State Actions Update: K-12 education policies move swiftly in February

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As February 2025 state legislative sessions progress, K-12 education policies are moving rapidly through statehouses—with major bills hitting governors’ desks. 

• Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders signed the “Bell to Bell, No Cell” Act, ensuring distraction-free learning in classrooms. 
• Idaho Gov. Brad Little approved the state’s first private education choice program, expanding learning options for families. 
• Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed the Education Freedom Act, establishing the state’s first universal education scholarship account program during special session. 
• Virginia lawmakers sent Gov. Glenn Youngkin three critical bills to improve math and reading proficiency and strengthen the teacher pipeline. 
• Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon signed a universal education scholarship program into law. 

Beyond these individual bills, several key policy trends dominated state legislative sessions in February 2025: 

• Distraction-free learning initiatives – Building on growing momentum, states are moving swiftly to limit cell phone use and reduce classroom—and learning—disruptions. 
• Closing learning gaps in reading and math – In the wake of declining NAEP results, states are advancing evidence-based literacy and math policies to screen students sooner, provide targeted interventions and improve educator preparation programs to better serve students in foundational subject areas. 
• Attracting and retaining high-quality teachers – Lawmakers are taking action to strengthen the teacher pipeline, address educator shortages and improve instructional quality. 
• Postsecondary and workforce readiness – States are introducing new pathways to career success, expanding work-based learning, career and technical education and initiatives to make postsecondary education more affordable. 

As K-12 education bills move through the policymaking process, it’s clear that state leaders are committed to ensuring students are prepared for success—both in school and in their future careers.  

Read on for a full breakdown of this month’s key state actions updates. To explore the education bills moving in your state, scroll down or use the jump links below. 

Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | Colorado | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Maryland | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Mexico | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Pennsylvania | South Carolina | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming 

Alabama

• Alabama Sen. Arthur Orr’s dual enrollment bill (SB 196) would allow eligible high school juniors and seniors to enroll full time in college courses at two-year public institutions and earn high school credit for their postsecondary coursework. The bill heads to the Senate floor. 
• Alabama Rep. David Faulkner’s HB 332, which would require at least one credit of computer science for a student to graduate from high school beginning with the graduating class of 2032, awaits its first committee hearing. 
• Alabama Rep. Leigh Hulsey and Sen. Donnie Chesteen’s companion bills (HB 166/SB 92) would establish cell phone-free learning environments during the instructional day with exceptions for educational purposes, emergencies, IEPs or documented medical needs and require that students complete a social media safety course. The bills await consideration in their full chambers. 
• Alabama Rep. Hulsey’s HB 9, which would ban the harmful practice of three-cueing from K-12 instruction and educator prep programs, heads to the Senate Floor. 
• Alabama Rep. Ginny Shaver and Sen. Vivian Figures filed companion legislation (HB 327/SB 199) to provide up to eight weeks of paid parental leave for state and education employees. The Senate bill passed its committee and heads to the chamber floor. The House bill awaits its first committee hearing. 
• Alabama Rep. Terri Collins’ HB 272, which would strengthen the teacher pipeline by expanding the state’s current educator loan assistance program beyond math, science and computer science educators to include a broader range of subjects facing shortages, passed committee and heads to the House floor. 

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. 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.    
• Arizona Sen. David Farnsworth introduced SB 1502, which would improve early literacy by mandating that teachers complete specific training in science of reading and dyslexia instruction and, for those teaching reading in grades K-5, obtain a literacy endorsement by 2028. The bill awaits its first hearing.   
• Arizona House Education Chairman Matt Gress introduced HB 2609, which would require publicly funded schools to automatically enroll proficient students in advanced mathematics courses unless parents object. The bill received a “do pass” recommendation in its first committee and heads to its next committee for consideration. 
• Arizona Rep. Matt Gress’s HB 2170, which would require Individualized Education Plans and supports for students diagnosed with dyslexia, passed the House and moves to the Senate. 
• Arizona House Rep. Matt Gress’s teacher pipeline bill, HB 2020, passed the House and heads to the Senate. The bill requires an annual study of the state’s teacher supply and demand to identify shortages and surpluses and inform policymaker decisions to improve teacher retention and workforce planning.  
• Two distraction-free learning bills are moving in Arizona. 
  • Rep. Beverly Pingerelli’s HB 2484, which would mandate public schools limit student use of cell phones and other devices during the school day except when directed by teachers or in emergencies, passed the House and heads to the Senate. 
  • Sen. Shawnna Bolick’s SB 1227, which would support the costs of implementing cell phone-free classrooms, heads to the Senate floor. 

Arkansas 

• Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders signed Sen. Tyler Dees’ “Bell to Bell, No Cell” Act (SB 142), which would establish distraction-free learning by requiring districts to prohibit cell phone use throughout the school day. 
• 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. 
• Arkansas Sen. Alan Clark’s SB 205 would expand public school choice by making it easier to transfer to another school within a student’s current district. The bill awaits consideration at its only committee stop. 
• Arkansas Rep. Matthew Shepherd and Sen. Jonathan Dismang introduced the Arkansas ACCESS Act (HB 1512/SB 246), a comprehensive bill to expand accelerated pathways in high school to college and career, expand access to higher education and non-degree credentials and align K-12 and higher education systems to better serve students. The companion bills await consideration at their only committee stops. 
• Arkansas Rep. Robin Lundstrum and Sen. Jane English introduced HB 1446, which would expand the state’s Arkansas Workforce Challenge program to fund students’ workforce training in high-demand areas, including healthcare, information technology and industry. The bill awaits consideration at its only committee stop. 

