Transcript Highlights:

• management and student support. management and student support.
• student loan programs. student loan programs.
• , independent students, students with dependence.
• students, students with dependence. students, students with dependence.
• public students versus private students. public students versus private students.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Over 45% of Massachusetts public school students are students of color, yet only 10% of the state's public
• I'm writing today to testify in support of the All Students Thrive Act because students and families
• Even though these students make up a significant portion of the student population and are present in
• These students make up a significant portion of the student population and are present in every classroom
• we have these students in our class.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held its 13th hearing, chaired by Senator Jason Lewis and Representative Gordon, and heard testimony on a large slate of bills covering personnel and miscellaneous education issues. The first major topic was House Bill 711 and Senate Bill 327, the “So All Students Thrive” proposal, which would change reduction-in-force rules so districts could consider teacher effectiveness, student impact, staffing needs, and diversity-related factors alongside seniority. Supporters from Educators for Excellence, including teachers and a former school committee chair, argued that current seniority-based layoff rules can push out effective early-career educators and harm efforts to build a more diverse workforce. Committee members raised questions about tenure, union involvement, and how the bill would interact with the Educator Diversity Act and local contract negotiations; members generally said they shared the goal of diversifying the educator workforce and encouraged continued collaboration and feedback. The committee then heard testimony on House Bill 658, which would require educator training on gifted and advanced learners. Parents, teachers, researchers, and advocates said Massachusetts lacks required preservice or professional development on gifted education, leaving many advanced students unchallenged and underserved. Witnesses described students who are bored, under-identified, or even discouraged in school, and argued that training would help teachers recognize and support gifted students, including students of color, multilingual learners, low-income students, and students with disabilities. Testimony also supported related prior bills on advanced learners and emphasized that the state should act on a 2019 DESE report recommending such training. The committee also heard testimony on House Bill 736 and Senate Bill 435, which would establish de-escalation training for school transportation. The Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council said the measure would improve safety for students and bus operators, fill a gap in current school bus driver certification requirements, and better support students with disabilities. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 4720, concerning the Athol-Royalston Regional School District’s state bailout-related reserve requirements; the superintendent said the district has long maintained fiscal stability but is still forced to leave over half a million dollars unspent each year, limiting resources for a high-poverty student population. After testimony concluded, the chairs read the full list of bills on the agenda, thanked the committee and staff, and the hearing was adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• of our student population.
• You can see that our students made steady gains, with elementary students moving.
• We have members of those groups here today, our students, and we're student-focused.
• It's my student leadership team.
• Students are rising.

Transcript Highlights:

• require student screen use. require student screen use.
• class of students at once. class of students at once.
• students to know about technology?" students to know about technology?"
• And you know, students were more engaged, students were socializing more.
• students were socializing more. students were socializing more.

Bills: HF3776, HF3557, HF3585

Keywords: screen time, preschool, kindergarten, early childhood education, digital media, tablets, smartphones, educational technology, EdTech, classroom devices, publicly funded preschool, school policy, child development, special education, IEP, 504 plan, IFSP, Minnesota education law, climate literacy, education

Summary: The committee first approved the previous day’s minutes, then took up House File 3776, as amended by the A2 amendment, which clarified how the bill would apply to students with IEPs and 504 plans. The bill’s author argued that Minnesota should address screen time for preschool and kindergarten students, saying current law is too broad, that young children are especially vulnerable to developmental and attention harms from screens, and that parents and teachers should have more control over device use. The bill was laid over after discussion. Testimony on HF 3776 was split. Amanda Faye of Minnetonka Public Schools opposed the bill as drafted, saying it would conflict with existing academic standards, READ Act screening requirements, accessibility tools, and local control, and would force districts back to paper-based screening. Katherine Myers of Live More Screen Less supported the bill, citing concerns about early childhood screen exposure and arguing that screen-free time supports child development. Members raised concerns about local control, parental rights, and how to protect students who need devices for accommodations; the author and nonpartisan staff noted that schools can already adopt cell phone policies, but exceptions may be needed for certain students and uses. After laying over HF 3776, the committee began House File 3557. Representative Craft introduced the bill as a voluntary program to promote practical science education and workforce development tied to climate literacy, including a proposed Minnesota Seal of Climate Literacy for high school students. The bill was only introduced before the transcript ended, with no vote or final action recorded on HF 3557.

