Transcript Highlights:

• This is a critical investment that continues to support our teachers, especially teachers in our high-need
• The Golden State Teacher Grant was influential in my decision to become a teacher because it allowed
• We represent almost every teacher preparation program in the state of California, including the CSUs,
• who need qualified teachers the most have the least access.
• At a time when fully credentialed teachers entering the of new funding to Golden State Teacher Grant

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education heard updates on higher education issues, beginning with California State University’s turnaround plans for seven campuses with enrollment declines. CSU said overall enrollment is growing systemwide, but some campuses, especially in Northern California, face structural declines tied to demographics and community college pipelines. The plans focus on reengaging stopped-out and adult learners, expanding partnerships and guaranteed admissions, improving retention and student support, and reducing costs through program suspensions, hiring freezes, shared services, and procurement consolidation. The Legislative Analyst’s Office said the strategies were reasonable but urged regular legislative updates, and the Department of Finance had no additional comments. Committee members emphasized the need for implementation oversight, written updates, and attention to student outreach, financial aid, and privacy concerns around AI tools used in recruitment. The committee then reviewed the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education’s request for a $10 million General Fund appropriation to repay litigation-related borrowing. Department of Consumer Affairs and bureau staff said the bureau has a long-standing structural deficit, has already cut positions and shifted some costs, and that the General Fund backfill would reduce future fee increases on institutions. The LAO opposed the request, arguing the bureau can cover near-term costs with its existing loan and that litigation costs should remain the responsibility of the regulated entities through fees. Finance supported the one-time backfill as a unique situation that would lower fee increases and avoid passing litigation costs on to schools and students. Members asked about preventing a repeat of the problem, and bureau staff said they are pursuing fee increases through the sunset review and have strengthened internal policies and disability accommodation practices. The subcommittee also heard a broad update on Cal Grant funding and student aid. The California Student Aid Commission, UC, CSU, and the community colleges described Cal Grant as essential to affordability, but the LAO noted spending has grown faster than historical averages and said the state likely lacks capacity for major expansion in the near term. The segments highlighted the importance of state aid in covering tuition and living costs, and raised concerns about federal changes to student loans and Pell Grants, especially the elimination of Grad PLUS for some graduate students and limits on part-time borrowing. Committee members pressed for data on students who are eligible but not served by current Cal Grant rules, including adult learners and students affected by age and merit restrictions, and asked for analysis of phased-in implementation of the Cal Grant Equity Framework. Finance said full implementation would cost hundreds of millions of dollars and that affordability remains part of the state’s multi-year compact with the segments. Finally, the committee began discussion of the Middle Class Scholarship Program. CSAC and the UC and CSU said the program is a key part of affordability and debt reduction, especially after the 2022 reforms that expanded awards to total cost of attendance and improved administration. They warned that cutting funding by more than half would reduce award coverage from 35% to 17.5% of cost of attendance and could affect enrollment and persistence, particularly for middle-income students who do not qualify for other need-based aid. The segments also noted that recent administrative changes have reduced award revisions and campus workload, but that data exchange and award volatility remain challenges.

Transcript Highlights:

• IT'S ABOUT COLLABORATIVELY PLANNING WITH TEACHERS. IT IS ABOUT DATA ANALYSIS.
• SENATORS, EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A PACKAGE HERE THAT WAS PREPARED.
• IT ALSO PROMOTES TEACHER EQUALITY AND INCREASED GRADUATION RATE.
• I HAVE ONE ALGEBRA TEACHER, BIOLOGY AND SO FORTH.
• FOR US TO GET OUR TEACHERS TRAINED UP AND PREPARED HIM TO CONTINUE THE HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION THAT WE

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Prepare a community school plan.
• You go along every 45 minutes to another teacher; the teacher may see 100, 180, 200, even 220 students
• You go along every 45 minutes to another teacher, the teacher may see 100, You go along every 45 minutes
• to another teacher.
• It's a lot of transition in a very short period of time, steep learning curves in looking at teacher-to-teacher

