State Actions Update: Governors sign dozens of education bills in March 2024 

As a few states closed out their legislative sessions in March 2024, several more began heating up with strong education policies taking center stage in statehouse debates. 

ExcelinEd in Action tracks and reports on state education bill action each month on our blog. Below are key legislative trends we witnessed in March, followed by a detailed, state-by-state recap of education bills that advanced this month. (For those who would like to receive weekly State Action Updates, sign up for ExcelinEd in Action email updates here.) 

March 2024 Education Highlights from State Legislatures 

• Governors signed 17 education bills into law in March 2024. 
  • Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed an education scholarship account (ESA) for low-income students that becomes universal in its third year. 
  • Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation to protect minors from the harms of social media platforms. Nine other bills and the education budget await Gov. DeSantis’s signature. 
  • Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed two bills — one that streamlines processes for charter schools and one that expands college and career pathways via advanced coursework, dual credit, workforce training and more to more Idaho students. 
  • Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signed eight bills into law, including comprehensive early literacy policies, a plan to provide math screening and interventions, a ban of cell phones in schools, charter school fixes and Career Scholarship Accounts program improvements.  
  • South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster signed an early literacy bill that bans the harmful three-cueing instructional method, adds screeners and expands summer reading camps for young readers.  
  • Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed two bills—one that calls for policies on artificial intelligence (AI) usage in schools and one that analyzes the state’s math proficiency and trains K-8 teachers in math instruction.  
  • Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed legislation that expands supports for educators and creates innovative teacher leadership pathways.  
  • Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a bill that improves the Virginia Literacy Act, including a ban on three-cueing. Four more bills await Gov. Youngkin’s signature. 

• Two governors vetoed education bills in March 2024. 
  • Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed a bill that would have increased education funding, citing the failure of the legislature to pass meaningful public charter school choice provisions and teacher bonuses as a reason for the veto.  
  • Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon vetoed a bill that would have established parental choice with $5,000 ESAs for income-qualifying students. 

• Fourteen states—Alabama, Alaska, California, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Virginia—advanced bills that strengthen early literacy policies. Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky and Michigan moved legislation to explicitly ban the harmful three-cueing instructional method from teacher preparation programs. Indiana and Iowa also focused on strengthening their existing third-grade promotion policies. 

• States took bold steps to grow public and private educational opportunity. Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia took positive steps to expand or improve ESA programs that help families customize education to best fit the needs of students. Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee moved bills to grow and strengthen public charter schools. 

• Policymakers in 12 states are looking to strengthen the future workforce. Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia advanced legislation to strengthen education-to-workforce programs and career pathways. 

• Eight states tackled digital policy challenges in their states. Alabama, Arizona and Indiana took positive steps to ban distracting smartphones from classrooms, but Tennessee’s efforts failed. Florida, Georgia and Louisiana worked to protect students from potential harms of social media. Mississippi, Tennessee and West Virginia moved legislation to study and create guidance around AI in schools. 

• Eight states prioritized supporting teachers. Colorado, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin moved bills to improve teacher-focused policies, from increasing pay and supports to creating retention programs. 

• Seven states kept us on our toes with attempts to modify school accountability and transparency policies. Georgia, Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska took steps to strengthen their policies. Arizona and Florida successfully squashed attempts to weaken school accountability, but advocates remain vigilant in Arizona until session ends later next month. A harmful bill is still under consideration in Tennessee. 

• Florida, Indiana and Tennessee made progress on math policies that will help close achievement gaps. 

• New Hampshire advanced an emerging policy that would establish an early childhood account program to support families with funds to pay for qualifying early childhood education-related expenses. 

State-by-State Education Bill Breakdown – March 2024 

Alabama 

• Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed Rep. Danny Garrett’s HB 129 into law. The bill establishes the CHOOSE Act, an education scholarship account (ESA) program for low-income students that would become universal in its third year. The program could serve more than 14,000 students in its first year. 
• Alabama Rep. Leigh Hulsey’s HB 173, which would ban three-cueing in educator preparation programs and instructional materials, awaits a committee hearing in the Senate. 
• Alabama Rep. Hulsey introduced HB 364, which requires schools to adopt an internet safety policy to restrict the use of digital devices in schools. It awaits its first committee vote. 
• Alabama Sen. Steve Livingston’s SB 247 awaits its first committee vote. The bill would streamline the state’s college and career pathways efforts by creating a single Workforce Pathways Division in the Department of Workforce. The division would include the state’s Office of Education and Workforce Statistics and the Office of Apprenticeship.  

