Transcript Highlights:

• Bernadino counties the delta in average per pupil funding between basic aid and non-basic aid districts
• This is $8,000 below the basic aid average for all school districts in California.
• to what a basic aid school district is able to receive.
• Currently it includes non-basic aid districts. It does not include direct funded charter schools.
• to non-basic aid and suddenly be eligible for this money.

Committee: House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• So it's a very tight-knit group, and so therefore somebody in financial aid is doing the work.
• financial aid office may deem to say, hey, this group works on this.
• Every financial aid office works a little bit differently.
• That is part of the financial aid package because when you get your student loan.
• That is part of the financial aid package because when you get your student loan.

Committee: House Elementary and Secondary Education

Transcript Highlights:

• I will now pass the mic to the Chief of Municipal Aid and Partnerships, Cassandra Gaskin.
• I'm the Chief of Municipal Aid and Partnerships in MassDOT's Highway Division.
• Those authorizations we wanted to do a refill on just four of them: federal-aid highway, non-federal-aid
• That's a great question, because this is a tricky one for federally aided projects.
• The Chapter 90 local aid program does help local communities improve bridges.

Bills: H5279

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets

Keywords: municipal roads, bridges, transportation bond bill, infrastructure financing, capital spending, bond authorization, general obligation bonds, special obligation bonds, Commonwealth Transportation Improvement Act, road resurfacing, road repair, bridge repair, pavement, culverts, stormwater management, climate resilience, bicycle infrastructure, pedestrian infrastructure, transit modernization, commuter rail

Transcript Highlights:

• , and newly funded programs to aid in the expansion of the workforce.
• Our federal financial aid is $2 billion, of course.
• The third one is the design state on-ramps to financial aid.
• It's already an existing financial aid program that you have in the state.
• aid programs, provide adequate funding for campus financial aid offices and outreach programs to ensure

Committee: House Higher Education

Summary: The Assembly Higher Education Committee held an oversight hearing on the impact of federal actions on California higher education, with opening remarks from the chair and members emphasizing shared governance, student access, and the importance of protecting California’s public systems. The first panel included leaders from CSU, UC, California Community Colleges, and the University of the Pacific, who described major disruptions from federal policy changes, including grant terminations, changes to Pell and loan programs, the elimination of Grad PLUS loans, tighter loan limits, and uncertainty around immigration, CalFresh/SNAP, and Medicaid-related rules. UC and CSU leaders said federal research and student-support cuts threaten research capacity, workforce pipelines, and services for low-income, first-generation, undocumented, and international students, while the community colleges highlighted uncertainty around TRIO, HSI/MSI/AANAPISI grants and the need to preserve student services and economic mobility. Members asked about the scale of funding losses, intersegmental partnerships, workforce impacts, indirect cost caps, H-1B hiring costs, and the effect of federal changes on health care and research. Witnesses said the federal environment has created instability, delayed planning, and could reduce access to graduate and professional education, especially in health fields and other high-need professions. Several witnesses urged the Legislature to support research bonds, housing and capital outlay, and continued state investment to offset federal retrenchment. The committee also discussed how cuts could affect student debt, food insecurity, and the diversity of future cohorts, with witnesses warning that the changes could narrow access and weaken California’s workforce pipeline for years. The second panel focused on equitable access. The California Student Aid Commission described state efforts such as Cal Grant, the Middle Class Scholarship, the Golden State Teacher Grant, and a proposed state FAFSA alternative for students who cannot access federal aid, while urging reforms to Cal Grant, better integration with CalFresh, and more support for foster youth and adult learners. The Los Angeles Community College District reported that federal cuts and policy uncertainty are discouraging students from applying for aid, threatening TRIO and MSI/HSI-funded services, and putting basic needs, transfer support, and workforce programs at risk. The Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities said federal loan caps, research cuts, and attacks on DEI and HSI funding are harming access and retention, especially for first-generation and low-income students, and called for stronger state support, including transfer aid and a state-backed loan option. The CSU Academic Senate also testified that abrupt federal changes to MSI and related programs have disrupted student research, summer programs, and equity-focused initiatives, with one campus example losing $2.7 million in student-centered funding on short notice.

