The Bottom Line

The latest education policy news from the South

State and Legislative Updates from SEF’s Government Affairs Team

The weeks of 1/5 – 1/16

Greetings all,

Happy New Year! We hope you all had a restful and joyous holiday season. Most of our southern legislatures have kicked off the 2026 legislative sessions, focusing on recent federal child care funding freezes, the use of AI in K-12 and postsecondary classrooms, uncertainties surrounding the implementation of a new federal school voucher program, and much more.

Arkansas:Public school enrollment has seen the most significant decline in 20 years during the first year in which its school voucher program expanded to universal eligibility.
Mississippi: HB 2 would direct taxpayer funds to private schools, ease public school transfer regulations, and make it easier to open charter schools statewide. While this legislation has been sent to the full House, its future in the Senate remains uncertain.
Tennessee: Comptroller found that the majority of Tennessee public school students using school vouchers are not leaving low-performing public schools, and voucher recipients are performing worse than their public school peers in both academic achievement and growth.
Texas: Final rules for the state’s new school voucher program clarified that families can receive around $10,800 per year to send their children to private pre-K.

With so much underway already, we expect this year to be nothing short of busy and eventful. As always, we hope you find this resource meaningful to your work in supporting students of color and students from low-income families across the South.

Latest From SEF

SEF is Accepting Applications for SELI Host Sites – We are now accepting applications for 2026 Southern Education Leadership Initiative (SELI) Host Sites. We partner with organizations across the South, including school districts, nonprofits, state agencies, and higher education institutions, to provide SELI fellows with eight weeks of meaningful, hands-on summer experiences. Organizations interested in hosting and supporting an emerging education leader, please apply here by February 9.

State Updates

Alabama

State Senator exploring new funding option for higher education institutions – A state Senator is drafting legislation that could change how some higher education institutions are funded. (Alabama Reflector) Read More
Opinion: Alabama’s education dollars should stay in public education – “As a public-school teacher, I see every day what Alabama’s Education Trust Fund was created to support: classrooms filled with students, educators doing more with less, and schools striving to meet rising expectations with limited resources. That is why it is deeply troubling that a private school in Camp Hill, Alabama, continues to receive funding from the Education Trust Fund.” – Sunny Black (Alabama Political Reporter) Read More

Arkansas

State panel advances plan to steer more funding to voucher program – A state lawmaker raised concerns about how to fund the state’s school voucher program in the future after advancing a request for more money that would increase its cost this year to nearly $310 million. (Arkansas Advocate) Read More
Public schools face steepest enrollment drop in 20 years amid voucher rollout – Public school enrollment in Arkansas has seen a significant decline this school year, the first for which school vouchers established by the LEARNS Act have been made universally available to students. (KATV News) Read More
Parents in Arkansas’ school voucher program cleared to roll over thousands of dollars annually – Parents can roll over from year to year thousands of dollars in taxpayer dollars allotted to them under the state’s latest school voucher program. Account holders can retain $20,000, or three times the amount allocated to their account in a given year, whichever is greater. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette) Read More

Florida

House bill proposes AI task force in public postsecondary education – A House Democrat lawmaker filed legislation that would establish a temporary statewide task force to study how artificial intelligence is reshaping public higher education and to recommend policies governing its use across colleges and universities. (The Capitolist) Read More
State Senate bill would ban public colleges from admitting undocumented students – Undocumented students will no longer be able to attend public universities if SB 1052 passes the state legislature. This builds on a provision in a 2025 law that eliminated in-state tuition for undocumented college students. (Florida Phoenix) Read More
School voucher headache: Millions of unused dollars – Florida’s aggressive expansion of school choice has left more than $400 million in taxpayer-funded school vouchers sitting unused, exposing major cracks in the state’s booming program. (POLITICO) Read More
Schools of Hope threaten neighborhood schools – According to the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE), charter schools “are public schools that operate under a performance contract, or a ‘charter’ which frees them from many regulations created for traditional public schools while holding them accountable for academic and financial results.” (Florida Policy Institute) Read More
Florida’s $4 billion school voucher program could see more state oversight – Floridians demanding more accountability over the state’s universal school voucher system are one step closer to seeing more safeguards added to the ballooning $4 billion program. (Tallahassee Democrat) Read More

