Transcript Highlights:

• Are you aware, let's start with third grade because I know it's different for every grade.
• And I will tell you that the first... The first people in my office...
• grades for schools?
• 3rd grade takes certain tests, 4th grade takes certain tests, has any of that changed?
• The first two sections.

Bills: HB8, HB12, SB 3, HJR1, SB 11, SB 16, SB 14

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Transcript Highlights:

• This fall, 1.2 million kids, kindergarten, first and second grade, will be screened for reading difficulties
• , including risk of dyslexia, because of... ...kids in kindergarten, first and second grade, will be
• levels in one classroom because the level of those kids, whether they're fourth grade, fifth grade,
• Melissa Holmes Villabong, special education teacher for kindergarten, first, and second grade, and I
• Schools serving grades TK–3 and grades 9–12 will never receive Schools serving grades TK–3 and grades

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee heard AB 84, a charter school accountability measure focused on non-classroom-based charter schools and fraud prevention. The author and supporters said the bill was intended to respond to the A3 charter fraud case and related scandals by strengthening audits, transparency, authorizer oversight, and funding determination rules, while ensuring public education dollars are used for public education. Supporters included FCMAT, CSEA, CTA, and CSBA, who argued the bill would improve oversight and protect taxpayers. Opponents, including the California Charter Schools Association, Green Dot, many charter parents, educators, and charter operators, said the bill was too broad, would impose major new costs and bureaucracy on all charter schools, and could reduce options for families, especially those using flexible, homeschool, or special-needs charter programs. After extensive testimony and committee discussion, the bill passed on a 5-1 vote and was sent to Appropriations, with the item left open for additional votes. The committee then approved a consent calendar of 11 education bills, including AB 542, AB 563, AB 731, AB 753, AB 784, AB 964, AB 988, AB 1034, AB 1233, AB 1255, and AB 1381, all moving to Appropriations. The consent calendar passed unanimously. Later, the committee heard AB 1454, a literacy and reading instruction bill authored by Assembly Members Rubio and Revis. The bill would require the state to create professional development resources for evidence-based literacy instruction, update English language arts and English language development instructional materials, and revise administrator preparation standards to include literacy training. The authors and a broad coalition of supporters, including CTA, EdVoice, Families in Schools, Decoding Dyslexia, school administrators, and parent advocates, described the measure as a compromise aimed at improving reading outcomes and addressing California’s literacy crisis. There was no opposition testimony at the hearing, and members voiced strong support for the bill and its collaborative approach.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Fauler, as a graduation requirement, but there's no specified grade—not ninth grade or
• tenth grade...?
• Because ninth grade is packed. You can't...
• We're only specifying those three grades.
• a school like Albertville that's about 24% in those three grades. ...about 24% in those three grades

Bills: HB298, HB342, HB332, HB344

Keywords: athletic classification, public high schools, English language learners, state education policy, athletic associations, religious instruction, elective credit, released time, public education, school policy, educational intervention, State Superintendent, local boards of education, subpoena, accountability, state control, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Phase two teachers will need to be trained by June 30th of next summer. grade level using grade level
• or two: I am fairly certain that we played basketball together in high school, and your mom was my first-grade
• So I remember my first-grade teacher; it was your mom, and I really appreciate what you brought to the
• </c><00:48:28.960><c> grade</c> school and your mom was my first grade school and your mom was my first
• was</c> remember my first grade teacher it was remember my first grade teacher it was your<00:48:55.079

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So my first one is when it comes to the letter grade that the schools get and with the, I guess it's
• It's really a first-come, first-served basis, which is why we're trying really hard.
• It's really a first-come, first-served basis, which is why we're trying really hard.
• It's really a first-come, first-served basis, which is why we're trying really hard as the administrator
• , first-served basis.

