Joint Budget Committee - Pre-Fiscal Session Budget Hearings

Former gonna go ahead and get started just one quick a business or a. Rick piece of business if you have trash your water bottles anything else at your desk if you can go ahead and take that and put it in the trash can rather than asking the the staff to pick that up as we know and been very widely publicized at the the new variant is very transmissible must try to protect our staff and just a little bit that we can pick up after ourselves just like we used to when we were kids all right with that members we're gonna go ahead and kick things off just one thing I'd like to say is she's going to go ahead and president of all the way through you have a spreadsheet there that's going to outline everything that should be able to keep you from my understanding from having to refer back to the book but when we go into the question section we're going to go line by line and once we pass that up I I would really rather not go back unless it's absolutely necessary I that's to keep things in order then also to keep from having to call multiple people up at different times said at that desk again I just to you know to keep everybody safe as we possibly can to limit contact as much as possible so with that maternity over you and you're welcome C.. Thank you Mr chairman good morning members I'm Katy Waldman from the bureau of legislative research as the chairman noted we are going to be going over the Department of Education Public School Fund budget that includes three divisions we have prepared this schedule for your review it should be in your packet. First time in a review the Division of elementary and secondary education. This bill has seventy line item appropriations the total request for fiscal year twenty three is for three point two billion dollars and they have fifty four authorized positions. The Department appropriation summary if you want to look at your manual is on page one oh seven a volume one that's in your white binder. And the reason we prepare the schedule is because in the in the binder all the line items are in a different order so it's a little bit trickier to navigate so we make the schedule so that everything's in alphabetical order. Funding for this appropriation is comprised of public school funding that includes general revenue and local income tax educational adequacy funding existing fund balances educational excellence funds transit taxes and a small teen F. grant transfer. And again what you're looking at is the appropriation that provides all the aid to our local school districts. Looking at the schedule the first four pages are that does the appropriation request you can see that all the line items that are requested to remain the same from fiscal year twenty two are in white and we have highlighted the ones in green that have changed levels so if it pleases the committee I'm going to go over the line items that include change levels now. The first appropriation with change levels is the alternative learning appropriation this is described on page one eighteen of your manual this appropriation provides funding to school districts for the establishment of alternative learning environments for students who cannot function in the standard classroom setting. The recommendation for twenty three includes an increase of two point nine million dollars. And and this is to accommodate for a projected three and a half percent growth by the department as well as increases provided in the adequacy study completed in twenty twenty. The next appropriation with changes is ACT scan. That's described on page one ten the mission of asking is to provide a statewide data communication network that connects all public school systems within the state in education service cooperatives it provides electronic access to administrative computing services and remote instructional services. The recommendation totals twenty three point four million dollars for fiscal year twenty three and this is about a nine thousand dollar increase from twenty two and this is just moderate adjustments to salaries and matching for existing positions. Flipping to the next page of our schedule. The next appropriation with change levels is the English language learners it's described in the manual on page one twelve this appropriation as part of the adequate adequacy as a categorical line and provides funding to schools to provide specially trained staff materials and training for teachers of English language proficiency proficiency in schools the recommendation for this line totals nineteen million dollars and includes an almost six hundred thousand dollar increase over twenty two this increase is due to a two percent recommended increase per pupil in funding by the twenty twenty educational adequacy study. The next line which changes is the enhance student achievement funding line it's described in the manual on page one fifteen this also categorical line provides additional funding to school districts annually based on the school's prior year eligibility as students for free or reduced price lunch meals this is the former school lunch or school lunch funding. And funding is also set on a graduated scale based on population eligibility in school districts and this graduated scale is codified legislative recommendation provides two hundred forty six million dollars in fiscal year twenty three and this provides for increases prescribed in the twenty twenty adequacy study it increased each level of that tiered structure by one point one six percent. The next line on this page is the enhanced transportation line it's described in the manual on page one twenty nine this appropriation provides additional transportation funding for districts with high transportation costs the legislative recommendation for fiscal year twenty three total seven point two million this includes a one point two million dollar increase over twenty two and this is also to align with the adequacy study recommendations. Flipping to page three of the schedule we have the office of education renewals owns it is described on page one oh nine. This appropriation provides for the operation of the education renewals owns which is a compact between schools coops in institutions to help students gain higher education attainment. The fiscal year twenty three recommendation totals one point three million dollars and that increases just four hundred and twenty dollars over fiscal year twenty two and this is just for salary and matching adjustments for existing positions. The next line with changes is professional development funding this is described on page one sixteen this appropriation as a categorical funding line adequacy that provide schools with funding per for professional development of teachers it also funds the online professional development system through Arkansas PBS which is known as the Arkansas ideas program and now it also includes the establishment of professional learning communities across the state the recommendation totals thirty seven point one nine million in fiscal year twenty three this is a two million dollar increase over twenty two and this increases per the adequacy study will go to expand the professional learning communities in the state. The last one for this page is the special education high cost occurrences it is on page one thirteen in the manual this line provides funding to local school districts for student occurrences when their costs for educating a specific child for health needs exceed a certain amounts and all other reimbursement opportunities are exhausted. And this recommendation totals thirteen point nine nine million dollars in fiscal year twenty three this is four hundred ninety eight thousand dollars over twenty two it is to provide a three point seven percent increase an anticipated growth and need for this program and it is also recommended in the adequacy study. Flipping the page four of the schedule. The next line is the state foundation funding line this is described on page one fifteen of the manual this is the meat of the finding to our local school districts. Funding is calculated by multiplying the average daily membership of each district times the adequacy established amount per school year. The recommendation for fiscal year twenty three totals two point two oh six billion dollars and this total includes an increase of seventy million over fiscal year twenty two. This includes raising the overall foundation funding rate by two point three percent and it means a total amount per people will go up to seventy three forty nine as defined by the educational adequacy study. So this is the funding for the matrix for all of you who are familiar with the matrix and there were several increases in each line of the matrix for salaries for retirement matching rate and so that will all be included in that higher funding rate for school districts. The last line with changes is the teacher retirement matching. This line provides the employer matching costs of educational service cooperatives vocational centres Arkansas Easter seals and the department of corrections school districts as required by law the legislative recommendation includes a total of fourteen point seven million in fiscal year twenty three. And this includes an increase of eight hundred and sixty two thousand dollars and this is to accommodate growth projections as well as retirement rate increases. Thank you Mr chairman this concludes my remarks for desi. Thank you have members I just want to rehash one more time we're going to do here and I think what I'd like to do is just take it