Transcript Highlights:

• it comes to special education, but it's a program separate from the district program as far as a funding
• /c><00:40:17.080> separate education, but it's a program separate education, but it's a program
• With all programs, special education always goes to the resident district.
• So, this special education is not my program, but I'm not aware of any statewide set rates on special
• education services that would be applicable to this program.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee of conference on HB 751 reviewed amendment 2026-1904H page by page, focusing on open enrollment rules, capacity definitions, statewide enrollment limits, denial criteria, transportation, and funding. Members discussed clarifying that districts may set capacity at zero if they truly have no room, creating a statewide enrollment cap of 500 that can increase by 25% if it reaches 90% utilization, and exempting seats already used by open enrollment students before October 1, 2026. They also discussed how the Department of Education would allocate seats through rulemaking, while local districts would still set capacity, with grandfathered seats preserved where districts already allow open enrollment. A substantial portion of the meeting centered on when districts may deny open enrollment applications. The amendment would allow denials for reasons such as chronic absenteeism or disciplinary history, while requiring districts to consider whether those issues are tied to disability, McKinney-Vento status, foster care, or bullying. Members emphasized that such factors are to be considered, not used as the sole basis for rejection, and noted that the bill separately prohibits receiving schools from accepting or rejecting applicants based on pupil needs, special education needs, disability, aptitude, or athletic achievement. There was also discussion of whether interdistrict transfers should count toward open enrollment capacity, with a suggestion that a carve-out may be needed. The committee also reviewed provisions on program-specific capacity, continuous enrollment, and transportation. It was explained that capacity can apply to a school, grade, program, or class, including CTE programs, and that students may be denied if a specific program is full or if they do not meet prerequisites. The group clarified that open enrollment pupils would maintain continuous enrollment without reapplying, though there was concern about how that would work if district capacity changes over time. Transportation would generally be the parent’s responsibility unless required by an IEP or 504 plan, though students may use an existing bus route if seats are available and the receiving district allows it. On funding, the committee noted that the amendment changes the earlier HB 751 approach and instead ties open enrollment funding to base adequacy, differentiated aid, and an additional grant modeled on charter school funding, with dates removed at the department’s request. Members also raised concerns about how open enrollment would interact with existing tuition agreements and whether districts could use the new pathway to alter or pressure those arrangements. Department staff said districts would still be required to maintain a school of record and provide an adequate education free of charge outside the open enrollment program, and that if open enrollment enrollment became unusually large relative to district adequacy enrollment, the issue could be brought to the state board. No votes were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Line 112, the A3 would provide an appropriation for special education apprenticeship programs.
• , health and developmental screening, and early childhood family education aid programs must still be
• <01:00:01.520> aid<01:00:01.920> programs childhood family education aid programs childhood
• Section 7 on page 87, line 10, relates to the early childhood family education program.
• Page 87, line 28 is section 9, which also relates to the early childhood family education program.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Be enrolled in a qualifying activity, which could be work, community service, or an educational program
• Public benefit to not include most educational programs, because of a Supreme Court case called Plyler
• , adult education, post-secondary CTE programs, dual enrollment, and early college programs.
• This is a transit practice that was developed between educator programs, school districts, and charter
• We've heard from several programs in the Department of Education that a lot of the leads, in other words

Transcript Highlights:

• It would be implemented by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education through their ag ed program
• section—shall establish instructional models for the elementary ag education program.
• Our program focuses on garden-based learning, nutrition education, agriculture, environmental science
• I'm the program director for Agriculture Education on the Move. My name is Heather Fletcher.
• I'm the program director for Agriculture Education on the Move, which is an agriculture education program

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So that extra $200,000 would go toward educator professional learning and the programming itself.
• It touches both higher education a little bit in the educator preparation programs as well as school
• It touches both higher education a little bit in the educator preparation programs as well as school
• You all passed some higher ed provisions last session to require educator prep programs to use science
• Require educator prep programs to use science of reading and structured literacy for pre-service teachers

