Transcript Highlights:

• >> Right. >> And then under special education, >> And then under special education, special education
• education, special<00:17:03.600><c> education,</c><00:17:04.079><c> the</c><00:17:04.319><c> word</c
• </c> &gt;&gt; inclusions of the special education &gt;&gt; inclusions of the special education study<
• </c> education. I'm not sure where that is. education. I'm not sure where that is.
• of &gt;&gt; um where is this one educ structure of education<00:24:18.960><c> funding</c> education

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first reviewed and approved the prior day’s minutes after making several corrections, including changing references to the “majority report,” fixing wording and spelling in the special education section, clarifying language about NAPE scores, and correcting a funding figure from 2,000 to 20,000. Members also agreed to add a sentence noting that the conclusions of the special education study commission should be considered in any consolidation plan. The minutes were then adopted unanimously. The committee then worked through the minority report, making edits to soften or clarify language. Changes included replacing “partisan” with “participation,” revising a statement about test scores so it reflected that “the minority believes” some committee members lacked a complete understanding, and adding “the minority believes” before a statement that the structure of education funding is inequitable because of its reliance on local property taxes. Members also discussed whether some wording was factual or opinion-based, and agreed to leave some comments in place or make minor wording adjustments. After discussion, the committee voted on the final report of the majority of the committee, with edits and appendices, and approved it by a 5-2 vote. Representatives Damon and Bricky voted no. Members noted that a minority report would also be included in the final materials. Finally, the committee authorized the committee assistant to make technical corrections, fix remaining typos, and include the minutes of the meeting, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Kevin O’Farrell, who’s the Chancellor for Career and Adult Education with the Department of Education
• Chancellor for Career and Adult Education with the Department of Education.
• Our state colleges presenting, dealing with career education.
• And in particular, the career and technical education.
• I'm an educator. I follow instructions. I'll be done.

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.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the education freedom 295.
• </c><01:20:03.840><c> education</c> The average adequacy uh educ education The average adequacy uh educ
• </c><01:25:24.159><c> No,</c> department of education, right? No, department of education, right?
• </c> to religious education. It's undeniable. to religious education. It's undeniable.
• </c><02:03:24.719><c> being</c> education and why education was being education and why education was

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Education Funding Committee met in executive session on a bill concerning school meal access and reimbursement. The bill would address local school districts’ responsibility to provide meals during school hours, reimburse schools for meals served at no cost, and make an appropriation. The committee first moved to retain the bill, with supporters saying it was complex, had uncertain fiscal impacts, and should be considered alongside other related meals bills. Opponents argued the committee already had enough information, that the bill served a small number of students at relatively low cost, and that delaying action would harm children who need food to learn. The committee also heard from Tim Roar, a Keene school business administrator and co-designer of the bill, who explained that the proposal was intended to be an opt-in program for districts, with rulemaking to set participation requirements. He said the bill was meant to target aid to students between 175% and 200% of poverty, reduce bad meal debt, and avoid spending taxpayer money on families who could afford to pay. He estimated the state cost at about $250,000 in year one, with local taxpayer costs around $8,500 for Keene, and said some districts already have systems for online applications while others do not. Committee members questioned him about meal debt, online application software costs, and how districts handle students who reach debt limits. Roar said districts still feed students who are hungry, but use other resources and family outreach when meal debt is capped, and he argued that parents should be responsible for providing lunch when they can afford it. Other members pushed back, saying they had seen students go hungry and that teachers sometimes pay for lunches themselves. One member noted the bill would increase eligibility, make it easier to apply, strengthen personal responsibility, and was not a mandate. The discussion ended without a recorded final vote in the excerpt, though the retain motion remained the central action under debate.

Transcript Highlights:

• [Music] The Committee on Education Policy, 2025.
• Education Finance Committee.
• Education Finance Committee.
• Education Finance Committee.
• Education Finance Committee.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Education. SB 1695, expenditure limit school district repeal. Education.
• Education. SB 1703, ESA parental notification waiver rights. Education.
• Education. Education. Education. Research report. HS 1713, access procurement contracting. HHS.
• SB 1754, ADD, special education parent complaints. Education.
• SB 1809, National Guard education reimbursement. Education.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, attendance, and several guest introductions recognizing Arizona Dental Hygienists Association visitors, deaf and hard of hearing advocacy groups, Arizona Society of Anesthesiologists members, the Doctor of the Day, tribal voting advocates, and other guests. Members also observed a moment of silence for two DPS officers killed earlier that morning. The chamber then received a long list of bills and resolutions for first reading and committee referral, covering elections, education, public safety, health, tribal affairs, housing, agriculture, and other topics. The main floor action was in Committee of the Whole on SB 1425, an elections bill dealing with the July primary and related election procedures. The bill was amended in committee, then further amended on the floor, and the Committee of the Whole recommended it do pass as amended. During third reading, members spoke in support of the measure as a bipartisan election fix that would move the primary up two weeks, improve ballot timing, and require observers in every county. Senator Hatathlie highlighted persistent tribal voting barriers such as mail ballot issues, dual-addressing problems, ID access, funding shortages, misinformation, and polling-place disruptions, while Senator Gonzalez voted no because of the emergency clause. The bill passed 27-1 with two not voting and was transmitted to the House. The Senate also adopted two proclamations: one naming September 4, 2026, as Taekwondo Day in Arizona and another declaring February 2026 as American Heart Month, encouraging CPR and AED awareness. After a recess, the Senate returned briefly to introduce additional bills, refer SB 1315 to Public Safety and SB 1090 to Finance, announce upcoming committee meetings, and then adjourn until Monday, February 9, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> keep the linking the general education keep the linking the general education formula<00:03:30.879
• </c> And that's hurting our education system. And that's hurting our education system.
• Representative Sandre Ericson was an advocate for education. She supported education.
• She served on the Education Committee for many, many years and worked on behalf of education.
• Worked on behalf of education.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> education 193EA. education 193EA.
• education? education?
• </c> Department of Education. Department of Education.
• ability to educated them educate them ability to educated them educate them themselves? themselves?
• </c> education trust fund. education trust fund.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs a guide to these types of parent advisory
• Department of Education, Office of Special Education, in 2018.
• education education inclusion general education education for<01:24:16.400><c> all</c><01:24:16.560>
• </c><02:18:19.160><c> and</c> do where to address education and do where to address education and education
• We represent about 17,000 educators across New Hampshire, and I do say educators...

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and noted weather-related absences and a large number of new bills. The chair said a subcommittee would be formed to review three cell phone bills, and a full committee work session on bullying would be scheduled for the week after next. The committee then began a hearing on House Bill 121, which would create local special education advisory councils in school districts. Representative Glenn Cordelli, the sponsor, said the councils would be parent-driven, with parents of children with disabilities advising districts on education, safety, program development, evaluation, planning, policies, and communication with administrators. He said the bill would require at least quarterly meetings with district administration, an annual parent workshop, and a year-end report to the school board. He also cited federal guidance from the U.S. Department of Education on parent advisory councils and said the goal was to improve collaboration between parents and schools. Members raised questions about the use of “shall,” how councils would be formed in districts without PTAs/PTOs, whether the councils could function in very small districts, privacy concerns about parents disclosing their children’s disabilities, whether the councils should include guardians or educational professionals, and whether the councils would have any direct tie to the state advisory council. The sponsor said the requirement was intended to make the councils mandatory, that local districts could organize them organically if needed, that participation would be voluntary, that parents would not be required to disclose private information, and that the councils would remain advisory rather than determinative. He also said costs should be minimal. Testimony then began from Nicole Sheath, a pediatric occupational therapist and parent of four children with disabilities, who described her experience balancing advocacy, school collaboration, and the demands of her children’s therapies and education.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Education will come to order.
• I'm Kim Brunzel, Department of Education.
• It's a student to give them a good quality education.
• Andrea Ball here on behalf of the Orange County Department of Education and a coalition of local educational
• I'm an education case manager at Voices Solano.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education heard the Governor’s proposals on universal school meals, the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), and community schools, with the Kitchen Infrastructure and Training Grants Program also discussed. For universal meals, the Department of Education supported continued investment, citing high student meal need, reported gains in meal participation and service efficiency from prior kitchen grants, and concerns that federal changes and underreporting could affect funding. The Department of Finance outlined $1.8 billion Proposition 98 General Fund for universal meals and an additional $100 million for a fourth round of kitchen grants, while the LAO recommended rejecting the new kitchen grant round because prior rounds are still being spent and the allowable uses are broad. Members raised questions about federal matching requirements, Summer EBT, and whether immigration-related federal policy changes could reduce meal counts and state/federal reimbursements. For ELOP, the Department of Finance described $4.7 billion ongoing Proposition 98 General Fund plus $62.4 million to set a minimum Tier 2 rate of $1,800 per pupil. The LAO recommended modifying the proposal to fully fix Tier 2 at the current $1,579 rate and tie future changes to program requirements, while CDE supported the Governor’s approach and said the added stability would help districts plan. Committee discussion focused on whether ELOP should remain a standalone before- and after-school program or be folded into LCFF, with some members and witnesses arguing for more local flexibility and clearer outcome measures, while others emphasized the value of guaranteed expanded learning access, especially for elementary students and working families. CDE noted new CalPADS reporting will provide more data beginning with the 2025-26 school year. For community schools, the Governor proposed $1 billion ongoing Proposition 98 General Fund to expand the model to thousands more schools and sustain existing ones, along with stronger technical assistance and future accreditation/self-certification. The LAO recommended continuing the current one-time grant approach instead of creating a new ongoing categorical program, citing concerns about scalability, administrative burden, and the need for earlier planning and clearer accreditation timelines if ongoing funding is adopted. CDE strongly supported the ongoing investment, saying community schools have improved attendance, suspensions, and achievement, and that technical assistance and county office support are essential for expansion. Members and public commenters largely supported community schools, with some urging stronger accountability, more support for county offices and MTSS, and debate over whether non-classroom-based charter schools should be excluded from eligibility. No formal votes were taken in the portion provided; the committee heard testimony and moved through the agenda items and public comment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Education.
• credentialed educator licensed educator credentialed educator licensed before<00:16:54.000><c> but</
• Education is education. That's right.
• </c> education from that exemption. education from that exemption.
• or the education department of education or the education commissioner<02:09:55.760><c> would</c><02

