Transcript Highlights:

• decline.
• So the reduction to the SEG for enrollment decline is in FY27.
• Chairman, Senator Ezell, I mentioned in the presentation that declining enrollment has been a trend for
• It's also a national trend, with almost every state seeing declining enrollment.
• To your question, New Mexico specific, a large part of the declining enrollment is due to declining birth

Transcript Highlights:

• And if the district has declining enrollment, has 45 districts do?
• But if a district has declining enrollment, they have to provide a 5 year plan that's that's developed
• But they at least if they've been if they've been hitting declining enrollment for 5 years, they need
• But if for 5 years in a row, you're seeing declining enrollment in your district.
• When you're in a declining enrollment, we are points away from being in a school district.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I know enrollment decline is a challenge across the state.
• In addition to that Our enrollment doesn't decline in NYSERDA.
• Because while the SEG went up, our enrollment declined.
• What that means right now, with declining enrollment and teacher shortages, means that our teachers are
• SEG is Going up and that is fantastic, but with the enrollment declines, our money is very stable.

Transcript Highlights:

• from<00:15:08.759> a declining enrollment they've gone from a declining enrollment they've
• Our enrollment is declining, mostly due to declining birth rates in our area.
• <00:48:35.240> declines along with those uh enrollment declines along with those uh enrollment
• c> puts declining enrollment it actually puts declining enrollment it actually puts them<00:54:58.160
• c> Aid<00:55:51.680> is have declining enrollment and our Aid is have declining enrollment

Bills: HF957, HF877

Keywords: education, mandate relief, school funding, local control, state laws, fund transfers, 1183, house

Bills: SB86, SB196, SB228, SB231, HB73, HB407, HB435, SB86, SB196, SB228, SB231, HB73, HB407, HB435

Keywords: independent contractors, portable benefits, employee benefits, tax deductions, employment relationship, education, high school, community college, dual enrollment, secondary credit, Move on When Ready, financial services, discrimination, social credit score, religious freedom, transparency, consumer rights, Alabama, wastewater management, public service commission

Transcript Highlights:

• ISDs will use student enrollment figures instead of population. comparison showing what the tax levy
• Aside from it just being generally a bad idea, the first is that the bill, as written, folks, is on enrollment

Bills: HB17, HB16, SB 10, HB27, HB23, SB 15, SB 18, HB 17, HB 16, SB 10, HB 27, HB 23, SB 15, SB 18

Keywords: property tax, school funding, enrollment changes, inflation adjustment, tax rate notice, judicial administration, court reform, juvenile diversion, court security, mental health services, drug offenses, constitutional amendments, property tax exemption, ad valorem tax, Texas Tax Code, nonprofit corporation, charitable organization, educational nonprofit, scientific nonprofit, agriculture support

Bills: HB17, HB16, SB 10, HB27, HB23, SB 15, SB 18, HB 17, HB 16, SB 10, HB 27, HB 23, SB 15, SB 18

Keywords: property tax, school funding, enrollment changes, inflation adjustment, tax rate notice, judicial administration, court reform, juvenile diversion, court security, mental health services, drug offenses, constitutional amendments, property tax exemption, ad valorem tax, Texas Tax Code, nonprofit corporation, charitable organization, educational nonprofit, scientific nonprofit, agriculture support

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, sometimes we have districts that may have a program that has declining enrollment or they're going
• So, for example, we see now declining enrollment funding.
• Foundation funding was established, growth and declining enrollment funding was established, minimum
• Student growth and declining enrollment are the other two supplemental funds that are based on either
• Declining enrollment funding first became a topic in the special masters' report.

