Video & Transcript Research : 'GED'

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KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

House Standing Committee on Primary and Secondary Education. (2-11-26)

Primary and Secondary Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • freshman year, a GED is going to<00:21:55.440> be<00:21:55.679> more<00:21:55.919>
  • So we can say if you have more than two years remaining, here's the GED program that might be a better
  • Some are focused on literacy, some on equivalency, and some on GED programs.
  • There are online GED programs, facility.
  • There are online GED programs, but<00:32:04.960> as<00:32:05.120> far<00:32:05.279>
Keywords: 958, all
Summary: The committee heard presentations from the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America and the Governor Scholars Program. The FCCLA student speaker described how career and technical education helped her gain certifications, work in early childhood settings, and recognize a child who needed speech help, emphasizing support for CTE, FCCLA, and related student organizations. The Governor Scholars Program presentation, led by Dr. Jennifer Price with student speakers Max Corbett and Abigail Ziggler, focused on the program’s role in serving about 1,500 rising seniors each summer, its history since 1983, its statewide reach, and its impact on leadership development, college readiness, and keeping students connected to Kentucky. Members praised the students and program, and several shared personal stories about the program’s long-term benefits. Representative Camuel asked about funding, and Dr. Price said the program’s request was $2.1 million to maintain current enrollment levels of about 1,020 scholars for 2026; no vote was taken on that request during this segment. The committee then took up House Bill 498, sponsored by Representative Duvall, with Aaron Looper of Graduation Alliance testifying in support. A committee substitute was adopted after explanation. The substitute broadened eligibility for accredited providers to include public and nonprofit entities, allowed each county an opportunity to provide services with a $200,000 aggregate maximum per county, reduced the dollars per credit to serve more students, and made date corrections. Representative Duvall said the bill was a workforce measure developed from the Workforce Attraction and Retention Task Force and aimed at adults who lack a high school diploma but have two years or less remaining to graduate. Looper said the bill would create a pathway for adults to earn a regionally accredited high school diploma, paired with workforce and industry-recognized credentials, and stressed that it would not compete with GED programs, which are better suited for adults farther from graduation. He said the model is pay-for-performance, with providers paid only after milestones are completed, and that it would be available online, in person, or in hybrid form to improve rural access. In response to questions, he said students would not be charged fees, providers would handle transcript retrieval and remediation, and the program would include built-in accountability measures. He also said the budget request is $2 million per year, with the goal of maintaining the current level of service and eventually expanding if successful. Members asked about how the program differs from existing adult education options, access in all counties, and whether there are deserts in service availability; Looper said the online model and provider outreach are intended to address those gaps.
FL

Florida 2025 Regular Session

March 11, 2025 - 01:00 PM

Transcript Highlights:
  • of times people will say, well, you got that certificate of completion, why don't you just take the GED
  • 9th or 10th grade, you're weighing the options, and one of those options is, hey, you can get your GED
  • Will it be GED, night school, I don't know if that's still around, you know, probably aging myself here
  • So it'll be GED, night school, I don't know if that's still around, you know, probably aging myself here
Summary: The Student Academic Success Subcommittee met with a quorum and heard four bills, all of which were reported favorably by unanimous votes. The chair opened with remarks about student performance and assessment, then the committee took up House Bill 1111 by Rep. Valdes, which would eliminate the certificate of completion for students who do not meet standard high school graduation requirements. Supporters argued the certificate is a meaningless “participation trophy” that can mislead students and families, while the sponsor said students would instead be pushed toward additional support, concordance testing, or other pathways to a standard diploma. Members raised questions about effects on ESE students, timing, and alternative pathways; the bill passed 17-0. The committee next approved House Bill 921 by Rep. Overdorf, which adds cursive writing instruction for grades 2 through 5 and defines cursive proficiency. The sponsor and supporters said cursive has historical, cognitive, and fine-motor benefits and helps students read signatures and historical documents. The bill also passed 17-0. After a brief recognition of visiting students, the committee heard House Bill 423 by Rep. Bartleman, which requires private schools participating in the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program to give parents written notice about which services in an IEP, 504 plan, ELL plan, or similar plan will be honored. Supporters framed it as a transparency and consumer-protection measure for families, especially those with children with disabilities; the sponsor emphasized it does not require private schools to provide specific services, only to disclose them. The bill passed 17-0. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 251 by Rep. Tendrich, which would recognize January 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day in Florida. The sponsor and public witnesses described rising antisemitism, the importance of remembrance, and the need for education about the Holocaust. Members from both parties shared personal reflections and support, and a survivor’s letter was read into the record. The bill passed 16-0. At the end of the meeting, the chair noted the committee had gone four-for-four on unanimous support and adjourned.
MO

