House Education Committee
Video
Transcript
Bills discussed (8)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
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HB1780
· 3 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “HB1780”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HB1296
· 2 mentions in transcript, chapter
Matched: “to run 1296? Mr. Carnot, we're going to look at now House Bill 1296.”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HB1551
· 2 mentions in transcript, chapter
Matched: “may proceed with House Bill 1551. Thank you, Mr.”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HB1617
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1617”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HB1821
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1821”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HB2142
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB2142”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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HR1038
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HR1038”
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Pre-2017 bill | ||
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SB711
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB711”
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Pre-2017 bill |
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Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
0:00
The amendment is distributed. Committee, I think you have the amendment in front of you. Take just a second and look at that. If you will. We have a motion to adopt.
All in favor say aye. Opposed? I believe the ayes have it. Mr. Hyde, you
may proceed with House Bill 1551. Thank you, Mr.
Representative Barry Hyde
Unverified
0:41
Chairman. Members, 1551, after the amendment, completely removes the recall section that so many of you expressed your support for with me and puts in a new section one that simply moves the election date for school boards to coincide with primary elections.
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
1:00
So, Mr. Howard, you're talking about everything after the act can close? Yes, Mr.
Representative Barry Hyde
Unverified
1:18
Chairman. The amendment removes everything that's currently in the bill except the title and then inserts a new Section 1. And Section 1 can be seen in the amendment, and the only change there is moving the election to the primary election date.
Okay. A question. Mr. Brown, do you have a question? Absolutely. Representative Hyde, what's the benefit of this? Is there cost savings involved? It is expected to save some money, but the primary purpose of this is to provide
Representative Jerry R. Brown
Unverified
1:57
better access to the voters. Excuse me? More participation. People, are the voters now immobile? I mean,
Representative Barry Hyde
Unverified
2:01
can they not? Well, no, sir, but in school board elections, actually, I think in conversations with you, you pointed out to me that you have elections where you have 100 or 110 or even less than 100.
I think we talked about very low numbers in school board elections. And when I asked about your primary elections or general elections, you know, those numbers are up around 2,000. So we would have more participation from the voters in a district. and hopefully that would give us a little more involvement from the folks in the district in our school system. Would you
Representative Jerry R. Brown
Unverified
2:31
not agree, Representative Hyde, that maybe in a lot of school board elections, especially in the rural area that I serve, that a lot of times there's not even any opposition?
We have a hard enough time finding board members anyway to serve. And if there's no tax change, that then usually there's a law that provides for that, that we don't even have to have an election. We can do it all by early voting. Do you
Representative Barry Hyde
Unverified
3:01
understand that? I do understand that, and you have one location and all that great stuff. But, Representative Brown, I wouldn't agree with your statement because there's no way I would agree that not having more people involved in those elections
would be beneficial to the school district. The logic that controlling the board members by not having as high a participation just doesn't really hold much water for me, and I think it doesn't hold much water for a lot of people. MR. Well, I just think that you have
Representative Jerry R. Brown
Unverified
3:31
to take into consideration the rural districts and not just that the world revolves around North Little Rock. Thank you very much. MR. Any other questions, committee?
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
3:46
Seeing none, at this time we'll go to the audience. Mr. Dale, do
Speaker 33
3:54
you have one? Well, when I read the amendment, Representative Hyde, it says that you're going to do it three weeks before the general primary. So that's got me a little confused here. That's not what you said when you were – so is the amendment –
Representative Barry Hyde
Unverified
4:17
Mr. Chairman, I think the drafter has made an error in that date. That's supposed to be the primary date. I think it's the second Tuesday in May. I'll hold this bill with your permission and
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
4:27
have her correct that quickly. I just wanted for anybody to catch that besides me and Mr. Dale. Well,
Representative Barry Hyde
Unverified
4:32
thanks for letting me know that. Okay, you want to pull this bill? I'm going to hold it, and perhaps we could ask Mr. Hudson to call Ms. Reinhart and make that correction. and maybe it may even be able to get it back over here before we adjourn today and dispose of this bill.
Speaker 39
4:48
Okay. Mr. Hyde, would you mind doing me a favor? would you
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
5:04
yield to Mr. Carnine while you and Mr. Hudson go in my office and
you can figure out what you want to tell Ms. Reinhart? That's great. Thank you. We have two people, Mr. Carnine and Mr. Smith,
Speaker 42
5:20
that would like to run some real non-controversial bills. There's no such thing in
Speaker 47
5:24
the Education Committee, Mr. Chairman, but
Speaker 46
5:27
I could appreciate it. Okay. May I have a question, though, before I do that, if I
Representative Les "Skip" Carnine
Unverified
5:33
might. Since this has been quite a change, In other words, we didn't know that this was going to hit us today and visit with a lot of the affected stakeholders. My thought is, to be quite honest with you, I would rather just assume that it's here,
and I'd almost make a motion, do not pass, simply on the basis of the fact of what it is, and that's all due respect to Mr. Representative Hyde, But I think under the circumstances, the late hour, bring it in, change in election dates, this type of thing ought to be considered a little bit more than just in the next 30 seconds. Okay. I'm not going to
Speaker 51
6:14
recognize that do not pass, but what I will do
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
6:18
while Mr. Hyde and Ms. Resson take care of this business, I think, Mr. Hyde, we might put this bill back on the calendar for Tuesday.
