Welcome to ExcelinEd in Action’s monthly report on legislative activity. This exciting roundup gives a quick snapshot of the bills we are monitoring and advocating for across the nation. Join us as we promote and defend quality, opportunity and innovation in education for all students in America.
Highlights:
Both West Virginia and Kentucky enacted new private education opportunity programs.
Legislation to expand broadband connectivity, with priority for schools and students, advanced in Florida, Indiana, Nevada and Texas.
The Oklahoma Legislature improved public school options for students through open transfer enhancements and real-time education funding.
Alabama
Charter improvement legislation, HB 487, by Chairwoman Terri Collins passed the House Education Committee and will be considered on the House floor. The bill allows public charter schools to receive a per student share of the net local tax revenue. It also allows charters to receive more accurate funding by basing their funding during their initial growth years on their anticipated enrollment, as provided in their approved charter school application.
Funding for the current Alabama Accountability Act Tax Credit Program would be improved through HB 559 by Rep. Charlotte Meadows. This legislation is awaiting consideration in the House Ways and Means Committee. HB 559 expands the cap on individuals’ tax liability from 50% ($50,000 max) to 75% (or 75k max) to be diverted to the program. This bill would require all scholarship granting organizations to ensure that scholarship funds on hand at the beginning of a calendar year are spent on scholarships within three calendar years to provide for more equal spending over time.
Arizona
SB 1572, sponsored by Sen. T.J. Shope, would ensure that all Arizona educators have the training they need to effectively teach reading and engage Arizona parents in addressing their child’s reading needs. This measure requires teachers to receive an early literacy endorsement in the science of reading before certification, the State Board to adopt a statewide kindergarten entry evaluation, and parent notification of reading intervention services. It passed the House Education Committee and awaits a hearing in the House Rules Committee.
Arizona also took steps toward increasing and expanding support for school tuition organizations, through Senate Bills 1041, 1118 and 1273. The three bills have passed the Senate and await committee readings in the House.
SB 1041 increases the maximum amount of tax credits that the Department of Revenue may disburse for contributions to a school tuition organization (STO) for displaced or disabled students.
SB 1118 expands tax credit scholarship eligibility to students who were homeschooled, moved from out of state. or held an Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA.) It also increases the maximum amount for a low-income scholarship.
Finally, SB 1273 expands the list of permitted expenditures of an STO educational scholarship to include registration fees, extracurricular activities, standardized testing for college credit or readiness, and career and technical education industry certification assessments.
SB 1452, sponsored by Sen. Paul Boyer, would also expand the state’s ESA program by expanding eligibility to include children eligible for free and reduced-price lunch and children receiving Title I services. The bill awaits action in the House.
The Arizona Legislature is also considering innovative school transportation solutions in SB 1280, which appropriates $10 million in general funds for school transportation programs that provide grants to parents to cover transportation costs, as well as to public schools and municipalities to improve transportation options for students. The bill passed House Ways and Means and awaits floor consideration in the House and then concurrence in the Senate.
As the state considers how best to support Arizona families in getting to and from the school of their choice, the legislature is also considering improving the state’s open enrollment policy in HB 2427. The bill requires local education agencies to implement open enrollment policies that are transparent and easy for parents to navigate; publish their open seat numbers; place students denied enrollment due to capacity limits on a waitlist; give enrollment preference to residents, returning or sibling students; and prohibiting them from requiring student demographic information before students are enrolled.
HB 2862, sponsored by Rep. Michelle Udall, allows school districts and public charter schools to adopt instructional time models that provide students with required instructional time through modified courses, remote learning and student schedules. The bill passed the Senate Finance Committee and awaits final action on the Senate floor. ExcelinEd in Action published a blog in support.
Arkansas
Computer science legislation, SB 107 by Sen. Jane English, was signed by Governor Asa Hutchinson to create the Computer Science Education Advancement Act of 2021. This will require students entering high school beginning in 2022-23 to earn a Department of Education-approved computer science credit.
Colorado
Sen. Jeff Bridges and Sen. Paul Lundeen introduced SB 119, which requires the state and schools to monitor and report the top ten in-demand industry credentials and the number of students earning the credentials. It also provides financial incentives for schools to encourage students in grades 9-12 to complete credential, internship or AP courses. The bill passed unanimously out of the Senate Education Committee and will be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee on April 1.
