Transcript Highlights:

• Discussions and expeditionary learning.
• We have learned a lot through this last year, just engaging, but as Assembly Member Lowenthal mentioned
• schools to offer work-based learning programs, removing academic program references to work-based learning
• schools to offer work-based learning programs, removing academic program references to work-based learning
• education program.

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee heard several Senate bills focused on student health, access, equity, and career preparation. SB 608 by Sen. Menjivar would expand access to condoms and related sexual health resources for students in grades 7–12 and direct the Department of Education to align with the California Healthy Youth Act. Supporters argued the bill would help address high STI rates among youth and remove barriers to access, while opponents raised concerns about parental authority, local control, and encouraging early sexual activity. The bill was approved on a 6-1 vote and sent to the Health Committee. SB 965 by Sen. Blakespear would prohibit libraries from requiring a parent to be physically present for a 16- or 17-year-old to obtain a library card, while still allowing libraries to require parental consent or signature. Supporters said the current rule creates unnecessary barriers for teens and school research projects, and the California Library Association said it was now neutral after amendments. The committee passed the bill 6-0 to Appropriations. SB 998 by Sen. Gonzalez would define and expand the duties of discrimination prevention coordinators in the state’s Office of Civil Rights, including adding a disability coordinator and deputy coordinators focused on anti-Black, anti-Asian, anti-Latino, and anti-Native American discrimination. Testimony emphasized the need to address rising hate incidents and discrimination in schools, especially for Black, LGBTQ+, AAPI, and other marginalized students. The bill was approved and sent to Judiciary with amendments to be processed there. SB 845 by Sen. Perez, which expands work-based learning and youth apprenticeship opportunities, also received broad support from education, workforce, and industry groups and passed unanimously to Labor and Employment. The committee also approved a consent calendar of additional bills and adjourned after all items were acted on.

Transcript Highlights:

• Calls to our first-year students.
• So these RAs plan social programs. They plan educational programs.
• programs, and an 11th program is in the approval process.
• year.
• This time next year. So Rep.

Summary: The committee spent much of the meeting hearing presentations on student mental health supports at Central Washington University, Washington State University, the University of Washington, and the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges. CWU described high levels of student distress, loneliness, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and basic-needs insecurity, along with a campus-wide holistic well-being model that includes behavioral intervention teams, emergency aid, peer outreach, community partnerships, and a collegiate recovery community. WSU emphasized loneliness, common presenting concerns such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and relationship distress, and the role of housing and residence life, resident advisors, living-learning communities, and coordinated crisis response in identifying and supporting students. UW highlighted prevention and support programs through LiveWell, including alcohol and other drug consultations, confidential advocacy, suicide intervention, student needs navigation, peer health educators, and peer wellness coaches. The community and technical college system reported persistent access barriers, especially for students ages 18 to 24 and those facing housing or food insecurity, and said the legislature-funded mental health pilot at four colleges expanded counseling access, telehealth, and referral pathways, while broader system efforts focus on awareness, telehealth, basic-needs supports, and workforce training in behavioral health fields. Members asked each panel how they gather student feedback, and the institutions said they use surveys, evaluations, and ongoing outreach to students in services. Questions also focused on substance-use and recovery resources, Greek life outreach, and whether colleges have enough licensed mental health staff versus academic advisors; the community college board said not all colleges have licensed mental health providers on staff, and some rely on community contracts or telehealth. The committee also discussed whether counseling services are increasing because of post-pandemic effects or because students are more willing to seek help, with presenters saying both factors likely play a role. The committee then shifted to artificial intelligence in higher education. Washington State University, the University of Washington, Western Washington University, and the community and technical college system described campus AI task forces, governance structures, and efforts to set policies for students, faculty, and staff. Presenters said institutions are requiring course-level AI use statements, promoting ethical and transparent use, expanding access to approved tools such as Microsoft Copilot, and using AI for teaching, research, advising, and administrative support while guarding privacy, equity, and academic integrity. Members raised concerns about deepfakes, bias, student monitoring, and whether AI should be used to screen applications or evaluate student work; presenters said human review remains essential and that some institutions prohibit AI use in hiring or admissions screening. The final presentation, from OSPI, described the statewide rollout of the School Links high school and beyond plan platform under 2023 legislation, saying it will standardize career and college planning across K-12, provide better data and student guidance, and connect students to postsecondary pathways and employers; OSPI said the rollout is underway but current funding only extends through June 30, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• It was a three-year program that got started, and it ended three years ago, the pilot aspect of it.
• For the past six years, I have been an assistant at the Southern Boone Learning Garden.
• Our program focuses on garden-based learning, nutrition education, agriculture, environmental science
• And then each of those lessons is accompanied by a hands-on learning component, and the program is completely
• It's not much different than what we did with the fine arts programs many, many years ago.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• four-year-olds, but three- and four-year-olds.
• home-based and center-based programs, especially if we're taking three- and four-year-olds out and there's
• programs.
• Two million a year?
• And so do you see the HIPPY program or programs like the home visiting ...see the HIPPY program or programs

