Transcript Highlights:

• She's in first grade.
• to second grade, and she was in a higher grade and now he or she's in a lower grade, and they have to
• move from fifth grade to second grade<00:34:14.800><c> and</c><00:34:15.040><c> she</c><00:34:15.280>
• </c><00:34:16.079><c> and</c> grade and she was in a higher grade and grade and she was in a higher grade
• . separation. separation.

Committee: House Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• In addition to this, really building upon it, the bill establishes that all secondary pupils in grades
• Like, it's great that we have the separation of powers, but kids should also understand...
• Thank you. ...why we have the separation of powers, which is what these sections go into.
• Fifth grade, the grade that I teach, we're the first grade that really starts to dig into U.S. history
• Fifth grade, the grade that I teach, we're the first grade that really starts to dig into U.S. history

Committee: House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• ARE THAT THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INSTRUCTS THEM TO DEVELOP CURRICULA TAILORED TO VARIOUS GRADE
• THIS CURRICULUM IS DIVIDED AS FOLLOWS., GARDEN AND GRADE 3.
• GRADES 4 THROUGH 6 FOCUS ON AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER, GRADE 7-9 EDUCATION ON HEARING IMPAIRMENTS AND
• GRADES 10 TO 12 UNDERSTANDING STYLES AND INTELLECTUAL.
• THE AMENDMENT CLARIFIES STUDENTS NEED NOT ENROLL SEPARATELY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MONEYBACK GUARANTEE

Transcript Highlights:

• , an interview panel grade, and an overall grade.
• an interview panel grade and an overall grade the bill establishes an That includes a weighted grade
• , an interview panel grade, and an overall grade.
• Separation in church and state is what this is about. Thank you.
• I just think you're conflating two separate bills. Okay.

Committee: House House Government Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee first heard SB 1078, which would require courts reviewing public-records disputes to apply de novo review rather than deferring to an agency’s decision to withhold records. Senator Kavanaugh and a Goldwater Institute witness argued the bill would restore transparency and independent judicial review. The committee recommended the bill do pass on a 4-3 vote. The committee then considered SB 1184, which would add military division flags approved by the Department of Defense to the list of flags that HOAs and planned communities may not prohibit. Kavanaugh said the bill responds to HOA restrictions on veterans displaying unit flags. Members discussed whether the bill should also cover other flags, including LGBTQ flags, but no amendment was adopted. The bill passed 7-0. SB 1586 followed, requiring Arizona agencies to post federal guidance they create, adopt, or receive. Supporters said it would improve transparency; an opposing member said agencies already post such material and the bill was unnecessary. It passed 4-3. SB 1665, a state agency hiring reform bill, would require standardized hiring scores, interview panel grades, overall grades, and an appeal process for unsuccessful applicants. The State Personnel Board supported it as a merit-based reform, while ADOA opposed it as costly and burdensome, estimating more than $3 million in compliance costs and warning it could slow hiring. After extended testimony, the committee recommended it do pass 4-3. The committee also approved SCR 1024, which would require legislative candidates to reside in their district for one year and, if affiliated, be members of their party for one year before the election; it passed 6-1 after discussion about residency rules and ballot-measure concerns. Later, the committee heard SB 1135, which increases workers’ compensation burial expenses for fallen first responders from $5,000 to $10,000. Family members and first responders testified in support, describing the financial strain after line-of-duty deaths. The bill passed 6-1 with one member present. SB 1136, which allows surviving spouses of first responders to keep death benefits even if they remarry, also drew emotional testimony from widows and supporters and passed 5-2. The committee then took up SB 1435, expanding the existing prohibition on exposing minors to sexually explicit material to public libraries and making violations a class 6 felony; supporters framed it as child protection, while opponents warned it could chill library access and criminalize librarians. The bill passed 4-3. Finally, SB 1567 was introduced as another expansion of the same underlying law, prohibiting government entities and contractors from exposing minors to sexually explicit materials and from using public facilities for filming or facilitating sexually explicit acts; the sponsor described it as part of a broader effort to protect children, and the committee began discussion of the measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• , an interview panel grade, and an overall grade.
• an interview panel grade and an overall grade the bill establishes an That includes a weighted grade
• , an interview panel grade, and an overall grade.
• Separation in church and state is what this is about. Thank you. Thank you, ma'am.
• I just think you're conflating two separate bills. Okay.