by page one page at a time so if you have a question on any of the items on page one we'll go through those then we're gonna move on a page two three four X. cetera so if you if your questions are on items that are on page two three or whatever please go in and kill your Mike so we're not going to call upon you at this point so I'm assuming that the folks there any queue right now have questions on the items on page one okay. Page one are Senator Hammer you're recognized for a question thank you and I'll as staff and then if the Department comes up needs to on the. On the alternative learning do they get the money in my understanding that they get the additional funds that are listed on page one eighteen in the description in addition to the other day about that they would receive. That's my understanding Senator Hammer. K. A. and. Perhaps this be for the department as far as the processes to determine that that child actually needs to be in that A. L. E. learning environment versus the classroom environment. And we have someone from the Department come up to answer those questions at the proper time thank Mr what we go ahead and like that I'd like to clear off page one. As we go through so someone from the Department like takes questions on items on page one. If you could just go and recognized of the committee and then you're you're recognized for questions Senator but honestly department education. Greg Rogers department education one jump. Senator. Response your question is yes in each district submits an alternative learning a plan and there are rules that establish the qualifications for those students of the characteristics that they must demonstrate it's not about a roll of form of discipline for behavioral issues it is truly an intended to be a support for students who cannot succeed or demonstrated bill or not the inability to succeed in a regular classroom but it is supposed to be temporary as well you know the goal is to get them the services they need in this alternative setting and then hopefully get them back into a regular classroom of there is a limit it's a it's an F. T. E. it's not a per ATM calculation so they look at the total number of students that are assigned a only through the course of the year it's a calculated to an F. T. E. basis and that's what this is paid on. Well Mr. So. So what's the rationale them being allowed to keep the regular daily rate plus the additional rate because that that's kind of a we could in my opinion look we looked upon as being a windfall and your project and I think it was three points up percent increase which tells me that the problem is just going to get bigger and better and I thank you speak to that sure and Greg reminded me to this this is a this is based on prior year so to reimbursement of the prior year's situation so you're not current year funding this and so just to provide clarification on that but the this is a categorical and categorical so under our actually process are designed to provide extra funding for struggling students whether they are Is we'll see talk about later the ESA of which is for the lower income challenges for English learners alternative learning is one of those categorical and it is supposed to be added on to the the regular ATM because of the added costs that would incur the district in cars and meeting the needs of the students are thank you thank Mr. Thank you have a representative Springer you're recognized for a question thanks thank you Mr chair good morning. I'm what a follow up with Senator hammers questions with respect to the hill alternative learning amount the increase of I would just like to know is the increase based upon increasing numbers of students will be participating or how did that come about yes it's both it's a an increase from actually recommendations and growth in the number of students that are served can you tell me what that amount that number yes. We can get that for you we don't have that readily available I would like to know that thank you will get that for you. Thank you Senator Pitsch. Thank you Mr chairman my question is encompassing of most of the questions you kept referencing the adequacy report understanding is were looking at the adequacy reports was told is that utilizing your old adequacy report or what are we gonna look at changes coming when we do get a new adequacy report. Yeah this is for FY twenty three which be the second year covered by the previous activity report Education Committee is beginning work on the new adequacy report that those recommendations will be looked at in the FY or the twenty three regular session thank you thank you they had the the committee looked at adjustment any adjustments that might need to be made and I think they met. So I was like late last year to consider whether any of modifications would be necessary and there were none on the sly okay. Follow up real quick the question I have is last week when we were in the adequacy report there was all sorts of all my gosh moments and I think there's going to be a re look at adequacy probably to your point going for I just wondered if if the re look by this body the legislators. Affects that adequacy funding. Does does that imply that we're gonna do that to that's what twenty four so we're clear out an entire year for the change the use or locked in concrete thank you. Thank you a representative would. Question of the chair Mister chairman. no. My review of pages one oh five through one oh seven some of those increases that are in here or not reflected on this sheet here so are we will be permitted to ask questions of outside the realm of this. Or we will be limited to this. Well my understanding is this should summarize what is in the book is in the summer as on page one oh seven there is a budget item for twelve million and is the request is for sixty million and then there's another request a whole new program for five million dollars I don't see that in here. Lows in here or not yeah let's staffing for that question. Thank you Mr chairman those line items were put into the fiscal year twenty eighteen bill and I'm only reviewing the changes over twenty two. So still increase correct is still going through twelve million and a concurrent actual expenditures to sixty million we don't we didn't include them in this journey yes Sir because that appropriations chairman submitted to you that we're not going to be permitted to evaluate this budget completely without being able to as these other questions I think part of the thought process is we've already approved those increases prior to we've already approved those preparations there's no change the preparation threshold we will prove the sixty million dollar we've been per of proof from the thirteen million two of sixty minutes where was that does represent Wooten if that's the teacher compensation okay so that was a program that came out of the twenty nineteen session the appropriation for sixty million dollars was using one time funds so we're not asking for sixty million dollars we're spending that down and in the next budget hearings because we're going in the last year of that program that will drop off completely we'll all right then if you will address this if I may have a question to you is what is educator compensation of reform program what is that program that we hope will be reforming yes Sir that was of within the the governor General Assembly change the minimum salary for a teacher salary of over four year period to thirty six thousand dollars there was one in which a salary increase I don't understand that. Well because it was more than just a salary it it wasn't a salary increase across the board it was changing the minimum salary schedule many districts already had exceeded that salary schedule this was to bump up for those lowest paying districts and get them funding to help offset the cost that they would experience with raising the salaries are can you explain the five million there's in there this time that was not in the twenty twenty one twenty twenty two budget entitled positive use development what is that yes Sir that is a positive development fund that has been appropriation that has been unfunded for number of years but the appropriation itself is carried what is. It's a grant program to help provide. Funding for after school before school summer school programs to help with that out of school care that some students need to help improve their academics. Okay. The first is that Mister chairman thank you thank you. Senator Chesterfield you're recognized for a question thank you Mr chair The Secretary what is the average I'm seeing the total number what is it for people in the alternative learning funding. In one twenty was four thousand something what is it now. Per pupil. With for just this portion mmhm thank you learning program it's going to be four thousand eight hundred ninety nine dollars okay so still in the four thousand range we have an eight hundred dollars yes could you tell me how many people go around the state. In speaking or our revaluation shall I say the programs because before you only had one I'm wondering here we increase the number of people who are responsible for taking a day no ma'am there's not been an increase in staffing for that program that's my concern because this number continues to go up but we don't have continued increases in the number of people responsible for making sure that your vision in mind of what day supposed to be is activities how do we assess how do is waive my concern that it is what you think it is and what I think it ought to be it may not be because