Transcript Highlights:

• . education.
• and Higher Education.
• Technical Education and Higher Education.
• Accounts will grow through family contributions, incentives, and higher education or secondary education
• Welcome to the Higher Education Committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• of educational opportunity.
• As far as what constitutes an adequate education, we do have the working definition of educational adequacy
• As far as its public education students or public school students, As far as its public education students
• Music and art education, excuse me.
• The adequacy definition was updated by the Joint Education Committee, or Joint Committee on Educational

Summary: The committee received a lengthy Bureau of Legislative Research presentation on Arkansas academic standards, accountability systems, and adequacy requirements. Staff reviewed how state curriculum and standards have evolved from the 1997 Public Education Act through the 2003 Quality Education Act and the 2017 Educational Support and Accountability Act, including required coursework, standards for accreditation, career and technical education, graduation requirements, and recent additions such as computer science, personal finance, firearm safety, and fetal growth and development instruction. Members asked for a chart comparing the major laws and repeals over time, and staff agreed to provide one. The presentation then turned to federal ESSA requirements and Arkansas’s state accountability system. Staff explained Arkansas’s long-term goals for proficiency, English learner progress, and graduation rates, and reported 2025 ATLAS proficiency results, which remained below the 80% goal across student groups. They also reviewed English learner progress, graduation rates, school support and improvement, and equitable access to educators. Data showed gaps by subgroup and by school poverty/minority concentration, with Title I and high-poverty schools more likely to have emergency/provisional teachers and less experienced staff. Members questioned the lack of recent data for some ESSA measures, including equity labs and school index calculations, and asked staff to follow up with the Department of Education. The committee also discussed NAEP results, ACT scores, and teacher quality measures under the state accountability act. Arkansas’s NAEP performance remained below national averages in fourth- and eighth-grade reading and math, and ACT composite scores and benchmark attainment were also reviewed. Members asked for additional information on historical highs and lows, the number of assessments students take by grade, dropout data, and comparisons with other states. No formal votes were taken; the main action was agreement to request additional information from DESE and to schedule department follow-up at a future meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• The orange slice will represent education for you.
• Similarly, again, education in orange here.
• Like I said, it's a $32.5 billion education budget.
• My goal in our community is to promote education. I think education is a great equalizer.
• I was raised by educators.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education received a presentation from the Governor’s Office and the Commissioner of Education on the proposed higher education budget. The presentation highlighted a $117.4 billion overall state budget, with education at $32.5 billion and higher education receiving a modest overall increase. Key items included no tuition or fee increases for Florida residents, major financial aid funding such as Bright Futures, Benacquisto, EASE, Open Door, and first responder scholarships, as well as workforce investments including apprenticeship programs, career and technical education, nursing pipeline funding, and performance-based funding for colleges and universities. Committee members asked questions about the proposed expansion of the Guardian program at state colleges and the $100 million university recruitment and retention fund. Officials said the Guardian funding would give colleges flexibility to use trained personnel for campus safety, sometimes alongside or in place of campus police or private security. The Chancellor explained that the recruitment and retention money would be distributed to universities with no specific directives beyond using it for faculty recruitment and retention, emphasizing Florida’s favorable demographics and the opportunity to attract faculty from states facing enrollment declines. The committee then heard testimony from multiple appointees and reappointees to boards of trustees at state colleges and universities, including Eastern Florida State College, Lake-Sumter State College, State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota, Miami Dade College, Northwest Florida State College, and St. Johns River State College. Each described their backgrounds and stressed themes of affordability, workforce alignment, nursing and technical programs, dual enrollment, and local community needs. Several cited strong nursing licensure pass rates and college outcomes. After hearing all appointees, the committee voted unanimously to confirm the full block of nominees, and the confirmations were reported favorably before the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• interest in higher education.
• My passion for higher education is simple: I'm a graduate of higher education.
• So that's the second interest in higher education.
• The Education Appropriations Committee for K-12 education changed my life, and my colleagues said it
• Our family is very vested in higher education. Education in the state of Florida is crucial.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It amends the education code.
• . education.
• Students in special education programs deserve tailored and supportive educational environments.
• Educational teacher preparation, is that not in this bill? Yeah, educator preparation.
• TRTA is strongly in favor of increasing public education funding and educator salary increases.