And come back on Tuesday? Yes. That's fine. But
you come back in a minute and do the other two bills if you want to. I'm ready
Speaker 42
6:39
office there and y'all can take care of that. Mr. Carnot, are you ready
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
6:53
to run 1296? Mr. Carnot, we're going to look at now House Bill 1296.
Representative Les "Skip" Carnine
Unverified
6:57
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. With your permission, I'd ask Dr. Kimbrell to join me at the table. Certainly. As the committee remembers, we discussed this bill previously. I think most of the questions have been answered. We did, however, note that the amendment we thought had been engrossed had not been. does hold districts that may have fiscal issues harmless in this change this is
agreed-upon bill I don't know that we need to have everybody come to the table but I know the school administrators Association school boards were all in agreement with that we needed to move on this particular change so if there are any questions from the committee certainly would entertain them at this time. Committee, questions from anyone? Mr. Summers, do you have a question?
Speaker 18
7:52
Motion to proper time, sir. Thank you, Mr. Summers.
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
8:02
Seeing no question from the committee, we'll
go to the audience. Anyone want to speak against this bill, for this bill? Seeing none, we'll come back to the committee. We have a motion due pass from Mr. Summers.
All those in favor say aye. Opposed, like signed. I believe the
Speaker 65
8:27
ayes have it. Mr. Carnine, you finally passed a bill in here, didn't
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
8:31
you? Okay. Look at the House Bill 1780, I think. I think that's
the number Mr. Smith has. Is that right, Mr. Smith? 1780? Okay. We
have an amendment and we're going to pass that out. I
Speaker 72
8:53
know we're going to wait until Tuesday but that language is exactly correct. Is it? It's just, it's kind
Speaker 73
9:02
of screwed up. That is, that's the code that's written out.
We're going to have. The code is the primary and really
Speaker 74
9:11
the wrong. We've got that. You know, we've got that in there. It's really three weeks before the
Speaker 68
9:20
second Tuesday of June, because the second Tuesday of June is the runoff date in case you need a runoff. All right. You want to help? So, now, if you get a friend to friend here, our ex-partners, so they had to fix and kill this guy.
Speaker 45
9:44
I'm so disappointed in our education. We need a motion to adopt that amendment to someone. So have a
Speaker 82
9:56
motion to adopt the amendment to Mr. Smith's bill. All those in
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
10:01
favor say aye. Opposed? No. Leave the aye to have it. Mr. Smith, you may proceed with your bill.
Representative Garry L. Smith
Unverified
10:09
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, committee members. I appreciate your allowing me to come
before you today. We're talking on the bill as amended, House Bill 1780. It's an act to authorize the creation of the Southern Arkansas University School of Veterinary Medicine and for other purposes. And as the amendment has been handed to you, and you have a copy there, some wording changes that Department of Higher Ed encouraged us to put in this bill. So this bill is basically what we all do.
It's an answer to a constituency issue, and I understand that there's no a lot of extra money floating around, as we all know that, but if we never start talking about creating a veterinary school in Arkansas, then we'll never have one. So this is what I've tried to do with this piece of legislation, and it talks about veterinary medicine. Now, if I'm not mistaken, that allows veterinary techs and people of that capability. It wouldn't necessarily have to be a doctorate degree, if I'm not mistaken. I'd be glad to take any questions this time.
Speaker 54
11:11
Committee, Representative Stewart. Motion, proper time. Okay. Any other questions? Seeing none,
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
11:15
we'll go to the audience. Anyone want to speak against this bill, for this bill? Thank you. Committee, come back to the committee.
We have a motion due passed as amended by Representative Stewart. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed like signs. Be the eye to have it, Mr. Smith. Thank you, Mr. Chair,
Representative Garry L. Smith
Unverified
11:37
and thank you, committee members, for allowing me to be here today. Thank you very much. I appreciate it.
Speaker 91
12:04
2142? That would be good, don't you think?
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
12:17
2142, committee. we have an amendment for this bill also we'll pass that out this time 2142
Maybe this amendment is a little more lengthy, so you may want to take a minute or two.
