Transcript Highlights:

• Starting in first grade, we saw that she was always just struggling, struggling to learn how to read,
• But it wasn't until third grade that... With the principals, aides, and so forth.
• But it wasn't until third grade that she was actually, they finally gathered all the information and
• She has learning disabilities, and they were not caught until third grade.
• If they haven't mastered reading by the third grade, we know that they will struggle for the rest of

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Please read the bill a third time.
• Senator Martin moves the bill be read a third time. Please read the bill a third time.
• Please read the bill a third time.
• Please read the bill a third time.
• Please read the bill a third time.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including state championship athletic teams, visiting chambers of commerce, apprentices, students, and other guests. The chamber then moved through a long third-reading calendar and special order calendar, with no committee reports or executive messages on the desk. A moment of silence was held for Walton County Deputy William Will May, who died in the line of duty. Among the major bills passed was SB 234, which strengthens restrictions on resisting law enforcement officers and increases penalties related to manslaughter of an officer; an amendment clarifying “good faith” in an officer’s duties was adopted, and the bill passed 37-0. The Senate also passed SB 7020 on open government review of certain cybersecurity information, SM 1488 urging Congress to create a U.S. sovereign wealth fund, SB 944 reducing the overpayment claim period for insurers/HMOs seeking reimbursement from licensed psychologists from 30 months to 12 months, SB 878 extending probation treatment options for misdemeanor offenses involving controlled substances, SB 538 updating the state court system, SB 480 expanding nonprofit agricultural medical benefit plans, SB 472 giving correctional education credit toward professional licensure, SB 86/House companion 421 expanding peer support for first responders to include support personnel, SB 164 on vessel accountability, SB 282 on warranty association financial requirements, SB 316 creating Series LLC rules, and SB 384 requiring notice to legislative delegations before municipal annexation of state-owned lands. The most debated measure was CS/CS/SB 56 on geoengineering and weather modification, which Garcia said would prohibit unauthorized atmospheric interventions, create reporting and enforcement mechanisms through DEP, and impose felony penalties; Polsky questioned the bill’s practicality, federal preemption issues, and agency capacity, while supporters said it would address public concerns and close loopholes. The Senate also passed CS/SB 166 on public school administrative efficiency after adopting several amendments affecting school purchasing timelines, third-grade retention exemptions, teacher contracts, certification, facilities planning, and an OPPAGA study of cost-per-student-station limits; senators debated testing, teacher evaluations, and school accountability. At the end of the day, the Senate waived rules to immediately certify all passed bills to the House, received budget process guidance from Appropriations Chair Hooper on SB 2500 and SB 2502 amendment deadlines, and then adjourned until April 9.

Transcript Highlights:

• Please read the bill a third time.
• Please read the bill a third time.
• Please read a third time.
• Read the bill for a third time.
• Read the bill a third time.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we all know that the school grading system, how we grade our kids in school, is through the grades
• The school grading system, how we grade our kids in school, is through the grades A through F, meaning
• So let's say a school that is graded in A school will say 65% of the students are at grade level.
• grade, Of students who score below a 3 by third grade will never catch up.
• Or the schools will be graded.

Summary: The Pre-K Through 12 Budget Subcommittee met with a quorum and took up three bills, along with a brief budget conference-prep presentation. The first bill, CS/HB 1483 on school grading and student supports, would gradually align Florida’s school grading scale with the familiar A-F student grading scale over a 10-year glide path, add school report card transparency on the percentage of students reading at grade level, expand interventions for students with substantial reading and math deficiencies through VPK through grade 8, and create a competitive grant for diverse books in K-5 classrooms and libraries. Supporters argued the current school-grade scale is misleading and that the bill would improve transparency and supports; some members raised concerns about impacts on turnaround schools, community perception, and whether the bill adequately captures student gains. The bill passed 12-2 and was reported favorably. The committee then considered CS/HB 859 on the School Readiness Program, which revises the definition of “economically disadvantaged” for eligibility purposes. The bill originally moved from 150% of the federal poverty level to 65% of state median income, but three amendments were adopted to create a glide path and reduce fiscal impact by using 50% of state median income or 150% of poverty, whichever is greater, and by deleting an obsolete section. Public testimony was overwhelmingly supportive, emphasizing child care as workforce infrastructure and a lifeline for working families. The bill passed unanimously, 14-0, and was reported favorably. Finally, CS/HB 1607 on cardiac emergencies in schools would require AEDs in every Florida school, including charter schools, require CPR/AED training, and create a pulse-saving plan with rulemaking authority for the State Board of Education. Proponents cited alarming statistics about sudden cardiac arrest on campuses and argued that rapid AED access can save lives; supporters from the American Heart Association, PTA, and cardiology groups backed the measure. Members spoke in strong support, and the bill passed unanimously, 14-0, and was reported favorably. The meeting ended with a budget presentation explaining that House and Senate FY 2025-26 budget, appropriations project, and proviso side-by-sides had been distributed ahead of conference, followed by adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• It just means that if I put an application for third grade and I got accepted in third grade, it's assuming
• It just means that if I put an application for third grade and I got accepted in third grade, it's assuming
• you<00:24:28.400> get enrolls in third grade, and then you get enrolls in third grade, and
• /c> application for third grade and I got application for third grade and I got accepted<00:25:13.920
• > assuming Representative Balboni: Accepted in third grade, it's assuming I'm going to stay there