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The committee met in a workshop-style discussion with Arkansas Department of Education early childhood officials to review the state’s early learning programs, especially ABC and SRA/CCDF, and to consider long-term sustainability, access, and quality. Officials said ABC funding was flat at $11 million from 2009-2010 until a $3 million increase in 2018, while CCDF/SRA funding is about $137 million. They reported ABC serves about 23,000 children, SRA about 14,871, and the SRA wait list has grown to 2,971 children, with breakdowns by age provided during the meeting. They also said the current ABC per-child cost is about $5,105, compared with roughly $8,000 in K-12, and that a new market-rate/cost-of-care study is due because the last one was about three years ago. Members raised concerns about rural and urban access, provider deserts, school-based versus community-based slots, and whether the state should expand or rebalance funding to better support infant-toddler care and mixed delivery. Officials said they are working on identifying gaps, moving slots where possible, and using local leads and quality measures such as CLASS observations to improve kindergarten readiness. They also discussed the transition of federal pre-K funding ending at the end of June, with children either moving into ABC or requalifying for SRA, but without grandfathering beyond bypassing the wait list if already enrolled. A major topic was the impact of new co-pays and funding reductions on families and providers. Officials said the state had to make changes to preserve the programs, and that paying based on enrollment rather than allocated slots saved about $576,000. They also said eight providers cited funding as the reason for closing, while 26 new providers were added under the new rates. Members questioned dual enrollment in home visiting/HIPPY and ABC, and officials said about 1,200 children are dually enrolled, with a possible savings of about $2.4 million if that practice were limited, though members cautioned about unintended consequences for children with developmental needs. The meeting ended with agreement to continue regular updates and further work on simplifying and stabilizing the early childhood system.

Transcript Highlights:

• . and support programming over three years.
• On row 91, we have $20 million for out-of-school time learning programs.
• Out-of-school learning programs are a pretty broad category of programming that often includes after-school
• to start getting funding for after-school programs during the year or for the next year?
• both its work-to-learn types. of programs and things of that sort.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So this is our second year in our peer-to-peer program. We've now trained 53 peer mentors.
• So this is our second year in our peer-to-peer program. We've now trained 53 peer mentors.
• This is her second year in the program. And she says it sort of better than I ever could.
• This is our second year with our current peer mentor program.
• I have a 25-year-old and a 21-year-old; adulting has been a lot.

Summary: The Select Committee on Youth Mental Health and Treatment Access held its third hearing to review the state of youth mental health, progress under the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), and remaining implementation and funding challenges. The chair emphasized that schools are often the main point where education, health care, and social services intersect for students, and that the committee’s goal is to ensure public investments translate into better access and outcomes. The hearing featured testimony from researchers, a youth advocate, state officials, and local practitioners. PPIC researcher Shalini Mostala reported that teen mental health remains a serious concern, with high rates of chronic sadness, hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts, though recent California data show some improvement since the pandemic. She noted persistent disparities by gender, race, and rural status, and said school-based health centers, wellness centers, and community schools are associated with lower suicidal thoughts. Youth advocate Ella Cruz, speaking for NAMI California, described her own mental health struggles and argued that youth voice, peer-to-peer support, and reducing stigma are essential; she also said technology and AI cannot replace trusted adults or trained professionals. Committee members asked about phone use, stigma, cultural barriers, and how to make supports more accessible and relatable to students. Dr. Sohill Sood of the California Health and Human Services Agency said statewide survey data show declining stigma, increased counseling use, and lower suicide ideation among students, and he highlighted CYBHI’s certified wellness coaches, digital tools, awareness campaigns, and the first-in-the-nation fee schedule that allows schools and colleges to bill health plans for behavioral health services. He said the program is growing quickly, with more than 230,000 claims and over $11 million in new revenue to date, while acknowledging that billing systems and coordination are still being built. Trina Frazier of Fresno County described a multi-tiered system of care supported by CYBHI, CalAIM, and other grants, serving thousands of students through school-based services, wellness centers, and mobile therapy units; she said ongoing funding and flexibility are critical. Rachel Kroberniski of El Segundo High School’s James Morehouse Project described a long-running wellness center and peer mentorship model that supports students in multiple languages, and said peer programs help students feel seen, connected, and more willing to seek help. Members broadly praised the flexibility, collaboration, and peer-based approaches described by the witnesses. Questions focused on sustaining funding after one-time grants expire, improving coordination among schools, counties, and providers, expanding the fee schedule to higher education, and ensuring continuity of care for students after high school. Officials said county offices of education, DHCS, and other partners are using communities of practice and technical assistance to spread best practices, and that CYBHI services can follow some young adults through age 25, with additional supports through community-based programs and digital platforms.