Representative Barry Hyde
Unverified
13:28
Yes, Mr. Chairman, thank you. I think this is
a pretty simple bill, but I've said that a couple times today. What this really amounts to is the result of actually about four years of work under really the leadership of Representative Roebuck in trying to work out some channels and requirements and definitions of data that we need in the legislature about our scholarship recipients,
our high school students, graduating high school students that are applying for scholarships and those who are able to complete their college career as well as those who are unable so that we can make decisions in ongoing legislation and funding decisions, especially for those scholarships, with hard data instead of our best guesses, I suppose, is the way to put it. We have been working and made some real progress with several of the institutions
and with higher ed over the past probably two months, and this is kind of a result of trying to codify what we're doing and trying to complete. I don't doubt that once we get out of here, we'll have to sit and have already visited with Director Broadway and probably work out some of the details or maybe the gray areas of this. But I spoke to Representative Roebuck before we came in here, and I think we have confidence that we'll work out those details.
But this is really great progress based on where we started, I think, two years ago. Committee, before we have any questions, we really
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
15:15
need to adopt the amendment first to this bill. Have a motion to adopt the amendment. All those in favor say aye. Aye.
Opposed? Like a sign? Leave the ayes. Have it. Committee, any questions? Mr. Carnown, you have a question? Motion at
Speaker 55
15:27
the proper time. Okay. Ms. Hopper, you have a question?
Representative Karen S. Hopper
Unverified
15:38
I do. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm
trying to read and process and put on my other hat as I do this and my other role. And I guess what I'm down to is I'm trying to figure out what this bill would do, what we would gather from this that we're not
already doing with the iPads. This is my first question. What additional data are we
Representative Barry Hyde
Unverified
16:10
For the most part, Representative, I think the data that you're gathering is getting to higher ed,
but it's really never getting down to us, and I hope I'm not overstating that, or by the time it gets to us, it is aged and fermented, I guess I would say. We've had a real difficult time of getting current information from the universities down to our level to be able to use. So a follow-up, if I could. And I sure would be happy to have Representative Roebuck just jump in there at any time.
Representative Karen S. Hopper
Unverified
16:48
So you're wanting this information to come directly from the institutions and not higher ed? No,
Representative Barry Hyde
Unverified
16:56
Representative, I think what it does after – And we have done
some of that, actually, in the past couple of probably the last three or four weeks. We've gotten some sample drops from some institutions. And after hearing ever since I've been here that this was highly complicated and everybody had different programs and it took all this work to, you know,
to get it together and glean it and all those things, we made a sample drop from one of the UA campuses. and Jim Schratz, you may know our IT guy here in the General Assembly, opened that up and deciphered it and was able to work with it. It had been de-identified in advance in a matter of a few hours. So that difficulty in working with different programs can be overcome. We may just have a little more resources than what they do.
They have an awful lot of things they're trying to do over there. But after visiting with Director Broadway, what we figured out is that when they receive those drops from the institutions, they don't have to try and put the data together for us. They can just de-identify, and that's really what we're trying to accomplish here, and then send it right over to BLR. Gary Darolikowski has kind of been working on this project, again, ever since I've been here, under the tutelage of Representative Roebuck, I think.
and that's kind of the long and the short of it.
Representative Karen S. Hopper
Unverified
18:29
So it's more of an authorization, am I correct, versus going back and asking the institutions for yet additional information? I don't think
Representative Barry Hyde
Unverified
18:37
we're asking the institutions for any additional information at this time. We're trying to get the pipeline open and feel like once we can get this thing started, you know, we can add to it or take it away as we see how it works and how the information comes down to it. So what we're really trying to do is kind of documenting the progress we've been able to make
in figuring out how to get this information to the General Assembly and the general agreement that we've been able to kind of work on with higher ed to this point. And I would ask Representative Roebuck to certainly fill in. Mr. Roebuck, before
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
19:19
you make any comments, I'd like to bring Mr. Broadway to the table also, not just to testify, but just comments he may have to make also, might more to make.
Representative Johnnie J. Roebuck
Unverified
19:32
But, Mr. Roebuck, you may go ahead. Certainly. Thank you, Mr. Chair. And just as a follow-up to that information, Representative Hopper, and then for the other members, just to remind you that the constitutional amendment for the lottery does clearly state that it's the General Assembly that makes all the decisions, and it's not the Department of Higher Education. So we need our own database. You'll notice on page two, he talks about in this bill, Representative Hyde talks about that by May 1, 2011, our own Bureau of Legislative Research will actually develop and operate
a database, and that will be called the Arkansas Higher Education Research Database. We need this because as we begin to look at decisions about that scholarship and make informed decisions, then we need the best data that we can possibly get. This will enable the Bureau to have that database and to establish that research that will be available to all members of the General Assembly as you're asking questions.
Speaker 104
20:37
Committee, any other questions? Mr. Broadway, would you like to make some comments about this legislation?