Missouri 2026 Regular Session

2026 Legislative Session - Day Seven - Tuesday, January 20

Missouri House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • YouthBuild helps youth age 16 to 24 develop life skills and get their GED so that we can get them off
  • of government support and contributing to... ...life skills and get their GED so that we can get them
Keywords: 959, house, all
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

House Standing Committee on Judiciary. (2-25-26)

Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:
  • We've just celebrated over 3,000 GEDs with among our incarcerated population in 2024.
  • c> can see, we're already currently can see, we're already currently facilitating<00:12:50.800> GEDs
  • <00:12:52.639> We facilitating GEDs across Kentucky.
  • We facilitating GEDs across Kentucky.
  • <00:12:55.680> with just celebrated over 3,000 GEDs with just celebrated over 3,000 GEDs with
Keywords: 958, all
Summary: The House Judiciary Committee met for its sixth regular-session meeting and first took up House Bill 5, as substituted by committee amendment, which would authorize KCTCS to partner with the Department of Corrections to create a vocational training campus at North Point Training Center. The sponsor and witnesses described the bill as a prison education and re-entry initiative aimed at reducing recidivism, saving taxpayer money, and meeting workforce needs, citing Michigan’s vocational village model as evidence that prison-based training can lower reoffending. Testimony emphasized that the program would include high-demand vocational fields, credentials, eligibility and security safeguards, data collection, annual reporting, and re-entry documentation such as certificates of employability and employment protections. Several members voiced support, including comments that the bill builds on existing second-chance and employability efforts. One member asked whether post-release employment outcomes could also be tracked, and the sponsor said that would be encouraged and discussed as a possible friendly amendment. After discussion, the committee voted 19-1 to adopt the committee substitute and pass House Bill 5. The committee then began consideration of House Bill 468, which would update the Kentucky Civil Rights Act to conform the state definition of disability to the 2008 federal ADA amendments and clarify the meaning of “qualified individual with a disability.” The bill sponsor said it would remove the Kentucky Human Rights Commission’s adjudicative authority over employment and public accommodations cases, while leaving investigative powers intact and preserving housing-related adjudication, with the goal of placing those disputes in court and preserving jury-trial rights. In response to questions, the sponsor said a local mandate analysis found the court impact would be minimal to moderate, and cited commission data showing relatively few hearings. The transcript cuts off during continued discussion of HB 468.
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

Senate Standing Committee on Families and Children.(2-24-26)

