Transcript Highlights:

• I talk about a lot in higher education committee and in other committees is how we rethink higher education
• We're a coalition of parents, students, and educators in LAUSD.
• We're a coalition of parents, students, and educators in LAUSD.
• systematic breakdowns in the education-to-workforce pipeline.
• People like Mark Batista, a Filipino brother, really dope educator.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So much fun education is. All right. Very good.
• First time in student education.
• Ashley Townsend, Department of Education.
• From my perspective, as a director of special education, I've been in education for 23 years as a special
• I have, from my perspective, as a director of special education, I've been in education for 23 years

Bills: SR119, SCR65, HCR47, HB196, HB218, HB256, HB325, HB352, HB434, HB448, HB476, HB608, HB624, HB626, HB632, HB749, HB818, HB1059, HB1112, HB1242, HB1249

Keywords: SR119, Senate Resolution 119, D-D Breaux, Sara Breaux, LSU gymnastics, LSU Gymnastics Training Center, LSU Board of Supervisors, facility naming, honorary resolution, public buildings and grounds, women's athletics, Title IX, college gymnastics, SEC gymnastics, Louisiana State University, Tiger Athletic Foundation, women in sports, coach recognition, sports legend, campus naming

Summary: The Senate Education Committee met with four members present and took up a long agenda of education-related bills. Early items included SCR 65, which would create a K-12 student success task force to study statewide career and academic pathway advising; the committee adopted a substantive amendment adding designees and then reported the resolution favorably. The committee also reported favorably on SCR 119, honoring Coach D.D. Breaux, after brief remarks about her LSU gymnastics legacy and the request that LSU study naming its gymnastics training facility in her honor. Several bills affecting school operations and student support were heard and reported favorably, including HB 434 on probationary school bus driver employment and superintendent authority over dismissal; HB 484 expanding scholarship benefits for children and spouses of fallen or disabled firefighters and police officers; HB 749 and HB 1059 on savings accounts and TOPS math eligibility alignment; HB 218 adding food insecurity questions to student questionnaires, which was amended and reported favorably; HB 325 expanding TOPS Tech eligibility through dual enrollment and part-time use; HB 476 requiring Safe Haven law postings in middle and high school restrooms; HB 1249 clarifying access to school-based health centers, with an amendment adopted; HB 1242 allowing more than one early learning center license at the same location under certain circumstances; HB 632 improving data protections and functionality for LA First; and HB 352 on behavioral health services for public school students, which was amended to address IEP and dispute-process concerns before being reported favorably. Two bills drew extended debate over transparency, privacy, and school autonomy. HB 608 would create confidentiality for intercollegiate athletics revenue-sharing documents; LSU representatives argued the bill was needed to protect student-athletes and competitive information, while PAR and the Louisiana Press Association opposed it as an improper secrecy carve-out for state-generated revenue. Despite the opposition, the committee reported HB 608 favorably. HB 1112, which would exempt BESE-approved non-public pre-K programs from certain licensure and safety requirements and adjust related definitions, was amended and then heard with testimony from the Pelican Institute in support, arguing it corrects overreach from prior law and protects private school autonomy and parental choice.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then I want to point out education expert and neuroscience Dr.
• Increased rate of usage on social media and other non-educational sites.
• For Ed Tech to sell their educational platforms, ...designed this way.
• I am also an educational technology specialist.
• And this bill kind of has an exemption on special education.

Summary: The committee first took up a combined substitute for House Bills 2115 and 1876, which would encourage cursive instruction and add a future cursive assessment. Members discussed that the substitute removed an immediate fifth-grade test and instead would phase in an assessment later, with no penalty for failure. Some members raised concerns about teacher training, costs, and added demands on elementary classrooms, while supporters said the measure was only a recommendation and could be improved on the floor. The committee adopted the substitute and then passed the House Committee Substitute for both bills on a roll call vote of 13-9, with several members present or absent. The committee then heard House Bill 2776, as amended and substituted, a teacher-certification bill aimed at addressing Missouri’s teacher shortage through a tiered associate certification system for pre-K and elementary grades. Sponsors explained that Tier 1 and Tier 2 certificates would be temporary and nonrenewable, with mentoring, literacy training, and a minimum salary floor, and that Tier 3 would lead to full certification and retirement-system participation. Members questioned the pay differential, the effect on teacher quality, the role of literacy training, and how the bill would treat leaves or incomplete years of service. After adopting an amendment and rolling it into a new substitute, the committee passed the House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2776 by a vote of 12-5 with one present. In open session, the committee heard House Bills 1698 and 2120 together, both anti-bullying measures that would strengthen reporting, parent notification, school-board awareness, and immunity protections for good-faith reporting. The sponsors described the bills as responses to a student bullying case that ended in suicide, and witnesses from the family gave emotional testimony urging immediate reporting and stronger accountability. Committee members raised questions about definitions of bullying, off-campus conduct, mandatory reporting to law enforcement, and the need to avoid sweeping in protected speech or sincerely held religious beliefs. No vote was taken on those bills in the portion provided. The committee then began testimony on House Bills 2230 and 2978, the Hands-on Learning Restoration Act, which would limit screen time and one-to-one device use in K-5 classrooms and emphasize books, paper, pencils, and cursive. Sponsors and supporters argued that heavy reliance on Chromebooks and other devices has harmed literacy, attention, and child development, citing low NAEP scores and research on handwriting and screen exposure. Teachers, physicians, and parents testified in support, while some members noted the bill may be too prescriptive and would need work on implementation, testing, and local flexibility. The hearing continued with additional testimony after the excerpt ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the education and outreach lead.
• Lark Park, I'm the Director of the California Education Learning Lab.
• As a final note, the state created a new education workforce entity last year, the California Education
• of Education Uniform Complaint process.
• , administrators, and educators.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to the, what is this, the sixth public hearing of the Joint Committee on Education.
• Chair Gordon, members of the Joint Committee on Education, thank you.
• the state, including 3,000 family child care educators that I work with closely.
• Our family child care educators... 3,000 family child care educators that I work with closely.
• Good afternoon, members of the Joint Committee on Education.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held its sixth public hearing and took testimony on a large slate of bills, with the chair moving H. 542/S. 341 on family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) child care to the top of the agenda so young constituents would not have to wait. Witnesses from labor, community organizations, and FFN providers strongly supported the bill, saying FFN care fills critical gaps for families working nonstandard hours, especially in low-income, immigrant, and BIPOC communities. Testimony emphasized that FFN providers are currently underpaid, often receive only about $24 per child per day, and should be guaranteed at least the state minimum wage. Witnesses also backed changes to the voucher system to allow families to combine formal and FFN care more flexibly, and they supported creating an FFN advisory council. Committee members asked about the difference between FFN and center-based care, registration requirements, fingerprinting/background checks, EEC’s ongoing study group, and the fiscal impact; witnesses said the current annual cost is about $1.8 million and could rise to about $6 million if all current FFN providers were paid minimum wage, still under 1% of the EEC budget. The committee then closed testimony on that bill. The committee next heard testimony on several preschool and universal pre-K bills, including H. 707 on public preschool facilities, H. 687/S. 339 on universal pre-K and mixed delivery, and related bills such as H. 606, H. 523, H. 618, H. 522, H. 510, and H. 615, many of which were later closed without additional witnesses. A Lowell school official testified that space and facilities funding are major barriers to expanding preschool and that the city has hundreds of children on voucher waitlists. Other witnesses and organizations, including the Early Care and Education Consortium and AFT Massachusetts, supported mixed-delivery universal pre-K and warned that public-school expansion should not undermine community-based providers, whose preschool tuition helps subsidize infant and toddler care. Several witnesses also urged stronger standards for preschool teachers, better staffing ratios, and more integrated special education and support services. The committee accepted written testimony on some bills and closed testimony on the others when no one else came forward. A major portion of the hearing focused on H. 541/S. 373, which would ban school exclusion in pre-K through third grade. Advocates from Massachusetts Advocates for Children, Mass Appleseed, Citizens for Juvenile Justice, AFT Massachusetts, and the Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee argued that suspensions and expulsions at young ages harm learning, worsen inequities, and contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline. They cited data showing disproportionate impacts on Black and Latinx students, students with disabilities, and low-income children, and described personal stories of children whose behavior improved when schools kept them in class and addressed underlying needs. Committee members asked for updated data on the number of students and districts affected, and witnesses said they would provide more detailed written information. After testimony on this and a few other bills, including S. 372, S. 357, and H. 275/S. 133, the committee closed testimony and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We want to keep kids in school and get them educated.
• ...46% of our educators have a second job?
• appropriations for public education to the school districts that educate the students.
• There are homeschooling students who at first were told, if there are educational services or educational
• There are homeschooling students who at first were told, if there are educational services or educational