Committees: House Government , House House Government Committee of Reference

Transcript Highlights:

• Are all of those things being infused into this ABC grade or are they separated out in terms of the report
• Do you have, or have you guys, has this issue of developing the grade or the scores, the growth to grade
• But this grading, letter grade, is based on that same test. Right?
• Growth to grade level. Okay. Right. The new one, the growth to grade level. Yep.
• So when people get a grade, when their school district gets a grade or their buildings get a grade, I

Summary: The House first approved the previous day’s journal by roll call vote, 116-0, and then spent a long portion of the morning recognizing visiting students, homeschool groups, professional associations, veterans, and other guests in the gallery. A moment of silence was held in honor of Conrad Ashcraft after a member introduced his grandmother, who was present to testify on a bill related to his death. The chamber also recognized a birthday page, a 90th birthday for a House staff member, and Chiropractic Physicians Day. The main floor debate centered on House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2710, which would create an A-through-F school grading system for public schools and charter schools. Supporters said the bill would give parents a simple, transparent way to understand school performance, while also preserving more detailed underlying data and adding a climate scorecard amendment covering suspension, restraint, and satisfaction measures. The bill sponsor and supporters emphasized that the measure was revised from earlier versions, that the A grade would be based on the top decile rather than a moving target, that literacy and growth measures were important, and that any teacher incentive funding would be handled through appropriations and the teacher retention and recruitment fund rather than direct bonuses. Opponents argued that letter grades would stigmatize schools, destabilize staffing, and oversimplify complex school conditions, especially in districts with high poverty, mobility, or special education populations. Several members questioned the fairness of comparing schools with different funding levels, demographics, and student turnover, and others argued that the bill would not solve concerns about the MAP test or broader school funding. One member objected that the bill applied only to public and charter schools while state dollars are also now going to private-school tuition support. Despite those concerns, the House adopted the amendment offered by the St. Louis member, then adopted the committee substitute and ordered House Bill 2710 perfected and printed. Afterward, the House took up House Committee Substitute for House Bills 2404 and 2172, a measure to remove deed restrictions on unused public school property and create a right of first refusal for public entities, including charter schools. Supporters said the bill would allow vacant school buildings to be reused for education rather than sit unused or be demolished, and could generate revenue for school districts. The bill was advanced after discussion, with members citing examples from St. Louis and other areas where unused buildings could have been repurposed for charter or other educational use.

Transcript Highlights:

• We already grade schools zero through 100.
• Are all of those things being infused into this ABC grade, or are they separated out in terms of the
• But this grading, letter grade, is based on that same test. Right.
• Growth to grade level. Okay. Right. The new one, the growth to grade level. Yep.
• So when people get a grade, when their school district gets a grade or their buildings get a grade, I

Transcript Highlights:

• I think if we want kids to read by third grade and read proficiently and read above grade level, we've
• So this is the specific grade-level curriculum, I'm in... Frameworks.
• This was originally a separate report beginning in 2020.
• And the subcommittee issues a separate report. report in August 2006 and the subcommittee issues a separate
• I would appreciate that, because when we have attendance being a part of some of our school grades and