Transcript Highlights:

• So my job has been civil legal aid.
• Thank you very board of civil legal aid.
• </c><00:43:39.359><c> also</c> their impact on civil legal aid also their impact on civil legal aid also
• So, what we're doing is aid programs.
• . aid. aid.

Bills: HF2233 , HF1524 , HF1893 , HF1396 , HF2456 , HF2959 , HF2300 , HF2412 , HF3022 , HF2825 , HF1862 , HF1373 , HF1039 , HF3070

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Transcript Highlights:

• Gonzalez, California Student Aid Commission.
• The Student Aid Commission is one of those.
• We'll hear from the Student Aid Commission next. Thank you, Chair Alvarez.
• The California Student Aid Commission has one server.
• And so we encourage the California Student Aid Commission...

Summary: The committee heard an overview of the May Revision’s Proposition 98 changes for K-12 and community colleges. The Department of Finance said the minimum guarantee rises by $6.4 billion over the Governor’s Budget across the three-year window, with higher guarantees in each year, full payment of the prior settle-up, and larger deposits into the school rainy-day fund. The LAO said the revenue and LCFF updates were reasonable, but urged caution about the settle-up approach and recommended using more of the available funding to protect ongoing programs and build budget resilience. Members focused heavily on the size of the proposed $3.9 billion settle-up, the $10.3 billion reserve deposit, declining K-12 enrollment, and how much of the new funding should be ongoing versus one-time. The committee then reviewed the community colleges portion of the budget. Finance described the May Revision’s higher SCFF COLA, additional funding for enrollment growth, a student support block grant, apprenticeship adjustments, and continued funding for deferred maintenance, Calbright, Common Cloud, and credit for prior learning. The Chancellor’s Office supported the core investments but asked for more funding for enrollment growth, changes to the growth formula, and a COLA for Student Equity and Achievement. The LAO recommended prioritizing the statutory COLA increase, noted that more than half of districts are already above current-year growth targets, and said the new adult learner demonstration project should be rejected because districts already have tools to support similar services. Members also discussed a $52 million current-year apportionment shortfall, which Finance said was discovered too late for the May Revision and would need to be addressed later. Finally, the committee took up the proposed implementation of the federal Workforce Pell program. Finance proposed one-time funding for the California Student Aid Commission and Cradle to Career to build eligibility and data systems, along with trailer bill changes to set up state approval processes. CSAC said the program is promising but highly complex, that California lacks the needed infrastructure, and that the state will need emergency regulations, data linkages, and ongoing funding beyond the one-time proposal. The LAO agreed that some initial funding is needed but warned that the amounts and ongoing costs remain uncertain and that the Legislature should carefully draft the trailer bill language. Members asked about timing, other states’ actions, and how the state would ensure the program is ready for students and institutions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, aid to tribal governments is calculated by dividing the total amount appropriated for aid to tribal
• </c> one-time emergency rental assistance aid one-time emergency rental assistance aid program<00:02:
• </c><00:03:43.200><c> is</c> Um aid to tribal governments is Um aid to tribal governments is calculated
• </c><00:09:56.880><c> uh</c> and they combined with legal aid uh and they combined with legal aid uh
• ,</c><01:05:05.680><c> um</c> uh supported local government aid, um uh supported local government aid

Bills: HF3611 , HF3659 , HF3909

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: taxation, income tax, damage awards, sexual harassment, abuse claims, immigration enforcement, taxpayers, file income tax return, Minnesota-source income, tax regulations, detention facilities, gross revenues, private prisons, Minnesota law

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> shows other uh um state uh aid shows other uh um state uh aid approaches<00:42:59.040><c> in</c>
• And so this bill does direct aid for those public school entities, providing $100 in direct aid to all
• We need this aid. We need they deserve. We need this aid.
• Non-public school students already receive textbook aid and transportation aid just like public school
• Non-public school students already receive textbook aid and transportation aid just like public school

Bills: HF3653 , HF2717 , HF3451 , HF3857

Committee: House Education Finance

Summary: The committee first adopted the March 3rd minutes by voice vote after Representative Lee moved them and there was no discussion. Members then reviewed hearing rules on decorum, safety, and participation before taking testimony from Dr. James Densley and Dr. Jillian Peterson of the Violence Prevention Project Research Center at Hamline University. The presenters summarized research on mass shootings and K-12 school shootings, drawing on a database of homicides in school settings from 2000 to 2025 and a smaller set of 15 K-12 mass shooting cases. They said school shooters are usually insiders, most often current or former students, and typically young males. They described common patterns including a noticeable crisis before attacks, perpetrators viewing the shooting as a final act, studying prior shooters online, and “leakage” in which most tell someone in advance. They also emphasized that many perpetrators use unsecured firearms from family members and argued that prevention should combine reporting systems, behavioral threat assessment, counseling, mentoring, secure storage, and other layered interventions rather than rely on a single solution. The presenters also discussed broader violence trends in the Twin Cities, saying much school violence is spillover from community violence and that pandemic-era disruptions and weakened trust in institutions contributed to serious violence. They cited a national survey finding that exposure to gun violence is associated with PTSD, anxiety, depression, and fear of public spaces, especially among young people. During member questions, Representative Wam asked for clarification on the data set and the rural/small-town share of the survey sample.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> fiscal capacity disparity aid. fiscal capacity disparity aid. it<00:53:40.000><c> would</c><00:53
• and within differentiated aid.
• <01:13:07.360><c> aid</c><01:13:08.320><c> differentiated</c><01:13:08.880><c> aid</c> differentiated
• aid differentiated aid differentiated aid differentiated aid it's<01:13:10.000><c> not</c><01:13:10.320
• </c> differentiated aid built in. differentiated aid built in.

Summary: The Education Funding Committee Subcommittee on Adequacy and Funding Sources opened its second meeting by reviewing four retained bills assigned to it: HB 651, HB 772, HB 491, and HB 734. The chair said the goal was to compare the bills across the board, consider whether any one of them should be the committee’s recommended vehicle, and then vote on a recommendation to the full committee. He noted the bills would move out before November 21 and be taken up on the House floor in January, while related LSRs were also being developed for the coming session. Representative Ames argued that HB 651 should be the main vehicle because it would substantially raise the adequacy base and adjust differential aid categories to better reflect real school costs, including poverty, special education, and English learner needs. He described the bill as building on court guidance and said the current funding formula is far below actual district needs. He also supported HB 491 as a study vehicle to examine revenue options, saying the legislature needs informed choices about how to pay for the changes. Representative Damon strongly backed HB 651 and HB 491, citing constitutional obligations, the Conval and Rand rulings, and large projected funding increases for districts such as Claremont, Windham, and communities in the chair’s district if HB 651 had passed earlier. Representative Fellows said he has an LSR similar to HB 491 that would study existing and new revenue options using criteria such as revenue potential, administrative cost, affected groups, implementation timeline, and implementation cost, with input from revenue administration and outside agencies. Representative Papich Muller emphasized constitutional separation-of-powers concerns, reading Article 83 and saying he was not comfortable with the broad claim that “cherish” clearly mandates a specific spending level, though he said he intends to follow Supreme Court guidance. Representative Ricky read testimony from a local school board member arguing that the state already imposes many mandates on schools while providing the least funding in the country, and that HB 651 would help restore meaningful local control. No final vote or action was taken in the portion provided, though the chair had indicated the subcommittee would vote before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• local aid program.
• By investing fifth, As UGA, our key local aid program.
• This budget funds Chapter 70 school aid at $7.66 billion.
• This budget funds Chapter 70 school aid at $7.66 billion and increases minimum aid for school districts
• and a $160 per student increase. ...rural aid and a $160 per student increase to minimum aid, record