Summary: The committee approved the November 3 minutes and then received an extensive presentation from Arkansas education and workforce officials on how the LEARNS and ACCESS Acts are affecting career and technical education, concurrent enrollment, and postsecondary readiness. Officials said the state’s goal is for students to leave high school employed, enrolled, or enlisted, and reported increases in K-12 CTE enrollment from about 161,000 to 171,000 students and concurrent CTE enrollment from about 12,000 to 16,000. They also described the new success-ready pathways, merit and distinction designations, and how those measures tie into school accountability and graduation outcomes. The discussion then turned to scholarships and grants. Officials explained that ACCESS expanded concurrent credit support, increased funding per credit hour, and broadened eligibility for the Arkansas Academic Challenge and Governor’s Scholar programs by adding diploma-of-merit and diploma-of-distinction pathways. They said the Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship itself did not change, but the non-distinguished Governor’s Scholar award now includes diploma of distinction as an additional eligibility route. Members raised concerns about how these requirements apply to private school and homeschool students, and officials said the intent is to ensure those students can qualify if they meet the same standards, though some implementation details are still being worked out. Questions also focused on whether students who explore multiple pathways could be penalized in school letter grades; officials said the system allows multiple ways to earn credit, including AP, IB, concurrent credit, technical certificates, and apprenticeships. Officials also reviewed workforce scholarships and short-term training funding. They said the state is developing policy for the Workforce Challenge and related professional skills training to set an 80-hour minimum and tiered funding, and they discussed the new federal Workforce Pell rules, which they said are very narrow and will likely apply to only a small number of Arkansas programs unless providers repackage training into stackable, credit-bearing pathways. Members asked for lists of eliminated programs, apprenticeships, and data on scholarship recipients, and staff said they could provide those. The committee also heard from Cody Waites on a $35.8 million U.S. Department of Labor cooperative agreement for the American Manufacturing Apprenticeship Incentive Fund, which Arkansas will administer nationally. He said the grant will support advanced manufacturing apprenticeships, use a pay-for-performance model, and be distributed to sponsors after apprentices are employed for 90 days, with applications opening January 28 and the state expecting to keep administrative costs under 8-9%.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, as I mentioned when we first convened, uh, in 2023, we banned seclusion from birth to grade three
• <00:10:39.040><c> grade</c><00:10:39.360><c> six</c> through grade six through grade six unless<00:10
• </c> well birth through three grade three. well birth through three grade three.
• , I mean two, grade one?
• Our youngest learners who were two in second grade, I mean two, grade one?

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• math and in fourth grade reading.
• How high we are in the state in fourth grade math and in fourth grade reading.
• I thought, you know, first through fifth grade, they really need to be working on math, you know, that
• From 2019, when we pushed to create the first literacy commission, to the recent reforms—third grade
• At the end of the day, I think every student, kindergarten, sixth grade, eighth grade, needs to have

Summary: The House Education Committee met on March 18, 2026, with 11 members present and adopted prior meeting minutes without objection. The committee first heard HB 649 by Rep. Brass, which would create a statewide common application portal for dual enrollment. Supporters from the Pelican Institute and the Board of Regents said the bill would simplify enrollment, reduce paperwork for counselors and families, and improve awareness of dual enrollment options. Members asked about nonparticipation by institutions and access for nontraditional students; the bill was reported favorably without objection. The committee then took up HB 807 by Rep. Brass, which would establish the Workforce Instructor Capacity Investment Program within LCTCS to help recruit and retain instructors for high-demand workforce programs. Testimony from River Parishes Community College, Dow, and the Louisiana Chemical Association described instructor shortages as a bottleneck for training workers for major industrial projects, and said employer-sharing models and apprenticeships have been successful. An amendment expanded eligibility to include LSU Eunice and Southern University at Shreveport, and the committee adopted the amendments. After debate about whether the state needed a new fund versus using existing systems, the bill was reported favorably by a 13-1 roll call vote. Next, the committee heard HB 285 by Chairman Bacala, which authorizes school boards to cooperate with banks and credit unions to operate branches in high schools as part of financial literacy programs. Bacala said the bill clarifies statutory authority, and an amendment added banks to the original credit union language. Members discussed ethics, exclusivity, student access, and whether the branches could market products; supporters from LABI and financial industry groups said the programs improve hands-on financial education. The bill was reported with amendments without objection. The committee also considered HB 28 by Rep. Owen, which adds a BESE-level appeal for certain teacher certification applicants affected by administrative or contractor errors. Owen described a case in which applicants paid for certification programs but were denied because of a mentor-signature issue, and said the amendment would require BESE or its designee to act within 30 days. Department of Education staff said the Teacher Certification Appeals Council had already granted extensions rather than outright denials in the affected cases, but the committee advanced the bill after a 9-4 roll call vote. Finally, the committee began HB 268 by Rep. Carver, which would strengthen career exposure requirements for students by tying activities more closely to high-wage, high-demand jobs and adding an annual exposure requirement in K-5; testimony emphasized early workforce awareness, and discussion focused on keeping the requirements manageable for schools.