Summary: The committee met to receive an update from Department of Education officials Jacob Oliva and Stacey Smith on early childhood education, especially the state-funded Arkansas Better Chance (ABC) program. They said Arkansas recently received a federal Preschool Development Grant and described ABC as a large state-funded program serving about 23,800 slots at roughly $114 million annually, with most providers being school districts. They reported that about 1,000 funded seats are currently unfilled despite a waiting list of more than 2,000 families, and said the department is notifying providers that slots must be filled or funding will be reduced. Members asked about school choice, income eligibility, summer programming, curriculum flexibility, transportation, and whether slots could be moved to areas with greater need. Officials said the program is being reviewed for possible modernization, including slot allocation, income thresholds, and per-student rates, and the committee agreed to form an early childhood subcommittee for further study. The committee then moved into the adequacy study presentations. Taylor Lloyd of the Bureau of Legislative Research reviewed the constitutional and legal framework for Arkansas school funding, focusing on the state’s duty to provide a general, suitable, and efficient public school system under Article 14, Section 1, and on the Dupree and Lake View cases. She explained that adequacy is a policy question for the General Assembly, while the courts determine constitutional compliance, and that equity concerns how resources are distributed while adequacy concerns whether the system provides enough resources. She also described the matrix as a funding tool, not a spending mandate, and noted that categorical funds are separate from the matrix. Members asked about how the framework relates to Education Freedom Accounts, homeschool/private school funding, stakeholder input, average daily membership versus attendance, and whether school board members should be surveyed in future studies. Elizabeth Bynum then gave the historical framework for adequacy, walking through legislative responses from Dupree through Lake View and the post-2007 adequacy process. She reviewed major funding changes such as the creation of equalization funding, student growth and declining enrollment funding, the 2004 Continuing Adequacy Evaluation Act, the financial reporting requirements, and later changes to the matrix and categorical funding. She noted that the current adequacy process relies on committee study, agency assistance, stakeholder testimony, surveys of educators, and occasional outside consultants. Members asked follow-up questions about how much funding districts can spend at their discretion, whether school board members should be included in surveys, and the historical shift from average daily attendance to average daily membership. No votes were taken on the adequacy presentations, but the committee indicated it would continue the study process and consider additional recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• separate.
• He was at least two to three years behind grade level.
• beginning of second grade, and writing on a first-grade level.
• He was at least two to three years behind grade level.
• beginning of second grade, and writing on a first-grade level.

Bills: SB 2

Committees: Senate Education K-16 , Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• In my next meeting, I coach a second-grade teacher who is helping draft the LCAP.
• We do, for both of these programs, have separate reporting requirements.
• grade and the eighth-to-ninth transition across all of our systems.
• grade, focusing on mathematics improvement.
• We have the State Board of Education separately from the Department of Education, separately from the

Transcript Highlights:

• These are the fifth grade class.
• These are, this is the fifth grade class.
• I too have two incredible students in the fifth grade.
• FFA chapter, grades 7 through 12.
• is also the lead of Lovington's FFA chapter, grade 7 through 12.

Bills: HM3 , HM11 , HM14 , HM15 , HM21

Keywords: nurses, health care workers, healthcare workers, frontline workers, hospital staff, clinicians, allied health professionals, support staff, public health, workforce shortage, nursing shortage, safe staffing, patient safety, rural health care, frontier communities, behavioral health, mental health, substance use disorder, substance abuse, health care memorial

Transcript Highlights:

• and grades 9 through 12 by 2.6% of the base rate.
• So grades TK through 3 would be receiving that grade span adjustment.
• The two rates of funding are separate.
• and math at eighth grade, with improvements in fourth grade math.
• It's also part of the achievement issue, particularly in the early grades.

Summary: The committee heard presentations on the Governor’s education budget proposals for the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), Learning Recovery Block Grant, and Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), followed by testimony from State Board of Education President Linda Darling-Hammond. On LCFF, Finance outlined the proposed 2.43% COLA, repayment of prior deferrals, and a trailer bill penalty for LEAs that fail to adopt Local Control Accountability Plans on time. The LAO said its COLA estimate was slightly lower and raised concerns that the Governor’s proposed TK staffing ratio increase may be more costly than estimated. Members also discussed whether the current COLA formula should better reflect California-specific or district staffing costs, and whether TK should be more clearly separated from the K-3 grade span adjustment to avoid larger K-3 class sizes. The chair asked staff to work with the LAO on both the TK/K-3 issue and alternative COLA calculations. For the Learning Recovery Block Grant, Finance proposed restoring the first of three delayed payments, $378.6 million one-time Proposition 98 General Fund, while the LAO recommended adopting the proposal but extending the expenditure deadline by at least a year. The LAO reported that districts had spent $1.6 billion of the $6.8 billion received through 2023-24 and said most districts were only now shifting from federal COVID relief to block grant spending. Members questioned whether the large state and federal investments were improving outcomes, citing declining reading and math trends, while Finance and the State Board president pointed to some signs of improvement, especially in math, attendance, and gains for some student groups. Darling-Hammond emphasized that student needs have grown, that recovery spending has gone to devices, ventilation, staffing, tutoring, summer school, and community schools, and that targeted interventions appear to be helping some districts recover faster than others. On ELOP, Finance proposed adding $435 million to expand universal access by lowering the Tier 1 threshold from 75% to 55% unduplicated pupils, bringing ongoing funding to $4.4 billion. The LAO said the estimate was reasonable but recommended delaying implementation for a year, aligning ELOP with ASES to reduce overlap, moving toward funding based on participation rather than enrollment, and considering a fixed Tier 2 rate. Members and witnesses discussed staffing challenges, the use of funds for students with disabilities, and uncertainty in Tier 2 funding caused by unspent dollars and opt-outs. Darling-Hammond supported ELOP as part of California’s broader after-school and summer learning strategy, said most districts are now offering full-day TK and expanded learning, and urged the state to reduce fragmentation across categorical programs and build more unified systems for funding, reporting, and support.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's above my pay grade.
• Fourth-grade test items are tougher than the third-grade items.
• Because you don't compare third grade to third grade to see how kids do.
• You compare third grade to fourth grade.
• grade or that third grade cohort moving into fourth grade.

