Transcript Highlights:

• AND WELCOME TO THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION.
• WE HAVE TARIFF GOODMAN THE VICE CHANCELLOR OF CAREER AND ADULT EDUCATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
• THEN, FINALLY, I ALSO MENTIONED THE ADULT GENERAL EDUCATION.
• SO THAT THE GOAL OF ADULT GENERAL EDUCATION IS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE EDUCATION BECAUSE
• I KNOW NURSING EDUCATION WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON NURSING EDUCATION IN THIS COMMITTEE AND ESPECIALLY

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• education program online. education program online.
• redesign our teacher education program. redesign our teacher education program.
• educators to come up with a solution. educators to come up with a solution.
• <00:48:04.560> Our in early childhood education. Our in early childhood education.
• teacher education program in.

Keywords: This meeting is taking place on location at the Kentucky State University Cooperative Extension Building Room 238 using on site equipment., 958, all

Summary: The interim Commission on Race and Access to Opportunity met at Kentucky State University and heard a presentation from President Kofi Aapo and Vice President Michael Dorsy on the university’s role as an HBCU and its current priorities. They emphasized Kentucky State’s impact on Black student outcomes nationally, its focus on workforce development, civic leadership, innovation, and economic mobility, and its efforts to grow enrollment, expand dual-credit partnerships, and launch a prison education program. They also described House Bill 250’s role in prompting program review and the creation or expansion of market-aligned offerings, including manufacturing engineering, agricultural engineering, biological and agricultural engineering, social work, criminal justice, and expanded online programs through “Thoroughbred Global.” A major topic was Kentucky State’s move toward STEM and applied programs. President Aapo said the university is diversifying beyond liberal arts to meet workforce demand and cited plans for a PhD in agroecology, which he said would help farmers adapt to climate conditions and would be federally funded. He also discussed the nursing program as the fastest-growing on campus, partnerships with health systems that pay tuition and guarantee jobs, and the need for a new nursing facility. He said the current nursing space is inadequate and that a new building could double or triple enrollment in the program. He also described a mobile health initiative intended to bring preventive care and health education to underserved areas of the state. Members asked questions about the nursing building, STEM strategy, teacher preparation, dual credit, prison education, and student readiness. Senator Bledsoe asked about the shift toward STEM, and Aapo said the strategy is based on student demand and data from House Bill 250. Senator Berg requested a list of dual-credit partners and encouraged long-term tracking of prison education participants to study outcomes such as recidivism; Aapo said the university has not yet begun that research but intends to. Senator Tidner asked about remedial needs, and Aapo said KSU found more than 100 students with zero GPAs when he arrived and is using co-requisite support and tutoring to address English and math deficiencies. Representative Brown and others highlighted the historical and ongoing value of HBCUs, and no votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• costs further along in their education.
• costs further along in their education.
• Incredible Educators so I asked my Incredible Educators so I asked my daughter<00:12:18.480> she's
• <00:57:57.200> experience educational experience educational experience quality<00:57:59.960><
• student center educational student center educational experiences<00:59:05.240> in<00:59:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In education, I've been there for this is my 32nd year, and most, and I'm talking about educators, and
• This is my 37th year as an educator in the state of Iowa. I am a very, very proud educator.
• are leaving education.
• I want to thank especially the educators.
• And put as much money as we can towards our educators, but this bill is not about going after our educators

Transcript Highlights:

• and representation in education.
• Early-Educers. access to affordable and high quality care and early education opportunities.
• We are incredibly grateful to Secretary Tupweiler, the Executive Office of Education, and the three education
• context... ...it told us in the higher education context was that of the 60 or so higher education institutions
• , educational opportunity, secondary education, vocational training, scholarships, employment, or promotion

