Video & Transcript Research : 'undocumented students'

Page 54 of 455
NM
Transcript Highlights:
  • to our students.
  • their students are.
  • to include 6th grade students with secondary students and increase the factor for all students in grades
  • 2,000 students times $14,000 per student?'
  • for those students.
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • Ten percent of those students are students with disabilities, and all of our students take the same assessments
  • Our students are treated just like university students.
  • full-time students away. full-time students away.
  • > students.
  • Our students are exceptional students. Our students are exceptional students.
Keywords: 958, all
Summary: The meeting focused on Kentucky school choice and innovation, with discussion of the state constitution’s “common schools” requirement and how that has been interpreted alongside newer education models. Chairman Tipton described model laboratory schools, Gatton and Craft Academies, magnet and virtual programs, and said these options show that Kentucky has long expanded opportunity through innovation. He then turned the discussion to Senate Bill 207, which he said was designed to support schools of innovation. Senator Steve West reviewed the history of Kentucky charter schools and explained that SB 207 was modeled on a South Carolina approach. He said the bill allows a local school board to contract with a third-party entity to manage an existing school, seek waivers from certain state rules, and receive SEEK funding while also allowing outside private investment. He emphasized that the district initiates the process, that the school remains public, and that the bill includes accountability through a time-limited contract that can be ended if the school is not performing. Members asked about the difference between SB 207 and the earlier charter school law, whether schools could cherry-pick students, and whether teachers would remain district employees. West and Tipton said the new model is tied to an existing school rather than a new charter, cannot cherry-pick students, and keeps teachers as district employees. Representative Brown raised concerns that charters and exceptions could leave some children out, especially lower-income students, while West responded that the proposal is intended to expand choice for families who may not otherwise have it and cited examples from other states where similar models improved low-performing schools. No vote or formal action was taken during the discussion.
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Education Committee Jun 3rd, 2026

Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • Our students are students and parents, students and employed, students and deployed, sometimes all of
  • Newport-Mesa Unified students get $17,521.81 per student, and Irvine Unified students get only $10,342.91
  • students.
  • Our students are here. TCUs and TCU students are not seen.
  • but for Latino students and for API students, particularly around disaggregation of API student data
Keywords: 987, senate, all
Summary: The committee first heard AB 402, which would increase Cal Grant award amounts for students attending private nonprofit colleges and allow community college transfer entitlement awards to be used at those institutions. The author and supporters said the bill would restore award levels to their 2001 value and improve access for low- and middle-income, working, military, and transfer students. Several witnesses from private nonprofit universities, community college districts, and advocacy groups supported the measure. Senators raised concerns about the prior Cal Grant agreement tied to Associate Degree for Transfer participation and about the need to fund broader Cal Grant reforms, but the bill advanced on a unanimous due-pass vote to Senate Appropriations and was placed on call. The committee then took up AB 2067, a sunset extension for lease-lease-back authority for TK-12 school construction through July 1, 2032. The author and supporters from school housing and contractor groups said the method provides flexibility, early collaboration, cost control, and legal certainty for school construction projects. Senators asked how often lease-lease-back and other alternative delivery methods are used, and whether the skilled-and-trained workforce provisions limit competition. Some members objected to the skilled-and-trained requirement, while others said the bill simply preserves an existing tool without changing labor rules. The bill passed on a 6-1 vote, with Senator Ochoa Bogh voting no, and was placed on call. AB 1204, which would revise the Local Control Funding Formula by increasing supplemental and concentration grants, lowering the concentration threshold, adding regional cost adjustments, and setting a minimum annual COLA floor, drew extensive testimony on both sides. Supporters said the bill better reflects regional costs, inflation, and student need, especially for low-income, multilingual, and unhoused students. Opponents, including several school district leaders, argued it would widen funding disparities and divert money from the LCFF base grant, which they said should be the priority. Committee members also questioned the fiscal impact, the proposed 4% COLA floor, and whether the bill had enough research and stakeholder consensus. Despite those concerns, the bill was advanced to Appropriations on a due-pass vote and placed on call. Finally, the committee heard AB 1235, which would require a skilled-and-trained workforce process for CSU design-build projects to align CSU with UC and community college construction rules. Supporters said it would improve training and project quality, while opponents from contractor groups argued it would reduce competition, increase costs, and impose mandates without evidence of better outcomes. Several senators objected to the skilled-and-trained requirement as limiting opportunities for contractors who comply with state law, while others noted the issue was already common in higher education construction. The discussion was still underway when the transcript ended, and no final vote on AB 1235 was captured.
FL

Florida 2025 Regular Session

February 5, 2025 - 03:00 PM

Transcript Highlights:
  • , whether the student chose public or not. ...follow the student, whether the student chose public or
  • This includes both public school students and scholarship students.
  • moves from a traditional public school student to being a homeschool student or a scholarship student
  • Duplicate students.
  • A lot of that we are taking students in, kindergarten students, right?
Summary: The Pre-K through 12 Budget Subcommittee met to review how Florida’s Education Finance Program (FEFP) works, receive an update from the Department of Education on the October 2024 FTE survey and third FEFP calculation, and hear from three county superintendents about forecasting enrollment and reconciling scholarship students. The chair explained that FEFP is funded by both state and local dollars, is recalculated multiple times during the year, and is now closely tied to school choice policy. Department staff said the third calculation was still being rerun but should be completed soon, and described the forecasting process as collaborative among districts, DOE, and the Education Estimating Conference. Superintendents from Polk, St. Lucie, and Hendry counties said enrollment shifts, especially students moving to Family Empowerment Scholarships, homeschooling, or private schools, make budgeting and staffing difficult. They said districts often must hold back funds to protect against midyear losses, which affects collective bargaining, staffing, transportation, and classroom organization. Several members raised concerns about duplicate counting, transparency, and whether students receiving scholarship funds can also remain in district classrooms. DOE said districts can access scholarship information through a secure portal and that scholarship funding organizations are paid quarterly, with a new process requiring certification and possible future payment adjustments to reduce duplication. The superintendents urged better real-time tracking of students through a statewide ID or student information system and suggested scholarship students should be funded separately from district FEFP calculations. Members also discussed whether more frequent or daily attendance-based calculations would improve accuracy, though some warned that daily attendance could create new problems for high-poverty districts. The committee also briefly discussed categoricals, including mental health and ESE funding, with DOE saying it evaluates programs through studies, reporting requirements, and legislative direction. No votes were taken; the meeting ended with a motion to rise and adjourn.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
  • student is right around 2,185, thereabouts, $2,185 per student times the number of students, it's a
  • Um, we had 10,588 students. Multiply that times four... Students.
  • Uh, again, the students only students that are enrolled and uh receiving the disperse...
  • students ...
  • students student it basically allowed students receiving<01:29:07.280> the<01:29:07.600> EFA
Keywords: 928, house, all
Summary: The Education Freedom Account Oversight Committee met on March 27 and approved the agenda, adding a request for clarification on how the Children’s Scholarship Fund separates applications for the EFA program and the education tax credit program. The committee also approved minutes from December 30, 2025, and March 27, 2026, with a request that the March minutes include a link to the live stream. Members discussed the status of pending Legislative Budget Assistant audit reports on EFA and special education, noting the reports were still not released and would likely come later in the summer after review by the Department of Education and the Children’s Scholarship Fund. A major topic was the EFA program’s administrative fee, which statute allows up to 10% of deposits. Children’s Scholarship Fund representatives said current administrative costs were under 8%, that staffing had been reduced through the ScholarVia platform, and that any unused amount is reconciled and returned to students at year’s end. Members asked for historical administrative-cost data and a written explanation of how the withholding and reconciliation process works. The committee also reviewed the distinction between the EFA and education tax credit funding streams and was told the two programs use separate applications and separate funds, though both use the same platform. The committee spent substantial time on assessment and accountability. Department of Education staff explained that EFA students may satisfy annual assessment requirements through a portfolio, a norm-referenced test, or the statewide assessment; only about 10 EFA students took the statewide assessment, while most used portfolios or standardized tests such as the California Achievement Test and NWEA. Staff described how statewide assessment data are kept separate by student identifier and can be aggregated for EFA reporting, and members asked for breakdowns by grade, test type, and school district. The department also discussed linking assessments through Lexiles and Quantiles and said it could provide a list of commonly used formative assessments in New Hampshire districts. The committee additionally discussed a possible PSAT addition to the state contract and the costs of the statewide assessment program. Another major issue was special education eligibility and services within the EFA program. Members questioned the rule allowing a medical certification of disability from a licensed professional anywhere in the United States as an alternative to an IEP-based determination. Department staff said the current system allows either pathway, that about 1,000 EFA students are identified as special education students, and that the program does not track growth or service alignment on an individual basis. Members expressed concern that the medical-certification route may be too broad and asked for data on the disability categories used. The committee also discussed career and technical education access for EFA students, noting that Senate Bill 491 would provide guidance and that House Bill 1817 would address access and funding issues, but that current law still allows EFA funds to be used to pay CTE costs. The meeting ended with a request for future agenda items and a decision to leave the next meeting date open until fall, pending further information from the LBA audit process.
MN

Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session

Seclusion Working Group - 09/17/25

Minnesota Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • harm in a student? harm in a student?
  • Students, uh, seclusion is used on students.
  • <00:40:39.200> in students, American Indian students in students, American Indian students
  • :21:48.400> student<01:21:48.640> had with the student, the student had with the student
  • student as well. student as well.
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
AR
Transcript Highlights:
  • The academic goals for students were to graduate academically competent students, and as Elizabeth and
  • The academic goals for students were to graduate academically competent students, and as Elizabeth and
  • As far as its public education students or public school students, As far as its public education students
  • students, white students, economically disadvantaged students, which in Arkansas refers to students
  • students, white students, economically disadvantaged students, which in Arkansas, this refers to students
Summary: The committee received a lengthy Bureau of Legislative Research presentation on Arkansas academic standards, accountability systems, and adequacy requirements. Staff reviewed how state curriculum and standards have evolved from the 1997 Public Education Act through the 2003 Quality Education Act and the 2017 Educational Support and Accountability Act, including required coursework, standards for accreditation, career and technical education, graduation requirements, and recent additions such as computer science, personal finance, firearm safety, and fetal growth and development instruction. Members asked for a chart comparing the major laws and repeals over time, and staff agreed to provide one. The presentation then turned to federal ESSA requirements and Arkansas’s state accountability system. Staff explained Arkansas’s long-term goals for proficiency, English learner progress, and graduation rates, and reported 2025 ATLAS proficiency results, which remained below the 80% goal across student groups. They also reviewed English learner progress, graduation rates, school support and improvement, and equitable access to educators. Data showed gaps by subgroup and by school poverty/minority concentration, with Title I and high-poverty schools more likely to have emergency/provisional teachers and less experienced staff. Members questioned the lack of recent data for some ESSA measures, including equity labs and school index calculations, and asked staff to follow up with the Department of Education. The committee also discussed NAEP results, ACT scores, and teacher quality measures under the state accountability act. Arkansas’s NAEP performance remained below national averages in fourth- and eighth-grade reading and math, and ACT composite scores and benchmark attainment were also reviewed. Members asked for additional information on historical highs and lows, the number of assessments students take by grade, dropout data, and comparisons with other states. No formal votes were taken; the main action was agreement to request additional information from DESE and to schedule department follow-up at a future meeting.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Committee on Higher Education - 03/12/26

Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • students watched from their residence. students watched from their residence.
  • our students. our students.
  • immigrant and domestic students. immigrant and domestic students.
  • and all students. and all students.
  • <01:20:45.040> Um, same from students. Um, same from students.
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee 2/26/26