Summary: The meeting began with approval of the prior minutes and then shifted to an update from Department of Education Secretary Jacob Oliva and Deputy Commissioner Stacey Smith on early childhood education, especially the state-funded Arkansas Better Chance (ABC) program. They said Arkansas had received a federal Preschool Development Grant and described ABC as a large state program with about 23,800 funded slots and roughly $114 million in annual appropriations. Department officials said they are reviewing slot allocations because about 1,000 seats are funded but unfilled, while more than 2,000 families are on waiting lists, and they plan to reduce or reallocate slots from providers that have not filled them over several years. They also said they are examining whether income thresholds, curriculum expectations, daily rates, and summer programming should be updated, and members raised concerns about access, local control, transportation, and whether the program should better align with K-12 choice and school readiness goals. The committee agreed to form an early childhood subcommittee and asked the Bureau of Legislative Research to help gather historical data and other information for future discussion. The committee then received a legal presentation from BLR attorney Taylor Lloyd on the constitutional and statutory framework for education adequacy in Arkansas. She reviewed the Dupree and Lake View cases, explaining that the state must maintain a general, suitable, and efficient system of free public schools, and that adequacy and equity are distinct but related concepts. She emphasized that the General Assembly is responsible for defining adequacy, studying whether the system meets that standard, and reacting to the evidence, while the courts ultimately decide constitutional compliance. Lloyd also explained the current adequacy definition, the role of the matrix as a funding tool rather than a spending mandate, and the distinction between unrestricted foundation funding and restricted categorical funding. BLR’s Elizabeth Bynum followed with a historical overview of how Arkansas responded to the court cases and developed the current adequacy process. She traced major legislative actions from the 1980s through the Lake View litigation, including the creation of funding formulas, categorical aid, isolated funding, declining enrollment funding, and the 2003-2004 adequacy study that led to the Continuing Adequacy Evaluation Act and the matrix used to set foundation funding. She also described later changes to the adequacy statute, the financial reporting requirements for districts, and the ongoing use of surveys, stakeholder testimony, and consultant studies in the biennial adequacy process. Members asked questions about whether private or homeschool programs could use public funds for expenses like utilities, whether stakeholders should include those groups, the difference between average daily membership and attendance, and whether school board members are surveyed; staff said those issues would need further research or were outside the scope of the presenters’ role.

Transcript Highlights:

• So that means everybody will have to enroll during general open enrollment, and they will not have the
• declines.
• declines.
• declines and structural budget issues.
• Well, the NGFO revenue forecast has declined.

Summary: The committee held a work session focused first on juvenile rehabilitation system capacity. DCYF officials said the juvenile rehabilitation population is older, includes more adult-sentenced youth, and has longer lengths of stay, especially for “post-25” youth who must remain in secure facilities and cannot go to community beds. They described overcrowding at Green Hill School, placement limits at Echo Glen and Harbor Heights, staffing turnover, mental health acuity, and the need for more medium-security and specialized mental health beds. DCYF said it is pursuing a Parkland facility proposal, a staffing model decision package, and a broader feasibility study and master plan update. No votes were taken; members were asked to follow up with questions later. The committee then heard on behavioral health system capacity from the Behavioral Health Administration and the Health Care Authority. DSHS described growth in forensic and civil bed need, expansion at Olympic Heritage, Maple Lane, and Brockman, and construction of a new 350-bed forensic hospital at Western State expected to open in 2028. HCA reported progress on long-term civil commitment beds, intensive behavioral health treatment facilities, PACT teams, and intensive residential treatment teams, saying the community-based system is being expanded to support step-down care and reduce hospital reliance. Members asked about whether capacity is right-sized, the difference between facility types, and federal match eligibility for services. A federal funding update followed, covering the effects of H.R. 1 and H.R. 5371 on SNAP, Medicaid, marketplace coverage, long-term services and supports, K-12, higher education, and hemp regulation. OFM and agency staff said H.R. 1 adds work requirements, changes non-citizen eligibility, increases state administrative and benefit costs, reduces Medicaid and marketplace subsidies for some groups, tightens redeterminations, and may significantly affect provider payments and state-directed payments. H.R. 5371 extended federal funding through January 30, 2026 and included some agency appropriations and other provisions, including changes affecting hemp producers. Members asked about SNAP error rates and special enrollment periods. Finally, budget coordinator Mary Monroe gave a 2026 supplemental budget preview. She reviewed the state’s near general fund outlook, noting revenue declines since the enacted budget, the effect of reversions, and a preliminary maintenance-level outlook showing a projected increase in NGFO spending over the four-year period. She said the supplemental will reflect updated caseload and cost forecasts and mandatory impacts from H.R. 1, but not policy proposals. No actions or votes were taken during the session.