Transcript Highlights:

• and that they are proficient in algebra by 9th grade.
• First for the teachers.
• And one of my first site visits.
• Chair, first of all, thank you for this great presentation.
• And that's where we'll look at that first comparison.

Transcript Highlights:

• So my first one is when it comes to the letter grade that the schools get and with the, I guess, the
• So my first one is when it comes to the letter grade that the schools get and with the, I guess is the
• It's really a first-come, first-served basis, which is why we're trying really hard, as the administrator
• It's really a first-come, first-served basis, which is why we're trying really hard, is the administrator
• , first-served basis.

Summary: The committee first approved the November 3 minutes, then received an extensive update from Arkansas Division of Higher Education and Division of Career and Technical Education officials on LEARNS and ACCESS implementation. Witnesses said the state’s goal is for students to graduate employed, enrolled, or enlisted, and described expanded career pathways, student success plans, merit and distinction diplomas, and school accountability measures tied to pathway completion and tangible credentials. They reported increases in K-12 CTE enrollment and concurrent enrollment, and explained that some secondary career center programs were reduced or eliminated because they no longer aligned with state workforce demand. Members asked detailed questions about how merit/distinction affects school letter grades, how AP, concurrent credit, CTE completers, apprenticeships, and work-based learning fit into the system, and whether homeschool and private school students can access the same opportunities. Officials said multiple pathways can satisfy the requirements, including AP Scholar, concurrent credit, technical certificates, and apprenticeships, and that counselors are being trained to advise students. They also discussed scholarship changes: ACCESS broadened eligibility for the Arkansas Academic Challenge and Governor’s Scholar awards, with diploma of merit or distinction now qualifying students for additional aid, while the Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship itself remained unchanged. Questions were raised about whether homeschool and private school students can meet the new diploma-of-distinction criteria; officials said the intent is to make them eligible if they meet the same standards, and that guidance is being finalized. The discussion also covered workforce scholarships and grants. Officials said the Workforce Challenge was expanded to include vocational-technical schools and increased funding, and that the Division is reworking policy around “professional skills training” to support shorter-term, stackable programs. They reviewed the new federal Workforce Pell Grant, noting its narrow hour and duration limits and the need for programs to meet completion, placement, and earnings thresholds. Members also asked about the state lottery scholarship fund balance and whether more aid should be directed to students; officials said the fund remains healthy and that ACCESS has already increased awards and expanded eligibility, with more implementation data still to come. The final presentation came from the Director of Workforce Connections on a $35.8 million U.S. Department of Labor cooperative agreement for the American Manufacturing Apprenticeship Incentive Fund. Arkansas will administer the national fund, which is aimed at expanding advanced manufacturing registered apprenticeships across the country through a pay-for-performance model. Officials said the program will support occupations in aerospace, automotive, biotech, maritime, nuclear, semiconductors, supply chain, and automation, and that applications will open soon. Members asked who can apply and how the money will be distributed; the answer was that registered apprenticeship sponsors—sometimes companies, sometimes colleges, sometimes intermediaries—will apply, with Arkansas setting eligibility criteria, vendor requirements, and outreach efforts.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, first of all, I'll just say that if there is a...
• I first want to give you a little background about myself, and the first thing I wanted to tell you is
• I decided after the first summer that I wanted to be an educator.
• So when you guys first came on the board, when all three of you first came on the board, math was at
• But it's just to our accountability plan to, first, Thank you.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to make sure they're willing first. first. first. &gt;&gt; I<00:43:06.800><c> understand.
• So this is just 11th grade. breaking. So this is just 11th grade.
