Transcript Highlights:

• members of the committee, this bill would just create a one-credit course requirement for financial literacy
• 20.560> course So what it will do now is it creates a required elective course in financial literacy
• So I want to give him just a little bit of time. to financial literacy fitting into one to financial
• literacy fitting into one of<00:02:36.400> those<00:02:36.560> holes.
• literacy for anywhere through<00:02:44.080> the<00:02:44.239> high<00:02:44.480> school

Keywords: This meeting will take place upon Recess of the Senate Chambers. There is not an exact time for this meeting therefore a placeholder time for the live stream has been set for 12:30PM est., 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Education met with a quorum and took up several education bills near the end of session. House Bill 342, which would require a financial literacy course for Kentucky high school students, was presented by Rep. Michael Meredith and student advocate Patrick Reovi. Meredith explained that a committee substitute addressed Kentucky Department of Education concerns by making the course a required elective anywhere in high school rather than limiting it to junior or senior year, and by retaining flexibility on credit options. Reovi testified in support, arguing that many students lack basic financial knowledge and should graduate prepared to handle budgeting, credit, debt, and student loans. The substitute was adopted, and HB 342 passed the committee 10-0. The committee then heard House Bill 480, a teacher workload and bureaucracy reduction measure. Rep. Shane Baker described the bill as the product of a working group with educators and administrators and said it was intended to reduce redundant requirements and let teachers focus more on students. He said the bill would lengthen the evaluation cycle from every three years to every five, streamline professional development requirements, update continuous school improvement plan filing rules, and limit new reporting mandates. A committee substitute removed the CSIP provisions after discussion with KDE, and members noted concerns about implementation and federal funding implications for mentor training language. The substitute was adopted and HB 480 passed unanimously. House Bill 190, relating to advanced education opportunities, was presented by Rep. Robert Duvall. He said the bill would require districts to adopt policies on advanced coursework and accelerated learning for grades 4 through 12, with local flexibility. He also explained that the House committee substitute changed several provisions from mandatory to permissive, including automatic enrollment for students scoring distinguished and parent opt-out language. The bill passed unanimously. House Bill 430, on school bus safety training, was presented by Reps. Mike Clines and Emily Callaway, who said it would reduce regulations, improve bus safety, and fix regulatory issues arising from prior legislation allowing nine-passenger vans for school transportation. A committee substitute was adopted, the bill passed unanimously, and a title amendment was also adopted. Finally, the committee began hearing House Bill 208 on technology and public schools. Rep. Josh Bray, Rep. James Tipton, and Nick Spencer of the Family Foundation of Kentucky supported a policy requiring districts to prohibit student cell phone use during instructional time, with exceptions for disabilities, teacher-directed educational use, or incentives. They argued the bill would improve academic performance, reduce bullying and mental health problems, and limit social media access during school. The transcript cuts off during testimony on HB 208, before any committee action on the bill is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill study for SB 237 will focus on methods of age verification, with consideration as to whether
• we address green tech, whether it's clean and sustainability issues and matters, or talent and AI literacy

Keywords: Technology and Science, Joint Commission on, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• appropriations, your below-the-line recurring appropriations, is row 58 with a $2 million increase for literacy
• Guidance issued, reporting requirements, data collection methods, standardization as well.

Bills: SB204, SB241, HB34

Keywords: higher education, research funding, federal funding, New Mexico, appropriation, University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, child care, child care assistance, child care subsidy, early childhood education, early childhood care, daycare, preschool, pre-K, Head Start, Early Head Start, Children's Code, early childhood education and care department