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee of conference on HB 751 reviewed amendment 2026-1904H page by page, focusing on open enrollment rules, capacity definitions, statewide enrollment limits, denial criteria, transportation, and funding. Members discussed clarifying that districts may set capacity at zero if they truly have no room, creating a statewide enrollment cap of 500 that can increase by 25% if it reaches 90% utilization, and exempting seats already used by open enrollment students before October 1, 2026. They also discussed how the Department of Education would allocate seats through rulemaking, while local districts would still set capacity, with grandfathered seats preserved where districts already allow open enrollment. A substantial portion of the meeting centered on when districts may deny open enrollment applications. The amendment would allow denials for reasons such as chronic absenteeism or disciplinary history, while requiring districts to consider whether those issues are tied to disability, McKinney-Vento status, foster care, or bullying. Members emphasized that such factors are to be considered, not used as the sole basis for rejection, and noted that the bill separately prohibits receiving schools from accepting or rejecting applicants based on pupil needs, special education needs, disability, aptitude, or athletic achievement. There was also discussion of whether interdistrict transfers should count toward open enrollment capacity, with a suggestion that a carve-out may be needed. The committee also reviewed provisions on program-specific capacity, continuous enrollment, and transportation. It was explained that capacity can apply to a school, grade, program, or class, including CTE programs, and that students may be denied if a specific program is full or if they do not meet prerequisites. The group clarified that open enrollment pupils would maintain continuous enrollment without reapplying, though there was concern about how that would work if district capacity changes over time. Transportation would generally be the parent’s responsibility unless required by an IEP or 504 plan, though students may use an existing bus route if seats are available and the receiving district allows it. On funding, the committee noted that the amendment changes the earlier HB 751 approach and instead ties open enrollment funding to base adequacy, differentiated aid, and an additional grant modeled on charter school funding, with dates removed at the department’s request. Members also raised concerns about how open enrollment would interact with existing tuition agreements and whether districts could use the new pathway to alter or pressure those arrangements. Department staff said districts would still be required to maintain a school of record and provide an adequate education free of charge outside the open enrollment program, and that if open enrollment enrollment became unusually large relative to district adequacy enrollment, the issue could be brought to the state board. No votes were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• grade to third grade.
• And you to second grade to third grade.
• Third, fourth, fifth grade.
• So prek to 2 is about third grade.
• We used to have third grade reading differentiated aid.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Legislative Oversight Committee met to review statewide education improvement and assessment issues under RSA 193-C:8-a, with the chair focusing on curriculum frameworks, academic standards, and resource elements tied to the state’s adequate education statutes. The chair walked through the statutory relationship between minimum standards for public school approval, academic standards, and local control of curriculum, noting that New Hampshire law requires curriculum frameworks to guide what students should know and be able to do while leaving districts flexibility in instruction. He also raised concerns that some subject areas appear to have current frameworks or standards while others do not, and suggested the committee may need to consider an amendment creating a curriculum frameworks and academic standards coordinator at the Department of Education. Nate Green, director of the Division of Education Analytics and Resources, explained that the terms “academic standards” and “curriculum frameworks” have evolved over time and are often used interchangeably, but can mean different things depending on the subject area. He said the state’s more prescriptive standards largely developed after No Child Left Behind, especially in math, ELA, and science, while older or less-tested subjects such as arts, physical education, and health often retained looser framework-style documents. Green outlined one possible approach of standardizing terminology, but also said New Hampshire could instead define curriculum frameworks separately as a combination of standards, curriculum, and instructional approaches. He emphasized that state standards must support statewide consistency and assessment, while local districts retain control over how they teach. Committee members discussed how these distinctions affect different grade levels and subjects, using examples from math and science to show that minimum standards are broad while academic standards are more specific and grade-level based. Green described how science standards are organized by physical science, life science, and earth/space science across grade bands, while math standards are more directly tied to individual grades. No votes were taken and no formal action was reported during this portion of the meeting; the discussion remained informational and exploratory as members considered whether statutory language or departmental organization should be updated.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we had, you know, the third grade reading.
• So, we want every student reading on grade level by the end of third grade.
• And these are all schools that had 100% of their students to meet the third grade reading.
• <01:31:30.880> grade students to meet the third grade students to meet the third grade reading
• :40:28.960> grade mean they can read a seventh grade mean they can read a seventh grade science