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• education local plan area, or SELPA, will receive the same base rate per pupil for state special education
• Education.
• Special education services are mandated, and as such, every dollar that's not funded for special education
• We encourage you to fund special education because that will then put the money back to general education
• education not being fully funded.

Summary: The committee heard opening public comment and then took up several K-12 budget items in the Governor’s January proposal. On LCFF and necessary small schools, the Department of Finance described a 2.41% COLA, a roughly $2.2 billion increase for districts and charters, and a $30.7 million ongoing augmentation to raise necessary small schools funding by 20%. The LAO supported funding the COLA and said the small schools proposal had merit, but questioned the 20% figure and warned about a sharp funding cliff around the enrollment thresholds. Members and witnesses repeatedly raised declining enrollment, attendance, and the need to align funding with outcomes and local cost pressures. The chair and several members also asked whether consolidation, shared administration, or alternative formulas could better address small district costs, and the issue was left open for further discussion. The panel then discussed special education equalization. Finance proposed $509 million ongoing Proposition 98 funding to raise the statewide special education base rate to $999 per ADA, which would fully equalize SELPA base rates; the LAO said the same target could likely be reached with less money under current assumptions. CDE strongly supported equalization as an equity issue and said about 15% of students are identified with disabilities, with identification rising by roughly 20,000 to 25,000 students per year. Members raised concerns about staffing shortages, high caseloads, and the need to use any additional funds for inclusive practices, alternative diploma pathways, and the extraordinary cost pool. The committee also discussed whether the budget language should reflect the $509 million amount or the $999 rate, and the item was held open. For the Learning Recovery Emergency Block Grant, Finance proposed restoring $757.3 million one-time to complete the program, while the LAO recommended approval because learning loss remains unresolved and districts have generally used the funds for tutoring, supplemental instruction, and other academic supports. CDE explained that LEAs must revisit their needs assessments and that many districts are using the funds alongside other support systems, but members pressed for clearer accountability and better data on how much money actually goes to tutoring or other direct services. The committee then reviewed the Student Support and Professional Development Discretionary Block Grant, with Finance proposing $2.8 billion one-time and the LAO saying discretionary funding can help districts address local priorities but should be paired with fiscal oversight and possibly more targeted priorities. Members split between supporting flexibility for local needs and worrying that the grant could be used to cover ongoing structural deficits without clear evidence of student-outcome gains; the issue was also held open. Finally, the committee heard a high-level overview of school facilities funding under Proposition 2, with Finance proposing to continue $1.5 billion in bond spending in 2026-27. OPSC said that at the current pace all Prop 2 K-12 funds would likely be exhausted around 2029-30, and that demand is shifting toward modernization as enrollment declines in many areas. Members asked about school closures, reuse of unused sites, and the new small school district facilities program, which OPSC said is moving toward proposed regulations and would begin accepting modernization applications in November 2026 and new construction applications in January 2027. The committee also briefly noted community college facilities funding and asked for more information later in the process.