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill H.817 is a bill relating to mental health literacy and peer-to-peer supports in schools.
• mental health literacy and peer-to-peer supports<00:41:09.920> in<00:41:10.240> schools.
• I'm wondering if that was that the scrivener's error should be literacy.
• It should be literacy and thank you. >> Okay, I take the reporter. Uh, in section two.
• I'm wondering if that was the scrivener's error should be literacy.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, libraries are the foster to literacy. And so I I I strongly feel the impact.
• My libraries... focused on the read act and literacy and focused on the read act and literacy and we<
• Um, libraries are the foster to literacy. And so I I I strongly feel the impact.
• Um, libraries are the foster to literacy. And so I I I strongly feel the impact.
• And so I I I strongly feel the literacy.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Line 64 is a proposal to modify the literacy incentive aid formula. year 2027.
• <01:11:36.800> The The literacy incentive aid formula.
• On line 95 is a reduction to the Redact Literacy Aid.
• On line 97 is an appropriation for school leader and literacy instructor professional development.
• Uh this is a the redact literacy aid.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The goal is to learn the fundamentals of financial literacy, teamwork, and long-term investing.
• Whether it's used as a privacy enhancement technology, a supply chain management tool, or as a method
• Whether it's used as a privacy enhancement technology, a supply chain management tool, or as a method
• Whether it's used as a privacy enhancement technology, a supply chain management tool, or as a method

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, June 23, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• now, and let's give them the opportunity to innovate so they can actually educate our kids with literacy
• they can actually educate our<00:04:43.440> kids<00:04:44.240> with<00:04:44.560> literacy
• ,<00:04:45.560> math,<00:04:46.560> science, our kids with literacy, math, science,
• our kids with literacy, math, science, and<00:04:47.680> those<00:04:47.919> important

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• House File 6 covers the following priorities: where literacy is learning, local control is innovation
• This article also repeals the requirement that all literacy-related curriculum and instructional materials
• Representative Bennett continued: “House File 6 covers the following priorities: where literacy is learning
• This article also repeals the requirement that all literacy-related curriculum and instructional materials

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And then to find that we're opening it back up and trading things, and yet literacy is not included,
• It's appalling that we couldn't use something as universal as literacy to be able to, if we're going
• to open this bill back up and let it be the carryall for everything, we talk about how literacy is a
• is not included, one of and yet literacy is not included, one of those<00:08:16.080> things<00
• . literacy. literacy.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The House first adopted a conference committee report on House File 3900, a constitutional amendment related to state government and school trust lands. Members from both parties praised the work on the bill and said the conference committee returned a clean version of the House-passed measure. The report was adopted without opposition, and the bill was repassed as amended by conference on a 134-0 roll call. The chamber then took up Senate File 4282, a forecast-adjustments bill covering K-12 education, human services, children and families, and transportation. Representative Youakim explained that the conference report restored all four forecast articles plus several no-cost education items, including school fund transfers, utility-payment authority, a paraprofessional licensing clarification, a grant extension, and school trust lands language. Representative Mueller moved to refuse adoption, arguing the report had become a catchall and omitted agreed-upon literacy language; that motion failed 62-72. The House then adopted the conference report, and the bill was repassed as amended by conference on a 94-37 vote. Next, the House concurred in Senate amendments to House File 4138, the social media bill aimed at restricting addictive social media harms for minors. The Senate had removed House “threat alert” language, and the author said that was the only substantive difference. Supporters said the bill would protect kids online and require parental permission for social media accounts for children 15 and under. The House concurred and repassed the bill as amended by the Senate on a 131-2 vote. The House then began consideration of Senate File 2373, a labor and industry bill exempting minor league baseball players from minimum wage and overtime requirements. Through a series of amendments, members added provisions on rural cancer research, disability services and employment access, unemployment insurance for certain laid-off Iron Range miners, and agricultural funding items such as depredation, local foods, down payment assistance, and meat processing grants. One proposed amendment to remove the double-fencing requirement for farmed cervidae was strongly opposed as a threat to deer health and was defeated 61-72. The transcript ends during debate on that amendment, before final disposition of the bill is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2025, the House passed House Bill 342 to strengthen financial literacy education. invested in high
• strengthen financial literacy education. strengthen financial literacy education.
• But what good<00:07:20.000> is<00:07:20.240> financial<00:07:20.720> literacy<00
• financial literacy without life literacy?
• What good is knowing how to literacy?

