Education- Senate and House

This call the Education Committee meeting to order thank everybody for joining us. Okay I will do that as soon as we do our representative let me let me recognize Senator Chesterfield for a point of personal privilege a senator Chesterfield you are recognized thank you madam chair Senators Elliott and representative Love and I were out at the pleasure of taking pictures with this a not this wonderful group would you please stand up read you out in the House road. They're here for the PLC inclusive all program and is because they have done a phenomenal job I do know one of the teachers here one of the administrators of this Kylo Lawrence may he be allowed to just tell who they are and what they do so our guy yes miss Lawrence. All. Thank you thank you thank you madam chair for allowing us to recognize read wrote hello school in north little rock I'll say this stick around too because we may have to call you up to the microphone so everybody am listening online can hear what you had to say it because that will be on our agenda items so if you're around and are willing to answer some questions that might be a fun thing to add at during that part of the agenda representive Cozart to have openings. Thank you madam chair glad to see everybody here today thank you that are here to support the PLC's or glad to see the room is almost full with you and I appreciate what you all are doing these programs and making a difference in kids lives across the state we thank you for that we do have some very important items we will be working or looking at today by a lot about school safety and then some of the other things that the department of education gonna talk to us about and what we're gonna do in some different areas so stay tuned in please stay in your seats and listened to the whole show thank you. Thank you represent Cozart and I'm just going to follow up on those comments from my my co chair and say school initiative so I worked on with Dr Cheryl may in twenty thirteen to get that passed and and a lot of other legislators I think it was fully supported at that time and it was the beginning and since then in twenty fifteen it was updated and changed added to by representative Gossage representative Baltz and then in twenty twenty one representative Cozart and I M. did a more comprehensive piece of legislation that was just recently passed and the twenty twenty one session a couple of the items in that legislation F. twenty twenty one representive Cozart night sponsored and I think was widely supported by our legislature was at a couple different things one was to conduct save school audits and assessments and I want to just make a comment that for me that is critically important and I do believe and I'm going to state this right now before it gets away from me I do believe that we need to utilize technology to organize our information and conduct those assessments as soon as possible we actually do have the ability to create using technology the ability to create an online school assessment audits and we could conduct this before another student steps on campuses in August Arkansas would probably lead the nation if we were to spend some resources and utilize technology to organize those assessments to identify needs and resources available which is going to be different for every single school district depending on what they've already employed I have to take measures and so that is something that is at our fingertips and I think it's something that I personally think we should do and do it tomorrow. So we have utilize technology to create create these types of assessments to help define resources and direct our decisions and direct policy in other areas all across state government and I think this is one thing that we can do immediately and would have been a tremendous affect on our students feeling safe when they went back to school on in August and and so this topic is something that is very personal for me and for very everybody and so I did I'm proud of the steps that we've taken in Arkansas I'm proud of the policy that we've created think there's absolutely room to do more but I want to be one hundred percent comprehensive as soon as possible the second part of our legislation called for you to use mental health first aid training for a school counselor before twenty twenty four all of a sudden it feels like twenty twenty four is too far away. For this and I would love to see how we could incentivize those folks at our schools be on just cool counselors but perhaps coaches or teachers or administrators to have youth mental health first aid and how we could spend some resources incentivizing people to be trained in use mental health first aid so those are two things for me that are big takeaways and things that I wanted to state where my position is clearly as it comes to this topic and before we have the presentation but Arkansas could be leading the nation if we utilize the technology available to us and we can be leading the nation if we demand that we spend our resources for one hundred percent comprehensive school safety policy. With that I'm gonna recognized Dr Cheryl may with the criminal justice institute if she will come forward for the first item an ashes coming forwards if I could have are there a motion to approve the minutes from the previous meeting motion and a second all those in favor say aye. Oppose ayes have it in the minutes have been approved. And if you'll just state your name for the record you're recognized. Court a solace for chief counsel for the department of education. Now it's. To be read. My bad I'm not sure may on director of the criminal justice institute I and Arkansas center for school safety. State. Nick yes with UAMS. Could you state your name again I'm so sorry. Dr Nikki edge with UAMS thank you. Senator Irvin thank you of very very much for the opportunity to be here today are to update everyone on what we've done with school safety across the state let me just first and foremost save that are often times on the person that's asked to be able to provide these updates but be rest assured that I've got a whole group of people behind me are who have been working extremely diligently for a very very long period of time I S. Senator Irvin mentioned she and I have worked very closely on school safety issue since twenty thirteen Senator English has been a big part of our I safe schools committee representative Cozart representative Scott from last time center Chesterfield there's a long history of legislators that have helped all we've also had an enormous support from governor Hutchinson are in his office we have the the the Division of elementary and secondary educations are safe schools committee which I'm very I'm very honored to chair and then we have the work of the safe schools commission I which began back in twenty eighteen are following another poor rific murder of our students and in school and that was in in parkland Florida I also in opening want to state that you know we have to also be mindful that of we also have a history in our state of these types of incidents and each time one of these happens outside the state I'm sure that it Donna is very emotional for those that have experienced similar events are here in in Arkansas. When we matters a commission Arkansas twenty eighteen we work for nine months. There were nineteen of us are and we came up with thirty recommendations. Approximately eight months after we finished our work the governor asked me to do an assessment R. as to where we are. With the with the commission's recommendations and so are we work with UA little rock with the research institute and we're able to develop a survey that was sent out to every school district and I'm sitting here and I'm I'm I'm I face is probably getting a little red because I didn't mention one of our our chief partner and that's the Department of Education Division of elementary and secondary education and second and Secretary key are who have done a phenomenal job. We are. Did this survey and then looked at the results of the survey and we use those results to fashion the legislation all right that we came. To you all are to pass and thank you all very much R. for passing the significant legislation of one of the. Difficult things for me I and I know that your time is is very limited but I wanted to focus on some of the really good things that we've been able to accomplish and I thought I think it's also very important that everybody understands that we just didn't start working on school safety today that we've been working on school safety for a very long time and the making our schools have done our superintendents and our staff are have done an extraordinary job hi in applying these recommendations are and that we've come up very long way off from where we work I years and years ago so when we did the assessment we tried to follow the recommendations of the safe schools commission one of the first things and this is not in my slides that we were able to do was the Arkansas center for school safety was formed the Arkansas center for school safety is under the criminal justice I Institute I'm brought it was formed between a partnership between art Division of elementary and secondary education in the criminal justice institute it's a partnership we collaborate and that collaboration is is critically important we offer a wide array of different courses and technical assistance all right that focus not just on educators armed and administrators but also Law enforcement and in particular school resource officers all right you will were able to pop provide are based funding for this program several years ago and I want you all to know I am the governor how very very grateful we are so to kind of put this in a little bit perspective are for you I picked out a couple of the recommendations you should have been sent our a list of recommendations of the thirty recommendations from the committee are and what I'd like to do is I'd like to work through what I think for some of these are key recommendations we in the commission we were broken up into several different subcommittees are and then those subcommittees came up with recommendations that them were approved by the full commission and. The first one that I want to talk about our it's something that Senator Irvin mentioned a minute ago and it was all school districts should provide access to training in youth mental health first day for all personnel who interact with students additional school personnel training may include adverse childhood experiences trauma informed schools drug endangered children and social emotional learning and members D. six is the full list it's in your pocket of recommendations and she is highlighting some of these and then the legislation from the previous session is also in your packet. Thank you senator Irvin ax twenty six twenty and six forty eight of our twenty twenty one requires all school counselors to complete youth mental health training every four years Senator Irvin mention that also ACT five fifty one and six twenty two of twenty twenty one requires all school resource officers to complete youth mental health first state every four years. I can only speak about. What the Arkansas center for school staff I have officially completed but we are to provide youth mental health first aid across the state we've done close to thirty of these programs for counselors and SROs and we've trained about six hundred and eleven individuals but we're not the only ones that are out there doing this you're gonna hear when I turn the microphone over to Courtney once we go through these recommendations that the Division of elementary and secondary education's project where I. Dr Bessel Betty Kendall is here and she's going to tell you more about that there is one that I would like to get to before I turn it over to our doctor edge and you know how proactive are these programs are are highly dependent upon administrator's ability to want to embrace and while we only required in our. Legislation. School counselors and SROs to take youth mental health first state there have been some superintendents like spots may not work at a Greenbrier who has taken it upon himself to do it much much greater so with this point I would like to ask Dr banish all with the Greenbrier school district please come off and spend a couple of minutes talking to us about their program. Thank you just identify yourself with the record and then please proceed. Good afternoon my name is Dr Tricia finish I'm the director of mental health and behavior services for Greenbrier school district. In our school district we recognize the importance of of training our staff and community members in youth mental health first aid and with the support of our board members and superintendents we started training in two thousand nineteen where we had the goal and training all staff members and adults who work regularly with students to be trained in youth mental health first aid. In two thousand nineteen we trained over sixty five staff members starting with school leaders SROs and school counselors and then it year after year we trained over one hundred subsequently for a total now of over three hundred and and N. ninety five total staff trained in youth mental health first state we recognize that it's not just teachers to interact on a daily basis with students but it's also people like bus drivers maintenance workers custodians librarians school nurses and others who may have the opportunity to provide intervention when needed for a student who may be struggling with the youth mount with a mental health crisis or need intervention and assistance throughout this time uh we've had excellent feedback from the people we have trained in their level of confidence in intervening with students who may need that assistance and we're very pleased to see the outcomes that we've had with this level of training in our district. Thank you so much stick around in case you have questions if you don't mind we'll just have questions at the end of the presentation so appeal to stick around members make notes. Thank you so much thank you you. One of the other things besides youth mental health first aid and again you'll be able to hear from Dr Betsy kindle I shortly but is also focusing on a trauma informed response offer our students are and I can't do the kind of of work that Dr Nikki education do so I want to tell you first about a project that we're going to initiate I hear this summer before high school actually starts one of the programs that we do with CJ I is called the maltreatment of drug in danger children program and it's designed around getting law enforcement social services department of community correction in our schools better working together to try and identify kids and their families are that are at risk and in essence one of the pieces of that program is to work directly with the schools to be able to if for example a law enforcement officer is going to arrest a parent I that they should do with it in I'm mindful our trauma reduction way to reduce the amount of trauma that does that to children if they are present that they need to be more proactive in being able to identify if there are children present I and to be able to send a note to the school because often times these are events that happen outside of school that the school is not aware of and it's modeled after program in West Virginia called handle with care but since we have a handle with care program that focuses on restraints we had to call it the paycheck program P. A. Y. standing for protecting Arkansas Youth and the idea is that either law enforcement children or family services. Or community correction can send a note to the school basically indicating that this child has been traumatized and please handle them with care the idea is for you know discipline ought not to escalate in some instances where if the individual acts out if they don't have their homework done if they fall asleep in class that this doesn't contribute to any disciplinary problems of we've been able to implement this and seven counties and it's been very successful so we're going to implement this state wide beginning Act hopefully at the beginning of this coming school year having us somebody to talk about trauma informed response in a much more in depth way that I can speak about it I'm going to turn it over to Dr edge. Thank you Dr may I asked if I would come and provide a overview of our new trauma resource initiative for schools which is new enough that many of you may not have heard about it I have some flowers of flyers because I bet there's people in the audience that may benefit from from our work and might not know about it yet so. I think Dr may has alluded to why we need something like a trauma resource initiative for schools and so I won't belabor the point but I will say that our latest data suggests that in a classroom of twenty Arkansas students five to six will have had multiple traumatic events such as abuse or neglect living with domestic violence or living with family substance abuse and the finances really clear now that that impacts their development and health including their brain development in ways that make it harder for them to succeed in school and the result is that children with experiences of trauma are more likely to repeat a grade drop out of school or be suspended or expelled for behavior behavior related challenges that are often associated with traumatic stress and so for this reason or your thank you right we have been working toward a long term vision to support schools and becoming more trauma informed and trys is here to help us take a step in that direction with the troops we are seeking to raise awareness and support schools and responding to more immediate trauma related needs so our goal is to help schools prepare for respond to and recover from traumatic events impacting students families and staff we launched the dress in August of the school year and are providing support to schools through four main areas of activities. So first we're providing widespread teacher training to the school staff as as was mentioned earlier across the board whether it's the bus driver the nutrition a specialist or the teacher our trainings are designed to raise awareness about the impact of trauma on child development signs and symptoms of traumatic stress we provide an introduction to strategies that teachers and other school staff can use to build resilience and discuss ways to know if some children need more support we have offered fifty training since August training about twenty one hundred teachers and will have a busy summer we with fifty more trainings already scheduled in the books we've also been partnering the doctor may issue mentioned we're able to provide trauma awareness training to the school resource officers and have been able to embed that in the training that the CJI offers I'm we share resources with parents and teachers we share resources with also group school counselors in partnership with the guidance and counseling office at desi. We're able to respond to current events for example when children began arriving in Arkansas from Afghanistan we were able to get resources into the hands of all school counselors about ways that they could support children with those difficult experiences. One of the Pieces that we're really proud of is the way the rate been able to partner with the department of education to provide consultation to administrators and school counselors and times of crisis as they navigate the aftermath of a dramatic event that has impacted school wide be the school violence a natural disaster or an unexpected death of a of a faculty or student we connect counselors and administrators with a mental health professional who's an expert in childhood trauma who is able to think with them about how they can manage the situation and ways that will minimize the risk to children's mental health reduce secondary dramatization of staff this may include ways to communicate about a tragic event in ways that children of all ages can understand it maybe assessing children's immediate reactions identifying what students need more support we stay in touch with schools in the weeks and months to follow to help them I understand the needs that their school community may face as the your moves on. And then finally we know that not all mental health treatment is equally effective for childhood trauma and that there are evidence based treatment approaches that are most likely to be effective and so we provide what we call trauma care navigation we do this in partnership with a R. connect now which is a