Senate committee sends 'Choice Ready' grant bill to appropriations after unanimous committee vote

The Senate Education Committee voted to send Senate Bill 2-234, the "Choice Ready" grants bill, to the Appropriations Committee with a due-pass recommendation. The vote was 6 yays, 0 nays, 0 not voting. Committee members praised examples of small grants that produced measurable workforce- and military-readiness gains and said the Department of Public Instruction had closely scrutinized grant applications.

The bill would create or continue a competitive grant program intended to expand opportunities that help students become college-ready, workforce-ready or military-ready. Committee members discussed a recent DPI summary of prior grantees showing the largest gains in the DPI review for students marked "work ready" and "military ready," and several senators said smaller-dollar projects in prior rounds appeared to reach more students than large single grants.

Senator Ramama moved for a due-pass recommendation and referral to appropriations; Senator Michelle Axeman seconded. The committee voted 6-0 and referred the bill to appropriations for budget consideration. Committee members noted the policy merits of the program and left funding levels to the appropriators.

Department of Public Instruction staff said they are available to answer follow-up questions and to provide data on previous grants as appropriators review funding. The committee also discussed potential conflicts of interest raised earlier in the session; a senator disclosed a spouse’s employment with a private tutoring provider but committee members noted DPI grants are not restricted to single vendors and that grant awards are not required to go to any one entity.