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• on grade level by the third grade.
• It's just something that I heard for months how important the third grade reading is. Dr.
• Well, I was gonna say, we hope that all of our students are reading. at third grade or on grade level
• Because we're always talking about, you know, got to read on grade level by third grade, you know, and
• reading and 12% for eighth grade.

Bills: HB4, HB54, SB 10, SB 24, HB4, HB54, HB775, HB850, HB 1122, HB 1249, HB1405, HB2336, HB2757, HB3372, HB3622, HB4442, HB4687, HB4893, HB5089, HB5515, HB5606, SB10, SB24, HB1573, HB3369

Keywords: district composition, congressional election, Texas, legislature, voting districts, citizenship, U.S. citizen, non-citizen, public office, advisory board, task force, state government, local government, political subdivision, commission board, appointment eligibility, officeholder qualifications, public service, naturalization, Texas Government Code

Transcript Highlights:

• THEY ARE WORKING WITH ALL OF THE READING TEACHERS AND READING COACHES AND THE DISTRICT READING STAFF
• LEVELS BUT THOSE STUDENTS WHO WERE NOT READING ON A GRADE LEVEL THAT THE TIME DURING THE SWITCH ARE
• WE ALSO HAVE NEW WORLDS PROGRAM FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE READING BELOW GRADE LEVEL.
• WE OUTPERFORM THE NATION IN GRADE FOR READING. WE OUTPERFORM THE NATION IN GRADE FOR MATH.
• LEVEL IN THIRD GRADE IN THE WE TAKE THE RESOURCES AND BY FOR RAY THEY ARE STRUGGLING AGAIN.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The students at the eighth grade level are not able to read.
• So how did we get to the eighth grade? And you can't read.
• How does a kid get to 8th grade and not be able to read?
• So, nearly half of New Mexico elementary and middle school students now read at grade level.
• How come retaining a student who is not proficient at reading by third grade is not included here?

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, Senator Tisher did a word search in the third grade social studies 2022 and the word global was mentioned
• And, um, one example, uh, is the War of 1812 is not mentioned yet. search in in the third grade social
• search in in the third grade social studies<01:16:30.480> 2022<01:16:31.360> and<01:16
• as a teacher, as an educator, it's so important and so easy and user-friendly when we see what that third-grade
• <01:25:08.639> grade when we see what that third grade when we see what that third grade standard

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call – 0:00:00 Workforce Pell Grant Update – 0:03:30 Extension Office Update – 0:33:25 Kentucky Academic Standards for Social Studies – 1:07:08 Early Literacy Outcomes – 1:32:20 Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations – 1:58:30 Adjournment 2:13:13, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So currently, students have support from kindergarten to third grade.
• That next benchmark is really captured and not just limited to kinder to third grade.
• , matching the grading scale that we grade our kids to the school grade.
• , matching the grading scale that we grade our kids to the school grade.
• So third, fourth, and fifth grade, we're sitting at probably 30, 36 kids in a classroom.

