Transcript Highlights:

• Our school district was fortunate.
• Basic Aid School District.
• and the I think 9 out of 10 of our California school districts that are not basic aid districts.
• district the same.
• We treat it like a district.

Committee: House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:18:20.480><c> district</c> when you have this district district when you have this district district
• </c> the district? the district?
• </c> districts have civics clubs. districts have civics clubs.
• </c> Court districts. Court districts.
• . district. district.

Summary: The Education Assessment & Accountability Review Subcommittee approved the minutes from its October 14 and November 4 meetings and also approved the Office of Education Accountability report analyzing student discipline data in Kentucky schools. The main presentation came from KDE Commissioner Dr. Robby Fletcher on implementation of House Bill 257, which he said has two major parts: selection of a statewide college entrance exam through a new procurement process, and development of locally designed indicators of quality for accountability. On the college exam, Fletcher explained that the state had to reopen procurement after Senate Bill 197, with the RFP released May 21, vendor questions handled through the Finance and Administration Cabinet, proposals due June 22, and scoring and review expected in July and August, with a vendor decision not likely until October. He emphasized that the exam is a norm-referenced college-readiness measure, not a test of Kentucky academic standards, which are assessed by the KSA. Members asked about the science requirement in statute, the possibility of multiple vendors or district choice, and whether the CLT could participate; Fletcher said vendors must address science in the RFP, multiple vendors could be possible, and any vendor could submit a proposal if it meets the rubric. He also noted that ACT and SAT differ in structure, that either can meet college-readiness benchmarks, and that there were no major complaints about the SAT during its first year of use. The second major topic was the locally developed indicators of quality under House Bill 257. Fletcher said these are intended to let districts measure themselves against their own goals rather than compare districts statewide, while still aligning with Kentucky standards. He described examples such as achievement, growth, student well-being, safety, fiscal responsibility, civics, internships, apprenticeships, project-based learning, and defenses of learning. He said districts may use local assessments such as MAP, STAR, and I-Ready alongside state data, and that local models should be developed with families, community members, and workforce partners. He added that KDE is providing technical assistance, has applied for a federal CGSA grant, and will use a one-time $15,000 cost offset for districts implementing local accountability models, with a superintendent webcast planned for August.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:46.640><c> or</c> send our kids into other districts or send our kids into other districts
• </c> district second closing the district district second closing the district would<00:04:07.799><c>
• resident of a district enrolls into an ALC run by another district.
• district.
• c><01:15:16.040><c> District</c> district with a district to District district with a district to District

Bills: HF827 , HF1258 , HF2387 , HF2388 , HF2534 , HF2016

Committee: House Education Finance

Keywords: education, school funding, consolidation aid, financial support, Minnesota Statutes, education finance, ice arena, school districts, cooperation agreement, equal sports opportunities, school milk program, nutrition, food waste, kindergarten, public schools, supplemental revenue, charter schools, funding, state appropriations, general education funding

Transcript Highlights:

• district.
• It's also the 9th District, Curry-Roosevelt, and the 10th District.
• Chairman, our district is the second largest district. in the state.
• Of a judicial district in the history of our district.
• District for the district attorneys. The 11th is split into two districts.

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• But we do have other ones doing district-wide CEP. >> Okay, and which districts are those?
• Several different interviews with district food service staff representing a range of districts to hear
• The pension 20 hours is a requirement in our district, and I think in most every district it's also 20
• We have a high demand for that in our district We have a high demand for that in our district to have
• So, if our district, regardless of the money on the food service side, but if our district went from

Committee: Joint Select Committee on School Finance Recalibration

Transcript Highlights:

• Because if it's within<00:36:19.240><c> district</c> within district within district and<00:36:20.760
• > his</c> that the district district is doing his that the district district is doing his job<00:59:31.800
• . district. district.
• </c> district right there. district right there.
• . district. district.

Summary: The committee took up HB 1563, a special education aid formula bill, after a brief recess. Members reviewed a replace-all amendment that would keep the current reimbursement lag structure but make the bill effective July 1, 2028, with districts beginning to collect the new data in the next biennium. The amendment changes the reimbursement tiers from a dollar-based system to one tied to average per-pupil spending: districts would pay 100% below 2.5 times average per-pupil spending, 85% from 2.5 to 3.5 times, 20% from 3.5 to 10 times, and 10% above 10 times, with the state covering the remainder. Speakers emphasized that the bill is intended as an incremental step to gather better data before any larger expansion of state participation. A major new section would create a risk-based monitoring program for reimbursement claims. Instead of reviewing every claim individually, the department would review at least 20% of districts each year so every district is reviewed at least once every five years, with additional random or targeted reviews based on risk indicators, anomalies, prior findings, or other department criteria. Members discussed whether the audit sample should be district-based or student-based, and whether the bill should more specifically define the type of audit and the meaning of “other” criteria. Department witnesses said the current process already involves confidential information and that the new approach would not worsen privacy concerns; they also said the department would follow federal and state privacy laws and adopt rules to implement the process. Several members supported the bill as a practical first step to improve data collection and eventually expand aid, noting that districts currently do not track lower-cost special education students well. Others raised concerns about the lack of a fiscal note, possible local costs, and whether the new monitoring language gives the department too much discretion. The discussion ended with no vote taken in the excerpt, and members indicated they may need more time to review the final amendment before proceeding.

Transcript Highlights:

• point that I'm using here for this is because of a school district in the 16th District.
• The school district does not. So each of our nine educational service districts has...
• The school district does not.
• So if a district, a small district, class 2 district, is struggling to understand their fiscal responsibility
• Schools and districts.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several education-related bills. Senate Bill 6130 would move public high schools’ voter registration events from Temperance and Good Citizenship Day in January to National Voter Registration Day in September, with schools offering Future Voter registration to eligible students in history or social studies classes. The sponsor, Sen. Krishnadasan, and supporters from King County Elections, Pierce County, OSPI, and the Legislative Youth Advisory Council said the change would better match student interest and improve youth civic engagement at no fiscal cost. A senator asked about community service opportunities, and the sponsor said that could potentially fit within existing community service recognition programs. Senate Bill 6247 would expand financial oversight and training for school districts, especially those in financial distress or binding conditions. It would require additional ESD involvement, add WASDA training on budgeting and financial health for school directors, and impose stronger consequences for knowing financial misconduct, including future employment bars and state reimbursement of certain unrecovered damages. Sen. Dozier said the bill responds to district financial problems, including Prescott School District. OSPI supported the bill, while the Association of Educational Service Districts, WSSDA, and WEA raised concerns about ESDs being placed in an oversight role, the need to align the bill with other pending training legislation, and whether some enforcement duties should instead rest with the state auditor. Senate Bill 6268 would require OSPI to keep an online record of final special education community complaint decisions for 20 years instead of the current five years on its website. OSPI supported the bill, saying it would improve transparency and help families, educators, and policymakers identify patterns and understand how complaints are resolved; the sponsor said the retention period may be amended. Advocates from Washington Autism Alliance, The Arc, and parent advocates testified in favor, saying the records help families avoid repeated disputes and reveal systemic issues. Senate Bill 6278 would change how PESB reviews teacher and principal preparation programs and adjust student-teaching field placement plan submission timing; the sponsor said the goal is to ensure educators are better prepared, and PESB testified neutral, saying many of the review elements already exist and the bill would add flexibility. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6260, a budget-savings bill affecting public education. It would lengthen school bus depreciation to 15 years, withhold up to 1.9% of MSOC funds to pay for the High School and Beyond Plan platform, and reduce Running Start funding from 1.4 to 1.2 FTE. OFM supported the bill as part of the governor’s budget approach, but many testifiers opposed it, arguing it would cut district resources, keep older buses on the road longer, shift costs to schools, and reduce access to Running Start—especially for low-income, rural, and technical-program students. School district, college, PTA, counselor, and student witnesses said the current 1.4 FTE model has expanded access and completion, while supporters of the bill emphasized state budget pressures and said the changes would preserve other priorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, number of school districts. Districts.
• That is a program in Battleground School District that draws from all the districts in Southwest Washington
• That is a program in Battleground School District that draws from all the districts in Southwest Washington
• , not just Battle of. district that draws from all the districts in southwest Washington not just battleground
• In my district and the 14th district do not get at homes because of they are in poverty or they just

Bills: HB2142 , HB2369 , HB2432

Committee: House Education

Keywords: remote learning, hybrid learning, education reform, alternative education, student engagement, local food, public schools, nutrition, sustainability, agriculture, technology access, educational resources, surplus hardware, student support

Transcript Highlights:

• Travis Couture, 35th District. Matt Marshall, 2nd District. Joel McEntire, 19th.
• , Bainbridge Island School District, and Concrete School District.
• And Concrete School District.
• , in the Concrete School District.
• in your district, to our... 135 students in your district, to our mid-sized and almost large districts

Bills: HB1795

Committee: House Education

Keywords: restraint, isolation, public schools, educational programs, student rights

Transcript Highlights:

• School districts control board seats on appraisal districts.
• the board of an appraisal district, controls the appraisal district, the school district gets, you know
• district.
• And so, school districts.
• , District 37.

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• Travis Couture, 35th District. Matt Marshall, 2nd District. Joel McEntire, 19th.
• , Bainbridge Island School District, and Concrete School District.
• So going school district by school district, which professional development provided did they use?
• , in district, or out of district, and our number of restraints and number of isolations.
• in your district, to our... 135 students in your district, to our mid-sized and almost large districts

Summary: The House Education Committee held a work session on reducing restraint and eliminating isolation in schools, then moved into a public hearing on House Bill 1795 and its proposed substitute. Chair Sharon Santos reviewed committee procedures and emphasized the short session timeline, then framed the discussion as part of a longer-running effort to address student restraint and isolation. Representative Callan, the bill sponsor, said the committee’s pilot and demonstration sites would help identify both benefits and implementation challenges for legislation. OSPI Acting Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs Misha Cherniski presented an update on the state’s demonstration project, saying it is in its third year and has $2 million per year in the current budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. He described intensive, targeted, and universal supports, including grants to pilot and demonstration districts, a technical assistance manual, and statewide professional learning. He reported that 68% of project sites saw reductions in restraint and isolation compared with the prior year, and said OSPI’s immediate policy recommendations are to extend prohibitions on dangerous restraints such as prone, supine, wall, mechanical, chemical, and noxious spray restraints, and to clarify the definition of “imminent likelihood of serious harm.” Committee members asked for more detailed disaggregated data by race, ethnicity, grade level, incident type, and sample size, and raised questions about authorized entities, student movement, and whether data captures incidents in nonpublic settings. Representatives from Auburn, Bainbridge Island, and Concrete school districts described how the grant-funded work has affected their districts. Auburn reported major reductions in isolation after removing its last isolation room, expanding behavior supports, and training staff through multiple professional development options; the district said the biggest challenge has been shifting staff mindset and navigating delayed access to vendors and grant systems. Bainbridge Island said it has used grant funds for universal staff training, administrator training, social-emotional MTSS work, and partnerships with multiple providers; it reported zero isolations and sharply reduced restraints, while noting the need to monitor nonpublic agencies closely. Concrete, a much smaller district, said the grant allowed it to hire a part-time BCBA, adopt Safety-Care training, and use OSPI’s manual and tracking tools, but staffing shortages and limited substitute coverage make it hard to attend demonstration sites or training in person. During the public hearing, the substitute bill was summarized as prohibiting certain restraints, banning isolation as a planned intervention, narrowing the definition of serious harm, and extending requirements to other providers of public educational services, while preserving lawful duties of school resource officers. Proponents included disability advocates, the Washington Education Association, and public school employees, who said the bill would reduce trauma and align practice with student safety and dignity. A parent testified about a child harmed by a room that was later used for involuntary confinement. A representative from a specialized learning center testified in opposition, arguing that a complete elimination of isolation for younger students could increase danger in some settings, that medical-provider requirements could be difficult to meet, and that specialized providers need broader exemptions. No vote was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• , It'd have to be a district thing because districts crossed county lines.
• There's numerous special districts: fire district, ambulance, library district, community college.
• I don’t think you’ve been to my district. I’ve been to your districts.
• to the school district.
• I don't think you've been to my district. I've been to your districts.

