Education Committee - Senate

Thank you senator Jane English district thirty four in its basically this bill does a lot of technical changes from we moved from the Department of queer Education and the Office of skills development there's there are some technical changes here in reporting. Very uncomplicated bill. Senator Chesterfield you're recognized for a question. Thank you madam chair and Senator English. Is this just another transformation pieces moving everything. I move everything it move some things and reporting things all from one place to another okay so. We're just eliminating create and workforce development and putting all putting this particular piece on forms to be and then there's some things in here that were part of the career workforce education on board some of those are now with the department of education so you just put codifying yes all right thank you. Senator Elliot you're recognized for a question. Thank you madam chair Senator English we were on page six I have a question about lines twenty eight through lines thirty if if that is brand new language or transferred language. What is a six online is F. line twenty eight through thirty I have a what I'm asking is this brand new language is this a brand new accountability piece or is it transferred from someplace else well be Prisoners have been under the we're under the department of career education and and I skills development and now they with the final rules and financial responsibility to opt in we'll all be with the department of education. So the office of skills development words reporting something what was made in their real and make a report I know but prior prior to that right now who to whom do they make that report it will be making their report to the state board of education I'm not talking or I'm not talking about in the bill right now are that I know it is nobody is nobody and so when they make this report There is not nobody is that were development workforce okay okay so once they make their report about the our financial bought by ability and so forth to the state board of education for the state board of education to do what with it because they are the state board of education's gonna take this report is a going to result in making some determinations about which programs and close and which ones are successful as this seems to indicate it could do that it could do that but I think it's just generally a report. So if I if if the office of skills development makes a report to the state board of education on the financial viability of the center. Does then the state board of education have the authority to determine to do with the report whatever they wish even if it means closing a center. All I can go that far on. I believe. I think that be pretty extreme I do too but I think right now the authority we've given the board is pretty extreme and that's why I'm asking because we they have that we have given the authority to the board right now to close all kind of schools which that has happened and so that's the reason this call on a with that rare centers are typically are most of them are on college campuses to your college campus yeah but but I'm just trying to determine are they going to have the authority to do the same thing here that they're doing to to public schools if these at the metrics here are something they don't like. Cortisol is forced the department of education and they would have to work in coordination with the career education and workforce development board we added that language in a I have that section that says you know they can review recommendations of the career education workforce development board he will actually established the criteria for centers and so the report from OS deed to the State Board will be at ballot though there's different types of centers but they would not be able to close a facility based on that information what will result at what could or will result as a as. result of this report is it just to have it or is it to take it and do something it's for the board to consider and and working in collaboration with the career and workforce development board you know focus areas for new centers identify areas in the state where there might be a need for more centers that students are not getting to access the services so it's to inform decisions going forward but not in the state board cannot unilaterally close a facility thank cannot they will which one did you say cannot okay can anybody close of. I can't answer that I have not looked into that sorry. Okay thank you I don't think we talk about the same thing as a as a as a public school in Jacksonville we're talking about a career center that is is separate and apart and it almost has a whole set of different rules and regulations and of. Criteria so I think one of the things we would be doing with these reports is looking as we had over the last year so the term of which of these programs were successful which ones and we we did a new funding formula so that you had those courses that were more in demand and we've reviewed the put out that funding formula so that more of the courses that are that require more expensive equipment and things like that those the kinds of and that's all about what what this will be doing Senator English and that's what I I hope this would mean if we do a report we do a review and find out there are shortcomings that we are going to help do something about the shortcomings and I know it's not the same thing as a. Kate K. twelve but I didn't think we'd be going as far as we are with Kate K. twelve either but we are so I just. I hope that you are right and that is is review for the purposes of of making sure the centers are working well not that we are moving toward something that way we have to K. twelve or just close it down take it over to whatever we want to do with it and the goal is to have successful careers centers that really meet the demands of the local areas and that we have an opportunity for our students to gain those that education those skills are necessary to be able to go off and have a future now thank you so much. Thank you are there other questions for the committee from the Committee. No questions is there anyone here to speak for or against this bill. You've seen nine eight you're recognized to close for your bill I close bill okay what is the pleasure of the Committee I move do pass motion to pass second all those in favor say aye. And opposed ayes have it congratulations you've passed your bill thank you Senator Ballenger