January 2026 State Actions Update: Tracking Student-Centered K-12 Education Legislation Across 39 States

Each January, state legislatures across the country convene, and governors lay out priorities that shape education policy agendas for the year ahead. As 2026 sessions begin, lawmakers are advancing student-centered K-12 education legislation focused on improving literacy and math, expanding college and career pathways, strengthening the teacher pipeline and increasing access to charter school facilities and funding.

One clear early trend is the continued momentum behind distraction-free schools. Bills have already passed in Michigan and New Jersey, with lawmakers in seven other states advancing legislation to create phone-free classrooms or schools, reduce classroom disruptions and refocus instructional time on learning.

As sessions move forward, expect to see policymakers prioritizing adolescent literacy, math instruction and teacher retention and recruitment, with newer policies emerging to address return on investment in higher education and artificial intelligence. With Indiana and New Mexico already reaching the halfway points of their respective sessions, ExcelinEd in Action is tracking the bills and budget proposals shaping the K-12 education landscape across the country in 2026.

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 | Colorado | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Mississippi | Missouri | Nebraska | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | South Carolina | Utah | Virginia | West Virginia | Wisconsin |

Alabama

• Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey unveiled her proposed budget priorities, which include:
  • $45 million to support adolescent literacy for students in grades 4-8.
  • $15 million for career & technical education.
  • $10 million in one-time funding to support charter school growth.
  • $137.6 million to support a new outcomes-based funding formula for higher education.
  • $19 million for the Alabama Numeracy Act.
  • $250 million to support the CHOOSE Act, the state’s universal education scholarship account program.
• Alabama Sen. Donnie Chesteen’s SB 168 passed the House Education Committee and awaits a final vote on the House floor. The bill would ban the use of harmful three-cueing instructional practices in K-12 classrooms and educator preparation programs.
• Alabama Rep. Mack Butler introduced HB 353, which would establish guaranteed access to advanced math for students.

Alaska 

• Alaska Rep. Jubilee Underwood and Sen. Robert Myers introduced companion bills HB 237 and SB 197, a comprehensive approach to K‑8 math establishing 60 minutes of daily math instruction, regular parent updates on student progress, early supports for struggling students, high-quality instructional materials and guaranteed access to advanced math.  The bill awaits consideration by the House Education Committee.   

Arizona 

• Arizona Rep. Matt Gress introduced HB 2423, which would require school districts and charter schools to guarantee eligible middle school students access to advanced math courses unless a parent opts out, and require schools to notify families about available math pathways. 
• Arizona Rep. Cesar Aguilar introduced HB 2316, which would allow certain middle school career and technical education courses to count for high school credit.  
• Arizona Sen. John Kavanagh introduced teacher recruitment and retention policy, SB 1080, which would allow school boards to enter into public-private partnerships to sell or lease school property for affordable housing for critical workforce sectors, including teachers and school employees.  
• Arizona Sen. Brian Fernandez introduced teacher recruitment policy, SB 1101, to grow STEM and vocational teachers through paid summer internships, professional development for high school STEM and career and technical education teachers, and partnerships with nonprofits and local businesses. 
• Arizona Rep. Quanta Crews introduced HB 2360, which would protect students from discrimination by prohibiting private schools from requiring as a condition of enrollment that families disclose whether their students participate in the state’s education scholarship account program or the amount of ESA funding received.  

Colorado 

• Colorado Gov. Jared Polis unveiled his budget, which includes: 
  • An increase of $167 million in K–12 education funding to raise statewide per-pupil funding by $413 per student. 
  • Targeted funding to improve math outcomes and expand open educational resources to reduce costs for students and families. 
• Colorado Reps. Lorena Garcia Sander and Eliza Hamrick and Sen. Janice Frizell introduced HB 26-1050, which would make individualized readiness plans optional for preschool and kindergarten students who demonstrate proficiency on required readiness and reading assessments.  
• Colorado Sens. Chris Kolker and Barbara Kirkmeyer and Rep. Hamrick introduced SB 26-023, which would increase statewide base per-pupil funding for FY 2026–27 and set total funding at approximately $10.2 billion. 
• Colorado Sen. Kolker introduced SB 68, which would weaken accountability. The bill would limit the amount of standardized testing by requiring only the minimum required assessments and allowing the state to request federal approval to reduce testing, leaving educators and families without reliable, comparable data to identify learning gaps and ensure students are on track academically.     