Summary: The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, adopted two commendatory resolutions honoring the Plimpton Historical Society’s Deborah Sampson Day recognition and Megan’s Light’s Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month observance, and suspended Joint Rule 12 to refer several House petitions to committee. The chamber also briefly recognized Diane Talk of the South Shore Regional Emergency Communication Center on her retirement after 30 years of dispatch service. Later, the Senate passed two local bills to enactment: House No. 4006, authorizing Dartmouth to grant an additional all-alcoholic beverages license, and House No. 473, relating to the charter of Westwood. The main business was the Senate Ways and Means presentation of the fiscal year 2027 budget, totaling about $63.3 billion. The chair described the budget as balanced, with no new taxes or tax cuts, based on a consensus revenue estimate of $986 million in growth over FY26 (2.4%), and including about $15.8 billion in federal financial participation and roughly $2.7 billion from the Fair Share surtax. The budget emphasized record local aid, including $1.376 billion in unrestricted general government aid, $7.66 billion for Chapter 70 education aid, increased minimum school aid, higher regional school transportation reimbursement, rural aid, and the revival of the Foundation Budget Review Commission. It also highlighted major investments in MassEducate free community college, food security, housing, and support for vulnerable residents. Members then engaged in extended colloquy on the budget’s major cost drivers and policy choices. Questions focused on debt service, pension and OPEB liabilities, MassHealth caseload and rising per-enrollee costs, child care funding, and program integrity in DTA and other benefit programs. The chair said debt service would be about $2.67 billion, pension payments would be $5.1 billion, OPEB would receive a $150 million payment, and MassHealth enrollment was projected at about 2 million with costs driven by acuity and medical inflation. He also said the budget includes no collective bargaining agreements and no state tax changes. Senators supporting the budget praised its investments in education, local aid, homelessness prevention, public health, libraries, and housing, while minority leaders and others stressed the need for fiscal discipline, transparency, and further work on affordability and municipal support. The Senate also received a House message on House No. 5316, which the House had nonconcurred in, and a conference committee was appointed on the disagreement.

Transcript Highlights:

• LET'S TURN TO TAB ON SENATE BILL 126 ON PRESCRIPTION HEARING AIDS BY SENATOR BRADLEY.
• THE MAJORITY HAVE NEVER USED A HEARING AID.
• FLORIDA LAW PROHIBITS THE SALE OR DISTRIBUTION OF PRESCRIPTION HEARING AIDS THROUGH THE MAIL.
• MINOR PATIENTS WILL CONTINUE TO VISIT AN IDEOLOGIST OR HEARING AID SPECIALIST IN PERSON.
• LICENSE HEARING AID SPECIALIST OR IDEOLOGIST DETERMINES THE PATIENT NEED PRESCRIPTIONS HEARING AIDS

Transcript Highlights:

• revenue, state aid—that's special education aid—catastrophic aid, next column would be differential
• aid, that would be the aid through the adequacy formula.
• Aid Revenue differential Aid State sped Aid Revenue differential Aid correct<04:30:50.960><c> idea</
• And then that would be the two columns: SPED aid revenue, special education aid, and differential aid
• </c><04:31:46.600><c> and</c> Aid Revenue special education Aid and Aid Revenue special education Aid

Summary: The committee first discussed HB 443, which would change terms and vacancy language for members of a higher education commission. Members raised concerns that the bill was too narrow to address broader issues with commission membership, including expired appointments, attendance expectations, and whether the Department of Education could replace the commission’s role. Several members suggested the bill was not ready for action and favored holding it for further work, possibly through a subcommittee or work session. One member suggested that if attendance standards were added, no more than two unexcused absences should trigger removal, given the commission’s meeting schedule. The chair said he would defer action and form a small subcommittee to report back before the committee deadline. The committee then moved to HB 484, dealing with repurposing Career and Technical Education classroom space after 20 years of exclusive use. The chair explained that the bill was aimed at the Milford CTE project, where shared use of space could allow a school to repurpose part of a CTE facility while still using it for CTE-related instruction. Members discussed other possible situations around the state, including Claremont, North Conway, and Jaffrey/Rindge, and whether the bill should be limited to Milford or broadened to allow local districts more flexibility. Some members favored passing the bill now to help CTE projects move forward, while others argued for an amendment removing the requirement that the space be vacated specifically to expand the CTE program occupying it. Testimony and discussion emphasized that the Milford project had state approval but reduced funding, requiring a smaller scope and repurposing of existing space. Supporters said the bill could help preserve CTE programs while also benefiting general education space needs, and that local districts should have flexibility after 20 years. Opponents or cautious members noted that the language might not fit every district situation and asked for feedback from Director Beard and Steve Rothenberg before final action. The committee did not take a final vote in the portion provided, and instead discussed waiting for an amendment and additional input before acting.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill also establishes a permanent and ongoing aid to school districts, 36 of the school districts
• The new city of Northern is going to receive local government aid under this bill.
• It includes a four-year extension of the local homeless prevention aid, which goes to every county in
• to school districts to and ongoing aid to school districts to 36 36 36 of<00:03:06.200><c> the</c><00
• local government aid under this bill. bill. bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• , be enrolled at least part-time in an eligible degree or certificate program, complete a financial aid
• , be enrolled at least part-time in an eligible degree or certificate program, complete a financial aid
• for financial aid through statewide student financial aid programs...
• Appropriations designated for financial aid through statewide student financial aid programs are made
• For students who experience homelessness and foster care, this isn't just financial aid for them.