Transcript Highlights:

• an enrollment decline.
• <03:54:55.479> that enrollments have declined um and that enrollments have declined um and
• > enrollment<03:55:19.520> decline several years average enrollment decline several years
• <03:55:24.640> the enrollment decline my concern and the enrollment decline my concern and
• <03:57:46.760> decline believe that that enrollment decline believe that that enrollment decline

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Division 2 Finance Committee work session focused primarily on House Bill 115 and a proposed amendment, 114H, which would carry over language from HB 2 into HB 115 and place limits on Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs). Representative Murray described the amendment as a way to keep the 350% federal poverty eligibility cap, require students to have attended a charter public school in grades K-12 for the preceding year before entering the voucher system, and add guardrails against universal eligibility. She argued the state was facing a severe budget crisis, that expanding EFAs would divert money from other programs, and that public testimony and local votes showed widespread opposition to expansion. She also cited a letter from former Finance chair Neil Kirk opposing expansion. Other members responded that the committee should not revisit policy already decided by the House, though some said the amendment was fair to discuss because of its fiscal implications and supported it on that basis. The discussion then broadened into a debate over the fiscal impact of universal vouchers and the reliability of enrollment and cost estimates. Representative Luno argued that prior EFA projections had relied on assumptions that could badly underestimate state exposure, pointing to Arizona as a cautionary example and saying New Hampshire should not expand the program without better analysis. Representative Papovich similarly warned that universal eligibility could create a large, unexpected cost, estimating a potential exposure of about $285 million based on school-age children not currently in public, charter, or EFA programs. In contrast, Representative Weyler said EFAs can save money because public school spending is already high and parents using EFAs still pay taxes and take on more responsibility for their children’s education. After discussion, Representative Murray moved to accept the amendment, and Representative Bean seconded it. There was some procedural clarification about voting on the original bill and the amendment. The transcript ends before a final recorded vote on the amendment or on HB 115 itself, though the committee had also been told it would likely reconsider several retained bills later in the week, including HB 129, HB 133, HB 671, and HB 781.

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, if they are anticipating or have seen declining enrollment or growth in districts.
• For example, if they are anticipating or have seen declining enrollment or growth in districts.
• For example, if they are anticipating or have seen declining enrollment or growth in districts.
• Then declining enrollment, which is of course provided to districts with declining enrollment, learning
• enrollment, Declining enrollment, which is of course provided to districts with declining enrollment

Summary: The House and Senate Education Committee first approved minutes from February 2 and 3, then took up an interim study proposal on adult education and the Excel Center model. Representatives from Goodwill Industries of Arkansas, the Excel Center network, and the University of Notre Dame’s Lab for Economic Opportunities testified that roughly 300,000 Arkansans over age 19 lack a high school diploma or GED, and argued that the Excel Center provides a supported diploma pathway for adults who struggle with GED testing. Witnesses highlighted wraparound services such as free child care, transportation assistance, tutoring, life coaching, and career services, and cited outcomes including high retention, growing enrollment, and research showing higher employment and earnings and lower criminal justice involvement for graduates. Committee members raised questions about the state’s role, existing adult education programs, and how the study would be structured; the motion to adopt the ISP passed, though there was some procedural disagreement about when questions should have been taken. The committee then heard a detailed adequacy funding overview from BLR staff Katie Walden and Adrian Beck on Arkansas K-12 education finance. They reviewed national funding principles and explained Arkansas’s system, including state and local revenue sources, the Public School Fund, the Educational Excellence Trust Fund, the Educational Adequacy Fund, and the Facilities Partnership Program. Staff said K-12 state and local revenues totaled $6.6 billion in 2025, with foundation funding making up the largest share of district and charter funding, followed by additional, categorical, and supplemental funds. They also explained the matrix-based foundation formula, the role of the uniform rate of tax, and how categorical and supplemental funds support areas such as alternative learning, English learners, special education high-cost cases, teacher salary equalization, declining enrollment, and student growth. Members asked several follow-up questions about how specific funding categories are defined and used, including student support staff, instructional aides, special education high-cost occurrences, ALE funding, teacher salary equalization, and the inclusion of Excel Center amounts in state-local funding totals. Staff said some of those details would be addressed in a later presentation and offered to provide additional records, including district lists and historical information. The meeting ended after the funding overview, with no additional votes or actions beyond the ISP adoption and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Proposition 98 with declining enrollment... ...this.
• The Proposition 98 with declining enrollment and the LCFF, that decline is allowing for Prop. 98 to be
• So do you feel— —savings over time from that declining enrollment.
• We'll be talking a lot about declining enrollment and the impacts probably in the fall with some hearings
• So only seven that are, they're largely all declining in enrollment? Is that their dynamic here?

