Video & Transcript Research : 'enrollment changes'

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AR
Transcript Highlights:
  • It's about enrollment. So you have to have someone enrolled in the seat.
  • So the change in February is: if you've got 20 seats, you have 20 kids enrolled in those seats.
  • And then you're changing the funding, if you choose to change the funding, at the very end.
  • declining enrollment are the other two supplemental funds that are based on either enrollment or geographic
  • Was funding determined by who was enrolled, not who was enrolled?
Summary: The meeting began with approval of the previous minutes and then focused on an update from the Department of Education on early childhood programs, especially the state-funded Arkansas Better Chance (ABC) program. Secretary Jacob Oliva and Deputy Commissioner Stacey Smith said Arkansas had received a federal Preschool Development Grant and described ongoing work to review ABC slots, which have been flat for years at about 23,800 slots and roughly $114 million. They said about 1,000 slots statewide are currently unfilled despite a waiting list of more than 2,000 families, and the department is shifting toward paying based on enrollment rather than guaranteed slots. Members asked about school choice, income eligibility, year-round access, curriculum flexibility, transportation, and whether funding should be increased or rebalanced; the department said it is collecting data, may survey providers more formally, and is considering whether to modernize income thresholds, daily rates, and other program rules. The committee agreed to form an early childhood subcommittee and asked the Bureau of Legislative Research to help gather historical information on income limits and other program details. The second major portion of the meeting was a legal presentation on the framework for Arkansas school adequacy by BLR education attorney Taylor Lloyd. She reviewed the constitutional basis for a “general, suitable, and efficient” public school system, the Dupree and Lake View cases, and the principle that adequacy and equity are different but related: adequacy asks what resources are needed, while equity asks whether those resources are distributed fairly. She explained that the General Assembly must define adequacy, study it, and react to evidence over time, and that the current adequacy definition includes curriculum and career/technical frameworks, the 38 mandatory Carnegie units, state testing standards, and sufficient funding. She also described the matrix as a funding tool, not a spending mandate, and noted that categorical funds are separate from the matrix. BLR’s Elizabeth Bynum then gave the historical framework, tracing legislative responses from Dupree through Lake View and into the present. She highlighted major changes such as the creation of equalization funding, fiscal distress and academic distress laws, the adequacy study process, the Educational Adequacy Fund, facilities and transportation changes, declining enrollment and student growth funding, and later adjustments to teacher salaries, isolated funding, and categorical programs. She explained that the adequacy study has evolved through committee hearings, surveys, site visits, and outside consultants, and that recent changes include updates to accountability references and the addition or removal of certain funding categories. Members asked follow-up questions about how the matrix is used, whether homeschool or private-school funding raises comparable issues, whether stakeholders include private and homeschool participants, whether school board members should be surveyed, and whether the state should revisit average daily membership versus attendance-based funding. No votes were taken on the adequacy presentations, but the committee did agree to continue the early childhood discussion in a future subcommittee meeting.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee 2/19/26