Bills: HB2, HB2

Keywords: public education, teacher compensation, certification, funding, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace

Transcript Highlights:

• Education is a civil right.
• Education has always been one of my prime interests. My parents were teachers.
• So my role is to study and analyze various education policy.
• I know what excellent education looks like, and I'm a firm believer in the power of public education.
• I grew up in Grenada, where public education is excellent.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held a lengthy hearing on a large slate of bills focused primarily on charter school policy and vocational technical education. Committee members opened with ground rules for testimony, including a two-minute limit, written testimony acceptance, and a live-streamed format. The committee then heard testimony on bills to expand collective bargaining rights in Horace Mann and Innovation Schools, reform charter school funding and reimbursement, allow enrollment preferences for high-need students in charter lotteries, and require BESE to consider district impacts when approving new or expanded charters. Several witnesses, including union leaders, parents, educators, and legislators, argued that charter growth has strained district budgets and that funding formulas should be reworked to better protect public schools; charter advocates and alumni countered that charter schools serve high-need students well and should not be penalized for their success. A major portion of the hearing focused on vocational technical education bills, including proposals to expand access and capacity, create a large grant program, and increase MSBA reimbursement rates for vocational school construction. Supporters described long waitlists, strong labor-market demand, and the higher cost of building and maintaining vocational schools, while municipal officials emphasized the tax burden on local communities. The committee also heard testimony on charter school reimbursement bills that would extend the state’s reimbursement schedule, with witnesses from districts such as Boston, Worcester, Fall River, and New Bedford describing large net losses to charter tuition and arguing for longer reimbursement periods and structural reform. The committee took no final votes during the hearing. In one instance, the chair said a bill would be held open until a missing senator could testify. Members asked several detailed questions about charter admissions lotteries, special education placements, funding formulas, and the practical effects of proposed charter caps and reimbursement changes. The hearing remained informational, with witnesses and committee members presenting sharply different views on whether the bills would improve equity and opportunity or harm existing public school systems.

Transcript Highlights:

• approaches to education. approaches to education.
• Education, everybody seems to know a little bit about education.
• Education, everybody seems to know a little bit about education.
• Education, everybody seems to know a little bit about education.
• Education, everybody seems to know a little bit about education.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• However, the long-term solution is ensuring that we are retaining good educators and that the education
• However, the long-term solution is ensuring that we are retaining good educators and that the education
• Next up, Tab 4, SB 7038 on education by education post-secondary, Next up, Tab 4, SB 7038 on education
• Next up, tab 4, SB 7038 on education by education post-secondary, SB 7038 on education, by education
• Education.

Bills: S1062, S1718, S7038

Keywords: speech education, debate, high school, Florida Debate Initiative, civics, competitive teams, student participation, educational advancement, educator preparation, certification, professional development, temporary certificate, military service, collaboration, teaching effectiveness, education, Florida College System, tuition waivers, vocational rehabilitation, state universities