Colorado 

• Colorado Rep. Meghan Lukens’ HB 25-1135, which would require charter schools and local boards of education to limit student use of cell phones and other devices during the school day, passed the House and heads to the Senate. 

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 lawmakers introduced a number of bills that would close learning gaps in reading and math. They all await their first committee hearings. 
  • Rep. Alex Rizo’s HB 875 would strengthen early literacy and the teacher pipeline by establishing new requirements for teacher preparation programs that includes evidence-based reading practices, a statewide program to provide alternative pathways to enter the teaching profession and an institute at Miami-Dade College that would train high-quality teachers.  
  • Rep. Dana Trabulsy’s HB 1255 would strengthen math and literacy policy by a) requiring school districts to report how they prioritize the assignment of highly effective teachers in K-2, b) providing for Department of Education approval of district reading plans, c) requiring that the Department of Education define math interventions and what makes a “highly qualified math teacher,” and d) adding dyscalculia to the Department of Education’s review of teacher competencies.  
  • Sen. Alexis Calatayud and Rep. Susan Valdes’s companion bills (SB 1112/HB 1113) would improve the quality of math instruction by aligning the minimum math teacher preparation instructional hours with the national average and requiring the adoption of high-quality instructional materials.  
  • Sen. Corey Simon’s SB 442, a companion to Rep. John Snyder’s early literacy bill HB 1309, would strengthen intensive reading instruction and interventions for students in grades 4-12 and ensure district reading plans are aligned with state reading goals.  
• Florida introduced several bills to strengthen college and career pathway policies: 
  • Sen. Don Gaetz’s SB 102 would establish a workforce credential program specifically for students with disabilities, heads to its first committee hearing. The companion, Rep. Kim Kendall’s HB 127, awaits a hearing date. 
  • Sen. Tom Wright and Rep. Debbie Mayfield’s companion bills (SB 644/HB 467) would expand dual enrollment eligibility for students in adult education programs working toward a diploma. Both bills await committee referral. 
  • Rep. Lauren Melo’s HB 681 would expand opportunities for students to participate in work-based learning by improving and standardizing the current funding model for apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship and career and technical education programs. The bill awaits hearing in its first committee. 
  • Rep. Jason Shoaf filed education-to-workforce legislation, HB 1145, a companion to Sen. Corey Simon’s SB 742. The bill would give charter schools access to workforce grant funds and double the number of programs offered at Florida College System institutions that must be considered “money-back guarantees” if students do not find employment in their field of study and at a certain wage upon graduation. Both bills await their first committee hearing. 
  • Sen. Simon’s SB 1094, a companion to Rep. Kim Kendall’s HB 571, would require school districts to schedule work-based learning at a time that ensures the greatest number of students can benefit. The bill would also require high schools to host career fairs for students aged 16 and older with employers that are currently offering paid work experience. The bills await their first committee hearings. 
  • Rep. Jennifer Kincart Johnson and Sen. Colleen Burton’s education-to-workforce companion bills (HB 1105/SB 1688), which await their first committee hearings, would require state-approved student internships to be presented in counseling materials and courses required for graduation. 

• Florida lawmakers filed distraction-free learning bills that await their first committee hearings: 
  • Sen. Danny Burgess’s SB 1296 would require the Florida Department of Education to implement policies creating phone-free environments, bell-to-bell, across multiple districts in the 2025-26 school year and provide a report to the legislature on its effectiveness, including a model code of conduct. 
  • Rep. Demi Bussata’s HB 949 would establish a cell phone-free environment during the entire school day and require schools to provide designated areas to store phones. 
• Florida leaders introduced a number of bills that would strengthen and empower students with educational opportunity.  
  • Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez’s SB 822, a companion to Rep. Snyder’s HB 443, would establish administrative and regulatory flexibility for charter schools. The bill would grant charters with the administrative freedom to increase enrollment and develop student codes of conduct; establish new requirements to ensure the timely sharing of student data, including assessment data, with charter schools; and extend flexibility from zoning changes to charter schools housed on land owned by institutions like Florida colleges and universities. The bills awaits their first committee hearings. 
  • Rep. Bussata and Sen. Calatayud filed companion bills (HB 1267/SB 1708), which would improve the state’s Schools of Hope program, attracting more high-performing charter school operators by expanding which students charter schools can serve and improving access to vacant, underutilized and surplus public school property. The bill also creates a new distinction for the highest-performing School of Hope operators. Both bills await their first committee hearings. 
  • Sen. Burgess and Rep. Valdes filed companion bills (SB 1702/HB 1115), which would allow Schools of Hope charter school operators to be sponsored by non-school district entities. Both bills await their first committee hearings. 
  • Sen. Burgess filed SB 1462, a companion to Rep. Mike Giallombardo’s HB 871, which would expand private and public school choice by allowing students to use Family Empowerment Scholarships for full-time virtual private school under certain conditions and allowing public schools, including charter schools, to operate as hybrid models. Both bills await their first committee hearings. 
  • Sen. Stan McClain filed SB 1440, which would revise the Family Empowerment Scholarship ESA program to define a “home education program” and expand allowable instructional material expenses to include digital devices and tutoring services. The bill awaits its first committee hearing. 
• Florida Sen. Gayle Harrell filed SB 112 to expand screenings and supports for children with autism, including grant funding for charter schools and summer camps that educate students with autism. The bill awaits its second committee hearing. 
• Florida Sen. Simon’s SB 110 would expand academic supports, programming and funding for small and rural schools and improve the teacher pipeline by providing up to $15,000 in student loan repayment assistance for educators willing to work in small and rural schools. The bill awaits its first committee hearing. 
• Florida Sen. 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 Sen. Stan McClain filed SB 938, which would tackle chronic absenteeism by requiring school districts to report students who are absent for 10% of the first 45 days of the school year and tasking the state board of education with creating guidelines for school districts to address chronic absenteeism. The bill awaits its first committee hearing. 
• Florida Sen. Kristen Arrington filed SB 338, which establishes a Bright Futures mentorship program. The companion bill, Rep. LeVon Bracy Davis’ HB 167, awaits a committee hearing.  
• Florida Sen. 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 passed its first committee and heads to its second committee stop. 
• Florida Rep. Chuck Brannan filed HB 343, which would remove school start-time requirements and allow publicly funded middle and high schools to start at a time of their choice. This legislation and the companion bill, Sen. Jennifer Bradley’s SB 296, await a committee hearing. A similar bill, HB 261 by Rep. Anne Gerwig, awaits its first 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. Simon’s SB 248, awaits committee scheduling. 
• Florida Rep. Danny Alvarez and Sen. Jay Collins filed companion bills (HB 1213/SB 1424) requiring districts to expand school transportation options for students, ensure efficient bus routes and consider the use of artificial intelligence to determine the safest and most efficient bus routes for students. Both bills await their first committee hearings. 
• Florida Sen. Burton and Rep. David Smith filed companion bills (SB 1122/HB 885), which would expand Florida Virtual School to serve students beginning in pre-kindergarten through the first two years of post-secondary education. The bill awaits its first committee hearing. 
• Florida Rep. Dean Black and Sen. Randy Fine filed HB 1217/SB 1328, which would place restrictions on the political actions that collective bargaining units, including teachers’ unions, can take on behalf of their members and any government entity. Both bills await their first committee hearing. 
• Florida lawmakers introduced two harmful bills that would weaken education. 
  • Sen. Nick DiCeglie filed SB 1204, which would weaken school accountability and the quality of student workforce experiences. The bill would require an increase to the minimum number of career-themed courses offered by school districts from two to four, require districts to offer certain low-wage courses and negatively alter the school grade calculation for high schools. The bill awaits its first committee hearing. 
  • Sen. Simon’s SB 166 would water down school accountability and lower student expectations by weakening Florida’s long-standing fourth grade promotion policy for reading and repealing the requirement that students pass Algebra I and 10th grade English language arts assessments to graduate. The bill awaits its first committee hearing. 

Georgia 

• Two Georgia lawmakers filed legislation to ban the harmful literacy instructional practice of three-cueing: 
  • Sen. RaShaun Kemp’s SB 93, which would ban three-cueing from K-12 instruction and educator prep programs, passed its first committee hearing and awaits consideration on the Senate floor. 
  • Rep. Bethany Ballard’s HB 307 , which would ban three-cueing in K-12 instruction and provide support plans for students with characteristics of dyslexia, passed the House and heads to the Senate. 
• Georgia Rep. Scott Hilton and Sen. Clint Dixon filed companion legislation, HB 202 and SB 82, which would expand public school choice by incentivizing local school districts to authorize and oversee more charter schools and increasing transparency and accountability around local decisions to deny charter school petitions. The bills await their first committee hearing. 
• Georgia Sen. Greg Dolezal’s education choice legislation, SB 152, passed the Senate and heads to the House. The bill would expand eligibility for Georgia Promise Scholarships by allowing biological and adoptive children of foster care parents to qualify for the state’s ESA program.   
• Georgia Rep. Matthew Gambill’s Top State for Talent Act (HB 192) 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 the House and heads to the Senate for consideration.  
• Georgia Rep. Scott Hilton’s HB 340, which would create distraction-free learning environments by prohibiting K-8 students from using cell phones and other devices during the school day, heads to the House floor.  

Hawaii 

• Hawaii Rep. Justin Woodson introduced HB 1343, which would create cell phone-free environments during school hours, passed committee and heads to the House floor. 

Idaho 

• Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed Rep. Wendy Horman’s HB 93, which establishes the Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit—the state’s first private education choice program. The program 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. 
• Idaho Rep. Lance Clow introduced HB 164, which would establish the Idaho Education Opportunity Fund, a nearly universal education scholarship account. The bill awaits its first committee hearing.   
• Idaho Sen. Van Burtenshaw’s SB 1069, which would require publicly funded schools to create an extended-time, evidence-based early literacy intervention program for K-3 students who score at or below basic on reading screeners, passed the Senate and heads to its first House committee. 
• The Idaho House Education Committee introduced HB 256, which would create a public charter school facilities program to assist qualifying charter schools in obtaining favorable financing bonds for facility improvements and construction. The bill awaits hearing in its first committee.   
• The Idaho House Education Committee introduced SB 1098, which would require the State Board of Education to establish a registered teacher apprenticeship program to provide a structured alternative educational pathway for prospective teachers to earn their degree and licensure. The bill awaits hearing in its first committee. 
• Idaho legislators introduced two distraction-free learning bills. 
  • Sen. Treg Bernt’s SB 1032, which would require local school boards and charter schools to adopt policies to regulate the use of electronic communication devices during school hours, passed out of committee and heads to the House floor. 
  • Rep. Jaron Crane’s HB 229 would require local school districts to adopt a policy that addresses student use of cell phones and other devices during instructional time. The bill awaits a hearing in its first committee. 

Illinois 

• Illinois Rep. Curtis Tarver introduced HB 2975, which would limit classroom distractions by establishing cell phone-free instructional time in schools. The bill awaits its first hearing. 

Indiana 

• Indiana Rep. Jeffrey Thompson’s state budget bill (HB 1001), which includes increased investments in the state’s Career Scholarship Account program, charter schools, science of reading efforts, the education scholarship account (ESA) program for students with special needs and the universal school voucher program, passed the House  and heads to the Senate. 
• Indiana Rep. Bob 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 awaits Senate committee assignments. 
• Indiana Reps. Jake Teshka, Julie McGuire and 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. The bill passed out of the House and awaits its first Senate committee assignment.    
• 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.  
• Indiana Sen. Spencer 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. 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 Rep. Behning introduced HB 1500, which would establish a new teacher appreciation grant program to provide stipends to teachers serving in areas of high need or who are recognized for their students’ high performance. The bill passed out of the House and heads to the Senate. 
• Indiana Sen. Deery’s SB 249, which would allow schools to give teachers bonuses without collective bargaining, was amended in and passed out of the Senate. It heads to its first House committee. 
• Indiana Sen. Jeff Raatz’s SB 365 would require the Indiana Department of Education to conduct a return on investment (ROI) analysis of career and technical education (CTE) programs and publish a report that includes access, alignment and outcome data as well as recommendations for improving CTE. The bill passed out of the Senate and heads to its first House committee. 
• Indiana Sen. Rogers introduced SB 518, which would require revenue from school property tax levies to be shared with local charter schools. The bill passed the Senate and was referred to the House. 

Iowa 

• Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ priority bills all advanced.  
  • SSB 1092, which would strengthen math policy by requiring math proficiency assessments for K-6 students as well as additional math instruction training in educator preparation programs, heads to the Senate floor. 
  • HSB 106, which would create cell phone-free instructional time, awaits a vote on the House floor.   
  • HSB 147, which would strengthen the teacher pipeline by requiring the creation of an online state job posting system for jobs offered by school districts, charter schools, education agencies, the Department of Education and accredited nonpublic schools, passed its first committee. 
• Iowa Rep. Skyler Wheeler introduced HSB 219, which would require public schools to auto-enroll qualified students in grades 5-7 in advanced math. The bill awaits a vote in its final committee before heading to the House floor. 
• 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. 
• The Iowa Department of Education’s career education bill (HF 316) 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 its committee and heads to the House floor for a vote.  
• Iowa Rep. Wheeler’s and Sen. Lynn Evans’ companion bills (SF 211/HF 190), which would allow students enrolled in online courses to complete summative assessments online with specific timing, monitoring and verification requirements, passed in their respective committees and head to their chamber floors for a vote.   
• Iowa Rep. Samantha Fett introduced HF 445, which would improve the application process for the state’s ESA program. Currently, the application window is from Jan. 1 to June 30 before the school year that a family intends to use the ESA. The bill would add another application window from Dec. 1 through Dec. 20, so students no longer have to wait until the next school year to participate. The bill will be heard in its first committee this week. 

Kansas 

• Kansas Sen. Chase Blasi’s SB 154 and the Kansas House Education Committee’s HB 2259 would direct local boards of education to adopt policies establishing phone-free classrooms and also require schools to create social media awareness programs for students. The bills have both been referred to their first committees. 
• Kansas Sen. Renee Erickson’s SB 87 and the House Education Committee’s HB 2136 would expand the 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 tax credit value from 70% to 100% to generate more donation funds for student scholarships. The bill was amended to allow the tax credit cap to increase from $10 million to $15 million if the tax credits claimed increased by 75% for that fiscal year. The tax credit cap cannot exceed $25 million for any fiscal year. The bill passed the Senate and heads to the House. 

Kentucky 

• Kentucky Rep. James Tipton introduced HB 528, which would ban the harmful literacy instructional practice of three-cueing from instructional materials and education preparation programs. The bill awaits consideration at its first committee stop. 
• Kentucky Rep. Steven Doan’s HB 440 would strengthen public school choice by allowing students to enroll part-time in another public school and prohibits school from charging tuition to part-time students. The bill was introduced and awaits consideration at its first committee stop. 
• Kentucky Rep. Vanessa Grossl’s HB 427, which would strengthen college pathways by allowing credits for high-demand bachelor’s degree programs to transfer among higher education institutions statewide, passed the House and heads to the Senate. 
• Kentucky Rep. Josh Bray’s HB 208, which would require school districts to adopt policies establishing cell phone-free classrooms during the school day with exceptions for instructional use as directed by a teacher, passed its only committee stop and heads to the House floor. 

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. 

Minnesota 

• Minnesota Sen. Alice Mann introduced SF 510, which would establish a voluntary pilot program to increase access and automatically enroll qualified students in advanced English language arts, math or science coursework. ExcelinEd in Action provided expert testimony in committee. 

Mississippi 

• Mississippi Sen. Nicole Boyd’s SB 2527, which would establish the Mississippi Resident Promise Grant Program to allow students to attend community college tuition-free, passed its first House committee stop but died in its second committee stop. 
• Mississippi Rep. Donnie Bell has authored two college and career pathways bills, both of which passed the House but failed to pass their committee stops in the Senate. 
  • HB 1412 would have funded dual enrollment courses at community colleges for high school students pursuing credentials in high-demand, high-wage fields.  
  • HB 1556 would have established 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.  
• The Mississippi legislature advanced two public school choice bills.  
  • Rep. Jansen Owen’s HB 1435 would eliminate the requirement for a student’s home district to approve transfers to another district, require districts to publicly share their transfer policies and available capacity and create a $5 million fund to help districts cover the associated costs of public school open enrollment transfers. The bill passed the House but failed to pass its committee stop in the Senate. 
  • Rep. Rob Roberson’s HB 1432 would support charter schools by clarifying the law to allow charter management organizations to manage multiple charter schools, provide salary supplements to help charter schools recruit and retain teachers and expand where charter schools can be located. The bill passed the House but failed to pass its committee stop in the Senate. 
• Mississippi Sen. Briggs Hopson’s SB 2151, which would create phone-free schools, passed the Senate but failed to pass its committee stops in the House. 
• The Mississippi House amended Rep. Roberson’s HB 1621 to remove language that would have weakened the state’s unified industry-valued credentials list by requiring that the list not be used in the state’s accountability system. This would have created incentives for schools to offer, and students to earn, credentials not valued by business and industry. The bill passed the House but failed to pass its committee stops in the Senate. 

Missouri 

• Missouri Sen. Mike Hendersen’s SB 68, which would require school districts to adopt policies creating cell phone-free schools with exceptions for emergencies, passed the Senate and moves to the House for consideration. 
• 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 bills passed committee and head to the House floor for a vote.  
• Missouri Sen. Jill Carter’s SB 150, a companion to Rep. Ann Kelley’s HB 331, would create the Career-Tech Certificate Program to reimburse eligible students for tuition and other educational expenses while pursuing career and technical education. The bills head to their respective chamber floors. 
• Missouri Rep. Ed Lewis’s HB 941, which would ban the use of the harmful three-cueing literacy instructional practice and mandate instruction based on the science of reading, will be heard in its first committee soon. 
• Missouri Rep. Cecelie Williams’s HB 1153 would strengthen the teacher pipeline by establishing pathways for teachers to earn a certificate to teach, including college programs, online courses, alternative certification programs, specialized certificates for professionals with relevant degrees and a visiting scholar’s certificate for experts filling understaffed positions in schools. The bill will receive its first committee vote this week. 
• Missouri Rep. Brenda Shields’s HB 267 would extend the state’s teacher externship program. The program provides teachers with professional development by allowing them to spend time working in industries outside the classroom where they can learn current practices, technologies and skills that they can bring back to the classroom. The bill was heard in its first committee and awaits a committee vote. 
• Missouri lawmakers advanced several bills to expand public school choice:    
  • Sen. Curtis Trent’s SB 215, a companion to Sen. David Gregory’s SB 70, would expand public school choice by extending open enrollment to include both public and charter school students. The proposal also would establish the $80 million Parent Public School Choice Fund to assist low-income students with transportation costs for open enrollment transfers. The bill heads to the Senate floor. 
  • Rep. Brad Pollitt’s HB 711, which would allow public school students (excluding charter school students) to utilize inter-district open enrollment starting in kindergarten, heads to the House floor.   
  • Rep. Marlene Terry introduced HB 1062, which would strengthen public school choice by prohibiting restrictions that stop school districts from leasing, selling or transferring property to a charter school for an educational purpose. The bill awaits committee action. 
  • Rep. Brad Christ filed HB 498, which would expand public school options by allowing public charter schools to be established in any school district in a county with more than one million people. The bill would also include newly established charter schools in the funding mechanism for charter schools. 
• Missouri Sen. Rick Brattin’s SB 195 would create the Missouri Parental Choice Tax Credit Act, a refundable tax credit up to $6,760 that private school or homeschooling families could claim for their child’s educational expenses. The bill heads to the Senate floor.   

Nebraska 

• Nebraska Sen. Bob Andersen’s LB 427, which would create an education scholarship account program with no funding or enrollment caps received a committee hearing and awaits a vote. 
• Nebraska Sen. Tony Sorrentino’s LB 131 would expand families’ private education choice options by adding elementary and secondary school tuition costs as approved expenditures in the state’s 529 plans and offering tax deductions for families who use their 529 plans to cover K-12 tuition costs. The bill was heard in committee and awaits a vote. 
• Nebraska Sen. Ben Hansen’s LB 633, which would allow students who were rejected from the state’s inter-district open enrollment program to appeal that decision or request an ESA, was heard in committee last week and awaits a vote.    
• Nebraska Sen. Christy Armendariz’s LB 557, which would allow students who were rejected from the open enrollment program the opportunity to appeal the decision or request a voucher for $2,500, will be heard in its first committee this week. 
• Nebraska Sen. Rita Sanders filed LB 140, which would require school districts to adopt a policy creating cell phone-free school environments. The bill heads to the chamber floor for a vote. 
• 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 is scheduled for a hearing this week. 
• Nebraska Sen. Jana Hughes’s LB 11 would support data-informed education-to-workforce program decision making, providing funding for the Nebraska Statewide Workforce and Education Reporting System to streamline ed-to-workforce data collection and reporting across K-12, post-secondary institutions and the workforce. The bill was referred to its first committee for a hearing later this month.  
• Nebraska Sen. Terrell McKinney’s career pathways legislation, LB 45, 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. The bill was heard in its only committee and awaits a vote. 

Nevada 

• Nevada Sen. Fabian Donate introduced AB 176, which would incentivize students in healthcare career and career & technical education programs to complete required licensure exams and submit applications for certification. The bill awaits its first committee hearing. 
• Nevada Sens. Carrie Buck and Jeff Stones’ SB 252 would establish the Nevada Education Savings Account Program, a universal tax credit-funded ESA open to all students for expenses, including tuition, textbooks and tutoring. The bill awaits its first committee hearing.

New Hampshire 

• New Hampshire Rep. Glenn Cordelli’s HB 193 would ensure that dual enrollment 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 Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte expressed in her budget address support for expanding the Education Freedom Account Program, $1 million for school districts to implement distraction-free school policies and $6 million for dual and concurrent enrollment programs. 
• New Hampshire Sen. Victoria Sullivan’s SB 295 would make the state’s Education Freedom Account Program 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 was heard and awaits a vote in its first committee.  
• New Hampshire Rep. Melissa Litchfield’s HB 781 would create cell phone-free classrooms and provide school districts with $250,000 to implement the policy. The bill awaits a vote in its first committee. 
• New Hampshire Sen. Denise Riccardi’s SB 206 would require school districts to adopt policies creating phone-free schools. The bill was heard in committee and awaits a vote. 

New Mexico 

• New Mexico Sen. Mimi Stewart’s SB 242 would require teachers seeking their licenses to demonstrate competency in the science of reading and would mandate the use of high-quality instructional materials aligned with structured literacy. The bill passed the House and heads to its first Senate committee. 
• New Mexico Sen. Craig Brandt introduced SB 116, which would create a three-year K-6 math lab pilot project, a school-based program to provide students with math support and improve student outcomes. This bill received a do-pass recommendation in the Senate Committee on Education. 
• New Mexico Sen. William Soules’s SB 235 would update the Mathematics and Science Education Act to include dyscalculia screeners, establish the Math and Science Bureau and create a math leadership framework. The bill received a do pass recommendation in its Senate committee. 
• New Mexico Sen. Crystal Brantley introduced SB 11, which would encourage the adoption of policies limiting cell phone 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 Mexico Sen. Mimi Stewart introduced SB 160, which would require each school district and charter school to adopt and implement a wireless communication device policy. The bill awaits its first hearing. 
• New Mexico Reps. Harlan Vincent, Rebecca Dow and Luis M. Terrazas introduced HB 177, which would create a $2,500 tax credit for homeschooling families to use to offset the cost of curriculum and materials, such as textbooks and workbooks. The bill awaits its first committee hearing. 

North Carolina 

• Two distraction-free learning bills are moving in North Carolina.  
  • Sen. Michael Lee’s SB 55 would prohibit the use of cell phones and other wireless communication devices during instructional time with exceptions for educational purposes, emergencies, IEPs or documented medical needs. The bill passed the Senate and heads to the House for consideration. 
  • Rep. Neal Jackson’s HB 87, which would require schools to adopt a policy to eliminate or restrict student access to cell phones during instructional time, awaits its second hearing before heading to the House floor.   

North Dakota 

• North Dakota Sen. Michelle Axtman’s SB 2241, which would allow public charter schools in North Dakota for the first time, passed the Senate and heads to its first House committee stop. 
• North Dakota Sen. Michelle Axtman’s SB 2400 would create a universal ESA with tiered scholarship amounts, from $500 up to $3,500, based on students’ household income. The bill passed the Senate and heads to the House for consideration. 
• North Dakota Rep. Ben Koppelman’s HB 1540 would establish a $40 million ESA program, providing $4,000 scholarships for up to 9,000 privately educated students. The bill passed the House and heads to the Senate. 

Ohio 

• Ohio Sen. Andrew Brenner introduced SB 19, which would require schools to develop an improvement and monitoring plan and provide evidence-based academic interventions to students demonstrating a limited skill level in math or English language arts. The bill had its second hearing in committee.. 
• Ohio Reps. Nick Santucci and Josh Williams introduced education-to-workforce legislation, HB 98. The bill, which awaits its first committee hearing, would establish the Community Connectors Workforce Program to connect students to jobs, internships and career professionals in their communities. 
• Ohio Rep. Brian Stewart introduced Gov. Mike DeWine’s final budget (HB 96), which would include:  
  • Funding for universal access to the state’s “EdChoice” voucher program.  
  • The final phase-in of the fair school funding plan. 
  • Support for improving early literacy, including $12 million each fiscal year for literacy coaches trained in the science of reading.  
  • Increased funding for charter school facilities. 
  • Improved access to advanced math courses for high-performing students. 
  • Prohibiting student cell-phone use during the instructional day. 

Oklahoma 

• Oklahoma Sen. Ally Seifried and Speaker Pro Tempore Anthony Moore introduced SB 215, which would create the Oklahoma Math Achievement and Proficiency Act. The act would require all public schools to screen students three times a year for math proficiency, incorporate evidence-based math in the classroom and provide math intervention services. The bill passed its first committee and heads to its second. 
• Oklahoma Rep. Mike Kelley introduced HB 1287, which would establish a math tutoring pilot program for the lowest-performing ninth grade students in public schools in districts with at least 30,000 students. The bill was referred to its first committee. 
• Oklahoma Sen. Seifried’s SB 794 would strengthen the teacher pipeline 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. The bill heads to the Senate floor for consideration. 
• 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. 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. Lonnie Paxton introduced SB 703, which would strengthen the teacher pipeline by allowing teachers to earn a state-approved micro-credential—which demonstrates mastery of a skill rather than attendance at a conference or seminar—to satisfy requirements to renew their standard teaching certificate. The bill was referred to its first committee.  
• Oklahoma Sen. Seifried filed SB 7, which would create the Oklahoma Teacher Recruitment Academy to provide financial assistance on a first-come, first-served basis to aspiring teachers who agree to teach in high-need Oklahoma public schools. The bill, which would authorize up to $10 million for financial assistance per academic year, was referred to its first committee stop. 
• 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’s SB 662, which expands the responsibilities of the Oklahoma Workforce Commission to implement programs designed to expand workforce development, including work-based learning programs, passed its committee and moves to the House floor. 
• 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 clarify that a student may receive additional education scholarships while also receiving the Oklahoma refundable tax credit. The bill passed in committee and heads to the House floor for consideration. 
• Oklahoma Rep. Caldwell and Sen. Seifried introduced HB 1277, which would allocate $7.5 million in grants to public middle schools, junior high schools and high schools to incentivize phone-free schools. The funding would support equipment purchases to store cell phones. The bill was referred to two subcommittees. 
• Oklahoma Rep. Caldwell and Sen. Seifried’s companion bills (HB 1276/SB 139), which would require school districts to adopt policies creating cell phone- and smartwatch-free schools, with exceptions for emergencies, passed in the House and moves to the Senate for consideration. 

Pennsylvania 

• Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed $40 million for the student teacher stipend program, which would eliminate some financial barriers to becoming a teacher.

South Carolina  

• South Carolina Sen. Greg Hembree’s education scholarship accounts bill, S 62, was amended, passed the House and heads back to the Senate. The amended House bill would restore the state’s ESA program, remove the program’s current income cap in the 2027-28 school year, provide a rolling application window with prioritization for certain applicants and require the Department of Education to appoint a trustee to disperse scholarship funds. 
• South Carolina Sen. Hembree’s S 78, which would strengthen the teacher pipeline by allowing current educators and candidates applying for teaching certificates to earn one year of service credit toward the salary schedule for every two years of relevant work experience, passed the full Senate and awaits consideration in the House. 

Tennessee 

• Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed the Education Freedom Act, establishing the state’s first universal education scholarship account program during special session. Sen. Jack Johnson’s and Rep. William Lamberth’s companion bills (SB 6001/HB 6004) will provide $7,075 scholarships for up to 20,000 students. Funds can be used for educational expenses, including tuition, fees, textbooks, curricula, transportation, tutoring, educational devices and summer programs. Half of the ESAs are reserved for low-income students, students with disabilities, or those already eligible under Tennessee’s existing ESA program; the remaining scholarships are open to all other Tennessee students.  
• Tennessee Rep. William Lamberth and Sen. Jack Johnson introduced companion legislation, HB 1322 and SB 1310, to expand public charter schools. The bills would establish a process for existing public charter schools to replicate within the same school district and, in certain cases, allow sponsors to apply directly to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission to open a new school. The bills await their first committee hearings. 
• Tennessee Sen. Dawn White’s and Rep. Mark White’s teacher pipeline bills (SB 632/HB 504), which would remove certain eligibility requirements for the Future Teacher Scholarship and extend the program until 2030, passed their first committees and await further consideration in their second committees. 
• Tennessee Rep. Rebecca Alexander’s and Sen. Ferrell Haile’s companion legislation (HB 932/SB 897), would require schools to establish a wireless communication device- and cell phone-free instructional time policy with exceptions for educational purposes, IEPs or emergencies. The Senate bill awaits a vote on the Senate floor. The House bill awaits Senate consideration.   
• Two Tennessee bills were filed to address artificial intelligence in education. Both bills await their second 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 Gov. Greg Abbott released the Governor’s Budget, outlining his budget priorities for the 2026-2027 biennium, including:  
  • $1 billion dollars for a universal Education Savings Account program. 
  • Increased funding for charter school facilities.  
  • Increased funding for successful Career and Technical Education programs, such as the Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools (P-TECH) and Rural Pathway Excellence Partnership programs (R-PEP).  
  • Increased funding for teacher incentives. 
• Texas Sen. Brandon Creighton’s SB 2 would establish a universal education scholarship account program for 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. Brad Buckley’s HB 3 would establish the state’s first private school choice program. The universal ESA program would provide families with more than $10,000 for educational expenses, such as private school tuition and fees, textbooks, instructional materials, therapies, CTE, dual enrollment and transportation. Students from low-income families and students with special needs would be prioritized if there are more applicants than there is funding available. The bill awaits consideration at its only House committee stop.  
• Texas Rep. Harold Dutton’s HB 2780 would create the Texas Teacher Residency Partnership Program to expand professional development opportunities for teachers-in-training and strengthen partnerships between colleges of education and school districts. Districts would receive funding to compensate teacher residents, mentor teachers and cover costs associated with the program. The bill awaits consideration at its only committee stop. 
• Texas Sen. Brandon Creighton’s SB 26, which would strengthen teacher retention by increasing funding and district participation incentives for the state’s Teacher Incentive Allotment program, passed the Senate and heads to the House. The program currently provides more than 25,000 teachers with the opportunity to earn more than $100,000 a year and allows districts to base compensation on performance and reward outstanding teachers. The bill passed the Senate and heads to the House. 
• Texas Sen. Donna Campbell’s SB 1459 would create distraction-free learning by requiring school districts to adopt policies prohibiting cell phone use during the school day with exceptions, such as for instructional purposes. The bill awaits consideration at its only committee stop. 
• 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. Lincoln Fillmore’s SB 178, which would create distraction-free classrooms by prohibiting student use of cell phones, smart watches and emerging technology during instructional hours, heads to the House floor.   
• 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.   
• Utah Rep. Mike Schultz’s HB 447, which would create the Catalyst Center Grant Program to provide students with work-based learning experiences, heads to the Senate floor.  
• Utah Sen. Val Peterson’s SB 260 would strengthen college and career pathways by establishing a master list of approved industry-recognized credentials that will be transferable to higher education institutions and technical colleges. The bill passed committee and heads to the Senate floor.  
• 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. The bill passed the House and heads to the Senate. 
• Utah Sen. Lincoln Fillmore’s SB 99, which would tie teacher bonuses to performance, incentivizing excellence in teaching and creating a pathway for professional recognition, passed the Senate and heads to its first House committee. 
• 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. 

Virginia 

• The Virginia General Assembly adjourned on February 22nd. The following bills passed and now head to Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s desk:   
  • 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.  
  • Virginia Del. Katrina Callsen’s HB 2686, which requires school boards to establish eligibility criteria for students in grades 5-8 to enroll in advanced or accelerated math. 
  • Virginia Del. Sam Rasoul and Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg’s companion bills (HB 2777/SB 955) emphasize the use of evidence-based literacy instruction and define specific standards for curriculum and resource approvals. Additionally, the legislation requires enhanced support for reading and math intervention and remediation programs tailored to students’ needs, especially those struggling with literacy and Algebra I. 

Washington 

• Washington Rep. Travis Couture’s HB 1140 would establish the EmpowerED Scholarship Program, a universal education scholarship account with priority given to low-income students, students who are eligible for special education services and students in failing schools. This bill will be heard in committee this week. 
• Washington Rep. Stephanie McClintock and Sen. Marko Liias filed companion legislation (HB 1122/SB 5346), which would require school districts to adopt a policy to restrict student phone use during instructional hours. Both bills await their first committee hearings. 
• Washington Reps. Gerry Pollet and Skyler Rude introduced HB 1295, which would improve early literacy by requiring public schools to implement evidence-based reading and writing instruction for elementary students, create a dyslexia training program and refresher course for teachers, and distribute a dyslexia handbook to families. The bill awaits its first committee stop. 

West Virginia 

• West Virginia Del. Joe Statler’s early literacy bill (HB 2143) would require the state Department of Education to provide professional development in the science of reading, require that public and charter school teachers be trained in the science of reading by the 2026-27 school year and ban the harmful practice of three-cueing from literacy instruction. The bill will have final committee consideration before heading to its only House full committee stop. 
• West Virginia Sen. Christopher Rose introduced SB 471, which would create a student-centered school funding formula that would ensure funding follows the student. The bill was referred to its first committee.  
• West Virginia House Speaker Roger Hanshaw and Senate President Randy Smith filed distraction-free learning companion bills (HB 2003/SB 457) that would prohibit the use of cell phones during instructional time. The bills were referred to their respective first committees.  
• West Virginia Dels. Joe Ellington and Statler filed HB 2142, which would improve the Hope Scholarship Program by making microschool tuition and fees a qualifying expense. The bill was referred to its first subcommittee. 

Wisconsin 

• Wisconsin Rep. Robert Wittke’s AB 1, which would require the Department of Public Instruction to align assessment cut (passing) scores, score ranges and other metrics used in the state report cards with those set by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), passed out of the Assembly and heads to the Senate. 
• Wisconsin Rep. Kitchens introduced AB 2, which would require each school district to adopt a policy to create distraction-free learning by restricting students’ use of cell phones and other wireless communications devices during instructional time. The bill passed out of the Assembly and heads to the Senate. 

Wyoming 

• Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon signed Rep. Ocean Andrew’s HB 199, which expands the state’s education savings account program. The “Steamboat Legacy Scholarship Act” removes household income restrictions to make all Wyoming resident students eligible for ESAs and increases the annual scholarship amount from $6,000 to $7,000.