Transcript Highlights:

• is English as a second language struggle more.
• That's why that language was included.
• Despite this, many graduates, especially those who are Black or brown, speak English as a second language
• And you're saying that the exam is offered in English but no other language?
• language learner teacher.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Higher Education heard testimony on a broad set of bills focused on making public higher education more affordable and accessible, protecting student information, and changing social work licensure rules. Chair Rogers and Senator Comerford opened by emphasizing the committee’s focus on financial aid, tuition and fee waivers, scholarships, admissions, and institutional changes, and they reminded witnesses about the three-minute testimony limit. No votes were taken during the hearing. A large portion of the hearing centered on the “Super Act” (H. 1423/S. 218), which would eliminate the master’s-level social work licensing exam and create grant support for social work internships. Supporters—including students, practitioners, educators, and advocates—argued that unpaid internships and the exam create financial barriers, worsen workforce shortages, and disproportionately affect Black, brown, older, ESL, and other marginalized candidates. Opponents from the Association of Social Work Boards argued the exam is a necessary public-protection standard, helps maintain uniform licensure, and is important to the social work licensure compact; they said workforce shortages should be addressed through pay, working conditions, and caseloads instead. Committee members asked detailed questions about compact participation, exam accommodations, and how other states such as Rhode Island and Connecticut have handled similar changes. The committee also heard extensive testimony in favor of debt-free public higher education bills (H. 1436/S. 929). Witnesses, including students, faculty, advocates, and Senator Eldridge, said Massachusetts should expand on free community college by covering tuition and mandatory fees at public colleges and universities, with additional aid for living costs for lower-income students. Supporters said student debt delays homeownership, family formation, and career entry, and that the state should use Fair Share revenue to invest in public higher education. Some committee members voiced support but also raised concerns about prioritizing K-12 funding and the cost of expanding free college further. Several witnesses also supported bills to extend tuition and fee waivers to young adults raised by grandparents or other kinship guardians outside the DCF system, arguing that these students face the same trauma and financial barriers as foster youth but do not receive the same benefits. Representative Donato, Joseph O’Leary, Shauna Manning, Sandra Vecchio, Karen Gardner, Judy Walter, Elaine Arsenault, and others described the financial strain on grandparents raising grandchildren and urged parity with DCF-related waivers. In addition, Senator Jake Oliveira testified for a bill to protect public higher education student directory information from data mining and unauthorized sharing, and Deirdre Cummings testified for an open educational resources bill to reduce textbook costs. The hearing concluded with continued testimony on kinship care and college access, with committee members thanking witnesses and indicating follow-up on some bill language issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, in SFFA, if you look carefully at the language... ...legal trouble.
• I serve as a tutor, working with students from our English language learners all the way through to our
• I serve as a tutor working with students from our English language learners all the way through to our
• So I am obviously an adult learner.
• You guys have language? Absolutely. Can you send it to me? Yes, absolutely. Thanks.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion held an informational hearing on “Protecting Equity in Higher Education” and emphasized that no bills were being heard. Members and witnesses focused on the effects of recent federal actions on DEI, admissions, financial aid, student loans, international students, and campus equity efforts in Massachusetts. Opening remarks from the co-chairs and the chair of Higher Education highlighted Massachusetts’ investments in free community college, expanded financial aid, and early college programs, while warning that federal policy changes could undermine those gains. Testimony from BU law professor Jonathan Feingold argued that many DEI practices remain legally defensible after Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, and that the decision did not end all race-conscious or equity-oriented efforts. He said the Trump administration’s anti-DEI actions and funding threats were legally suspect and had created confusion and a chilling effect. Bahar Akman-in-Boden of the Hildreth Institute testified that proposed federal cuts to TRIO, Gear Up, Pell Grants, SEOG, work-study, and student loan programs would disproportionately harm low-income, first-generation, Black, Latino, and other underserved students, and urged the state to prepare hold-harmless and advising supports using Fair Share revenue. Commissioner Noe Ortega described Massachusetts’ long history of equity in higher education and said the state has expanded aid, success programs, and early college, but still has work to do on attainment and completion. He said the state responded to SFFA by creating ACARE and continuing to defend equity practices, while also warning that federal disruptions and “dear colleague” letters have created uncertainty. In the second panel, state university leaders and campus officials said federal threats to Pell, DEI grants, Medicaid, and international student policies could affect access, campus operations, and the economy; they stressed that most state university graduates stay in Massachusetts and that institutions are continuing their equity practices despite federal pressure. Roxbury Community College’s president said RCC remains committed to open access and inclusion, noted enrollment growth, and said executive orders do not change existing law or the college’s obligations.

Transcript Highlights:

• learners.
• Income students and English learners.
• Other than that, I think most of the language is similar.
• The LFC proposal, that language seems very unusual.
• What is the purpose behind that language?