Summary: The committee first heard a detailed staff presentation on the LESC FY27 public school support recommendation. Staff reviewed the budget structure and explained that, despite a downward revision in state revenue estimates, the recommendation still relied on recurring and non-recurring revenue to support educator compensation, insurance, transportation, literacy, math, special education, and other school programs. Major recurring items included a 3% compensation increase, funding for an 80-20 health insurance cost share, insurance premium growth, and transportation adequacy funding. Staff also flagged a possible supplemental need of up to $35 million for virtual education tied to rapid enrollment growth in Chama and Santa Rosa, and members raised concerns about the quality, accountability, and funding model for virtual programs. Members asked questions about transportation for rural districts, the Martinez-Yazzie lawsuit fees, the treatment of enrollment declines in the school funding formula, and whether the word “average” in salary language should remain in the budget. Staff explained that the SEG should remain whole, that the insurance and transportation recommendations applied to all public school employees but not contractors, and that the budget included multiple math-related investments spread across several lines rather than one single appropriation. There was also discussion of out-of-school learning grants, school meals, literacy center operations, special education training, and the Public Education Reform Fund, including the use of multi-year, evaluation-based appropriations for high-impact tutoring and community schools. After discussion, the committee adopted the LESC budget recommendation. The committee then moved to endorsed legislation proposals. It endorsed a bill allowing the secretary to suspend an individual school board member, with notice and appeal procedures clarified, and a bill creating an 80-20 health insurance cost-share requirement for public school employees, along with a study of the sustainability of public school insurance programs. It also endorsed a bill on attendance provisions for students with severe medical conditions, which would keep those students from being classified as excessively absent. Finally, the committee discussed a teacher residency bill that would raise stipend levels, allow residents to complete service anywhere in New Mexico, and remove the requirement that sponsoring schools must hire them, though the bill did not include an appropriation. Members also raised questions about bilingual, Hispanic, and Black education funding, cultural and linguistic supports in teacher preparation, and where various programs should be placed in the budget or PERF framework.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is that in the Education Code?
• First, we recommend aligning ELOP funding and funding for the After-School Education and Safety program
• , or districts that hadn't historically had the After-School Education Safety Program or 21st Century
• The After School Education Safety Program serves K-3. Great. Yeah, that's right.
• (ELOP) provides compared to the After School Education and Safety (ACES) program.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Education.
• So through the California Community Schools Partnership Program, we really are reimagining education.
• We started a partnership with our area adult education to start a trades-based program because some of
• So potentially, you know, clear guidance on how programs like career technical education align with community
• This program provides educators with the opportunity to serve the needs of the whole child, thereby advancing

Summary: The joint informational and oversight hearing focused on community schools in California, with members emphasizing that the purpose was to examine effectiveness, implementation, and sustainability rather than the Governor’s budget proposal. The California Department of Education described the California Community Schools Partnership Program, created in 2021 and funded with more than $4 billion, including planning, implementation, extension, and county coordination grants. Officials said nearly 2,500 schools are participating and highlighted the statewide technical assistance structure, including the State Transformational Assistance Center, eight regional centers, county offices, and CDE support. Researchers from the Learning Policy Institute and UCLA presented early findings and implementation data. LPI reported reductions in chronic absenteeism and suspensions, along with gains in math and English language arts, with especially large benefits for Black students and other historically underserved groups. UCLA described the Annual Progress Report as a statewide improvement tool showing growth in capacity-building, shared decision-making, whole-child supports, and continuous improvement. Members asked about how the reports measure outcomes, how to interpret outliers, and how to distinguish community schools effects from other concurrent initiatives; presenters said matched comparison methods and deeper case-study work are being used, with additional statewide findings expected in June. Panelists from Oakland Unified, LAUSD/UTLA, San Diego Unified, and advocacy organizations described key elements of success: integrated student supports, strong family and student engagement, collaborative leadership, community partnerships, and school-site decision-making. They gave examples such as wellness centers, dual enrollment, student senates, parent leadership, and community campaigns that built trust and increased participation. Members also raised concerns about sustainability, implementation fidelity, and whether community schools improve participation in LCAP processes. Presenters said major barriers include unclear early guidance, the need for a mindset shift away from top-down models, and uncertainty about long-term funding for coordinators and other staff. The panel’s recommendations centered on stable ongoing funding, stronger technical assistance, shared governance, and embedding community schools practices into district and county systems.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:48:40.080> a<00:48:40.120> home education program as I was a home education program
• , educational programming in programming, educational programming in the<00:48:59.080> school,
• <00:53:09.920> programming, structure your educational programming, structure your educational
• Currently, we have a program the State Board approves, our educator preparation programs.
• programs, both educator preparation programs, both public<01:36:06.320> and<01:36:06.520>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• is a program code—vocational and technical education, I believe—where we can also track how districts
• programs.
• For example, some of these public education reform funded programs that are intended to be pilots, where
• been pretty hard at work at building data streams in partnership with your educator preparation programs
• With this one, we're going to be examining how those educator prep programs and teachers are actually