U. M. S. telehealth program air connect now supports the immediate and urgent needs of students families and staff and then we work with individual students and families to reduce barriers to accessing evidence based trauma treatment in their community we work with parents to identify mental health professionals trained in childhood trauma to find someone who takes their insurance who has an opening to get that PCP referral to make sure they have transportation so those of the supports that we provide we're able to do this because of a generous grant from the blue and you foundation which is allowed to members in my department and the department of family and preventive medicine and our colleagues in P. R. I. to collaborate to establish the set of services I want to really stress how does he has worked so closely with us to make sure that we're aligned with their goals may have been a tremendous partner and collaborator we worked especially closely with their guidance and counseling office. You can see our website here and again as I mentioned we're still getting the word out and so if you're here with the school and we haven't been to your school yet we want you to email us and and we love to come see you and train with your team thank you very. Thank you what doctor action so let's move on to what to recommendation for our under the mental health I subcommittee all school districts should establish a be able threat assessment team and process are these are teams that consist of school administrators faculty I investigators often time including SROs are schools counselors school psychologists are and and oftentimes an ad hoc member that is somebody that's familiar with the student are these are used in the event that there is a I threat ought to be able to evaluate our how credible are the threat is we were very very fortunate at the Arkansas center for school safety to have been awarded a twenty nineteen BJ schools stop school violence grant we are currently conducting a basic behavioral threat assessment classes actually we have one going on at CJ I thought today we've already done ten of those are we've had seventy six school districts are participating and we've also done an advanced behavioral threat assessment program but we've only done one of those and those will be additional ones will be forthcoming the important thing about behavioral threat assessment is that there are states are that see this as being one of the cornerstones you know when when we talk about school safety we've got to talk about it in a comprehensive framework as Senator Irvin mention that it's not one thing that's going to make all the difference in the world it's about having all these pieces and all these layers working together to best protect our kids so we also have a an online training available and we also have a. A I talk yet I that's available. And there's the information that I thought you could see but only I could so now you have that that you can read since I've already told you about that my apologies our recommendation five of the Arkansas department of education should review roles and responsibilities of school counselors to provide increased time with students of this was acted on very quickly our ACT one nine. ACT one ninety of twenty nineteen art requires all school counselors spend ninety percent of their time with students. We also have the law enforcement and service security subcommittee I and this committee was there as the commission was very supportive of school resource officers and recommendation to is if financially practicable school should ideally have at least one SRO for each campus. To date I can tell you that across our state we have four hundred and sixty our school resource officers and two hundred twenty three school districts across the state and that seventy nine percent of them now I want to make sure that everybody understands when I use the word school resource officer I am not in any way just talking about having a law enforcement officer in a school. That these are school resource officer programs. I tend to believe. That school resource officers are prevention specialists and that if programs are used effectively they can are developed strong relationships with students they mentor them they can also be informal counselors. To them and they can also be an extremely valuable educational resource. When a school resource officers or not used appropriately it causes of a world that damage I and often times discipline is accelerated when it shouldn't be our and it's very important that we understand that any time I discipline is involved it should not involve our school resource officers Dr may I'm just gonna throw in here members if you go to Twitter and you look up West Side eagles west side school district is in my district west side eagles posts regularly on Twitter congratulations and pictures of their students with their school resource officer who is awarding them certificates and water bottles for being first grade star students and star students integrates. Just an emphasis of what you're saying doctor may and this resource officers a friend of mine but the school district takes up to that level that you just yes describes and you can look at that I love I love that yes and thanks to what what you all did legislatively are we were able to Require a memorandum of understanding. I that's between a school. I am the law enforcement agency there are numerous critical elements are in that memorandum of understanding. Our ACT five fifty one and six twenty two art requires that state all schools adopt this SRO policy. This policy is now finished and is going to be distributed are and made available to all the schools so that they can begin the school year appropriately and. To make sure that administrators and staff also understand that S. R. O. should not be involved in discipline. This act also requires superintendents and district employees to supervise SROs to take a one hour of Arkansas center for school safety training on SRO roles and responsibilities. Our institutional police departments this was one of the things that was accomplished back in twenty nineteen to allow our schools to be able to form of their own police departments are because they don't have a law enforcement agency that they're cooperating with does not mean that they're going to be immune. They also have to wait here are to these rules and regulations but instead of doing it through a memorandum of understanding they're going to do it through policies and procedures. And we also make sure that our SROs I have adequate amount of training for example are ACT five fifty one and six twenty two requires all SROs to complete a forty hour basic class are to complete an SRO refresher every five years because things change. complete twelve hours a school safety continuing education every year I and all of this compliance is going to be monitored by the Arkansas center for school safety I think we made great leaps and bounds in professional license our school resource officers in this state by you all passing these bills. And as I mentioned Our original recommendation was that the Arkansas Commission on law enforcement standards and training look at the feasibility of having district level law enforcement agencies are and rather than study that ACT six twenty nine of twenty nineteen was passed allowing school districts to form their own law enforcement agencies to date to the best of my knowledge the most recent data that I have there are sixteen school districts are that have institutional police departments these officers are also considered school resource officers so all the training requirements that I mention also have to be completed by institutional police departments on schools. We also look at audits emergency operation plans are and drills I and one of the things that we are recommended as a commission of was to make sure that every campus has a one staff member that functions as a school safety coordinator I'm very proud to tell you that through compliance information that we've received with this legislation that ninety eight percent of our school districts have identified a school safety coordinator also part of the B. J. a grant that the center received we have developed a curriculum that's one day curriculum I that's going to focus on the roles and responsibilities of school safety our coordinators and we're hopeful to roll that out I in September of twenty twenty two. Recommendation three was that are back then it was eighty Eads but now it's Dassey's safe schools committee membership should be expanded that was accomplished as well twenty eight ACT eight oh nine of twenty nineteen of we expanded the safe schools committee to include the director of C. J. I. Adam I A. P. S. R. C. A. R. EA included she for sheriff the state fire Marshall and a school psychologist all of those have been placed all right and work through us are with the safe schools committee our recommendation five our comprehensive school safety assessments are should be done every three years our Senator Irvin talked about the importance of conduct a comprehensive school safety assessments but these comprehensive assessments including more than just assessing the interior and exterior of the building they include climate and culture surveys but also extremely importantly they also focus on schools reviewing their emergency operation plans and. Those plans are critically important being able to see those plans work through those plans what worked what didn't modify them our our our critically important so six twenty and six forty eight of twenty twenty one Requires schools to conduct these assessments are we do at the center I have online classes and in person classes on site safety assessment there's a yard commute computerized program called side assess all right that's asked actually advocated by the US department of education rams are center and it's used by a lot of our schools across the state recommendation six school nurses and staff should be trained in efforts that enhance the emergency medical response and schools are together with the drug director's office and the Department of Education we were able to provide naloxone the Arkansas school nurses are back in twenty ninety are we trying seven hundred fifteen our school nurses from across the state and now the department is helping them get a replacement on the locks on by interacting with the companies I CJ I can also help them with those replacements our intelligence and communications. School districts in collaboration with local and other law enforcement should implement and expand strategy smoke promote root reporting including anonymous reporting of suspicious activities behavior and threats Forty five percent of our school districts said that they utilized an anonymous reporting system. Twenty eight percent said they have a behavioral threat assessment team. I'm not sure how they're evaluating their threats if they don't have behavioral threat assessment teams so were a little out of alignment on this the other thing that I also want to mention is that what the school district you what the school districts use for anonymous reporting might not be a comprehensive system like safe to tell like the Colorado system where the call comes into a one eight hundred number that call is triage by a series of individuals it's then decided whether that call should go there should be an immediate call to law enforcement or it should go to the high school where there to be a real threat assessment team should interact and determine the credibility of the threat. There's no consistency and what we're doing and so I think it's important to tell you all that we do not have a statewide are anonymous reporting system with trained mental health professionals to assist you the reason why I feel that is so important is that once again if you look at our programs like safe to tell. Originally they didn't think that this would end up being the case but when they started collecting data after a couple of years they realize that eighty percent of the calls that were coming into that center work calls about kids threatening to hurt themselves not threatening to hurt others so by having trained mental health professionals associated with this process we can help get our kids are who are threatening to hurt themselves the kind of of of help that they need are we also said that the that there should be an analysis conducted to determine how the our state fusion center could be more effectively utilized to receive and disseminate information are pertaining to threats against schools are the Arkansas center for school safety is partnering with their state fusion center and we're working out the process of how we're going to communicate with school safety coordinators and school resource officers are about any particular frets are to school. To make sure that they receive of the con we information that they do and lastly on physicist physical security priorities what I'm gonna tell you were some of the things that I think physical security priorities are very should be very high on our list of things that we need to look at and I think we're learning this of more and more every day as we learn more about what happened I ACT of all the we need to make sure our schools have control access or they have control ask access to school buildings during school hours another word you just can't walk in the door that they're being funneled into one main door and often times there's usually Visitor management of software and management of programs that are happening to make sure that somebody who's trying to come into a school isn't a sex on or is on the sex offender registry that's so very and that requires the visitors to sign in or checking in and and we're badges so everybody knows when they see them walking around the school that they've been appropriately checked we also need to make sure our schools are equipped with classroom doors with locks so that the doors can be locked from the inside but yet also I'm locked from the outside we're numerous people have access to the keys that unlock those doors. Campuses should also have a single point of entry it's kind of like control access and district campuses What related and and anti shatter resistant glass in key areas our electronic access for all the electronic doors our district campuses have vehicle ram protection at school entrances I have numbers on classrooms a simple thing to do our or on the exterior so first responders can reference the position of students and or intruders and then like I said a lot of campus issues a visitor management program all right and one of the simplest things all right that schools can do is have vision panels on classroom doors are that can they could be nothing more than a under Drake or something that'll cover that window or shade that'll convert cover that window that allow students to hide if necessary I'm going to turn it over I know we're going to take questions I want to turn it over to Courtney are so that she can talk about some of the initiatives are that the Division of elementary and secondary education are on school safety have five have taken. Thank you Dr may and I'm not gonna go back over many of the things that doctor may already stated I think she did a very good job of talking about the partnership and collaboration that desi has with the center for school safety and the use mental health first aid trainings that we that we provide and that their office provides and the one thing I do want to mention that is our Arkansas thrive and program and our drive leadership leadership academy that the division is putting on to train administrators and principals and how to make sure they have these comprehensive systems or addressing behavioral and mental health in schools and the support in schools it has to do with making sure that they are aware of the programs like trips like project aware the different resources out there and how they can make sure that they have systems comprehensive systems of support in their school districts to address again those behavioral and mental health issues that we see occurring in students And so I won't go much more into that in that right now but I'd be happy to answer any questions about any of the things that Dr Mike mentioned. And the only other person that I would like to give an opportunity to speak is our doctor Hernandez with a a EA are to come up and give a voice to to our superintendents Tuckerman at present us come up. Members if you have questions you can hit your button. I'll let you sit here. Thank you feel just a state your name for the record you're recognized. Every year Sir Clark okay thank you Dr Martin and as executive director for the Arkansas association of educational instructors and just wanna say thank you to Dr may and and Courtney we've got to do a lot of work with them and serving them on their committees it's been the a lot of work even the during the time of when we're dealing with a pandemic I'll tell you these folks did not hesitate to continue to push forward the agenda of school safety many hours spent with these folks are trying to take recommendations legislation and make sure that administrator voices in there but also listen and try to make sure that our managers were aware across the state of all the different aspects of school safety I think the work is multi layered like Dr may said the department is done a great job in trying to help support schools in terms of culture you've heard about the different trainings that are made available the thing you'll hear about later on today with professional learning communities I think that's a big way to push forward culture in our schools because that's making sure that every students needs are being addressed and that's training that that I think investors across state covet and really have enjoyed getting to do that process from a physical standpoint I think a lot of schools or dressing that in their facilities projects trying to make sure that all the different new elements that are part of the facilities plans or or in their and I've seen I've seen those a lot across the state I will say one of the things that I would just put out there for the legislature to continue to consider in terms of incentivizing schools is when it comes to the safety assessment piece of that I think we they're still a lot of that can that can be bolstered across the state as you know districts have been shifting from that pandemic mindset of how do we how do we make sure kids are safe from a health why standpoint in schools but I think that any efforts to to get the that safety assessment sped up to where people were doing exercises and trying to find out where their vulnerabilities are across the state I think will better serve us. To make sure that we're able to to make sure that multi layered approach is there thank you. Thank you absolutely absolutely one hundred percent agree with that and I think that's an area where we could act quickly to give those resources to our schools and school administrators to organize the information that's out there organizes assessments which would then help identify the needs for each school district because they're all different some are at different stages and then others yeah and so you don't necessarily need to spend resources we need to we need to have information and data to direct the best use of our resources for each of the school districts and so organized that information I think would be really helpful for all of our school districts and then before we get to questions I want to just invite legislators this is such an issue that is so you know heartbreaking for every single one of us from all of our different perspectives I want there to be a process where everyone feels and powers to speak to their constituents or to their school districts and their administrators and final those ideas toward to us on this committee and because because I think everybody's input is so necessary we have departments we have higher education institutes Blake UAMS like Arkansas tech and others who have done working here in this area we only to funnel it through our clearing house at ours Arkansas school safety center and and so I just invite you will set up a process for ideas and I think that's just really important everybody has ownership in the solutions that we may have going forward representive eleven you're recognized. Thank you madam chair Dr may thank you so much for your presentation in this. Very obvious that you're very passionate about this topic and just extensive work that you've done over the years. There the second recommendation from the