Delaware 

• Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer unveiled his proposed budget, which includes: 
  • $1.5 million for apprenticeships and workforce training. 
  • $8 million for the Literacy Emergency Fund. 
  • $2.8 million for education funding reform. 
• Delaware Rep. Kim Williams and Sen. Laura Sturgeon introduced HB 267, which would require school districts and charter schools to report literacy intervention practices and literacy screener results to the Department of Education.    

Florida 

• Florida Rep. Jennifer Kincart Jonsson’s HB 1279 passed its first committee. The omnibus bill would:  
  • Establish a consistent statewide grading scale for high schools. 
  • Increase the percentage of in-state students enrolled in state universities and Florida colleges. 
  • Clarify that dual-enrollment opportunities are only available to Florida residents. 
  • Add a calculation for additional funding for schools and teacher bonuses. 
• Florida Rep. Dana Trabulsy’s HB 1071 passed its second committee and was amended to clarify that Title I Funds can be used for STEM programs. The bill would require school districts to create comprehensive math instruction plans, strengthen school accountability and clarify private school eligibility for state education choice programs among other provisions.   
• Florida Sen. Don Gaetz’s SB 920 passed its first committee. The bill would create a new secondary math pathway that emphasizes career-centered applied math and provide recommendations for an AI tool to support math instruction. 
• Florida Rep. Anne Gerwig’s HB 561 and Sen. Alexis Calatayud’s SB 1718 passed their respective committees and await further consideration. The companion bills would improve the teacher workforce by expanding opportunities for teachers to get back into the classroom with temporary certifications, 
• Florida Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka’s HB 995 passed its first committee. The bill would make changes to collective bargaining, including requiring a quorum of union members to participate in a certification election. 
• Florida Rep. Peggy Gosset-Seidman’s HB 453 passed its final committee and heads to the House floor for a vote. The bill would expand high school graduation flexibility by allowing students with disabilities to earn credit for physical education and performing arts through participation in Special Olympics and marching band. 
• Florida Sen. Gaetz’s SB 318 passed the Senate. The bill would make harmful changes to the Florida Empowerment Scholarship programs by imposing burdensome requirements on families and schools making it more difficult to access and use scholarships.  
• Florida Sen. Corey Simon’s SB 320 passed the Senate and heads to the House. The bill would weaken funding parity for public school students by reducing federal Title I financial support for charter schools.  
• Florida Rep. Allison Tant and Sen. Kristen Arrington introduced HB 417 and SB 448, which would improve college and career pathways for middle and high school students by requiring that parents be notified about career planning opportunities.  
• Florida Sen. Keith Truenow and Rep. Danny Nix Jr. introduced SB 824 and HB 1147, which would improve charter school facilities access by requiring school districts to offer unused land to charter school operators first. 
• Florida Rep. David Smith introduced HB 963, which would reduce federal Title I funding for charter schools.  
• Florida Sens. Darrly Rouson and Rosalind Osgood and Reps. Ashley Gantt and Robin Bartleman introduced companion bills SB 424 and HB 6023. The bills would repeal policy improvements to the Schools of Hope program, which provides high quality charter school alternatives to students from persistently low-performing public schools.  
• Florida Sen. Tom Leek introduced SB 482, which passed its first committee. The bill would establish the Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights, including requiring parental consent for minors accessing companion bots and regular platform disclosure requirements that a user is interacting with AI not a human. 
• Florida Sen. Shev Jones introduced SB 1194, which would require the state to adopt standards and policies for school and student use of artificial intelligence and for students in grades 6-12 to receive instruction on digital literacy and AI ethics. 
• Florida Rep. Christine Hunschofsky introduced HB 659, which would protect minors from the harms of AI companion chatbots by requiring regular disclosure and protections from harmful content. 