Transcript Highlights:

• The purpose of the Education Freedom Account program is to offer an alternative educational experience
• So the purpose of the Education Freedom Account program is to offer an alternative educational experience
• I'm a homeschool educator, and I want to start by saying how grateful I am for the EFA program in the
• With the proposed rule changes, this program, which is intended to provide education, And unnecessary
• With the proposed rule changes, this program, which is intended to provide educational freedom, will

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• To provide grant funding to eligible medical education programs.
• All right, the rules governing the Arkansas Children's Educational Freedom Account Program were revised
• So the purpose of the Education Freedom Account Program is to offer an alternative educational experience
• Ultimately, my concern is that these proposed rules unintentionally move the EFA program away from educational
• With the proposed rule changes, this program, which is intended to provide educational freedom, will

Summary: The Administrative Rules Subcommittee reviewed a long agenda of agency rules, with most items approved without objection after brief presentations and no public comment. Early items included Department of Energy and Environment rules on landfill post-closure trust fund spending thresholds and liquefied petroleum gas standards, DFA’s electronic odometer disclosure rule, and several Department of Health rules covering ionizing radiation, mobile home and RV parks, lead-based paint, counseling board revisions, hearing instrument dispensers, athletic training, dental examiners, nursing, pharmacy, medical board, speech-language pathology and audiology, radiologic technology, massage therapy, community health workers, doula certification, and cosmetology/body art. Most of these changes were described as updates to match recent acts, federal standards, compact participation, fee adjustments, or cleanup/clarification, and the committee repeatedly approved them without objection. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on the Arkansas State Board of Nursing’s broad set of rule changes implementing multiple 2025 acts. Those changes included creating a dialysis patient care technician registry, updating contact information requirements, expanding APRN authority to delegate certain tasks, clarifying death certificate and pronouncement authority, allowing substitution of therapeutically equivalent medications, permitting purchase of compounded products, and updating certified medication assistant rules and training standards. Members asked detailed questions about the meaning of therapeutically equivalent substitutions, delegation limits, compounded products, and how often medication lists would be updated; the board said it would review rules annually and use future rulemaking as needed. The committee also approved new nursing rules for declaratory orders and the new dialysis registry. The Department of Education’s rules drew the most discussion, especially the Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program. The department said the revisions, based on Act 920 of 2025, were intended to add guardrails, clarify eligible expenses, and streamline approvals. Changes included defining core educational expenses, limiting sports-related spending, adding an intentional misuse standard, restricting certain technology purchases and requiring extra justification over $1,000, capping carryover funds at $8,500, and creating a reconsideration process for denied expenses. Members raised concerns about oversight, appeal timelines, sports equipment, provider credentialing, and whether the rules were too restrictive; department officials said the rules were meant to protect taxpayer funds while preserving flexibility, and they noted the program had received extensive public comment. The committee also approved Education rules for scholarships, residency classification, teacher programs, accelerated learning, and graduate medical education, as well as Labor and Licensing rules on wage and hour standards, boiler rules, motor vehicle commission requirements, professional wrestling regulation, appraiser qualifications, and military recruiting incentives.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:45:33.000> they education programs um they decided they education programs um they decided
• education program.
• There is one state special education program, specifically a special education funding program that's
• education program program or plan education program program or plan program<00:54:04.160> program
• program program program um IND education program program program um IND education program and<00

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Department of Education’s Bureau of Wellness and Nutrition presented an overview of the school meal and child nutrition programs it administers, including the National School Lunch Program, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), After School Snack Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program, and Special Milk Program. Staff explained which programs are federally funded through USDA, which have state matching funds, and how reimbursement rates are set for different programs and fiscal years. They also walked the committee through a packet showing reimbursement tables, state and federal funding totals, and eligibility data. Members focused much of their questioning on how state and federal reimbursements work for lunch and breakfast, why lunch is shown as a state match while breakfast has meal-based breakdowns, and how the department allocates funds in the budget. The department explained that lunch uses a set state match tied to federal requirements, while breakfast reimbursement is based on meals served. They also reviewed FY 22-24 funding trends, noting higher federal spending during COVID-era waivers and lower amounts as those waivers ended. A committee member asked for the data in Excel and the department agreed to provide it. The discussion also covered summer meal programs and the distinction between the Summer Food Service Program and Summer EBT. Staff explained that SFSP provides meals at approved open or closed sites, while Summer EBT is a separate DHHS-run benefit program that provides funds to families; the two programs coordinate through data sharing but are not the same. Members also discussed CEP, with staff explaining that New Hampshire currently has three schools participating, that the qualifying threshold was reduced from 40% to 25% identified students, and that districts must cover the non-federal share with non-federal funds. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• education program online. education program online.
• redesign our teacher education program. redesign our teacher education program.
• Are you do all prison education program?
• teacher education program in.
• > able prison education programming to be able prison education programming to be able to<01:06:01.039

