The Bottom Line

The latest education policy news from the South

State and Legislative Updates from SEF’s Government Affairs Team

January 6 -17, 2025

Welcome to 2025! We look forward to an important year for state legislatures in the South and with the new Congress and administration taking office in Washington. To no one’s surprise, school vouchers continue to dominate the K-12 education legislative agenda. For instance, South Carolina lawmakers are attempting to work around the recent state Supreme Court ruling that public funds cannot be used for private school tuition to advance their latest school voucher program. In Tennessee, Gov. Bill Lee called a special session slated to begin on Jan. 27 focused on the advancement of an unpopular statewide school voucher proposal. Also, Georgia’sHouse Speaker Jon Burns reported that the governing body managing the state’s latest school voucher program went too far by granting universal eligibility to entire school districts when the vouchers were intended to be for a limited number of students zoned to attend a specific category of schools.

All these voucher expansion efforts are happening despite the exponentially increasing costs of vouchers and voter opposition. The Florida Policy Institute just published an analysis estimating that in FY 2024-25 $3.9 billion of state funds will be directed to private schools, while the expected state funds for public schools will drop to $12.7 billion. Over the last three years, there has been an 11% decline in state funding for Florida public schools while the proportion of funding for vouchers has roughly doubled. Also, a recent national poll published by All4Ed concluded that 68% of the public, including 58% of Republicans, prefer supporting public schools over increased funding for private schools through school vouchers.

Lastly, in the final days of the Biden-Harris administration, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released a report outlining how the administration enforced and responded to thousands of civil rights complaints over the last four years. OCR received nearly 23,000 civil rights complaints in the past year, which is an all-time high.

As legislative sessions commence and progress across the region, we hope you find this newsletter and the resources provided helpful and meaningful to your work.

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State Updates

Alabama

What new child-care tax credits, grants will mean for families in 2025 – A handful of new laws passed by the state legislature took effect with the start of the new year, including one intended to make reliable and affordable child care more available to working parents. (AL.com/Education Lab) Read More
Public comment period open on changes to teacher certification rules – Alabama’s State Board of Education opened a 35-day public comment period on a comprehensive update to the state’s teacher certification rules. This will be the first rewrite of these rules in around 50 years. The final adoption of changes is anticipated by March. (Alabama Reflector) Read More
State’s anti-DEI law violates Constitution, professors and students claim in lawsuit – Professors at the University of Alabama and students at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have filed a federal lawsuit challenging a new state law, SB 129, that bans diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in public colleges, local school districts, and state agencies. (AL.com/EducationLab) Read More
State lawmakers consider changing the way schools are funded – Alabama legislators are considering changes to how the state funds public schools. Education is a top priority for many, and state Sen. Arthur Orr said he wants to examine how the state pays for the education of each student. (WHNT News 19) Read More

Arkansas

Governor says professors should be fired if they are ‘indoctrinating’ students – Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said college professors should be fired if they are “indoctrinating” students, echoing the rhetoric that President-elect Donald Trump and other Republicans have leveled against institutions of higher education. (AP) Read More

Delaware

Study says state will need to invest more in child-care subsidies – A new study by education nonprofit Rodel has found that even though the state’s new subsidy model based on the cost of care is more equitable, more investment is needed to provide quality or even basic care. (Delaware Public Media) Read More
Governor-elect taps U.S. deputy education secretary to lead Delaware Department of Education – Governor-elect Matt Meyer has nominated U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten to become Delaware’s next secretary of education. (Delaware Public Media) Read More

Florida

Report: Florida raining much-needed funds away from public schools – In 2023, Florida passed HB 1, which expanded eligibility for vouchers to all students regardless of family income and enabled home-school students to apply for vouchers at the same level of state funding for the education of public school students. The estimated total cost for Florida’s school voucher programs for FY2024-25 is $3.9 billion. (Florida Policy Institute) Read More

Proposal would provide free school lunches to all Florida public school students – Free lunch programs already exist for students across the nation. Florida’s SB 74 would provide free breakfast and lunch to every public school student in the state, no matter their family’s income. (WCTV News) Read More

Georgia

Sen. Hickman to chair Senate education committee – Sen. Billy Hickman was appointed by Lt. Gov. Burt Jones to serve as chairman of the Senate Committee on Education and Youth. (Georgia Senate Press Office) Read More
House Speaker wants changes to new school voucher program – It took years for Georgia Republicans to pass its most recent school voucher legislation, which established the state’s third school voucher program. Now, House Speaker Jon Burns said the state agency managing the voucher program went too far in granting vouchers to users across entire school districts. (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution – Subscription Required) Read More
Gov. Kemp proposes additional $50 million in school-safety funds after Apalachee shooting – Gov. Brian Kemp proposed an additional allocation of $50 million in one-time funds toward school safety grants amid widespread calls for increased security measures after a school shooting last year. (WABE News) Read More
State lawmakers set to debate school policies, from safety to 1985 school spending formula – Georgia’s students are heading back to school, and state lawmakers are heading back to work. This year, school safety will likely take up a lot of discussion among lawmakers, but education leaders also hope to tackle topics like school funding, lowering pre-K costs for Georgia parents, and banning transgender girls from girls’ sports. (Georgia Recorder) Read More