Georgia

Georgia budgets $325 million DREAMS need-based scholarship – During his State of the State of Georgia address, Gov. Brian Kemp announced a budget proposal that will allot 325 million dollars to the new University System of Georgia’s DREAMS scholarship, the first need-based scholarship of its kind in Georgia. (Fox 5 News) Read More

Kentucky

Proposed legislation would create transfer pathways for Kentucky’s college students – A state lawmaker says she plans to propose legislation for the 2026 regular session of the General Assembly that could make it easier for college students to transfer course credits between Kentucky’s public universities. (Kentucky Today) Read More
Republican lawmaker files anti-DEI legislation for K-12 public schools – A bill filed by a Republican state senator on the first day of the 2026 General Assembly attempts to ban diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in the state’s K-12 public schools. (Lexington Herald-Leader) Read More
State education commissioner will focus on school accountability in budget session – High on the state’s new education commissioner’s list is an overhaul of the assessment and accountability systems. The overhaul plan is contained in HB 257, introduced by Rep. J. T. Payne. (Kentucky Lantern) Read More

Louisiana

Judge ends school desegregation order at Trump Administration’s request – A federal judge closed a long-running school desegregation case in DeSoto Parish less than a week after the U.S. Department of Justice, the Louisiana attorney general, and the DeSoto Parish School Board asked the court to dismiss the case and release the schools from federal oversight. (EdWeek) Read More
Do Louisiana schools serve Black and White students equally? A key legal fight will decide. – The public schools in St. Mary Parish have been under a federal order to desegregate longer than many of its living residents with kids attending these schools. Lawyers for the St. Mary Parish School Board say all “direct effects” of past segregation have been eliminated. However, civil rights groups express that the orders are needed because some districts never fully uprooted the remnants of segregation. (Nola.com) Read More

Mississippi

Child care providers await guidance on subsidy funding freeze – The state Department of Human Services doesn’t yet know the impact of the federal funding freeze on childcare subsidies. Not only do the subsidies help low-income families afford tuition, but the payments keep providers’ doors open in an industry with unworkable economics, said Cathy Grace, the early childhood program specialist with the nonprofit North Mississippi Education Consortium. (Mississippi Today) Read More
The House Speaker and Lieutenant Governor unveil school voucher policy details ahead of 2026 session – The House Speaker and Lieutenant Governor at separate events said they plan to push for legislation this year to make it easier for K-12 students to attend schools outside their home districts. (Mississippi Today) Read More
Senate panel passes $2,000 teacher raise and school-choice measure on first day of session – The Senate Education Committee on Tuesday, the first day of the 2026 legislative session, voted to raise teacher pay, make it easier for retirees to teach, and loosen public school district transfer regulations. (Mississippi Today) Read More
What’s in the Mississippi House’s omnibus school-choice education bill? – After months of debate, public hearings, and private negotiations, the House Speaker unveiled his massive bill to reshape public education and provide school vouchers. HB 2 would direct some taxpayer funds to private schools, ease public school transfer regulations, and make it easier to open charter schools statewide. (Mississippi Today) Read More

Missouri

Trump administration freezes Missouri’s federal funding for child care providers – The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education reported that the federal government notified state officials it required “detailed justification for pending child care payment requests in order to receive federal funds.” (KCUR) Read More

