Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 1662 requires the State Board of Education, the Washington Professional Educator Standards
• , the Professional Educator Standards Board, the Financial Education Public-Private Partnership, and
• services and to develop an individualized education program, or IEP, that describes the special education
• Department of Education, and it enumerates various requirements for the Secretary of Education, SEAs,
• It's time that our education system faces the reality of how youth homelessness impacts access to education

Summary: The committee first took executive action on House Bill 1662, which would require the State Board of Education, the Professional Educator Standards Board, the Financial Education Public-Private Partnership, and the Washington State Charter School Commission to make separate administrative arrangements and operate independently. Staff explained a proposed third substitute that delays implementation to July 1, 2027, clarifies independent agency status, and directs OFM and OSPI to support the transition. The prime sponsor and another member spoke in favor, emphasizing agency independence and better use of funds. The committee approved the bill 19-0 and reported the proposed third substitute out with a due pass recommendation. The committee then acted on House Bill 1683, which sets minimum numbers of school directors elected by director district for certain school districts. The substitute changed the enrollment thresholds, clarified the effective date, and removed intent language. Supporters argued it would improve parent and student representation; opponents said it would create an unfunded mandate and micromanage local districts. The committee passed the substitute 11-8 and reported it out with a due pass recommendation. In public hearing, House Bill 2534 was heard first. The bill would expand enrollment flexibility and record-transfer protections for military-connected students, including allowing enrollment before arrival, extending proof-of-residence timelines, and adding protections for students with IEPs or 504 plans. District, military, and advocacy witnesses generally supported the bill as promoting stability, though some asked for changes to a proposed 30-day reevaluation timeline and noted possible compact-related issues. The hearing then moved to House Bill 2557, which would require school districts to provide special education evaluation reports to parents at least five school days before eligibility meetings. Supporters said this would help families prepare and participate meaningfully; district and special education staff warned it could shorten already tight evaluation timelines and create implementation challenges. The committee suspended and later closed the hearing on that bill after time ran out, with the chair noting it could be eligible for executive action the following week. The final public hearing was on House Bill 2594, which would codify McKinney-Vento homeless student protections into state law, assign related duties to OSPI and school districts, and require periodic state reporting. The sponsor and numerous advocates, school district staff, PTA representatives, and individuals with lived experience testified in support, saying it would improve stability, accountability, and access to education for homeless students. One witness asked that grant funding explicitly include community-based organizations. The hearing closed after a large number of pro and some con sign-ins, and the chair also closed the hearing on House Bill 2557, noting amendment deadlines and that the bills could be eligible for executive action the next week.

Transcript Highlights:

• The education, our education partners raised concerns about that approach.
• This bill then went to the Senate Education Committee and the there were meetings by the Senate Education
• to our education partners.
• Definitely not in education. Yeah, not in education.
• no experience on public education.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• whose special education services are exceptionally high.
• I am representing the Idaho Education Association.
• I am the education director at Idaho Parents Unlimited.
• expenses will be approved by the State Board of Education.
• Can you speak to the education service providers?

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 531, which updates Idaho law on epinephrine delivery systems in schools by changing language from a single auto-injector reference to broader “delivery system” terminology. Sponsor Camille Blaylock and supporting testimony from a school nurse and Idaho PTA said the change would allow schools to use newer FDA-approved options such as nasal spray without adding fiscal or training requirements. The committee asked whether the bill required schools to keep epinephrine on hand, and was told it did not; the bill was then sent to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee then took up Senate Bill 1288, creating the Idaho High Needs Student Fund to reimburse districts and charters for unusually high special education costs above a $30,000 threshold, with higher reimbursement levels above that amount and a cap per student. Testimony from school boards, district administrators, educators, and parent advocates described large costs for nursing care, interpreters, behavioral supports, Braille materials, and other federally required services, and argued the fund would help districts meet IDEA obligations without destabilizing local budgets. Members asked about the rural/non-rural funding split, the prior year’s version of the bill, and the current special education funding gap; Superintendent Critchfield said districts are currently covering these costs from operations and that the broader funding formula still needs adjustment. The committee approved the bill and sent it to the floor with a due pass recommendation. Finally, the committee considered House Bill 624, which revises rules for virtual education programs and virtual charter schools, especially Idaho Home Learning Academy. The bill requires board approval of contracts with education service providers, residency verification, curriculum aligned to state standards, conflict-of-interest safeguards, limits on direct payments to parents, and Idaho certification for teachers, while preserving local control over approved expenses and teacher oversight. Supporters from Idaho Home Learning Academy, Boundary County, Bonneville, and Idaho Parents Unlimited said the bill balances accountability with flexibility and helps preserve public school choice for families, especially in rural areas. The committee moved the bill to the floor with a due pass recommendation and then adjourned after recognizing a Senate page.