Speaker 119
20:43
Sure. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I want to thank Representative Hyde gave us a copy of the amendment this morning, and so we're not prepared to testify for or against because we've not had time to roll through all of the amendment to see what impact it would have on our department or the institutions. But that, as he mentioned, are issues that we can sift through and sort out. We've been working with the Bureau for the last several weeks.
there are a number of pieces of legislation regarding databases and information. We are kind of the keeper of that information. We receive it all from all the various campuses and then try to get that over as quickly as possible to the Bureau. We try to be as responsive as possible. Obviously you're still in the first year of implementation of some of this, and so we're still trying to work through logistically everything to ensure that the legislature gets the information that it needs. And so we've been working with the Bureau staff, with the members.
Our purpose is, obviously, to get as much information as possible to the Bureau, ensuring that we're following the concepts of federal law under FERPA. That information has to be collected by us anyway, and we're having to maintain student accounts. We've got all those students. We've got to have the information from the universities. What we're working to develop is a system. We met yesterday with our staff. going to meet with the Department of Ed because there's some inner workings that the BLR has with the Department of Ed already and has used for years of ways in
which we can merge systems and where we can faster and in a faster way send that data over to the Bureau so that y'all can make your decisions and so that may require some expense on our part as we move forward but we are certainly willing to work with the Bureau and this legislature to ensure that you have the information needed to make the decisions you have to make thank you miss hopper
Speaker 120
22:38
I believe I saw your hand waving yes sir
Representative Karen S. Hopper
Unverified
22:41
thank you a follow-up if I could
I know there was a reference made a moment ago to timeliness so again we've just received this information and I'm searching through here hopefully you can help me move to this quicker and that is I know there's a reference to the system itself being in place by May 1st, which isn't very long off is it, is there a timeline outlined in here as in when you're wanting things in a more timely manner, so has that
been worked out as in when the institutions have to do whatever it is that you're hoping to do, and what academic year does that reflect? Just trying to get a feel for this, if you could help us all, please. Maybe I can give you an example,
Representative Barry Hyde
Unverified
23:32
and Representative Roebuck can probably do a little better job than me, I'm certain, but having spent the last two years as the co-chair of Lottery Oversight, which is charged with trying to figure out how we're spending the money and where we're doing it right and where we're not doing it, and as you can imagine, and
you're probably aware, there's been a lot of ideas of changes we should make to the scholarship system, none of which could be based on fact at this point or data, because we have none. Other than tell you how many scholarships that were awarded, and certainly not to the detriment of Director Broadway, he just got over there, and I have to be a little tongue-in-cheek as I think that just a few weeks ago it seems like he was on our side of this. But he certainly has a clear understanding of what we're trying to do, and I think that's
going to be beneficial to us. But a year from now, when we're sitting down, or I guess slightly less than a year, when we're sitting down in the fiscal session, we're going to have the same, maybe even more so of a conversation of changes we need to make to the scholarship, what we ought to do with this, and where we ought to do with the entry level, or if there's a step of where they're failing and where they're being successful, and the data off of the applications of where where the students came from and what kind of qualifications they had when they came
in. To have some of that data, I would think that we could do a much better job of making those decisions than just off our gut. And so, in all honesty, right now, and Senator Key is sitting right behind you, he's now the Senate chair, I just drug him into this, of lottery oversight, and I think that he'll tell you is that we don't
Speaker 47
25:11
have any information. And I fully appreciate where we're
Representative Karen S. Hopper
Unverified
25:15
trying to get with this. Again, as I say, I'm sitting here wearing two hats, and I'm trying to figure
out how all this is going to play out when I get back to my other position.
I won't comment on that. And the further you talk, the more I'm understanding, i.e., what the information is that you're seeking. And I see that playing out as a whole lot more work for the folks that I work with. And, again, I'm trying to figure out how we achieve what you're wanting to do here, what we're wanting, and yet it seems like this is quite a task.
Speaker 21
25:53
Well, I will offer to you, Representative Hopper,
Representative Barry Hyde
Unverified
25:57
that we're now two years into the scholarship program and our want's no different today than it was two years ago, and we don't appear to be any closer today than we were two years ago. So I hope you can understand our frustration as we try and be able to offer good explanation or arguments as folks come up with ideas of changes that we need to make. And we, in fact, are going to. I mean, we're new at this huge scholarship program, and we are going to need to make adjustments, no doubt. And I'm in my last term.
I'm afraid those decisions are going to be made on someone's gut down here instead of what the facts are. And so I know it's going to be a lot of work, but it's a lot of opportunity for young
Speaker 119
26:41
Arkansans, and I hope we're going to do a good job of it. I think, Representative Hopper, in terms of what will actually have to be done, And regarding this provision, what will actually have to be done differently at the campus level, I don't know that obviously we haven't read all through it. I don't know that that part will change unless, and depending on how it all gets structured, obviously I think the preference would be not to do duplication.
