Education committee schedules student hearing for April 25 to gather student perspectives on reform proposals

The Education Committee agreed to hold a public hearing to hear student testimony on Friday, April 25 in Room 11 and discussed logistics for the session, who to invite, and how to structure the time.

Committee members discussed whether the hearing should run noon to 3 p.m. or 1 to 4 p.m.; several members said a 1 to 4 p.m. window appeared more realistic given other legislative scheduling and floor activity. Members emphasized that they want a diverse set of student voices from different parts of the state and different types of schools, and they discussed allowing remote testimony by Zoom for students who cannot attend in person. The committee expressed interest in limiting how prescriptive it will be about testimony topics, asking instead for a diverse slate of students who can speak to the reform proposals and their experiences.

Members asked staff and the committee chairs to set parameters for invitations (for example, geographic balance or number of students per county) and to circulate guidance so students and their supporters can prepare. One member said student testimony on earlier reforms had produced some of the committee’s most consequential input, and the committee agreed that hearing directly from students this year would be valuable.

Staff were assigned to draft an invitation and guidance for students and to coordinate with the committee assistant on outreach. The committee also discussed holding additional evening public hearings once the bill is more fully developed to allow broader public comment. No formal votes were taken at this meeting on the hearing; members described the scheduling as a planning step and asked staff to proceed with invitations and logistics.