Transcript Highlights:

• Education and social services, or education and affordability for its senior citizens.
• I've been an educator in both K-12 and in higher education for over 15 years.
• My elementary education program alone has doubled in size since Mass Educate.
• My elementary education program alone has doubled in size since Mass Educate.
• As one in three special education educators are leaving every year, and the education pipeline is at

Summary: The hearing focused heavily on the FY27 state budget and related funding priorities across health care, housing, education, disability services, and public higher education. Multiple witnesses urged restoration or increases in funding for MassHealth Community Partners and complex care management for homeless and medically complex patients, the DMH rental subsidy program, the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program, the DeafBlind Community Access Network, and the Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Testimony also highlighted the need for fair pay and wage equity for community college faculty and staff, as well as support for early childhood vouchers, cash assistance, and nutrition education programs affected by federal cuts. Several witnesses described how funding gaps affect real people: nurses and care managers said patients with homelessness and severe medical needs lose coordinated care, leading to missed treatment and hospitalizations; early childhood educators said long voucher waitlists leave families without child care; community college staff said low salaries and increased workloads from MassEducate leave workers struggling to afford housing and basic expenses; and housing advocates said cuts to rental subsidies and vouchers push vulnerable people toward shelters or more expensive crisis systems. DeafBlind advocates asked for restored funding, more interpreter access, and better provider support, while a witness also supported hearing-aid coverage legislation. Education funding was another major theme. Boston, Framingham, Triton, and other districts described Chapter 70 and other formula-driven aid as failing to keep up with inflation and actual costs, forcing layoffs, program cuts, and local overrides. Speakers also called for fully funded charter reimbursements, special education circuit breaker funding, transportation aid, school building investments, and relief tied to enrollment declines driven by federal immigration enforcement. Committee members asked several clarifying questions about program status, funding mechanics, and the meaning of terms like “death by housing,” but no votes or formal actions were taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• the educators.
• So, we would like to, you're looking for solutions here, educate the education.
• Now educating the educator—that needs to happen because... ...the educator, that needs to happen because
• Educate us. Help educate our tribal leaders.
• Educate us. Help educate our tribal leaders. seats. Educate us.

