Transcript Highlights:

• <02:16:01.400> project Association if a large scale project Association if a large scale project
• So this thing about going to scale, when you go to scale, the cost should go down, not when you have
• Across the globe, climate change is altering marine ecosystems and connected social systems at a scale
• Did, in this bill, the phase-out but the government had its thumb on the scale by providing this with
• by providing this with Rex the the scale by providing this with Rex the people<04:50:47.160> who<

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ninth grade, focusing on mathematics improvement.
• That's the scale of resources that we're able to measure.
• Strategies, on behalf of Scaling Student Success.
• Strategies, on behalf of Scaling Student Success.
• Scaling Student Success.

Summary: The joint hearing focused on coherence in California’s education planning and reporting systems, especially the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) and related grant plans. Committee chairs and members described widespread frustration with duplicative, lengthy, and sometimes conflicting reporting requirements, while emphasizing that the goal was not to reduce accountability but to make planning more useful, stable, and student-centered. State Superintendent Tony Thurmond also previewed the Governor’s education budget priorities, including expanded learning, community schools, universal transitional kindergarten, literacy supports, and concerns about the proposed Prop. 98 deferral. Panelists from the State Board of Education, Fresno County Superintendent of Schools, and the Legislative Analyst’s Office said the LCAP was intended to balance local flexibility with statewide transparency, but has become overloaded by repeated revisions and additional requirements. They argued for fewer core reporting elements, more stability over time, better alignment of planning cycles, and integrated systems that reduce duplication. Fresno County staff described a multi-year calendar and support tools that help districts manage timelines, but said these tools only ease the burden rather than solve the underlying problem. The LAO noted that some newer plans, such as expanded learning and transportation plans, are narrative-heavy and often less informative than separate reporting requirements. Local district leaders and county officials described the practical effects of the current system: staff time diverted from instruction, multiple portals and forms, audit risk aversion, and planning documents that can exceed 100 pages. Several superintendents said coherent systems work best when districts have clear priorities, stable governance, and aligned budgets, and when state requirements are predictable and tied to outcomes like literacy, attendance, and student achievement. The California Federation of Teachers added that coherence also depends on meaningful collaboration with educators, classified staff, parents, and communities. Committee members repeatedly asked whether the state should streamline reporting, create a uniform portal, or develop a more unified grant-reporting structure, and Thurmond said the department was piloting a simplified common form and was willing to work with the Legislature and districts on broader solutions.

Transcript Highlights:

• together to share and printing costs and that's grown over the years really to provide economies of scale
• They they are effective, the more economical because we bring it to scale when we see things that are
• So the subcommittee to public school, the 17 year-old reads that an 8th grade level.
• grade level.
• than one 0nd grade than one 3rd grade.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The large-scale illegal trafficking of fighting birds in our state.
• city to do an expedited process on a self-graded paper.
• “I will tell you that they don’t get to grade their own paper.
• That is what is happening digitally at scale every single day.
• That is what is happening digitally at scale every single day.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• other, you know, just a few evenings ago on the health-related institutions having an A through F grade
• Uh, the engrossed version of House Bill 5294 required all medical school coursework to be graded using
• traditional A through F letter scale and prohibiting a, uh, pass fail altogether.
• using traditional A through F letter scale or another grading scale that utilizes at least 4 tiers.
• , you know, I, I, I appreciate the changes you've made in terms of the Uh, standardization of the grading

Transcript Highlights:

• age difference between in e8th grade age difference between in e8th grade those<00:24:36.919>
• eighth grade eighth grade uh<00:24:59.720> that<00:24:59.840> our<00:25:00.039>
• offer beginning algebra in eighth grade offer beginning algebra in eighth grade but<00:25:04.600
• That's when she discovered her 10th-grade son was reading at a third-grade math level.
• <01:47:03.040> uh 12th grade uh artistic 12 uh grade uh 12th grade uh artistic 12 uh grade

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So building out peer learning opportunities, shared programs, and economies of scale between the existing
• which is assigned to bus operators with less than five years of experience, and they are given a pay grade
• Operator 2 is for bus operators with between 5 and 10 years of experience, and they are assigned to pay grade
• The bill also increases the pay grade for the cafeteria manager class title from pay grade D to pay grade
• Any change in those duties or just simply the pay grade?