Georgia

• Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp released his budget proposal with key education investments including: 
  • $9.5 million to support a career navigator program for the Top State for Talent Act.  
  • $18.5 million in continued funding for literacy coaches. 
  • $141 million in continued funding to support the Georgia Promise Scholarship Act program, an education scholarship account program that serves students who attend or are zoned to attend low-performing public schools. 
• Georgia Rep. Scott Hilton’s HB 1009 awaits a vote in full committee. The bill would expand phone-free school policies to include grades 9-12.  
• Georgia Rep. Sandy Donatucci introduced HB 1030, which would establish the Math Matters Act. The bill would guarantee access to advanced math courses for middle and high school students, require 60 minutes of daily math instruction in grades 4–5 and strengthen educator preparation programs in math training.   

Indiana 

• Indiana Sens. Jeff Raatz and Linda Rogers’ SB 199 passed the Senate and heads to the House Education Committee. The bill would require institutions of higher education to review average earnings of graduates to ensure positive return on investment, require the Department of Education to study and make recommendations for paid family leave and expand the number of schools eligible for reading professional development. 
• Indiana Rep. Bob Behning’s HB 1266 passed the House and heads to the Senate Education Committee. The bill would increase flexibility for students using a Career Scholarship Account, require the Department of Education to recommend 60 minutes of daily math instruction, develop a new data science pathway and create a list of employers providing career support to students earning the Employment Honors Plus diploma seal. 
• Indiana Sen. Rogers’ SB 239 and Rep. Jake Teshka’s HB 1176 passed their respective chambers. The companion bills would improve facilities access for charter schools, require parental notification for students at risk of not achieving grade-level proficiency in math, and publish a list of employers providing incentives to students earning the Employment Honors Plus diploma seal.    
• Indiana Sens. Raatz and Greg Goode’s SB 78 passed the Senate and heads to the House Education Committee. The bill requires schools to adopt and implement bell-to-bell phone-free schools policy. 

Iowa 

• Iowa Rep. Dan Gehlbach’s HSB 554 passed its first subcommittee. The bill would develop an advanced mathematics pathway to ensure high-achieving students are guaranteed access to Algebra I in middle school. 
• Iowa Rep. Chad Ingel’s HSB 555 passed the education committee and awaits a vote in the House. The bill would strengthen teacher policy by requiring clinical experience and demonstration of content mastery for all prospective teachers working with English language learners and special education students. 
• Iowa Sen. Jesse Green’s SF 2010 passed its first subcommittee. The bill would make it easier for school districts to transport open-enrolled students by removing distance limits on how far buses can travel into another district. 
• Iowa Rep. Taylor Collins introduced HSB 572, which would support college and career pathways by strengthening alignment between high school programs, community colleges and workforce needs. 
• Iowa Rep. Henry Stone introduced HF 2004, which would expand non-public school students’ access to extracurricular activities and continue to allow students to participate in extracurricular athletic activities.  

Kansas 

• Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly released her budget, which includes $8.6 million to fund the Kansas Blueprint for Literacy and equip current and prospective teachers with training and resources in literacy curriculum. 
• Kansas Sen. Renee Erickson’s SB 302 was heard in committee and awaits a vote. The bill would require public school districts and accredited non-public schools to adopt a bell-to-bell phone-free school policy, with exceptions for students with 504 plans, Individualized Education Plans and medical needs. 
• Kansas Sen. Erickson’s SB 341 was heard in its first committee and awaits a vote. The bill would strengthen college and career pathways by improving access to instructional materials and supplies for postsecondary courses taught in K-12 schools. 

Maryland 

• Maryland Del. Chao Wu and Sen. Joane Benson introduced HB 163 and SB 79, companion bills, which would require school boards to adopt phone and electronic device-free school policies bell-to-bell in elementary and middle school and during instructional time in high school. The bills provide exceptions for Individualized Education Plans or 504 plans.     