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate Education Committee first recognized several guest groups, including a Harrison County leadership group and students from Mercy Academy, then heard a presentation tied to Career and Technical Education Month from Kentucky FCCLA student leaders D. Owens and Kaden Dunn. The students described FCCLA’s role in building confidence, leadership, and career readiness, and argued that CTE is a strong pathway rather than an alternative one. They cited membership and achievement statistics, discussed their own experiences in FCCLA, and urged continued and expanded state support for CTE, internships, apprenticeships, rural access, and teacher recruitment. Several senators responded positively, praising the presentation and emphasizing the value of CTE and workforce preparation. The committee then took up Senate Bill 152, an act relating to education, and adopted both a committee substitute and a committee amendment. Senator Aaron Reed explained that the bill would replace school-based decision-making councils with school-based advisory councils, while keeping parent and teacher input but shifting final authority over hiring, curriculum, and school leadership to principals and superintendents. He said the bill was intended to clarify responsibility and strengthen accountability. Senator Thomas questioned whether there was evidence that site-based councils were failing, and Reed said he had heard concerns from parents and teachers but did not have a formal list of evidence at hand. Senator Higdon supported the bill as a needed review of a system adopted in 1990, noting that education has changed significantly and that prior reforms have shown the process can work. Senators West and others asked for clarification that parental involvement would remain, and Reed said it would. Three opponents then testified: Elizabeth Irwin of the Kentucky Association of School Councils, Ed Hendrick representing KA, and Autumn Nagel of the Kentucky State PTA. They argued that dismantling SBDMs would reduce authentic parent and teacher voice, politicize school decisions, and take authority away from those closest to students. They said local councils have transparency and elections already in place and urged support for the existing school council structure rather than reducing its role.

Transcript Highlights:

• cost of post-secondary education and funding sources to be a component of the required financial literacy
• cost of post-secondary education and funding sources to be a component of the required financial literacy
• For literacy, the bill requires that intensive reading interventions be delivered by instructional personnel

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K through 12 Education met with a quorum present and took up three bills. SB 1618, by Senator Calatayud, was presented as a broad education package affecting VPK through grade 12. It included changes to VPK enrollment flexibility, repeal of the Council for Early Grade Success, agriculture and financial literacy curriculum updates, reading intervention requirements, limits on certain public-school spending, corporal punishment consent, educator certification and screening provisions, and changes to the school recognition program. A late-filed technical amendment clarifying prior legislation for certain private schools in Brevard, Clay, Sarasota, and Bradford counties was adopted. Senator Osgood raised concerns about the bill’s school recognition provisions and the impact on paraprofessionals and other support staff, and the sponsor said she would continue those discussions. SB 1618, as amended, was reported favorably. The committee then considered CS for SB 1058, which would update Florida references from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in state, district, and charter school materials beginning after July 1, 2025, without requiring existing materials to be changed. The bill was presented by Senator Calatayud on behalf of Senator Gruters and was reported favorably without amendment or opposition. Next, the committee heard CS for SB 1470 on school safety, which would align school security guard training with guardian program requirements, refine locked campus and classroom rules, and improve panic alert and digital map coordination. Several amendments were adopted, including a late-filed amendment capping guardian training fees, creating a stakeholder work group for a Florida Institute of School Safety, adjusting locked-zone requirements and exceptions, requiring substitute teachers to receive safety protocol training, and a funding amendment providing $450,000 in recurring funds for a centralized panic alert and digital map system. Support was voiced by school district, sheriff, and safety representatives, and Senator Osgood praised the recurring funding as avoiding an unfunded mandate. The committee also passed SB 1472, linked to SB 1470, extending a public records exemption to school security guards’ records held by FDLE, with the exemption set to sunset in 2030 unless renewed. President Gaetz questioned the need for the exemption, and Senator Burgess responded that it was intended to protect school safety personnel from exposure of personal information after an incident. All three bills were reported favorably, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• that I have come across, and I think it just speaks to his diligence and his interest in education, literacy
• I know he's worked closely with members of this committee and leadership in our literacy efforts in ways
• we were able to have, I really want to encourage you to lean into the areas where we know adult literacy
• other ways in which individuals who are not of public school age have a way to receive the gift of literacy
• , I think will pay dividends in being able to address those literacy concerns for our young learners.