Alaska 

• Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed Sen. Lyman Hoffman’s SB 140. The bill would have increased education funding by more than $246 million per year; however, Gov. Dunleavy cited the failure of the legislature to pass meaningful charter choice provisions and teacher bonuses as a reason for the veto. 
• The Alaska House Rules Committee’s HB 274 was referred to the Senate Education committee. The bill would create screening for reading deficiencies and provide reading intervention services to public school students enrolled in grades K-3. 

Arizona 

• Arizona Rep. Beverly Pingerelli’s HB 2675 had its second reading in the Senate and awaits further action. The bill would weaken school accountability by removing A-F letter grading and eliminating a crucial tool for parental choice and transparency. 
• Arizona Rep. Pingerelli’s HB 2793 had its second reading in the Senate. The bill would direct each school district as well as charter school governing bodies to prescribe policies that limit the use of smartphones by students during school.   

Arkansas 

• Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’s proposed Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget would fully fund teacher salary increases, teacher recruitment incentives and new literacy coaches and career coaches. 

California 

• California Rep. Blanca Rubio’s AB 2222 was referred to its first committee. The bill would require the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to update its literacy standards, literacy teaching performance expectations and literacy instruction preconditions to align with the science of reading. 

Colorado 

• Colorado Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer’s SB 122, which would have established education scholarship accounts to customize learning for students with Individual Education Plans or learning disabilities, failed to pass its first committee.   
• Colorado Sen. Jesse Danielson’s SB 104 passed the Senate Appropriations Committee. The bill would require the state apprenticeship agency to align the high school career and technical education system and the registered apprenticeship system to programs and occupations related to infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, education or health care. 
• Colorado Rep. Karen McCormick’s HB 1087 passed the House. The bill would require the Department of Education to provide an additional pathway for educators to obtain a teaching endorsement in special education. 

Florida 

The Florida legislature adjourned in March. The following bills passed and now head to Gov. Ron DeSantis’s desk: 

• Rep. Chase Tramont’s HB 3 will prevent minors under the age of 14 from establishing accounts on social media platforms, require parental consent for minors aged 14 and 15 to establish accounts on social media platforms and ban minors under the age of 18 from accessing websites and applications that primarily house “harmful content.” 
• Sen. Travis Hutson’s SB 7002 will reduce public school regulations, give school boards more flexibility related to collective bargaining and expand teacher apprenticeships.  
• Sen. Corey Simon’s SB 7004 will incorporate Department of Education recommendations to provide certain regulatory relief to public school districts and will enhance early literacy efforts in K-2 by expanding parental notification and access to interventions and supports.  
• Rep. John Snyder’s HB 917 will 1) expand high school math pathways that align to postsecondary education and career programming; 2) allow districts to provide alternatives to career fairs; and 3) direct the state’s workforce agencies to develop a report that examines career and technical education program outcomes and whether they meet industry demand and the state’s overall economic needs.  
• Sen. Rosalind Osgood’s SB 1688 will bolster career pathways by requiring school districts to inform parents about career-themed courses available to middle school students.  
• Sen. Danny Burgess’ SB 996 was substituted for Rep. Canady’s HB 1285 and passed. Among other provisions, the bill will strengthen private school growth opportunities by reducing duplicative local zoning and land-use red tape. It also will create new opportunities for classical charter schools by establishing 1) enrollment preference for students previously enrolled at a classical school; and 2) a classical teaching certification.  
• Sen. Linda Stewart’s SB 46 will expand the Reading Achievement Initiative for Scholastic Excellence (RAISE) program, which allows qualified high school students to tutor K-3 students during and after school.  
• Sen. Erin Grall’s SB 7032 will create an alternative graduation program that provides students ages 16–21 who have dropped out of school an opportunity to obtain postsecondary course credits at no cost while earning their high school diploma (or equivalent) and industry-recognized certifications. 
• Sen. Simon’s SB 7048 was substituted for Rep. Josie Tomkow’s HB 1403 and passed. This school choice bill establishes deadlines for student funding organizations administering the state’s education scholarship accounts (ESAs). It also updates reporting requirements; increases the annual cap growth on the Family Empowerment Scholarship for students with Unique Abilities; and merges the HOPE Scholarship Program with the largest-in-the-nation Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program.  
• Rep. John Temple’s HB 1361 will increase support for early learners by extending eligibility for New Worlds Scholarship Accounts to students enrolled in Florida’s Voluntary Pre-kindergarten Program and by expanding its purpose to include math as well as reading. The bill also establishes a new grant program to provide AI-powered tutoring for students and professional development for teachers.  
• The education budget bill HB 5101 and the overall budget HB 5001 provide more than $8.9 billion in K-12 funding. Investments include funding for teacher pay raises, fixed capital outlay projects, New Worlds Scholarship Accounts for students struggling in math and reading, an AI grant program and the GATE program, which helps dropouts to earn high school diploma equivalents and certifications. 

