Transcript Highlights:

• and the educational scholarship and the educational scholarship program that they also manage.
• Freedom Account program versus the education account program versus the education tax credit.
• with their educational program.
• with their educational program.
• this program related to special education is special education is in order to only go the IEP route,

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.

Transcript Highlights:

• adult basic education programs.
• <00:08:58.680> um education revenue or ECFE programs um education revenue or ECFE programs
• The Tri-District Community Education Program is another great example of collaborations and programming
• coordinate the adult basic education coordinate the adult basic education program<00:31:14.159><
• any site has education and workforce programming.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 5076, relating to sending students to alternative education programs instead of juvenile justice,
• HB 5212 by [insert name], relating to the creation of a Texas adoption and education awareness programs
• HB 5212 by [insert name], relating to the creation of a Texas adoption and education awareness programs
• HB5441 by Richardson relates to prohibiting a fee for a parent-taught driver education program and is
• , including the establishment of education centers and programs, and is referred to the Committee on

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• authority to draw down from the Higher Education Program Fund.
• Moving on to some additional... ...higher education program fund. So we're okay with that one.
• Twelve of those are for structured literacy coordinator positions in teacher education programs at a
• program.
• and educational sovereignty program.

Bills: SB37, SB29

Keywords: high-quality literacy instruction, science of reading, structured literacy, reading instruction, literacy assessment, dyslexia screening, phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, biliteracy, English language learner, ELL, bilingual education, dual language program, reading intervention, reading difficulty, reading improvement plan, literacy coach

Transcript Highlights:

• This shows that this program helped us fill critical special education vacancies using talent that was
• These included individuals coming from roles outside of education, from higher education programs, and
• So if I could just very briefly, so we do have the Educators Rising program, which that is a program
• so thinking about Educators Rising, Educator Fellows, our teacher residency programs, all of these things
• of that program and with that we would be addressing special education educators as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• Grant programs that we run through the Department of Education are extremely important because what they
• Many of our grant programs can help local educational agencies, or LEAs, get those large instructional
• The beauty of this particular program is the flexibility that our local educational agencies have in
• being able to support students who are entering into career and technical education programs.
• our AS degrees, our adult education workforce programs.

Summary: The Higher Education Appropriations Committee met for its first session of the year, took roll, welcomed new member Senator Bracey Davis, and had members briefly describe their backgrounds and interest in higher education. Chair Harrell framed the committee’s focus on maintaining Florida’s top national ranking in higher education and workforce development, with an emphasis on funding decisions tied to student success, workforce needs, and the state college system. Senior Chancellor Kevin O’Farrell presented the Department of Education’s workforce and Florida College System budget requests and data. He described requested increases for adult education, Florida College System program funding, workforce development, and several grant programs, including workforce capitalization, apprenticeship/teacher apprenticeship, Open Door, and CAPE industry certifications. He highlighted record enrollment and completion growth across Florida’s colleges and technical centers, major gains in career dual enrollment, and expansion in programs such as nursing, AI, cybersecurity, welding, HVAC, and manufacturing. Members asked about labor-market demand, the impact of artificial intelligence on future job training, teacher apprenticeship details, mission creep and duplication in CTE programs, student placement and wages after graduation, and articulation between technical college clock hours and college credit. South Florida State College President Fred Hawkins testified about challenges facing a rural college, including low local college-going rates, long travel distances, limited faculty recruitment due to salaries, and the need for more operational funding to expand capacity. He cited strong job placement and licensure outcomes in nursing, dental hygiene, EMT/paramedic, and radiography, and said the college is exploring AI tools to improve student services and reduce staffing pressure. Pinellas Technical College Executive Director Mark Hunter described strong dual enrollment, high job placement, employer partnerships, and a reported 400% return on investment, while also warning that many programs have waiting lists because of staffing and equipment constraints. He explained how technical college coursework is aligned with state college credit through content-based articulation agreements. The committee then opened the floor for public comment, but no additional business was taken up, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And principals rated RPEP, the Arkansas Professional Educator Pathway, as the most effective program
• So we'll go over the available data on these to provide a landscape of educator preparation programs
• We're going to see the different institutions that are offering an educator preparation program either
• , and then 86% were within 30 miles of an associate's degree in education program.
• Okay, and then my last question: teacher preparation programs, educator preparation programs, and other