The institutions have to send that information to us. I think there's a way in a timely way where we can turn that information around. We've been looking at different systems in where we could merge, you know, the information, the de-identified information that can directly dump into what the Bureau has. So we obviously don't want to create a lot of busy work that doesn't need to be redone or done. And to Representative Hyde's point, again, this is first year. This is second semester of those on the scholarships.
We just now, on February 23rd, got the end-of-term data from all the institutions regarding last fall. Correct. There were some institutions who were behind in getting that in. Some we had to follow up on several times. Some have errors that have to be gone through, and we are still working with two campuses, and this is March 12th. What's today? boy y'all really need to go home I'm just kidding 17th and so we're still
working you know two to three weeks later to to get that data in a pie in a in a position because I would love to be able to come over and tell you tomorrow that the students are on the scholarship in the first semester this many percentage of them came back for the second semester and but you know and how long it takes for some of that data to be to be gone through and so we're trying to figure out ways in which we can speed that process up because you are having
to make decisions on a timely fashion the data you'll have in preparation as I told a lottery oversight the data and information you'll have for the fiscal session to make a decision is going to be much better than what you have for this session to make a decision because you'll know by the fiscal session how How many of that first class retained their scholarship? And what happened when they didn't or why they didn't? We'll have that information by the time you get in here to prepare for what the amount will be for the next year.
So it's a gradual process. I think we're all still trying to exactly figure out how to make it better to ensure that we get our information that helps us manage the student accounts, that we're following the protocols that we have to follow, but that you all are also getting the information in a timely fashion to make the decision. You have
Speaker 114
29:34
to. One last question from all. Yes, ma'am. I'm thinking of economic impact.
Representative Barry Hyde
Unverified
29:44
I think it was $104 million this last year. We're expecting $100 million in the next year. The scholarship amount was $46 million last year, and it's now $150 million. So I think that's my economic impact. And I apologize. Physical impact, this
Representative Karen S. Hopper
Unverified
30:00
process. Not required for higher ed, Ms. Hopper. We have no idea
of – I understand what you're saying, but – You know, Representative Hopper, I really
Representative Barry Hyde
Unverified
30:14
– I appreciate what you're saying,
and I appreciate your point of view. And I hope that when these ideas come down on the floor in the well of all these great changes we ought to make to this, that you'll be willing to stand up and say, hey, wait a minute, we've got to be patient until we can gather this information. We don't even have any information on the applications that were done a year ago. I mean, we're really kind of driving blind in terms of being able to make any real changes and modifications to the program.
Representative Johnnie J. Roebuck
Unverified
30:50
And just to clarify, if I can, and tell you that this bill actually does four things that will help us do what we're already doing, but it will be better for our members. It will give you a database where you can actually get all the information that you need, and it will be called, of course, the Higher Ed Database. So that first section does talk to you about those definitions. But then if you'll look on page two, it talks about the database being set up. So that's not an unreasonable timeline.
Our bureau actually wants that timeline. They want to get that set up as fast as they can. So that's the second thing that it does. And so it's a support mechanism for members. It also has protections in it because it talks about private and confidential data. We're not going to get any more data than we're getting now. We know what FERPA says, and we're not going to violate that. And then if you'll look on the last page, it talks about our memorandum of understanding. And so what this says is that the Bureau of Legislative Research and the Department of Higher Education under Director Broadway's leadership
will enter into an MOU, and that will be approved by the Arkansas Lottery Commission Legislative Oversight Committee, and then they will determine what types of data, the format, the time schedule, and then they will determine how that's going to work and how it's going to be submitted. And so all those decisions will be made collaboratively and in a memorandum of understanding. And so that's what that does. It does also show you on the last page a penalty, and that's there just in case higher education, if the department, and we do have a concern.
And so that's really, this is for you. This bill is your support bill to give you the opportunity to have a database and you can go to that database and get all the information you need to make informed decisions as members as we go forward with
Representative Karen S. Hopper
Unverified
32:48
the scholarship. Thank you. One last question, please. And the penalty on this, is this the same penalty that was in the bill I think we just voted on, Representative Roebuck, just a couple days ago with regard to your attempt to, along these same lines, gather?
Exactly. All right. Thank you both. Thank
Speaker 33
33:12
you, Mr. Chair. Representative Dale, question. Mr. Chairman, Representative Roebuck answered most of the question. Thank you. Anyone else, committee? MR.
