Education Committee - Senate

For people. And the clothes that back door please so we can cut down the noise is very hard to hear and hear. Senator could you do me a favor and close that door. Thank you okay we have a very busy schedule today. First on our list is house bill sixteen eighty eight representative eleven. Yeah. The. We need everybody please to have a seat if they are not not see ask you to leave the room. For a bar code. All right. Representative eleven if you identify yourself will be recognized thank you madam chair representative Brian S. Evans house district sixty eight. Here this morning to present house bill sixteen eighty eight members of the committee thank you for attention this morning this is our adequacy funding bill for public education and state of Arkansas. Start off by. Thank you those of you that spent the amount of time that you did over the last several months through the adequacy study. In summary what we're doing with this bill as we provide funding for public schools for the next biennium I'll start off the top of the matrix. We are establishing a Cola increase of one point eight percent. The first year and two point one seven for the second year. We're adding forty four dollars per student eighty M. into a new line item that salary enhancement for other employees that is for our classified staff. You're also adding thirty dollars per student for their health insurance. Under school level resources we're adding increases for instructional materials extra duty pay supervisory aids and substitute. Under district level resources. We're adding for operations and maintenance central office and Transportation. Also want to make note that. We had already. Past under separate legislation that represent Cozart ran. I have a million dollar increased and enhanced transportation for the first year an additional three hundred thousand for his transportation second year this for our districts that just that have either a lot of rule miles or a lot of distal miles on it we're takes districts additional funding for them to properly run their transportation departments. Under the categorical we're providing increases for a LED that's are an alternative learning environments. We are adding increases for ESA. We excuse me for ELL English language learners we did hold yes a flat for the next two years and the reason for that is due to the amount of funding that is going to go through the learns Act for literacy numeracy the high impact tutoring and the tutoring grants in the summer. ESAB is. I just went completely blank that used to be the national school lunch program ESA enhance student achievement that's it it's based on the free or reduced lunch population of our schools thank you for that curve ball their center Chester field. We're also providing additional funding as stated for enhanced transportation along with increases of about three point one million dollars for special education high cost occurrence Fund moving that up to seventy million to fall in line with the actual expenses the department is spending for special education. We're keeping sixty million dollars into the teacher equalization salary fund all in all this is a two point eight percent overall increase in adequacy funding for our schools for the biennium in the first year I'll be happy to try to answer any questions. Senator Chesterfield you're recognized. Thank you madam chair thank you representative evidence for taking my question. I we have to support this bill because it's not we get right now. But I am concerned. A with the fact that we have. Inflation at about eight percent. Hey we're only increasing funding by about two point eight percent yes ma'am. We are substantially we are proposing substantially less than we had put in adequacy bit earlier in the year. Are we putting our school districts at risk of failure. By not funding them to the extent that at least half of the inflationary rate that we're experiencing right now that is my concern as I said it's only got. I don't know if schools are going to be able to sustain the gross in cost. They're equaling about eight percent in here we are giving them two point eight percent. Would you care to speak to that I think that's a legitimate concern I think that we are seeing rising cost across every aspect business public service across the state of Arkansas I think that as much as we are trying to keep and not co mingle. Learns Act funding and advocacy funded together so that we can have a clear picture of what we're doing I do believe just like with the essay there is some of the money is going to flow back and forth and so there could be actual more increase that is going to the schools due to learns however it's not going to be reflected in the ACSI report. The other thing that I'm concerned about and I will let it go after that madam chair. Is the message that it sends to our support professionals. Can do the job without the bus driver yes ma'am and the cooks of the custodian's. And it has to be in a front that the college get a fourteen thousand dollar raise in all your reporting for them easy to tolerate. And I'm hearing from them. And they're not happy. In I don't know what else we can do about it I know that we have the health insurance increase that will help some. Senator Sturch talked about helping to alleviate the cost of them having to become A contributory members. The retirement fund what message do we send to them what do we say to them. When they ask us why they're only worth two dollars and a colleagues or fourteen thousand. It's a great question and I can tell you that you know our first line of defense and I don't say that negatively but our first line of defense to protect our kids that bus driver for the first one to see that child a morning last Wednesday in the afternoon Arkansas deal staff they're all our cafeteria workers are supervisory aids they are all integral piece of this puzzle I would love to do more I would love for us to be able to I know there's been a lot of suggestions it was put out just however based upon the figures that we were provided from the department of education they felt like that the forty four dollars per student at this time uh would be what we could do for you through this and I know that is this committee goes for will have the opportunity to do more in the future. Any other comments from the Committee. Senator Davis. Thank you madam chair and representative eleven that when I was looking through adequacy in the way that we have funded it since its inception and I noticed that when you look at it it percentage wise not just dollar wise that percentage which I think is a fair way to look at it we see and this year a two point seven six percent increase in adequacy funding and when you look at all of the other years outside of last year that's the biggest percentage increase in adequacy funding since the inception of adequacy at have you seen that as well in the numbers I do is is I look back over the last ten years last five by Indians I did see that this was the second largest increase is ever provided I think that just with uncertainty that our districts are currently feeling do learns and not really ready to to as establishing their budgets this two point eight percent increases is a little bit clouded I know my district reached out to me and said thank you because they recognize that and they were very appreciative of the distal funds is putting the categorical this time S. thank you yes and that like you mentioned is outside of learn funding which provides over two hundred fifty million new dollars to public schools so and having the second largest percentage increase increase in adequacy since we've had adequacy on top of all the learned spending I think as an just wanted to point that out to make sure everyone understood that the percentage increase is substantially more than what we've done in the past thank you. Any other questions from the committee. Thirty signed up to speak for or against the bill. So are you closing your bill the manager I am close for the bill I appreciate a good vote of I do pass by Senator Dotson second. Second by Senator Hammer all they've been. All opposed thank you pastor thank you manager thank you Committee. Okay so then we'll move on is Senator Johnson year. Senator Irvin. the representative Johnson Leding Johnson see here. I'm. Forty five. Forty five and forty forty one days got to a you want to one. Fifteen forty four okay. The Bill identify yourself you'll be recognized. Thank you Breanne Davis state Senate district twenty five shame Broadway issue system. And this is House Bill fifteen forty four and and all it does I believe I'm gonna let Mr Rodway speaks a little bit more if you guys have additional questions that is just claims that the way that the board and is appointed and dissent constitutionality issues and we're just trying to make sure that this is constitutional and the way the board is appointed so that they don't miss out on some funding and that they rely on that is correct this is due to the clipboard case in terms of the board appointments from certain associations it just changes the Toro will be in consultation and appointed by the governor is complies with Supreme Court ruling. Chesterfield. Thank you know my question are we increasing the number of people no for the and on this one no well thank you I think there is going to be a new medical school but they're not osteopathic okay so that that's a separate remote applicant. I'm. Discussions questions from the audience I mean from the Committee. Nobody to speak for against the bill. Do pass senator bill means Dr and senator Dotson second all favor. All opposed. A passion bill. You want to do that other one. Fifteen forty five. Yeah. I just want to make sure we passed out here. Okay. In. It would be that. Okay all right okay thank you very much. All right so let's see in senator Caldwell's ninety years anybody your money's bill. At school student contract for both to have. Allen. US senator Tucker see here. Okay. Representative garner. Garner okay. Fourteen and fourteen eighty nine. Identify yourself you'll be recognized. State senator jim Dotson Senate district thirty four. House Bill fourteen eighty nine members is a bill that was really brought to us by some of our our school districts that had some challenges with getting community service approved and through the process in order to make sure that they have the meet the criteria for for the minimum requirements for community service within their their area now learns Act is going to take care of this once fully phased in over the next several years but in the meantime this will provide some flexibility for ours our school districts in our school boards