Summary: The committee heard an overview of the May Revision’s Proposition 98 changes for K-12 and community colleges. The Department of Finance said the minimum guarantee rises by $6.4 billion over the Governor’s Budget across the three-year window, with higher guarantees in each year, full payment of the prior settle-up, and larger deposits into the school rainy-day fund. The LAO said the revenue and LCFF updates were reasonable, but urged caution about the settle-up approach and recommended using more of the available funding to protect ongoing programs and build budget resilience. Members focused heavily on the size of the proposed $3.9 billion settle-up, the $10.3 billion reserve deposit, declining K-12 enrollment, and how much of the new funding should be ongoing versus one-time. The committee then reviewed the community colleges portion of the budget. Finance described the May Revision’s higher SCFF COLA, additional funding for enrollment growth, a student support block grant, apprenticeship adjustments, and continued funding for deferred maintenance, Calbright, Common Cloud, and credit for prior learning. The Chancellor’s Office supported the core investments but asked for more funding for enrollment growth, changes to the growth formula, and a COLA for Student Equity and Achievement. The LAO recommended prioritizing the statutory COLA increase, noted that more than half of districts are already above current-year growth targets, and said the new adult learner demonstration project should be rejected because districts already have tools to support similar services. Members also discussed a $52 million current-year apportionment shortfall, which Finance said was discovered too late for the May Revision and would need to be addressed later. Finally, the committee took up the proposed implementation of the federal Workforce Pell program. Finance proposed one-time funding for the California Student Aid Commission and Cradle to Career to build eligibility and data systems, along with trailer bill changes to set up state approval processes. CSAC said the program is promising but highly complex, that California lacks the needed infrastructure, and that the state will need emergency regulations, data linkages, and ongoing funding beyond the one-time proposal. The LAO agreed that some initial funding is needed but warned that the amounts and ongoing costs remain uncertain and that the Legislature should carefully draft the trailer bill language. Members asked about timing, other states’ actions, and how the state would ensure the program is ready for students and institutions.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's a calculation that staff makes to account for projected enrollment declines in school districts
• to plan for those enrollment declines and how that might affect their budgets.
• This 45 million credit Takes into account about 60% of that predicted enrollment decline.
• So we're taking credit right now for enrollment declines because we know that potentially there's some
• It's not because we don't need to account for enrollment declines. We absolutely do.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, as a district sees declining enrollment, The district has to make staffing pattern adjustments, but
• A very significant decline in student enrollment. Readiness for college.
• Growing in enrollment, they are flat in enrollment, and they are declining in enrollment.
• So INS for example, is not an enrollment basis at all.
• enrollment.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Proposition 98 with declining enrollment... ...this.
• The Proposition 98 with declining enrollment and the LCFF, that decline is allowing for Prop. 98 to be
• So do you feel... ...savings over time from that declining enrollment.
• We’ll be talking a lot about declining enrollment and the impacts probably in the fall with some hearings
• So only seven that are largely all declining in enrollment? Is that their dynamic here? Yes.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up the May Revision update on Proposition 98 and the school rainy-day fund. The Department of Finance said the minimum guarantee rises by $6.4 billion over the Governor’s Budget across the three-year window, with lower average daily attendance projections offsetting some of the revenue gains. Finance also described a reduced $3.9 billion settle-up proposal, increased deposits into the Public School System Stabilization Account, and an ending reserve balance of about $10.3 billion. The LAO said the revenue and LCFF adjustments were reasonable, but urged the Legislature to be cautious about delaying settle-up payments and to consider more budget resiliency, including larger cushions or other tools to protect ongoing programs. Members then questioned the administration and LAO about the size of the settle-up, the rationale for the reserve deposit, declining enrollment, and how lower attendance is creating savings that can be redirected to other school priorities. The LAO said the May Revision’s mix of one-time and ongoing spending was generally reasonable but recommended keeping a strong cushion and considering alternatives such as advance payments or pension-related savings. Questions also focused on how the May Revision’s funding mix affects districts if revenues weaken, and on the treatment of special education, discretionary block grants, and paid family leave costs for LEAs and community colleges. The committee next heard the community colleges portion of the budget. Finance described a higher SCFF COLA, increased apportionment costs, a student support block grant, deferred maintenance, Common Cloud, Calbright, credit for prior learning, and a one-time adult learner demonstration project. The Chancellor’s Office supported the core investments but asked for more funding for enrollment growth, changes to the SCFF growth formula, and a COLA for Student Equity and Achievement. The LAO recommended funding the statutory COLA increase, noted a $52 million current-year apportionment shortfall not yet included in the May Revision, and suggested the Legislature could instead direct some funds to enrollment growth, categorical COLAs, or one-time uses. Members also clarified how COLA and hold-harmless rules apply to different community college districts. Finally, the committee reviewed the proposed state implementation of the federal Workforce Pell program. Finance proposed one-time funding for the Student Aid Commission and Cradle to Career data work, plus trailer bill changes to set up state approval of eligible programs. CSAC said the program is promising but highly complex, with new federal rules just released and significant data, regulatory, and systems work still needed; it said the state will not be ready by July 1 and that ongoing funding will likely be necessary. The LAO agreed that implementation will require careful trailer bill language and noted that ongoing administrative costs remain unresolved. Members asked about other states’ approaches and the practical effect on short-term workforce programs in California.

