Transcript Highlights:

• I showed you all of education, but the 2 red ones, their school districts fefp.
• or that school district at that time.
• and school districts where there may be.
• We arrive to our schools or districts to work with them.
• The card center at UF Gainesville, serves 13 school districts and lab school with a annual budget of

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> So, we will we will not know our school So, we will we will not know our school districts<00:04:
• In local school districts, many juniors take the SAT, and many districts purchase the college entrance
• In local school districts, many juniors take the SAT, and many districts purchase the college entrance
• Now, every single school district has to have standards.
• Now, every single school district has to have standards.

Summary: The Education Assessment & Accountability Review Subcommittee approved the minutes from its October 14 and November 4 meetings and also approved the Office of Education Accountability report analyzing student discipline data in Kentucky schools. The main presentation came from KDE Commissioner Dr. Robby Fletcher on implementation of House Bill 257, which he said has two major parts: selection of a statewide college entrance exam through a new procurement process, and development of locally designed indicators of quality for accountability. On the college exam, Fletcher explained that the state had to reopen procurement after Senate Bill 197, with the RFP released May 21, vendor questions handled through the Finance and Administration Cabinet, proposals due June 22, and scoring and review expected in July and August, with a vendor decision not likely until October. He emphasized that the exam is a norm-referenced college-readiness measure, not a test of Kentucky academic standards, which are assessed by the KSA. Members asked about the science requirement in statute, the possibility of multiple vendors or district choice, and whether the CLT could participate; Fletcher said vendors must address science in the RFP, multiple vendors could be possible, and any vendor could submit a proposal if it meets the rubric. He also noted that ACT and SAT differ in structure, that either can meet college-readiness benchmarks, and that there were no major complaints about the SAT during its first year of use. The second major topic was the locally developed indicators of quality under House Bill 257. Fletcher said these are intended to let districts measure themselves against their own goals rather than compare districts statewide, while still aligning with Kentucky standards. He described examples such as achievement, growth, student well-being, safety, fiscal responsibility, civics, internships, apprenticeships, project-based learning, and defenses of learning. He said districts may use local assessments such as MAP, STAR, and I-Ready alongside state data, and that local models should be developed with families, community members, and workforce partners. He added that KDE is providing technical assistance, has applied for a federal CGSA grant, and will use a one-time $15,000 cost offset for districts implementing local accountability models, with a superintendent webcast planned for August.

Transcript Highlights:

• It includes requiring school districts and charter schools to report students enrolled in distance education
• So if you have a public school district, a student moves from Santa Fe Public Schools to Española Public
• rural school districts based on census classifications.
• but they're part of a school... ...and families in them are a school, but they're part of a district
• school... ...language starting at line 14, page 20, a school district or charter school that offers

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 253, a committee substitute dealing with virtual and distance learning programs and school funding. Sponsors and staff explained that the substitute removed several earlier restrictions on virtual education, including residency requirements, the 10% enrollment cap, the ban on K-5 distance programs, and the moratorium on new enrollments. It also changed the State Cyber Academy Act to the Distance Learning Act, added reporting and evaluation requirements for districts and charter schools, and allowed the Public Education Department to withhold funding if programs are out of compliance. Members discussed concerns about impacts on rural districts, charter schools, and programs like Mosquero and the New Mexico Communications Academy, as well as the temporary funding fix for Gallup Public Schools, which was amended to average prior-year and current-year enrollment rather than use current-year membership alone. Public testimony on HB 253 was largely supportive, with school leaders and education organizations backing the amendment and the broader substitute while noting that more work may be needed on oversight and funding formulas. Committee members then debated the bill’s temporary provisions, the study requirement, and whether the changes would adequately address the Gallup funding issue and broader virtual-learning accountability. The committee adopted the amendment and then gave the House Appropriations and Finance Committee substitute for HB 253 a do pass recommendation. The committee then heard House Bill 153, a voluntary industrial decarbonization package that combines an Environmental Product Declaration grant program, a rebate or incentive program for lower-carbon building materials, and production tax credits and capital grants for eligible industrial products. Members asked detailed questions about environmental product declarations, hydrogen, anti-donation concerns, funding sources, and whether the bill would support sawmills, engineered wood, biofuels, and forest-thinning-related industries. Supporters from the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce and Clean Air Task Force testified that the bill would encourage innovation, attract private investment, and reduce emissions without imposing mandates. The committee adopted the substitute and then voted do pass on the bill, with Representative Brown noted in opposition. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 255, which consolidates public safety workforce funding into a single competitive fund for recruitment, retention, and professional development in law enforcement, firefighting, corrections, and public attorney offices. Testimony from counties, the chamber, AFSCME, and State Police supported the measure as a targeted response to staffing shortages and public safety vacancies. The committee took no extended debate and approved HB 255 with a do pass recommendation. The meeting ended with notice that the committee would meet again the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• students leaving should not impact that school district.
• students leaving should not impact that school district.
• And we've lost some school districts after state control.
• and then all the activities that go with school districts and the events of school districts.
• , particularly school districts in my district.