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The committee first received a presentation from Legislative Audit on Arkansas Department of Education grant distributions for fiscal year 2025. Auditors explained the report summarizes $4.6 billion in grants to school districts, charter schools, education cooperatives, and other entities, with most funding coming from the Public School Fund and federal sources. Members asked about specific recipients and programs, including ClassWallet, master principal bonuses, Economics Arkansas, and CDC surveillance grants. Department of Education staff clarified that the audit report only shows distributions, not how recipients ultimately used the money, and noted that some funding declines reflected the end of one-time federal COVID relief dollars. Senators also asked about the special-language appropriation for Economics Arkansas and the use of public school fund revenues. The committee then heard a Bureau of Legislative Research presentation on Consumer Price Index projections from Moody’s Analytics and S&P Global, followed by a detailed adequacy-study update on teacher recruitment, retention, and salaries. The teacher report covered teacher counts, education levels, experience, shortages, preparation pathways, licensure exceptions, survey results, and salary trends. Key findings included about 32,800 teachers statewide in 2025, an average retention rate of 87%, and 30% of surveyed teachers saying they were considering leaving the profession. The report also noted shortages in special education, math, science, and other areas, growth in alternative preparation pathways, and the phaseout of several licensure exceptions under Act 304 of 2025. Members asked extensively about survey methodology, teacher satisfaction, preparation for classroom environment and special education, the cost and return on investment of alternative licensure routes, and whether exit-interview data exists statewide. The presenters said they could follow up on several questions, including details on alternative programs, incentives for ESL and special education endorsements, and comparisons to other surveys. On salaries, the report said the statewide average teacher salary in 2025 was $60,254, with districts averaging slightly higher than charters. Arkansas ranked 45th nationally on average salary in 2025, though 36th when adjusted for cost of living, and average district salaries had declined 8% in inflation-adjusted terms since 2016. Members also discussed the LEARNS Act minimum salary floor of $50,000, salary disparities among districts, and whether the state should focus more on retaining experienced teachers as well as raising starting pay.

Transcript Highlights:

• Conservative leaders across the country are prioritizing education scholarship account programs like
• Programs such as the Alligator Scholarship have helped to bridge that educational gap just in the past
• the SSP program were submitted and approved annually by the Department of Education and are now not
• Gator program for previous S.S.P. the Department of Education and are now not permitted under the LA
• I'd like to share how this program allows parents to be in the driver's seat of their child's education

Summary: The committee met for public testimony on the Finance budget, with the main discussion focused first on funding for disability services and then on the LA GATOR scholarship program. Several individuals testified in support of fully funding Families Helping Families and Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS), describing how advocacy, transition services, and direct support workers help people with disabilities access education, employment, and independent living. Witnesses urged the committee to preserve or increase state general funds to draw down federal matching dollars, and provider groups said current reimbursement rates and staffing shortages are leaving agencies in deficit, creating waitlists, overtime costs, and difficulty retaining workers. Committee members thanked the speakers and noted that the testimony would be used to compare the governor’s, House, and remaining budget requests. The committee then heard extensive testimony in support of increasing funding for the LA GATOR scholarship program. Supporters included policy groups, school leaders, parents, and students who argued that the program expands educational choice, helps low-income and special-needs students find schools that fit their needs, and should be fully funded at the level of demonstrated demand. Speakers from Catholic and Christian schools said GATOR funding had helped students thrive academically and spiritually, but that shortfalls left many eligible students without awards, hurt kindergarten enrollment, and forced schools to raise private donations to cover gaps. Several witnesses emphasized that the program is not a zero-sum attack on public schools, but a way to let education dollars follow students. A few committee questions focused on the fiscal impact and on whether choice programs improve outcomes without harming public schools. Testimony cited enrollment growth, parent demand, and data from other states to argue that school choice can improve student and parent outcomes and may also strengthen traditional public schools through competition. No votes or formal actions were taken during the public testimony portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Outside of apprenticeship programs and community college contract education agreements... Do.
• and the tech education programs.
• But how will the teacher credentialing program educate bilingual?
• public education agencies and programs.
• and delivery of non-education-related state programs and services.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Conservative leaders across the country are prioritizing education scholarship account programs like
• Conservative leaders across the country are prioritizing education scholarship account programs like
• Programs such as the Alligator have helped bridge that educational gap just in the past 12 months.
• under the SSP program were submitted and approved annually by the Department of Education and are now
• I'd like to share how this program allows parents to be in the driver's seat of their child's education

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Almost a third of all of our teachers in our educator prep program participate in the Ed Fellows Program
• Another program is Educators Rising. This is a program for our students in high school.
• We also have the Grow Your Own program, which the higher education department administers, as well as
• These bills also address our educator prep programs and make sure that our pre-service teachers, while
• That they get that TESOL training support while they're still in their higher education program.

Transcript Highlights:

• the career and technical education the career and technical education program<01:05:41.839> for
• as well as higher education programs.
• <01:13:49.679> And well as higher education programs.
• And well as higher education programs.
• On line 148 begins two modifications to the special education aid program.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so the Department of Education has been involved in auditing all of our CTE programs, both at the
• Is it preparing me for that continued education? Am I completing this program?
• We also offer CWE, continued workforce education, in this program.
• Of course, Jody, who has now gone on to FDC to work and build their workforce education programs, but
• Gone on to FDC to work and build their workforce education programs.