law enforcement and security subcommittee was to have one S. R. O. per campus if financially practical preference. in the data is supplied today sure there was four hundred and sixty SROs in two hundred twenty two and twenty three districts. That is a relatively small number when you look at the actual campuses. Across the state as compared to the actual districts. What does the data show as the reason why the schools have not enacted this recommendation. Or is it consistently just the financial please. Let me share one thing with you One of the questions that we ask them was you know how many schools have SROs on all campuses. Twenty percent. Said that they had SROs on on campus when we are asked them to to rate their number one funding priority it lasts for school resource officers are and physical security in talking to many administrators are the financial. Component has been consistently and the number one component of doctor Hernandez wants to qualify that any differently. No he say no Hey have you found that the that that the local law enforcement agencies. Are proactive in working together with the school districts to be able to supply that yes one of the things that some of the legislation addressed as well I is the importance that you know even if you have an SRO that is critically important that. Schools work with local law enforcement even if they're not the agency that providing your your SRO and that that. I'm margin C. management folks are as well as the fire department because as we all know if there's an incident everybody's going to have to respond it's not going to be just that one agency so them having the opportunity to work through those drills particularly the lockdown drills and provide some feedback on their emergency operation plans of would be are tremendously beneficial great thank you in just as a point of information on the C. L. A. S. T. you stay there was sixteen agency entities that have been approved yes for institutional issues what is possible could we get a list of those sixteen. I know that still school safety we're the reason why we're kind of cavorting up here I is that you know there was the the law that was passed and was a twenty nineteen. So we don't have that information and and I know state police from previous conversations is reluctant to release that information just because I've security purposes there is a a law on the books that says that school safety information is exempt but it's I'm sure it's possible that there could be communications so far the school district and I wanted to look further into this. How would I know. Districts to look out to that have model programs. I'm sure that the silliest is forming a basic model but yet districts are somewhat different they're not all cookie cutter in so they have to. To see someone adapt and it is our way for districts collaborate on. With that that that that's a very good question I can tell you this are that there are some larger departments that have institutional police departments and then there are many of them that have only one officer that's their chief and is there institutional police department super thank you six thank you for the information. Representive Godfrey thank you madam chair thank you so much Dr Mary or your work and your partnership throughout the session it was incredibly helpful to have your expertise I'm as we removing these bills forward and and I just want to say not only thank you to you and your team but also to the schools in Arkansas who are putting the safety measures in place I mean you mentioned so many different facets I love how you described as a comprehensive framework mental health trauma law enforcement as school safety personnel school safety assessment intelligence and communications physical security I know that eyes I got some Springdale folks in the room here today and I know that I was a former employee of spring to schools and not a current mom of kids in Springdale schools I see all of these things taking place and improving year after year and to ensure that our our kids and and school staff for states that want to give a special shout out to spring up I really to all of Arkansas schools because we know how vital this work is my questions along those lines along the lines of and Senator opens point of a really all ideas coming to the table which I certainly agree and and I think we're on the right track and we have the appetite for really looking at every possible solution and putting the work in to have that comprehensive framework but I did notice that especially in response to gun violence we don't have any guns safety solutions and perhaps Fund that your work is not in your purview but it is in ours as the legislature and so I'm wondering if as part of this comprehensive framework do you think it's worth including even just conversations about gun safety legislation as we talk about school safety I know that for us on undecided it's difficult to get to common ground on that issue but at the same time. I am I I feel like it's disrespectful to our schools. To not look for every solution including gun safety measures so I'm just wondering if you think I'm especially you know in conversations with catapult counterparts in other states who are doing the same work especially in response to gun violence if that comprehensive framework should include gun safety measures. I have not had those conversations with folks nationally. On the on the national school safety Senator front thank you and and colleagues I would just encourage us again I know it's tricky politically to have those conversations but just but as a mom at the and as your fellow colleague at the center of its point would would just really encourage us to be brave enough to at least have the conversation about where we can find some middle ground there thank you. Thank you as part of your training with the SROs on campus gun safety within that personnel is address publicly yes yes absolutely okay. Senator Elliot you're recognized for a question. Thank you madam chair and and my question of follows a bit on representatives representative got these questions It seems that a lot has happened out in the to the world in the world that's not being that's now being brought to school and I find myself wondering When our teachers really going to have enough time to teach because I I I applaud all the training I think it is a good thing. But you know representive got free others in here as well no we know what it means when you're supposed to be teaching kids about academics but you have to do everything else as well so that's just something I want to speak about so this is a quick this be submitted this question Do you know of any clearing house. Where we can go. To get a composite of information that will tell us what are all the things happening out in the community for which the public in general and not just the kids. The ward what are the reasons what are the sources of. All the violence that we see coming to our school if there is a clearing house please not just one thing one thing one thing I do know of the state of Illinois has a fusion center and that fusion center gathers all the information about violence within the community and particularly also as it applies to to schools and so they have a yacht network I that they supply this information to it's like a a list serve. And so if there is an event are they sent out an email alerting everybody that there is this event and it's not always just school violence. Well I'm getting to school violence in particular because it's kind of like If if we look at the incidences of violence that are happening in the schools that must be reflected somewhere in the community and so what I'm hoping for as I've said many times about waiting until everything gets to our schools and then we state school now you address this what is it that we as a public as adults could be doing to make ourselves uncomfortable what making sacrifices what ever we need to do so we don't wait until it ends up in the schools and say now we're going to address it for and and may take gun safety for example that's not something that's probably going to be addressed as well as it could if all of us out in the public we adults have some responsibility about what can we do about it and so I. At that clearinghouse to me seems important it might not exist the way I'm thinking about doctor may it might not exist I'm just suggesting here in Arkansas as legislators we know this when something happens at the school everybody looks of this committee now you go tell us how we're going to fix it I'm trying to figure out. How do we not have to turn our schools into fortresses what how do we not have to have teachers do every and other staff in the school be prepared for everything that's going to go on because we didn't address it and and our communities and if it doesn't exist it doesn't exist but I think that's something we ought to think about because you guys are doing great work thank you but I was certainly like for us to do something about the date before it breaks you know that's the kind of thing I'm thinking about so yes ma'am all right Senator Elliot can I respond to short. I I understand and and the way I hear you and I believe that this is so very important to connect this with our juvenile justice system. And the savory assessment tool that we put in place your juvenile justice reforms that we passed. There has to be and I take this always from senator Chesterfield who always talks about our government be and so silos and it is this is an area that is so silo to where the information actually does exist and it can be brought together in a way that can be helpful for. Interventions. Before it happens at a school and I believe that those assessments or juvenile justice and that communication between our school districts or schools in our families and our systems whether it be Department of Human Services the Division of Children and Family Services juvenile justice system schools all of those policies have to be connected. And those dots have to be connected so that policy is consistent so that those things and all the resources were spending can be comprehensive and kind of strung together and. I just wanted respond because I can't hear what you're saying and I I I agree that there are. Opportunities for us to utilize technology but we have to spend the money to do it so that we have those types of communications available throughout and across agencies that are dealing with our families if our state of Arkansas we consider the people and the citizens that we serve as our clients that we care about then we would do everything within our power to spend our resources utilizing technology to break down those barriers across agencies so that people could be helped more quickly more effectively and more efficiently. And so we can get those resources to people that need them but the key of doing that is being able to communicate across those agencies and all those different people that might interact with those the certain citizens and families and use so I'm very passionate about that and I I've I feel like we have that opportunity we have to prioritize it and be intentional about it. Just wanna respond and this is going to seem is it perhaps is not connected but while we're doing audits in our schools which is a very good thing to make sure we're safe it seems to me if we as legislators with think about think about this in a community way how about let's do audits and our communities to determine whether or not our communities are are places where kids have a great life a places where people have decent jobs places where anyway everybody in this room with mine living if we did that audit. And with adults taken responsibility those things would not end up in our schools I don't think it the way they are now and that's what I'm talking about and I know for a lot of folks that just seems like you're talking from another planet I'm not talking about another planet because the kids don't if we don't get guns in schools and students and school for Mars they come right out of our communities that we are not fix and and I I did just grieves me that we're putting so much on staff in the school but more importantly we putting so much on these kids the schools need to be happy joyful places and I might I might last question has to do with the doctor may I I was trying to keep up with my looking at all legislation and listened to everybody speak Where are in the process of returning set determining safety in the schools where the voices of the staff the teachers and the rest the staff are actually a part of. In together these these safety measures and these ideas I I couldn't put it all together because I saw everything from at minutes from from the C. association ministry as a source Association down two of several of the folks but to just clarify to me where teachers and other staff it into determining the safety measures in the school yeah absolutely I think there's a place for teachers and students to participate in all levels and it would be up to the the administration. I'm sorry doctor makes you because I need to move I was talking about in our legislation is that in our lives no ma'am that's not in the legislature that's something I think that needs to be fixed because that very folks that are behind that door as it. Have some have something to say on the front end not be just be the reaction on the back and and that that's it and and I think that's something we don't think about in our legislation not for you but for the rest of us thank you madam chair thank you I'm gonna get a representative makes. Thank you madam chair got just a few questions first one that I've not heard you kind of mentioned in in all this is a lot of the school districts and by the way before I jump into this I travel to a lot of schools around the state and I was very encouraged at the controls of that are in place that that you mentioned already something for making good strides there my question is is is a number of school districts across the state have chosen to armed staff and armed teachers word is that play into the you know SROs and and so forth for dower or curtesy that again means that counted as a their own police department or where does that fit in the Max NO those sites those individuals fall under the category of what's known as commissioned school security officers are and they can be staff are they can be which would include teachers custodian's a wide variety of individuals or they could be members of private security that want to carry a gun are they go through sixty hours of training and they're certified through the Arkansas state police and similar to the other with that institutionalized police departments all the state police were able to tell me was that this is a very viable programs when we in the commission talk about layering sometimes. It's thought of well you can have SROs you can have commissioned school security officers that's the way I some schools have approached this and anyway and any idea of how to quantify that number other than a just a very vital. Reserves I think a it becomes a huge deterrent if a potential silent knows that he can walk in any school district or an and. Well there's gonna be somebody there who can defend the L. Dr David Hopkins Clarksville mmhm I has been very vocal yes definitely and I think that's one of his primary reasons yes definitely the next question I have and I've got a course gonna give a shot at the green box I represent reimburse school districts have been very proactive in this area and including they've had actual active shooter trainings and you kind of alluded to this a little bit earlier but do we encourage student or school district actually go through active shooter training local law enforcement so god forbid something happened officers are familiar with the layout of the campus and yes that that the center as well as many departments law enforcement agencies are training our staff in what's called Crace are civilian response to active shooter events and that's based on the national standard of of alert I to Texas state university and are a lot of our school's doing that majority or schools yes every every summer we're in a date I and there are some schools that like us to come back you know every couple of years that call us and ask us to come actually and then my my final question in this may be one of the with one or more important ones is. What trends of shown us that usually. When. Something her facts about to happen the perpetrators posted on social media Hey I'm about to go here and do X. Y. and Z.. What if authorities learn about that and time walkers through the proper response that should be taken obviously I'm asking a what if question here but. What is the proper response from schools from police from whoever to stop it before it happens. Once that threats being made I'm I'm only going to be able to address certain general Gen Generali service or gas I'm only because I'm I'm not sworn law enforcement so I've never been involved in those types of experiences but when this gets back to the whole discussion of our behavioral threat assessment what I was talking about a little bit earlier about there being a threat out there I and one of the things that the secret service and FBI studies have been able to show I is that when these types of events happened somebody is told by but that by the perpetrator right and so them being able to come forward and report that threat then these behavioral threat assessment teams can get together and they should always include law enforcement whether there's as school resource officer or whether they have to go to a local or county agency our in order to get that person on the team and then they will evaluate how credible that Freddie is and then once they evaluate that then they can decide what those actions are but to get down in the weeds and to tell you what those actions are Sir I I can't how long comfortable being sure all we don't wanna give the bad guys too much information obvious right how long does that take because in the U. faulty situation it was like within an hour from what I understand I mean it was pretty quick yeah how long does that take generally it can be very quick to I hate us to have a response bogged down simply because we were the. Carbon committees and not actually taking action so I appreciate thank thank you manager yes Sir thank you representative back. Yes. Representative back. I don't touch anything okay sorry about that I appreciate all all the all the efforts and that you're not putting everything together and all that and this. This might sound critical but is not my intention some credit was asked the question right you if I understood you correctly said that in two thousand eighteen you made thirty recommendations you guys got together and made thirty recommendations and I appreciate you guys and I really truly do mean that my question is this. Given the events that have happened since two thousand eighteen have we gone back. In taking a look at each one of those events applying them to our recommendations that we have done more of a check and it just to make sure that we now the best of plans can miss that a detail or something like that just to make sure that our recommendations. St I guess maybe that would stand up total to what's happened in these tragic events that have happened all over the country and in a yes Sir we did do that you after each event you go back and check out we're gonna most certainly look at this one very closely thank you very much for doing that yes Sir. In care and and I think to I know that representative Jamie Scott came in and there so many legislators that parked on this from so many aspects that and that legislation is clear included in your packet and T. two but on the use of mental health first aid and how critical that is and and then the MO you and the process of of what you had stated. I think there's there's so many more opportunities for us to connect all of that incentivize that just like Greenbrier I'm so proud of the fact that they have trains three hundred and ninety five total staff that are trained in the US from bus drivers custodians. That's what we have to get so I mean I hope every superintendent administrator sees that and that we all hear that that it's important enough for everybody on that campus to have the training to recognize when a student is in me and I know from my conversations and working with Greenbrier school district and that they've actually taken that down to the student level to and they've helped students train students to say this is a this is a warning sign