Transcript Highlights:

• On behalf of the superintendent, this bill is one of Superintendent Deanfelder's top priorities for this
• On behalf<00:02:34.400> of<00:02:34.480> the<00:02:34.720> superintendent,<00:02
• :35.519> this<00:02:35.680> bill behalf of the superintendent, this bill behalf of the
• superintendent, this bill is<00:02:36.080> one<00:02:36.239> of<00:02:36.400> Superintendent
• <00:02:36.959> Deanfelder's is one of Superintendent Deanfelder's is one of Superintendent

Bills: SF0014, SF0053

Keywords: literacy, education, reading assessment, intervention program, public school funding, department of education, amateur status, high school athletics, student eligibility, sports regulation, monetary compensation, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• represent the board, authorizing a member of the school board, defines good cause for rejecting superintendent
• board members now don't have the authority to direct staff, that's within the province of the superintendent
• Senator Osgood: Is your superintendent elected or appointed? Donna Rossiter: Appointed.
• But not long after that, our superintendent sent an email to our board stating no board member could
• Senator Leek: I do need to make clear to everyone our superintendent is a good superintendent.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have three superintendent appointments that we need to make for the public school capital outlays.
• The speaker and I have come up with the required two superintendents from Impact Aid districts.
• So those are the three superintendents that we worked out, and if I could have a motion to approve.
• All right, any opposition to those three superintendents on Pascuda?
• Opposition to those three superintendents on Pascuda? Seeing none, we have done that.

Transcript Highlights:

• With me today are Proctor Superintendent Tim Router and Mesabi East Superintendent Jeff Burgess. >> Welcome
• Are you Superintendent Router? Okay.
• Thank you, Superintendent. And next we have Superintendent Burgess.
• And next we >> Thank you, Superintendent.
• If you'd have Superintendent Burgess.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Elizabeth Higashi, the assistant superintendent, testifying on behalf of the department.
• I am Jesse Suki, Deputy Superintendent of Operations, Department of Education.
• , deputy superintendent of operations, deputy superintendent of operations, department<00:42:42.800
• Shantima, Assistant Superintendent, testify on behalf of the Department of Education.
• Shantima, Assistant Superintendent, testify on behalf of the Department of Education.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 1783, which would expand public-private partnership options for charter school facilities. The Department of Education offered comments, the Charter School Commission and SFA supported the bill, and Hawaii Technology Academy, Hawaii Kids, Hawaii Children’s Action Network, HGA, Aloha Project, and several individuals testified in support, while UPW opposed it. Supporters said charter schools need faster and more flexible ways to address severe facility shortages and high costs, and SFA described the bill as a pilot model that could leverage developer partnerships and state contributions, citing Maryland as an example. Members asked whether the bill was limited to charter schools; DOE said the language could be read to include other public school facilities, but if focused only on charter schools, DOE was less concerned. The Charter School Commission also described an existing public-private preschool model through Parkway Village Preschool and PACTED. The committee then took up HB 1778, which would establish a CIP database for school facilities. SFA supported the bill, saying it would create a more disciplined, transparent basis for funding decisions by documenting facility condition, needed repairs, classification, and timing. DOE initially said it rested on its comments, then responded to questions by saying it already maintains deferred maintenance lists, uses systems such as Maximo, CPT, GIS, and finance software, and sends legislators project-status letters twice a year. DOE said it is working on improving its outward-facing dashboard and integrating its systems, but questioned whether the bill would add value beyond existing tools. Members emphasized the need for a publicly accessible, real-time transparency tool, while DOE said it was still evaluating its current systems and was not yet seeking funding for a new IT program. For HB 2344, creating an Independent Public School Realignment and Closure Commission, DOE said it wants to remain part of any consolidation process to keep students and education central, while SFA said the bill is timely and framed it as a restructuring response to changing conditions and possible federal funding cuts. SFA compared the proposal to the federal BRAC process for military base closures and said Hawaii has the same enrollment as in 1961 but many more schools, arguing that the state needs a more deliberate approach to school closures and land reuse. The Attorney General’s office raised technical concerns about several sections, including unclear references to administrative support, a governor-approval sequence, a possible conflict with existing statutes governing closed-school disposition, and a missing section number. Testimony on HB 2345, which would establish a geographic CIP district, began with DOE in opposition; DOE said the bill would duplicate existing work, add confusion by creating two agencies doing the same thing, and spend money inefficiently because district project coordinators and project lists already exist.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I serve my Port Aransas community as the superintendent of schools, and I'm testifying in support
• Sparcello, okay, so you registered as Leslie Sparcello, Superintendent, testifying on behalf of Cedars
• As Glenn Coffey, Assistant Superintendent for Special Education, testifying on behalf of TKACE.
• I'll show you registered as Cammie Finger, Assistant Superintendent for Special Services, testifying
• My name is Cammie Finger, and I'm the Assistant Superintendent of School Support. and Special Services

