Students and families urge Senate panel to spare seniors after vote to end TREP program

The Senate Appropriations Committee advanced House Bill 13‑57 Tuesday, a measure that eliminates the Teacher Recruitment, Education and Preparation (TREP) high‑school program, after extended public testimony from students, parents and educators who said the timing will hurt seniors.

Supporters of the repeal, led by the bill sponsor, argued the program has not produced the long‑term results intended and that budget pressures require program reductions. The committee ultimately adopted the bill on a 5–2 vote.

But dozens of witnesses pressed the committee to amend the bill so current seniors can finish the program. Russell Balderman, who said he speaks as a grandparent of a TREP participant, urged lawmakers to “find some funds and get those seniors one more year” because students planned college and scholarship decisions around the program.

High school senior Abby Christian said she built her schedule around TREP and now faces uncertainty weeks before graduation. “TREP gave me a pathway to turn my passion into a real achievable career…now, just weeks before I graduate, that pathway is being taken away,” she said.

Parents described narrow timing and practical barriers: Stephanie Christian told the committee that some families could not sign up for testimony due to technical problems with the sign‑up system and said communities are seeking fiscal solutions — including reduced per‑student allocations and potential fund shifts — to let seniors finish their commitments.

Sponsor remarks acknowledged the program’s intent to grow teachers from local communities but described the committee’s actions as part of broader budget tradeoffs. Senator Kirk Meyer said he supports managing the program’s costs while seeking possible floor amendments.

The committee’s vote advances the repeal to the Senate floor, where senators indicated amendments are likely to be proposed. The bill’s sponsor and several members signaled willingness to consider narrowly targeted fixes on the floor to protect students closest to graduation.