Transcript Highlights:

• So, there is a learning curve for us as we teach our students.
• So we get reading specialists to teach our reading courses.
• that we're also providing the required state standards.
• So we just run workshops on Saturdays when they're not teaching.
• We tell our students if you want a teaching degree, you can get a teaching degree at UNM.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> how we ought to be going about teaching how we ought to be going about teaching things<00:06:49.479
• So it's a matter of when you're teaching, let's say we're teaching reading.
• So it's a matter of when you're teaching, let's say we're teaching reading.
• So it's a matter of when you're teaching, let's say we're teaching reading.
• So it's a matter of when you're teaching, let's say we're teaching reading.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 129, which would redefine “evidence-based” in public education to require objective, science-based evidence for pedagogical methods. The prime sponsor said the bill is a verbatim reintroduction from the prior session and argued that current federal definitions are too vague, allowing subjective surveys and other weak evidence to justify teaching methods. He said the bill is limited to pedagogy, not subject matter, and is intended to improve student outcomes, reduce fad-driven practices, and potentially save money by limiting unnecessary retraining and new materials. Members asked repeatedly about the bill’s scope, including whether it would affect classroom teachers, curriculum content, and existing instructional approaches such as phonics versus whole language or queuing. The sponsor said the bill applies to state and local education bodies and educator training policies, not individual teachers in their classrooms, and that teachers would retain flexibility. He also said standardized testing could be part of a scientific study but is not itself a study, and that textbook providers could be asked to furnish the studies supporting instructional guidance included in their materials. Several members raised concerns about the fiscal note and possible cost shifts to local districts and taxpayers. The sponsor disputed the idea that the bill would necessarily create major new costs or require additional staff, saying any costs would likely be limited and that the department is already applying federal evidence-based rules. He also said if some current methods are not science-based, updating them would be justified even if there were some initial expense. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• be forced into a position... ...to teach another.
• While this does mean we get more standardized teaching for smaller schools, this would also mean some
• teaching, which is the goal of this bill.
• We believe this is a standard amount that a teacher should teach to teach as many students as possible
• Shouldn't there be a statewide standard?

Summary: The Arkansas Boys State House convened with a quorum, heard opening remarks from legislative leaders and guests, and then considered a series of bills focused on rural services, education, taxes, and zoning. House Bill 1001 would have increased rural health care funding through a 10% tax on individuals earning at least $300,000; supporters argued it would improve access and quality in rural areas, while opponents raised concerns about fairness, long-term funding, and whether it would drive away doctors and taxpayers. The bill failed by a vote of 24 yeas, 51 nays, and 1 present. House Bill 1002 would have limited the number of subjects rural teachers could be assigned and offered sign-on bonuses to recruit more teachers; supporters said it would reduce burnout and improve specialization, while opponents questioned funding and whether it would worsen inequities. After immediate consideration, it passed narrowly, 38 yeas, 36 nays, and 2 present. The House then debated House Bill 1003, which would regulate AI data centers through county zoning authority and a 10% tax on corporations to fund conservation efforts. Supporters said counties should be able to decide whether data centers fit local needs, while opponents warned about lost jobs, higher costs, and federal-state jurisdiction issues. The bill passed 62 yeas, 7 nays, and 3 present. House Bill 1004 would have reduced motor vehicle registration fees to offset high fuel costs, but critics argued it would reduce highway and road funding and strain the state budget; it failed 20 yeas, 46 nays, and 4 present. The chamber then took up Senate bills. Senate Bill 1 proposed incentives tied to SNAP benefits to encourage healthier food purchases and address food insecurity and obesity; supporters framed it as a way to improve access to healthy food, while opponents objected to taxing junk food and burdening SNAP users. It passed 43 yeas and 27 nays. Senate Bill 2 would require reading tests in middle school and state tutoring for students who fail; supporters said it would address literacy problems early, while opponents wanted clearer provisions for older students and implementation. It passed 67 yeas, 6 nays, and 1 present. Senate Bill 3 would cut individual and corporate income taxes to promote economic growth and ease cost-of-living pressures; supporters cited prior tax cuts and business attraction, while opponents said the benefits would mostly go to wealthy corporations and CEOs. It passed 53 yeas, 15 nays, and 16 present. Senate Bill 4 created a mixed-use zoning grant program funded by a 1% hotel tourism tax to encourage affordable housing and downtown redevelopment; it passed 51 yeas, 7 nays, and 13 present. The session ended with a motion to adjourn, which carried.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is standard compact language. It hasn't been an issue before.
• I had a teaching certificate.
• And Oklahoma did not recognize my teaching certificate.
• teaching certificate in Oklahoma.
• in other states will not be the same standard as we have in Oklahoma.