this is how you need to recognize that and this is what you do with that information safely so that they can help their fellow students because a lot of times that's where the interaction occurs that's most important is student to students me my my daughter taught her best friend how to read and fourth grade. You know and so it that I think is so critical so cute as and so glad you were here to to talk about that but I think that's really really important the bus driver that took my kids home at school from school every day he said don't forget to let every ounce. And that's amazing that people and that the bus driver knows your dogs in the house you gotta let your dog out you know and I know I live in a small town and I love it I live in Mayberry but so critical that you have bus drivers that are also on the front lines with our students and concerning ends and the nutrition specialists in the cafeteria all those people make that community so just so important may I make one more comment yes and I promise I won't talk anymore. I is that during our discussions that was an important element that Senator English I wanted to also cover and so what we did last I think it was Dr Kendall Linda Graham who is a a school psychologist in Lori Poston who was on that are commission I that the three of them got together and developed a one hour online classes for all school staff that focus on mental health awareness so that is also available for that. Other staff that that you referred to yes. Representative McKenzie you're recognized for a question. Thank you madam chair question I have is I've been visiting with folks here and a lot lately I know we've talked about the mental health we talked about the structure. I'm here a lot about discipline in the schools and I see on recommendation three here the adverse childhood experiences I know that there was a lot of movement and interest in the last session. With regard to discipline and and removing some local control and these adverse childhood experiences study is being conducted sometimes requirement before discipline could be provide to the child so what I'm here for teachers is a that's a real problem in schools is just a fun summer saying we're leaving is is just getting out of control in our hands are being tied so my question is as as we're looking at this what what. What if it's just reporting on school discipline and are we going in the right direction which I think teachers are telling me is we need to have a little bit more local control are we going to move further in this direction where we're going to have these adverse child her childhood experience studies and putting more barriers before you know discipline which I think is good for some of these kids and I weren't the ones that are actually going to fall into the category of adverse childhood experience studies are going to actually be the one to maybe need this discipline may be a problem for us that we need to. Provide some innovation intervention form. So representative vacancy there there are laws and I could look him up if I had just a second but that require school districts to obviously develop student discipline policies and make those available to the department so that we can review those for compliance but then also that more importantly requires them to look at their seats discipline data and have committees at the school district and involved parents and teachers in those committees to see if possibly there discipline policies are adversely affecting one group over another to see if there needs to be changes to policies made again all based on a review of their data at that local level there are certain things of course in and legislation that requires certain things to be prohibited offenses and recommended disciplinary actions for those offenses but there's always still discretion at the superintendent level and at the state school board level for how they implement their local policies and how they choose to implement some of those student disciplinary actions. So I guess my question is so the concern from here from teachers they feel like they're losing have very little tools. At their disposal for just one problems my question is are we moving in a direction we give them more we get moving in a direction where we get some laughs. With some of these recommendations. I can't really answer that question and again I feel like it's We're working with school districts we work with the different organizations and trying to make sure that the teachers and school districts have the information they need have the tools they need and that that information flows from the state level down to the teacher level because we want them to have the tools and resources that they need to appropriately you know educate students in their classrooms okay thank you. I'm Senator Chesterfield I have represented Springer and senator Hammer center Chesterfield you're recognized for a question thank you so much madam chair and thank you ladies for all you do Dr may have been seeing images good to see good to see you too high I noticed that we we did talk a lot about mental health for the children and for those making sure that those individuals who a. Home we are. Have that kind of training to the difference is I'm a different person I was a different person at fuller junior high school in the morning. Then I was in the afternoon. And those of us who teach school understand that because after I'd gone through morning duty. Taught all those classes in the morning I had lunch duty. And then I had to teach young people in the evening or as tired as I was and then had evening duty as well I'm not the same person yes ma'am so I still remember she freshened by bat what I'm trying to find out is when you are dealing with the mental health issues as it relates to our school staff. When you began to train them to be alert and aware and to even arm them are we looking at their mental health not just in a snapshot but throughout that day which may or may not impact them we don't know what they going to do in the course of the day when they have that gun that's available I and young people have a tendency to challenge or they did when I was around they challenged and you know you have to be able to meet that challenge or you're not going to survive so I'm just trying to figure out when this how does this mental health training work is done in a snapshot is it done in isolation or are we dealing with individuals in various settings so that we are having a better understanding of whether or not they are capable of doing what they need to do to keep our children safe. Cordy one handle since its staff. I'll be honest I'm probably not the appropriate person to answer that if you would like more information I can have miss hope Allen or doctor Betty Kendall talk about the work that they're doing with mental health and behavioral health. Well that's fine with me I don't want to belabor it but I do think that at some point in time. Here wonderful madam chair may I. Thank you. Yeah and I also have an up to the table actually and and I know we're we're running long that this morning tide tanda and this is the assessment pieces that we're going to be on our agenda actually I've downloaded a white paper about the capabilities they have with defining at risk student responses with found within our assessments. What were the questions you're recognized for the records state your name and then you're recognized thank you madam chair at afternoon how portion S. R. program director for the department head so what about task now as we are working with them document to kindle and our counseling department at the department as well as our behavior support specialist across the state and we are working on a what Courtney mentioned earlier strive and thrive Arkansas and it's a really a network of support for principals and and building a system around positive behavior support and mental health supports for students is really looks at the overall system what are we doing in court classrooms what we do in building wide active promote and to support students with that behaviors that we want to see of them both academically and socially and then looking at a school's behavior policies to determine and do they have the flexibility they need inside this policies to apply appropriate disciplines when students are not exhibiting those behaviors but then also how does the overall system work to support students when a student need arises so within that training and we will look at you how does a student get identified for additional help they need and how to stagger and then staff as well how do we help support our staff in their mental health needs or in there and in their ability to respond to student behaviors in the classroom so that that training is going to start with principles and it will go into to go further develop to support teachers in what tools you have in your classroom to and better support is exactly what you said Mr felt about you know the end of the day is a different time than the beginning of the day and really it all starts with relationships and how we form relationships with kids and and really be explicit about the expectations that we have on all areas what I'm concerned when we had these conversations in the past they did not. Also include guns correct. That to me is a huge difference I am concerned that as we go about our training. That we don't do it in a vacuum that it always takes place at nine o'clock in the morning. Sometimes it takes place in the afternoon we can assess people in the afternoon after the day is almost done because once we start talking we've already gone down this road and we assume that if they're in the classroom and they're capable people and I believe that they are but we have mental issues at that are that are a part of our fabric as educational is that I wanna make sure we are addressing. And not in a vacuum we're not going to do it all at the same time but how am I responding the difference between my response at eight o'clock in the morning. In my response at two thirty in the afternoon. And I would like to see us do that for the child and for the education for our educational support professionals so that we are making sure that our children are not the victims of our mental health issues as we go forward I appreciate it thank you so much for taking my question and I'm happy to hear any risk you have respect for candles going to give you some additional information center yeah and I think that's a great question and I wanna speak specifically to the issue of staff wellness because of our teachers and our educators are not well they can't walk into a classroom and manage students that may also not be well so my name is Betty Kendall and I work for the Division of elementary and secondary education I oversee project aware which is a nine million dollar stamps the funded grant wearing your for we have lots of goals but just briefly to address what you're talking about one of the major the biggest things that we've been doing mostly because we recognize the need especially to the pandemic and and with the school violence that we see is trained teachers in youth mental health first aid along with doctor may we are one of the the major providers of youth mental health first state the thing I love about youth mental health first aid among many other things is that there is a component about self awareness in there for you to assess where you are and if you're in a healthy place to walk into that classroom there's also resources in that particular training around what you do when you're not okay to walk into that classroom in addition to that we provided training around resilience and staff wellness and when I say staff wellness I'm not really just talking about the fluffy stuff the really deep things about are you are you really okay to to walk into that classroom and take care of the students And again I'd knowing yourself well enough to do that and it's really important to start at you know high levels of authority because while even if our teachers recognize that they need permission to be able to do that to step. Away and say you know what I need a break I need a moment and so entertaining as we are working with not only administrators but teachers across the state on recognizing those things in themselves and how to recognize those those students that also need services particularly mental health services but also just counseling services or an additional support system that needs to be put in place I thank you so very much thank you madam chair because I would always advise teachers take a mental health day sometimes we need to do that not just a physical health day but a mental health day because we to suffer from loss family loss we suffer from financial we suffer from all of these things and yet we sometimes come to work especially if they say well you have an incentive if you don't miss a day then you'll get this much money a and at the same time then we're hurting ourselves thank you and all of those who are in the classroom or or in about the classroom thank you for all you do I don't think we say that quite often enough thank you madam chair thank you senator tester felt it reminds me of our campuses my kids went to school we had a teacher who was a veteran and have poster shop somatic stress syndrome and if a book was dropped it would cause a reaction because of his service in Vietnam. So it you know just something to to be aware of thank you UP representive Springer you're recognized senator Hammer that we're going to move on to the next item on our agenda representive Springer yes thank you madam chair good afternoon I would just like to say thank you to Senators Elliott in Chesterfield and representative cross free for the questions that you've already asked of the director may I'm going to focus in on the your assistance that you have for this meant monumental task that you have with thirty recommendations so there are several questions but I'm sure that that I would like to ask for you indicated that you are responsible for the monitoring so can you tell me how many staff persons do you have available is that your disposal in order to ensure that these recommendations are implemented. Or school first part and then the second part are you all collecting quantitative and quality qualitative data in order to address these recommendations of slow can we get some more specific findings as a result of what's going on this is a very important of tests that you have here and I'm just curious to know the assistance that you have to ensure that this actually takes place yes and that and and the compliance ma'am is our our our role in compliance is on that that the school resource officer peace I am the rules are through the desi peace through the state board of education we have three staff members are that are part of the Arkansas center for school safety I and we are hopeful that. We will be able to get a couple more staff that can help because this compliance peace with the superintendents with the number of SROs it's it's very very large. So I guess last question so I'm just trying to follow how many of the persons within the departments of within the department of education is assisting with addressing this I'm just trying to find out about thirty recommendations and is three of you all so who else is happy. That's also is difficult to quantify and because there are so many different aspects that are touched upon and in the recommendations so we have one staff that services are safe schools coordinator but as you've already heard from a few of our staff that are addressing the mental and behavioral peace some of the more physical safety security are address through our and division for public school facilities and transportation so. You know that's not the only thing that they're looking at is these recommendations but it is all part of the work that we do is the department as a whole and making sure that school districts are prepared is that these are incorporated again through all of the different applicable divisions are at school counseling division with miss Fortner and you know again it's lots and lots of people but I cannot put a specific number on it yeah. Okay. Representar Springer I think you must have had a conversation with me this morning as I was driving down here somehow and because we we I called doctor can we have this exact conversation on the phone as I was driving down here because I do believe. When we received the cares money from the federal government when we receive the argument and from the federal government what did we do we utilized and contracted for technology C. take Cafferty to organize compliance with all the funding with all the information with all the resources we had to utilize technology to organize and direct so that we were accountable for the money we were spending that we were utilizing our resources to the best of our ability cross checking to see if for utilizing this resource that or this bucket of money which one was the appropriate but committees for explained C. that is what we need for doctor shall may and what they're doing I think I feel like those are the tools that they need I feel like we as as a legislature should work to try to get that to make that happen and and support that and I think that needs to be funded because if you utilize a system like that FOR Teknaf or these assessments for the compliance for all the data for all the information. I think you're gonna better equipped a doctor may and and the criminal justice institute in Arkansas center for school safety to be more effective and more accountable more compliant more directive as far as like policy in the recommendations giving us the ability to have the best decision making possible for the next session and we're similar spend our resources and how to help our school districts so I appreciate the question we from. How far away are we from that. Well that was a good that's one of the reasons why I want to have this topic on the agenda for today it rob I've asked senator Hammer than Senator of full for and then we'll go to the next item on the agenda Senator Hammer thank you ma'am chair doctor ma'am just curious in your research in the schools where shootings have occurred has been determined that those schools had a policy failure or personal failure they could have prevented the shooting hi. That's a loaded question. It can be a combination. Of both if we take this particular incident for example they could have had all the correct policies and procedures in place but individuals didn't following some. Is that part of your charge is to evaluate that information to make those determinations because I think yes Sir that will contribute to driving the decisions we make yes I have the best policies in place at the end of the day it's a personal failure. Yes Sir okay and then my last question is this I graduated nineteen seventy six I will give you the benefit that you're twenty years plus or minus right I waited. Is that a fair statement. And the reason I asked that question is. When I went to school. And graduated and we for this illustration before there wasn't any. It was anything have pickup trucks that now the back of in the parking lot with guns because you're a girl hunt afterwards in your personal and professional opinion. What changed. How goodness gracious I can't wrap my head around it senator I think there's a variety of of of different. Reasons why but I'm. I don't have the research background in order to adequately answer that question. Because yes I mean I can remember growing up to our this was never an issue you know we've got a a generation of kids of who we're gonna. End up having school shootings be a reality for them. it wasn't for us it wasn't for previous generations but it is going to be for them and I think the key question that we have to answer is what. What why is it so different today I'm fortunately Sir I do not have that answer or thank you thank you senator for for thank you madam chair will go ahead apologize everybody on the new guy so if I ask anything that's inappropriate is going flag me down the in you may have address this when I was taking some notes but is there a number of students per SRO that you would recommend. I'll goodness gracious let me see that we did in the committee report do you mind if I referred to the committee report is very quickly. I think we did. For the reasons I'm asking this is you look is one of the issues we see in my home town this spring Dale. we have we have adequate funding for SROs and we have positions available but in today's same time it's sometimes difficult to find