Transcript Highlights:

• , and it needed to include both classroom and out-of-school-time learning programs.
• with STEM programs for the past nine years.
• with STEM programs for the past nine years.
• <00:18:07.760> programs<00:18:08.280> and we create earn and learn programs and we
• <00:18:31.440> can programs that support stem learning can programs that support stem learning

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Five-year-old Grayson has an IQ of 138. He loves learning, especially reading and writing.
• But when the literacy specialist worked with him on foundations, which is a program where you learn the
• Because that's a vector that they use by year old. That's a traditional vector in gifted programs.
• To add insult to injury, the Learn Fair program uses terms like sanction and probation, terms derived
• To add insult to injury, the Learn Fair program uses terms like sanction, probation, terms derived from

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held a public hearing on a large slate of bills, with much of the testimony focused on school discipline and student equity. Bills discussed included measures to address inequities in suspension and expulsion, clarify school exclusion rules, reduce discipline for dress and grooming violations, and expand protections related to fair educational practices. Committee members repeatedly reminded witnesses of the two-minute limit and asked for written testimony to supplement oral remarks. A substantial portion of the hearing centered on the RAISE Act and related school discipline bills, including H. 730/S. 376 and H. 731/S. 380. Testifiers from advocacy groups, legal services, and the legislature argued that exclusionary discipline disproportionately affects Black and Latino students, students with disabilities, low-income students, and DCF-involved youth. They said current law is overly broad or unclear in areas such as “assault on educational staff,” indefinite suspensions tied to felony complaints, and definitions of weapons, leading to unnecessary removals from school. Supporters said the bills would add due process, clearer definitions, and better accountability, while one legislator testified in support of the discipline reforms and opposed several other bills on the agenda. The committee also heard testimony on H. 576/S. 368, which would prohibit suspensions and expulsions for dress and grooming violations and require clearer, non-discriminatory dress code policies. Witnesses cited research and personal stories about disproportionate enforcement against Black girls, girls of color, non-binary students, and students wearing religious attire, and said the bill would prevent physical contact used to enforce dress codes. Another major topic was H. 641/S. 349, which would add “special medical status” protections in education; supporters said it would prevent exclusion based on medical decisions or conditions, though members questioned how it would interact with existing disability law and vaccination-related school requirements. The committee also heard testimony on H. 625, which would extend the ban on corporal punishment from public to private schools, with witnesses citing research on harm and disproportionate impact. Additional testimony covered bills on accelerated learning and gifted education, with parents, educators, and advocates saying Massachusetts under-identifies advanced learners and lacks adequate acceleration pathways. A senator also testified for S. 406 on recovery high schools, saying the funding formula should be updated to better support students in recovery. No votes were taken during the hearing; the chair closed testimony on several bill groups and noted that written testimony would remain open for a week.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then finally, there's a universal income pilot program that would provide a two-year pilot program
• Out-of-school learning programs can be a lot of different things; they can be a tutoring program or they
• In the current year, you have a $15 million bucket for out-of-school learning programs and tutoring.
• They had that program for around five years. school years, they ended up running into some issues with
• type of learning programs are put in place.