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion held an informational hearing on diversity, equity, and inclusion in Massachusetts; no bills were heard or voted on. Chairs Bud Williams and Liz Miranda opened by framing the hearing as a response to recent federal actions they said threatened DEI efforts, funding, and civil rights protections in education and other sectors. They said the committee would hear from experts, agencies, advocates, and businesses about the legality and benefits of DEI and the impact of federal actions on the Commonwealth. Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler testified virtually that Massachusetts is pushing back against federal efforts to restrict DEI, including guidance and certification demands directed at schools. He highlighted state investments in early education, child care, early college, career and technical education, and educator diversity, arguing these efforts help close opportunity gaps for Black and brown students, students with disabilities, English learners, and other underserved groups. In response to member questions, he said federal education dollars are core to services for students and that the state is prepared to fight funding cuts while monitoring impacts across K-12, early education, and higher education. Elizabeth Matos of the Attorney General’s Office said DEIA programs remain legal under state and federal law and described AG guidance issued to help institutions navigate federal confusion. She reviewed litigation the office has joined or won, including efforts involving withheld school funds, museums and libraries, the Minority Business Development Agency, Head Start, AmeriCorps, and other federal actions. Members asked about immigration-related fear and profiling, and Matos pointed to existing Know Your Rights guidance, said complaints to the Civil Rights Division have increased, and noted the office is seeing issues involving housing discrimination, employment, public accommodations, and threats to call ICE. She also said the office is open to further legislative ideas but did not discuss specifics. Evelyn Carter, a social psychologist, testified that diversity, equity, and inclusion are often misunderstood and defined the terms plainly, emphasizing that diversity is a group characteristic, equity addresses unequal starting points, and inclusion is about belonging and access. She argued that DEI matters because it creates guardrails against bias, helps make environments accessible, and addresses ongoing inequities. In response to questions, she suggested practical strategies such as using clear criteria and written records in decision-making, broadening who is considered part of one’s in-group, and pairing bias awareness with concrete behavior-change tools. The hearing also included testimony from Meredith Tewitt of the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women, who spoke about the importance of DEI for women, veterans, and people who rely on federal institutions, and urged lawmakers to continue supporting inclusion and access.

Transcript Highlights:

• Department of Education for unallowable costs.
• Is that realistic in the education world? Do you do that now?
• One of the... the one that is kind of glaring, especially… Education.
• We've seen this huge growth in special education, and when we're not fully funding special education,
• I didn't even mention the State Board of Education.

Bills: HB1540, HB3837, HB5571, SB370, SB2425

Keywords: government review, Texas Sunset Act, regulatory oversight, agencies, sunset provisions, autonomous vehicles, regulation, safety, criminal offense, Autonomous Vehicle Commission, registration, regulations, Level 4 automation, Level 5 automation, self-driving technology, traffic laws, permit system, collision reporting, safety standards, Automated Vehicle Commission

Transcript Highlights:

• Education is extremely important to me.
• The areas of education and education reform, which is what the university is, or what the governor appointed
• Higher education is different. It's different from public and private education.
• Education was a turning point for him.
• Education was a turning point for him.

Summary: The committee first heard CS/SB 1458 on apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs. The bill sponsor said it would add consistency and transparency by requiring local education agencies and training providers to define their roles and funding shares in contracts, cap an LEA’s share at 10% when it serves only an administrative role, and require public meetings and published work papers for the district workforce education funding steering committee. Several industry and business groups appeared in support, and the bill was reported favorably without debate. The committee then took up CS/CS/SB 1726 on higher education, which was substantially revised by a delete-all amendment. The amended bill addressed presidential searches, trustee eligibility, interim presidents, polling by universities, mission reviews, and other governance issues. Members asked about the requirement that final presidential candidate groups include at least three applicants, the qualifications for interim presidents, trustee residency/alumni requirements, and limits on candidate polling. Senators Leek and Smith offered contrasting views, with Leek warning about candidate withdrawals and Smith supporting the bill as a way to depoliticize higher education governance. The bill, as amended, was reported favorably. The remainder of the meeting was devoted to confirmation hearings for university and college boards of trustees. Several appointees and reappointees from FAMU, UNF, Pensacola State College, UF, and UWF described their ties to their institutions and goals such as student success, workforce alignment, military support, research, and regional access. The UWF nominees drew the most scrutiny over their votes for former board chair Scott Yenor, whose public comments about women and other groups were criticized by senators and public commenters. Some nominees said they were unaware of the full scope of those remarks and would not have voted for him with that knowledge; others defended their votes as based on his education-reform views. Public testimony also raised concerns about UWF board members’ lack of higher-education experience and local ties. The committee confirmed the non-UWF nominees in a block vote and then began individual votes on the UWF nominees, with debate centered on Yenor-related concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• New Hampshire Department of Education. New Hampshire Department of Education.
• Department of Education.
• through the US Department of Education. through the US Department of Education.
• cannot exclude religious education. cannot exclude religious education.
• <05:19:26.240> education<05:19:26.718> grant pupil adequate educ education grant pupil