Committee: All ARKANSAS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (ALC)

Summary: The Arkansas Legislative Council meeting began with approval of the December 2025 minutes and a presentation from the Bureau of Legislative Research on the December revenue report. Dr. Carlos Silva said gross collections were about $4.02 billion, up slightly from the prior year, and net available for distribution was also above last year but down modestly from the previous month because of higher-than-expected corporate income tax refunds. Members asked about corporate tax trends, tariffs, and inflation, and Silva said it was too early to call the corporate decline a trend and that tariff effects would likely show up mainly in sales tax collections. The council then adopted several subcommittee reports, including the Executive Committee Subcommittee, Administrative Rules, Hospital/Medicaid/Developmental Disabilities, Occupational Licensing Review, PEER, Review, State Insurance Program Oversight, and Personnel. The PEER report drew the most debate because of a Department of Agriculture grant tied to Perry County and Central Arkansas Water; members discussed whether removing the Perry County portion would affect the grant’s competitiveness, and the report was ultimately adopted with the item included. The Review Subcommittee also heard questions about a BDO contract for the rural health transformation program, with DFA explaining that the contractor would manage the program while state agencies would make funding decisions consistent with the state’s application. A major portion of the meeting focused on the Education Freedom Account appropriation tied to LEARNS. Senators and representatives debated whether the program helps families or diverts money from public schools, with supporters arguing it funds students and choice and opponents arguing it is costly, vulnerable to fraud, and harms public school funding. Department of Education officials said roughly 28,000 private school students and 17,500 homeschool students were participating, that EFA students must submit standardized tests annually, and that the requested $32 million was to cover existing participants. After multiple substitute motions and extended debate, the body rejected a motion to strip out the $32 million and then adopted the report and related motions. The meeting ended after routine approvals of additional agency items and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• and had a process for responsibilities of the sending school, receiving school district.
• sending school receiving school district<00:09:24.399><c> and</c><00:09:24.640><c> the</c><00:09:24.880
• </c> section three where I said each school section three where I said each school district<00:09:29.519
• That's what they school districts.
• c> got</c><00:52:35.760><c> their</c> school districts have already got their school districts have already

Summary: The committee first discussed HB 771, the open enrollment bill, which had returned from the Senate with language clarifying that districts should list both tuition expenses and offsetting revenue estimates from sending districts. The chair and Representative McGuire supported concurring with the Senate changes, while Representative Luno raised broader concerns about the bill’s structure and equity, arguing that tuition based on 80% of the sending district’s average cost could be unfair and could create problems for receiving districts with different cost structures. After a show of hands, the committee voted to concur and send that recommendation to the House floor, with Luno indicating he would speak against it there. The committee then took up SB 9 in executive session. An amendment, 1920H, was offered to clarify that the tuition calculation should use the sending district’s average cost and to support access to CTE programs, including allowing students to take academic courses at the receiving school and, in some cases, attend the nearest CTE center. Supporters said the bill would help more students participate in career and technical education and noted bipartisan sponsorship in the Senate. Opponents argued the amendment would increase district costs, strain property taxpayers, and could reduce CTE participation or create logistical problems. The committee adopted the amendment 10-8, then voted 10-8 to recommend OTPA as amended; Representative Lad was assigned the majority report and Representative Luno the minority ITL report. After closing the SB 9 executive session, the chair reminded members that committee reports were due immediately and announced retained-bill subcommittees. One subcommittee will address adequacy and school funding issues arising from HB 651, HB 772, HB 491, and HB 434, chaired by Representative Spillsbury. Another will address school building aid issues from HB 295 and HB 366, including whether to keep the current formula or revise it, and how to handle renovations, new construction, and lease arrangements.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> school district is. school district is.
• <00:04:11.320><c> district</c><00:04:11.640><c> budget,</c> school district budget, school district budget
• 36.560><c> school</c><00:40:36.840><c> districts</c><00:40:37.640><c> school</c> of all our school districts
• school of all our school districts school districts districts districts and<00:40:39.640><c> and</c>
• </c> always provided by school districts. always provided by school districts.

Committee: House Primary and Secondary Education

Transcript Highlights:

• district, charter school, or state tribal education compact school updates or purchases a curriculum
• Beginning September 1, 2027, when a school district, charter school, or state tribal education compact
• School districts that operate a high school must provide a mandatory one-half credit...
• School districts that operate a high school must provide a mandatory one-half credit standalone course
• districts, the better for the students and the school districts and the teachers.