it's become a dumping ground in some places some people are using it correctly but in some places it has beaten the become a dumping ground so we only have one person looking at every school district in this state how can we be sure no during spent as a supposed to be what we agree with you and we would like to have a conversation about A more. All sales a change in how we approach a Ellie that's something that we would hope to have a conversation during the axes a process of because I know my team has thoughts on that but we do recognize their significant shortcomings right now on that I appreciate that thank you thank you Mr one one and two. Is that right just one all right thank you Mr I'll get back in all right thank you senator flowers. Thank you. Senator king of. Education renewals owns. Design and to improve. performance in distress public schools is a public school district. In a an established Education renewals on. So it works all districts can request support of there's not a specific education renewals on assigned to pine bluff for pine bluff is not assigned to a specific of the this this is changed a bit sentence inception probably in their mid two thousands but there is support available through an ad educational tools on for all districts if they are identified as needing that if they want if they're identified as needing that if they can self identify or we can go and say Hey we have these options available or the support available through the educational tools on for your specific needs and districts can opt into to that support well that district is under state control and your office oversees that we have a we have a significant team of people under the office of commute coordinated support and service so they actually are getting a higher level of support then what are typical educational tools owns would provide but we pull the are as easy and as appropriate if there's a need to do this to do so well. Does it. Is it. Barred from participating in our having then establish education renewals I don't even know you have your team. They're not partition is not barred senator what I would say is that the team that is providing support to pine bluff actually per can provide more support and very Be on hand and they are on hand on campus more often than what the educational rules on educational tools owns do not have large members of staff so they typically host a professional development programs or provide the type support we're districts come to them or come to a a the event or some type of PD at the the R. sees don't really have people that go out and support districts like we do with the office of the coordinated support service everyone just seems to me like you had Dollaway District under your control state control. And it was annexed and I guess now merged or consolidated I don't know what word do you use with the pine bluff school district which is under your control so I don't understand why you wouldn't make use of all the tools and opportunities available I mean I don't think that you're getting evidence of a big change in school performance are you Senator flowers and I'm and I'm I'm starting to do this but I know that we're kind of all just trying to see what is the basis for. Of his office deciding not to I guess. This guy back to any of the items on page one. What Page one on the agenda has. The education renewals owns on it. What what Page one are you talking about the the page one of the chart that we went through with staff just a minute ago there's a there's a chart here it's gonna have no less you mentioned education rules are so. Okay so that's on page one I'm missing it but what man what I don't want to do we can if there are items that are specific you know policy type items and new not tied back to what we're trying to work through on the budget here then I think we should hold education meeting with the with the chairs we have that conversation or we need to directly go back and have those conversations with folks Education Department but you know for for the members here if we can kind of try to keep it to you know these budget items in in getting through recommendations you know we can either have a more robust discussion we get back into the actual session or again I would really encourage that we try to have those in education committees get it on the agenda and in have a the real truth policy discussion but not so with that I'm going to miss this last around education renewals owns there are in the state. I'm gonna give you just a just a couple minutes if you don't mind a wrapped up in their gonna move on to the that's My question the last question I have of him okay. I don't have that information in front of me right now we'll get that for you I just wanna be clear Senator Mister chairman I don't want to to be interpreted that we're saying pine bluff does not have access to the services of an educational rules on they they do they do have access to those services but they also have accessed services from the Arkansas River coop and a number of entities that we bring all to to bear on the challenges that are faced by the students upon bluff so just wanna make sure we clarified that thank you all right thank you and then they're going to circle back up with you Senator flowers use more detailed answers and so if you all can do that maybe after the meeting today representative flowers you're recognized for a question. Or who's in. C. one. A guy right here thank you you're on your thank you thank you Mr chairman Sir or John all of us that are representing small counties fall school districts. They don't make a whole lot but you know after we got to finish with the session you know I told them that I you know force was telling to it went up from forty seven to fifty one for the like the norm statewide but let me ask you this Johnny what if you've got of a person making for thirty seven thousand dollars a year. A school teacher what can we tell those folks what to expect and what we know about that. So we will be in the second year of the effort to increase the average teacher salary across the state any of those districts that of where their average teacher salary is is below a certain level and I don't remember exactly what that is at this point that somewhere around fifty one fifty two thousand dollars districts that are below that are eligible for the the second year of funding and will be adding districts to that it's good. It was twenty five million in the first year will be another twenty six million the second year that will be part of what we bring to you in the the In fiscal session. All right thank you so it'll be it will be a help cetelem that that helps coming with through that program. Thank you Sir Senator Hammer. Thank you I'm gonna go back to the all alternative learning your actual expenses and twenty twenty one were about thirty one million your budget that you're asking for just thirty two eight seventy six. And. And you said it was a three percent it was to cover what you project as a three percent increase based on the numbers is that correct. It's is well three point seven percent total increase okay. Does that three point seven. Based on the actual because of does. It would would not be covered in that what the budget amount of thirty two eight but yet were doing the We're if we go to legislative recommendation B. three point five why would we have to be that high yards of I understand your questions Senator the so every year that what we plan for we often have to come back and request additional procreation of during the the that's usually the peer right correct. Because of of the actual increases that we see of that can exceed what we have protected so what we had in FY twenty one actual and then going into the twenty two budget we. there you have how much we had to come back and. We get that but it is so it's it's deceiving if you just look back at the FY twenty one numbers that we started with because during the the interim we typically have to come back and ask you for additional preparation on that. But you don't know how much she had come back because what we need to do is add what you ask for during the interim two what is the actual number shown on the sheet in order to have a true number. I think the answer yes Greg you want to you can you answer that better the. The. One of I guess one know how much did you ask for in the interim. So the thirty one that that the when you're looking at thirty one of the actual that was increased when had increased twenty two we had an increase of twenty three so the increase in twenty three that would have the exact direct force thirty five seven is that's words rejection the growth that was also done in the adequacy going from the recommendation of forty seven ninety four to forty eight two four thousand eight hundred eighty nine dollars per FTE plus any growth in those amount of students are going in there so we have to base that based off when we were going into four twenty based off the growth and the numbers are there so there could be some with some adjustment later on in that but we're having a base that office two years numbers so what there may be some slack and any that there won't be much in any that is there what would be just a under unfunded appropriation at this point but we have to have that in there since is a categorical and adequacy recommendation to make sure that we have the appropriation and funding to pay for if it's needed for those students with the center looks like there's only been one time in the last. Eight nine years where we've actually spent less of