Education - Senate & House

Like call this meeting to order good morning everyone glad you're here senator Irvin is running just a hair light should be here in a minute so we'll go ahead and get started on the early stuff without her. I'll I'll go ahead give me some remarks today this is a adequacy. Meeting today so I'll just recommend. Your members that are non members of this committee consent and listen to a wall you cannot you cannot vote or make recommended changes to our adequacy program only the members on the committee can do that I will allow few questions but you cannot make changes that is up to this committee that the education Senate and a committee to Michael's recommendation changes so and hopefully we don't have any so. We'll put that out to so other than that we're glad you're here this should be a fairly short meeting we do have a meeting coming up in November the ninth I think that's correct November the ninth and December the six but those on your schedules of those are next meetings and so hope to see you there too all right that's my remarks. A vice chair remarks. Since we don't have the chair Joe says one. I'm sure I'll have to be gender. Your honor I am now thank you Mr is there something I have remarks I was a I just wanted to let you know because I've forgotten that committee you know that Greg Leding contact me last night saying he could not be here because of some of the issues that are happening so he is watching hoes what we'll find out. Hi Greg. All right let's get started I need to a motion to consider the option of the September seventh and October nineteenth meetings I have a motion second. The second. We have a question. Hello. Okay go ahead yes Mister chair I have a correction on exhibit C. one under the listing of the members present I'm listed under other members rather than under committee members. Scene one. That's the September's. I have I have I been booted off the committee yes yeah okay all right we do what we did want to tell you directly get the when the lady that we will note that make that thank you. Any other corrections or if not all those of favour say aye. Any opposed no our motion carries all right so we're going to get started with our review discussion on the the adequacy of recommendation we made in November of last year and will let miss Julie hall you're recognized to present all right thank you representative Cozart do we help with the of Legislative Research the policy announces and Research Division so we're here this morning because statute requires that every year you review what's coming up in terms of education funding so you know that during the adequacy study matches the adequacy study you make recommendations for the upcoming biennium and you make recommendations for each year so this just gives you a chance to review before the second school year of that biennium starts which will start in July twenty twenty two. if the timing is all based on within the fiscal session is going to occur which is based on when the primary elections occur so this year we are at required to have this review done by November first. So to do that we are going to use and I think you all have a copy of it but the offending matrix worksheet that you approved your pending recommendations with on October six of that year and this seat I just wanted to make note has been activated there's a governor's letter that was sent out in April of twenty twenty one this is during the session and there was that enhanced salary that you would approved in October the governor at the committee and that to twenty five million and also change the name to the teacher salary equalisation fund so this document does reflect that change. I'm going to use this power point to guide you through the sections of the matrix just so it's not quite so overwhelming is this worksheet may be but the first section of the matrix and the matrix is that portion that really determines foundation funding and this is your tool to go line by line and decide how much spending it's going to take defend each of these line items the first section of the matrix is the staffing levels and as you'll see that there were no changes to the staffing levels from twenty two to twenty three and this is really quite common there been very few changes to staffing levels over the years since the matrix came into effect in the early two thousands. in that with salaries that you did make some increases so we can see that for teachers and this is include salaries and benefits that level was raised to seventy one point five thousand from seventy thousand over an to to a fiscal year twenty three and they're also increases in the principal line and the Secretary line and those increases you can see the salary amount that was raised and also how that translates down to a per people amount. The percentage increase over fiscal year twenty two was two point two five for the teacher's salary benefit line and it was a little less than the other two that you'll remember you at that teacher salary equalization that we just talked about adds to the teacher salary bottom line so this was held at two point two five four principles received a two point four and secretaries received a two point five crease. The next section of the matrix deals with school level resources so that's your fending for technology instructional materials extra duty fines supervisory aides and substitutes and you'll notice that all of those line items were increased except for technology and those increases were about two point five percent for each line item but taken together is a section it was about one point five percent increase over fiscal year twenty twenty two. In the final section of the mass matrix deals with district level resources so you operations and maintenance expenditures this expenditures for central office and Transportation and again two of the three line items were increased over twenty twenty two levels transportation was not but again transportation cost our address in enhance transportation funding and M. we'll get to that in a little bit later in this presentation again your operations and maintenance was increased two point five percent over twenty twenty two levels and the central office expenditures got a two percent bump. So just taking of the hall the matrix foundation at the per student from with is seventy one thirty two per student this year goes up to seventy to eighty two next year although you'll notice there is an adjustment your under that and that has been calculated in and it's actually these for years and that's because there was an increase in what employees have to contribute to retirement so to account for that and there's an adjustment made twenty twenty three will be the last year that has to increase that sixty seven will have to either move into the matrix or stay constant at a bottom line to keep that amount covered that those are your increases and so in total with the adjustment you see any increase of two point three percent and bending over the twenty twenty two levels and that's about seventy nine point five thousand dollars I mean million dollars excuse me. Next we move to the categorical program in the funding for it this is not considered part of the matrix because most of these dollars are restricted where matrix committee is considered and restricted so meaning it went went schools get it they can spend it as they see is needed to. Pay for the resources needed at their school categorical pending though is more targeted in what and and is restricted except for that last. line item that yellow line item is for your English language learners there was an increase over the twenty two levels for that there's also an increase for the alternative learning environments students in those or students who do not perform well in the regular classroom and then that third line item ESA is your enhance student achievement those are your property student funds and and those amounts were increased at each level it's sort of a tier system so it's per student in each of these categorical is for the student that that is in that category at the school and for ESA it also depends on the concentration of poverty in each school and that's why that increases their professional development is different it's while at the it's restricted in terms of what schools can use it for it is paid out on a per student basis and you'll see it was the one line item out of the categorical funding that did not get an increase but again there's an additional funding string that were about to get to that addresses some of us PD needs. Cenex will talk about the additional funding and these are stirring funding streams that have been added over the years since the matrix in those original categorical square first put in place instead dress needs that you as a body have recognized that schools have the first is additionally is say this is a matching grant program it was put in place I think four years ago and it's to reimburse school districts for expenditures that they've made for those original Regionally research based identified approaches to helping kids in poverty and gain in achievement and that's to during before and after school and preschool so the Department well at the end of the year looks at those expenses and reimburses schools for those this five point three does it cover all those expenses so school the districts are reimbursed on a pro rated basis. The next line and we're still calling spade catastrophic in this sheet but we need to change the name of that this bit high cost occurrences and this committee is also and given to districts on a reimbursement basis and it's to help them with those students that do have really high cost of care in the special ed programs. Transportation is the next line item that's the enhanced transportation this is supplied based on a formula that targets the schools that have higher than average transportation cost in that the matrix just does not provide the pending this is the way you M. as a body target those schools and try to help them with as cost. And the next line is that additional professional development and this is money that does not go to the districts but really goes straight to solution trees and that's to fund the M.. Professor what Mike's trying to save the. PLC's thank you so much and professional learning communities and this is occurring at a growing number of schools and districts across the state and then finally is the teacher's salary equalization that you put in this last go around in that got increased to twenty five million for each year so you see there's percentage increases associated with each of those funds except for the additional ESA in the teacher's salary equalisation. There are a couple of other funding sources that we consider during adequacy study in these are really formulaic it in how they are Senate and supplied to districts there's isolated and that's to help districts that have those schools that are either an isolated or very remote areas and have challenges student that and then there's is that declining growth Leding that goes to schools to help them adjust to those cliffs that occur because foundation funding is you know this is mostly based on previous your ATM except for a few charters and so being funded for either fewer or more students and can cause some challenges and said this is this is that you had no changes to those formulas. So to put it all together the matrix Increase in the matrix of foundation funding over fiscal year twenty two was seventy nine point four million dollars and then the categorical in additional funding each received about three point six million more dollars over the twenty two levels. And that concludes my presentation. When we have a few questions or show a lot of the board right now. Representative Godfrey. Thank you Mr thank you so much really my question is really just technical something I should probably already know but on the ESA funding I understand that two years and based on the percentage of students in poverty but is that funded per people overall are per people who qualifies as a student property he qualifies thank you you're welcome. Senator Sturch. I'm not a member do you wanna wait till members first whatever you do Mr chairman conquest. Of funding about the adequacy I guess we're just going to ask that's not what you would this might be my ignorance about the matrix adequacy in general but when you're doing these calculations you taking into account any to funding the amount that schools receive your through the A. R. P. Emeric rescue plan or the