Video & Transcript Research : 'English Language Learner'
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NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
House - Government, Elections And Indian Affairs Feb 7th, 2026 at 10:15 am
House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- It requires that the literacy instruction for English learners, such as bilingual and dual-language instructional
- This also needs evidence-based practices for biliteracy, that that be included for English language learners
- English learners increased by 8.1.
- language learners and bilingual or dual-language programs.
- language learners and those in bilingual or dual-language programs.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Legislative Education Study Nov 20th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- That includes students with disabilities, English learners, multilingual students.
- EPPs are also intentional in their approach to English learners and multilingual students.
- learners to pedagogical courses that develop instructional practices for teachers to support English
- language learners.
- I'm also licensed to teach English language arts or social.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- It includes language to ensure a smooth transition.
- Hearing none, the substitute language is adopted.
- Hearing none, the substitute language is adopted.
- The substitute language is adopted.
- and submerging oneself in the language.
Bills:
SB530, SB757, SB769, SB1085, SB1241, SB1242, SB1409, SB1878, SB2138, SB2314, SB2231, SB2361, SB2431, SJR59
Keywords:
accreditation, postsecondary education, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, baccalaureate degrees, junior colleges, program delivery, faculty recruitment, higher education, performance standards, student loan debt, degree programs, funding, students with disabilities, accessibility, enrollment, report, SB 1085, Sul Ross State University, Rio Grande College, Del Rio
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Education K-16 met with a large agenda and repeatedly recessed for floor activity and other committee conflicts. The committee heard and left pending several higher education bills, including SB 2361 to transfer University of Houston-Victoria from the University of Houston System to the Texas A&M System and rename it Texas A&M University Victoria; testimony from university officials, local leaders, and industry representatives strongly supported the move as a way to better align degree programs with regional workforce needs in engineering, agriculture, and STEM. SB 530, which would align Texas accreditation statutes with federal rules allowing institutions to choose among nationally recognized accreditors, also received supportive testimony and was left pending. SB 1085, allowing Sul Ross satellite campuses to offer lower-division coursework toward bachelor’s degrees, was laid out and left pending as well.
The committee also took up a series of education policy bills. SB 1241 would expand the standardized tests Texas public universities may accept for admission beyond the SAT and ACT, with supporters from the Classic Learning Test, homeschool advocates, and student-choice groups arguing it would increase access and competition; it was left pending. SB 769 would require a TEA/Higher Education Coordinating Board report on barriers faced by students with disabilities in higher education, and testimony from The Arc of Texas and others emphasized the need for better data and accessibility; the bill was left pending. SB 2231 would designate the second week of October as Free College Application Week, and SB 1878 would modernize terminology and support workforce-oriented programs at the Josie School; both were laid out and left pending.
The committee reported several bills favorably after adopting committee substitutes. SB 605, concerning charter school expansion applications while under conservatorship or a management team, passed on a 9-0 vote. SB 1871, SB 1873, and SB 1874, all related to school discipline and teacher immunity/placement review provisions, were adopted and reported favorably, with members noting the need for further discussion on some language. SB 762, dealing with flag displays in public schools, passed on a 7-1 vote. SB 1962, relating to public school accountability and challenges to school system operations, passed 7-1 after a corrected vote. SB 1750, replacing a $60 million statewide charter facilities cap with an attendance-growth-based allotment, passed 7-1 with one member voting present not voting. SB 2252, supporting kindergarten readiness and early literacy/numeracy, SB 2253, concerning educator preparation and certification, SB 2365, on student use of wireless devices during instructional time, and SB 1924, restoring local peace officer citation authority for school offenses and adding reporting and parent-notification requirements, were also reported favorably. The committee additionally heard SB 37 on higher education governance and compliance oversight, which passed 7-1 after a substitute that refined curriculum review, governing board authority, faculty senate rules, and a new compliance office within the Higher Education Coordinating Board.
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
IC - Legislative Education Study Dec 17th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- learners, Specific student groups, like low-income students, like English learners.
- This money was intended for at-risk English learners.
- language learners.
- language learners.
