Transcript Highlights:

• I'd also note that in 24-25, the enrollment in the Florida College System, the FTE enrollment increased
• , enrollment growth, particularly.
• So the first one is enrollment.
• It's weighted between workforce enrollment and other types of enrollment.
• So a lot of our enrollment decline was from students who would normally have come straight from high

Summary: The Higher Education Budget Subcommittee met to review funding models for the Florida College System and district workforce education programs, with an emphasis on how new dollars are allocated in the program fund and how performance and targeted funding are incorporated. Chancellor Hebda explained the Florida College System model, including base program funding, student success and pipeline funds, performance incentives for industry certifications, and the 2022 president-developed formula that weights enrollment, workforce enrollment, completions, small-college factors, and regional cost differences, plus a targeted funding floor for colleges below a minimum per-FTE level. Vice Chancellor Goodman then outlined the district workforce model, which uses lagged enrollment, program cost weights, local revenue offsets, small-district adjustments, and unmet-need calculations to distribute lump-sum appropriations to school districts offering workforce education. The department also provided updates on several grant programs and funding delays. Goodman said the Workforce Development Incentive Grant, Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant, Graduation Alternative to Traditional Education Startup Grant, and teacher apprenticeship/mentor bonus programs all involve multi-year awards and often require reversions and reappropriations because projects are delayed, extended, or not fully obligated by year-end. She said the department is moving toward an electronic grants system and had already adjusted internal deadlines to speed awards, while acknowledging some reimbursement delays and explaining that mentor bonuses for teacher apprentices will not be paid until the first cohort reaches the statutory timing requirement. Members asked about tracking whether CTE students work in their trained fields, how Xello is used to inform students about career pathways, how FTE is calculated, whether the funding formulas could encourage growth over quality, and how students with disabilities are counted in workforce funding. Questions also focused on tuition, enrollment trends, and the gap between college and university funding. The committee heard that tuition has remained flat for more than a decade, enrollment has rebounded from COVID and is projected to exceed pre-pandemic levels, and the college system’s funding per FTE varies widely. Valencia College President Kathleen Plinsky testified in support of the proposed formula and an additional $200 million for the Florida College System, saying Valencia is the second-largest college in the state but ranks last in per-FTE funding, which has made it difficult to recruit and retain faculty and admit qualified students in high-demand programs like nursing. The committee took no vote and adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• That we proudly enroll.
• Our campuses embody a wide range of characteristics, large enrollments of nearly 20,000 to small enrollments
• Since 2010, our system-wide enrollment is up 32%.
• Uh, little bit of an enrollment overview for you.
• You know, they get ready to enroll.

Transcript Highlights:

• So almost 40% of New Mexicans are enrolled in one or more of our programs.
• Twenty percent of New Mexicans are enrolled in one or more of our programs.
• We are enrolling about 75 people a month into the program.
• But when you're caring for someone who's declining in health, declining in mental acuity, you... ...don't
• Chair, I just ask that we find some way to fill in these gaps. who's declining in health, declining in

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• declines in public schools.
• Our school enrollment is declining and has been declining over the last four years.
• declines in public schools.
• Our school and enrollment is declining and has been declining over the last four years.
• Representative, it's been declining since 2015 since last decade. Thank you.