Higher Education Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • safety of their students. safety of their students.
  • of our students. of our students.
  • students who need it. students who need it.
  • students to obstruct. students to obstruct.
  • to all the students? to all the students?
Keywords: 1183, house
Summary: The committee adopted the minutes from its February 24, 2026 meeting after a motion by Vice Chair Coulter. The hearing then focused on the impact of federal immigration enforcement, referred to throughout as Operation Metro Surge, on Minnesota college campuses. The chair said the purpose was to document alleged abuses, campus fear, and racial discrimination, and to hear from testifiers about effects on students, faculty, and staff. Representative Novotny briefly objected to the framing, saying the committee should be finding facts rather than making a predetermined presentation, and the chair responded that members should remain respectful and that questions would be held until after all presenters testified. Augsburg University President Paul Pribbenow described what he called relentless and unprecedented disruption, including student stops and interrogations, family separations, and an ICE operation on campus in which armed masked agents allegedly detained a student without a warrant and pointed weapons at students and staff. He said the campus received bomb threats afterward, increased virtual learning options, and saw spikes in student support needs, housing assistance, and leaves of absence. Jenna Chernega of the Inter Faculty Organization said faculty across Minnesota State universities reported widespread student and colleague stress, increased workload, disappearing students, and a need for clearer sensitive-location protections and academic freedom guidance. Mark Grant of Minnesota State College Faculty said community conditions inevitably affect classrooms, that campuses have not yet had an ICE incident but are bracing for one, and that faculty want to support students and may need financial help if enrollment declines. Jennifer Irwin of AFSCME said fear from ICE activity extends beyond campus boundaries and is affecting attendance, work, and daily life for staff and students; she cited a member detained in St. Paul while trying to prove legal status. Student testifiers Brendan Frazier of Concordia University, St. Paul, Jonathan Fitzgerald of Minnesota State Mankato, Sudi Adow of Lead MN, and Will Luther of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities described panic, reduced attendance, food insecurity, disrupted classes, and fear of leaving home or commuting to campus. They urged stronger student privacy protections, support for international and immigrant students, emergency aid, and policies to keep campuses safe. No further committee action or votes were taken after the minutes approval.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • But I'm talking about the teachers themselves, where they bond with the students, because the students
  • Because of this, more students feel supported, more students feel like they belong, and more students
  • It's about building relationships with students and families to better support how students learn and
  • I'm honored to follow two students.
  • of color, low-income students, especially Black students and English learners.
Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education heard the Governor’s proposals for universal school meals, the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), and community schools. On universal meals, the Department of Education supported continued funding for the Universal School Meals Program and a fourth round of Kitchen Infrastructure and Training Grants, citing meal-count growth, improved meal service, and the need to offset federal uncertainty, inflation, and reduced direct certification tied to immigration-related policy changes. The LAO recommended rejecting another kitchen grant round, arguing prior rounds are still being spent and the state has not clearly defined unmet need. Members also raised concerns about the state’s ability to backfill federal meal funding and about how federal requirements affect programs like Summer EBT/SUN Bucks. Public commenters largely supported school meals and kitchen investments, with some urging support for plant-based milk options and continued infrastructure funding. For ELOP, the Department of Finance proposed $4.7 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funding, including $62.4 million to set a minimum Tier 2 rate of $1,800 per pupil. The LAO recommended going further and fully fixing the Tier 2 rate, saying rate uncertainty complicates district planning. CDE supported the proposal and said the program has improved attendance and academic outcomes, while noting new CalPADS reporting will provide more data soon. Senators discussed whether ELOP should remain a standalone program or be folded into LCFF, and whether the state should require stronger outcome reporting. Public testimony generally backed stabilizing Tier 2 funding, but some speakers urged more support for older youth and more timely, user-friendly reporting. On community schools, the administration proposed $1 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funding to expand the model to thousands more schools and to support existing grantees, along with stronger technical assistance, statewide alignment, and an accreditation/self-certification framework. The LAO recommended continuing the current one-time grant approach instead of creating a new ongoing categorical program, warning about reduced flexibility, administrative burden, and the state’s capacity to support a much larger cohort. CDE supported the ongoing investment but asked for additional county office and technical assistance funding. Senators and public commenters were broadly supportive of community schools, emphasizing improved attendance, graduation, and student engagement, while also debating accountability, accreditation, and whether non-classroom-based charter schools should be eligible. Public testimony strongly favored ongoing funding and highlighted community schools’ role in mental health, family engagement, and wraparound supports.
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Rules Committee Jun 17th, 2026

Rules

Transcript Highlights:
  • So our role is to continually make the college student-ready and meet students where they are.
  • We can make it easier for students.
  • So these students are coming... ...students have been receiving, but there's no uniformity in that.
  • We believe, knowing our student population, that most of our students can't travel that far to get a
  • the tutoring and finding the student where they are, and then making sure that that student is going
Keywords: 987, senate, all
NM

New Mexico 2026 Regular Session

House - Education Feb 6th, 2026 at 09:04 am

House Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • So you serve students, you get credit for those students the following fiscal year.
  • than an online student because of the different needs. ...student than an online student because of
  • So your per-student allocation is going to drop by about $37.40 per student.
  • meant that an additional 1,500 students quadrupled their student enrollments.
  • those students.
Bills: HB2, SB204, SB241, HB34
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Committee on Higher Education - 02/26/26

Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • which the student applies for the grant. which the student applies for the grant.
  • students.
  • So for um independent students students.
  • Our students are staying here.
  • students not only at the College of St. students not only at the College of St.
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Ways and Means Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am

Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:
  • , including Black and brown students, students with disabilities, low-income students, LGBTQ+ students
  • So not our white students, not our Asian students, not our high socioeconomic students, definitely not
  • our students with disabilities, multilingual students, high-poverty students, or kids of color.
  • our students with disabilities, multilingual students, high poverty students or kids of color.
  • , low-income students, LGBTQ students, and students of color.
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The hearing was a Joint Committee on Ways and Means budget session held in Lawrence focused on the governor’s proposed FY27 education and local aid budget, with remarks from legislative co-chairs, local officials, and education agency leaders. Acting Mayor Giovanni Rodriguez and Superintendent Ralph Carrero emphasized Lawrence’s high-need student population, the importance of Chapter 70 and Student Opportunity Act funding, and the impact of state aid on schools serving many English learners and low-income families. Carrero highlighted Lawrence High School programs such as early college, dual degrees, career pathways, and early childhood classrooms embedded in the high school, while lawmakers introduced themselves and noted the importance of the hearing to their districts. Acting Secretary of Education Amy Kershaw, Commissioner of Higher Education Noi Ortega, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Pedro Martinez, and Commissioner of Early Education and Care Amy Kershaw outlined the administration’s FY27 priorities. They described investments in literacy initiatives, universal school meals, student mental health, early college and career pathways, higher education affordability, community college and university student-success supports, preschool expansion, child care subsidies, and workforce supports for early educators. The commissioners also discussed federal funding threats, equity gaps, and the administration’s efforts to improve outcomes for Black and brown students, multilingual learners, students with disabilities, and low-income students. Members questioned the panel about the local contribution formula study, the final year of Student Opportunity Act implementation, and the need to revisit Chapter 70 funding to better address rising costs such as special education, transportation, and health care. Officials said the local contribution study report is expected by the end of June, with a draft to be shared after data analysis and public comment. Commissioner Martinez said the Student Opportunity Act narrowed funding gaps but more work is needed, and he pointed to a proposed Accelerating Achievement Initiative to support the highest-need schools. Senator Oliveira also raised concerns about Chapter 70 disparities and asked about partnerships with libraries to support literacy, prompting discussion of broader early literacy collaboration.
AR

Arkansas 2026 1st Special Session

TASK FORCE ON AUTISM Apr 1st, 2026

TASK FORCE ON AUTISM

Transcript Highlights:
  • We are here to talk about the two programs for our students with our students.
  • Three students.
  • students.
  • students.
  • Students who are inducted into this student organization have earned in May Students who are inducted
Summary: The committee heard presentations on three Arkansas programs serving students and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities. University of Arkansas representatives described the Empower Program, a non-degree, four-year inclusive postsecondary program for young adults with mild intellectual disabilities, and the Autism Support Program, which provides intensive academic, peer, and career coaching for degree-seeking students with autism. They explained the programs’ person-centered planning, residential and employment supports, fee structure of $5,000 per semester for each program, and scholarship/fundraising efforts to offset costs. Members asked about dorm arrangements, mentoring, individualized plans, and how students move in and out of support services, and the presenters emphasized independence, integrated campus life, and transition planning. Pulaski Technical College staff then presented the 3D program, a three-year transition program in culinary, baking, and hospitality for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They outlined integrated classes, internships, job placement outcomes, and data showing strong completion and employment retention rates. Questions focused on how success is measured, tuition and financial aid, and the challenge of securing community partners for practicum and employment sites. The presenters said the program uses rubrics that include technical and professional skills, charges $5,700 per semester, and is pursuing accreditation through the Inclusive Higher Education Accreditation Council. The final presentation was from SLS Community, a Fayetteville nonprofit serving neurodivergent adults through residential supports, supported employment, and community initiatives. Leaders described their vision for a future mixed-use “live-work-play” development at Cato Springs, current residential and vocational services, and community events such as a 5K and a neurodiversity health care conference. Family members testified about the need for adult services, trained direct support professionals, and better reimbursement and behavioral health supports after age 21. No formal votes were taken beyond approving the prior meeting minutes, and members also announced upcoming autism-related events and requested future discussion on task force appointments and ABA-related issues.
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Education Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm

Joint Committee on Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • Our instructors track student attainment of these competencies to make certain that students develop
  • Most of our students earn more than just these.
  • Having these credentials in hand strengthens student access to careers upon graduation and sets our students
  • Each week, I fill out a student report handed into Mr.
  • , and positively impact student behavior.
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held an informational hearing at Quincy Public Schools focused on career and technical education (CTE). Committee members said the visit was intended to gather input for statewide CTE legislation, including efforts to expand awareness and access, improve middle school exposure, invest in equipment and facilities, and strengthen ties to workforce boards and labor pathways. Quincy officials described their CTE system as integrated with academics and highlighted support from district, city, and state partners. School leaders outlined Quincy’s CTE offerings, including 15 Chapter 74 programs at Quincy High School and four at North Quincy High School, with about 1,360 students enrolled. Presenters emphasized curriculum aligned to DESE frameworks, work-based learning, industry-recognized credentials, safety training, business electives, dual enrollment and articulation with Quincy College, and grant funding such as Skills Capital and Perkins. They also discussed support liaisons for nontraditional careers and military pathways, advisory committees, and plans to seek Chapter 74 approval for an engineering program at North Quincy, along with new computer science and business offerings. Testimony from MassHire South Shore described workforce partnerships, YouthWorks, job fairs, resume workshops, and the Credit for Life Fair, while the assistant superintendent explained Quincy’s MyCAP planning grant and efforts to build a student-driven college and career readiness system. Three students testified about their pathways in welding, early education and care, and healthcare technology, describing hands-on learning, certifications, clinical or co-op experiences, and future plans for college and careers. Committee members praised Quincy as a model for combining CTE with general education, and the meeting ended with a motion to adjourn and unanimous adjournment.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Education Finance Committee 2/26/26

Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:
  • they had interaction with said student. they had interaction with said student.
  • got that perspective from the students. got that perspective from the students.
  • and places students at risk for student and places students at risk for student dropout<01:04:41.839
  • needed to adequately meet student needs. needed to adequately meet student needs.
  • such a negative impact on our students. such a negative impact on our students.
Keywords: 1183, house
NM
Transcript Highlights:
  • 1001 to 250 students and even better, 1 to 200 students.
  • And so for a student, 4 times 4 is 16, each student is worth 16 shared accountability units.
  • I don't have students that are one student.
  • And students are well informed and involved, students are more likely to succeed.
  • or a group of students.
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Education Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm

Joint Committee on Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • Hancock Elementary serves students in grades PK to 6 in a multi-grade setting, and our secondary students
  • Hancock has two high schools where students would go, and we would be paying for our resident students
  • Yeah, so the issue is you paying for your students, just not another municipality's students.
  • Rural students matter.
  • These students are also advocating for their and other students' rights to educational choice through
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held a hearing on two late-file bills: H. 4867, concerning school choice, and H. 4927, concerning access to applied behavior analysis (ABA). For H. 4867, testimony focused on a DESE interpretation of M.G.L. c. 76, §12B(k) that would require small elementary-only districts with school choice students to pay secondary tuition when those students continue into high school. Superintendents, school committee members, parents, teachers, and a representative argued this creates large fiscal shortfalls for rural districts such as Hancock, Warwick, Richmond, and Worthington, which do not operate high schools and already rely on tuition agreements for their own resident students. Witnesses said the current interpretation has led some districts to stop accepting school choice students, reducing class sizes and limiting educational opportunities; they urged an exemption or amendment so these districts could continue school choice without assuming high school tuition obligations for nonresident students. Committee members asked about the number of affected districts, how the arrangement worked before 2023, and whether alternative statutory language might solve the issue more broadly. Representative Barrett described the bill as a simple fix to an unenforced provision that had only recently been raised by DESE, and the hearing later included testimony from both district officials and families supporting the bill. The committee closed testimony on H. 4867 and H. 4927 and then adjourned. H. 4927 drew testimony from educators, an ABA provider, and a parent of a child with autism in support of protecting in-school ABA access. Witnesses said the bill would clarify that qualified ABA providers, including BCBAs and RBTs under supervision, may deliver services in schools while allowing districts to maintain neutral safety and operational rules. They argued that inconsistent access to ABA can undermine districts’ obligations under IDEA, including free appropriate public education and placement in the least restrictive environment, and that school-based ABA can reduce removals from class, improve student progress, and support families. A parent testified that her young son needs ABA to function in school and that promised supports had been delayed or not delivered, while another witness said the bill would help ensure accountability and consistent services for students with autism.
FL

Florida 2025 Regular Session

November 5, 2025 - 03:30 PM

Transcript Highlights:
  • TO BOTH, WHEN YOU SUBMITTED THE PAYMENT FILE TO THE DEPARTMENT IF A STUDENT ALREADY HAS A FLORIDA STUDENT
  • ON THE FILE AS A MATCHED STUDENT?
  • STUDENTS. >> Chair Persons-Mulicka: OR ANY OF THOSE 10 STUDENTS ALSO MATCHED STUDENTS IN QUARTER 1?
  • FULL-TIME PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENTS OR REGISTERED AT HOME EDUCATION STUDENTS.
  • FOR NEW SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS.