVIP program graduate from high school.
• Seven one five two to expand the school-based intervention program to every single high school in the

Transcript Highlights:

• school districts and LEAs offering gifted programs.
• They drop out of high school at alarming numbers, and they need their public schools to acknowledge and
• The prevalence of gifted programming grew from that time to the high in 2002 where we had 33 public school
• They drop out of high school at alarming numbers, and they need their public schools to acknowledge and
• So it may be a robotics program after school.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:04:09.239> schools that are taught in our high schools that are taught in our high schools
• I went to high school.
• I went to high school.
• schools up to the high schools and the schools up to the high schools and the schools to<00:40:51.040
• And my high school is one schools.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Mora, the Dean of Students, who also runs the pathways programs from Uxbridge High School with me to
• H. 3249 directly benefits our students by establishing the high school trade partnership program.
• This program allows public high schools to formally team up with local private employers to offer vocational
• Mora, the Dean of Students at Uxbridge High School, who actually runs this program on a daily basis.
• Uxbridge High School, who actually runs this program on a daily basis.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue held a hybrid hearing on a large slate of bills related to advertising, economic development, tourism, digital advertising, delivery taxes, and alcohol taxation. The first panel supported H. 3249, which would create a high school trade partnership program linking public schools with private employers, especially in manufacturing, and would offer employers a tax credit for participation. Representative Soder, Uxbridge High School leaders, and others argued the bill would strengthen career pathways, build a skilled workforce, and keep students and jobs in Massachusetts. The committee then heard testimony on H. 3031 and S. 2003 to modernize the Massachusetts Tourism Trust Fund by dedicating an additional share of hotel occupancy tax revenue to tourism promotion. Tourism and hospitality representatives from Cape Cod, Southwick Zoo, and Indian Ranch said the proposal would not raise taxes but would reinvest existing visitor-generated revenue into marketing that supports jobs, local businesses, and municipal tax receipts. A tech-industry coalition opposed several digital advertising tax bills and a delivery tax bill, warning they would raise costs, create uncertainty, and burden consumers, small businesses, and delivery workers. The largest portion of the hearing focused on S. 2029, which would raise the alcohol excise tax by 10 cents per drink and dedicate the revenue to public health programs. Public health experts, advocates, a student prevention leader, and representatives from Jane Doe, Inc. argued the tax would reduce alcohol-related harms, address decades of inflation-driven erosion in the tax, and generate substantial new funding for prevention, treatment, domestic violence services, and community schools. Committee members asked questions about the current tax structure, inflation, and how the proposal compares with neighboring states. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair adjourned after public testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• school athletes and athletic programs in our state.
• They will never receive that high school financial literacy.
• commitment while they're still in high school.
• school right we're starting to see institutions in the state of California actually pay high school
• while they're still in high school they're While they're still in high school, so they're signing rev

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on name, image, and likeness (NIL) and financial literacy for student athletes, with members framing California as a national leader on NIL but emphasizing the need for stronger protections and more consistent education. The chair and witnesses discussed how NIL opportunities now include both third-party endorsement deals and school revenue-sharing arrangements, and how the current landscape varies widely by institution, leaving athletes with a patchwork of rules and support. Several witnesses argued that student athletes, especially younger ones and those from low-income or first-generation backgrounds, are vulnerable to predatory contracts, tax problems, and pressure from family, agents, or lenders. The first panel featured Tyree Dillingham and Brandon Copeland, who called for standardized financial literacy, better guardrails against predatory NIL advances, and a player-led association or similar collective voice for athletes. They described examples of athletes not understanding paychecks, taxes, or contract terms, and warned that some schools and collectives blur the line between education and marketing. Copeland also argued that college athletics now functions like a professional business and that athletes need representation and a standard contract structure to protect them. The second panel focused on lived experience, including testimony from attorney Anthony Coronae and student athlete Mikey Williams. Coronae described reviewing a contract that he said functioned like a predatory loan disguised as marketing support, with the company taking exclusive rights to Williams’ NIL and requiring repayment far beyond the advance. Williams testified that he signed without a lawyer, later lost endorsements, scholarship, and housing stability, and only later learned the contract’s consequences. He said a required financial literacy course at Sacramento State helped him begin to understand budgeting, taxes, and contracts, and he urged the legislature to require legal review or stronger safeguards for athletes. The third panel, from San Diego State University, highlighted a more structured institutional model. Athletic director Brendan Hill described a mandatory four-year life-skills program that includes financial literacy, resume workshops, internships, and branding education, while student athlete Sloan Benchoff said the program helped her manage money and prepare for post-college life. Witnesses agreed that support is uneven across schools, that some agents and lenders are exploiting athletes, and that California should consider standardized financial education and agent regulation while also being careful not to create rules that unintentionally restrict athlete rights. No formal vote or bill action was taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• We right now have 10 school districts that have been approved for their teacher apprenticeship programs
• You had it in high school, so that was their knowledge."
• You had it in high school, so that was their knowledge.
• Of those students, 1,200 are dual-enrolled high school students from Pinellas.
• they're still in high school, so they graduate from high school with their high school diploma, they