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from Tom Franta, founding executive director of the Mountaineer Charter School Alliance. He described the new nonprofit’s goals of supporting West Virginia charter schools through advocacy, legal and compliance assistance, shared operational services, professional development, communications, and network-building. Franta emphasized that charter schools face major facility and financing challenges, and he urged use of existing public buildings, low-interest revolving loans, credit enhancement tools through the West Virginia Economic Development Authority, and federal matching funds to help level the playing field for charter schools, including both brick-and-mortar and virtual schools. Members asked about what he meant by “level the playing field,” and Franta said charter schools receive 99% of basic state aid but lack access to the full range of public education funding and dedicated facilities support, forcing them to divert dollars toward buildings rather than classrooms. He said the goal is to ensure parents choosing a public charter option can expect appropriate funding. After the presentation, the chair announced Senate Bill 171 was removed from the day’s agenda. The committee then considered Senate Bill 166, which creates an exception to West Virginia Invest grant eligibility so individuals who already have a post-secondary degree may still receive support if pursuing an associate degree or certificate in emergency medical services. The committee reported the bill to the full Senate with a recommendation that it do pass, and under the original double committee reference, first be referred to the Finance Committee. Next, the committee took up Senate Bill 428, with a committee substitute that splits the bus operator title into three pay grades based on years of service and raises the cafeteria manager title from pay grade D to E. Senators asked whether duties would change; counsel and the sponsor said the bill is intended as a retention incentive, with no change in responsibilities, and that the fiscal note would remain the same. The committee adopted the committee substitute and then reported the bill to the full Senate with a do-pass recommendation, again first referring it to the Finance Committee. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:51:29.480> back saying you need to scale back saying you need to scale back and<00:51:
• She relied on my sixth grade class in fifth grade to teach me, but as I said earlier, menstrual education
• 01:11:36.960> fifth<01:11:37.080> grade<01:11:37.240> to sixth grade class in fifth
• grade to sixth grade class in fifth grade to teach<01:11:37.520> me,<01:11:38.000> but
• my first period when I was grade. my first period when I was grade.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several education resolutions, beginning with HCR 11 and HR 14, which ask the Board of Education and the State Public Charter School Commission to report on improving access to stable, suitable, and affordable facilities for public charter schools. The Charter School Commission supported the measure, and OHA also supported it while noting long-standing facility challenges, the lack of a dedicated facilities appropriation, and the strain on charter schools that have had to use operating funds for buildings and temporary structures. Kealakehe Academy, Hawaii Technology Academy, and several individuals also testified in support. The committee then took up HCR 181 and HR 171, which seek a shared decision-making committee to develop an action plan for a K-12 Ka Waihona School in Kapolei. The Department of Education said it has already developed a strategic plan for Kaipuni education, has expanded immersion programs over the past decade, and is addressing growth through interim guidance and a new priority placement process. Community witnesses, including representatives of Ke Alo Ever, strongly supported the resolutions, emphasizing the need for a K-12 pathway, the importance of Hawaiian language and culture, and the role of community voice in planning. They argued that teacher shortages, especially for licensed Hawaiian immersion teachers, remain a major barrier and proposed a kumu recruitment and retention program tied to community, UH, and DOE partnerships. The committee also heard HCR 187 and HR 177, which urge the Department of Education to begin initiatives to address teacher retention statewide. DOE and the University of Hawaiʻi College of Education said teacher retention is already being addressed through the Teacher Education Coordinating Committee, a five-year plan focused on building capacity, improving satisfaction, and compensation, and a new DOE human resources plan. In response to questions, DOE said it is seeking better school-level data on why teachers leave, is preparing for contract negotiations, and is working with the standards board and DLIR on an apprenticeship-related grant. TECC representatives said the group has been working since the pandemic era, may narrow its focus to retention as the most actionable area, and expects to provide more concrete recommendations in its annual report. The transcript ends as the committee moves on to the next item, HCR 47 and HR 43, without showing any votes or final actions on the measures heard.

Transcript Highlights:

• They will not catch up if they continue to pass from grade level to grade level without those interventions
• level because as they move from grade level to the next grade level, they're not at proficiency.
• Is it 9th grade? Is it 8th grade?
• We've now trained 2nd and 3rd grade teachers in a year, 4th and 5th grade teachers just last year, I
• Fifth grade teachers were just trained last year.