Committee: House Special Committee on Property Tax Reform

Summary: The committee met in executive session and first took up House Bill 2709, including a substitute that combined language from HB 2709 and HB 2671. Members debated an amendment that would have separated the Hancock-by-subclass portion from a personal property tax provision; supporters said it would make the bill cleaner and preserve a separate property tax issue already addressed elsewhere, while opponents argued it would create inconsistency. The amendment failed, the substitute was adopted, and the House Committee Substitute for HB 2709 and HB 2671 was voted do pass by a roll call of 14 yes and 5 no. The committee then passed HB 1759 do pass by a vote of 12 yes and 7 no, with one member noting that additional tweaks were expected on the floor. Next, the committee considered HB 2925, where Representative Fowler offered Amendment 04H to remove the requirement that property tax elections be held in November and replace it with an affirmative-consent standard requiring both a majority of votes cast and at least 25% of registered voters voting yes. Supporters said the change would avoid forcing local tax elections into a narrow election window and would require broader voter buy-in for long-term tax obligations; opponents argued it would be a major change that should receive more public review and could distort local election participation. The amendment failed 5 yes to 14 no, and HB 2925 was then voted do pass 11 yes to 8 no. In public testimony, Representative Van Schoiack presented HB 2415, which would require assessors to use a cost approach rather than a market approach for valuing buildings, while still valuing land through the market approach. He said the bill was intended to address over-assessment in larger counties and under-assessment in rural counties, and to make valuations more objective. Testimony was mixed: a public advocate supported the idea as a way to address rising taxes and tax sales, while county assessors and other witnesses said assessors already use multiple approaches, that cost approach works best for new or rural properties but can be subjective for older buildings, and that forcing one method statewide could create inaccuracies and large valuation swings. No action was taken on HB 2415 during the hearing. The committee also heard HJR 148 and HJR 111, presented by Representatives Coleman and Taylor, to bring Kansas City Public Schools under Hancock limits like other districts. Sponsors said KCPS is the only district still operating under a special court-imposed arrangement from desegregation-era orders and that the proposal would keep the district at its current levy while requiring voter approval for future increases. KCPS Superintendent Jennifer Collier opposed the measure as written, saying the district does want to come under Hancock but needs to do so on its own timeline and with a planned April 2027 levy proposal that would maintain the current rate; she said the district is now fiscally stronger and has community support, including passage of an 85% bond issue. Committee members questioned the legal basis, the effect on KCPS and charter schools, and whether the proposal would interfere with the district’s planned ballot strategy.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Steve Lanier from District 2, Senate District 2, Farmington, Aztec area.
• There are a lot of districts. In New Mexico, special districts cannot pay for it.
• School District.
• I realize that it may be on hold, but it is very critical to our district. Our district.
• district holds true to their.

Committee: House Public School Capital Outlay Oversight Task Force

Transcript Highlights:

• It's $130,000 for our small school district; it's the same cost for a bigger school district, but we
• It's $130,000 for our small school district; it's the same cost for a bigger school district, but we
• It's $130,000 for our small school district; it's the same cost for a bigger school district, but we
• to district.
• </c><00:34:46.040><c> to</c> school to school and District to school to school and District to District

Bills: HF957 , HF877

Committee: House Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• It is important for the districts to provide easy action.
• It is important for the districts to provide easy action.
• And finally, I had a question about the district findings.
• Does that mean under each item, the school district...
• schools, municipalities, counties, special districts.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee received a presentation from Auditor General staff on recurring findings from audits of district school boards, colleges, and universities. For school districts, the main issues discussed included missing or outdated safe-school officer training documentation, weak purchasing-card controls, vendor banking-change fraud risks, incomplete background screenings and disqualification-list procedures, missing website budget disclosures, excessive or untimely IT access, late deactivation of former employees’ access, missed emergency drill deadlines, inaccurate capital outlay and resiliency education records, weak tangible property inventories, adult education reporting errors, untimely bank reconciliations, and improper use of workforce development funds. The auditors said many of these issues are repeated from prior years and are summarized in their annual report on significant findings and financial trends. For universities and colleges, the auditors highlighted similar control weaknesses, including vendor information change controls, IT access issues, cash and investment reconciliation problems, purchasing and procurement deficiencies, personnel and compensation issues, and student fee compliance concerns. Specific examples included a UF consulting contract totaling about $6 million, FAU underreporting carry-forward balances by about $77 million, UCF’s payment loss of about $107,000 from an email scam tied to vendor changes, and a North Florida College unauthorized transfer involving a few hundred thousand dollars. The committee asked questions about the UF consulting work, the FAU carry-forward issue, and whether the listed findings meant every named entity had every issue; auditors clarified that the lists reflected entities with findings in those categories, not necessarily each specific problem. The committee then turned to enforcement for entities with long-standing uncorrected audit findings. Staff reported 144 entities with 197 findings repeated in three or more successive audit reports and recommended sending letters requesting updated corrective-action status, including for late-filed 2022-2023 reports where appropriate. The committee approved the staff recommendation and directed letters to be sent. The meeting ended with members emphasizing the importance of audit oversight and taxpayer accountability.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because we're focusing only on the districts with this, then it puts all of the focus on the districts
• They're the only school district in the state. school district receives for one of these top jobs, they
• This relates to school districts.
• larger districts, so I am a no.
• my own district.