Georgia 

• Georgia Rep. Matthew Gambill’s HB 982 passed both chambers and awaits Gov. Brian Kemp’s signature. The bill would require the state to publish a high-demand career list and focus funding on programs that align with in-demand careers.  
• Georgia Sen. Billy Hickman’s SB 497, which would create additional opportunities for apprenticeships, passed the House and awaits a concurrence vote in the Senate.    
• Georgia Sen. Greg Dolezal’s SB 233 passed the legislature and awaits Gov. Brian Kemp’s signature. The bill would create the state’s first education scholarship account program for low-income prior public school students zoned to low-performing schools. 
• Georgia Rep. Scott Hilton’s HB 1122 passed the Senate and awaits a concurring vote in the House. The bill would ensure charter schools are provided funding for principals and superintendents and would allow students to enroll in charter schools in which their parents are employed as part-time employees. The bill also would improve accountability and transparency by clarifying that schools receive a single summative score based on student achievement plus other factors. 
• Georgia Sen. Jason Anavitarte’s SB 351 passed its committee and awaits further consideration in the House. The bill would protect students from harmful impacts of social media by requiring age verification for social media accounts; local boards of education to adopt a social media policy for schools; and the Department of Education to develop a social media literacy program. The bill was amended in committee to include additional age verification measures for minors regarding harmful online materials. 

Hawaii 

• Hawaii Rep. Justin Woodson’s HB 1655 passed the House and was referred to the Senate Education Committee. The bill would require the Department of Education to create a public digital platform by the 2025-26 school year that shows how schools are adopting high-quality instructional materials for K-6 English Language Arts. 
• Hawaii Rep. Woodson’s HB 1657 passed the House and was referred to the Senate Education Committee. The bill would require all public schools to screen all K-3 students for dyslexia to identify and support students who are at risk of dyslexia and other learning disabilities. 

Idaho 

• Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed Rep. Judy Boyle’s HB 422. The bill improves public school choice by streamlining the authorization and reauthorization process for charter schools; establishing pilot charters using innovative models, such as hybrid learning environments; and providing a 12-year renewal term for high-performing charter schools. 
• Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed Sen. Ben Toews’ college and career pathways bill SB 1359. The bill increases the Advanced Opportunities Program funding for both public school students and nonpublic school students. The program provides funding for students in grades 7-12 to take advanced coursework, including dual credit, workforce training, certification exams, Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs. 
• Idaho Sen. Chuck Winder’s SB 1391 was referred to its first House committee. The bill would restore public charter school facility funds, which were inadvertently reduced by the passage of HB 292 in 2023. It sets the minimum at $400 per student. 

Indiana 

The Indiana legislature adjourned in March. Gov. Eric Holcomb signed the following bills into law: 

• Sen. Linda Rogers’ early literacy bill, SB 1, will provide summer school intervention and supports for young struggling readers; require universal screening, parent notification, progress monitoring and reading instruction aligned to the science of reading for K-8 students; and strengthen the third-grade promotion gate. 
• Sen. Jeff Raatz’s SB 6 will expand literacy policy to identify and support students in grades 4–8 who are not proficient in reading.  
• Sen. Raatz’s early literacy bill, SB 212, bans three-cueing in teacher preparation programs. 
• Sen. Raatz’s SB 185 will ban the use of cell phones in schools unless they are needed for instructional use or in case of emergency. 
• Sen. Rogers’ SB 270 will streamline funding and operations for charter schools. 
• Rep. Bob Behning’s HB 1243 streamlines CSAs and work-based learning programs as well as improves state assessments, establishes new diploma requirements and adds computer science as a graduation requirement. The final bill also requires the Department of Education to develop a plan to provide math screening and interventions for struggling students. 
• Rep. Chuck Goodrich’s HB 1001 makes costs associated with obtaining a driver’s license a qualified expense under the state’s Career Scholarship Account (CSA) program. 
• Rep. Behning’s HB 1380 streamlines operations and levels the playing field for charter schools. 