cures act I know that schools were directly paid in the tone of millions of dollars directly. for those that enter into this kind of calculus we should be taken in before. That you answer I can answer that no it was not so one point five billion dollars isn't going to change that we want to move forward well this is all on regular funding that we do every two years so any additional funding that we get through the federal government and like it does not take this and that this is not take that into account. Should. Okay thank you I'm especially Alexei I mean we've we've basis all what we do every two years about anything that up and downs between those two so. Thank you Mr chair this question I. About I don't see a problem bookkeeper so whatever But where are they there is no are they in a category somewhere but I don't see or how are they funded. There are some staff in central office so if they're at the central office level. Possibly included in that that there there's eight you'll notice in the matrix there's several staff positions that are not yet not annex and S. is something I want to I just wanna bring to the committees I thought process is if you're on the education audit committee you know that time and time again we have people come in with issues and audit and so many times they lost their bookkeeper or something has happened there and I know from Talking to several administrators and from the time even those a long time ago when I was teaching. We have a real issue because of petty of getting good people to work on all that money that the districts are getting making sure spent wisely. And I think this is here in the and here today that's something I just want us to consider to see if there's anything we can do about that because the only place I could figure out it would be might be in categorical funding and I'm and K. I'm sorry got categorical funding but central central funding central office funding and if that is the case and in that budget we are hiring bookkeepers I can imagine just by the fact that is that central office if that's the case. There's probably not enough money to get people to get them to stay in these districts also turned over is is great and where it's not many times as people who need a great deal more training than they have right now. Thank you Mr shall come back to that if a motion the at some point. Your question. Thank you Mr chair and comment I think in response the matrix funding and to it to senator garner sat question or a comment. That's something that is. You know we do. As a process of all this however you I mean L. it would be really a legislative decision if you looked at the money that was received from school districts from arpa funds or additional funding as to perhaps how you would adjust different categorical funds or something to that degree that that's that's really a legislative decision in my opinion so I just wanted to kind of follow up on your question because you know it could be that you look at you could adjust those findings in relation to the amount of money and how that money was able to be spent or used clearly you would be able to use that money on different things but it could have been used you know for something not we don't need to then supplement the next year I don't know it's just I mean I I just wanted to follow up with you on on your comment because that would then be a legislative decision outside of perhaps the matrix. Representative McKenzie. Well thank you Mr chairman I got one in there but I got you I got a question with regard to the additional PD funding with solution tree so um could you first of all give me some information on our on the contract how long are we contractually bound to solution tree. That may be more of a death he question I know that we. In a contract for the upcoming here or for the rest of this biennium. Okay so if I could get some information on that I was thinking maybe is twenty twenty three and and also I believe up to this point we spent around a hundred million dollars for solution tree is that correct. The. And I apologize my specialist person's not here is does cannot how all asked if we can we can get department up there in a minute if you needed to. That amounts we have here and I don't know how much farther behind in school year twenty we had a contract that that's. What a closer to seventy million yeah I was thinking the figures I saw within prior guidance around hundred million so like it just gets more you know for the body information on how long the contractually bound and how much we have spent was solution trip at this point I appreciate. We get that information for you. Brown I believe you're up already. Thank you Mr chair this whole This is my first year on this committee and my first time to go through this process so My question is just the best number to take out there was an eighty six million dollar increase the okay the eighty six million dollar increase over fiscal year twenty twenty two. I mean we're talking about seven eighty six almost eighty seven million dollars more in twenty three than we did in twenty two. Yes ma'am and I know you went over all the details but generally me what do we have to go up but you one year. Well these are decisions that were made by the members okay at the committees and the increases were based on all the elements of adequacy study. and that's all I can say okay thank you I'll talk with the chairman afterwards. You'll learn that process start in January of thing everybody on this committee will and I know we have some new ones on there. Says thank you. I have see is a seat seventy eight. That's me okay there but is may okay I'm sorry I'm just seeing these numbers a permanent believe this is represented Dotson. Thank you Mr chair On the teacher salary equalisation the twenty five million dollars first is that twenty five million dollars flat in each year or is it twenty five million one year and then an additional twenty five stacked on top of it the next year for fifty million the second year that was flat so it's twenty five that's why I'm here okay so this is zero percent and I know with said it was going to be fifteen million I guess I missed the entire discussion on increasing that to twenty five million each year how how did that come about what why did that