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a hearing on House Bill 1571, which would direct the Department of Education to review and revise statewide academic standards and curriculum and make an appropriation. Representative Kristen Noble, the sponsor, said the bill is intended to update outdated standards, especially in math, and to have the department create a list of high-quality curriculum and materials aligned to the revised standards. She noted she would likely amend the bill to change a requirement that districts “shall” select from the list to “may,” and said a misplaced crossed-out section would need to be restored and moved by amendment. She also said assessments would need to be updated to match any new standards. Testimony from Marie Banfield strongly supported the bill and the move away from a mandate, arguing that current standards are outdated and that Common Core and related standards have not improved student outcomes. She criticized the math standards for emphasizing multiple strategies and written explanations over computation, and said stronger standards would better support students, including those with learning or communication challenges. She also argued that New Hampshire should follow examples such as Massachusetts, which she said used rigorous standards successfully. Nate Green of the Department of Education did not take a position on the bill but explained that the bill would affect statewide academic standards, state assessments, and potentially federal compliance. He distinguished academic standards from minimum standards in statute, said any standards revision would require work with content experts, State Board approval, and then a corresponding assessment update that could take about two years. He estimated assessment development costs could range from about $200,000 to $500,000 for minor revisions and $1 million to $2 million for a wholesale new set of standards. He also said the bill would apply to public and charter public schools, not private or homeschool students, and that the department does not currently provide a statewide list of curriculum materials because curriculum decisions have historically been local.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm calling this hearing of the Assembly Education Committee to order.
• Everyone, I'm calling this hearing of the Assembly Education Committee to order.
• California law already gives parents a limited opt-out from sex education.
• California law already gives parents a limited opt-out from sex education.
• Career education provides specialized training for jobs.

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:

• Black Education Act on 115, and the Bilingual Multicultural Education Act on 113.
• Education Act, the Black Education Act on 115, and the Bilingual Multicultural Education Act on 113.
• There are 29 PED public education specials.
• Just to quickly reiterate the challenge with virtual education right now, Gallup had... a virtual education
• If you include higher ed, 50% of the budget is education.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• requirements of proprietary education.
• So, this change removes education.
• of operating EMS education programs. of operating EMS education programs.
• . education. education.
• education that you are homeschooling. education that you are homeschooling.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Postsecondary Education met for its fifth meeting and first took up House Bill 236, which would remove dual licensure requirements for certain Kentucky EMS education and training programs licensed by the Kentucky Board of EMS. The sponsor and witnesses said the change would reduce red tape and costs for small EMS training providers, help address workforce shortages, and preserve existing training standards. The committee adopted a committee substitute, then passed the bill with favorable expression and adopted a title amendment. Members noted support from the Council for Proprietary Education and the Council for Postsecondary Education. The committee then heard House Bill 298 for discussion only, with no vote taken. The bill would extend KEES scholarship eligibility to students from non-certified schools, including homeschool, parochial, church, and other private schools, using dual-credit coursework, AP exams, and ACT scores to determine merit. The sponsor and a homeschooling witness argued the measure would create fairness for high-achieving students who are currently limited to the ACT supplement, and said homeschool students often take advanced coursework and dual-credit classes. Members asked about instructional hours, certification, eligibility criteria, and the fiscal impact; the sponsor said the bill had a fiscal note of about $290,000 in the first year and about $3.9 million at full implementation, and that the policy would apply to lottery-funded KEES dollars. Several members expressed support for both bills, while also seeking clarification on how homeschool and non-certified school programs operate and why some do not seek certification. The discussion emphasized that homeschoolers are treated as private schools under Kentucky law, that certification can be costly and time-consuming, and that the bill would not change existing academic standards for KEES eligibility. The meeting ended after the discussion of HB 298, with no committee vote on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the higher education budget bill.
• the full chair of the higher education the full chair of the higher education committee,<00:03:43.120
• But of the higher education committee.
• The value of education only tell it.
• But so is learning how to education.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• medical education. medical education.
• personally engage in medical education. personally engage in medical education.
• has no place in our medical education. has no place in our medical education.
• our Minnesota-based education system. our Minnesota-based education system.
• to get education to rise above poverty. to get education to rise above poverty.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate Committee on Education K-16 will come to order. The clerk will call the roll. Creighton?
• For families and educators.
• Just educate me a little bit on this.
• I noticed that as well, as a former educator myself.
• regarding special education campuses, and it is a directive to the Commissioner. of Education.