- In addition, our ELL students, we redesignate our English language learners at an average of 12.4% per
Summary:
The committee first heard a presentation on strategic resource management in public education. LESC staff and PED officials argued that New Mexico has increased school funding, but local budgeting and planning remain fragmented and overly compliance-driven. They described long-term pressures including declining enrollment, rising special education costs, falling cash balances, changes in federal funding, and leadership turnover, and said schools need more intentional multi-year planning tied to student outcomes. They also outlined the many disconnected planning requirements schools must complete, compared New Mexico’s current approach with Ohio’s three-year budget forecasting model, and recommended continuing multi-year appropriations, adding $2.5 million for state grants in the unified application, and directing LESC, LFC, and PED to develop a long-term financial planning proposal. PED said it is working to reduce administrative burden through school accreditation, a unified application for federal and state funds, and internal alignment of guidance and coaching, with pilot schools reporting time savings and better alignment. Members raised concerns about four-day school weeks, the burden on small districts, the need for outcomes and return on investment, and whether the state should move toward a two-year or three-year planning cycle; staff clarified that the proposal was to streamline or eliminate redundant requirements, not add another layer.
The committee then received an update on the Educator Fellows program. PED described it as a Grow Your Own pipeline that employs candidates as supplemental educational assistants while they work toward licensure, providing salary, benefits, paid leave, mentoring, and coursework support. Officials said the program helps address teacher shortages, improves student-to-teacher ratios, increases workforce diversity, and supports the Martinez-Yazzie action plan. They reported 370 current fellows across 86 LEAs and about 180 schools, with many fellows being people of color, first-generation college students, or second-career educators; roughly 85 are expected to become certified this year. A local HR director from Belen testified that the program has been especially valuable in small communities, where fellows are already rooted in the community and several have moved into teaching roles. Members asked about high school recruitment, tuition, retirement and benefits, the relationship to the Higher Education Department’s Grow Your Own scholarship, and the role of university partners. PED said fellows choose among accredited higher education partners, the program is separate from the scholarship but complementary, and the state is also building an apprenticeship model and seeking to expand the program to more LEAs, though some districts are on a waiting list because of funding and local match requirements.
AR
Arkansas 2026 1st Special Session
EDUCATION COMMITTEE - SENATE AND HOUSE May 18th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- language learners and so forth, and I guess PD.
- Yes, so they shift from ESA, PD, English learners to pay for ALE.
- We're at English. We're at English learners? That's correct.
- We're at English. We're at English learners? That's correct.
- It's related to English language acquisition, so I think which is targeted towards English learners.
Summary:
The committee first approved the March 9 and 10 minutes, then heard a presentation from the Arkansas Excellence in Teaching Fellowship Program featuring three third-grade teachers from Poyen, Drew Central, and Cabot, along with Department of Education Secretary Jacob Oliva. The teachers described the fellowship as a year-long collaboration among 23 merit-pay recipients from across the state, focused on sharing classroom strategies, data use, and professional support. Members asked about teacher experience, how the fellowship information is shared locally, the role of merit pay, and how teachers are addressing third-grade reading and retention concerns under the ATLAS assessment system. The teachers emphasized early intervention, relationships with students, small-group instruction, progress monitoring, and communication with families; they also described community supports such as churches, food backpacks, and local donations. Several members raised broader questions about poverty, trauma, social services, DHS involvement, and whether similar professional learning should be expanded to more teachers. Secretary Oliva said the fellowship is a small subset of a larger merit-pay program, that participation was voluntary, and that the state is working to improve literacy supports, clarity, and alignment across grades. He also said ATLAS results are now available to schools and families much faster than in the past, often within 24 to 72 hours, and that the state is using the data to identify at-risk students earlier and support intervention before retention decisions are made.
The committee then moved to the adequacy/resource allocation presentation from the Bureau of Legislative Research. Staff explained that the report is part of the statutory adequacy review and focuses on state funding sources beyond foundation aid, including categorical and supplemental funds. They noted that districts and charters spent more than $7 billion in the 2025 school year, with roughly 49% from foundation funding and 51% from other sources over the last three years. The presentation outlined the four categorical funds—Alternative Learning Environment, English Learners, Enhanced Student Achievement, and Professional Development—describing their restricted uses, student-based funding formulas, and the ability of districts to transfer some money among categoricals while keeping it within allowable purposes. Staff said categorical funds account for about 4% of total spending, or less than $300 million, and reviewed superintendent feedback on whether those funds met district needs, with responses varying by category and district.
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
IC - Legislative Education Study Dec 18th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- English language learners in bilingual or dual language programs or similar settings shall support literacy
- And a department-designated school with a significant English language learner enrollment, training and
- And for a student who has an English language learner, the importance of developing the student's home
- And believe me, well, actually, I can't read Korean, but often parents of English language learners are
- So that for a department-designated school with a significant English language learner enrollment, training
Summary:
The committee first heard a detailed staff presentation on the LESC FY27 public school support recommendation. Staff reviewed the budget structure and explained that, despite a downward revision in state revenue estimates, the recommendation still relied on recurring and non-recurring revenue to support educator compensation, insurance, transportation, literacy, math, special education, and other school programs. Major recurring items included a 3% compensation increase, funding for an 80-20 health insurance cost share, insurance premium growth, and transportation adequacy funding. Staff also flagged a possible supplemental need of up to $35 million for virtual education tied to rapid enrollment growth in Chama and Santa Rosa, and members raised concerns about the quality, accountability, and funding model for virtual programs.
Members asked questions about transportation for rural districts, the Martinez-Yazzie lawsuit fees, the treatment of enrollment declines in the school funding formula, and whether the word “average” in salary language should remain in the budget. Staff explained that the SEG should remain whole, that the insurance and transportation recommendations applied to all public school employees but not contractors, and that the budget included multiple math-related investments spread across several lines rather than one single appropriation. There was also discussion of out-of-school learning grants, school meals, literacy center operations, special education training, and the Public Education Reform Fund, including the use of multi-year, evaluation-based appropriations for high-impact tutoring and community schools. After discussion, the committee adopted the LESC budget recommendation.
The committee then moved to endorsed legislation proposals. It endorsed a bill allowing the secretary to suspend an individual school board member, with notice and appeal procedures clarified, and a bill creating an 80-20 health insurance cost-share requirement for public school employees, along with a study of the sustainability of public school insurance programs. It also endorsed a bill on attendance provisions for students with severe medical conditions, which would keep those students from being classified as excessively absent. Finally, the committee discussed a teacher residency bill that would raise stipend levels, allow residents to complete service anywhere in New Mexico, and remove the requirement that sponsoring schools must hire them, though the bill did not include an appropriation. Members also raised questions about bilingual, Hispanic, and Black education funding, cultural and linguistic supports in teacher preparation, and where various programs should be placed in the budget or PERF framework.
AR
Arkansas 2026 Regular Session
EDUCATION COMMITTEE - SENATE AND HOUSE May 18th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- So they shift from ESA, PD, English learners to pay for ALE.
- We're at English learners? That's correct.
- It's related to English language acquisition, so I think, which is targeted towards English learners.
- It's related to English language acquisition, so I think, which is targeted towards English learner.
- It's related to English language acquisition, so I think which is targeted towards English learner.
Summary:
The committee approved the March 9 and 10 minutes and then heard a presentation from the Arkansas Department of Education on the Arkansas Excellence in Teaching Fellowship, featuring three third-grade teachers from Cabot, Poyen, and Drew Central who are also teacher merit pay recipients. The teachers described the fellowship as a year-long Zoom-based collaboration with about 23 educators statewide, focused on sharing classroom strategies, data use, and professional support. Members asked about the teachers’ experience, how they share what they learn with their districts, the range of grades represented in the fellowship, and the relationship between the fellowship and merit pay. The teachers emphasized building relationships with students, using data to drive instruction, early intervention, and collaboration across grade levels, while the secretary said the program is intended to identify and elevate high-performing teachers and spread their practices.
A major portion of the discussion focused on third-grade reading, retention, and the new ATLAS testing system. Teachers and the secretary said students are screened and progress monitored throughout the year, families are notified early if students are at risk, and schools are using interventions, tutoring, and individualized reading plans. They said ATLAS results are now available much faster than in the past, often within 24 hours or a few days, allowing teachers and parents to respond quickly. Members asked about the impact of poverty, trauma, foster care, DHS involvement, IEPs, and critical shortage areas; teachers said relationship-building, small-group instruction, and coordination with counselors and special education staff are key. The secretary said the fellowship is a small subset of a broader merit pay program, that participation was voluntary, and that the state is trying to build a coherent system with literacy coaches, high-impact tutoring, and clearer standards rather than teaching to the test.
Members also discussed broader policy issues, including the need for more positive public messaging about public education, teacher input in decision-making, and support for early childhood education. Several legislators asked whether the state should expand funding for early learning and whether more literacy or academic coaches are needed in districts that improve and then lose eligibility for state support. The secretary said the state has committed literacy coaches to D and F schools and is still working through how to sustain support as schools improve. He also said the administration would look at data and return on investment before supporting additional funding, and he encouraged legislators to help recruit eligible teachers into future fellowship cohorts. After the teacher panel concluded, the committee moved on to the adequacy resource allocation study, where Bureau of Legislative Research staff began a presentation on state and local education funding sources, categorical funds, and district spending patterns.
AL
Bills:
SB24, SB83, SB142, SB140, SB94, SB24, SB83, SB142, SB140, SB94, HB132, HB37, HB51, HB105, HB54, HB7, HB158, HB188, HB189, HB111, HB13, HB192, HB149
Keywords:
body-worn camera, public records, law enforcement transparency, recording disclosure, civil rights, adult-size changing table, changing station, accessible restroom, public bathroom, public building, public entity, ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act, accessibility, restroom renovation, new construction, grant program, state grant, local government facilities, historic property
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
IC - Legislative Education Study Apr 30th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Our Native American students, our English learners, our students with disabilities, and those who may
- This is a powerful combination in supporting all students, but most especially our English learners our
- Learner Students with Disabilities.
- These workshops support special education, bilingual, multicultural education, English learners, and
- These workshops also include why accurate identification of English learners with disabilities is so
AR
Transcript Highlights:
- My question has to do with English language learners.
- English language learners serve students identified as not being proficient in the English language.
- And there's been funding set aside at $384 for each identified English language learner in the 2026-27
- English language learners serve students identified as not being proficient in the English language.
- year. for each identified English language learner in the 26-27 school year.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- >
for English learner Services advances for English learner Services advances for American<00: - >
learner language learner language learner population<00:47:14.720>we're <00:47:14.920 - <00:59:32.760>
learner raised basic skills English learner raised basic skills English learner - However, how does allowing school districts to shift the funding from English language learners to elsewhere
- <01:43:02.440>
Learners shows it includes all English Learners shows it includes all English
Keywords:
education, mandate relief, school funding, local control, state laws, fund transfers, 1183, house
AR
Arkansas 2026 1st Special Session
EDUCATION COMMITTEE - SENATE AND HOUSE Jun 1st, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Language Learner funds, as well as many other funds such as student growth and declining enrollment
- I don't know if there are any schools that give a special incentive if you teach English learners or
- learners, or, you know, your classroom is filled with English learners, etc., or in special ed, to have
- She asked how much training a mentor teacher receives in working with multilingual learners, English
- or english learners and also in special ed in other words how much how much training do they have in
Summary:
The committee first received a presentation from Legislative Audit on Arkansas Department of Education grant distributions for fiscal year 2025. Auditors explained the report summarizes $4.6 billion in grants to school districts, charter schools, education cooperatives, and other entities, with most funding coming from the Public School Fund and federal sources. Members asked about specific recipients and programs, including ClassWallet, master principal bonuses, Economics Arkansas, and CDC surveillance grants. Department of Education staff clarified that the audit report only shows distributions, not how recipients ultimately used the money, and noted that some funding declines reflected the end of one-time federal COVID relief dollars. Senators also asked about the special-language appropriation for Economics Arkansas and the use of public school fund revenues.
The committee then heard a Bureau of Legislative Research presentation on Consumer Price Index projections from Moody’s Analytics and S&P Global, followed by a detailed adequacy-study update on teacher recruitment, retention, and salaries. The teacher report covered teacher counts, education levels, experience, shortages, preparation pathways, licensure exceptions, survey results, and salary trends. Key findings included about 32,800 teachers statewide in 2025, an average retention rate of 87%, and 30% of surveyed teachers saying they were considering leaving the profession. The report also noted shortages in special education, math, science, and other areas, growth in alternative preparation pathways, and the phaseout of several licensure exceptions under Act 304 of 2025.
Members asked extensively about survey methodology, teacher satisfaction, preparation for classroom environment and special education, the cost and return on investment of alternative licensure routes, and whether exit-interview data exists statewide. The presenters said they could follow up on several questions, including details on alternative programs, incentives for ESL and special education endorsements, and comparisons to other surveys. On salaries, the report said the statewide average teacher salary in 2025 was $60,254, with districts averaging slightly higher than charters. Arkansas ranked 45th nationally on average salary in 2025, though 36th when adjusted for cost of living, and average district salaries had declined 8% in inflation-adjusted terms since 2016. Members also discussed the LEARNS Act minimum salary floor of $50,000, salary disparities among districts, and whether the state should focus more on retaining experienced teachers as well as raising starting pay.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:15:03.240>
language <00:15:03.640>arts <00:15:03.920>academic English language - It establishes new definitions for English language learner concentration factor and poverty concentration
- Then there's also the English learner literacy aid weighted by the concentration of multilingual learners
- > and<01:26:53.000>
then <01:26:53.120>a English learner literacy aid, and then a English - English language learner, which are highly correlated to reading outcomes.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
- language learners and students with disabilities. during that time.
- The other piece is our long-term English learners.
- it's not just English language, but it's. learning english as a second language and uh... uh... more
- Long-term English language learners. another population, not doing well at the state level, not doing
- A, we call them LTELs, Long-Term English Language Learner.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Education Committee Apr 30th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- language arts and English language development.
- learners, speaking over 60 different home languages and dialects. 17% of our students are English learners
- Less than half of our kids, 47%, are English language learners. 7.
- Less than half of our kids, 47%, are English language learners. 7% are newcomers. 20% of my students,
- language learners or our newcomers.
Summary:
The Assembly Education Committee heard AB 84, a charter school accountability measure focused on non-classroom-based charter schools and fraud prevention. The author and supporters said the bill was intended to respond to the A3 charter fraud case and related scandals by strengthening audits, transparency, authorizer oversight, and funding determination rules, while ensuring public education dollars are used for public education. Supporters included FCMAT, CSEA, CTA, and CSBA, who argued the bill would improve oversight and protect taxpayers. Opponents, including the California Charter Schools Association, Green Dot, many charter parents, educators, and charter operators, said the bill was too broad, would impose major new costs and bureaucracy on all charter schools, and could reduce options for families, especially those using flexible, homeschool, or special-needs charter programs. After extensive testimony and committee discussion, the bill passed on a 5-1 vote and was sent to Appropriations, with the item left open for additional votes.
The committee then approved a consent calendar of 11 education bills, including AB 542, AB 563, AB 731, AB 753, AB 784, AB 964, AB 988, AB 1034, AB 1233, AB 1255, and AB 1381, all moving to Appropriations. The consent calendar passed unanimously.
Later, the committee heard AB 1454, a literacy and reading instruction bill authored by Assembly Members Rubio and Revis. The bill would require the state to create professional development resources for evidence-based literacy instruction, update English language arts and English language development instructional materials, and revise administrator preparation standards to include literacy training. The authors and a broad coalition of supporters, including CTA, EdVoice, Families in Schools, Decoding Dyslexia, school administrators, and parent advocates, described the measure as a compromise aimed at improving reading outcomes and addressing California’s literacy crisis. There was no opposition testimony at the hearing, and members voiced strong support for the bill and its collaborative approach.
MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
Elementary and Secondary Education Jan 15th, 2026
Elementary and Secondary Education
Transcript Highlights:
- This is the same philosophy that is applied to special education and English learners.
- This is the same philosophy that is applied to special education and English learners.
- Currently, these other things, like free and reduced lunch, special education, English language learners
- Just as an example, in Columbia Public Schools, we've got about 1,300 students in the English learner
- There is money for those English learners and their teachers and their programming, and we are just lucky
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Education Finance Mar 11th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- New English learners, those tested for the first time, arrived in our schools with lower levels of English
- proficiency than the previous cohort of English learners.
- You've probably seen a lot of reports about the growing of English learners.
- We have the greatest number of English learners of any state.
- High schools that work for new English learners also have a model like that.
Summary:
The committee heard presentations on the Governor’s education budget proposals for the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), Learning Recovery Block Grant, and Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), followed by testimony from State Board of Education President Linda Darling-Hammond. On LCFF, Finance outlined the proposed 2.43% COLA, repayment of prior deferrals, and a trailer bill penalty for LEAs that fail to adopt Local Control Accountability Plans on time. The LAO said its COLA estimate was slightly lower and raised concerns that the Governor’s proposed TK staffing ratio increase may be more costly than estimated. Members also discussed whether the current COLA formula should better reflect California-specific or district staffing costs, and whether TK should be more clearly separated from the K-3 grade span adjustment to avoid larger K-3 class sizes. The chair asked staff to work with the LAO on both the TK/K-3 issue and alternative COLA calculations.
