Transcript Highlights:

• And teacher education is a huge part of that.
• So parental admission guarantees that the parents would know about this.
• , preventing the parent from accessing educational records of the child, or using a different set of
• There’s the question of can parents get access to information, are parents getting access to information
• You know, here we are in the education committee, and if the goal of education policy is to help students

Committee: House House Education Committee of Reference

Summary: The Committee on Education first heard a presentation from Dr. Victoria Dyson Homer on the Arizona Teacher Residency Program. She argued that Arizona faces a teacher retention and certification crisis, with high attrition and many uncertified or underprepared teachers, and said research shows practice-based residencies improve retention, teacher confidence, and student outcomes. She described the Arizona Teacher Residency as a year-long, cohort-based, district-partnered program with mentoring, coursework, and induction support, and said its early data show very high retention and positive student and teacher feedback. Committee members asked about how the program differs from traditional student teaching, salary schedules, and whether residency graduates outperform traditional preparation pathways; the presentation was generally well received. The committee then took up SCR 1006, a ballot referral dealing with school restroom and locker room accommodations and pronoun/name use for students. The sponsor framed it as a parental rights and student safety measure, while opponents from education, legal, and advocacy backgrounds argued it was 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. Members then considered SB 1126, which would require schools to provide certain student records and information to Department of Child Safety caseworkers and prohibit schools from blocking staff from speaking with DCS during abuse or neglect investigations. DCS testified neutral, saying the bill would help clarify information sharing and support child safety; the committee passed the bill 10-0 with two members present. Finally, the committee heard SB 1210, which would require certain out-of-state private postsecondary institutions offering fully online programs to Arizona residents to register with the state board unless they participate in a reciprocity agreement, and to comply with student tuition recovery fund requirements if they collect prepaid tuition. Supporters said the bill closes a regulatory loophole and protects students and the state’s oversight of online providers. The committee approved SB 1210 on an 11-1 vote. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Make sure education is not making parental choice is for parents.
• I'm an educator parents and I live in South Florida and I strongly oppose this bill.
• Parents already have extensive rights to direct their child's education and obscene material is already
• I'm asking you today to vote no. >> So that you keep yourself our parents and says that educators in
• Decision about is appropriate material should stay with Trent educated parents and not politics.

Committee: House Education & Employment Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• But state Board of Education course education. Local funds are very important education.
• But we also have parents services and then those parents services.
• And so we have to educate parents more as well in this process to to act.
• You can also access a lot of parent training and my colleagues recognized and discussed parent education
• So I think parent training and education is really key to to all of the training and education is really

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, one, which is to be given to parents to see why they were seeking different educational options,
• Um, one, which is to be given to parents to see why they were seeking different educational options,
• Um, one, which is to be given to parents to see why they were seeking different educational options,
• The way the bill is currently written, it would require the Department of Education to survey parents
• Um, and the Department of Education does not have the ability to survey parents.

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• educational programs. ...parents on their rights and sit with them during their IEPs, their individual
• IDEA federal law mandates meaningful parent participation in all stages of special education.
• IDEA federal law mandates meaningful parent participation in all stages of special education.
• When the parent or advocate asks the special education teacher if they are not permitted to speak, no
• My parents were both educators, and they worked so hard to give everything, Were both educators, and

Committee: Senate Education K-16

Summary: The Committee on Education K-16 heard several bills focused largely on special education transparency, school safety, and student support services. Senate Bill 1908, by Senator Zaffirini, would direct the Higher Education Coordinating Board to study the feasibility of a statewide system for coordinating clinical training placements, including regional portals for healthcare clinical slots, with a report due by December 1, 2026. A representative of the Texas Nurses Association and the Nursing Legislative Agenda Coalition testified in support. The bill was left pending subject to the call of the chair. The committee then took up Senate Bill 111, by Senator Hall, which in its committee substitute was narrowed to a reporting bill requiring school districts to disclose legal proceedings involving special education due process complaints when legal fees exceed $10,000, rather than capping spending. Several parents and advocates testified that districts spend large sums on litigation against families of children with disabilities and that greater transparency is needed; some senators raised concerns about unintended consequences, including possible pressure to settle cases. The committee adopted the substitute and left the bill pending. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1551 on automated external defibrillators in public schools, Senate Bill 865 on CPR instruction requirements for certain volunteers, Senate Bill 1032 on the Governor’s University Research Initiative, and Senate Bill 571 on school employee misconduct reporting and access to the Do Not Hire Registry; each was reported favorably after committee substitute adoption and roll-call votes. Additional bills discussed included Senate Bill 1884, which would formalize and expand dedicated staff support for the State Board of Education and give the board chair hiring authority over that staff; members questioned whether it duplicated TEA functions, while a witness argued the workload increase justified the change, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 625 would replace the current half-credit economics requirement with a half-credit in personal financial literacy; educators and advocates strongly supported making the course required, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 582 would make TEA settlement agreements in special investigations publicly available when sanctions are imposed, and Senate Bill 2600 would bar transportation fees for students living within two miles of campus unless districts do not receive state transportation funding; both were left pending. The committee also heard Senate Bill 2751, which would require TEA inspections of non-public special education programs to consider medical standards of care and crisis-prevention training; testimony from a program operator described severe student behaviors and the need for more flexibility, and the bill was left pending after the substitute was adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• Today we come together as a united front, advocates, parents, educators, students, and policymakers to
• These individuals represent the diverse perspectives of parents, educators, and advocates who are calling
• So I'm here to advocate on behalf of students and parents and educators who are full for a fully funded
• Every day, parents, educators, and school staff dedicate themselves to ensuring that students with disabilities
• Parents and educators have long demonstrated their devotion to students with disabilities.