Summary: The Extended Education Committee met to consider a long slate of gubernatorial nominations and reappointments to education-related boards and commissions. The committee heard brief introductions from sponsoring senators and remarks from nominees for the Oklahoma Lottery Commission, State Board of Career and Technology Education, Regional University System of Oklahoma, State Board of Education, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, Board of Regents for the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges, the Secretary of Education, several university and college boards, the Oklahoma Student Loan Authority, the State Textbook Committee, the Oklahoma Arts Council, and the Langston University board, among others. Many nominees emphasized their backgrounds in public education, higher education, business, agriculture, health care, or community service, and several acknowledged family members or institutional leaders present in the room. A few nominations drew questions or discussion. John Wesley Nofire was asked about working with the State Board of Education and about the social studies standards process, and he explained the board followed statutory public-comment procedures and made changes before final adoption. Secretary of Education Dan Hamlin received supportive comments from multiple senators, who praised his data-driven approach and urged that he be retained by future administrations. Michael McElroy, Brian Beller, Christopher Franklin, Dr. Michael Peck, and others also answered questions about the role of their boards and their experience with the institutions they would oversee. The committee voted on each nomination, with most receiving unanimous approval and a few passing with one or two dissenting votes. Notable vote totals included David McKenzie and Michael McElroy passing 9-2 and 10-1 respectively, while the rest of the nominees generally passed 8-0, 9-0, 10-0, or 11-0. At the end of the meeting, the chair thanked members for their work on the large number of executive nominations and announced that the committee was adjourned for the year.

Transcript Highlights:

• Speech and debate instruction supports literacy, research skills, structured reasoning, public speaking
• , supports literacy, research skills, structured reasoning, public speaking, and civic participation.
• It is a vital engine for literacy, leadership, and civil discourse.
• Encouraging civic confidence, literacy, and critical thinking will help students develop important skills
• It is a classroom for leadership, literacy, and democracy.

Bills: S1062, S1718, S7038

Keywords: speech education, debate, high school, Florida Debate Initiative, civics, competitive teams, student participation, educational advancement, educator preparation, certification, professional development, temporary certificate, military service, collaboration, teaching effectiveness, education, Florida College System, tuition waivers, vocational rehabilitation, state universities

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met to consider several education bills and the proposed fiscal year 2026-2027 Department of Education budget. The committee first took up CS/SB 1062 on speech and debate, which would formalize Florida’s Speech and Debate Week, strengthen the partnership between the Department of Education and the Florida Debate Initiative, require annual public reporting, and support statewide speech and debate programming. The bill drew extensive supportive testimony from students, alumni, and advocates who said debate improved civic engagement, literacy, confidence, and school performance, while also noting the need for equitable access and funding for travel and competition. The committee adopted a delete-everything amendment and then reported the bill favorably as amended by a unanimous vote of members present. The committee then heard SB 1718 on educator preparation and certification, which expands access to educator preparation coursework, broadens eligibility for temporary certification for some formerly certified professionals, and allows prior subject-area exam results to satisfy requirements. Public testimony largely supported easing barriers for experienced educators while emphasizing that certification changes are only a partial solution to teacher shortages and should be paired with better pay, retention, and professional respect. The bill was reported favorably. Next, the committee considered SB 7038 on education, which included a wide range of higher education and workforce-related changes, including a tuition waiver for Florida State Guard members, residency clarifications, oversight changes for blind services and vocational rehabilitation providers, licensure updates for private colleges, dual enrollment and assessment revisions, scholarship and funding changes, and reserve-fund requirements. An amendment restored the Classical Learning Test as a qualifying option for a grandparent tuition waiver, adjusted a Pell Grant performance metric, changed accreditation timing, and made other technical revisions. A dental education stakeholder raised concerns that one provision could disrupt long-standing exemptions for dental assisting programs, and the Florida Dental Association said it was working with the sponsor to avoid unintended impacts. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably as amended. The final major item was a high-level review of the proposed pre-K-12 budget, totaling $34.9 billion with local funds. Highlights included $30 billion for public schools and K-12 scholarships, a $50 increase in the base student allocation, a 1.64% increase in total funds per FTE, $4.5 billion for family empowerment scholarships as a separate FEFP categorical, $25 million for districts facing future enrollment declines, $65.3 million to help districts with current-year enrollment losses, $432.8 million for VPK, and $30.4 million for regional education consortia. Senators asked about reductions or flat funding in some allocations, teacher pay, declining enrollment support, Schools of Hope funding, and support for non-teaching school staff. Public testimony on the budget focused heavily on concerns about charter and voucher funding, especially the $6 million for Schools of Hope, with speakers urging more investment in traditional public schools, teacher compensation, and school infrastructure. The committee concluded the meeting by adjournment after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• In fact, we outperformed the national average in literacy lexile scores in four of the six grade levels
• I've been a literacy coach. I'm currently the district test coordinator.
• Since 2022, charter schools have outperformed traditional schools in literacy math and science.
• low-income students that attended charter schools outperformed those who attended traditional schools in literacy
• say four percentage points, I actually mean over 1,200 more low-income students on grade level in literacy