Summary: The committee first took up a motion from Ranking Member Root to promptly schedule public hearings on two citizens’ initiatives. Supporters argued the Constitution and public accountability required hearings so voters could hear pro and con arguments; opponents said the legislature was not obligated to act that way and the initiatives would still be heard at the ballot. On a voice vote, the motion failed. The committee then heard extensive testimony on House Bill 1295, which would require evidence-aligned, comprehensive literacy instruction for K-4 students, update teacher endorsement standards and preparation programs, and require literacy-related continuing education for some teachers. The bill also repeals several older literacy-related provisions. The sponsor and supporters said Washington’s reading results are too low and that structured literacy reflects the science of reading; districts such as Puyallup described strong gains after adopting evidence-aligned instruction. Opponents and alternative-program advocates argued the bill could narrow instructional approaches and exclude programs they say have worked well. PESB testified neutrally that much of the endorsement work is already underway but asked for clarification on recertification language. The hearing on HB 1295 was suspended and later resumed with additional pro testimony from students, parents, and literacy advocates. House Bill 2262 was then heard and completed. It would require high school civics instruction to include teaching students to produce a legible, repeatable official signature and explain how signatures are used in elections and ballot processes, while also requiring related outreach and reporting on signature mismatch ballot rejections. The sponsor and county auditor testimony emphasized that younger voters often have signatures that change over time and that better instruction could reduce ballot rejections; questions focused on whether the bill should account for printed signatures and diverse writing systems. The Secretary of State’s office and county auditors were reported as supportive, and the hearing closed after a large number of pro sign-ins. The committee also heard House Bill 2636, which would create a public education performance, operations, and funding review commission to evaluate whether education mandates and funding are effective, relevant, and adequately supported. Supporters said the bill would help identify unfunded mandates and reduce administrative burdens on districts; rural district testimony urged a narrower scope and earlier start date. Finally, House Bill 2007 was heard, proposing competency-based assessments as additional graduation pathway options in place of some existing course/exam requirements. Student testimony supported more flexible, equitable pathways, while the State Board of Education said it supports competency-based education but preferred to wait for its broader Future Ready graduation-requirements work and noted the bill would require additional rulemaking. The hearing on HB 2007 closed after testimony from students and a neutral statement from SBE.

Transcript Highlights:

• Innovation Zone money went out to school districts first for a lot of school districts who had not already
• And so how you choose to regulate what a school district does versus a charter school that is approved
• districts are going to— I think the assumption here is that school districts are going to need some
• It's about how school districts and charter schools use the resources they have.
• You'll see proficiency rates for the last three years for every school district and charter school.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:55:24.960><c> district</c> depending on the the school district depending on the the school district
• as well as the conventional school district and the conventional schools run by school districts.
• as well as the conventional school district and the conventional schools run by school districts.
• school district for um as conventional school district for um as well<03:12:17.040><c> the</c><03:12
• So I think this school districts.

Committee: House Education Policy and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> school board members in their districts. school board members in their districts.
• , to school districts.
• > SAUs</c> city, the school districts and the SAUs city, the school districts and the SAUs shall<00:31
• ><c> school</c> school district, charter, public school school district, charter, public school or<01
• school districts, we will SAU with five school districts, we will have<01:51:35.199><c> six</c><01:51

Committee: House Education Funding

Transcript Highlights:

• school districts already report because school districts already report this<00:02:18.000><c> information
• <00:02:27.080><c> Districts</c> time um after Labor Day School Districts time um after Labor Day School
• c> they</c><00:02:37.120><c> have</c> a district school facility or they have a district school facility
• school districts in my Minnesota public school districts in my role<00:04:42.400><c> as</c><00:04:42.680
• school districts across the not fit all school districts across the state<00:05:18.919><c> the</c><00

Bills: HF1124 , HF1457 , HF1803

Committee: House Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• In the next section, the bottom of page six, a statute requires school districts and charter schools
• Statute also requires school districts and charter schools to include long-term cost estimates of insurance
• I believe we have 17 school districts and charter schools that converted to four days, 16 that converted
• I too had some concerns about adding another burden on our school boards. ...and the local school district
• School District.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I certainly couldn't speak on behalf of all school districts, but I'm coming from a large school district
• Education for school districts.
• Public School District.
• And that number is going to be variable between school districts, and also some school districts, like
• for our member school districts.