Transcript Highlights:

• All have very different pay scales.
• My mom taught second grade at Hallamont.
• It ends in sixth grade.
• So, be sixth grade, the student complete sixth grade.
• Hancock is a small rural district serving students in pre-K through sixth grade in a multi-grade setting

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing focused primarily on H. 517/S. 314, a bill to provide a sustainable future for rural schools, and H. 697, a bill to require full funding of regional school transportation. Witnesses from rural districts, school committees, superintendents, students, and local officials described chronic underfunding, declining enrollment, high fixed costs, special education and transportation burdens, and the loss of programs, staff, and extracurriculars. Several speakers argued that rural aid should be funded at $60 million annually and made non-discretionary, while others emphasized that transportation reimbursement for regional districts has repeatedly fallen short of the state’s promise and is driving budget crises and overrides. A number of students testified in support of rural aid, describing cuts to classes, counselors, and activities, and the impact on their schools and communities. Committee members also discussed whether transportation policy should be revisited to address underlying cost drivers, including bus bidding practices and whether regional districts should have more flexibility in transportation requirements. The committee also heard H. 515, concerning Hancock Elementary School and a school choice-related exemption from a state requirement that has created a large financial burden for the district. Hancock’s superintendent and Rep. John Barrett explained that a decades-old regulation, recently enforced by DESE, would require Hancock to pay tuition for choice-in students through high school graduation even though the district only serves pre-K through grade 6 and sends its own students elsewhere for middle and high school. They said the rule creates a significant per-student shortfall and has forced Hancock to opt out of school choice. Committee members asked for clarification about how the arrangement works and how the costs fall on Hancock. Additional testimony supported related transportation bills for non-regional districts, especially Plymouth/Carver and North Middlesex, describing high and rising bus costs, special education and McKinney-Vento transportation expenses, and the strain on local budgets. Speakers repeatedly said that state reimbursement has not matched actual costs and that communities are being forced to choose between transportation and classroom services. No votes or final actions were taken in the hearing; the committee simply received testimony and closed the hearing on the bills discussed.

Transcript Highlights:

• What we mean by that is if one grade is implementing this in the same school but another grade isn't,
• , and this is now expanding it to secondary grades.
• If they're in a later grade, of course, that would cease whenever they're no longer in those grades.
• This does restrict it to grades 10 through 12, so I don't have that grade level breakdown.
• First grade, second grade. Find out if they're struggling in math and literacy.

Transcript Highlights:

• and second grade all the way up.
• So I was happy to be here. and second grade all the way up.
• It's VPK through grade 10.
• The Coordinated Screening and Progress Monitoring System is VPK through grade 10.
• level by the end of third grade.

Summary: The Pre-K through 12 Budget Subcommittee held its first interim meeting, took roll, and established a quorum. Members introduced themselves, many noting backgrounds in education, school boards, local government, or parenting, and Chair Jenna Persons-Mulicka outlined the committee’s goal of building the fiscal year 2025-26 Pre-K-12 budget. She also reviewed the fiscal year 2024-25 education budget, noting that the Pre-K-12 portion totals about $21 billion, with the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) as the largest driver, along with major funding for VPK, school readiness, and school recognition. She explained that federal COVID relief funds have ended and that recent school choice legislation has affected budget structure. Commissioner Manny Diaz and department leaders then gave overviews of their divisions. Diaz highlighted Florida’s education rankings, record graduation rate, progress monitoring, expanded school choice participation, charter school growth, and teacher salary investments, while emphasizing a focus on literacy, math, and early learning. Carrie Miller described the Division of Early Learning’s school readiness and VPK programs, their funding, eligibility, accountability systems, and the importance of kindergarten readiness. Paul Burns outlined the Division of Public Schools’ work on educator quality, literacy, standards, certification, family outreach, federal programs, and school improvement. Suzanne Pridgen reviewed finance and operations functions, including budget management, FEFP calculations, grants, procurement, transportation, and emergency management. Adam Emerson described parental choice programs, including scholarships, charter schools, schools of hope, virtual education, and home education. Darren Norris detailed the Office of Safe Schools’ responsibilities for risk assessments, compliance inspections, threat management, grants, and training created after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas tragedy. Members asked questions about several issues, including whether the Safe Schools office recommends changes to the school safety grant distribution formula, whether early learning eligibility should shift from federal poverty level to state median income, how scholarship payments are verified to avoid funding students who return to public school, and whether daily attendance systems could improve funding accuracy. Other questions addressed hurricane-related survey disruptions, VPK provider reimbursement rates and instructional hours, teacher salary increases, school start time costs, and how voucher schools handle IEP accommodations. Department officials generally said some issues remain under review, supported moving school readiness eligibility to SMI, noted that scholarship and enrollment data are cross-checked and adjusted when needed, and said progress monitoring now helps schools support mobile students. On school safety, officials said exemptions are allowed in statute for some items but not for classroom doors, and that district-specific conditions matter. No votes were taken and no formal actions were reported beyond receiving presentations and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• In my own experience, I was an exemplary third grade teacher.
• That doesn't start till third grade.
• grade.
• Why is it going down in 11th grade?
• You know, what happens in 11th grade is that you've got to be able to read at an 11th-grade level to