Kentucky

Louisville program helping immigrant women open child-care businesses – With funding and support from Louisville Metro’s Office for Women, nonprofits in Louisville are helping immigrant and refugee women meet the need for child care in their communities. (Louisville Public Media) Read More
Beshear touts Kentucky economy, urges end to ‘attacks’ on public schools – In his annual State of the Commonwealth address to the General Assembly, Gov. Andy Beshear renewed talk of economic wins and overcoming political division while also calling on lawmakers to “stop the attacks on our public school system”. (Kentucky Lantern) Read More
Students sue state for failing to provide ‘adequate and equitable public education’ – Lawyers for the Kentucky Student Voice Team filed a 70-page complaint in Franklin Circuit Court, alleging the state and General Assembly “have failed to maintain the level of commitment to education required” by Kentucky’s Constitution and past court decisions and “failed to meet their obligation to monitor the efficiency of the education system.” (Kentucky Lantern) Read More

Louisiana

State colleges, universities spend minimally on DEI, new reports show – Attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs are often premised on the idea that such programs bloat college budgets and increase student debt. However, recent mandatory state reports on every public Louisiana college and university show that about half of the state’s postsecondary institutions spend relatively nothing – between .001% and .42% of their respective budgets – on such programs. (Louisiana Illuminator) Read More
State teacher workforce grows as fewer educators leave their jobs, data show – Louisiana is slowly but surely growing its teacher workforce. According to recent state data, the number of teachers working in traditional public schools grew by about 1,000 last school year, the second straight year of growth. (The Advocate) Read More

Maryland

State lawmakers to address education spending amid looming $2.7 billion deficit – The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future passed in 2021. Now, some lawmakers and Gov. Wes Moore are saying there may need to be changes as the state faces a projected $2.7 billion budget shortfall. (WBFF News) Read More

Mississippi

Legislation to send more public money to private schools appears stalled as lawmakers consider other changes – Some top lawmakers in Mississippi’s Republican-controlled Legislature are prepared to make it easier for students to transfer between public schools but remain skeptical of sending more public money to private schools. (Mississippi Today) Read More
State superintendent: Public education must be “nimble” as Mississippi businesses, industries change – The state superintendent of education spoke on how the Mississippi Department of Education plans to meet the needs of the state’s workforce by ensuring the state’s education system develops high school graduates ready to enter the workforce and be successful if they choose to attend a university. (Magnolia Tribune) Read More

Missouri

State lawmakers unlikely to prioritize teacher pay as past efforts bring growth – More educators across the state are staying in their jobs following efforts to raise teachers’ base pay and provide alternative measures for certification, the State Board of Education learned. Despite a continued push for teacher recruitment efforts by the state education department, lawmakers may place less emphasis on the problem than in years past. (Missouri Independent) Read More

North Carolina

‘Hard times on top of hard times’: Families and child-care providers in the aftermath of Helene – Besides the other catastrophic damage, Hurricane Helene impacted a vital part of the state’s infrastructure: child care. Providers and families share their work-arounds and what’s needed to reinforce an already fragile system. (NC Newsline) Read More
State review board renews several charter schools despite concerns on academic performance – The state Charter Schools Review Board has approved 10-year renewals for 18 charter schools, despite concerns expressed by at least one board member about granting such long-term approvals to schools with lower academic performance. (NC Newsline) Read More

Oklahoma

Public school revenue hits $13,736 per student – According to financial datareported by schools to the state’s Oklahoma Cost Accounting System, per-pupil revenue in Oklahoma public schools reached $13,736 per student in the 2023-24 school year. That’s a 51% increase since the 2017-18 school year. (Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs) Read More
Senate Democrats to focus on wages, schools, basic needs in 2025 – State Senate Democrats unveiled a set of policy priorities focused on worker wages, education funding, health care, and the public’s voice in government. (Oklahoma Voice) Read More

South Carolina

State Senate GOP poised to fast-track private school voucher bill to state Supreme Court – Republican lawmakers are planning to use their commanding majorities in both chambers to pass a law that some of them hope will circumvent the state Supreme Court’s ruling against spending public funds on private school tuition. SB 62 calls for vouchers to be funded by proceeds from the state’s education lottery, instead of directly from tax dollars in the state budget. (South Carolina Public Radio) Read More
State education committee recommends removal of four books from school libraries – The State Department of Education’s Instructional Material Review Committee has received concerns about four more books and voted for a recommendation of their removal. (WPDE News) Read More
Governor proposes $50,000 starting pay for teachers – Gov. Henry McMaster has outlined his priorities for this legislative session in an executive budget proposal that includes significant new investments in education. Among his proposals is an increase in starting teacher salaries to $50,000, a move that has garnered widespread support. (WJCL News) Read More

Tennessee

Report highlights barriers child-care industry faces throughout the state – A new report identifies barriers and opportunities to increase families’ access to quality child care across the state and makes recommendations on how state and local governments can work together to increase access to high-quality child care. (WSMV 4 News) Read More
Gov. Lee announces special session on school vouchers, Helene relief, immigration – On top of trying to pass the latest school voucher propsosal, the governor will introduce a disaster relief package following Hurricane Helene. (WBIR Channel 10 News) Read More
Vouchers, cellphones, recess: Education issues to dominate again as lawmakers return – The state’s legislative session began with a GOP supermajority and an expectation from Gov. Bill Lee to pass his universal school voucher proposal early in the session. (Chalkbeat Tennessee) Read More

Texas

School vouchers once again on the state legislature’s agenda – As state lawmakers prepare to vote on many important issues, school vouchers have taken the main stage. Gov. Greg Abbott has maintained there are enough House members in the next session to pass school vouchers. (KWTX News) Read More
Texas educators, policy experts urge legislators to tackle child-care crisis– As the state legislature gears up for its 2025 session, an often overlooked aspect of education and economic development will soon come into focus: early childhood education. (Fort Worth Report) Read More
What could this legislative session mean for the state’s colleges and universities? – This session is expected to include several bills related to colleges and universities, with many of the bills related to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. (Texas Standard) Read More
Report: Many mandates on school districts don’t address funding – This statewide report overviews a number of laws and regulations that govern how public schools operate, from instructional programs to parental/student notifications and public notices. (TASB) Read More
Proposal to display Ten Commandments in public schools back on state legislative agenda – One of the major efforts this state legislative session will be a new bill to mandate the placement of the Ten Commandments in all public school classrooms. (Houston Public Media) Read More

Virginia

Feds approve amendments to state’s K-12 accountability and support plan – After a months-long review by the federal government, the state Department of Education announced that it could fully implement its School Performance and Support Framework plan for how students will be assessed in public schools. (Virginia Mercury) Read More
General Assembly convenes: Delegate focus on education, tax relief, mental health – Thousands of pieces of legislation are expected to come across the Capitol floor, including bills focused on improving public education. (ABC 7 News) Read More
Legislation to translate K-12 assessments into multiple languages advances – Students would be allowed to take the state’s annual learning assessments in a language other than English under HB 1679 that advanced out of a House Education subcommittee (Virginia Mercury) Read More

West Virginia

Governor targets efficiency, school vouchers, DEI programs in first actions – Newly inaugurated Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced a wide-ranging set of executive orders and actions on his first official day in office, including making school vouchers a top priority and terminating any DEI programs in state government. (WVNews) Read More

National/Federal Updates

Early Childhood Education

States seek to improve early childhood outcomes through consolidated governance structures – This report includes data from the Center for American Progress’ scan of all 50 states and the District of Columbia tracking which state agencies or government bodies oversee eight key early childhood and early learning programs. (Center for American Progress) Read More
Does paid parental leave for teachers pay off? – This report examines a sample of 148 teacher contracts and district policies from the nation’s largest school districts to determine how parental leave policies have evolved since a 2022 analysis. (National Council on Teacher Quality) Read More
The state of child care through the eyes of a parent, a provider, an advocate, and an administrator – In partnership with the Economic Policy Institute’s Economic Analysis and Research Network, CLASP brought together a virtual panel of child-care experts for a webinar series to discuss the state of child care, key progress that has been made, and the work yet to be done. (Center for Law and Social Policy) Read More

K-12 Education

Voters’ Views on Education in 2024 – A national debate about the future of education is happening in an information vacuum, without considering what the public wants and needs from our education system. All4Ed commissioned an education election exit poll to learn what voters believe about public schools, federal education policy and spending, and ideas to improve education for our nation’s students. (All4Ed) Read More
FCC chair appoints eight to Universal Service Administrative Company Board – Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel appointed eight members to the Universal Service Administrative Company Board of Directors, which oversees the nonprofit organization responsible for administering the FCC’s $8.1 billion Universal Service Fund. (Broadband Breakfast) Read More
Preserving the federal role in advancing educational opportunity – This brief outlines key federal programs that play a vital role in communities and families to nurture children’s development and promote quality education and learning. (The Children’s Equity Project) Read More
Private school vouchers, education savings accounts, and tax incentive programs: Implications and considerations for students with disabilities – This report was originally published in 2017 to highlight the implications and considerations for students with disabilities. In 2024, the report was updated to reflect the current landscape of programs across the U.S., which has expanded since 2017. (National Center for Learning Disabilities) Read More
Protecting civil rights in education: Highlights of activities – This reportoffers a summary of the impact of the federal Office of Civil Rights’ enforcement measures over the last four years. (U.S. Department of Education) Read More

Higher Education

U.S. finalizes new rules for distance education, college-prep programs – The Biden administration’s regulations changing how colleges are held accountable and adding new requirements for institutions to access federal financial aid are now in place, though legal challenges loom. (Inside Higher Ed) Read More
A looming ‘demographic cliff’: Fewer college students and ultimately fewer graduates – The current class of high school seniors scheduled to graduate this spring will be the last before an expected long decline in the number of 18-year-olds begins. (NPR) Read More

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Review the archive of past updates:

Miles To Go: The State of Education for Black Students in America