I believe this year we're going to go to that bill next. Yes three eighty nine I believe. Senator Ballinger feel to state your name for the records then you may proceed Senate Ballinger Senator Ballenger Senate district five this Senate bill three eighty nine when we discussed on late on Thursday I think remember when Wednesday I guess and so this is the legislation that requires the parental notice and an opportunity to view the curriculum of any teaching on sex education agenda I sexual orientation gender identity anything like that so it is just a personal notice requirements a couple things that were concerns when the when we did discuss the committee was actually incorporating the definition and and we've Senator grossing so to gross to the bill so we've actually taken the desk definition incorporated into the bill and then center back and want to be added as a co sponsor then there's also another piece of legislation passing through the deals with the ability to check curriculum and there's no conflict between the two in fact they kind of dovetail nicely both of them will require the ability to to look at and the other legislation actually just gives a little more detail and then of course it it is general with any curriculum this would be specific only if the teachers teaching something that's outside of the the standards and ending includes one of these topics. All right any questions. Yeah yes Elliott you're recognized for a question Senator Ballinger I don't know if I have the old bill or the you are the one that's been it's it's action on page one starting on thirty two. Their identity and it incorporates the actual definition from that that a that book. Let's see which defines it as no no I this is the right one I got the right yeah. Okay. All right any other questions did I just wanted to follow up did not present any determination made about the one that. not. A consort yes I'm sorry so so if they they don't conflict with each other they they will have the kind of work together on dealing with like that one will give the parents the right if it passes the right to look at any curriculum was just course does what this would do would say they have a right to look at the curriculum but they will be given that notice when they're giving the notice that the issues be anti so there's there's no conflict between the two and in there because of the other one passes this will just kind of work within that and dental provides more framework as to how that happens all right thank you all right. Are there any other questions from members of the committee all right is there anyone here to speak for or against Senate bill three eighty nine. C. N. nine you've close for your bill appreciate the committee. Motion to pass and a second all those in favor say aye. And opposed ayes have it congratulations you've passed your bill thank you Committee you're welcome and okay I have a bunch of the next bills. Senator Clark here. And he's not here if somebody wants to text him he can come and run has bill that I guess I will go next then. I've got three ninety four four oh seven fourteen thirty three and five of two. March. Senator you are seated you're recognized to go ahead. Thank you madam chair and members of the committee on Senator Missy Irvin district eighteen. And Senate bill three ninety four is the first bill that I'm going to bring to you and. This bill. I think they let me just start from the really beginning once when we when we experienced the tragedy of sandy hook and. At that time I had a conversation with a third grade teacher who at that time said you know I don't know what to do and I don't know what to tell my kids when you have an event like a school shooting happening on this campus I is a teacher should be focused on curriculum or you know or were trying to get my kids from one activity to the next and to recess and back to the classroom or to lunch and back to the classroom that one sandy hook you know unfortunate event occurred on that can I'm not school campus in a school shooting. You know the questions from her students were Your mission men where do we hide if this happens on our campus and when she and I have that conversation in these third graders were asking her that question about what do we do if that happens on our campus where should we go should we what should we do you know it really drove home to me which allowed then I found Dr Cheryl may with the criminal justice institute and because of those questions from those third graders to their teacher about where should we go what should we do if somebody comes on our campus and start shooting in our classroom you know what we do and that conversation led to it like I said me finding Dr Cheryl may with criminal justice institute and then writing a school safety acts. I'm from there we have gone through a lot of revisions and not necessarily revisions but we we have done a lot of work I think in that in that arena so what Senate bill three ninety four does is it really builds on that foundation of the school safety acts and then in twenty eighteen governor Hutchinson signed an executive order after parkland Florida to form the Arkansas school safety commission. the purpose of that commission was really to advise the governor and the division of education on school safety across the state of Arkansas so that that third grade teacher would know what to do and what to tell her students and how to keep them safe and to be able to have training about what school safety is what it looks like in order to obviously save as many lives as possible so this eighteen member commission met for nine months and they deliver thirty recommendations and best practices in a final report to the governor and and in order to enhance the safety and security of our schools the commission emphasize that school districts to develop a comprehensive school safety and security strategies that stress prevention protection mitigation response and recovery. So at the request of governor Hutchinson the criminal justice institute's Arkansas center for school safety collaborated with the department of education in Secretary education's safe schools committee and the University of Arkansas at little rock survey research center to develop and administer an extensive school safety assessment survey that would evaluate the extent to which public school districts have implemented the best practice recommendations of the commission. And I would just want to say this because for anybody that's out there listening and watching I want to