Bills: HB2, HB2

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

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Superintendent Carrero. Thank you, Senator.
• I don't envy you, as any superintendent can tell you.
• , working with the superintendents, working with the superintendents, ...leaves, really working with
• those superintendents, working with the superintendents, working with the school leaders around making
• In closing, superintendents are not asking for more than what is needed.

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.

Transcript Highlights:

• Stenson, and I am the superintendent for Jordan Public Schools.
• I'm the superintendent of Becker Public Schools.
• I'm the superintendent of Becker Public Schools.
• I'm the superintendent of Becker Public Schools.
• <01:34:41.719> they<01:34:41.840> are own superintendent they are own superintendent

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee opened by approving the January 16 and January 21 minutes. Members then heard testimony focused on the impact of Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) and the proposed paid family and medical leave program on Minnesota school districts, with the chair framing the hearing as an opportunity to hear from major employers and school leaders about costs and operational effects. Kimberly Lewis, speaking for the Minnesota School Boards Association and related school administrator groups, said districts generally already provide generous, locally negotiated sick leave and had initially adapted to ESST by separating vacation, sick time, and ESST into different buckets. She argued that a 2024 law effectively converted previously bargained sick leave into ESST, which she said undermines contracts, creates large unfunded costs, and may raise constitutional contract-clause concerns. Lewis cited large accumulated leave banks in some districts, increased sick leave use, and estimated significant costs from paid leave, including a reported $2.5 million impact for one large district. She urged flexibility such as prorating ESST for midyear hires and part-time staff and exempting coaches, short-term substitutes, and similar employees from ESST. Superintendent Anarie Fuco of St. Michael-Albertville said her district expects about $400,000 in added fiscal 2026 costs from ESST and paid leave, plus indirect costs from substitute coverage and increased absenteeism. She said schools already have generous bargaining agreements, but the new laws reduce verification and require districts to track leave for temporary staff, creating what she described as a need for “substitutes for our substitutes.” Fuco said the district would face more than $211,000 in direct payroll costs from paid leave alone and asked for flexibility or exceptions for districts already offering comparable benefits. Members asked follow-up questions about how substitute teachers accrue leave and how many districts may be cutting budgets; Lewis and Fuco said many districts are making cuts and that substitute and staffing burdens are growing. A third testifier began by Zoom, but the transcript cuts off before her full testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. >> Biggest complainer was our superintendent. >> Thank you.
• I'm the superintendent of Weston County School District 7 in Upton.
• Charles Aoski, Superintendent, Johnson County School District No. 1. Just a quick side note.
• Again, Justin Parantoni, Superintendent of Laramie 2.
• I would be happy to work on it, though. >> Scott Stoltz, Superintendent, District 2 in Sheridan.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so maybe the thank you Superintendent for coming up.
• Thank you, Superintendent, for the clarification. I do remember you saying that now in the words.
• The superintendent is here as well. She got a good Number of staff. Mr.
• Chair and members, we have a Superintendent.
• The superintendent, maybe the special ed director and the Cafeteria person. Thank you.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, and BIA, uh, is superintendent now.
• <03:15:42.080> and Wyoming and the state superintendent and Wyoming and the state superintendent
• And for instance, Superintendent things.
• And like Superintendent the classroom.
• Education Cabinet that Superintendent Education Cabinet that Superintendent Dean<04:07:30.239>

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, this was like two superintendents ago that took it on and it should be somewhere else.
• Jesse Suki, Deputy Superintendent of Operations for the Department of Education.
• facilities said deputy superintendent facilities said deputy superintendent Jesse<00:57:09.839><
• >> So, superintendent, why has it been turned off?
• Um, the Jesse Suki Deputy Superintendent of Operations for the standing on your testimony?