Iowa 

• Iowa’s comprehensive early literacy bill, HF 2618, is on the House floor. The bill would require: educator preparation programs to administer a “foundations of reading” exam as part of teacher licensure; schools to notify parents when their students are not meeting proficiency; individualized reading plans for students not proficient in reading at the beginning of the third-grade; and schools to retain non-proficient third-grade readers at the parent’s request.  
• Iowa’s SF 2195, which would ban three-cueing from K-3 instruction and teacher preparation programs, is on the Senate floor. 
• Iowa’s HF 2545, which would require the Department of Education to conduct a comprehensive review of and make recommendations regarding state standards, curriculum and graduation requirements, is on the Senate floor.  
• Iowa’s HF 2615 awaits a Senate vote. This transparency bill would require community colleges to publish information on graduate outcomes and require school districts to provide postsecondary education information to 11th and 12th graders.   
• The Iowa Senate Workforce Committee’s SF 2260, which would strengthen and expand work-based learning and career and technical education, passed its committee and heads to the Senate floor.     

Kansas 

• Kansas Rep. Kristey Williams’ HB 2521, which would require the State Board of Education to grant teaching licenses to individuals who complete an alternative certification program, passed the House and awaits its first committee in the Senate. 
• The Kansas Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee’s SB 532, which would establish a comprehensive statewide “blueprint” plan to tackle early literacy, passed its first committee and now heads to the Senate floor. 

Kentucky 

• Kentucky Rep. James Tipton’s HB 612, which would ban three-cueing literacy instruction in K-12 schools and in educator preparation programs, passed the House and awaits consideration in the Senate.   
• Kentucky Rep. Suzanne Miles’ HB 2, which would amend the state’s constitution and remove constitutional hurdles for school choice by allowing state funding for students outside of public schools, passed both chambers and will be on the ballot in November.   

Louisiana 

• Louisiana Rep. Kim Carver introduced HB 577, which would prohibit social media platforms from collecting minors’ data for the purposes of targeted advertising. 
• Louisiana Rep. Julie Emerson introduced HB 745, which heads to its first committee stop. The bill would create an education savings account program that would be universal by 2027. The Senate companion, Sen. Rick Edmonds’ SB 313, passed its first committee stop.   

 Massachusetts 

• Following consideration of Rep. Dan Sena’s H 579 and Sen. Sal DiDomenico’s S 263 by the Joint Committee on Education last month, the Senate Education Committee approved a rewrite of the bill this month. The early literacy legislation, S 2653, would require all elementary schools in the state to teach children to read using evidence-based instruction; provide for screening and identification of struggling readers and any necessary interventions; and offer professional development for educators. The bill now heads to its second Senate committee. 

Michigan 

• Michigan Sen. Jeff Irwin’s SB 567, which would require screening students for dyslexia, passed the Senate and now heads to its first House committee stop.  
• Michigan Sen. Dayna Polehanki’s SB 568, which would require teacher preparation programs to train educators in the science of reading and in teaching students with dyslexia, passed the Senate and now heads to its first House committee stop. 

Mississippi 

• Mississippi Rep. Rob Roberson’s HB 1449 passed its first committee and was sent for further study. The bill would create an education scholarship account program that would be open to about 6,500 low-income students in the next school year and open to all students by 2029. 
• Mississippi Rep. Roberson’s HB 1229, which extends the current Equal Opportunity for Students with Special Needs ESA program until 2027, passed the House and awaits a committee vote in the Senate. 
• Mississippi Rep. Roberson’s HB 1450 passed the House. The bill would enter Mississippi into the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact, a multi-state agreement that expedites teacher licensure for teachers licensed in another state.  
• Mississippi Rep. Jansen Owen’s HB 867, which would create an open enrollment policy allowing students to transfer to another school district if approved by the accepting school district, passed the House and awaits a committee vote in the Senate.  
• A revised version of Mississippi Rep. Owen’s HB 1683 passed the House and heads to the Senate. The revised version would provide a $6,000 salary bonus for certain qualified teachers, school counselors and other faculty at charter schools, but no longer includes provisions to create alternative charter school authorizers.  
• Mississippi Sen. Chris Johnson’s SB 2062, which would create a taskforce to study the use of artificial intelligence in K-12 education and the workforce, passed the Senate and awaits a committee vote in the House.  