SB 106 strengthens the state’s high school innovative learning pilot program and establishes the fourth-year innovation pilot program to provide funding to low-income students who graduate early from high school to use toward their post-secondary education. It also passed the Senate Education Committee.
Connecticut
Rep. Kerry Wood and Rep. Tami Zawistowski introduced HB 6175, which establishes a tax credit scholarship program, received its first public hearing. This measure will encourage more people to donate to scholarship programs to benefit thousands of students.
HB 6620, introduced by the House Education Committee, establishes an office to lead the state’s intensive reading instruction to improve student literacy and address issues relating to equity and opportunity gaps. The bill passed the House Education Committee.
Florida
House Pre-K-12 Appropriation Chair Randy Fine introduced a school choice bill HB 7045, which passed its first of two committees. The bill:
Removes the prior public enrollment requirement for Florida’s private school choice programs.
Exempts low-income students who were in the public school system the prior year, military, foster, adopted students and certain students with IEPs and 504 plans who were in the public school system the prior year from counting toward scholarship enrollment caps.
Combines the Gardiner Scholarship and the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program and moves them into the school funding formula.
Combines the McKay Scholarship and Family Empowerment Scholarship Program after one year.
The Senate’s school choice bill, SB 48, passed its final committee stop and is awaiting consideration on the Senate floor. The bill:
Removes the prior public enrollment requirement for Florida’s private school choice programs.
Combines the McKay and Gardiner Scholarship into one special needs ESA program.
Folds the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship and Hope Scholarship into the Family Empowerment Scholarship and converts the program into an ESA.
Legislation was introduced in both the House and Senate to establish the Purple Star Campus program, which would recognize schools that make an extra effort to help students whose parents are military servicemembers adjust to their new school. HB 429 by Rep. Andrew Learned passed its first of three committees and its Senate companion SB 938 by Sen. Tom Wright passed its second of three committees.
Rep. David Smith’s high-impact charter school bill, HB 1061, passed its second of four committees. The bill would allow Schools of Hope or charter management organizations that have a track record of successfully helping disadvantaged students academically achieve, streamline duties such as data reporting, annual financial audits and employee background screenings, similar to traditional district operations. It also increases the transparency of information on under-utilized district facilities so Hope Operators have a timely and fair opportunity to gain access to available school facilities.
Rep. Stan McClain’s public charter school bill (HB 51) passed its third of four committees. The bill would authorize state universities and colleges to sponsor charter schools. The Senate companion bill, SB 1028 by Sen. Travis Hutson, passed its first of three committees. Language similar to HB 1061 relating to the Schools of Hope was amended onto the bill.
House Early Learning and Elementary Education Subcommittee Chair Vance Aloupis, Jr., introduced HB 7011. The bill would identify and help students who have deficiencies in reading by implementing a Voluntary Pre-K through eighth-grade screener and progress monitoring system. The bill passed its first of two committees. The Senate companion bill, SB 1898 by Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez, passed its second of three committees.
Freshman Rep. Dana Trubulsy’s book delivery bill CS/HB 3 passed its second of three committees. The Senate companion SB 1372 by Sen. Danny Burgess passed its second of three committees as well. The New Worlds Reading Initiative would deliver books to elementary school students who read below grade level.
Freshman Rep. Fred Hawkins’ computer science bill, HB 559, passed its second of three committees. The bill would require age-appropriate computer science instruction for elementary and middle school students.
Rep. Josie Tomkow’s broadband internet bill (HB 1239) passed its first of three committees. The bill would reduce taxes on installation equipment to expedite critical infrastructure expansion. It also allows for equitable agreements between service providers and municipal utilities to attach necessary equipment to establish broadband service in unserved areas.
Freshman Rep. Alex Rizo’s Education bill HB 507 passed its second of four committee stops. The bill would provide all high school students an opportunity to take one ACT/SAT test for free. The Senate companion bill by Sen. Manny Diaz (SB/CS 1108) passed its second of three committees.
