Legislative Services Office staff briefed the Joint Education Committee on the interim recalibration of the K‑12 Education Resource Block Grant model and on the status of related litigation.

Matthew Wilmarth, senior school finance analyst with LSO, said the select committee overseeing recalibration (six senators and six representatives) has met three times and will meet in January to review a draft bill prepared with consultants Pichus/Auden & Associates; LSO plans an informational session for the full legislature before the 2026 budget session. "They have 1 more meeting, January, at which they will review its bill draft regarding the recalibration..." Wilmarth said.

Tanya Heitrich (LSO operations administrator) gave a litigation update: oral arguments were held and the state’s motion for a stay of the district court order was granted, meaning compliance with that district court order is stayed pending appellate decision. She stressed that the legislature nonetheless retains statutory and (as the courts have interpreted it) constitutional obligations to undertake recalibration work and that all pleadings are publicly available on the legislative portal.

Committee members asked follow‑up questions about constitutional authority and statutory obligations; LSO pointed to prior Supreme Court opinions and statutory language establishing the legislature’s recalibration duties. The committee adjourned following the briefing.