Missouri 

• Missouri Rep. Brad Pollitt’s HB 1989 was referred to its first Senate committee stop and awaits a hearing. The bill would expand education choice by establishing an optional open enrollment policy for public schools. 
• Missouri Sen. Curtis Trent’s SB 1051, which would reimburse districts for accepting students via open enrollment, passed its committee and now heads to the Senate floor. 
• Missouri Sen. Trent’s SB 1392 has been placed on the agenda for action on the Senate floor. The bill would expand eligibility in the Empowerment Scholarship Accounts program and increase students’ access to charter schools by allowing them to operate in several new counties.   
• Missouri Sen. Andrew Koenig’s SB 727, which would expand charter schools and Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts to serve more families, passed the Senate and awaits committee assignment in the House. 
• Missouri Rep. Ed Lewis’s HB 1447 passed its second House committee and heads to the House floor. The bill would raise the minimum teacher salary and establish a fund to assist school districts in meeting new minimum salary requirements. 
• Missouri Rep. Mike Haffner’s HB 2184, which would require increased accountability reporting for school performance, passed its second committee stop and was sent back to its first committee for further work. 

Nebraska 

• Nebraska Sen. Rita Sanders’ LB 71 passed the legislature and heads to Gov. Jim Pillen for signature. The bill would clarify language surrounding parental involvement and academic transparency, requiring parental access to curriculum and allowing parents to opt their child out of some lessons and activities.   

New Hampshire 

• New Hampshire Rep. Lorie Ball’s HB 1015 passed its last committee before heading to the full House. The bill would require school districts to provide measurable, evidence-based instruction in literacy for all K-5 students.  
• New Hampshire’s SB 522 passed the Senate floor and heads to its next committee stop. The bill would establish an early childhood account program for qualifying early childhood education-related expenses. 

Oklahoma 

• Oklahoma Sen. Adam Pugh’s early literacy bill SB 1906 awaits its first House committee hearing. The bill would require screening and interventions for reading deficiencies and requires that reading be taught in the classroom using curriculum based in the science of reading.    
• Oklahoma advanced two bills to improve the state’s Parental Choice Tax Credit program: 
  • Oklahoma Speaker Charles McCall’s HB 3388, which would streamline the Parental Choice Tax Credit application process, was heard in the Senate and awaits its next committee assignment. 
  • Oklahoma Sen. Greg Treat’s SB 1477 awaits its first House committee hearing. The bill would provide a tax credit for private school students who are home insecure and would exempt the Parental Choice Tax Credit from taxable income. 
• Oklahoma moved three bills that would strengthen college and career pathways.  
  • Oklahoma Rep. Rhonda Baker’s HB 3278 was heard in the Senate and awaits its next committee assignment. The bill would adjust high school graduation requirements to provide more flexibility for students’ individual career pathways. 
  • Oklahoma Rep. Baker’s HB 3274 awaits a hearing in its first Senate committee. The bill would add to the statewide student assessment system optional modules, including the military Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test, that would test for college and career readiness. 
  • Oklahoma Sen. Pugh’s SB 1358, which would create a $100 million Workforce Development Revolving Fund to increase the number of credentials granted in high-need occupation areas, passed the Senate and awaits its first House committee hearing. 
• Oklahoma Sen. Pugh’s SB 1904 awaits its first House committee hearing. The bill would allow school districts or charter schools that operate a fully virtual educational program to administer virtual student assessments. 
• Oklahoma Rep. Brad Boles’ HB 3048, which would limit public school choice by restricting parental engagement in interdistrict open enrollment requests, was referred to its first committee stop in the Senate and awaits a hearing.    

South Carolina 

• South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster signed Sen. Greg Hembree’s S 418, an early literacy bill that bans three-cueing in reading curriculum and instruction, ensures students are administered a reading screener three times per year and expands summer reading camps to first-grade and second-grade students. 
• South Carolina Rep. Shannon Erickson’s H 5105 passed the House and awaits consideration in the Senate. The bill would accelerate college pathways for military veterans by recognizing military experiences, coursework and credentials toward completion of their college degrees. 
• South Carolina Rep. Shannon Erickson’s H 5164 passed the House and awaits consideration in the Senate. The bill would expand and improve the state’s education scholarship account program by making the program universal; providing application priority for current scholarship holders and their siblings, families of active-duty military members and low-income, foster and special needs students; expanding the list of eligible expenses; and removing barriers for participants who are reapplying to the program. 