Bills: SB540, HB1085, HB1484

Keywords: dentist, dental hygienist, dentistry, dental hygiene, licensure compact, interstate compact, professional licensing, license portability, health workforce, workforce shortage, mobility, compact privilege, state licensing board, public health, public safety, military spouse, telehealth dentistry, reciprocity, Title 59, occupational licensing

Transcript Highlights:

• to teach, and then there's a content pillar to make sure that they know what to teach.
• So we don't have this standards.
• </c> following the same rigorous standards. following the same rigorous standards.
• </c> national accredititation as a standard national accredititation as a standard that<01:25:27.040>
• </c> now we have like different standards in now we have like different standards in 40<01:26:00.880>

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• teaching, then we what you saying you're teaching, then we what you saying you're teaching, then we
• log and teach it to students be able to log and teach it to students be able to log and teach it to
• we don't have to teach computer science don't have to teach computer science don't have to teach computer
• to teach it the program already teach to teach it the program already teach to teach it the program
• don't teach don't teach it.

Bills: HJR 4, HJR 6, HB 195, HB 13, HB 143, HB 135

Keywords: occupation tax, securities, financial regulation, tax exemption, legislative amendment, capital gains tax, realized gains, unrealized gains, investment income, asset sale, capital assets, wealth tax, estate tax, trust tax, tax limitation, constitutional amendment, Texas Constitution, Article VIII, property tax, sales tax

Transcript Highlights:

• On the piece of should the standard apply for teach-out, I actually think it should apply to publics
• The Northwest Commission sets forth a number of requirements for teach-out that this bill has standards
• But to your question, the Northwest Commission standards are different.
• So if we were to define “discontinue,” it has a per standard.
• The student needs to have a quality teach-out option.

Summary: The committee held public hearings on several bills related to higher education, workforce training, student protections, campus encampments, and EMT recertification. HB 2427 would require tattoo artists to complete annual human trafficking awareness training through the Department of Licensing; the prime sponsor and supporters said tattoo artists may be among the few people trafficked survivors encounter and could help identify and refer victims, while one opponent argued the bill imposes compelled speech and burdens small businesses. HB 2458 would expand Washington College Grant eligibility to approved non-degree credential programs; supporters from community and technical colleges, workforce organizations, and employers said it would help low-income students access short-term training tied to high-demand jobs, while one member raised concerns about short-term credentials and their long-term value. The committee also heard HB 2474, which would strengthen consumer protections when a private institution or program closes by expanding use of the Student Achievement Council tuition recovery trust fund, requiring teach-out or transfer options, and voiding certain student debts if closure rules are violated. The sponsor and agency witnesses said the bill responds to recent closures and gaps in federal oversight, while Independent Colleges of Washington opposed the bill as overly broad and potentially harmful to program innovation, and asked that private nonprofit campuses be excluded. Testifiers from student groups and a national higher-education advocacy organization supported the measure and argued that protections should also apply to public institutions. HB 2589 would regulate campus encampments at institutions of higher education by requiring advance notice, limiting authorization to registered student organizations or recognized bargaining units, and allowing institutions to impose content-neutral time, place, and manner restrictions to protect safety and access. The sponsor said it codifies existing practice and does not ban protest, but several testifiers described recent encampments as disruptive or unsafe, while others warned the bill could chill student expression and should not apply to private nonprofit campuses. Finally, HB 2540 would extend EMT recertification intervals from every three years to every six years for EMTs certified in Washington for at least 10 years; firefighters and EMS supporters said it would reduce administrative burden without changing training requirements. The committee took no votes and adjourned after hearing all testimony, with a reminder about amendment deadlines for upcoming bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• Teaching LGBT topics in schools almost always results in LGBT.
• I can tell you it's common sense to teach sex education. in school.
• We've got statewide minimum standards, but we.
• Generally, you can't copy and paste legal standards into different contexts.
• I mean, you mentioned that learning, teaching moment, father, daughter, just.