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What can we do to have better teacher preparation so our teachers are better prepared when they get out
• >> For professional development, so my question is: why are our teachers prepared for this stuff when
• What can we do to have better teacher preparation so our teachers are better prepared when they get out
• </c> teachers come in more prepared. teachers come in more prepared.
• </c><00:39:58.800><c> teacher</c> believer in in a well-prepared teacher believer in in a well-prepared

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Education met for an overview of the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE). After approving the prior meeting minutes, staff from CPE explained that the council was reconstituted in 1997 and serves as Kentucky’s statewide coordinating body for higher education, with responsibilities including advising the General Assembly and governor, coordinating the postsecondary system, supporting budget and performance funding work, and using data to track outcomes. They described Kentucky’s governance structure, including the KCTCS governing board, independent boards at public universities, and CPE’s role in licensing private institutions and overseeing transfer, closed-school records, and tuition approval. CPE staff emphasized statewide strategic planning and the “60 by 30” goal of having 60% of working-age Kentuckians hold a meaningful credential by 2030. They said the agency uses dashboards, KPIs, and peer comparisons to set targets for institutions and monitor enrollment, retention, and graduation. They also highlighted the Kentucky Graduate Profile, a voluntary effort to embed 10 essential workforce skills into general education and major programs, and noted ongoing work on academic program approval, performance funding, and a biennial budget request. The presentation also focused on student support and workforce alignment initiatives. Staff described the Kentucky Advising Academy, the Commonwealth Education Continuum, and the Kentucky Student Success Collaborative, which work with K-12 partners and campuses to improve advising, transfer, wraparound supports, and career planning. They also discussed GEAR UP, the Futurity career-planning platform, and efforts to connect education pathways to workforce needs, including healthcare, veterans, and other adult learners. CPE reported that student debt at graduation has fallen to $10,168 at public institutions and that six in ten Kentucky undergraduates graduate debt free.

Transcript Highlights:

• In other words, did that school districts missing opportunity to prepare the students for life by not
• That's a prepared.
• We have college of at the special Education pre service teachers are and, you know, completing pride
• Then, you know, I was a teacher at that time. I looked at it in that way.
• And that includes also very much teacher preparation and professional learning to ensure how do I help

Transcript Highlights:

• My mother is a high school, or was—she's a retired high school English teacher.
• I believe classroom teachers need to have a voice in educational decision-making.
• It's great to have the second grade teacher. Happy birthday to your mother, 87th.
• I always believe that giving teacher voice.
• Teachers are other teachers' best teachers. So I think that's the collaboration.

Committee: Senate Rules

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It does not replace teachers. It does not collect new student data.
• And our kids and pretty much our teachers are using that.
• When should teachers be using it? When should students be using it?
• Jen White, the Idaho Education Association, and many, many teachers and... ...and many, many teachers
• And Chairman, that concludes my prepared remarks. Thank you.

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And that includes rgd preparation, English language instruction, foundational literacy.
• Teacher Apprenticeship initiative was developed to create a teacher pipeline for Florida school districts
• and to encourage partnerships between teacher preparation programs and are participating school districts
• This close to my heart as a former teacher and is our grow your own teacher apprenticeship program for
• I myself entered the teaching profession as a lateral entry teacher.

Transcript Highlights:

• Then there's the lens of the teacher.
• When teachers are leading with AI, they are able to bring scaffolding to their lessons.
• So if you think about a teacher that is teaching 30 students how to read, giving them the opportunity
• The question is, are we going to meet the teachers and give them the knowledge and the understanding
• But how we prepare people to flourish and contribute most meaningfully, But how we prepare people to

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The hours provided to evaluate, gather teacher input, prepare paperwork, and attend IEP meetings for
• The hours provided to evaluate, gather teacher input, prepare paperwork, and attend IEP meetings for
• The hours provided to evaluate, gather teacher input, prepare paperwork, and attend IEP meetings for
• The hours provided to evaluate, gather teacher input, prepare paperwork, and attend IEP meetings for
• </c> development opportunities for teachers development opportunities for teachers or<01:47:36.840><c

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Early Childhood teachers many teachers Early Childhood teachers families<00:09:24.240><c> parents</c
• </c><00:14:33.880><c> like</c> singing to teach the teachers like singing to teach the teachers like
• </c> upcoming school year and the teacher upcoming school year and the teacher licensure<00:30:35.080
• </c><00:30:55.519><c> and</c> comparably compensated teachers and comparably compensated teachers and
• My mom was a preschool teacher.