Higher Education Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • First up, I'd like to enrollment fraud in online courses. In enrollment fraud in online courses.
  • online classes, this type of enrollment online classes, this type of enrollment fraud<00:07:52.080
  • scale, often attempting to enroll scale, often attempting to enroll hundreds<00:08:16.800> and
  • ,<00:08:24.319> they students managed to get enrolled, they students managed to get enrolled
  • It is enrollment in online courses.
Keywords: 1183, house
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • Uh, the highest at that time in enrolled in dual credit classes. enrolled in dual credit classes.
  • low-income Kentucky undergraduate low-income Kentucky undergraduate enrollment. enrollment. enrollment
  • Um, enrollment.
  • looking at summer and winter enrollment. looking at summer and winter enrollment.
  • reflects any change in residency. reflects any change in residency.
Keywords: 958, all
Summary: The Interim Joint Budget Review Subcommittee on Education met for its first summer interim meeting, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and took roll. The first presentation came from Jerry Gels, principal of Ignite Institute in Erlanger, who focused on the rising cost of dual credit. He said dual credit tuition has increased from about $150 to $290 for a three-credit course over roughly five years, which he argued is discouraging participation, especially for working-class and low-income students. He cited Ignite data and broader college outcomes to argue dual credit improves college persistence, shortens time to degree, and reduces student debt, noting that many of his students enter college with substantial credit and that low-income students at Ignite have increasingly participated after targeted efforts and scholarship use. He also said the instructional labor is largely paid by county school systems, so he questioned the size of the tuition increase and said the committee should examine how the costs are being set and whether college tuition should be stabilizing as more students arrive with credits already earned. Members asked about who pays for dual credit, the role of state scholarship support, and whether tuition varies by institution. Gels said students in his district generally pay the dual credit cost themselves, though some districts may cover it, and he noted the dual credit scholarship now covers fewer classes than before. He said the price appears to be set centrally rather than varying by university, and he emphasized that the higher cost is creating barriers even though the courses are taught largely by local teachers on school payrolls. He also described Ignite’s efforts to expand access for free- and reduced-lunch students, saying participation among that group rose from 27% with no dual credit to about 90-92% taking at least one dual credit class. The committee then heard from the Goldwater Institute, represented by Michael Frazier and Dr. Tim Minella by Zoom. They argued Kentucky’s public universities should face stronger accountability and transparency, citing declining public confidence in higher education, rising costs, and what they described as administrative growth and research spending that does not clearly benefit students or the Commonwealth. They proposed requiring a 10-year accounting of staffing growth by category, comparing it to enrollment and low-income Kentucky enrollment, and limiting non-STEM faculty teaching releases for research unless approved under a baseline consent process. They also criticized certain university-funded research projects as examples of misdirected spending and said public reporting should distinguish Kentucky residents from non-residents more clearly, pointing to a reported decline in low-income in-state undergraduate enrollment. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.
FL

Florida 2025 Regular Session

November 6, 2025 - 09:00 AM

Transcript Highlights:
  • Enrollment in the plan did not change and there was no disenrollment. Everything stayed the same.
  • RESULT OF IT. 71 ENROLLMENT THE PLAN DID NOT  CHANGE AND THERE WAS NO DISENROLLMENT.
  • It did not change. Nothing changed. The plan remains the same.
  • There is no change to convert as they become enrolled in the medical service plan.
  •   93 THERE IS NO CHANGE TO CONVERT AS THEY BECOME  ENROLLED AND FEEL THE MEDICAL SERVICE PLAN
Summary: The Health Facilities Subcommittee met to receive implementation updates from the Agency for Health Care Administration on three bills passed in prior sessions. First, Deputy Secretary Brian Meyer reported on the transfer of the Children’s Medical Services managed care plan from the Department of Health to AHCA under HB 1085. He said the move was administrative only, with no change to enrollment, providers, services, or clinical eligibility functions, and that it was intended to create efficiencies by aligning procurement and shifting staff resources between agencies. Members then questioned AHCA about reports of reductions in private duty nursing and therapy services for medically fragile children, including concerns about appeals, provider credentialing, and whether families were losing services or being transitioned appropriately. AHCA said it was reviewing denials, monitoring the plan, and using contractual remedies while focusing on maintaining access for members. The committee also reviewed implementation of a bill creating permanent Medicaid eligibility for individuals with permanent disabilities. AHCA staff explained that the agency had submitted a federal 1115 waiver request after public comment and stakeholder meetings, but CMS had indicated it did not anticipate approving the requested authority. Members pressed AHCA on why the waiver was submitted later than the bill’s directive date and on whether the delay was avoidable. AHCA said the waiver was complex and required review, drafting, and public input, and noted that DCF already has a specialized unit to help with redeterminations while the agencies work on operational changes. The committee discussed the practical impact on families who struggle with annual eligibility renewals and the need for clearer communication and faster follow-up from the agency. Finally, AHCA presented on the home health aide program for medically fragile children and related Medicaid eligibility changes. The agency described the 2023 law that created a family caregiver provider type and the 2025 changes that increased the hourly rate, expanded hours, reduced training requirements, and removed caregiver earnings from Medicaid eligibility calculations, subject to federal approval. AHCA said it had completed state public comment, submitted the waiver amendment to CMS, and was awaiting federal action. Members raised concerns that some families may have enrolled or begun work before the eligibility fix was in place and may have lost benefits, especially in Broward County. AHCA said it would work with affected families and plans, review outreach through DCF and the health plans, and continue rulemaking, system updates, and provider training. The meeting ended with the chair noting that the committee had received the updates and adjourned without objection.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Committee on Education Finance - 02/26/25

Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:
  • might change um the messaging program might change um the messaging we're<00:10:31.480> giving
  • <00:47:18.280> in<00:47:18.400> a enrollment in a enrollment in a course<00:47:20.359><
  • The need has not changed.
  • less than half as likely to be enrolled less than half as likely to be enrolled in<00:53:46.880>
  • expansion of the automatic enrollment expansion of the automatic enrollment policy<00:59:22.079>
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
ND

North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Appropriations - Education and Environment Division Apr 2nd, 2025 at 09:00 am

Appropriations - Education and Environment Division

Transcript Highlights:
  • It doesn't change the open enrollment as far as anything that I've seen or any of the conversation.
  • Chairman Tribeble, and I think a lot of the reason for the changes is because of those open enrollment
  • We've made changes to the open enrollment transportation, so those have come down.
  • So now this ties it to a per-pupil payment, and as we've made changes to the open enrollment laws, those
  • So as we changed the factors and we changed the large bus factor, it automatically would change that
Keywords: 908, all
Summary: The committee met to hear and discuss three education bills and related budget items. House Bill 1214 would revise K-12 transportation funding by replacing the current rider-based formula with a new formula tied more closely to district size, square mileage, building counts, and the weighted student payment. Sponsors and DPI said the change would better reflect actual transportation costs, hold districts harmless overall, and likely increase funding by about $4 million beyond current spending; they also said parent-provided transportation and open-enrollment mileage rules would remain largely unchanged. No opposition was heard, and the committee closed discussion without taking final action in the transcript. The committee then reviewed House Bill 1013, the education appropriations bill, and walked through proposed adjustments to program and pass-through grants. The chair proposed keeping or reducing some items, eliminating others, and moving one-time items to the stabilization fund; examples included leaving free meals at $4.5 million for now, keeping the paraprofessional-to-teacher program, reducing some grant lines, and removing several new or one-time grants. DPI also explained that the student information system would remain a flow-through grant for this biennium but would move in-house after July 1, 2026. The committee also discussed adding an FTE for the School for the Blind and making a small equipment swap at the Center for Distance Education. House Bill 1369 was discussed as the main school aid bill, including a proposed 2 percent and 2 percent per-pupil payment increase, higher construction bidding thresholds, elimination of the 12 percent cap, and a transfer of $75 million from Foundation Aid to the School Construction Revolving Loan Fund, with the chair suggesting $100 million instead. DPI explained that the bill also included a policy change returning placement decisions for students with disabilities in congregate care to the Superintendent of Public Instruction, with support from the governor’s office. The committee heard testimony from school officials seeking gap funding for Title I losses caused by a switch from free-and-reduced-lunch to census-based allocations, saying districts with many open-enrolled students could lose substantial funding and staff positions. Later, the governor’s office presented a proposed $1.5 million one-time appropriation to help schools buy secure storage for student cell phones if a statewide device policy is adopted; members raised concerns about cost, local control, and whether the money would be enough. The committee also heard student testimony and then recessed without voting on the amendment in the transcript.
FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education Nov 19th, 2025

Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • As a result, these legislative changes and as I guess... audit.
  • As a result, these legislative changes and as I guess. Raised to more than 72,000 students.
  • Enrollment is taking place before the funding decisions by the legislature started occurring.
  • Enrollment continued through April for renewal and for new students all the way through November.
  • Lost enrollment for the past five years.
Summary: The Senate Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met for its first meeting of the 2025 session to hear the Auditor General’s operational audit on 2024-25 school funding accountability challenges, focused largely on the Family Empowerment Scholarship and its interaction with the FEFP. Deputy Auditor General Matthew Tracy described rapid growth in scholarship enrollment, timing mismatches between scholarship payments and public-school funding calculations, delayed membership survey processing, weak cross-check and recoupment procedures, inconsistent handling of parent survey responses, and limited documentation for withholding and returning funds. The audit said these issues contributed to funding inequities, duplicate-payment risks, and an unexpected draw on state education funds, and it recommended separating scholarship funding from the FEFP, aligning application windows with budget timing, strengthening controls and staffing, and creating clearer, documented recoupment and balance-limit processes. Committee members questioned whether current law gives the department and scholarship funding organizations enough authority and whether the system is effectively a pay-and-chase model. Several senators expressed concern about the lack of timely reconciliation, the size of the funds involved, and the absence of clear records showing how money was recovered or withheld. Adam Emerson, executive director of the Office of School Choice, said the department is working more closely with school districts and scholarship funding organizations, including pausing payments when districts identify students still enrolled in public schools, and said the office wants to improve the process. President Gates then previewed legislation he said would address the audit’s findings by funding Family Empowerment Scholarships as a separate FEFP categorical, expanding the Education Stabilization Fund, setting clearer application and acceptance deadlines, moving to monthly payments with eligibility verification before each payment, assigning student IDs for scholarship assistance, lowering SFO management fees, requiring annual audits, and requiring prompt return of audit-related funds. Public comment included a private-school attorney describing losses from unpaid scholarship amounts. Members generally supported the need for reform, with several senators saying the program should be preserved but better structured and more accountable. The committee adjourned after the discussion, with no vote taken on the legislation.
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Higher Education Mar 4th, 2025

Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • shift in focus from enrollment to outcomes.
  • 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%.
  • You know, they get ready to enroll.
FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

Appropriations Committee on Higher Education Feb 5th, 2025

Appropriations Committee on Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • Now, this was changed.
  • Now, this was changed.
  • We've seen a 15% increase in CTE program enrollment.
  • We too have seen an increase in enrollment, or increase... ...we've seen an increase in enrollment.
  • We too have seen an increase in enrollment.
Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education received an overview of Florida’s career and technical education (CTE) system from Chancellor Kevin O’Farrell, who described the state’s CTE pathways, program types, enrollment and completion growth, quality audit metrics, and the Master Credentials List used to identify credentials of value. He highlighted record postsecondary CTE enrollment and completions, strong statewide performance in talent attraction, and several funding tools supporting expansion, including Open Door, the Florida First Responder Scholarship, Workforce Development Capitalization grants, Perkins funding, CAPE performance incentives, and apprenticeship grants. Senators asked about eligibility for Open Door and first responder aid, top industry certifications, and the teacher apprenticeship initiative. A panel of college and technical school leaders then described how state and federal funding has supported local program growth and facility expansion. Santa Fe College, Palm Beach State College, North Florida Technical College, Lake Technical College, Florida Gateway College, and Manatee Technical College each cited increases in enrollment, high placement or licensure pass rates, and new or expanded programs in nursing, welding, CDL, automotive, manufacturing, public safety, and apprenticeship. Several speakers emphasized partnerships with hospitals, employers, school districts, and local governments, and noted that grants helped fund equipment, renovations, and new training hubs. Palm Beach State also raised a request to broaden line funding beyond nursing to other health science fields, and multiple presenters asked for more flexibility, multi-year support, and continued or increased funding to sustain growth. Members discussed broader challenges, including the difficulty of sustaining grant-funded growth after initial awards, the lag between enrollment growth and funding formulas, and alignment problems for dual enrollment and technical programs with high school schedules. Senators also noted the need to balance support for high-demand core programs like nursing and welding with the ability to respond quickly to emerging industries such as AI and space. The meeting ended with no formal action beyond adjournment after Senator Davis moved to adjourn.
WY

