Transcript Highlights:

• I apologize, Chairman, I didn't hear what the amendments were on ESLs.
• ESLs are the main reason where the language in the bill on ESLs is the main reason we're supporting the
• But specific to the ESLs, there were no amendments on ESLs?
• Mainly we're concerned with the blanket moratorium on the ESLs.
• It's never happened with ESLs because ESLs do not and cannot do that from both their hardware and software

Keywords: 1146, all

Transcript Highlights:

• She asked what incentives exist for teachers to obtain an ESL endorsement or special education incentive
• Representative Gonzalez-Worthen asked what incentives exist for teachers to obtain an ESL endorsement
• She asked whether there is any incentive for a classroom teacher to receive an ESL endorsement.
• I'm sorry, to teacher... teacher. Yes, yes. Okay, okay.
• teachers.

Summary: The committee first approved the May 18 meeting minutes and then received a Legislative Audit presentation summarizing Arkansas Department of Education grant distributions for fiscal year 2025. Auditors said the department distributed about $4.6 billion in grants overall, including $3.2 billion from the Public School Fund, $1.1 billion in federal funds, and $268 million from other state and miscellaneous sources, across 56 Public School Fund programs, 14 other state programs, and 29 federal programs. Members asked about specific recipients and programs, including ClassWallet, master principal bonuses, Economics Arkansas, and CDC surveillance funding; audit staff and Department of Education representatives explained that the report was only a distribution summary and not a recipient-level audit. Members also questioned why many districts showed lower funding, and staff said the decline was largely due to reduced federal and one-time COVID-related funds. Senators and representatives also discussed whether some incentive programs, such as master principal and national board bonuses, were tied to student outcomes, and whether Economics Arkansas was the sole entity named in special language for financial literacy funding; department staff said they would follow up on several details. The committee then heard a Bureau of Legislative Research presentation on consumer price index projections from Moody’s Analytics and S&P Global, with discussion of CPI-U and core CPI estimates for future fiscal years. Dr. Carlos Silva explained that the forecasts generally trend toward about 2 percent over time and that recent projections may have understated actual inflation because of recent shocks. Members asked about the accuracy of past projections, and he said he would provide more detail later if needed. The bulk of the meeting focused on the final adequacy report on teacher recruitment, retention, and salaries. BLR staff reported that Arkansas had about 32,800 teachers and 473,000 students in 2025, with a statewide student-to-teacher ratio of about 14 to 1, average teaching experience of 11.9 years, and a slight increase in National Board Certified teachers. The report found that districts with higher poverty and minority concentrations generally had less experienced teachers, and that teacher shortages remained widespread, especially in special education, math, science, and foreign language. Members asked about licensure exceptions, alternative preparation pathways, incentives for ESL and special education endorsements, and the cost and return on investment of traditional versus alternative routes. Staff said some licensure exceptions are being phased out under Act 304 of 2025 and that they would follow up on several requested details. The report also found that teacher retention averaged 87 percent statewide in 2025, with districts retaining teachers at higher rates than charters, and that 30 percent of surveyed teachers were considering leaving the profession. Principals and teachers identified school leadership as the strongest positive factor in recruitment and retention, while workload and salary were the strongest negative factors. On salaries, BLR reported a statewide average teacher salary of $60,254 in 2025, with districts averaging $60,458 and charters $55,724. Arkansas ranked 45th nationally on average teacher salary in 2025, though its cost-adjusted ranking improved to 36th; among SREB states it ranked 12th, and among neighboring states it ranked fourth. Members asked about starting salaries, salary compression, district step increases, and whether the report should be shared more broadly with educators and school leaders. Staff said they would provide follow-up information on several questions, and the committee took no formal action beyond receiving the presentations and asking for additional data.

Transcript Highlights:

• and a special education teacher.
• I taught everything, a lot of ESL, and I am endorsed in ESL as an instructional coach.
• My wife is a public school teacher, and my mom is a retired public school teacher who is currently in
• If you have more inexperienced teachers, you don't generate as many units because those teachers earn
• Certified teachers.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a former teacher.
• I was groomed and abused by my physics teacher.
• Seven years before my abuse, my teacher told another teacher.
• Eventually, someone told my principal that I was spending a lot of time with my teacher.
• There needs to be educational tools that will equip teachers and students.