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met to consider several education bills and the proposed fiscal year 2026-2027 Department of Education budget. The committee first took up CS/SB 1062 on speech and debate, which would formalize Florida’s Speech and Debate Week, strengthen the partnership between the Department of Education and the Florida Debate Initiative, require annual public reporting, and support statewide speech and debate programming. The bill drew extensive supportive testimony from students, alumni, and advocates who said debate improved civic engagement, literacy, confidence, and school performance, while also noting the need for equitable access and funding for travel and competition. The committee adopted a delete-everything amendment and then reported the bill favorably as amended by a unanimous vote of members present. The committee then heard SB 1718 on educator preparation and certification, which expands access to educator preparation coursework, broadens eligibility for temporary certification for some formerly certified professionals, and allows prior subject-area exam results to satisfy requirements. Public testimony largely supported easing barriers for experienced educators while emphasizing that certification changes are only a partial solution to teacher shortages and should be paired with better pay, retention, and professional respect. The bill was reported favorably. Next, the committee considered SB 7038 on education, which included a wide range of higher education and workforce-related changes, including a tuition waiver for Florida State Guard members, residency clarifications, oversight changes for blind services and vocational rehabilitation providers, licensure updates for private colleges, dual enrollment and assessment revisions, scholarship and funding changes, and reserve-fund requirements. An amendment restored the Classical Learning Test as a qualifying option for a grandparent tuition waiver, adjusted a Pell Grant performance metric, changed accreditation timing, and made other technical revisions. A dental education stakeholder raised concerns that one provision could disrupt long-standing exemptions for dental assisting programs, and the Florida Dental Association said it was working with the sponsor to avoid unintended impacts. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably as amended. The final major item was a high-level review of the proposed pre-K-12 budget, totaling $34.9 billion with local funds. Highlights included $30 billion for public schools and K-12 scholarships, a $50 increase in the base student allocation, a 1.64% increase in total funds per FTE, $4.5 billion for family empowerment scholarships as a separate FEFP categorical, $25 million for districts facing future enrollment declines, $65.3 million to help districts with current-year enrollment losses, $432.8 million for VPK, and $30.4 million for regional education consortia. Senators asked about reductions or flat funding in some allocations, teacher pay, declining enrollment support, Schools of Hope funding, and support for non-teaching school staff. Public testimony on the budget focused heavily on concerns about charter and voucher funding, especially the $6 million for Schools of Hope, with speakers urging more investment in traditional public schools, teacher compensation, and school infrastructure. The committee concluded the meeting by adjournment after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a graduate of higher education.
• I'm a graduate of higher education.
• I'm a graduate of higher education.
• In higher education, wonderful.
• I chair the Education Appropriations Committee, K-12. Education changed my life.

Summary: The Higher Education Appropriations Committee met for its first meeting of the session and heard presentations focused on workforce education in the Florida College System and district technical colleges. Members introduced themselves and discussed their personal connections to higher education, then heard from Department of Education senior chancellor Kevin O’Farrell, South Florida State College president Fred Hawkins, and Pinellas Technical College representative Mark Hunt. O’Farrell outlined the department’s budget request, including increases for adult education, Florida College System program funds, workforce development capitalization grants, apprenticeship and teacher apprenticeship programs, Open Door scholarships, and CAPE industry certification funding. He emphasized record growth in enrollments, completions, dual enrollment, and program offerings, and described grant-funded expansion in fields such as health sciences, manufacturing, logistics, aerospace, and AI-related programs. Committee members raised concerns about whether current programs match actual labor-market demand, how artificial intelligence may reduce future human labor needs in some fields, and how the state should avoid unwarranted duplication of programs. O’Farrell said the department uses economic forecasts, employer demand data, and a CTE audit process to review programs and phase out those that do not meet performance thresholds. Members also asked for more detail on the teacher apprenticeship model, the transition from technical college clock hours to college credit, job placement and salary outcomes, and the LPN-to-RN pathway. O’Farrell said he would provide additional information later. Hawkins described South Florida State College’s rural service area, low college-going rates, and difficulty recruiting and retaining faculty and staff because salaries lag behind local market alternatives and nearby school district pay. He said the college has had to turn away students in high-demand programs due to staffing and operational limits, while also noting strong outcomes in nursing, dental hygiene, EMT/paramedic, and radiography. Hunt said Pinellas Technical College serves about 5,000 students annually, including many dual-enrolled high school students, and reported a placement rate above 90% and strong local economic returns. He said many programs have waiting lists and that additional operational funding is needed to meet demand, maintain equipment, and keep pace with salary and cost increases. The meeting ended after public comment was opened and no further business was brought before the committee, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate standing committee on education. Senate standing committee on education.
• Welcome to education committee. Welcome to education committee.
• The Kentucky Department of Education, Office of Career and Technical Education.
• I'm not an educator, but I education.
• board of education.

