Representative Steven Walker

Meeting — April 3, 2025 (30:24)

one of the lucky ones that got to be on his team in 2008. So I just want to take a moment to congratulate the lady cougars on an outstanding season and i would like to ask mr speaker can you have the madam clerk read the resolution by title only madam clerk

Meeting — April 3, 2025 (29:48)

the 2A Region 2 Tournament, and the Class 2A State Championship Tournament. And Quinn Johnson was named the most valuable player in the Class 2A State Championship Tournament. were led by head coach David Harmon and assistant coach Kyle McCandless. Mr. Harmon has achieved a very rare feat of coaching both a boys state championship team in 2008 and a girls state championship team in 2025 for the same high school. And I would like to point out that I was

Meeting — April 3, 2025 (29:15)

after defeating the Barton High School Lady Bears by a score of 72 to 66 on March 13. The Lady Cougars earned their spot in the state championship by winning their last 24 games of the season and defeating the top four ranked teams in the state during the regional and state tournaments. The Lady Cougars completed the season with an overall record of 32-4 and won the George Kell Memorial Classic, the 2A2 Conference Code Championship, and the 2A2 District Tournament,

Meeting — April 3, 2025 (28:58)

recognized to explain the resolution. - Can I have the Lady Cougars please stand? So today I have the resolution to congratulate Euderd County High School Lady Cougars basketball team on winning the 2025 Class 2A state championship

Education Committee (House) — April 7, 2025 (1:25:08)

end i just got word that we're looking at we're having some discussions on the senate end so at this time i'd like to pull the bill so we can um have have a little bit more time on these discussions if that's okay with the committee.

Education Committee (House) — April 7, 2025 (1:25:02)

so like i started off um this is a house bill version of what's of a senate bill on the senate

Education Committee (House) — April 7, 2025 (28:54)

I know the surveys and data that I've been seeing across the board, whether it supports four days or it's against four days, one thing that, at least what I've been seeing, one thing that they all agree with is teacher retention. And to me, if you have positive teacher retention, you have happy teachers in the classroom, and that reflects it on the kids.

Education Committee (House) — April 7, 2025 (28:23)

If we're not 100% sure that it's a negative impact on kids, we should not be taking local control away. A follow-up?

Education Committee (House) — April 7, 2025 (24:59)

our kids, it deserves a further look and a further discussion instead of just being dictated. Representative Cozart, you're

Education Committee (House) — April 7, 2025 (24:57)

and there's data that's out there that it's hurting

Education Committee (House) — April 7, 2025 (24:42)

to add? I passed you what I'm using. It's by U of A, and the main point of that study is it contradicts the national studies out there that four-day school districts damage our kids. But what it tells me is if there's data out there that says that it's helping our kids

Education Committee (House) — April 7, 2025 (20:42)

of ed and state board just tell us how school how everything's going to take place when we give when we vote in law one of the four options we need to be the one that votes it out and that's the point of this bill chair can i respond because now

Education Committee (House) — April 7, 2025 (20:08)

We're elected by our constituents to serve the local needs in the local areas. And if they bring, if we have this discussion and they bring the data to us and we recognize that one of the four models that we've allowed our school districts is actually affecting our kids back home, then I'm sure everybody at this table would not hesitate to take that option away.

Education Committee (House) — April 7, 2025 (19:37)

has a different need and that's why we've over time we've added four different models out there. I'm not against having the discussion, but my deal is it needs to be us that's at the table during this discussion. And that's the point of this bill. It's not whether four days should be allowed or not. It's that we are not bypassed because we have established in law that 1,068 hours is also an appropriate deal for our school districts. So if that gets changed, it needs to be by our vote.

Education Committee (House) — April 7, 2025 (19:23)

that. And what you said is exactly why we need to offer different options because every area is different. I know my smaller rural areas need a completely different platform than what the large areas do. I mean everybody in the state of Arkansas

Education Committee (House) — April 7, 2025 (7:38)

I don't think Department of Ed should be able to determine that all on their own, and that's the intent of this bill is just trying to say we would like a seat at the table. We should have the final vote over whatever it is. But we should be having these type of discussions together

Education Committee (House) — April 7, 2025 (7:54)

and not be dictated by just a state agency. I'm

Education Committee (House) — April 7, 2025 (7:07)

that might be able to advance to a C school down the road. And so I don't feel like we should squeeze them out of a four-day school district before that takes place. And, again, I've not seen any data that has shown that four-day school districts are bad. U of A has a study that shows that they're actually helping Arkansas kids. But at the end of the day, I think we need to have the discussion on what the four-day school districts look like going forward.

Education Committee (House) — April 7, 2025 (6:35)

And so I don't want to go out and penalize the school district that it doesn't matter if they're on a five-day school district, they may still be a D school. A four-day school district, by the testimony I've heard here earlier today, it might give them a fighting chance because if you're able to do teacher retention and you have a happy teacher in the classroom, a lot of times that reflects onto the kids in the classroom. And I don't feel like we've had it in place long enough to kind of see what kind of data is out there on these school districts

Education Committee (House) — April 7, 2025 (6:04)

If you're in an area where there's poverty and you're struggling to feed a kid or whatever the case may be, you're really fighting against the current that's in place. And so there may be a school district that is a D-level, that is a really good school district. It's just the cards that they were dealt in the area. And a four-day school district helps with that teacher retention level, And it may actually benefit the D school by allowing it.