Transcript Highlights:

• We have 24 individuals that are categorized as adjunct instructors.

Bills: SB1726, SB1236, SB1633, SB1413, SB1317, SB1360, SB1342, SB1477, SB1189, SB1546, SB1524, SB1338, SB1193, SB1812, SB1617

Keywords: higher education, graduate instructors, training program, academic integrity, First Amendment rights, administrative reporting, education, consolidation, board, public schools, resident tuition, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, state scholarships, financial aid, immigration status, undocumented students, noncitizen students, lawfully present, postsecondary education benefits, college tuition

Transcript Highlights:

• Is that evaluation from an instructor or course, their general course scores?
• On lines 14, 15, and 16, you will see ELL Level 1, 2, and 3.
• there is an outcome base But that's, I just wanted to reiterate that there is an outcome base for the ELL
• The teacher is the instructor, the para is the support. And I'm afraid...
• The teacher is the instructor. The para is the support.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the March 4, 2026 minutes, and received a lengthy Department of Public Instruction presentation from Stanley Schauer Jr. on North Dakota student performance data in math and ELA, with comparisons between students with disabilities and students without disabilities. Schauer explained the assessment systems used, the 1% alternate assessment cap for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, the absence of 2019-20 data due to the pandemic, and how state standards are set by North Dakota educators. Members asked about cohort trends, the role of alternate assessments, grade-level patterns, and whether the state should focus more on reducing the novice category than on moving students from approaching to proficient. Schauer also discussed the new NDA Plus assessment, the state’s planned growth model, and the possibility of future breakdowns by disability category or by schools using science-of-math approaches. Special education educators testified that students with disabilities continued to receive services during COVID because of FAPE obligations, which likely helped limit learning loss, and emphasized that IEP teams focus on individual growth rather than only proficiency buckets. Committee members then shifted to special education funding and possible funding models. Brandon Bombach of Grand Forks Public Schools presented on the state aid formula, focusing on the special education weighting factor and arguing that the current formula does not adequately respond to growing student needs because it counts enrollment but does not adjust when the number of students with IEPs rises. He used examples to show that a district can have the same enrollment and receive the same weighting even if the number of students needing services increases. Members discussed whether the formula should be tied more closely to actual need and accountability, and the chair indicated that the committee would continue gathering data and ideas for a later meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:34:48.200> pop<00:34:48.480> or<00:34:48.760> our sheer magnitude of our ELL
• pop or our sheer magnitude of our ELL pop or our multilingual<00:34:49.520> learner<00:34:49.760
• The grant would also prioritize teachers, librarians, and other literacy instructors working with the
• The grant would also prioritize teachers, librarians, and other literacy instructors working with the
• The grant would also prioritize teachers, librarians, and other literacy instructors working with the

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• THE OTHER THINGS I WANT TO POINT OUT HERE ALL OF OUR KIDS THEY ARE GETTING ESC, ELL SERVICES.
• TO SATISFY -- OR IS IT 5 PERCENT OF STUDENTS AT ANY GIVEN TIME THAT DO NOT HAVE INSTRUCTORS?

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• English language learners, and, you know, in a lot of districts around the state there aren't many ELL
• And, you know, in a lot of districts around the state there aren't many ELL students in those districts
• passed in the last budget were perfectly round numbers: $4,100, $2,300 for special education, $800 for ELL
• 01:27:35.600> once<01:27:35.760> you're<01:27:36.000> Medicaid<01:27:36.520> ell
• <01:27:37.520> I<01:27:37.560> should think once you're Medicaid ell I should think