Committee: House House Education Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 2266, which would change school release-time policy for religious instruction from permissive to mandatory for school districts and charter governing bodies. The sponsor and supporters said the bill protects parental choice, religious liberty, and constitutional release-time programs, while opponents argued it would reduce local control, pull students from instructional time, and expose schools to constitutional and social harms. After public testimony and debate over liability, indoctrination, and academic impact, the committee voted 7-5 to give HB 2266 a due pass recommendation. The committee then took up House Bill 2193, a cleanup measure related to student directory information and parent organizations. The bill would allow parents of enrolled students or representatives of nonprofit organizations supporting a school to receive directory information unless a parent or eligible student opts out. Supporters from PTO/PTA groups said the change is needed so parent organizations can continue communicating with families and building school community, while members raised concerns about whether the language should be narrowed to avoid political or other misuse of student data. The sponsor said he was open to an amendment, and the committee approved HB 2193 on a 10-1 vote, with one member present. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2075, which would require public school districts to submit superintendent and other top administrator contracts or attestations to ADE and create a searchable online database of compensation details, including salary, benefits, and car allowances. The sponsor described it as a transparency measure, and the committee discussed an amendment to add more specific filing deadlines and the online database requirement. Opponents from school administrators and rural districts argued that superintendent salaries are already public, that the bill should also apply to charter and private schools receiving public funds, and that it could add burdens or distort comparisons across different public-sector labor markets. Supporters said the bill would make total compensation easier to access and reduce public records requests. The sponsor closed by saying the bill would centralize compensation information and simplify disclosure for districts.

Transcript Highlights:

• District 3, Karen Lewis Young. District 4, William Fulen. District 5, Justin Rei.
• District 6, Johnny Ray Soling. District 7, JB Jennings. District 8, Carl Jackson.
• </c><00:05:59.120><c> District</c> District 27, Kevin M. Harris. District District 27, Kevin M.
• King. >> District 40, Antonio Hayes. >> District 41, Dalia Atar. >> District 42, Chris West. >> District
• King. >> District 40, Antonio Hayes. >> District 41, Dalia Atar. >> District 41, Dalia Atar. >> District

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, the funding rate is then charged to the school districts and educational service districts and passed
• districts to come into place.
• Now, some port districts have participated in PERS since the 1950s, and in 1965, port district statutes
• in that district, you are an employee of that district, you are entitled to health insurance benefits
• districts.

Bills: HB2124 , HB2125 , HB2160 , HB2179

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: retirement, lump sum payment, financial security, pension reform, monthly benefits, retirement system, investment earnings, trust funds, public pensions, financial management, education, benefits, school employees, membership eligibility, employment, public employees, port workers, federal retirement plan, pension

Transcript Highlights:

• Under the bill, every district wins.
• Districts already do that, but we're making sure that it's in state law so all of our districts follow
• for property-rich school districts than it does for property-poor districts?
• Those weighing in district to district.
• urban districts.

Bills: HB2 , HB2

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Education K-16

Transcript Highlights:

• to school district.
• would fall to the district.
• would fall to the district.
• , not over the school district.
• I serve as superintendent for West Ada School District, here representing West Ada School District in

Committee: Senate Education