• grade, fourth grade, fifth at our third grade, fourth grade, fifth grade<01:32:23.760><c> tests.
• Um grades.
• So, there's only two science tests, fifth grade and 8th grade.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first approved corrected minutes from October 6 after members noted and fixed several transcription and spelling errors, including a clarification that a comment about SAU numbers came from former Senator Jim Rubin. The vote to approve the corrected minutes was moved, seconded, and adopted with one abstention. The main presentation came from Chuck Bates of the New Hampshire Association of School Business Officials (ASBO), who described the organization, its certification program, and the role of school business administrators. He explained that ASBO members handle accounting and financial management, facilities, food service, HR, information systems, transportation, and risk management. He also outlined the certification program, which includes 21 courses, most online, plus four in-person workshops unique to New Hampshire, and noted that many members are not certified because the state licensure requirement was removed. Bates then addressed the committee’s interest in SAU consolidation and county-wide restructuring. He said business administrators often manage multiple budgets, attend school board meetings, and serve as a visible point of contact for the community. He argued that consolidation would create operational and financial challenges, including staff and facility relocation, differing accounting systems, lack of a standardized chart of accounts, and uncertain return on investment. He said the biggest obstacle would be local control, especially in small towns that do not want outside decisions affecting school closures, class sizes, or student transportation. Committee members questioned him about the distinction between administrative and academic control, the size of district offices in larger cities, and what might reduce administrative costs; Bates responded that many administrative costs stem from legislation and that consolidation would be difficult to implement without local support.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:26.400><c> uh</c> what exactly does the bill do first uh what exactly does the bill do first
• And for the first time this year, we have our first parochial school participating, Hill-Murray.
• The first story is Aban's. Aban is a mother of a beautiful 12th-grade autistic son.
• That's when she discovered her 10th-grade son was reading at a third-grade math level.
• </c><01:47:03.040><c> uh</c> 12th grade uh artistic 12 uh grade uh 12th grade uh artistic 12 uh grade

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So the first school was actually in New Mexico. That was in 2012.
• through 8, and then from the high school grades.
• And if you know K through 3 grades, from fifth through 8, and then from the high school grades.
• The lower-left picture is, I think, an eighth-grade class coming into a third-grade class to read poetry
• Again, the writing from third grade, book summaries.

Summary: The Senate Education Committee began by welcoming a new Senate Page, Caleb Williams of Shelley, who introduced himself and answered a few light questions about his plans after graduation. The committee then approved minutes from February 10, 12, 16, and 17, 2026, by voice vote. The main action item was Senate Bill 1317, which would create regional service centers to help school districts and charter schools share special education-related staff and services, especially in rural areas. The sponsor and department staff said the bill is intended to reduce duplication, improve compliance with IDEA, strengthen recruitment and retention of specialists, and preserve local control. Testimony from superintendents, teachers, parents, advocates, and others was overwhelmingly supportive, emphasizing high costs for contracted services, staffing shortages, and the benefits of shared regional models. Senator Zito raised concerns about the $1 million fiscal note, the use of real property, and the lack of clarity about how many centers would be created and where they would be located. After discussion, the committee voted to send SB 1317 to the Senate floor with a due pass recommendation; the motion passed with Senator Zito voting no. Following that, the committee received informational presentations on two Idaho education programs: District 91’s PASS program in Idaho Falls, a tiered behavior-support model for young students, and Kootenai Classical Academy’s classical education model, including its curriculum, character education, and strong literacy results. The meeting adjourned at the scheduled hard stop.

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe that goes to fifth grade. But your bill calls for sixth grade.
• I remember seeing you at a bill. sixth grade.
• Before they ever take that first pill.
• , I don't think fifth grade is too young.
• She came back pregnant, and I first found out that she was... ...came back pregnant and had first found

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 2901 in executive session. After a brief explanation from the bill sponsor, the committee adopted a House Committee amendment ending in 0.07 that set a five-year expiration date and clarified where reports must be filed. The committee then rolled the amendment into a substitute and voted the House Committee substitute do pass by a roll call of 13 ayes and 0 noes. The committee then heard House Bill 3000, which would fix the signature threshold for petition-driven audits by tying the required number of signatures to the gubernatorial election in effect when the petition process begins, rather than when signatures are submitted. The sponsor and the State Auditor’s office said the change would prevent the required number from shifting during the petition period and provide consistency. No vote was taken on the bill during the hearing. House Bill 313 was then heard, a fentanyl-poisoning response bill that would require naloxone in public buildings, designate October as Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month, require fentanyl education for students in grades 6 through 12, and require training and investigation procedures for law enforcement in drug-related deaths. The sponsor and multiple family members who lost loved ones to fentanyl strongly supported the bill, emphasizing prevention, access to Narcan, and more thorough death investigations. Committee members generally expressed support, raised questions about the definition of public buildings, school implementation, and funding, and testimony suggested opioid settlement money as a possible source. No committee action was taken on HB 313 in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, just this past Friday, I spent a good portion of my morning in my first-grade classrooms
• </c><00:22:40.799><c> Um,</c><00:22:41.200><c> I</c> eight first grade classrooms.
• Um, I eight first grade classrooms.
• </c><00:22:44.159><c> grade</c> morning in my eight first grade morning in my eight first grade classrooms
• </c> when this first when this data was first when this first when this data was first presented<01:24

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting focused on school governance and a proposed shift in responsibilities related to SAU consolidation, with committee members first discussing how school board members and other local officials would be selected for future testimony. The main presentation came from the New Hampshire Association of School Principals, whose executive director Brady Belair and several principals argued that mandatory statewide administrative consolidation should be approached cautiously and that any consolidation should be voluntary and locally driven. They said anticipated savings may not materialize, citing possible higher personnel, transportation, and technology costs, and warned that forcing changes could create disruption without improving student outcomes. Principals testified that their jobs are already broad and demanding, centered on instructional leadership, student safety, staff supervision, family communication, and day-to-day crisis response. Kathleen Murphy of Amherst described working 60 to 70 hours a week and said principals spend substantial time coaching teachers, handling student issues, and supporting school climate; she said adding more administrative duties would compromise student learning and teacher growth. Adam Osborne of Bow Memorial School similarly described principals as daily problem-solvers who set school-level direction and create conditions for schools to thrive. The witnesses also emphasized that principals, superintendents, school boards, and business administrators have different training and responsibilities, and that specialized tasks such as special education compliance, FERPA/HIPAA issues, and labor matters require appropriate expertise. Committee members questioned the witnesses about overlap between superintendent and principal duties, the completeness of statutory responsibility lists, and whether some functions such as curriculum, discipline, hiring, and evaluation are shared. The principals acknowledged some overlap and collaboration, but said superintendents typically handle broader system-level, legal, and central-office responsibilities while principals focus on building-level leadership and teacher support. One member raised the earlier expectation that districts might move to a principal-plus-business-manager model, but the witnesses said that model did not develop as expected and that district structures vary widely. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, so I was thinking about my daughter when she was in first grade.
• Her first grade teacher quit in the middle of the year.
• And thinking about her first-grade experience and how we had to get tutors and really bring her up to
• As a former first grade teacher, this was a huge red flag to me.
• As a former first grade teacher, this was a huge red flag to me.