Transcript Highlights:

• This advisory um their education?
• </c> disengaging from education altogether. disengaging from education altogether.
• </c> educators outside of the school system. educators outside of the school system.
• </c><00:37:50.960><c> Education</c> professional pursuits. Education professional pursuits.
• </c> include this very important education. include this very important education.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, Education, we'll come back into order.
• adequate education, as well as the method of providing equality of educational opportunity.
• As far as what constitutes an adequate education, we do have the working definition of educational adequacy
• the importance of their education.
• With that, joint education is adjourned.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Education will come to order.
• I'm Kim Brunzel, Department of Education.
• Andrea Ball here on behalf of the Orange County Department of Education and a coalition of local educational
• I'm an education case manager at Voices for Solano.
• I'm in strong support—we're in strong support of the $1 billion allocation for education. ...education

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education heard the Governor’s proposals for universal school meals, the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), and community schools. On universal meals, the Department of Education supported continued funding for the Universal School Meals Program and a fourth round of Kitchen Infrastructure and Training Grants, citing meal-count growth, improved meal service, and the need to offset federal uncertainty, inflation, and reduced direct certification tied to immigration-related policy changes. The LAO recommended rejecting another kitchen grant round, arguing prior rounds are still being spent and the state has not clearly defined unmet need. Members also raised concerns about the state’s ability to backfill federal meal funding and about how federal requirements affect programs like Summer EBT/SUN Bucks. Public commenters largely supported school meals and kitchen investments, with some urging support for plant-based milk options and continued infrastructure funding. For ELOP, the Department of Finance proposed $4.7 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funding, including $62.4 million to set a minimum Tier 2 rate of $1,800 per pupil. The LAO recommended going further and fully fixing the Tier 2 rate, saying rate uncertainty complicates district planning. CDE supported the proposal and said the program has improved attendance and academic outcomes, while noting new CalPADS reporting will provide more data soon. Senators discussed whether ELOP should remain a standalone program or be folded into LCFF, and whether the state should require stronger outcome reporting. Public testimony generally backed stabilizing Tier 2 funding, but some speakers urged more support for older youth and more timely, user-friendly reporting. On community schools, the administration proposed $1 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funding to expand the model to thousands more schools and to support existing grantees, along with stronger technical assistance, statewide alignment, and an accreditation/self-certification framework. The LAO recommended continuing the current one-time grant approach instead of creating a new ongoing categorical program, warning about reduced flexibility, administrative burden, and the state’s capacity to support a much larger cohort. CDE supported the ongoing investment but asked for additional county office and technical assistance funding. Senators and public commenters were broadly supportive of community schools, emphasizing improved attendance, graduation, and student engagement, while also debating accountability, accreditation, and whether non-classroom-based charter schools should be eligible. Public testimony strongly favored ongoing funding and highlighted community schools’ role in mental health, family engagement, and wraparound supports.

Transcript Highlights:

• Education is extremely important to me.
• Higher education is different. It's different from public and private education.
• Education was a turning point for him.
• Higher education is different. It's different from public and private education.
• Education was a turning point for him.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education heard and approved two bills before moving into confirmation hearings for several university and college board nominees. CS/SB 1458 on apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships was presented as a measure to improve consistency and transparency in local education agency partnerships, cap LEA administrative funding at 10% when applicable, and require public meetings and work papers for workforce funding model decisions. Support was noted from Associated Builders and Contractors, the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Foundations for Florida Futures, and Independent Electrical Contractors. The bill passed unanimously and was reported favorably. The committee then considered CS/CS/SB 1726 on higher education governance and presidential searches after adopting a delete-all amendment and a late-filed amendment defining the final group of presidential applicants as no fewer than three. The amended bill added provisions on trustee citizenship and residency/alumni eligibility, interim president succession planning, longer presidential contract renewals, limits on candidate polling by universities, syllabus posting, textbook/open-access material lists, and other governance and academic policy changes. Senators raised concerns about the minimum-three finalist requirement, interim president selection, trustee eligibility, and polling restrictions, while supporters said the bill would depoliticize leadership selection and improve transparency. The bill was reported favorably after the amendments were adopted. The committee then heard confirmation testimony from multiple appointees and reappointees, including nominees for FAMU, UNF, Pensacola State College, UWF, and UF. Most nominees emphasized ties to their institutions, student success, workforce development, military connections, and institutional growth. Several UWF nominees were questioned extensively about their votes for former chair Scott Yenner and his controversial comments about women and other groups; some said they were unaware of those remarks at the time of the vote and would not have supported him with that knowledge. Public testimony on UWF expressed concern about the nominees’ lack of higher education experience, their ties to the region, and the impact of Yenner’s views. The committee later voted to recommend a block of non-UWF nominees favorably, and it agreed to vote on the UWF nominees individually, with some remaining nominees deferred to a later hearing due to time.