Bills: HB1559, HB2012, HB2297, HB2122, HB2345, HB2398, HB2534, HB2621

Keywords: telecommunication devices, student use, public schools, student engagement, educational outcomes, confiscation policy, mental health, statewide policy, community literacy, education, Title I funding, reading proficiency, underserved communities, family engagement, tutoring, literacy support, adult education, community education, literacy programs, workforce development

Transcript Highlights:

• And he has been selected this year as the state superintendent of the year.
• <00:17:43.560> Let's<00:17:43.760> give superintendent of the year.
• Let's give superintendent of the year.
• > City superintendent of Birmingham City superintendent of Birmingham City Schools,<00:18:40.240>
• 00:19:04.160> of Whereas since becoming superintendent of Whereas since becoming superintendent

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Alabama Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a quorum present, then quickly handled routine business including excusing absent senators, adopting the prior journal, and recognizing several guests in the gallery. The chamber also paused to honor Dr. Mark Sullivan, superintendent of Birmingham City Schools, with a Senate resolution commending him as the Alabama Education Association’s 2025-26 outstanding superintendent of the year. Senator Smitherman and Dr. Sullivan both spoke, with Sullivan highlighting Birmingham’s academic gains, reduced failing schools, and lower chronic absenteeism. The Senate then processed a series of House messages and confirmations. It concurred in SB 288 on agriculture authorities and SB 317 on the Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services, but non-concurred and sent SB 174 on natural resources and SB 32 on solid waste collection fees to conference. The chamber confirmed numerous appointments, including Rex Jones, William Donahue, Jim Massey, Jason Windham, Alexander Atwater, Charles Dean, Steve McKinnon, Bonnie Temple, Shaniqua Johnson-Enam, Dwayne Jenkins, Troy Skipworth, Gloria Watts, Tracy Doughty, Kevin Ball, Joe D. Briggs, Josh Bryant, Dylan Turk, David R. Pruitt III, and Carol Smitherman, with most confirmations passing on near-unanimous rolls. Committee reports advanced several House bills, including favorable reports on HB 224, 591, 614, 609, 444, 248, 611, 622, 92, and 556, with HB 248 amended. The Senate also adopted a resolution honoring the University of Alabama women’s wheelchair basketball team for winning the 2026 national championship, and another resolution recognizing the seriousness of the national debt and urging Congress to establish regular budget order. A resolution honoring retired Brigadier General Vandiver H. Carter as the 2026 Marion Military Institute Alumnus of the Year and a resolution commending John R. Cooper were also adopted. In local legislation, the Senate passed HB 635 for Choctaw County, HB 639 for Escambia County, SB 10 for Tuscaloosa County, HB 315 for class one municipalities after adopting a committee substitute and a friendly amendment, and HB 404 for class one municipalities. Finally, the Committee on Rules reported and the Senate adopted a special order calendar for the next legislative day, listing a wide range of bills for priority consideration, including measures on solar power facilities, homestead exemptions, education, guardianships, tax increment districts, legal tender, college tuition, crime victims compensation, motor vehicles, entertainment industry issues, campus chaplains, tax abatements, alcoholic beverage producers, data privacy, constables, insurance, municipal audits, income tax, public high schools, taxation, state health planning, and University of Alabama matters.

Transcript Highlights:

• Brian Krieman, superintendent of Fleming County Schools.
• So, to Superintendent Krieman. Yeah.
• > collaboration among superintendents, collaboration among superintendents, among<00:50:40.960> districts
• I’ll start with Superintendent Bacon.”
• > is<01:57:12.320> those I found as superintendent is those I found as superintendent is

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:12 Attendance Roll Call: 00:00:33 Kentucky’s New Assessment and Accountability Model Update: 00:03:50 Federal Education Policy and Its Impact on States: 01:00:55 Educational Leadership Training Opportunities in Kentucky: 01:26:44 Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations: 02:10:38 Adjournment: 02:13:57, 958, all