Summary: The Select Committee on Native American Affairs held a historic hearing at Table Mountain Rancheria focused on tribal education, culture, resilience, leadership, and trust. The opening prayer and remarks emphasized the significance of holding the first committee hearing on tribal land. Members said the hearing was intended both to hear testimony about ongoing problems in schools and to identify next steps for legislation and policy, especially as the session neared its end. The committee also referenced recent efforts supporting Native students’ right to wear regalia at graduation and broader concerns about representation in education and state institutions. The first panel centered on Native students’ experiences in public schools. Bella Garcia described a two-year fight with Clovis Unified over wearing tribal regalia at graduation, including a restrictive approval form and administrators who she said denied Native identity and made her feel invisible. Morningstar Ghali connected those experiences to the legacy of boarding schools, racial profiling, suspensions, and the “boarding school to prison pipeline,” and called for culturally responsive education, Native educators, counselors, Native studies, and restorative justice. Janet K. Bill, from the Attorney General’s Office of Native American Affairs, described her own path from tribal Head Start to Stanford, law school, tribal council, and state service, and said education, justice, and sovereignty are linked. Members asked about restorative justice, representation, and how to build pipelines into leadership and education roles. The second panel focused on solutions. Chairwoman Michelle Heredia Cordova urged a reimagined education system that is more personalized, experiential, culturally grounded, and balanced with land-based learning, while also recruiting Native teachers and creating stronger tribal partnerships. Chairman Leo Sisku said schools should educate educators, stop tokenizing Native students, and create accountability and consequences for discriminatory behavior; he also supported stronger tribal-school partnerships and more positive outreach. Chairman Fred Bean emphasized consistent engagement from tribal leaders at every level of schooling, stronger transitions from elementary to college, and programs that prepare Native youth for leadership, trades, and higher education. Chairman Shaineto of Tule River argued that schools and administrators should face consequences for violating Native students’ rights, and that Native people should not have to keep educating institutions about basic cultural respect. Committee members responded by discussing possible statewide solutions, including regional tribal boards, better enforcement of existing laws, stronger pipelines into teaching and leadership, and improved representation on boards and in state agencies. Several members raised the need to implement existing laws, fill vacant Native appointments, and consider broader protections for Native regalia and cultural expression. No formal vote was taken in the transcript, but the hearing concluded with a clear call for continued collaboration, accountability, and legislation driven by Native voices.

Transcript Highlights:

• before, education budgets.
• My master's is in educational leadership and completing my doctor in educational leadership higher ed
• before, education budgets.
• But the State Board of Education, of course. Education local funds are very important to education.
• Department of Education.

Summary: The committee held its first meeting and received an overview of the Pre-K-12 education appropriations jurisdiction and base budget. Staff explained that education funding is driven largely by enrollment and per-student formulas, with most money coming from state and local sources. The presentation highlighted the major budget areas: early learning, the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP), non-FEFP K-12 programs, federal programs, and the State Board of Education. Members asked about instructional materials funding and how scholarship students who return to public schools are counted and funded; staff explained that instructional materials remain in the base and that funding depends on survey timing, with districts ultimately funded through the enrollment count process. The committee then reviewed federal IDEA funding for students with disabilities. Department of Education officials explained how IDEA Part B funds are split between state set-asides and local educational agencies, and noted that Florida ranked fourth nationally in total IDEA Part B funding and received a 95% state determination for meeting IDEA requirements. They also described the bureau’s responsibilities, including monitoring, dispute resolution, instructional support, and the Hope Florida unit for ages 3 to 5. Members asked for more information on student performance outcomes and how the state measures success beyond compliance, and the department agreed to provide follow-up data. The final major topic was the Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System (FDLRS), including associate centers, multidisciplinary centers, and specialized centers for deaf/hard of hearing and visually impaired students. Presenters described services such as child find, family support, assessments, professional learning, accessible instructional materials, and technical assistance. Committee members focused on whether families and schools have equal access to services across the state, how IEP disputes and reevaluations are handled, and whether more support is needed for parents, teachers, and rural districts. FDLRS representatives said they do not write IEPs but help connect families to districts, provide training and assessments, and support compliance and data collection; they also emphasized staffing and resource needs, especially for low-incidence disabilities and multilingual family outreach.

Transcript Highlights:

• . education. education.
• </c> to grade 12 education. to grade 12 education.
• </c> education in our region. education in our region.
• . educators. educators.
• costs</c><04:48:11.120><c> are</c> education is special education costs are education is special education

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to make the impossible choice between education and public safety, education and social services, or
• I've been an educator in both K-12 and in higher education... Community college.
• I've been an educator in both K-12 and in higher education for over 15 years.
• My elementary education program alone has doubled in size since Mass Educate.
• As one in three special education educators are leaving every year, and the education pipeline is at

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• whose special education services are exceptionally high.
• Whose special education services are exceptionally high.
• I am representing the Idaho Education Association.
• I am the education director at Idaho Parents Unlimited.
• Can you speak to the education service providers?