Keywords: 996, all

Summary: The meeting began as an informal education budget work group focused on reviewing a revised House Appropriations and Finance Committee scenario and flagging concerns rather than taking votes. Staff outlined the main changes from the LFC recommendation, including moving the statewide student information system appropriation, adding funding for the Black, Bilingual, Multicultural and Hispanic Education Act, universal school meals overrun costs, an evidence-based CTE pilot with a 50% local match, STEM network funding, wellness room pilots, Martinez-Yazzie action plan items, and changes to innovation zone and out-of-school time appropriations. A separate handout on the seven-year CTE pilot explained spending patterns, reversions, and possible federal maintenance-of-effort concerns if the state continues funding beyond a true pilot. Members then debated CTE extensively, with several arguing it improves attendance, graduation, and career readiness and should be sustained or expanded, especially in rural areas, while staff and others emphasized that much of the current funding has gone to general operational costs rather than intentional program design and that regional or matched funding models may be more effective. Members also discussed STEM and math initiatives, the need for more industry involvement, and whether the proposed match requirements would be too burdensome for smaller districts and BIE schools. The discussion also covered the Black, Hispanic, and Multilingual Education Acts and the Martinez-Yazzie lawsuit. Some members stressed that the acts should be explicitly named in the budget language and not merely implied, while staff said the scenario reaffirms prior commitments by building the costs into agency operating budgets. Members raised concerns about charter school hold-harmless funding, declining enrollment, and the need to align spending with the needs of at-risk students. The work group ended the education portion without any votes, with staff noting they would incorporate the feedback and return with clarifications, including on CTE funding, the educational acts, and the charter hold-harmless item. The meeting then shifted to the child well-being and early childhood work group, where staff presented a revised Early Childhood Education and Care Department scenario. The proposal moved money toward child care assistance and early pre-K, kept the FIT program funding level unchanged, and used a mix of trust fund, TANF, federal, and operating-budget adjustments to close part of the gap between the executive and LFC recommendations. Members questioned the policy direction, especially the shift toward infant and toddler care and pre-K expansion, the impact on school-age child care, and the implications for continuity of care and provider costs. Staff explained that the scenario prioritizes younger children and at-risk families, includes language for a wage and career ladder, and would require legislation to raise the early childhood trust fund distribution cap from 500 to 525. Members also discussed a separate proposed CYFD pilot bill (HB 65), which would be distinct from ECECD funding. No votes were taken, and staff said they would return with more cost information on full pre-K plus wraparound care. A final work group reviewed C2 and Department of Information Technology-related appropriations. Staff compared the LFC and executive recommendations for new funding and reauthorizations, noting that the LFC generally limited new projects while the executive funded more. Members discussed several IT modernization requests, including the Secretary of State’s voter registration and election management systems, the Spaceport Authority, Game and Fish, the State Engineer’s WATERS system, ECECD’s FitKids and EPIC replacement discovery, and Aging and Long-Term Services’ enterprise system modernization. The main themes were whether to fund planning versus full replacement, how to avoid piecemeal spending, and whether new systems should wait for incoming leadership. The Secretary of State’s office said its system is nearing end of life and the planning funds would help prepare a realistic replacement request, while other agencies described aging infrastructure, cybersecurity risks, and the need for modernization. The work group did not vote on any of the items and ended with staff noting additional follow-up on funding needs and reauthorization details.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're seeing different local responses to declining enrollments, including school closures in districts
• to triple or quadruple their enrollment.
• So we have the enrollment decline, but we're also seeing changes in the needs of students, including
• These 370 candidates are now enrolled in an EPP, so we're also seeing a boost to enrollment in our EPP
• Because of the drastic changes, we have seen a decline in enrollment.