Families & Children

Transcript Highlights:
  • whatever because, you know, I had a lot of clients that really graduated from high school or got their GED
  • high school or uh really graduated from high school or got<00:20:08.160> their<00:20:08.320> GED
  • 08.960> read<00:20:09.120> at<00:20:09.200> a<00:20:09.360> sixth got their GED
  • and they read at a sixth got their GED and they read at a sixth grade<00:20:09.840> level.
Keywords: 958, all
Summary: Senate Joint Resolution 54, sponsored by Senator Cassie Chambers Armstrong, was heard in committee on expanding Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Kentucky. Testimony came from Libby Settles, Bill Shy, and Lindsay Westerfield, who described the program’s impact on early literacy and family reading habits, and outlined ways to increase enrollment. Proposed expansion ideas included automatic enrollment for children in foster care, outreach through WIC and health departments, and exploring enrollment through the birth certificate process. Witnesses also highlighted related efforts such as bilingual books, Braille Tales, and a prison-based reading space program tied to Imagination Library books. Supporters emphasized the program’s low cost and broad educational benefits, citing statewide coverage, 52% enrollment of eligible children ages birth to five, and a goal of reaching 65%. Members asked about sustaining local matching funds and handling children who move between counties. Witnesses said local partners use a five-year cost estimator, diversify funding through grants and foundations, and rely on postal change-of-address systems to transfer enrollments seamlessly. Senator Chambers Armstrong also noted that about 2,200 foster children eligible for the program were not enrolled and said the resolution would help address that gap while protecting confidentiality. The committee adopted a small oral amendment removing the word “is” from line 19 on page two, then approved the resolution as amended on a 10-0 vote with favorable expression. Members spoke in support of the measure, praising the program’s literacy benefits and bipartisan history, and the committee then voted to roll the amendment into the committee report. The resolution was reported favorably and was said to be expected to pass the Senate floor.
FL

Florida 2025 Regular Session

March 11, 2025 - 10:15 AM

Transcript Highlights:
  • programs help students reach a number of goals, whether it's to master basic skills necessary for a GED
  • The operation of a local GED testing center is a community operation that's not wholly tied to enrollment
  • intended to support a new program that was created for students to be concurrently enrolled as adults in GED
  • In GED preparation or adult high school and a career certificate or applied technology diploma program
Summary: The Higher Education Budget Subcommittee met to review funding models for the Florida College System and district workforce education programs, with an emphasis on how new dollars are allocated in the program fund and how performance and targeted funding are incorporated. Chancellor Hebda explained the Florida College System model, including base program funding, student success and pipeline funds, performance incentives for industry certifications, and the 2022 president-developed formula that weights enrollment, workforce enrollment, completions, small-college factors, and regional cost differences, plus a targeted funding floor for colleges below a minimum per-FTE level. Vice Chancellor Goodman then outlined the district workforce model, which uses lagged enrollment, program cost weights, local revenue offsets, small-district adjustments, and unmet-need calculations to distribute lump-sum appropriations to school districts offering workforce education. The department also provided updates on several grant programs and funding delays. Goodman said the Workforce Development Incentive Grant, Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant, Graduation Alternative to Traditional Education Startup Grant, and teacher apprenticeship/mentor bonus programs all involve multi-year awards and often require reversions and reappropriations because projects are delayed, extended, or not fully obligated by year-end. She said the department is moving toward an electronic grants system and had already adjusted internal deadlines to speed awards, while acknowledging some reimbursement delays and explaining that mentor bonuses for teacher apprentices will not be paid until the first cohort reaches the statutory timing requirement. Members asked about tracking whether CTE students work in their trained fields, how Xello is used to inform students about career pathways, how FTE is calculated, whether the funding formulas could encourage growth over quality, and how students with disabilities are counted in workforce funding. Questions also focused on tuition, enrollment trends, and the gap between college and university funding. The committee heard that tuition has remained flat for more than a decade, enrollment has rebounded from COVID and is projected to exceed pre-pandemic levels, and the college system’s funding per FTE varies widely. Valencia College President Kathleen Plinsky testified in support of the proposed formula and an additional $200 million for the Florida College System, saying Valencia is the second-largest college in the state but ranks last in per-FTE funding, which has made it difficult to recruit and retain faculty and admit qualified students in high-demand programs like nursing. The committee took no vote and adjourned after the presentations and questions.
FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