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There have been changes in English learners, right?
• <00:17:14.520> Learners<00:17:15.280> right been changes in English Learners right
• weight for students who were English weight for students who were English Learners<00:17:22.120>
• Now English learners will be weighted as well.
• <00:19:20.520> as English Learners will be weighted as English Learners will be weighted as

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• really targeted um for adult Learners really targeted um for adult Learners who<01:06:50.559>
• so 12 credit are less and adult Learners so 12 credit are less and adult Learners are are are 8%
• placement English, which prepared me for college.
• I'm currently studying foreign languages as well as political science classes.
• I'm currently studying foreign languages as well as political science classes.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh on youth and learners in Minnesota.
• challenges we face span the learner challenges we face span the learner lifespan,<00:03:32.000><
• about the engagement of our learners about the engagement of our learners throughout<00:04:14.080
• So, we will be for our learners.
• a challenge for me to learn English a challenge for me to learn English because<00:56:29.040>

Bills: HF3650, HF2238

Keywords: student career pathways, education framework, experiential learning, employer engagement, career technical education, HF2238, Minnesota, workforce development, construction trades, youth skills training, youth apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, construction training, career and technical education, CTE, child labor laws, minor labor, labor exemption, workforce pipeline, skilled trades

Transcript Highlights:

• language learners.
• <00:10:05.680> language<00:10:06.080> learners.
• <00:10:06.480> We<00:10:06.720> also and English language learners.
• We also and English language learners.
• English language arts or requirement for English language arts or am<00:55:48.240> I<00:55:48.400

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• learner learner lifespan<00:03:09.879> uh<00:03:10.000> I<00:03:10.080> will<00
• <00:42:40.599> and particular the Heritage language and particular the Heritage language and
• Heritage language learners are students with a home language other than English.
• faces my journey with Heritage language faces my journey with Heritage language programming<00:45
• portfolio and the Heritage language portfolio and the Heritage language pathway<00:53:42.880>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• challenge because in our training programs, what we're discovering is if you don't have a strong English
• So, you know, we have to spend a lot of time with adult learners on ESL-type programs, and then once
• they get very comfortable in English language, then we can start looking at those stackable programs.
• side, that's what we run into, too, when you start looking at CNAs and MAs, the testing is all in English
• , and if you don't have a strong command of the English language, you may have the skills, but you won't

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The House Committee on International Trade held its first meeting of the year, with members introducing themselves and the chair emphasizing Arizona’s role in foreign relations, especially with Mexico. The committee then heard presentations from the Nogales-Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce and related local partners about the region’s importance as a trade, tourism, agriculture, logistics, and mining corridor. Chamber representatives described efforts to support small businesses with bilingual resources, digital and procurement assistance, entrepreneurship training, Google certificates, and workforce development tied to the South32 mine and other emerging industries. They also highlighted tourism promotion efforts to counter negative perceptions of Nogales, noting increased online engagement and stronger visitor activity. Members asked about state and federal improvements that could help trade, and witnesses said the top needs were infrastructure upgrades, especially roads and port-of-entry access, along with more pedestrian-friendly crossings and housing to retain workers. The Santa Cruz County Provisional Community College District described its unusual provisional status, its contract with Pima College, and the challenge of limited spending authority despite expected revenue growth from mining. The college said it is expanding workforce training, especially in AI, advanced manufacturing, trades, and ESL support, and is working toward eventual accreditation. The committee also heard from cattle industry representatives from Cattlemex, T4 Ranch, and J.M. Fletcher Cattle Co. They urged the reopening of the U.S.-Mexico border to live cattle imports, arguing that Sonoran cattle are safe, traceable, and vital to Arizona’s economy and the national beef supply. Witnesses said the New World screwworm-related border closure has reduced imports, raised beef prices, hurt feedlots and packing plants, and shifted cattle trade to other states. They asked lawmakers to advocate with USDA for a Sonora-specific reopening and to support Arizona’s livestock infrastructure and grazing lands. No bills were heard and no votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• So because it is an English type of job. So that's the reality.
• The language in statute right now does that.
• Language is an issue instead.
• I'm going to have to look for the actual language there.
• On page 6, we talk about using evidence practices for English language learners by literacy differentiation

Transcript Highlights:

• That language was added after the fact, and I agree with you.
• language acquisition in the Austin Public Schools through his elementary years.
• the English language acquisition in the English language acquisition in the Austin<00:53:46.200
• other than English, representing 46 different languages in our school district.
• language other than English uh language other than English uh representing<00:58:11.599> 40

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Our most vulnerable students, English language learners, low-income students, students with learning
• Like many of our urban settings, Gateway also has many English language learners and families with economic
• language learners and special education students.
• language learners and special education students.
• And that impacts critical programs and students like students with disabilities and English language