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation on strategic resource management in public education. LESC staff and PED officials argued that New Mexico has increased school funding, but local budgeting and planning remain fragmented and overly compliance-driven. They described long-term pressures including declining enrollment, rising special education costs, falling cash balances, changes in federal funding, and leadership turnover, and said schools need more intentional multi-year planning tied to student outcomes. They also outlined the many disconnected planning requirements schools must complete, compared New Mexico’s current approach with Ohio’s three-year budget forecasting model, and recommended continuing multi-year appropriations, adding $2.5 million for state grants in the unified application, and directing LESC, LFC, and PED to develop a long-term financial planning proposal. PED said it is working to reduce administrative burden through school accreditation, a unified application for federal and state funds, and internal alignment of guidance and coaching, with pilot schools reporting time savings and better alignment. Members raised concerns about four-day school weeks, the burden on small districts, the need for outcomes and return on investment, and whether the state should move toward a two-year or three-year planning cycle; staff clarified that the proposal was to streamline or eliminate redundant requirements, not add another layer. The committee then received an update on the Educator Fellows program. PED described it as a Grow Your Own pipeline that employs candidates as supplemental educational assistants while they work toward licensure, providing salary, benefits, paid leave, mentoring, and coursework support. Officials said the program helps address teacher shortages, improves student-to-teacher ratios, increases workforce diversity, and supports the Martinez-Yazzie action plan. They reported 370 current fellows across 86 LEAs and about 180 schools, with many fellows being people of color, first-generation college students, or second-career educators; roughly 85 are expected to become certified this year. A local HR director from Belen testified that the program has been especially valuable in small communities, where fellows are already rooted in the community and several have moved into teaching roles. Members asked about high school recruitment, tuition, retirement and benefits, the relationship to the Higher Education Department’s Grow Your Own scholarship, and the role of university partners. PED said fellows choose among accredited higher education partners, the program is separate from the scholarship but complementary, and the state is also building an apprenticeship model and seeking to expand the program to more LEAs, though some districts are on a waiting list because of funding and local match requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• and what is so frustrating declining and what is so frustrating about<00:25:34.880> this<00:25
• <00:36:18.040> management<00:36:18.520> with affairs and enrollment management with
• We have 6,200 course sections transitioned to zero-cost materials and 126,000-plus students enrolled
• <00:59:44.319> reimbursements<00:59:45.319> to<00:59:45.520> Workforce declining
• facilities their facilities to decline facilities their facilities to decline into<01:04:12.400>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Things like special education, declining enrollment schools, rural schools.
• enrollment, like small schools, and everything associated with that.
• The formula continues to be focused more on enrollment as opposed to student needs.
• My town of Sterling is at the 82.5% target share cap, more due to declining enrollment than wealth, where
• Any minuscule drop in enrollment can lead to Any minuscule drop in enrollment can lead to massive drops

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education opened a hybrid public hearing on a large slate of bills related to school buildings, school finance, technology, data privacy, safety, and related education issues. Chairs Jason Lewis and Ken Gordon outlined procedures for the hearing, including two-minute testimony limits and the plan to group similar bills together. Several bills drew no testimony and were closed without further discussion, while others drew extensive testimony from legislators, school officials, parents, advocates, and educators. A major theme was school safety and student well-being. Lori Al-Hadeth testified in support of bills on alert systems in public schools, describing the loss of her daughter in the Parkland shooting and urging adoption of Alyssa’s Law-style panic alert technology. Representative Gallagher and disability advocates also supported a bill authorizing, but not requiring, airway clearance devices in schools, arguing they could save lives in choking emergencies and provide an option for people who cannot use the Heimlich maneuver. Another bill on reducing cafeteria waste drew support from a legislator and a Lexington sustainability official, who said installing dishwashers during construction would reduce waste and long-term costs. Much of the hearing focused on Chapter 70 school funding and the inflation cap. Senator Pavel Payano, Senator Sal DiDomenico, Representative Senna, and multiple local officials and school committee members from Bridgewater, Chelsea, Groton-Dunstable, and other districts argued that the 4.5% cap on inflation adjustments has left schools underfunded during years of high inflation, forcing layoffs, larger class sizes, and cuts to programs and student supports. They urged bills to eliminate the cap, restore lost funding, increase the Commonwealth’s share of the foundation budget, or create commissions to study reforms. Testimony also highlighted the impact on special education, English learners, and low-income students, with Chelsea witnesses saying the cap has cost their district about $7 million annually. School construction and MSBA reform were the other major topic. AIA Massachusetts, Boston Public Schools, Lynn officials, and AFT Massachusetts described aging facilities, overcrowding, deferred maintenance, and the difficulty of financing new schools under current reimbursement rules. Boston officials said the district has many pre-World War II buildings and has only built a handful of new schools in decades, while Lynn leaders said reimbursement rates have fallen well below the statutory 80% because of caps and ineligible costs. Witnesses urged modernization of the MSBA program, higher reimbursement rates, and more resources for school construction. The committee also heard support for a bill to study the adequacy and equity of the school building program, and chairs indicated some bills would be closed after no one signed up to testify.