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several gallery introductions before taking up Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 168, the Tristan Murphy Act, on mental health. Senator Bradley explained that the bill is intended to divert clinically appropriate defendants with mental illness from jail to treatment, create pretrial mental health diversion programs, expand grant uses for mental health and substance abuse reinvestment, require evaluations and treatment follow-up in certain probation and prison settings, add Hillsborough County to a forensic hospital diversion pilot, and establish a Florida Behavioral Health Data Repository. Senators from both parties spoke in support, emphasizing treatment over incarceration, public safety, and the Murphy family’s role in the bill. The Senate passed the bill 37-0 and then recorded 37 co-sponsors. The chamber then moved into presentations on SB 2500, the 2025-26 General Appropriations Act. Chair Hooper said the Senate budget totals $117.4 billion, reduces overall spending from the prior year, maintains reserves, keeps employee health contributions level, and includes major investments in water quality, transportation, education infrastructure, and nearly $1 billion in education capital outlay. Committee chairs outlined their portions of the budget, including increased funding for K-12 schools and scholarships, higher education workforce programs, Medicaid and health services, corrections and courts, transportation and housing, and environmental restoration such as Everglades and water quality projects. Members then asked extensive questions, especially about education funding, school choice, AP/IB and accelerated programs, the Family Empowerment Scholarship, and the FEFP calculations. Senator Burgess repeatedly explained that scholarship funding is being moved “below the line” to improve tracking and that the Senate position is to preserve funding while giving districts more flexibility. Senators also questioned the APD wait list for disability services, opioid settlement spending, arts funding, the My Safe Florida Home condo pilot, and proposed IT and agency restructuring. Several chairs said some issues would be resolved in conference, and no final vote on the budget was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• education.
• The Office of Higher Education exist.
• :55.440><c> ESL</c> developmental education taking ESL developmental education taking ESL remedial<00
• Developmental education is report.
• </c> developmental education. developmental education.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• educated once is certainly still here.
• Let’s try to really think about how we can educate them while we’re educating them on the standards we
• Chair, and members of the Education Committee.
• Chair, and members of the Education Committee.
• an education bill.