Summary: The Student Academic Success Subcommittee met with a quorum and considered two bills. The first, PCS for HB 1565, would expand permitted purchases under the Personalized Education Program scholarship to include digital devices, clarify statutory terms, and distinguish between parent-directed part-time programs and full-time instructor-led programs. Rep. Hinson questioned oversight and misuse safeguards, while the sponsor said existing statutory and SFO oversight already applies. Public testimony included support from the James Madison Institute, and the bill was reported favorably by a 12-1 vote. The committee then heard PCS for HB 1483, the SCORE Act, which would gradually align Florida’s school grading scale with the familiar A-F scale used for students over a 10-year transition. The sponsor argued that current school grades are inflated and confusing to parents, and said the bill would also expand early support identification from pre-K through 8th grade. Members raised concerns about the impact on public and charter schools, low-income communities, teacher workload, resources, property values, and whether the bill should be paired with funding and professional development. Public testimony included an ESE teacher asking about funding and class size, one opponent from Orange County teachers, and a proponent from Florida Citizens Alliance. After extensive debate, the committee voted 12-5 to report PCS for HB 1483 favorably. Supporters said the bill would improve transparency and accountability for parents and create pressure to raise standards, while opponents warned it could sharply increase lower-rated schools without sufficient resources and could mislead the public about school performance during the transition.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:13:57.680> Third<00:13:57.920> reading SD2 passes. Third reading.
• Third reading SD2 passes. Third reading.
• HB 1482 SD3 passes third reading.
• Third reading.
• Referrals and passes third reading.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• With five years of disrupted accountability and only around half of students reading on grade level,
• STAR can only do year over year, so when STAR ends in third grade and a teacher receives the student
• was at the end of third grade.
• STAR can only do year over year, so when STAR ends in third grade and a teacher receives the student
• was at the end of third grade.

Bills: HB4, HB20

Keywords: district composition, congressional election, Texas, legislature, voting districts, fraudulent solicitation, disaster relief, nonprofit organizations, criminal penalties, consumer protection, fraud prevention, charitable donations

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 2853, which would allow the UT System Board of Regents to adjust the University of Texas at El Paso student union fee above the current statutory cap, subject to student approval, to help fund a new student union building. Senator Blanco explained the bill and the committee substitute, there were no questions or witnesses, public testimony was closed, and the committee adopted the substitute and left the bill pending subject to the call of the chair. The committee then heard House Bill 610, which would limit severance payments for terminated independent school district superintendents to six months’ salary and benefits. Senator Paxton described large severance payouts and said the bill had passed the House overwhelmingly. There were no witnesses, public testimony was closed, and the bill was left pending. A lengthy hearing followed on House Bill 4623, which would waive school district immunity in certain cases involving negligent hiring, supervision, or employment of professional school employees who commit abuse or related misconduct against students. Senator Paxton and several witnesses, including survivors and parents, argued the bill was needed to address cover-ups, delayed reporting, and repeated failures to remove dangerous employees; some members raised concerns about liability caps, litigation, and how the bill would interact with the Tort Claims Act. The committee also heard from TEA staff and employee-group witnesses who discussed possible injunctions and stronger no-hire protections. Public testimony was then closed and the bill was left pending. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 4, an accountability and assessment bill that would restore A-F ratings, change the state testing system, and replace STAAR with shorter, more instructionally useful assessments. Senator Bettencourt explained the committee substitute, including annual ratings, limits on taxpayer-funded lawsuits, and a phased-in testing redesign with beginning, middle, and end-of-year assessments. Testimony was generally supportive from education and business groups, though some witnesses favored norm-referenced testing while others emphasized criterion-referenced, TEKS-aligned assessments; one witness noted social studies assessments were restored in the bill. The hearing concluded with additional invited testimony and no final vote reported in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• But things started to change in third grade.
• Charlotte is a third-grade student full of spunk and vigor and has struggled to learn to read since she
• Charlotte is a third-grade student full of spunk and vigor and has struggled to learn to read since she
• This year, his math proficiency score increased from a third-grade level to a mid-sixth-grade level.
• His math proficiency score increased from a third-grade level to a mid-sixth-grade level in one year.

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• grade module to go out through AMSI to our third grade teachers.
• There study is actually in third grade.
• > they're DNA in third grade but they're they're DNA in third grade but they're they're being<00:
• third grade module to we had created a third grade module to go<00:33:32.799> out<00:33:33.039
• <00:33:35.440> grade go out through AMSI to our third grade go out through AMSI to our third

Bills: HB187, HB98, HB360, HB394, HB398, HB388, HB187, HB98, HB360, HB394, HB398, HB388

Keywords: school safety, emergency response, training, public safety, Alyssa's Law, law enforcement, scholarship, tuition assistance, dependent education, Alabama, blackout license plate, HB360, Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday, sales tax holiday, firearms, guns, ammunition, bullets, primers, gun accessories

Transcript Highlights:

• But things started to change in third grade.
• Charlotte is a third-grade student full of spunk and vigor and has struggled to learn to read since she
• Charlotte is a third-grade student full of spunk and vigor and has struggled to learn to read since she
• This year, his math proficiency score increased from a third-grade level to a mid-sixth-grade level.
• His proficiency score increased from a third-grade level to a mid-sixth-grade level in one year.