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call - 00:55 26RS SB 22 – 04:52 26RS SB 46 – 0:34:36, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Education met with a quorum and opened the session by recognizing staff and an intern before taking up SB 22, relating to the dual credit scholarship program. Senator Jimmy Higdon presented the bill with Laura Arnold of Nelson County Schools, explaining that it is a narrower version of a prior proposal that had been too broad and had drawn an unfavorable fiscal note. The bill would create a Grow Your Own teacher apprenticeship scholarship for students in registered teacher apprenticeship programs, beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, allowing up to 20 dual credit courses total and no more than eight per year. It requires a district-approved commitment form, annual completion of at least one teaching-and-learning pathway course, and maintenance of a 2.75 GPA on scholarship-funded coursework. Students who withdraw or fail to meet academic requirements would lose eligibility and could be required to repay scholarship funds, though waivers for cause are included. The sponsor said the estimated costs were relatively modest at first and could grow over time, and described the program as a way to address the teacher shortage and help students earn an associate degree in high school and then complete teacher certification with less debt. Testimony from Nelson County Schools described the Lead Nelson model as a partnership among the district, Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, and Western Kentucky University, with students beginning education coursework in high school, earning dual credit, and receiving clinical hours in classrooms earlier than in traditional preparation programs. Witnesses said the model includes key assessments, university oversight, and collaboration on curriculum and outcomes, and that it has already produced at least one teacher who returned to Nelson County. Members asked about the GPA cutoff, possible reinstatement after academic recovery, federal funding opportunities, the amount and structure of apprentice pay, and the role of postsecondary partners. Mary Taylor of the Kentucky Department of Education said there appears to be federal support for similar apprenticeship efforts and noted a possible U.S. grant opportunity, while the presenters said high school apprentices are paid hourly and adult apprentices average about $24,000 annually. No vote or final committee action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Moving this bill will lower educator pay, which during an educator shortage is extremely tone-deaf.
• <00:47:54.760> Finance to re-refer this to education Finance to re-refer this to education
• you'll be hearing if you're in education you'll be hearing if you're in education Finance<00:51:
• of Education.
• Matthew Allen Rig, and I work as an education issues specialist at Education Minnesota.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• opinion that would the special education opinion that would the special education commission<01:
• school special education and EFA special<01:24:16.560> education.
• come from the education trust funding. come from the education trust funding.
• public institution of higher education. public institution of higher education.
• the general education curriculum. the general education curriculum.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee took up several school building aid bills. HB 295, which would make school building aid program funds non-lapsing, drew debate over whether the program is effective and whether funds should be allowed to carry forward. Supporters argued the program is underfunded and that even small leftover amounts should remain available for building aid; opponents said non-lapsing funds limit future budget flexibility and that the program creates winners and losers. The committee voted 4-3 to recommend HB 295 inexpedient to legislate (ITL). The committee then considered HB 366, which would increase school building aid for eligible projects and include retroactive funding for projects completed in the past. The motion to ITL was supported on the grounds that retroactive payments would be unfair to districts still waiting in line and that the legislature should focus on future projects. Supporters of the bill said the increase was modest and that districts that built during a prior moratorium on aid were left with long-term fiscal burdens. The committee again voted 4-3 to recommend ITL. The discussion also broadened into special education funding and a retained bill, HB 742, concerning catastrophic special education aid and the source of funding. Members debated whether the education trust fund should cover the aid and whether the committee should act now or wait for a separate commission studying special education costs. Several members emphasized that special education costs are rising, that more data is needed on student identification and funding formulas, and that the commission’s report may provide better guidance. The chair said the subcommittee’s recommendations would go to the full committee, and the next meeting was expected to be rescheduled from November 4 to later that week because of election-related conflicts.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's asking to educate our community. This bill is about education, prevention, and partnership.