Transcript Highlights:

• IT HAS HAPPENED WHERE THERE IS DECLINING ENROLLMENT AND SOME INSTITUTIONS AND WHEN THAT IS CONSISTENTLY
• THERE IS A DUAL ENROLLMENT SCHOLARSHIP FUND THAT HELP SUPPORT STUDENTS WHO ARE IN DUAL ENROLLMENT EITHER
• LESS THAN 10 PERCENT OF OUR ENROLLMENT IS BACCALAUREATE ENROLLMENTS BUT OUR DEGREES ARE STILL AS A SYSTEM
• SOME COLLEGES EVEN GREW DURING THE PANDEMIC WHEN LOSING ENROLLMENT ESPECIALLY AA ENROLLMENT DURING THAT
• AND WORKFORCE ENROLLMENTS WHICH INCLUDE BACCALAUREATE ENROLLMENTS AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT WORKFORCE

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The fall 2024 enrollment summary shows an undergraduate enrollment increase of 29%.
• But when you look at capping enrollment, the formula usually rewards enrollment growth.
• Two of our institutions are actually suffering enrollment decline: U.H.
• You mean in the decline in enrollment at UHV and Clear Lake?
• But in Katy, their enrollment has declined sharply as well as in...

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in the individual market, about 210,000 enrolled in the small group market, and about 670,000 enrolled
• in the fully insured um 670,000 enrolled in the fully insured um large<00:05:12.759> group<00
• in the individual market, about 210,000 enrolled in the small group market, and about 670,000 enrolled
• We have information on enrollment. It includes medical claims, pharmacy claims.
• <01:05:17.920> of chartbook that show um the decline of chartbook that show um the decline

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• There's declining enrollment districts in schools.
• Or in the case of declining enrollment over the long term, how do you start to scale back?
• There is enrollment decline is not a one-for-one. One.
• Your face because you're trying to cut costs with enrollment declines.
• And in doing so, you might actually exacerbate enrollment declines.

Transcript Highlights:

• The members of BIA don't know why their employee declines health care.
• They just know they declined what they were offered.
• And they could decline because their spouse has another plan.
• Whatever it is, but they're declining. We don't know, and I don't know if the state truly knows.
• Whatever it is, but they're declining.

Keywords: 1146, all

Transcript Highlights:

• All of you heard about the number of banks nationwide and in Texas has declined.
• 184 banks, and if you follow the blue column down, you will see that I obviously that number has declined
• So you said that you did study... neighboring states and that you didn't see any decline in Arizona.
• I want to make sure that our numbers are accurate and that Texas doesn't see a decline of almost 4%.
• And the fund of TRS has not yet begun to decline.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think we are stronger by having a complete system, but those campuses have borne the brunt of declining
• I think we are stronger by having a complete system, but those campuses have borne the brunt of declining
• <00:04:17.320> value uh with with concern declining value uh with with concern declining value
• Jamal Adam: I think there are multiple reasons for declining trust.
• Revenue diversification and more substantial advocacy efforts, with declining enrollment and increasing

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The forum focused on the University of Minnesota system’s future, with candidates largely agreeing that the five campuses should remain distinct while working more closely together. Speakers emphasized the land-grant mission, the importance of serving Greater Minnesota, and the need for each campus to have a clear value proposition tied to local communities. Several suggested stronger cross-campus partnerships, more use of technology, and more seamless student pathways between campuses, while also noting enrollment declines and the need to preserve campus identities. A second major topic was public trust in higher education and the perceived value of a college degree. Candidates pointed to rising tuition, student debt, and concerns about post-graduation job prospects as key challenges. Proposed responses included better storytelling about university outcomes, stronger partnerships with schools, legislators, and communities, more targeted fundraising and commercialization of research, and clearer evidence of return on investment for students and families. The discussion then turned to athletics, where most candidates described sports as the university’s “front door” but said academics must remain the priority. They raised NIL, revenue sharing, and the need to keep athletics funding separate from core university funding, while also recognizing athletics’ role in campus culture and student recruitment. In later questions, candidates discussed why they sought regent service and how to support diversity, equity, and inclusion, with responses stressing access, belonging, open debate, and meeting students where they are. No formal votes or actions were taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the 2024 to 2025 school year, almost 15,000 children were enrolled.
• This is about 10 times the amount of children enrolled in the inaugural class in 2005.
• The Executive put more in for the enrollment of universal.
• This is how we grew the workforce by 64% while the rest of the nation declined.
• They're doing the enrollment and eligibility.