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 531, which updates Idaho school code language on epinephrine delivery systems so schools are not limited to referencing only auto-injectors like EpiPens. The sponsor and school nurse testimony said the change would allow newer FDA-approved options, such as nasal spray, without creating new staffing, training, reporting, or fiscal requirements. Members confirmed the bill does not require schools or LEAs to keep epinephrine on hand. The committee voted to send the bill to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee then took up Senate Bill 1288, which creates the Idaho High Needs Student Fund to help reimburse districts and charter schools for unusually high special education costs tied to a student’s IEP. The bill sets a $30,000 threshold, reimburses 100% of costs from $30,000 to $80,000 and 80% above that up to $100,000 per student, and reserves funding between rural and non-rural districts with flexibility to use unused funds where needed. Testimony from school boards, districts, educators, and parent advocates described the bill as a way to stabilize budgets and protect services for students with complex medical, behavioral, and sensory needs. After questions about the funding split and current special education shortfall, the committee voted to send the bill to the floor with a due pass recommendation. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 624, which revises rules for virtual education programs and Idaho Home Learning Academy. The bill requires school board approval of contracts with education service providers, verification of Idaho residency, alignment of curricular materials with state standards, conflict-of-interest safeguards, limits on direct payments to parents, clearer rules for eligible supplemental learning expenses, and district/charter control over hiring and evaluation of teachers. Supporters from Idaho Home Learning Academy, school districts, and parents said the changes preserve virtual school choice while adding transparency and accountability. The committee voted to send House Bill 624 to the floor with a due pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's see, it'll be from the—these are all education rules.
• I’m not referring to special education.
• And so that's when the State Board of Education adopted a special education manual for this current school
• Education Manual on August 20th, 2025.
• And so that's when the State Board of Education adopted a special education manual for this current school

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee heard several State Board of Education rule dockets, with Nick Wagner and Greg Wilson explaining that most changes were cleanup, clarification, or removal of duplicative language. The first docket repealed an unused pay-for-success contracting rule because the language duplicated statute and had never been used. Another docket on career technical centers removed a federal definition from rule and made a minor terminology change. A uniformity rules docket made technical edits, including abbreviating the State Board’s name and adding “standard” to a career technical education certificate title. The most discussed docket was the Code of Ethics for Idaho Professional Educators. Wilson said the updates came from the Professional Standards Commission after complaints and public comment, and were intended to reduce unethical educator-student interactions by requiring digital communications to occur on district-approved devices and platforms, limiting use of personal accounts, and broadening language on misuse of devices and explicit content. Members asked about how the rule would work for coaches and school trips, whether school-based accounts were required, and whether the changes addressed inappropriate conduct with students; Wilson said the goal was to create clearer, monitorable records and better protect students and staff. The committee also discussed whether these issues were common and whether further policy or legislation might be needed. The committee then took up social studies standards and the special education manual. Wilson explained that the social studies revisions were a response to prior legislative concerns, with updated Grade 4 and U.S. History I standards and a new Idaho-specific Western Civilization section; members asked about the date references in different dockets and about how much instruction covers the founding era and communism. The special education items included a temporary rule and a final pending rule for the Idaho Special Education Manual, adopted after federal concerns about eligibility criteria and multiple rounds of public comment and advisory input. The committee voted to approve the dockets individually, including the repeal, cleanup rules, the ethics updates, the social studies standards, and the special education manual rules, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Department of Education has played a crucial role in overseeing civil rights protections in educational
• through the Individuals with Disabilities Education.
• Our education system has already gone over the cliff.
• It is entirely inconvenient to educate students who need a special education because it's expensive.
• The reality of an education system without a Department of Education to disperse funds doesn't just look

Transcript Highlights:

• of the California Department of Education.
• I also serve as president of California Virtual Educators United representing over 1,100 educators across
• Christopher Anderson 25-year educator in career tech education president of Stockton Teachers Association
• Equitable education funding is about outcomes.
• Department of Education.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> share of special education costs. share of special education costs.
• </c> special education in private schools. special education in private schools.
• </c> or how to invest in special education. or how to invest in special education.
• </c> education that's going to be impacted. education that's going to be impacted.
• funding</c> educational bill um educational funding educational bill um educational funding hostage.<

Bills: HF3490, HF4040

Keywords: education finance, scholarship-granting organizations, charitable purposes, student scholarships, nonpublic schools, K-12 education, tax credit, advance payment, Minnesota tax law, child education expenses, taxpayer assistance, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• education in Texas.
• than those who are educators or experts in their field in education.
• Make Texas higher education thrive.
• Without liberal arts classes, my education and my peers' education will suffer.
• As well as in higher education, and we know that in public education in particular, we have concerns.

