Transcript Highlights:

• four kids go to public school. four kids go to public school.
• . schools. schools.
• . schools. schools.
• projects back into our schools. projects back into our schools.
• public school students. public school students.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House Republican leaders and Speaker Melissa Hortman held a press event promoting House File 3490, which would opt Minnesota into a federal education tax credit program. They argued the bill has no state cost and would keep donations made by Minnesotans benefiting Minnesota students and schools rather than out-of-state scholarship organizations. Supporters said the funds could help with tutoring, extracurriculars, school supplies, special education-related services, learning loss, and other school needs, and they repeatedly urged Governor Tim Walz to opt in or publicly explain why he would not. Rep. Andrew Myers, the bill’s chief author, said the proposal is personal to him as a parent and legislator and described recent school budget pressures, including staff and resource cuts and larger class sizes. Rep. Ben Bakeberg, a middle school principal, said the bill could generate significant funding if many taxpayers participate and argued it could help offset school district shortfalls and the Blue Ribbon Commission. Rep. Griesbach also backed the bill, calling it a “no-brainer” and saying he would not work with the governor on other budget items unless the governor opted in. In response to questions, supporters said scholarship-granting organizations could be created by a variety of entities, including education foundations, and could support both private-school tuition and public-school-related costs such as extracurricular fees, field trips, and transportation for summer learning. They rejected the idea that the bill pits public and nonpublic schools against each other, saying it is meant to expand educational opportunity for all students. No vote or formal committee action was taken during the event; it ended with questions from reporters on the bill and other Republican priorities such as rental assistance, gas taxes, and energy costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• the schools.
• Having been a school board member with having to do school elections...
• Moundsview School. So, for one year. Wonderful. Which school?
• for the public schools.
• It's no contact with the school for the first 15 days of the next school year; the school district would

Transcript Highlights:

• Our middle school ranked in the top 50% of middle schools in Kentucky, and our high school ranked in
• Our middle school ranked in the top 50% of middle schools in Kentucky, and our high school ranked in
• > no<00:42:33.920> one public school or private school no one public school or private school
• middle school.
• Middle school and high school, you know, they were about 50%, which I would say is with most schools

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate Education Committee met with a quorum and heard first from the Washway Nicotine Youth Advocacy Group, which urged stronger enforcement of Kentucky’s Tobacco 21 law. Youth advocates described the harms of flavored vaping products, argued that nicotine use is targeting children, and called for retailer licensing, annual compliance checks, harsher penalties for illegal sales, and more funding for enforcement. Committee members praised the presentation, and one senator said he had heard a bill on licensed retailers may be coming soon. The committee then heard a lengthy presentation from Cloverport Independent School District and the Kentucky Virtual Academy about the state’s virtual school model. Superintendent Keith Haynes and principals Brandy Fagan and Sally Johnson said KYVA serves about 2,800 students, many of whom are at-risk or have health, safety, behavioral, or family reasons for choosing virtual education. They emphasized that the program uses live synchronous instruction, provides devices and materials, and offers special education and related services. They also said the school had a large wait list and that virtual programs need more flexibility in staffing ratios, scheduling, and testing windows. School leaders acknowledged criticism of KYVA’s proficiency scores and said many students entered far below grade level, with 59% not proficient in English language arts and 79% not proficient in math on recent state testing. They argued the program is too new to judge solely on one year of data and pointed to growth in MAP scores, as well as middle and high school rankings in the top half of Kentucky schools. Fagan and Johnson outlined improvement efforts, including daily interventions, small-group instruction, literacy programs, staff training, and expanded clubs and student activities. No votes or formal committee actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• schools to public charter schools. schools to public charter schools.
• Charter schools are specific um schools.
• of our public schools into charter schools. schools. schools.
• back to schools. back to schools.
• Private schools, or to private school.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of the district school. of the district school.
• <01:05:24.880> already School District and the school already School District and the school
• Look at your elementary school, middle school, high school, and see if it was compliant or not.
• schools.
• 294 schools. 294 schools.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to go towards school for their school to go towards school safety.<00:12:42.280> And<00:12:42.400
• , public charter school, tribal schools, private schools, they are all worth protecting and they're all
• , public charter school, tribal schools, private schools, they are all worth protecting and they're all
• to our schools. to our schools.
• <00:20:56.520> their schools, all schools, um secure their schools, all schools, um secure

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• schools.
• not summer school.”
• instead of 10 schools.
• We don't, in the NES schools, the 130 out of 274, 273 schools are NES schools.
• We don't, in the NES schools, the 130 out of 274, 273 schools are NES schools.