Transcript Highlights:

• We launched this program with our state universities this past year.
• learning programs for children entering kindergarten.
• And our number one priority for us this year is attaining more access for children in our programs.
• You know, I was a school community member for seven years, city councilor for six, and I learned real
• and Legislature continue funding this program at that level in fiscal year 2026.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing was a Joint Committee on Ways and Means budget session held in Lawrence focused on the governor’s proposed FY27 education and local aid budget, with remarks from legislative co-chairs, local officials, and education agency leaders. Acting Mayor Giovanni Rodriguez and Superintendent Ralph Carrero emphasized Lawrence’s high-need student population, the importance of Chapter 70 and Student Opportunity Act funding, and the impact of state aid on schools serving many English learners and low-income families. Carrero highlighted Lawrence High School programs such as early college, dual degrees, career pathways, and early childhood classrooms embedded in the high school, while lawmakers introduced themselves and noted the importance of the hearing to their districts. Acting Secretary of Education Amy Kershaw, Commissioner of Higher Education Noi Ortega, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Pedro Martinez, and Commissioner of Early Education and Care Amy Kershaw outlined the administration’s FY27 priorities. They described investments in literacy initiatives, universal school meals, student mental health, early college and career pathways, higher education affordability, community college and university student-success supports, preschool expansion, child care subsidies, and workforce supports for early educators. The commissioners also discussed federal funding threats, equity gaps, and the administration’s efforts to improve outcomes for Black and brown students, multilingual learners, students with disabilities, and low-income students. Members questioned the panel about the local contribution formula study, the final year of Student Opportunity Act implementation, and the need to revisit Chapter 70 funding to better address rising costs such as special education, transportation, and health care. Officials said the local contribution study report is expected by the end of June, with a draft to be shared after data analysis and public comment. Commissioner Martinez said the Student Opportunity Act narrowed funding gaps but more work is needed, and he pointed to a proposed Accelerating Achievement Initiative to support the highest-need schools. Senator Oliveira also raised concerns about Chapter 70 disparities and asked about partnerships with libraries to support literacy, prompting discussion of broader early literacy collaboration.

Transcript Highlights:

• SO PROGRAMS LIKE THIS PROGRAM CAN SERVE THAT DUAL PURPOSE.
• THE WORKFORCE PROBLEMS WE HAD 25 YEARS AGO WE 25 YEARS FROM NOW. IT IS NOT SOMETHING YOU SOLVE.
• SHE JUST STARTED THIS YEAR.
• IN ADDITION TO THE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS WE OFFER WE HAVE A COMMITMENT TO EXPERIENCE LEARNING RANGING FROM
• THE BOTTOM LINE IS IT IS A LEARNING APPROACH. AI TRIES TO LEARN SOMETHING AND USE IT.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the past, you had to spend years learning how to master your craft of scamming.
• I'm a 30-year veteran of crime prevention work. I'm a 30-year veteran of crime prevention work.
• That is a program through the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs.
• She learned how to buy property. She learned how to get some of her fellows free, buy people...”
• It’s a youth diversion program. It’s a national program that we’re working with right now.

Summary: The meeting opened with a report on annual solvency certification for institutions of higher education, which required no action and was to be distributed later. The main presentation focused on artificial intelligence in K-12 and higher education, delivered by students from Arkansas State University, the University of Central Arkansas, and Valley View High School. They argued that AI is becoming central to education and the workforce, especially as Arkansas adds major data center investments, and said students should be taught to use AI responsibly so they can compete for jobs, improve internships, and keep talent in-state. They also emphasized concerns about academic integrity, cybercrime, and the need for ethics training and district-level guidance. The presenters shared survey findings from educators in several Arkansas districts, saying most teachers support teaching responsible AI use, believe students without access to AI will be disadvantaged, and want training and district-level management. They described existing AI uses at Arkansas colleges, including AI tutors, AI-generated practice exams, homework feedback tools, and classroom applications in business, climate science, and urban forestry. They also proposed an AI library built on the state’s Access Act infrastructure so K-12 and college students could access shared AI tools and resources across Arkansas. Committee members asked about student attitudes, classroom concerns, and whether AI could help standardize course materials and objectives across institutions. The presenters said reactions among students are mixed, with arts students especially worried about copyright and originality, but that many recognize AI’s real-world value. A UCA representative added that faculty training, ethics discussions, and academic dishonesty guidance are already underway there. The chair thanked the students, noted their work on related research projects, and then moved to a second presentation from Pine Bluff community leaders. The Pine Bluff group described community-based school support efforts, including the Pastors on Patrol program, mentoring, anti-bullying and nonviolence training, drug and vaping education, leadership clubs, and a youth diversion effort for students at risk of detention. They said their work is aimed at improving school climate, encouraging citizenship and scholarship, and reducing negative behavior. Members praised the group’s efforts and asked about expanding the programs to other districts; the presenters said their model and curriculum can be shared and adapted. The meeting ended after the chair thanked both groups and adjourned with no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2 expands the additional day's school year program to provide extended learning time for students
• . program, two-year grants for providing services to students with autism, two-year grants for providing
• . program over these last five years.
• programs and what we've learned from the field, what principals, superintendents, and teachers have
• to impact students learning for years to come.