Appropriations Committee on Higher Education Feb 19th, 2025

Appropriations Committee on Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • We also include a factor for operation of GED testing.
  • students That aren't dependent upon adult ed enrollment, while a lot of our students who are testing for a GED
  • So everybody who has a high school diploma or a GED, if you want to do college credit, is granted access
Summary: The Appropriations Committee for Higher Education met to review Florida’s workforce and Florida College System funding models as part of budget planning. Chair Harrell opened by emphasizing the state’s growing focus on technical education and workforce pathways, and the committee first heard from Tara Goodman of the Department of Education on district workforce education. Goodman explained the programs funded through district workforce dollars, including career certificates, applied technology diplomas, registered apprenticeship, and adult general education, and described the model’s reliance on lagged enrollment, program cost weights, local tuition offsets, and supplemental factors such as disability services, GED testing, and minimum funding for small rural districts. She also noted federal support through Perkins and WIOA and said the model is used to determine unmet need and guide appropriations. In response to questions, she said health care programs are generally among the higher-cost offerings and may be supplemented by pipeline funds. The committee then heard from Kathy Hebda, Chancellor of the Florida College System, on the college system’s funding model. Hebda described the main funding sources, including the program fund, student success incentive funds, pipeline funds, tuition and fees, and performance-based incentives, and explained that the current model was developed by the 28 college presidents under legislative direction. She said the model uses a three-year average FTE, weights workforce enrollment more heavily than non-workforce enrollment, gives significant weight to completions, includes a small-college factor and regional cost differentials, and also provides targeted funding to bring colleges up to a floor based on per-FTE funding. Senators asked about colleges below the target, cost differences among programs, faculty salaries, and health insurance costs; Hebda said the model is meant to provide flexible operating dollars that colleges can use for those expenses, but specific salary and benefit decisions are left to the institutions. Seminole State College President Georgia Lorenz also testified in support of the college funding model, saying it holds institutions accountable for enrollment and completions, can be adjusted to reflect state priorities like workforce, and addresses differences in size and regional costs. No bills were voted on, and the committee adjourned after brief closing remarks thanking Seminole State College and the presenters.
MS