Summary: The committee continued hearing testimony on Senate Bill 2252, which would expand early literacy and numeracy screening, parent notification, intervention supports, and teacher training, including math academies and early childhood supports. Supporters from Texas 2036, Good Reason Houston, Texas Business Leadership Council, and several parents argued that early identification of skill gaps, clearer data for families, and stronger teacher preparation would improve student outcomes, workforce readiness, and long-term earnings. They cited low math proficiency statewide, the importance of early intervention, and examples of districts using screeners and data dashboards to guide instruction and resource allocation. One witness also highlighted home visiting as a family-support model, while another urged more funding for pre-K partnerships and stronger support for parents with reading materials and guidance. A district special education administrator testified neutrally, saying the bill reflects practices already used in her district but expressing concern that it could reduce local control and teacher discretion by standardizing screening and tying it to funding. A Texas Classroom Teachers Association representative supported the intent but warned that mandatory math academies and intervention academies could burden teachers if implemented like prior reading academies, and a substitute teacher/teacher-of-the-year witness asked for clearer protections around special education information and pay for alternative certification candidates. After public testimony closed, SB 2252 was left pending. The committee then took up Senate Bill 2253, as substituted, which would phase out routine hiring of uncertified teachers over time, require parent notification when a teacher is uncertified, and expand high-quality preparation pathways such as university programs, residencies, improved alternative certification, and grow-your-own programs. Senator Creighton said the bill responds to the rise in uncertified teachers and aims to strengthen the teacher pipeline with more structured preparation, mentorship, and oversight by SBEC. Invited testimony strongly supported the measure: a Texas Tech researcher said uncertified teachers and fast-track programs are associated with significant learning losses, while year-long residencies and mentored pathways produce stronger outcomes and higher earnings for students. Leaders from Dallas College and Sam Houston State University described successful residency and grow-your-own models, high completion and retention rates, and the need for paid residencies and stipends so candidates can afford to enter the profession. Committee members asked about the difference between mentorship and residency, the cost-effectiveness of paid residencies, retention incentives, and how to scale the model statewide. The committee also adopted the substitute for SB 2253 and later paused to vote out several other bills, including SB 1191, SB 1786, SB 226, SB 326, SB 570, SB 870, SB 991, SB 60, SB 365, SB 1401, and SB 1067, all of which were reported favorably, many with unanimous votes and some placed on the local and uncontested calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• . schools. schools.
• <00:19:21.280> staff<00:19:22.559> to schools to provide more school staff to schools
• And really having our student support staff, our school social workers, school nurses, school counselors
• to school.
• > school Minneapolis public school school Minneapolis public school school counselor,<00:59:53.920

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• School food authorities, or an entity such as a local school district or charter school, are responsible
• PED will work to direct certify schools starting in the upcoming school year.
• school meals by 20%, from a total of $206 million in school year 23 to $247 million in school year 24
• year 23 to school year 24.
• school year.

Transcript Highlights:

• to school to expectations from school to school to classroom<00:47:54.760> to<00:47:54.960>
• elementary school school elementary school principles<00:58:42.799> um<00:58:43.680> thank
• every school district has to have a policy, but many of the schools, and most of the schools, started
• of the schools and most of the schools of the schools and most of the schools um<01:03:18.200>
• school as we heard from High School school as we heard from High School principles<01:08:44.480>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Minnesota Senate Education Policy Committee heard testimony on Senate File 508, a bill to restrict cell phone use in schools. Senator Mann said the proposal was based on roundtables with school districts across the state and on reports from other states, and argued that cell phones are harming student attention, mental health, classroom culture, and student-teacher relationships. She said K-8 restrictions are broadly supported, while high school policies should be more flexible, and emphasized that districts should control implementation. The bill also includes funding for education efforts around why the restrictions are being adopted and how students can use technology responsibly. Testifiers largely supported the bill or the general goal of limiting cell phone use. Dr. Anna Tyranny, a parent and licensed psychologist, said cell phones and social media can contribute to anxiety, poor concentration, cyberbullying, and inappropriate sharing, and urged a balanced approach that includes digital literacy education. St. Cloud Area Public Schools Superintendent Laori Pam and Tech High School staff member Molly Kenzie described their district’s policies, which keep phones away for the day in elementary and middle school and restrict them during class in high school. They cited U.S. Department of Education guidance, research on mental health and sleep disruption, and the need for age-appropriate, equitable, and consistently communicated policies. St. Cloud reported that its middle school policy, piloted and then expanded districtwide, led to a 50% reduction in cell phone discipline referrals and fewer classroom power struggles. The district said high school violations remain concentrated in certain grades, especially ninth and eleventh, and that it continues to address the issue through PBIS teams. No vote or final committee action on the bill was described in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• high school principal.
• I can speak to this on a high school level. So we are a unique school.
• , home school, back to public school, and hybrids of all of them, you know ...school, back to public
• Into our school system, what schools are best for them, and school choice has been very positive and
• school.