people that will fill those positions are police force and so we've actually had discussions with the school in this past year we've had to pull back in our SRO program so that we would have enough patrol officers on the street and and now we find ourselves in it kind of backed into a corner. Yes Sir We reference and in our report R. twenty nineteen report that now As row which is the national association of school resource officers recommends that there be one SRO for every one thousand students. Okay. It is is this the data that was collected or this report put together was that was any of this based off of other states that have similar reports or other countries yes. Was a lot of it from from other entities or was a lot of it just data. Drawn from within Arkansas we we We used a tremendous amount of research that was out there we went and visited are a wide variety of different schools here in Arkansas we had a bunch of individuals that came and testified one of them that I know for example I is the rector of the Texas school safety center R. she spent a couple of days with us are we had died individual site what I call subject matter S. experts from a variety of different disciplines that came we've heard from parents we heard from students we included all of that on our report. Okay I just want to close by making of a point. You know it. You back in a lease a sentiment of Senator hammer of whenever I was in school. The most trouble I ever got it was over a girl named Joe conduct because she liked another guy more than me. And today we've shifted quite a bit and it's sad in fact this is one of the saddest committee meetings I've ever said and whether on state or city level to hear what is having to go into this report. We live in one of the most advanced countries in this world. And everybody's medicated nobody's happy we have children who are resorting to gun violence in our schools and I've got three little ones at home three girls and I can imagine what some of these families are having to go through today I don't know I can manage through it but to know that we're having to put this type of effort into these kind of reports and even to the teachers that are here we're not only asking our teachers at this point in our society to not just be educators but they're having to be counselors they're having to be guardians they're having to be a parent to some of these children. And even mind readers at some point. And I don't know how we've got to this point in our society but I think whenever we're looking for government to find solutions every single time sometimes are looking in the wrong direction and there's other things that have to change in our society other than just from the state legislature. And I I want to say I'm sorry to those who are here who are educators or coaches bus drivers we're asking you to do impossible tasks we're asking you to be much more than educators and I don't think it's always that we have to point to something else in the society sometimes we can look back and reflect on ourselves so thank you but I also want to apologize we even haven't have this report and thank you for the work that you put into this. This is a multi faceted problem this is something that's changing every second of every day because if we don't think we're going to stay a step ahead of a student who is determined in our mind to do something like this we're mistaken and so we're also asking you all to be mind readers as well and I'm sorry for that but thank you for the hard work that you've put into this. Thank you represent concert. Well I agree with you a hundred percent I know that our our family values have went downhill a lot since we were in school my mom and dad could look at me I know that I was thinking about doing something wrong and done something wrong. And so I was always in trouble but anyway I just wanted to say that I have been invited to join one of the schools in my district to go to a for our school active shooter or intruder response training and I don't know how many here have had the opportunity to do that but I'm excited about being able to go to that because I want to know what happens and what you gotta do when you get in that school and something like that is going to happen and how what how do you deal with that I think that that would be something good for every school to be able to do that I know a lot of have of what I'm going to have already done this before and so it's it's something that's really important to be prepared because like you said we're not going to be a step ahead of everything we can try to be a step ahead of most of it but if we miss it we need to be prepared for the final and the worst thing that could happen and that's what we need to be prepared for thank you madam chair. Thank you I'm I want to say thank you to everybody who participated and and this tough discussion and you know we all our hearts and our are broken at for our neighbors in Texas and we're gonna do everything in our power here in the state of Arkansas to join forces and to do all we can to keep our kids safe and when they are on those campuses thank you for the work thanks for testimony thank you everybody for being here and who participate in the conversation with that we're going to move on to the next item on our agenda. Members of the Education Committee this was brought to us by A. L. C. and what this is is a discussion about our state wide education system assessment system and the vendor that they have selected that went before a L. C. for review it was recommended that it be brought here before the Education Committee so I feel to state your names for the record then you are recognized for seat. Actually if it's red it means speak I know it's totally backwards sorry. Thank you given the privacy commissioner I've learned services desi. How portion as a program director desi and good afternoon everyone and we are here today to Provide information about the new assessment for grades three through ten are we prepared a one pager today I think you have that one pager or it's coming around it will just give a second for it to come around I will give a brief high level overview with some details about the procurement process in the development of future development of the assessment. All right so why change now what is the assessment now or in the future in the coming future world well during the spring of twenty twenty one ACT notify the division of L. music their education that no additional product development would occur on ACT aspire summative assessment. however that assessment will be available to Arkansas until the spring of twenty twenty three is that as a result of that a disturbing in the process of procurement procurement process for of the most advantageous vendor to meet the requirements of at nine thirty of twenty seventeen so it was necessary to begin that process to be curing to party vendor so that we could be able to administer an assessment by the winter of twenty twenty four about the spring of twenty twenty four in just at a very high level I'll give you a high level overview of the three steps that we went through thus far and then hope will give you a little bit more detail so to support it in support of the procurement process along with the office of state procurement we went through one step which is really about communicating and lead in our districts know about the sunset of ACT aspire we also within that communication gather feedback from stakeholders and provide our state board of education with an update about the sunset of ACT aspire we also went through the request for proposals which is are asked RFP process and and hope will tell you a little bit more detail about that and then also the process around into review and so at a very high level this is where we are at this point as we know ACT aspire will sunset in twenty twenty three. So we started last July gathering feedback from across the state about ten the state assessment system what are educators wanted in that in an integral place my system knowing that ACT aspire was delivering to be an option for us we did a couple of rounds of surveys across the state allowing for input from anyone educators on educators into the components at eleven educate of a assessment system that might be desired with informed a focus group of educational leaders about thirty educational leaders from across the state who then reached another five to six hundred teachers from across the state gather any input and all together and then we also did around at parent interviews and reaching too high around two hundred parents so all in all we compiled that. The back last summer wrote the request for proposal that outlined what our new vendor would have to be able to provide for us we were not in search of a new test itself we were in search of a vendor that could partner with the department to write in New Arkansas state assessment within that state assessment that vendors that the proposals within the proposals at they were required to provide us us with certainty a few things that first of all that we could have an assessment that. Was for LA math and science that was a completely aligned to the Arkansas state standards so that what we are expecting to be taught in schools is what's being assessed on our assessment. Also and provide interim assessments and not just the summative measure of its use for accountability purposes but a interim assessments and we're also getting classroom assessments as part of this contract so those are more smaller checkpoints along the way that teachers can use to really see where students are academically. And then the two big things or of of ultimate concern for us college and career readiness right measures so at the high school an indication of where students are toward like trick trajectory towards college and career readiness was very important to maintain we have that with us far we want to continue that with our new system as well as national comparisons of achievement and so within with that within our partner and then there were actually able to get three national levels of comparison one will be one that that are and committee set during the standard setting process which happens after the first administration but then the other two are Lexile and quantile scores which are national measures of reading performance and mask performance. As well as our local and we also have a local measures of the Arkansas will set it standard as well so you have to multiple different measures and on the same assessment of where students are in their academic achievement as well as growth. It was also important have Arkansas educators involved along the way which and our vendor has agreed to do that as part of their proposal as well as meet all the requirements of federal and national. Federal and state. Accountability. So we did have identified through the process we worked with S. P. and to release the RST to score the potential vendors to have further contract negotiations and then we finally and chosen cambium assessment incorporated as the vendor that we would prefer to partner with to provide this new assessment force and they will work with us on every aspect of developing the blueprint through reporting what are report's gonna look like to parents and there are a lot of questions still to be answered so this is really the first step of identifying who we will partner with an impasse that we will identify all that the additional details of what the assessment will look like and then we'll have opportunity to communicate that out to our to our state the next steps we'll start with convening educators to look at all the items in the item might make sure they do aligned Arkansas state standards will have time to develop the blueprint which says this is what's going to be on the test will be will we we will then communicate that out across the state where we find that there item bank can be inside but does not have enough items we will write items to fill that bank in. And then relief by allowed by having this next year to develop the assessment that allows us time to communicate with the district to really make sure that we're and meeting the needs of the state to get input along the way from various stakeholder groups so that the assessment can meet the needs across the state and then we we anticipate having the first administration of this assessment in January at spring twenty twenty four which would mean the first set of results would come out in the fall of twenty twenty four in the summer of twenty twenty four is when we would have teacher committee as well as other stakeholders at the table to determine what are the cut scores going to be for the state of Arkansas that's also where we will and look at other national assessments make sure we line up there so we have a smooth transition across assessments our goal is not to disrupt our accountability system it's really to keep a very stable accountability system and the new assessment will have similar rigor and expectations that we currently have but it will also be fully aligned to Arkansas state standards and we start with we start with the standards of what we want our students to learn and we brought the assessment to address. Right so As you as you just heard the procurement process is the process that we've been in for a vendor and all of those next steps that will come pending legislative approval will be that for the benefit of ensuring alignment with the Arkansas state standards and again it's hope said providing and national comparison of achievement greater than we've we've previous had previously had and also again that she stated just to maintain a consistent accountability system through the transition of assessments. Okay I have a quick question so then this is I think the first time that the state of Arkansas is not Procuring a test or procuring an assessment company to create a test so would that be a correct statement well under the benchmark and which was started in two thousand and. March two thousand and two we did procure a vendor to help us route or assessment the same at similar to what we're doing now okay the difference then is we wrote every item we owned every item we we didn't utilize and like a shared item bank and the technologies that are available now okay and that shared. Item bank is what will allow this task that's created in Arkansas to be utilized to be in comparison with the other states is that correct that is correct yes yeah by utilizing a share data bank we do great at gain some leverage of the national comparison but we can also statistically nationally compared and the biggest thing is make sure the rigor of our assessment is similar to other national tests that we're telling a similar picture okay and so so the test is also included in this this procurement that's not going to be a separate procurement correct yes. Representative Godfrey you're recognized for a question thank you madam chair thank you both over here to play an I have initially had questions about how influential the academic standards would be in the assessment process and I appreciate your explanation there two questions how how different from. ACT aspire is that is ACT aspire just kind of a standard task that did not consider Arkansas academic standards and because to me that sounds like an improvement to be able to to base the tests on our particular state standards is that different from one ACT was I was just kind of a box test regardless of our standards. Yes that's accurate yes so we didn't have any influence in what was on ACT aspire now as as far as a line eight national standards Alliance pretty closely with what we do and but there were there this assessment allows us to have complete control over that and to make that determination for self good I think that's a good move as long as that to your point that the record is still there comparably my second question you mentioned and state and federal accountability metrics that are there I I assume and there will also be and accommodations for diverse learners of English learners and students with special needs yes okay and at the center has a very deep pool of accommodations is one of the do you know that include the test in other languages and that is a policy decision that Arkansas will need to make thank you thank you manager. Thank you for us Senator Elliot. Thank you madam chair I was wondering about the regular non regard to a what we come up with yes I do remember at one point in Arkansas. We took a big role in writing I tests and it got to be a big deal but our task is to. It is too hard for me and we ended up changing things I'm in too hard not in a good way because it should be rigorous they do you know about by chance at this point how are standards stack up with standards in other parts of the country for example because I think there's been some discussion around our academic standards yes hi so currently we are revising our math and literacy standards and so in that process we will be looking across bodies of standards to be sure that ours are showing a progression that is appropriate for grade level so currently I think we have a pretty good by the standards but we are in that process going to look to see where we need greater clarity or strength in those standards and our teacher committees are actually meeting this summer to do that work so for example when we go that we if we procure this this company we write our standards in conjunction with them and then we compared outcomes for example to Massachusetts or just pick a state will we be determining by our standards how we stack up with other states. Or will it be the tact if the test is based on the standards that are standard should be rigorous enough that we will be able to compare ourselves eighteen Alaska ever out based on our stand up based on the outcome of our tax the because our standards are rigorous yes I think about understand questions have to be able to look at those comparisons to see whether or not we number one in our process will be able to see if our standards are nationally convinced yeah if there if the standard is there we will look across bodies of standards to ensure that a yes in terms of the results will be able to have some national comparison because we're not taking a test anybody else would be taking so would have to depend on the it was the specific and I'm online to our state standards yeah which when you think about provisions of learning there there is a science to most of them and so really the work is making sure that it's appropriate for learning and by grade level in the and looking at what the metrics we can use to compare whether or not. A look at national comparison study when asked to this like I'm picking but but because we are gonna be doing our own thing which I'm not necessarily against I just wanna be sure that when I say to my next door neighbor who has kids and would simply how did Arkansas compared to Louisiana are compared to Minnesota we can give some assurance that what we give them this is something we can yes okay and Senator Elliot is one thing to that during the standard setting process so we have academic standards we have our achievement level standards during that process that happens after the first administration we will use other national assessments in their achievement level to make sure that ours are lining up as well so there won't be a direct apples to apples comparison that we will have that national comparison there okay these others could be pretty quickly I think it is quickly answered was was Arkansas still we were the only states still using ACT aspire sekarang that's correct so they don't have an economic incentive to even continue doing that even if it were academically useful I guess and. The value added part of this was there a value added partner to the ACT aspire a yes or no yeah I mean there are options we could add yes do we know what kind of what we need by value value added when it comes to the new test is gonna be the same kind of applications or what not so the M. by value added we and there were certain things that we that were not part of the original bid that the state was able to add on afterwards to they were things that that the actions that they were in the original bad that they weren't in the original price I should say so the vendor every vendor was able to say this is what we're gonna do for this price and here's the additional things that the second paid for if they choose to and those are some things that the state felt like an added value to our assessment system and we chose to to and put them as part of our country so this is gonna be confusing to me and to some other