Massachusetts 

• Massachusetts Sens. Sal DiDomenico, Jason Lewis, Nick Collins and Michael Moore’s S.2924, an amendment to H.4683, passed the Senate and heads to conference negotiations between both chambers. The bill would require school districts to use instructional materials aligned to the science of reading and provide reading screeners, parental notification and targeted intervention. 

Michigan 

• Michigan Rep. Mark Tisdel’s HB 4141 is headed to the Governor’s desk. The bill would require school boards to implement a distraction-free learning policy through cell phone-free instructional time. 

Mississippi 

• Mississippi Rep. Jason White’s Mississippi Education Freedom Act, HB 2, passed the House but failed in the Senate. The Act would have strengthened instruction and supports for math and adolescent literacy, established a universal education scholarship account program and improved public school choice through open enrollment and charter school policy.  
• Mississippi Sen. Dennis DeBar’s SB 2487 passed its final Senate committee and awaits a vote on the floor. The bill would strengthen adolescent literacy by providing literacy coaches and interventionists and establishing Individual Reading Plans for students in grades 4-8 but includes an 8th grade retention policy.  
• Mississippi Sen. Nicole Boyd’s SB 2242 passed its final Senate committee and awaits action on the floor. The bill would establish the Mississippi Math Act and provide K-5 screening for mathematics readiness, as well as an Algebra Readiness Indicator in grade 5, professional development and math coaching. 
• Mississippi Sen. Dennis DeBar’s SB 2288 passed its committee and awaits a vote in the Senate. The bill would expand career and technical education (CTE) grant authority, allowing school districts to purchase equipment for CTE programs. 
• Mississippi Sens. Dan Sparks and Nicole Boyd’s SB 2483 passed its committee and awaits a vote in the Senate. The bill would roll financial literacy into courses for grades 6-8 and create a 1/2 credit course graduation requirement.  
• Mississippi Rep. Rob Roberson’s HB 1710 passed its committee and awaits a vote in the House. The bill would establish personal finance as a high school graduation requirement. 
• Mississippi Sen. Dennis DeBar’s teacher policy bills both passed the Senate and await assignment in the House.  
  • SB 2001 would provide a $2,000 teacher pay raise for all teachers. 
  • SB 2003 would make it easier for retired educators to return to work as teachers in high-need areas to address teacher shortages. 
• Mississippi Rep. Randy Boyd’s HB 517 passed its committee. The bill would expand charter school authorization by allowing Mississippi public colleges and universities to serve as charter authorizers. 
• Mississippi Sen. Dennis DeBar’s SB 2002 passed the Senate and awaits consideration in the House. The bill would improve public school choice by streamlining open enrollment and eliminating the sending district’s ability to block student transfers. The bill maintains the option for school districts to charge out-of-district students tuition and requires parents to provide transportation.  
• Two bills are moving in Mississippi that establish deadlines for when charter schools must opt to use publicly owned facilities.  
  • Sen. David Blount’s SB 2515 passed its committee and heads to the Senate floor. The bill would set the charter school first right of refusal period for an unused building at six months and require property purchases to be completed within one year. 
  • Rep. Shonda Yates’s HB 1395 passed its first committee and awaits a vote in the House. The bill would weaken public school choice by restricting a charter school’s first right of refusal period for an unused building to 90 days. 
• Mississippi Rep. Kim Remak’s HB 570 died without being heard in its final House committee stop. The bill would have required a statewide bell‑to‑bell distraction-free schools policy.   
• Mississippi Sen. Briggs Hopson’s SB 2099 passed its first committee and heads to the Senate floor. The bill would establish cell phone-free instructional time. 
• Mississippi Rep. Kevin Felsher’s HB 1035 passed its first committee and is awaiting a House Floor vote. The bill would require all high school students to take a computer science or career and technical education (CTE) course that has embedded AI education components. 