Keywords: 996, all

Bills: HB145, HB279, HB292, SB35, HJM1, HM7, HM4, HM22, HM23, HM24, HM26, HM32, HM51, HM1, HM39, HM29, HM43, HM30, HM52, HM64, HM65, HM66, HM11, HM14, HM21, HM34, HM50, HM17, HM46, HM13, HM20, HM54, HM31, HM35, HM36, HM59, HM2, HM16, HM47, HM53

Keywords: high-wage jobs, tax credit, job creation, New Mexico, economic development, healthcare privacy, electronic medical records, reproductive health, gender-affirming care, data protection, location tracking, confidentiality, sexual abuse, prison safety, correctional facilities, inmate rights, investigation procedures, judgeship, judiciary, court system

Transcript Highlights:

• State, we released school grades in December of 2023.
• Like, as this kid is in first grade, we want to see them in 10th grade in advanced courses.
• And you have a kid that was on grade level in third grade, and we take the resources, and by fifth grade
• I have one fifth grade Science.
• I've taught sixth grade. I've taught seniors.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met with a quorum and first heard a Department of Education program review on three district support programs: assistance to low-performing schools, the Florida Partnership program, and regional literacy teams (RAISE). Dr. Paul Burns described how the Bureau of School Improvement supports schools with D/F grades through regional teams, classroom observations, professional learning, and targeted funding, noting that 104 of 168 low-performing schools improved after 2022-23 and that the share of failing schools fell from 6% to 4%. He also outlined the Florida Partnership’s $4 million annual appropriation for advanced-course teacher training and student access, and the RAISE literacy program’s $5 million funding, universal/targeted/intensive supports, and progress monitoring results. Senators asked about rural participation, post-COVID reading data, parent support, and how long schools remain under monitoring after improving; Burns said rural districts can participate statewide, parents can access school and department support, and schools continue to receive monitoring after exiting low-performing status to prevent recidivism. The committee then received a presentation on the school district education foundation matching grants program from Suzanne Pridgen, who explained that the Consortium of the Florida Education Foundations administers the grants, which require private matching funds and support tutoring, literacy, STEM, career education, professional learning, books, and supplies. She said the program leverages about $1.44 in private support for every state dollar. The committee then moved to the regional education consortia, where representatives from PAEC, NEFEC, and Heartland, along with several rural superintendents, described the consortia as member-led organizations that provide economies of scale, professional learning, HR, risk management, purchasing, legal and operational support, crisis assistance, and leadership development for small and fiscally constrained districts. Superintendents from Lafayette, Holmes, Calhoun, Union, DeSoto, and Hendry counties testified that the consortia are essential because rural districts often have very small staffs, multiple-duty administrators, and limited in-house expertise. They cited support with insurance and hurricane recovery, training for new finance and HR staff, instructional coaching, CTE and leadership programs, and help with turnaround schools. Members emphasized that these districts can be high-performing despite limited resources, and several senators praised the consortia’s value. Senator Gaetz asked about additional back-office collaboration, possible regulatory relief, and FEFP issues tied to scholarship-related enrollment swings; rural superintendents responded that more local control would help. The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn, which was adopted without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• They are coming to us two or more grade levels below.
• They are coming to us two or more grade levels below.
• Since attending virtual school, my child is now testing two grades above their current grade level, having
• We struck out grade 6 through 12, and then...
• In line 16, we struck out grade 6 through 12 and then we just rewrote it 6th grade through 12th grade

Bills: HB2, SB204, SB241, HB34

Keywords: general appropriation, budget, Medicaid, education funding, public safety, higher education, research funding, federal funding, New Mexico, appropriation, University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, child care, child care assistance, child care subsidy, early childhood education, early childhood care, daycare, preschool

Transcript Highlights:

• We had a 10% increase across grades K-2 and in grades 3-8.
• But the early grade literacy grades K, 1, and 2. The spring 2025 gains in kindergarten.
• grade this year.
• 9, PSAT 10 at grade 10, and then, of course, SAT at grade 11.
• It shows up at grade 4.