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Ways and Means Committee held its final public hearing on the FY26 state budget, with chairs and members emphasizing that public testimony would help shape the budget and asking speakers to keep remarks brief. Committee leaders introduced members, explained the hearing process, and repeatedly thanked residents, students, and advocates for participating. No votes were taken during the hearing. Testimony focused heavily on education funding and the Chapter 70 formula. Students from Amherst, Northampton, Gateway Regional, Chester Elementary, and other districts described budget-driven cuts to electives, special education supports, paraprofessionals, counselors, transportation, and building maintenance. They urged higher Chapter 70 aid, increased minimum aid, rural school aid, and a reopening or restructuring of the funding formula, arguing that current formulas leave many districts unable to meet student needs and force local layoffs and overrides. Other speakers urged funding or protection for a range of programs and facilities, including the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute for homicide survivor services, the Museum of African American History, the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and CART/interpreter services, the Access to Counsel housing legal aid program, the Department of Mental Health and Pocasset Mental Health Center, and Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children. One speaker opposed offshore wind-related spending and urged a reset of the state’s energy approach, while another advocated ending the aircraft sales tax exemption. Committee members responded sympathetically to many speakers, asked a few follow-up questions, and several expressed support for maintaining or expanding the programs discussed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Heritage language learners are students with a home language other than English.
• <00:59:31.839> Heritage<00:59:32.200> language<00:59:32.520> Learners it possible
• Heritage language Learners it possible Heritage language Learners are<00:59:33.039> students<
• are students with home language other are students with home language other than<00:59:34.799>
• The A3 amendment appears to be the same bill language, just clearing up some of the language. Dr.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• learner students with characteristics of dyslexia because they're not proficient in English at that
• learner students with characteristics of dyslexia because they're not proficient in English at that
• learner students with characteristics of dyslexia because they're not proficient in English at that
• learner students with characteristics of dyslexia because they're not proficient in English at that
• learner students with characteristics of dyslexia because they're not proficient in English at that

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• do is give the child access to language do is give the child access to language what<00:05:03.120
• A lot of it is making sure they have peers with language. They have adults with language.
• would get with access to her language would get with access to her language 100%<00:14:16.880>
• during the 0o to five acquire language during the 0o to five critical<00:15:53.399> language
• under this language.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• c> language<00:49:04.839> related<00:49:05.319> tasks cause reading and language related
• <00:52:17.119> and core learning online language and core learning online language and literacy
• I felt like my English failed me when I was trying to advocate for myself.
• as a second language or if you were a person perhaps who had dyslexia yourself.
• if you were a person who spoke English if you were a person who spoke English as<01:52:47.880>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, the language that Mr.
• learners be reported separately.
• um and has compensatory aid and English um and has compensatory aid and English learners<00:54:58.520
• learners uh be reported separately. learners uh be reported separately.
• So um language that we see here.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Whether we're doing a multi-week residency at an English language learner classroom whose funding is
• multi-week residency at an English multi-week residency at an English language<00:43:02.480>
• learner<00:43:02.960> classroom<00:43:03.680> whose<00:43:04.000> funding language
• learner classroom whose funding language learner classroom whose funding is<00:43:04.480> in<
• , investment in Hawaii's language, investment in Hawaii's language, culture,<01:02:41.920> and

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: This joint informational briefing focused on Act 310 grants and aid, with committee members hearing one-minute testimony from organizations first in person and then by Zoom. At the outset, the chairs explained there would be no Q&A during the briefing and asked testifiers to focus on how federal cuts were affecting their work. The meeting was organized by registration number and included both neighbor island and Oʻahu applicants. Testimony centered on organizations seeking state support to offset federal funding losses or anticipated reductions. Health and social service providers described impacts from Medicaid, SNAP, ACA subsidy, Title X, and other federal changes, including Aloha Care, Community Clinic of Maui, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, West Hawaiʻi Community Health Center, Hawaiʻi Disability Rights Center, Hawaiʻi Youth Services Network, Alcoholic Rehabilitation Services of Hawaiʻi, and Kokua Kalihi Valley. Other groups highlighted losses affecting food security, housing, disaster preparedness, and climate resilience, including the Kohala Center, Feeding Hawaiʻi Together, Hawaiian Lending and Investments, Dynamic Community Solutions, and the Pacific Tsunami Museum. Several arts, youth, and education organizations also testified, including Hawaiʻi Literacy, Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony, Honolulu Theatre for the Youth, Sounding Joy Music Therapy, Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaiʻi, Girl Scouts of Hawaiʻi, Kids Hurt Too Hawaiʻi, and US Vets, each requesting funding to preserve programs and staffing. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the briefing. The only action was procedural: the chairs moved through the applicant list, limited testimony time, and then transitioned from neighbor island in-person testimony to Oʻahu and later Zoom participants.