based on the F. T. E.'s then then what we have budgeted so it's it's not uncommon for us to have to come back and ask for additional appropriation so we can match the actual growth in the numbers of students that have been signed it daily and that goes back to senator Chesterfield's issue that that she race that we we need to take a holistic look at the A. L. E. process and how we're we're funding it however identifying students how we're meeting their needs and so I think you're your concern is very well coupled with center Chesterfield all right because I I mean agency request verses executive legislative request are totally different I wonder why would we not go with your request of thirty two two nine one because in the in the in the meantime it remember when we submitted that agency request such reflected there it was in what the summer of. twenty before the fall budget hearings going into the twenty one session so we were shooting at what we knew at the time of and as we've said that number continues to grow at a rate that's faster more accelerated than what we've been projecting. So that the executive rec reflects more of the true picture than what a two year old agency request would reflect thank you senator was we leave hours flat when we go in before the adequacy committee because the Atticus Committee is what decides how much Ailey PT all those categorical going so ours will be based off what was the twenty number until the adequacy committee finishes their work and we know how much more they want to put in a day for the next two years thank you thank Mr. I thank you have members that wraps up looks like questions on page one the you can just refer back this is the announces the department Education Public School Fund you're going to look at it you're you're you know seat here it's going to have some green lines across the across it again so we're three page one we're gonna move on to page two the questions on the items on page two of the report. Represent Springer. Thank you Mr. My question is I've noticed I'm not I'm speaking to item this not highlighted of okay it has to do with facilities funding is that part of this budget. No ma'am if you're referring to the general facilities funding line there's actually language in code that that's an old funding line that language in code is re directed that funding to now go straight to EBT for employment employee benefits division funding so facilities are not addressed in this bill okay I'm speaking of the partnership funding. Correct that is not in the schedule. So would when is that coming up. That bill will be introduced and per your direction at the beginning of the fiscal session we will not at this time we have not elected to your you all have not elected to review the budget in detail and hearings. Thank. Thank you. Senator Hammer you're recognized thank you my questions on page two the declining enrollment districts. A notice that the actual. Is greater than what the budget number is but you haven't made any adjustments for could you give an explanation why you would not bring it up to what the actual twenty one was. So that that will be addressed the supplemental appropriation request is not reflected here but we are bringing you a supplemental and for FY twenty two to address what we need there. Okay Mister cash you question so in other words yeah the I mean we're just getting the bill drafting ready now the recommendation there's going to be supplementals of letters and all kinds of things to come when we come back into session of their choosing you know just to drop the executive director legislative wreck whatever it may be your that's what they're pushing for the come back with additional letters or whatever whatever it may be when we come back into the actual session. When we when we get those or can we get those as they occur because it seems to me like we're doing this exercise through the process date but we're not capturing all that then and and I know we're just draft to the bills but what we gotta do to make sure we get that as does happen so we can digest them along the way in in a way I would say that we actually have proper there's greater attention they that is given when we get a letter of request or or something along those lines and that's made again we're just trying to set the stage so we can go in the session and and some have had some things done staff probably explain it better than I am but there's going to be listening to that stuff most likely that's going to come from various agencies and again we we look at those one by one we either adopt and and and move forward we don't okay thank you will be getting. Okay. Is that fair for I mean the idea that that's that's exactly we have a list of supplementals that will have to bring before you all and they'll be submitted to the Budget Committee through governors letters in my assumption we're still working through those yes and you know some of them we are gonna move for with and some of you are and there be no sense and in timing is going to be a critical part of that and there's no reason to but those ahead of anything at this point and right and those are for FY twenty two. Current current fiscal year Mister chairman I have an answer for senator flowers R. six education rules owns. Senator Chesterfield you're recognized for a question thank you Mister Mister chair I just wanna know the pro people for English language learners. Adequacy recommendations increase that to three hundred sixty six dollars per okay per student all right thank you. All right members I think that wraps of the questions that we have on page two we're gonna move to page three. It would hit your button if you any questions on the items how I did not that are on page three. All right residence for you're recognized. Thank you Mr chairman of with respect to the professional development funding understood you to say that that included PLC's what is the amount that you're increasing the PLC budget by. The ACSI recommendation increase that by two million. Two million dollars two million yes what a follow up with the chair I thought that that PLC's was included in that sold for the perfect perfect. So that would be a separate item always that's inclusive of a number of other programs as well right. The so what is going to PLC's the specific include the specific recommendation was that two million dollar increase to expand our professional learning communities initiative the actual ADM amount for professional development funding remained flat at forty dollars and eighty cents. So I'll let me make sure I understand so that the recommended amount of increased to two million dollars is all going to the PLC's is that correct that's correct thank. Senator Hammer you're recognized for a question thank you share special education on page three down at the bottom one of the things I hear from my district is the cost if I'm in the right category from not direct me is the cost of the special education needs and how that they have to absorb a lot in just the day to day can you address that is that what this increase is intended to help cover or is that covered elsewhere in the budget. Senator which line item are you referring to I'm sorry I'm on our page three handout number sixty two at the bottom it's up nearly the to five hundred thousand dollar increase. High cost a current high cost curves yes you know that okay so we have worked to improve that process of addressing the high cost occurrences these are This Is Your general special education this is This is funding that is provided for reimbursement of for those students whose needs are of much greater and and they have much more severe disabilities and the cost of of the schools trying to meet those challenges and provide the support for those students is much greater they submit those to us in a couple of years ago yeah. We had a rule change and the methodology for providing those of providing those reimbursements in really trying to concentrate on moving it to address those those high cost before there was kind of a race to get to fifteen thousand dollars right and and and everybody was trying to put everything in that that category and then we would have to look to see okay what has to be offset because of other funding streams that districts have but through the change that we've had it and then at the end we we took all of those requests that come from all the districts and we have to pro rate those in the pro rating of of those was typically in the thirty something percent range so we were only able to meet thirty percent thirty something percent of the request that were coming in. So now the fifteen thousand is you have to be above that so you you start counting when you hit over fifteen thousand and we've we've created a a tiered system of funding at each level so let me I've got that somewhere Senator I know I thought that might get asked so I. You give me a second I will find that information. That may be something you get with me offline for the second time the committee but I guess what I want to hear it is Senator about. So now the current implementation structure is a hundred percent is reimbursed between fifteen thousand and sixty five thousand dollars and then from sixty five thousand to one hundred thousand which is the reimbursement cap it's eighty percent reimbursed what that has done which we had hoped and thought that it would we have changed the pro rated amounts now from in the. Thirty something nearly forty percent two right at eighty percent so what we're now higher pro rating at a higher amount for each of these claims