Mississippi 2026 Regular Session

Appropriations - Room 210; 14 January, 2026: 3:30 PM

Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:
  • She has a master degree though, but she had to go back and get a GED. >> Mhm. >> So I understand those
  • 00:45:26.560> a but uh so she had to go back and get a but uh so she had to go back and get a GED
  • GED. GED. >> Mhm. >> Mhm. >> Mhm.
  • And that is one of the hurdles we take for granted sometimes, that somebody can afford to pay for a GED
  • And that is one of the hurdles we take for granted sometimes, that somebody can afford to pay for a GED
Summary: MDES presented its FY27 budget request, describing the agency as a special fund workforce agency focused on helping Mississippians get jobs through employment services, labor market information, and unemployment insurance. Executive Director Bill Ashley said the revised request seeks level spending authority similar to FY26, with line-item changes driven mainly by higher salaries and fringe benefits and lower contractual services. He said MDES currently has 406 employees, 28 active recruitments, and six additional planned positions, for a requested total of 440 positions, down from 453 authorized last year. The request also includes $1.4 million for the State Longitudinal Data System and $400,000 for Accelerate Mississippi fiscal support. Committee members asked about the SLDS pass-through funding, whether it is recurring, and the staffing/pin changes; MDES explained the SLDS is a recurring annual pass-through and that the staffing request reflects turnover and recruitment needs rather than a net expansion. Accelerate Mississippi then outlined its FY27 request and program updates. Officials said the office is requesting level funding overall, with some salary adjustments tied to benefits and two new positions, including one for Talent Solutions and one systems administrator. They described workforce initiatives such as Encore, a recruiter/instructor program; Facet, a partnership with Northwest Mississippi Community College to strengthen instructor preparation; Power Path, a K-12 advanced manufacturing credential model; and expanded career coach activity, reporting 204 coaches serving 209 schools and more than 22,000 unique student interactions. They also reviewed funding streams for workforce enhancement training, Mississippi Works, Equip Mississippi, and ARPA, saying ARPA funds are on track to be fully spent by the September 30 reimbursement deadline and that monthly check-ins are being used to ensure funds are drawn down. Members asked about the budget changes, the use of contractual services, and the career coach program; the office said it was shifting some audit and monitoring costs to the funds being monitored and was not requesting an increase for career coach funding. The Mississippi community college presidents and the Community College Board also presented their budget priorities. They reported that Mississippi community colleges served 88,600 students in academic year 2023 and said the system’s graduation rate is about 42 percent, with a goal of reaching 55 percent. Their FY27 request includes a 6 percent salary increase for employees, increased basic operations funding, and continued support for CTE Advantage programs, totaling $61.5 million in general support. On facilities, they requested $150 million after receiving no facilities funding last year, citing roughly $413 million in identified needs across capital improvements, repairs and renovations, and pre-planning. The Community College Board requested restoration of $310,000 in general fund cuts and a new $2 million appropriation for adult education, noting that an estimated 300,000 to 330,000 Mississippians lack a high school diploma. No votes were taken during the presentations.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • In the past three fiscal years, almost 6,000 students have earned their GED or high school diploma.
  • In the past three fiscal years, almost 6,000 students have earned their GED or high school diploma.
  • In the past three fiscal years, almost 6,000 students have earned their GED or high school diploma, 2,800
  • Academic education allows for growth through literacy, basic education, earning a high school diploma or GED
  • technical education completions, 102 computer-related technology completions, 15 high school diplomas, 74 GEDs
Summary: The hearing focused first on sexual abuse, harassment, and retaliation in California’s women’s prisons, with testimony from CDCR wardens, the Office of Inspector General, advocacy groups, and formerly incarcerated survivors. Legislators and witnesses described a pattern of staff misconduct, fear of retaliation, gaps in reporting, and the need for stronger accountability, better investigations, and more outside access for survivor support organizations. CDCR said it has expanded training, body-worn and stationary cameras, outside partnerships, and PREA-related response procedures, while the Inspector General requested additional funding and staff to monitor more grievances and staff sexual misconduct cases under SB 1069. Members pressed CDCR on why accused staff are not always placed on leave, how cases are referred to prosecutors, and whether current protections are enough; several members argued the state should aim to investigate all complaints and do more to prevent retaliation and repeat abuse. The second issue was rehabilitative and reentry programming in women’s prisons. CDCR’s Division of Rehabilitative Programs and the wardens highlighted education, vocational training, substance use treatment, peer support, and community reentry programs, citing increased enrollment and recent graduates earning diplomas, degrees, and certifications. They said these programs are intended to reduce recidivism and improve public safety. Formerly incarcerated advocates and community providers argued that current offerings are still too limited, outdated, and not aligned with today’s job market, especially around digital literacy and transferable credentials, and they urged more funding for community-based, trauma-informed, gender-responsive programming. A coalition representative asked for a $20 million continuation and expansion of the Wright Grant program, and members discussed additional budget requests for reentry and related women’s services.
AL
Transcript Highlights:
  • you're Black, if you're white, if you're rich, if you're poor, if you went to college, if you have a GED
  • > if<00:09:26.560> you<00:09:26.800> have<00:09:27.040> a<00:09:27.120> GED
  • went to college, if you have a GED went to college, if you have a GED we<00:09:28.839> work
Keywords: 923, senate, all
NM