Summary: The Postsecondary Education and Workforce Committee met on January 27 and first took executive action on three bills. House Bill 2311, which makes administrative changes to the Workforce Education Investment Accountability and Oversight Board, was reported out with a do pass recommendation after the Leavitt amendment was withdrawn; supporters emphasized transparency, accountability, and student success metrics, while one member opposed moving it forward and urged more interim work. House Bill 2324, which extends tuition waiver access for children of eligible veterans when a disability determination occurs after age 18, passed unanimously. House Bill 288, the Dietitian Licensure Compact, was amended to delay implementation until July 1, 2028 and then passed unanimously as a substitute bill; members cited workforce shortages and the value of broader licensure portability. The committee then held public hearings on several bills. House Bill 2422 would shift private security guard licensing fees from individual guards to their employers, eliminate transfer fees, and penalize companies that require reimbursement; the sponsor and workers testified that the current system burdens low-wage guards and contributes to high turnover, while some members asked about whether fees could instead be lowered or eliminated. House Bill 2438 would create the SEEDS scholarship for early childhood education students using up to $10 million from the GET account if it remains sufficiently funded; the sponsor described it as a targeted test of surplus GET funds to address early learning workforce shortages, and testimony from educators, providers, and advocacy groups strongly supported it, while WASAC said the bill may need technical changes to avoid conflicts with existing 529 rules. The committee also heard House Bill 2525, which would create a WSU heritage orchard program and registry for old or rare apple varieties; the sponsor and industry witnesses said it would preserve agricultural history, support research, and aid future breeding and education. Finally, House Bill 2586 would align Passport to Careers with federal financial aid formulas and automatically deem Passport-eligible youth financially needy for the Washington College Grant; the sponsor and WASAC said it would help foster youth and homeless students access aid earlier and more predictably, and multiple students and advocates testified in strong support. No final action was taken on the bills heard in public testimony during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• and county program aid.
• and county program aid.
• and county program aid.
• and county program aid.
• ><00:03:41.200><c> aid.

Transcript Highlights:

• Gonzalez, California Student Aid Commission.
• The Student Aid Commission is one of those.
• The Student Aid Commission is one of those.
• We'll hear from the Student Aid Commission next. Thank you, Chair Alvarez.
• The California Student Aid Commission has one server.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is a regional nonprofit legal aid organization.
• And so I'm here today to speak in strong support of funding for the Board of Civil Legal Aid.
• As a legal aid attorney, I serve a pool of 5,773.
• I'm also the president of the Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid Workers' Union.
• No one pursues a career at Legal Aid for the salary.

Bills: HF2300

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:21:01.200><c> loss</c> that translates to General Ed Aid loss that translates to General Ed Aid
• </c> Recreation tax replacement Aid Recreation tax replacement Aid legislation<00:23:54.960><c> um</c
• The unemployment aid ending is going to be another $225,000 in aid that we won't get, and there was a
• </c><00:36:05.000><c> leaving</c> six years and with these AIDS leaving six years and with these AIDS
• </c> districts harmless with compensatory Aid districts harmless with compensatory Aid if<01:05:30.119

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> financial aid, and affordability. financial aid, and affordability.
• And student aid, too, as well.
• And student aid, too, as well.
• </c> provide for student financial aid. provide for student financial aid.
• </c> financial aid. financial aid.