in it shifted the funding that you all provide each year to meet the needs of those higher cost claims it also seems to have provided a provided a more equitable distribution so that smaller districts that maybe didn't submit for reimbursement before because they just you know for whatever reason they didn't see the benefit of doing that now if they have high cost needs they are more apt to provide that to or ask for that reimbursement so just five hundred thousand going to take care of I'm sure it is you would ask for more but sufficient to the need because I know your district I represent it seems like the nature increasing is five hundred thousand enough to cover what's out there state wider an inspector supplemental letter on that right well as we've seen with the other some of the other line items this was the adequacy recommendation and so we stayed with the axe the recommendation of. But I also know that as part of the adequacy process this will be the first time we will have this type of data to bring to the end committees for them to review to sequence before we could really tell you what the real need was and the the the fifteen I'm sorry that. The thirteen million dollars now going to fourteen million dollars Set for a long time and it only was increased by a small amount. But members always ask you know is this all we need to do the week really could tell them what the real people us now we can I think we have a better idea that and that's something we'll work with chairs to provide thank you thank Mr I thank you I'm gonna go to folks that have not yet ask questions like this is represented Meeks I'm looking on yes thank you Mr chairman I'm over here to your left question I have is on the isolated funding and let's first one there looks like the all spent two point two million dollars roughly and your budget request is eight million so almost four times what the request is and obviously I know this appropriation but you can you explain is that much headroom needed for the isolated funding or that may be something that we can. Rain and a little bit there. If under statute there are two line items are multiple line items that deal with the isolated funding so you have that line item but then anything that is left over from that line item gets moved over into special needs isolated so there's another category of of districts that are eligible to receive that so while it's not reflected their that money does roll over in it is spent distributed to other districts okay so so make sure I'm understanding is some of the some of that state million dollar request is spent on the isolated solve it spent on special isolated and is it possible to get that combined figure so we can see what that is or is that something that you have those two not over so we can see if the preparation in actual yes so there's a line item for special needs isolated funding that's a page one eighteen. And if you see there are actual FY twenty one is eight point six million. Where are I request was three million. And and that's yeah it's complicated and it's set up in statute so we we avoid trying to change these appropriation line items because of the way the statutes are are set up for those funding categories all right thank you thank you Mr. Thank you senator Elliots. Thank you Mr secretary he for back to the the higher cost special ed I'm trying to be sure I understand is a budgetary matter are we taken some kind of precaution to make sure your census is a reimbursement arrangement that they are not school districts who were not providing services because they don't have the money to spend in the first place and therefore would not apply for reimbursement higher higher we make insurance is there I'm going to take a shot at ensuring that is certainly my specialized team could provide more details if you like them but the need the services that are provided are typically going to be outlined in either the IP or the medical plan for those students and it's not they're not negotiable I mean they they once they are established as the needs then under federal law districts are required to to meet those needs Now the funding you know that that's always been debatable of are we fully funding that line item and that's where as I mentioned senator Hammer will we have better data now bill bring to you committee and say this is what we think the actual meat is moving forward but we don't to. If there are any occurrences of students have districts not providing the needed services what we are going to hear about it so we their their numbers aren't we're going to hear we are going to hear about it from from from parents or advocates you know is there a process in place there are special ed unit that we but and I don't think that's happening senator well I place at I'm just trying to move along we're quickly here but so excuse me for interrupting but what I worry about is that there is a presumption that there that there are advocates and that there are parents who know how to be advocates for this is not the case so that falls on somebody to find out whether or not in the absence of advocates and parents who just don't even have the ability time wise to do what they should do. Who's I just want to find out who's checking to make sure things are happening as we assume they are and I I understand what you're saying to me but I don't want us to have a budgetary convenience because we are not digging a little bit deeper to find out what's going on because I just happen to know there are. Folks who just don't know how to be advocates no we certainly understand that and senator what to what we hope to do in and we expect this would come up today but what we hope to do now that we have this this data is to come to an Education Committee and have a deeper dive into this and then be able to answer some of those questions and have a specialist team here Mr school and and his team to be able to address those types of questions I think that's great and I really like the idea of a back to you chairs and some of the things to be addressed Education Committee but this could have some budgetary implications that I don't want us to forget about when we get to that discussion in the US standing committee which I think would be proper centrust you my team won't let me forget this this issue we want to get this before you all because we think we are on a better track than we were before yeah all right thank you thanks messaging and something tells me you won't let us forget either senator. So all right again I'm I'm just circling back through of it I've got to Senator Chesterfield. Thank you Mr chair Secretary key we have the two million dollar increase in PLC's we have an increase in succeed scholarship money when was the last time we did an audit of either. Well we are all of our programs are subject to audit in it but let's let's Vaught okay I'm just saying the civically when did audit these programs because they are not. Even though the status funding them they are provided by outside sources as I want to know that those that that those entities are being audited specifically to find out if the monies that we're allocating to them are being spent as they should be now is that something I need to take over Mr Norman so that he takes a particular look at it I mean I audit committee because we continue to increase when we first started the succeed scholarship was supposed to be what five million dollars. We started the PLC's how much was it supposed to be originally. What about across the six million dollars nights and what seventeen. Fourteen fourteen fourteen it's it's gone up exponentially in master principal program for me is also important and I'll ask I'll ask honor to deal with the other two. But I want to know how many individuals who are in this master principal program have actually gone into high priority areas so that their leadership skills make a difference for those kids who need it the most. We can get to that I can tell you it's not very many I can imagine yeah in the end as far as the audit the of the six succeed scholarship we have a process where we match up on a regular basis the scholarships that are awarded with those that are on our list of of eligible to who should be getting it in and we make sure we we engage with the reform alliance and with the individual schools to make sure that the checks that are being written to the schools and the parent or care giver because it has to be both that those are being spent appropriately and directed appropriately that's something we do on a regular basis I think there's a quarterly reconciliation of of that so I mean it's it's not a big a audit but it is a routine process that we engage to make sure that the the tears it would be nice to see it be a. But I do know that again don't get me. Eight of audit did look at that in their regular sampling procedures in in twenty eighteen of they they pointed out of the they deficiency there and we work with reform alliance to correct that to us so it is being reviewed okay well I'd like to see the audit report on that and I'd like to see the audit report on the PLC's whether you have any money I think we need to be confident that the money's being spent and I'm still waiting on my summative evaluation thank you. I thank you represented in it. Thank you chair to give me if I am asking this incorrectly what we're talking about special it how much money does each people with disabilities receives per year. A representative I don't I don't there's not a per pupil amount because if the needs vary so greatly in the Formula of drives the