Transcript Highlights:

• to decide how best decide for the parent to decide how best to<00:18:52.880><c> educate</c><00:18:53.280
• These are education savings accounts created to provide funding to parents who desire alternative educational
• They're held accountable, but most importantly they're held accountable to parents, who the people educating
• to parents who the people<02:34:32.000><c> educating</c><02:34:32.479><c> our</c><02:34:32.640><c> children
• The parent knows best how to educate their babies, their children.

Keywords: MS House Floor - 15 January, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><02:11:17.840><c> plan</c> parents to discuss the educational plan parents to discuss the educational
• Any legislation or revisions to Chapter 12 should protect parental rights to direct the education of
• parents to discuss the educational<02:12:55.040><c> plan</c><02:12:55.679><c> and</c><02:12:55.920><c
• And this is regardless of parents' education level or household income.
• Appreciate it. of parents education level or household of parents education level or household income

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee on Education met on February 17 and announced it would limit public testimony to one minute because more than a thousand testimonies were expected on one measure. The first bill heard was HB 1934, relating to the Imagination Library of Hawaii. The state librarian and Friends of the Library supported the bill, saying the program is a proven, cost-effective way to improve early literacy and should be expanded statewide for children ages 0 to 5. Friends of the Library said the current 50/50 match requirement would be too difficult to meet immediately and asked for state funding for the first few years to help launch the expansion. Testimony included eight supporters and one opponent, and members asked whether the proposal was an expansion of an existing program; the state librarian said it would expand service beyond currently targeted communities. The committee then heard HB 20004, which would extend the floating librarian pilot program. The state librarian, Department of Education, HSTA, and several individuals testified in support. Supporters said the program helps address staffing needs and improves student readiness, especially for college and information literacy. One retired community college librarian said school librarians help students prepare for college and are increasingly important in teaching critical evaluation of misinformation and AI-generated content. Members asked about implementation of the existing pilot, including recruitment of certified librarians for neighbor island and Oahu complex areas; DOE said those positions had been identified and recruitment was underway, and existing funds remained intact. The final major discussion was HB 2398, which clarifies the library system’s role in RNMSP-related projects and public library construction on or near school land. The state librarian and public library system supported the bill, while the Department of Education and Attorney General’s office raised concerns about vague language, especially the phrase “land controlled by the board,” and suggested amendments. In questioning, the state librarian explained that the bill was prompted by conflicts on shared or adjacent school/public library sites, including traffic, pickup and drop-off access, and other operational issues. DOE described significant disruption from one project’s traffic changes and said planning for such projects should involve early coordination and formal agreements. The state librarian responded that the new bill would clarify oversight and help avoid delays and disputes over property control and future renovations.

Transcript Highlights:

• vendors of educational products.
• in education.
• in education.
• in education.
• And in my experience, I see parents as partners in the education of the child.