Summary: The Interim Joint Budget Review Subcommittee on Education met for its first summer interim meeting, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and took roll. The first presentation came from Jerry Gels, principal of Ignite Institute in Erlanger, who focused on the rising cost of dual credit. He said dual credit tuition has increased from about $150 to $290 for a three-credit course over roughly five years, which he argued is discouraging participation, especially for working-class and low-income students. He cited Ignite data and broader college outcomes to argue dual credit improves college persistence, shortens time to degree, and reduces student debt, noting that many of his students enter college with substantial credit and that low-income students at Ignite have increasingly participated after targeted efforts and scholarship use. He also said the instructional labor is largely paid by county school systems, so he questioned the size of the tuition increase and said the committee should examine how the costs are being set and whether college tuition should be stabilizing as more students arrive with credits already earned. Members asked about who pays for dual credit, the role of state scholarship support, and whether tuition varies by institution. Gels said students in his district generally pay the dual credit cost themselves, though some districts may cover it, and he noted the dual credit scholarship now covers fewer classes than before. He said the price appears to be set centrally rather than varying by university, and he emphasized that the higher cost is creating barriers even though the courses are taught largely by local teachers on school payrolls. He also described Ignite’s efforts to expand access for free- and reduced-lunch students, saying participation among that group rose from 27% with no dual credit to about 90-92% taking at least one dual credit class. The committee then heard from the Goldwater Institute, represented by Michael Frazier and Dr. Tim Minella by Zoom. They argued Kentucky’s public universities should face stronger accountability and transparency, citing declining public confidence in higher education, rising costs, and what they described as administrative growth and research spending that does not clearly benefit students or the Commonwealth. They proposed requiring a 10-year accounting of staffing growth by category, comparing it to enrollment and low-income Kentucky enrollment, and limiting non-STEM faculty teaching releases for research unless approved under a baseline consent process. They also criticized certain university-funded research projects as examples of misdirected spending and said public reporting should distinguish Kentucky residents from non-residents more clearly, pointing to a reported decline in low-income in-state undergraduate enrollment. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• . aid. aid.
• aid, closed PNS.
• </c> $33.9 million for special education aid. $33.9 million for special education aid.
• </c> where they're going to pay aid out of. where they're going to pay aid out of.
• </c><00:51:14.079><c> Rebecca,</c> differentiated aid. Rebecca, differentiated aid.

Summary: The commission met to review and amend the minutes from its previous meeting, correcting the date, several spelling and wording errors, and clarifying references to a scholarship fund and a member’s title. The minutes were then approved as amended, with some members abstaining because they were not present at the prior meeting. The chair then turned to the commission’s work plan under SB 57, emphasizing the need to prioritize the statutory topics and identify which issues require additional research, documentation, and possible spreadsheets. Members discussed a broad range of special education cost drivers and policy questions, including student referral rates, why students are classified as other health impaired, whether referrals increased after COVID school closures, intervention processes before referral, the cost of services required under IEPs and 504 plans, differences between federal law, state law, and DOE rules, reporting of special education costs, out-of-district and residential placements, district sharing of resources, dispute resolution, graduation rates, and adult learning outcomes. Several members raised concerns that school environments, mental health, bullying, and possible overidentification may be contributing to rising special education numbers and costs, while others cautioned that some reported district percentages may be inflated or unclear because of how the data are counted. A major portion of the meeting focused on HB 742, which would eliminate prorated special education aid when state appropriations are insufficient and require the governor to draw a warrant to cover shortfalls. Representative Ames explained that the bill had been recommended for interim study because the commission is already examining special education costing, and he highlighted the gap between FY24 special education costs of about $977.1 million and state aid of $33.9 million for catastrophic aid, $67.4 million for differentiated aid, and $50.8 million in federal IDEA funds, leaving local districts to cover about $825.1 million. He argued the commission should ultimately make clear that both the federal government and the state should contribute more. The Department of Education, through Melissa White, answered questions about data and oversight. She said special education counts come from IEPs entered into the state system using SASIDs, that DOE monitors districts through both desk audits and on-site visits, and that billing is checked against the services listed in each student’s IEP. She also said DOE’s special education work is largely federally funded, with roughly $56.7 million received through IDEA this year and about $49.1 million flowing through to LEAs, while the department retains a small amount for administration and statewide support activities. Members also discussed how adequacy calculations use special education counts from the state system and how those figures are reported.