Summary: The committee first took up a combined substitute for House Bills 2115 and 1876, which would encourage cursive instruction and add a future cursive assessment. Members discussed that the substitute removed an immediate fifth-grade test and instead would phase in an assessment later, with no penalty for failure. Some members raised concerns about teacher training, costs, and added demands on elementary classrooms, while supporters said the measure was only a recommendation and could be improved on the floor. The committee adopted the substitute and then passed the House Committee Substitute for both bills on a roll call vote of 13-9, with several members present or absent. The committee then heard House Bill 2776, as amended and substituted, a teacher-certification bill aimed at addressing Missouri’s teacher shortage through a tiered associate certification system for pre-K and elementary grades. Sponsors explained that Tier 1 and Tier 2 certificates would be temporary and nonrenewable, with mentoring, literacy training, and a minimum salary floor, and that Tier 3 would lead to full certification and retirement-system participation. Members questioned the pay differential, the effect on teacher quality, the role of literacy training, and how the bill would treat leaves or incomplete years of service. After adopting an amendment and rolling it into a new substitute, the committee passed the House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2776 by a vote of 12-5 with one present. In open session, the committee heard House Bills 1698 and 2120 together, both anti-bullying measures that would strengthen reporting, parent notification, school-board awareness, and immunity protections for good-faith reporting. The sponsors described the bills as responses to a student bullying case that ended in suicide, and witnesses from the family gave emotional testimony urging immediate reporting and stronger accountability. Committee members raised questions about definitions of bullying, off-campus conduct, mandatory reporting to law enforcement, and the need to avoid sweeping in protected speech or sincerely held religious beliefs. No vote was taken on those bills in the portion provided. The committee then began testimony on House Bills 2230 and 2978, the Hands-on Learning Restoration Act, which would limit screen time and one-to-one device use in K-5 classrooms and emphasize books, paper, pencils, and cursive. Sponsors and supporters argued that heavy reliance on Chromebooks and other devices has harmed literacy, attention, and child development, citing low NAEP scores and research on handwriting and screen exposure. Teachers, physicians, and parents testified in support, while some members noted the bill may be too prescriptive and would need work on implementation, testing, and local flexibility. The hearing continued with additional testimony after the excerpt ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• I had no idea that classes in schools of medicine weren't being graded by letter grades.
• I'm used to letter grades.
• It is, in effect, a letter grade.
• So the first panel is Nora...
• Western opened for the first time in 1893.

Bills: SB6251, SB6259, SB6325, SB5978, SB6209, SB6217, SB6227, SB6235

Keywords: medical school, medical education, letter grades, grading system, pass/fail, tiered grading, student assessment, curriculum, University of Washington, Washington State University, School of Medicine, physician training, academic standards, coursework evaluation, RCW 28B, SB 6259, Washington, state financial aid, higher education, public college