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Jeff is a teacher with marine technology at South Kitsap High School.
• Ann Lusman. for all the shop teachers in Washington State.
• I was a union carpenter before I became a teacher.
• Last year, we provided 56 hours of teacher training for marine safety.
• So that will conclude what I was prepared to speak on.

Summary: The House Education Committee received status updates on career and technical education (CTE), including OSPI’s work under 2024 legislation on allied health pathways and a statewide CTE task force, an update from Core Plus Maritime, and findings from an Education Northwest longitudinal study of Washington CTE access and outcomes. OSPI described development of allied health guidance such as a home care aide to nursing assistant bridge, model curricula, updated course equivalency frameworks, and coordination with health agencies and employers. It also reviewed Core Plus framework work, task force expansion under later legislation, and the timeline for recommendations due in November 2026. Committee members asked about health profession outreach, equitable access for rural districts, data updates, and employer support for local programs; OSPI said it continues to work with agency and industry partners and that local labor-market alignment varies by region. Core Plus Maritime presenters described expanding maritime career exploration into middle school through low-cost ROV curriculum, student visits to ferries and vessels, Sea Scouts partnerships, and ship-based safety and welding experiences. Industry representatives from the Northwest Marine Trade Association, American Seafoods, and Vigor Marine Group emphasized the maritime sector’s economic importance, aging workforce, and need for hands-on training to build the pipeline for family-wage jobs. A teacher from South Kitsap High School said the program gives students a clear pathway and has helped connect them to careers in shipyards, fishing, and related trades. Vigor also noted support for a student welding competition and equipment donations for a Rainier Beach shop. Dr. Sam Riggs of Education Northwest presented a longitudinal study using state data from 2013-14 through 2023-24. The study found CTE access has been relatively steady statewide, but offerings vary by school size, locale, and income, with rural and lower-income schools generally offering fewer pathways. Participation is high: nearly all students earn at least some CTE credit, and more students are accumulating multiple credits over time, though fewer go deep within a single pathway. Students who earned more CTE credits, especially within pathways such as agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, and construction, were more likely to graduate on time and later had stronger postsecondary certificate attainment and earnings. Riggs recommended addressing local barriers to participation, considering whether the CTE graduation requirement should better encourage depth while preserving flexibility, and aligning offerings more closely with labor-market needs. Committee members asked about COVID-era trends, student motivation, early workforce entry, delivery settings such as skill centers, and how to interpret the comparison groups used in the analysis.

Transcript Highlights:

• Schools prepare students for citizenship.
• Schools<00:48:46.240><c> prepare</c><00:48:46.640><c> students</c><00:48:47.040><c> for</c> Schools prepare
• students for Schools prepare students for citizenship.<00:48:48.079><c> This</c><00:48:48.400><c> preparation
• This preparation includes citizenship.
• </c><00:54:36.960><c> teacher</c><00:54:37.200><c> doesn't</c> opportunity, again, the teacher doesn't

Bills: HB0159

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: student rights, free expression, K-12 education, speech protection, religious views, political speech, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• “No, this would be for licensed teachers. Just for teachers.”
• teachers who applied, the other 23 teachers.
• teacher fellowship.
• teachers who applied, the other 23 teachers.
• We have probably 45 teachers, and out of that 45 teachers, I mentored one brand new teacher this year