Summary: The committee met in executive session first and took up House Bill 3239, adopting a Hurlbert amendment that capped the program at $4 million and then adopting the House Committee Substitute. The substitute bill passed 11-7. The committee then combined House Bill 2913 and House Bill 3228 into one substitute; members discussed that it would not cover student teachers and was intended to start with the current scope and broaden later. The combined substitute passed unanimously, 19-0. In open session, the committee heard House Bill 2195, which would create a Missouri Integrated Safe Driving Program to let DESE vet and distribute safe-driving lesson materials for voluntary use in existing courses starting in 2027-2028. Sponsor Representative Reedy said the bill is intended to improve teen driver safety without a fiscal note. Supporters included AAA Missouri, traffic-safety and motorcycle groups, MoDOT, and the Missouri Insurance Coalition, who cited teen crash and fatality data, the benefits of formal driver education, and the need to address distracted driving, traffic stops, and motorcycle awareness. No one testified in opposition. The committee also heard House Bill 2502, which would clarify how records from closed nonpublic schools and charter schools are transferred and stored so students can later obtain transcripts and graduation records. The sponsor said the bill responds to missing records from closed schools and would direct records to the appropriate public district; a technical correction was noted to avoid including homeschool records. Missouri NEA supported the bill and suggested charter-school performance contracts include compliance expectations. The committee then heard House Bill 2396, which would allow retired teachers to return to PSRS-covered teaching jobs without a time limit, similar to existing critical-shortage provisions. The sponsor argued it would help districts, especially smaller ones, and could benefit teachers and students without harming the retirement system. PSRS/PEERS testified that the bill could raise contribution rates by an estimated 1.44% to 2.45% and raised concerns about behavior changes and IRS qualification issues; Missouri NEA and the Missouri State Teachers Association opposed the bill, saying it would not solve recruitment and retention problems and could damage the retirement system. The Missouri Retired Teachers Association testified for informational purposes, warning that the bill could prompt many eligible teachers to retire sooner.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Committee on Elementary and Secondary Education will now come to order.
• Driver’s education has been cut out of a lot of schools.
• Let's try to really think about how we can educate them while we're educating them on the standards we're
• It's something that we need to get some education on.
• Chair, and members of the Education Committee.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Committee on Elementary and Secondary Education will now come to order.
• Another committee is working on physical education.
• Another committee is working on physical education.
• It says that the special education teachers, regular education teachers, other professionals as needed
• educators.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Johnson continued: "And so my wife is a former educator and was our Education Foundation
• So you have sector-by-sector information, region-by-region information, educational institution by educational
• So you have sector by sector information, region by region, educational institution by educational institution
• So we’ve trained both some K-12 educators, but also a lot of focus on the career technical educators.
• And again, it gives those educational institutions.

Summary: The Careers and Workforce Subcommittee met for its first meeting of the year, took roll, and heard member introductions centered on the importance of workforce pathways beyond the traditional four-year college route. Members repeatedly emphasized manufacturing, trades, rural workforce needs, apprenticeships, and helping students and adults find multiple paths to good jobs. The chair outlined the subcommittee’s focus on policies that build a skilled workforce and announced the day’s theme would be manufacturing, with presentations from the Florida Department of Commerce, the Florida Semiconductor Institute, and Fleet Force CDL training. Secretary Alex Kelly presented Florida’s manufacturing report, saying manufacturing is a major economic driver and that Florida has become the 10th largest state in manufacturing employment. He highlighted strong job multipliers, rapid growth in manufacturing GDP and establishments, the importance of logistics and ports, and the state’s small-business-heavy manufacturing base. He also stressed the aging manufacturing workforce, the need for modern skills such as robotics, cybersecurity, and data analytics, and the role of public-private partnerships, apprenticeships, and workforce education investments in supporting reshoring and industry growth. Dr. David Arnold described Florida’s semiconductor sector and the Florida Semiconductor Institute’s mission to grow research, workforce, and ecosystem development. He said semiconductors are strategically important, Florida ranks fifth nationally in semiconductor workforce, and the main bottleneck is mid-level technician talent rather than engineers or entry-level workers. He pointed to NeoCity, Valencia College, and other regional partnerships as models, and said the state needs more proactive planning, better instructor capacity, and stronger pathways from K-12 through postsecondary. Evan Agiloff of Fleet Force discussed Florida’s CDL shortage, saying trucking is essential to the supply chain, Florida has about 18,000 open CDL positions, and Fleet Force’s college-based model can quickly move students into middle-class jobs. Members asked about apprenticeships, CTE pathways, semiconductor training, infrastructure needs, and how to expand and better fund workforce programs; no votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• The financial curriculum supports young people throughout the continuum of education.
• I think many of us in this chamber, and myself, wish I had this education.
• There was, and still hasn't been, any education.
• It's about ensuring that everyone in our... ...education system can read.
• This bill gives our students and teachers the education...

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House took up several procedural orders early in the session, including extending the reporting deadline for the Housing Committee on H.4655 and suspending Joint Rule 12 for a petition seeking to rescind prior Article 5 constitutional convention applications. It then advanced three Ways and Means bills on education-related topics: personal financial literacy education (H.4670), expanded access to the state seal of biliteracy (H.4671), and teacher preparation and student literacy (H.4672), each moving through amendment adoption and third reading or engrossment procedures. A major portion of the meeting focused on H.4670, which would require personal financial literacy instruction in middle and high school and establish a financial literacy trust fund for curriculum and teacher training. Members spoke in support, emphasizing budgeting, credit, student loans, and long-term financial planning, and the bill passed to be engrossed by a 154-0 roll call. H.4671, which broadens access to the seal of biliteracy for students in public and private schools, also drew support and passed to be engrossed 155-0. The most extensive debate centered on H.4672, a literacy bill requiring evidence-based reading instruction, DESE-approved curricula or approved local alternatives, screening and progress monitoring, professional development, and related implementation measures. Members described concerns about declining reading scores and argued for a shift away from three-cueing toward phonics-based, science-of-reading approaches. Several amendments were considered: a proposal to change intervention language from “significantly” to “at risk of falling behind” failed, while amendments adding funding language, stakeholder collaboration, and other implementation details were adopted. One amendment clarifying that pictures may be used as a supplement in literacy curricula was also adopted, and the bill ultimately passed to be engrossed 155-0. The House also observed moments of silence for former Judge Leslie Harris, former Representative Mark Carron, and former Representative Dennis Rosa, and adjourned to meet the next day at 11 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• funding committee and in prior education committees as well. ...how many students in home education
• </c><00:19:14.760><c> funding</c> testified in um the education funding testified in um the education
• </c> committee and in Prior education committee and in Prior education committees<00:19:17.080><c> as
• They're in HB 2. safety speaking for education or no uh safety speaking for education or no uh uh<00:
• </c><01:15:40.360><c> Freedom</c> relative to the education Freedom relative to the education Freedom

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Division 2 Finance Committee work session focused primarily on House Bill 115 and a proposed amendment, 114H, which would carry over language from HB 2 into HB 115 and place limits on Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs). Representative Murray described the amendment as a way to keep the 350% federal poverty eligibility cap, require students to have attended a charter public school in grades K-12 for the preceding year before entering the voucher system, and add guardrails against universal eligibility. She argued the state was facing a severe budget crisis, that expanding EFAs would divert money from other programs, and that public testimony and local votes showed widespread opposition to expansion. She also cited a letter from former Finance chair Neil Kirk opposing expansion. Other members responded that the committee should not revisit policy already decided by the House, though some said the amendment was fair to discuss because of its fiscal implications and supported it on that basis. The discussion then broadened into a debate over the fiscal impact of universal vouchers and the reliability of enrollment and cost estimates. Representative Luno argued that prior EFA projections had relied on assumptions that could badly underestimate state exposure, pointing to Arizona as a cautionary example and saying New Hampshire should not expand the program without better analysis. Representative Papovich similarly warned that universal eligibility could create a large, unexpected cost, estimating a potential exposure of about $285 million based on school-age children not currently in public, charter, or EFA programs. In contrast, Representative Weyler said EFAs can save money because public school spending is already high and parents using EFAs still pay taxes and take on more responsibility for their children’s education. After discussion, Representative Murray moved to accept the amendment, and Representative Bean seconded it. There was some procedural clarification about voting on the original bill and the amendment. The transcript ends before a final recorded vote on the amendment or on HB 115 itself, though the committee had also been told it would likely reconsider several retained bills later in the week, including HB 129, HB 133, HB 671, and HB 781.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> for the education for the education uh<00:08:33.360><c> technical</c><00:08:33.839><c> education
• </c> to be educated in the adult education to be educated in the adult education programs.<00:23:14.720
• Um, adult education.
• Um, adult education.
• Any additional comments from education? The Department of Education.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• chair, the state board, the education.
• We do establish a worker to update the Florida educate educator accomplish practices, otherwise known
• We have Cs for SB 17 to education by Senator Burgess.
• education plan or IEP.
• Educational opportunities for military children.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Education. Education.
• The first titled general education.
• </c><00:08:39.519><c> excellence</c> article two is the education excellence article two is the education
• </c> which is the professional educator which is the professional educator licensing<00:10:28.000><c>
• or or related individualized education or or related individualized education<00:21:45.919><c> programs