Transcript Highlights:

• funding and possible special education funding models.
• ECSE special education, it's not the 4X threshold.
• We have special education numbers that are increasing.
• And then we looked at pathways to gain more educators.
• routes, and career and technical education routes.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> of a graduate into our education system? of a graduate into our education system?
• </c> education administration review? education administration review?
• Further discussion on virtual education. education. education.
• And so, education, recalibration, education, education, we got educated this year.
• And so, education, recalibration, education, education, we got educated this year.

Keywords: 916, all

Summary: The committee heard from Superintendent Megan Degenfelder on several interim topics centered on student-centered learning. She highlighted work-based learning and dual/concurrent enrollment, saying the state is updating accountability measures and should examine whether these programs are helping students progress, avoid duplicative costs, and reduce the need for remedial college coursework. She also discussed broader life-skills education, including financial literacy and soft skills, and said districts vary widely in what they offer. On gifted and talented programs, she noted that districts are statutorily required to provide them but the state does not have a clear picture of how consistently they are implemented, and she suggested the committee may want to study that area further. Members asked follow-up questions about whether dual enrollment should be evaluated only by time-to-degree, and Degenfelder said the analysis should also consider additional credentials and remedial coursework. Senator Schuler and others raised the idea of making financial literacy or other life-skills content more common, though Degenfelder said she did not favor a statewide mandate and instead preferred incentives and district-level implementation. The committee also discussed artificial intelligence in schools as an information-sharing topic, with Degenfelder saying the department is beginning a landscape analysis with districts and teachers. She then reviewed NAEP results, noting Wyoming performs strongly in fourth grade but drops sharply by eighth grade, and said the state wants to understand where students are falling off. Members also raised concerns about international comparisons and the need to improve literacy and math outcomes. The committee then moved to member-submitted topics. Representative Strock proposed reviewing the governance structure of state education, arguing that the current split among the Department of Education, State Board of Education, and other boards creates inefficiency and confusion, especially for licensure and programs like CTE. Senator Scott noted that turnover in the superintendent’s office could be a practical issue in any restructuring, and Strock responded that administrative staff could handle day-to-day operations. Representative Williams then introduced a discussion of common core standards and literacy, arguing that standards may be too broad and not specific enough, especially in early grades, and that Wyoming should emphasize phonics, basic reading, math, and civics more directly. Representative Guggenmos agreed that narrowing early-grade focus to math and literacy could improve outcomes. Finally, Representative Williams raised virtual education, saying it is growing quickly and the committee should study funding, accountability, and student support more closely; the chair opened that topic for further discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
• OR COMPLETERS IN CONTINUING EDUCATION ARE EMPLOYMENT.
• WORKFORCE EDUCATION STATE.
• THEY ARE PRESENTING AND DEALING WITH CAREER EDUCATION. THE FOCUS BEING CAREER EDUCATION.
• EDUCATION.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Is that in the Education Code?
• About special education dollars.
• For special education students coming not only from the designated special education dollars, but also
• Yes, the Department of Education does have contact with many Local Education Agencies (LEAs) who are
• Patel brought up today repeatedly is special education and the need for more robust special education

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's been a lot of change in education, which is sort of the name of the game in education, but. the
• I think we need more education assistants, and we need to fund schools and districts so that an education
• We should be asking educators how to educate because they're the experts as someone who's been in the
• I think education now is just hard.
• That are so vital to actually funding the education policy that makes for better education for all our