to approve community service Options for for students to be able to count that credit for their community service hours. I don't know I'm able to that but if there's any questions. Trying to answer. Senate Chesterville. Thank you measure senator what I'm saying you're doing is eliminating the state board of education as a part of this process basically is what you're doing right. It's moving it. Primarily to the school boards so we're moving it from State Board controlled to the local districts to determine whether or not this meets the criteria for communities or community service right are students proper to. I have a motion by Senator Chesterfield in the second by Senator stone. Thank you very much. Okay. Representative Warren did I just see you come in. The. Fifteen eighty two. Yes. Yep the right you'll be recognized. Press a. Correct all. Your. Construction. You're if. Are you. The election laws ask decade. This. For. From serving on the school or. is almost. Further questions from the committee. Senate. Thank you madam chair representative you may have said this and I was distracted talking to somebody else when was the last time this was updated. This is the process since two thousand one. Okay I'd. I have a vaguely recall this bill I think coming through in twenty thirteen. It goes opposed within but I'm. Are there any questions from the committee. Nobody in the audience speak for against. So what is the will of committee. The center stone do pass I have a second. Senator Hammer seconds on. All those. I think the I. seven. Thank you didn't letter Speaker on I apologize thank you madam chairman thank you Committee thank you. All right let's see and Senator Davis ointment representative McElroy. You'll identify yourself you'll be recognized. It turn your microphone on. Thank you senator Dave Wallace to to nineteen. This is new inventing or at Mark McElroy district number sixty two. I would like to explain your bill. Members this bill is designed to help rules schools of. We're worried about consolidation board about children having to be on the bus for sixty seventy miles this bill will help. Event that and with that I'm gonna as representative McEvoy to continue. Thank you the. Madam chair I'll be just as honest and and fast as I can I'm trying to save our Marvell Elaine school district. A marble lanes already been a consolidated one time line has come up with the Elaine is twenty miles from a marble and I don't know if you're familiar with snowflake Arkansas but it's within the most isolated places in the in the state of the White River Mississippi River but the student from Snowflake would have to come it'll probably be forty miles plus already in the near schools that wanted to take a long would be Marianna and Brinkley there that to this reached out to which that would put a child on the bus for over sixty miles an and you know it I drove a school bus sixty miles of not just in our. It's two hours and you know I I don't want the children have to do things that I would want my grandchildren to do I'm not sure how to do but another thing I'm I'm just being perfectly honest with you the school marble it's a beautiful community in the schools right on the highway right Carol forty nine and the you know my school was consolidated now horses are standing with the roof caved in on it and and you know it's such a waste of infrastructure but it also it churches in your school are you community. In my bill does four things if there level five. And if they fall under the three hundred fifty magic number. And if they don't have a voluntary consolidation plan in place and here's the main thing if a child has read books over forty miles one way then the state would take control of the school. Until one of those things changes and with that I will I would. We glad to answer any questions Senator Chesterfield. Thank you thank you Mr chair thank you representative mackerel incentive allows for bringing this bill may be the only person on the committee's been snowflake. But snowflake is a very isolated area. And for children to travel as far and I guess what it I thank you agree disease status and control of it all this time and skill level five which was the argument I made in the Senate about all of this take over it's not working. It's simply not working and kids are the ones who are suffering if they've got to get on a bus and go even further than they are right now there is no possibility for them to participate in extracurricular activities got to be on the bus and get home there is no possibility for them to get a good night's sleep because it got to be up so early to get on that bus and so we have created a semi monster to some extent. And I think that this is one of the ways that we can address I don't have my colleagues feel that I think it's an egregious act to make these kids go any further one through No fault of their own. They've been under state control six or seven years and the state has done nothing and now they're talking about putting the levels that we need to put them in double five. Okay and and it is one of those things that checks me and I I try not to get too emotionally involved and I'm seeing kids suffering because of the distance that they've got a travel thank you. Senator Dotson. Thank you madam chair resent McElroy the. I heard your testimony saying that. Things as if they're in the three fifty that the three fifty consolidation that. And I'm I'm not sure if this when passed the house or not but I thought we eliminated that some point this session Senator Payton had a building regard that I've talked to Senator Payton and we were. Not sure that it would cover it because of his bill I think but you know the the they weren't on a level five so I wouldn't take any chances of trying to save the school well the only the only thing I'm concerned about is how this correlates with that if that bills are gone through and past and we've eliminated the three fifty mandatory consolidation. Language in there with this reinstated. This would be a bill that an act that came after that. In or would be in order in a yeah in or I'm not an attorney. Thank the lord yeah. Well I mean that that would and I don't know somebody from the districts or from the the departments here that might be able to answer that or not I I just don't want to necessarily creating state to three fifty accidentally later on in the session and if if we got rid of it so on of those would conflict or not and we can we That a little bit and see if we can get somebody to come in to that question I think that that would I think that's important else into that question yes there's a building and I think it's important that we that we know under learns the school district's school district right now under the new bill school districts will be able to partner with individuals who have expertise that can get them at a level five and I think that's critically important because we've not done a good job so far but secretarial even the governor put in there that step. That says if we are able to put a school district may partner with would be a charter school or a private company to provide the help that that school district needs to move that I'm level five I to a concern that we not reinstate the three fifty but out I want to understand the right now we have asked our department of education do some astronomical things the superintendent and school board a five a six districts nobody can do that efficiently so I'm not slamming the Department we have asked them to do the impossible. So with that I am in support of the bill a we need to get a question answered to make sure and if we are coming back in that will give us a chance to amend it getting so that it you know it it extricate that from from whatever's going on because I think it's it's family started doing something different and I think that learns thing gives us an opportunity to do that parking so would you be willing to do you can't pull that down for this morning. That we can we can get some answers yes ma'am we will all right thank you I will probably to meet this afternoon sometime. Hopefully we get some answers between now and then thank you Mr bush thank you. Right let's see. The president Walker. House Bill of fifteen ninety. Identify yourself you will be recognized. Yeah it's hard. State representative Steven Walker district twenty seven. Eight. The. Should be a simple easy builder run is my first one so take it easy on so we currently have to school calendars are school districts can choose from or to to follow the traditional calendar which goes by days and the alternate calendar which goes by hours right now by law the alternate school calendar excludes the use of IBM I. days on which is alternate alternate method of instruction which is allowed for the traditional school calendar right now department of Education promulgates with the rules for the use of these I am I days and this bill will not change any of that this bill only removes the one line that restricts I am I use for the alternate school calendar everything else remains a sign. Not all it does. Lessons from the Committee. Nobody in the audience to speak for against the bill. Our motion by Senator Dotson second by Senator Chester okay. On favorite. All those thank you very much I thank you Committee appreciated. Is representative Maddox. Of representative Mayberry. Are you doing Maddox bill. What yeah. Sixty forty. Thank. You identify yourself you will be wrecked. State senator jim Dotson. Representative Maddox today Numbers House Bill sixteen forty two. Basically allows the definition of passenger motor vehicle Those that are used primarily for the purpose of education providing health screenings or providing health treatments that definition to be added so that schools like you M. S. in particular can use. The passenger vans they have within their fleet to to go around. To use those without should be defined as a passing motor vehicle sorry all right thank you. You senator Chesterfield is moved Senator dass second. You want to go ahead. When. is it does this change like there the quantity they can have an inventory or they are they trying to. Move around to be able to add fleet inventory because they're it doesn't change the quantity I believe if I remember correctly all of those quantities are defined by by statute what they are allowable to use this would allow more flexibility within their and or to be able to use those This is so when it says passenger motor vehicles can be used at a. At the institute of higher learning can be used for the purposes of education what is that are they are ready allowed to be used for purposes of education. If I'm sure from may I have someone here from school that might be able to answer that or more specifically. The Any Davis with the universe of Arkansas for medical sciences. Senator brought into question so statute limits how many vehicles we can have in the fleet we're not increasing our number of flight passenger vehicles but we are in an effort to address more health needs a rule Arkansas utilizing more more bands such as mammogram vans simulation bans things like that for training treatment screening so so forth we would like to exclude those vehicles from the definition of vehicle currently vehicles is defined as anything that doesn't require a commercial driver's license so it catches everything would like to exclude those bands that are used for screening treatment so and so forth so if you move those vans out of your inventory category you can add more inventory to the category. We're not raising our limit that's what I'm trying not to do is raise our current limit we're actually UAMS racially trying to reduce the number of vehicles we have just an expense but yet they're radically yes if you took all these screening vans out of the county then you could add more up to your limit but this doesn't raise our limit okay that makes sense it necessary we just find a way to raise raise limit without reason limit so we can be classified as these vehicles we could add more passenger vehicles for facilities because that's not the intent but you could. Okay. Hammer. The way I would interpret this is you want to re classify these vehicles so that you can cross purpose the use of them is that a fair statement. Want to reclassify so that we don't go over limit. Right so you don't go over your limit right but we're not changing your limit right right so if if I was concerned about you and I I hear center branch saying and and I want to say research to you're not you're not trying to do it end around in order to increase the number of vehicles you have you just want change limit so that you can reposition those vehicles for different usages yes these vehicles are typically paid for with federal grants available for things like this we like to be able to go after those things and not have to worry about a state limit. For vehicles right thank you. Yeah but let's say that you did need to purchase new vehicles to Senator brunch what would be the process for you doing that would you have to bring that request back before us or you do it internally within the budget that we've appropriated to you to do it now if we want to raise the limit would have to run a bill like this to change the numbers statute okay which that's not what this bill does not this building okay all right thank you. Right but just to. Just so in this comes up because we got several departments and agencies that maybe have high view counts so if you have a hundred vehicles Mr Obama fifty of those currently. Our what this what this law changes moved out of that category. You go purchase fifty more and now you have a total vehicle count of a hundred fifty but fifty is over here and under still underneath the category thank you happen to use actual numbers are you a Mrs current limit is a hundred and ten we have about seven of these types of vehicles so that's always be taken out of the fleet. Okay but if you so if you have been seven hundred ten you pull seven else every time you buy one of these vehicles it does not go toward your numbers correct. Chesterfield. I guess I'm the only one here they didn't know we had a limit. What was the purpose of amendment. It is done to me but I don't I don't know how long it's been on the code Senator maybe my colleagues to this year to senator Bryant what was the purpose of the limits and it seems to be a point of contention most of the day just from my experience it's it's you give so much transition at the top so many asking request because the money is available that you know it's one of those if you don't spend it you won't get it Fossey's is that's an easy acquisition as you go through state procurements you can just keep building that inventory and ultimately what happens is you have vehicles that you don't need that sits in the parking lot is got newer vehicles that sit back I thank they don't have the opportunity then one more time to the churches Senator up on a they don't have the opportunities and to. Sell that stuff like they do at a on sixty fifth street which is where they have the surplus inventory you know what they did but they can if the department head. but you've got extra that bind us something new every day yeah it's just it's it's never I don't believe it's usually attentional but it's just not to me that's why I'm it's my our thank you so much thank you madam chair. If the questions in the committee. just in closing just to make a point on this this would be specifically related for the purposes of education. Providing health screenings or providing health treatments so those vehicles that would be moved out of that obviously that could be designated as a a larger number but these are these are specific related to that so it doesn't open up the rest of state government to to bypass that unless they're having Senator Bryant I'm gonna I'm gonna use that because the statement says my original questions purposes of education like that is so broad could you extract all one hundred and ten vehicles health and safety reason these for education we're using these for to go to Wendy's OR to to not use it for education. But possibly. At a. I mean is I mean if it said for purposes of health screenings we're actually putting in the the definition of what you're using that specific vehicle work with the state education I mean you could be going to get books you could be. It is not too right in lands and over thinking this. It's every vehicles there is used for education or else you wouldn't purchase. Make some points. What we. Eight out exception. It It it's read those. Senate. And the. If you do anything that's being suggested here today. Would you be willing to report back to this to the Education Committee. Regarding any moving of the vehicles outside of what you're saying today is the intent of the bill. Yes center may have a report into you like to know about the vehicles and other being used. Okay if. If you would do that I would yield to the side of what you are intending to do also understanding that between now and the next general session if this gets outside of that intent then it would it would probably not be good experience have come back before should I ask for something if we ran a bill to undo what we did if you violate the intent is that fair thank you. We have a motion and second on the floor. And. I I appreciate the latitude that were we're gonna give or or college I really do but I would say that's the. back to the come and go. Senators coming go. And so this leaves the this leaves the door open to future future staff future presidents future senators to. One. One of our colleges has five hundred vehicles you want an amendment to the bill which we don't have time I mean I'm I'm going to. Ballinger yes I'm I'm not sure I can't remember this committees rules for sure if it allows for verbal amendments but I know in some other committees we have suspended the rules do verbal amendment to strike education out. So I don't know if that would be something that the chair will entertain. Senator Chesterfield. Concerned that means then it would have to try to go back to the house that's not gonna happen. A which you late in the session by the voter we began. And there are no perfect bills. The intent is to be able to use these for the purposes of education. Health whatever you say it that I had a. A resignation can be broadly defined we also have some idea of what we're talking about. We have gone across this state educating people about their health. We've gone across this state providing services in rule areas they really really need this service is out I would hate for us to vote no on it I'm I'm just one vote doctors tell me just one I'm just want. But I know that these vans and vehicles have gone across the state of Arkansas and areas that would otherwise not have access to this kind of stuff down in southeastern part south Arkansas Southwest Arkansas where is so sorely needed I would hate for us not to build this out and give those people that opportunity to have the services I would appreciate a good vote. Hammer. Thank you make sure we. It may be a little late for this session less were here till Monday Tuesday nobody really knows that for sure but I want to vote for this bill by a vote with this understanding I'm chair JPR what I want to do is since we're out of session I will call for a meeting that I'm on a call we're going to have a report presented by UAMS JPR on the vehicles that you have over there the usage of them and also of the exact numbers based on the impact of this bill that gets through so with that knowing that that's going to happen. And are you still comfortable with this bill moving forward. Okay thank you. It. So we have motions on the floor. Senator Chesterfield. And center Dotson. If you second at. The stock Hammer Hammer I'm sorry. Okay I'm sorry so all in favor. All those. At the ayes have it thank you relations. I can't say is amended we have say with the stipulations. Okay let me see Senator quality. What are the three Bills. We're gonna start with house bill of sixteen ninety one. Roadways okay. Thank. You'll identify yourself with us the role senate district three. In Jordan so as to what association. This state and I'm gonna lead and taking over just for a witness to this is this is house bill sixteen ninety one this bill is being brought to clarify the law on skews not to clarify the law this war is being brought on behalf of a districts that have requested the grievances filed if there are sufficient it would grievances about if there's multiple grievances if they are filed in submitted on the same issues same topic to the point that they could be filed as a group grievance it would allow the school board to group those grievances and hear them all at one time rather than have individual meetings for the same grievance I does not require the school board to group them but it allows the school board to group them and I have spoken with the president of the ADA hi along with their attorney and to that discussion hi there attorney does not have a problem with the bill. And that's what the bill does. Though questions have a committee senator Chesterfield thank you I thought this already well this is the way we handle that but I was raised in the school board in Little Rock so I was not aware that it was not a law but it is an efficiency met mechanism correct so that if there is a group grievance then you can move you can move ahead is that correct read. I have a motion to M. and G.. Other questions from the committee the questions. Anybody in the audience to speak for against I believe so. So what is the will of the committee we have us. Pass and centre Dotson second. All paper All opposed hi seven. Next bill will be looking at is house bill seventeen thirty nine. The recognized you identify yourself senator Steve Grodzisk three. And Jordan Arkansas school board association. At this bill is is brought to clarify the law regarding holdovers excuse me appointee board members this bill is be presented because there was a issue in northwest northeast Arkansas actually I recently that a there was a I don't. The board member appointed for whatever reason and that he got to the end of the to the next the end of that election year. Well that up your microphone up closer to you it's thank you. It's very hard to hear in here yes ma'am is this better thank you. Thank you I'm. This bill is being brought there was uh a person appointed board got to the end of the next election that person chose not to run for the board and there was no one else that ran for the board so the board seat was open the county attorney in that county ruled that the bill was that's good that the law was somewhat ambiguous in the rules for the person to become a holdover in all this bill clarifies. We'll. To become a holdover Board member which means they would continue to serve and we filled the law for decades decades we've felt and taught that that ends at the very next election and that's all this bill does is clarify that law hi so that if anyone is appointed at the next board election whether that's a month or whether that's eleven months that that would end and they would have to re run for the position it's just a clarification of law. The questions from the committee. I know this happened in Pulaski County. It happened in northeast Arkansas we have a specific issue. All right. Senator Chesterfield the passenger Dawson's second. The questions from the committee on paper hi All opposed thank you. Next bill be running this house bill seventeen forty three. Thank you identify yourself you'll be ready US senator Steve Kroll District three. Well assistant director for the division of higher education. what this does is it creates a sense sustainable building maintenance fund to provide loans to schools to support their incident institutions of higher education for critical maintenance what is going to do is create a fund that they can loan money out of it there's gonna be no money. Transfer to it it's just there so that if some federal funds become available we can get that. Yes this is a resident currently institutions are sitting on about three billion dollars of deferred maintenance with no. Dedicated treatment revenue to contribute to that so we're just trying to create a mechanism that we can help a system that in the event that funds become available we can. Provide institutions of the waiting to get funds to help with any maintenance on their campuses right now what we have a currently we have a revolving fund for construction of new facilities we have nothing for maintenance of current facilities on campuses of colleges do not have funds for their up I mean to maintain their buildings currently the use you know revenue state have to that should be used for the day to day operations they have to dip into the reserves for any maintenance that comes up so there's quite a few that of upkeep that needs to be happening that are put off because they don't have revenues that are dedicated for the on the older buildings how often are federal funds available for. Programs like this is there is not a you know it's kind of hit or miss it's just what we're trying to get the mechanism set up and in place and then we'll work on trying to find funding for it as we okay. Questions from the committee. Okay. Senator Chesterfield do pass Senator Sturch second. All in favor of all those thank you thank you thank you thank you may appreciate that. Okay. So let me see here Mayberry. Thirteen thirty seven. No that's alright. He's not here right now do you want to wait till he comes back. Let. His. Okay. As a medical. And if they had a look at that. Okay how. This is yes he did give before. This is amended or something. Okay. Identify yourself you'll be recognized. State representative Julie Mayberry District ninety two. And you have House bills thirteen thirty seven yes concealed thirteen thirty seven and back in October we had a subcommittee meeting of children aging and youth on child care and we had a fabulous presentation by Bates by southside school district near Batesville and they have outstanding early childhood education program that's actually from birth to twelfth grade there and so we were asking them and that committee what are some things that hurdles that you had to face to be able to offer these programs and one of the things that they said is that they've had difficulty finding space availability in their School district because the way that the foundation funding is for construction it does not include pre K. facilities and so they've had to look at so many different ways to try to find things or wait until the building gets old enough and they move but in whatever they said if we could just open up construction funding from the state to allow for early education programs that would help tremendously so that's part of the bill and especially now that the learns Act has moved our early education program from DHS over to education and we seem to want to place a greater emphasis on pre K. a lot of schools will not be able to add pre K. if they don't have space so would allow preschool facilities to tap into construction funds the other part of this is to allow for safe rooms as you know we've had that discussion about safe rooms and we even have passed ACT three fifty five which did delay the requirement for safe rooms for this two year period but eventually safe rooms will be required but no laws say that they can use safe. I know I hope we don't need one today. This week all that thunder But no we're in this does it specifically say and make it really clear that we can you say for and especially given what we know just I hear sound. Anyone looking. Okay at all yet especially given the fact that all of you have seen the damage and when as a matter of fact him came with our facilities department is not here today because he is in wind surveying damage and helping out the school district there this is absolutely needed to make it really clear that state construction funding can be used for. At facilities and that's what this bill does. So does this set up a fund in there is money to go in it or it's the existing fund there is no fiscal impact on this bill it's the existing money that is currently there and so the school district they don't receive extra funding for it still this error from the state it's still a matter of their nation funding with the construction funding yeah it's the same amount it's just allowing before these things were not included and we are allowing it to be included if that's what the district's needs are. Chesterfield. Thank you madam chair looking at the fiscal impact statement representative Mayberry says the assumption it's a set amount of facilities partnership funding is available each year projects are ranked in funding and funding is based on factors such as project tied geographic region in the districts well index changing the definition of an academic facility because an increase in the number of projects that additional funding this means your projects will be awarded would you address that concern as stated in the fiscal impact statement yes so again there's there's no requirement by the to add more money into the facility funding but does it mean that a school district might need more funding and so there might be a school that's on this list we've kind of gone over this one another bill There's at a certain amount of high here and instead of it being divided by fifty it might be divided by forty nine. For the for sixty or seventy. When you have already childhood programs in public schools there's usually a designated Rome R. runs for those those education For their education take place early childhood now you're talking about a separate facility yeah and it could even be a current facility they they were not able to tap into the any of those funds even reduce certain rooms for pre K. it doesn't necessarily mean that it has to be a new building. I guess is there any is in a and I truly understand because I'm a huge fan of early childhood and I think the governor is correct in emphasizing so much of that my concern is is there a buildings that are falling down right now. They don't have sufficient funding really fix the. And so I'm wondering is this going to preclude us from keeping kids warm safe and dry in regular Cajun twelve schools. So I'm torn about your bill because I it because when I read this it says without additional funding this means you are projects will be awarded that concerns me greatly so just wanted you to know that it would reply I I I do understand that concern not all school districts will be making use of funding for pre K. facilities I I I can't imagine that all of them will might it mean that you know again that pie is divided a little bit more absolutely but that would allow that school district to then like let's just say we have fifty and now forty nine are going to be granted the money to complete the project that number fifty becomes number one on that list the next go round. but this makes it clear again safe rooms are going to be required in two years luckily we got a pause on that with the other bill with three fifty five but right now it's not really clear that it would be covered in this and we're gonna have an unfunded mandate telling them that they have to have a safe room when we're not saying that it's going to be covered in our in our law so I think the two things are very needed. Under Dotson. Thank you madam chair representative Mayberry at I'm looking at this I'm trying to put both of those things together obviously there's possums safe room thing Act was passed course. That doesn't preclude two years now additional changes that might happen with regards to to that as we learn more over the next couple of years. However This seems to. Include that The public early childhood education program. Bye bye including that as a building or space is this going to be basically a requirement that those things be built as part of the buildings and spaces the districts will have to have it does not required it just says that they can use those funds to build that there's no requirement that they have to. But if they if they do bill the then they are going to be. Safety safe room building they're going to be built. As an academic facility for the purposes of being designated as a safe room. That. I'm not sure if I understand your question says for the purpose of this subchapter safer means space related. I'm just trying to tie these two things together when they're being built. If this is going to be a public early childhood educational program building in those funds are going to be used for that do they have to build those as safe rooms. well let let let's look AT ACT three fifty five is I think that might might clarify that that's already been through Okay so ACT three fifty five that's already been passed and sitting on the governor's desk to be signed. It says beginning January one of twenty five the Arkansas fire prevention code shall identify the educational facilities also known as group E. occupancies that are required to have a storm shelter so it will be identified which ones will have a storm shelter again this is outside my bill but this is what's already been passed required that the occupants occupant capacity of a storm shelter for group II occupancy be determined by. The total occupant load of the classroom vocational rooms and offices in the group B. occupancy and for critical emergency operations the occupant load of the building in which the storm shelter is located so. Is that referring to the group easy in section two of your bill they they either. Is being designated in there on page two line seven. Is that B.. That that would be. So the. fire marshal. Will determine. When a safe room is needed and how that safe room can be done because there's at lots of discussion does it have to be a separate separate room we've had this discussion here does it have to be a separate room that's only used for that or can it be the gymnasium or the the existing classroom there's all those details those are still be determined that's not what my bill is saying we're not getting into the details of that on my list saying is that whatever is determined that is required. Which hopefully in a L. Siegel have an opportunity to review those rules and and clarify those rules and all that all this is saying is that that storm shelter can be built with set of funds that's all we're doing in this bill. Thank you if we're going to require it we need to make sure that the facility find full coverage. Then divide the manager just follow along because that are in that conversation it wasn't a matter of finding a a or a single location within a within a school it was the ability for the district to make the whole school. Eight of proof right which would. You know if you will add to it or square foot a cost for a two thousand square foot room the campus give it inverses was go ahead and make the whole building that way and and spread those costs you know they'll come down just like relation of cost per square foot but you're still adding. Cost to make the whole building or tornado campus versus just sitting in the bill and sending all the kids down one area that's not what this bill touches okay so the other bill will help determine what those ram you know what those guidelines are. That would be done but the fire marshal and that would have to go through rules so if you are disturbed by whatever those rules are that can be fixed but if we're to require anything which by this some schools will be required to do it we want to make sure that funding is there to do it because advise it would be an unfunded mandate your requiring them to build this but we haven't given. The ability to use state funds so if we don't pass this then this bill and all the other stuff is an unfunded mandate this is at least giving an Avenue for funding. But I don't disagree but also in in two years when center Caldwell's bill. Dies on the vine and we go back to the federal requirement of a type B. buildings the whole building will need to be that way. And it's still going to exceed the cost of state state funding that's what the district's take on the line share of that. so it again it'll it'll just delete the pool of what state funding is available. It will there's always an opportunity put more funding into that that's not what this bill does that is certainly something that can be discussed moving forward if more funding no one is required right now to have this all I'm doing is setting the stage that this is coming I don't want to be at the other end and go oh we didn't know about this. This is coming and we're setting the foundation and I think given the fact I don't know how you can possibly. Look at when. Right. Think about not having. Facility funding covering that. Those students locally we're not in there. And knowing what just happened here that we would say no right now that we're not going to allow facility funding to cover. A safer. And when we've moved pre K. over two education and we're saying we want to give a better focus on pre K. in our schools and we're going to say oh that's great you can have pre K. but we're not going to allow you to have money to fund facilities. Senator Hammer. Thank you Mr. Represent Mayberry and I know a sponsor on this but I'm all set in this chair second ask questions will more freely what the. In a nutshell could been a lot of discussion so just bring it back in a nutshell what the bill does. The Bill opens current facility finding. For pre K. facilities and for safe shelters are safe rooms for shelters right now you cannot use. Facility funding for those two things and I think when we look into the future. And where we are going we need to open those avenues can we put more money next time around into this I think so I think it's needed but that's not what this bill does I'm setting the stage so that next time when we're talking about budgets and what's needed we know that these things are coming back. And we. Yes we've got a bill on the Senate floor that's made it through this committee is now getting to the Senate floor where we established a cap and that's because we are living in uncertain times as far as the true cost of construction and we are being retroactive are we are we are reacting to an unprecedented times. As I look at this bill by what you're asking that for any schools that are currently in the planning stages. That would be considered for funding in the future. If this was included in the requirement for them to take into consideration when they come out with what those costs are. I'm thinking that we will be better positioned to know true cost. Factoring in the fact that we're making the emphasis on childhood early childhood education through the large act knowing that Senator Caldwell should pause button but that it's coming back. And that's I mean that's what I'm looking at it is we are just forcing the conversation that's not being had should begin to make plans for what they're going to consider in the next cycle these things would be considered for all we know it could come back and be three hundred fifty dollars a foot could come back to fifty I doubt it. Am I misinterpreting my missing that is that is correct we're setting the stage so that this can be. Allowed here in the future is you're making plans okay but with the head but also the way the bill reads on page. Line one page two. It says. Shall consider academic facilities and it goes down the line eight it says building space related area used as a safe rooms for student shall be considered an academic facility. But does that necessarily mean that it has to be done or it just that they have to consider it in the development of their plans. It means that when the state is saying yes or no you can use this money the state must say yes you shall you can use the money for this. Is right now the. Money money from the state cannot be used to build these two things right and so we were saying it shall be used to build those things if that school district. Feels that those things are what's needed on their campus or will be required to have on their campus because of safe rooms being required here and Hello I am reading it though. A building space or related area it used as a safe room for students shall be considered an academic facility for purposes of this subsection. Yes it shall be considered but the final decision. Because all these things have to be reviewed by the facility I can't hear what the proper term is Tim Kaine's group they have to approve the final plans are being submitted right. Yes so so we'll go back to the academic facilities so and if I had time I could pull up probably six twenty twenty five oh two I don't think there's anybody here from. State Okay M.. Academic the funding for it must go to an academic facility. So that's why it says academic facilities so we need to clarify what is an academic facility and we are clarifying an academic facility is a pre K. or can also be considered shall be considered a safe room which could be in which could be wrapped into those classrooms because this discussion yes I'm safe rooms before it could be a designated building which in some school districts you're moving kids from inside building. Into a dangerous environment into a safe room but this allows for all that to be considered in the development okay but if we don't pass this. Then it's an unfunded mandate you're going to be telling. School districts they have to have a safer and we've not allow them access to academic facility funding. That's why this is needed but thank you. You have any other questions. Any other comments by the committee. Lots of thinking. Somebody in the audience to speak for or against so what is the will of the committee. Senator Hammer do pass I have a second. All right. Okay C. ng right along here. A. The representative way house Bill fifteen twenty nine. They five fifteen twenty nine. Right yes the identify yourself you're recognized all right thank you madam chair and committee representative David Ray District sixty nine Senator Davis and I are running this bill together I think she still down House AG. I just ran up the stairs so. we're bringing this bill to create the Arkansas adult diploma program we're doing this because there's a very important and serious problem. This is called the Arkansas adult diploma program yes. And we're doing this to address a very serious problem in our state it's not one that is covered on the news every night but it's a problem that every employer in the state I can tell you is acutely aware of and that's the emergency that we have regarding the massive number of adults in our state three hundred thousand by best estimates they don't have any sort of education credentials not even a high school diploma. So we have one out of ten people in our state the fifth this category and this crisis and it is a crisis is fuelling other crises in our state it's feeling the workforce crisis because workers with no education credentials do not make for skilled workforce is feeling the government dependency crisis because people who have no education and few job prospects have you other places to turn. This program is designed to assist adults aged twenty one and older well with obtaining an accredited high school diploma while also developing employability and career technical skills if that sounds like what we do in adult ed that's because it's aimed at addressing the same problem with this program represents a different approach it's a different framework and because of the sheer size of this problem again one out of every ten people in our state is an adult with no educational credentials. I would argue we need more people working to solve this problem not fewer so here's sort of some of the strengths of the program all outline number one it's a very flexible framework so it could be administered in either a campus based model it could be an online model or it could be a blended modality that's a strength because particularly for rural parts of our state there's a lot of adults to fit this category that may not be located anywhere near an adult in a provider. it also operates an open provider space so you're public entities can qualify to be a provider community colleges high schools even library systems existing adult at providers but also nonprofit entities could be approved providers for profit entities could be approved providers provided that they meet all the criterion laid laid out on the bill and that's important because in a lot of times are nonprofit groups Their their mission oriented you know they achieve better results in a lot of instances because their mission oriented something that's important. Second the program's outcomes based so in this before and this model its pay for performance nobody is paid a dime and unless they are actually conferring education credentials and the credentials that were rewarding here high school credits obviously conferring of a high school diploma it's aiming of employability skills certifications and other workforce credentials. This is not a mile model where you hand somebody a pilot cash and say hope you do something right with it. Third this programs accountable to the state and the taxpayers thank those of you who know me I know that I don't often propose things that spend taxpayer money and so I would be doing this if I didn't think there was a great our ally for our state there's a lot of research on how much a high school drop out will cost our state in terms of lack of taxes that they pay for employability social services that they're they the state has to pay out possible incarceration if you convert that person into a productive working taxpayer of citizen in our state yaro Ister Mendis. Also there's a lot of accountability built into the program that's one of the strengths in addition to all the reporting requirements there are minimum thresholds that providers must me they have to maintain a fifty percent graduation rate among each cohort and their average cost cannot exceed seven thousand dollars per upper graduate in a cohort. that's important because you know in government if you fail at something that's typically justification to get more money but in this program if a provider fails to meet these requirements. These very strict requirements then they're immediately put on probationary status and if they fail to meet them for two consecutive years they're removed from the program as a provider. providers also have to be able to provide remediation services academic skill intake assessments transcript of valuations and develop individualized learning plans and enforce this is a this is a model that is operating successfully successfully in a lot of other states Ohio Michigan Indiana Kansas South Carolina Arizona and Missouri all have very similar models operating successfully so Indiana's program for example started in twenty nineteen with a one million dollar appropriation and it's already produced nearly eight hundred graduates and six months after graduation over forty percent of those graduates working in high demand fields like healthcare construction transportation manufacturing. The percentage of adults who had health insurance coverage increased from thirty five percent to over fifty percent six percent of them went on to to post secondary education and nearly four out of five graduates attain a better job or soft pay increase as a result so a couple of the questions that I've been asked about this how much will this cost. Obviously that depends on the commitment from the legislature of the state but we have been in talks with the department of commerce and they plan to utilize existing funding through the skills development fund at the office of skills development to put toward this and the amount that day want to put toward this is less than a million dollars it would be between five hundred thousand and a million dollars and at a million dollars each year you would approve you would produce approximately two hundred graduates each year so that's a significant impact even with that relatively modest amount of funding. The second question I've gotten is it with this take money away from traditional adult add an answer that is no absolutely not we talked at length with the department of commerce about that nobody has any interest in doing that this doesn't subtract anything from our existing adult at infrastructure is simply adds to it and so this is not an either or proposition I would very much consider of both and source situation. and with that being. Be happy to take any questions Senator Chesterfield. Okay. Senator Dotson did you have something. So I guess from my standpoint to be honest with you is is that I've always question what how is this really different and adult education and I know that. Adult education they that say twenty million dollars for the last twenty years so I wonder how. Maybe if we were to supplement or add to what adult education is is receiving to do the same time to be able to just like what they're already doing I'd I'd I'd I'd I'm not sure where I see the the difference why we were adding another program on to what we're already doing sure so I think there was two parts your question on the first question I think you're asking basically is it is this duplicative it is similar in that it's targeting the same problem it's working to address the same problem much like municipal police and sheriff's offices work at solving the same problem but this is a this is a different approach and there's a lot of ways in which is different the for one the paper pay for performance model is different than anything we're doing currently. the open provider framework is is probably the second biggest difference in that yes your your public entities can be approved providers in Ohio where they've done this for years they have nearly a forty approved providers and most of them are public entities but you can also have private or nonprofit approved providers so I think those are important distinctions on your on your question about it funding for adult ed yeah I'm not opposed increasing funding for adult ed and in fact this could be adult ed provide current adult at providers. Could be approved providers for this program so this could be a Rev and enhance revenue stream for them as well but this isn't take away any funding from them and in fact I don't see why the legislature couldn't address funding for adult ed and approved this program I don't think I don't think it's a zero sum game where everyone wins the other loses yes haven't managed to to discuss adult education nobody really wants to tax it mostly because those three hundred fifty thousand people that you're talking about they don't know why we've those people we talk about all the time I guess the other question is is that you would receive funding from the office of skills development. Yes they they have indicated that they are willing to where would your next money come from. No they're they're planning to dedicate funding to this for several years until they can graduate a couple of cohorts and get data on its effectiveness there they're willing to fund it essentially as a pilot to to to see if we achieve the same results here that we've seen achieved in other states so would the goodwill operation and all these operations are already on going. With those qualify for this I'm sorry can you repeat your question goodwill has the same kind of a program with these these funds that would they qualify for these funds. So if they meet the qualifications for an approved provider those are listed on page five and five and six of the bill the department of ed will put out an RFP and if if they chose to apply are for different nonprofit provider chose to apply and they met those criteria and then yes they could be approved I guess my other question is is if this is really an education thing and we're doing an adult and we have an adult education diploma already we have that law why wouldn't the Department of Education Fund this the department of education is administering not what why would they funded why would they use there are public dollars from the from the Department of education to fund this program well when when we we did go and meet with we met with the governor's office we met with the department of ed we met with commerce workforce services skills development we met with with many people on this and what secretary Leavitt told us we met with him was that he loves this concept it and he said that this is a concept this is a the type of program they can change people's lives and he he said because of all of the larger bills that have come through this session that is not something that they can make room for their current budget but that but we sat down and meetings with workforce and and with commerce and they are they are wanting to find this out of the office of skills development skills development fund. Henderson. Just for clarification how with this compete with the G. E. D.. I'm sorry I could not just for clarification how with this debate with the G. date many people already have an Avenue to go back and get a high school equivalency degree. A. So so that with this program we're the providers are conferring actual high school diplomas they're not training someone to take the the GED test but as you'll hear from Mr Zuckerberg at with the chamber when he testifies on this bill yeah we're good our existing adult at infrastructures producing a little over two thousand AD's per year but the problem is growing because we're producing somewhere between five to six thousand of people each year who don't finish high school so the question becomes how do we reduce that delta and we've got to attack this problem from from both ends on a work force front you know it's great that we're working with young people and helping get young people ready for the workforce but it's gonna take thirty or for even for executing everything flawlessly is gonna take thirty or forty years to solve that workforce problem just from that direction I think it's imperative that we attack it from both ends not just with with young folks but also from the adult at end as well thank you. I go back to my question is this really. Education needs to be funded by education the really important because that's where some of these people lost out we're trying to recapture this because they didn't do well when they were in high school or that word in school could read and all that. There's a multitude of reasons that people didn't get out of high school with a diploma you know a lot of times people have bad family circumstances that prevent that prevented from working at that point and they come back and revisit it later because our circumstances so do we have questions from the committee of senator Hammer. Thank major couple questions basically we're going to privatize. The. meeting of trying to get people to a high school level that long and short of it. Well as I don't have a problem with that you can have yes you can you can have private providers but you can also have nonprofit providers and you can have a public providers so you could give any of those as long as they and they all made their all held to the same standards right so you're not cutting corners for any one group it's the same for everybody could you have a public school. Who the person flopped out of left out of. Be able to develop a sub set program within their high school structure in order to capture some of this money. To get this done is it I'm not sure I'm following your question but K. twelve but I'll try to answer you tell me if I miss the mark so K. through twelve serve students up to age twenty one right this program would not kick in until you get twenty one and older okay so so this is limited to twenty one year olds and up then that's correct okay and then the the other question is. G. E. D. The GED adult program if they have trouble getting people to come and participate in the GED program. What's going to be different about this because it's the same population. But you're adding a new approach so what's the what what is the the new group I'll call on going to be able to do that the GED program isn't doing in order to get him and get him out well the providers are responsible for recruiting their own students And so that's actually one of the best things about this for the state is there's very little there's very little risk for the state right it's a pay for performance model so the state is not paying any money unless they're actually getting students recruited into the providers and they're conferring hi adult diplomas and other credentials okay so they're gonna look in form yes that's right okay the difference okay what about blessing is. Because it is because there are private groups. What's the auditing procedure to make sure that the ones that they are saying they have you know got them graduated out what's what's the accountability to make sure that they're actually coming out with the quality education sure that that's laid out on pages six and seven and eight of the bill okay there's criterion for payment for invoicing for reporting requirements and then accountability to remove providers that are hitting the benchmark shall have the bill pull of who who's the is the Department of that or who's going to be the bill Department of it is going to administer the program but they're not paying for that's correct. And it is not uncommon as I understand have inter governmental transfers where one department sends money to help fund right the deferred for the additional man parts can be required by the Department bid it your testimony that they're okay with that and that they can take that on without any increase in positions or anything else yes well yes the if you look at the fiscal impact statement they said there's no there's no revenue okay all right thank you. The other questions from committee. At the end of. What did you senator but you do have something. If you have questions. But we have some people speak for against the bill. Yes. Do you identify yourself you'll be recognized. Tony Lindsey with the Arkansas state chamber of commerce Randy is tied up in another committee so I'm here behalf of him and the Arkansas State chamber wholeheartedly supports HB fifteen twenty nine we believe it provides a framework for a great adult diploma program in Arkansas and provide the necessary tools to help our state's economy it will provide our Kansans of twenty one and over so as a representative race stated More ample of opportunities within the state's workforce through diploma completion program that allows them to attain a high school diplomat while simultaneously developing employability skills and credentials which is a top priority of the business community statewide and a priority for the state chamber of commerce like many other states Arkansas is facing a skilled worker price workforce crisis approximately ten percent of the adult population in the state lacks a high school credential this is a huge economic impact on both the individual and the state a high school diploma holders chances of full time employment increases by eighteen percent compared to a high school dropout full time employment provides access to higher hourly wages increased access to employer sponsored benefits and increased access to on the job training as representative ray mentioned this program is operating successfully in several states around our country already and by supporting this legislation we believe that this can upskill and invest in our work force which will better prepare them for the jobs of tomorrow and we appreciate represented rae and Senator Davis for bringing this excellent legislation. Any questions from the committee. Anybody else to speak for against the bill. See no others what's the will of the committee. Senator Dotson do pass I have a second Bryant. Senator Rapert second all paper. Opposed thank you thank. Thank you Committee the. Of the you see. Yes. Fifteen thirty nine okay. The representative Vaught okay. Go ahead. Hey. You identify yourself you'll be recognized. Yes ma'am Kim Hammer state senator district sixteen. And it's house bill fifteen thirty nine manager. A summary of it is we have students getting expelled on purpose purpose teachers have to make sure the students get all his or her assignments all year long this bill would allow school to send that school to virtual Arkansas are that students Burch Arkansas to get to complete their education and not make teacher have to keep up with that number on this bill on behalf of senator representative Vaught. Okay the questions in the committee senator Dawson. Thank you senator senator. See we're striking. Items G. and H. is the. Items a through F. is that works requiring them to go to. At. I mean I I see you're just striking language but I I don't know how this is requiring students to continue once expelled to Continue to to learn. Like this is it seems like. Your removing the requirement that they continue to have. Digital learning courses or alternative education courses. And receive credit. As it was explained to me. My understand what it does is it actually creates the opportunity for virtual to be included in the loop instead of leaving the burden with. I I get that's what you're saying it does. But I'm trying to read that into it is looks like it's doing the opposite of that. Committee chair yes question for the chair yeah we coming back after session I'm I'm I definitely probably will still that more bills and there's some that okay still care manager we'll pass over this one et cetera. Maybe she'd be in here by the end of I do have one for fifteen fifty one the. fifteen fifty one it would be the Clerk came fifty one. Senator Broadway former is available to answer questions. Being an operative word. Thank you senator Hammer thank you madam chair members of the committee J. roadway issue system one of my goals after the last session was to go back and clean up the old code from nineteen ninety one Senator English hi when the community colleges and technical colleges were converted. During that session. Obviously we took on Henderson and that became a little more complicated and have less time to to focus on that but there was one thing we we figured we could do quickly in trying to clean up some that code back then there was really not in anticipation that you could have a community or technical college joining a system like that issue system or do you have a system. So the code still had it where if one of those did for instance Pulaski technical college they they decided to convert to community college so that they could solicit instead of having it's just a sales tax thank you have a sales tax or millage for local funding. The way the law read that would be too governing boards and still have a plasti tech board appointed by the governor and the U. of a system board. Campus of this fixes that. If any of these colleges let's get to act or issue Three Rivers decide to convert to a community college you will not have to governing boards that's all it does. So right now less the tech and the board of trustees of the university Arkansas system yes they have their own board a business research this guy's a report by the sap so this is if they decide to convert to community college. Under the current under that old ninety one those old ninety one statues it would automatically re constitute a governing board. So you that too governing boards so this fixes that word stays the board of visitors and you have a System Board oversees it is the governing board so what makes them. Different and not a community college now I know there Pulaski technical college but what keeps them I mean they basically of education and that was the way they were all born develop before nineteen ninety they were a bow tech school by Petty jingle tacker foothills bill tack and so they just you had eight school some yes some some side state technical colleges some converted to community colleges there is some interest and some of them converting the community colleges just because of the name and the branding but you can get branded as a technical college and so I don't know if anything will come about as of this is to be able to do this is just me and serve us trying to go back and clean little statues to make it easier if somebody were to do it so you don't create a complication. At other questions from the committee. Anybody here to speak for against the bill. What's the will of the. In the past. Senator Leding do pass senators Dotson second all they were. All those that pass the bill thank you senator members of the committee and chair of at fifteen forty if you want to take it. I'm sure we will causes or what. What we're trying to do. Fifteen forty is represented votes will and fifty fifty seven senator Bryant even run that. There Brian. You would run seventy seven. Yeah go ahead. Thank you madam chair just run state that is a thirty two house bill seven seventeen fifty seven is I is identical to Senate bill five hundred that this committee passed out because of this the length of time in the schedule does the exact same thing it's it's a vendor security after third party vendors for the school system. Motion by Senator Leding second by Senator Dotson any questions comments on favor all opposed thank you pastor bill. All right and senator Hammer you had what was that number. Four fifteen forty. Okay if you identify yourself you'll be recognized I think this will be our last the measure more profound. Thank you Mr Kim. Good news you're almost have a heart attack. Okay go ahead. Senator Hammer. Thank you measure Kim Hammer station District sixteen and presenting on behalf of representative Vaught House Bill fifteen forty five. This is a pretty simple bill just says that the student drops out. Drops of school leave school once you get back in the school may issue a test that would determine the level of which the student is able to re enter into school and it cannot exceed the grade level that the student would have been an otherwise I think this would be a good bill for individuals that think that maybe schools not for them to get out of school realized man I wish I could get back in and they would be able to take a test that would allow them to get back into school and it would be you know it would have to be to where they could display that they are proficient to the grade level that they would be entering back in and I think that's the nuts and bolts of the bill. Senator Dawson. Thank you madam chair The senator this this seems to be permissive language it's this allows the schools to do it but doesn't require them to do that is I'm in my reading that correctly. Today may re enter public school and then made. Looks like a bunch of mates but I'll. I think the way I would interpret it Senator Dotson is that this piece of legislation actually of positions the school. To have to do it if the student chooses to do it that's where I would interpret it it's not. I don't see where it says the school shall allow it to happen but I think the I think the burden. The option is placed at the student's disposal that if they choose to do it what this piece of legislation would do is required the school to issue that tester allow that should take that test to reenter that so at the student is choosing to try to re enter the district has to allow them to come back but they may require a test. For placement. They they're not required to take that test is just one of the criteria for acceptance if I'm reading it correctly. And the only shall in here is that the student shall not be placing grade that is higher than the grade level associated with their age. A sum of order Page one line thirty. A student who leaves a public school district or open enrollment charter school for at least one year may re enter a public school district or open enrollment public school at the grade level appropriate on the student's ability the termination of the student's grade level under subdivision of this section may be based on the student's performance on a grade level placement test administered by the public school district. Open enrollment public charter school. Student who re enters a public school district or open enrollment public school charter school under this section shall not be placed in a grade higher than the grade level so the only shall as you've identified they can't be they can't drop out at night take a test and be put back in as a senior graphic they would have to re enter at the grade level that they would have been had they not less school provided they're able to take that test to show that the proficient at that grade level. Which I think is a great thing because of the kid drops out decides and I messed up and I wanna get back in give them hope that they can get back in and then we don't end up having have bills like what we heard while go about you know of people out there without a high school diploma. But it also in my reading it so that if the if the student's gonna come back they couldn't be placed in their junior senior year if they didn't have the. Ability. They would have to pass yes they would have to pass the test to show that they would as I'm as I'm reading that their profession to that grade levels so they had not left. Right okay the other option is. G. E. D. is always out there for an option to by Senator stone I have a question just for clarification it says student who lays a public school district or open enrollment school for at least one year you talk about someone this a drop out. I would say this to be somebody that would. Well dropped out or been dismissed from the school either way they're not actively there if they are not an active student in that school system I would this affect somebody that maybe dropped out for you they didn't drop out but they would to a private school or home school for your decide they want to come back to public school they will have to be tested. So if they went like because it specifically mentions public school or charter school so if they. If they dropped out I'm going to I'm going to say that if they dropped out they went to say home school didn't work out for they want to get back into it I'm not sure I'm I'm just please make your I'm not sure that if they were Act great proficiency as a home schooler and their choices they just want to get back into the public school I don't know that this would apply if they if they were not successful in home schooling or your private school outside the realm of this I thank the test would problem this test would probably be required I'm interpreting that it would be required in order for them to enter back into the school system to be at the grade level they could display proficiency by the test sounds to me though when I'm reading this is sort of sounds like if the student says I don't want to take it there's nothing here that would require it but goal could offer it I mean could want to do it but I'm not sure as I'm reading I may be all wrong but I'm reading it doesn't look like it if the student doesn't want to take a nap in it's a student wants to I would interpret that if the student doesn't want to take the test the school is not obligated to take that student back that the that the school remains in the driver's seat that is who however it is that they present to the school if it's not an acceptable method of. Transferring the the school would have that option but it doesn't forces to school to do it I'm just let me ask one more question clarification this you say someone that was that they ran public school or charter school they were always home schooled and the other fourth grade they want to come in are they required to take a test anyway right now. No this is it yep the bin in a public school or charter school when I made it out for you to come in in the first time you're not required to take the test if you leave home school why we oppose that only just coming back I'm outside of my field of expertise that a maybe somebody else could act answer more accurately or correctly if I misstated but I think if you're coming out of one of those other environments you you have to display proficiency. That you know to the level that you're going to be entering again I think this bill is designed for that drop out for that person is not in that scenario you're describing it's for the one that's been out eight and I think that's maybe that's the key phrase this person's been out it's been out of school yes I thank you yes Sir thank you appreciate to anyone suffering on. From the Committee. If any in the audience to speak for against the bill. No so what is the will of the committee make a motion to pass manager senator Hammer do pass Senator Leding second. On paper hi all those okay thank you thank you Mr ninety one. Fourteen ninety five fourteen ninety five okay so let's bill today I mean are the day will probably back we have a whole bunch is that right now. What the ninety eight sixty I didn't. Fourteen ninety five yes identify yourself my name is Esther presented that Zach Gramley District fifty eight Locris the. I'm in a bad to be sexier time I'll be brief fourteen ninety five was broken by county clerks what they're trying to do is take the millage filing deadline and align it with other. Deadlines and other things that we filed for about for the ballot what's happening now is some school districts are coming in at the last minute filing for a militant about has to be changed this language is agreed upon by the SBA and the AEA factors rules written by a representative from one of them I'm going to go shooting it so they're they're fine with this. Questions from the committee. Thank you madam chair. so the Since we changed to win the election dates are. Regularly every year now You said something about having a millage election or special knowledge elections that yes I ate that's not really the focus the focus is when right now they they have that the put in within sixty days before the election we just wanted to extend that because sixty days like. After when a lot of other things have to be turned in and so what's happening is we have county Clerk to have their ballot ready and made turned in and then the school district comes in they actually so we're just making them in most years pumping that up two weeks earlier except for the year when the president is on the ballot then it's even further because there's more stuff on it so it's it's that it is time to make a county clerks jobs a little bit easier when they're when they're forming about at thank you absolutely. The other questions from the committee. Nobody in the audience to speak for against what's the will of the committee. Senator's stone do pass second. Second center Dotson all in favor all those thank you very much thank you sure thank you Committee all right folks. We are going to return a recess basically until we figure out this afternoon during the session where we're going to return because we have a number Bills.