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, so I was thinking about my daughter when she was in first grade.
• Her first grade teacher quit in the middle of the year.
• And thinking about her first grade experience and how we had to get tutors and really bring her up to
• As a former first grade teacher, this was a huge red flag to me.
• Tech use in the class. on his personal device in first grade three years ago.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That was the first change.
• In Grade 6–12 U.S.
• A couple questions: references what grades first, from when to when? Mr.
• History I, grades 6-12, U.S. History II, grades 9-12, American government, economics... To U.S.
• History I, grades 6-12, U.S. History II, grades 9-12, American government, economics.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee heard several State Board of Education rule dockets, with Nick Wagner and Greg Wilson explaining that most changes were cleanup, clarification, or removal of duplicative language. The first docket repealed an unused pay-for-success contracting rule because the language duplicated statute and had never been used. Another docket on career technical centers removed a federal definition from rule and made a minor terminology change. A uniformity rules docket made technical edits, including abbreviating the State Board’s name and adding “standard” to a career technical education certificate title. The most discussed docket was the Code of Ethics for Idaho Professional Educators. Wilson said the updates came from the Professional Standards Commission after complaints and public comment, and were intended to reduce unethical educator-student interactions by requiring digital communications to occur on district-approved devices and platforms, limiting use of personal accounts, and broadening language on misuse of devices and explicit content. Members asked about how the rule would work for coaches and school trips, whether school-based accounts were required, and whether the changes addressed inappropriate conduct with students; Wilson said the goal was to create clearer, monitorable records and better protect students and staff. The committee also discussed whether these issues were common and whether further policy or legislation might be needed. The committee then took up social studies standards and the special education manual. Wilson explained that the social studies revisions were a response to prior legislative concerns, with updated Grade 4 and U.S. History I standards and a new Idaho-specific Western Civilization section; members asked about the date references in different dockets and about how much instruction covers the founding era and communism. The special education items included a temporary rule and a final pending rule for the Idaho Special Education Manual, adopted after federal concerns about eligibility criteria and multiple rounds of public comment and advisory input. The committee voted to approve the dockets individually, including the repeal, cleanup rules, the ethics updates, the social studies standards, and the special education manual rules, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• level by third grade.
• That grade level.
• Also for reading on grade level by third grade.
• </c> grade 20 and in adult education. grade 20 and in adult education.
• </c> fifth grade. fifth grade.

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call - 00:13 Approval of Minutes - 4:07 Kentucky Academic Standards for Reading and Writing - 5:18 Math Improvement Committee Report - 21:02 ETS Praxis Exam - 41:47 KDE Performance Review Data - 1:15:04 Adjournment - 1:57:54, 958, all

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from KDE on the revised Kentucky academic standards for reading and writing. KDE explained the statutory six-year review process, the public comment periods, and the main revisions, including updates tied to the science of reading, decodable text, encoding/decoding, and an updated vision statement. KDE said 308 responses were received on the initial public comment, most respondents favored keeping standards as-is, and about 12% of standards were revised. The department also said the document was streamlined by removing repeated graphics and reducing its size by about 24%, and that a later comment period drew more than 400 responses. No new standards were flagged for review. Members asked about alignment between standards, curriculum, assessments, and NAEP, and KDE said instructional resources should be aligned to standards, KSA assessments are aligned to the standards, and screeners/diagnostics help identify student needs. Representative Truett raised the idea of a textbook-to-standards crosswalk, and KDE said publishers and a future repository partner should provide such crosswalks for local districts. Representative Bojanowski asked why foundational reading skills are not directly assessed on the third-grade KSA; KDE responded that the assessment is designed to measure end-of-grade expectations, while screening and diagnostics are used earlier to identify decoding needs. Representative Gel asked about early childhood supports, and KDE said it is working with early learning and special education offices and promoting LETRS professional learning for both teachers and preschool educators. The committee then received the mathematics improvement committee report. KDE said the mathematics committee unanimously approved a new strategic plan for improving math achievement from pre-K through grade 20 and adult education. The plan centers on six priorities: student empowerment, effective mathematics teaching and learning, continuous educator development and growth, a continuum of learning, community and family partnerships, and teacher recruitment and retention. KDE said the plan is intended as a living document with goals, recommended actions, and evidence bases, and that it aligns with the Kentucky Numeracy Counts Act by supporting high-quality instructional resources, professional learning, and family resources. In response to Senator Thomas, KDE explained that the professional learning recommendation means districts should tailor teacher training to classroom needs and instructional materials so math teachers are better equipped to implement standards and support students.