State Board tells House panel it hired counsel and will review long‑standing education rules

State Board of Education leaders told the House Education committee on Jan. 27 that the board has used a legislative appropriation to hire counsel and begin a planned review of rules the board says have not been updated in many years.

"The General Assembly appropriated, I believe, the sum of $200,000 to the State Board of Ed," said Jennifer Dex Samuelson, chair of the State Board of Education, describing funds intended to support legal services and a broader review of board rules. Samuelson said the board advertised the position and selected Sarah Buxton, who has previously assisted the board with updates to the EQS 2000 series and independent school approval rules.

The money, Samuelson said, will support rulemaking and legal review "to provide support to the Board, when legal services are needed to support us with our rulemaking," and to help align multiple rule series with statutory requirements. "She's gone through the rule series and is preparing something to be discussed with the board," Samuelson said of Buxton.

The board emphasized that Buxton’s work is still in the review stage and that the board has not yet had formal discussions about proposed changes because staff are preparing recommendations. Samuelson noted that Act 73 requires the board to reopen both EQS and rule series 2200, and said Buxton’s guidance will be important to ensure compliance with that statute.

Committee members welcomed the update and asked the board to bring agency staff (the chair suggested Agency of Education staff join future briefings) so legislators better understand the status of the review. Samuelson said the board will aim to schedule House briefings after the board’s monthly (third Wednesday) meeting so members can report back on board decisions.

The meeting ended with the chair thanking board leadership and noting the legislature will continue to coordinate with the board as rule work proceeds.