Transcript Highlights:

• students on that bus?
• As the school board president, my focus is always on student success, family engagement, and strong participation
• As the school board president, my focus is always on student success, family engagement, and strong participation
• I do know that school districts participate in this right now and allow students to leave because of
• That was for the SPED students, so it wasn't for any other students at that time.

Committee: House House Education Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 2266, which would change school release-time policy for religious instruction from permissive to mandatory for school districts and charter governing bodies. The sponsor and supporters said the bill protects parental choice, religious liberty, and constitutional release-time programs, while opponents argued it would reduce local control, pull students from instructional time, and expose schools to constitutional and social harms. After public testimony and debate over liability, indoctrination, and academic impact, the committee voted 7-5 to give HB 2266 a due pass recommendation. The committee then took up House Bill 2193, a cleanup measure related to student directory information and parent organizations. The bill would allow parents of enrolled students or representatives of nonprofit organizations supporting a school to receive directory information unless a parent or eligible student opts out. Supporters from PTO/PTA groups said the change is needed so parent organizations can continue communicating with families and building school community, while members raised concerns about whether the language should be narrowed to avoid political or other misuse of student data. The sponsor said he was open to an amendment, and the committee approved HB 2193 on a 10-1 vote, with one member present. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2075, which would require public school districts to submit superintendent and other top administrator contracts or attestations to ADE and create a searchable online database of compensation details, including salary, benefits, and car allowances. The sponsor described it as a transparency measure, and the committee discussed an amendment to add more specific filing deadlines and the online database requirement. Opponents from school administrators and rural districts argued that superintendent salaries are already public, that the bill should also apply to charter and private schools receiving public funds, and that it could add burdens or distort comparisons across different public-sector labor markets. Supporters said the bill would make total compensation easier to access and reduce public records requests. The sponsor closed by saying the bill would centralize compensation information and simplify disclosure for districts.

Transcript Highlights:

• Washington students are enthusiastic, engaged, and eager to participate in our democracy.
• Washington students are enthusiastic, engaged, and eager to participate in our democracy.
• This bill takes a practical approach to strengthening civic participation among Washington students by
• Fifty-eight students participated in the first year in areas such as mechatronics, construction trades
• Specifically, with our low-income students participating in Running Start, we had a 38% increase from

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several education-related bills. Senate Bill 6130 would move public high schools’ voter registration events from Temperance and Good Citizenship Day in January to National Voter Registration Day in September, with schools offering Future Voter registration to eligible students in history or social studies classes. The sponsor, Sen. Krishnadasan, and supporters from King County Elections, Pierce County, OSPI, and the Legislative Youth Advisory Council said the change would better match student interest and improve youth civic engagement at no fiscal cost. A senator asked about community service opportunities, and the sponsor said that could potentially fit within existing community service recognition programs. Senate Bill 6247 would expand financial oversight and training for school districts, especially those in financial distress or binding conditions. It would require additional ESD involvement, add WASDA training on budgeting and financial health for school directors, and impose stronger consequences for knowing financial misconduct, including future employment bars and state reimbursement of certain unrecovered damages. Sen. Dozier said the bill responds to district financial problems, including Prescott School District. OSPI supported the bill, while the Association of Educational Service Districts, WSSDA, and WEA raised concerns about ESDs being placed in an oversight role, the need to align the bill with other pending training legislation, and whether some enforcement duties should instead rest with the state auditor. Senate Bill 6268 would require OSPI to keep an online record of final special education community complaint decisions for 20 years instead of the current five years on its website. OSPI supported the bill, saying it would improve transparency and help families, educators, and policymakers identify patterns and understand how complaints are resolved; the sponsor said the retention period may be amended. Advocates from Washington Autism Alliance, The Arc, and parent advocates testified in favor, saying the records help families avoid repeated disputes and reveal systemic issues. Senate Bill 6278 would change how PESB reviews teacher and principal preparation programs and adjust student-teaching field placement plan submission timing; the sponsor said the goal is to ensure educators are better prepared, and PESB testified neutral, saying many of the review elements already exist and the bill would add flexibility. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6260, a budget-savings bill affecting public education. It would lengthen school bus depreciation to 15 years, withhold up to 1.9% of MSOC funds to pay for the High School and Beyond Plan platform, and reduce Running Start funding from 1.4 to 1.2 FTE. OFM supported the bill as part of the governor’s budget approach, but many testifiers opposed it, arguing it would cut district resources, keep older buses on the road longer, shift costs to schools, and reduce access to Running Start—especially for low-income, rural, and technical-program students. School district, college, PTA, counselor, and student witnesses said the current 1.4 FTE model has expanded access and completion, while supporters of the bill emphasized state budget pressures and said the changes would preserve other priorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• So participation is growing? Among private school students. Well, they've been going for 20 years.
• For all students. rank first in academic growth for low-income students first.
• students third. in the nation, white students first, okay?
• enrollment students.
• And yet, the Texas Education Agency says less than 6% of Texas students participants are identified with

Bills: HB3 , HB3

Committee: House Public Education

Keywords: education savings account, educational expenses, certified educational assistance organization, school choice, funding, special education, tuition reimbursement, emergency communication, public safety, interoperability, Texas Interoperability Council, grant program, emergency communications, public safety radio, first responders, radio system, dispatch, 911, emergency management, Texas Division of Emergency Management

Transcript Highlights:

• The second section examines how deeply students, families, educators, staff, and community partners participate
• District-wide, close to 40 percent of high school students participate in dual-enrollment classes, with
• And about 20 percent of students participate in work-based learning.
• And about 20% of students participate in work-based learning, including pre-apprenticeship programs,
• A few years in, students now find the space so welcoming that they bring their parents to participate

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• students on that bus?
• As the school board president, my focus is always on student success, family engagement, and strong participation
• As the school board president, my focus is always on student success, family engagement, and strong participation
• As the school board president, my focus is always on student success, family engagement, and strong participation
• I do know that school districts participate in this right now and allow students to leave because of

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm sorry, with 200 or fewer students eligible to participate in Fhs, Interscholastic and Interscholastic
• Vice chair this amendment allows homeschool homeschool I'm sorry, home education students to participate
• If there are fees attached for your regular public school students that are participating, that parent
• And and those students can already participate were just carving out athletics and this particular bill
• , there's nothing that's stopping those those students from participating in those was. >> Mr.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:13:20.760><c> um</c> sure I'm clear so students um sure I'm clear so students um participate<
• I mean, I like the idea students should be able to participate on this based on merit.
• I mean, I like the idea students should be able to participate on this based on merit.
• I mean, I like the idea students should be able to participate on this based on merit.
• I mean, I like the idea students should be able to participate on this based on merit.

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If the students that participate in this program, the parents choose to participate or have their kids
• Witness: The agency assumes 10% of participating students would be special education students. and therefore
• Chairman, that the fiscal note is estimating that a majority of the voucher participants will be students
• Representative Tallarico: Participants in this program, according to your bill analysis, will be students
• We estimate that 90 of our schools will participate and have the capacity to add about 25,000 new students

Bills: HB3 , HB3

Committee: House Public Education

Keywords: education savings account, educational expenses, certified educational assistance organization, school choice, funding, special education, tuition reimbursement, emergency communication, public safety, interoperability, Texas Interoperability Council, grant program, emergency communications, public safety radio, first responders, radio system, dispatch, 911, emergency management, Texas Division of Emergency Management

Transcript Highlights:

• There are high rates of CEP participation due to high rates of students participating in these programs
• , indicating that the increases in program expenditures are in part driven by student participation,
• I want to highlight some of the trends that we see in student participation.
• Of the trends that we see in student participation.
• participation, indicating that universal access for all students is increasing rates of meal participation

Transcript Highlights:

• Specifically, it would reduce the requirement from 240 minutes to 180 minutes for students participating
• participation in dual enrollment is increasing, but we note that low-income and rural students often
• The timing of when they place lunch to ensure the students would be able to participate, get their instructional
• It would be SB 554 (2019) that authorized adults, adult students that is, to participate in dual enrollment
• I think we know how many students who have graduated also participate in dual enrollment, but I don't

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And nationwide in 2023-24, the counselor-to-student ratio was one counselor for every 376 students.
• During fall 2025, we had a total of 45,589 more students who participated in the survey.
• To encourage student participation, we outline the needs of our students.
• Participates in the training.
• This is what our students deserve.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that handholding, so we can get that student to be a successful participant in that institution.
• participating school... ...schools, home schools, before such students' graduation from grade 12 in
• And then there's the active participation in school governments, governance, maybe student council...
• And there's the active participation in school governments, governance, maybe student council, civic
• The students getting to recognize some students that are doing the right thing.

Committee: House Elementary and Secondary Education

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Specifically, it would reduce the requirement from 240 minutes to 180 minutes for students participating
• Research consistently shows that students who participate in dual enrollment are more likely to complete
• Research consistently shows that students who participate in dual enrollment are more likely to complete
• been historically left out, particularly first-generation students, low-income students, and students
• Thank you for your time. all dual enrollment students, including adult dual enrollment students.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education heard the Governor’s proposals on dual enrollment, reading difficulty screeners, special education, school facilities, and Commission on Teacher Credentialing programs. On dual enrollment, the Department of Finance described a $100 million one-time Proposition 98 investment to expand the Dual Enrollment Opportunities Grant Program, along with changes to make regional occupational centers eligible, add funding for justice-involved youth, prioritize higher-need LEAs, support teacher professional development, and reduce daily instructional minute requirements for some dual enrollment students. The LAO recommended rejecting the new funding as not clearly addressing implementation barriers, while CDE supported the proposal and suggested reserving $10 million for technical assistance. Committee members and public commenters generally supported the expansion, with some asking for technical assistance and broader access, including adult dual enrollment. The committee also reviewed a $40 million one-time Proposition 98 proposal for reading difficulty screener implementation and related trailer bill language that would require screening after 91 school days for kindergarten and 46 school days for grades 1-2. Finance said the timing was intended to reduce over-identification and align with evidence from preliminary data; the LAO recommended rejecting the funding and redirecting it to a discretionary block grant. CDE supported the funding and the general approach but acknowledged the need for local support and training. Several committee members and public witnesses raised concerns that the proposed timing restrictions were too rigid and could delay early intervention, while others supported the delay as a way to improve accuracy and avoid misidentification. For special education, Finance proposed ongoing Proposition 98 increases to adjust for COLA and enrollment changes and to raise the statewide special education base rate to $99 per ADA, equalizing rates across SELPAs. The LAO said the proposal should be adopted but estimated it could be funded for less than the Governor’s figure. CDE and multiple local education representatives strongly supported the increase, citing rising special education enrollment, cost pressures, and large local funding gaps. The committee also heard a brief overview of the school facilities proposal, which continues $1.5 billion in Proposition 2 bond funding for the School Facility Program; OPSC reported significant remaining bond authority but also substantial pending demand, and explained that natural disaster school rebuilding draws from the broader new construction and modernization pools. Finally, the committee reviewed Commission on Teacher Credentialing proposals, including the already-funded $300 million Student Teacher Stipend Program, new state operations resources for misconduct investigations and grant administration, and a $250 million one-time continuation of the Teacher Residency Grant Program. CTC said its grants management system is ready and that it expects better data tracking; public testimony broadly supported the educator workforce investments and urged continued funding for the Golden State Teacher Grant Program and additional support for rural and leadership pipeline programs. No votes were taken, and the hearing adjourned after public testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• 150 students.
• 150 students.
• </c> students for students who service students for students who service students<01:05:18.559><c> support
• We have probably over 3,000 more students participating this year than we did last year, and that’s comparing
• We have probably over 3,000 more students participating this year than we did last year, and that’s comparing

Committee: Senate Higher Education

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• who participated were representative of the largest student body.
• And that is that 32.9% of the students who participated were represented in the largest student body.
• Because of this, more students feel supported, more students feel like they belong, and more students
• Because of this, more students feel supported, more students feel like they belong, and more students
• of color, low-income students, especially Black students and English learners.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education heard the Governor’s proposals on universal school meals, the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), and community schools, with the Kitchen Infrastructure and Training Grants Program also discussed. For universal meals, the Department of Education supported continued investment, citing high student meal need, reported gains in meal participation and service efficiency from prior kitchen grants, and concerns that federal changes and underreporting could affect funding. The Department of Finance outlined $1.8 billion Proposition 98 General Fund for universal meals and an additional $100 million for a fourth round of kitchen grants, while the LAO recommended rejecting the new kitchen grant round because prior rounds are still being spent and the allowable uses are broad. Members raised questions about federal matching requirements, Summer EBT, and whether immigration-related federal policy changes could reduce meal counts and state/federal reimbursements. For ELOP, the Department of Finance described $4.7 billion ongoing Proposition 98 General Fund plus $62.4 million to set a minimum Tier 2 rate of $1,800 per pupil. The LAO recommended modifying the proposal to fully fix Tier 2 at the current $1,579 rate and tie future changes to program requirements, while CDE supported the Governor’s approach and said the added stability would help districts plan. Committee discussion focused on whether ELOP should remain a standalone before- and after-school program or be folded into LCFF, with some members and witnesses arguing for more local flexibility and clearer outcome measures, while others emphasized the value of guaranteed expanded learning access, especially for elementary students and working families. CDE noted new CalPADS reporting will provide more data beginning with the 2025-26 school year. For community schools, the Governor proposed $1 billion ongoing Proposition 98 General Fund to expand the model to thousands more schools and sustain existing ones, along with stronger technical assistance and future accreditation/self-certification. The LAO recommended continuing the current one-time grant approach instead of creating a new ongoing categorical program, citing concerns about scalability, administrative burden, and the need for earlier planning and clearer accreditation timelines if ongoing funding is adopted. CDE strongly supported the ongoing investment, saying community schools have improved attendance, suspensions, and achievement, and that technical assistance and county office support are essential for expansion. Members and public commenters largely supported community schools, with some urging stronger accountability, more support for county offices and MTSS, and debate over whether non-classroom-based charter schools should be excluded from eligibility. No formal votes were taken in the portion provided; the committee heard testimony and moved through the agenda items and public comment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Most students, or anyone for that matter, don't.
• to—but they're students, you know, they're already students.
• So you talked about how from 2020 to 2025 we expanded our participation rate of all eligible participants
• That is one in 11 participants statewide.
• I want to thank everyone for participating.

Summary: The joint informational hearing focused on CalFresh enrollment, food insecurity in California, the recent federal shutdown’s disruption of SNAP benefits, and the long-term effects of H.R. 1 on eligibility, benefits, and state and county costs. Opening remarks emphasized that millions of Californians rely on CalFresh, that the shutdown briefly delayed benefits for the first time in the program’s history, and that state and local governments, including Alameda County, stepped in with emergency food aid and funding. Members also framed the issue as both a hunger and affordability problem, with several noting that California’s agricultural abundance contrasts sharply with persistent food insecurity. The first panel presented research and advocacy perspectives on food hardship. PPIC’s Tess Thorman described food insecurity rates, disparities affecting households with children and Black and Latino households, and the role of nutrition programs in reducing poverty. Nourish California’s Betzabel Estudio argued that hunger is a policy choice and highlighted campaigns to expand state-funded food assistance for immigrants, support reentry populations, and continue the CalFresh fruit-and-vegetable incentive program. The California Association of Food Banks’ Josh Wright said food banks are seeing sustained high demand, lower federal food supplies, and cannot replace CalFresh, while urging more state support for food purchasing, school meals, and SunBucks. The second panel reviewed CalFresh operations and participation. The California Department of Social Services reported that CalFresh participation has risen over the past decade, with the state closing much of the participation gap through outreach, simplified applications, and demonstration projects such as the Elderly Simplified Application Project and a minimum nutrition benefit pilot. Alameda County Social Services described local caseloads, application trends, and emergency food distributions during the shutdown, while also warning that H.R. 1’s work requirements, immigrant eligibility restrictions, and possible cost-sharing could reduce enrollment. A student CalFresh ambassador testified about the burdensome application and recertification process and urged more funding for campus basic-needs centers and outreach to reduce stigma and administrative friction. In the final panel, county, food bank, and policy witnesses described the shutdown response and the expected impact of H.R. 1. Alameda County Community Food Bank and the County Welfare Directors Association said counties, food banks, and community partners mobilized emergency funds, pop-up pantries, and food purchasing to bridge the shutdown gap, but warned that hundreds of thousands of Californians could lose benefits under the new federal rules. The California Budget and Policy Center began outlining the scale of federal cuts, noting that H.R. 1 will significantly reduce SNAP funding and shift costs to states. No votes or formal committee actions were taken; the hearing was informational and concluded with discussion of possible state responses, including backfilling benefits, preserving outreach funding, and improving administrative systems to protect enrollment.

Transcript Highlights:

• that participated in the survey.
• that participated in the survey.
• transition age students.
• All of our students who are on IEPs are students first, and they should have access to all of the resources
• So I'm not familiar so much with the mayoral program, but our students do participate in YouthWorks over

Summary: The Employment Subcommittee of the Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities met on April 27 and approved the prior meeting minutes. The main presentation was from the Lawrence Partnership for Transition to Employment (LPTE), a five-year Administration for Community Living grant focused on improving transition outcomes for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Lawrence. Presenters described the project’s community conversations, consortium model, and four work groups, with emphasis on the family-partnership work group and a survey designed to better understand family engagement, barriers, and expectations around transition planning. The survey results showed that family participation increased significantly after Lawrence Public Schools helped distribute it, rising from a small number of responses to more than 200. Key findings included barriers such as meeting times, language access, child care, and limited understanding of IEPs and transition timelines. Families generally expected college or employment outcomes for their children, but many reported limited awareness of pre-employment training and transition planning, especially for younger students. Lawrence Public Schools described its five-person transition team, bilingual resources, workshops, and a new transition website, while noting that even with added supports, engagement remained lower than hoped and requires ongoing relationship-building. Committee members asked about cultural outreach, early transition planning, college and trade pathways, summer youth employment, and how to expand real-world work experiences. Presenters said the district is trying to start transition conversations earlier, improve access to accommodations and postsecondary options, and expand employment experiences beyond simulated settings. They also noted that the LPTE resource hub will be transferred to the Arc and remain available after the grant ends in September, and that the consortium model may continue in some form. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond adjournment, and members were reminded of an upcoming meeting with Seed on Massachusetts as a model employer and a future presentation from the Office of Veterans Affairs.

Transcript Highlights:

• Specifically, it would reduce the requirement from 240 minutes to 180 minutes for students participating
• The Student Teacher Stipend Program is meant to basically provide student teachers with compensation
• Research consistently shows that students who participate in dual enrollment are more likely to complete
• Research consistently shows that students who participate in dual enrollment are more likely to complete
• been historically left out, particularly first-generation students, low-income students, and students

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education heard the Governor’s proposals on dual enrollment, reading difficulty screeners, special education, school facilities, and Commission on Teacher Credentialing programs. For dual enrollment, the Department of Finance described a $100 million one-time Proposition 98 General Fund proposal to expand the Dual Enrollment Opportunities Grant Program, add flexibility for regional occupational centers, support justice-involved youth, prioritize higher-need LEAs, and allow funds for teacher professional development, along with a reduction in required instructional minutes for some dual enrollment students. The LAO recommended rejecting the new funding, saying it did not address a clear implementation barrier, while CDE supported the proposal and suggested reserving $10 million for technical assistance. Members and public commenters largely supported the expansion, with some urging additional technical assistance and broader access, including adult dual enrollment. The committee then discussed the reading difficulty screener proposal, which includes $40 million one-time Proposition 98 General Fund for implementation costs and statutory changes that would delay formal screening until the 91st day for kindergarten and the 46th day for grades 1-2. Finance said the timing was intended to reduce over-identification and align screening with sufficient exposure to instruction; the LAO recommended rejecting the funding and redirecting it to a discretionary block grant. CDE supported the investment but cautioned about the timing restrictions, and several members and public witnesses argued the proposed deadlines were too rigid and could delay early intervention, while others supported the structured timeline as a way to improve accuracy and reduce misidentification. On special education, Finance presented a proposal to increase the statewide base rate to $99 per ADA through a $509 million ongoing Proposition 98 General Fund augmentation, plus COLA and a negative growth adjustment. The LAO said the proposal should be adopted but estimated it could be achieved with less funding; CDE strongly supported the increase, citing rising enrollment and local cost pressures, and district and SELPA representatives described large local funding gaps and growing expenditures. The committee also reviewed school facilities funding under Proposition 2, with Finance and the Office of Public School Construction describing $1.5 billion in proposed bond spending, existing balances for new construction and modernization, and the use of bond authority for natural disaster recovery, including projects related to recent fires. For the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, the committee heard about the Student Teacher Stipend Program, the Golden State Teacher Grant, state operations funding for misconduct investigations and SB 848 implementation, and a $250 million proposal to extend the Teacher Residency Grant Program; CTC supported the proposals and highlighted new data systems and technical assistance, while public testimony broadly backed the investments and urged continued or additional funding for teacher recruitment, literacy screening support, and special education.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our student body of around 5,400 students is approximately 61% students of color, approximately 60% of
• our students receive free and reduced lunch, and just over 40% of our students speak a primary language
• For the record, my name is Casey Metcalf from Students United, representing 55,000 students across the
• I've heard from counselors in participating schools who got to share with first-generation students that
• to about 51% of non-participating peers.

Committee: House Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Individual high school students may be excused from participating in physical education.
• Individual high school students may be excused from participating in physical education on account of
• and equitable for all students in the state because we believe that student athletes should be able
• students want flexibility too.
• The student should. The IEP transition plan is created by the IEP team, not the student.

Summary: The committee began with a work session on Washington’s child care oversight and subsidy system, focusing on Working Connections Child Care, licensing, audits, and fraud prevention. DCYF officials said the program serves over 63,000 eligible families, with about 6,600 licensed providers and roughly 2,200 license-exempt family, friend, and neighbor providers. They described annual unannounced licensing visits, complaint investigations, attendance tracking, eligibility verification, random and focused audits, and referrals to the Office of Fraud and Accountability or Office of Financial Recovery when needed. Senators asked about voucher amounts, visit frequency, and what happens when children are not present; officials said the average subsidy is about $2,200 per month, providers are paid directly, and repeated failed visits can lead to license closure. Child Care Aware and provider testimony emphasized the quality system, Early Achievers, and a virtual provider described the practical realities of home-based care and unannounced inspections. The committee then heard Senate Bill 5952, which would standardize the process for waiving high school physical education requirements. The bill’s sponsor said the goal was to make PE waiver decisions consistent across districts so students who move schools are not disadvantaged, especially in six-period schedules with limited room for electives. Student supporters said a uniform process would improve fairness and help students fit in AP, career, or other coursework. Opponents, including PE teachers and the Washington Association of School Principals, argued that PE is a core academic subject, that athletics is not interchangeable with PE, and that local flexibility should remain. The State Board of Education supported the bill, saying current district policies vary widely and a standardized process would improve equity and transparency. Next, the committee took testimony on Senate Bill 5961, which would transfer the Imagination Library of Washington from DCYF to OSPI. The sponsor called it a simple administrative move to align the book-gifting program with early literacy and K-12 education, noting the program serves about 120,000 children in all 39 counties. OSPI and program representatives supported the transfer, saying it better fits the birth-to-grade-three literacy continuum and strengthens accountability. Testifiers highlighted the program’s role in school readiness, early brain development, and access to physical books for young children. Finally, the committee opened Senate Bill 5969, which would allow a student’s IEP transition plan to satisfy high school and beyond plan requirements if the IEP team chooses. The sponsor, a special education teacher, said the bill would reduce duplication and better support students with disabilities as they transition to postsecondary life. The committee then began hearing testimony on the proposal.