• to educate our community and to have a plan on how to do this this bill is about education prevention
• As educators, we of the higher education chapter board are in strong support of H. 575 and S. 312, an
• As educators, we of the higher education chapter board are in strong support of H. 575 and S. 312, an
• That's part of their education. Responsibility and discipline. That's part of their education.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee opened a public hearing on 41 bills related to school climate and safety, with chairs Jason Lewis and Ken Gordon outlining procedures and noting more than 125 witnesses. The first major topic was the “Study Act” on cell phones in schools and related social media restrictions (House 666/Senate 335). Secretary of Education Pat Tutwiler and Attorney General Andrea Campbell testified in strong support, arguing that bell-to-bell phone-free policies would improve student focus, reduce anxiety and distraction, and support mental health. Several legislators also supported the approach, though Representative Jeff Turco and Senator John Keenan emphasized narrower bills focused only on school-day phone restrictions rather than broader social media regulation. Senator John Velis likewise backed a comprehensive school-hours restriction, citing student distraction and mental health concerns. Representative Tarsky described successful implementation of a Yondr pouch system in a school where he served as principal, saying it improved engagement and reduced bullying and discipline issues. The committee then heard testimony on a bill to prohibit Native American mascots in public schools (Senate 312/House 575). Senator Joe Comerford, Brittany Wally, and Rhonda Anderson all urged passage, saying Native mascots are dehumanizing, harmful to Native youth, and inconsistent with civil rights and educational values. They described support from tribal nations and noted that many Massachusetts schools have already changed mascots, but some still resist. The hearing also included testimony on school start times (House 647/Senate 360), where middle school students Caroline Duffy and Emery Jarvis described exhaustion and survey data showing widespread sleep deprivation. Former educator Telia Jacobs, former principal Rep. Tarsky, and others argued that later start times would improve health, learning, and student well-being, while acknowledging transportation and scheduling challenges. Zoriana Petrosian, who helped write one of the bills as a student, said the state already has enough research to act now. Additional bills drew testimony on related school issues. Dr. Raul Fernandez supported a bill promoting racially integrated schools (Senate 324), citing a recent advisory council report showing large disparities in segregated schools and urging DESE to develop a statewide integration strategy. On safe firearm storage education (House 548/Senate 397), multiple witnesses from Grassroots for Gun Violence Prevention and school communities supported annual school-based education about secure storage, saying it would help prevent child access to unsecured firearms and build on local resolutions already adopted in some districts. The committee also heard testimony on bills to expand career and academic plans (House 533/Senate 438), with speakers saying more structured planning would help students make informed college and career choices. Later, testimony on child sexual abuse prevention and survivor support bills described the prevalence of abuse, the need for training in schools and youth-serving organizations, and the importance of extending compensation and prevention measures. Throughout the hearing, chairs repeatedly closed bills with no witnesses and moved the agenda forward, but no votes were taken in the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• chair and and members of the education chair and and members of the education finance<00:04:54.520
• their recommendation for the education their recommendation for the education committee's<00:19:
• To close, we need the education profession to be retaining our educators.
• To close, we need the education profession to be retaining our educators.
• The best training from educators was from other educators, and that is what educators are asking for:

Bills: HF6, HF52, HF53

Keywords: education, literacy, science of reading, school performance, funding flexibility, innovation zones, equity and inclusion, HF52, New Germany, wastewater treatment, wastewater facility, sewer infrastructure, capital investment, bonding bill, state bonds, Public Facilities Authority, municipal infrastructure, water quality, sanitation, sewage treatment

Transcript Highlights:

• I come from a family of educators, a long line of educators.
• So educators.
• to educate.
• , friends of educators, married educators, whatever it might be.
• , friends of educators, married educators, whatever it might be.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Courtney Solace Ford, Department of Education. Greg Rogers, Department of Education.
• IEP, or individualized education plan.
• in education.
• Most of these were for first-time licensure areas, with the exception of special education, adult education
• This included RPEP, the Arkansas Professional Educator Pathway, followed by STEP, the Teacher Education

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The committee first received a presentation from Legislative Audit on Arkansas Department of Education grant distributions for fiscal year 2025. Auditors explained the report summarizes $4.6 billion in grants to school districts, charter schools, education cooperatives, and other entities, with most funding coming from the Public School Fund and federal sources. Members asked about specific recipients and programs, including ClassWallet, master principal bonuses, Economics Arkansas, and CDC surveillance grants. Department of Education staff clarified that the audit report only shows distributions, not how recipients ultimately used the money, and noted that some funding declines reflected the end of one-time federal COVID relief dollars. Senators also asked about the special-language appropriation for Economics Arkansas and the use of public school fund revenues. The committee then heard a Bureau of Legislative Research presentation on Consumer Price Index projections from Moody’s Analytics and S&P Global, followed by a detailed adequacy-study update on teacher recruitment, retention, and salaries. The teacher report covered teacher counts, education levels, experience, shortages, preparation pathways, licensure exceptions, survey results, and salary trends. Key findings included about 32,800 teachers statewide in 2025, an average retention rate of 87%, and 30% of surveyed teachers saying they were considering leaving the profession. The report also noted shortages in special education, math, science, and other areas, growth in alternative preparation pathways, and the phaseout of several licensure exceptions under Act 304 of 2025. Members asked extensively about survey methodology, teacher satisfaction, preparation for classroom environment and special education, the cost and return on investment of alternative licensure routes, and whether exit-interview data exists statewide. The presenters said they could follow up on several questions, including details on alternative programs, incentives for ESL and special education endorsements, and comparisons to other surveys. On salaries, the report said the statewide average teacher salary in 2025 was $60,254, with districts averaging slightly higher than charters. Arkansas ranked 45th nationally on average salary in 2025, though 36th when adjusted for cost of living, and average district salaries had declined 8% in inflation-adjusted terms since 2016. Members also discussed the LEARNS Act minimum salary floor of $50,000, salary disparities among districts, and whether the state should focus more on retaining experienced teachers as well as raising starting pay.

Transcript Highlights:

• educators um to bring them there. educators um to bring them there.
• , I come from a whole family of educators, a long line of educators.
• researcher researcher with Education researcher researcher with Education Minnesota.<00:12:10.600
• 80,000 licensed and unlicensed educators 80,000 licensed and unlicensed educators that<00:12:14.560
• educators are getting what they want. educators are getting what they want.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• One is just a reminder how the Education Code works.
• I decided to start Central Valley Holocaust Education.
• Thoughtful, passionate educators who pointed me toward Holocaust and genocide education events and professional
• that educators are supported in doing this work.
• education and pathways and for that they need resources.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , higher education.
• And we education, higher education.
• higher education you higher education higher education you know<01:31:45.040> to<01:31:45.280
• Department of Education. Department of Education.
• The other is higher education. The other is higher education.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I did contact the Board of Education.
• And I did contact the Board of Education.
• Defined by the State Board of Education.
• Development education.
• Most of us are about education.

Summary: The Pre-K Through 12 Budget Subcommittee met with a quorum and considered four bills. CS/HB 1403, by Rep. Yeager, would allow child care facilities to participate in the school guardian program and clarify school perimeter and door security requirements. An amendment clarifying that private security companies would pay for training was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably 11-0. CS/HB 447, the Evan B. Hartzell Act by Rep. Salzman, would provide guidance for schools that choose to teach disability history and awareness during the first two weeks of October, including age-appropriate instruction by grade band. The bill received supportive testimony from advocates and was reported favorably 11-0. CS/HB 257, by Reps. Chambliss and Tramont, would expand on a prior pilot program to allow video cameras in certain self-contained classrooms serving nonverbal students and others with significant disabilities, as a safeguard against abuse and to improve accountability. The bill drew strong support from parents and disability advocates describing abuse concerns, and it was reported favorably 13-0. CS/HB 1255, by Vice Chair Trabulsy, was a broad education bill addressing teacher shortages, scholarship program screening, health and math instruction, corporal punishment policy, and restrictions on spending public funds on organizations tied to discrimination or political/social activism. A major focus of debate was the bill’s human embryologic development instruction and related video language, with supporters calling it science-based and opponents warning it could be medically inaccurate or ideological. After the sponsor said she would amend some language, including removing ABCTE-related text and clarifying the video language, the bill was reported favorably 12-1. The meeting then adjourned.