New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

House - Appropriations and Finance Feb 3rd, 2025

House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:
  • your performance measures, like how many of the members who are in prison now actually complete their GED
  • So the first thing, the GED, there's people sitting behind me who definitely know that percentage, and
  • I think the GED after... Been revised a couple of years ago is almost impossible for someone.
  • The GED just seems almost unattainable. It means they're college bound.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
  • WELL THAT'S GOING TO POSITION THEM TO HOPEFULLY INCREASE THAT SIXTH-GRADE WEEK READING LEVEL, GET A GED
  • THE BASELINE IS LEARNING HOW TO READ AND GET A GED AND WE TRIED TO START THERE BUT WE ARE TRYING TO BE
  • IN GEOMETRY, A COUPLE INDIVIDUALS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH COURSES, SOMEONE DOING ALGEBRA, PRE-ALGEBRA, GED
  • WHETHER THAT IS A STANDARD MODEL OR A GED, THE YOUTH IS GRADUATING ON TIME WITH WHAT THEIR INTENDED GRADUATION
Keywords: 999, senate, all
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • No, I'm just talking about the GED stuff, right?
  • there's one last piece yeah, so subsection 3 says that they can get a stipend for education level like a GED
Keywords: 1184, house, all
FL

Florida 2026 4th Special Session

January 13, 2026 - 03:30 PM

Transcript Highlights:
  • Whether it's a diploma or GED requirements and they are enrolled in and the Florida Youth College.
  • So if they're done with their high school diploma or GED and they come out of the residential program
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • No, you're talking about the GED stuff, right?
  • So, subsection 3 says that they can get a stipend for education level, like a GED or a college degree
AL
Transcript Highlights:
  • preparation<00:46:12.960> to<00:46:13.359> rapid<00:46:13.920> skills from GED
  • preparation to rapid skills from GED preparation to rapid skills training.<00:46:15.440> The<
  • They can be getting a GED and also be in college classes with us.
  • and also be in can be getting a GED and also be in college<00:55:56.880> classes<00:55:57.280
  • high school diplomas rather than GEDs high school diplomas rather than GEDs and<00:56:08.720>
Keywords: 924, joint, all
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • We furthermore offer ESL, GED, HEP, and last year we were able to use CSBG funds to help us train 30
  • We furthermore offer ESL, GED, HEP, and last year we were able to use CSBG funds to help us train 30
  • We hope to expand our educational opportunities in ESL and GED and offer community resources such as
Summary: The Senate and Assembly Human Services Committees held a special oversight hearing on California’s 2026-27 Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) state plan, a federal anti-poverty funding stream. Committee members opened by citing statewide poverty and homelessness data and said the hearing was meant to review how CSBG dollars are used, how local agencies respond to community needs, and how the state is preparing for possible federal funding cuts. Jason Wimbley of the Department of Community Services and Development (CSD) explained that California’s CSBG network works through 60 organizations in 58 counties, serving about 1.5 million low-income Californians in 2023, and that the state received $68.4 million in federal CSBG funds in fiscal year 2025. He described the program as flexible funding used for housing, employment, education, food, health, transportation, and emergency response, and noted that the federal administration had proposed eliminating CSBG, though the Senate Appropriations Committee had voted to fully fund it for the coming year. Representatives from the California Community Action Partnership Association and several CSBG-funded agencies described how the program supports local anti-poverty work and leverages other funding. CalCAPA emphasized local flexibility, workforce development, partnerships, and data systems such as ROMA, while also warning that agencies are preparing for possible reductions by tightening budgets, planning staffing contingencies, and seeking private foundation support. Agency witnesses from Contra Costa County, Northern California Indian Development Council, Proteus, and Sacred Heart Community Service described services including housing assistance, food distribution, utility help, employment training, youth programs, and culturally specific services for Native communities and migrant farmworkers. They repeatedly said CSBG is essential because it funds staffing and infrastructure that allow them to braid other grants and serve people who do not qualify for standard safety-net programs. Members also asked about the impact of federal staffing changes and the Los Angeles fires. Wimbley said federal layoffs had affected some CSD programs but not CSBG administration, and that the department coordinated disaster response with state agencies and used CSBG-funded supply distribution, food, water, clothing, and documentation support during the fires. Witnesses said they were preparing for possible future cuts by diversifying funding, reducing expenses, and considering service changes, while county officials warned that state and federal reductions could not be backfilled locally. During public comment, one speaker urged stronger oversight of community action agencies and raised concerns about transparency and compliance with state law. The chair then thanked the witnesses, emphasized the importance of CSBG for low-income seniors, youth, and people with disabilities, and adjourned the hearing without any votes or formal action taken.