Summary: The Higher Education Appropriations Committee met for its first session of the year, took roll, welcomed new member Senator Bracey Davis, and had members briefly describe their backgrounds and interest in higher education. Chair Harrell framed the committee’s focus on maintaining Florida’s top national ranking in higher education and workforce development, with an emphasis on funding decisions tied to student success, workforce needs, and the state college system. Senior Chancellor Kevin O’Farrell presented the Department of Education’s workforce and Florida College System budget requests and data. He described requested increases for adult education, Florida College System program funding, workforce development, and several grant programs, including workforce capitalization, apprenticeship/teacher apprenticeship, Open Door, and CAPE industry certifications. He highlighted record enrollment and completion growth across Florida’s colleges and technical centers, major gains in career dual enrollment, and expansion in programs such as nursing, AI, cybersecurity, welding, HVAC, and manufacturing. Members asked about labor-market demand, the impact of artificial intelligence on future job training, teacher apprenticeship details, mission creep and duplication in CTE programs, student placement and wages after graduation, and articulation between technical college clock hours and college credit. South Florida State College President Fred Hawkins testified about challenges facing a rural college, including low local college-going rates, long travel distances, limited faculty recruitment due to salaries, and the need for more operational funding to expand capacity. He cited strong job placement and licensure outcomes in nursing, dental hygiene, EMT/paramedic, and radiography, and said the college is exploring AI tools to improve student services and reduce staffing pressure. Pinellas Technical College Executive Director Mark Hunter described strong dual enrollment, high job placement, employer partnerships, and a reported 400% return on investment, while also warning that many programs have waiting lists because of staffing and equipment constraints. He explained how technical college coursework is aligned with state college credit through content-based articulation agreements. The committee then opened the floor for public comment, but no additional business was taken up, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• , after school programs, hiring more teaching staff.
• programs, well, maybe after school too.
• Those are really concentrated in our high poverty schools.
• We had many of our high school students who worked.
• So he mentioned tutoring and after school programs.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• like 4 high school teachers in the whole school.
• On Tuesdays, I have the high school counselor from Claremore Public Schools comes over and she works
• On Tuesdays, I have, um, the high school counselor from Claremont Public Schools comes over and she works
• This is Faith Crittenden, and we run our school-based programs.
• Del City High School was playing Choctaw.

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:

• You all know middle and high school students are experiencing a lot of challenges, with middle school
• So, East Mountain... has a really big emphasis on out-of-school time programs, after-school programs.
• and also East Mountain High School.
• , and 9 states have school voucher programs.
• pursue a different early college high schools.

Transcript Highlights:

• It includes after-school programming for licensed providers.
• It Includes summer programming for school-aged kids.
• And when they graduate high school, they are having these programs.
• , for example, when you were in high school?
• High school.

Transcript Highlights:

• They deserve... ...for example, middle school and high school students deserved a band teacher.
• , junior high school, education, or secondary education.
• high schools.
• Our JROTC program... Our JROTC programs are really important in our schools. Thank you.
• And then, as a high school English teacher for six years, I so appreciated our ROTC program over at Carson

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I am a high school teacher and right now my kiddos are taking Galileo testing.
• and charter schools to co-administer the residency programs.
• opportunities, through high-impact tutoring, or before and after-school program programming.
• Have included middle school In our summer reading program.
• I wanna Continue to do much more middle school programming in general.