Summary: The committee met for public testimony on the Finance budget, with the main discussion focused first on funding for disability services and then on the LA GATOR scholarship program. Several individuals testified in support of fully funding Families Helping Families and Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS), describing how advocacy, transition services, and direct support workers help people with disabilities access education, employment, and independent living. Witnesses urged the committee to preserve or increase state general funds to draw down federal matching dollars, and provider groups said current reimbursement rates and staffing shortages are leaving agencies in deficit, creating waitlists, overtime costs, and difficulty retaining workers. Committee members thanked the speakers and noted that the testimony would be used to compare the governor’s, House, and remaining budget requests. The committee then heard extensive testimony in support of increasing funding for the LA GATOR scholarship program. Supporters included policy groups, school leaders, parents, and students who argued that the program expands educational choice, helps low-income and special-needs students find schools that fit their needs, and should be fully funded at the level of demonstrated demand. Speakers from Catholic and Christian schools said GATOR funding had helped students thrive academically and spiritually, but that shortfalls left many eligible students without awards, hurt kindergarten enrollment, and forced schools to raise private donations to cover gaps. Several witnesses emphasized that the program is not a zero-sum attack on public schools, but a way to let education dollars follow students. A few committee questions focused on the fiscal impact and on whether choice programs improve outcomes without harming public schools. Testimony cited enrollment growth, parent demand, and data from other states to argue that school choice can improve student and parent outcomes and may also strengthen traditional public schools through competition. No votes or formal actions were taken during the public testimony portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• So they are working with all of the reading teachers and reading coaches and the district reading staff
• But those students who were not reading on grade level in that time during the switch, have we, or are
• We also have our New Worlds program, that for those students who are reading below grade level, they
• So we outperform the nation in grade four reading.
• And you have a kid that was on grade level in third grade, and we take the resources, and by fifth grade

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met with a quorum and first heard a Department of Education program review on three district support programs: assistance to low-performing schools, the Florida Partnership program, and regional literacy teams (RAISE). Dr. Paul Burns described how the Bureau of School Improvement supports schools with D/F grades through regional teams, classroom observations, professional learning, and targeted funding, noting that 104 of 168 low-performing schools improved after 2022-23 and that the share of failing schools fell from 6% to 4%. He also outlined the Florida Partnership’s $4 million annual appropriation for advanced-course teacher training and student access, and the RAISE literacy program’s $5 million funding, universal/targeted/intensive supports, and progress monitoring results. Senators asked about rural participation, post-COVID reading data, parent support, and how long schools remain under monitoring after improving; Burns said rural districts can participate statewide, parents can access school and department support, and schools continue to receive monitoring after exiting low-performing status to prevent recidivism. The committee then received a presentation on the school district education foundation matching grants program from Suzanne Pridgen, who explained that the Consortium of the Florida Education Foundations administers the grants, which require private matching funds and support tutoring, literacy, STEM, career education, professional learning, books, and supplies. She said the program leverages about $1.44 in private support for every state dollar. The committee then moved to the regional education consortia, where representatives from PAEC, NEFEC, and Heartland, along with several rural superintendents, described the consortia as member-led organizations that provide economies of scale, professional learning, HR, risk management, purchasing, legal and operational support, crisis assistance, and leadership development for small and fiscally constrained districts. Superintendents from Lafayette, Holmes, Calhoun, Union, DeSoto, and Hendry counties testified that the consortia are essential because rural districts often have very small staffs, multiple-duty administrators, and limited in-house expertise. They cited support with insurance and hurricane recovery, training for new finance and HR staff, instructional coaching, CTE and leadership programs, and help with turnaround schools. Members emphasized that these districts can be high-performing despite limited resources, and several senators praised the consortia’s value. Senator Gaetz asked about additional back-office collaboration, possible regulatory relief, and FEFP issues tied to scholarship-related enrollment swings; rural superintendents responded that more local control would help. The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn, which was adopted without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• Logic of English is a district-wide K through 2nd grade phonics and reading curriculum.
• through twelfth grade.
• They're not all 11th grade or 12th grade students that are potentially graduating.
• As far as when students are getting ready for the third grade, if they're identified, we provide the
• grade through eighth grade, including third grade, which made an 11% jump.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:11:16.399> reading below pass the Senate on third reading below pass the Senate on third
• listed below pass the Senate on third listed below pass the Senate on third reading<00:11:29.040
• Senate's third reading by the vote Senate's third reading by the vote indicated.<00:12:45.440> House
• bringing the kids to the eighth grade bringing the kids to the eighth grade reading<00:47:21.599
• third reading also. third reading also.

Keywords: 916, all