North Carolina

After state Senate override, House repeatedly delays vote on bill banning DEI at public universities – For the eighth time, the state House scheduled an override vote on the governor’s veto of a bill that would ban diversity, equity, and inclusion practices at public institutions of higher education, including the University of North Carolina system. The constant rescheduling leading up to this suggests that House Republicans may lack the votes for an override. (The Chronicle) Read More
Teachers at dozens of schools across the state could walk out – Teachers at dozens of schools across the state could walk out in protest of low teacher pay. It’s the second time in recent months that a statewide effort like this has been planned. (WFAE News) Read More

Oklahoma

State lawmakers propose constitutional amendment for higher education funding oversight – A joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment concerning funding for colleges and universities. If passed, lawmakers would be able to temporarily freeze or suspend state funding and place the final decision on that funding in the hands of Oklahoma voters. (KSWO News) Read More

South Carolina

Students booted from K-12 voucher program spent $64K. The problem didn’t repeat, report says – Students erroneously awarded K-12 scholarships in 2024 spent nearly $64,000 in taxpayer money before their removal. Parents also indicated that at least some schools are raising tuition prices for participants. (South Carolina Daily Gazette) Read More

Tennessee

Most students don’t use vouchers to exit low-performing public schools – Most Tennessee public school students who use school vouchers aren’t leaving low-performing public schools. Additionally, voucher students overall are performing worse than their public school peers in both academic achievement and growth. (Chalkbeat Tennessee) Read More
State lawmakers to reconvene about Memphis Shelby County state takeover – Republican lawmakers say addressing struggling school systems across the state is a top priority this session, and that includes legislation that could allow the state to intervene in or even take control of Memphis Shelby County Schools. (WREG-TV News) Read More
Private-school voucher expansion faces Tennessee GOP opposition – Plans to substantially expand the size of Tennessee’s private-school voucher program in 2026 will meet resistance from rural lawmakers, mainly because of the high cost. (Tennessee Lookout) Read More

Texas

Nearly 600 private schools to participate in upcoming school voucher program – Since applications opened for schools and vendors, nearly 600 private schools have signed up to participate in the state’s $1 billion school voucher program. (The Texan – Subscription Required) Read More
Texans can use school vouchers for pre-K, but the pool of families who qualify is limited – Final rules for the state’s new school voucher program recently clarified that families interested in sending their children to private pre-K could receive an estimated $10,800 per year, the same amount designated for most other participants. However, the program will be limited to those who already qualify for free public pre-K. (The Texas Tribune) Read More
Garland ISD could be released from a 50-plus-year-old desegregation order – Garland ISD could soon be released from decades-long federal supervision of its desegregation policies after a United States attorney filed a motion to dismiss a 1970 court order. (Texas Metro News) Read More
Some Texas private schools unable to participate in new school voucher program – Texas is preparing to roll out its new school voucher program for the next school year. As private schools apply to participate, some are finding themselves shut out for now. (KVUE News) Read More

Virginia

State faces $23 million revenue loss due to international student enrollment changes – As college students return to class, international students face heightened uncertainty as ongoing federal actions, such as visa bans and disruptions to application processing, have led to a projected $23 million revenue loss for the state compared to last fall. (Virginia Mercury) Read More
State House to continue subsidizing members’ child care costs in 2026 – After becoming the first state to do so last year, the Virginia House will continue its child care stipend program for lawmakers during the upcoming 2026 legislative session. (VPM News) Read More
State early childhood education providers are succeeding – The results from the state’s new quality measurement system for early childhood education and classroom observations found that 99% of child care providers receiving public funding meet or exceed quality expectations. (VPM News) Read More
Gov.-Elect Abigail Spanberger nominates Jeffery Smith as Virginia’s next secretary of education – Gov.-elect Spanberger announced that long-time educator would be the state’s next secretary of education. (Virginia Mercury) Read More
State agrees to scrap in-state tuition for undocumented students – With just over two weeks left in office, Republican Virginia attorney general agreed with the federal Justice Department that a 2020 law granting in-state tuition to undocumented students is unconstitutional. (Inside Higher Ed) Read More