Transcript Highlights:

• about 77 students are not reading, and compared to The it's only 30 and 23 are if we look at third grade
• reading using our proficiency levels with our current Standards, 3rd grade, over 60% are not at I'll
• segue over to Ape eighth grade math So I'll move into the actual budget presentation and I wanted to
• We've talked about scaling that.
• But to scale that, is there a number there that you all have in mind as we Build that second portion

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This goes from grades 3 through 7, and in particular, grades 5 and 3 have units that are really...
• He went through one in fifth grade, actually one in fourth grade.
• And this is a lot of material can go out to many of the grades.
• A lot of focuses sometimes on eighth grade. Can go out to many of the grades.
• A lot of focus is sometimes on eighth grade, 11th grade, depending on how districts kind of put their

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Commission on the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution met without a quorum, so no votes were taken and any items requiring action were deferred to a future meeting. Representative Sean Garballey welcomed new commission member Mona Roy and thanked outgoing members Susie Berry and Abigail Chandler, noting that the governor’s office would be contacted about open appointments to help restore quorum. The commission then heard a presentation from the Massachusetts Civic Learning Coalition, which outlined civics and history education programs tied to Mass 250 and America 250, including Civic Learning Week, teacher professional development, student civic projects, online courses, and curriculum resources from partners such as iCivics, Harvard’s Democratic Knowledge Project, GBH, Facing History and Ourselves, EDC, Revolutionary Spaces, and others. The Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism reported on the state’s 250th anniversary campaign, including a November event at the Old South Meeting House with the governor, lieutenant governor, and Boston Symphony Orchestra, strong media coverage, over $6 million in sponsorships, new TV spots tied to Ken Burns’ American Revolution documentary, and a new Massachusetts First webpage and merchandise. Revolutionary 250 gave an update on upcoming Henry Knox Trail commemorations, including events beginning in January at the state line and continuing in Great Barrington, Springfield, Worcester, Framingham, Cambridge, Roxbury, and Dorchester Heights, with related planning for the St. Patrick’s/Evacuation Day parade and other Revolutionary-era observances. The commission also discussed possible future initiatives for member working groups: contributing to an America 250 time capsule, organizing community-level “America’s potluck dinner” events on July 5, and coordinating readings of the Declaration of Independence on July 8. Members asked clarifying questions about how the potluck and time capsule efforts would work, and staff said an email would be sent after the meeting to gather interest and form small planning groups. The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn, a second, and unanimous approval.

Transcript Highlights:

• The grade selection is another— which grades?
• So for 10th grade, they have four questions versus two as in sixth grade.
• So the last grade that we focus on is the 12th-grade curriculum.
• even 10th grade. 12th grade is where we... ...add for, I would say, for 12th grade, maybe even 10th
• grade. 12th grade is where we talk more about the law compared to 10th grade, because the big thing we

Summary: The committee met to approve prior minutes and then heard a presentation from Dr. Ramona Danielson on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), focusing on the economic and public-system impacts in North Dakota. She explained that ACEs are a population-level measure, not a diagnostic tool for individuals, and said higher ACE exposure is consistently associated with more chronic illness, mental health challenges, child welfare involvement, justice-system contact, and reduced workforce participation. She emphasized that precise dollar estimates are difficult because of the many interacting factors across a person’s life course, but said the direction of the impact is clear and that evidence-based prevention and protective factors can reduce harm. Members asked about definitions of a “healthy family,” same-sex couples, divorce, substance abuse, historical trends in ACEs, and the role of positive childhood experiences and home visiting. The committee then heard from Allison Mahoney and Missy Barranco about evidence-based home visiting programs in North Dakota, including Healthy Families, Early Head Start, Nurse-Family Partnership, and Parents as Teachers. They described home visiting as voluntary, relationship-based, and tailored to family needs, with referrals coming from hospitals, WIC, human service zones, pregnancy navigators, self-referrals, and other community sources. A parent, Abby, shared that home visiting helped her family after premature births and NICU stays by providing support with postpartum mental health, breastfeeding, developmental screenings, referrals, and parenting guidance. The presenters said the programs are funded through a mix of federal MIECHV/Title IV-E dollars, Medicaid targeted case management, state and tribal funds, philanthropy, charitable gaming, and grants, and they noted that current funding is fragmented and insufficient to serve all eligible families statewide. Members discussed whether the state should expand or better fund these services and how to improve outreach and referrals. Later, the committee received a memorandum on artificial intelligence and sexual exploitation, followed by a presentation from a BCI special agent on how AI is already affecting child exploitation investigations in North Dakota. The memo and testimony described AI-generated child sexual abuse material, deepfakes, sextortion, and risks posed by chatbots, along with relevant federal and state law and recent executive orders. The agent said North Dakota saw 2,698 cyber tips in 2025, the highest on record, and that investigators are increasingly encountering AI-assisted exploitation that is harder to detect and verify. Members discussed the need for child-safety protections, the limits of executive orders, and broader concerns about AI undermining critical thinking and spreading misinformation. No votes were taken on the AI materials during the portion provided, and the committee recessed briefly after the report.