Bills: SB8, SB 8

Keywords: education, accountability, public school assessment, state law, transparency, intervention, performance ratings, sex designation, restroom access, civil penalties, private civil right of action, women's privacy, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There is one state special education program, specifically a special education funding program that's
• administrator of the special education administrator of the special education Bureau<00:50:13.200
• c> program program um IND education program program program um IND education program and<00:54:07.079
• allowed by the Department of Education allowed by the Department of Education but<01:05:39.880><
• I hope not special education? No, business administrators and special education administrators.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Department of Education’s Bureau of Wellness and Nutrition presented an overview of the school meal and child nutrition programs it administers, including the National School Lunch Program, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), After School Snack Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program, and Special Milk Program. Staff explained which programs are federally funded through USDA, which have state matching funds, and how reimbursement rates are set for different programs and fiscal years. They also walked the committee through a packet showing reimbursement tables, state and federal funding totals, and eligibility data. Members focused much of their questioning on how state and federal reimbursements work for lunch and breakfast, why lunch is shown as a state match while breakfast has meal-based breakdowns, and how the department allocates funds in the budget. The department explained that lunch uses a set state match tied to federal requirements, while breakfast reimbursement is based on meals served. They also reviewed FY 22-24 funding trends, noting higher federal spending during COVID-era waivers and lower amounts as those waivers ended. A committee member asked for the data in Excel and the department agreed to provide it. The discussion also covered summer meal programs and the distinction between the Summer Food Service Program and Summer EBT. Staff explained that SFSP provides meals at approved open or closed sites, while Summer EBT is a separate DHHS-run benefit program that provides funds to families; the two programs coordinate through data sharing but are not the same. Members also discussed CEP, with staff explaining that New Hampshire currently has three schools participating, that the qualifying threshold was reduced from 40% to 25% identified students, and that districts must cover the non-federal share with non-federal funds. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• of Career and Technical Education Directors, Technical Education Directors and the Superintendents Association
• It requires the Agency of Education to provide recommendations for the General Assembly regarding education
• and the State Board of Education.
• For OAE, Agency of Education, child For OAE, Agency of Education, child and adult care feeding program
• , that didn't get in there, but the on the education conference committee, On the education conference

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION SUBCOMMITTEE WILL NOW COME TO ORDER.
• EDUCATION IS A NONPARTISAN ISSUE.
• AFTER CONSIDERING FULL LITERARY AND EDUCATIONAL VALUE.
• IT IS NOTHING TO DO WITH SEXUAL EDUCATION.
• BE AGE-APPROPRIATE AND EDUCATIONAL.

Transcript Highlights:

• Daryl Smith, Arkansas Department of Education. Greg Rogers, Department of Education.
• And maybe you can educate me about that.
• I sat multiple times on the Education Committee in the Senate, and I've said on the Educational Institution
• And I'm tired of being 48th or 49th in education.
• It's not about an institution of public education.