get increased. That we learned of it three the governor's letter. And the in the purpose of the money is. You know previously there was money from the governor to help with that minimum salary increase that was being right and I was about fifteen million a year for and this is targeted toward trying to help schools reach the average salary that's in the matrix because there's so many that are not paying that so not the minimum teacher salary amendment that average correct enhancing that up okay. All right I guess that'll be part of adequacy discussion for the next biennium thank you. Representative but. Thank you Mr chair my question is On the ASA funding up in I'm just curious have you heard much discussion related to possibly getting rid of the cleft. between the the different levels there because I do have one school that that talks to me that they are right on the line and they are at their and there are a couple of mechanisms that help with the cliff there's a three year transitional formulas that is put into effect to help schools not have either the dramatic decreases or increases there's also an growth vending element for ESA so if you've grown a lot in your enrollment in your population of ESA students there's a mechanism that helps address that as well so it's it's not as dramatic as it looks just looking at the matrix. Right the caterpillar calls thank you. Senator just feel. Thank you Mr chairman following up on representative mackenzie's question about PLC do we have yet a summative evaluation of what they have done. Practice by the department I sing formative evaluations but I've not had a summative one. that the several years they've been here I have yet to have a summative evaluation of why we continue to increase their funding I've heard good things but I need to see something summative did say as we will we were here we moved here and I don't have that do you have that or anybody in the department the report that came from death the last spring maybe M. and I can ask them to send that to me with other information I'll be sure to send that on to you I saw it but I didn't think of it is summative press they did okay we'll all right thank you that is all I'm saying is as well. All right that's all the questions I have. That. Yeah one more. A center Elliott. Yes thank you Mr chair I when we were having our discussion we are even in the midst of the study itself we talked about we're going to do something to take into consideration of understanding or figuring out what else we need to do. About the outside forces that have an impact on our salad of one our success with spending all this money and it was not so that the Education Committee would try to do something that we're just going to take care of everything that was not the point in case you're thinking that it also was not the point it also was not the point that We would just of throw up our hands and say we can't do anything about our side forces the discussion centered around. How do we did in determining what those are and then. Putting that issue in the committee the standing committee that could be responsible for studying that and coming up with some kind of solutions are just say we don't have any solutions. How does that fit into what we're doing here today and down the road because it didn't you know we we haven't discussed it since that time. I am asking to check the chairs are anybody yet I don't know anybody else right now but the chairs because you you I you have a lot of control over when and how we and what we do about issues that were discussed I do I is there a motion or something that needs to be made because one of the reasons that we keep them frustrated for example of spending eighty six million more dollars and what are we getting Is because we keep acting as if we can we can address all the issues in Education Committee and we clearly cannot. So it becomes an issue of well we're just putting money down that rabbit hole. And I don't think that's the case is that that we are doing our part perhaps on the educational side. But all the other things that you and I take for granted outside of education. We take for granted all the things we do and never think about it. But we've not addressed at all all these years this will probably be the ninth the tenth time I've said something about this and it I can't get support I can't get any bill Croft this and we said we'd take a look at so that's. That's it Mr. Is that somewhere I would I do something somewhere that's okay that's the question. What what what are you actually looking for I guess is my question not social yeah well what will I have to we have that the premise of folks understand what I'm talking about or maybe that didn't help either. For example when your kid got up and went to school today or whatever they came from a place and many times lived in a place where they don't have to worry about what condition they're going to be and when they went to school what the conditions were gonna be when they went back home whether or not their parents are working at two or three jobs whether or not that their housing is something you'd be OK with your child to be on the part of whether or not they have access to a decent quality of life. We I know there's no there's no way we're gonna ever solve this by at least understanding and we're going to try to fix it all in the Education Committee and through education. We should at least understand that. But my point is I think would be a mistake to act as if we can. So my question is since we talked about that and it was said that we were going to follow up and do a study on or take a look at what are those things because an education we have the we have the ability to understand what the issues are. Okay. So you're kind of wanting a group put together to do that out of our group here is that what you're saying are you want to do that to the bureau. I didn't I didn't have I did not have any kind of clear response so we can make a response would you said we were going to I take a look at this in the Education Committee Julie Senator Elliott you may remember that APA argument accompli making such as that was one of the recommendations was to have a I think they were just that a task force that maybe was composed of members of various committees in