Bills: SB2

Transcript Highlights:

• INCREASE THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ROLL STUDENT ENROLLMENT BY 25%.
• THAT IS A PERCENTAGE THAT HAS DECLINED SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE 2011.
• IT IS HARD FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO DO DUAL ENROLLMENT IN THOSE PROGRAMS.
• REALLY QUICKLY FOR DUAL ENROLLMENT, WE HAVE SEEN OUR NUMBERS, IF NOT DOUBLE, ALMOST TRIPLED IN DUAL ENROLLMENT
• STUDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN DUAL ENROLLED AT PHAM YOU DRS.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , that come with that 15-day enrollment, that come with that 15-day enrollment, but<00:14:08.480>
• records request and the new enrollment records request and the new enrollment record<00:18:19.200
• , virtual academy enrollment, virtual academy enrollment, necessitating<00:36:56.800> a<00
• form would re-enroll.
• of what that is, that that enrollment of what that is, that that enrollment file<01:29:36.320>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:20:13.360> um of big categories that have declined um of big categories that have declined
• <00:34:25.599> and for the primary uh declines and for the primary uh declines and increases
• You really simplified the numbers you gave us for total enrollment.
• They also said they have total enrollment for that district as well as total special education enrollment
• <01:10:24.440> for the right I have total enrollment for the right I have total enrollment

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The work session focused on special education, especially the differentiated aid component and special education aid, which members noted is still often called “catastrophic aid.” The chair said the committee was trying to better understand how special education costs are growing, how districts are delivering services through SAUs or internally, and how reimbursement formulas affect local costs. Members also discussed the need for better data before making decisions on several education funding bills, and Representative Brown was tasked with capturing questions for follow-up information from the department or elsewhere. Testimony from the state special education director, Becky Fad, centered on why student counts in various disability categories have shifted over time. She said the categories themselves have not changed much, but autism has increased because of greater understanding and identification, developmental delay has grown because it applies to children under age 10 who may not yet have a clear diagnosis, and some students previously classified under speech/language or other health impairment are now identified in more specific categories such as autism. She emphasized that the IEP is based on a child’s individual needs, so a change in category would not necessarily change services, though it may help educators support the student differently. Members asked about whether the shifts reflect better diagnostic capability, whether the department should gather more data on the reasons for the changes, and whether autism-spectrum data could be broken down further. Fad said the department does not currently have data on the causes of the shifts or on where students fall within the autism spectrum, but that collecting and analyzing such data is on its list of priorities and a new data manager had recently been hired. She also explained that each child is counted only once on the chart by primary disability, that the IEP or eligibility team determines the primary category based on evaluations, and that any child can be referred for special education by a parent, teacher, or doctor, after which the district must meet within 15 days to decide whether to evaluate. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The ability to supplement flat or declining population without without a state students will allow WT
• What's your total enrollment currently?
• These funds are pooled and redistributed to provide financial assistance to other students enrolled at
• I'd have to look at the at the total total enrollment and and UT Austin might also be um choosing to
• or who are members of a corps of cadets, including those at a senior military college or enrolled in

Transcript Highlights:

• This decline in enrollment alone will result in a nearly $2 million funding loss for our district, where
• This decline in enrollment alone will result in a nearly $2 million funding loss for our district, where
• This decline in enrollment alone will result in a nearly $2 million funding loss for our district, where
• This decline in enrollment district.
• This decline in enrollment alone<00:26:48.400> will<00:26:48.640> result<00:26:48.880><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all