Transcript Highlights:

• The big one is the adult education program and the high school strong work force program.
• So our program sees It's 98% high school graduation with over 90% pursuing higher education.
• First Start is. a long term college preparation program for high school students in foster care.
• and the high school. entitlement program.
• , both the high school and the community college program.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's take up Senate Bill 296 on middle school and high school start times.
• Let's take up Senate Bill 296 on middle school and high school start times.
• Let's take up Senate Bill 296 on middle school and high school start times by Senator Bradley.
• 8 a.m. and high schools could not start before 8:30 a.m.
• But today, since I have high school students, my kids are high school students, I wanted to speak on

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 296, as amended by strike-all, on middle and high school start times. Senator Bradley explained that the amendment would repeal the statewide mandate for later start times and return scheduling decisions to local school boards, while still requiring districts to inform the community about the health, safety, and academic effects of sleep deprivation and to consider later start times when setting transportation schedules. Testimony and debate were largely in support, with several school district and education group representatives waiving in support, and members citing transportation, staffing, family logistics, and cost concerns under the existing mandate. The strike-all was adopted, and SB 296 was reported favorably by roll call vote, with Senators Berman, Osgood, and Chair Calatayud voting yes and Senator Gaetz voting no; other members were absent or not recorded in the excerpt. The committee then heard Senate Bill 356, which would designate January 27 as Holocaust Remembrance Day in Florida. Senator Berman said the date matches the UN’s Holocaust Remembrance Day and would require the governor to annually proclaim it, while allowing public observance and instruction about the Holocaust’s harms and its impact on the Jewish community and humanity. There was no substantive opposition in the excerpt, and the bill was reported favorably by roll call vote with yes votes from Senators Berman, Gaetz, and Chair Calatayud. Finally, the committee considered Senate Bill 166 on administrative efficiency in public schools. Senator Simon described a broad deregulation package affecting student assessments, grade promotion, teacher evaluations, contracts and certification, school board operations, instructional materials timelines, internal audits, facilities planning, cost-per-student-station limits, emergency make-up days, federal fund timing, and VPK oversight. Testimony was mixed: school district and education organization representatives generally supported the flexibility, while some groups opposed or urged changes to the grade 4 promotion and graduation-related provisions, arguing they could weaken academic standards. After debate focused especially on third-grade promotion and testing requirements, the bill was reported favorably by roll call vote. At the end of the meeting, members recorded their votes on SB 296 and SB 356, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So James Campbell High School, Maui High School, Waipahu High School, Mililani High School, and Leilehua
• High School.
• WA High School, Farington High School, WA High School, Farington High School, Pearl<00:31:06.960>
• c> Pahu<00:31:08.480> High Pearl City High School, W Pahu High Pearl City High School, W Pahu
• Santa Monica High High Samoa Center. Santa Monica High School. School. School.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• school athletes and athletic programs in our state.
• They will never receive that high school financial literacy.
• commitment while they're still in high school.
• share agreements while they're still in high school, they're getting paid while they're still in high
• they're still in high school they're getting paid while they're still in high school so yeah I mean at

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on name, image, and likeness (NIL) financial literacy programs and how NIL is affecting student athletes in California. The chair opened by noting California’s early leadership on NIL and the need to ensure athletes have the education and support to manage contracts, taxes, budgeting, and other financial decisions. Witnesses across the panels generally agreed that NIL has created new opportunities but also significant risks, especially for young athletes who may lack experience, legal advice, or consistent institutional support. Tyree Dillingham and Brandon Copeland described widespread financial vulnerability among student athletes, including confusion about pay, taxes, credit, and contract terms, and warned about predatory deals, cash advances, and conflicts of interest. They argued for standardized, mandatory financial literacy and stronger protections, including a players association model and limits on predatory practices. Mikey Williams and attorney Anthony Coronae gave a personal account of a NIL-related advance they said functioned like a payday loan, with terms they said were not fully understood and that left Williams owing money while his name and image were used to raise additional funds. They urged legal review, clearer rules, and guardrails to prevent similar exploitation. Adam Shore, athletic director at the University of the Pacific, and San Diego State representatives Brendan Hill and Sloan Benchoff offered an institutional perspective. Shore said college sports are in a chaotic transition, with transfer rules, revenue sharing, and NIL creating pressure on schools, but he also described existing support structures and suggested California consider adapting sports-agent registration rules and pursuing a national solution. Hill and Benchoff highlighted San Diego State’s mandatory multi-year life skills program, which includes financial literacy, internships, and career preparation, and said that model should be standardized statewide. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational and focused on testimony, questions, and policy ideas.