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• From literacy and math interventions, which we've talked about in this committee, we have to make those
• investments and those supports to make sure that in K-1, 2, and 3, in early literacy and for numeracy
• To make sure that in K-1, 2, and 3, in early literacy and for numeracy, we have those supports and not
• Those two incredible supports for early literacy and numeracy and teacher prep and certification are
• We, again, have the early literacy and numeracy provisions for reading and math is $700 million alone

Bills: HB2

Keywords: disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace, medical examiner, county judge, sheriff, mayor, emergency coordinator, emergency manager license, volunteer management system, volunteer registration, criminal history check, background check, Texas Division of Emergency Management

Summary: The Senate Education K-16 Committee met to consider HB 2, the major school finance bill, with the chair explaining that the committee substitute would provide about $8 billion in new public education funding. The bill was described as including permanent teacher compensation increases, expanded teacher incentive allotment funding, support for early literacy and numeracy, teacher certification and residency pathways, special education funding, career and technical education, school safety dollars, and facilities support for charter schools. The committee adopted the committee substitute without objection after roll was called and a quorum was present. Members questioned the bill’s structure, especially the balance between across-the-board teacher pay and the teacher incentive allotment, the treatment of uncertified teachers, and differences in requirements between traditional public schools and charter schools. Senator Menendez and Senator West raised concerns about equity, charter-school parity, facilities funding, inflation, and whether the bill should include more support for fine arts and extracurricular programs. The chair responded that the bill was designed to direct most new money to traditional public schools while also preserving flexibility and that charter-school and public-school alignment would need further work. Invited witnesses Dr. Imelda De La Rosa and Val Acri testified in support of the bill, emphasizing that the Teacher Incentive Allotment helps recruit and retain teachers in rural districts and supports mentorship and certification pathways. Public witnesses also supported the bill but urged more funding for fine arts, local flexibility, and full restoration of House-proposed funding levels. Dr. Josh Jones supported year-long teacher residencies, Dr. Philip Morgan asked for more local control and restoration of fine arts funding, Rich Saina supported the bill but warned about hold-harmless reductions, and Dr. Greg Poole supported the bill while asking for flexibility for high-performing districts that already pay high salaries. After the invited testimony and some public testimony, the committee recessed subject to the call of the chair so members could attend the Senate floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• As our university advances access to AI learning, the library serves as a central support for AI literacy
• Information literacy is a key foundation of AI literacy.
• , copyright, and maker literacy as students develop and pharmacist, veterinarian, and public pharmacist
• ,<00:16:21.040> copyright,<00:16:21.600> and teach visual literacy, copyright, and
• teach visual literacy, copyright, and maker<00:16:22.160> literacy<00:16:22.959> as<00:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Literacy is a big one that I'm sure you're hearing a lot about.
• Literacy is a big one that I'm sure you're hearing a lot about.
• Literacy is a big one that I'm sure you're hearing a lot about.
• Literacy is a big one quickly mention.
• In fact, a study uh their literacy.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They come and utilize the resources and participate in literacy programming.
• During the summer, it's a very good time for them to be building their literacy skills and educational
• And that makes our services and our literacy programs and our staff vulnerable.

Bills: SB61, SB62, SB99

Keywords: rural libraries, funding, cultural affairs, education, community support, appropriation, state investment, public resources, 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for early literacy which has been<00:12:36.320> huge<00:12:36.959> in<00:12:37.199>
• South Dakota allocated funds to support teachers for early literacy professional development, again a
• And then finally, we made mention of this earlier: early literacy and numeracy are very big areas of
• <00:30:22.000> and this earlier uh early literacy and this earlier uh early literacy and numeracy
• has been for a while because we literacy has been for a while because we had<00:30:26.840> the

Keywords: 1191, senate, all