Bills: SB 37

Keywords: fetal development, education, public health curriculum, middle school, age-appropriate instruction, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It is an education without barriers.
• You choose the time for your education.
• Educational need.
• Education is a cornerstone of our future.
• Childhood Education and Care Governance.

Bills: HB 117, HB2196, HB2689, HCR64, HB117

Keywords: early childhood education, task force, governance, Texas Education Agency, child care, education policy, virtual education, hybrid learning, school funding, average daily attendance, education technology, remote learning, education legislation, workforce development, adult education, high school diploma, industry certification, pilot program, gifted education, education support

Transcript Highlights:

• I am the policy analyst covering education support services, including STEM education and students.
• During the session, we'll staff both House Education and Senate Education.
• I'm a 33-year educator.
• People a lot with education.
• special education students.

Transcript Highlights:

• This includes providing higher education for our members who often return home with skills and education
• The primary reason: they want to become educators, because to be an educator, you have to have a master's
• The Bureau oversees private postsecondary education, making sure these programs meet minimum educational
• in the Education Code.
• Noncredit education is adult-serving, short-term education providing anyone with high-quality, cost-free

Summary: The Assembly Higher Education Committee met with a quorum and first approved a consent calendar containing AB 341, AB 1098, and AB 1316, sending those measures to the Human Services, Judiciary, and Appropriations Committees respectively. The committee then heard AB 977, which would require CSU to audit surplus land and work with California tribes to identify three regional burial sites for Native American remains that cannot yet be repatriated. Supporters, including tribal leaders and archaeology groups, said the bill is needed to honor ancestors and address the large number of remains still held by CSU; CSU said it is committed to repatriation but had no formal position. The bill passed to Appropriations on a 5-0 vote. Members also heard AB 1093, creating a California-Mexico higher education exchange program, and AB 1035, expanding the California College Promise to cover tuition for students pursuing community college bachelor’s degrees. AB 1093 drew support for strengthening cross-border educational and economic ties, but some members raised concerns about border-region sewage problems and the bill’s budget implications; it was held for later consideration. AB 1035 received strong support from community college leaders and faculty who said it would help low-income and first-generation students complete workforce-focused bachelor’s degrees, but several members questioned whether it would stretch Prop. 98 funding and whether the state should prioritize broader affordability concerns. AB 1035 passed to Appropriations on a 3-2 vote. The committee next approved AB 922, which would let the University of California keep access to federal criminal-history information for hiring background checks, avoiding delays and added costs if statutory authority is required. UC said the bill is needed to maintain safety and hiring operations, and it passed to Public Safety on a 5-0 vote. AB 1346, protecting military dependents from losing in-state residency status because of family travel, also passed unanimously to Military and Veterans Affairs. AB 1212, allowing UC to use low-income housing tax credits to build affordable housing for faculty and staff on UC land, drew support from UC and labor groups but opposition from members concerned about preferential access to public resources; it was held for later action. Finally, the committee approved AB 500 and AB 684, both aimed at increasing transparency around UC admissions policy changes and UC BOARS decision-making, sending AB 500 to Education and AB 684 to Governmental Organization, each on 5-0 votes. The hearing then moved on to AB 1122 on dual enrollment, with the author and witnesses presenting the bill as a way to expand college access for high school students.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm education funding. reassure them. I'm education funding.
• </c> special education. special education.
• . education. education.
• <c> agency's</c><03:39:47.200><c> cost</c> The local educ education agency's cost The local educ education
• . education. education.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Bruce Ayers, the House Vice Chair on the Education Committee.
• to educators and decision makers.
• Chair and former vice chair of education.
• This is educational justice.
• But by law, a person remains a school-aged child with a right to education, including special education