federal funding so you have most most of that is through federal funding that's driven by the formula under the six B. and I don't really think we can we can tell you what we can probably tell you what is spent per pupil but I don't think there's an allocation per people that we give you can you tell me that if I will get that for you okay thank you. Q. represent would you want to it's my community good you good. I will. I want to follow up Mr germinal Senator Chesterfield question. Can you explain why why why are we running state money and tax money and scholarship money through the reform alliance one of one is the Department not handling that. Well who are the only one who might who contributes to that organization I don't know who contributes that organization they are nonprofit and they're subject to federal IRS guidelines regarding this is kind wine why don't we use the what we use them because we would have to staff up additional people to to run that program and the statute allows us to run that through a. A nonprofit organization and that's what we chosen to do how how how much of are they handling over there. Well they are they are you asking about the money wine money wise up with a the entire amount is subject to going through them issued through the form scholarships but they cannot use any of that state money for administrative fees month I know that but what I'm asking is how much collar she of money of the utilized. Three point three three point three million reporter thank you Mr. Q.. Our members it looks like that wraps up I think it's on page three gonna move to page four we have any questions on the remaining items Page four. Thank you have a question Senator Hammer if you want to go in each Max for coming to the end it looks like. Senator Hammer you're recognized thank you Mr well that's gonna be two questions not one page four The state foundation funding up seventy million dollars of the last Education Committee meeting as I understand it when a report was given a kind of give a little bit of a dismal picture as far as where we are education in the state what we're going up seventy million I just like your thoughts as far as the direction that we're going educationally. And we're gonna bump it up to seventy million and I understand late use involvement and adequacy and all that but we're we're gonna pop seventy more million in it what we gonna get in return for it as far as how it's going to move the needle for the state agency you know what the educational outcome. So that the foundation justify seventy more million let me qualify that I'm sorry go ahead. Well justification of the seventy million that's release something that does happen in the adequacy process in what you're asking about a results that are lagging indicators of what I would tell you is that I believe the to work we are doing with districts through our rise initiative with reading and you're you're talking about investments being made now that it's going to take awhile to see the the incorrect the the impact on those measures that bureau staff referred show during that education meeting but they're also measures that we know work and I that the to challenge with knowing they work is that we see those in districts with the assessments but because of of covid we've not seen those occur with the with the cancellation of the twenty spring that spring of twenty testing and then the impact of code on the twenty one testing obviously the impact is still going to be there with the twenty two testing so you have to say with that we we don't need to provide seventy million dollars I mean that's where teacher salary increases come from and and many of the districts that's where number the operating expenses are dealt with in a number of the districts and I have yeah that's a really I probably can't tell you the answer that on this seventy million is going to move the needle by X. amount. But I can tell you that the things are in place trying to support the teachers the principals in the students out there we believe will move the needle and is is. The challenge that we faced with the the closures in the shift virtual and all those things I really is hindered us from seeing the outcomes of efforts like our reading initiative. Okay the following question is when I when I look at the overall budget sheet I see on the category versus actual twenty twenty twenty one I see some numbers that are lower than the budgeted request in twenty one twenty two and then carry that across to the agency requests executive and legislative recommendation and it seems like there's quite a few categories were based on actual and budget you didn't spend up to the budget announcmenet why would you not just those categories down on your budgeted column given the historical spend of the twenty twenty one and if those monies are not spent between the actual to budgeted do those monies to end up being transferred anywhere else you referenced one category while go where money was transferred to somebody's question. So I start with just the fact that in the public school fund there's carryover authority provided in statute that anything is not spent of Public School Fund as carryover for the purposes of the public school fund so your right to that because of in this is where that balance is when you look at the the three primary revenue streams for the Public School Fund. You have the uniform right of of tax the twenty five mills cross in each district in the state you have general revenue and then you have the adequacy the special revenue from adequacy seven eight cent sales tax. Hello when we provide projections and the the the summer of twenty the of these were the projections we looked at based on what we had seen in those previous fiscal years including projection of student growth the number of students we have in the state that we serve that growth has been it's smaller than normal and in the matter and the last two years we've seen a decline in the number of students in our public schools meanwhile the uniform rate of tax which is based on the valuation across the state each district that is actually been going up at a rate higher than what we expected so those things get reflected here but your question about reducing that we don't reduce the department will not reduce anything that is recommended by the adequacy committee this body the General Assembly it is in your purview to determine adequacy and funding levels for adequacy and those are. Those get reflected in the requests that come before you. So ma'am Mr okay thank you so where would under Graham category where we've budgeted like to isolation fund representative makes mention while ago it's budgeted for seventy eight ninety six or seven million nearly seven eight million dollars. You're saying that the adequacy recommendation was for eight million what your actual expenses in that category were two point two so if adequacy came back and said based on actual we're going to lower that down to three million. Is that the way it would work well that's that's the one line I wouldn't have picked Senator because. Because this is the statutes on isolated funding are as I mentioned before very complicated but but that is one that is is has been part of adequacy it a very small amount but in the broad picture of adequacy that was something that was considered under lake view as providing support to those very rural isolated low population districts with low student density and the statute provided that means for us to funnel the leftover money in one line item to fully fund or over Fund in that other program the special needs isolated how much was you carry over last year. And what's the current balance in the fund that it was put into. Well I mean the current ballot we we've we spend all that money out by the right. Especially the isolated so when you take those two but not just that one but in all the all of them. What's over the public school fund of. Greg Faina. Amount for public school from. So that fund balance for twenty two was three hundred million dollars and and how much was was moved into it after last budget cycle from from a carryover from any of the categories of from understand it right. Well that that was the ending amount for. Okay let me let me off the line with you on thank you thank Mr I thank you Records show representative makes I think you're thirty one yes Sir thank you and a few inner staff would like to try to clean up that isolated funding language and in law let me know and be happy or because you come accession I have to to two brief questions my first one is line sixty seven can you tell us what the supple surplus commodities one point one million dollars what was surplus commodities are. I don't I don't think I've ever seen that one for at a I don't recall that is. Okay. Sentence. Page four line sixty seven. Surplus commodities I'm a poor your. They're not gonna catch on one. No we've we've got it is just not one we get asked about very much of so okay so DHS administers surplus commodities program did school district school districts receive a large share of the commodities and we have an agreement with DHS to provide funding to supplement the transportation cost of for the delivery of those commodities to the school districts. Okay so if DHS has left over stuff then they can share the leftovers Office skills and that's to pay for the cost of transportation yes and that's part of our federal the MOE member which is basically agreement between the state and the feds that we will not spend less for these programs than what we spent previously it's so that