the legislature and then also brought on educators and folks from right right DHS and in other areas yeah I was I was thinking about this this morning and I knew it was one of the recommendations it is one of the recommendations we've not done anything with it at all we don't have to do it but we should. I do have some numbers on the PLC if the two talking over there will listen to me for just a second. I have numbers for you. Okay to date to date for the PLC they have they have paid thirty two million. Eighty four thousand nine hundred twenty three dollars and ninety four cents that's to date so the next spending cycles that we have funded will add above that and Not sure what that amount is total but that was what they paid to date on the. Six what should be able to be that probably will be through this twenty six twenty two of the two twenty two six of twenty two so next July June. Speak to them. B. thirty two million you went the whole. I'm an okay go ahead thank you I want to I did just receive that and I want to I want to check that because I'm I'm receives some other information from the Department I think last offering yeah I did receive what you just now referenced so I've got a couple more questions I'm gonna go back there was some of the documents I received last spring on that And then double back also it does look like the contract ends and for what they sent me in twenty two no it doesn't it twenty two it goes through the whole process that I'm not sure I got everything in here is not that I want to go ahead and go back with right got now that we're back with you thank you Sir just a question on that. Okay we'll. We frustrated because this contract continues to grow and grow and I continue to ask where children were when they got one DLC went to that school where they are now I need to know the progress of students along the continuum I don't need to know that you just feel good about it or any of that I need to know how kids are doing as a result of this huge investment in PL and it just continues to grow and grow but nobody has told me that children will from point a to point B. as a result of all this money and every what I've gotten S. said how good people failed how wonderful it was that it may it be all of that but I need to know how kids are doing as a result of it and that's what I'm asking the chairs to ask the department of education to provide to us thank you. Well Sir just fill up thank you Musta missed some of the presentations of some of those people are put on an. Well then I think that was what would show you that that is working but we'll see what we can get for you on that. Okay we'll we'll get what you need. Robson Lowery. Thank you Mr I have a follow up question to senator Elliots line of questioning asking about the the issue of adequacy of. Julie could could you because of or maybe if you have to call someone from legal to answer questions be fine but is adequacy solely of the responsibility of the Education Committee or is there some joint responsibility by the individual school districts to also meet standards of adequacy when when they receive state funding and spend the spend the money on the on the students. I'm going to ask Taylor to come help me with that one issue. Your. And I know this is an interpretation of what use is the definition of adequacy is the responsibility of this body And if you and holding schools accountable for producing adequacy. Is also under the purview of this body that of calling me to let Taylor thank you. Good morning Taylor if you just state your name and who you're with please. Taylor Lloyd BLR legal. Two years you got to bring those up they're not very very last. Okay regained yes yes yes. I'm I kind of want to look into that question a little bit more because I know constitutionally it's the duty of the state to provide that adequate education and through title ten which is how you guys conduct adequacy study that's the province of this committee of Education Committee but in terms of what's duty does or does not exist with respect to schools carrying out those functions I think that's something I'd have to look into a little bit more because it's not as black and white I don't think. I could be wrong it's not as black and white as the duty for this committee and for the state as a whole providing that funding that makes sense sure follow up Mr. In and I know we've been very careful of through the years to make sure that that that we do not tie adequacy to just a dollar amount of an increase in dollars but I I remain to be concerned about school districts of not spending the money directly on the kids two thousand seventeen this legislature passed legislation that set a cap on how much school districts could keep in debt fund balance in between that fund balance in construction fund balance what we've seen since two thousand seventeen is it that that cumulative amount has grown from one point six billion told my last report was two point two billion we've gone the opposite direction and I think at some point this body needs to hold accountable school districts for adequacy as well in terms of how they appropriate the money that the state dollars that are sent to them that we're required to send under lake view so I would hope that we could add to our adequacy review over the next the next year increased accountability or oversight of school districts in how they use the resources that are sent to them. But it is up to this body to do that so thank you. Representative Godfrey. Thank you Mister chair I have a question kind of as a follow up to senator Elliots line of questioning and looking at the additional funding that up on the screen that additional ESA funding because I think many of the students that she's talking about or worried about what would be the requirements for ESA funding for students in poverty I'm wondering you mentioned that funding is for grants that the school district that apply for grant funding if there. And well they're automatically reimbursed okay they don't have to but it but that is specifically for use as for for students in poverty for improving their academic achievement is that solely. Academic are there so academic expenses are those also non academic supports first for students and families in poverty such as healthcare or