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held a public hearing on a large slate of bills, with much of the testimony focused on school discipline and student equity. Bills discussed included measures to address inequities in suspension and expulsion, clarify school exclusion rules, reduce discipline for dress and grooming violations, and expand protections related to fair educational practices. Committee members repeatedly reminded witnesses of the two-minute limit and asked for written testimony to supplement oral remarks. A substantial portion of the hearing centered on the RAISE Act and related school discipline bills, including H. 730/S. 376 and H. 731/S. 380. Testifiers from advocacy groups, legal services, and the legislature argued that exclusionary discipline disproportionately affects Black and Latino students, students with disabilities, low-income students, and DCF-involved youth. They said current law is overly broad or unclear in areas such as “assault on educational staff,” indefinite suspensions tied to felony complaints, and definitions of weapons, leading to unnecessary removals from school. Supporters said the bills would add due process, clearer definitions, and better accountability, while one legislator testified in support of the discipline reforms and opposed several other bills on the agenda. The committee also heard testimony on H. 576/S. 368, which would prohibit suspensions and expulsions for dress and grooming violations and require clearer, non-discriminatory dress code policies. Witnesses cited research and personal stories about disproportionate enforcement against Black girls, girls of color, non-binary students, and students wearing religious attire, and said the bill would prevent physical contact used to enforce dress codes. Another major topic was H. 641/S. 349, which would add “special medical status” protections in education; supporters said it would prevent exclusion based on medical decisions or conditions, though members questioned how it would interact with existing disability law and vaccination-related school requirements. The committee also heard testimony on H. 625, which would extend the ban on corporal punishment from public to private schools, with witnesses citing research on harm and disproportionate impact. Additional testimony covered bills on accelerated learning and gifted education, with parents, educators, and advocates saying Massachusetts under-identifies advanced learners and lacks adequate acceleration pathways. A senator also testified for S. 406 on recovery high schools, saying the funding formula should be updated to better support students in recovery. No votes were taken during the hearing; the chair closed testimony on several bill groups and noted that written testimony would remain open for a week.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill also seeks to ensure that money appropriated for public education is used for public education
• Educational agencies.
• I'm with Educators for Excellence, and I'm an educator in high school, and I support AB 1454.
• I'm with Educators for Excellence, and I'm an educator in high school, and I support AB 1454.
• I spent over 20 years teaching in special education and English learner education.

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee heard AB 84, a charter school accountability measure focused on non-classroom-based charter schools and fraud prevention. The author and supporters said the bill was intended to respond to the A3 charter fraud case and related scandals by strengthening audits, transparency, authorizer oversight, and funding determination rules, while ensuring public education dollars are used for public education. Supporters included FCMAT, CSEA, CTA, and CSBA, who argued the bill would improve oversight and protect taxpayers. Opponents, including the California Charter Schools Association, Green Dot, many charter parents, educators, and charter operators, said the bill was too broad, would impose major new costs and bureaucracy on all charter schools, and could reduce options for families, especially those using flexible, homeschool, or special-needs charter programs. After extensive testimony and committee discussion, the bill passed on a 5-1 vote and was sent to Appropriations, with the item left open for additional votes. The committee then approved a consent calendar of 11 education bills, including AB 542, AB 563, AB 731, AB 753, AB 784, AB 964, AB 988, AB 1034, AB 1233, AB 1255, and AB 1381, all moving to Appropriations. The consent calendar passed unanimously. Later, the committee heard AB 1454, a literacy and reading instruction bill authored by Assembly Members Rubio and Revis. The bill would require the state to create professional development resources for evidence-based literacy instruction, update English language arts and English language development instructional materials, and revise administrator preparation standards to include literacy training. The authors and a broad coalition of supporters, including CTA, EdVoice, Families in Schools, Decoding Dyslexia, school administrators, and parent advocates, described the measure as a compromise aimed at improving reading outcomes and addressing California’s literacy crisis. There was no opposition testimony at the hearing, and members voiced strong support for the bill and its collaborative approach.