West Virginia

State lawmakers receive recommendations for fixes school aid formula funding – As public school enrollment continues to shrink across the state’s school systems due to multiple factors, including families taking part in the state’s school voucher program for private and homeschooling, lawmakers were given ideas for fixing the state school aid formula. (The Parkersburg News and Sentinel) Read More
Patricia Rucker named assistant majority leader, chair of the state Senate’s school choice committee – West Virginia Senate President has named Senator Patricia Rucker to the new position of assistant majority leader and chair of the Senate Committee on School Choice. (West Virginia Watch) Read More

National/Federal Updates

Early Childhood Education News and Resources

Four early care and education issues to watch in 2026 – If 2025 featured a mix of highs and lows in early care and education, 2026 is poised to bring a series of deeper challenges to the field, as states prepare to make difficult budget decisions in anticipation of the looming federal funding cuts. (The 74) Read More
Progress and Setbacks: State Child Care and Early Education Updates 2025 – Amid the many challenges impacting child care last year, many states still made gains during the 2025 legislative session, adopting policies and allocating funding to expand families’ access to child care and early learning opportunities and better support the child care workforce, as shown in the state-by-state summaries in this report. (National Women’s Law Center) Read More
Trump’s attack on child care funding undermines early educators, shortchanges children, and increases costs for families – The Trump administration has relentlessly undercut the stability of the early care and education system—terrorizing immigrants who are essential to the national child care infrastructure and a crucial part of communities across the country; putting basic needs further out of reach for families, particularly those with low incomes; and undermining the needs of children. (The Center for American Progress) Read More

K-12 Education News and Resources

Why tracking racial disparities in special education still matters – We know that students of color, with the exception of Asian students, are identified for special education at a higher rate than their white peers. Black students are 40% more likely to be identified with a disability and are three times more likely than white students to be suspended or expelled. (Black Press USA) Read More
School finance reforms made funding more equal by income, but not by race – Income-based school finance reforms since the early 1990s have enhanced school funding equality by income, but not by race or ethnicity. The reforms had, at best, neutral to small positive impacts on racial and ethnic funding equality in select states. (Brookings) Read More
New Dems release Workforce & Education Agenda to empower the next generation – The Workforce & Education Agenda sets a comprehensive policy roadmap with the goal of creating a world-class public education system, better non-college pathways to success, and robust worker support from a person’s first job to their last job. (New Democrat Coalition) Read More
Education Department data shows slight dip in public school enrollment – Public school student enrollment across the U.S. dipped slightly by 0.3% to 49.3 million in the 2024-25 school year compared to the year before, according to data released in December by the U.S. Department of Education for the 50 states and the District of Columbia. (K-12 Dive) Read More
From Head Start to Texas teachers, K-12 hits the courtroom – The U.S. Supreme Court has, in recent years, issued rulings on several key issues in K-12 education, ranging from E-rate to curriculum and free speech. We’ve compiled Supreme Court cases since the 2019-20 term to track the high court’s influence on K-12 education policy. (K-12 Dive) Read More

Higher Education News and Resources

Congress OK’d Pell Grants for workforce training. Now, it’s up to the states – If states treat the Workforce Pell Grant as a chance to align training, transparency, and outcomes, this grant could become a genuine mobility engine. The 74 outlines five practical steps that state leaders can take to make this happen. (The 74) Read More
DEI Isn’t Failing—We Are – Classroom missteps become fodder for political commentary, investigations, and legislative action, not because diversity, equity, and inclusion is failing—but because higher education has not prepared faculty for the instructional demands of this work. (Inside Higher Ed) Read More

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns, and if we can assist with any government affairs or advocacy issues moving forward.

Sincerely,

Fred Jones, Senior Director of Public Policy and Advocacy,

fjones@southerneducation.org

Darian Burns, Legislative and Public Policy Analyst,

dburns@southerneducation.org

Allison Boyle, Research and Policy Specialist,

aboyle@southerneducation.org

Review the archive of past updates: