Secretary says department launched immigration guidance, defended budget presentation and ordered 30‑day career‑learning review

The Secretary of Education told the State Board she launched a department landing page on her first day in office to provide guidance and multilingual resources for schools and families concerned about immigration enforcement, coordinated with state and federal officials, and made sample school‑board resolutions available to reaffirm student privacy and academic continuity.

She said she presented the department’s portion of the governor’s budget to the Joint Finance Committee, answering questions about early literacy, early childhood and teacher pipelines. The Secretary described the six‑hour budget hearing as a useful opportunity to learn committee priorities and to identify areas for follow up.

On workforce and pathways, the Secretary said a governor‑level executive order created a 30‑day group charged with recommending ways the state can expand apprenticeships and career‑connected learning, noting the state is a major employer and can create pathways into public‑sector careers.

The Secretary also said the department is monitoring recent communications from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and will issue a forthcoming department communication describing its approach; legal and state counsel will support any needed compliance work.

During Q&A, board members asked how the Secretary envisions the statutory board‑secretary relationship; the Secretary said she intends a collaborative advisory relationship focused on 'what' the board wants to see while the department handles 'how' and implementation.

The board did not take any formal action on these reports; the Secretary said the department will continue to monitor federal guidance and engage partner groups on the budget, career‑learning recommendations and immigration resources.