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and then received a lengthy DPI presentation from Stanley Schauer on statewide reading and math assessment data for students with and without disabilities. He explained the assessment systems used over time, the absence of 2019-20 data, and how North Dakota’s standards are set by educators. Members asked about alternate assessments, cohort trends, the apparent drop in proficiency in higher grades, and the new NDA+ assessment. Schauer emphasized that the biggest pattern in the data was the relative stability of students with disabilities, the post-pandemic drop and partial recovery, and the need to focus on reducing the novice category. He also said the state plans to revisit high school standard setting and that future data could be broken out by program, disability category, and schools using science-of-math or other initiatives. Public testimony from special education staff suggested that the flat performance of students with disabilities during COVID likely reflected continued services and intensive supports, and committee members discussed whether the current disparity goal is realistic and whether growth measures would be more useful than simple proficiency buckets. After the presentation, the committee took a short break and then moved into discussion of special education funding models. Chair Richter said members should contact Schauer directly with ideas for additional data views and noted that the committee would continue its work on funding and possible model changes. Brandon Bomback of Grand Forks Public Schools began a presentation arguing that the special education funding formula, especially the weighting factor, should be reconsidered if the committee wants a system that better reflects accountability and student needs. He said his comments were based on the perspective of a larger district and focused on the special education weighting factor rather than other parts of the formula. The remainder of his presentation was not included in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:08:06.240><c> districts</c> We are giving money to school districts We are giving money to school
• on</c><00:08:40.919><c> health</c> school districts are paying on health school districts are paying
• Michael-Albertville School District.
• , also the school district where district, also the school district where both<01:24:15.200><c> of</c
• It's stability for our school districts. It's stability for our school districts.

Bills: HF3119

Committee: House Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:02:51.440><c> regarding</c> school and a school district regarding school and a school district
• school district to provision commits the school district to provision of<00:05:25.800><c> services</
• district and changes it to within the school district, um, that is the school district that is responsible
• </c><03:46:35.359><c> district</c> requests or that a school district requests or that a school district
• with only one available school. school within the same district since school within the same district

Summary: The House Education Policy and Administration Committee heard testimony on HB 222, which would repeal the requirement that a chartered public school and the resident school district sign a memorandum of understanding on how students with disabilities will receive special education services. The prime sponsor, Rep. Peggy Balboni, said the bill was requested by the New Hampshire Association of Special Education Administrators and the New Hampshire Alliance for Public Charter Schools. She argued that federal and state law already require districts to provide FAPE and that the MOU requirement has created extra work, legal costs, and delays without improving services. She said many MOUs remain unsigned, but students are still receiving services and complaint numbers have not changed. Rep. Mooney also supported repeal, calling the MOU duplicative and impractical because IEPs and 504 plans already govern services. Testimony from Jane B. Brulu of the special education administrators’ association and Beth McLure of the charter schools alliance echoed that view, saying the MOU has not helped students, has added hours of work and legal fees, and has mostly been a source of disputes over funding and service costs. McLure said her school has worked with more than 15 districts and has always been able to reach agreements, though the first year of the requirement took substantial time and money. Committee members asked about the original purpose of the law, unsigned MOUs, and whether disputes could be resolved without the requirement. A representative from the Department of Education said the MOU was originally proposed to address reports that some students were not getting services on time and to provide some oversight, but the department has no authority to order charter schools or districts to agree and no appeal process if they cannot. The department also said it does not currently audit charter school special education services because it lacks authority to monitor charter schools directly, and it urged the committee to consider some alternative oversight if the MOU requirement is repealed. The hearing on HB 222 was then closed, and the committee announced it would begin the hearing on HB 699 after a short break.

Transcript Highlights:

• in our school districts.
• </c> school districts here in this body. school districts here in this body.
• school districts are County districts school districts are going<01:23:18.240><c> to</c><01:23:18.280
• <01:33:39.720><c> districts</c> school districts school districts would<01:33:41.360><c> have</c><01:
• </c> and pain in school districts. and pain in school districts.

Transcript Highlights:

• Some school districts have expressed confusion... In the education code.
• It's uniting our P.K. or TK–12 districts, along with our community college districts and schools.
• We're not putting pressure on any school districts or schools to implement new programs when it comes
• with Title I schools, small and rural districts, and districts serving English learners.
• with Title I schools, small and rural districts, and districts serving English learners.

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a beloved charter school in my district, Answer Charter School, and we are really... ...my district
• Your actual salary is determined by the local school district or charter school.
• district or charter school.
• district or charter school.
• Pupil services staff are among the hardest roles for school districts to fill.

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Then this also deals with CTE grants to school districts.
• Then this also deals with CTE grants to school districts.
• c> buildings</c> districts can do with school buildings districts can do with school buildings that<00
• If public school districts in the state.
• building reverts to the school district.

Committee: Joint Education

Transcript Highlights:

• This figure shows the five BMEPs Fewer districts and schools are offering BMEPs compared to school year
• School Districts and Charter Schools receive annual funding for all instructional materials through the
• For schools within a local district or for the whole district, there are a range of consequences.
• Well, every school and school district is a little bit different.
• Your larger schools, your larger school districts, they probably have assignments to people.