Bills: SB12, SB1565, SB13, SJR12, SB686, SB371, SB204, SB609, SB112, SB400, SB813, SB 12, SB 13

Keywords: parental rights, education, social transitioning, diversity, equity, inclusion, school policy, student clubs, school district, grievance procedure, public education, diversity and inclusion, funding penalties, school libraries, library advisory councils, library materials, educational content, challenging materials, constitutional amendment, school choice

Transcript Highlights:

• Department of Education accreditation standards. Thank you, Mr. President.
• They are all in favor of becoming aligned with national standards.
• It has nothing to do with how they teach or what they teach.
• How are you going to spend three hours teaching a student?
• Three hours teaching them not to be putting their makeup on.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> get bought into that that we're teaching get bought into that that we're teaching them<00:21:42.960
• </c> use to teach each of those concepts? use to teach each of those concepts?
• </c> resource for our teachers to be teaching resource for our teachers to be teaching high<00:30:05.360
• </c> that are tied to our state standards. that are tied to our state standards.
• </c><00:33:47.200><c> and</c> that is supporting the standards and that is supporting the standards and

Bills: HB187, HB98, HB360, HB394, HB398, HB388, HB187, HB98, HB360, HB394, HB398, HB388

Keywords: school safety, emergency response, training, public safety, Alyssa's Law, law enforcement, scholarship, tuition assistance, dependent education, Alabama, blackout license plate, HB360, Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday, sales tax holiday, firearms, guns, ammunition, bullets, primers, gun accessories

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> today apprenticeship is new to teaching today apprenticeship is new to teaching as<00:21:17.960>
• We have been building an apprenticeship program for teaching.
• Board's 2023 standards of effective practice.
• </c><00:30:19.799><c> boards</c> Educators and Licensing standard boards Educators and Licensing standard
• 22.320><c> of</c><00:30:22.480><c> effective</c> or pel's 2023 standards of effective or pel's 2023 standards

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• THIS ENSURES EXPERIENCED EDUCATORS CAN RETURN TO TEACHING MORE EFFICIENTLY WHILE STILL MEETING CURRENT
• CERTIFICATION STANDARDS THE BILL EXPANDS ELIGIBILITY FOR TEMPORARY EDUCATED CERTIFICATES TO INCLUDE
• ENTITY WITH MIAMI-DADE COLLEGE ON THE NEWLY CREATED FLORIDA CENTER FOR TEACHING EXCELLENCE.
• IT REPLACES THE USF INSTITUTE WITH THE DAVID LINCOLN CENTER FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF TEACHING WITHIN USF
• THERE ARE LOTS OF REASONS TO LEAVE TEACHING.

Transcript Highlights:

• It turns what should be human decency into a legal standard.
• It turns what should be human decency into a legal standard.
• We need to make the standard easy and not shame parents.
• So what we're doing now, just teaching sex education without teaching the dignity of human life, is just
• Can you tell me what school you teach at? I teach at a private school.

Bills: HB2035, HB2086, HB2434, HB2611, HB2732, HB2733, HB2830, HB2923, HB2932, HB4004

Keywords: kinship care, child welfare, foster care, relative placement, child protection, vaccination mandates, mask requirements, public health, government entities, COVID-19, controlled substances, prescription monitoring, opioid crisis, healthcare regulations, patient safety, group homes, children's rights, safety protocols, employee training, mental health

Transcript Highlights:

• It doesn't meet the standards.'
• It doesn't meet the standards."
• It doesn't meet the standards."
• It doesn't meet the standards."
• We want all students to have high standards, but they shouldn't all have the same high standard.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Typically, the highest standard quality, the highest quality standards that cost the most money, are
• And so now that is done through the Legislature, a consistent, standardized approach.
• I did the Teach for America Corps in the Mississippi Delta in 2007, and so I drank the Teach for America
• And so, going into my teaching career, I always understood how important your work is.
• We've done a lot of recruitment and TEACH being one of them.