Freshman Rep. Lauren Melo’s workforce bill (HB 1505) and Rep. Clay Yarborough’s HB 1507 together would overhaul the workforce system to better help students, workers, and job seekers find good-paying jobs and careers and implement targeted funding to help students earn postsecondary credentials. Both bills passed their third of four committees.
Sen. Jeff Brandes’s civil liability bill (SB 72) passed in both chambers and approved by Governor Ron DeSantis. The bill protects private schools from unsubstantial liability lawsuits regarding COVID-19.
The Senate passed legislation that would establish the Dual Enrollment Scholarship Program. Sen. Ray Rodrigues’ postsecondary education bill (SB 52) would pay for private, homeschool and public school students to take summer dual enrollment courses, as well as fall and spring dual enrollment tuition for private and homeschool students. The House companion bill, HB 281 by Rep. Ardian Zika, passed its second of four committees.
Georgia
Several bills to improve and expand public and private school choice to students across Georgia have been moving through the legislative process.
Both chambers approved SB 47 by Sen. Steve Gooch. The bill expands the existing Georgia Special Needs Scholarship voucher program to allow three additional groups of students to participate: students with 504 plans, students who attend a public special needs preschool, and foster and adopted students. The bill would also improve program transparency and responsiveness to families. SB 47 heads to Governor Brian Kemp for his approval.
HB 517 by Rep. John Carson, which would increase the amount that individuals or businesses can donate to the Georgia Tax Credit Scholarship program, has passed its chamber of origination. The bill received a favorable vote from the Senate Finance Committee and moves to the full Senate.
SB 59 by Sen. John Albers, which creates more funding equity among public schools by increasing per-pupil funding for public charter school students, also passed its chamber of origination. The bill received a favorable vote from the House Education Committee and moves to the full House.
Iowa
HF 813, a House Education Committee bill, passed out of subcommittee. This bill would overhaul the state’s limited charter school law.
HF 808 doubles the tax credit for children attending private school from $1,000 to $2,000. Additionally, the bill improves the state’s open enrollment law. This bill passed out of the House Education Committee.
Idaho
The Idaho Senate passed HB 294, which would make last year’s popular Strong Students, Strong Family grant permanent, allowing Idaho families to continue to personalize their child’s education through digital tools, learning support and supplemental resources. The bill awaits concurrence and final passage in the House.
Illinois
Rep. Jackie Haas introduced HB 3324, requiring schools to administer universal screeners for K- 2 students to screen for dyslexia risk factors. Students who show signs of dyslexia on the universal screener would be given a Level I dyslexia screening. If either screener shows risk factors, the student would receive intervention through the multi-tiered support system.
Indiana
The Senate School Funding Subcommittee held a hearing on the K-12 provisions of the budget. ExcelinEd in Action testified in support of the following provisions:
An increase in K-12 public school tuition support of 1.25% in FY 2021 and a 2.5% increase in FY 2022;
An increase in per-pupil charter school funding from $750 per student to $1,000 in FY 2021 and to $1,250 in FY 2022;
$250 million in broadband grants;
$150 million in learning loss grants;
An increase in tax credits for the tax credit scholarship program of $1.5 million in FY 2021 and an additional $1 million in FY 2022; and
A continued $3 million annual appropriation for the state’s Next Level Computer Science Program.
The House Education Committee passed SB 358, authored by Sen. Linda Rogers, which would improve the state’s rental and purchase law for charter schools to provide them more access to unused school buildings. ExcelinEd in Action testified in support of the bill.
The Senate Education committee passed HB 1549, authored by Rep. Bob Behning, to allow for an enrollment preference in charter schools for students whose prior charter school was shut down for poor performance.
Legislation to improve the state’s course access program continues to advance through the legislature.
HB 1438, authored by Rep. Tony Cook, provides more course options for students. It improves the state’s application process for course providers and requires the creation of a civics course to be offered in the state’s online course access program. This bill was heard in the Senate Education Committee on March 10, and ExcelinEd in Action testified in support. The bill has passed the Senate and is before the House for concurrence.
Related, Chair Raatz introduced SB 196 to expand the state’s course access program. The bill’s language was amended into HB 1438 on March 23. The legislation would expedite notification to students on their request to enroll in the course access program and make it harder for schools to deny students’ enrollment. The bill also would improve the course-provider authorization process and include more information on course access opportunities on schools’ websites.
SB 376, which broadens opportunities for students to complete their graduation requirements, was amended into SB 196 and passed the House. The bill allows students to earn Core 40 graduation requirement credit for alternative programs outside the classroom. Related to SB 196, HB 1397 passed the Senate Education Committee and allows schools to replace Core 40 courses with alternative STEM courses.
HB 1549, authored by Rep. Bob Behning, allows for an enrollment preference in public charter schools for students whose prior charter school was shut down for poor performance. The bill was heard in the Senate Education Committee.
SB 377, authored by Sen. Andy Zay, works to close the digital divide. In addition to providing broadband grants, the bill provides automatic approval of grant funding for families whose students are eligible for free and reduced-price lunch. The bill was heard in House Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications Committee. ExcelinEd in Action sent a letter of support when it was previously heard in the Senate Utilities Committee. Related, HB 1449 passed the Senate and will now be transmitted to the House for concurrence. It provides broadband grant funding for schools and students for at-home use. ExcelinEd in Action testified in support.
Kansas
HB 2119, filed by Chair Kristey Williams, seeks to create the state’s first education scholarship account program. Student eligibility includes those identified as at-risk, behind grade level or chronically absent. The bill also includes language similar to HB 2068 to expand the state’s tax credit scholarship program. This bill passed the House on March 30. ExcelinEd in Action sent a letter of support to the committee.
Legislation advanced in both chambers to improve the state’s existing education choice program, known as the Tax Credit for Low Income Students Scholarship. HB 2068, authored by House K-12 Budget Chair Kristey Williams, and companion SB 61 authored by Senate Education Chair Molly Baumgardner, expands student eligibility for the scholarship. All students who qualify for free and reduced-price lunch would be eligible, instead of limiting participation to only those students in the state’s lowest 100 performing schools. HB 2068 is awaiting a hearing on the House floor; SB 61 passed the Senate and received a hearing in the House. ExcelinEd in Action sent letters of support to the committees and issued a statement upon passage of SB 61.
Kentucky
Legislators in the Bluegrass State made history when they voted to override Governor Andy Beshear’s veto on HB 563. The bill, backed by Rep. Chad McCoy, Rep. Jerry T. Miller and Sen. Ralph Alvarado, establishes Kentucky’s first private school choice program and the nation’s first tax-credit funded education scholarship account program. The Educational Opportunity Accounts program will serve low-income families in seven counties across the state. The bill also provides vouchers for students to attend a different public school in adjacent districts.
Maryland
Del. William Wivell introduced HB 1113 to establish the state’s first Education Savings Account program. The bill awaits a hearing in the House Appropriations Committee.
Minnesota
SF 1525, filed by Senator Roger Chamberlain, passed out of the Education Finance and Policy Committee. This bill would create the state’s first ESA program. Any student who resides in Minnesota and attended a public school the previous semester would be eligible to receive a scholarship. ExcelinEd in Action provided testimony in support of the bill.
Rep. Richard Bennet’s teacher pay increase legislation, HB 852, passed the legislature and was signed by Governor Tate Reeves. Thanks to the legislature, Mississippi teachers will now receive a $1,000 annual salary increase.
Missouri
Multiple bills are moving in the House and Senate chambers that would expand educational options to thousands of Missouri families:
After consolidating numerous pieces of legislation, SB 55 and HB 349 would create Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, a tax-credit funded education savings account program. HB 349 was heard in the Senate and ExcelinEd in Action submitted testimony in support.
HB 543 by Rep. Brad Pollitt would establish the Public School Open Enrollment Act. This policy would allow students to transfer to a public school, whether inside or outside of their resident district, that better meets their needs. This bill passed the House.HB 137, sponsored by Rep. Doug Richey, would make changes to existing law to ensure public charter school students receive equitable funding. This bill has been added to the House calendar since passing the committee in February.
HB 320 by Rep. Travis Fitzwater and SB 204 by Sen. Cierpiot both would implement computer science courses in every school. The bills include additional provisions to track student participation. Since their initial committee hearing at the beginning of the month, HB 320 has passed the House and SB 204 is ready for floor debate in the Senate. ExcelinEd in Action submitted testimony in support.
The Missouri House Education Committee heard HB 1346, which would establish the “Rewarding Workforce Readiness in Institutions of Higher Education Act.” This bill would implement performance funding for higher education by tying state aid for universities to their graduated students’ earnings. ExcelinEd in Action submitted testimony in support.
SB 54 by Education Committee Chair Cindy O’Laughlin would speed up the reading assessment timeline, require schools to adopt reading success plans for grades K-4 and ensure students who are not reading on grade level receive appropriate interventions and support. SB 54 passed out of Senate Education.
SB 34, sponsored by Sen. Lauren Arthur, establishes the Show Me Success Diploma Program, which will give students more flexibility to take college credit-bearing courses and to graduate in a competency-based education learning environment. SB 34 was also heard in the Senate Education Committee. A similar bill, HB 624, was filed by Rep. Doug Richey, and passed the House in March.
SB 285, sponsored by Sen. Lauren Arthur, improves next generation learning by creating school innovation flexibility waivers to give schools more flexibility in implementing mastery-based education. Similar language was filed by Sen. Karla Eslinger in SB 265 and received a hearing in the Senate.
Nebraska
Nebraska would see its first private education choice program under LB 364, the Opportunity Scholarships Act. The tax-credit scholarship program, proposed by Revenue Chair Lou Ann Linehan, would empower families from low-income households to find the best educational fit for their children. The bill was voted out of the Senate Revenue Committee and continues to gain additional bill sponsors. ExcelinEd in Action created a parent-focused video explaining the proposed scholarship.
Nevada
Sen. Scott Hammond introduced SB 226, which requires the State Board to identify industry sectors with a high need of additional skilled labor. It also requires school boards to create industry credential course programs, apply for grants, reimburse students for credential assessment costs, and report the work to the state board and legislature. The bill also requires the State Board to establish career and technical education articulation agreements between school districts.
Sen. Heidi Gansert introduced a package of bills called the Nevada Education Recovery Act, which includes SB 273 to protect the Read by Grade Three funding from being diluted in the state’s new school funding formula. These dollars are critical to the state’s work to reverse learning loss, demonstrated by the state’s steady increase in NAEP reading scores since the program’s implementation. The bill awaits a hearing in the Senate Education Committee.
Sen. Gansert also sponsored SB 157, which reverses some of the restrictions lawmakers made to the Opportunity Scholarship program in 2019, which resulted in 1,245 students losing access to the scholarship. The bill will restore scholarships to those students.
Sen. Mo Dennis sponsored SB 215, which requires schools to develop formal plans for distance and personalized, competency-based education, as well as identify solutions for teachers and students who don’t have access to the necessary technology for distance learning. The bill was heard in the Senate Education Committee and awaits committee action.
The Senate Education Committee introduced SB 66, which was amended to require the Office of Science, Innovation and Technology to develop a statewide system of gathering data on the digital divide and to annually report the number of students who lack access to broadband or have insufficient bandwidth or devices for remote learning.
New Hampshire
The New Hampshire Senate Education Committee passed SB 130, which creates Education Freedom Accounts, a flexible grant that can be used for tuition, tutoring, online learning, textbooks and materials, internet connectivity, educational therapies, and other learning experiences. Priority would be given to students living at or below 300% of the federal poverty level. The bill awaits a vote on the Senate floor. ExcelinEd in Action issued a statement in support and created a parent-focused video explaining the proposed scholarship.
North Carolina
Rep. Jason Saine is carrying legislation to extend educational choice to a greater number of students in the Tar Heel State. HB 32 makes several changes to two of the state’s existing programs— the Opportunity Scholarship voucher and the Personal Education Savings Accounts. Key changes to Opportunity Scholarships include bumping the award amount from $4,200 to 70% of the average state per-pupil allocation in the prior fiscal year and allowing second graders to participate without having been previously enrolled in public school, which currently applies to only K-1 students. Additionally, the bill grows the Personal Education Savings Accounts by combining it with the Disabilities Grant program and allowing students with 504 plans, not just students with IEP plans, to be eligible.
Oklahoma
The Oklahoma House and Senate passed HB 2078, sponsored by Rep. Kyle Hilbert and Sen. Zach Taylor, establishes real-time funding to make sure every school is funded accurately for students who attended the school in the current or previous year, instead of over the past three years under the current system. The bill has been sent to Governor Kevin Stitt for his signature.
The Oklahoma Senate and House passed SB 783, sponsored by Sen. Adam Pugh, which strengthens the states open transfer act by allowing open transfers year-round and increasing transparency on district transfer decisions. Improving these open transfer policies will empower more Oklahoma families to choose the public school that’s best for their child. It has been sent to Governor Kevin Stitt for his signature.
South Dakota
Governor Noem signed SB 175, sponsored by Sen. Jim Stalzer, that expands the Partners in Education Tax Credit Program by eliminating grade eligibility for a tax credit scholarship and repealing the requirement that a student must attend a public school prior to participating in the program. These changes will provide more South Dakota families with educational opportunities. ExcelinEd in Action released a statement in support.
Texas
Companion bills, SB 1968 by Sen. Paul Bettencourt and HB 4537 by Rep. Mayes Middleton, aim to create an Education Savings Account program, titled the Family Educational Relief Program. This program would financially assist low-income families with private school tuition and fees, purchasing textbooks or other instructional materials, private tutoring and education therapies. The two bills have been introduced in their respective chambers.
Special Needs Microgrants Expansion legislation, SB 1716 by Sen. Larry Taylor, has been filed to make Governor Greg Abbott’s Supplemental Education Grant program permanent and expand the program to meet the needs of more special needs students enrolled in public schools. During the pandemic, Gov. Abbott allocated $30 million to provide $1,500 grants to students with special needs enrolled in the public school system.
Public charter school expansion legislation (SB 28)was heard in the Senate Education Committee. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Paul Bettencourt, would reduce the regulatory burdens placed on charter school operators and their expansion.
A bill to improve the accountability system for career and technical education students passed the House Education Committee. HB 773 by Rep. Gary Van Deaver would add students who successfully complete a program of study in career and technical education to the school accountability system.
Broadband expansion legislation has been voted favorably out of the House State Affairs Committee. HB 5 by Rep. Trent Ashby helps to address the digital divide by expanding broadband services for residents of Texas. ExcelinEd in Action is providing recommendations on the benefits of broadband for the delivery of education.
SB 226 by Sen. Angela Paxton improves professional learning standards for teachers around virtual learning and has been referred to Senate Education. The bill aligns the previously adopted standards for educator professional learning competencies to programs regarding digital learning, virtual learning and virtual instruction. SB 226 is awaiting a vote in the Senate Education Committee.
HB 4545 by Chairman Harold Dutton has been filed in the House and seeks to minimize learning gaps. This bill would establish a strong foundation grant program, providing accelerated instruction for students who fail to achieve satisfactory performance on certain assessments, and an accelerated learning and sustainment outcomes bonus allotment under the foundation school program.
West Virginia
West Virginia is celebrating the enactment of HB 2013, which establishes the state’s first education scholarship account program. Known as the Hope Scholarship, these flexible grants can be used for private school tuition, textbooks and curriculum, online learning, tutoring, occupational or instructional therapies, testing and other support services. With the passage of House Bill 2013, West Virginia becomes home to one of the most universal education savings account programs in the country.
West Virginia also enacted HB 2012, which expands public school choice options by creating an appeals process and independent charter board so potential charter schools have multiple authorization pathways. It also triples the number of charter schools permitted in the state, as well as creates a first-time process for establishing virtual charter schools.
Wisconsin
Numerous bills are making their way through the legislative process related to open enrollment and private school choice.
Sen. Dale Kooyenga’s SB 41, and companion bill, AB 59 by Rep. Barbara Dittrich, would increase educational options for families across the state. The bill would expand the existing voucher, the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program, by raising the income eligibility to 300% of the federal poverty limit. Additionally, the bill would allow more students to transfer to a public school that better meets their needs by improving the open enrollment application process. The companion bill, AB 59 by Rep. Barbara Dittrich.
Filed by Rep. Cindi Duchow, AB 118 allows students to participate in fully virtual and in-person educational options located outside of their assigned school district, through the state’s open enrollment program.
AB 119, filed by Rep. Amy Loudenbeck, removes a limitation restricting students from applying for open enrollment in more than three school districts.