Wyoming 2026 Regular Session

Senate Floor Session-Day 20, March 5, 2026-AM

Wyoming Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Signing of enrolled acts.
  • Signing of enrolled acts.
  • Senate Enrolled Act Number 50.
  • changed the under 20 age to over 12. changed the under 20 age to over 12.
  • And then they uh<01:25:06.000> uh<01:25:06.239> changed uh uh changed uh uh changed uh
Keywords: 916, all
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Interstate teacher mobility compact established 3/3/26

Minnesota House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • <00:03:19.440> by be adopted in whole without changes by be adopted in whole without changes
  • If there are any changes it effective.
  • One of the changes is just health.
  • WGU now enrolls more than variable.
  • Uh, last year alone, our enrolled.
Keywords: 1183, house
Summary: The committee took up House File 3635, the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact, and House File 3638, which would make several changes to teacher licensing and related agency operations. Dr. Yolena Bailey walked through the compact, explaining that it would let teachers move more easily among member states while preserving Minnesota’s authority over licensing, data, discipline, and rulemaking. She emphasized that the compact must be adopted without changes to be effective and that it would still require eligible teachers to hold a qualifying license, pass a state background check, and meet any compensation-related documentation requirements. Testifiers from school administrator groups and Western Governors University supported both bills. They said Minnesota’s teacher shortages, especially in special education, make it difficult to fill classrooms and often force districts to rely on substitutes or leave positions vacant. Supporters said the compact would speed licensing for qualified out-of-state teachers without lowering standards, and that the Tier 2 change in HF 3638 would help candidates enrolled in out-of-state teacher prep programs, including working adults and rural students, access Minnesota licensure pathways. WGU said the Tier 2 barrier affects its students and partnerships, including special education pipeline efforts and Teach For America collaborations. For HF 3638, Bailey described operational changes that would move the voluntary pair professional credential to MDE, allow a data-sharing agreement with the Board of School Administrators, let the agency use forfeiture fees for IT needs, update mental health training language and rulemaking, expand Tier 2 eligibility to some out-of-state teacher prep students, and extend the timeline for an online licensing system project by two years. Members asked whether the compact would add requirements for Minnesota educators or reduce licensure quality; Bailey and Representative Hill said it would not add classroom requirements and would mainly reduce paperwork while maintaining standards. The bills were laid over for further consideration, with no vote taken in the excerpt.
NH

New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session

Senate Education Finance (03/05/2025)

Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:
  • That's what you're talking about, changing it to instead of having to go through it regardless of a change
  • The bill seems to prioritize students currently enrolled, and the siblings of students enrolled, and
  • uh total enrollment uh total enrollment it<00:33:58.960> it's<00:33:59.200> actually
  • <00:34:45.639> is 1250 yeah if demand and enrollment is 1250 yeah if demand and enrollment
  • Total enrollment cap to that fiscal year. The total enrollment shall increase by 25%.
Keywords: 1191, senate, all
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Ways and Means Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am

Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:
  • And so we're not just short-changing our children in the here and now; we are short-changing our future
  • And so we're not just short-changing our children in the here and now; we are short-changing our future
  • So they can't be changed unless the statutes are changed.
  • I think that's game changing.
  • I think that's game changing.
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The hearing was a Joint Committee on Ways and Means budget session held in Lawrence focused on the governor’s proposed FY27 education and local aid budget, with remarks from legislative co-chairs, local officials, and education agency leaders. Acting Mayor Giovanni Rodriguez and Superintendent Ralph Carrero emphasized Lawrence’s high-need student population, the importance of Chapter 70 and Student Opportunity Act funding, and the impact of state aid on schools serving many English learners and low-income families. Carrero highlighted Lawrence High School programs such as early college, dual degrees, career pathways, and early childhood classrooms embedded in the high school, while lawmakers introduced themselves and noted the importance of the hearing to their districts. Acting Secretary of Education Amy Kershaw, Commissioner of Higher Education Noi Ortega, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Pedro Martinez, and Commissioner of Early Education and Care Amy Kershaw outlined the administration’s FY27 priorities. They described investments in literacy initiatives, universal school meals, student mental health, early college and career pathways, higher education affordability, community college and university student-success supports, preschool expansion, child care subsidies, and workforce supports for early educators. The commissioners also discussed federal funding threats, equity gaps, and the administration’s efforts to improve outcomes for Black and brown students, multilingual learners, students with disabilities, and low-income students. Members questioned the panel about the local contribution formula study, the final year of Student Opportunity Act implementation, and the need to revisit Chapter 70 funding to better address rising costs such as special education, transportation, and health care. Officials said the local contribution study report is expected by the end of June, with a draft to be shared after data analysis and public comment. Commissioner Martinez said the Student Opportunity Act narrowed funding gaps but more work is needed, and he pointed to a proposed Accelerating Achievement Initiative to support the highest-need schools. Senator Oliveira also raised concerns about Chapter 70 disparities and asked about partnerships with libraries to support literacy, prompting discussion of broader early literacy collaboration.
NM

New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

IC - Federal Funding Stabilization Subcommittee Jul 1st, 2025

Federal Funding Stabilization Subcommittee

Transcript Highlights:
  • There is a lot changing right now.
  • Okay, I'm going to talk next about the SNAP changes, again with the caveat that things are changing.
  • But I haven't heard any changes.
  • to make these changes happen?
  • they have with people when they enroll them is: "I would have enrolled years ago if I had known just
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Floor Session 5/11/26 - Part 3

Minnesota House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • He also said that with the HR1 changes, there are a lot of requirements and changes being discussed,
  • the process changed during the pandemic. the process changed during the pandemic.
  • We need to change course.
  • So, we have people who enroll to be..." providers um become enrolled.
  • . enrollment. enrollment.
Keywords: 919, house, all
Summary: The House first adopted non-controversial motions, then approved an urgency motion to suspend the rules so Senate File 4476, the human services program integrity package, could move quickly to conference committee before the end of session. The House then adopted a DE amendment to insert House language into the bill, and proceeded to debate several amendments focused on program integrity, fraud prevention, and reporting requirements in human services programs. Representative Schultz offered Amendment A5 to remove a sunset on the periodic data matching report requirement, arguing the report helps ensure only eligible people receive medical assistance and welfare benefits and should continue to be delivered annually. Supporters said the report had been inconsistently delivered, cited past findings of ineligible recipients, and framed the amendment as a low-cost accountability measure. Opponents, including Representative Nor, said the report had been sent to the chairs, that the issue should be handled through broader HR1-related changes and negotiations with the Senate, and that the amendment was not the right vehicle. After roll call, A5 failed on a 63-67 vote. Schultz then offered Amendment A6, which would require reporting on homelessness programs, including how many people are served, total costs, outcomes, and possible recoupment of funds if reporting is inadequate. Schultz said the state spends tens of millions on homelessness programs without clear results and that better data would help the legislature make decisions and protect taxpayers. Several members supported the idea of more accountability, while others said the state already receives reports, that homelessness work is being done in partnership with stakeholders, and that the amendment was not the best approach. The discussion continued with further comments on homelessness data and program oversight, but no final vote on A6 is shown in the transcript excerpt.
MN

Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session

House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee 3/11/25

Human Services Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • Looking across the forecast changes, we have four kind of key changes that you'll see.
  • We're also updating the enrollment in this... oh, updated enrollment following the unwinding.
  • We're also updating the enrollment in this... oh, updated enrollment following the unwinding.
  • We're also updating the enrollment in this... oh, updated enrollment following the unwinding.
  • We're also updating the enrollment in this... oh, updated enrollment following the unwinding.
Keywords: 1183, house
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Human Services May 5th, 2026

Human Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • So, systems changes.
  • This isn't a small change; it's not an easy change, but one that we'd like to see considered as part
  • Bad actors adapt to changes quickly.
  • programs, we've got to change.
  • Ever since they changed it from mental health and mental retardation, dividing them and changing it to
Keywords: 1184, house, all
ND

North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session

Higher Education Funding Review Committee Mar 25th, 2026 at 09:00 am

Higher Education Funding Review Committee

Transcript Highlights:
  • Is there something that changed in the enrollments, who is included or who is not included, or is that
  • we change Tier 2?
  • It was the only one we changed to square feet, I think, last session instead of enrollments.
  • We can change it.
  • make that change.
Keywords: 908, all
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • changes.
  • Is because of declining enrollment.
  • Um, but, um, turning to declining enrollment. Um, so...
  • Yeah, the world literally changed. I remember getting them.
  • Some of those are fixed costs, even with declining enrollment.
Keywords: 988, house, all
ND
Transcript Highlights:
  • If the numbers were changed by the appropriators, that $7,000 is what would change.
  • Is there something that changed in the enrollments, who is included or who is not included, or is that
  • Did we change two?
  • Was the only one we changed to square feet, I think, last session, instead of enrollments?
  • make that change.
Summary: The Higher Ed Funding Committee met to review how North Dakota might identify and address low-producing academic programs and to discuss draft funding formulas for the university system. Lisa Johnson of the NDUS explained that the State Board of Higher Education is already developing a system-wide policy, using models from other states such as Texas, Virginia, North Carolina, Colorado, Kentucky, Ohio, and Connecticut. She described how low-producing programs are typically flagged by multi-year enrollment or completion thresholds, then reviewed for workforce demand, mission fit, cost, accreditation, and regional need before any action is taken. Committee members asked about what counts as a program, how costs are analyzed, whether certificates are included, how exemptions work for mission-critical or high-demand fields, and whether the board or legislature should set the rules. Johnson said the board is the appropriate body to lead the process, but legislators could use funding leverage if they wanted to encourage action; the chair asked the board to bring a detailed proposal to the June meeting. The committee then heard a Legislative Council presentation on a draft formula for UND and NDSU. The proposal uses fall census FTE enrollment, with a placeholder undergraduate rate of $7,000 per FTE and a graduate/professional rate of $10,500, plus incentives for completions in in-demand fields and research productivity. Alex from Legislative Council walked through the projected funding effects, noting that the model would increase funding for NDSU and reduce it for UND in the current biennium, with different results in the next biennium as enrollment changes are recognized. Members questioned the use of the placeholder rates, the definition of in-demand programs, the treatment of research funding, and the exclusion of state-appropriated dollars from the external grants calculation. The chair emphasized that the numbers were illustrative and that appropriators would set the actual dollar amounts later. A second draft formula for the other nine institutions was also reviewed. That model uses fall census FTE without a weighted economic factor, applies a higher undergraduate rate, and adds completion incentives for in-demand credentials and all other completions. Members noted that the formula would benefit some institutions, such as Bismarck State College, while reducing funding for others, such as Mayville State, and discussed whether the nine institutions should be treated more uniformly or split into smaller groups because of their different missions and sizes. Committee members and staff repeatedly stressed that the formulas are still being refined and that some institutions would likely need hold-harmless adjustments or other transition measures. The meeting ended with the chair directing the committee to continue the discussion later and to expect further work on both the low-producing program policy and the funding formulas.