Summary: The Student Academic Success Subcommittee met to review Florida’s cell phone and social media literacy law, with Representative Brad Yeager describing the 2023 policy as aimed at removing classroom distractions and teaching students how to use social media responsibly. He said the law was intended to keep phones out of classrooms unless used for instruction, require social media literacy education, and limit access to certain sites on school Wi-Fi and government devices. Yeager said feedback since passage has been mixed: many teachers support it and some have adopted inexpensive shoe-organizer or pouch systems, but implementation varies by school and administrator enforcement. He said he is not currently pursuing a broader statewide mandate. Superintendent Dr. Maria Vazquez and Timber Creek High School Principal Mr. Wasco described Orange County’s approach as bell-to-bell phone restrictions, while Pasco County’s Dr. Zetchy described a similar policy with some flexibility during lunch or passing periods at the high school level. Both districts said the policy was implemented with parent communication, town halls, surveys, and transition periods, and that concerns about emergencies were addressed by allowing phones to be returned at the end of the day and by establishing procedures for parent contact. They reported few theft problems and said discipline issues related to phones have generally been manageable, though some teachers still struggle with enforcement or with students trying to evade the rules. A major portion of the discussion focused on social media literacy instruction. Orange County said it uses counselor-led programs, Canvas courses, resiliency days, and curriculum materials to teach students about cyberbullying, human trafficking, privacy, and the permanence of online posts, with progress tracked through the learning platform. Pasco said it has some resiliency modules but lacks a fully built-out, pre-made social media curriculum and would welcome more guidance from DOE, especially for high school classrooms where instructional time is limited. Members also asked about student anxiety, 504/IEP accommodations, caregiver students, and parent education; the districts said exceptions are handled through school committees and that parent academies and district resources are being used to help families set boundaries and understand the risks and benefits of phones and social media. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is this a big school versus small school dilemma? Not really as...
• We're in the closest schools to us, Elkins High School is about 20 miles from us.
• schools go.
• far as private schools go.
• in high school.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• School Librarians um that every school School Librarians um that every school should<00:24:59.760
• to school.
• <00:28:08.960> to these vary greatly from school to these vary greatly from school to school
• As a result, many school school safety.
• Area Schools. Um I'm an enrolled member Area Schools.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Since 2020, numerous school districts have adopted a four-day school week or a hybrid hybrid, uh, school
• Uh, to prohibit schools from adopting a four-day school week with some exceptions.
• TEA, that school district must revert back to a 5 day school week.
• to public charter schools.
• , public charter schools.

Transcript Highlights:

• trips<00:06:33.479> then school consents for school trips then school consents for school
• school library I'm sorry in the school school library I'm sorry in the school library<01:31:01.719
• the high schools high schools across the high schools high schools across the state<01:51:37.239
• <02:37:06.000> school just you know the school school just you know the school school conventional
• conventional schools in the school conventional schools in the school district<02:37:08.359>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• by a school district.
• districts or those schools, particularly those charter schools that do not go through a school district
• And those schools are obviously no different than the other schools.
• charter school.
• So you have the school district—the school district was the primary authorizer for charter schools, which

Summary: The Finance and Tax Committee met with a quorum present and took up two bills. The first, SPB 7046, was the Senate tax package. It included changes to Live Local property tax opt-outs, charter school distributions from voter-approved property tax levies, RV park special assessments, fiscally constrained county funding, a permanent sales tax exemption for small propane tanks, a hunting/fishing/camping sales tax holiday, and provisions barring governmental net zero policies. An amendment made the charter-school distribution change prospective starting July 1, 2026. Committee discussion focused heavily on whether the charter-school language would divert money from traditional public schools and on the fiscal-constrained county formula. The bill was reported favorably as a committee bill after a roll call vote, with Senators Bernard and Jones voting no. The committee also considered SPB 7048, which updates Florida’s conformity to the Internal Revenue Code as of January 1, 2026 and partially decouples from federal tax changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The bill addresses bonus depreciation, research and experimental expenses, business meal deductions, and the business interest deduction, with the Revenue Estimating Conference expected to review the fiscal impact later in the week. The Florida Chamber testified that the bill should better align with federal tax relief and reduce administrative burdens, while senators emphasized the need to balance business tax relief with state revenue constraints. SPB 7048 was also reported favorably as a committee bill by roll call vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Kirsten Monk who is a school nurse on behalf of the California School Nurses and Dr.
• Charter School.
• Charter School.
• Hi Juliana Hubbell Charter School parent and representing Springs Charter Schools.
• School funding system is more equitable no matter where a student attends school.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a former elementary school teacher of 33 years. I love schools and I love our kids.
• Our schools are in crisis.
• We need to save our schools.
• We need to save our schools. And are we going to believe these school leaders or not?
• Our schools are in crisis.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It's just a public school requirement at this point. But are charter schools public schools?
• public schools when it's convenient, when we're helping, but we exclude them from the public school
• public schools to charters.
• , middle school, whatever, and then all of a sudden a charter school gets built across the street.
• Because, again, treating charters differently from public schools... ...from public schools.

Bills: HB2

Keywords: disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace, medical examiner, county judge, sheriff, mayor, emergency coordinator, emergency manager license, volunteer management system, volunteer registration, criminal history check, background check, Texas Division of Emergency Management

Summary: The Senate Education K-16 Committee met to consider HB 2, the major school finance bill, with the chair explaining that the committee substitute would provide about $8 billion in new public education funding. The bill was described as including permanent teacher compensation increases, expanded teacher incentive allotment funding, support for early literacy and numeracy, teacher certification and residency pathways, special education funding, career and technical education, school safety dollars, and facilities support for charter schools. The committee adopted the committee substitute without objection after roll was called and a quorum was present. Members questioned the bill’s structure, especially the balance between across-the-board teacher pay and the teacher incentive allotment, the treatment of uncertified teachers, and differences in requirements between traditional public schools and charter schools. Senator Menendez and Senator West raised concerns about equity, charter-school parity, facilities funding, inflation, and whether the bill should include more support for fine arts and extracurricular programs. The chair responded that the bill was designed to direct most new money to traditional public schools while also preserving flexibility and that charter-school and public-school alignment would need further work. Invited witnesses Dr. Imelda De La Rosa and Val Acri testified in support of the bill, emphasizing that the Teacher Incentive Allotment helps recruit and retain teachers in rural districts and supports mentorship and certification pathways. Public witnesses also supported the bill but urged more funding for fine arts, local flexibility, and full restoration of House-proposed funding levels. Dr. Josh Jones supported year-long teacher residencies, Dr. Philip Morgan asked for more local control and restoration of fine arts funding, Rich Saina supported the bill but warned about hold-harmless reductions, and Dr. Greg Poole supported the bill while asking for flexibility for high-performing districts that already pay high salaries. After the invited testimony and some public testimony, the committee recessed subject to the call of the chair so members could attend the Senate floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• > that<00:32:56.919> school trajectory of that school trajectory of that school and<00:
• While we got involved in this, the Charleston school system had a school, and the name of the school
• While we got involved in this, the Charleston school system had a school, and the name of the school
• While we got involved in this, the Charleston school system had a school, and the name of the school
• <00:56:10.839> of school of improvement or School of school of improvement or School of interv

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Primary and Secondary Education Committee met and first considered Senate Concurrent Resolution 43, a proposal tied to the Southern Regional Education Board’s crisis recovery network. Senator West and Dr. Puit explained that, for an additional $10,000 in dues, Kentucky would help create a network of 40 trained counselors in each of the 16 Southern states to provide post-crisis stabilization and psychological first aid after events such as the Marshall County shooting. They emphasized that the effort would be complementary to local and state response, would run through the school district, would not replace therapeutic services, and would allow districts to coordinate parent notifications and other protocols as usual. Members asked about parent involvement and whether pastoral counselors could participate; the presenters said local districts would remain in charge and that pastors could be included if properly credentialed. The committee then voted, and SCR 43 passed with the expression of opinion that it should pass. The committee next took up Senate Bill 207, the School of Innovation Act, with a committee substitute. Senator West described the bill as creating an optional path for districts to contract with an outside education service provider for a three-year school-of-innovation model, aimed at turning around low-performing schools or supporting other schools that want to innovate. He said the model would preserve core district functions such as transportation, facilities, and SEEK funding, while allowing waivers from certain statutes and regulations inside the school building. The committee substitute also added a high-quality instructional materials component, creating a vendor-supported repository of vetted instructional materials that KDE would still control, with testing data used to evaluate whether the materials were improving outcomes. Members questioned how the proposal differed from existing district-of-innovation law and what safeguards would exist for students. Senator West said the bill would repeal the unused district-of-innovation framework and replace it with a clearer process and guardrails, including KDE oversight, attendance rules, and authority to shut down a school arrangement for financial malfeasance. He also said the model could work with local partners, including superintendents’ associations, and could be used by magnet or other schools, not only low-performing ones. The discussion also touched on whether the bill would allow more flexibility in choosing third-party providers and whether it could support longer-term recovery and even philanthropy in schools. The transcript ends during the discussion of SB 207, with no final vote shown in the excerpt.