Representative Randy Stewart
Unverified
33:22
Mr. Stewart. This question from Mr. Broadway. So this is something that you can use. You need this. It's doable. And you can live with it with some changes? MR. Possibly, yes, sir. We've had very little time
Speaker 119
33:35
to review it since this morning, but I appreciate Representative
Hyde giving us the courtesy of a copy this morning. We haven't had a chance to go through with our information technology folks or our people to totally analyze every line of it and what impact it could have. But our commitment has been, and we've been working, we met yesterday with our staff, seeing what needs to occur, what are the next steps in terms of making our system better to coincide with what the Bureau has and actually what they already have with ADE. And actually, this is part of a whole larger concept
of what we're trying to do, I believe, and Dr. Kimbrell can correct me if I'm wrong, as a workforce cabinet in connecting data systems. So you can see from K through 12 to higher ed to where they go to work after they graduate from college to all those kinds of things where we can connect all those data systems to look back and see what we need to go back and analyze and fix. And so but our hope is there probably will be some additional cost. We don't know exactly what that would be. We have an appropriation bill if need be to be able to go back and put any additional
cost, because you do have each institution has its own system. So we've even talked about the commercials you see about the cloud, figuring out a way to, you know, there's a lot of different software systems out there that we think could help us to marry those systems, 33 different systems that use different types of software into one database that we can then send over to the Bureau's database. But in
Speaker 138
35:07
the absence of that, if they get the raw data now,
Representative Randy Stewart
Unverified
35:15
they're saying they can interpret the raw data just the way it is now, I think is what I understood.
Speaker 130
35:20
Right. They can take what we give them now. What we're hoping to have is you're going to have more data that come
Speaker 119
35:26
in. And that will actually help us, to tell you the truth, Representative Stewart, once we get all this memorandum and everything set up, you have an inquiry. You want to know how many students that applied last year were denied scholarships and for what reason. That actually, if there's a way we can get this all set up, you can go to the Bureau and do that instead of having to call us.
That actually helps us to be able to work on all the other requests you send down for other matters and all the information we have to process from the universities. So if we can take that de-identified data to put over there that Jerry and them can run that query you have, that obviously cuts down. In fact, I had talked about at one point in time of just hiring someone to work just for the bureau because FERPA, they would have to be an ADHE employee
and they would work directly to the bureau. If we can do this database thing, it would do the same thing. But whatever allows that direct line of the data we receive, once we take it down to where it can be sent over as quick as possible, then they can do all the queries. Okay. So right now you'd say you're okay
Representative Randy Stewart
Unverified
36:34
with the concept and it should work? Concept, certainly. Okay. Thank
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
36:39
you. Committee, any other questions? Seeing none, we'll go to the audience. Anyone want to speak against this bill, for this bill?
Seeing none, we'll come back to the committee. I need a motion. Motion. Motion do pass as amended. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed,
like sign. Leave you pass your bill, Mr. Hyde. One for one is not bad. Aye. senator key are you
Speaker 18
37:09
ready to present your bill committee this
Speaker 64
37:16
is senate bill 711 it's in the back of your packet
Speaker 136
37:32
Identify yourself with the record, please, and then you may proceed. This is State Senator Johnny Key. I'm presenting Senate Bill 711, Mr. Chairman. This bill simply calls for a study that would be performed by the Interim Joint Committees on Education. It would be done by our staff. It wouldn't be a task force or anything, so it meets the new way we're trying to do and it would study the impact of an extended school year on a number of aspects regarding education,
would look at facilities, would look at adequacy, would look at curriculum, the testing, would also take a look at the impact on the tourism and hospitality industry in the state. I'd be glad to take any questions. Thank you, Mr. Key. Committee, questions to anyone? I did hear a story, Mr.
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
38:27
Key, this morning in one of the pages in the Senate happened to look at the schedule of what was coming up and being a
young 10 or 12 year old she saw this, she says Granddaddy killed that bill
and Granddaddy just happened to be the
Speaker 136
38:45
chairman of the Senate Education Committee that's what I understand see,
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
38:48
no questions for the committee we'll go to the audience anyone want to speak against this bill for this bill Seeing none, we'll come back to the committee. Need a
motion? Motion do pass. Have a motion do pass. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed,
like signed. Be the ayes. Have it. Mr. Key, you passed our bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Stewart's going to run H.R. 1038. Mr. Stewart,
you may identify yourself, please, and then you may
Representative Randy Stewart
Unverified
39:45
proceed. Yeah, I'm Representative Stewart. I'm running this for Representative Post, who is ill today. It is a House resolution to honor Ozark School District Superintendent Scott Stone for his
dedication and years of service to public education I appreciate a good vote question
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
40:01
to comments most okay have a motion first anyone in the in the audience will speak
against this resolution or for this resolution seeing them we're back to the committee
we have a motion do pass all those in favor say say aye. Opposed, lock, sign. Believe the ayes have it. Thank you.
Speaker 42
40:35
Committee, we're going to look at House Bill 1617. Dr. Roebuck and No.
Representative Johnnie J. Roebuck
Unverified
41:09
Proceed. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Members, House Bill 16-17 is a part of our higher education package. As you know, the governor has set a wonderful goal of doubling our degrees and certificates by 2025. We also set two years ago a goal to reach the SREB average for degrees and certificates by 2015. What House Bill 1617 does is help us to increase the public school student access to some preparatory
programs while students are in the K-12 system and to provide that access to information concerning those programs. And so you'll see there that we have amended existing codes, and Dr. Kimbrell is here to speak to this bill as our Commissioner of K-12 Mr. Chair thank you
Speaker 154
42:04
what we're trying to do is is take what we currently have as the CPAP program as
many of you are aware of where students who have yet to meet the mark on the at this current time the ACT exam to not have to have remediation and address this issue from the eighth grade to the twelfth grade we're looking at using in the language right now is the language in the bill is generic because we don't want to just tie our hands with one assessment as you're well aware we're moving to a new assessment program with anchor assessments at the high school
where our higher ed friends are working with us to set those cuts so that we've got college and career readiness goals so what we're looking at using currently is the explain employer explore and plan okay oh my goodness so it's after five oh I can mess up then can't what we want to do is to begin to track students because we're the state requires that every eighth grade student is assessed
and every tenth grade students assessed with those assessments and we can use use that data to indicate future success in college readiness, and then identify those students for additional help in order to get them ready for their career or their college going. This would expand that program to allow schools, institutions of higher ed, and others to develop programs much like the program that Arkadelphia, which now I think is called Clark County Academic Academy, College Preparatory Academy, where they would use time outside
of the school, normal school day or school days to help students enrich and expand, well, I guess really to accelerate their learning. Get those skills needed to be successful on those college readiness exams so that they can demonstrate that they can go into college or go into a career and be ready to be successful. This is funded through a grant that we currently have. It's a little over, I believe, $1.8 million, so we're not going to be able to fund all over the state, but we would fund those programs initially that would be programs that are
joint ventures between high schools and institutions of higher ed. And these could be throughout the year. They could be summer. They could be weekends. They're not during the normal school day, but students would be identified. Students that are of socioeconomics would have first dibs, I guess, on those slots in those programs. So we would identify those students using those assessments and build programs. This would be based upon a grant process that the department would run just as it's running
today with CPEP, but it would expand the CPEP program. That's it in a nutshell. It would be around mathematics, reading, and language arts. Committee, Rep. Steele.
Speaker 156
45:12
Question. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Dr.
Speaker 157
45:14
Kimbrough, just much of what I know about education is personal experience. This year, when the eighth graders, and I know one of the middle schools here that I particularly have an interest in,
they took the program, and I'm very supportive of the program and starting kids in the eighth grade level. level the problem that uh... that i had with it is that there was no parental notification and i think that that would really help the situation especially with an eighth grader uh... who is is educated about the extent that test how important it is the time frames that was was given
uh... uh... in the test and no preparation Just kind of taking it cold turkey. I mean, I don't know. I'm supportive of what you're trying to do in your bill, but just kind of keep that in mind. If even at the eighth grade level, if there could be some parental notice, then we kind of work with the kids a little more to make sure that they're ready. I mean, it's kind of, it's my daughter. She just kind of came home. Hey, I took the ACT test today. I know exactly what you're talking about.
Speaker 154
46:26
I had the same thing with my eighth grader last year. He said, well, we took the ACT. I said, you did? And he said, yeah, what is that?
Speaker 160
46:34
And he's been around this stuff. Well, if
Speaker 154
46:37
you didn't get a notice, Because that really means it. Well, I didn't get a notice. I don't know if his mother did or not. But there are some things around counseling in this also. But that is a good point. And probably what we need to do in this grant is to ensure, well, we've got to go beyond this grant because we've got to talk about the plan itself. Because we're doing this statewide. And what you're saying, and I think it's hit home with me now because that's exactly what happened to me, is that we're not doing a good job communicating with students and parents
about the importance of them doing a good job in the grant. But what he's saying is every school, we need to do a better job of ensuring that schools, and I'll take that and work with our counseling department to make sure in our assessment. As we ask schools, we're going to – the assessment for planning and explorers coming up, make sure that you're communicating with your parents the importance of this, as we do with benchmark. I guarantee parents are hearing about benchmarks. Committee, any other questions?
Speaker 132
47:36
And, Mr. Chairman, if I could just take a point of personal privilege. Dr. Charles
Representative Johnnie J. Roebuck
Unverified
47:42
Welch is in the audience and was instrumental in starting our preparatory academy in Arkadelphia. Now, throughout our county, Clark County, just want to make sure that everyone knows that without higher ed's leadership and the leadership of our superintendent, Donnie Whitten, our program would not have been successful. And this says to our higher ed and our K-12, work together, and this is a collaborative venture. Thank you for those comments.
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
48:08
Committee, any other questions? We'll go to the audience. Anyone want to speak against this bill, for this bill? Committee, what's
your pleasure? Move, do pass. The motion do pass. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed,
like signed. Leave the ayes, have it. Aye. Committee, we have one more bill we're going to look at, and I appreciate
your patience and your hard work today.