Transcript Highlights:

• The results seen in the Panorama student survey indicate that many students in New Mexico have poor perceptions
• one counselor for every 250 students.
• And nationwide in 2023-24, the counselor-to-student ratio was one counselor for every 376 students.
• To encourage student participation, we outline the needs of our students.
• This is what our students deserve.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A new, modern student union facility that strengthens the student experience at a university known for
• Students frequently gather in the union, whether it be for collaborative projects, student organization
• I think we have a 2,500-student presence online, and we have about 23,000 students that are in person
• student?
• and first-gen students.

Bills: HB42, HB125

Keywords: special prosecutor, state law, criminal justice, accountability, law enforcement, stormwater management, counties, regulation, environment, water quality

Summary: The Committee on Higher Education met to hear several bills and first corrected the minutes from its April 1, 2025 meeting to reflect that a committee substitute for HB 271 had been adopted before the bill was reported favorably. The committee then heard HB 3326, which would help Texas higher education employees, especially adjunct faculty, qualify for federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness by counting classroom hours toward full-time status, requiring institutions to verify employment within 60 days, and requiring annual notice to eligible employees. No witnesses testified against the bill, and it was left pending. Members then heard HB 2853, authorizing UTEP to phase in a student union fee increase to fund demolition and reconstruction of its aging student union. Representative Perez and UTEP student and university witnesses said the current facility is outdated and insufficient for a campus of more than 25,000 students, while some members raised concerns about the size of the fee increase and its impact on low-income students. UTEP representatives said most students receive aid, the fee would be phased in over time, and the project was student-approved; the bill was left pending. The committee also heard HB 4066, a one-line bill to abolish the Texas Research Incentive Program after the state cleared its backlog of matching obligations, with the author saying the program was no longer needed in light of newer research funding approaches. The bill was left pending. The committee spent substantial time on HB 125, which would create the Tarleton State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Supporters, including Tarleton leadership, the founding dean, a rural hospital CEO, and a feasibility consultant, argued the school would address severe rural physician shortages by recruiting Texas and rural students, training them in rural settings, and developing new residency slots rather than competing for existing ones. Members asked about affordability, residency placement, and whether the school would draw students from rural Texas; Tarleton said it would seek to keep tuition and debt low, had already raised private donations, and would request $25 million in state support over the biennium. The bill was left pending. Finally, the committee heard HB 42, which would increase the annual Higher Education Fund appropriation and adjust its allocation methodology. The chair and university witnesses described rising deferred maintenance, inflation, cybersecurity needs, and enrollment growth at HEAF-eligible institutions, with witnesses from Texas Tech, Sam Houston State, and UNT saying the additional funding would help address aging facilities and technology needs. After testimony, the committee left HB 42 pending and recessed.

Transcript Highlights:

• that our elementary school students use. that our elementary school students use.
• impact on students of color and students impact on students of color and students experiencing<00
• Students could request books.
• continue to student well-being. continue to student well-being.
• offerings for American Indian students. offerings for American Indian students.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > is that student is So now that student is that student is So now that student is getting<00:
• ><01:58:46.800> students<01:58:47.040> with students with IEPs, not students with students
• And for a student with a student.
• ELELLL students in the ELLL students.
• 343 students and possibly the student 343 students and possibly the student that<02:32:46.319>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• program based that allows for students program based that allows for students like<00:04:11.840>
• And our last student Thank you. And our last student testifier. testifier. testifier.
• students, please? students, please?
• committee, for bringing in students. committee, for bringing in students.
• have the best of our students in mind. have the best of our students in mind.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's teach students history. Thank you. Let's teach students history, all of it. Thank you.
• Students often ask me, like you saw the students today, why aren't adults doing more to protect their
• You heard from students who are for this bill. Students all over the state want this bill.
• Girls, students of color, and students with disabilities are all especially underrepresented.
• Girls, students of color, and students with disabilities are all especially underrepresented.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education heard testimony on a wide range of bills, with the largest portions focused on the Healthy Youth Act (S.340/H.656), comprehensive and inclusive curriculum bills (H.655/S.371 and related measures), climate literacy education (H.560/S.391), computer science coursework (H.534/S.362), arts education funding and STEM-to-STEAM proposals (H.561 and H.4297), and a homeschooling reporting bill (H.518). Supporters of the Healthy Youth Act argued it would preserve local control while requiring medically accurate, age-appropriate, LGBTQ-inclusive sex education and regular updates to state health frameworks; opponents raised parental rights, age-appropriateness, and opt-out concerns, with some calling for fetal development content. Supporters of inclusive curriculum bills said they would improve representation, belonging, and civic understanding, while opponents argued they could undermine parental authority or promote ideological content. Climate, computer science, and arts advocates emphasized workforce readiness, student engagement, and the need for state support and funding to expand access and teacher training. Testimony on the climate literacy bill described increasing climate impacts in Massachusetts and argued that interdisciplinary instruction would prepare students for science, policy, and green careers; witnesses said the bill was not a mandate but a support and funding measure. Computer science supporters said access remains uneven, especially for girls, students of color, and students with disabilities, and urged stronger statewide requirements and AI-related standards. Arts advocates backed both the STEM-to-STEAM bill and the Lowell Mason arts funding proposal, citing research on student achievement, attendance, creativity, and the economic importance of the arts sector. The homeschool bill was supported by a homeschool advocacy group as a modernization of reporting requirements. The committee closed testimony on numerous bills where no one remained signed up or testimony had concluded, including several education, curriculum, and commission proposals. No votes were taken during the hearing itself. At the end of the session, the committee closed out the remaining testimony and adjourned after a motion and second.

Transcript Highlights:

• So when he extended this beyond just student achievement, he looked at the economic impacts of students
• know is a challenge, produce meaningful student learning, motivate students, ...disciplinary issues,
• which we know is a challenge, produce meaningful student learning, motivate students, and get through
• know whether a student is trans.
• Socially, other students won't necessarily know that one of their fellow students is trans.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our students increase critical thinking skills by 87%. 98.5% of our students graduate. 97%. 98.5% of
• our students graduate college, and they are 70% more likely than any other students in their classes
• Statewide access must mean all students.
• Statewide access must mean all students.
• I'm a student organizer with Sea Alliance and also the student advisor for District 3 of Broward County

Bills: S1062, S1718, S7038

Keywords: speech education, debate, high school, Florida Debate Initiative, civics, competitive teams, student participation, educational advancement, educator preparation, certification, professional development, temporary certificate, military service, collaboration, teaching effectiveness, education, Florida College System, tuition waivers, vocational rehabilitation, state universities

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met to consider several education bills and the proposed fiscal year 2026-2027 Department of Education budget. The committee first took up CS/SB 1062 on speech and debate, which would formalize Florida’s Speech and Debate Week, strengthen the partnership between the Department of Education and the Florida Debate Initiative, require annual public reporting, and support statewide speech and debate programming. The bill drew extensive supportive testimony from students, alumni, and advocates who said debate improved civic engagement, literacy, confidence, and school performance, while also noting the need for equitable access and funding for travel and competition. The committee adopted a delete-everything amendment and then reported the bill favorably as amended by a unanimous vote of members present. The committee then heard SB 1718 on educator preparation and certification, which expands access to educator preparation coursework, broadens eligibility for temporary certification for some formerly certified professionals, and allows prior subject-area exam results to satisfy requirements. Public testimony largely supported easing barriers for experienced educators while emphasizing that certification changes are only a partial solution to teacher shortages and should be paired with better pay, retention, and professional respect. The bill was reported favorably. Next, the committee considered SB 7038 on education, which included a wide range of higher education and workforce-related changes, including a tuition waiver for Florida State Guard members, residency clarifications, oversight changes for blind services and vocational rehabilitation providers, licensure updates for private colleges, dual enrollment and assessment revisions, scholarship and funding changes, and reserve-fund requirements. An amendment restored the Classical Learning Test as a qualifying option for a grandparent tuition waiver, adjusted a Pell Grant performance metric, changed accreditation timing, and made other technical revisions. A dental education stakeholder raised concerns that one provision could disrupt long-standing exemptions for dental assisting programs, and the Florida Dental Association said it was working with the sponsor to avoid unintended impacts. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably as amended. The final major item was a high-level review of the proposed pre-K-12 budget, totaling $34.9 billion with local funds. Highlights included $30 billion for public schools and K-12 scholarships, a $50 increase in the base student allocation, a 1.64% increase in total funds per FTE, $4.5 billion for family empowerment scholarships as a separate FEFP categorical, $25 million for districts facing future enrollment declines, $65.3 million to help districts with current-year enrollment losses, $432.8 million for VPK, and $30.4 million for regional education consortia. Senators asked about reductions or flat funding in some allocations, teacher pay, declining enrollment support, Schools of Hope funding, and support for non-teaching school staff. Public testimony on the budget focused heavily on concerns about charter and voucher funding, especially the $6 million for Schools of Hope, with speakers urging more investment in traditional public schools, teacher compensation, and school infrastructure. The committee concluded the meeting by adjournment after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• students and to Minnesota's taxpayers. students and to Minnesota's taxpayers.
• <00:12:55.600> student the bargaining units and student student the bargaining units and student
• . students. students.
• as well as our incoming students as well as our transfer<01:12:58.719> students.
• > non-deree non-deree students, our non-deree non-deree students, our non-deree students<01:13:46.800

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• At the department, the goals of highest student achievement and providing all students with the ability
• This is for students identified as gifted, which does not This is for students identified as gifted,
• , with respect to students in particular areas, students who I don't know.
• or a student in a district.
• of those students.

Summary: The committee held its first meeting and received an overview of the Pre-K-12 education appropriations jurisdiction and base budget. Staff explained that education funding is driven largely by enrollment and per-student formulas, with most money coming from state and local sources. The presentation highlighted the major budget areas: early learning, the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP), non-FEFP K-12 programs, federal programs, and the State Board of Education. Members asked about instructional materials funding and how scholarship students who return to public schools are counted and funded; staff explained that instructional materials remain in the base and that funding depends on survey timing, with districts ultimately funded through the enrollment count process. The committee then reviewed federal IDEA funding for students with disabilities. Department of Education officials explained how IDEA Part B funds are split between state set-asides and local educational agencies, and noted that Florida ranked fourth nationally in total IDEA Part B funding and received a 95% state determination for meeting IDEA requirements. They also described the bureau’s responsibilities, including monitoring, dispute resolution, instructional support, and the Hope Florida unit for ages 3 to 5. Members asked for more information on student performance outcomes and how the state measures success beyond compliance, and the department agreed to provide follow-up data. The final major topic was the Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System (FDLRS), including associate centers, multidisciplinary centers, and specialized centers for deaf/hard of hearing and visually impaired students. Presenters described services such as child find, family support, assessments, professional learning, accessible instructional materials, and technical assistance. Committee members focused on whether families and schools have equal access to services across the state, how IEP disputes and reevaluations are handled, and whether more support is needed for parents, teachers, and rural districts. FDLRS representatives said they do not write IEPs but help connect families to districts, provide training and assessments, and support compliance and data collection; they also emphasized staffing and resource needs, especially for low-incidence disabilities and multilingual family outreach.

Transcript Highlights:

• , graduate students, and then professional students.
• That's primarily for us at UCF is driven primarily by our student body and our student size.
• That's primarily for us at UCF is driven primarily by our student body and our student size.
• students.
• a dental student, a law student, is much more expensive... ...student, a law student, is much more expensive

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on higher education funding, focusing on how Florida’s university system should be financed and whether a new funding model is needed. University system financial officers and Chancellor Ray Rodriguez discussed major cost drivers, including wages and benefits, utilities, maintenance, financial aid, research, and the effects of geography, institutional mission, and student mix. UF highlighted the cost of research and graduate programs; UCF and FAU pointed to growth, location, and cost of living; FAMU emphasized recruiting top-tier talent while relying on other revenue sources; and UNF noted the challenges of growth and long-term planning. Members also discussed the role of internal controls and audits in addressing excessive spending and questioned whether out-of-state tuition should be adjusted to help offset costs. On revenue sources beyond state appropriations and tuition, the panel described auxiliaries, restricted funds, capital projects, and component units such as foundations and health systems. Several universities noted that some revenues are restricted to specific purposes and cannot be used for general operations. FAMU explained that a large share of its capital project funding reflected active campus construction, while UF said its component-unit revenue is largely tied to UF Health. The Chancellor emphasized that the system’s low tuition and strong state support are central to Florida’s national standing, but also noted that some auxiliary revenues are pledged to debt and must be managed carefully. When discussing the current funding process, witnesses praised Florida’s performance-based funding model for aligning incentives with student success, transparency, and accountability. They also raised concerns about non-recurring appropriations, rising employee benefit costs, unfunded mandates, deferred maintenance, and the difficulty of multi-year planning. Suggestions for improvement included more recurring funding, better coverage of mandated costs, greater flexibility in fee-setting, and possible weighting for mission, geography, and institutional type. The Chancellor said the Board of Governors is considering a “version 3.0” of performance-based funding that would benchmark institutions against peers and Carnegie classifications, but any changes would require legislative action. On out-of-state tuition, most universities said they would prefer local board flexibility, while the Chancellor cautioned that increasing out-of-state enrollment or fees could affect future state support and should be balanced carefully.

Transcript Highlights:

• students, not...
• A number of students, a lot of students who are first-generation students, not as familiar with navigating
• It's students achieving 30 credit hours and students achieving 60 credit hours.
• students?
• How many of the students that are in universities are older students?

Bills: SB37, SB29

Keywords: high-quality literacy instruction, science of reading, structured literacy, reading instruction, literacy assessment, dyslexia screening, phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, biliteracy, English language learner, ELL, bilingual education, dual language program, reading intervention, reading difficulty, reading improvement plan, literacy coach

Transcript Highlights:

• Union East, with a student voter turnout which, funny enough, was the highest student engagement seen
• Students frequently gather in the union, whether it be for collaborative projects, student organization
• students.
• I think we have a 2,500 student presence online, and we have about 23,000 students that are in person
• Countries and our student body.

Bills: HB42, HB 125, HB 1233, HB2853, HB3148, HB3326, HB3701, HB4066, HB4361, HB4762, HB4909, HB4912, HB42, HB125

Keywords: higher education, funding, financial allocation, state budget, Texas A&M University, University of Houston, education funding, medical education, osteopathic medicine, healthcare workforce, Tarleton State University, industry-recognized credentials, workforce development, career opportunities, feasibility study, student fees, university funding, student union, education, UT El Paso

Transcript Highlights:

• , undergraduate students, and graduate students, and that bill ended up not advancing, unfortunately.
• It says by pairing high school students and college students from the U.S. and Mexico for seven weeks
• and vice president of legislative affairs with the Student Senate... ...and also Alicia Nagpal, student
• their white counterparts, and with 77% of our system students being students of color, this is not a
• was trafficked as a college student. ...percent of students reported having known someone who was sold

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Students and teachers won't have the worry of getting a bad school grade, because when they see students
• I'm here on behalf of Ed Trust, which advocates for students from low-income backgrounds and students
• So imagine a student.
• We advocate on behalf of students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.
• Students across the state of Texas.

Bills: HB8

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Transcript Highlights:

• ESA for that student.
• To explain by example, if you have a student that is a mainstream education student...
• students.
• Students should have, students should be available to, students should have. availability to counselors
• I'm one of the students.

Keywords: 1184, house, all