State and Legislative Updates from SEF’s Government Affairs Team

The weeks of 2/16 – 2/27

Greetings all,

During the latter half of the month, policymakers and state leaders throughout the region continue to advance critical education polices to address issues in their respective states. There were a few notable highlights in higher education, with Georgia advancing the state’s first comprehensive needs-based college scholarship after the state House and Senate approved a budget plan that would fund the effort. Additionally, in Mississippi, the state Senate voted in favor of a nearly $4.8 billion higher education funding package, which, if signed into law, would send hundreds of millions of dollars to universities, community colleges, and training programs throughout the state.

At the federal level, however, concerns remain about access to postsecondary institutions. For example, earlier this month, the Congressional Budget Office released new funding projections for the Pell Grant program, which show a concerning shortfall. Further, Minority Serving Institutions continue to face uncertainty following the Trump Administration’s decision to unilaterally halt federal funding, despite Congress appropriating funds for these institutions. A group of U.S. Senators penned a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Education, urging the Department to reverse this decision.

As always, we hope you find the resources below helpful and meaningful for your work supporting students of color and students from low-income families across the South.

State Updates

Alabama

  • Should Alabama provide no-cost school breakfast? Alabama Arise says yes – Members and supporters of Alabama Arise will gather at the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery for their 2026 Legislative Day. This year, Arise is approaching its advocacy day, hoping to win free school breakfast for every child in Alabama’s public schools. (Alabama Political Reporter) Read More

Arkansas

  • What Democrats running for governor say about education – The rising cost of the state’s’ school voucher program has prompted concerns from Democrats and some rural Republican legislators who say it will be devastating to public schools. Whoever wins the March 3 Democratic primary for governor will face Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the Republican who signed the law creating the voucher program. (Arkansas Advocate)  Read More
  • Federal judge ends decades-old Little Rock-area school desegregation case – A federal judge ended a 43-year desegregation case when he ruled a central Arkansas school district was now providing equitable facilities to its students after years of court supervision. (Arkansas Advocate) Read More

Florida

  • Private school owners sue biggest voucher funding organization in Florida, claim funding failures – A group of private school owners is suing nonprofit Step Up For Students, which processes most student voucher payments, saying it has failed “to timely and properly disburse” funds the state had already approved. (WLRN Public Media) Read More

Georgia

  • Lawmakers restore full $325 million for needs-based college aid program, with a boost from Governor Brian Kemp – The state’s first comprehensive needs-based college scholarship came closer to becoming reality after the state House and Senate approved a budget plan that would fully fund the endeavor. As proposed, $25 million would go to college students in need for the school year starting in the fall of 2026, with the remaining $300 million launching a long-term endowment to sustain the DREAMS program. (Georgia Recorder) Read More
  • Could these proposals shore up Georgia’s teacher workforce? – Georgia has a decent teacher retention rate. However, the state still has about 6,000 vacancies, according to an audit. A House bill introduced last year builds upon existing law, which allows retired educators to return to the classroom while collecting retirement benefits, and removes the requirement for teachers to accept positions in high-need areas. (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution – Subscription Required) Read More

Kentucky

  • State House passes education bill with federal voucher component – House Bill 1 would allow Kentucky to opt into the new federal school voucher program. HB 1 advanced out of committee and the House floor. (WKYT News) Read More

Louisiana

  • Governor Jeff Landry urges Education Department to expand college DEI probe – Gov. Landry asked the U.S. Department of Education to investigate every college in his state to root out any diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, which he described as discriminatory. (Higher Ed Dive)  Read More
  • Louisiana Policy Institute for Children (LPIC) survey finds child care costs disrupt workforce – The LPIC, in partnership with the state Department of Education and Agenda for Children, released a new statewide survey of Louisiana parents with young children examining the cost and availability of child care across the state. (Biz New Orleans) Read More

Maryland

  • State lawmakers ‘disheartened’ by persistent inequities in Black maternal health outcomes – Delegate White Holland said she has a new “anchor” to her work as a legislator pushing to improve maternal health outcomes — her 6-month-old daughter. Delegate White Holland said her experience will help guide her as the chair of a new subcommittee focusing on maternal health. (Maryland Matters) Read More

Mississippi 

  • State House ‘not afraid’ of school choice special session – Weeks after the failure of his school voucher bill in the Senate, the House Speaker said that a special session to push the issue forward is “certainly not off the table.” (Mississippi Today) Read More
  • State Senate approves nearly $4.8 billion in higher education funding – One of the first appropriations votes in the Mississippi Senate saw the passage of a nearly $4.8 billion higher education funding package, which would send hundreds of millions of dollars to universities, community colleges, and training programs throughout the state. (Clarion Ledger) Read More
  • With school choice, what about the students left behind? – What is missing in the current school choice debate raging at the state Capitol is an answer to this question: What happens to students left behind? (Mississippi Today) Read More

Missouri

  • Senate looks at funding cuts for low-earning degrees – A bill that would prohibit state funds from going towards “low-earning” degrees was heard in the Senate Education Committee. Senate Bill 1617 would cut state funds for student financial aid and operational costs for students in programs where graduates earn less than someone with only a high school diploma in that same field. (Columbia-Missourian) Read More
  • Missouri child care subsidy program will waitlist applicants starting March 1 – Due to the increased number of families who qualify for the assistance, Missouri families applying to the state’s child care subsidy program will be placed on a waitlist starting March 1. (KOMU 8) Read More

North Carolina

  • State to receive $75.8 million for child care centers damaged by Helene, Debby – The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has received $75.8 million in federal funding to support the recovery of child care facilities affected by Hurricane Helene and Tropical Storm Debby, according to the Governor’s Office. (WNCN) Read More
  • UNC System to vote on tuition increases for in‑state and out‑of‑state students – The UNC Board of Governors lifted its nearly decade-long tuition freeze, allowing universities to raise tuition rates for the first time since 2017. (WUNC News) Read More

Oklahoma

  • State Senate proposes $254M education plan by redirecting funds from Teacher Retirement System – The State Senate has proposed a plan to allocate $254 million to education initiatives, including teacher pay raises, literacy funding, and more, by redirecting funds from the Teacher Retirement System. (KOCO News 5) Read More
  • Providers warn of child care in crisis after subsidy funding cut from $57M to $7M – A steep reduction in Oklahoma’s child care subsidy funding is prompting providers and local leaders to push for policy changes, warning that families and the state’s workforce could feel the effects if more centers close. (KTUL) Read More

South Carolina 

  • Parents fear losing vouchers for homeschooling. GOP senators say K-12 agency misled them. – At the initial subcommittee meeting, legislators who advocated for school choice vouchers said repeatedly that the funding should not go toward homeschooling. Parents were misled into believing they could use the scholarships for homeschooling, senators said. (South Carolina Daily Gazette) Read More
  • State schools chief has lost ‘trust’ of Senate over homeschoolers in voucher program – A leading Senate Republican told the state’s top education official that her decision to welcome home-schooled students into the state’s school voucher program had created a “real trust problem” that could have repercussions for her agenda down the road. (The State) Read More

Tennessee

  • Rep. Williams questions growth of voucher funding – As the Finance, Ways and Means Committee of the Tennessee House of Representatives was holding hearings this week about the state budget, Rep. Williams had questions about whether there was a need for additional funding to expand the Education Freedom Scholarship, which is intended to help parents pay for the cost of private school. (Herald-Citizen – Subscription Required) Read More

Texas

  • Not all paths to college and career readiness pay off equally for Texas students, study finds – As Texas pushes more high schoolers to get ready for college and the workforce, new research suggests that some of the ways schools count students as ready don’t equally set them up for success after graduation. (The Texas Tribune) Read More
  • University of Texas regents approve limits on teaching “unnecessary controversial subjects” – The University of Texas System’s Board of Regents unanimously approved a rule requiring its universities to ensure students can graduate without studying “unnecessary controversial subjects,” despite warnings it could leave them less prepared for the real world. (The Texas Tribune) Read More
  • Workforce Commission launches Child Care Business Support initiative state-wide – Through the Child Care Business Support Initiative, providers will receive specialized coaching and training on issues such as budgeting, staffing, and engaging with parents, according to workforce officials. (Crossroads Today) Read More

Virginia

  • Lawmakers look to establish state child care funding formula – Virginia officials have been working for years to establish a funding formula for early childhood education programs. Advocates and state lawmakers are hopeful that this will be the year it becomes law. (VPM News) Read More
  • State Democrats propose major investments in education and housing in new state budget – Virginia lawmakers are advancing competing versions of the state’s next two-year budget, as both the House of Delegates and Senate lay out their priorities for spending from fiscal years 2026 through 2028. (13 News Now) Read More
  • What do the State Senate, House proposed spending plans mean for higher education? – State lawmakers, responding to this year’s affordability theme, proposed Sunday budgets to expand student aid for college and career training, and to prevent extreme tuition increases in Virginia over the next two years. (CBS 19 News) Read More

West Virginia

  • State Senate’s budget bill increases tax cut, changes how to pay for $230M school voucher program – The Senate Finance Committee rolled out their changes to the governor’s proposed budget, making notable changes like a 10% tax cut instead of 5%, and a new plan for paying for the expensive education voucher program. (West Virginia Watch) Read More
  • Senate Education Committee originates legislation to supplement school funding – The Senate Education Committee advanced legislation to help out struggling school districts. This bill would appropriate any reduction in state aid from the previous fiscal year to the Department of Education and distribute those funds to the 10 lowest enrollment county school districts. (West Virginia Public Broadcasting) Read More
  • Time is running out for lawmakers to address the federal child care funding rule change – Providers say stable funding keeps their doors open. With federal rules at risk, state leaders must decide how to protect the state’s child care system. (Mountain State Spotlight) Read More

National/Federal Updates

Early Childhood Education News and Resources

  • Black History Month—A time to commemorate and interrogate the deep roots and ongoing consequences of inequities in child care – As the current administration continues to undermine child care and early education, pre-existing inequities and compounding disparities in the child care system that have disproportionately harmed Black communities have only gotten worse. (Center for Law and Social Policy) Read More
  • 50-State Early Childhood Policy Progress and Landscape Report – The Alliance for Early Success’ 50-State Early Childhood Policy Progress and Landscape Report is an analysis of 2025 in early childhood state policy advocacy that is informed in part by a survey of advocates in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. (Alliance for Early Success) Read More

K-12 Education News and Resources

  • Why student poverty data matters more than ever – Every student requires access to a high-quality education and the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their background, zip code, or family income. But delivering on that promise depends on more than good intentions or even how much money states invest in public education. (Southerners for Fair School Funding) Read More
  • President Donald Trump talks up AI in State of the Union, but not much else about education – President Donald Trump used his most high-profile speech of the year to laud a K-12 artificial intelligence competition spearheaded by the First Lady, while remaining silent about his work to hollow out the U.S. Department of Education and dramatically expand federal resources for private school choice. (Education Week) Read More
  • President Donald Trump touts ‘we ended DEI in America’ in State of the Union – In a long State of the Union address, President Donald Trump touted that his administration “ended DEI in America” and briefly highlighted his artificial intelligence policies — touching on two issues that are significantly shaping K-12 schools without directly mentioning the state of the education sector. (K-12 Dive) Read More
  • School voucher programs grow in popularity — and cost – States are scrambling to meet rising demand for newly expanded school choice initiatives, pouring more money into the programs as waiting lists — and budget concerns — grow. A further boost is expected next year, when the federal government rolls out a new federal voucher tax credit program. (Stateline) Read More

Higher Education News and Resources

  • Padilla, Sanders Lead Senate Democrats in Demanding Department of Education Reverse its Decision to End Federal Funding for Minority-Serving Institutions – In a letter to the U.S. Education Secretary, a number of U.S. Senators urged the Department of Education to immediately reverse the Trump Administration’s harmful decision to unilaterally halt federal funding for Minority-Serving Institutions. (Office of U.S. Senator Alex Padilla) Read More
  • Trump Administration agrees to end race-based criteria for McNair Grant – The Education Department plans to eliminate any race-based eligibility criteria for the McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement award, a $60 million grant program designed to increase access to doctorate-level degrees. (Inside Higher Ed)  Read More
  • Many states are shortchanging the students most in need of aid—including students at HBCUs – The Century Foundation presents aid distribution data from multiple states, giving examples of those that fail as well as those that do better, and then discusses how ineffectively distributing aid harms historically disadvantaged students, as well as the institutions that serve them, particularly HBCUs. (The Century Foundation) Read More
  • The Pell Grant Program faces a major funding gap—Congress must act. – In February 2026, the Congressional Budget Office released new funding projections for the Pell Grant program. However, the Pell program faces a significant funding gap, so lawmakers must choose between investing enough to keep the program whole or making harmful cuts. (The Institute for College Access and Success) 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