thank the school districts because there was a ninety seven percent completion of the survey by school districts that is wonderful is incredible I just want to thank every school district out there for taking this matter so seriously and to complete the survey. and those results are obviously representative of the state of the school safety and security in our public school districts across the state and the results of this assessment or identified and deficiencies were identified and in the implementation of the commission's best practices. So Dr Cheryl may who is the director of the criminal justice institute and also chair of the department of education in secondary education's safe schools committee and she served as the chair of the Commission she worked with everybody involved with share of mental health professionals school resource officers and other stakeholders to determine how to best prioritize and identify gaps and to insure school safety best practices are consistently implemented in all Arkansas schools these discussions represent or I resulted in this legislation and this legislation is focused on the following things insuring schools collaborate with local first responders and conducting audits and lockdown drills the completion of a comprehensive school safety audits using best practices every three years ensuring schools share floor plans with appropriate of local first responders recognizing the Arkansas center for school safety as the state school safety clearinghouse for training and resources that will assist public and private schools in implementing effective school safety strategies and assist public schools in meeting the requirements of the proposed legislation providing youth mental health training for school counselors school resource officers and licensed public school personnel and then finally implementing effective school resource officer programs and schools to not only protect mitigate and respond to but also to prevent violence in schools and you'll see a secondary piece of legislation all present next that that is more specific with school resource officers and memorandums of understanding so um this legislation has been a passion of mine like I said for a very very long time and since sandy hook occurred and me having those conversations with my friends or the teachers so. This is really a pleasure to have worked on this for all these years it's a pleasure to see this final piece of legislation really implementing a lot of the surveys that Recommendations and again just a huge efforts on for all those that have participated so I'll answer any questions. Thank you senator urban are there any questions from the members. Senator Sturch you're recognized. Thank you ma'am. And service thank you at the present the bill I'm on the last two pages eight seven stage a this afternoon to new things or at least with changing maybe existing a professional development one for teachers would be instead of just the teen suicide awareness your are you incorporating mental health awareness or is it a brand new requirement as an additional hour or whatever for mental health awareness is it just I guess that's what my question is is it incorporated into what's existing are we trying to add one more to it yes it's incorporating much existing and then the same with the counselors on the last page. Is it incorporation eight I never I don't know if this is a new program to use mental health first aid training is that something that they're not getting already or just a new program that we're adding. It's optional okay. I guess since then we haven't heard from cancers that they're against it or anything like that they're adding additional. Since this is optional there so I mean I think as these new programs come up come about and it's a more comprehensive type program and making sure that that's optional they're gonna be moving to you know whatever's going to be the best training out there and that's what this encourages for us today thank you thank you Mr any other questions. Thank you senator Ervin and thank you for this bill because I think it's it's really important I had a couple of questions about one I guess me find my place here. Where we were creating new I was going to serve on the board or committee and I ask. Seems that I see everybody in that group except teachers I know there is one teacher in the advisory group and That's the only kind of quibble I have is that there are more teachers that interacted with more students than anybody else and know their habits of mine and I and and how they might react and I think that's important And it would seem like a good idea also to have more than one teacher because house we're going to react at one level state I'd say elementary as opposed to high school that's a whole different ballgame than you've got you know the middle school folks so I was just a on page five for you before you talk about the folks that are going to be involved it's. Everybody there on I guess you know these folks have the option of designating somebody Rather than themselves because of not looks like you're going to have all the exact same kind of people which usually happens to be appoint folks by their positions and so I'm just calling that your attention because I think that matters and I think it matters that we have teachers in. Much more involved in this because chances are very good no matter what happens the folks who are going to be at the helm of making sure students are safe you know on that little Mike that will microblog want to be the teachers have. Yes I did and then also on page six the advisory board for the Arkansas does on page seven does specifically without that there is a teacher that's involved one that's that that's the only place I found that there is a teacher that's what I was pointing out so I just think that that's something should that should be considered yeah that and they are I mean I'm I'm assuming that they have the ability just like other boards like that I know that I have attended or been a part of that they would have subcommittees of stakeholders and for more info at so and there's well there's also a place to where it says something about other stakeholders that it's just it's just seems like there's no bigger group of stakeholders here than than teachers that's all I'm not I'm not against the bill anything I just think that's something that would be really for that's off thank you for your attention any further questions from anybody else. If not I center or anybody or you're going to speak