Education Committee- House

Chair sees a quorum good morning everyone to the. House Education Committee we are here to take up public testimony today on Senate bill two ninety four. Members before we get started I want to take just one couple of the just housekeeping items first we have joining us here today a group of students from Arkansas state university in B. B. the students or student leaders from eighteen different community colleges from across the state and they're visiting the capitol today for Arkansas community college's student leadership academy I don't think they are in the room I think that they are out in the four year and so if you would please give them a welcome hand for being here today. These are our future leaders of tomorrow and I'm very appreciative of them being here today and taking an interest in education. As I said just a moment ago the purpose of today's meeting at this time and in this place is for public testimony. Members we are going to make sure. That everyone that is signed up today whether for against has adequate and ample time to come to the table and share their voice and their concern with us. I would ask that your mind speak clear your ears be opening your hearts be open here this testimony of a bill that we believe is very important for the future of the state of Arkansas. This time I want to recognize representative Keith Brooks. Representative Brooks you're recognized to present your bill. Thank you Mr chairman Keith Brooks represent district seventy eight Mr chairman members of committee thank you for being here this morning thank you to the amazing people of the State of Arkansas passionate. Who I trust share the same vision of transformative change in our state which values the stake holders at every level in places the needs of students above all else today I am honored to present US B. two ninety four Arkansas learns I appreciate my colleagues Senator Breanne Davis for her leadership on this generational issue in the Senate and most of all her passionate advocacy for kids this bold vision the governor Sanders as put forward in partnership with the General Assembly represents the most aggressive and focused education package in the history of our great state and likely the nation Arkansas learns is our call to arms this morning as students in a classroom from pick it to you Dora and from five to Farmington then during battle for their educational future and that of generations to come is upon us and we refuse to stand down. We will not fail our teachers who sacrificed so much to love on those kids but we will reward them we will not ignore the of all the needs of our economy but will prepare students with the technical skills necessary to rise to the challenge we will not stand idly by while two thirds of our best and brightest third graders like the reading proficiency they desperately need but we will move heaven and earth to put them on the path to success that they deserve. We will not trap families and kids in a system that doesn't best serve their needs but we will trust and empower parents to choose the option which fits of their family and that may very well be the spark the lights the fire which ignites a passion for learning in their child. The Legislative vision for Arkansas learns begin many months ago last summer I was part of numerous conversations with the governor and her team as well as calling from the General Assembly in which we share the concerns of constituents all over the state representing every facet of our education system last fall governor Sanders outlined the core tenets of learns in center Davis not begin working in earnest to bring this vision to reality a small working group of legislators grew to include almost a quarter of the House and Senate which had input on the detail language in this bill for more than a month before was filed Senator Davis and I and others join governor standards in the delta over a month ago to listen to educators and administrators about the real world challenges and how they would best address those needs and so the reality is that Arkansas learns is not some haphazardly created blueprint that was written one day and file the next indeed it is a product of months of tireless effort from countless people with one singular goal putting students on the path to success. Do you have our legislative process is an open dialogue benefits all I applaud my Senate colleagues for robust conversation last week and sending this bill to the house from that we have the opportunity to keep our commitment of amending this legislation and further strengthening the courageous vision of Arkansas learns given that the specifics are well known I won't wait into every detail however I will outline the core components and then address concerns and I found to be often misunderstanding of the intent of the bill. Arkansas learns is first and foremost the largest investment in public education that our state has ever made as someone who come from a long line of public educators including both my parents multiple grandparents my brother and my sister in law that is the right thing to do. We invest in teachers by increasing the minimum starting salary to fifty thousand dollars when adjusted for cost of living that likely becomes this the top starting salary in the United States every certified teacher no matter their current salary or receive at least two thousand dollars and raise starting with the twenty three and twenty four school year the best among us including those who teach in high needs geographic or subject matter areas those who serve as mentors and those who show outstanding results including student growth can qualify for merit incentives in learns we commit to aggressively addressing the reading crisis building off of recent legislatures focus on the science of reading we will deploy a hundred and twenty literacy coaches statewide to provide the specialized network of resources that teachers and students so desperately deserve. The goal is not minimal improvement the mandate is mastery for our kids in third grade and beyond this bill creates the Arkansas teacher academy scholarship program which enables us to start in high school recruit those who E. passione advocates for kids in the classroom and walk beside them by providing funding for the college education. Arkansas learns provides a pathway for new mothers including adoptive to take paid maternity leave and spend those precious first few months focused on their new blessing. We will double the current loan repayment program learn creates the office of early childhood I move that under the department of education so we can be sure that our pre case students are as prepared as they should be by the time they get to kindergarten. Hi impact tutoring a focus on students who struggle with math grants for additional literacy instruction the creation of a career ready you'll diploma the opportunity for course choice and the bedrock commitment to ensuring the safety of all Arkansas students. Learns comprehensive approach takes the status quo and turns it upside down. Finally parents will have the authoritative say in the educational opportunity that is best for their child to the learns phased in Education foreign accounts we make the commitment to fully value the student over the system. I do want to address a few specific concerns which have been recently communicated first as amended Arkansas learns provide strong due process protections for educators if you are excellent at what you do you are the one we need in the classroom as part of your employment contract should there be a recommendation of termination your forty every right to have a hearing before your local school board. In relation to salary schedules learns it does remove the current state mandated minimum schedule that's due to the fact that the top level that schedule a master's degree with fifteen years of experience is almost two thousand dollars less. In our new minimum state starting salary of fifty thousand dollars teachers and administrators hear me say this clearly. Every district must adopt an employee's salary schedule the foundation for these which comes from the adequacy matrix in which in some areas is about the current state minimum has not changed the unique situation of each district provides the opportunity for a local solution that best fits the needs of your community. And finally let me address the fear of education freedom what you said in social media beyond that Stokes the fires of those who oppose parental choice the stark reality is free markets work in education the data clearly bears about research nationally clearly shows both participant effects and competitive affect a meta analysis published by the university Arkansas's own Dr Patrick wolf and others on school affecting this and improvement look to twenty one rigorous experimental evaluations of what happens when parents are given access to private schools of choice the results are statistically significant in both reading and math review of evidence by doctor Cordy Angeles found that out of a levels duties on private school choice which examines civic outcomes thirty impact or no deposit for tolerance the same percent again gauge mint and positive for social order none of the studies indicate a private school choice negatively affects these vital civic outcomes out of twenty seven statistical studies of the effect on the achievement of kids who stay in public school twenty five report clear positive effects a number studies by these options often lead to racial integration two thousand nineteen study published on the nation's largest tax credit scholarship program in Florida with your roles largely low income students from low income schools shows a positive effect on college going and graduation rates most notably two thousand twenty one conference a study from the Munich society for the promotion of economic research look at Florida's significant scale up over the span of fifteen years to quote that article we find evidence as public schools are more exposed to private school choice their students experience increasing benefits as a program scales up in particular higher levels of private school choice exposure are associated with lower rates of suspensions and absences and with higher standardized test scores in reading and math these results are not uniform we carry out extensive analysis facilitated by match birth and school records from Florida and find that the public school students. Most positively a creek efekt did. Most public affected by increased exposure to private school choice are comparatively low SCS students which are those with low family incomes and lower maternal levels of education Furthermore foresaw increases over the same amount of time in rural school attendance the sign to Seattle school choice options work and they've never often they've never been the Office scribe final nail in the coffin of public education much to the contrary the data is clear that a rising tide lifts all ships. And so committee we have before us the opportunity of a generation. The opportunity to do something transformational. The opportunity to look our collective selves as a state in the mirror. And declare that no longer what we leave our kids behind. No longer we accept anything but the best no longer will we short change our teachers no longer will we leave parents in the dark no longer will we do anything but break down every barrier that stands in the way for the kids of Arkansas to lead. Anything less than that is no longer acceptable. Thank you for your time this morning committee and now I'd like to introduce secretary Jack believe. Good morning thank you representative Brooks for the the overview and the passion and commitment to improving learning throughout the state and if there's a common denominator for why we're all here is because we want to. You better we want to see the outcomes for students in Arkansas improve and make sure that collectively we're able to deliver on a product that empowers school districts and leaders teachers to do just that it's been really exciting to be a part of this transformational bill it really started with a bold vision by governor standards when she was out our communities over for at least the past two years talking to teachers talking to leaders listen in the business if folks finding out what we can do to improve learning in the state and that that bold vision started with the blueprint that we know as a learns bill that we're here just to discuss today on how we're going to turn that blueprint into policy so that we can shape the future of education and if there's anything that we've learned is that a one size fits all approach does not work for every single student and family this bill takes the moral high ground by making sure that each child has a path to be successful for them everyone of the sections in this bill focuses on what's best for students and it's a comprehensive approach from cradle to career when we start looking at high quality early learning opportunities making sure students come to us in kindergarten ready to learn making sure that students when they're in third grade I have those foundational skills that up from where they're learning how to read to reading to learn and then making sure there's additional pathways that meet the students needs not that every students on a pathway to college university while that may be a great path for some of our students there's a lot of students that need the opportunity to garner work experience they they may want to join the military they want to earn credentials of value make them marketable in the work force and we're gonna make sure that every student has their own opportunity be a unique pathway that meets their needs so I've I've really enjoyed talking with the leaders across the state I've been on on the phone call phone calls in because the superintendents of school prince. Those teachers parents are for at least the last two months on how we can garner solicit feedback and make this bill in this policy even better and today we're excited that we're able to do just that and and bring forth to this committee a bill that's a comprehensive package it's a road map in a complete form that will be ready for implementation there is a big next step in this journey once we get this finalized packaged or approved and signed into law that involves rulemaking in a lot of a lot of the conversations that I've had with school district leaders and officials lately is that there is a strong strong desire and commitment that they want to be involved in the rule making process and I I'm here to stand inference Committee and let the everybody know that are our staff is really to embrace any volunteers I want to help make sure we get these rules right because we do not want any unintended consequences and we're going to continue to focus on the students and make this state better. Thank you for your presentation representative Brooks are you ready to take questions from the committee yes for sure. Representative. Representative Vaught you're recognized for a question. Thank you Mr chair thank you representative Brooks for the presentation of the bill I want to talk about the eighty percent measure that required to be spent in the matrix for teacher pay in that line I have great concerns about my small schools in my district and I have three that are below five hundred. And I'm wondering what codes will be used if the secretary can tell me that but I do see this is causing great stress on my small schools can you show me how this is not going to make them have to force the door shut because those are very important in my area so thank you for the great question and and I can promise you have heard that same question from any of our small role superintendents as well that have similar concerns when when we look at the increase of the teacher scholar salary allocation I think it's really important that we make sure that we put that conversation into distinct buckets of the school districts receive the funding that they historically receive based on the foundation funding based on adequacy recommendations the legislature in the matrix the school districts are still going to receive those dollars and a lot of the concerns I've heard from small smaller districts is they're afraid that if they got to meet a new minimum salary of fifty thousand dollars per teacher and make sure that every teacher gets two thousand dollars that that entire budget would be sorry and that they would be in financial distress. The commitment of this proposal and working to the legislative process is that school districts funding will be made whole just as a historically receive it the dollars to implement the salary allocation is coming from a completely different category in the budget so when you look at that eighty percent requirement that the IRA had conversations with school districts this morning if we did nothing let's just say there's no teacher salary increase in this this provision at all it's just we're going through the budget what percent are you heading with the eighty percent requirement in the teachers that are that are made up of that that denominator numerator right now if you're above eighty percent you don't have anything to worry about if you're below eighty percent that's where we're gonna be able to go through the rule making process and I and we have the commitment that will engage in a let anybody give us feedback and share information to the rulemaking process as we define this codes a look at that that eighty percent commitment that if any district is not able to meet the especially if it's going to put them in financial distress or compromise the health safety and welfare students that we would work with with that district to develop a plan that we present to the state board to get a waiver approved said that they want to be held to a detriment for that requirement follow up Mr. You're recognized for a follow up thank you Sir so will this money continue this bucket over here that you keep talking about that's over here that's not in this matrix this budget that's going to help them get to thirty six is that funding going to continue and for how long. Yes the funding is going to continue and if we have additional questions related to how long Mr chairman gonna bring proper records they would. You may. Reckon you would please identify yourself for the record and then you may. Providing information is requested thank you Mr Robert requisite Budget Office of the money will continue of course that's up to the legislature are you you're you're the ones allocate the money every two years of but as far as I know there's never been a decrease in any fund I can tell you there is no plans to have this hundred and eighty million dollars sitting out there we're gonna use it for a couple years and **** away of what that would do is they would put schools in distress and when we simply cannot do that the reason it's outside the matrix is because as we were looking at school raises back as as last may when governor Hutchinson was proposing raises we started looking at the finances at that point. The. When we look at different levels of races it didn't seem like the the money was linear didn't seem to follow exactly so what I asked for was a a copy of every teacher salary in Arkansas and I receive that from the board of education they have those numbers and I calculated these raises based on on the exact salaries that we currently have nag I actually used twenty twenty two data then the Department of Education used twenty twenty three data to make a little more the precise what we wanted to make sure of was a one hundred percent of this new money would go to the teachers will be none of this money will be siphoned offered ministration for football for any other reason of one hundred percent will go to the teachers that's what we were after that's how we were able to maximize the races and that's what's outside the matrix doesn't mean that it can't be inside the matrix in the future but for now just to ensure that everybody got this money that we're was intended that's what we did so I I ask also in my question about the codes I think that code is really important to decide if they're using the eighty percent are not can you can you comment on that. I think the secretary would be probably the only person who could comment on it so the the actual cause of the defined in rule paid the the rule of thumb that I would say to a district is just looking at the numbers certified teachers that you have right now in determining where that category in your matrix is going that's what school districts are using now and we're gonna work with if that school districts to better define those codes thank you thank you Mr. Representative Charlene Fite you're recognized for a question. Thank you Mr chair my question is are licensed educator positions within federal funds included on the salary funding. Those are federally funded they'll have to adjust those those grants just like when we went from twenty nine to thirty six of that can be done with the federal government will pick up that of those increase salaries of over in the calculations were all of the state funded salaries whether it didn't matter how they refunded it they just have to be state funded or or non federally funded I should say everybody else is included in the in the hundred eighty million dollars we did not include the federal funded with but there is a mechanism for them to be paid and then everyone will get the raise thank you. Representative garner you're recognized for a question thank you Mr chair. Thank you representative Brooks and Secretary leaving for being here I've got several questions I know that we've talked a lot about statistics and and data and I would just like to say that for every thing that you mentioned there two or three that say doctors don't work the most recent data is showing that that You know it. The Folks that we really need to help or not the ones being helped but I really want to ask about the things that we know do help the things like addressing property with wraparound services because we know that poverty is the number one issue for students lack of learning funding and improving pre K. and even early childhood when your brain is developed by eighty five percent by the time you're three and ninety five by the time you're five we may be waiting too late with pre K. we need to be dealing with zero to three. I'm running after school programs summer summer enrichment programs those kinds of things we know those work I there's no doubt and no controversy over those kinds of things improving our special ed programs those kinds of things developing representative garner for may interrupt I'd I was really hoping that I would not have to do this this morning. The purpose of this meeting is for public testimony in the in the answering of questions. Displays of approval or disapproval of comments made by anyone any member or anyone presenting is not going to be acceptable. So I would ask you to please refrain from any type of. Clause or protest or some type of statement from the audience if you would please so that we can conduct this meeting in a very orderly manner and make sure that everyone's voices are represented Garner you're recognized continue that so my question is where are those sorts of things that we know work in the bill. And and and. What is the reason for not looking at those things that we know work. Thank you for the question represent garner and I doubt it's really always appreciate our discussions because your passion for for kids is is very clear and well known and I appreciate that so obviously with the bill part of the the legislation creates the office of early childhood in news early childhood education from under DHS to art education with the goal of having a clear laser focus on preparing kids prior to kindergarten for readiness in kindergarten and so a number of initiatives to the rule making process and and other things with with comments and input from a lot of different stakeholders to ensure that we continue to get get that portion right as well you know in relation to and other things you know after school programs and things like that obviously that's not dealt with in the bill however it certainly nothing precludes a member from from bring additional legislation should they want to to address those if that would be appropriate. Mr recognized for a follow up. But that. All right. Share can I also represent a I'm sorry Sir I was just like an add on to your point. That the bill does actually address a lot of the points that you made as representative Brooks stated right now we have a fragmented early learning environment system and when we look at the the the realities for opportunities for families that want to participate in quality childcare or voluntary pre kindergarten we know there's deserts are islands that exist and that we need to create more opportunities so we're being pass as an agency to find to find where those islands are where those that there's are in work with communities in innovative ways to make sure that every parent that wants access to high quality learning environment has the ability to do so when we look at that really learning environment that measuring of kindergarten readiness and that early learning space from kindergarten through second grade this bill also tasks or agency with the unified coordinated progress monitoring system to make sure that every child is on track to meet grade level expectations and if they're not there are a lot of factors that go on to students abilities to be ready for kindergarten in those critical years from birth to two three when the rains developing from from four to seven when this foundational skills are being met and in reading and math are imperative that this foundations let this bill invests in literacy coaches that can be deployed throughout the entire state the progress monitoring system that is unified and coordinated so that district leaders and principals and teachers will have information through formative assessments that can inform instruction and identify students that meet may need additional interventions and then on top of that we talked about learning opportunities not only just during the school day but outside the school day there's two different tutoring programs that parents can have access to if they if their child is identified as someone that that may need additional layers of support and in reading or have been identified as having having a substantial reading of for. Agency as well as an opportunity for districts to be innovative and high impact tutoring programs because we know those programs work so that this this bill is not going to answer every single question to to determining outcomes but it also starts with the belief that every child can learn and one we set that foundation that every child deserves grade level expectations every day every child my most children not some children every child that's when we'll see overall improvement learns there are students that need to be they have interventions or students that need to be accelerated but it starts by giving teachers the tools and resources they need to make sure that every choose student as ability to access grade level content. You're recognized for a follow up. represent garment come back to you for that would represent a major recognized thank you Mr chairman so whenever a program of this magnitude is is implemented there's gonna be a lot of questions a lot of concerns a lot of information and unfortunately a lot of misinformation and I know like a lot of my colleagues up here were or getting bombarded with a lot of questions from a lot of people so my first question is is is there a current resource or will there be resources set up where people can go to get answers to their questions how will the information about the implementation of this new program the disseminated to schools and teachers and community so can you kind of talk about that aspect of working people go to learn more about this what's going to happen and then the dissemination. So obviously you're just the right person makes appreciate a question that that when you deal with transformation of the system of education was to spend about fifty four percent of our state budget on there's a lot of things a lot components going to it that are necessary for us to get it right and so there are a number of components of this bill that deal with the rulemaking process this the sets the framework of of things are important here is important to us but ensuring that there's broad latitude for the Department to establish the appropriate rules and as the secretary mentioned earlier to make sure that we have involved every stakeholder that that would like to see the table to ensure that we get those rules right away and continue comment on the the process of the Department. So why and and as we stated earlier once once the bill is finalized and and signed into law what we're already acting with urgency and making sure that we are supporting schools to the best of of of the layers of support that we can provide our agencies already building a website that a house all this information that that will be up to date live information of moving forward we've hosted webinars with school district leaders and officials we're going to continue to do that but I made a commitment at least I'm I'm having are my team I'm giving them a little bit of angst but we're we're developing a timeline where are our team is going to go into each cooperative service location to meet with district officials and leaders to talk about the unique challenges in their region and making sure that we can provide this or for them our our commitments to get to schedule build out in in delivered in person up to date training by spring break so that we can get feedback and start working on the rulemaking process in B. as transparent as we can and so they'll be a website to the general public can access that has is on there and then we'll go to different okay and then I'll follow up extreme recognized yes and then a one of the one of the concerns I've been hearing about obviously is for removing the teacher for dismissal Act of can you kind of talk about that concern and you know why. We've included in this what the need was and how we think that that might be of benefit to students. So going to the restaurant makes you something that we consistently heard as we listened all of the state specifically from administrators was the need to ensure that the best people who are currently educator kids continue have the opportunity to do so and if there are those who may not be effective or may not be Right for the environment there in that they have the chance to have conversations and then should termination be what's recommended that they be able to do that however we clearly say that teachers are not left in the lurch this legislation very clearly outlines that there is due process in place which is something that we're eager to ensure that they are confident in and then again allows them for an appeal to their local school district board of directors should there be recommendation for termination so this is not a situation if if there's a personality conflict with the superintendent or with an administrator and they look at him funny in the gym they're gonna start just firing people because obviously our our superintendents and our administrators want to keep the educators that are doing a great job for our students and so again if there is a recommendation of termination they have every opportunity to appeal that and go through due process right thank you thank you Mr. Representative flowers you're recognized for a question. Thank you Mr chair. I want to thank you representative Brooks and this really the and maybe warn you I have to have a lot of questions and I'm grateful for this process and opportunity before I get into my questions and concerns regarding accountability and maybe at a statewide expansion for some of the features Of the bill that I think are are strong and will be helpful I do want to sort of set a context and ask a question as it relates to public schools are traditional public schools besides listen to a lot of the hearings and testimony prior to today and I have been around a long time even before I was I have to have the opportunity to serve as a state legislator and I was actually around. During the thank you decision and after. after Lake View Arkansas schools were actually improving we moved from forty ninth in the nation to forty second but we never celebrated that progress reflected on what was working. instead I think I know for the almost last decade. We have participated on some level in this state and really around the country in demonizing public schools and demonizing public school teachers often to I think it's a justification for doing something different that might not have necessarily been Research and found it to be effective. And so as this bill has been touted as a public school bill I'm interested in what kind of success narrative. Might exist from your perspective understanding that we have challenges I know what what I've seen as being the successes. what does work and so before I started digging to my questions and concerns I'm wondering. You know in your roles as policy maker and someone who is going to lead our public schools and manage and administer this as well as private hire policy. What in your mind is working what is successful what is great about our public schools in Arkansas. Some I'm and one appreciate your question representative in an up feel fairly confident that that nothing that I've ever said nothing that I've presented and in this legislation would be a a shot towards public schools again I come from a long line of public educators and certainly had a deep appreciation for in and this is so I guess maybe the answer specifically your question so what is working I know as I have traveled the state and talk to people I see educators are working all over have the opportunity to turn elementary school in Helena a little over a month ago and in walked from classroom to classroom and listen to the teachers and see the the vibrance in the student's eyes and see and then sit down with administrators in here the challenges and the good things that are coming from each of their individual districts and so things are working is we have a robust qualified passionate group of educators who are going to work every single day and who are taking time to invest in our kids R. their number challenges without a doubt but this bill does nothing but support those educators in the highest way to say that you are a treasure for us so what is working does that is a specific example of what's working our teachers. Representative Vaught you're recognized for a question all up. I've asked Mr leave as well over the service wanting me to respond as well yeah First and foremost I I can tell you that this bill is about supporting public schools I'm I'm a firm believer in district neighborhood public schools I'm a product of public schools I worked in public schools for over two decades my children attend public schools to this day well my daughter's in university now but a younger children there's nothing better than making sure our public schools are meeting the community's needs and when we talk about what's working and what this does is investing and it's investing in raising salaries that we can recruit retain and recognize the best educators what's going to have the number one impact on student outcomes and performance is the adult standing in front of them each and every single day this this bill is making sure that those teachers are getting the support that those students have opportunities to participate and pathways that are uniquely designed to benefit them with what's working is the foundations that have been laid by this legislature and this state with a commitment to training educators on the science of reading what we need to keep building on is making sure they have the tools and resources to implement those best practices and strategies with fidelity the graduation rate in the state of Arkansas is it is pretty significant we we're able to graduate students with the standard high school diploma that is the number one predictor of outcome and success for people that are leaving our system and if they can leave with that with a high school diploma says they're ready to be not too successful in postsecondary attainment or career opportunities but they have the skills that that are there to balloting to be ready to be successful in life that is a great indicator we're having great success when we look at more opportunities it's not just focusing on remediation there's opportunities in the state to push acceleration the fact that when we look at the percentages students they go on to a four year degree to a pursuing degree from high school only twenty five percent of the students finished those are opportunities to say did they really get. All the skills to make sure that they are college and career ready when we look at pushing mass passing accelerations there's a lot of opportunity in this state to try to get more students who are ready to take algebra in eighth grade to take algebra in eighth grade we have a lot of districts that don't even offer high school credits in middle school in there are students in every school that are ready for that experience so if we're able to work with districts to build out pathways and and we always want to focus on remediation but really focusing on grade level expectations in moving the needle on the path for we're going to continue to see better outcomes. Representative Vaught you're recognized thank you Mr chair I'm like to go back to the representative Charlene Fite's question. Oppose it a little bit differently and maybe I can get the answer that I made if I have a teacher making forty thousand. And our salary is paid out of federal funds. Are we this state going to get give the school that ten thousand to get her to fifty thousand or him to fifty thousand. No not if they're federally funded but there is a mechanism for them to get this raise they will get the raise through their federal funding and can you explain that process to me because I have super stakes to me saying that that won't happen. Well that they certainly did it when we went from twenty nine to thirty six okay and and so there is a mechanism to do it it if there are around then they should know how that's done if if that can't happen then I think we can revisit that but but they certainly did when we were from twenty nine to thirty six and and the reason I keep asking that question is again small schools that would devastate them if they have to find that ten thousand dollars to get that person that's a federal actually been funded by federal funds it would devastate a small school that's why I keep asking that question thank you Mr. Representative you're recognized for a question. Thank you Mr chair I actually was gonna go back to. Question that was more appropriate the beginning but I'm gonna follow up on representative Fite and representative Vaught question on this because I'm I'm I have a hard time with the federal funds peace my understanding and please correct me if I'm wrong is that that fit those federal funds are based on their free or reduced lunch rates or what they have and that's not a very controllable piece that school districts have as far as free and reduced lunch so I think I'm I think clarity on that would be helpful because if they can or if they can't is it very relevant part of the money conversation for school districts. I think they may be talking about the Indian student achievement funds those are tied to the national school lunch numbers when when they fill out those forms to get the Nash to to And come lost for words if they want to qualify for free and reduced lunches they have to fill out a form the enhanced student achievement monies that come through the state they are based on those forms of that's an extra two hundred and twenty five million dollars or a rate roughly that goes to the schools to take care of the the poor students. But I and that's one thing I can think of what they're what they're referencing if I could also add. There's different entitlement funds to school districts receive that are and in many different federal bucket so how the district chooses to utilize those funds to meet the assurances that are designed by the federal funds there's there's federal guidelines that dictate on how you can do that with reasonable allow expenses and has to tie back to the program so there can be federal dollars for supporting students for lower socio economic status students with disabilities students earning learning English as a second language since that might be my grants students that fall under a myriad of topics school districts have graphics ability in those funds to amend those grants are agency stands ready to work with every single district that has decided to put salaries in one of those entitlement programs so that that would be a reasonable allowable expense that the talents that we have to make sure as we go through this process is when you start co mingling state dollars in federal dollars and start looking at how you can braid that funding there are supplant issues and supplement issues that you can't use a state dollars to supplant federal dollars in supplement Ahlers and you have to get into some nuances when maintenance of effort there's a path to doing that that's but it's a little bit complicated and that's what we have to work with each district to achieve that goal all I please you're recognized I think that's part of the problem I mean I just got a message you're saying we're talking talking title one funds and I'm not gonna pretend to be an expert on all of this. But do you see the concern that the small school districts have that medium sized school districts have that have been using federal funds and when we hear will. The state's not going to do that. And the Federal you're going to work with the federal government to figure out how you can apply with that those are very big variables as you get to go to contracts and dealing with staff and questions they have and then concern about will that will this indefinite action. Those the questions constituents are giving me in those questions I can't seem to come back with hard answers for for them said do you understand why that is an issue or can you make that to where it is. Where one can understand that. I I understand the challenge in the those entitlement dollars it when you mention like title one dollars they may have salaries in there they may find other programs in there that is district extension they're not negotiating with the federal government on how to use those dollars they have insurance documents that they file with our state agency because we're required to audit and make sure they're using those dollars with fidelity they have the full autonomy and flexibility to amend their assurance document with our state to cover the costs of those salaries just like they did what was it five years ago or six years ago when the same provision moved the base teacher salary they were able to do that we're committed to working with districts to do that the intent of this legislation is that every teacher receives the impact of the race and that there is no unintended consequences and if there is some kind of new ones where there's that school districts that's that is looking at a reduction in force then we will work with that district to to find that the fiscal solution to ensure that doesn't happen there should not be anybody entering into a reduction in force because we're raising teacher salary from a separate pot of money they're gonna get their foundation funding affect the legislature is looking at increasing their foundation money so they'll have more flexible dollars afforded to them by a making sure that we commit to the increase in minimum salary pay in that every teacher gets two thousand dollars should there should not be a district that says we have to going to reduction of force to pay for this initiative. Representative Walker you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair so I have a few questions and I do appreciate all of the meetings that you have provided me with help address concerns up to this point I still have a few others so on page five line twenty third twenty three of the new draft. So all employment decisions will be based on effectiveness and some of the concerns that the schools have embraced him is how will effectiveness be calculated for non testing teachers so like your P. H. music art social studies and so on. So I think that's a that's a great question those that determination be made at the district level when they look at their evaluation process that there are there is data that you click Act for measuring effectiveness for test the subject areas but as you said it like physical education band chorus the district has a decision on how they're going to measure effectiveness the reality is most of the user teacher evaluation tool system and look at how they measure out on effectiveness to the delivery of practice lines. Okay thank you follow up recognized. another concern that I had brought to me is can you explain the reasoning for testing kindergarten students within the first thirty days of school and then make decisions on dyslexia or intensive interventions based on that data even the dyslexia experts have said that the reason that students are showing markers could be an issue a lack of instruction and our curriculum how are we able to get a true assessment of their learning within the first thirty days a baseline screeners fine in fact I would thank most teachers would do that the right away to help guide their classroom instruction for not but not for dyslexia identification just help us kind of a I understand that a little bit more. Thank you for the question and so the rationale behind. Assessing so early is simply guys to create a baseline there's certainly there's not the expectation that you're going to go in and find your twenty percent of kids with dyslexia which we know is what the specifics are currently in in our state in the nation wide but the goal of just creating a baseline because learns bill certainly very aggressively addresses K. through three literacy and so with those screeners which which those critters on the so we have to be the same as as the dyslexia specialist but we have the same capacity to evaluate and look at things such as follows awareness and and just understanding of of alphabets in the and and things like that and so the goal is just to create a baseline for that student as we move them through the case through three reading process. In an ultimately when it comes from comes to screening for dyslexia each screener tool there's different there's different assessments different tools we would use the fidelity of that tool and that SS meant for when that would be an of a reasonable time frame to use the dyslexia screener to screen for dyslexia the initial kindergarten and formative assessment to representative Brooks point is to to get that snapshot in time of where the student is performing so that teachers can make informative decisions about their instruction on the student. Okay follows you had one I'm gonna put you back in the queue we had it's my last one for now anyway. To give you a little leniency there thank you please. Yeah I'm trying not to wear body health questions so and the last concerning all rates for now that I've I've had brought to me from a school district and I know we've heard a lot of talk about some of the schools that feel like they've been efficient spending tax dollars only employing people required by state law feel kind of like they're being penalized in it so a scenario that I've hopefully you guys are able to address so if a school district is only spending seventy five percent of the eighty percent required in the matrix salary formula and the proposed bill because they are utilizing available categorical funds grant funds in federal funds including answer funds well a waiver be approved if the district and shall that it will adversely affect the school district financially in other words if the district has to deployed all available federal and categorical funds plus use operating funds in order to pay the fifty thousand dollar the minimum for teachers with little experience in the two thousand for other teachers that won't be covered by the state because they weren't paid and operating funds an example is one district is paying for fourteen out out of fifty two teachers out of the funds other than operating funds that will be a big expense for or one of my small rule districts. So thank you for the question very very detailed and brought I appreciate every person Walker so the short answer to will there be opportunities for a waiver is yes. And and also and I'll also add that is if they're using state funds for those salaries with its categorical Sir however there funding the state salaries as long as they're not federal then the state's going to cover that increase. The representative garner your back up. Yes Sir thank you Mister chair representative Brooks I know. We've talked a lot about students with disabilities I've got a heart yeah I know you do too for our students with special needs and individuals with disabilities Education Act insurers that students with disabilities are provided with the free appropriate education. Education that's tailored to their individual needs Currently our public schools have to follow these these This is this the days that. Orders or whatever the. And then we have to educate the those children appropriately in the public schools under this legislation I didn't see any requirement for private schools to follow idea requirements is that. In there somewhere that I missed or a can you tell me about private and charter schools and what we need to do with. Our children with disabilities thank you for the question and so the specifically related to private schools charter schools other learning environments as a deal with children with disabilities there's nothing that specifically deals in this legislation whether they will continue to operate the same way that the right now and you know quite openly I would push back on the on the narrative that private schools don't want to work with kids with special needs my experience is that uh we've had a number of institutions pop up that have made their stated mission to serve families with kids especially if you look at Easter seals you look at what was formerly the Hannah School you look at schools who school such as access to do what you will children on a very large broad scope of developmental challenges these schools are hallmarks of our community that look at the need that families have and say we are committed to serving that need so I I my experience has been that the schools will continue to live out the passion they have to educate well and meet the needs of families should they be there. Vaught Mr. You're recognized for follow up so what a private school then be able to refuse a student because of their disability. Based on our current the current law private schools have the opportunity to evaluate the students and to make a decision based upon their capability of serving that student but again you look at things even just like a succeed Scholarship are sexy scholarship was specifically built out to assist with families who have children who have special needs I've experienced that very directly and I've seen hundreds of families hundreds of children who are who their life has quite literally been changed because of the opportunity for a private school choice. One more on this. Representative when you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair Thank you representative Brooks secretary thank you for for your presentation my question goes back to the teacher pay one of the things that's a kind of a hallmark of this bill is the opportunity to be able to pay the teachers at a minimum of fifty fifty thousand dollars which is a significant leap it's great to see Arkansas go from being one of the lowest in the country to one of the best and of course when you figure cost of living increase and that we really are the number one state for the teachers that we might say it is forgive me for the general over generalization for teachers in the first half of their career this is the place to be so one of the questions that has been brought up is what about the teachers who are above that fifty thousand dollar mark could I know you to address this in your open but could you talk a little bit more about the funding mechanism to be able to reward the teachers who are over that fifty thousand dollar mark for the teachers who have advanced degrees things like that I know we kinda get into some of that matrix funding which side I'm thrilled to hear about that separate fund to be able to by pass the we make sure that the funding goes to the teachers one of the things that a lot of people got educated about this last summer was this funding matrix verses the spending matrix on a lot of the allocations of an applied over the years have not been given and realize to the teachers in the past because those funds were diverted into other areas can you talk to us a little bit about these senior teachers who are who are above that fifty thousand dollar mark how does that work and how will they be incentivized to continue. So I I think that's an excellent question and and and and I know I often time the narrative is that there's no value on experience and I and I can tell you that this that that is further from the truth I I I know the value of experienced teachers what they provide to continuity in schools but they provide the family specially teachers that I've taught generations of students the impact that they have in their community it is something that is held in high regard and and I know I remember my first year as a brand new teacher having a mentor season teacher assigned to support me and and how much I knowledge and experience and skills that I garnered from a teacher this Babcock I still remember her name but I would not be successful I would not have had a successful of year as I did if it wasn't for for those teachers but I go back to a one size approach fits all those that meet the needs of every district if you travel across this state and and you look at Jonesborough if you look you here in Little Rock if you look at how enough that they have different unique needs they have different kinds of educators in their system that they want to recognize in retained in this is about giving the local control of the school district to develop a salary schedule that best meets their needs whether it's based on years of experience based on advanced credentials based on both the it may be based on different high demand areas that they're trying to compensate differently where where they're trying to bring teachers and the teachers specific targeted citizens that they have not been able to recruit this gives full autonomy local truck this amendment actually requires districts to set that salary schedule so I I go back to if you are able to put the salary schedule off to the side. If you are already had your foundation funding evaluate historically received and and hopefully as we go through this process we see an increase because that I will always advocate to give schools more more resources and dollars they're able to bill the budget and that budget they're able to pay salaries there are some districts the reality there some districts there where there isn't one teacher in the district that makes fifty thousand so they're gonna lift up everybody to to that minimum but there's several districts that exceed that they have flexible dollars to build out the salary schedules the dollars are gonna get them at the minimum salary requirements in give every educator two thousand dollar raise is not going to come from their existing budget so if you go in and I can that Robert speak more it but if you look at the categorical that the receive to put towards teacher salaries that's being on tights they're gonna be able that have the administration work with teachers leaders in their own local school boards to develop a unique salary schedule that best meets their needs and how to deploy those resources appropriately. And to follow up on the secretary's comments I think it's important to remember that as a state what we've always done is we've set a minimum expectation we haven't said you can't pay more than this in fact is as you look at the this the salary schedules statewide a number of districts have chosen to based on the foundation funding to do just that however our minimum step is fifteen years with a master's degree that's amendment that setting code that's been struck and are serving in this in this build method that amount is forty thousand hundred fifty dollars so obviously given the fact that we are taking our minimum starting salary up to that there's a need to ensure that there is broad flexibility for the local district to make changes should they need to the reality is is that sixty one percent of our school districts in the state of Arkansas don't have a step in their current schedules that exceed fifty thousand dollars ten percent of our districts place like Marmaduke place like folks in south Arkansas don't have a single teacher a single teacher of any years of experience that makes over fifty thousand dollars so this is real money real money for real lives of real or cans and so make a true difference. So what you're saying is is that with this steps structure now every district will have this in place and the resources are already available for these local school districts to create the incentives needed to be able to attract and retain those seniors senior teachers is that correct every district shall adopt a salary schedule in the funding that has always been there through the matrix for the foundation funding that has not changed. Thank you. Representative painter you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair thank you represent Brooks and Secretary appreciate you guys being here present the bill can you talk a little bit about the literacy coaches were they're going to come from. They're gonna come from outside the state within the state. We're gonna five hundred twenty literacy coaches. It's it's probably a combination of all the above right right now there there's about I want to say a sixty to seventy literacy coaches that are already in existence that are working within our co ops and throughout the regions in supporting our schools so that would with this proposal would do is to to look at doubling that because we want to we want to double down on what we're doing that's what this bill does we we have some foundations in pieces in place we're doubling down on what we're doing to make sure we're acting with urgency in implementing these initiatives with fidelity so it would when when we put out the call they they may come from districts and may come from other states they may grant just graduated from from a master's program what we're gonna find out if it's something that we're going to to to look at implementing a strategy but it's about investing in making sure students don't have holes in their learning and teachers have the resources and training they need and when you double down on that we're going to expedite our our outcomes. Thank you Mr I had two questions there so I'd like to thank you. Representative McKenzie you're recognized for a question thank you Mr so I wanted to spend a little bit time today discussing another what I believe to be transformational part of the bill in the seventy five Communicorp knitters are gonna be working on early childhood Richmond this is something that is new to you know the state of Arkansas New York cap the capability so I'd love again more time or a little bit more dialogue on what they're charges what the responsibility is and how they're going to go about improving early child in our communities. Seven so thank you for that and then when we look at supporting communities that that's what this is about when when you look at building out of a childhood coordinated centers in being able to a scale a system that recognizes local talent when we identify areas and opportunities to provide access to early learning environments it's going to flow through these local or regional folks that know the communities that can work with a faith based organization that can work with the business that work with developing those partnerships and then those those local child care centers they they may be parent that's looking at starting a child care center in their home they'll have a resource that will help them understand what they need to do for licensure they will understand what they need to do to make sure that minimum learning expectations exist that we can make sure that the these these child care centers are safe and that we can build upon making sure that all students are ready for kindergarten when they when they walk in the door and it's a little bit different vision but when when you can deploy resources on that a communities and work with people that are in those communities we're going to build the scale more high quality learning early learning opportunities for families. Thank you follow up you're recognized at the I have a question is coming from so my conversations back in the district this past weekend in regards to the seventy five community service hours that now be required so could could we maybe have some additional information on what if any exemptions or waivers or possibilities and again we have probably all of anecdotes from our districts about students coming into our specific schools at a sophomore junior senior year we talk more about the specific requirements on students and then the opportunity for exemptions or waivers or context as the students submit for community service. Thank you for the question president McKenzie and and first I would say that I think the idea of community service is a vital one for that for every city and town and and small community in the state of Arkansas the opportunity for our kids ninety twelfth grade to be invested in serving others to be invested in having the opportunity to be around someone who may mentor them I think that's it that's vital for the future of our of our state but when you look at the specs specific requirements you know it's it it's a tiered system based upon the the year that they are in school and in relative to to waivers you know there's gonna be a broad latitude within the rules are created by the department to look at the individual situations on a school by school basis and what those what those needs are but the reality is I think that students can find a way to serve they can be in school it could be out of school maybe have the opportunity to take an hour ago answer phones in the high school office that's a great way to serve that's great great way to build skills there's certainly folks in all over the every part of our state who have a window that the neighbor who needs right lease rates are yard mowed there's a small business who needs some assistance with with dealing with their day to day operations this is a great opportunity for kids in the State of Arkansas to build skills that will last a lifetime. Thank you. Representative Barker you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair of first I'd like to tell my steam colleague that we prefer the term veteran teachers to senior teachers just for obvious reasons. but I'd like to pick it back on representative walkers question about teachers to educate students who are not tested for standardized scores because it's my understanding that teachers do teach courses or classes that their student take the standardized tests even they are not evaluated for effectiveness based solely on those scores it they will be evaluated under of the AM or value added model so would you either correct me if I'm in correct or clarify that for a little a little for me please. So measuring effectiveness it. There's several different models and and it goes back to a one size approach for how we're going to define measuring effectiveness is not going to work in every single district which is why we're gonna develop rules at the state level to work with districts so that they can come up with a fair and reliable measurement system that works best for them but when you look at the value added model with the value added model does is it looks that the student on where they are with the programs there and what kind of supports they need past performance and they make a projection on where they would expect them to be at the end of the year to demonstrate your support the growth so measuring growth is based on an individual level not the percentage of students that are at or above grade level the weather or not we're moving learning and getting at least two years for the growth out of each and every single student not every teacher is going to have it tested subject area there is deliver practice tools in place if the state has a standardized state assessment tool or I believe it's it's called has pulled off the Danielson framework the those a reliable measures as well so when when we get in the rules will will bill dictate the nuances of I like to measure impact in when you're measuring impact you're looking at the impact that you have on that student and are they able to move the needle demonstrate at least two years or if the growth thank you because that was one of the concerns I had heard was that how can you base our effectiveness only on student's course thank you for that clarification. Representative long you're recognized for a question. Thank you Mr chairman secretary okay your dress how micro schools would be set up under this bill if you refer to each one to set up their own wondering schoolhouse. So that that's actually kind of in an innovative approach that works we're seeing some trends nationally where if if if we set up the scholarship program into an apparent chooses to participate in the scholarship program may be under the home school account they can work with other families in their neighborhoods and other students that may be a similar age are learning the same subjects in use those dollars to contract with a provider or teacher or or I never got looks that that would meet their needs and be able to set up their own learning pods and on learning systems. You're recognized for your follow up so they definitely wouldn't be. Regulated the same way of a private school would be because I remember when the reading the bill that public or private school has to be I have been set up and running for at least a year or be able to put up a bond so that things would not apply your term in entrepreneurial teacher they just basically setting up their own microscope. Read two typically when you when you talk about that microscope. Concept that that's around supporting home school families traditionally and historically there is accountability built into the the Freedom accounts for education free accounts for home school families where the students would have to take an annual assessment where they would they would they would not be receiving direct payments per se as a family but that they would be able to set up a provider we we have about a year or so to transition that involves some of that and rules but there would be nothing that would prohibit a home school family firm partnering with other home school families to provide education opportunities for them. Representative McNair you're recognized for a question. Thank you Mr I have a question for you to start with a. We have a public comment would start thank you Dick Gramley important yes Sir are we don't have an opportunity as a committee to visit with the the sponsor and the Secretary. About something maybe. Procedure something that we have a concerned on but not necessarily the bill. At some point before we finish the year today or tomorrow. Our. I would think so yes okay yeah but I do have a question to the online correct okay. Of. One thing on the on the testing of. About. A couple times in addition assessment that. The public schools of what I was told that there would be some testing and assessment. For home school private school. But they might not be the same. My first question how we're going to get aids. Because we're interested to every child in Arkansas. So how are we going to gauge how well we're doing if we test differently. Is one question. Did you have a second question presenter part you said there was one question did you have a second question when I I'm not necessarily on those long same time so relate relative to the testing requirements for those to access education freedom counts the the the specific language is that the school must administer an exam that is the same to the state board Curley ministers in public schools or a nother state board approved nationally norm referenced exam and so that's gonna be promulgated within rules but you're quite frankly the the ability of the state board sets out to assess both literacy math is is essential and and from my experience of a lot of private schools who who most are currently doing very robust assessments or or doing assessments similar if not more stringent than what we're currently doing it's the state and so there's the opportunity for the state board shall promulgate rules rules and for a one half and put. Okay that sent another question of. It appears it's going to be lots of rulemaking. are the one thing the if I read have disposed to be in place by July one. Of questions on the rulemaking. Who all will be at the table. Man we're gonna have community input or we're gonna have of school personnel are we gonna when we start making because it is same black. When the bill passes out then we're going to decide how that's going to work. Martin I'm am I am I am I wrong. Hi because right now we we don't know all that stuff because what we keep being told that there's going to be taken care of and rules in rates and I. Not saying that's not true of. A little disclaimer I've been dealing with this since eighty six and really since two thousand. I have a hard time being optimistic about it being a public school bill myself but we are interested in here and the every child and there's a whole lot of things in this bill that are really good that we need to do and seven to. But That's one thing wrong with the table the other thing all through the bill it but basically references public school public charter school. So where does a private and homeschool if they'd if they take that out for money does that put them in this. Same corner of happen to to follow all these rules and rags because everything that I read most everything says public school public charter. If that makes sense to you. So relative to the first question then the secretary let you take the second the first question related to the the rules making process and will be the table thank you for sortiment McNair for being engages nineteen eighty six rain gauges and in the good of public schools in the skin the good of of as you mentioned of of every child in the state of Arkansas and I think you hit on the hallmark of what this legislation is this legislation this legislation is focused on how we best impact students in the state of Arkansas not every student fits into the same bucket you know we've got often times we have a around holding we've got tags that are square shaped and triangles and stars I'm a square shaped kind of guy some little bit awkward you know some days and now my wife would certainly probably validate that but but the opportunity for us to take a child and what their needs are and help them where they are in their family where they are and what best fits their needs but so as far as the as far as the rulemaking process the secretary is has committed earlier in the session here today and and I've heard it on number of occasions that we want to make sure that of all stakeholders have a place at the table other people are willing to who are willing to give input and as we have seen all of us that people are passionate about education for kids in the State of Arkansas I love that I love the fact that that that citizens from corner to corner of our great state are invested in the good of kids which is what we're working on here above all else but there will be opportunity should people want to to be involved in the rule making process be that administrators B. that school board be that teachers be that moms and dads to ensure that everything we do we get the right the Secretary has has clearly defined that there is a there's an aggressive mandate there's aggressive committee the governor Sanders has laid out to ensure that these rules are in place earlier he discussed one specific piece of of having delivered to school districts by spring break and so the Department is already setting the framework and and and the the foundation for ensuring that these rules best. Address everyone's needs and so the commiserating. Okay if you don't Mr chairman not up because I I don't wanna take all the time from public comment they're the ones that we need to be listening to of the. The the deal with the schools have the ability I will have the authority on the salary schedules to go ahead and move all at I understand that but most of the time the reason they're not doing that now is because I don't have the money so that is a concern I was contacted over the weekend by three five financial institutions in my area in my district. They can't figure out where the money's coming but that's in disturbing in but that's a that's a deep concern I mean nobody is is against the teachers getting a right is that I know of this might be a little bit too much too quick for some when we don't know what the disparities going to be but they're not against teachers have a right but down the road You know it's really scary when you don't know how to plan your budget when you don't know for sure where that money's coming from thank you. Thank you for that representing their and I would just go back to what will be discussed on a few occasions already this morning and that is the foundation funding whereby they would have budgeted and supported their current salary schedules that has not changed nothing has changed in that nothing's changed and the ability of fund based upon where they have currently and as a legislative body obviously it's our decision which we have have always a pill does actually recommendations are decision to continue to fund that on an ongoing basis and and as we see from the adequacy process last fall to increase the foundation funding I pursued basis the school. Hi we're gonna go back to the top representative flowers you're recognized thank you Mr chair. gentleman and a posing this question to both of you with the little bit of Experience coupled with my concern. Of. And I'm drawing from the old bills so you'll excuse me if you don't have a copy of that because that's what I'm on my notes were and I have a a deep concern regarding the the for profit takeover of D. and F. schools and I'm calling it for profit takeover because there is an incentive in this bill for The Department. Two. Instead of address the way we have it now where the the schools in need of support would be taken over by the state this bill puts in a process in place for private for profit entities to take over schools In order to not be taken over. And either the private entity would play that role or an existing charter school. I'm concerned for couple of reasons number one third of Arkansas schools are rated to you and ask. And will qualify for take over right now. And the number two. the way that I read this the state board would still so we would sort of be an out. Sorted I want to use this word but abdicating the role that exists now which I understand because I want to point out that in every circumstance in every situation I've seen where the state has taken over a district it has been returned to that district in worse shape so now this state would say Hey we don't we won't do it because we don't have the capacity and I agree with that. But turning it over to charter schools and state entities and state and I mean to private entities and these are private entities that the local school districts would have to select from based upon from if I'm reading this correctly a list of private entities that would have to be approved or come from a list from the state rather than that local control extending being extended in this case can you talk to me a little bit about that. So so thank you for the question I'm actually glad to assets that we can provide clarification thank you with with that provision section does is actually gives more local control to school districts to contract with external partners or charter company original operator to help them with the school this persistently low performing so that they don't get to the state level so you may have a school district or leader says we need it we need help with curriculum mapping this would give them the ability to contract with those partners to to provide maybe a buffet of services that they've identified their that they need they're not required to participate or enter into a contract the terms of that contract is up to the school district is just about providing flexibility to school districts that may want to do that we have districts right now that want to do that and this would give them the ability to do that would be completely at their at their discretion. Follows Mister recognized in and I do understand that and appreciate how that looks on paper but from the perspective of a district I mean. For the entire time I've been a legislator my school districts and which are now one school district have been in distress or taken over mostly taken over. And. I guess as I as I have looked at some of the incentives for example in this bill the maternity leave funding which requires a fifty percent match or even the salary increase for teachers. and I guess I'll. Ask more specific questions about that later but. For an already struggling school district that may be in some sort of fiscal distress or maybe you know sort of wrapping paper pay Paul because of you know a decline in student enrollment which affects your finding. If you're not able to compete with with the terms of this bill and offer maternity leave incentive and offers the the salary increase or even the salary increase in the bonuses. Then and your surrounding schools are offering those and and maybe see or be schools. If you come to a point where the state says Hey we will provide you some resources if you elect to take advantage of this contracting opportunity. Rather than the state taking you over there really isn't a choice the end you know sit to try to say okay we're going to try to hold on to our school and improve where we can that's not a choice anymore. And so then you take advantage of that but now you have to select either from a local state charter which on some level especially if it's nearby it's a competing it's a competitor school or you elect to select from a list of private entities. That that have to come from a list by the state but doesn't really want to do it either. And you're taking resources to pay somebody to help you when your problem is you don't have money in your losing students. So can you help me especially for many of the schools that are already now without competing for those incentives without dealing with the fact that they may not be able to meet the criteria or have to get a waiver to pay teachers it to compete. Many of the schools that are right now in this situation and that could become of the situation. Are yours to rural schools and I'm not talking about. Well we've already been affected we've already been challenged and remain challenge because of issues that are not being and maybe can't be addressed in this bill. So how do we keep that bleeding from happening. For existing schools and for other schools to be affected. Hi where do where do they get the money to pay for that help rather than the state saying Hey we'll come in where the oversight body we're going to make it right. So I think with. Is exciting about this proposal to me is that a lot of these initiatives are geared towards the small rural school district to provide the support with tutoring dollars that are going to come from a category that's not currently in their foundation funding high impact tutoring programs that they can partner with that world where we're gonna be able to give to these schools that are struggling with their students there there's even a provision in there for working with districts that prioritizes small rural districts to find innovative ways to transport students because we know that that's a challenge that's a provision in here what we've heard and I was in some of the school districts where where they're saying they're having a hard time finding teachers we've built in a grow your own program where where communities can stand behind students in high school find ways for their tuition and get paid so that they can grow and develop talent right there in that school district there is nothing in that bill that requires a local district to partner with an external operator or charter organization if that's not a good fit for them then they won't do it we're we're about building local control about supporting these communities to growing our own talent in investing in deploying resources so that we can improve learning in the schools so that we can change the cycle of of outcomes that a student should indeed destined to a failing school or a poverty because there's if code so this is really about investing even primarily in the small rural districts because the dollars implement these programs are not coming out of their current budgets so that would be full funding so if if it was a let's say. If. I would use my school district with a public school district wanted to As we are evolving back to local control want to contract with a company Allen let's say in two years or you start saying Hey wait a minute we don't wanna take you over again here's some incentive dollars and here's the list. Of contemplated entities if you don't want to pursue a contract with that charter entity. Let's say that contract is two point five million dollars which by what I see this. Prof was probably kind of cheap. are you saying that they would then from those resources you're describing be able to access two point five million dollars to cover the cost of that assistance. There's additional grant dollars to help struggling schools to federal programs that that we can prioritize is an agency to support that but would there be enough well and that you when you say two point five million dollars is as an example I'm raising exam rate is five dollars what I'm rate as are you all going given that five dollars. We when it looks at improving learning work we're gonna be in districts improving learning we're investing in co ops where we're looking at making sure that the schools have the resources and dollars if they're choosing to provide a contract an outside provided provider there is some dollars that they may be able to access at the state level but we're not writing a blank check we're not gonna lead a school district or their hands up in the air and Sam outsource the whole district that's part of negotiation process that looks at what do they need support with and how can we help partner in making ten and I'm not suggesting a blank check what I'm represented the urge you to represent flowers. Sorry could you give precise your question please yes I'll be very precise what I'm asking without in assuming a blank check. If a school takes advantage of this incentive rather beat than being taken over in a role that the state has not been able to be effective or successful at. And may elect to partner with a private entity from the state's list. Will the squall that school district have to provide any of those funds. It's there's no answer to that because every contract in the services that they're negotiating for or different so if it's a if it's a small piece of professional development that may only happened three times a school year more than likely if they're looking to bring in seventeen people on on site and pay for a day to day operations that's kinda look completely different so without knowing that specific needs identified by that district in the services that are looking to obtain there's no way to answer that into you go through and say exactly what are we looking to try to accomplish. The representative voucher. Thank you Mr chair I still have several financial type questions but I'm gonna throw a different curve ball because I think this is something a lot of people might not have thought about does this bill change the deadline for at school choice in any way shape form or fashion I think the date may be may first. So now is it all the way to August first what is the. Because I think it's hard for schools to do a budget if they don't know how many kids are going to have because we took away the may first and it could come at a different date now does that make sense it does thank you represent Vaught so the the date of school choice transfers is not addressing this bill so that's that's part of the rule making process and so currently And we can bring okay court yesterday clarified a little bit but but there's not there's not so that addresses that a change that this bill. That's kinda worries some if they don't know how many kids are going to have for that I'll make a note of server side there is no intent to change that okay that is already established this bill does not address that we do not intend to rule let's move you know there's other outcomes from other committee meetings that required to do that but that's not the end thank you can I ask one more question Mister chair you're recognized I'll go back to some financial stuff because I don't think we've talked about the merit pay much I'm at I think the impact statement says ten million dollars. Correct me if I'm wrong. That we're going to put in that so does that mean that were only looking for a thousand teachers to be able to receive that merit fine or is that. Am I looking at that different am I looking at that wrong. Sorry I cut you off. Sorry I didn't have an updated financial impact from the yes so the the mayor teacher program is is two million dollars per year and so the opportunity for people to apply for that is is very broad it's in the committee ten thousand dollars based upon the rules that are drawn by the department with regard to it. You. The president would be pro rated if if there is an excess amount of people who qualify the we program thank you thank you Mr. The representative. Now the question freshman problems of first of all I want I want to. I want to say thank you guys because you're taking a lot of questions and I know we're getting into a lot of details on things and and you take a lot of questions leading up to this and I appreciate because it's not easy to do and I appreciate your patience you'll have all of us So I'm like or one else because so many questions it's hard to know where to go I'm going to start with this one because this was in New and I had gotten actually from and. A different direction so The question is what are the plans for categorical funding and I don't even know what some of these means a ESA PT A. L. E. E. L. L. some of my due to fund this act are those chemical but categorical funds going to be continued to be funded along with the new learns Act directives I think I can say before there's a lot of. Uncertainty on. The financial places the puzzle that they just need have concerns certainty on. the financial impact you have in front of you is about the specific provisions of the governor's plan but there's no there are no plans to cut any of the categorical categorical funding and they'll actually be increased so none of the categorical funding on the supplemental funding another matrix funding is going to be cut of. You there they make it smaller increases in a couple of categories but they will all get their categorical and supplemental and matrix funding that they already have with increases. Follow up recognized thank you and so. On adequacy funding when you talk about the increases on that which I know that. That still I guess to memorize to be determined will any classified funding increases come out of that piece or is there going to be another pot of money for classified raises no the classified will be included in the adequacy of report as they were as they came out of the addicts of reports there will be a on line item for classified employees. Welcome back to you thank you Sir representative makes you're recognized. I thank Mr so two more questions so the the first one is the bills and require student success plans and as I was reading the bill which I think is wonderful for the middle and high schoolers question I've got is looks like this is going all the way down to first graders so our first graders going to need to sign off on a student success plan was I reading that right. Those are on given preference page rampage fifteen the original and see here. So it says beginning with the this is on page four fifteen yeah beginning with the twenty three twenty four school year each student's student success plan or student's individualized education program shall include XYZ. So I don't know if the intent was to have that go all the way down because it says each student. I don't know if there's something there that I'm missing that tries to. This capsule that to our middle and high school orders or that was an unintended mess for. Because the toxin like Senator says that you know all the student's success plan will talk about you know high school pathways and diploma pathways and. The that's the starting grade eight to make sure that when you're developing a school student success plan is talking about life after high school not going down for. So would first graders and second graders be. The law having a student success plan manner required to I don't think it's about our opportunity to have a conversation about how what they're learning in school plays to the life and relevancy around them but they wouldn't be required to if you look back on on the preceding language which is and an existing code reprieve references the eighth grade okay all right Markle's love take care that one in my of my follow up is one part we haven't talked a whole lot about is the transportation modernize modernizations aspect and I'm wondering if you could expound on that and then specifically it talks about ride shares and currently and and Arkansas and I think it's a policy most Roger companies that. Unaccompanied minors are not even allowed to take advantage of a ride share so I wanted to speak about that in general and narrow in on that ride share aspect of it's it's it's seems like according to current law we can't even do that. So so that's a that's a a to pilot program that's going to be competitive where we're going to prioritize rule school districts and elementary and middle school students to look at innovative approaches right right sure terminology I may not automatically think uber or something like that that of our is there a parent that lives in the neighborhood decade that might have a van that may be able to work with the or the local families to bring students back and forth and then the school district could reimburse that pair for gas or maintenance on the car it may look at innovative approaches to finding other alternatives to transportation besides diesel buses that cost of diesel fuel and maintenance and even buying buses is really expensive is there an opportunity to look at passenger vans in hiring school staff that may not have to be required to have a CDL to to do maybe some longer runs in a more efficient manner that that's what that programs about what will set out a competitive grant application and then let the districts be innovative in their approach to determining how they may be able to utilize okay so so Roger will be more synonymous with car pulling down a uber or left kind of thing yes all right thank you thank you Mr. President of Maddox you're recognized. Trident dago. Top don't. Thank you Mr. Awesome I lost my train of thought there let me try to get it back first let me apologize if you already answer this I did have to step out go to another committee so if you've answered it but I do want to hear could you just briefly discuss the accountability piece for home school and private school students please. Sure there that question and represent all thank you for being his technology specialist got a great job so related to relative to accountability for home school for private schools the expectation you number one from a from a private school sample is accreditation the private school can just pop up in a church's basement because a couple moment that moms and dads got together and said Hey this seems like a cool idea there's a a broad accreditation process which when you look at answer a nonpublic school association they have a very rigorous process which begins in in year one and extends over multiple years of being credited and so so there's accountability there from that perspective from the standpoint of testing there's an expectation that if someone accesses the education for an accounts they would take and annualized examine which we dealt with that with the representing near a few moments ago with being either the state board exam that is given a public schools or another norm referenced nationally recognized exam as well that is that is approved by the state board but ultimately the accountability less rest with mom and dad with the guardians with the grandparents with the people who have the largest investment in that student of invested the investment and that family of that student is where the greatest accountability comes because they are seeking to figure out how to best meet the needs of their child and so besides all things of the state would be doing the also accountability lies in those who care the most. The representative Maddox G. of follow up thank you. A representative McKenzie. Thank you Mr chairman so represent Brooks I gave you for warning that I was going to be fielding questions from stakeholders back in the community so I'm gonna take a moment read a question verbatim to you and I again I hope you can give us some clarity as to some of the mandates from the bill so regarding student success plans and career awareness requirements wise it just limited to public schools and why is this do charter schools need to be concerned with quick career awareness or is that just a public school issue and why. So relative to success plans in an existing codes it is specific to public schools and so this this is just continuing on with that okay thank you follow Mr. Thank you at the other side where I'm from my community I want to ask questions on behalf of home school parents. there are many different home schooled the Dimmitt Demeter home school types and curriculum with those home school types what is the process for applying for proving providers for those various ways people can home school so the process of on boarding as a home school network independent home school representative a family who's just a home school independently. So currently obviously our our regulations around home school or fairly broad the the requirement is that you follow notice of intent with your local school district superintendents to sign off on it it should home schools decide to access education Freedom House funds then there are if there's a provider Process of going through with with the state board to ensure that the funds are going to attempt to to approve provided service I think the languages of service provider that meets the needs requirements of literacy math public science and the history of what was what the the requirements are to ensure that that the student is best set up for success as we would expect all students to be thank you. The representative garner you're recognized for a question. Thank you Mr chair I'm gonna go back to the special needs issues right now title to of idea prohibits any discrimination from public. As schools but the private schools could turn down a student because of their special needs is that correct. Schools within current statute have latitude to make decisions based upon what their what their local governing board Look sad and evaluates in terms of of their mission requirements again I will continue push back on the fact that private schools don't accept kids with special needs because my my experience has been very broad that schools will find a way to meet the needs should there be a desire to or should there be a a family that has in the and doing outstanding job of doing that. Vaught Mr you're recognized so with that I was asking that really to get to the follow up The. Even some of those private schools cost more obviously than the doctor's going to be so is there any funding to help those folks who can't afford to go to the special needs schools if. If the voters not enough and just from our own adequacy report last fall We showed that we funded about a hundred and eighty nine million and the expenditures were five hundred and eight million. All the superintendents are many superintendents right there needs as moderate to extreme for special needs and there was an eleven percent increase so my question is how are we going to take care of in the public schools and or the private schools for those who can't afford the special needs schools how we're going to take care of those special needs students. And so specific to the public schools I was in the adequacy recommendations make allowances for increased funding. Depending on the category and so that again will be up to the legislature as we later on this session approved those recommendations to to provide additional funding in terms of the private schools and and perhaps there may be an additional cost you know on a school bus school basis they can they certainly have the latitude to to award grants to award scholarships award opportunities people that maybe above if if the cost is above what would the founding or from the funding to education for discount provides and again my experience has been that there's a broad desire to meet families needs sure they have that. One more thank you just. Representative flowers you're recognized. It was quick okay. So I know you've touched a little bit on the. I have accountability questions and have a question about The. Freedom funded as it relates to homes schools and I think I want to. Go to the the home school component and I'm I want to preface my question with. the fact that I voted for and supported the six the succeed scholarship. And I make that point to say that I don't think on its face in certain circumstances that Vouchers. Our Wong and evil. I think that in the circumstance where. It has needed to work where we don't have the capacity as a state to deal with the special population that requires more resources. You know I I think that it that it it fit for the time. My concern as it relates to. Vouchers in this case you know Arkansas kinda already gave my history about going all the way back to and watching these issues since and before Lake View Arkansas has never ever ever been in state that has supported state wide and broad broadly applied vouchers in even the succeed scholarship was very new. and that is because the perception the studies the reality has always been that it affects. Public schools. It affects public schools because as we are talking about the money will follow the child even though there are dollars that are set aside for this freedom find. And my question is coming. The first year there is a phase in cap for one point five percent the second year there's a phase in cap that it doubles to three percent. But then the third year for which we really. Don't know what would happen in terms of funding because. The third year then everybody in the state is eligible. So we go from one point five to three percent to everybody in the state is eligible for this for this find and then. If it's if then the cap or capacity or whatever you wanna call it is based upon finding. But we we don't really have any numbers will for us to even project what that will be in terms of. Fair and balanced growth to protect our public schools but also to provide that choice. I'm I'm I'm wondering how we are saying that this won't affect our public schools in that case and even in the case of private schools where there are limitations based upon admission it I'll go ahead and stop there. Well address the funding issue because I was asked to look at twenty five twenty six number twenty seven what would happen in those in those years and what this model work. I can tell you in your one we've set aside a forty seven million approximately for the for those accounts in your to ninety seven million when it does open open up to everyone everyone seemed in agreement that it hundred percent will not take advantage of this program some private schools will want to participate some some parents may not want to participate some will take advantage of the full amount of what I did in I used a hundred and seventy five million in year three and hundred seventy eight million in your for if if those are the numbers that you choose to put in in FY twenty six and twenty seven of the model works you that's all I can tell you that but we can go up to a hundred seventy five million and in year three and a hundred seventy eight million your for. Are there any can't follow up Mr. Recognized for your follow up thank you so much. Are there any. Guarantees. Of Caps. Even Legislative intent. That could be because I didn't see in the bill could be defined. To avoid a situation where. This is opened up to everyone in this it's been billed as parental choice above all things it's been billed as a bill that will provide provincial of parents will choice that you know one size does not fit all. And so where you might have the first or second year these caps these phase in caps and then there's no cap at all. How would we avoid the perception of parents to say okay. I should be able to get my child into a situation where we can apply and get this funding support so that we can home school all of our children some of our children and and with that level of demand and perception of access and choice. How would legislators in the next session or the following session avoid pressure to now make some changes as it relates to the existing all public school budget. Verses the limited funds that are dedicated now. Based on projections because it sounds like we kind of don't know I mean we can say what we think but we're opening it up to everybody and then saying well we don't think that it'll be a hundred percent well hundred and seventy five million would were approximately right now there are around fifty thousand home school and private school students in currently in those programs a hundred seventy five million would fund half of that in the future if they fit if the child leaves a public school and and I hope it doesn't happen it seems like everybody is going with the assumption that all the people are going to flee the public schools of that's that's not a good look for the public school that occurs but when if that does occur then will hack what will happen is you'll shift that foundation funding from the public school a to the private school or the home school and so that's really not a cost for the state actually the home school or the private schools only get ninety percent so that's not a cause for the state in those certain costs for the schools and that school district if they lose students that's true. And I'll just I'll just follow okay on Robert's point is the purpose of this bill the purpose of us as so aggressively addressing the needs for a public schools and that this being the largest investment in public schools in the history of the state of Arkansas is to continue to support the good of that school and I would I would certainly hope and expect that as schools continue to improve the way that they serve their communities that they would be the first and primary choice for the local community and when we look at other states who have broadened their choice options there's not been a there's not been an overwhelming running out of the local public schools in fact do you continue to see especially for is a great example that has a a very long history of choice options that you see an increase in especially rural schools and increase the student population we're choices there so again I would I would certainly surmise that as we continue to improve the quality is our local public schools that would be the first and best choice for most families. Get you back in you. Represent Cozart you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair and I would ask for as much leniency as some other colleagues have today and asking questions I may have a little more of a two part three part question here if that's okay. represent Brooks third grade reading I know this one of our big focus is here today is bringing our kids up to on the third grade reading level I've had a lot of concerns with some of my superintendents about the third grade reading of qualifications what that's going to do to some of our fourth grade and most of them have said that if we hold those star raiders back. That's also gonna bring our fourth grade that thanks make scores up but they have found and and studies in the in the that they have looked at that that really falls off real immensely quickly after that so I don't know how much research did in that but I would like to see if possible and I'm not asking for an amendment or anything I'm just like to see if we can do something when we started or rule changes and stuff like that that we figure out another way instead of holding these kids back because of two fold on that I think it would help the kids if they could do something more after school summer school something like that to get the reading of to be able to go on to the first right but but my biggest fear is and I think that we're going to push to the people if they can't. Have the kids move up or giving them freedom of choice and a lot of areas they may take that freedom of choice to move their kids somewhere else somewhere that like that a little different so I don't know I don't know if this will happen it's just my version there didn't hear that from the supers but I just want to see if we could look at something different. In that realm of trying to figure out how to fix this we're we're after we're after literally I understand that I'm I'm a hundred percent for that but can we look at a different way on how we can get those kids to that are regulating level and not holding back. That's that's a lot more statement a question but I think that's what I'm asking sure I certainly appreciate the the question the perspective my concern I think it's important that we number one agreed they were committing to everything possible to ensure that our kids read on grade level by third grade and you look at some the success of the place like Mississippi Mississippi started taking very aggressive steps to ensure that in two thousand thirteen with that with a very broad scope of options but when you look at this legislation this legislation is very clear that the goal is not to hold someone back in third grade the goal is to make sure that starting and scaled out in the future start with our kindergarteners and moving for the goal is to ensure that by the time they get to third grade that they are reading on grade level there's a number of provisions in the bill the allow for the high impact to during that allow for additional resources in the summer after school to basically throw the the the virtual kitchen sink at the challenge of reading that our kids might have you know I E. under twenty literacy coaches all of you the state of Arkansas so seeking to intensively support schools and educators and families so they are reading on grade level by by the third grade. And and I agree with that I know that's what we wanted and I I heard represent Walker speak will go about to kindergarten that I understand it's hard to test someone kindergarten when they do not even know how to read yet and somebody explain it to me that they testable different things of of knowledge of what they recognize and how they learn those things quickly as to how you know what they're going to read so I agree with that I know testing is always hard in those lower grades and it's probably a one on one situation you have to reach one my my other big concern a lot of testing is done on computers and kids that are not real familiar with computers which I I don't know any this not everyone of my grand kids know how to use computer better than I do in early you know there's not even a school yet so but anyway I just I just have a real concern about of trying to hold kids back unless they're just really really really in a bad need so I just just my concern thank you guys appreciate your answers. Thank you Mr. Representative Vaught you're recognized thank you Matt Mister chair so I had this sent to me from a some people back home that want this to be answered they want to know do you realize that educators are going to be calm if they are going to be compensated for master's doctoral degrees there won't be enough counsellors which are desperately needed in our schools and and there won't be librarians so if we leave that decision up to small schools small schools won't be able to afford a the steps I think it's what they're talking about is those steps since it's this sense you'll be taking money away from them I don't know how can you explain are we taking money away from them and the. Matrix. No money is being taken away from any school within the matrix so the steps into the the localized shall re schedule whereby they currently fund that the adequacy funding has not changed again it will increase based upon the recommendations of the doctor of the legislative body later on the section that will increase just as we've committed to increase every single buying so that the funding to the school for that has not changed again the way the Secretary explains a loving to talk about is two buckets in us I understand things with their karate kid you wax on wax off it's easy to use of visuals for me so you've got the funding matrix that's over here the funny matrix has not changed the learns bill creates additional part of funding to support to bring up to the salary levels that are prescribed as a minimum and are we worried about people that won't be getting their doctorates or master's degrees for counselors are librarian. Due to not being compensated for those things I think is what they means and we need those folks we we need school counselors if there's anything we know specially in the state in a state of education even coming out of a pandemic that their their students that that are in great need of mental health services as well as access to high quality multi mental health education and how that salary schedule looks at compensating for advanced degrees and and credentials often times of many many school districts may extend those educators contracts where they work extra days and and they'll be able to determine how to how to to recognize and and compensate those educators based on number of days based on advanced credentials based on years of service but that there is definitely a need for for folks that have it is a great Ansel's even if they're going to ministration or or school counseling many centers we we do value that education. May I have a follow up Sir. You're recognized okay I'm gonna go a different. And a different hole now this also goes for my district in our district is common for parents with chronically absent students to choose to home school when the school exhaust all of its efforts to support the student and parent and finally files for family in need support of which they petition with the juvenile justice if it's an escape of accountability and my question is if this bill is if this bill allows those parents to access public funds to educate their children and if so will there be a way to determine fitness to educate and the that there is a positive motive to home school. So again so I think for the question and to go back to what we've had on just a couple times relative to. Should someone decide to home school number one it's their choice they don't have to choose to opt into the education program account program which were which would provide funding in later year for that but there's the strong accountability measures in place that that the money is it just going I've heard this this this argument that you're you know you've got a mom and dad with five kids and they're gonna take seven thousand dollars per year they're gonna pocket the cash into going to do they're gonna do who knows what with that opportunity is not bear that does not exist in this legislation of the money is not directly transferred to the parent is transferred to the the service provider of the education and then there is a requirement for testing to ensure they're leasing literacy and math which are the broad categories that we look at as a state of the art succeeding get the education they need thank you Mr. Can I also add to that as well because they think you're touching on something that's of value in legitimate concern in fact I was in a work group last week that included three judges that we're talking about the court's roles in addressing compulsory attendance and chronic absenteeism and while that's not addressed in this bill there is value perhaps as a state and looking at what is that system look like and making sure that we are addressing chronic absenteeism if if children are in school they don't learn the research is very clear and it's and and it's even more concerning when you look at students that are chronically absent and and K. one and two it's it's about a ninety five percent correlation that they will not be on grade level by third grade they'll be a struggling learner and often times that's not the child's fault that they're not able to come to school so there there is really an opportunity to look at how we identifying children in need of services how we identifying families in these the services because there is obstacles and barriers not getting students to school and I do think there's value in and having a deeper conversation around this challenge. Representative you're recognized for a question thank you Mr chair it's so exciting whenever we get called to be the one to speak that are thank you so I've got a couple questions from constituents and I think he's going to run through my mind that I think it's maybe good to remember that this is the perspective a lot of people is one of my favorite president said that you know one of this terrifying danger here is I'm from the government I'm here to help you. And I think that that's how a lot of people who are kind of you know how they feel particularly in my district so some of the concerns and these are going the way back to the very beginning if I had have been the first person contestant picked I would have asked these questions to begin with so the first two parter is why this brought of a bill that covers so many different areas although all education related they're big they're brought and it's a lot of money and also why they're so fast this is the questions they feel like this is very similar to Washington typestyle things that typically our Kansans that's not been our practice that's not what they like to do so my constituents have and I've got that question by a lot of people and then the second part is kind of a follow up on and the question I have a second ago as far as the classified money coming out of the adequacy fund increase is there going to be a mandated amount on that do you have involved part number of what you're thinking with the classified staff on that that again becoming of the increases the adequacy finder that the plan again or is it. A separate which I understand was is not a separate pot. Thank you. Thank you for the questions representative really appreciate your engagement sow speak specifically to the process in NY brought of the bill I think we all can agree that the education challenges is that we have a state of Arkansas United States America or significant and a stake in aggressive bold approach to fix those and so our goal is how do we address the primary concerns that we see whether the teacher pay whatever your literacy whether it be challenges in math school safety all these how do we get after it in the most aggressive way we possibly can that's what we got with a broad piece of legislation here specifically the process again the process it has not just happened overnight the process has has happened over a span of many many months those involves more than a quarter of the legislative body looking at detail specific details of the legislation to offer input your perspective and and a lot of Legislative by this involved has has a pretty broad background in terms of of their educational experience and so there has been a significant opportunity in and can I continue to call the Senate for other or they've done to that to put for a concerns and questions and and make sure that we are addressing those head on out and then related to the classifieds app on the truck but because of their questions related to classified staff in the adequacy recommendation I believe was for two dollar to dollar per hour increase for classified staff if I remember that correctly and so that and that is addressed in the out of the process all of these. You're recognized thank you at appreciate that I think it's also important for us to remember that we are sent down here to represent people a lot of us were not inducted into November with a pretty significant freshman class on our side and. Many people are not given the option we're down here so that they don't have to review all the stuff but we are still supposed to listen to them and when it is something that bacon and massive and bold and I really like I think you know that there are lots of things are really like but it is concerning to a lot of folks is this going to become the norm in the state of Arkansas because they they do not want that and that is again a is that is of concern and I think it's legitimate thank you. Hey I appreciate those concerns The opportunity for bold reform I think is what what we should be eager to take advantage of a special when it comes education because it's the most important thing we do is a state and and from the standpoint of Of listing to our constituents without a doubt that's what we do we listen we we take into account the concerns which is why after the Senate testified in hurting me last week we saw almost six pages of amendments filed on Friday afternoon to ensure that we do that we address some of primary concerns that have been out there. Representative make sure recognized thank you Mr might have to ask questions and I think I'll be done the first one I hope is going to go back to the the salaries and may be. Maybe put some folks minds in the so as it currently stands right now there is salary schedule place starts at thirty six increments every year for right there was a twenty eight years Fite recall correctly and so what we're about to do is we're about to take that thirty six and bump it to fifty the the teacher funding is still within the matrix so theoretically and you can tell me if I'm wrong on this thinking the school district wanted to they could take if they want to keep the current salary schedule they could implement the current salary schedule run it up to the minimum of of fifty because we're providing of the state is providing that that gap and still be held hole in my doing that math right or my completely out of left field no that's corrected they could take it move everybody up to fifty that could actually move everyone else else up two thousand dollars and still be made whole I know you're correct in in our current in our current state minimum salary matrix is just in the fifteen years eleven of fifteen years with a master's degree in in the minimum that we set forty one fifty on that does save so they've got people that are thirty six what we're wearing fourteen they could basically adjust that full schedule up. So that whatever the fifteen year persons making adjusted up to fourteen thousand whatever the current. Tell that bombast and the math would still work on that. To make sure to make sure to follow you they can move everyone up to fifty that's true and they can keep their existing salary of schedule as it currently as they have it they could do that and they could even increase the upper by two thousand and still and not suffer any economic impact okay and then my last question is the bill and dates that the Department of Education create an app with the you know high demand jobs and jobs available and I love that idea that something we probably should've done a long time ago the bill mandates that you all do that in partnership with IDW last and I'm just curious of the the thought process of why it would be better to have the department of commerce develop and put that app out verses the department of education. This from a logistics point of view Renata deal breaker for me by any means but I'm just wondering just why that would be a better fit over Commerce that an education. I think it's just making sure that were being collaborative throughout the spirit I there's nothing that precludes the different divisions to work together it's it's about making sure we compared to lead her care and meet the specific designs the make up of the outcome that we want to achieve so will if if there's ideas to make sure we get additional folks are on the table or more than open and willing to do that are thank you thank you Mr. Representative garner you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair I've got a couple questions of from the teachers and those and I'll just fire him off and they're a little bit different one is are the coop teachers we have coop teachers for special ed and for speech pathology are the coop teachers and included in that in the pay it also contract renewal and teacher firing are completely different things are the teachers going to be able to have a hearing or is there something related to that in the bill or how are we going to deal with with contract renewals so that we'll know that how to budget and the teachers will know whether the and then are you concerned about equity gaps without the salary schedule. I may have to get some clarification on that because my understanding is they wouldn't be included in that because they're funded through a separate grant or a separate organization defended the district's district hi I need to just clarify I don't know if I have that answer primary so just thank you it's a pretty technical question it as far as the the contract renewal component I believe that states for notifying when educators to be renewed or their contract expended are currently in law there's nothing in this presentation that changes that so that provision would still take place. And equity. What what questions salary schedule I think there a lot of teachers that are concerned with the salary schedule if we don't have a salary schedule the equity in the school districts and how they're going to be able to retain and and thank you teacher and that and I'm I go back to that was one of the amendment that was added to this bill is that it's going to require districts it I want to say aye aye shall develop a salary schedule so those concerns that those educators have they they need to bring that to their school board into their administrators and make sure that those needs are being addressed. Vaught Mr you had three questions which you back in the queue. A representative flowers. Mr what to say like that. It represents flowers you're recognized for a question thank you Mr chair. I want to go back to The issues around the home school and the Freedom fine. So we kind of ended with the acknowledgement that The thirty year. Everybody in the state will be eligible. And there was also an acknowledgment. That. Right now we have double the students that we are projecting funding for. already. Being home schooled so. I wanted to. Touch base on a couple of things just to give some context because we're making these projections I don't know what they're based on But it seems to be sort of an under count maybe. I saw where in Arizona. Their initial projections to spend on vouchers or whatever whatever their version of our freedom Fund might be was thirty million dollars. And it ended up being three hundred million and they're still asking for more money. Then. Just recently and Idaho They have a similar a low population of people like we do and they have a Republican supermajority they rejected the school voucher bill for copper concerns around cost and accountability. So you can see why many people have concerns that it hasn't worked in other places other places a rejecting it. We are making these projections. Lower than our existing population of home schoolers but the third year making everybody eligible and I'll point you know one more thing and then ask kind of. I don't know about how offering my question but. and again I have the old bill. On page ninety one. I'm line twenty two and this is the section where it Outlines the promulgation of rules around the education freedom account fund. And it says to effectively seal promulgate rules to effectively and efficiently administer the Arkansas children's education and educational freedom account program including without limitation. A the awarding of funds to participating students. So when we have this sort of undercounting of projections by my estimation and then we put in language in the bill that the state board will promulgate rules to find participants then we have other states that are rejecting this other states that are way over in their projections. It rings me back to the question of how do we what why don't we have safeguards in place. To place caps. On the population of students that could elect to go to art six to choose home school so as to not have to take funding away from our public schools how do we avoid that if we don't have those safeguards in place. And I'll let Robert clarify little bit more but you know from a standpoint of of how broad school choice programs have been implemented or the take rate looking place like West Virginia which is had for several years as a a universal hope scholarship program and I believe it's point six eight percent of their overall student population is taking advantage of that so as soon as you you can certainly make projections based on what other states have done that had broad choice and there hasn't been a a wholesale running to this again most people again will choose our local public so if you look just couple lines up on page ninety one the reference in any year which funds are insufficient fun all applications for new accounts first priority given to students eligible under subdivision three a of this section so basically phase or the phase in eligibility or the ones who have the opportunity to access the first time in its pro rated if the if there's not enough funds to for the program at Robert clarified a little more. Because there was concern that if if all parents weren't eligible what would you do would you have a lottery system or would you go through a pro rated system it was decided to go through a pro rated system but it would cap the amount of money to protect the the state's budget really but if you look at Arizona you mentioned at a three hundred million other populations over twice the size of Arkansas so hundred seventy five million doesn't seem to be out of line with with what they're finding in Arizona three hundred millions with their with the ultimately found so I don't know that that's follow up Mr. You're recognized thank you. So I'm I gave the examples of other states for context but if we really focus just on our state. And recognize that right now. With people who don't have the benefit of any state funds. We have forty eight thousand five hundred people. Already. And what is being budget and projected. Doesn't cover half of that that's just home school and not the private schools. So what I'm what I'm asking you know I understand that there is. We're looking at the budget to sort of act as. A budgeting capped so to speak. But if we have a language in the bill. That asks the state to promulgate rules to award funds to participating students. We're under projecting just based on existing population in the in the program that has not all been marketed week and when I say marketed like Hey this is available come apply here are the benefits. And then going back to the fact that we have about a third of our schools many of them roll small schools. And in the R. F. status. You may love certain aspects but if you are looking at the incentives over here. To say Hey let's try this out we have a choice now let's try it out and everybody is available what I'm asking is. Without any safeguards in the language. I guess I'm saying there is no way to avoid to get to the next session of the session after that and there being massive pressure on legislators to say Hey make this money available you said that the money was going to follow my kid and you're not funding it enough and I don't want you said I would have choice and I don't want to do this I want my skin to be home school I want to take them to this private school I have the money to to pay the extra if you don't it is kind of like this if you don't representative flowers this is not the time the committee for debate time well I I I I'm I'm I'm gonna in this with a question. We get there yes thank you Sir two sentences of. So if you if you don't pray place those safeguards. And we know that the legislature has the authority to change the funding scale. Then either you have parents will not have the choice that is being stated they will or we open up funds currently dedicated to public schools I don't see it either or would you agree. Well first I I don't the I'm not saying a number whether forty eight or forty eight thousand home schoolers in the State of Arkansas I think the number what you're saying is probably the number of home schoolers and private schoolers combine of home schoolers or somewhere in the twenties and so are the private schools I think that number you're looking at is combined private school and home schoolers in the home schoolers will is probably unlikely that they're going to get the entire amount of funding available because they're only going to be eligible for certain items in the home schooling curriculum and they're not going to get the entire amount so I think both of those are going to be an act as as a governor on the cost but again there is it's it's specifically in the bill that if the funding is not available if that's not enough funding then it will be pro rated. To fight you're recognized Charlene Fite. Thank you Mr chair some of my smaller schools are asking me about the school safety part of the bill specifically they are concerned that they don't have licensed SRO agents in the school so I know a lot of this will probably come through rules promulgation but can you give them some some guidance in how that will look. So a lot of the. School safety recommendations came from a report that the legislature commission then when when you look at school safety and everybody's gonna agree that that is the number one priority improving learnings the ultimate goal that we have to keep students safe everyone of those recommendations came from the study about implementing implementing best practices that we know that can improve school safety it doesn't require that every school have a school safety officer or school resource officer on the schools that every time it's about working in your community serving of of a plan to increase access to having those individuals on schools to keep students safe there there's already a provision and I and I don't want to get the initial is this is this program is kind of like a guardian program that many districts participate in there's nothing in here that prohibits that in fact we want to encourage that if there's anything that we've learned about active shooter responses mitigating threat AS fastly as possible save lives so this is a strategy around that to make sure that we're doing our our best part on hardening campuses do we have sent to if fencing around our school single point of access cameras radios stores that locks do we have access to high quality mental health services behavioral threat assessment teams behavior third management so that if we identify that a student maybe a harm to themselves or others we have the appropriate training personnel that know how to respond so there's a lot of best practices around school safety in this bill and what I would really look forward to having conversations with school districts and how to implement them and bring them to scale. And follow up on securely was point just to clarify the language again most of this did come from a governor Hutchinson school safety commission so on page eleven just it's the requirement is to just work with law enforcement so each public school districts and open enrollment public charter school shall work with law enforcement to improve school safety and security by developing plans to increase the presence of uniformed law enforcement all public school campuses at all times and school staff and children attending class or during a major extracurricular activity so the goal being work with local law enforcement not the requirements have a school resource officer but to develop a plan to make sure that that the safety needs are addressed as best can be possible my community. The members if you look up and down the road you'll see there's still several green mice let up we've got eight people in the queue right now. Some of you have had a lot of questions and I want to give as much leniency as possible some of our questions are starting to get just a little bit redundant. And so please be specific to your questions and timely of those of your colleagues that have been patient waiting in the queue my plan we're gonna continue take questions from the body up until noon unless we can clear them out beforehand we have a lot of people signed up to speak for against this bill and I want to make sure that everyone of them have the opportunity today to do that we're gonna go up until noon. We will break for recess and come back fifteen minutes upon adjournment of the general session on the floor today where we will begin if we have not already started we will begin public Q. and a at that time so at that point this point representative Vaught you're recognized thank you Mr chair I'd like to piggyback off of what representative fight just brought up because that was my next set of questions so I noticed that were at. Ask in resource officers to do this training is that something that they already do and I want to know what like during all of this stuff that goes on in the safety process which I agree with is there funding for the schools to be able to do. These different. Aspects of the of the school safety because like one on if you go to line nineteen through twenty one on page eleven it says develop a plan to increase the person. Residents of uniformed law enforcement on all public school campuses at all times and then it talks about during major curricular activities so I'm wondering if we've got to have one in all of our schools is that something we're going to fund are we. Can someone explain that to me and then I'd like to know why private schools are not having to do an assessment on their buildings to make sure they're safe also. So again the the it's a recommendation not a mandates that recommendation so there's not the funding specifically tied to recommendations again we go back to what corrections and this is a very broad I believe it's fifty million dollars is allocated based on a grant program but against a recommendation for that okay. And then I'm sorry you mentioned private schools are so private schools have latitude to develop the the safety measures are in place for them again I'm fairly confident just based upon the ones that I know that that school the student safety is a priority just like it is for all those. Can I have one follow up and then I won't get back in the queue was that three questions in one. I'm gonna let you go since used told me that this will be your last one yeah maybe. No in there it says assistant principal it's that are assistant superintendent online Page three line twenty seven it says a superintendent and aid assistant superintendent I'm wondering if we're funding. That the assistant superintendent and how that affects five hundred schools five hundred invalid. Thank you Mr. So does not a staffing requirement it's just it's specific to And I believe the amended language was superintendent and one or more assistant superintendents was not staffing requirements. That's the place of all school. Representative Cozart you're recognized real quick question represent Brooks how many of the amendments were Senate amendments and how many were house amendments. I have a console of governor saying about the specific number I know that we had accepted a number of recommendations from the Senate there's agreed upon language I don't have the specific number I did not know that I had forwarded to a fairly large amount of information on for consideration for discussion but I don't have a specific number that okay so we do have some recommendations from the house side we did yes Sir thanks Sir. Representative pain you're recognized thank you Mr chair can you explain to me on page eighty seven line thirty one it talks about a Democrat or. How are we going to monitor that how we can make sure that debit card is being for good use not being abused. That's my only question Mr. So there's there's some practices in place in other states that have these provisions where those debit cards can be used for pre arranged design purchases were they can only be used at certain places it's not going to require us is is it just uses those are just kind of terminologies of examples from to go to the rulemaking process of how we can disperse those funds and payments but it wouldn't be just an open debit card that you can take shopping anywhere I would be something that's prescriptive there's some companies that provide this service. Representative long you're recognized thank you Mr chairman. As a twenty year veteran of home schooling I can assure you that I can say that home schooled and would use more than twenty percent of the money that's gonna be allocated Since the funds are limited to strictly curriculum in let's say make a special needs child it seems like to me would you think that we should encourage people to home school their children because it's gonna be really of a windfall for the state because we're getting such a bargain for teaching a child for maybe twenty percent of the cost of ordinarily would be. So president question up I think we should encourage I am first off thank you for your commitment to your kids and and costs going for twenty years that's not an easy task because as any of our educators would know but I think we should encourage is a state that parents and families choose the best choice that matches the needs of their child with the home schooling their local public school private school charter school a variety of options but I agree I I'm I'm agreement yes that that home school is an outstanding option should choose at. Thank you. Representative garner you're recognized thank you Mr chair We've talked a lot about the cost and the different ways we're going to pay for everything and as a committee that has to deal with the matrix is there anyway to see that proposed matrix y'all's proposed matrix to see how. Some of these funds are going to be utilized before we vote on the bill. Of course there was a House Atticus report and there was a cinematic was report neither of those have been adopted yet the leadership has looked at that to see what items they would want to use for the House report what items out of the Senate report I'd be more than happy to share with you what I've got it but it's not it's not totally been agreed upon is not it's something that you're going to have to vote on but I can tell you the way we came up with the numbers was using house and Senate adequacy recommendations. Increases in every category but a couple in and no cuts whatsoever but I'd be more than happy to share with you what I've got is a kind of a working to draft but it's not been agreed upon units not been voted on I don't care if I represent Garner out of the your user criminology matrix and I think you are you speaking specifically to the funding for the components of the learns bill not that adequacy matrix I'm talking about I'm trying to figure out how we're going to pay for all the things that. We don't have funding for. So does the specific line items like as as outlined in fiscal impact for the for the learns legislation. Well it takes both write both because it's total total bill thank you I can tell you generally the way it's the way it's proposed to be paid for in in FY twenty four you require a hundred and fifty million dollars in new funding through the RSA in in here too it would take a a nap another hundred million for two or six two hundred fifty million in your to we would use that along with some are profundity is for some of the governors components on lost learning a forty four point seven million could be used and then in addition to that of the educational adequacy closing growing in the last two years of it's fueled mainly by sales tax revenue seven X. and sales tax revenue so we can use a hundred and twenty five million out of that and not even touch the adequacy fund so generally that's how it's going to be funded through new new money through the RSA so mark of funding and adequacy funding yeah I would like to see that that would be great thank you I will I will say that that Robert has has agreed we spoke yesterday at that should members want to go and do a deeper dive into the the financial impact behind and that he's willing to leave tomorrow morning to sit together and and and go to prevent future great thank you very much. Representative you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair I think you answered please my first question when you answered representive Fite and bought on there is that I do wanna make sure the school safety piece you did say that it was a. Recommendation not not a requirement but I do want to check on page eight line thirty twenty nine thirty. It has the Arkansas center for school with safety of the criminal justice institute shall shall the always catch my attention in Bills it shall promote and support school safety and so forth and so on and so my understanding and correct me if I'm wrong that that is a specific vendor that's listed in here does that give any flexibility if they. All a lot of schools prevented this Arkansas have been pretty proactive and school safety as I'm sure many tribe from the state as well Is there flexibility that's my first question on the school district on that or do they have to use that specific vendor and is a reason why we have to have that and your and their the second question I had is on page forty and dealing with the superintendent contracts. And that's in lines I think it's in like nineteen to twenty five ishe and it says there that the school districts are gonna be submitting a contract of employment to the to death the I guess reviews of the state board and I'm not I'm not sure it is that is that what we're doing right now or is that a new piece of seven the contracts the school board similar contracts and can they add I'm assuming that what's in this bill for requirements for superintendents is the minimum school districts can out on other layers that superintendent contract if they lie I'm assuming but the review process I'm not familiar with that that's something that's happened in the past with school board sending contracts to the state. So relative to your question on page eight of the Arkansas senator school safety in criminal justice to so that's just an existing organization that's would be in use so there's nothing there's not a new statue related to them this we're just recording existing law that's in place but do not have to use them. The other clarification from the from the Department on that and that's no reflection on them by any I don't really know much about them I just want to have wanted to know that. In my my understanding is that organization as part of the University of Arkansas and then provide the service for free in many districts already are using them but they're not they're not limited to only those folks. It can you repeat the superintendent contract section I'm so sorry it was on page forty and it at. It Hawks I guess online twenty to submit a copy of a current contract of employment of the school district superintendent the Commissioner of elementary and secondary education so my question is not and it goes on a little bit more talking about contract employment as well being submitted is that something that we currently do school boards do sitting there superintendent contracts to the state and the second part of it is in another area of the of the bill in may but up above in lines that it lays out some standards for superintendents in their contracts I'll have a. We did we have a lot of things already and what are contracts is that just the minimum I'm assuming school districts and everyone I guess we should assume I am the school districts can add additional layers and expectations for their superintendents so everyone that into. Do we currently have to submit or school or contracts to the state or is that a new piece. So two two back at wine yes I I hope I hope an employer school districts to go above and beyond to minimize expectations but this is to make sure any bearing minimum when the school board is negotiating with the superintendent contract there's an expectation on outcomes of students to make sure this contract focuses on behaviors that improve learning for students in fact I've I've talked with some of our peers with the school boards association super tense associations and may even have examples of some model contracts that that they provide the school boards that have some of these metrics embedded so that that would be something that would be up to the local school board integration a contract. My understanding is currently there's not a requirement to submit these contracts for superintendents to the department of education but this is to make sure that we're being clear and transparent providing information that would be collecting us to what we want to collect them to make sure that the contracts are including the components that are outlined in statute that are required. Representative McNair you're recognized. Thank you Mr of I have several questions but just one for right now Page eighty seven nine thirteen it's on the where the holding up to five percent of the funds of the count annually for the administration of the program. Hi do we not have the capabilities to handle our money. So there's nothing that requires the agency to withhold five percent of the the cost but we're scaling a new program that's going to that's going to require resources the the Antenor or spirit is to make sure we can do that with existing staff but if we do identify that there may be some additional indirect costs supports to families there's a provision that allows up to five percent that is not required to. So this will be handled in house. That are not to an outside vendor. To administer the program that's the intent. That's the intent what we're going to start a new program but there may be a reality that the program to build this scaling with fidelity may need to be a contract with an outside vendor contractor this gives the provision for the agency to do that but the intent is for our agency to start up in administer these initiatives but then we have to look at it over years so it to see if we're able to do that with fidelity over time this is not the state committee we're going to pay five percent to a bank that administers some bonds this is the intent of what we understand this complex process in so should there be nothing this necessities of staffing of technology whatever might be to make sure that we allow for something within language that comes from the Freedom account funds to administer yeah thank you. Representative Garner you're recognized. Once again. One more time. There you go okay thank you Mr chair I have a couple questions about the the course choice program if if a public school is required to pay for courses from a private or charter school if the school doesn't. Provide that course Japanese three year advanced graphic design or whatever it is is there a chance. That. The public school is paying the private or charter ends up paying the private of the charter more than. The public school gets for that paid for payment for that job. Senate so the way that the current funding is determined for an F. T. E. it's based on sex so you you you look at what's fun it is a six period day some schools member seven NY for a but if a student participates in a course outside of their school that school can collect up to I don't know if there's a percentage balances no more than one six of the FTP for that student from participating in that period. So they would be required though to pay for those courses if they don't have them and. Someone else does. If a student chooses to participate in it and they have it they they may have an articulation agreement with a neighboring district offer services to each other's students they they may not be any transfer funds but if it's to a virtual provider or somewhere also along the lines that that requires a fee for service that the F. T. to cover the cost of that course would would go to cover the cost of that program to be in it. Represent gonna me added that I that's actually a common practice now if you have a home schooled student who wants to participate and some course choice whether it's an advancement of some part of their curriculum or whether it's extracurricular public school receives one six. Of. The foundation funding they'll receive one six of that for the credit that they're providing to that student. did you follow yes ma'am when we're getting the information from the proposed matrix and the learns. Piece of that can you send any of the learns programs that are funded by arpa or some of the grant money that will be terminated. No we we will identify I can identify the for their for programs in the governor's plan that are eligible for a funding currently we've got to those to be funded in twenty four twenty five we can actually fund twenty six and a half of twenty seven as well with abatement artefacts with your funding and there's of ample funding or ample arpa funding available to do that. I think it be helpful to say that it thank you representative flowers you get the last two. Thank you so as I like the way you said my name that yes ma'am thank you this section I have a couple of questions Regarding equity and equality and I'll. Start with the probably the questions people assumed I was going to ask and I won't disappoint. So the bill addresses C. R. T. and indoctrination I heard the. As well as Betting instruction about sex sexual orientation gender identity. The best way that I can sort of combine. My question is. Really why and I and I hope you can give me a specific answer but. Hearing hearing the response to senator Chesterfield about you know the definition of C. R. T. which I didn't hear an answer to that in particular. but you did say you did acknowledge that this is to you Mr weaver you did acknowledge that it's a theory you also talked about how it's at the year that's been to made it debated among scholars and that this language sort of preventive in nature. So in I'll skip over to the the this the ban on sex sexual orientation gender identity except for a. We clearly. Are in a place in this in society. Where conversations around race. On the enslavement of African people for centuries the subjugation of our native populations and on and on I mean we can talk about that. And you talked about how this wouldn't. This wouldn't prevent those discussions. But. I'm wondering why. With all of the horrific. And baseless. Theories that do exist. Perspectives on. The intellectual capacity of people of color you know I grew up reading and hearing debates on the bell curve for example. With those kinds of theories out there why specifically identify C. R. T.. And with being a state with the number one teen pregnancy rate. In the country why we would ever. Pose limitations as opposed to defining appropriate Language and appropriate lessons around sex sexual orientation particularly in a country where gay marriage is legal so why would we place these vans and point out those two aspects of life in America. Versus other aspects. Better. Horrific illegal racist anti semitic there's so many other things so can you touch on that thank please sure so thank you for the question and but when you're looking at critical race theory divisive concepts are potential indoctrination the this language really is making sure that when we engage in conversations around topics that may be sensitive that it's done in a fair and unbiased manner and that we we we should be able to debate we should be able to for most it is to be critical thinkers but it needs to make sure that both points of view are being expressed and we should be teaching students how to think and not what to think and when you look at the the prevented so this this this language it does just that it in in when when you look at the goals of schools we should not be able to we should not et cetera the teacher to tell students that there's only one point of view to every single thing and that this language is making sure that when we teach history is to in fact you're actually and accurately in fact you you touched on the making sure that we to slavery and and the history of ninety states and how we became as a society that should be required instruction we we need to teach the good the bad and the ugly where we're only going to grow as a nation when we are able to learn from some of the some of the horrific things we've done in the past to make sure my question is answered I'm I agree with that and I'm acknowledging you said that but so why not just say that instead of highlighting C. R. T. I mean doesn't that sort of put the state in a position of expressing a position on a given theory rather than saying don't indoctrinate. That the language in this bill reflects the language that was signed an executive order and and that's the language that we're continuing to to work around when when you look at some of the tasks of our agency we've been tasked to do a search to see if there's examples of regardless Syria of indoctrination happening in our schools so we're we're going through that process and we're going to continue to keep working on this. That was my follow up follow up. It was not your problem no Sir give me one more than thank you that's all I need is one and and I wish I. Kind of what started with this but I touched on it in some of of line the other questioning and it kind of goes back to my concern about support for our public schools particularly public schools that are struggling for one reason or another oftentimes our schools are faced with fiscal distress before we get to out and out academic distress across the board and obviously that you know. We could pick a town. Where the population population isn't either isn't growing or is declining at at at a much faster rate than the birth rate in that area. And so when you start there. And recognize that you know that any school is going to lose funding if it loses students period. There are certain so many aspects of the bill. That feature great program so for example the literacy programming. But it's it's piloted so it's not a statewide program that every district would even is projected to get I mean and then we don't know. You know if Armonk highest need districts will have the benefit of being a part of that pilot even if there is an intention to exhort to get it right before we expanded If we look at the teacher races. That's not something that was just evenly applied and here it is or the maternity benefit okay here it is it sort of comes with qualifiers and strings and waivers so that again is not evenly applied and it seems like. Those school districts that will have the hardest time accessing the best parts of this bill. We'll may not get there or may only get some of it. And I'm I'm wondering. How that coupled with the options and the choices that some parents. May have. Is not going to hurt our schools and what kind at all and I'm guess I'm asking again what kind of safeguards can be in place for all of our rural schools who will be affected but certainly those who are in DF DF categories which is a third of our our schools and and I'll add that a lot of times people think these Senator flowers okay I'm sorry I want to add anything that's my question thank you. So thank you for your number one your passion your your questions are the best so it did shows it shows your heart behind your appreciation for kids so from the perspective of of. Equity equality in this bill there's nothing in the bill that precludes any school district from taking advantage of the opportunities here and I'll go to the you know point to the fact of the the opportunity to increase teacher minimum teacher salary sixty one percent of our districts right now do not have a step. With a bachelor's degree or master's degree at fifteen years that is at a fifty thousand dollar level the majority of those districts are rural districts so this is real tangible dollars flowing in those districts into those small communities that oftentimes or challenged and are fine trying to find ways to grow and to improve what they're doing in the serve the people that are there and hopefully encourage and incentivize people to move into their districts and when you look at some of the provisions of something such as the Arkansas teacher academy program where we specifically incentivize new teachers to move into districts that are the most disadvantaged the most challenged I think this bill does nothing but support those that need it the most. Members thank you very much for all your questions at this time we're gonna go into recess we will re adjourn here in mac a fifteen minutes upon adjournment of the general session on the house floor this afternoon or we will take up the list we currently have ninety four people signed up to speak on this bill it is my intent to make sure that each one of them has their moment to share their testimony we're in recess.