Summary: The committee approved the March 9 and 10 minutes and then heard a presentation from the Arkansas Department of Education on the Arkansas Excellence in Teaching Fellowship, featuring three third-grade teachers from Cabot, Poyen, and Drew Central who are also teacher merit pay recipients. The teachers described the fellowship as a year-long Zoom-based collaboration with about 23 educators statewide, focused on sharing classroom strategies, data use, and professional support. Members asked about the teachers’ experience, how they share what they learn with their districts, the range of grades represented in the fellowship, and the relationship between the fellowship and merit pay. The teachers emphasized building relationships with students, using data to drive instruction, early intervention, and collaboration across grade levels, while the secretary said the program is intended to identify and elevate high-performing teachers and spread their practices. A major portion of the discussion focused on third-grade reading, retention, and the new ATLAS testing system. Teachers and the secretary said students are screened and progress monitored throughout the year, families are notified early if students are at risk, and schools are using interventions, tutoring, and individualized reading plans. They said ATLAS results are now available much faster than in the past, often within 24 hours or a few days, allowing teachers and parents to respond quickly. Members asked about the impact of poverty, trauma, foster care, DHS involvement, IEPs, and critical shortage areas; teachers said relationship-building, small-group instruction, and coordination with counselors and special education staff are key. The secretary said the fellowship is a small subset of a broader merit pay program, that participation was voluntary, and that the state is trying to build a coherent system with literacy coaches, high-impact tutoring, and clearer standards rather than teaching to the test. Members also discussed broader policy issues, including the need for more positive public messaging about public education, teacher input in decision-making, and support for early childhood education. Several legislators asked whether the state should expand funding for early learning and whether more literacy or academic coaches are needed in districts that improve and then lose eligibility for state support. The secretary said the state has committed literacy coaches to D and F schools and is still working through how to sustain support as schools improve. He also said the administration would look at data and return on investment before supporting additional funding, and he encouraged legislators to help recruit eligible teachers into future fellowship cohorts. After the teacher panel concluded, the committee moved on to the adequacy resource allocation study, where Bureau of Legislative Research staff began a presentation on state and local education funding sources, categorical funds, and district spending patterns.

Transcript Highlights:

• For people in non-positions of trust, they have to entice, coerce, solicit, or prepare the minor to engage
• Um, a teacher teaching uh health or sex education to young people to a whole class and then after the
• </c><00:03:45.599><c> and</c> something up or come to the teacher and something up or come to the teacher
• </c> would cover and protect these teachers. would cover and protect these teachers.
• Um, particularly I'm concerned about the word prepare.

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to promote our teachers, and folks. That's what I'm here to do.
• I'm saying That, so if anybody's out there listening, come and teach, be a teacher.
• Recruitment, training, and support of teachers are probably my strongest focus. Thanks, Mr. Chair.
• I see many teachers out there nodding; it was awful.
• preparing principals.

Committee: Senate Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• MODULAR TEACHERS, REENTRY TRAINING GRANTS, VIRTUAL EDUCATION.
• THAT'S WHAT THE TEACHERS THAT ARE IN PERSON ARGUING.
• >> Eric Hall: IT IS A BLENDED ENVIRONMENT SO WHILE WE HAVE TEACHERS ONLINE THERE ARE PHYSICAL TEACHERS
• THE 15% VACANCY REFLECTS THE PARAPROFESSIONALS THAT FLVS IS FILLING SO EVERY TEACHER HAS TEACHERS IN
• TEACHERS?

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If confirmed, I would approach this responsibility with humility, preparation, and transparency.
• I really admire anyone who's been teacher of the year, by the way. Thank you.
• I'm a big fan of social studies teachers. They were definitely the most impactful in my education.
• From pre-service teachers, preparation, mentoring, new educators, to supporting related service providers
• I feel, however, whenever school teachers are involved, things go well. There you go. Mr.