for against the bill. If not Senator Irvin you're recognized to close for your bill thank you to the members of Education Committee I know that you have worked through this issue for many years as well so I would be remiss if I didn't also say thank you to you all because you as members of this committee have worked through the school safety legislation and these issues as well so I really do thank all of you as well on for your work on this and Dr magazines so for the shout out to her and she's been a great friends working with me Very long time so thank you I would disclose and ask for a good vote I make a motion to pass their second. There is a motion the second do pass all those in favor I hi all those opposed no motion passes thank you senator Irving your next bill is. Four of seven four of seven cents senate bill four oh seven as the second one and it deals specifically with school resource officers and so representative Jamie Scott did a lot of work on this bill and she has a companion bill that you will see coming through the same with my bill actually as senator I represent Cozart is filed a companion bill to my bill that's Jamie Scott did a great job I think working through this and this is really key and and very very important that school districts have a memorandum of understanding with local and law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction and that if they have a school resource officer that that school resource officer is part of the memorandum of understanding and so you'll see that and the first section and what those memorandums of understanding really should include so I believe that this is very very essential second piece of the puzzle to what we just passed because your local law enforcement agencies that do have the jurisdiction of that school it could be a city it could be a county or it can be both needs to have a very good level of communication and dialogue with one another for a strategy and and a plan of a plan to execute and if you have a school resource officer on your campus there really needs to be some clearly defined clearly defined boundaries I would say about what that school resource officer it does on the campus and or if they are also part of the local law enforcement agency which I think there are some that operate that way so and if you look at this this really just talks about making sure that that memorandum of understanding is in place that allows for the Division of elementary and secondary education to promulgate rules and rags and then it also talks about your SRO training all at the at the bottom of page two and then at it also incorporates just like we did in the last bill that you talked about the use mental health first aid training because we think that's very important that our school resources officers are consistent with the plans at that we're putting forward and then it talks about that certification and then a refresher course is after five years that there will be a refresher course and then I think also what's important to you is you look at the continuing at after that but that at the bottom of page three in the top of page four that your principal and your superintendent also take just a one hour course about With with with this training development at Arkansas center for school safety and the reason I think that's important because when you have a school resource officer on your campus that's a different type of a personnel that you would have that somebody who can make an arrest you can you know has a little bit more jurisdiction and I would say just a teacher so I think that's an important distinction to make and I I do like that part of this bill as well and that outlines exactly what that would be so with that I will take any questions. Any questions from committee members. Senate Beckham you're recognized. Has there been any push back on the eighteen months for SRO training it seems like an awful long time. To wait after you hire someone before they get trained to do the job. I have not but the one that the answer that question sure yeah Dr Cheryl I'll bring her up because I should've brought up on the first bill. I was just trying to brag about Hi I'm Cheryl may and director of the criminal justice institute and Dr Arkansas center for school safety we originally started with the year and then the push back that we got was that some schools wanted longer. Then the twelve months. And had suggested two years but we compromised on eighteen. I agree with you I think the sooner we can get him trained. If they're in the schools the better. My my concerns you have someone that's making arrests and carrying a gun on campus hasn't been trained for your house and and and there are a variety of resources that they can take before they take their forty hour basic so it's not like there isn't going to be any training available but that is going to be in the hands of the the superintendents and the school personnel who are supervising this individual. Senator. Are you finished. I want to make up for Senator Irvin either one are there some clear understandings under what conditions and SRO may conduct an arrest on a school campus yes I from from law enforcement's perspective. There isn't one of the things that this memorandum of understanding will do will make that much more. Understandable for everybody and we also felt the issue with discipline you know when we did our the governor asked me to do at a big school safety assessment after the commission on those thirty our recommendations that we may and one of the things that we that I saw was that these individual the schools they do have them of use but they focus on very narrow things okay and so what we talked about doing was expanding what needs to be in there because I think we're most and were extremely fortunate because we haven't had a very very large number of great SROs in this state but they to need direction and the. Schools and the S. R. O. as well as the law enforcement supervisor need to understand what those constraints are on discipline and they're they're very very very important so it will it would be different from school district to school district perhaps everybody will get to create their own his or some factor insistence across the state take well I mean I think I'm a let her come in as well but there needs to be consistency with what is included in the memorandum of understanding so the pop top of page two you know it says without limitation so it can expand the on this list but financial responsibilities is really important