Bills: SB604, SB843, SB1636, SB2395, SB571, SB1224, SB1832, SB2392, SB747, SB2623, SB2624, SB2185

Keywords: bonds, education funding, Texas Permanent School Fund, financial transparency, speculative rating, school funding, deferred maintenance, tax revenue, education budget, school districts, education, finance, Texas Education Code, misconduct, child abuse, educators, investigation, criminal offense, education law, suspension

Transcript Highlights:

• , which was really the landmark legislation that was first cracking down on inappropriate student-teacher
• Bill 3. and 2019 which continue their preventing inappropriate relationships between citizens. and teachers
• So if I'm a teacher and I have concerning...
• He was dating a new teacher there.
• So this occurred, your abuser was a teacher. or principal, he was a coach.

Bills: SB604, SB843, SB1636, SB2395, SB571, SB1224, SB1832, SB2392, SB747, SB2623, SB2624, SB2185

Keywords: bonds, education funding, Texas Permanent School Fund, financial transparency, speculative rating, school funding, deferred maintenance, tax revenue, education budget, school districts, education, finance, Texas Education Code, misconduct, child abuse, educators, investigation, criminal offense, education law, suspension

Transcript Highlights:

• We're gonna feature a discussion with Rebeca Peterson, former teacher of the year.

Bills: HB3522, HB4300, HB4359, HB4363, HB3467, HB2987, HB3076, HB4427, HB3026, HB3288, HB3315, HB3711, HB3885

Keywords: alcoholic beverages, ABLE Commission, licensing, regulation, annual reporting, child care, criminal history, background checks, child safety, Oklahoma laws, advisory committees, statewide assessments, student testing, testing window, end-of-year testing, Oklahoma Academic Standards, Oklahoma School Testing Program, State Board of Education, grade 3-8, alternate assessment

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to feature a discussion with Rebecca Peterson, former Teacher of the Year, and she's going

Bills: HB3522, HB4300, HB4359, HB4363, HB3467, HB2987, HB3076, HB4427, HB3026, HB3288, HB3315, HB3711, HB3885

Keywords: alcoholic beverages, ABLE Commission, licensing, regulation, annual reporting, child care, criminal history, background checks, child safety, Oklahoma laws, advisory committees, statewide assessments, student testing, testing window, end-of-year testing, Oklahoma Academic Standards, Oklahoma School Testing Program, State Board of Education, grade 3-8, alternate assessment

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including Veteran of the Week Aaron Hudkins, Psychologist of the Day Dr. Emily Corley, Doctor of the Day Dr. Jason Reagan, and a proclamation recognizing Brain Injury Awareness Month. Members also honored the Edmond Santa Fe Palm Squad and Ava Garrett for assembling and funding 100 overnight bags for children entering foster care in memory of fallen Oklahoma service member Serena Butcher. On legislation, the House considered and passed House Bill 3522, a transparency measure requiring alcoholic beverage licensees to report disciplinary actions annually, and House Bill 4300, a Department of Human Services request bill aligning child-care worker assessment language with federal requirements. Both bills advanced without debate; HB 3522 passed by recorded vote and HB 4300 passed 94-0. The chamber also recognized 17 Pages of the Week and heard multiple announcements, including caucus and birthday notices, a planned Jeans Day request tied to Bob Wills Day, and the introduction of Oklahoma Task Force One members and a search dog. The House then adjourned until Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Cynthia Posey, Louisiana Federation of Teachers.
• have to be enrolled in a teacher prep program.
• So it's ...an associate teacher, they have to be enrolled in a teacher prep program.
• So potential associate teachers. I'm just curious.
• I think it's going to help with the teacher shortage.

Bills: HB818, HB1063, SB28, SB64, SB142, SB234, SB482

Keywords: higher education, accountability, curriculum review, faculty governance, disciplinary procedures, SB 28, Act 233, associate educator program, associate teachers, teacher certification, alternative teacher pathway, education workforce, teacher shortage, minimum age, age requirement, Louisiana schools, Title 17, R.S. 17:7.8, educator pipeline, teacher recruitment

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> teachers Grant and the teacher teachers Grant and the teacher recruitment<00:28:18.720><c> marketing
• I'm a former ESL teacher and know the impacts of heritage language firsthand. testify in support of SF
• </c> advocacy nonprofit I'm a former ESL advocacy nonprofit I'm a former ESL teacher<00:42:52.200><c>
• My journey with heritage language programming began when I was an ESL teacher.
• </c> programming began when I was an ESL programming began when I was an ESL teacher<00:45:34.359><c>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• be able to use or, you know, reinstate their ESLs after the one-year study.
• So just to clarify, the industry we're talking about is the ESL industry, because I work for an ESL manufacturer
• In particular, we support the provision before you on ESLs.
• That is why we believe the ESL language requiring a moratorium is so much...
• That is why we believe the ESL language requiring a moratorium is so important.

Keywords: 1146, all

Transcript Highlights:

• classes with their fears that ESL funding is going to go by the wayside.
• I haven't reached out to these teachers in the ESL program in Nashua, but it's a concern.
• </c> haven't uh reached out to these teachers haven't uh reached out to these teachers in<01:03:46.720
• ><c> in</c><01:03:48.920><c> nashwa</c><01:03:49.920><c> but</c><01:03:50.200><c> it's</c> in the ESL
• program uh in nashwa but it's in the ESL program uh in nashwa but it's a<01:03:50.599><c> it's</c><01

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Transportation Committee met in executive session on several House bills. HB 212, allowing a 180-day operation waiver when a vehicle fails an emissions test, was retained at the sponsor’s request for possible modifications. HB 249, which would have let bicyclists treat stop signs as yields and stop lights as stop signs, was recommended inexpedient to legislate (ITL) by a 9-7 vote, with a minority report expected. The committee then retained HB 298, creating an exception for removing VIN tags from pre-1981 vehicles when needed for repair or restoration, by a 15-1 vote. HB 411-FN, making handheld device use while driving a secondary offense, was recommended ITL by consent after members argued the current primary-offense law is more effective for enforcement and safety. On HB 414, which would have barred DMV license suspensions based on debts owed to private towing or storage companies, the committee rejected ITL and instead retained the bill 16-0 after members split over whether the current law unfairly ties driving privileges to private debt collection. HB 441, addressing visible diesel emissions and “rolling coal,” was recommended ITL 16-0 because members said the conduct is already illegal under existing state and federal law. The committee then took up HB 461, concerning Department of Safety and DMV training and testing materials, where members debated whether driver testing should be limited to English and whether multilingual materials are a safety necessity or discriminatory; the transcript cuts off before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• are studying to be teachers to have are studying to be teachers to have their<00:03:38.560><c> classroom
• </c> was in the classroom mentoring teachers was in the classroom mentoring teachers all<00:18:41.760
• </c> 1906 along with uh EKU as a teachers 1906 along with uh EKU as a teachers college.<00:38:07.839>
• Last year we had over 300 teachers on our campus living and learning about how to be a better teacher
• Our students perform well, our teachers, our master teachers in the classroom.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Interim Joint Budget Review Subcommittee on Education met with a quorum, approved the August 20, 2025 minutes, and then heard a discussion tied to Constitution Day and Kentucky’s constitutional duty to provide an efficient system of common schools. Chairman James Tipton reviewed the history of Kentucky’s model laboratory schools, postsecondary academy programs such as Gatton and Craft, magnet schools, virtual learning, and computer science opportunities, arguing that Kentucky has long expanded educational opportunity through different school models. He described model schools and academy programs as hybrid or innovative approaches that serve specialized student needs and noted that some of these programs receive state appropriations and, in some cases, tuition. Senator Steve West then gave a retrospective on school choice in Kentucky, beginning with the 2017 charter school law and explaining that Kentucky’s charter framework was designed as public-only to comply with the state constitution. He said charter schools have remained largely dormant in Kentucky and used that as context for Senate Bill 207, the School Innovation Act, which he said was modeled on a South Carolina approach. Under SB 207, a local school board can contract with a third-party entity to manage an existing school, receive SEEK funding, and seek waivers from certain state regulations in order to innovate, while retaining limits on items such as school safety and attendance rules. Members asked about how the new model differs from charter schools, whether schools could cherry-pick students, and whether teachers would remain district employees. West and Tipton said the bill is intended to keep the school within the public system, with the local district initiating the process and maintaining accountability through a time-limited contract that can be ended if the school fails to perform. They emphasized that the school would serve the existing student population rather than select students, and that teachers would remain district employees with their pensions and related contributions unchanged. Representative Brown raised concerns that exceptions and charters could leave lower-income children behind, while West responded that the bill is meant to expand choice for families who otherwise lack access and cited examples from other states where outside management and parental involvement helped turn around low-performing schools. No additional votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• teachers.
• teachers and ESL support, as well as high-intensity tutoring and support that leads to a true high school
• teachers, academic environment with licensed teachers, including special education teachers and ESL,
• So non-core teachers, also referred to as specialist teachers, Ratios.
• with teacher salaries below the average teacher salary.

Summary: The House and Senate Education Committee first approved minutes from February 2 and 3, then took up an interim study proposal on adult education and the Excel Center model. Representatives from Goodwill Industries of Arkansas, the Excel Center network, and the University of Notre Dame’s Lab for Economic Opportunities testified that roughly 300,000 Arkansans over age 19 lack a high school diploma or GED, and argued that the Excel Center provides a supported diploma pathway for adults who struggle with GED testing. Witnesses highlighted wraparound services such as free child care, transportation assistance, tutoring, life coaching, and career services, and cited outcomes including high retention, growing enrollment, and research showing higher employment and earnings and lower criminal justice involvement for graduates. Committee members raised questions about the state’s role, existing adult education programs, and how the study would be structured; the motion to adopt the ISP passed, though there was some procedural disagreement about when questions should have been taken. The committee then heard a detailed adequacy funding overview from BLR staff Katie Walden and Adrian Beck on Arkansas K-12 education finance. They reviewed national funding principles and explained Arkansas’s system, including state and local revenue sources, the Public School Fund, the Educational Excellence Trust Fund, the Educational Adequacy Fund, and the Facilities Partnership Program. Staff said K-12 state and local revenues totaled $6.6 billion in 2025, with foundation funding making up the largest share of district and charter funding, followed by additional, categorical, and supplemental funds. They also explained the matrix-based foundation formula, the role of the uniform rate of tax, and how categorical and supplemental funds support areas such as alternative learning, English learners, special education high-cost cases, teacher salary equalization, declining enrollment, and student growth. Members asked several follow-up questions about how specific funding categories are defined and used, including student support staff, instructional aides, special education high-cost occurrences, ALE funding, teacher salary equalization, and the inclusion of Excel Center amounts in state-local funding totals. Staff said some of those details would be addressed in a later presentation and offered to provide additional records, including district lists and historical information. The meeting ended after the funding overview, with no additional votes or actions beyond the ISP adoption and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• future workers nurses future teachers future workers like<00:37:33.480><c> highly</c><00:37:34.040><
• 00:49:33.559><c> um</c> education is not the same thing as um education is not the same thing as um ESL
• and so maybe a lot of us have gotten ESL and so maybe a lot of us have gotten that<00:49:37.200><c>
• </c> email as well um there was a teacher email as well um there was a teacher from<00:49:45.200><c>
• </c> Learners who were adults but the teacher Learners who were adults but the teacher noticed<00:50:

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Finance Division II work session considered several amendments to HB 2. The first two items were rejected: a proposal to add a new “Lakes” license plate with proceeds to the cyanobacteria fund failed 7-8, and Amendment 1040, which would have imposed a 5% administrative fee on certain dedicated funds to raise general fund revenue, failed 4-5. Representative Maguire explained the fee would apply only to new revenue going forward and would not change existing fund balances; he also described exemptions for federal funds, bequests, and other special cases. Representative Murray questioned the consistency of the approach and who currently pays administrative costs, while Maguire said the charges are often handled case-by-case by agencies or the treasurer. The committee then revisited revenue distribution changes in HB 2. Members first reconsidered and reversed prior acceptance of sections affecting the Education Trust Fund, then adopted Amendment 1381H, which changes the distribution of business profits tax and business enterprise tax revenue, along with related sections, to shift more money to the General Fund. Supporters argued the change was needed to address revenue shortfalls and to align with historical distributions; opponents said it reduced support for education. The reconsideration motion passed 7-3, and the amendment itself passed 5-3. The committee also adopted Amendment 1413H, incorporating the language of HB 741 on open enrollment and student attendance in public schools. Supporters said it was House policy and had sufficient policy and fiscal impact to belong in HB 2; opponents noted the underlying bill had been controversial and passed the House by a relatively close margin. Finally, the committee considered a USNH budget reduction proposal that would cut the University System of New Hampshire by $25 million per year net. Supporters said the cut was necessary to balance the budget and that K-12 obligations had to take priority, while opponents argued the cut would harm workforce development, the state economy, and student retention. The transcript cuts off during extended debate, and no final vote on the USNH item is shown in the provided text.

Transcript Highlights:

• future workers nurses future teachers future workers like<00:37:33.480><c> highly</c><00:37:34.040><
• just wanted to make sure that the committee understood that adult education is not the same thing as ESL
• just wanted to make sure that the committee understood that adult education is not the same thing as ESL
• just wanted to make sure that the committee understood that adult education is not the same thing as ESL
• just wanted to make sure that the committee understood that adult education is not the same thing as ESL

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first considered an amendment to add a new “Lakes” license plate to HB 2, with proceeds directed to the cyanobacteria fund for lake cleanup. Representative McGuire said the bill had already passed on consent and asked that it be included in HB 2; members discussed that it had also gone to the Senate. The motion to adopt the amendment failed on a 7-8 vote. The committee then took up an amendment imposing a 5% administrative fee on certain dedicated funds, with several exemptions for funds that could not legally or appropriately be charged, such as those involving federal money or bequests. Supporters said it would make the treatment of dedicated funds more consistent and raise roughly $31 million over the biennium for the general fund, while opponents questioned the number of carve-outs and who currently pays the administrative costs. The amendment failed on a 4-5 vote. Next, the committee reconsidered and then adopted an amendment changing the distribution of business profits tax and business enterprise tax revenue, reducing the share going to the Education Trust Fund from 41% to 30% and increasing the General Fund share. Supporters argued the Senate had overfunded the Education Trust Fund and that the change would help balance the budget without changing education spending levels; opponents said they could not support taking money from the Education Trust Fund. The amendment passed 5-3. The committee also adopted, by the same 5-3 margin, an amendment incorporating HB 741 language on open enrollment and student attendance in public schools, with supporters calling it House policy and opponents noting it had been a close, partly partisan vote in the House. Finally, the committee considered a change to the University System of New Hampshire budget that would reduce general fund appropriations by $40 million per year, offset in part by $15 million in previously approved unique dollars for a net reduction of $25 million per year. Supporters said the cut was necessary to balance the budget and that other options had been exhausted; opponents called it harmful to the university system and argued the committee should instead look to other areas, including education freedom accounts, for savings. The discussion continued, but the transcript excerpt ends before a final vote on the UNH item.

Transcript Highlights:

• help retailers meet that and ESLs help retailers meet that standard.<00:25:47.279><c> ESLs</c><00:25
• Most common ESLs are about $10 apiece.
• ESLs are just one such tool.
• ESLs are just one such tool. We costs. ESLs are just one such tool.
• Uh to my state to ban ESLs.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So there's a 2008 report where they basically looked at teacher salaries, they looked at what they think
• So there's a 2008 report where they basically looked at teacher salaries, they looked at what they think
• What kind of teachers do we want to have in a school?
• What kind of teachers do we want to have in a school?
• program before they are supposed to know English and no longer be an ESL kid?

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Department of Education’s Bureau of School Finance provided an adequacy-funding training for Division II, led by Mark Mello. He walked the committee through the adequacy formula using Albany, Allenstown, and Alton as examples, explaining average daily membership, base adequacy aid, and differential aid for free/reduced-price meals, special education, and English language learners. He also noted a recent change requiring home-education differential aid and emphasized that these aid streams are generally unrestricted district funding rather than money tied to specific students or programs. A major focus was the ongoing litigation over the adequacy base amount and the statewide education property tax, or SWEPT. Mello explained the historical basis of the current base amount, the 2008 legislative report that set the original methodology, and the later court ruling that the adequacy amount should be $7,356, which is now before the Supreme Court. He also described how SWEPT currently raises a fixed statewide amount of $363 million and how that revenue is used to offset the state’s adequacy obligation. For the example towns, Albany and Allenstown receive state adequacy grants because their SWEPT revenue is below their calculated adequacy cost, while Alton is an excess SWEPT community because its local SWEPT revenue exceeds the cost of adequate education. The discussion then turned to the pending “excess SWEPT” issue in the Supreme Court and what would happen if excess collections had to be remitted to the state. Mello said the Department is preparing a hypothetical walkthrough and explained that, if the court upholds the Superior Court ruling, DRA would likely be directed to collect excess SWEPT. Members raised concerns about whether SWEPT must be used for educational purposes and about the cash-flow burden on towns if money had to move from municipalities to the state and then back to districts. Mello and members discussed possible administrative workarounds, such as credits against other state aid distributions, and noted that the committee would continue reviewing the mechanics if the court decision comes down during budget work.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><02:19:40.080><c> across</c> and partnerships to help teachers across and partnerships to help teachers
• I'm sure for teachers across the state.
• And the partnerships among teachers, the goal is to help facilitate some partnerships among teachers
• so that if, for example, a teacher in Laconia is like, 'I'm really strong at teaching about this, but
• </c><02:24:16.319><c> association,</c> Churches, from the teachers association, Churches, from the teachers

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator, this does not take money from the ESL in any manner.
• The ESL also, what we did I think four years ago, allows investments outside of just fixed dollars.
• Right now, the Comptroller, for instance, in the ESL, can purchase securities directly.
• I will mention that I believe the portion of the ESL that can be invested in can include any SEC-listed
• And the comptroller, I believe, will verify the portion of the ESL that can be invested can be invested

Bills: SB 21, SB21, SB72, SB140, SB262, SB370, SB372, SB495, SB627, SB703, SB764, SB842

Keywords: emergency alerts, weather alerts, public safety, local government, municipality, county, website posting, online notice, emergency management, disaster preparedness, evacuation, National Weather Service, NOAA, Texas Division of Emergency Management, TDEM, localized alerts, hazard warnings, severe weather, watch warning advisory, public information

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, this is a constitutional amendment. amendment, proposes to raise the cap on the maximum ESL
• This cap is reached, then transferred to the ESL thesis until the next cap is calculated.
• President and members, SB 1871 seeks to reform school discipline back to where the Teachers can teach
• Increase of assaults on teachers, school-related threats, as a result, many parents, teachers, school
• The conference held between the teacher, administrator, parent, and student under Chapter 37.00.

Keywords: legislation, Senate Joint Resolution 40, Senate Bill 871, constitutional amendment, emergency powers, governor authority, legislative oversight

Summary: The meeting focused on several crucial pieces of legislation, notably Senate Joint Resolution 40, which proposed a constitutional amendment to clarify the powers of the governor, the legislature, and the Supreme Court during emergencies. Senator Birdwell presented the resolution, emphasizing the need for legislative involvement during prolonged crises. It garnered broad support, passing with 29 votes in favor and only 1 against. Following this, Senate Bill 871, considered the enabling legislation, was also moved for discussion, with the aim of reinforcing the legislature's authority during emergencies while establishing clear guidelines for the governor's powers.