Transcript Highlights:

• enrollment so a column J is declining enrollment so a district<01:24:45.280> in<01:24:45.560>
• <01:24:57.239> enrollment<01:24:57.840> revenue amount of declining enrollment revenue
• > that declining declining enrollment for that declining declining enrollment for that district
• <01:25:33.520> enrollment<01:25:33.920> Revenue amount of declining enrollment Revenue
• increased weight uh to your declining increased weight uh to your declining enrollment<01:26:02.520

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Today, five of 67 school districts have declining enrollment while private schools and homeschools are
• students, or school districts rather, who had declining enrollment to get a little bit of a cushion.
• cushion so that their declining enrollment didn't hit them suddenly as a 100% loss in revenue.
• We are proposing to bring back the declining student enrollment supplemental for one year and provide
• stabilization supplement for those other school districts who have declining enrollment for one year

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The first is that despite significant declines in Enrollment, Medicaid expenditures continue to increase
• So how did we enroll those people? Did they come in and say, "I need to be enrolled?"
• , please re-enroll and fill out the paperwork.
• If you go even further out, it declines a bit.
• In New Mexico, if there's some assurance that the enrollment won't decline because the subsidies stay

Transcript Highlights:

• I have some concerns that the enrollment, especially in West Oʻahu, has declined five years in a row,
• decline decline um<00:42:43.480> and<00:42:44.000> that um and that um and that the<00
• 2024 um to increase the enrollment 2024 um to increase the enrollment across<00:43:37.240> the
• this projected Trends and enrollment this projected Trends and enrollment University<00:53:01.680
• Yes, so their, uh, fall enrollment numbers have been declining for several years, and I'm not sure what

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The California College of the Arts is facing a budget shortfall resulting from enrollment declines following
• decline, which is resulting in a loss of associated tuition and fee revenue.
• Second, the school is not the only college in California facing fiscal challenges due to enrollment decline
• A one-time $20 million investment will allow us to rebuild and expand enrollment.
• I know you are aware of the immense challenges facing higher education: declining enrollment, rising

Keywords: 988, house, all