and that's important for the SRO as well as the school or the local law enforcement agency chain of command is really important particularly if there is an incident on campus you have to understand who's got the chain of command and and how which again goes back to the training for the principals and the superintendent this is a different employee at different type personnel and the and then you know training requirements and the roles and responsibilities of who that what the SRO is supposed to be doing on that campus so. I think you're going to it's going to be different because you have some that are County that again that's going to be dealing with county sheriffs and others that are gonna be in city dealing with police police jurisdictions so a little bit different but making sure that they do have one the comments and the Arkansas center for school safety and doc desi I we're gonna work together to come up with a model and you said that there is as much consistency as they possibly can be because I personally believe that consistency is very important do you foresee that using S. R. owes for. Disciplinary person Reasons what a would not be a part of this. All of the duties. Well we encourage them not to get involved in discipline. Yeah I hope so because gas and that's one of the things that's one thing so I really worry about the costs and some schools right now people actually do use SROs for discipline which destroys the whole point of having the S. R. O. in the school yes ma'am I part of which is to create a relationship not be perceived as somebody you know who is there for this it's it's it's very important that these programs are effective programs yes and what you're talking about is critically important now yes of an effective program thank you Senate back on do you have another question okay all right then does anybody else have a great okay Senator Sturch. Thank you thank you ma'am tax Dr Mayfield heights one one last one I guess I was confused little bit by and the answer Senator Beckham's question that I get the whole idea of standardizing them use I think that is a fair point I was under the impression though that most school resource officers are coming out of a county sheriff's office or a city police program so they've already law enforcement training beforehand it's not that this forty hours is their first time in law enforcement training correct this is just correct any just for school safety art are incorrect but their role in the school is very different than a role on the street and that's why it's critically important to get as many of these tests are of those through a basic SRO class so that they can better understand that themselves and the the superintendents and our other staff at the schools can can understand back to is this forty hours than basic courses it's something that they could take over the first year of their employment or is it something that you have to go and just do in a week or two or can you describe where it is we're we're actually trying to brand new option this week we're normally we developed we will deliver I forty hour basic SRO class we we offered during the summer okay but given the number of SROs who we're going to need to take this class it's going to be impossible to get a mom died during the summer so this particular week we started doing a separating it out into five separate days that they'll come back they'll be here on Wednesday and then I'll come back next month for one. One day class and it'll be spread over a five month period so that it doesn't present any hardships and there's that there's a big difference between the resources available and you all know yes the resources available between our more urban. Schools and particularly our our will schools so and we will start this delivery at some point regionally so that'll help so that they won't have to be a lot of travel involved as well thank you thank you Mr. I'd like to meet would you foresee that. We could get everybody trained virtually In cultural cultural competency yes ma'am one of the things that we're we're adding two pieces to the I standardized forty hour basic class that we currently offer the first is a cultural diversity incompetence I we started offering that at a year or so ago and secondly trauma informed response you know when we talk about all that highs in the need for mental health you know or or kids or Many of our kids are in crisis you know the centers for disease control and prevention they do every two years they do it Acworth rescue surveillance system. In Arkansas unfortunately has way too many kids that help us rank oftentimes first second third within the top five around the country and it boggles our mind so having that youth mental health first state but also knowing how to interact appropriately interact with the child oriented person that may have been traumatized it's going to be very important in building those relationships that that you mentioned a little earlier when there be anything that would keep us from say in the in the first. I don't know. Referred to the three months that they can get at least an hour of training and something like this because. Eighteen months is a long time yes ma'am group of kids that that you don't know. I and I and I mean you don't culturally and and and from the sample of trauma or anything that's to me because I've just I've seen this where people don't they have maybe they maybe they have the best of intentions but it doesn't matter when you get the results you get because we simply are misreading something that we're seeing something that as simple as if we had just had a virtual training and this is what trauma might look like this is what happens from this kind of group that you might not understand of that group I don't know why we couldn't get that done in a much shorter time unless somebody over there in the choir can tell me something else I would like to hear and why could we not do that that's already done ma'am it's already done has slammed through the criminal justice institute we have an online cultural diversity incompetence Class yeah I'm three hours and in life I'm so under this bill I guess I'm asking you that Senator Irvin could we not require that because and that's even better we already have it so the only thing that needs to happen is to require it to be done within I don't want to be arbitrary too much but a very short time. Okay your response well I don't know I I understand and I think you know like Dr may said I think we would prefer the twelve