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee took up HB 651, a school-funding bill that would raise the base cost of an adequate education and increase differentiated aid for students in poverty, English language learners, and special education. The chair opened with housekeeping notices about parking and eating in committee spaces, and noted a revised fiscal note would be distributed. Representative David Luneau presented the bill as part of a broader package of public school funding measures, explaining that HB 651 builds on HB 550 and is intended to respond to court rulings and the ongoing school-funding litigation by adjusting both the base adequacy amount and equity-based funding factors. Luneau said the bill would raise the state’s adequacy grant from about $4,100 to $7,351 per student and increase differentiated aid, while also updating statutory language so future recalculations include the court-identified resource elements. He argued the measure is about fairness and shifting more of the burden from local property taxpayers to the state, not about increasing overall education spending. He reviewed fiscal-note figures indicating the bill would add roughly $576 million to the state share of school funding, bringing the total state share to about $1.65 billion, and said the note also mentions possible effects on charter schools and vouchers. Committee members asked about the evidence supporting higher costs for low-income and English learner students, how long ESL funding should continue, why free-and-reduced-lunch aid remains higher than special education aid, whether the formula is based on enrollment or average daily membership, and whether the bill is truly equitable across districts of different sizes and needs. Luneau and later witness Zach Shen of the New Hampshire School Funding Fairness Project said the bill is supported by research and court findings, that the current formula relies heavily on local property taxes, and that shifting more funding to the state would reduce property-tax pressure and help address disparities among districts. Shen also cited broad public support for the related HB 550 testimony and said HB 651 is intended as a step toward a more equitable funding system. No vote or final action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• high-quality intervention services, tutoring services for kids, and providing better support for our ELL
• My name is Melissa Hernandez, and I am the director of assessment ELL programs for Explore Academy.
• I am a biology instructor at CNN, and I have been for 10 years.
• In addition, our ELL students, we redesignate our English language learners at an average of 12.4% per

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

Bills: HB12, HB42, HB205, HB222, HB324, HB325, HB350, HB416, HB482, HB610, HB749, HB797, HB807, HB821, HB979, HB992, HB1193

Keywords: survivor benefits, law enforcement, reserve officer, auxiliary officer, public safety, phased retirement, Teachers Retirement System, faculty retention, administrative fees, public postsecondary education, Medicaid, dental coverage, healthcare access, medical necessity, Louisiana Department of Health, judicial salaries, judges, judiciary compensation, cost of living adjustment, COLA

Bills: HB28, HB50, HB196, HB268, HB271, HB285, HB316, HB649, HB807

Keywords: teacher certification, certification appeals, BESE, State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, Teacher Certification Appeals Council, educator licensure, teaching license, teacher licensure, appeals process, certification denial, administrative appeal, special meeting, board president, retroactive application, education board, Louisiana teachers, Department of Education, statutory entities, re-creation, termination date

Transcript Highlights:

• technicians, elect- and health care professionals and to prepare those workers we must recruit and retain instructors
• are modest cost but they are persistent and they create real barriers especially for part-time instructors

Bills: HB 1105, HB1527, HB1787, HB1972, HB2081, HB3296, HB3976, HB4071, HB4234, HB4438, HB4701, HB5092, HB5150, HB5180, HB5265, HB5333, HJR203

Keywords: tuition exemption, paramedics, higher education, laboratory fees, emergency medical services, peace officers, criminal justice, law enforcement, degree programs, public institutions, HB 1787, HPV, human papillomavirus, college health, university health, student health, public health education, prevention program, screening, early detection

Transcript Highlights:

• seniors going through We also have the Pueblo of Ocayalinga who's focusing on certifying 520 language instructors
• mean, I worry about this because students with IEPs, students with dialects, which I'm assuming are ELL

Transcript Highlights:

• You can be, you know, instructor.
• It's a concept that we have long heard about from our automotive CTE instructors.
• I participated in one at instructors.
• And lastly, ELL students.
• This program is not choice for ELL students.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have the sixth highest percentage of students who are classified as ELL.
• Her father was an ROTC instructor, JROTC, where we have an Army JROTC program in Clay County, and it
• Her father was an ROTC instructor, JROTC, where we have an Army J-ROTC program in Clary County. our OTC
• instructor, JROTC, where we have an Army JORTC program in Clary County, and it is, it flourishes.

Summary: The committee met to discuss student attendance and chronic absenteeism in Florida K-12 schools, with Chair Simon outlining the state’s attendance requirements and intervention process, including school contact after unexcused absences, child study team review, district superintendent referral, DJJ family services referral, truancy petitions, and possible parental prosecution and driver’s license consequences. Dr. Chris Curran of the University of Florida presented statewide data showing chronic absenteeism has risen sharply since the pandemic, with Florida at about 31.4% in 2023–24, and noted that absenteeism varies by district, school level, demographics, and urbanicity. He emphasized that causes are multifaceted—ranging from transportation, mental health, housing instability, safety concerns, and family circumstances—and said effective responses include early warning systems, text or phone outreach, multi-tiered interventions, mentoring programs like Check & Connect, and community partnerships. He also cautioned that punitive responses alone are often less effective than addressing root causes and keeping students engaged academically even when they miss school. Collier County Superintendent Leslie Ricciardelli described her district’s attendance efforts as a priority supported by attendance specialists, social workers, mental health staff, home visits, attendance contracts, and extensive parent communication. She said Collier’s chronic absenteeism rate was about 9% in 2023–24 and attributed success to consistent monitoring, family outreach, and community support, while stressing that students must be physically present to learn. She also argued that many absences are tied to barriers such as clothing, transportation, childcare, or family mental health, and that districts need resources to address those issues. Dr. Rachel Dawes added that Collier uses multilingual brochures, attendance awareness campaigns, vacation-planning guidance, door tags, automated calls and letters, and a truancy flow chart, with truancy court used as a last resort. Volusia County Executive Director Mike McAuliffe described a districtwide overhaul that included an attendance matters campaign, automated notices sent early and often, same-day and period-by-period notifications, a data dashboard, and tiered supports through MTSS. He said Volusia reduced chronic absenteeism from 34% in 2023–24 to a projected 29% and reported a first-quarter rate of about 20% in the current year. He highlighted community partnerships, including AdventHealth support for washers and dryers, bikes for students with transportation barriers, and monetary recognition for schools that reduce absenteeism. In response to questions, both district leaders emphasized that funding, staffing, and consistent follow-through are essential, and that attendance work is most effective when paired with family engagement, data monitoring, and practical supports rather than punishment alone.

Transcript Highlights:

• They come with the instructor, with the driver. We drill down into that.
• Martinez created a conversation that sharpened the focus on equity in education, particularly low income, ELL
• Units in order to pay the bills because we still have to have all the same qualified instructors that
• The instructors towards that stu towards all students really. Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is that evaluation from an instructor or course, their general course scores?
• On lines 14, 15, and 16, you will see ELL Level 1, 2, and 3.
• The teacher is the instructor, the para is the support.
• The teacher is the instructor, the para is the support. And I'm afraid, para.
• The teacher is the instructor. The para is the support.

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and then received a lengthy DPI presentation from Stanley Schauer on statewide reading and math assessment data for students with and without disabilities. He explained the assessment systems used over time, the absence of 2019-20 data, and how North Dakota’s standards are set by educators. Members asked about alternate assessments, cohort trends, the apparent drop in proficiency in higher grades, and the new NDA+ assessment. Schauer emphasized that the biggest pattern in the data was the relative stability of students with disabilities, the post-pandemic drop and partial recovery, and the need to focus on reducing the novice category. He also said the state plans to revisit high school standard setting and that future data could be broken out by program, disability category, and schools using science-of-math or other initiatives. Public testimony from special education staff suggested that the flat performance of students with disabilities during COVID likely reflected continued services and intensive supports, and committee members discussed whether the current disparity goal is realistic and whether growth measures would be more useful than simple proficiency buckets. After the presentation, the committee took a short break and then moved into discussion of special education funding models. Chair Richter said members should contact Schauer directly with ideas for additional data views and noted that the committee would continue its work on funding and possible model changes. Brandon Bomback of Grand Forks Public Schools began a presentation arguing that the special education funding formula, especially the weighting factor, should be reconsidered if the committee wants a system that better reflects accountability and student needs. He said his comments were based on the perspective of a larger district and focused on the special education weighting factor rather than other parts of the formula. The remainder of his presentation was not included in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• still being able to provide for the actual running of the institution, afford the teachers and the instructors
• this bill is just letting them price that accordingly to what they're doing and getting better instructors
• if they do increase. ...to what they're doing and getting better instructors if they do increase, but
• Elle, our parents are struggling.
• Any tutor or instructor who provides educational and instructional service to a minor from whom a parent