Committee: House Education

Summary: The committee first heard HB 690 by Rep. Amedee, which would prohibit education agencies and vendors from contracting with foreign adversaries, foreign terrorist organizations, or their agents, and would apply to education service providers, vendors of educational products, and some schools. Supporters argued the bill would protect school tax dollars and prevent foreign influence, especially from the Chinese Communist Party, citing similar actions in Florida and Texas. Some members raised questions about due process, how ineligibility would be determined, and whether payments would stop before appeals were resolved. A technical amendment changing “terrorists” to “terrorist” was adopted, and HB 690 was reported as amended without objection. The committee then took up HB 1078 by Rep. Freiberg, which would allow higher education institutions to offer standalone online courses, not just online programs tied to a degree, and to offer online programs even when there is no equivalent on-campus program. LSU officials said the bill would give flexibility for professional and workforce-related courses and certificates. Members asked about tuition-setting, prerequisites, and whether non-degree students could enroll. The bill was reported favorably without objection. HB 113 by Rep. Phelps, which sought retroactive application of the uniform 10-point grading scale to students who were ninth graders in 2023-2024, drew significant concern. Members questioned fairness, inconsistency if only some districts could recalculate grades, and the fiscal impact of retroactivity. Phelps said he had intended to capture that cohort and was willing to work with the Department of Education, but after debate the committee voted 2-9 against reporting the bill, so the motion failed. The committee also heard HB 632 by Rep. Spell on LA FIRST data sharing. The bill would streamline how student data is shared for the state’s longitudinal data system, and amendments were adopted to remove a five-year look-back and clarify data matching and de-identification. Members debated privacy, opt-out rights, and whether the bill should require or merely allow districts to participate; concerns were raised about sharing personally identifying information and the lack of clear opt-out protections. Rep. Carlson offered an amendment to change “shall” to “may,” but later withdrew it so the bill could be deferred for further discussion. Finally, HB 1132 by Rep. Carver, carried by Rep. Carlson, was introduced to expand lab school authorization within the University of Louisiana system; an amendment was offered to limit the change to new schools established after August 1, and discussion began on that amendment as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• That conversation and that education piece belongs to the physician and the parent.
• That conversation and that education piece belongs to the physician and the parent.
• That conversation and that education piece belongs to the physician and the parent.
• </c><01:09:27.920><c> on</c> Education put out Outreach education on Education put out Outreach education
• education.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Education met on April 1 at 2:04 p.m. and first heard HCR 129/HR 125/HD1, which asks state and county transportation and education agencies to work together on pedestrian safety and traffic congestion around Haiku Elementary School. The Department of Education said it stood on its written testimony, and no other testimony was offered on that measure. The committee then took up HCR 173/HR 169/HD1, urging the Department of Health to begin education outreach and vaccination drive efforts at schools with vaccination rates under 30 percent, starting in the 2025-26 school year. The Department of Education and Department of Health both supported the resolution and stood on their written testimony. Support also came from the Hawaii Public Health Institute, Hawaii Nurses Association, the Democratic Party of Hawaii Health Committee, and Free Citizens of Malua. A number of testifiers opposed the measure, arguing that vaccination efforts do not belong in schools, that the proposal would pressure families and undermine parental rights and religious freedom, and that it could create liability and misuse public funds. Several opponents also raised concerns about informed consent, government overreach, and vaccine safety. One supporter, Kye Swan, said vaccines are the way to fight infectious disease and asked the committee to pass the resolution so children could be vaccinated before the school year starts. No vote or final committee action on the resolutions was announced in the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Education about these... health education and assistance with health education and assistance with decision-making
• This bill empowers parents through education to learn about the signs of diabetes before it develops,
• Additionally, it mandates collaboration with educators and parents, ensuring that policies reflect community
• <01:31:06.880><c> and</c><01:31:07.080><c> educator</c> parent and educator parent and educator collaboration
• In some cases, you know, this was a sort of grassroots effort in terms of parents and educators working

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill establishes the Missouri Educators and Parental Empowerment and Rights Act, which recognizes
• the profound effect parents and teachers have on the educational success of our Missouri children.
• It's not just parents. It's not just educators. It's both. It should be a collaborative effort.
• parents to be involved in their education, right?
• Yes, I think we want to recognize that parents that want to be involved in their education, right?

Committee: House Elementary and Secondary Education

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Layla Park, and as a Boston Public Schools parent and a special education teacher, I urge
• It recognizes that schools should be spaces where parents, students, educators, and community members
• , parents, educators, school staff, and concerned community members across our state.
• Many school districts already have parent advisory councils focused on special education, CPACs, and
• Meanwhile, you and your parents lose voice in the decisions that shape your education.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Education

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:

• This is simply not feasible for all parents, but that does not mean that parents don't want religious
• Uh, this bill protects parental rights and religious freedom rights by allowing parents to access release
• Many parents consider religion an important part of their child's education.
• Unfortunately, uh, some parents can't access religious education, uh, some can't afford a private school
• The last thing I will say is I think providing flexibility like this to parents will attract more parents

Committee: House Public Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Stephen Profiter, Director of the Early Education Division at the California Department of Education,
• In education? We don’t know. Where’s the funding going to be cut in education?
• education and training.
• In today's economy, parents don't work those traditional hours, Monday, In today's economy, parents don't
• We became educators. We are educators, but sometimes people forget that we are not babysitters.

