Transcript Highlights:

• That needs to occur not only in the school year, but when kids aren't in school.
• I was not attending school. I did not feel like school was a place for me.
• Brown High School.
• School enrollment, school accountability data, attendance improvement, school safety plan, postsecondary
• student, every single high school, and, um, well, middle school, high school.

Transcript Highlights:

• I went to grade school at Cottonwood Elementary School, which is no longer there.
• I've served as a county clerk, a county commissioner, a school board member for the Colbree schools,
• have been a middle school principal and an elementary school principal. principal, a school teacher,
• I cover school nutrition, STEM education, community schools, and other related areas. Thanks.
• to charter schools.

Committee: Senate Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• for school improvement, but a school having a letter grade of C, D, or F.
• What kind of schools are they going to? So I believe in our schools. I believe in public schools.
• If it's just a charter school asset, then it would remain with the charter school.
• If it's just a charter school asset, then it would remain with the charter school.
• are public schools.

Bills: HB2210 , HB2398 , HB2959 , HB3006 , HB3026 , HB3151 , HB3315 , HB3372 , HB3467 , HB3590 , HB4268 , HB4359 , HB4427

Committee: Senate Education

Summary: The Senate Education Committee considered a long agenda of education-related bills, including school calendar changes, scholarship and tax credit cleanup, charter school facilities, apprenticeship expansion, testing windows, and teacher staffing rules. Several measures were framed as technical or clarifying changes, while others drew more substantial debate over accountability, eligibility, and funding. The committee also heard a bill to extend the sunset of the Oklahoma Advisory Council on Indian Education and another to allow certain military dependents to start kindergarten based on their home-country age rules. Among the more debated bills, House Bill 3590 updated the Opportunity Scholarship Fund Act by changing reporting and income-verification language; senators questioned whether the bill effectively expanded eligibility or added accountability, but the author said it was a cleanup measure and the title was struck before passage. House Bill 3151 would raise the minimum school year from 166 to 173 days beginning in 2027-28, contingent on an additional $175 million in common education funding; supporters argued Oklahoma students need more time in front of teachers, while opponents questioned the evidence and fiscal impact. House Bill 4359 moved statewide assessments to the last four weeks of the school year, with an amendment changing the window from three to four weeks, and House Bill 4427, as amended, continued limits on adjunct teachers in early grades while clarifying qualifications and timelines for existing adjuncts. The committee also advanced House Bill 2398, which would create “credentials of value” to help students and families evaluate postsecondary programs based on workforce demand and economic return, and House Bill 3372, which would create a charter school facilities fund and loan/collateral mechanisms; the latter passed on a narrower vote after questions about asset disposition and state control. Other bills passed with little or no opposition, including a 24-hour reporting requirement for school abuse to outside law enforcement, an expansion of youth apprenticeship eligibility, adoption-related maternity leave, and a pilot for teacher growth metrics and NBCT funding. Most measures were reported out favorably, with several title-stricken amendments adopted along the way.

Transcript Highlights:

• This raises the threshold to $500, giving different school districts and different school sites a little
• The threshold to $500 gives different school districts and different school sites a little bit of leeway
• If it's beneficial for our students to have 542 school districts, then we should have 542 school districts
• If it's beneficial for our students to have 542 school districts, then we should have 542 school districts
• Right now, do we have fewer schools or more public schools, not counting charter schools, than we did

Summary: The Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Education met after an extended recess and first laid over House Bills 3244, 4146, 4158, and later 3718 for a future hearing. The committee also noted that its Wednesday meeting would be held at 4:30 p.m. in Room 4S5. Several bills were then heard and advanced, with PCS substitutes adopted without objection where noted. House Bill 4478, by Rep. Deck, raised the student activity fund deposit threshold from $100 to $500 and required all such deposits to be made by the end of the business week; it passed 6-0. House Bill 3671, by Rep. Provenzano, allowed experienced teachers to carry career teacher status to a new district for evaluation purposes only, not for contract or tenure decisions; after a question about tenure, it passed 7-0. House Bill 3051, by Rep. Stewart, streamlined and modernized the Tulsa Reconciliation Scholarship to make it easier for eligible students to access while preserving the program’s historic purpose; it passed 6-1. House Bill 3671 also drew questions about whether the bill would affect tenure, and the author said it would not. House Bill 3051 prompted questions about eligibility and whether there was any ranking system; the author said the scholarship remained equally available under current law. House Bill 3710, by Rep. Pogemiller, created a bipartisan district realignment commission to study school-district consolidation or reorganization every 10 years, considering financial efficiency, academic outcomes, enrollment, location, and proximity to other schools; supporters argued it would start a needed conversation about district structure and administrative costs, while opponents raised concerns about forced consolidation and local control. After extensive debate, it passed 5-4.

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of our Ready schools are also direct admissions schools, so that's really exciting that they're
• </c><00:07:59.960><c> are</c> well um some of our ready schools are well um some of our ready schools
• </c> four out of our seven partner schools four out of our seven partner schools did<00:08:27.800><c>
• , tribal affiliated high schools, and competency-based high schools.
• At the high school level, it's a school counselor or a school staff member.

Committee: Senate Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• . school.
• schools have?
• We do not rank schools. rank schools in a school ranks, which throw out a 1 through 5 and you. rank a
• school of four or five, you make that school a target.
• can to address school shootings, both inside school, but also outside the schools.

Committee: Senate Nominations

Transcript Highlights:

• We still liked 757 better, but the idea on school meals are school supplies.
• We still liked 757 better, but the idea on school meals are school supplies.
• School meals are school supplies.
• Some schools use IDs, or some schools have a binder of bar codes for each student.
• Some schools use IDs, or some schools have a binder of bar codes for each student.

Summary: The committee heard several education-related bills, with testimony largely in support. SB 1388 and SB 1393, both concerning the School Facilities Authority and Department of Education representation and land conveyances, received support from DOE and the School Facilities Authority, with no questions or action taken. SB 423, which would add Head Start representation to the Early Learning Board, was supported by the Early Learning Board and the Executive Office on Early Learning, which explained the bill would realign the board with federal Head Start Act requirements after the board was restructured in Act 170; EEL also requested an effective-date amendment. SB 422, allowing DOE to award diplomas to students whose education was disrupted by war, drew support from DOE, the Chamber of Commerce, the Military Council, and the Special Education Advisory Council, but also significant opposition from the Hawaii Patriot Republicans and many individuals; members asked questions about the bill, and DOE explained the measure’s purpose, but no vote was taken. The committee also took testimony on SB 532, which would expand who may administer certain medications in schools. DOE, the Department of Health, and the University of Hawaii supported the bill. Members asked detailed questions about oral, nasal, and topical medications and the process for prescription review and administration; DOE explained that parents request the medication, a school form is completed, a nurse reviews it, and either a trained school health assistant or a contracted nurse administers the medication. DOE said the measure could improve attendance and learning, especially for students with ADHD, asthma, and other chronic conditions. The committee then heard SB 659 on locally sourced food products and school meals, where DOE’s procurement office opposed the higher small-purchase threshold and DOE exemption from procurement rules, while Ulupono Initiative, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii Public Health Institute, and others supported the bill as a way to advance farm-to-school goals and the 30% local food target by 2030. Testimony and questioning focused on the proposed threshold increase, transparency, and whether an online bidding system would be preferable. Finally, the committee heard SB 1300 on subsidies for ALICE families’ school meals. DOE supported the bill but requested amendments: defining eligibility at 250% of the federal poverty level, delaying implementation until the 2026-2027 school year, and covering reduced-price lunch students in full for 2025-2026. HSTA, Hawaii Appleseed, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Pride at Work Hawaii, Hawaii Youth Services Network, and others supported the measure, emphasizing food insecurity, the burden of meal paperwork, and the educational importance of free meals. Hawaii Appleseed suggested replacing ALICE with a federal poverty level standard and removing a rulemaking requirement that could delay implementation. No votes or final committee actions were reported in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> in a school district. in a school district.
• equipment to middle school grades, not just high school.
• equipment to middle school grades, not just high school.
• equipment to middle school grades, not just high school.
• equipment to middle school grades, not just high school.

Bills: SF0059 , SF0053

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• What I'm seeing in the and some of the schools, not all the school districts, but some of the schools
• It relates to the election of certain school districts and open enrollment charter schools to participate
• The short version is that the bill would allow school districts and open enrollment charter schools that
• It would change all the references regarding small school districts and charter schools to participating
• Schools for unrelated reasons, putting them in an out-of-school suspension for disruptive behavior is

Bills: HB 1022 , HB2856 , HB3114 , HJR5 , HB6 , HB 120 , HB210 , HB1458 , HB 1188 , HB3126 , HB6 , HB120 , HB210

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Education K-16

Transcript Highlights:

• So we have, for example, classical schools and arts schools and STEM schools and CTE schools, and the
• So we have, for example, classical schools and arts schools and STEM schools and CTE schools, and the
• public schools.
• And when it did go out to schools, some schools did distribute it that way.
• And when it did go out to schools, some schools did distribute it that way.

Committee: House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• So I think schools need to do everything they can public and private schools.
• That's a public school on a credit to school because they're all accredited.
• Not all schools will accept credits from other schools.
• Dockets ABC is Scott School, owner of a private small school down for a lot of them.
• I feel like with private schools, private nursing education schools.

Transcript Highlights:

• FOR THE USE OF PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDS PROHIBITS PUBLIC SCHOOLS, CHARTER SCHOOLS AND RELATED ORGANIZATIONS
• THE BILL ALSO REPEALS FLORIDA SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS ALLOWS SCHOOLS TO PURCHASE AND USE EMERGENCY OPIOID
• RECOGNIZING OUTSTANDING TEACHERS WHO WORK IN CHARTER SCHOOLS AND THE FLORIDA SCHOOL RECOGNITION PROGRAM
• MAPS USED BY PUBLIC SCHOOLS CHARTER SCHOOLS AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
• SAFETY GUARDS AND EXTENDS PROTECTIONS TO SCHOOL GUARDIANS TO COVER SCHOOL SECURITY GUARDS.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> school they came from uh to go to work. school they came from uh to go to work.
• It does say to and from approved school activities. This is not school.
• &gt;&gt; Those non-school activities. &gt;&gt; Those non-school activities.
• But right now they both say for school activities and don't address going to school.
• or going to a they're going to school or going to a school<00:53:18.880><c> activity.

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> high school. high school.
• </c> across all schools, not just the School across all schools, not just the School of<00:35:12.440>
• </c> offered at my school. offered at my school.
• </c> myself to do better in my school work. myself to do better in my school work.
• </c> critical part of modern school safety. critical part of modern school safety.

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• place in a school.
• Schools are being shut down. Seven schools have shut down.
• What school do you go to? Fort Lauderdale High School. Ha, ha, flying air, baby.
• What school do you go to? Fort Lauderdale High School. Flying elves! Yes, yes.
• I think about Dillard High School, which is a Black high school in Broward County.

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education

Transcript Highlights:

• No school psychologist.
• No school psychologist.
• counselor or a the scope of a school counselor or a school<00:37:33.200><c> Behavior</c> school Behavior
• And just a quick follow-up: it does vary school by school.
• </c><00:48:36.440><c> by</c> I mean it does vary like school by I mean it does vary like school by school

Summary: The Committee on Education met on January 30 and heard testimony on several bills, beginning with an announcement asking testifiers and members to keep remarks brief because of weather. The vice chair also explained that HB 440, relating to immigration issues in schools and state hospitals, was removed from the agenda because the proposal would not create meaningful legal protections and immigration policy is governed by federal law. The committee then moved through a series of education-related measures, with testimony largely from the Department of Education, the School Facilities Authority, the Attorney General’s office, unions, advocacy groups, and individual testifiers. On HB 330, concerning school impact fees, the School Facilities Authority supported the bill as aligning policy with implementation, while the Tax Foundation of Hawaii said the fee accounts have accumulated large balances, including more than $20 million in impact fee funds and nearly $9 million from predecessor fair-share contributions, and urged that collected money be used rather than left idle. DOE said it would follow up on the balance and why it was not being used. On HB 1188, dealing with workforce housing, DOE and the Charter School Commission offered comments or support, the Attorney General suggested clarifying the phrase “within commuting distance” by using a mileage standard and adding repayment language, and HSTA, HGEA, and others supported the bill, with HSTA saying teachers need housing to be able to live and work in Hawaii. On HB 624 and HB 625, both related to school psychologists, DOE said it would participate in a work group on the pathway bill and supported the incentive program bill; school psychologists and related groups supported the measures, while one testifier said DOE should not lead the work group alone because school psychologists may work in many education settings beyond DOE schools. The committee also heard HB 1314 on youth mental health in schools. DOE described its student support process, universal screening tools, and behavioral health services, saying schools already identify and respond to concerns and that staff are trained to report issues, while the Attorney General warned the bill could expose schools to liability and recommended a broad liability waiver. Testimony was mixed, with several supporters and one opponent. On HB 616, concerning school safety and harassment protections for educational workers, the Attorney General sought clarifying amendments on harassment definitions, temporary restraining order costs, and paid leave, while HSTA, HGEA, and individual teachers strongly supported the bill, describing harassment incidents and arguing for a standardized statewide response. DOE said it already has reporting pathways, visitor codes of conduct, trespass notices, and an ethics hotline, but acknowledged implementation varies by school and that staff can escalate concerns if needed. The committee also began hearing HB 88 on a three-year pilot program for athletic travel, but the transcript cuts off before that bill’s testimony is completed or any votes are taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• This raises the threshold to $500, giving different school districts and different school locations a
• little bit of leeway in how they enact that. ...giving different school districts and different school
• ...school students.
• Right now, do we have fewer schools or more public schools, not counting charter schools, than we did
• We have, even the schools that are off the formula, every school in the state of Oklahoma...

Committee: House A&B Education Subcommittee

Transcript Highlights:

• School counselors are required.
• On the counselors, I have taught 17 years at the high school. ...and public school teacher.
• I'm in elementary school now.
• high school students.
• And when I was in high school, we had so many college counselors in the high school that I went to.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met with a quorum and first temporarily postponed SB 920 on mathematics education. The committee then took up SB 1216, which would revise public school personnel compensation rules to give districts more flexibility in using cost-of-living adjustments, recognizing advanced degrees, and adjusting performance pay limits for educators and other school personnel. Senator Rodriguez said the bill would add tools for recruitment and retention without replacing performance pay, and several members spoke in strong support, emphasizing teacher pay, retention, and the need to invest in education. The bill was reported favorably after roll call. The committee next considered SB 1036 on school counselors. Senator Claudio explained that the bill addresses counselor shortages by removing a barrier tied to classroom-teacher certification requirements, which she said limits the applicant pool and makes it harder to recruit and retain counselors. Public testimony strongly supported the bill, including students and school personnel who described high counselor-to-student ratios, limited access to counseling, and the importance of mental health and academic guidance. Members also discussed related support roles such as BRACE advisors and the need for more efficient use of district resources and state support. During debate, senators shared personal examples of how counselors can help students identify goals and access opportunities, while also noting that many counselors are overwhelmed by administrative duties and large caseloads. Senator Claudio closed by saying the bill removes barriers for direct-service professionals and could be paired with future efforts on ratios and streamlined services. CS for SB 1036 was reported favorably by roll call. At the end of the meeting, members recorded their votes on SB 1216, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• It would be sure some of the schools and charter schools of honor that jurisdiction. >> Follow-up, Representative
• Mom contacted the school when the child did 143 not get off the bus. 144 The school was able to determine
• It gives a definition of what a school year is.
• I was a swimmer in middle school and getting... ...up to high school coaches.
• So it's not the sole responsibility of the school, and it's not all school districts.

Summary: The Student Academic Success Subcommittee met with a quorum and heard four bills, beginning with HB 423 on school elopement plans for students with autism or other elopement risks. The sponsors described the bill as a statewide framework for school elopement response plans, immediate parent notification, campus search procedures, and staff training. Public testimony from parents, disability advocates, and a teacher emphasized the dangers of elopement and the need for standardized procedures; members from both parties spoke strongly in support. The bill was reported favorably by a 15-0 vote. The committee next considered HB 1253, which allows coaches to use limited personal funds, up to $15,000 per athletic team per year, to support student-athletes with food, transportation, and physical rehabilitation services. An amendment added guardrails, including that the coach be a school employee, clarified the scope of athletic associations covered, and refined the rehabilitation language. Members discussed the bill as a way to help students in need while avoiding recruiting concerns, and the bill passed favorably 14-0 after the amendment was adopted. HB 1091 addressed dental screenings for K-12 students in districts that voluntarily offer them. The bill requires advance written notice to parents and an opt-out process, and clarifies that screenings are informational only, with any findings sent to parents rather than compelling treatment. An amendment added the language to student welfare provisions as well as school health services. Public testimony from dental and health advocates supported the measure, and the bill was reported favorably 14-0. Finally, the committee heard HB 765 on child care and early learning services. The bill expands before- and after-care options for certain school-based preschool programs without requiring a child care facility license, removes a flu brochure inspection requirement, bars insurance cancellation based on providing child care, creates a professional recognition program, and establishes a child care tuition fund. Two amendments broadened the bill to public and nonpublic elementary schools and created the Brighter Futures fund concept. After debate, the bill passed favorably 13-1, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Independent Schools, Mr. Brian Robinson. Independent Schools, Mr. Brian Robinson.
• </c> the bill had it uh had the school the bill had it uh had the school district<00:02:29.599><c> having
• </c><00:02:54.080><c> district</c> then also on the school district then also on the school district
• </c> of lot of things that the schools of lot of things that the schools provided<00:04:46.560><c> to
• School. This is just two of the four School.

Committee: House Primary and Secondary Education