State Actions Update: 2025 K-12 Education Bills Surge in 32 States

For education advocates, January always brings a flurry of student-focused legislative activity—and 2025 is no different! Across the country, governors and state lawmakers are hitting the ground running with bold K-12 proposals aimed at raising student achievement, expanding opportunity, strengthening the teacher pipeline, creating distraction-free learning environments and improving college and career readiness. 

More than 30 governors have already laid out ambitious 2025 education priorities in their State of the State addresses, with more expected in the coming weeks. And, with nearly 150 bills filed in 32 states across a broad array of key policy areas, ExcelinEd in Action is tracking the latest student-centered legislation shaping this year’s education landscape.  

The latest National Assessment on Education Progress (NAEP) results, released on January 29, reinforce why this momentum matters. Reading scores continued to decline, and while fourth grade math saw slight gains, progress was concentrated among higher-performing students. But it’s not all bad news. Some states—including Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana, South Carolina, and Tennessee—are proving that strong school accountability, evidence-based instruction, high-quality materials and high expectations for student achievement can drive real results. 

As legislative sessions continue, expect to see policymakers across the nation using these data to craft solutions that close learning gaps, expand opportunity and prepare students for their next chapter—whether that’s postsecondary education or higher-wage, high-demand careers. Now more than ever, it’s critical for states to stay the course on rigorous accountability, investing in literacy and math, and measuring progress to inform policy solutions that put students first. 

To explore the latest education legislation moving in your state, scroll down or use the quick links below. (To stay updated on the status of the latest legislation, sign up for our Weekly State Actions Update emails.)

Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | Colorado | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Maryland | Massachusetts | Mississippi | Missouri | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Mexico | New York | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Virginia | Wyoming

Alabama 

• Alabama Rep. Leigh Hulsey pre-filed HB 9, which would ban the harmful practice of three-cueing from K-12 instruction and educator prep programs. The bill awaits a committee hearing. 

Alaska 

• Alaska Rep. Zack Fields introduced HB 57, which would require the department of education to develop and adopt a model policy that prohibits the use of non-school-issued wireless telecommunications devices in public schools during regular school hours, including lunch and passing periods. The bill was heard last week, and a committee vote is expected next week.  
• Alaska Rep. Ashley Carrick introduced HB 9, which would improve funding equity for charter schools by mandating that a proportional amount of any additional funding raised by local governments for traditional public schools be set aside for charter schools. The bill awaits its first committee hearing. 

 Arizona 

• Arizona Rep. Matt Gress’s HB 2020 would mandate an annual study of teacher supply and demand to provide policymakers the information they need to improve retention and strengthen the teacher pipeline. The bill heads to its first committee stop this week. 
• Arizona Rep. Gress introduced HB 2170, which would require Individualized Education Plans and supports for a student diagnosed with dyslexia. The bill is scheduled for a hearing in the House Education Committee next week. 
• Arizona Rep. Gress introduced HB 2609, which would require public and charter schools to automatically enroll proficient students in advanced mathematics courses unless parents opt out. 
• Arizona Rep. Gress’s HB 2020 passed both the Arizona House Education and Appropriations Committees this week. The bill mandates an annual study on the state’s teacher supply and demand to identify shortages and surpluses and inform policymaker decisions to improve teacher retention and workforce planning. 
• Arizona lawmakers introduced bills to limit distractions in the classroom:  
  • Rep. Beverly Pingerelli’s HB 2484 would mandate public schools limit student use of wireless devices during the school day, except when directed by teachers or in emergencies. 
  • Sen. Shawnna Bolick’s SB 1227 would amend the school safety program to cover costs associated with implementing phone-free classrooms. 
• Arizona Rep. Cesar Aguilar introduced HB 2677, which would allow schools that serve middle school students in grades 6-8 to offer career and technical education courses that count toward eighth grade promotion and high school graduation requirements. The bill awaits its first committee hearing.

Arkansas 

• Arkansas Sen. Tyler Dees introduced SB 142, the “Bell to Bell, No Cell Act.” The legislation would require districts to prohibit cell phone use throughout the school day and require policies to be approved by the Department of Education. The bill passed the Senate, passed its only House committee stop and now heads to the House floor. 
• Arkansas Rep. Julie Mayberry introduced HB 1283, which would require the Department of Education to create digital literacy standards to teach K-12 students about responsible use of digital platforms. The bill awaits consideration at its only committee stop. 