Summary: The Senate Education Committee met to hear several education-related measures. It reported favorably, without objection, on House Bill 1215, which would transfer certain removed historical statues and monuments to the Office of State Parks, prohibit re-erection in the parish where they were removed, and require interpretive signage. The committee also advanced House Bill 682, which creates a school guardian program for honorably discharged veterans employed or contracted by local school systems or charter schools; testimony emphasized that guardians would be unarmed, trained, and used for mentoring and school safety. House Bill 1079, giving enrollment preferences in charter schools to children in early childhood programs, military families, foster children, and children in custody disputes, was also reported favorably, as was House Concurrent Resolution 81, directing the Department of Education to study options for districts facing declining enrollment. The committee then took up House Bill 1084, which would allow public postsecondary institutions to raise tuition and mandatory fees by up to 15 percent annually, with higher increases requiring Board of Supervisors approval. The bill drew extended debate over affordability, TOPS, student retention, and whether universities should have more autonomy to set prices. Members raised concerns about fee burdens on families and whether the state should first study the issue; supporters argued the bill would increase transparency and let institutions respond to funding needs and market conditions. Senator Mazzell offered an amendment lowering the cap from 15 percent to 10 percent, and the committee adopted the amendment before reporting the bill favorably as amended. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 342, which would shift the burden of proof in special education due process hearings from parents to local education agencies. The author and parents testified that the current system places an unfair burden on families of children with disabilities, who often lack access to records and legal resources, and that schools already control the documentation and should have to show compliance with IEP obligations. Jefferson Parish school officials opposed the bill, arguing it would increase legal costs, require more staff and attorney time, and potentially lead to more hearings; they also questioned the fiscal note. The Legislative Fiscal Office said the fiscal impact was indeterminable, and the committee continued hearing testimony from parents and school representatives as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• really following that high impact tutoring model with students working in small groups with our instructors
• um the majority of our instructors are licensed teachers and our teachers that are in the classroom,
• Mr. uh, Chair, Senator Ell, absolutely, we are going to do whatever it takes to meet these deadlines.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:21:45.359>taaxigennal um elle tan innal qaduuk atu elle taaxigennal um elle tan innal
• gexxam elle rakittam atu.
• Commityss luk tamaate's kee nanu mannal nakkalem duyye elle gexxam elle rakittam atu.
• nakkalem duyye elle gexxam elle rakittam nanu mannal nakkalem duyye elle gexxam elle rakittam atu atu
• Anu elle aaxigennal.

Keywords: Judiciary, Division A - Room 216, 2 February, 2026; 3:30 PM, 925, all

Summary: The meeting focused heavily on proposed changes to Mississippi’s chancery court system, especially Senate Bill 2472 and related bills. The discussion centered on moving or expanding certain chancery court functions, creating a statewide or county-based structure for some positions, and whether those changes would be workable in practice. Speakers repeatedly emphasized that any reform should be functional, not just well-intentioned, and raised concerns about preserving court operations, confidentiality, and the ability of judges and staff to handle cases locally. A major theme was opposition from some chancery judges and related officials, who argued that the proposal could undermine the existing chancery system and create problems for CPS, delinquency matters, and other sensitive cases. Supporters of the reform said the current system is uneven and that a clearer, more modern structure is needed. There was also discussion of a pilot program in LeFlore County and comparisons to practices in Georgia and other states, with some testimony suggesting the pilot showed the concept could work. The transcript also touched on funding and implementation details, including judicial operations funding, budget notes, and the need for a roadmap before moving forward. Several speakers asked for the bill language to be clarified, including specific line references and effective dates, and discussed whether the changes would require amendments to existing law. The exchange ended with continued disagreement over whether the proposal should advance as written or be revised further before action.

Transcript Highlights:

• or the characteristics of the instructor.
• Now, um, in my personal experience, it has been that I feel like I'm a much better instructor in person
• Picas, you know, respectfully, uh, your point about the variation between one instructor and another
• It depends on the quality of the adeptness of the instructor using the tool.
• Um, I tried to sit in the back of the room once when I had a co-instructor to see how many were doing

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• biall uli madqa elle biall uli madqa elle daffeytam <00:20:13.133>sittin <00:20:13.386>
• Ta bill tonnal toh nanu elle. Ta bill tonnal toh nanu elle. Walallam madudna tonnal.
• Madqal too anu elle suge. Atu taaxigeh elle dadaltem. Kee anu edde maradiyyo too mango.
• Dooro elle aban ikke iyyaanam. Dooro elle aban ikke iyyaanam.
• Naharal elle qidneh toh inkih meqeh tonnal tonnal toh. 10 ilaa S nanu naharal elle qidneh toh kee anu

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• SIP and so codes is how the federal government tracks what ELL dollars are going to have to move into
• We do not use state Dollars to supplement, we are able to have the spaces and the instructors many times

Keywords: 914, all