Committees: Joint Education , Joint Education Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• membership in the Public Employees' Retirement System for port workers who participate in a federal railroad

Summary: The Rules Committee considered a long series of House bills and substitute House bills, moving nearly all of them from the white sheet to the floor calendar. Topics included health care transaction notice requirements (HB 2548), waste-to-energy compliance and utility rates (HB 2416), language access for state programs (HB 2475), repeal and transition away from the Community Protection Program for developmental disabilities services (HB 1390), nursing regulation and ARNP standards (HB 2339), lump-sum payment increases for small monthly payments (HB 2124), roadway fatality risk data collection by the Traffic Safety Commission (HB 2192), statewide low-income energy assistance (HB 1903), local government tax resources and flexibility (HB 2442), permanent property tax exemption for multipurpose senior citizen centers (HB 2133), retirement benefit bargaining for Department of Corrections employees (HB 1069), collective bargaining rights for non-academic employees at Western Washington University (HB 1570), medically tailored meals in Medicaid (HB 2211), aviation funding for wildland fire response (HB 2104), port worker retirement and wage/benefit authority (HB 2179), overdose data sharing (HB 2168), real estate transaction exemptions for public-benefit acquisitions by public entities, tribes, and conservation groups (HB 2624), security measures for legislators and other elected officials (HB 2333), voter registration challenge procedures (HB 1916), limits on restraint and isolation in schools (HB 1795), jail search policies for transgender and intersex individuals (HB 1604), Attorney General investigators for wage theft and fraud (HB 2156), Transportation Improvement Board updates (HB 1823), tax treatment for land transferred to government entities (HB 2140), expanded shared leave uses for hate crime and immigration enforcement-related situations (HB 2411), collective bargaining protections if federal enforcement changes (HB 2471), labor standards for clean energy/urban area property tax exemption projects (HB 1210), employer notice and enforcement rights during I-9/immigration audits (HB 2105), tax increment financing dispute resolution for special purpose and junior taxing districts (HB 2451), AI-generated content disclosure and enforcement (HB 1170), tourism marketing assessment authority (HB 2325), defective license plate replacement fees (HB 2114), the Blue Envelope Program for neurodiverse drivers during traffic stops (HB 2323), and pre-clearance provisions under the Washington State Voting Rights Act (HB 1710). Most motions passed on voice votes with little or no opposition; one notable dissent came on HB 2105, where Senator King raised concerns about the bill’s private right of action. The committee also noted Senator Conway’s likely final Rules Committee meeting and thanked him for his service before adjourning with no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• hardwood forests. with Koontz becoming a central hub with the arrival of the Sabine and East Texas Railroad

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator... ...second thing, let me talk to Senator Melson about this is to incorporate abandoned railroad

Bills: SB110 , SB64 , SB42

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry

Keywords: weight limits, trucking regulations, transportation, enforcement authority, portable scales, SB64, Alabama, state waters, public waters, aquatic plants, aquatic vegetation, lake management, waterway maintenance, environmental regulation, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, DCNR, commercial contractors, vegetation removal, mowing aquatic plants, uprooting plants

Transcript Highlights:

• She said she tries to contact them on three separate days.
• She said she tries to contact them on three separate days.
• If they don't respond within three separate days of that phone call, then they will reach out to the
• So those are separate meetings with separate tribes.
• There's probably some railroad land that's part of that.

Committee: Joint Tribal and State Relations Committee

Summary: The meeting focused on Turtle Mountain’s public health and behavioral health priorities, especially access to rural health transformation funding and a long-running data use agreement with the state. Tribal public health leaders described how, during COVID, a temporary data-sharing arrangement allowed them to do their own contact tracing and case management, and they argued that a similar agreement is now needed to respond more quickly to very high syphilis rates and other infectious disease concerns. Committee members generally expressed support and said they would follow up with state officials, while tribal representatives emphasized that they already have the staff and infrastructure to use timely data effectively. A major portion of the meeting was devoted to the Turtle Mountain Recovery Center and the broader issue of the IMD exclusion and residential treatment capacity. Tribal leaders described the center’s opening, its five levels of care, its 16-bed limit, and its efforts to become financially sustainable through billing, grants, and partnerships. They shared success stories and argued for an IMD waiver or similar flexibility so the center could expand to 32 beds and better meet local need. Committee members discussed the policy barriers to expanding residential treatment, including federal approval timelines, state funding choices, and the need to preserve a continuum of care that includes outpatient and community-based services. The committee then heard a detailed presentation from Hector Hernandez-Dogato of the National Health Law Program on the history and mechanics of the IMD exclusion and Section 1115 waivers. He explained that the exclusion limits Medicaid payment for services in facilities with more than 16 beds, but noted existing exceptions and alternatives such as state plan options, managed care arrangements, telehealth, and community-based services. He also reviewed mixed results from states that have used IMD waivers, warning that they do not automatically improve overdose deaths, emergency room use, or access to community care, and may risk reinforcing institutionalization if not paired with strong upstream services. The committee discussed a draft bill to appropriate $49,000 and one FTE for HHS to pursue an IMD waiver, with members suggesting the bill may need to explicitly include serious mental illness as well as substance use disorder and asking for department input at a future meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• someone tests positive and she is in Grand Forks County, she said she tries to contact them on three separate
• She said she tries to contact them on three separate days.
• If they don't respond within three separate days of that phone call, then they will reach out to the
• So those are separate meetings with separate tribes.
• There's probably some railroad land that's part of that.

Summary: The meeting focused heavily on behavioral health and substance use treatment, especially the IMD exclusion and whether North Dakota should pursue a Section 1115 waiver to allow Medicaid reimbursement for services in institutions for mental diseases for adults ages 21 to 64. Turtle Mountain representatives described major local needs, including limited access to care, high syphilis rates, and the importance of timely public health data. They also discussed the tribe’s recovery center, which opened the prior year, now operating five levels of care with 16 beds, and the desire to expand capacity, possibly through an IMD waiver or related policy changes. Committee members also raised related issues such as rural health transformation funding, telehealth, workforce retention, and the need for better coordination between tribal and state public health systems. A central issue was Turtle Mountain Public Health’s long-running effort to secure a data use agreement with the state so it can receive surveillance data and respond directly to infectious disease cases among tribal members. Speakers said the tribe had a successful COVID-era agreement that allowed faster contact tracing and case management, but that agreement ended with the pandemic. They argued that current delays in sharing data, especially for sexually transmitted infections, leave the tribe unable to respond quickly, while the state and county epidemiology workload is too distant and stretched to be effective. Committee members expressed support and said they would look into the issue, noting that other tribes have secured similar agreements. The committee also heard a detailed presentation from the National Health Law Program on the IMD exclusion. The presenter explained that federal Medicaid law generally bars payment for care in facilities with more than 16 beds, but that states can use other tools such as state plan amendments, managed care arrangements, telehealth, and community-based services. He said IMD waivers are administratively complex, time-limited, and have shown mixed results in other states, with some gains in residential treatment access but limited evidence of improved overdose outcomes or stronger community-based care. He urged the committee to consider broader continuum-of-care solutions and cautioned that waivers alone are not a cure-all. No final vote was taken on the bill draft during the portion shown, but the committee discussed the proposal to appropriate $49,000 and one FTE to HHS to pursue an IMD waiver and report back in the next interim. Members also debated the policy rationale for the 16-bed limit, the role of the state versus tribal sovereignty, and whether the bill should move through the Health Care or Human Services committee in the future.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Florida Department of Education is instructed to develop specific curricula tailored to various grade
• This curriculum is divided as follows: kindergarten to grade 3, the focus will be on introduction to
• physical disabilities and addressing bullying; grades 4 to 6, focus on autism spectrum disorder; grades
• 7 to 9, education on hearing impairments; and grades 10 to 12, understanding learning styles and intellectual
• The amendment also clarifies that a student need not be enrolled separately to participate.

