Transcript Highlights:

• and what the teacher needs.
• A teacher means any teacher, school secretary, substitute teacher, supervisor, principal, supervising
• A teacher means any teacher, school secretary, substitute teacher, supervisor, principal, supervising
• One of them is, 'Stop, I am a teacher. Stop, I am a teacher.
• I wanted to add that, I mean, saying, stop, I am a teacher, stop I am a teacher.

Committee: House Elementary and Secondary Education

Transcript Highlights:

• That has teachers who care so much about students, specifically my ninth grade English teacher, Ms.
• teachers, and four history teachers, making an already large class size even larger.
• , and teachers will struggle with grading many assignments on time and also from teachers, and teachers
• I'm a 25-year elementary teacher and currently serving as president of the Boston Teachers Union.
• His teacher, Ms. Francis, and the Title I teacher, Ms.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Summary: The Joint Ways and Means Committee held its final public hearing on the FY26 state budget, with chairs and members emphasizing that public testimony would help shape the budget and asking speakers to keep remarks brief. Committee leaders introduced members, explained the hearing process, and repeatedly thanked residents, students, and advocates for participating. No votes were taken during the hearing. Testimony focused heavily on education funding and the Chapter 70 formula. Students from Amherst, Northampton, Gateway Regional, Chester Elementary, and other districts described budget-driven cuts to electives, special education supports, paraprofessionals, counselors, transportation, and building maintenance. They urged higher Chapter 70 aid, increased minimum aid, rural school aid, and a reopening or restructuring of the funding formula, arguing that current formulas leave many districts unable to meet student needs and force local layoffs and overrides. Other speakers urged funding or protection for a range of programs and facilities, including the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute for homicide survivor services, the Museum of African American History, the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and CART/interpreter services, the Access to Counsel housing legal aid program, the Department of Mental Health and Pocasset Mental Health Center, and Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children. One speaker opposed offshore wind-related spending and urged a reset of the state’s energy approach, while another advocated ending the aircraft sales tax exemption. Committee members responded sympathetically to many speakers, asked a few follow-up questions, and several expressed support for maintaining or expanding the programs discussed.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, we all know that teachers have a lot of responsibilities already on their plates, and we've
• The curriculum framework says to teachers and textbook manufacturers, here's how you can do that.
• I could also add retention of teachers as well.
• of teachers.
• Teachers have deepened their understanding of evidence-based literacy practices.

Summary: The committee heard a series of budget proposals focused on education finance, with repeated questions about whether the state’s investments are coordinated, targeted to the highest-need students, and likely to produce measurable results. On the first item, the administration proposed $1 million for a study of California’s curriculum framework, standards, and instructional materials process, plus $250,000 for supplemental ELA/ELD guidance. CDE and Finance said the study would examine how other states organize standards, frameworks, and adoptions, while the chair and members questioned why California has gone so long without updating some standards, what the study would actually accomplish, and whether the proposal was too vague to justify the cost. The issue was held open. The committee then took up a proposed $25 million statewide literacy network within the system of support. CCEE and CDE said the network would coordinate multiple existing literacy leads, create a clearinghouse of evidence-based resources, and improve coherence across the state’s many literacy initiatives. Members pressed on how a one-time, five-year allocation could support a long-term system, how the work would reach distressed and rural districts, and whether the proposal would translate into classroom change rather than just another layer of coordination. The issue was also held open. Next, the committee reviewed a $500 million proposal to expand literacy coaches and reading specialists and to create a math coaches program. CDE described the existing literacy coach cohorts as producing positive reports from participating LEAs, while the LAO recommended modifications, especially for the math coach portion, including limiting eligibility to elementary schools, setting minimum grant amounts, directing funds to eligible school sites, and making eligibility automatic rather than application-based. Members focused on whether coaches were actually being placed at the schools with the greatest need and whether the state has a coherent long-term strategy for literacy and math investments. The committee also heard a $40 million proposal for training and implementation of K-2 reading difficulty screeners, which the LAO said was reasonable but could be reduced because $25 million had already been provided for training; CDE said the new funds were needed for full implementation, procurement, and sustainability. Finally, the committee heard a $10 million proposal for a developmentally appropriate TK multilingual learner screener, with CDE explaining why the preschool language-identification process is different from K-12 EL assessment and the chair asking staff to explore whether a single, more consistent approach could be developed. The meeting concluded with a presentation on universal school meals and kitchen infrastructure, including a $31.5 million backfill, an $84.1 million increase for projected meal growth, a COLA adjustment, and $150 million for kitchen upgrades and training to support freshly prepared meals.

Transcript Highlights:

• Andrea Alfred, a teacher in Monroe.
• She was a teacher for 21 and a half years, and she was awarded disability through the Teachers' Retirement
• In Monroe, she was a teacher for 21 and a half years, and she was awarded disability through the Teachers
• Teachers really need each other's assistance, and the community is not aware of what the school teachers
• And I want to stand for the teachers.

Committee: Senate Judiciary C

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Account program. Account program.
• </c> accountability system. accountability system.
• . accountability. accountability.
• Assessments are the accountability. accountability. accountability.
• </c> substitute teacher. substitute teacher.

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• It's in a bank account?
• It's in a bank account?
• It's in a bank account?
• </c><00:58:43.119><c> are</c> You put in the statute that teachers are You put in the statute that teachers
• ,</c> professional reporting be it teachers, professional reporting be it teachers, doctors,<01:37:54.239

Summary: The Legislative Oversight and Investigation Committee met without a quorum, so no votes were taken. Staff presented a study of the Kentucky Fire Commission focused on firefighter minimum training standards and administrative spending. The presentation explained that Kentucky’s training standards are built from NFPA guidelines, that the commission currently requires 115 hours for volunteer firefighters and 300 hours for paid firefighters, and that those reduced hours were adopted by removing electives and other non-NFPA content. Staff also said the commission’s IFSAC certification testing for firefighter 1 and firefighter 2 aligns with NFPA standards, but the commission cannot require local departments to train or certify firefighters. Staff recommended that the commission formally promulgate regulations establishing the reduced training hours and work with KCTCS to better separate administrative costs for certain programs so compliance with the statute can be demonstrated. The finance portion of the report said the commission is funded by general fund appropriations for State Fire Rescue Training and by an insurance premium surcharge that supports the Firefighter Foundation Program Fund. Staff reported that the commission stayed within the 5% administrative cap tied to the overall surcharge allotment, but could not confirm compliance with a separate 5% cap for specific programs because KCTCS accounting does not break out those costs in enough detail. Staff suggested the General Assembly may want to clarify what counts as administrative cost in statute. Members asked about investment returns, local fire department funding, and whether training documentation is required; staff said some of those topics were outside the study scope and that IFSAC testing relies on chief certification that a candidate is ready to test. Representatives from the Fire Commission then responded, saying they agreed with the report’s recommendations and would work to clarify the 5% issue with legislators and KCTCS. They explained that the reduction in training hours was intended to remove electives, better align with NFPA standards, and address the difficulty volunteer departments have in getting members to complete lengthy training. Commission officials said training is documented through rosters and annual compliance reviews, and that IFSAC-certified firefighter testing is based on demonstrated skills rather than a required number of training hours. They also said the difficulty in tracking the second 5% cap stems from the way KCTCS’s PeopleSoft system records reimbursements as single transactions, making it hard to isolate administrative costs by program.

Transcript Highlights:

• As a teacher for students with disabilities for many years, this is vital.
• The teacher would get directly in her face and tell her she was bad.
• It covers topics such as teacher shortages, teacher shortage areas, scholarship programs, health education
• It renames critical teacher shortages areas to high demand teacher needs areas.
• And I mentioned in the last committee that my daughter is a first-grade teacher.

Summary: The Pre-K Through 12 Budget Subcommittee met with a quorum and considered four bills. CS/HB 1403, by Rep. Yeager, would allow child care facilities to participate in the school guardian program and clarify school perimeter and door security requirements. An amendment clarifying that private security companies would pay for training was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably 11-0. CS/HB 447, the Evan B. Hartzell Act by Rep. Salzman, would provide guidance for schools that choose to teach disability history and awareness during the first two weeks of October, including age-appropriate instruction by grade band. The bill received supportive testimony from advocates and was reported favorably 11-0. CS/HB 257, by Reps. Chambliss and Tramont, would expand on a prior pilot program to allow video cameras in certain self-contained classrooms serving nonverbal students and others with significant disabilities, as a safeguard against abuse and to improve accountability. The bill drew strong support from parents and disability advocates describing abuse concerns, and it was reported favorably 13-0. CS/HB 1255, by Vice Chair Trabulsy, was a broad education bill addressing teacher shortages, scholarship program screening, health and math instruction, corporal punishment policy, and restrictions on spending public funds on organizations tied to discrimination or political/social activism. A major focus of debate was the bill’s human embryologic development instruction and related video language, with supporters calling it science-based and opponents warning it could be medically inaccurate or ideological. After the sponsor said she would amend some language, including removing ABCTE-related text and clarifying the video language, the bill was reported favorably 12-1. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that doesn't mean teachers are doing a terrible job.
• Ongoing PD for teachers.
• the teachers that I trained is, um, do you wanna be a 30 years.
• Teacher with 3 years of experience or a teacher with 1 year doing it 30 times, our students change, our
• We'll continue to look at math education and teacher supports.

Transcript Highlights:

• Paul teachers to get them, uh, to matching, uh, so that, uh, teachers across the board are, um, uh, you
• Paul teachers.
• </c><00:05:01.919><c> But,</c><00:05:02.080><c> these</c> teachers, St. Paul teachers.
• But, these teachers, St. Paul teachers.
• Paul teachers weren't left out.

Summary: House File 4074, the second engrossment of the retirement bill, was presented as a broad pension package with changes affecting multiple public retirement systems. Rep. Lilly described provisions including bringing St. Paul teachers closer to parity with TRA, reducing the COLA waiting period for police and fire retirees from two years to one, lowering the retirement age for certain probation, corrections, and 911 telecommunicator workers from 60 to 55, addressing a State Board of Investments fix, and creating or continuing work on Secure Choice and other retirement-related issues. Members also noted help for volunteer firefighters, EMS-related workers, and a local fix for Maple Plain’s volunteer fire system. The bill was repeatedly described as bipartisan and the product of successful working groups and negotiations with the Senate. Several members spoke in support, emphasizing the importance of public pensions, the impact of inflation on retirees, and the value of the bill’s targeted improvements for workers who are often not covered by Social Security. Rep. Johnson, Rep. Hill, Rep. Vega, Rep. Robbins, Rep. Cha, and others praised the work of the pension commission, staff, and the co-chairs. They highlighted the St. Paul teachers changes, the police and fire COLA adjustment, and the bill’s efforts to honor promises made to public employees. Some members also pointed to the importance of work groups as a way to develop better long-term solutions. The main point of debate centered on the duty disability amendment, which would have addressed disability issues for first responders. Supporters said the issue is serious and needs a work group solution rather than piecemeal changes, while Rep. Johnson and others warned that the proposal could create problems by treating psychological injuries differently from physical injuries. Rep. Roach said the body should not have passed the prior law and urged a fix for disabled law enforcement and first responders. After discussion, Rep. Lilly withdrew the A3 amendment. Earlier technical amendments A9 and A10 were adopted by voice vote, with members noting they were non-substantive and intended to keep House and Senate language identical and avoid a conference committee. The bill then moved to third reading as amended, with members urging a green vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> additional teachers, additional teachers, um,<00:30:25.520><c> additional</c><00:30:26.080><c>
• How many uh uh additional teachers line?
• So, in terms of staffing, we will need additional teachers.
• So, in terms of staffing, we will need additional teachers.
• So, in terms of staffing, we will need additional teachers.