Summary: The Arkansas Legislative Council meeting began with approval of the December 2025 minutes and a presentation from the Bureau of Legislative Research on the December revenue report. Dr. Carlos Silva said gross collections were about $4.02 billion, up slightly from the prior year, and net available for distribution was also above last year but down modestly from the previous month because of higher-than-expected corporate income tax refunds. Members asked about corporate tax trends, tariffs, and inflation, and Silva said it was too early to call the corporate decline a trend and that tariff effects would likely show up mainly in sales tax collections. The council then adopted several subcommittee reports, including the Executive Committee Subcommittee, Administrative Rules, Hospital/Medicaid/Developmental Disabilities, Occupational Licensing Review, PEER, Review, State Insurance Program Oversight, and Personnel. The PEER report drew the most debate because of a Department of Agriculture grant tied to Perry County and Central Arkansas Water; members discussed whether removing the Perry County portion would affect the grant’s competitiveness, and the report was ultimately adopted with the item included. The Review Subcommittee also heard questions about a BDO contract for the rural health transformation program, with DFA explaining that the contractor would manage the program while state agencies would make funding decisions consistent with the state’s application. A major portion of the meeting focused on the Education Freedom Account appropriation tied to LEARNS. Senators and representatives debated whether the program helps families or diverts money from public schools, with supporters arguing it funds students and choice and opponents arguing it is costly, vulnerable to fraud, and harms public school funding. Department of Education officials said roughly 28,000 private school students and 17,500 homeschool students were participating, that EFA students must submit standardized tests annually, and that the requested $32 million was to cover existing participants. After multiple substitute motions and extended debate, the body rejected a motion to strip out the $32 million and then adopted the report and related motions. The meeting ended after routine approvals of additional agency items and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• $33.9 million for special education aid. $33.9 million for special education aid.
• The state is putting in 1.25 FTE for special education through the Department of Education.
• education to career technical education. education to career technical education.
• special education.
• special education.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The commission met to review and amend the minutes from its previous meeting, correcting the date, several spelling and wording errors, and clarifying references to a scholarship fund and a member’s title. The minutes were then approved as amended, with some members abstaining because they were not present at the prior meeting. The chair then turned to the commission’s work plan under SB 57, emphasizing the need to prioritize the statutory topics and identify which issues require additional research, documentation, and possible spreadsheets. Members discussed a broad range of special education cost drivers and policy questions, including student referral rates, why students are classified as other health impaired, whether referrals increased after COVID school closures, intervention processes before referral, the cost of services required under IEPs and 504 plans, differences between federal law, state law, and DOE rules, reporting of special education costs, out-of-district and residential placements, district sharing of resources, dispute resolution, graduation rates, and adult learning outcomes. Several members raised concerns that school environments, mental health, bullying, and possible overidentification may be contributing to rising special education numbers and costs, while others cautioned that some reported district percentages may be inflated or unclear because of how the data are counted. A major portion of the meeting focused on HB 742, which would eliminate prorated special education aid when state appropriations are insufficient and require the governor to draw a warrant to cover shortfalls. Representative Ames explained that the bill had been recommended for interim study because the commission is already examining special education costing, and he highlighted the gap between FY24 special education costs of about $977.1 million and state aid of $33.9 million for catastrophic aid, $67.4 million for differentiated aid, and $50.8 million in federal IDEA funds, leaving local districts to cover about $825.1 million. He argued the commission should ultimately make clear that both the federal government and the state should contribute more. The Department of Education, through Melissa White, answered questions about data and oversight. She said special education counts come from IEPs entered into the state system using SASIDs, that DOE monitors districts through both desk audits and on-site visits, and that billing is checked against the services listed in each student’s IEP. She also said DOE’s special education work is largely federally funded, with roughly $56.7 million received through IDEA this year and about $49.1 million flowing through to LEAs, while the department retains a small amount for administration and statewide support activities. Members also discussed how adequacy calculations use special education counts from the state system and how those figures are reported.

Transcript Highlights:

• Act, the Black Education Act, and the Bilingual Multicultural Education Act.
• health efforts, our training of our educators.
• The School Budget Bureau does a lot of education.
• I'm also on the Education Committee.
• like these help to bridge the gap between education, bridge the gaps of education for these minority

Keywords: 996, all