Committee: Senate Education Pre-K - 12

Summary: The Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee heard and advanced a series of education-related bills, beginning with SB 540, the Evan B. Hartzell Act, which would require age-appropriate disability history and awareness instruction across grade bands. The committee adopted a delete-all amendment, heard emotional testimony from Melissa Hartzell about her son Evan’s experience with disability and inclusion, and reported the bill favorably. The committee also passed SB 1296, creating a pilot study on school cellphone bans; SB 1590, creating a task force to review educator preparation, certification, and professional learning; SB 1702, a broad education bill with provisions on private school facilities, marching band credit, school readiness reimbursements, and charter school monitoring tools; SB 1150, exempting school social workers from certain certification testing requirements; SB 1708, revising School of Hope rules and adding a Miami-Dade co-location framework; SB 822, updating charter school governance and operations; SB 444, requiring annual human trafficking awareness training for school personnel; and SB 742, expanding workforce development and money-back guarantee programs. Most of these bills were amended before being reported favorably by committee vote. The committee also considered and reported favorably SB 8, a claims bill providing a $1.2 million settlement for Marcus Button and his family arising from a 2006 Pasco County school bus crash that caused severe lifelong injuries. Senator Gaetz opposed claims bills in general, arguing the sovereign immunity cap should be raised so such cases can be resolved locally. Several bills drew questions and debate over implementation details, including concerns about charter school dress and hair policies under SB 822, the scope of human trafficking training under SB 444, and the zoning implications of private school facility provisions in SB 1702. Sponsor responses generally emphasized that the bills were intended to clarify existing policy or improve student safety, access, or educational outcomes. The committee also took up confirmation appointments. It recommended confirmation of the slate of appointees on Tabs 12 and 14 through 21 by voice vote, and separately recommended confirmation of Daniel Fogunoli to the State Board of Education after debate in which Senator Davis and Senator Osgood opposed the appointment. The meeting concluded with members recording additional votes, including Senator Burgess’s affirmative vote on SB 1150, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's above my pay grade.
• Fourth-grade test items are tougher than the third-grade items.
• Because you don't compare third grade to third grade to see how kids do.
• You compare third grade to fourth grade.
• grade or that third grade cohort moving into fourth grade.

Summary: The committee met to hear presentations on dual credit programs from North Dakota higher education leaders, a school superintendent, and teachers. Valley City State University described its dual credit model, emphasizing quality control through annual teacher training, syllabus and outcomes alignment, faculty qualification review, school visits, and pathways aimed at the College Studies Certificate. Members asked about teacher employment, course scheduling, revenue, scholarships, and whether a centralized model might improve efficiency; VCSU said most instructors are K-12 employees, online offerings are still small, and centralization could weaken local relationships and choice. Lake Region State College similarly stressed access and partnerships, noting about half of its headcount is still in high school, with both online and face-to-face dual credit options, district reimbursement arrangements, and support for rural schools. Lake Region also said dual credit helps students who might not otherwise see themselves as college-bound, but reduced tuition can still be a barrier for some families. Fargo Public Schools reported continued growth in dual credit, with 50 courses offered in partnership with several NDUS institutions and a 12.61% increase in participation. The superintendent highlighted a growing education pathway, including students completing Introduction to Education and field experience, and said the district is exploring a grow-your-own teacher pipeline. He also raised concerns about inconsistent institutional processes, teacher credentialing requirements, and transfer clarity, arguing for more aligned statewide systems. In response to questions, he said AP and dual credit can coexist, with AP often better for highly selective out-of-state colleges and dual credit better for students targeting North Dakota institutions, and he described some use of Arizona State online courses in earlier rural partnerships but said Fargo is focused on local institutions. Two teachers then testified on the classroom perspective. A West Fargo anatomy and physiology teacher said dual credit has expanded access, lowered costs, and prepared students well, but agreed that foundational science courses may be more effective when taken later in high school to reduce knowledge loss before college. A Drake-Anamoose English teacher, who has taught dual credit for more than 20 years, said the program has supported many students who went on to a wide range of careers and emphasized that small rural schools rely on dual credit to provide opportunities they otherwise could not offer. No formal votes or actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.