For the Learning Recovery Block Grant, Finance proposed restoring the first of three delayed payments, $378.6 million one-time Proposition 98 General Fund, while the LAO recommended adopting the proposal but extending the expenditure deadline by at least a year. The LAO reported that districts had spent $1.6 billion of the $6.8 billion received through 2023-24 and said most districts were only now shifting from federal COVID relief to block grant spending. Members questioned whether the large state and federal investments were improving outcomes, citing declining reading and math trends, while Finance and the State Board president pointed to some signs of improvement, especially in math, attendance, and gains for some student groups. Darling-Hammond emphasized that student needs have grown, that recovery spending has gone to devices, ventilation, staffing, tutoring, summer school, and community schools, and that targeted interventions appear to be helping some districts recover faster than others.
On ELOP, Finance proposed adding $435 million to expand universal access by lowering the Tier 1 threshold from 75% to 55% unduplicated pupils, bringing ongoing funding to $4.4 billion. The LAO said the estimate was reasonable but recommended delaying implementation for a year, aligning ELOP with ASES to reduce overlap, moving toward funding based on participation rather than enrollment, and considering a fixed Tier 2 rate. Members and witnesses discussed staffing challenges, the use of funds for students with disabilities, and uncertainty in Tier 2 funding caused by unspent dollars and opt-outs. Darling-Hammond supported ELOP as part of California’s broader after-school and summer learning strategy, said most districts are now offering full-day TK and expanded learning, and urged the state to reduce fragmentation across categorical programs and build more unified systems for funding, reporting, and support.
NM
Transcript Highlights:
- Modifying the bilingual component with a cost differential of 0.15 for English learners, and removing
- The percentage of membership classified as English learners.
- Every district in the state, for the most part, has some English learners, and the percentage of those
- English learners is part of this at-risk calculation.
- learners, as well as for students who exit English learners for two years after they exit.
AR
Arkansas 2026 1st Special Session
EDUCATION COMMITTEE - SENATE AND HOUSE May 18th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- And the English learners and so forth, I guess PD, they can't move from. Is that correct?
- So they shift from ESA, PD, English learners to pay for ALE.
- We're at English learners. That's correct. So... That's correct.
- The chart that you have on the percentage of English learners by district, that chart.
- It's related to English language acquisition, so I think which is targeted towards English learners.
Summary:
The Senate and House Education Committee approved the March 9 and 10 minutes and then heard a presentation on the Arkansas Excellence in Teaching Fellowship Program from Department of Education staff and three third-grade teachers from Cabot, Poyen, and Drew Central. The teachers described the year-long fellowship for high-performing merit pay recipients, saying it provided collaboration with educators across the state, shared resources, and ideas they brought back to their districts. Members asked about the teachers’ experience levels, how they shared information locally, and whether the program should be expanded to more teachers and districts.
A major focus of the discussion was third-grade reading, the new ATLAS testing system, and the state’s third-grade retention law. The teachers said they do not teach to the test, but use standards, data, interventions, small groups, and relationships to help students grow. They described progress monitoring throughout the year, early screening in K-2, and interventions such as before-school tutoring, RTI meetings, and co-teaching. One teacher reported that six students in a small group improved 10 to 15 points on ATLAS, and another said a student who started the year reading four words per minute improved significantly with targeted support. Secretary Jacob Oliva said the state is trying to create clarity and alignment through Arkansas Learns, science-of-reading support, literacy coaches, and faster test-result turnaround, with student scores now available within about 24 hours and district-level results expected later in the summer.
Members also asked about student poverty, trauma, ACEs, DHS involvement, social workers, community supports, and the role of counselors. The teachers emphasized that relationship-building is essential, especially for students facing unstable home situations, and described local supports such as backpack food programs, church donations, fire department incentives, and family assistance. Oliva said the fellowship was intentionally small in its first year because it targeted top-tier merit pay recipients, but he expects participation to grow. He also said merit pay and fellowship eligibility spans many grade levels and subjects, including kindergarten and hard-to-staff areas, and that D and F schools receive state literacy coaches. No additional committee votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the minutes.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Education Finance Mar 11th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- It includes additional funding based on enrollment for low-income students, English learners, and foster
- It works out to about eighteen hundred dollars for each low-income student and English learner.
- Currently, districts receive ELOP dollars based on how many unduplicated students or English learners
- New English learners, those tested for the first time, arrived in our. are schools with lower levels
- of English proficiency than the previous cohort of English learners.