Speaker 164
48:36
You're paid so well, though. House Bill 1821.
Unknown speaker
48:43
An amendment, and we'll pass it out at this time. Thank you.
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
49:25
Committee, this is a bill we looked at a few days ago, and Mr. Stewart had some questions and through some evidentious conversation, collaboration, Mr. Mayberry has brought that back, and I'm sure Mr. Mayberry has a much better
Speaker 166
49:49
bill. It is a far, far better bill, thanks to Representative
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
49:52
Stewart. I need a motion on amendment.
Have a motion do pass on amendment. All those in favor say aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. Mr. Mayberry, you may
Representative Andy Mayberry
Unverified
50:04
proceed. Yes, sir. We basically had walked through the entire bill the other day. Again, the point of this, it's an act, and I have somewhat changed the title as well to reflect Representative Stewart's concerns, But an act to give priority for an Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship to a student whose parent was killed in action or killed – well, I'm sorry, I was reading from the wrong area.
A member of the – to give priority for an Arkansas Academic Scholarship to a student whose parent was a member of the United States Armed Forces and was killed while performing military duty. The amendment that we had changed on here, again, is reflective of Representative Stewart's concerns. the other day that we might possibly be excluding some individuals who we meant to include with that. I, at Representative Stewart's suggestion, got with Major Matt Snead with the Arkansas National Guard, and we took his suggestions of incorporated language
and made that into the amendment at Major Snead's suggestion. We have a motion. A motion
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
51:07
do pass. As amended. As amended. Any questions, committee? Comments? Seeing none, we'll go
to the audience. Anyone want to speak against this bill, for this bill? Committee, we have before us a motion to do pass as amended.
All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed, like a sign. Leave the ayes. Have it. Mr. Mayberry, thank you.
Thank you, committee. Committee, are there any members that want to run a personal bill today? Mr. Steele, you don't have any bills on our agenda, do you? No, sir. That's a good thing. What would you recognize? I had to wait until Tuesday. Okay. You have to wait until Tuesday. I'm sorry. Committee, thank you for your work today, and thank
Representative Debra M. Hobbs
Unverified
51:54
you. Ms. Hobbs, do you have a question? I do, sir, and it's with an humble attitude and in great trepidation. And I ask for a special order of business for next Thursday for House Bill 1458.
and the reason for that is there are several people from Northwest Arkansas that are interested in this bill.
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
52:13
I understand, Ms. Hobbs. We don't have the impact statement back
on it yet. Probably we'll meet twice next Thursday. Of course, that request takes the two-thirds majority of the committee. I understand. Okay. Okay, let's talk about it afterwards, then we'll make a decision, okay?
Okay, thank you. Because we had talked about having the members on next week that same day, and we also have a special order on Tuesday. But, you know, I know what you're saying, and I know they're coming a long way, but it's just we're so pressed for time. Special order, as you know from this morning, takes up all of our time. Yes, sir. Let's you and I visit about it
Representative Debra M. Hobbs
Unverified
53:00
in a minute. I think they would be, and like I said, my main concern is just that they don't come down here and not get
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
53:06
to be heard. I'll tell you this, if they come down Thursday, we'll hear them.
Thank you. It may be 6 o'clock at night, but we'll hear them, okay? Thank you, sir. All right, thank you. Mr. Brown, do you have
a statement or question? I have a motion. I bet you do, don't you? Well, that's your motion, Mr. Brown. We go ahead and get out of here. Committee adjourned.
Agenda
Call to Order
HB1551
HB1296
HB1780
HB2142
SB711
HR1038
HB1617
HB1821
Adjournment
Documents
No documents posted.
Speakers
Representative Eddie L. Cheatham
Unverified
Representative Barry Hyde
Unverified
Representative Jerry R. Brown
Unverified
Speaker 33
Speaker 39
Speaker 42
Speaker 47
Speaker 46
Representative Les "Skip" Carnine
Unverified
Speaker 51
Speaker 55
Speaker 18
Speaker 65
Speaker 72
Speaker 73
Speaker 74
Speaker 68
Speaker 77
Speaker 45
Speaker 82
Representative Garry L. Smith
Unverified
Speaker 54
Speaker 90
Speaker 91
Representative Karen S. Hopper
Unverified
Speaker 29
Representative Johnnie J. Roebuck
Unverified
Speaker 104
Speaker 119
Speaker 120
Speaker 21
Speaker 114
Representative Randy Stewart
Unverified
Speaker 138
Speaker 130
Speaker 64
Speaker 136
Speaker 154
Speaker 156
Speaker 157
Speaker 160
Speaker 132
Speaker 164
Speaker 166
Representative Andy Mayberry
Unverified
Representative Debra M. Hobbs
Unverified