Bills: HB2, HB2

Keywords: public education, teacher compensation, certification, funding, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace

Transcript Highlights:

• The work you do is year-round.
• And what I found out is now my goddaughter, who's seven years old, is learning the new math concepts
• My, you know, and we asked my 12-year-old daughter if she could help the 7-year-old, and the 12-year-old
• expect them to learn.
• So we've been doing this about five years, six years, since 2019.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These schools will receive four years of coaching support, beginning a year ahead of the required rollout
• As we work together to plan professional, this is a program for educational learning that assures that
• And we're learning a lot of the setup of the program, and thank goodness it's a pilot, but we are ready
• When I started eight years ago, teachers were making $35,000 a year.
• year, different programs to decrease those barriers to increase student engagement.

Transcript Highlights:

• The most visible part of our program in Roswell is our immersive learning component.
• Last year in our second year, our sixth graders became our seventh graders.
• This fall, we are heading into our first year with a full academic program.
• I mean, I began my teaching career in California in a program in which I was for many years, usually
• 20 to school year 2024.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the past, you had to spend years learning how to master your craft of scamming.
• I'm a 30-year veteran of crime prevention tools. I'm a 30-year veteran of crime prevention tools.
• That is a program through the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs.
• She learned how to buy property. She learned how to get some of her fellows free, buy people...”
• It's a youth diversion program. It's a national program that we're working with right now.

Summary: The meeting began with a report on institutions of higher education for annual certification/solvency, which required no action and was noted as coming later in the week. The main presentation featured students from Arkansas State University, Valley View High School, and the University of Central Arkansas discussing artificial intelligence in education and the workforce. They argued that AI should be taught responsibly in K-12 and higher education to prepare students for jobs, support Arkansas’s growing tech sector, and reduce misuse such as cybercrime, scams, plagiarism, and academic dishonesty. They also cited survey results from teachers showing broad support for responsible AI instruction, district-level management, and teacher training, while noting concerns about critical thinking, ethics, and unequal access. Examples were given of AI already being used at UCA and the University of the Ozarks, and the group suggested a statewide AI library and related training built on the Access Act framework. Committee members asked about student reactions, and the presenters said responses are mixed, especially in the arts, but that AI is already being used in real-world careers and should be integrated with clear standards. The committee then heard from a Pine Bluff community coalition led by Pastor Jesse Turner about school-based outreach and youth support programs. The group described long-running work in Pine Bluff schools and Watson Chapel, including Pass on Patrol, mentoring, anti-bullying and nonviolence efforts, drug and vaping education, gun-violence prevention, and leadership clubs for students. They emphasized that their approach is nonreligious in the schools, focused on encouragement, citizenship, scholarship, and keeping students engaged in class. They also highlighted the use of free curriculum resources on African American history and said they help students see themselves as having promise rather than being “at risk.” Members asked about whether the programs could be shared elsewhere and about impacts on behavior; the group said some materials are trademarked but can be adapted with support, and cited reported reductions in negative behavior and referrals in participating schools. The meeting ended after members praised both the AI presenters and the Pine Bluff outreach group, and the committee adjourned with no votes taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• It takes years, and they will certainly be learning as they go for years to come, but they need to hit
• It takes years, and they will certainly be learning as they go for years to come, but they need to hit
• It takes years, and they will certainly be learning as they go for years to come, but they need to hit
• It takes years, and they will certainly be learning as they go for years to come, but they need to hit
• It takes years, and they will certainly be learning as they go for years to come, but they need to hit

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:04:24.199> local report on the successful programs local report on the successful programs
• <00:09:31.519> or know referred to a diversion program or know referred to a diversion program
• that's sort of a a bat school program that's sort of a a diversionary<00:09:48.959> program<00
• <00:09:56.600> it's criminal prosecution uh program it's criminal prosecution uh program it's
• counties and those different programs counties and those different programs too<00:42:59.880>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . with a little bit of computer programming involved and I encouraged some kids every year to participate
• assistance learning.
• In the 2019-2020 school year, 11.7% of California students had a learning disability. 2023-2024 school
• year, 13.7 did.
• Right now, our CTE programs depend on these CTIG applications that are on a year-to-year basis, and we

Keywords: 988, house, all