Summary: The subcommittee met without a quorum and first heard from Kentucky Department of Education officials on career and technical education funding. KDE explained that House Bill 499 created a CTE funding formula using 60% weighted full-time equivalent enrollment and 40% incentives, but House Bill 6’s budget language excluded area technology centers (ATCs) from that supplemental funding. KDE requested approval of an additional budget request of $14,789,352 in each fiscal year 2027 and 2028 to include ATCs in the formula and hold local districts harmless. Officials said ATCs serve students from 117 of Kentucky’s 171 districts and argued the change would reduce funding disparities and better reflect the return on investment from CTE programs, citing growth in dual credit and work-based learning participation. Members asked whether the issue would need to be revisited each budget cycle. KDE responded that the problem could be fixed by removing the notwithstanding language from the budget bill, which they said would allow ATCs to be included under the existing statute. Representative Klein supported the request, saying the current clause could lead to stagnation and that the committee should help the program continue to grow. No vote was taken on the CTE item during the portion of the meeting provided. The committee then heard a presentation from PreK for All on expanding preschool access in Kentucky. Advocates said the state’s preschool program has been funded since 1990 and currently serves about 14,200 children at roughly $84 million per year, but that many working families still fall into a coverage gap. They proposed expanding eligibility to 250% of the federal poverty line, which they said would add about 9,600 children at a cost of $40 million in year two, after a planning year. The proposal also included regulatory flexibility for classrooms and partnerships with private child care providers and nonprofits, with speakers emphasizing child care deserts in some counties and citing research that early learning improves kindergarten readiness and later outcomes. No action or vote was taken on the preschool proposal in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:40:57.079><c> I</c> and Kelly Morris was the teacher I and Kelly Morris was the teacher I remember
• My dad is a public school teacher, and I still have relationships with teachers at elementary school
• </c> students don't learn a lesson a teacher students don't learn a lesson a teacher doesn't<00:53:31.520
• Thank you for the time. teacher can always remove a student from teacher can always remove a student
• </c><01:53:23.840><c> we're</c> talking about their teachers we're talking about their teachers we're

Committee: House Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• A teacher...
• Representative Steinhoff continued: A teacher means any teacher, school secretary, substitute teacher
• , 'Stop, I am a teacher.
• Stop, I am a teacher. Stop, I am a teacher.'
• I wanted to add that, I mean, saying, 'Stop, I am a teacher. Stop, I am a teacher.'

Committee: House Elementary and Secondary Education

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 3239, which would make the Missouri Workforce Diploma Program permanent and move it into the MoCAP framework. Representative Hurlbert and supporters said the program has helped about 1,200 adults earn diplomas, mostly women with children, and that it improves employment and health coverage outcomes. Members raised concerns about funding, the use of the foundation formula, and how the program differs from existing adult education options. Supporters said it is tuition-free, pay-for-performance, and intended for adults with a short path to graduation; no vote was taken on the bill. The committee then took up House Bills 2335 and 2230/2978 in executive session. HB 2335, dealing with teacher training, was amended and then given a do pass recommendation by a 19-0 vote. HB 2230 and 2978, as amended, were also approved do pass by an 18-1 vote after extensive discussion of the Student Screen Time Standards Act, including limits on screen time, a new advisory council, and a related cursive-writing amendment. Members generally supported the direction of the substitute, while some raised questions about local control, implementation, and the role of experts. Later, Representatives Irwin and Steinhoff presented House Bills 2913 and 3228, which would provide legal protection for teachers who intervene in violent situations to protect students or themselves. Supporters said the bills would reduce fear of liability and encourage reasonable intervention, while committee members and witnesses discussed possible limits, training, whether the protection should extend to other school staff, and how the proposal interacts with existing discipline and restraint rules. Public testimony was largely supportive, with school and teacher groups asking for clearer definitions and coordination with federal law; no vote was taken. The committee also heard House Bill 2304, which would require parental consent before major changes to a child’s special education placement or services. The sponsor and advocates said it strengthens parent involvement and collaboration, while members questioned delays, due process, safety exceptions, and the effect on school operations. Testimony from advocates and parents supported the bill, and the hearing concluded without action.

Transcript Highlights:

• school teachers.
• school teachers.
• Like I said, we know everybody's name, all the teachers, even teachers that haven't had my kids.
• Consistency in teachers and students in the seats.
• Consistency in teachers and students in the seats.

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• That is a pay raise bill: $2,000 across the board for teachers, teacher assistants, as well as our community
• If you recall, uh, Senator Parker, this deals with retired teachers and bringing retired teachers back
• </c> route process, but I could be a teacher. route process, but I could be a teacher.
• </c> is I understand this if I'm a teacher is I understand this if I'm a teacher the<00:09:04.560><c>
• As well as uh music teachers.