Keywords: This meeting is taking place on location at the Kentucky State University Cooperative Extension Building Room 238 using on site equipment., 958, all

Summary: The interim Commission on Race and Access to Opportunity met at Kentucky State University and heard a presentation from President Kofi Aapo and Vice President Michael Dorsy on the university’s role as an HBCU and its current priorities. They emphasized Kentucky State’s impact on Black student outcomes nationally, its focus on workforce development, civic leadership, innovation, and economic mobility, and its efforts to grow enrollment, expand dual-credit partnerships, and launch a prison education program. They also described House Bill 250’s role in prompting program review and the creation or expansion of market-aligned offerings, including manufacturing engineering, agricultural engineering, biological and agricultural engineering, social work, criminal justice, and expanded online programs through “Thoroughbred Global.” A major topic was Kentucky State’s move toward STEM and applied programs. President Aapo said the university is diversifying beyond liberal arts to meet workforce demand and cited plans for a PhD in agroecology, which he said would help farmers adapt to climate conditions and would be federally funded. He also discussed the nursing program as the fastest-growing on campus, partnerships with health systems that pay tuition and guarantee jobs, and the need for a new nursing facility. He said the current nursing space is inadequate and that a new building could double or triple enrollment in the program. He also described a mobile health initiative intended to bring preventive care and health education to underserved areas of the state. Members asked questions about the nursing building, STEM strategy, teacher preparation, dual credit, prison education, and student readiness. Senator Bledsoe asked about the shift toward STEM, and Aapo said the strategy is based on student demand and data from House Bill 250. Senator Berg requested a list of dual-credit partners and encouraged long-term tracking of prison education participants to study outcomes such as recidivism; Aapo said the university has not yet begun that research but intends to. Senator Tidner asked about remedial needs, and Aapo said KSU found more than 100 students with zero GPAs when he arrived and is using co-requisite support and tutoring to address English and math deficiencies. Representative Brown and others highlighted the historical and ongoing value of HBCUs, and no votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Section five expands adult basic education program approval term from five to six years. can stop during
• > from education program approval term from education program approval term from five<00:02:39.200
• Um, and uh, it's a program that allows qualifying education support personnel or paraprofessionals to
• or programs where the immersion programs or programs where the objective<00:03:01.120> is<00:
• <00:14:59.040> house today to speak on the educ house today to speak on the educ house education

Bills: HF1306

Keywords: education, school policy, teacher training, student health, emergency response, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a bill extending the donations to regional career and technical education center programs.
• <00:30:15.440> programs<00:30:16.399> uh technical education programs uh technical
• education programs uh including<00:30:17.919> equipment<00:30:18.799> and<00:30:19.520>
• The program is supervised by the Department of Education and has been encouraged greatly among CTE directors
• CTE program? CTE program?