Tennessee  

• Tennessee Rep. Scott Cepicky’s HB 1927, which would reimburse up to $1,000 for teachers’ childcare expenses each month, passed its second committee. The bill’s companion, Sen. Joey Hensley’s SB 1901, passed its first committee and awaits further committee consideration.    
• Tennessee Sen. John Steven’s SB 135, which would make it easier for charter schools to access vacant and underutilized properties to meet their facilities needs, passed the Senate and heads to the House. The bill’s companion, Rep. Ryan Williams’s HB 1191, passed another committee and awaits one more committee vote before a final vote in the House. 
• The Tennessee Senate considered school choice bills that would create an Education Freedom Scholarship program.  
  • Tennessee Sen. Jon Lundberg filed a new amendment to SB 503. The bill would create a universal Education Freedom Scholarship program with enrollment requirements that would provide students with $7,000 for various educational uses, including out-of-district enrollment in public schools. It would also include testing requirements for scholarship program participants. The bill passed its first committee and awaits further consideration in the Senate. 
  • Tennessee Rep. Mark White’s and Rep. Scott Cepicky’s HB 1183 passed its third committee and awaits further consideration in the House. The bill would create an education scholarship account program to provide up to 20,000 students about $7,000 for various educational uses. The bill would also roll back public school accountability by reducing testing requirements and would create additional pathways for students to be promoted to the fifth grade. 
• Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed Rep. Scott Cepicky’s and Sen. Joey Hensley’s SB 1711, which requires local boards of education to create explicit rules and policies for artificial intelligence usage in schools. 
• Tennessee Gov. Lee also signed Rep. Cepicky’s and Sen. Hensley’s SB 1712, which requires the Tennessee Department of Education to approve a professional development course on math instruction at no cost to educators in K-8 and requires an analysis of the current math proficiency levels in the state. 
• Tennessee Rep. Chris Hurt’s HB 902, which would enhance the state’s current data sharing system to help inform education and workforce policy, passed its second committee and awaits further committee consideration. 
• Tennessee Sen. Jon Lundberg and Rep. Rebecca Alexander’s companion bills SB 2809/HB 2758, which would have required local boards of education to adopt a policy to ban smartphones in school, failed to pass out of committee. 

Utah 

• Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed Rep. Candice Pierucci’s HB 431. The bill creates the educator support hotline and the Mentoring and Supporting Teacher Excellence and Refinement Program, which will improve teacher retention through innovative teacher leadership pathways. 

Virginia 

• Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed Sen. Louise Lucas’ SB 624 and Delegate Carrie Coyner’s HB 647 into law. The companion bills will improve provisions of the Virginia Literacy Act and include an explicit ban on three-cueing instruction. 
• Four other bills passed the Virginia legislature and await Gov. Youngkin’s consideration: 
  • Sen. Tammy Brankley Mulchi’s SB 142 directs the Board of Education to allow local school boards to issue one-year renewable teacher licenses to qualified individuals to teach solely within their district. 
  • Sen. Mark Peake’s SB 352 creates alternate routes for teacher licensure, including for teachers of CTE programs. 
  • Delegate Coyner’s HB 1083 requires the Secretary of Education to convene a work group to review the current capabilities and future needs of the Longitudinal Data System and the Virginia Workforce Data Trust. It would also require the secretary to develop a work plan to create public-facing dashboards regarding education, labor and the workforce. 
  • Delegate Coyner’s HB 1087 requires the Department of Education and the Virginia Community College System to establish the College and Career Ready Virginia Program to provide dual enrollment opportunities for students across the Commonwealth. 

West Virginia 

• West Virginia Delegate Joe Ellington’s HB 4814, which would extend the sunset date of the State Advisory Council on Postsecondary Attainment Goals to December 31, 2027, passed the Senate floor and heads to Gov. Jim Justice’s desk. The Council is tasked with conducting a return-on-investment analysis of college and career pathway policies and studying the connection of K-12 pathways to postsecondary education attainment and business/industry needs. 
• West Virginia Delegate Paul Espinosa’s HB 4945 passed the legislature and heads to Gov. Jim Justice’s desk for consideration. The bill would improve the administration of the Hope Scholarship Program. 
• West Virginia Delegate Jared Cannon’s HB 5690 passed the legislature and heads to Gov. Jim Justice’s desk for consideration. The bill creates the West Virginia Task Force on Artificial Intelligence whose tasks include developing model policies for AI use in schools. 

Wisconsin 

• The Wisconsin legislature passed SB 742, which removes a restriction on alternative teacher licensure programs. This bill heads to Gov. Tony Evers for signature.   

Wyoming 

• Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon vetoed Rep. Ken Clouston’s HB 166. This bill would have established $5,000 education savings accounts for income-qualifying students.