Summary: The hearing focused first on how wildfires and other disasters affect child care providers, families, and early education infrastructure. State officials from the Department of Social Services and Department of Education described disaster response and preparedness efforts, including shelter coordination, licensing outreach, emergency waivers, distribution of supplies, and the statewide child care disaster plan. Testimony from providers and advocates emphasized major gaps in recovery funding, insurance coverage, rebuilding support, mental health services, and coordination with local rebuild plans. Several witnesses urged more dedicated disaster-recovery funding for child care facilities and suggested statutory changes, including allowing greater flexibility for rebuilding costs and requiring early childhood programs to be included in local disaster planning. The second panel addressed immigration enforcement and its impact on child care. Advocates from the Children's Partnership, Every Child California, and CHIRLA said enforcement activity is causing families to keep children home, disrupting continuity of care, reducing enrollment, and creating fear and trauma for children and providers. They argued that immigrant and mixed-status families need clearer protections, privacy safeguards, legal support, trauma-informed guidance, and safe-haven policies for child care settings. Speakers also stressed that the child care workforce is heavily immigrant and that recent state laws such as AB 49 and AB 495 will require funding, training, and technical assistance to implement effectively. Public commenters, including child care providers, described personal experiences with fire damage, displacement, permit delays, lost income, and the emotional toll of serving families during crises. Others described how immigration enforcement has made parents afraid to attend events, drop off children, or remain connected to providers. Committee members repeatedly noted that child care is often overlooked in emergencies and asked state officials how child care systems are being integrated into disaster planning and how local and state agencies can better coordinate. No formal votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• So are you familiar with any parents in Idaho opting their kids into sex education and that sex education
• These policies likely violate parental rights to direct the upbringing and education of their children
• These policies likely violate parental rights to direct the upbringing and education of their children
• Parents have a natural right to direct the upbringing and education of their children.
• Because House Bill 822 would ensure that parents remain the primary protectors and educators of their

Committee: House Judiciary, Rules and Administration

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill reinforces parental rights and transparency, strengthens student health and safety, keeps education
• Parents disengaging from schools, meetings, special education services, or academic support programs
• As a parent, educator, and health care worker, I oppose this bill.
• As a parent, educator, and healthcare worker, I oppose. Attention, please. My name is Ash.
• As a parent, educator, and health care worker, I oppose this bill.

Summary: The Pre-K through 12 Budget Subcommittee took up CS for House Bill 1071, a broad education package described by the sponsor as updating transparency, parental rights, student safety, early learning accountability, scholarship oversight, and instructional program rules. The committee adopted two amendments without objection: one clarifying that Title I funds may be used for STEM programs, and another removing a prior provision related to canine dogs on school grounds. Members then questioned the bill’s provisions on student records transfers, instructional materials adoption and removal, educational emergency authority for low-performing schools, health education and a fetal development video, student-led organizations, FHSAA board language, lab schools, and rulemaking authority. The sponsor repeatedly said the bill was intended to improve accountability, keep education dollars focused on students, and give districts flexibility, while also noting that some issues would be addressed through future rulemaking or later amendments. Public testimony was overwhelmingly opposed. Many speakers argued the bill was an omnibus measure that bundled unrelated policies together, making it hard for families and educators to understand or meaningfully comment on it. Opponents also said it would increase school-law enforcement coordination, chill immigrant and mixed-status families’ participation, restrict DEI-related and student-led organizations, and impose controversial health and embryology content on students. Supporters, including the Christian Family Coalition and Florida Citizens Alliance, backed the fetal development video and the bill’s parental rights and funding restrictions, saying the content should be medically accurate and that schools should not fund political advocacy. Several speakers urged the committee to break the bill into separate measures. In debate, some members praised the sponsor’s responsiveness but said they would vote no because of constituent concerns, especially around DEI, the fetal development video, and local control. Others supported the bill, emphasizing rulemaking, educational emergency flexibility, EpiPen access, early learning changes, and evidence-based math instruction. The sponsor closed by reiterating support for the bill as amended, saying the law enforcement provision had been removed, the embryology content would be opt-out with posted materials, state funds should not support political advocacy, and the bill would help with safety, accountability, and student outcomes. The committee then voted on the bill after debate, with the sponsor indicating support and members stating their positions during closing discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• their right to a classroom and special education services in a public school with their parent or guardian's
• What occurs is we spend about the first month or two facilitating... ...parent outreach, educator outreach
• Education was always important to my family, but my parents didn't understand how the system worked,
• I really appreciate it, from a parent to four kids who went through public education, and I just appreciate
• Parents are panicked. They have a lot of questions. Parents are panicked.

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• or she is being educated.
• I am a parent.
• We are responsible for the education of all of our children, regardless of which system the parents choose
• to educate them in.
• This bill is essential for parent choice. This is informed parent choice.

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:

• ><00:19:53.919><c> in</c><00:19:54.160><c> education</c><00:19:54.720><c> to</c> parents bill of rights
• in education to parents bill of rights in education to allow<00:19:55.280><c> for</c><00:19:55.520><
• </c><00:28:20.159><c> The</c> parents, educators, and students.
• The parents, educators, and students.
• Any parent who has sexual education.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all