Bills: HB364 , HB364

Committee: Senate Executive

Keywords: film production, tax credit, Delaware, esports, video games, media projects

Summary: The Senate Executive Committee first considered several gubernatorial appointments. Heidi Gilmore was nominated to the Marijuana Appeals Commission and said her real estate and administrative-law background would help her support implementation of Delaware’s new marijuana framework. Lee Wynne Lynn and Ruth Tucker were both nominated to the Delaware River and Bay Authority Board; both emphasized long Delaware ties, public service, and experience in technology, transportation, and executive leadership, with committee members asking about modernization, cashless tolling, and potential conflicts of interest. Lindsay Alexic and Dr. Jennifer Hallman were nominated to the Professional Standards Board and described their classroom and administrative experience in Delaware public education, with discussion focused on supporting teachers, improving educator effectiveness, and helping schools address post-COVID classroom and student-support challenges. Jason Munion and F. Todd Collada were nominated to the Environmental Appeals Board; Munion cited his engineering and environmental background, while Collada noted his work as Milford’s mayor and a contractor. No votes on the nominations are reflected in the transcript excerpt. The committee then moved to legislation. House Bill 364 would create a Delaware Entertainment Production Tax Credit for film, television, e-sports, and video game production, with a $10 million annual cap, audit and reporting requirements, a 2031 sunset, and a focus on verified in-state spending and Delaware hiring; the bill was circulated after no public comment. House Bill 437 was described as a technical corrections bill affecting certain municipal charters and requiring a three-quarters vote; it also drew no public comment. The committee approved the previously circulated minutes by motion and second. House Bill 446 would reorganize the Delaware Forest Service chapter, consolidate authority in one section, and add definitions related to forests and urban forestry without creating new authority; House Amendment 1 was noted as clarifying existing authority for the Department of Agriculture. House Bill 180, the first leg of a constitutional amendment on voting, would limit felony-related voting loss to actual imprisonment or pardon, remove outdated residency and literacy provisions, update the voting age to 18, and eliminate a post-sentence voting ban; members raised a question about whether the change would apply retroactively, which was left for later clarification. No public comments were offered on the bills, and the committee adjourned after announcing written comments would be accepted for 24 hours.

Transcript Highlights:

• You're gonna get a lesson plan for a teacher. You're gonna get audio, video.
• He does not seem prepared to do that. So, I will just quickly mention one thing.
• And I'm still hearing from teachers and from schools that I think there's still a disconnect.
• to be able to track every teacher to see how they perform, how they were prepared.'
• And I've always, for a long, long time, thought that we could do a better job of preparing our teachers

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I am a teacher and I work with many other teachers.
• </c><00:03:48.440><c> Teachers,</c> our teachers. Teachers, our teachers.
• We have to trust our teachers. teachers. teachers.
• </c> teachers and that is me. teachers and that is me.
• </c> teacher Aaron Benner. teacher Aaron Benner.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House File 29 was heard in committee as a proposal to suspend adoption of the revised social studies standards, push implementation to 2030-31, repeal the requirement to embed ethnic studies across all standards, and cancel related appropriations. The bill sponsor argued Minnesota schools should focus on basic academic achievement and that ethnic studies requirements add burdens and distract from reading, math, and science. The chair moved the bill to the Committee on Education Finance after opening the hearing and then took extensive public testimony. Testimony was sharply divided. Supporters of HF 29, including Katherine Kersten, Deanna Moose, Kendall Qualls, Hillary Swanson, and Diane Smith, argued the ethnic studies framework is ideological, overly focused on race, insufficiently transparent, and costly in professional development time; several said it would divide students or burden teachers. Some supporters also claimed the standards or framework promote activism, critical race theory, or racial stratification. Opponents, including Mark Westfall, Crystal Johnson, Jim Grathwol, Marcus Penny, Claude Sigman, and Courtney Major, said the standards are inclusive, research-based, and designed to help students understand multiple perspectives, civic life, and the contributions of diverse Minnesotans. They emphasized that ethnic studies can improve engagement, critical thinking, and representation, and that teachers should be trusted to implement the standards. No final vote on the bill was taken in the portion of the meeting provided. The only formal action noted was the chair’s motion to re-refer House File 29 to the Committee on Education Finance.