Summary: The Interim Joint Committee on Education met for its first interim meeting and established a quorum before taking up its first topic, Kentucky’s new assessment and accountability model. Commissioner Robbie Fletcher, joined by KDE staff and superintendents, described a multi-year effort involving the Kentucky “Now We Learn” Council, more than 50 educators and stakeholders, at least 18 pilot districts, surveys, focus groups, town halls, and four prototype frameworks. He emphasized three priorities for the new model: vibrant learning experiences, innovation in assessment, and collaboration with communities. Fletcher said the state accountability portion would continue to meet federal requirements and identify CSI/TSI/ATSI schools, while shifting toward more emphasis on individual student growth, grade-level equivalency in reading and math, career and technical education, graduation rate, and English language proficiency. He also said science would remain a required assessment but be reported separately rather than counted in the CSI/TSI calculation. He stressed that the model should focus on growth, local flexibility, and meaningful measures that reflect community expectations, while still preserving a statewide framework. The committee also heard from Bullitt County superintendent Jesse Bacon, who described his district’s local accountability work. He said Bullitt County formed a community coalition with broad representation from across the district, business leaders, and community members, met six times during the school year, and worked toward a public-facing dashboard that would show community expectations, evidence of accountability, and areas for improvement. Bacon said the district identified six community-defined pillars, beginning with student learning and foundational academic knowledge, as part of a system intended to communicate strengths and improvement areas to the public.

Transcript Highlights:

• Bruce Schaffin, who's an assistant superintendent, And Mr.
• Bruce Schaffin, who's the assistant superintendent of the Livingston Parish School System, and they were
• This was a committee of 13 individuals that included higher ed, K-12, multiple layers, superintendent
• Higher ed, K-12, multiple layers, superintendent, school boards, HR, finance folks, to look at those
• I'm assistant superintendent currently in the Livingston Parish School System.

Bills: SB8, SB10, SB11, SB12, SB13, SB14, SB16, SB17, SB18, SB20, SB21, SB22, SB416, SB455, SB456, SB477

Keywords: Municipal Employees' Retirement System, Louisiana, participation, employer, retirement, SB 10, Act 222, Louisiana State Police Retirement System, state police retirement, retirement system funding, employer contributions, actuarial gains, amortization, Permanent Benefit Increase, PBI account, benefit increase reserve, supplemental permanent benefit increase, public retirement systems, state pension, pension funding

Summary: The Retirement Committee met on April 29, 2026, established a quorum, and heard a series of retirement-related bills, mostly cleanup or technical measures affecting various public retirement systems. SB 22 would extend Municipal Employees Retirement System eligibility to certain positions in the Second City Court constable’s office in New Orleans. SB 17 would create a funding deposit account for cost-of-living adjustments for registrars of voters’ employees’ retirement system. SB 455 would allow certain district and parish courts to participate in the Parochial Employees Retirement System. SB 456 would update compensation rules for assigned retired judges, and SB 8 would add the Louisiana Asset Management Pool as a participating employer in MERS. All of these bills were described as aligning statutes with current practice or expanding participation options, and each was reported favorably without objection. The committee also heard several Louisiana State Police retirement bills. SB 10 would repeal outdated priority allocation and retiree raise rules and adjust handling of surplus employee contributions; SB 11 would increase the funding cap for benefit increases from 2.5% to 3.5%; and SB 12 would update membership and definition language to reflect the State Police Commission rather than the Civil Service Commission. SB 18 would repeal a special exception allowing certain MERS retirees to return to part-time work while collecting full benefits, while protecting roughly 30 current participants. SB 20 and SB 21 would update actuarial gain/loss and unfunded liability funding rules for school employees’ retirement and LASERS, respectively, in light of the new permanent benefit increase funding structure. Each of these bills was supported by system officials as cleanup or modernization measures and was reported favorably. The committee spent the most time on education and return-to-work issues for teachers and public employees. SB 16 would reduce annual trustee training requirements for retirement system boards from 16 hours back to 12 hours, which witnesses said would better fit smaller systems and match the original intent of the law. SB 13 would similarly update TRSL’s actuarial funding rules after the sunset of the experience account. SB 14, based on a 2025 study work group, would consolidate and simplify TRSL return-to-work rules and expand options for retired teachers, with witnesses emphasizing teacher shortages and the need to retain experienced educators. All three were reported favorably. Finally, SB 416 would allow certain Department of Public Safety and Corrections retirees to return to critical shortage positions after one year, and SB 477 would classify the chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board as a full-time state employee for retirement purposes. Both bills drew questions and discussion, especially SB 416, and both were reported favorably. The chair announced the committee’s next meeting would be moved from Monday to Tuesday, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Bruce Schaffin, who's an assistant superintendent, And Mr.
• Bruce Schaffin, who's the assistant superintendent of the Livingston Parish School System, and they were
• This was a committee of 13 individuals that included higher ed, K-12, multiple layers, superintendent
• Higher ed, K-12, multiple layers, superintendent, school boards, HR, finance folks, to look at those
• I'm assistant superintendent currently in the Livingston Parish School System.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The Retirement Committee met with a quorum and heard a series of retirement-system bills, mostly described by sponsors and system directors as cleanup measures, technical corrections, or changes to funding and re-employment rules. Early bills included SB 22, which made the constable position for the Second City Court of New Orleans eligible for membership in the Municipal Employees Retirement System, and SB 17, which created a funding deposit account for cost-of-living adjustments for registrars of voters’ employees. The committee also advanced SB 455 and SB 456, addressing employer participation in the Parochial Employees Retirement System and compensation for assigned retired judges, respectively. The committee then took up a group of State Police and teacher-retirement measures. SB 8 added the Louisiana Access Management Pool as a participating employer in MERS. SB 10, SB 11, and SB 12 adjusted State Police retirement funding and actuarial treatment, including changes to COLA funding, benefit increase funding, and administrative definitions. SB 16 reduced annual trustee education requirements for retirement boards from 16 hours to 12. SB 13 made similar actuarial-funding changes for the Teacher’s Retirement System, and SB 14, developed from a study group, consolidated and simplified TRSL return-to-work rules while expanding some re-employment options for retirees. Later bills focused on re-employment and system funding. SB 18 repealed a special exception allowing certain MERS retirees to return to part-time work while collecting full benefits, while protecting current participants. SB 20 and SB 21 updated actuarial gain and loss handling for the School Employees’ Retirement System and LASERS, respectively, to align with newer COLA funding structures. SB 416 expanded re-employment options for retired Department of Public Safety and Corrections employees in critical shortage positions, prompting discussion about staffing needs and cross-gender strip-search issues in prisons. SB 477 clarified the retirement status of the Chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board as a full-time state employee. All bills discussed were reported favorably, and the chair announced the committee’s next meeting would be moved from Monday to Tuesday.

Transcript Highlights:

• According to the superintendent, this is his...
• So, talking to a friend of mine who's a really good superintendent.
• I do appreciate what you're trying to do here, and talking to the superintendent, he talked about when
• This motivates the superintendents and the administration to get the kids there also.
• Right now, the superintendents or principals have the responsibility, and that's where the shift is to

Bills: HB2947, HB3276, HB3513

Keywords: truancy, school attendance, parent responsibility, education code, community service, criminal record nondisclosure, juvenile board, Moore County, appointments, juvenile justice, county legislation, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And we worked that out with the superintendent association.
• superintendent. Thanks. superintendent. Thanks.
• So why are we still have that language in there for the superintendent of education?
• Thank you. department or the superintendent will department or the superintendent will take.<01:30:20.239
• <02:14:29.679> portion<02:14:30.000> of superintendent portion of superintendent portion

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We got together with 17 superintendents and school leaders who are thought leaders in career technical
• And our superintendents, some of our superintendents Who are here today can speak to this.
• I discussed this with superintendents.
• I spoke with APS superintendents about misconceptions families and students have regarding school attendance
• It's some superintendent down the road or prior—I don't remember.

Transcript Highlights:

• Stan Rounds for the school superintendents.
• We do a lot of work with superintendents, charter leaders, and principals.
• Chairman, Stan Rounds again for the Superintendents Association, Coalition of Educational Leaders.
• Chairman, Stan Rounds again, this time for the Coalition of Educational Leaders and School Superintendents
• I will tell you, as a recovering superintendent, that one of the most important long-range impacts on