people when I think about value added we are normally many times talking about we can determine the value add of the instructor I for example if representatives. Johnson and I are both teaching save. Still the same great with kids you can value added would mean you could determine whether or not I I did a good job or bad job is it my fault and some kind of way or is it that I'm doing a great job that I add value to what the students were learning. That's not the way this is going to be used no ma'am not at all no those are additional features of the assessment so things like and a classroom assessment tool that's just available to teachers they can use it that's what we consider to value at auction well I think that needs to be clarified because a lot of people here that because the first time I saw it I thought well we have different value added in so many ways so if we're doing value added on new tests were making up that could really be problematic and lastly it It are you allowed to to share with us a list of teacher list of school districts where people have been involved already or I just share the demographics that will be fine and of the teachers and I'd like to see the list of school districts sure we can do that because I don't want to get anybody's information out there in any kind of way that's gonna activities identify them okay. I just wanted I don't know if anybody else comes out but I'm just asking for money on self okay our that's it that's all thank you so much for answering my questions thank you madam chair thank you senator Elliots representative makes for. Thank you manager just a real brief question because we don't want another Parker coming for. Repeat with this what assurances are safeguards you have in place to make sure that these assessments and questions that are gonna be ask for gonna be ideologically neutral that we don't have any either political or any other by us in these questions that are to be asked yes so and the first right there's a round one at item reviewed it happens this summer Arkansas educators will review every item that's in that item bank and then the second round there is a bias and sensitivity review again Arkansas educators will be a part of that review a review every item that will go on the Arkansas assessment from the bison sensitivity with and so we have that built in all right thank you thank you Mr. All right C. and no other questions a. I'm not sure if a off the requested that we make a motion to approve or anything to that degree R. naught I without then we'll just leave it as it is thank you thank you correct. Certainly review okay thank you I just wanted to make sure that we were complying with the A. L. C. directive and request. Okay. Next an item S.. Discussion on professional learning communities. I thank everybody for sticking in there with us also sat out to some of the people that are watching us online it's really fun for me to get questions from superintendents and others that are out there watching the committee meetings and making points and comments so I appreciate those text messages thank you. While they're pulling that out members as the education caucus did meet and discuss the. The assessment and one of the features that this particular company had on its side website was the ability of defining at risk student responses to the written sections of any type of an assessment and so if you're interested in and about that I have that printed off but I think that's another piece of the puzzle another layer of the layering that Dr Cheryl may discussed and as we spend our money and as we direct our resources it's just another example of where we can be more comprehensive and thorough and with our approach in addressing all the issues at a hundred percent capacity so I'll share that with members you're recognized if you'll state your names for the record you're recognized for state. Missy Wally offices special projects. I have a favor deputy commissioner. I just first want to start by saying thank you to the educators are behind us because it is summer vacation for them and they are here so that the ones closest to the working doing all the work so we appreciate them being here and I will tell you how this happened we sent them an email and said Hey we are presenting a professional learning communities with Education Committee we want to celebrate you will want to celebrate our Education Committee for the decisions that you've made to support this so this is in celebration of them and use of thank you very much for he per attending and sticking around to. Thank you and you will recognize them to in just a minute about the presentation I thank you for the opportunity to share this evidence a from a journey that use above the recommended in twenty an act for twenty seven of twenty seventeen admire you for C. N. N. acting upon a need for change in our education system and taking that leap because too often we discuss changes and we discuss changes and we discussed changes and we never act upon those changes I or we discuss we act upon those changes are the pendulum swings out we see this next new magic shiny bulletin would chase after that but I truly believe that this is a sustainable system at a meeting the needs of our individual students. At this educational system that we grew up in a someone I pointed out earlier it's not the same education system that our students are growing up and to act today I hope is that what you see is educators who are changing as adult learners to action researchers to improve practices to alternately impact student achievement all because of your recommendations and the passion of these educators willing to do whatever it takes to ensure high levels of learning for all students I joined this project as part of cohort one from the district level so Dr pepper it's going to remind us how to started in twenty seventeen. At twenty eight at four twenty seven and twenty seventeen situated this state to build a sustainable system they're a grassroots movement with the implementation of the PLC pilot the law allow professional learning and professional development funds to be focused on professional learning communities and we began with a focus systematic process of intense professional development and coaching with the support at solution tree practitioners what began as a pilot in nine schools and one district has become a model of leadership development and professional growth throughout the state in an interval component of Arkansas's strategic plan to lead and support schools in continuous improvement efforts. With ongoing financial support from adequacy recommendations we have transition from a pilot to an ongoing project and created a shared understanding and share vocabulary that is now part of the work with the Indexi higher education districts statewide and aligns with the theory of action presented in Arkansas state and federal accountability plans. This is the school that begins appeals the journey starts with the question of why do we exist so too do we at the desk the focus on our wide to understand our part in the process the vision and mission of desi is situated in a focus on students and on a transformation within our state to create an education system that people seek out because of the core belief that all students can and do learn at high levels if given the time and supports needed that PLC process is now part of the leadership support and service that each division within desi provides to schools their policy PD training and support these different circles here represent different parts of our divisions some of those you've heard about today. With systems of support and processes for change our office said the and special projects in our division of learning services in coordinated school health are leading and supports three and academic behavior social emotional learning. Our division learning services is revamping practices and tools for teaching and learning through at data content standards and also our new state assessment system. In our division of educator effectiveness is partnering with the and the Division of higher education to take the training not just to and teachers within the K. twelve system but backing up into our education preparation programs so that we have day one ready teachers and leaders who are prepared to do this work. This work is also situated in research and and this research may look familiar to some of you if not this is based on work of John Hattie John had is an educational research known for using meta analysis approach through thousands of studies involving millions of students ultimately his research as set out on a mission to answer the question what works best in education Haddy said It six areas that contribute to learning the student the home school the curricula the teacher and the teaching and learning approaches. What you see here. either practices in order from the largest effect size to the smallest and the effect sizes used to show the relationship between the variables so which of these relationships have the strongest impacts on student learning. As you can see the practices with the largest effect sizes are all practices of the PLC process collective teacher efficacy influences how educators feel think motivate themselves and also motivate their students evidence of impact internal reform reinforces proactive collective behaviors feelings thoughts and motivations the work of collaborative teams does not cause depletion but a renewal in educators something that as we sat here and and listen to the presentations today now is so critical for and first teachers to continue to be successful. So just provide a little clarity when we start the project the first thing that they get is they get appeals the up review and they get that over to you so that they have clarity of their terms and vocabulary so that we're saying the same thing so such as for example the value added growth is so that we have the same meaning of that as this light here just provides a little bit of clarity in speaking to for Seth at states clarity proceeds competence so in order to be clear on the involvement from the different projects are educators I want to provide these terms the PLC project there are six cohorts in the PLC project at this is funded based on the recommendation in the adequacy committees adequacy or in the education committee's adequacy report. So in an effort to scale up the PLC project we then have the PLC regional network that's were utilized in Arkansas practitioners who've gone through three years of the process and they've shown evidence of success to lead other schools in the state. Then we have inclusive practices inclusive practices ensuring students with IEPs are struggling learners have many blacks access to the court instruction and established systems of intervention. Higher education that is how are we putting it into higher education so that we're supporting our teachers are and prep students to be day one ready to enter into professional learning community community. But then you also have local Dick's District implementation R. as a district improvement strategy as we're districts have gone out of their own that contracted to to do some work with this are there you send this as an evidence based practice of for their district improvement strategy and then project collaboration project collaboration or collaborative teacher teams around the contents we have one for candor per second it's so forth in in high school where they meet on a monthly basis and they talk about the content and they share the practices together which also helps to support those because we know we have several schools and help to support this rule schools with their singletons. So much like Dr pepper begin with the vision and mission of the death does say the PLC project they also begin with light and that foundation and what that looks like this also they start with this needs assessment because it makes them face their current reality and we know that that's not always easy to face her reality but based on the current reality is necessary to be understood monitored but then you also have to take time to celebrate the small improvements and sometimes improvements are small but we do have to take time to celebrate those instead of me asking them to be here today at the needs assessment where ever the school is in that journey they set goals and the goals are either there's a three goals are more are either a process goal and that process goal is how are you changing adult behavior what adult learning is happening and then they have the chief medical usually there's to achieve it goals one or a math and one around literacy but it's with our state accountability testing that meets state and federal guidelines and then you have your stretch goal your stretch goal is how are you setting up a system how are you J. implementing a system should respond to the individual needs of the students kid by kid skill by skill. So just for an example what these goals that like this is an example for one school in cohort one and their process goal is by the end of the school year the collaborative teacher teams will set smart goals for each math and literacy unit to correlate with their central standards now this is a call for one school it's going to look different for another school wherever they are in their journey their achieve my goal was by the end of the school year kindergarten through second grade will have at least a ten percent increase of students meeting the benchmark on there it administration of the star says meant and their other achievement goals by the end of the academic school year students in grades three through six will increase in map by at least five percent growth in ready or above as demonstrated by the ACT aspire assessment data. Their stretch goal by the end of the school year teams will fully implement response to intervention to include tier one and tier two for their reading and literacy. Also demonstrate and document multiple measures of success. So why is it important that we share with you that schools that participate as part of the professional learning community project are establishing different types of goals what's important because we and it aligns with our state and federal accountability systems that also recognize that multiple measures of success are the best way for us to ensure that all schools or students that serving students well. in twenty fifteen as we and began our and developing our state strategic plan and then in twenty seventeen with the and at with changes to our state and federal accountability system we and had feedback from multiple stakeholders and moved away from former and designations like academic distress or former an act have accountability model that was based on a single test scores we heard time and time again from stakeholders that we need to look at multiple indicators as far as what helps to and insurer of successful results and so as we and recognize that within the and states as a plan also ACT nine thirty of twenty seventeen which is the foundation for our state accountability system as we recognize that we have different indicators and they're like student growth progress of English learners and the percentage of students meeting readiness benchmarks for post secondary readiness the representative students reading at grade level or students having on time credits there a lot of different indicators that we look at to determine whether or not and schools are getting results for students. So in twenty seventeen the PLC Pollock began what cohort one with nine schools and one district the simplest of schools from cohort one but in addition to the process that we showed earlier the process that she meant and the stretch goals measured there is a collection of other evidence submitted documenting progress I want to go through a few cohort one schools but to on your time I'm just going to do if you and then you'll see the other one there in your handouts I you have access to the presentation submitted to all of the cohort one schools highlighted data. So you have a Ballman elementary and just look at that I mean they decreased their special education referrals because when they're looking kids by kids skill by skill they decrease or special ed referrals from having twenty three in one year to ten and another year and they proceeded D. either S. index increased their teacher retention I went for three years not having to hire one teacher. A they are twenty twenty one reward reward school and their appeals the model school. Bragg elementary. At made from a city to city at their mass force increased significantly and the same great they're also they're reading that scores for literacy ACT scores increased by about fifteen percent so that was pretty incredible are they have an improved culture same cohort of students imprinted letter say nineteen percent I jumped ahead of myself but what you can also see is that created the system of support to this graph that's on the right you see the the fourth grade in the far left this is kid by kid skill by skill in the far left in corner you'll see the red and then they provided that intervention and I set up that system trying to get them to the mastery of those essential standards and you can see the progression of that and that's just an example Douglas McArthur than Roman increased their discipline decreased you can see side elementary there are twenty twenty one reward school at their tables which I think is pretty significant one year they exited twelve but not sixteen students from their progress monitoring to the next year at the same time a hundred twelve students were exited from progress monitoring which means that the increase that much are there also you can see the cohort of data with that increased every year in the reading proficiency from twenty eighteen to twenty twenty one. These are the other schools like I said I'm not gonna go through each one because you have these in your handouts up by the all schools from cohort one are represented here and here's the lasted on the slide but you can also say I just want to bring attention to spread lands data well they had twenty six percent reading on grade level and their goal through their I'd achievement all set in there author needs assessment was to increase by fourteen percent to forty percent they were ready to take that state assessment twenty twenty. So you can see here this is a cohort one regionally located where they are so it's kind of thank you but you can see the yellow or cohort once representative and then used to cope part to aide thank you notice the green gram inside now have a multiple schools in that district. This is cohort one two three so you can see the growth here again you say it more green added and think that significant for you to know to just because you have a school that's gone through the process and they're coming back and asking for more so it means it's affected for them and they're seeing got good progress with that at and just said showing you just adding cohort five. Looking at the map and see how it's growing in the cohort six. That I mentioned earlier that we've also in the grown to include the PLC regional network schools this is how we're scaling up the project used in Arkansas practitioners and you can say this includes all cohorts and the PLC project schools and then the last map shows the schools from all the project schools original network and the additional schools and that support. So just so that you have a list of who they are. Here's what six I mean that not hold six cohorts one three six at listed out so you can say in ingrained grandmother once you're now the nationally recognized or designated as a PLC model school. And then you can also see where we've added cohorts at schools to this cohort so if you're part of the cohort schools any part of it what schools one two three or four five or six if you would please stand up so they can see his representative for public schools. Awesome thank you so much for the hard work with that. As I mentioned earlier with the model schools we now have twenty one model schools when you put that to percentage from the number of campuses to schools we are second in the nation of model schools so back to the vision of late in the state the nation instead of focusing to case you can say that here's a list of some of our practitioners I don't know if we have any practitioners in the random we are adding some practitioners with this but these are some practitioners who are leading the work I do know we do have a at least one to hear In the works so if you're in Arkansas practitioner his lady not there's other schools you'll stand up we. All. Thank you so much that's been just as much of a professional growth for the on as it has been for the school I put a lot of time and hard work into that these are the schools that are leading these are your PLC regional network schools are fifty two of them and they are they were chosen off of their applications to cohort five. So if you're part I don't know if we have if you'll see regional network schools and now we have some transitions I if you'll stand any regional. Part yes yes. All rights include practices this is to meet the needs of our special education students are struggling learners we started that two years ago with for schools and then we made to seven schools and then eight schools were just announced with and I guess that's probably the last couple weeks I and that's led by Matt soul and Jeff Adams and special education unit so if you're here was inclusive practices if you would please stand. Thank you and I know we had several who had to leave earlier but I appreciate them being here. And then. Los the local district implementation they start at districts who are using the strategies that's or school improvement there district improvement strategy I have seven one additional schools you'll notice a third eighty four schools listed but several of them cross over with the regional network are inclusive practices so I didn't count them in those that we have seventy one additional schools for local school district implementation. Other things that I've grown out of the professional I mean out of the PLC project that started in twenty seventeen is are offering to become much more intentional and focused on professional development to focus the schools the support to the schools where are ever they are in that journey if they need assistance in identifying potential standards are unit planning we're we're trying hard to make sure that we focus and provide that a professional development for that it's also provided there's several different offices and organizations at but I what I what I really want to highlight is the Arkansas educators we have educators in Arkansas who are also providing this to this goal so it means a lot when it's coming from them and I sat in on the phenomenal one up from Spanish teachers last week that were led from two teachers from hot springs and another one from. I can't remember what was anyway thirty that that would lead And never probably forty something Spanish teachers on that one so I appreciate those teachers for taking that leadership I higher ed Lowery and begin the professional development with the state in twenty nine nineteen and Dr acre again getting our day one ready teachers are ready to go into the professional learning community into a professional learning community of project collaboration project elaboration with our teacher started as a result as a response to covid I can remember the day it happened on April the six and twenty twenty we started the playbook work what they started to date the PLC teachers are project school said situated themselves that they knew where their kids they and their needs work if I can skill by skill that they were ready to respond to that learning so they started with the playbook and they prepared units but that has continued to grow so we're still supporting this team for that. If we have anybody from higher ed or project collaboration if you all would stand a nonpublic that anybody in. Teachers to participate in the private. Thank you. Thank you I doubt that a lot of work with that today and I have some great videos with that so thank you so much for that. As we continue to grow our the supports for schools and districts doctor prescribed by the explainer latest growth. And so and we felt it was important for you today to understand all of the different ways that and the PLC process is being implemented because that expansion is very throughout the state but the work is and is very important but if it helps give you a better understanding women educators and your schools are talking about and that the PLC process we want you to have something to reference back to but where we're going next we we we have to continue that foundational work because again it's that and deep focus work that and is supported by the practitioners that is what is enabling this to continue that organic growth but it's also going to be critical and and we've learned this from our and project schools and from our other and educators that are participating in other parts of the process it is also vital for schools to have and the support from their central office and from their local boards of education so over the last year we've also been working with that and is sociais Asian of educational ministry or Sin superintendents have been participating in book studies around and the central offices role in supporting schools in supporting their teachers through this process and as we've been engaged in that work and we've gotten to go and see the work in and districts that have very effectively implemented and that professional learning community process district wide we've also realize that it's going to be important that and there's support from and that the department of education for and districts and for us to also involve the state board of education so that we are very clear with them about what the goals are for schools what the goals are for students in that we're communicating with them about progress in about and. Hello and how students are being successful in learning how teachers are being successful in the work they do and how our districts are being successful in leading dance and so you can see and development we are and adding a fifth column to that that work that defines the roles of collaborative teams it's the power of those collaborative teams that drops that collective efficacy that drives that and ongoing belief in and student success. And as far as except we want to continue doing this work and Leding in and in the area of professional learning communities just a couple of weeks ago we had a great from and California make their second is it to the state. And I came not to talk to us they came to see our schools and I get I think they got to visit three different schools while they were here and then I got to have a few minutes to debrief with them. I was so excited to hear their comments because their comments to me about the work they saw in Arkansas with the same comments that I made to a school in Washington that have been implementing this process for over twenty years and won't and that is doing it very successfully and it made me realize that in a very short time we have made tremendous progress with this work in our schools are doing a phenomenal job as and to add taking the work in taking the support they've been given and they're really transforming how they and they interact as collaborative teams they work together to make decisions about and how they can continue to grow and improve and do better for students so we're really excited we're appreciative and we want to continue to be able to provide you with information so that you feel confident in the work that's going on and that you also have a frame of reference when you get a lot of your questions and so with that we're happy to take questions or and to and to see if you need any additional information. Well thank you for the presentation I just wanna say aye I was honored to go to like countless intermediate to a celebration of their completion is that correct and join them of couple weeks ago and just had a great time there and listening to the stories and the things that they have accomplished and I know there's on the schools out there doing it all the time and we just thank you for what you're doing with them and let's just keep it going because I know that you can see the results on the paper there what the schools are changing how much they're doing so we do have some questions and I'm going to start right now with the represent god. Thank you Mr chair thank you both talked really Dr pepper and for your great work and leadership and educators and their in thank you for your work and your commitment to this process and it is really challenging work and really vulnerable work and to collaborate with your colleagues and I just wanna thank you and for taking the risk and and doing that and and taking your professionalism seriously and your students that you mysteriously so and thank you for being here for sharing your stories and then for your hard work and there's a lot that I was really excited to hear in this presentation that I'd really like and that the alignment documents in thinking about how important it is that all state call all stakeholders are invested and are and kind of sharing that commitment because it does take a commitment from leadership down to the classroom and so I did just kind of want to brag on spring deal a little bit because they recently for this upcoming school year have made a very significant and structural change and to actually have early out Wednesdays so that teachers have collaborative time every single Wednesday has a mom of elementary school or that person lately that's just extra work out of the at the same time because I do believe so wholeheartedly and how valuable that instructional time is in the collaborative time is I you know voted in favor of thought that my parents survey and said yes I think this is a good thing I also know that because and the administration it is really supportive they've also considered the needs of families that have extended after school programs and basically this is just not my Pitsch from my district doing and such such really good work and but did just kind of wanna ask zoomed. Out a little bit out of out of Springdale can you share some other kind of structural changes that that that at the school level and all the way to the district level that kind of highlight that commitment to this work that we can say oh sure this is a good idea you know what we want teachers to you know how this opportunity to collaborate but then if it's not met with the support you know with time of day or with other things being taken up teachers placer with and you know staff support than it can it can fall flat so I'm wondering if you had any other success stories of I'm kind of the body in that we've seen districts make to to ensure that if successful. What fortune we just got off the the celebrations for the representative because I was talking about of the tendon like Hamilton and one of the teachers and Camden Fairview at their celebration she stood up at the end and she said I've been teaching for thirty eight and a half years and I've never gone through anything like this and ground as much as I have these last three years but watching how they have also changed their time and structures of not just in which bring bills that an excellent job of doing that there have been several schools to taint change their time and structures to make sure that they allow that but the collaborative teams I and I did want to make sure that I I didn't address we do have a school board member here's well take from an one of the districts from Russellville and I don't know if we have any other school board members that are making sure that we do include everybody in those conversations to be able to be informed like you were born with Springdale and the community but they're dressed and that they're all having to address it different ways based on their needs and I think that's the best part is them responding. Great thank you thank you Mr. Thank you representative McKenzie. Thank you madam chair. And thank you for the presentation in April I work into it and I know I'm always the. In the minority on this opinion here but I think with a hundred million dollars that we're spending over seven years scrutiny is good I think we all agree it's good is currently scrutinized this program so I know we we learned last time that overall after studying the schools that we don't really see any appreciable change I know that that's that's what I've kind of discovered I know that's what we had reported to us at the last meeting so what I'm wondering. couple things and also for forget when we when we mention about the model schools the schools being recognized nationally it is solution tree that is recognizing them in fairness I think that's important to point out that it's not an independent party this recognizing their performance it's the party that we're paying this recognized their performance I just a minute I think it's fair to point out the taxpayers are paying for this so far to go out when I'm wondering if we were to go out and be accountable to the taxpayers and I present you know as much as I can but I've been covered in the Chevrolet the last time and they heard this presentation. I'm wondering if they would say you know what. The sign up for more that. That's what I'm wondering Because I'm not sure that they one AM my final question is. As I visited with some of the teachers and the administrators and school board members I've missed that before I haven't had a lot commencing it's about program of any come out say that something is good and that's okay. Some say it's not worth the money I'm the all over the map what I've heard more commonly is that they said to me. I wish we had the discretion with those dollars. And I think that would be more telling if they had the discretion of the dollars and they said we want to we want to sign up for the solution trade or maybe. We would like the discretion and spend it with some other PD or maybe even a teacher salaries or something else so that's what I'm wondering you for giving this to the fair scrutiny I think it deserves for the taxpayer's and even responding when I hear from teachers as you know and schools. We think it's okay but if we had the money. Discretionary on it would actually problem we might spend that somehow somehow different that beating. Representative can say and if I can address a couple of different things and I and so first I do want to thank you for asking tough questions because it has required us to step back and really take a deep look at each component of the and the PLC process which is why we wanted to be sure that we were clear in all the different weights that the PLC work is being supported so and that referring to and the committee that goes to fund the projects schools and is it worth it I think that if you go back to the slide that and we're we're showing the results from those schools you can see that there are results of progress I know and and prior meeting only and the analysis was done solely based on a and this state summative assessment there has not yet been time for those results and to manifest themselves based on those different types of process goals academic achievement goals and the stretch goals that are being implemented as part of this longer process and this work is not going to and this works I'm gonna look like work is look like in the past like we would expect and change efforts to just have an immediate turnaround on a single Senate assessment and I think that and we some several different examples of data here that when you're getting down to the level of looking at kid by kid skill by skill on and in entirety of the of a year's worth of learning there is going to be ample data in each one of the those schools not just on an academic measure but on multiple other measures that all an either a direct result of learning or that are conditions that and create learning with regards to having discretion of our health. Answer spent I would say that school districts have considerable discretion over how they spend their professional development funds and we find often times that and funds from many sources are transferred in and out of and at the counts but I would say that districts and have considerable discretion on how they and what PD they pay for and right now with their answer funds and and the focus that we want districts to have a hole in and making sure they're doing things for student learning there are no set shortages of funds right now to support professional growth and development for educators and if there are and I hope school districts will reach out to us so that we can know about it. And thank you for the answer I would just request then I understand has the discretion with with some of the funds but this is a separate this is a separate category spending I understand that don't have to speak of thanks at the opposite apply corrective they can be a covert intercepted then they get that funding so I just know perhaps we might reach out to our schools and see you know if they feel that perhaps they might appreciate this funding maybe being in a different category that they could utilize it not just solely. Four solution tree this out of state company thank you for your. Thank you quick question on your side where it has the additional PLC implementation education service cooperative regions. So if a school district is served by an educational service cooperative region that they have the ability to also be in PLC cohort. Community yes but that map in that on the legend of that map worse's education service cooperative that just to show how the map is broken up as by the cooperative state yes absolutely if they're part of a co op they they if there's a car there so much and and Senator Irvin I will say I mean as you get down to those final maps where we show everyone that's involved you can say that there are some desert areas on the map and we are and working with co op directors intentionally to say hi in these areas we want to provide opportunities for you to bring some your superintendents to and to some upcoming meetings so that they can learn more about what the process looks like waters and benefits and what are some ways that they can and get started I think that and that monster we want to adopt as we need to get started so we can get better and that's going to be our commitment to our schools going forward so who makes a decision on whether they join and become a PLC what's gonna depend on if they're going to participate in it which part they want to participate in so projects school you go through the application and so we just have the and selected that and six coke or but as far as and our and our newest project which is the expansion for the district wide support the N. and will have multiple multiple and school districts that can join through that and it will work with them through their and cooperative to provide them those that support okay I mean I know how effective it is from visiting my schools and Faulkner County but as you stated there are huge holes you know in north central northeast Arkansas so I wish I wish that were the case okay. Representative and Springer you're recognized for a question. Thank you madam chair Dr Pfeiffer good afternoon. you indicated so for us to ask questions about additional data that we would like to see within the report so as I look on the some reset to defeat some of the schools I noticed that you talk about the increase in the efficiency and math and of the scores I would like to see this information broken down by of race and gender because in a previous school district that I was a monitor for ace indicated that the PLC's was a means for them addressing student achievement and I don't know if that's the case with the Department now but to me if you will report on scores increasing the and being the result of of the use of the PLC seems like to me that should be a break down so that we can actually see the progress is being made by race and gender and so basically I cannot make a conclusion here to determine if in fact there has been of some. GameZone's with respect to what is what you have report here because it's not broken down by race and gender in the end those all the categories like the students who are in the specially and and your ESL students in of that nature so to me I think that we should have data broken down more specifically by race gender and all those of the categories so that we can actually see that and then there's no comment this made a we saying that PLC's have actually done this have we done any type of statistical analyses to determine that this is in fact a result of PLC's qualitative and quantitative data do we have any of that in support of your report and I don't mean to be a. Critical it's just that you have provided some information I think the information that you provided to school at however there are some additional steps to me that need to be taken when you provide a report like this based upon my past experience thank you. Thank you and I would just say you know as far as a request for information and things like that needs to be a member of the Education Committee so there's another legislator that has those types of things need to work with somebody who's a member on the committee for those different request representative makes. Thank you I'm just a brief question course I've been a fan appeal season so I saw firsthand was involved in the training with the side elementary and grammar are The the question and. Definitely thank you to the educators for being here or for your resilience not only with the program but your resilience here at this meeting today as you can see some of our meetings can be long drawn out the other question I have is do you have a rough ETA of how long it'll take to get this implemented statewide and as you work towards that If schools are resistant to doing a PLC model is that something we're going to encourage them really to do or they can have the choice of no we don't want the PLC model we want to do something different. The kind of talk to us about in the future where you see this going. Okay. So as far as growing that as we're growing that the project itself we're looking Arkansas educators to help us the practitioners to help grow that projects so it's going to take this because when you think about taking ten schools or fifteen schools in your separating them into five regions it is going to take some time to build buzz buzz regionally sure at which we are working on that to get that done but it will take a little bit more time to do that because you can see from the numbers that it a a slim piece of that but as far as we will support schools who want to be a part of the project it is hard work and I representative Capri a mention that it is hard work it takes that want change in the culture to change so when we ask them to apply we're asking them to apply because we want them to commit to doing the hard work at they have to have the culture of trust they have to have the transformation mindsets because I don't want to be able to bring my data to the table and think I'm going to be evaluated out of a position I want to be able to bring my data to the table and now that I'm going to receive support from my later our support from a fellow colleague that's going to support me to be better in opposition and we all know where we are with a teacher shortage we don't have someone else sitting in waiting to step into the position so That's building a culture that you just can't mandate I have. But it's one of those that As you see someone next to you grow you'll want to see what's happened with them sure so as of this point is gonna stay all voluntary and do you do you see this is a ten year twenty year forget all schools. Five year I mean obviously I'm not gonna hold you this but here is how long is it gonna be for all students in Arkansas can take advantage of this this first that is a seven year contract and what we do with this multi year contract I see is going through another contract year Session water section in order to gather more schools in order to continue to spread the work so released another seven to ten years probably all right thank you thank you Mr. Or madam chair whoever's running right now you're fine representative Vaught thank you madam chair of course we know I've been sold out from the beginning like the first meeting that I went to because I couldn't understand why schools were not already doing this a lot of the components of one of the things that I think we had talked about earlier own is that we had to get higher and involved a lot of that component being added would you agree there are things that. PLC's help. To fix in any environment that can't be put on a graph there's not ways of just define what it does and how much it helps as much as nine may want to be on a graph to show a piece of paper what it does for their schools per tax dollar there's really no way to put it on an actual graph would you agree with that absolutely I mean I think that there's a lot of things that come into play that people are not going to be able to see and was there in that school system where they can actually see it actually working for a child would you agree with that okay madam chair may I have a few more yeah okay so Have we had other schools that have use their own PLC dog with their own professional development dollars. To buy into PLC solution tree whatever it may be that was their discretionary monies but they saw the results and they wanted to be a part of the results have we had schools that have decided to do that on their own yes so they can see that there were results being had even though it's not on the grass. That they could see the results from these different schools and they decided on their own to take their own dollars and do this so we have had that happen probably a lot of people in this audience has done this the US the several hand raise that you're you're looking at a response from several these educators are sitting here so that they spend their money from their profession development funds to support this okay and I thought that we had I thought there was probably some even in the audience but wasn't quite sure about that so M.. My next question is something was said about tax dollars and is this an efficient way to spend our tax dollars a look back here it teachers just shake your head yes or no what do you think this is a well spent tax dollars in helping move education and I'm much better greater way for the state of Arkansas do you see this improving your scores within your schools do you see it changing an attitude within your students and your teachers do you see it improving in your communities then I say that's tax dollars will speak at and I want to thank you because I do know it's hard work it takes a lot more effort than what it does previous probably so I appreciate you all investing time. Love and care into our students to move education in a much better way so for that I give you a great hand and I thank you for all you do. Thank you for. Representative Dotson you're recognized for a question. Thank you madam chair after a term of Mike of she just took everything I had but I just want to. I want to thank you for a all the work. You're doing as educators and thank you for embracing. What I know was is definitely a lot harder work than what you may have thought it might have been in the beginning but jumping in and seeing the results I think this is probably one of the the best things for public education that I've seen. Turning the the the the page to productivity in some measurable results Just about all the various programs and all the various things that have been tried and and and seen it just seems to have continued success and support amongst those that have tried it and really embraced it and so thank you for all you're doing and I'm fully supportive of it thank you. Thank you at I guess going back to the this map right here this is what bothers me though we're spending a lot of money on this and we're not utilizing that across the states the entire state should be blue in my opinion because I know you know similar results on a similar stories similar reaction similar experiences to what representative Vaught represent Dotson represent Meeks others have talked about that we've got to make sure. This isn't the case and like we can get there like white wine not so. I'm I'm I think we just have to just start it goes back to the community peace what Senator Elliot was talking about in the previous discussion about safe schools as well that represented Vaught talked about so. You know this is a solution I think that crop cuts across just education and academic achievements and I know that it does Senator Elliot you're recognized thank you I just want to clarify a couple things one is I I thought of when we first started down this road with this project that there was some discussion about schools that were in or near in need of support. That somewhere on that spectrum if they were about to be in trouble that this was gonna be a requirement that we have that discussion and didn't do it and that I just have a dream something like because I don't want to be pretty words in people's mouths because of a mystery memory something. At that I don't remember that conversation and as far as it be something they would at some Those that have and utilize our tenant three dollars so those are schools that are identified and as comprehensive support improvement schools under a federal accountability plan and so they have and chosen to use this as their and and path towards school improvement we also have in and some of our state partner districts this has been implemented as part of the and the way to help and bring together teachers in and in terms of that the the way to focus on student learning and that berry and focused professional development for them so we have had a lot of that is and schools participating with PLC's so that may be the work there so you know those commitments have been made and follow through are we pro actively Recruiting them to use this process and if so are they the and told that. They're using some some other fine she said right now some of who do not by choice and I suspect schools like that could actually use that money to do something else is there a process for other than what we have in place. We rethink in the process for being involved because that they're spending money to study what to do it and they haven't done it through the process of application. There's always a mismatch so many times between the folks when we have a y'all come process I've said this a good zillion times the y'all come process usually will leave out so many areas where people are not used to being at the table. So we re thinking I would just suggest that we do anyway. Because I that they could use that same money that they decide well we missed this process of whatever and so we're going to use a sum of money to engage the VLC process. We are intentionally in a contact in the schools are not part of the process and through the office of the RCTs they are making personal phone calls and visiting schools that are not part of the process now as far as the as far as the project we're doing that one through application but as we're scaling up the process we are intentionally making contact with all schools in order to close those little desert pieces on that graph on the map that you saw we're trying to say okay who's got the involvement who doesn't and how do we reach out to them and offer whatever support that we can so we're working on that I'm not saying this is a criticism it's just that that may happen is if it's if it's doing all that it's doing I. I I don't know. When we ever get past this notion of. I don't know what it means to reach out and how do we how we doing that we need to examine those things carefully because when somebody says the outcome you can be a part of this that thing you said about trust I think is the key thing well we go sit on the ground and talk with people of this is not meant to be something to to a gotcha this is meant to be something that's going to be helpful and here's exactly how it's going to work and that surely needs to be a a conversation had with teachers not just superintendents and principals but it is because the teachers will make it or break it that's for sure you're exactly right now and we're used in organizations to try to get that message out because that that part is important to be trustworthy and be able to come to the table and truly talk about your data. Okay all right thank you appreciate it. Thank you and representative flowers. Thank you so much and I was going to reserve this and try to catch up with you afterward but I thought I'd go ahead and ask his son to pick it back the last couple of Questions and answers in year out reach at it I'm asking because both of my score the school districts in my current district are Well one. I was kind of captured into the other one but state control under state control. so could you give me a little bit of feedback of what the outrage and the response has been like from number of school district including dollar way and also I'm not on the committee so I would love to understand how schools and school districts were selected to be a be a part of the cohorts that are engaged right now experiencing this wonderful success that I hope reaches my area thank you. So you're asking the outrage of public and Dollaway what's happening with their schools they're working with their office there a CSS and they are working on these processes and we've seen some some improvement we've got a lot of work to do I mean and we have to celebrate the small improvements and those are some conversations to have a school board and I think one of the it wasn't humble public for Dollaway but they had zero percent reading on grade level and they now have nine percent we have an initially when you hear those numbers are going. Nine percent live reading on grade level but you have to celebrate they went from zero to nine percent and the small changes so that's what we're we're gonna stop and celebrate this little incremental changes but yes I know public and calendar where work you through some of these processes and I have that opportunity to work with those. They got a really good coach working with them to sharing Kramer the I. who works with the school improvement. That's just a great job with them but. Thank you. And it also I just wanted to understand about how the cold those schools or districts that you're working with as a part of the code words how that was. As if selected yeah it's a very rigorous application and they submit their letter of intent usually run January and then they go through their application there's a report that they received and they address all of the pieces of the application of where are they basically and and looking at their staff and their district and what processes did they go through in order to get their staff and district input on whether they wanted to take this step and so we look at several different components that that and that is like I said it is a very rigorous application but that's one of the key things is looking at whether or not they went to their staff and they got some input on making forward and then we got there an interview process after that I to make sure that it said especially we've learned more as it's progressed to make sure that there's district level they're receiving support from the district level and there's not any barriers coming from their central office to the school system S. R. implementing the project. Thank you. I'm is that application online. No it's not is sent after they send the letter of intent with put that out there commissioners memo and once they send that letter of intent that they would like to apply that applicant applications email to them okay. Is there a reason why it's not online. A sentence it's just not. I don't know we just don't put it online for to make it open to everyone and let's say you tend to apply that I mean I guess I shared I don't know why I just admitted online I am I mean not to just for thought I mean if if this is super super successful and have seen incredible improvements because of it and we're finding a lot of money doing it why wouldn't we make it as easy as possible to apply and to try to get every school to do it. We would love for every school to do it. And when so ordered I mean or is it is it a policy decision to say you have to do it. I mean I'm I'm just on the thought here because like if you know something works in unison that works well. Why would you do it pursue it for your schools that may not be so we have it I'm I'm just on it out there for discussion so we definitely have a lot of work to do to fill in those same areas of the map and that needs to be part of our next step process which is and part of when we have the and we're we're adding that fifth column here to the role of the state to really help support and this work and we do have that the six cohort those schools are selected so the pending that's available for that cohort for the project and for cohort six is filled but what we can do it is really ramp up over the next year with our other supports in getting districts who were not involved right now getting them very intentionally involved over the next year so that they're better understanding the different components of the work and so that they're going to be and looking for and next spring the application cycle for the next round we can look at and prioritizing funding for any cohorts for areas that are not representative you know for schools that and they have and certain characteristics that and which we can we can look at how that an application in scoring is done because I agree there are definitely areas that and that need to be involved and so much of this work really is is is common sense when you do again it's it's stuck that we know we should be doing every day but it's not necessarily common practice throughout the state and we do want to change that so we'll take a look at how we're doing things and see what we can do to make everything more accessible more visible and and and moving forward to get more involvement. Okay and and I'm honest it's close off if you have other questions I would ask you to visit with the Department on offline but. You know unfortunately one of our shootings in the State of Arkansas happened at west side school in Jonesborough I'm not they're wonderful people they're great great folks you have a huge hole in northeast Arkansas north central Arkansas and and and where the Wilbur D. Mills area is and then to queen Aminah man these are just big glaring areas and so I think Sir I would just prefer. Not waiting if we know something works and why are we doing it tomorrow. But that's my opinion okay out representive eleven you had a. You wanna. Thank you madam chair just a point of a personal privilege Very honored this afternoon to have three members of my district here who now will be part of the new cohort deputy superintendent Michael Bernard principal ana Davis from the cap freshman academy and Mandy forgive me you have a new title and that is the student success coordinator as many Carmichael who has been an assistant principal for us at Cabot junior high south. We recognized a few years back our freshman academy is a building of give or take around eight hundred students ninth graders and realized that what a transition time it was a critical time in the student's success pathway of that bridge from being one of eight hundred students in a building of ninth graders to becoming one of twenty five hundred students in a building of tenth eleventh and twelfth grade and they go from being in this in in this in this tank and then thrown into this big world of tenth eleventh and twelfth and so a few years back the previous our previous principal at the freshman academy realize that there was just some missing pieces. In the district through her leadership sought out and found some different pieces of student success development and each of those pieces was from solution tree and through this PLC program and so over the last few years has kind of trial runs in establishing some benchmarks our district has taken bits and pieces of this. And put it into our PD at this freshman academy and instantly source student success sought transition of students that were on a really bad pathway we're going to get lost in their educational path rise to tremendous levels of success and so the district after looking at many other options for PD and and how to achieve this with this goal students success success is now totally embraced this PLC model the solution tree now to be a part of this Cold War I'm just really really proud of them for their commitment to this and through the feedback that I've already received from educators in that building who said we're we're coming together we're going to collaborate through this process we're going to change students lives so recognized you for being here and sitting through this long committee but thank you very much for your commitment to our students back home thank you manager. Thank you thank you off so much for your presentation and thank you all for coming and being here if you're still at teachers and thank you so much for coming and spending the day with us and it was a long day but very very very good presentations an important topics that are facing us members we're going to move that last item and I apologize to miss that but we're going to move that last item to the top of tomorrow morning's agenda and we need to we're going to adjourn. Thank you members.