State and Legislative Updates from SEF’s Government Affairs Team

The weeks of 4/13 – 4/24

Greetings all,

As we close out the month of April, we are pleased to update you on the latest education activity around the region and in our nation’s capital. Across the region, there are interesting developments surrounding school voucher programs, their accountability structures, and funding continuing to unfold in state legislatures and courtrooms.

  • Arkansas Senators rejected a Republican-sponsored proposal that would have limited program eligibility by declaring students ineligible for a school voucher if they were already enrolled in a private school at the time of their application.
  • A Missouri Circuit Court judge ruled that the state can use public funds to pay for private school vouchers even though state law doesn’t explicitly authorize it.
  • Tennessee lawmakers rolled back testing accountability by permitting private schools that accept voucher students to use different assessments than public schools.

We hope you find the resources below helpful and meaningful to your work.

The Latest from SEF

  • SEF Published a Statement on North Carolina’s Supreme Court Decision on Leandro Funding Case – We are deeply disappointed by the North Carolina Supreme Court’s recent decision related to the long-running Leandro school funding case and call on the North Carolina General Assembly and state leadership to take decisive action to fulfill the state’s constitutional obligation to provide a sound, basic education for every student. Read our full statement here.
  • SEF Submitted Public Comments to the Office of General Services Administration Information Technology – We responded to the Trump Administration’s proposed new certification requirements for recipients of federal funds. The proposed guidance would make it difficult for grant recipients, including SEF, to perform Congressional-mandated duties. Read our full comments here.

State Updates

Alabama

  • State’s Pre-K Program wins National praise — with caveat – A new National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) report praised the quality of Alabama’s Pre-K program for a 20th consecutive year. NIEER, however, said that the state should be working toward making its Pre-K program universal. (Alabama Reflector) Read More

Arkansas

  • State law boosted teacher pay — and retention – A 2023 state law improved teacher retention after boosting teachers’ minimum annual salaries from $36,000 to $50,000 and ensuring at least a $2,000 raise for teachers statewide, a University of Arkansas study found. However, researchers warn that the law’s impact “may fade over time” unless salaries are continually raised and keep pace with inflation. (K-12 Dive) Read More
  • The Senate rejects school voucher program restrictions – The state Senate soundly rejected a proposal to limit eligibility for the state’s school voucher program. The Republican-sponsored legislation would have declared students ineligible for state funds if they were already enrolled in a private school when they applied for a school voucher. Educational Freedom Account. (The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette) Read More
  • State lawmakers advance proposal aimed at assisting newly formed smaller school districts – Lawmakers gave initial approval to a measure to assist several newly formed smaller school districts and rejected an effort to increase funding for an early childhood education program. (Arkansas Advocate) Read More

Delaware

  • Lawmakers consider added literacy reporting requirements – Two of the state’s leading lawmakers on education advance a bill to increase school reporting on benchmarks for literacy. (Delaware Public Media) Read More

Florida

  • State Board of Education removes sociology from general education in the state college system – The Florida State Board of Education took decisive action to remove Sociology courses from the general education course lists across the Florida College System. (Florida Department of Education) Read More
  • Gov. Ron DeSantis approves small private school expansion, teacher mentorship package – Gov. DeSantis signed into law, allowing private schools with 150 or fewer students to operate in commercially zoned buildings. (Florida Phoenix) Read More

Kentucky

  • Beyond Participation: April 2026 How Dual Credit Delivery Influences the Likelihood of Postsecondary Enrollment – This study not only examines whether dual credit enrollment increases college-going, but it also explores how course modality influences postsecondary outcomes. (Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education) Read More
  • New law eases college application process for Kentucky students – Gov. Andy Beshear signed HB 307 into law, creating a statewide admissions program for students across Kentucky and making it easier for them to apply to postsecondary education. (Spectrum News 1) Read More

Louisiana

  • State lawmakers weigh having students repay TOPS scholarships if they leave school – A state legislative committee advanced a bill that would require students to repay their state-funded TOPS scholarships if they lose eligibility for the program due to poor grades or by leaving school. (Louisiana Illuminator) Read More
  • The State’s public universities could break with longstanding accreditor – As higher education bureaucracy comes under scrutiny nationally, Louisiana’s public universities might soon be allowed to seek alternatives to the accreditor that has evaluated institutions in the state for over a century. (Nola.com) Read More
  • Our shrinking public schools – Public school enrollment has dropped by 60,000 students over the last decade, according to new analysis from The Times-Picayune. The decline is a byproduct of the state’s larger issue with outmigration, which is linked to a lack of high-paying jobs. (Invest Louisiana) Read More
  • Lawmakers weigh overhauling or possibly ending Louisiana’s higher education oversight board – The state legislature is deciding whether to reduce, redefine, or abolish the state’s higher education oversight board as multiple state universities struggle through budget crises and the federal government probes minority student completion goals. (Louisiana Illuminator) Read More

Maryland

  • Instructional coaches coming soon to Maryland elementary schools – State Superintendent Carey Wright announced that 61 literacy and math instructional coaches will be hired for schools around the state in the upcoming 2026-27 school year. (Maryland Matters) Read More

Mississippi

  • State education agency gets budget bump for teacher pay raise, classroom initiatives – Amid evaporating federal funding, the Mississippi Department of Education is getting a $136 million bump in funding to cover a $2,000 teacher pay raise and initiatives that aim to build on the state’s academic gains in reading. (Mississippi Today)

Missouri

  • State Senate passes budget that reverses higher ed funding changes and child care cuts – A reversal of a House plan to fund higher education and restoration of child care subsidies are some of the changes the Missouri Senate has made to the state operating budget. (KCUR) Read More
  • State House discusses more funding for HBCUs – A bill that would provide more funding for the state’s historically Black colleges and universities was discussed in the Missouri House Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee. (News Tribune) Read More
  • Judge dismisses lawsuit over $50 million in private school voucher funding – A State Circuit Court judge ruled that the state can use public funds to pay for private school scholarships even though state law doesn’t explicitly authorize it. The judge wrote that lawmakers could directly appropriate funds to the MOScholars program because state law does not “expressly prohibit” it. (Missouri Independent) Read More
  • State treasurer’s office posted MOScholars student data on its website for nearly a year – The State Treasurer’s Office inadvertently posted a directory of students enrolled in the state’s private school voucher program on its website for almost a year, even as it repeatedly denied lawmakers’ requests for the same information. The treasurer’s office has long maintained that the data is not public and may be withheld under the Missouri Sunshine Law. (Missouri Independent) Read More

North Carolina

  • New bill seeks financial penalties for schools that violate the ‘Parents’ Bill of Rights’ – The majority leader of the North Carolina House has filed a bill to withhold state funding from school districts or charter schools that violate the previously passed “Parents’ Bill of Rights.” (WUNC) Read More
  • A quicker, cheaper college degree. UNC System could offer option with fewer credits – What’s the point of college? Is the goal to obtain a degree and enter the workforce as quickly as possible? A budding initiative at the UNC System seems to say so, and it could soon offer a chance to do that 25% faster. (Carolina Public Press) Read More
  • Governor Stein highlights value of child care investments, workforce development programs – Governor Josh Stein joined educators, students, and leaders from local community colleges to learn more about initiatives to train North Carolina’s child care workforce. (Office of Governor Josh Stein) Read More
  • Democrats in the state House seek to flip the script after Leandro ruling – As the legislative short session kicked off, House Democrats wasted no time acting on the NC Supreme Court’s reversal of the Leandro case. (Carolina Public Press) Read More

Oklahoma

  • Democrat lawmakers call out school-choice cost, support bigger tax break for gambling losses – When members of the Senate Rules Committee discussed increasing the amount of tax credits provided to families for a school-choice program, opponents claimed the proposal would be a major financial drain on the rest of the state government. (Oklahoma Council for Public Affairs) Read More

South Carolina

  • Families struggle amid pause in child care vouchers, centers face enrollment drop – Families say they are scrambling to find affordable care, while some daycare centers worry about how they will stay open while navigating a recent freeze of a key state child care subsidy program. (WLTX-TV) Read More
  • House lawmakers expand, advance effort to add accountability over charter school system – State lawmakers expanded the charter school accountability bill with new requirements for the independent public schools and their authorizers, including one meant to make some authorizers reorganize. (The Post and Courier) Read More

Tennessee

  • TN House and Senate pass MSCS takeover bill – The Tennessee State Senate and House on Wednesday voted to pass a bill allowing the state to add an oversight board for Memphis Shelby County Schools. The House vote was 73-19. The vote was 27-6 in the State Senate. The bill is now heading to the governor’s desk. (WREG) Read More
  • State lawmakers roll back testing requirements in state’s first voucher program – Republican lawmakers rolled back testing accountability measures in the state’s initial voucher program, but did not advance a House proposal to significantly expand the program to thousands of new students. (Chalkbeat Tennessee) Read More
  • Legislation overhauling tenured faculty disciplinary procedures becomes law – Governor Bill Lee signed into law a bill that will require public college and university governing boards to create policies that “clearly distinguish between tenure decisions and disciplinary actions for faculty members” and ensure that disciplinary policies are the same for tenured and nontenured faculty. (Inside Higher Ed) Read More
  • Bill would add a required American history course in colleges – Legislation being considered by lawmakers would require all undergraduate students in the state to take classes on American history and government. (American Council of Trustees and Alumni) Read More

Virginia

  • The Hidden Costs of Virginia’s Data Center Subsidy and How They Undermine Public Schools – In fiscal year 2024, Virginia’s sales and use tax exemption for data centers — abating taxes on their equipment and enabling software, including rebuilds and updates — reduced state sales tax collections by about $1.02 billion. Good Jobs First estimates that about $267 million of that lost state revenue would otherwise have supported K–12 schools. (Good Jobs First) Read More

West Virginia

  • State House spent $114K on school funding study, didn’t implement recommendations this year – After multiple counties reported a school financial crisis, the House commissioned a study on how to improve the state’s school funding strategy. The report made recommendations such as increasing overall funding levels for public education, but lawmakers didn’t implement those changes by the end of the session. (West Virginia Watch) Read More

National/Federal Updates

Early Childhood Education News and Resources

  • Finding the Balance: Transforming how we think about the body’s response to stress in early childhood – This working paper from the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child and FirstPlace Partners offers key insights into the biology of stress, adaptation, and resilience, as well as practical guidance for community-focused policies and investments that strengthen protective factors, ensuring that stress responses remain adaptive rather than harmful. (Harvard University Center on the Developing Child) Read More
  • Head Start programs face funding squeeze – The Trump administration’s fiscal year 2027 budget request includes $12.3 billion for Head Start nationally – the same level as the prior two fiscal years. (Commonwealth Beacon) Read More
  • Why colleges, school districts, and hospitals are closing on-site child care – Across the country, universities, school districts, and hospitals are shutting down affiliated child care programs at an alarming rate as the cracks in America’s child care system begin to widen into fissures. (The 74) Read More
  • The Trump Administration’s changes to the child care and development fund would strip families of thousands of dollars in potential child care savings – According to the Center for American Progress analysis, families in 10 states could save between $440 and $15,000 per year on child care costs, but a recent regulatory proposal from the Trump administration would put those savings out of reach. (Center for American Progress) Read More
  • Why is child care so expensive? – All around the country, from Colorado to California to Oklahoma to Mississippi, state governments are contending with gaps in funding for this care. And it’s a background factor in other concerns in the news, such as the nation’s birthrate. (The New York Times) Read More

K-12 Education News and Resources

  • School vouchers fail the civil rights test. The federal program is no exception – School vouchers trace back to a time when states fought federally mandated school desegregation. Funded by billionaire interests, today’s state school voucher programs extend this legacy by diverting funds to unaccountable schools that pick and choose the students they enroll, and the wealthy families already enrolled in them. (The 74) Read More
  • Opinion: How immigration enforcement is harming US schools and students – The terror being waged against immigrants in the United States marks a dramatic shift in the federal government’s approach to immigration enforcement. This shift has implications for millions of children in U.S. schools. In this piece, the researcher summarizes what the existing research tells us about the likely impacts of aggressive immigration enforcement on students and considers the implications for educators, school leaders, and policymakers. (Brookings) Read More
  • 27 states want to opt into federal school choice program – More than half the states — 27 — have indicated their desire to participate in the first nationally available federal private school choice tax incentive program as of April 15, according to the IRS. (K-12 Dive) Read More
  • Holding teacher prep programs accountable is hard. States should do it anyway. – Far too many states abdicate their responsibility for reviewing teacher preparation programs. In fact, as of our 2024 report, fewer than half of the states maintain full authority by managing their own program review processes. (National Council on Teacher Quality) Read More
  • A hidden cost of teacher turnover: Student discipline – A recent study explores the relationship between teacher turnover and student disciplinary infractions using data from New York City. Using over a decade of data from nearly 1.5 million students in grades 6–12 across 1,100 schools, the researchers found a statistically significant association between higher teacher turnover and an increased likelihood of students receiving exclusionary discipline in the form of office discipline referrals and suspensions. (National Council on Teacher Quality) Read More

Higher Education News and Resources

  • More than a quarter of private colleges are at risk of closing, a new projection shows – A new estimate projects that 442 of the nation’s 1,700 private, nonprofit four-year colleges and universities, with a combined 670,000 students, are at risk of closing or having to merge within the next 10 years. (National Public Radio) Read More
  • UNCF Report Examines Wealth-Building Opportunities for HBCU Students, Faculty, and Staff – A new report from the United Negro College Fund’s (UNCF) Institute for Capacity Building explores how historically Black colleges and universities can integrate wealth-building into their institutional functions and support financial literacy among their students, faculty, and staff. (The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education) Read More
  • HBCU Researchers Call for ‘Data Sovereignty’ to Redefine Institutional Success – Scholars who study HBCUs must pursue data sovereignty and develop new ways to evaluate the social and economic impact the institutions have on society. The director of the Center of Excellence for Black Women in STEM at Spelman College urged conference attendees not to become dependent on big firms or the federal government to produce the data needed to gauge institutional performance. (The EDU Ledger) Read More
  • Higher education groups challenge Trump’s latest anti-DEI order – Higher education groups representing administrators and faculty filed a lawsuit challenging a recent executive order that threatens to strip federal contracts from colleges and other organizations over their diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. (Higher Education Dive) 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