Summary: The Pre-K through 12 Budget Subcommittee met with a quorum and focused on School Readiness, specifically the new provider reimbursement rates and the School Readiness Plus program. The chair gave an overview of how School Readiness is funded and administered, noting that the Legislature now sets county-based reimbursement rates using market and cost data, and that School Readiness Plus was created to help families who would otherwise fall off the subsidy “cliff” at 85% of state median income by extending assistance up to 100% of state median income. Panelists from the Children’s Forum, the Association of Early Learning Coalitions, and the Division of Early Learning described the programs as major workforce and family-support tools that help parents stay employed and help providers recruit and retain qualified staff. Testimony emphasized that higher reimbursement rates increase parental choice, help providers cover rising child care costs, and support better staffing and lower turnover. The panel also said School Readiness Plus is easing the pressure on families to turn down raises or promotions for fear of losing child care assistance, though uptake is still early because the program only began in late 2024 and is only available to current School Readiness families at redetermination. The Division of Early Learning reported about 275 children enrolled in School Readiness Plus as of March 10, with expenditures of about $161,420 through January 2025, and said participation is increasing. Members asked about the federal-state funding split, wait lists, reverted funds, coalition accountability, county-based rate differences, and whether the entrance eligibility threshold should be raised or shifted to state median income. The panel said roughly 70% of School Readiness funding is federal, about 4% has typically reverted in recent years, and the wait list is around 12,000 children, with reasons including income ineligibility, lack of available seats, and funding limits. They argued that raising the entrance threshold would expand access but would require additional funding, and they also discussed the need to reduce workforce barriers such as in-person testing and training requirements. The meeting ended with no formal action beyond the presentation and member discussion, and the subcommittee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• There is an NFPA, or National Fire Protection Association, standard that requires it to be dedicated
• To my knowledge, there's no standard on that.
• I've worked as a lead teaching fellow, as a primary instructor teaching my own course, as an academic
• Like our faculty peers, graduate workers teach our own classes and complete our own research.
• For many of us, graduate assistantships and teaching positions are our only source of income.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a public hearing with about 43 witnesses and a 1:00 p.m. hard stop, and the chair repeatedly asked speakers to keep testimony to three minutes. Much of the hearing focused on S. 747/H. 1336, which would extend paid family and medical leave and unemployment insurance to graduate student workers. Supporters included legislators, union leaders, graduate workers from MIT, Harvard, BU, WPI, UMass Lowell, and others, and legal advocates. They argued graduate workers perform full-time teaching and research work, pay taxes, and should not be excluded from basic safety-net benefits; several witnesses described personal hardships involving childbirth, serious illness, mental health crises, funding cuts, or fear of losing income. Testifiers also said the change would be revenue-neutral or revenue-generating and would not create major administrative burdens for universities, which already provide similar benefits to other employees. The committee also heard testimony on insurance-related bills. Christopher Stock of the Massachusetts Insurance Federation supported H. 1113 on public adjusters and H. 1345/S. 753 on flood-zone notifications for homebuyers, but opposed H. 4112, which would add a $2 surcharge on home insurance policies to fund fire cistern programs. The Metropolitan Area Planning Council strongly supported H. 1345, saying flood disclosure is needed because Massachusetts lacks statewide flood-notification requirements and flooding risks are increasing. Karen Alvarado supported H. 4352 on travel insurance, and John Fielding supported H. 1186 on pet insurance; both said the bills would create uniform regulatory frameworks and consumer protections. Rep. LeBoeuf testified for H. 4061 on workers’ compensation premium fraud, describing the bill as a transparency measure to combat fraud in construction by creating a public certificate-of-insurance database and QR-code verification system. Joe Bright of the carpenters’ union also supported H. 4061, citing fraud, misclassification, and the harm to injured workers. The hearing also included testimony on H. 4112, a bill to create a statewide fire suppression water resource fund and cistern program. Rep. Hogan and a Stowe fire chief described drought, brush fires, and the need for dedicated cisterns in communities without municipal water systems, saying the tanks provide reliable water for firefighting and are relatively low-tech once installed. Committee members asked questions about tank capacity, siting, maintenance, and funding. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it looks at standards. Different protocols have a different number of standards...
• It looks at standards. Different protocols have a different number of standards.
• The international standard, which is widely accepted around the world, is a standard...
• The international standard, which is widely accepted around the world, is a standard called ISO-27001
• And when you have too many students in a class, we can't teach reading. We can't teach math.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 convened with a quorum, adopted its committee rules, and heard opening remarks from members introducing staff and outlining priorities for the session. Several senators emphasized support for public education, teacher pay and safety, parental choice, and the combined K-16 jurisdiction of the committee. The chair also reviewed hearing procedures, including public testimony registration and time limits. The main item was Senate Bill 2, the Texas Education Freedom Act, laid out by Chairman Creighton. He described the bill as an education savings account program intended to expand school choice, with a $200 million universal eligibility pool and an additional $800 million targeted to students with disabilities and lower-income families. He said the bill includes anti-fraud safeguards, criminal background checks for vendors, reporting requirements, data protections, and annual testing for participating students, while not imposing STAAR on private schools or homeschoolers. He also said the bill removes a prior hold-harmless provision for public schools and is separate from public school funding and teacher pay legislation. Members questioned the bill’s income threshold, lottery and priority structure, treatment of homeschoolers, microschools, charter schools, religious freedom protections, citizenship/lawful presence language, cybersecurity, open records, and disability-related issues, including whether 504 students and foster children should be included. Creighton said the bill is designed to prioritize former public school students with disabilities or lower incomes, while also allowing universal eligibility within the program’s first funding tier, and that the Comptroller would oversee vendor screening and cybersecurity rules. He said the bill does not direct curriculum or interfere with religious beliefs and that amendments may be offered later on citizenship and other issues. After member questions, the committee began invited testimony, starting with EdChoice representative Robert Inlow, who testified in support of SB 2 and cited national growth in school choice programs and studies he said show positive effects for students and public schools.

Transcript Highlights:

• They believe in the teacher's ability to teach.
• And so we've set some standards or some frameworks. If that.
• SB 1147 replaces that standard with nearly a thousand district-level judgments.
• And at the time, there were folks saying, well, you teach, the way you teach Spanish is like this.
• You know, you teach, the way you teach Spanish is like this.

Summary: The committee heard SB 1067, which would require annual math screening for kindergarten through second grade students beginning in 2028-29 to identify early numeracy difficulties and connect students to evidence-based supports. Senator Weber and supporters, including EdVoice, UC Davis researcher Charles Wilkes, and several education and community advocates, argued that California’s math performance is too low and that early screening would help close gaps before they widen. Opponents, including the California Mathematics Council, county superintendents, and the CTA, said the bill could narrow instruction, overemphasize deficit-based measures, and should instead be paired with stronger investments in teacher training and implementation of the California Mathematics Framework. Committee members generally expressed support for the bill’s goals while discussing how the screener would work and what kinds of follow-up supports would be needed. The committee also heard SB 1110 on child care subsidy administration, which would restructure funding for alternative payment programs and core contracts as the state moves to enrollment-based funding. Supporters said the bill would stabilize child care providers, improve payment timelines, and better reflect the administrative work of enrolling families and managing services; there was no opposition testimony. SB 1374, supported by the CSU and UC systems, would allow public higher education institutions to seek temporary restraining orders when credible threats are directed at a campus rather than a specific person. Supporters described recent campus threats that created safety concerns but did not fit current restraining-order law; there was no opposition. Senator Nilo presented SB 1321, which would direct the State Auditor to review remedial course use and student preparedness at selected UC and CSU campuses after a UC San Diego report showed a sharp decline in incoming students’ math readiness. Supporters argued the audit would help identify gaps in college readiness and the effects of K-12 changes, while some members raised concerns about bypassing the usual legislative audit process; the bill was held on call. The committee then took up SB 1086 on microschools, which would define microschools and direct model ordinances for local land-use regulation. Supporters said it would create a clearer path for small, individualized learning communities, but several members questioned whether the concept was sufficiently defined and whether the state had enough information to draft model ordinances; the bill was also placed on call after a quorum was established. Finally, SB 1181 was presented as a limited pilot program in Central Valley counties to connect schools with regional threat assessment centers when credible safety concerns arise. The author and supporters, including the mother of a student killed in a shooting and several students, said it would improve early intervention and communication; committee members raised privacy and federal-sharing concerns but indicated support, and the bill was moved forward on a vote once quorum was present.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> to teach reading. to teach reading.
• </c><00:24:38.559><c> reading</c> teaching teachers how to teach reading teaching teachers how to teach
• </c> programs teaching the same way. programs teaching the same way.
• This does not change that standard. The standard is in RSA 194.
• </c> the standards. the standards.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You know me, I'm all about standards." "Standards." "We try to meet standards."
• </c> finish their their get their teaching finish their their get their teaching certificate<00:07:56.639
• </c> teach? How can we protect that? teach? How can we protect that?
• </c> have around 40 students in our teaching have around 40 students in our teaching and<00:28:42.399
• </c><00:37:08.960><c> and</c> KDE provide the list of standards and KDE provide the list of standards

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call - 00:55 26RS SB 22 – 04:52 26RS SB 46 – 0:34:36, 958, all