MA
Transcript Highlights:
  • So I'm looking at GED class or ASC enrollments.
  • So I'm looking at GED class or ASC enrollments as a percentage of the high school-eligible population
  • So these are exits from GED classes for the reason of having completed it in an eight-year period.
  • That's why I sort of focused on GED classes. Here's the completion state.
  • So these are exit from GED classes for the reason of having completed it in an eight-year period.
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The commission on correctional consolidation and collaboration heard testimony focused on how Massachusetts uses custody levels, staffing, programming, and medical release tools, with Prisoners’ Legal Services arguing that the system is overusing expensive high-security settings and underusing step-down options. Dave Rainey said the incarcerated population has dropped substantially over the last several years, but spending and staffing have not fallen in proportion. He argued that DOC overclassifies people into medium and maximum security, relies too heavily on behavioral assessment units that function like segregation, and keeps people in restrictive settings such as Souza-Baranowski and Shattuck Hospital longer than necessary. He also said medical parole is underused and that many people with serious chronic illness or advanced age pose little public-safety risk and should be released through existing legal pathways. Sheriffs and other commission members pushed back on some of those points, emphasizing that staffing needs are driven by the acuity of the current population, that corrections is not overstaffed, and that classification decisions involve serious public-safety judgments. They also stressed that some high-cost medical placements are necessary because people remain under sentence and require care, and that furloughs and other release tools can create security risks if contraband or substance use is involved. The discussion also covered the role of county sheriffs versus DOC in reentry, with several members saying county systems tend to do more day-to-day step-down and release planning, while DOC has more difficulty moving people through lower-security settings before release. Ben Foreman of MassINC offered a more systemwide, data-focused perspective, praising the state’s transparency and arguing that Massachusetts has made major progress in reducing incarceration and increasing public safety. He said the state still has an opportunity to improve by right-sizing facilities, investing in community-based mental health treatment, and using the commission to better understand the capital and operating costs of the current system. In response to questions, he said he was aware of DOC studies on programs like furlough but had not reviewed recent ones, and he noted that total-control facilities like Souza-Baranowski have long been criticized in the research literature for poor outcomes. Nora Wassel of the Women and Incarceration Project then testified that the commission should issue an interim report and scrutinize the planned new women’s prison, which she said is not justified by current population trends or available data. She argued that women are overclassified under DOC’s own tools, that reentry beds and minimum-security placements are underused, and that the system may be failing to account for women’s distinct medical and reentry needs. The meeting ended with continued discussion of reentry, furloughs, day reporting, and whether consolidation should mean fewer facilities, better step-down pathways, or both.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Capital Investment Committee 2/20/25

Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:
  • As you can see here, 200 men incarcerated at Rush City do not have a high school diploma or GED.
  • Even when we use all classroom space for GED services, the wait list for programming is still extensive
  • 51.040> or<00:13:51.360> or high school um diploma or or high school um diploma or or GED
  • providing this level of education is GED providing this level of education is required<00:13:55.759>
  • space for GED service the weight<00:14:09.279> list<00:14:09.560> for<00:14:09.839>
Keywords: 1183, house
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

Interim Joint Committee on Education (6-2-26)

Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • instead obtained a GED? instead obtained a GED?
  • <00:33:01.397> [clears throat] obtain a GED. [clears throat] obtain a GED.
  • roughly 50% count, KCTCS is facilitating roughly 50% of<00:33:07.600> all<00:33:07.840> GEDs
  • <00:33:08.880> So,<00:33:09.039> this<00:33:09.200> is of all GEDs in Kentucky
  • So, this is of all GEDs in Kentucky.