Colorado 

• Colorado Reps. Bob Marshall and Matt Soper’s  HB 2-1037 would create a refundable tax credit program for teachers to offset their classroom expenses, such as supplies and supplemental education materials. The bill will be considered in its first committee next week. 

Delaware 

• Delaware Rep. Kimberly Williams’ HB 12 would establish the Teacher Academy Scholarship to support college students pursuing careers in education. The scholarship would provide $2,500 for one year to individuals who complete a Delaware Teacher Academy and enroll full-time in an in-state educator preparation program in the fall directly after graduating from high school. A maximum of 35 scholarships would be awarded annually with potential expansion based on interest and funding availability. The bill passed its first committee. 

Florida

• Florida Sen. Don Gaetz and Rep. Alex Andrade filed companion bills SB 140/HB 123, which would 1) revise the process for converting traditional public schools to charter schools; 2) allow high-performing school districts to apply for a new, career-focused charter school type called a “job engine” charter designation; and 3) require unused school property to be prioritized for charter schools’ use or as affordable housing for teachers, first responders and military personnel. The bills await a committee designation.  
• Florida Sen. Gaetz and Rep. Kim Kendall filed companion bills SB 102/HB 127, which would establish a workforce credential program specifically for students with disabilities. The bills await a committee designation.  
• Florida Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez filed SB 136, which would give local school districts more autonomy in implementing teacher salaries by removing cost-of-living adjustment requirements for teachers’ salaries, the mandate that school districts must use the state’s current state-level merit pay requirement and the mandate of performance-based salary schedules. 
• Florida Rep. Javonte Edmonds filed HB 335, which proposes a minimum teacher salary of $65,000, introduces salary supplements for struggling schools and requires school districts to submit updated salary plans annually. The bill awaits committee reference. 
• Florida Sen. Danny Burgess’s SB 270 would expand eligibility for Florida’s Bright Futures Scholarship Program to include students from military families under certain circumstances. This program rewards Florida high school graduates for academic achievement. The bill awaits committee referral. 
• Florida Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis’s HB 167 would require public high schools to establish a Bright Futures Scholarship mentorship program that ensures students have access to a school counselor to help track their progress toward qualification; requires schools to run an outreach campaign to inform the public of the program; and allows former recipients to connect with current students. This bill awaits committee hearing. 
• Florida Rep. Shane Abbott’s HB 151, which would allow private school students to participate in sports at another school if their school does not offer their desired sport, passed out of subcommittee and heads to its last committee stop. The companion bill, Sen. Corey Simon’s SB 248, awaits committee scheduling. 
• Florida Sen. Tom Wright filed SB 400, which would extend the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. The multi-state agreement makes getting started in a new school, joining extracurricular activities and meeting graduation requirements as easy as possible for military children. 
• Florida Rep. Anne Gerwig filed HB 261, which would remove the requirement passed by the legislature last year that prohibits public and charter middle and high schools from starting school before a specific time of day. The bill awaits its first committee assignment. Sen.  Bradley’s companion bill, SB 296, awaits committee hearing.

Georgia 

• Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp unveiled his budget requests with key education investments including:  
  • $141 million to fund the Georgia Promise Scholarship Program, which provides eligible K-12 students with scholarships (ESAs) to cover various educational expenses. 
  • an additional $21 million in 2025 and 2026 for dual enrollment programs, enabling students to earn both high school and college credits at approved institutions. 
  • an additional $340,000 to enhance school literacy programs by supporting literacy leads at all 1,343 K-3 schools.    
• Georgia Rep. Matthew Gambill filed HB 192, a college and career pathways bill that would align existing career-tech and academic credentials with in-demand careers; increase opportunities from high school to postsecondary programs in high-demand fields; and require a return on investment analysis to measure the effectiveness of secondary and postsecondary education-to-workforce programs aligned with the state’s high-demand career list. The bill passed its first hearing in subcommittee and heads to its first full committee hearing.

Hawaii 

• Hawaii Rep. Chris Muraoka filed HB 485, which would set clear guidelines for cellphone use during school hours, specifying educational purposes, restricting non-educational activities and establishing consistent enforcement measures. The bill awaits its first committee hearing.  

Idaho

• Idaho lawmakers introduced three private school choice bills in January. 
  • Rep. Wendy Horman’s HB 39 would establish the Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit, which would allow parents to apply for a refundable tax credit of up to $5,000 per student for qualified educational expenses such as tuition, textbooks and tutoring. The bill awaits its second hearing. 
  • Rep. Clint Hostetler’s HB 1 would create the Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit, allowing taxpaying parents to claim up to $9,500 for qualified K-12 educational expenses per child, including tuition, tutoring, textbooks and transportation. The bill awaits its first committee hearing. 
  • Sen. Dave Lent’s SB 1025 builds on the existing Empowering Parents Program by expanding microgrants for tuition and other eligible expenses for students from pre-K-12 grade. The bill awaits its first committee hearing. 
• Idaho Sen. Treg Bernt introduced SB 1032, which would limit student cellphone use in schools by requiring local school boards and charter schools to adopt policies to regulate the use of electronic communication devices during school hours. The bill awaits its first committee hearing.

Indiana 

• Indiana Reps. Jake Teshka, Julie McGuire and Bob Behning’s HB 1634 would require mathematics screenings for students in grades K-2 as well as support and interventions for students at risk of falling behind. It also would ensure high-performing math students are automatically enrolled in advanced math courses. ExcelinEd provided expert testimony in support of the bill. The bill was amended to add reporting requirements and passed out of committee. 
• Indiana Rep. Behning’s HB 1498 would task the Indiana State Board of Education with creating a new school accountability system based on student proficiency rates and other on-track indicators. The bill passed out of the House and is waiting to be assigned to a Senate committee. 
• Indiana Sen. Spencer Deery introduced SB 249, which would allow schools to give teachers bonuses without collective bargaining. An amended version of the bill passed out of committee this week. 
• Indiana Rep. Cory Criswell introduced HB 1323, which would make earning a teaching license simpler for high-demand subjects such as English/language arts and math. The bill awaits its first committee hearing. 
• Indiana Sen. Linda Rogers introduced SB 146, which would strengthen the teacher pipeline by increasing the minimum teacher salary to $45,000, creating a teacher incentivization grant and providing health insurance coverage, stipends for educators who teach in hard-to-fill positions and paid parental leave. The bill was amended to remove the paid parental leave provisions during the committee process and passed out of the Senate. 
• Indiana Sen. Deery introduced SB 255, which would strengthen the teacher pipeline by granting initial practitioner licenses to aspiring STEM teachers who have earned a relevant STEM degree and successfully complete at least nine academic credits in certain teaching instruction. The bill passed out of the Senate and heads to the House.   
• Indiana Sen. Jeff Raatz introduced SB 365, which would require the Indiana Department of Education to conduct a return on investment (ROI) analysis of career and technical education (CTE) programs. The published analysis must include access, alignment and outcome data, as well as recommendations for how to improve CTE. The bill passed out of committee this week. 
• Indiana Rep. Behning’s HB 1501 would create a pilot program for a third-party authority to take charge of school transportation and facilities and streamline services for all students. The bill awaits its first committee hearing. 
• Indiana Sens. Mike Bohacek and Liz Brown introduced SB 11, which would require children aged 16 and under to obtain parental consent to use social media platforms. The bill passed out of the Senate and heads to the House. 
• Indiana Rep. Sue Errington introduced HB 1296, which would task the Indiana Department of Education with establishing guidelines for creating an artificial intelligence (AI) policy, model school AI policy and an inventory of AI platforms. Each school is also required to adopt a policy regarding AI usage. This bill awaits its first committee hearing. 
• Indiana Rep. Behning introduced HB 1201, which would require the creation of a list of best practices for student discipline to reduce chronic absenteeism. The bill passed the House and was sent to the Senate.

Iowa 

• The Iowa Department of Education’s career education bill, HSB 44, would create a list of industry-recognized credentials for students in grades 9-12, require districts to report, but not make public, student credential attainment data and add career exploration opportunities for fifth and sixth graders. The bill passed in committee and heads to the House floor.  
• Iowa department leaders pre-filed two other legislative proposals that await committee referral. 
  • The Iowa Department of Workforce Development’s 1442 would streamline the department’s workforce development programs and update the Student Internship Program. 
  • The Iowa Department of Education’s 1454 would make charter and innovation zone school students, including those in online schools, eligible for district-to-community college sharing programs, which are partnerships between districts and community colleges to provide students with career and technical education and college readiness opportunities. The bill also would allow non-residents to serve as charter school board members. 
• Iowa Sen. Molly Donahue filed SF 78 to expand summer learning programs, teacher recruitment programs and programs that support the learning of skilled trades. The bill has been referred to its first subcommittee. 
• Iowa Rep. Skyler Wheeler and Sen. Lynn Evan filed companion bills, HSB 33 and SSB 1025, which would allow students enrolled in online courses to complete summative assessments online, with specific timing, monitoring and verification requirements. The bills are on track to pass in their subcommittees.  

Kansas 

• Kansas Sen. Renee Erickson’s SB 87 and the House Education Committee’s HB 2136 would expand state’s tax-credit scholarship program by removing the prior public school enrollment requirement; opening the program to foster children, military children and children of first responders; and increasing the credit value from 70% to 100% to encourage donations that go to support students. Both bills were heard in committee and await next steps.  

Maryland

• Maryland Del. Bernice Mireku-North’s HB 118 would allow Maryland to enter the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact. The bill was heard in its first committee and awaits a vote.  
• Maryland Sen. Jeff Waldstreicher’s SB 29 would establish a pilot initiative in Montgomery and Carroll County school systems to prohibit student cell phone use during instructional time with exceptions for documented educational or health purposes. The bill was heard in its first committee and awaits a vote.

Massachusetts

• Massachusetts Reps. Danillo Sena and Simon Cataldo and Sen. Sal DiDomenico’s HD 2329/SD 1716 would align literacy curricula with the science of reading, ban the harmful literacy instructional practice of three-cueing and establish professional development programs for educators. The bill awaits committee referral. 

Mississippi

• Mississippi Rep. John Faulkner’s HB 857 passed its committee stop and heads to the House floor. The bill would create a statewide adolescent literacy policy to support students in grades 4-8 by offering professional development for teachers in evidence-based practices and interventions designed to assist struggling readers. 
• Mississippi Rep. Rob Roberson introduced HB 1626 to help improve math outcomes for students. The bill includes progress monitoring for K-3 students to identify those who need additional support, evidence-based intervention programs and mandatory parental communication about student progress. The bill did not pass its committee stop. 
• Mississippi Rep. Donnie Bell has authored two college and career pathways bills, both of which passed the House and head to the Senate. 
  • HB 1412 would fund dual enrollment courses at community colleges for high school students pursuing credentials in high-demand, high-wage fields.  
  • HB 1556 would establish the Mississippi Career and Technical Education Employability Program, which would allow students to attend community college tuition-free for high-demand credentials, with remaining costs covered after financial aid is applied. 
• Mississippi Rep. Roberson introduced HB 1433, which would establish an Education Savings Account (ESA) program for students in “D” and “F” rated school districts under the state’s accountability model. The program would provide families with funding for educational expenses, including tuition, textbooks, tutoring, and other qualifying costs. The bill passed its committee stop. 
• Mississippi Rep. Jansen Owen’s public school choice legislation, HB 1435, would eliminate the requirement for a student’s home district to approve transfers to another district and require districts to publicly share their transfer policies and available capacity. The bill passed the House and heads to the Senate  
• Sen. Briggs Hopson’s SB 2151 would require all school districts to adopt policies prohibiting cell phone use throughout the school day. The bill passed the Senate and heads to the House. 

Missouri

• Missouri Sen. Mike Henderson and Rep. Ed Lewis introduced early literacy companion bills, SB 556 and HB 941. The legislation would ban the use of the harmful three-cueing literacy instructional practice and mandate instruction based on the science of reading. The House Bill was referred to its first committee stop. 
• Missouri Rep. Bishop Davidson’s HB 33 would allow the introduction of a STEM Career Awareness Activity Program for high school students in the 2026-27 school year. This bill awaits committee referral. 
• Missouri lawmakers advanced four bills to strengthen the teacher pipeline. 
  • Rep. Mark Matthiesen’s introduced HB 639, which would establish paid parental leave for school employees. School employees would be eligible for up to 12 weeks of leave with partial or full pay for the birth or adoption of a child. The bill awaits committee referral.   
  • Rep. Lewis introduced HB 792, which would allow for unused funds from the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Scholarship to provide additional scholarships for students in their final semester of teacher preparation programs. Scholarships would be capped at the cost of one semester’s tuition at the University of Missouri-Columbia for Missouri residents. Funds may also be used to cover teacher preparation costs at four-year institutions. The bill awaits a committee referral. 
  • Rep. Kathy Steinhoff’s HB 444 would establish the Missouri Teachers Matter Grant Program to provide financial incentives, up to $5,000 annually, for teachers who renew their contracts and complete additional self-directed duties. The bill awaits committee referral.  
  • Rep. Brenda Shields’s HB 267 would extend the state’s teacher externship program, which provides teachers with professional development by allowing them to spend time working in industries outside of the classroom to learn about current practices, technologies and skills that they can bring back to their teaching. The bill heads to its first committee stop. 
• Missouri lawmakers advanced six public school choice bills.   
  • Missouri Rep. Brad Christ’s HB 498 would expand public school options by allowing public charter schools to be established in any school district in a county with more than 1 million people. The bill would also include newly established charter schools in the funding mechanism for charter schools. The bill heads to its first committee stop.  
  • Missouri Rep. Doug Clemens’s HB 405 would increase burdensome regulations on charter schools by requiring they be sponsored only by local school boards or special administrative boards, meet unnecessary accountability standards and potentially lose their charters based on performance and compliance with new regulations. The bill awaits committee referral. 
  • Missouri Rep. Michael O’Donnell filed HB 447, which would expand charter school eligibility by allowing them to operate in any district within a charter county and districts with more than 30,000 students. The bill also repeals certain provisions regarding how changes in district accreditation affect charter schools and prohibits St. Louis City from restricting charter schools from using city-owned properties for educational purposes. The bill awaits a committee referral.  
  • Sen. David Gregory’s SB 70 companion bill extends open enrollment to include both public and charter school students. The proposal includes the creation of a model policy for school districts and establishes the $80 million Parent Public School Choice Fund to assist low-income students with transportation costs for open enrollment transfers. The bill awaits a hearing in its first committee. 
  • Rep. Brad Pollitt’s HB 711 would allow public school students (excluding charter school students) to utilize open enrollment starting in kindergarten. The bill passed in committee.  
  • Sen. Curtis Trent’s SB 215 would expand open enrollment by allowing students to transfer across school districts; require districts to report their capacity for accepting new students; eliminate the practice of requiring inter-district transfer students to pay tuition to their receiving district school; mandate transportation for transfer students; and ensure that no student faces discrimination based on factors including residency, academic performance and/or disability. The bill heads to its last committee stop.    
• Missouri leaders filed two bills to expand private school choice options. 
  • Missouri Rep. Cathy Jo Loy’s HB 77, Sen. Nick Schroer’s SB 53 and Sen. Rick Brattin’s SB 195 would create the Missouri Parental Choice Tax Credit Act, a refundable tax credit that private or home school families could claim to be reimbursed for their child’s educational expenses up to $6,760. This bill awaits committee referral. 
  • Missouri Rep. Josh Hurlbert’s HB 568 would incentivize more donations to the Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (MO Scholars) Program by allowing charitable donors to education assistance organizations (EAOs) to apply their credit to any tax year up to four consecutive tax years. EAOs provide students with education scholarship accounts to use for educational expenses. This bill awaits committee referral. 
• Missouri Sen. Jill Carter filed SB 150, which would create and launch the “Career-Tech Certificate Program” in the 2026-2027 school year. The program would reimburse tuition and other educational expenses for eligible students pursuing career and technical education. The bill was heard in its first committee.   
• Missouri Rep. Travis Wilson’s HB 512 would expand the number of programs eligible for additional funding by having the State Board of Education review and classify more programs as career and technical education programs. This bill awaits committee referral. 
• Missouri Rep. Kathy Steinhoff’s HB 306, Rep. Jamie Gragg’s HB 408 and Rep. Ed Lewis’ HB 854 would create phone-free learning environments for students during instructional time at publicly funded schools. The three bills were heard last week. 

Nebraska 

• Nebraska Sen. Jana Hughes filed LB 11, which would allocate funds to support the Nebraska Statewide Workforce and Education Reporting System and includes provisions for state aid to community colleges provided by the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education. The bill has been referred to the Appropriations Committee.   
• Nebraska Sen. Rita Sanders filed LB 140, which would require school districts to adopt a policy before the 2025-2026 school year for the use of cell phones and electronic communication devices while on school property. The bill was heard last week.   
• Nebraska Sen. Tanya Storer filed LB 383, which would prohibit minors from having social media accounts without parental consent. Social media companies are instructed to use a reasonable age verification method, confirm parental consent, allow parents to revoke consent for any reason and allow parents to supervise their child’s usage on the social media platform. The bill was heard last week. 
• Nebraska Sen. Terrell McKinney filed career pathways legislation, LB 45, which would provide underserved youth with job training, employment and mentorship opportunities. The program would develop skills that lead to certifications or qualifications for jobs in high-demand career fields.  
• Nebraska Sen. McKinney filed the Digital Skills Empowerment Act, LB 94, that would equip low-income individuals with digital skills training and certification as well as apprenticeship opportunities that lead to technology-related jobs. The bill was heard in its only committee and awaits a vote.

Nevada 

• The Nevada Assembly Committee on Education introduced AB 49, which would strengthen the teacher pipeline by removing barriers to licensure for out-of-state teachers and teachers who want to obtain an elementary teaching license. The bill heads to its first committee stop. 
• The Nevada Senate Committee on Education introduced SB 81, which would improve the teacher pipeline in areas where there are shortages by expanding eligibility for Teach Nevada Scholarships and the Nevada Teacher Advancement Scholarship. 
• The Nevada Department of Education’s SB 45 would allow publicly funded schools to apply for career and technical education (CTE) grants based on student enrollment in advanced courses, such as work-based learning, dual credit courses and industry recognized credential activities within CTE programs. 

New Hampshire

• New Hampshire Rep. Rick Ladd’s HB 115 would expand the state’s Education Freedom Account Program to become universal. The program currently serves more than 5,000 students from households with incomes at or below 350% of the federal poverty line. The bill awaits a vote in its first committee following a hearing last week. 
• New Hampshire Rep. Rick Ladd filed HB 131, which would require school boards to establish policies restricting cell phone use during instructional time unless explicitly permitted by an educator. The bill allows exceptions for students with disabilities and accommodations. The bill was heard in its first committee and awaits a committee vote. 
• New Hampshire Rep. Rick Ladd introduced HB 90 adjunct teachers and by providing local school districts flexibility in their hiring. Adjunct teachers would not need a State Board of Education credential if they work up to 20 hours per week, are employed as full-time or adjunct faculty by a New Hampshire university or community college and pass a criminal background check. The bill was heard in its first committee and awaits a vote. 
• New Hampshire lawmakers introduced two bills to expand college and career pathways.  
  • Rep. Rick Ladd’s HB 354 would create alternative certification pathways for career and technical education (CTE) instructors, making it easier to recruit skilled professionals for CTE programs. The bill was heard in its first committee and awaits a vote. 
  • Rep. Glenn Cordelli’s HB 193  clarifies language around dual enrollment to ensure that students are allowed to take up to four free courses per year in high school grades 10-12. The bill passed its first committee.

New Mexico

• New Mexico Rep. Debbie Sariñana introduced HB 110, which would add New Mexico as the 13^th state in the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact, which simplifies teacher mobility across member states by establishing a streamlined regulatory framework. 
• New Mexico Sen. Crystal Brantley introduced SB 11, which would encourage the adoption of policies limiting cellphone use and reimburse school districts or charter schools for specialized storage equipment necessary to implement an anti-distraction policy. The bill is moving in the Senate.

New York 

• New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Executive Budget proposes a statewide restriction on cell phones and other internet-enabled devices during school hours to create a distraction-free learning environment. The proposed budget allocates $13.5 million to support schools implementing phone-free policies and gives schools flexibility in how the policies are applied. Exceptions are included for medical reasons, English language learners and students with learning disabilities. 

North Dakota

• North Dakota Sens. Michelle Axtman, David Hogue and Donald Schaible and Reps. Glenn Bosch, Pat Heinert and Mike Lefor introduced SB 2241, which would allow public charter schools in North Dakota for the first time. Charter schools would be available to all state residents and would use a lottery system for admissions if applications reach capacity. The bill was heard last week. 

 Ohio 

• Ohio Sen. Andrew Brenner introduced SB 19, which requires schools to provide evidence based academic interventions to students demonstrating a limited skill level in math or English language arts. The bill also requires districts to develop an improvement and monitoring plan for students who qualify for math interventions. The bill had its first hearing.

Oklahoma 

• Oklahoma Sen. Dusty Deevers’s SB 256 would allow high-performing public school teachers with at least five years of experience to earn a special designation. The bill also would create a $50 million fund to reward designated teachers with additional compensation. The bill was referred to two committees.   
• Oklahoma Sen. Ally Seifried introduced SB 794, which would strengthen on-the-job training for student teachers by establishing student teaching requirements, including completion of a minimum number of weeks of field experience or completion of a qualified job-embedded, competency-based teacher registered apprenticeship program.   
• Oklahoma Sen. Adam Pugh introduced SB 235, which would strengthen the teacher pipeline by creating the Grow Your Own Educator Program. The program would provide public school districts with matching funds to support eligible school district employees pursuing undergraduate degrees from an accredited educator preparation program with tuition or loan repayment assistance. The bill received two committee referrals.   
• Oklahoma Sen. Seifried introduced SB 224, which would create the Oklahoma Education and Workforce Statewide Longitudinal Data System to collect and report on data needed to evaluate education-to-workforce programs, identify gaps in education and training, inform decision-making, allocate resources effectively and drive outcomes aligned to the state’s workforce needs. The bill received two committee referrals.   
• Oklahoma Sen. Pugh introduced SB 662, which expands the responsibilities of the Oklahoma Workforce Commission to implement programs designed to expand workforce development. The Commission would address high-demand workforce development, provide work-based learning opportunities and address K-12 district innovation for workforce success. The bill heads to the Economic Development, Workforce and Tourism Committee.   
• Oklahoma Sen. Kelly Hines introduced SB 366 to modify the Oklahoma Charter Schools Act and streamline the charter school authorization process by removing a requirement that applications first be submitted to the school district, instead allowing applications to be submitted to any eligible sponsor beginning July 1, 2025. The bill was referred to the Education Committee. 
• Oklahoma Sen. Micheal Bergstrom’s SB 472 would expand the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit Act’s list of eligible expenses and increase the credit cap for parents claiming private school expenses. The bill also would create a new credit for non-public learning programs and tutoring services with a $250 million annual credit cap. The bill was referred to two committees. 

South Carolina

• South Carolina Sen. Hembree pre-filed S 65, which would require school districts to adopt a policy that at minimum would prohibit the use of cell phones and other personal devices by students and teachers during academic instruction. The bill awaits a committee hearing. 
• South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster released his proposed budget priorities. His key education investments include:  
  • $200 million to raise starting teacher salaries to $50,000. 
  • $95 million for SC Workforce & Industrial Needs Scholarships (WINS) that support students pursuing high-demand careers at technical colleges. 
  • $90 million for new math-aligned instructional materials. 
  • $30 million for the state’s ESA program. 
  • an additional $19.3 million for summer reading camps.  
  • $5 million for teacher compensation to reward effective teachers. 
• South Carolina Sen. Greg Hembree’s S 62 would amend the state’s education scholarship account program, which was partially struck down by the South Carolina Supreme Court last year. Several amendments passed to eliminate burdensome requirements for families and provide greater autonomy for schools participating in the program. Language to expand the program’s income cap to 600% of the federal poverty level and reduce scholarship funding was removed. The bill passed its third and final reading in the Senate and now heads to the House for consideration. 
• South Carolina Sen. Sean Bennett filed S 268, which would require online service providers to protect minors’ data and ensure platforms are reasonably designed to prevent excessive use, anxiety and privacy intrusions. The bill would limit communication with minors, protect their data and allow opt-ins for features like chronological feeds while restricting targeted ads, location sharing and push notifications. The bill awaits its first committee hearing. 

South Dakota

• South Dakota Rep. Heather Baxter’s HB 1009 would establish the South Dakota Educational Empowerment Act, a universal education scholarship account program that would provide parents with funds to pay for students’ approved education expenses. Last week, Rep. Baxter filed an amendment to remove a requirement for ESA-eligible students to attend a private school in their first year participating in the program; to allow funds to be used for tutoring services; to make misuse of program funds a legal offense; and to require any leftover funds after a student’s ESA is closed to be transferred to the general fund. The Senate President has tabled the bill for the year.

Tennessee 

• Tennessee lawmakers passed the Education Freedom Act, establishing the state’s first universal education scholarship account program during last week’s special session. Sen. Jack Johnson’s and Rep. William Lamberth’s companion bills (SB 6001/HB 6004) would provide $7,075 scholarships for up to 20,000 students. Funds could be used for educational expenses, including tuition, fees, textbooks, curricula, transportation, tutoring, educational devices and summer programs. Half of the ESAs would be reserved for low-income students, students with disabilities, or those already eligible under Tennessee’s existing ESA program; the remaining scholarships would be open to all other Tennessee students. The bill awaits Gov. Bill Lee’s signature.     
• Tennessee Rep. Mark White filed HB 504, which would remove certain eligibility requirements for the future teacher scholarship and extend the program until 2030. The bill awaits its first committee hearing.   
• Tennessee lawmakers filed four bills that would foster distraction-free learning environments for students.  
  • Sen. Ferrell Haile and Rep. Rebecca Alexander filed companion legislation (SB 414/HB 419), requiring schools to adopt a policy that would prohibit phone use during the school day. The bills await their first committee hearings. 
  • Rep. Scott Cepicky and Sen. Joey Hensley pre-filed companion bills HB 13 and SB 10, which would require local boards of education to adopt a policy that prohibits students from using cell phones during instructional time with several exceptions, including emergencies and for students with an individual education plan. The bills await hearings in their first committees. 
• Two Tennessee bills were filed to address artificial intelligence in education. Both bills await their first committee hearings.   
  • Rep. Andrew Farmer’s HB 531 would require the Department of Education to issue guidance on implementing age-appropriate AI instruction, while also requiring schools to integrate AI instruction into the curriculum and provide professional development for educators.  
  • Rep. Mark Cochran’s HB 545 would provide AI professional development courses to teachers at no cost.

Texas

• Texas Rep. Greg Bonnen and Sen. Joan Huffman introduced HB 1 and SB 1 as companion budget proposals. The bills await further consideration at their only committee stops. These bills allocate: 
  • $1 billion to to fund the universal Education Savings Account (ESA) program currently being considered in the legislature.  
  • $4.9 billion to boost teacher pay (a $4,000 salary increase for all teachers and an additional $6,000 salary increase for teachers in rural areas).  
• Texas Sen. Brandon Creighton introduced SB 2, which would establish a universal ESA program. The ESA would cover educational expenses such as private school tuition and fees, textbooks and instructional materials and transportation. All students would be eligible for the program in the first year. The bill passed the Senate and heads to the House. 
• Texas Rep. Ben Bumgarner introduced HB 2205, which would require school districts to adopt policies prohibiting cell phone use during instructional hours. The bill awaits consideration at its only committee stop. 

Utah 

• Utah Sen. Val Peterson filed SB 260, which would strengthen college and career pathways by establishing a master list of approved industry-recognized credentials. These credentials will be transferable to higher education institutions and technical colleges. The bill awaits its first committee stop. 
• Utah Rep. Karen Peterson’s HB 265 would require the Utah Board of Higher Education to begin reviewing and reporting their student pathways over the next three years with the goal of removing or reducing funding for underperforming programs. This bill received its first committee hearing last week.    
• Utah Sen. Lincoln Fillmore filed SB 99, which would tie teacher bonuses to performance, incentivizing excellence in teaching and creating a pathway for professional recognition. The bill passed the Senate Education Committee and will likely see a Senate vote by the end of the week. 
• Utah Sen. Fillmore and Rep. Stephanie Gricius introduced  SB 29, which would improve charter school funding predictability by adjusting how initial enrollment estimates are approved. 
• Utah Sen. Lincoln Fillmore’s SB 178 would prohibit students from using cellphones, smart watches and emerging technology during classroom hours. This bill awaits its first committee hearing.    
• Utah Rep. Ariel Defay’s HB 168 would create an AI taskforce that would determine the use of AI in public and higher education. This bill awaits its first committee hearing.   
• Utah Rep. Jennifer Dailey-Provost introduced HB 192, which would add accountability measures to the Utah Fits All Scholarship by prohibiting certain expenses such as team uniforms, equipment and lift tickets. This bill awaits its first committee hearing.  

Virginia 

• Virginia Del. Carrie Coyner introduced HB 2286, which would create a parental and family leave program for educators that school boards can opt into. The bill was tabled, but a possible budget amendment could keep the policy alive. 
• Virginia Sen. Schuyler Van Valkenburg’s SB 955 passed the Senate and heads to the House. The bill would amend current law related to high-quality instructional materials, emphasize the use of evidence-based literacy instruction, define specific standards for curriculum and resource approvals and mandate enhanced support for reading intervention and remediation programs, especially for struggling readers.  
• Virginia Del. Bonita Anthony’s HB 2018 would strengthen the teacher pipeline by allowing the Board of Education to issue a three-year provisional teaching license to aspiring career and technical education teachers who have a high school diploma and an industry-recognized credential, certification or license in the area for which they seek an endorsement. The bill passed the House and heads to the Senate.
• Virginia Del. Katrina Callsen’s HB 2686 would require each school board to develop and adopt a policy establishing eligibility criteria for students in grades 5-8 to enroll in advanced or accelerated mathematics. The bill passed the House and heads to its first committee stop in the Senate. 

Wyoming

• Wyoming lawmakers introduced two school choice bills: 
  • Rep. Ken Clouston’s HB 198 would modify the Wyoming Education Savings Account Act with a tiered funding structure based on household income relative to federal poverty guidelines. 
  • Rep. Ocean Andrew introduced HB 199, which would change the state’s existing education savings account program, increasing the annual scholarship amount for students from $6,000 to $7,000 and remove household income restrictions, making all Wyoming resident students eligible for the scholarship.