or other needs these are academic the way ESA is kind of involved since it was first created back in two thousand three originally there were three allowable uses for those funds and it was to provide tutoring to provide great before and after school support and then preschool and the that's because that was that those were the methods identified in research is really helping students increase their achievement levels and in a lot of it's kind of that time on task mentality over the years though there now. Seventeen allowed uses or maybe more at the last time we wrote is seventeen local uses that do cover the whole spectrum of this you know sign up now we went and did site visits schools and hard we use our committee to help deliver meals to kids were rebuilt showers because kids don't have showers at home so some of this money is being used to meet those basic needs that kids have but this money in particular goes back to those three original uses that are research based and as you know all of those uses disappear after the school year and there's a new system put in place that they are passed last year. And SO on follow up Mr I wonder if it may be helpful for for senator Elliots interest and the interests of many of us if we could look at kind of those. Seventeen expenses that you mentioned that may extend past the classroom to support students in poverty and how you know what particular supports are working and effective and how we can utilize this does the estate and use that they're not these these additional funds but that just that yes they find the general can be spent on non academic supports for students in poverty it may be helpful to have kind of a break down of of those expenses to see what's working in and supporting families thank you starting in January. Three thousand things you need to remember we start in January get this into the next next bill a reserve McKenzie. Thank you Mr chair back on this this bill season again I need I need together a more the information I collected some back in the spring but my understanding is now that is something that we review perhaps each year the contracts I don't know where we are in that review process this year for next year I'm just like to for the body at least have a discussion with the some of the concerns the questions that for instance senator Chesterfield brought up I know I kept hearing I try to do some checking on because I wanted to see you know are watching the testimony that this was a great thing I see you increase the funding each year and I know I heard for instance that they've they've certain schools of one national warrants not that wanna go check out those national awards but when I did it looks like it was actually an arm of solution tree that was the was bestowing these awards and so I would like to get in and perhaps I'm not getting all the required information but if we could dig deeper on that when we continue to to to invest more money into this one group solution tree make sure getting the proper bang for our Buck and then we are actually you know I'm I've seen a number of things have gone back to research what's going on here that is certainly put up some red flags for me that I would like before the next review process a week at least dig deeper and see are we really getting the kind of results that merit to continue renewal and increasing intense and I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt I don't want to say I do appreciate all your questions because we are working on the adequacy or reports right now and a lot of the things we've already planned to address because we think you know that it's part of the adequacy questions but please let us know if there's things like that because we can incorporate that into our our research and I would tell Senator Chesterfield I don't see but we can try to do incorporate some of that study of the before and after we will have access. As to test score data and we now have the PLC schools are so we you know would be glad to. Approach that as well. Thank you appreciate it I'm just gonna respond representative McKenzie into Senator chest feels Senator Elliott you know it is it is my intention to make sure that we go through everything with a fine tooth comb okay so you need to submit any of those things to me or to representative Cozart because that's that's our purpose and meaning as the questions from senator from representative flowery. We determine adequacy this group of people this committee this is the determination as we move forward and so it's important for us to all defined that collectively but to bringing afford these expenditures is that making sense is it not do we need to you know have a discussion about contracts do we need to have a discussion about technology do we need to have discussed those are all things that I think are important because it's shaped by this body and I know I'm I'm new in the seats but you know my and my I guess if you want to ask me what my intentions are it's really to coordinate with every member of the Senate and the house Education Committee and really make sure that we have a very involved process to look at all of these different issues that you are particularly interested in or you would have chosen this committee to begin with and so you know talk to your colleagues that are on this committee because it's very very important that everybody engage in this process so that we make sure that we maximize the opportunity before us and even if you're not a member of this committee you can still submit to one you know to somebody who is a member of the committee your ideas your suggestions what you think we need to look at and focus in on because I mean that's that's our job so you know I will I will say that big give me specifics give us specifics specific questions specific topics because the more specifics that you can give me in writing then we have a process for that and so and we can even actually create that kind of a process we've done that before in and different and subcommittees or where we have that ability to to bring those things for dinner and a and a written. Formats which is been very helpful like the task force on tax reform we we had a system of being able to ask these questions and bring those things forward and bring those proposals Ford