Committee: Joint Education

Transcript Highlights:

• five in the college, and there are no resources to put more teachers in Spanish.
• There is one teacher for 60 students like me.
• There was one teacher for every 50 students.
• This bill brings stability, accountability, and equity to special education statewide.
• This bill brings stability, accountability, and equity to special education statewide.

Committee: House House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Black lead teachers compared to white teachers are paid $3,120 less per year.
• And Black lead teachers compared to Asian lead teachers are paid $6,032 less per year.
• Black lead teachers compared to white teachers are paid $3,120 less per year.
• And black lead teachers compared to Asian lead teachers are paid $6,032 less per year.
• We need to rethink our teacher pathways and our teacher recruitment.

Summary: The hearing focused on California child care costs, access, and provider pay, opening with remarks from committee co-chairs and members describing child care as essential infrastructure for working families and the state economy. Early testimony from a parent and a rural family child care provider illustrated the personal and financial strain of limited care options, long waitlists, and low reimbursement rates. The provider detailed monthly expenses and income, explaining that even with a full roster of subsidized children, her margins are extremely thin and she relies on weekend work and training jobs to cover gaps. State and policy witnesses described recent progress, including a major increase in child care funding, growth in the number of subsidized slots, reforms to family fees, and a new tentative three-year agreement with Child Care Providers United that includes cost-of-living adjustments, stabilization payments, and continued work on an alternative rate methodology. The Department of Social Services also discussed efforts to unify reimbursement structures and improve CalWORKs child care coordination, while noting that federal cuts to safety-net programs could indirectly worsen child care stability and state budget pressures. Legislative members asked about the slow pace of slot expansion, the middle-income “cliff,” regional variation in costs, and how the alternative methodology will be implemented and include providers. Researchers from the California Budget and Policy Center and PPIC emphasized that child care remains unaffordable for many families, that only a fraction of eligible children receive subsidies, and that low wages continue to drive workforce shortages. PPIC highlighted the labor-force impact, estimating that tens of thousands more mothers could work if child care access improved, while the Budget Center stressed persistent racial and gender inequities in both access and pay. An employer-focused witness from the California Chamber of Commerce described survey results showing that child care benefits can improve retention, and outlined public-private partnership models from other states and local chambers. The final panel, including Parent Voices and Black Californians United for Early Care and Education, called for fully funding the system, confronting private equity involvement, and addressing racial inequities and culturally affirming care. No formal votes were taken; the hearing ended with commitments to continue work on rate reform, slot expansion, and broader child care investment.

Transcript Highlights:

• for 24% and law enforcement officers certifications which accounted for 12%.
• Teacher Apprenticeship initiative was developed to create a teacher pipeline for Florida school districts
• As a former teacher educator. I'm grateful for this non-traditional pathway to the last room.
• This close to my heart as a former teacher and is our grow your own teacher apprenticeship program for
• I myself entered the teaching profession as a lateral entry teacher.

Transcript Highlights:

• Public education accounts for $3.9 billion of that. The other significant increase is in Article 5.
• The bill includes over $8 billion to fund the state's contribution for retired teacher benefits.
• One of them actually is the teacher pay raise, and so to the extent that we provide a large increase
• But I, you know, care a lot about our retired teachers, as all of you do, and so we will continue to
• as we continue to work on ways to help benefit our active teachers.

Bills: SB1 , HB500 , SB 1

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, state budget, mental health funding, education funding, infrastructure improvements, public safety, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Transcript Highlights:

• Synchronous learning hours with teachers are also looked at.
• Teacher teaching in real time with their students.
• So my point is, how are you not holding them accountable?
• I think that they have interactions with teachers, right? Mr.
• I needed a teacher full time; I probably still do.

Committees: Senate Senate Finance , Senate House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the children's savings account the children's savings account scholarships<01:17:38.440><c> that
• The unions represent the teachers, and the teachers are in the classroom.
• are in the teachers um and the teachers are in the classroom<01:37:40.320><c> that's</c><01:37:40.520
• </c> that the union represent the teachers that the union represent the teachers but<01:38:01.119><c>
• ><c> can</c><01:38:02.400><c> do</c> but the teachers can think can do but the teachers can think can

Committee: Senate Education