Transcript Highlights:

• Hawaiiville High School. Hawaiiville High School.
• <00:43:38.400> School keep it positive at Kale High School keep it positive at Kale High School
• , Moana High School.
• Iwamoto from Wano High School.
• <01:41:59.119> high Um my school has incredibly high Um my school has incredibly high turnover

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee on Education heard testimony on HB 1895, which would add education-worker protections by expanding harassment-related offenses. The Department of Education, HSTA, HGA, and several school employees and principals testified in support, describing increased harassment and threats toward teachers and staff, especially since COVID, and saying the bill would help deter bad actors. The Office of the Public Defender opposed the measure, saying the language was vague and overbroad, could criminalize ordinary parental advocacy or speech, and might not survive constitutional scrutiny. In response to questions, the public defender said existing statutes already cover threatening or assaultive conduct against educational workers, while DOE representatives said the bill was aimed at excessive and repetitive disruptive behavior. No vote or final action was taken in the excerpt. The committee then took up HB 1592, concerning protections for educational workers and sports officials. DOE, the Charter School Commission, HGA, HSTA, school principals, athletic programs, and many individual testifiers supported the bill, with several describing threats, harassment, and aggressive behavior at schools and athletic events. One principal said he had repeatedly involved law enforcement after threats and incidents on campus, and a teacher testified about the need to keep school environments safe and orderly. The Office of the Public Defender again opposed the bill, arguing that current law already enhances penalties for assaults and terroristic threatening against educational workers and sports officials, and that new offenses would have little deterrent effect. Committee members questioned whether the bill should be a separate statute and how to distinguish passionate advocacy from harassment; DOE said the line was crossed when conduct became excessive and repetitive, while the public defender urged clearer drafting and more emphasis on prevention, education, security, and de-escalation. No vote or final action was announced in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• of New Mexico's Healthy Universal School Meals Program.
• So, why are Why are meal programs in schools so important?
• Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, which reimburses our schools based on per meal served.
• Given our high rates of CEP participants due to high rates of student participation in these programs
• Total spending on food service programs increased by 20.3% from school year 23 to school year 24.

Transcript Highlights:

• And prior to OSPI, I served for 17 years as a high school counselor and was the lead in my school for
• the high school and beyond management and delivery.
• And prior to OSPI, I served for 17 years as a high school counselor and was the lead in my school for
• the high school and beyond management and delivery.
• Please let me know my email, and also our high school and beyond plan program supervisor's email is in

Summary: The committee spent much of the meeting hearing presentations on student mental health supports at Central Washington University, Washington State University, the University of Washington, and the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges. CWU described high levels of student distress, loneliness, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and basic-needs insecurity, along with a campus-wide holistic well-being model that includes behavioral intervention teams, emergency aid, peer outreach, community partnerships, and a collegiate recovery community. WSU emphasized loneliness, common presenting concerns such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and relationship distress, and the role of housing and residence life, resident advisors, living-learning communities, and coordinated crisis response in identifying and supporting students. UW highlighted prevention and support programs through LiveWell, including alcohol and other drug consultations, confidential advocacy, suicide intervention, student needs navigation, peer health educators, and peer wellness coaches. The community and technical college system reported persistent access barriers, especially for students ages 18 to 24 and those facing housing or food insecurity, and said the legislature-funded mental health pilot at four colleges expanded counseling access, telehealth, and referral pathways, while broader system efforts focus on awareness, telehealth, basic-needs supports, and workforce training in behavioral health fields. Members asked each panel how they gather student feedback, and the institutions said they use surveys, evaluations, and ongoing outreach to students in services. Questions also focused on substance-use and recovery resources, Greek life outreach, and whether colleges have enough licensed mental health staff versus academic advisors; the community college board said not all colleges have licensed mental health providers on staff, and some rely on community contracts or telehealth. The committee also discussed whether counseling services are increasing because of post-pandemic effects or because students are more willing to seek help, with presenters saying both factors likely play a role. The committee then shifted to artificial intelligence in higher education. Washington State University, the University of Washington, Western Washington University, and the community and technical college system described campus AI task forces, governance structures, and efforts to set policies for students, faculty, and staff. Presenters said institutions are requiring course-level AI use statements, promoting ethical and transparent use, expanding access to approved tools such as Microsoft Copilot, and using AI for teaching, research, advising, and administrative support while guarding privacy, equity, and academic integrity. Members raised concerns about deepfakes, bias, student monitoring, and whether AI should be used to screen applications or evaluate student work; presenters said human review remains essential and that some institutions prohibit AI use in hiring or admissions screening. The final presentation, from OSPI, described the statewide rollout of the School Links high school and beyond plan platform under 2023 legislation, saying it will standardize career and college planning across K-12, provide better data and student guidance, and connect students to postsecondary pathways and employers; OSPI said the rollout is underway but current funding only extends through June 30, 2026.