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 292, which would authorize a governor’s warrant to cover special education aid shortfalls from the education trust fund, and from the general fund if needed, so local school districts would not have to absorb prorated costs or raise local property taxes. Senator Lang said the bill was prompted by a prior $15 million special education funding shortfall caused by higher-than-expected catastrophic aid claims, including more qualifying students and the recent increase in the special education age limit to 22. He emphasized that the bill is intended to ensure the state meets its funding commitment and avoid shifting costs to towns. Members asked about how the bill interacts with House Bill 742 and House Bill 773, including whether the language should be merged or whether the state should fund 100% versus an 80% floor. Lang said he was open to improving the bill and to adding a study committee or performance audit on special education costs, but maintained that the state should not push costs to local taxpayers when it has available funds. The hearing on SB 292 was then closed, with no vote taken. The committee then opened Senate Bill 98, which would extend for five more years a tax credit program for donations to regional career and technical education centers. Senator Waters said the program has been successful in building partnerships between CTE centers and employers, especially through equipment donations that support training and apprenticeships. He cited examples including automotive, marine trades, and advanced manufacturing programs, and said the five-year extension would let lawmakers continue to review whether the incentive is working as intended. Several members questioned whether the credit is effectively a 100% subsidy and how the cap works. Waters and another member explained that the underlying program has an aggregate cap of $500,000 and that credits are prorated if requests exceed that amount; they also said the donations are primarily equipment, not cash. Some members raised concerns about whether businesses could also claim other tax deductions or credits, but the sponsor said the existing structure has been in place for years and has been revisited periodically. No vote was taken during the hearing excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill brings the administration of the Education Freedom Account program under the Department of
• of the education Freedom administration of the education Freedom account<00:49:58.599> program
• under the Department of account program under the Department of Education<00:50:02.520> as<00
• of how the program is implemented, but which entities are funded with state education funds and for
• of how the program is implemented, but which entities are funded with state education funds and for

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senators, on Tab 2, we're going to take up SB 318 on educational scholarship programs by President Gates
• through a separate categorical within the Florida Education Finance Program, but outside of the funds
• Finance Program.
• An education stabilization fund of $250 million to recognize that this is a dynamic program.
• in the program?

Summary: The Senate Appropriations Committee met with a quorum present and took up two bills. The first, SB 250 on rural communities by Senator Simon, was described as a broad rural development package creating an Office of Rural Prosperity, a Renaissance grant program, housing and transportation investments, added funding for rural education consortiums, and health care initiatives for rural areas. Senator Harrell asked about overlap between road funding programs, and the sponsor explained that eligible counties could receive both SCRAP and FARM funding. Several organizations waived in support or spoke in support, and the bill was reported favorably by unanimous vote. The committee then heard SB 318, the committee substitute for educational scholarship programs by President Gates. The bill was presented as a response to Auditor General findings about the rapid growth and administration of Florida’s school choice and scholarship programs. It would separate Family Empowerment Scholarship funding from the FEFP, require more frequent student enrollment verification, lower scholarship funding organization administrative fees, require return of overpayments, create a student ID system, establish a $250 million stabilization fund, require annual audits, and direct DOE to recommend future program administration through competitive procurement. Gates also offered five amendments, including technical changes to eligibility documentation and a substantive amendment requiring a DOE report on future administration and competitive selection; all five amendments were adopted. During debate and public testimony, senators and witnesses discussed accountability, software solutions, reimbursement delays, monthly attestations, and impacts on public schools and families. Supporters and opponents alike raised concerns about bureaucracy, fraud prevention, special education services, and whether the bill would help or burden parents. Gates said the bill aimed to fix tracking and payment problems without capping the program, and he noted the IEP timeline would be aligned with public school timelines. After debate, the committee reported CS for SB 318 favorably by unanimous vote, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• SLEDs program, or Statewide Longitudinal Education Data System, remains at the $5.1 million base for
• Skipping down to line 44, the Inclusive Higher Education Program is $500,000 in each biennium and remains
• Line 65 is the Ag Educators Loan Forgiveness Program, which has a $10,000 reduction in each biennium.
• Line 130 is the Z-degree Textbook Program, with Open Educational Resources at $100,000.
• And a past recipient of the Fostering Independence Grants and the Education Training Voucher program

Bills: HF2312

Keywords: higher education, college finance, student aid, financial aid, state grants, North Star Promise, scholarships, tuition relief, Minnesota State, University of Minnesota, Office of Higher Education, work-study, child care grants, Indian scholarships, tribal colleges, Hunger-Free Campus, student parents, pregnant students, parenting students, sexual misconduct

Transcript Highlights:

• And so the Department of Education has been involved in auditing all of our CTE programs, both at the
• be new programs, burgeoning programs.
• These programs exemplify how education can be tailored to fuel economic growth and workforce development
• program.
• We also offer CWD continued workforce education in this programs.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Last year I was thrilled to be accepted into the master's in education in K-6 licensure program to become
• in K6 license the masters in education in K6 license program<00:09:35.200> to<00:09:35.440>
• an integral part of our educational program.
• This means that we may have to cut from other areas like general education programs to meet our legal
• <01:18:37.760> programs<01:18:38.239> to areas like general education programs to areas

Keywords: 1187, senate, all