Summary: The Education Postsecondary Committee met to hear an overview of Florida career and technical education (CTE) from Chancellor Kevin O’Farrell and presentations from Big Bend Technical College and Santa Fe College. O’Farrell described Florida’s CTE structure, including career clusters, postsecondary program types, enrollment and completion growth, apprenticeship expansion, and the state’s credentials review process. He said postsecondary CTE enrollment is near 480,000 students and completions reached a record 76,806, with strong growth in nursing, law enforcement, EMT, and other public-safety credentials. He also discussed the CTE audit, which uses retention/success, employment or continued education, and labor-market demand metrics; programs not meeting thresholds would eventually require phase-out plans beginning in 2026. He highlighted the workforce development capitalization grant as a major driver of program expansion and facility renovation, and answered questions about business outreach, construction trades, apprenticeships, and space-industry training. Shelby McCall of Big Bend Technical College described how the college responded to hurricanes, mill closures, and regional economic disruption by expanding rural workforce training. She highlighted aluminum welding, millwright, welding technology, health sciences, and a new advanced manufacturing facility funded by state grants and local partnerships, along with a new LPN-to-RN bridge program. She said the college has strong placement and certification results and is working with employers such as Lippert, NAMO, and others to align training with local demand. Senator Simon praised the college’s role in Taylor County’s recovery and workforce development. Dr. Paul Brody of Santa Fe College said state workforce grants have helped the college expand nursing, skilled trades, apprenticeship, automotive, diesel, and manufacturing programs, including partnerships with Bradford County Technical College, UF Health, Habitat for Humanity, and local employers. He reported growth in CTE enrollment, nursing credentials, apprenticeship enrollment, and job placement rates, and described new efforts in semiconductor training, CDL training, and a charter school model that combines high school, an AS degree, and industry credentials. The committee took no formal action beyond hearing the presentations and adjourned after Senator Berman moved to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• WE WILL HAVE A BIT OF THE REVIEW OF THE CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION CTE PROGRAM WE HAVE.
• THE FIRST TWO I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ARE THE FIRST TWO PROGRAMS WE HAVE AT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
• THE INSTITUTION HAS TO BE ENROLLED IN A CAREER AND TECH NICOLE EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT IS IDENTIFIED BY
• WHILE THESE PROGRAMS DO OFFER INVALUABLE TRAINING AND OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THE COST OF EDUCATION
• IT IS A FABULOUS PROGRAM BUT THE PUBLIC EXPANSION GRANT ON THIS FACILITY HAS EDUCATED OVER 162 STUDENTS

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• “This builds on the New Hampshire successful education tax credit program, which has been in place for
• to discussions you’re having around the Education Freedom Account program.
• This bill would remove the income limit on qualifying for this program and make the education tax credit
• this education Freedom account program this education Freedom account program this bill<00:22
• I administer it with, of course, my team, the education tax credit scholarship program.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of certain programs offered by those institutions or for the Committee on Higher Education HB 1706 by
• Garcia Bay relating to the additional requirements of individualized education programs developed for
• junior College state finance program for the Committee on Higher Education.
• pre-kindergarten programs at public schools for the Committee on Public Education.
• program referred to the Committee on Public Education.

Transcript Highlights:

• We took that information to our faculty in College Station to help build out the educational programs
• Law school, the College of Business, College of Education, and the pharmacy Program.
• This program allows Texas Southern to credibly evaluate a student's readiness for higher education and
• I, um, I do wanna talk about your education program.
• US News and World Report recently recognized your online graduate program in education as one of the

Transcript Highlights:

• , where together the state progressed significantly in a range of critical education programs on behalf
• education programs on behalf of education programs on behalf of Minnesota<00:13:04.399> students
• It is a technical language strike in the American Indian education aid program to, with the elimination
• and then going into the higher education setting to teach there, and the intention of this program was
• and then going into the the program and then going into the higher<00:49:03.599> education<00

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There are 41 educator preparation programs in our state, known as EPPs.
• Twenty-two of our 41 educator preparation programs in the state offer a total of 367 separate alternate
• program.
• program.
• So they can't teach if the high school has an approved career and technical education program.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• preparation program. to complete a bachelor's degree and enroll in an educator preparation program.
• In special education, we certified more than twice as many teachers as the next two largest programs
• Senate Bill 2 establishes the Educational Freedom Accounts Program.
• Teacher retention initiatives fail when they do not oversee support for teacher education programs.
• They do not oversee support for teacher education programs. One more sentence with integrity.

Keywords: 1184, house, all