Commission schedules follow‑up sessions, seeks district data and public input on special education

Following the ERS presentation, commission facilitators directed members into short breakout rooms to identify top takeaways and questions for later work. Small‑group reports consistently urged fuller state funding for both the Excess Cost Grant and the $30 million seed grant, expressed concern about the sustainability of short‑term appropriations, and called for work on workforce shortages — particularly bilingual special‑education staff and paraeducators.

Facilitators reminded commissioners that the commission will hold additional knowledge‑building sessions (a July 16 Zoom session focused on how well money is used and a July 30 in‑person meeting for priority setting). The commission asked staff to collect Slido and survey inputs and to schedule follow‑up one‑on‑one meetings in July to refine work plans and stakeholder engagement.

Small groups suggested specific analytical follow‑ups: district‑level breakdowns of tuition versus choice‑program costs, the fiscal effect of lowering the excess‑cost threshold (for example, from 4.5 to a lower multiplier), and modeling to show district‑by‑district impacts of greater state funding. Members emphasized urgency, saying that children currently in school need timely changes and that multi‑year funding commitments would aid district budgeting.

The meeting closed with facilitators thanking members and stakeholders; no formal votes were taken. Staff will return with refined analysis and engagement plans at the next full meeting.