that is part of that email we calculation all right thank you otherwise pretty quick I think you know the answer to it but teacher salary salary equalisation twenty five thousand dollar preparation actual expenditures is zero there I'm assuming as part of our sixty million dollar teacher raise package that we did that just to clarify that that's what that is actually that's that's that was the the so the educate the sixty million was from the twenty nineteen initiative right minimum this is the effort to boost the average teacher salary okay and will spend all twenty five million of that and then we're gonna be asking for the appropriate increase for the next round of districts have become eligible for that program okay so only going to budget hearings that dash works as actual expenditures will actually reflect twenty five million dollars at least all right thank you thank you Sir thank you Mister. Thank you of net and representive Tosh. Thank you Mr. I noticed on our four page the summary here that you it was just mentioned you got teacher teacher retirement and of. But what I can't find is how much money is being proposed as poor as teacher insurance can you direct me here in the manual or I can see what the what the proposal is in regards to funding that program on teachers insurance. Reserve Tosh a I'm we probably need to defer to Senator Hickey and represent Wardlaw in that because that's work that's being done that's not gonna be reflected here that's work that's going to be on top of what we're doing here today and I don't have that available to to present to you okay but at some point that proposal will have to be made and we in this committee will surely would have the opportunity to see exactly what you're proposing is for as of the insurance program for yesterday it will and it's it's not just the Department and and an A. B. D. S. it's a war going on with legislative leadership right now and and I don't know Mister chair if you want to tackle that one but we don't have anything in our budget today that we can point you to yeah and it's ongoing and I mean I I anticipate that something that will not be developed for a little bit of though I think they're getting closer is going to be a combination of you know actual language in the budget changes and how much that's needed I think it's still to be determined you know or in what form I can assure you that rested Tosh we have been and will continue to work very closely with the legislative leadership and with the Secretary fetching her team to come up with a solution of that will be we hope will be a longer term solution than what we've had so far okay I appreciate your age at least you point me in the right direction for a lack of check on it I appreciate that and we'll find out thank you. Thank you a representative vote you're recognized. This includes. Okay thank you Mr chairman. So the ninety two million that's in these documents that we have is just for this year okay that's just that's just I don't I don't understand when you say you got ninety two million dollars and here there's one category of thirty five million and another one of fifty seven million four employee insurance so what what's the hesitation to do is tell us what is going to take to satisfy the teachers in their health benefits without taking away their pay increases yes well I represent I think what. What this submission has doesn't reflect those things because the these are appropriation request the appropriation requests that we need to find the the what you mentioned will come through the former governor's letters or member bills at whatever point in the fiscal session all that is ready to go so chooses to send here the is that money you already paid this is gonna that's moneys or have been paid out because we increased it by thirty five million the A. L. C. yes Sir right yes Sir so we talked about a million dollar shortfall is that what we're saying no there we're not saying there could be a shortfall it's just not reflected in the submission of here today was gonna come about in a in later request Mr of make enough of the with the some more questions on the other questions yes Sir okay okay first of all I want to thank your committee for the forty four positions you turned in it but in vacant for over two years what we really appreciate that and following up I have a question on your central office on the on the report that I have here it shows that you have fifty seven the fifty seven positions authorized but yet you're budgeting for seventy one wonders how how you and then on top of that seventeen of those or break and five for over two years. Representative I'm not sure which report is from the department of finance and administration. It shows fifty seven. Positions and then seventy one budgeted. Four hundred twenty six thousand dollars. Yeah. Thank you okay. So. The report represented would this may be a of report that only you have on use of the rest members may not we we do not have the information one of the so that may be why there's a little. DO well looking at. So we give it to the Department add an. Yes represent would we can answer that question so that fifty seven reflects the early number but in through peer we've been moving up a positions to two into this department at ninety nine oh four and they will be reflected appropriately within that I guess when they appropriations come out but I don't feel be the session or if it'll be in regular session. The way this time. So we're we're those fourteen positions come from they they came from other from divisions within the Department so I. T. positions for instance we've been working to create the shared services unit for information technology that will support all the divisions of the department of education those positions would have been maybe assigned to other divisions so we've been in the process of moving those to the shared services you move the the the budget to sellers and all of all everything with the sessions and the and the budgeted salary yes thank you Mr chairman yes Sir thank you all right Senator Hammer I believe this last question thank you thank you back to the adequacy money that is appropriated. And sent to you in order to fulfill what has been determined by adequacy is needed. Do you spend all of that money in a cycle or is there money that is not spent there there's money that is not spent okay and that is moved to your reserve fund is that correct. Well it stays on the Public School Fund there's not really a reserve fund it's a fine balance in the public school fund that carries over and as I mentioned during the course of the year if we have if we need more for declining enrollment or anymore for student growth that that money is there in that fund balance so that's what will become and request we only request the appropriation so we we don't we don't have sufficient appropriation but will have sufficient fund balance to cover how much was not spent out of the last cycle of mum money that was earmarked for adequacy that was not spent and moved over to that fund. Okay so from the fiscal year twenty one to fiscal year twenty two I believe that number would be a hundred and four runner four thousand four hundred four million dollars hundred four million dollars yes okay so. You're coming before us asking for increases some of which are driven by adequacy. Requirements like the seventy million. You had a hundred and four that was carried forward. That was set aside for adequacy requirements that was not spent you're coming back and asking for seventy million I'm just picking one of the lines why would you just not use what's in your reserve to meet that seventy million so we wouldn't have to ask for so many dollars in this budget cycle well sometimes we do I mean what the what's what's reflected here of the request is Going down to the bottom line here of the eighty four million total for the Public School Fund that's what we're asking for the bills to reflect in the appropriation and and then through the of the RSA process been part of that may be offset with additional general revenue part of that may be offset with some of the fund balances but that's a typically happens in the RSA. process but he but he'll need the authority to spend through the appropriate for the appropriation and that so it may not come out of general revenues right okay I'll well get off line I'm just trying to wrap my mind around we we give you money in one cycle you don't use at all it carries for to come back the next cycle and ask for more money and I'm just wondering historically how much has not been spent from cycle to cycle that was required three adequacy requirements but not actually spent I could tell you senator back in twenty thirteen fourteen or so there were some pretty lean years where those carryovers got those ballot those fund balances of got pretty low and and I recall there was uh yeah we we had to go look at different pots of money like the I wanted to transfer of the unclaimed property and different things like that to meet the needs so it cycles and right now because the economy because of the student growth numbers being lower than what we expect and sales tax receipts coming in with adequate fund yes there are a. There has been a recent history of balances but that is also helped us to do more like adding the teacher of equalization fund program of like the work that we're trying to do with the legislature to address teacher insurance needs so we're the that's where some of the funding from those programs would actually come from is out of those balances are thank you David