Missouri 

• Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe released his budget proposal and outlined key education priorities, including: 
  • $10 million to expand MOScholars, the state’s education scholarship account program that serves students with disabilities and low- and middle-income students, increasing total funding to $60 million. 
  • $7.5 million for public schools that accept transfer students, contingent on lawmakers approving open enrollment. 
  • Expanding school choice by opting into the new federal education tax credit. 
  • Creating an A–F school accountability grading system to provide clearer measures of school performance. 
• Sen. Brad Hudson and Rep. Cathy Jo Loy’s K-12 literacy bills, SB 1442 and HB 2872, would implement new statewide reading screeners, require a third-grade promotion gate and ban the harmful instructional practice of three-cueing. HB 2872 was heard in committee and awaits a vote. 
• Missouri lawmakers introduced six school accountability bills in January.   
  • Rep. Dane Diehl’s HB 2710 was heard in committee and awaits a vote. The bill would strengthen school accountability by overhauling the current school report card system and implement an A-F grading model. 
  • Speaker Jon Patterson and Sen. Ben Brown’s HB 2539 and SB 1194 would strengthen school accountability by overhauling the current state report card system and establishing an A-F school grading model.   
  • Sen. Mike Henderson’s SB 992 would weaken school accountability and transparency by eliminating the statewide summative assessment system and replacing it with locally selected norm-referenced assessments, which do not assess content mastery and proficiency, or allow for comparability of student performance across the state. 
  • Rep. Mazzie Christensen’s HB 1704 would weaken school accountability and transparency by prohibiting the use of statewide summative assessment results to rate schools and mandating that results can be used only for federal accountability and support designations.  
  • Sen. Jill Carter’s SB 892 would improve transparency by requiring the State Board of Education to publish its annual report on the Department of Education’s website.    
• Missouri Sen. Brad Hudson’s SB 998 passed its committee. It would expand access to the MOScholars education scholarship account program by removing the requirement to attend a public school. 
• Missouri Rep. Ed Lewis’s HB 2274 passed its committee and heads to the House floor. The bill would allow Missouri to enter the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact. 
• Missouri Rep. Ed Lewis filed HB 2914, a comprehensive literacy bill which would establish a new K-3 literacy screener, introduce a third-grade promotion gate, set policy regarding reading intervention services, require educator preparation programs be grounded in evidence-based reading instruction and reward schools for struggling students who reach proficiency. 
• Missouri lawmakers introduced 11 bills on public and private education choice.  
  • Sen. Curtis Trent and Sen. David Gregory’s SB 971 and SB 906 were heard in committee and await a vote. The bills would expand public school open enrollment by allowing students to transfer to another school outside their assigned district beginning with the 2027-28 school year.  
  • Rep. Marlene Terry and Sen. Trent’s HB 2172 and SB 1273 would give public charter schools access to public buildings and remove existing restrictions. The bills would also require school districts to give public entities, like charter schools, the right of first refusal on property for sale or lease as well as the ability to incur debt for improving leased facilities. HB 2172 was heard in committee and awaits a vote. 
  • Sen. Gregory’s SB 1071 would expand allowable expenditures for the MOScholars education scholarship account (ESA) program and extend eligibility to any student eligible to enroll in a K-12 public school or receive early childhood special education services.  
  • Rep. John Voss and Rep. Mark Matthiesen’s HB 1784 and HB 1801 would expand access to the MOScholars ESA program by removing the current requirement that eligible students must attend a public school first.  
  • Sen. Nick Schroer, Sen. Rick Brattin and Rep. Michael Davis’ SB 1341, SB 1163 and HB 2249 would create the Missouri Parental Choice Tax Credit Act. These bills would establish a refundable tax credit that allows private or homeschool families to claim their child’s educational expenses, up to the state’s education funding contribution or $6,400.  
  • Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern’s SB 1090 would weaken public education choice by requiring prospective new charter schools to obtain a “certificate of need” from the State Board of Education.  
• Missouri Rep. Kathy Steinhoff filed HB 2680, which would create the Missouri Teachers Matter Grant Program. The grant program would support teacher retention with $2,000 awards for teachers who renew their contract before June 1 and $4,000 awards for qualified teachers who complete non-contractual tasks such as mentoring, coaching, supervising and earning additional certifications. 
• Missouri Rep. Melissa Schmidt filed HB 2031, which would require age verification for AI chatbot use, strengthen parental control over minors’ accounts and require pop-ups notifying users they are not communicating with a human.  