and and those kinds of things so I think being very organized the thought process is what I'm trying to put in place and I'll work with representative Cozart our staff to make that happen. She just preach what I've been preaching for years you get involved in this process we have so many that just walk and set out and never say a word or never get involved will after the process is done so please be involved this next Sturch January through November in this process it will help I have no more questions so I guess we'll move on to Adam. He. Thank you girls ladies four year old ladies. Senator Elliot you want to see. I will miss it here but I up I was going to ask a question as well so do I do I need to not make a motion today about the study that the study that was just a committee that January would and we're going to do could you describe from you do have to talk about what you're going to do to you know already because. It would be good to know who's going to do is studying what and all that so can no need to make a motion that was all I'm asking or should I well and Senator only if you don't mind just writing it down and then we can bring it may be and the December meeting. That's fine I'll do that I will what we'll do is we'll try to create a process for people to be able to submit this is what I would like for us to look at this is what we would like to incorporate into the adequacy study so let us develop that process and then. If you have a. Yeah I can certainly do that I can I can certainly do that that be great all right born that Mister chair I just brought this I. S. P. R. to take out to look at what's happening now with the technologists in our school the speech pathologist in our schools and it's an I SP and I just want to get the. The put it on the agenda and I move adoption of it. Thank you. you would we were kind of discussing something okay okay we have a motion to adoption of second and second any of any other questions are. See no more light up of all in favor say aye. He opposed no you're a in a study will be adopted. All right I have a other business represent Lowery has something he'd like to bring up. It's redditor okay your. All of I'm getting there thank you Mr charge Europe. Yes I I'd like if there's anyone from the Department education AT the commissioner deputy commissioner level I'd like for them to come to the table for some questions. I can't see who's out there is there anybody here. No no we do not. Let's Greg must come. You're in a hot seat today. You find that. Please state your name and who you're with and what position you're going to serve in today. Greg Rogers department education. I guess I'm lucky one I don't I don't have it either one of those titles but. I'll try. Okay. Thank you my question is related to I'm a look at the long list of commissioners memos that have been issued since the release since middle of summer and I had the may request of commissioners memo to be sent just to notify school districts of the attorney general's opinion they came out in August stipulating that in her opinion that to the teaching of critical race theory or any other divisive concepts violates the equal protection clause of the constitution and the Civil Rights Act of nineteen sixty four and I understand that it's the option of the Commissioner to either a knowledge that or to follow through on that request or to deny it but I'm not received any notice at all that that was not going to be done can you give any insight as to What is the process I mean I've sent a letter and I will act actually asked that the letter and the attorney general's opinion be entered into the record but what is the process of either approving or denying a request for commissioners memo to be sent. Honestly represent our item I don't know the details that I don't know anything about that so that would be had something that I would have to find out about okay I'm not aware of any of that will and I think it's extremely important in that though the attorney general's opinion may not be binding it does set some type of a at least a legal brief the school districts could be found in violation and and could be taken to federal court and that I think it's extremely important that it be on the record that this memo was requested just to just really as a notice to superintendents that they should be aware of that they could be fined up found in violation of students federal right their their civil rights so. Mister Mister chairman I'm going to ask that I have a copy of the letter of requesting the the commissioner's memo and also a copy of the AG's opinion I'd like for it to be entered into our official record of this hearing. You make a motion to add that to our. Yes please cannot follow up questions really quickly I mean we were having a committee meeting about an issue that I'm not sure I'm I know exactly what you're talking about here can you see anything that submitted that gets handed out before to the committee members of the committee needs to come to us for approval first before it gets hand that's generally how we do the. Okay well I'm I'm sorry I don't know anything about what you're presenting so. I just wanna make sure we have the right people here for a committee to answer questions so that we're prepared for that and if you. Will it appreciate that and I certainly would be very open to having this added as an agenda item for the next time that we meet and then if if that is the more appropriate time for us to let's let's do that will be more discussion on it because everybody would know okay that said that to the November a that will be fine and and I and I've certainly will get with you if if I receive an answer from the Commissioner of before then and and. Keep us from having to take it up as an agenda item yeah that's fine okay all right thank you. I have to others I'm not sure what your question drawn will will go to represent the. Thank you Mr chairman this is gonna be a another business item since rage at the table there although it out and and. C. Fite something help within I've got a email from a constituent yesterday and it's actually not the first time I've heard of this issue but she said that her concern is is that there are students who show violent tendencies within the schools and the schools are very