sure all right thank you all right members I think that wraps up for questions that we have on this first section here with that I need a motion to adopt executive director got a motion going to second all those in favor signify by saying aye All opposed motion carries we also have a. One second. I legislative audit. If you could just go ahead recognize yourself for the committee and then you're welcome proceed. Okay. Good morning. I'm Julie burn burn. And the supervising senior archer. Legislative order. And here to read the finding. On. Department of education for the year ended June thirty two thousand twenty. The northwest technical institute assigns a vehicle to the president they can be used for commuting purposes between his home and office. Arkansas Code and DFA regulations require reimbursement to the state for all commuting and other personal use of state owned vehicles at a rate of forty two cents a month. Additionally the FAA and. IRS regulations. For the value of the commuting and other personal mileage be reported as a tax as taxable fringe benefits to the employees using the vehicle. The FAA regulations also require. Usage logs for every mile driven in state owned vehicles. Northwest technical institute did not record or report the commuting taxable benefit nor that it nor did it record maintain list usage logs for or received reimbursement for the miles driven between home and official workstation for the assigned vehicle. We recommend. The agency comply with the code DFA regulations and iris regulations. The agency should coordinate with DFA to value and report taxable fringe benefits and determined amounts to be reimbursed for commuting and other personal use of state owned vehicles. Any questions thank you members will be questions on findings. Senator English you are recognized so I guess in WTI where is that located now it used to be with the Department of courageous and I thank but with transformation and change I thank where did it go. It's in Northwest Arkansas I know that but I mean. I know where it is I know it's in Springdale but I'm talking about but at the it was under an agency isn't under the department of higher ed now or as is where is that if under the the cabinet level department of education okay so this is this basically this entity I think doesn't really have anything to do with the secondary education it has to do with. All cabinet level department of any cabinet level rather than yes. All right thank you thank you members with any other questions. All right seeing none thank you Sir. Our members want to move on to Your cheat sheets to be page five here now support education Arkansas State Library. Thank you Mr chairman the request for the state library aid to public library is found on page one thirty eight of your manual. The Arkansas State Library serves as a resource for state government for public libraries and for all Arkansas citizens they offer services with an overall mission to provide all our Kansans with access to information they also provide guidance and support for the development of local public libraries and library services the item that we're going to be looking at today is the public School Fund aid to public library that's detailed on page one thirty nine this is public school funded and provides annual support to local public libraries across the state this is based on a calculation. The legislature the legislative recommendation totals five point seven million dollars in fiscal year twenty three and this is held flat from fiscal year twenty two thank you Mr chairman. All right thank you members with any questions. All right seeing none I need a motion to adopt executive director I'm gonna motion of got a second all those in favor signify by saying aye All opposed motion carries all right the last item I believe that we have is on page five the last page of your she here you're recognized thank you Mr chairman the budget for the Division of career and technical education public school thunder quest is detailed on page one forty one of your manual. The Division of career and technical education is responsible for administering public secondary and vocational and technical programs for school districts in the state the public school funded portion includes the vocational center aid the career coaches program and the coordinated career education programs. The total public school fund appropriation for Division of CTP is four thirty one point five million dollars each year. And if the funding for these programs include funding from Public School Fund general revenue the educational excellence trust fund and any balances. One of the appropriations includes a requested change level it is the career coaches appropriation line and that's detailed on page one forty nine the total request is for five point two million dollars in fiscal year twenty three this is just a it is a thirty three thousand dollar increase over fiscal year twenty two and when I asked agency about this they stated that they have seen some increases in their educational excellence trust fund revenues and so they're just requesting appropriation to be able to spend for any growth in the program. Thank you Mr chairman. All right thank you members with any questions. Senator Elliot. Thank you Mr chairman I know this traditionally and am I think we've got the information to back it up this career coaches have been really really helpful and success for students so I guess I need to ask for the Department of whoever can help me out with budgetary away if we could have the coaches all the coaches that we need what would be what would be the budgetary consideration for that and If anybody knows or could tell me. What the need in requests have been. I have to check on the CFO because of he left. Of Jonty Department cation senator to yes that is one of the most successful programs to move students that we have seen there is evidence behind it and we continue to collect that evidence so that's why we asked to seek to expand that program and I may not need I don't know but to fully fund what we need I think four sterile still learning that because we what what that is also a challenge there is One it's awareness of what that program is and does and to the level of participation because some districts and some to your partners are not be hesitant Can't tell you why I mean whether it's past issues or whatever it might be but because of the data we've seen we're working to expand that so that all districts can be covered. With the opportunity for career coach what would the best place to ask if the if the Education Committee requirements for to talk to the two year schools or high schools are. Well the the. The coaches are they work at a two year school all right so then but then the the partnership is the salary with the district Pafford or or whatever group of districts and and so they're just sometimes misuse and and sometimes it goes back to retirement Have retirement works for K. twelve verses hi read which is a barrier that needs to be looked at again but a plug in for that but really I think it's if if we can show the impact on students there's more willingness to come aboard and create these partnerships okay so is that this is really just a matter of are working out the issues with the folks who would. And Herreid this out more so than they're not questions about whether or not this is this works. To bring out a way to make it work with folks who is. I guess I load of whatever the case we we want to make it work and and that we believe We would like to come at some point Education Committee and also the success story of a good issue for the Education Committee thank you appreciated thank you Mr chair. You're recognized thank you so I know that we've got some career coaches. Better late in Little Rock School District and some that are being paid for by other grants and things like that is everybody fall under the same criteria and the do we have a training program so that we know that everybody is meeting the same. needs and operating in the same manner. Something that I would like to see I mean I'd like to see a career coach is everywhere that the state has that ability to do that but I also would like to make sure that every single solitary career coach is following the same model and not doing their own thing our school districts are making up their own thing no I can't I cannot affirm you today that that is the case because a career coach is a rather generic term and can be used in districts can and and some do higher career coaches that are not part of this career coach program and that something would be happy to to visit about later so we need to kind of maybe research look at all this is that down together and have this conversation about what should that program look like and what could that model based so that we don't have different people doing different things I would be happy to have a conversation good. All right thank you members I don't see any other questions. With that I need a motion to adopt executive record got a motion to get a second all those in favor signify by saying aye those opposed motion carries that wraps up for a business for the day unless you all have anything else bring Ford will be back in on Tuesday at nine o'clock we are going to do our our very best if we can move quickly to do all of our business in the morning that we are scheduled for the afternoon if we were not able to do so but again Tuesday nine o'clock it will be taking up department public safety with that thank you for your time and attention have a great weekend. We're Jr.