Education Committee- House

As you. Thank you thank you for being here today. Members we're gonna go first to the top of the agenda today we've got a couple of items that we need to concurrent Senate amendments all ask representative Hudson. There she is represented Hudson if you go in the table introduce yourself and you can present the Senate amendment. Thank you Mr chairman committee and we have just a couple of small amendments that came back from the Senate because as everyone knows the Senate never likes to leave well enough alone with any of our bills and the first thing that I did and I I don't want you all to hold this against me but I added representative Brooks as a co sponsor so don't let that sway you on on this bill and then the other thing we did was just a technical correction there in the tax that to add that language about not only using the breast pump cleaning it as well and I'm happy to answer any questions about that. Any questions from the committee for representative Hudson on the Senate amendment. Seeing none to anyone in the audience like to speak for or against the amendment. Seeing none. Representative Hudson you're welcome close for your minute close for the amendment and what is will of committee. I have a motion do pass the currencies Memon on house bill eleven sixty one any discussion on the motion. Seeing none all those in favor the motion say aye opposed nay regulations or amendment has passed. We will go now to the Senate amendment to concur on house bill eleven eighty five representative Mayberry you're recognized. Thank you members actually this is a great amendment that the Senate added on here so I think them for that and I hope that you all will join me in passing this it just add some clarity to it to make sure that we're talking about a preschool that the district actually runs instead of a preschool that perhaps might be in the district but is run privately and I appreciate a good vote. Represent Mayberry is presented the amendment on from the Senate in on her bill eleven eighty five the questions from the committee. C. nine when the audience will speak for against the amendment. Seeing none represent Mayberry welcome close for your minute a good vote Mayberry is closed on Senate Amendment Levin eighty five representative Becky recognized our motion do pass the discussion on the motion saying none all those in favor say aye opposed nay regulations Senate member has passed on your house bill eleven eighty five. members will go now to the regular agenda we will start at the top there house bill thirteen forty seven representative back. You're recognized to present your bill. We are calling intimidating from. Down here what. This is all right of representative Rick Beck District forty three. And Dr Markham is gonna help me out today so that the fires of the committee yes Maria Markham director of the division of higher education. You're recognized to present your bill. Thank you. Of I talked to me about the many guys are co sponsors all on this bill this is a bill that basically. With the lottery scholarships with our scholarships or higher it's collars is there's really no system in place to allow an appeal someone didn't click. A boxer didn't do something and they just missed the mark there's no weather out there out and and so what this really does is pretty simple it sets up a five member board of from higher read in that they're just an appeal so not an applicant that would for our students skews me would find themselves in that situation would be able to get the applications say Hey this is what happened I didn't do this problem lock whatever happened and then that board would review that and that would just be able to reinstate the Scholarship where was there the fiscal impact on this is zero there's there's really nothing you know it's just really gives a person for lack of better term maybe a second chance something happens it could it could have been a medical event or something like that that happened that this got the student's situation where they've lost their scholarships and now we're just online and put an application forward to this committee and then this committee will review that application if there were student good standing then they would just reinstate their Scholarship. The committee cannot go back like if you were reinstated and you've already paid for some terms I cannot go back and reimburse you for those terms it would just simply be from this forward from this point forward of the application like today with that I'll turn it over to Dr Martin she has more details with this well I will give you too many because I think this is a pretty positive bill that I I do want to emphasize this is not for students who have lost their scholarship because they fail to make academic progress or their GPA fell below where they did do enough hours these are students who are in good standing who are on track simply failed to turn in a transcript didn't click a box and they missed a deadline it allows us to go back in and reinstate those those students should they have a good enough reason as us objectively reviewed by the committee to receive their scholarships so we won't reinstate a student who doesn't have a good chance of succeeding academically we don't want to set the students that for for failure or waste any additional scholarship dollars on a student who is not going to complete so that that's all I wanted to say and I'm happy to take any questions. Okay what reserve bank of the another thing is that you know I will be taking the easy questions Dr Martin you taken hard questions. The representative fight you're recognized thank you Mr chair representative back you specifically mentioned medical don't we already have a provision that if a student has a medical emergency that they can take a time out and come back to their school later why do we need this. Your you are correct we do have that provision in there this is just something happened and I didn't get it done in time after certain period time then or not yeah they have to pause as I understand it Dr mark maybe have a bill that run on the they have to pause if something happened and they didn't pause this would just allow them to go back and say Hey I didn't pause it you know they would review that the student situation then be able to just reinstate them where they were before whatever the event was the card. You're recognized thank you didn't specifically mention medical so that's why I brought that at I I talk to you about a concern I have with this and maybe Dr Martin can help me with this at some point we need college age students to start making adult decisions and taking adult type actions this concerns me a little bit that we're not doing that we're taking a step backward and saying you don't have to do your paper work correctly with a you don't have to send in your transcripts you get a freebie do over can you help me with that. well I think that we are expecting them to to follow through every every semester I get calls from students from parents from legislators who had a constituent who the email that we sent them to click accept my scholarship would to their junk mail they didn't see it so they didn't click on the button by the deadline and now they've missed the deadline so it was their responsibility however we felt that technology sometimes fails us and maybe we should have some latitude to reinstate those students with the medical you're correct there is a provision that allows students for for catastrophic reasons for their scholarship on hold but we require that they put that scholarship on hold prior to the end of the term sometimes for whatever medical reason that student might be hospitalized there's some kind of reason that they could not get their their paperwork completed so it gives us an opportunity to show a little bit of grace for students to have legitimate reasons that were good students that were making progress that we've already invested in and we don't wanna lose those students to that minor circumstance that was incapacitating. Representative Dick you're recognized for a question. Thank you Mr chair so I just want to have some clarification because I had someone not in my district but another constituent I guess in the state ask Is there a pathway if a student has like often they do as freshmen struggle and a loser Scholarship because of academic reasons and they go back on their own dime and then establish a good grade point average and meet those standards again I know right now there's not a pathway for them does is there that does this there is a public okay there is yes so they have a probationary period where they are on probation if they continue to to struggle academically than they do go back and they can make up those hours all around and then they will be reinstated that is part of the existing structure. Representative painter you're recognized for a question thank you Mr chair how this one file this appeals application form to the go in front of you guys has those that work. part of the bills that will promulgate rules for that so there will be an application that the student would be able to submit to this committee that we would form okay thank. The other questions from the committee. See none I believe we did not have anyone signed up to speak for against what anyone in the audience like to speak for or against the bill. Seeing none representative Becky Walker road for your bill I'm close from a bill a motion to pass their motion by representative back as a member of the committee motion to pass on house bill thirteen forty seven any discussion on the motion. Seeing none all those in favor say aye opposed nay graduations your bill is passed. we will now go to House Bill twelve zero six representative car you're here. You'll state your name for the record and then you may present your bill. Thank you Mr chair Joey Carter district thirty four of house bill twelve oh six. eludes to the every student succeeds act or as we know it yeah As S. a each year the index report is submitted. For each school and it's evaluation of that school it's a public statewide in the local media and also on on the websites it also helps to drive the reward and recognition program what that is is that's an incentive if you're if you're students Achieved in the top ten percent or if they have demonstrated growth. And you finish in the top ten percent your awarded so much money per student first two five percent is a hundred per state and six through ten percent I think it your warty fifty dollars so well with the passage of twelve oh six. Any student that moves into a public accredited school that's coming from a non accredited setting. And that could be any variety that could be out of state it could be a non accredited private school or it could be a non accredited home school setting of what would happen on that with this bill is that students results would not be calculated in that public schools S. index rating. It would also give the school time to create an individualized learning plan for that student so it's not like they're they're cut off from that but it's focused on the principle that that school will not be held accountable while they did not have any involvement in that child's instructional setting. So the student would still test the results would still be reported to the school that would still be shared with the parent an individualized learning plan would still be created for that student and the interventions would begin. the time period would allow for those two cycles would allow for the school to accommodate that student. And in a course. You know I've had several conversations in several people feel like that's too long. In my direct experience it it takes it takes of. Quite a while to get a student caught back up when they've been in the setting that's not been is rigorous and while at my school we have a a low enrollment I have two hundred students in my building. And so you know we might have we might have three to five kids per year and so before I filed this I spoke with several middle size schools in larger schools and I found that that number was proportional so So it affected other one says as well as as my school fiscal impact there is no financial. replication on this there is no right of infringement upon the parent they can move their child from whatever setting they choose to the only difference is of the school will have to testing cycles to to have that kid under their watch to monitor their progress before they are rated and they're held responsible for that student. the a a a E. a supports this bill I have had several conversations with the governor's office and. They do not oppose this bill I have spoken out to about eighteen superintendents throughout the state. I've had a couple of representatives I didn't directly contact those superintendents but I did have some of the representatives to reach out to school districts. That are in their constituency and of I've not had any opposition from them I did learn yesterday that to nonprofit organizations that provide services to schools. The A. P. R. S. C. and then also Arkansas learns they they do object to this and so with that I would I would entertain any questions. Members any questions for representative car. Representive when you're recognized for a question. Thank you Mr chairman so I see what you're trying to do it how does this of fit in with the with the accountability the overall accountability and and being able to give parents and people who would use these grades that come with the schools an accurate reflection did you address that well and you know like I said with with my school yeah we have about two hundred on average this would incur about three three to five students so while you're the the right rating reflection in this situation I feel as though it would still be accurate because you're basing it on the kids that are performing while they're in that building under that watch of those teachers and administrators you know for for some teachers The fact that in and like I said it's not take anything away that child is still being educated as needed but. It's just that that school is not getting raided on a student's performance when that child has only been in the school district months. Is that does that answer your question yeah I I guess I don't mind looking at like the two year plan versus maybe one or is there any kind of a measurement that could affected even tracked those while still not counting against the grade is there is that a possibility as well just try I'm a I'm an inside baseball guy Love stats you know it's yep I've got the ability to see and measure things that helps me get a more accurate depiction of what's going on so the reason I went with two. for whatever reason it's a for a real prominent time to enroll in my district. At spring break. So the students move in in March. If there K. three to they're being assessed by the we used in the B. E. A. for R. sum to assessment and K. three to that occurs in late April if they're in grades three through six the S. buyer is conducted in early may so there's one cycle there in in my experience it it takes minimum a calendar year for for. Lot of those students to be caught back to be called up. And and with with our process so if they come in there's the first cycle one calendar year later they're taking again and then that that gives us just a good foundation and so I know to cycle sounds like a lot but but that's the instance why. In the second prominent time to move into our school is right for Christmas break. So then there there in January so February March April and may So that's why I went with that and I discussed with the superintendents that I spoke with which was about ten. And I said I said think about this I see because. In the elementary. Two of the four components that goes in the rating one is proficiency or achievement and the other is the growth and I ask those represent of the superintendents I said. Are we. Are we taking away our opportunity for that growth factor because that also goes in with that incentive pay so I you know I don't know if you guys realize that but the reward and recognition work we're already getting teacher incentive pay. In this is wagered on that and I said are we lose an opportunity for growth and they unanimously all said they would rather take their chances on getting it on the end of achievement. As opposed on the the front end so base like it they said we think it's better to have the exemption on the front end and so that's when I decide to go ahead and continue with this I filed the bill. January twenty seventh and so I've had it on the deferred list for a while because I was still trying to vent out all those all those areas and so that was the process of me that time was when I was checking back with those superintendents on that thank you yes Sir representative Dick you have a question. Thank you. so I'm not necessarily opposed to this. But I have my question is and we discussed a little earlier this is an issue that we can have data on we got data on it you can have statistics on it you can give us the information on whether it is shown you can demonstrate whether it has had an impact on those test scores and elsewhere on the letter grades and that impact and so that's the piece of like missing here there's a sometimes things that we can't necessarily make a decision based upon information and added in here but this is one where there is data available for that we can see because I'm not convinced that pulling those students out will really move the needle in those pieces because I just don't know that there's enough of them but I could be wrong and open up to be wrong. But is that something that you would be able to get us so that we could you demonstrate the committee this actually is making an impact on and we can because we can't see it. Of I guess I could I could check on that. Thank you yes my other question on that one is my concern with the cycles on this is a lot of times as kids are moving in at spring break. They move right back out again and move back in again and so you're you're looking at what the third test cycle before we would test I know there be tested before they would be in the in the In this course for the entire district well they're they're still going to be in the database of their performance so their progress is still going to be monitored. It's just that the school is not being evaluated on what the school was not involved in while that child was not in their instructional setting. So this this the students will still that data the so there will be still accountability as far as what that students making it's just not going to go in those components for the SA index report. So it's like in your occupation. You're gonna be evaluated on something in your job that you did not have full involvement with that's the way teachers that's the way teachers and administrators kind of kind of see that. Representative Barker you have questions. I do doesn't mean I'm recognized okay. Thank you Mr chair. Doesn't this bill in making this move sort of assume the negative that the students coming in or going to automatically bring down scores and not test well and I guess that's part of what bothers me in this bill well and when I surveyed those. Superintendents. And that's the list of the schools that I have there's there's nineteen and when I ask them that's what I said as I said do you what what trend do you see how much do you see where this would hurt because if you have more kids that's boosting your stores within that that wouldn't and. basically it's like. Most most all of them do have a negative impact and I was asked by one I said they asked me if I would consider only doing the ones that negative and I said now the principal of my bill is if the school did not have involvement in that instructional setting they should not receive credit which is good or bad the principle of it is it's while it's on the watch of the school. Follow up recognized for follow thank you. But. The credit I guess this is where I'm looking at here. This whole. Set up is not punitive it's to reward. Right I mean and I see what you're saying and that we wouldn't get this but it isn't like we're punishing the schools for having the students come in now and take these tests no. It's just that a great. If. If you if you know. We we have students that moved in from out of state and the OB I say this proudly the rigor in Arkansas is greater than some of our neighboring states. And so. When no students move in there they're they're behind and the teachers are delegitimizes. it's just that and and you know as it goes on with the grades fourth fifth and sixth grade it kinda exponentially grows the gap does and so the older the child the longer it takes to get them caught up so you know just the the thought is. We're being evaluated. On the performance of a student that we did not invest. To receive this dividend. Representative flowers you're recognized for a question. Thank you Mr president Carter I remember taking a look at this and having concerns and it looks like there's some things that a change in the bill and the only question I would have is when you sort of did your informal polling of superintendents. That they sort of represent different areas of the state and they represent sort of a schools and F. schools and see schools yes ma'am would you like to see the list of I can see a letter but I believe okay thank you yes ma'am yes it's it's a a good array of of the state location and demographics representative fight you're recognized for a question thank you. Charlene Fite. Yes. Thank you Mr chair at representative Carter I'm hearing a lot of questions about this and I'm just wondering if you would consider pulling this down and perhaps amending it to have some kind of vote a weighted system for the students that come in new students that their scores would be reflected that that they would may be counted last to where the total then the students who have been there I'm not sure exactly what that looks like that some statistics people could probably help with that process and I think it would make your your bill much more amenable. Would you agree. I'll give it a shot. So or you're. Addressing to pull the bill down from the date to work with members to answer their concerns yes I will I will pull that down with the understanding that those that had concerns can work with me in and clean it up okay right thank you for presenting your bill up to this point today and we look forward to having you back in committee thank you Mr chair thank you Committee. Representative Cozart your next house bill thirteen thirty six. Not that you need an introduction the fuel induction into yourself for the record you may present your bill introduce your guest thank you Sir some of these new young people still don't know me so okay to go ahead and introduce myself. Of thank you Mr chairman representative Bruce Cozart district ninety one and I have with me from Lindsey Rucker from farm bureau association and I respect that exactly I maybe close on that I will let her introduce ourselves. When the wrecker education Arkansas farm bureau there you go. All right are you ready for me to go Sir. You may present your bill I thank you Sir this this is a an act to create a. Our agricultural educational pilot program in public elementary schools and we already have some education in our junior in our high schools do FFA four H. M. I don't like that before rates which is way down to so I'm gonna read this bill that's about the only way I can really explain to you just about have to read the bill to explain the whole thing because that's where it is and then I'll let Lindsay of chime in on anything if I say anything wrong let me so anyway beginning in two thousand twenty five twenty six school year the Division of elementary and secondary education may consult industry stakeholders including without limitation department agriculture in Arkansas farm bureau federation in order to establish a pilot programs provide for agriculture education elementary schools in the state of Arkansas I'm trying to Mary Bentley I can't go quite that fast. So the pilot program required by this section by determining whether and how to implement implement and elementary agriculture education program statewide the Division and. Consultation with Arkansas farm bureau federation and the Department and the education forum may select build application program a minimum of six elementary schools participation the pilot program established by this section the local school board of directors for each elementary school selected on this subdivision shall select shall of this section shall agree to implementing an elementary agriculture education program in its public school district for a minimum of three years three years continued provide agriculture elementary culture education to the pilot pilot program is either implemented in public elementary school statewide or terminated by the division and in consultation with Arkansas farm bureau federation an apartment determined by the method which elementary agricultural education program shall be implemented in the public school district a local school board of directors for each of the elementary school selected that so six schools of this section may employ an agriculture education teacher to provide agriculture education program of the school public district they do not have to just tell you they can if they want to the system allows them to that would be the money of the school at play for that that would be the only cost they would have if they have to implement that or if they use that person implement the pilot program shall be based on a nationally recognized three component model of the school based agriculture education which is include without limitation instruction organize classroom or laboratory environment hands on real world learning real world learning opportunities and leadership and learning up to sue the participation Arkansas division of our future farmers of America in Arkansas four H. Foundation incorporated programs. The curriculum for this elementary agriculture education program shall be fact based instruction that shall include without limitation equal portions of each of the three components the school based agriculture education this process that's part of the sections see of this section provides great appropriate collaborative learning experiences to instruction in acquiring. A new experimental learning activities and personal and leadership development opportunities and the established by the division and consult consultation with Arkansas farm bureau federation and the Department in with input from the agriculture in general education teachers. The Division in consultation with Arkansas farm bureau federation and apartment may provide for program evaluation regarding the success of the impact of Apollo program established by this section upon completion of the third year of the pilot program and report the results to the of the valuation required by subdivision of the C. section to the House Committee of education Senate Committee on Education and the state board of education that is the bill I'm going to allow Lindsey to expand on that. So originally this idea started in Georgia and they have successfully implemented both a pilot program for three years in their school districts and they have also implemented as a permanent option one thing that we want to stress about this curriculum is that it is supplemental it is not meant to replace any instruction that is already in your local schools it is supplemental and it is ad based the few other things that we want to implement about this curriculum is that it is free and it is voluntary it is not going to cost anything and you do not have to do if your school district is not used to Arkansas farm bureau's gonna rock and roll all of the costs that are associated with this curriculum so the fiscal impact is zero we have plans to apply for a Pete out grant which is a professional development of agro literacy in upwards of half a million dollars in order to equip the teachers with supplies and curriculum that they need to implement this policy. we feel that it's important to engage our younger students in agriculture principles while also giving them experience in workforce skills career readiness and helping them contribute back to the agriculture industry which provides sixteen billion dollars to our state's economy every year so that's kind of an overview of it short and sweet it is supplemental it is free and it is voluntary so I'll take any questions the I will state that this lady knows what she's talking about she came up doing that the rag programs up from time or I don't know how old you were probably five years old of doing those things and she's one of our people that came to the fair showing animals doing all that still has many cows goats and All Things as she raises so she's she's she's an example of what this this would do to the kids so we will take any questions. Any questions from the Committee. Representative long you're recognized for a question. Thank you Mr chairman of I did have a questions force and I know you said that would be no financial impact that you're with the governor actually plan and basically saying that a lot of children are not up to speed reading in the early ages I would not think that this would take away from time that could be spent on learning to give reading writing arithmetic he will be better to do the later years of one of the children maybe closer to an age to decide what their occupations conveyed because I don't want to get in grade school a fireman or a policeman. Thank you for the question we feel that with with the pilot program with the curriculum and with an evaluation process we can take those scores of the evaluation process and compare them to benchmark scores in order to increase literacy support across state of Arkansas I don't think that this is gonna negatively impact any of our younger students because typically by the time they're in junior high high school and I have an opportunity to learn about agriculture they already know what their interest in their hobbies are and most of the time that is not agriculturally related so if we can implement literacy literacy outcomes into the curriculum while following literacy state standards I think we can increase scores while also giving them a better outlook of career opportunities in industry. This this curriculum will work hand in hand literally they will be taught as that in that it will all be the same thing the same things are learning this this curriculum will run right along with what they're learning and also teach about the bag items that they need to know so I don't think it will impact negatively I think it'll actually help on our little street a valuations that we need we also plan to develop their curriculum around all types of learning styles we all know that not every student learn in fashion so we do plan to take that and consider consideration we are developing Arkansas. Any other questions from committee. Seeing none anyone in the audience that would like to speak for or against the bill. Seeing none represent Cozart would you like to close for your bill yes Sir I would I I really appreciate all of the spring this is something that's a true near to my heart to I'm I'm a person and I know we have quite a few here that are also eight people that I think this is a good start for our kids And specially kids that do not have a chance that ever seeing something to do with agriculture and it might change their life and we might make another veterinarian that we need nearly out of this so. We have a call for a lot of things in the ag business that that were really struggling to find those people in this this gives those kids and we always talk about going back and teach our kids young getting started in a career will this give them something to look at if they don't want to do this they don't have to do this just to Apollo program we'll see how it goes and we love to have the support and with that Mr chairman closed and I'll let somebody else make a motion. Thank you representative Cozart we have a motion do pass on house bill thirteen thirty six by representative Vaught three discussion on the motion representative fight Charlene Fite you're recognized for discussion thank you Mr chairman thank you for bringing this bill I know that many times a child who is not excited at all about coming to school gets into a program like this and then they want to come to school and they want to learn and they become excited about other areas like reading and doing math and so forth my one of my grandchildren is in a school that has a school garden. And it's a reward for him if he finishes his math he gets to go work in the school garden so I think we need to keep that in mind it as you said that children learn differently and this may be the spark that some child needs to get excited about school. Representative flowers you're recognized. I also want to thank you for bringing this bill it just reminded me of when I was in junior high school and took a horticulture class and went to the state fair and some other activities and it also reminded me when I was chief operating officer of the center for diversity affairs UAMS one of the most impactful and successful programs that we had were programs that provided exposure and so I think that coupled with the fact that you guys are working with willing school districts and your piloting this my hope is that it's successful and we can expanded across the state thank you. The representative flowers any other discussion on the motion for members. See now we have a motion do pass all in favor say aye. Those nay graduations representative Cozart you've passed your bill. Members that is all the bills are going to take up today but I just want to. Give you kind of a heads up so you are very aware that that the Arkansas learns Education reform bill was filed yesterday afternoon at a Senate bill two ninety four we are waiting to see kind of what the pathway is going to be from the Senate whether they will hear that bill tomorrow or not but as a place holder I would like you to just go ahead and make note that it based upon the time line of if if and when we receive that bill from the Senate we are tentatively scheduling a special order of business for next Tuesday the time will be announced at at at a later date but that meeting will be in big mac a so tentatively we are scheduling. Here's Senate bill two ninety four next Tuesday is a special order of business and big mac a as soon as we know what the Senate does if they do not hear that bill tomorrow then obviously as you know how the timeline works that would push us out we want to make sure it as a House committee that we give ample notice across the state any stakeholders that want to be president to speak for against that bill we're gonna take as long as we need to take to make sure that every voice in every concern or every comment of support is hard and so with that no other business before the committee seeing none then we are adjourned.