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> I'm deeply grateful for my education. I'm deeply grateful for my education.
• Our educators are tired.
• Our educators are tired. Our educators are tired.
• </c> Minnesota Department of Education. Minnesota Department of Education.
• 16.280><c> Education.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• with the higher education department as they already do.
• So currently higher education institutions...
• What the process is: currently, higher education institutions every year will apply to the Higher Education
• Chair, members of the Senate Education Committee.
• Chair, members of the Senate Education Committee.

Bills: SB234, SB210, SB243, SB244, SM16, HB8

Keywords: foster children, school transportation, education funding, public education, child welfare, New Mexico Highlands University, soccer field, women's sports, infrastructure improvement, funding allocation, student athletes, appropriation, New Mexico State University, nutrition, travel support, funding, education, university support, financial assistance, parenting students

Transcript Highlights:

• the Department of Education to coordinate a review of the state requirements for educational facilities
• The bill strengthens the educator pipeline by updating eligibility for educator preparation institutes
• of educators.
• I am here today to support cameras in special education classrooms, not to punish educators, but to protect
• I hold a bachelor's in special education, a master's in special education, and a graduate certification

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Summary: The Education Pre-K-12 Committee met and took up several education bills. It first heard SJR 1104 on religious expression in public schools, which would place a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot to protect voluntary religious expression by students and school personnel. The sponsor said it would codify existing protections and not require prayer or religious activity, while opponents argued it was unnecessary, could be used to advance Christian nationalism, and could make minority-faith students uncomfortable. The committee reported the resolution favorably. The committee then approved SB 1738 on educational facilities, as amended, to require the Department of Education to review school facility requirements and recommend design and construction practices intended to improve safety and accountability. It also approved SB 824 on charter schools, as amended, which shifts the bill to a transparency-focused strike-all requiring districts to submit annual reports on unimproved land holdings to the Department of Education. The committee also confirmed appointees on Tabs 7 and 8. A major portion of the meeting focused on SB 1620 on public education, described by the sponsor as a “school board members’ bill of rights.” The bill would give board members broader access to district documents and staff, limit nondisclosure agreements, clarify attorney representation, and strengthen budget transparency and nepotism rules. Supporters said it would help board members do their oversight jobs, while opponents warned it could undermine superintendents, expose confidential student or employee information, and create confusion in district governance. The committee reported the bill favorably. Finally, the committee heard SB 1170 on education, as amended, which would allow parents of students with disabilities to request cameras in self-contained classrooms and set district procedures for reviewing those requests. Supporters, including parents and disability advocates, testified that cameras would protect non-speaking and vulnerable students and provide accountability, while one opponent argued the measure should be funded if adopted. The committee reported the bill favorably. The committee also adopted a committee-bill motion for SPB 7036, a broad education package covering school turnaround, literacy, safety, early learning, instruction, and educator pipeline issues, though members raised concerns about a possible state role in producing instructional materials; the bill was reported favorably as a committee bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• It left our body here and went into Senate Education, had a wild ride that Senate Education had a wild
• So, the data broker and education...
• and education transformation.
• This is the incentive that will drive consolidation for efficiencies in education.
• I want to sincerely thank the education committee.

Keywords: 926, house, all