Nebraska 

• Nebraska Sen. Dave Murman’s LB 1050 was heard in its first committee and awaits a vote. The bill would amend the Nebraska Reading Improvement Act to require reading proficiency marks and a third grade promotion gate for students who do not reach proficiency.   
• Nebraska Sen. Dave Murman introduced LB 939, which would protect minors from accessing AI companion chatbots by requiring disclosures and protections from harmful content.   

New Hampshire 

• New Hampshire Rep. Margaret Drye’s HB 1270, which would strengthen the teacher pipeline by expanding school district access to adjunct teachers, heads to the House floor with an Ought To Pass recommendation from the House Education Policy and Administration committee.  
• New Hampshire Sen. Tim Lang’s SB 101 passed the Senate and heads to the House for consideration. The bill would strengthen public education choice by allowing students to apply to attend any public school in the state regardless of their ZIP code. 
  • New Hampshire Rep. Mark McLean’s HB 751 was amended on the Senate floor and now includes similar open enrollment language to SB 101. It now heads to the House for consideration. 
• New Hampshire Sen. Victoria Sullivan’s SB 581, which would lift the enrollment cap on Education Freedom Accounts, was heard in committee and awaits a vote.   

New Jersey 

• Now former New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed Sen. Cody Miller’s S 3695, which requires the Department of Education to create a bell-to-bell phone-free schools policy.   

New Mexico 

• New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham unveiled her budget, which includes: 
  • $30 million for reading intervention programs and $14 million for literacy initiatives to target foundational reading skills. 
  • $38.5 million to expand career and technical education to strengthen workforce readiness pathways. 
  • $168 million to fully fund the Opportunity Scholarship to keep college tuition-free for New Mexico students. 
• New Mexico Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart’s SB 37 passed the Senate and heads to its first House committee. The comprehensive early literacy bill would require approved high-quality instructional materials for K-3 students, establish a reading assessment system with parent notification for struggling students and support low-performing elementary schools with literacy coaches.   
• New Mexico Sen. William Soules’s SB 29 passed the Senate and heads to its first House committee. The bill would increase math coursework requirements for teachers, mandate mathematics professional learning plans and establish screeners and support plans for K-3 students.  
• New Mexico Rep. Debra M. Sariñana’s HB 30 passed the House Education Committee and is heading to its second House committee. The bill strengthens the teacher pipeline by would giving teacher trainees (“residents”) fairer pay, allow them to take jobs at any public school once they finish their residency and encourage districts and charter schools to hire them when they have openings. 
• New Mexico Rep. Joy Garratt introduced distraction-free schools legislation, HM 2, which is headed to its first House committee. The bill directs the Legislative Education Study Committee to study elementary classroom screen time for instruction and assessment and establish developmentally appropriate screen-use guidelines.  

New York 

• New York Gov. Kathy Hochul released her executive budget, which includes: 
  • Expanding the “back-to-basics” approach to include evidence-based instruction in literacy and math to improve student achievement.  
  • Growing the teacher workforce and expanding targeted academic supports, such as tutoring.  
  • Strengthening safeguards on social media platforms. 

South Carolina 

• South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster released his executive budget, which includes: 
  • $61 million to expand the state’s education scholarship account program and serve 20,000 students. 
  • $40 million to support literacy policy through summer reading camps and literacy coaches. 
  • $150 million to raise starting teacher salaries to $50,500 and $5 million for a strategic teacher compensation pilot program. 
  • $1.4 million for a career ladder pilot program to provide effective educators with opportunities for career advancement. 
  • A requirement to conduct a return on investment analysis of higher education degree programs and alignment with workforce needs. 
• South Carolina Rep. Shannon Erickson introduced H. 4984, which would strengthen college and career pathways by creating a statewide policy for high school students to take dual enrollment coursework tuition-free. 

Utah 

• Utah Sen. Lincoln Fillmore’s SB 69 passed the Senate and heads to the House. The bill would require school districts to adopt and implement a bell-to-bell phone- and smart watch-free policy. 
• Utah Rep. Karianne Lisonbee’s HB 234 passed its committee and moves to the House floor for a vote. The bill would place the state on a path to dismantle its statewide summative assessment system with locally selected norm-referenced assessments, which do not directly measure mastery of Utah’s academic standards or allow for comparability of student performance across the state.     
• Utah Sen. Lincoln Fillmore’s SB 119 passed its committee and awaits a vote on the Senate floor. The bill would direct the Utah State Board of Education to develop open K-8 educational resources that align with Utah’s core standards. 
• Utah bills addressing charter school facilities and funding passed committees and await consideration in the Senate and House chambers: 
  • Rep. Candice Pierucci’s HB 241 would expand financial support and facilities access for charter schools. 
  • Sen. Heidi Balderree’s SB 186 would establish a charter school base funding study group to analyze charter school administrative costs and funding options, including evaluating Utah’s current funding formula and considering other beneficial models. 
  • Sen. Balderree’s SB 131 would expand charter school access to students whose assigned school is at capacity.  
• Utah lawmakers introduced legislation to encourage evidence-based dyslexia screening for Utah students: 
  • Rep. Ariel Defay’s HB 393 would establish a statewide, evidence-based dyslexia screening pilot program and expand educator training and resources.  
  • Sen. Kathleen Riebe’s SB 159 would establish a state-led process to identify reliable and effective dyslexia screening tools and instruct districts to administer evidence-based early screening for K-2 students. 
• Utah lawmakers’ are moving legislation to strengthen the teacher pipeline.   
  • Rep. Candice Pierucci’s HB 146 would create a permanent teacher mentoring and leadership pilot program and provide funding to support professional development to improve educator retention. The bill passed the House and heads to the Senate.    
  • Sen. Fillmore’s SB 85 would expand access to Utah’s performance-based teacher incentive award program by allowing eligible teachers from any district to self-nominate for awards. The bill passed its committee and awaits a vote on the Senate floor. 
• Utah lawmakers introduced legislation on digital policy, which await further consideration.  
  • Rep. Jordan Teuscher’s HB 218 would add a new graduation requirement for high school students to complete a digital literacy course. 
  • Rep. Ariel Defay’s HB 273 would charge the State Board of Education with creating a policy to balance the use of technology and artificial intelligence in the classroom. 
• Utah Sen. Ann Millner introduced SB 216, which would establish a process for determining enrollment and performance funding for degree-granting universities and technical colleges. The bill awaits consideration by the Senate Education Committee.   

Virginia 

• Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed an Executive Order outlining top education priorities around literacy, math and accountability. The order directs the Superintendent of Education to improve implementation of the Virginia Literacy Act. 
• Virginia Del. Sam Rasoul’s HB 332 passed its second committee and heads to the House floor for a vote. The bill would allow teachers at higher education institutions to teach high school career and technical education (CTE) courses while maintaining current employment.    
• Virginia Sen. Stella Pekarsky’s SB 174 passed its second committee. The bill would strengthen the teacher pipeline by establishing the Virginia Student Teacher Scholarship Program and providing financial assistance to teachers-in-training. 
• Virginia Del. Bonita Anthony’s HB 180 awaits further consideration at its final committee stop. The bill would establish a pilot program to expand access to work-based learning for high school students and align student experiences with business and industry needs.  
• Virginia Del. Shelly Simonds’ HB 138 is on its final committee stop. The bill would require all districts to employ a career coach to counsel students on college and career pathways. 

West Virginia 

• West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey unveiled his budget, which includes: 
  • A 3% pay raise for all educators.  
  • Improvements to workforce readiness programs.  
  • $127.3 million to fully fund HOPE Scholarships, the state’s universal education scholarship account program, for the next two years. 
     

Wisconsin 

• Wisconsin Rep. Jessie Rodriguez’s AB 602 is headed to the Governor’s desk. The bill requires the governor to opt in to participate in the federal tax credit program.