Transcript Highlights:

• , they're learning English, they could listen in their Chromebook and it automatically translates what
• who are not quite up on their English who are not quite up on their English they're<00:14:37.720
• learning English they could they're learning English they could listen<00:14:39.199> in<00:14
• it will create conversations Learners it will create conversations and<00:31:53.279> Innovation
• The language was also changed around proficiency versus distinguished.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Primary and Secondary Education Committee met and first took up House Bill 14, which would establish Alyssa’s Law in Kentucky public schools. The bill, as amended by committee substitute, would allow districts to implement wearable panic alert systems for school staff beginning in the 2025-26 school year. Sponsor Rep. Kevin Jackson and supporters described the system as a silent badge/button that can alert school offices, 911, first responders, and other personnel, with different button sequences for different emergencies. Testimony from Lori Alade, Alyssa’s mother and founder of Make Our Schools Safe, emphasized that “time equals life” and said the technology can help in active threats, medical emergencies, weather events, and other urgent situations. Students from St. Margaret Mary’s Kentucky Youth Assembly also supported the bill, citing the Georgia school shooting response as an example of how such systems can save lives. Members asked about vendor neutrality, costs, training, and whether the system could be used off campus; sponsors said the bill is intended to be vendor neutral, estimated statewide costs ranged from about $2 million to $6 million, training would be provided before the school year, and they would follow up on the off-campus question. The committee approved HB 14 with the committee substitute attached. The committee then reconsidered and approved House Bill 48, a cleanup measure related to school reporting requirements. The substitute was described as addressing department concerns about eliminating certain reporting forms while preserving district flexibility and reducing burdensome reporting. It would allow schools to maintain or use alternative reporting methods, provide KDE a timeline and guidelines for reporting on Cognia software used for CPS and C-dips, and require a written report to the LRC describing reporting requirements imposed on public schools and districts, with items not reapproved by the legislature sunsetting in 2026. The bill passed the committee with the committee substitute attached. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 190, as amended by committee substitute, which would shift the measure from a planning-and-action bill to a planning-only bill for advanced coursework and codify some gifted-student regulations. Rep. Duvall and Dr. Julia Link Roberts of WKU said the bill is intended to expand opportunities for high-potential students by requiring districts to set policies on advanced coursework or accelerated learning options for grades 4 through 12. The substitute changes the standard from “proficient” to “distinguished,” allows districts flexibility in how they implement the policies, and may require automatic enrollment for students scoring distinguished, with opt-out provisions and a principal exception if coursework conflicts with career pathways or CTE access. Members discussed how the proposal differs from current advanced programs, the broader inclusion of students, and district variation in available opportunities. No final vote on HB 190 was included in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• language learners or perhaps for instructional use.
• language learners or perhaps for instructional use.
• <00:32:49.039> language education purposes or English language education purposes or English
• language learners<00:32:49.760> or<00:32:50.000> perhaps<00:32:50.320> for<00:32
• language doesn't change the current law. language doesn't change the current law.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 69, which would require local school boards to publicly vote on whether to accept or reject charitable gifts or donations, prompted by a case in which a church offered to pay off school lunch debt but the offer was refused and families were sued instead. Senator Keith Murphy said the bill is intended to force transparency and public accountability in similar situations, while acknowledging that boards may still reject gifts with strings attached or for ethical reasons. Members raised questions about anonymity, privacy, and whether school boards already have authority to address meal debt before litigation. Murphy said the bill was aimed at cases where money is refused and families are sued, and he said he would accept amendments to make the vote requirement apply to both accepted and rejected gifts. The hearing on the bill was then closed. The committee then took up Senate Bill 206, which requires public schools to adopt policies limiting student cell phone use during the school day. Trisha Milo, presenting for Senator Rashardi, said the bill is meant to improve focus, reduce distraction and cyberbullying, and create more consistent policies across districts, while still allowing exceptions for medical, disability, language support, and instructional needs. Committee members questioned whether districts would retain flexibility, whether the bill should apply to charter schools and other devices, and whether the annual policy-update requirement and enforcement language were too prescriptive. Milo said districts would still have flexibility in how they write their policies and that she would seek clarification from the senator on several drafting questions. Becky Wilson of the New Hampshire School Boards Association testified in support of the general concept of a cell phone policy, saying many districts already have some form of policy, though not all do, and that existing sample policies are outdated. She said the annual update requirement would likely be burdensome and that the enforcement language seemed intended to ensure administrative involvement rather than teacher discipline, but she suggested the wording may need revision. Members also discussed whether very small districts or districts without schools should be covered and whether the bill should better distinguish between classroom enforcement and student discipline. The chair closed the hearing on Senate Bill 206 after no further testimony, and the committee moved on to the next bill.