limited as to how they can handle those students she gave me a couple examples of how student actually attacked the teachers and head on with the fire had or with a fire extinguisher and there's not a whole lot they can do as far as sending them home or isolating and so forth in that may be more of a question for us as a committee that we need to study that what is that something that the department has looked at or can offer solutions to do we need to set up separate schools for these type of students or just that you know if you all believe will have looked at this issue and what is your current stance on it. If you don't know that's okay we met research and come back next month and that that's okay as well but it's something that that would be something else I would just have to find out about that I I'm not familiar enough know about okay dispensed the rule of law and how that would apply now I know there have been some changes but I just be talking of talking head of a tribe right now okay if that's something that maybe I can go and research and see what the current statuses and then may be going for what we as a whole need to look at as far as to better address that to make sure teachers or no you know safe environment. Thank you thank you Mr if you take that back and just maybe give us some kind of idea what what you'll have to say about that and what we can do or what could be done would be good I'm not sure who that would fall under but whoever just next month will bring it back up for that. All right of resume against your back up again. Thank you Mr chairman this is real quick and I know it could prove on this but I want in trouble on this and I don't think I just wanna share some clarification with folks I'm I wish I could have let doctor Pfeiffer grandparent but she was very helpful to me there's been a lot of confusion I think a lot of districts I've talked a number districts in and out of my constituency to school districts about recess a lot of folks are under the belief that they cannot keep a child in from recess if they can it's just that extra five minutes if they happen to get because that forty minute a doctor Pfeiffer did prepare did I provide some clarification and I hope that we can get this out all the school districts I wanna let you all know was well that that's not the case at the forty minutes is not forty minutes per day is not per child per student and obviously understand the importance of recess for the kids to get out the energy but also I think for teachers classroom management parents have been some issues with the teachers that you know thought they couldn't take away recess to get one then we can maybe get a class back on track they can and so I encourage you to get the same kind of clarification from Dr Pfeffer I found it very helpful. All right. There any other business or business. Seeing none have so I would just go ahead I'm sorry. Almost let you out. And numbers there's been an issue that's come to my attention as it relates to students who are transferring from public school to public school and their ability or inability to play sports I am going to be Colleen and a committee meeting on Thursday afternoon with the triple a to present to us as well as I'm going to invite the students to our committee because I'd like to hear his story and I will be reaching out to them and I want to know if the department needs to be involved with that discussion will invite the department of education to be a part of that discussion as well as the triple a and invites the students we would like to hear I would like to personally to hear from this student it is affecting his senior year I realize that he is more of a pro for high profile type and student be still a kid and I know that this happens to kids in all schools across the state of Arkansas and that I'd like to know more about this process and how it is I investigated how it is enforced how it is determined and I'd like to hear all sides of this issue because my intention is always to I think we're here for students we're here for them and it breaks my heart to hear that any student is denied an opportunity to do something that they love because I only get one chance at high school and and so you know I I'm gonna have that will have that meeting Thursday I work with staff I know A. L. C. me side day but I would invite you to stick around for that a discussion as well because I think it's going to be quite interesting and that we need to know about that the Thursday night Thursday so that we need to know about that and have more information about that process and how that is applied throughout the state for students thank you. I will be both committees if available Thursday afternoon it will be House and Senate represent Deffenbaugh has something. Thank you Mr of. Madam chairman at the are there not I mean there are guidelines in place for the I don't understand what you're trying to do here you know they they. they've gone over this these things and they studied the names you know just and all that so I don't understand what you're trying to do because I know they have plenty guidelines in place and they've they've fought that battle for a long time. I am trying to represent students and constituents and I understand and I think that it's our job and it's our and it's our job and it's our purview to understand how our students and how our constituents are affected by rules and regulations and how those are made and how those or carried out and how those are enforced and how those are applied if they're applied equally if they're applied to everybody in the same manner I'd like to know that so we understand that process when those things are determined how the determines and I think that's an appropriate use of this committee and I've of our legislative inside because we are elected to represent the citizens of the State of Arkansas and when they have grievances or they have issues we need to make sure that we have the ability for them to come here so we fully understand the system and how it's applied to our students thank you for the question you there. All right seeing no more questions everything with the take a motion to adjourn. A motion and a second all in favor say aye. See in November no actually see a Thursday then also you know we're.