months but then there was a two month I mean a two year limit eighteen months because the compromised but through rules and regulations for the rules in the development I think we could try to make a priority priority list and emphasize that through the rules and the promulgation of this with the Department. Well that's not exactly what I'm talking about I'm I'm talking about I'm honoring you've gone from two years to eighteen months and now I'm asking for just a little bit more because eighteen months even a month it is a long time to not know those very very basic things So why could you could you could. And I want to hear from the administrator as well because I'm gonna have a hard time moving on from this one because it's so incredibly important why could we not since we already have the courses require in the first three months you must spend at least an hour or three hours learning this to know the kids would come when you are dealing that's a big deal and schools I'm in a really big. So I mean again I yeah I can you can ask the administration if that's something that there's a problem or an issue of trying to not do that and I'm also or the practice your bill if you have if you have it is and I mean I I know that there's timing issues and I know that there's resource call your consideration stands and I understand that and and I would have to also look at the lands of everything that's offers before I could sit here and honestly tell you what would be a priority over another thing that's on the list okay I mean that's just my my first initial response because there could be something that you know I can't just speak off the cuff because I'm not the one that is creating that requirement so there could be something that I wouldn't want to put something like this is a number one first thing and then it offset something else it's just equally as important. And I and to be clear I guess is clear and I I absolutely would because I think it's that important could somebody from the. The choir over here like this coming talking about why you would see is a problem or is it doable that you could get at least an hour or two or three in it if it can be done a doctor may need to get the only thing that I'd like to say that to add to this conversation is that I have a tremendous amount of confidence in our schools of trying to get their folks through this basic SRO class as soon as possible and by them doing that that would sort of to a certain extent resolves for the most of the schools I anticipate what what what you're talking about yeah I know I'm asking that to run the schools if you will come and tell me whether or not this would be a priority for you to try to do it first. And the. I would I just wanna add to this that the legislation says within eighteen months I'm not sure if we have an average of how long this takes it could be less than eighteen months but I'm not sure of what the average amount of time is for the training yeah if you just to let us tell me what you would see as a priority that's all I'm asking. Dr Martin and as executive director for a what I can tell you Senator is this been a a long work in progress you know we've had several members of the committee that have gone through and and develop as you know the legislation that you see here I can tell you just from past history you know there wasn't there was a requirement for school resource officers to be trained there wasn't a very large specificity in you know what exactly that meant and those requirements I think the intent of this is to try to do some of the things that you've illustrated in terms of of making sure that not only are resource or officers able to me preface this by saying my that is a school resource officer and so You know the. They understand the work and by being a police officer but understanding you know cultural responsiveness understanding what it looks like to be in a school how to do their job well at the same time enhancing those relationships and things like that so I would see the training of this being that being a priority of this is trying to acclimate in a school resource officers into that environment but we don't really have a lot of control in and how the the classes are set up in priority so I think that's something that I would really hope we can take back to the Committee that's been working and working with doctor may deceive what order of things in terms of classes would be set up before I could say. For sure this is going to be the first first couple things that are out of the gate and I think that's the intent is to try to make sure that that that work is is part of the part of the package would you be comfortable with to the extent possible. This will be a priority. As far as that being that language in the bill is that what you're asking. I don't know that I have a problem we have a problem that but again I would like to have an opportunity to take that back to our members just to make sure that there's not anything that would I don't see an issue but I would like that opportunity. Okay thank you thank you and I'll say to the committee and to everybody in this room I cannot tell you how tired I am again the person who has to call to attention. What's happening in the schools with SROs with little black boys and girls I am so tired of being that person. Why don't we know this. That's why I'm hammering on this because you have to just not even be looking at Facebook not to know how big this issue is. It's just tiring. Anybody else have a question. It's not Irvin you're recognized close for your bill. And I think you've heard anybody want to speak for against the bill. Senator you're recognized thank you thank you members of the committee I do very much appreciate the conversation in the dialogue and I will assure you that I will be working very closely with the departments to make sure that we have a priority list and if we can narrow that down I love to do that so I with that I do appreciate the dialogue on the conversation and I also want to thank our doctor Cheryl may for all of the work that she's done really on behalf of our entire states and all of the kids are gonna benefit greatly because of her work and for the Arkansas center for school safety. I have a motion. Is there a second. Second and there is a motion and a second all those in favor I. Those opposed no. The motion passes. Senator Irvin this five oh two. Yes I Senate bill five two is This If you if you will read it it just it amends the type of students for which a public school district shall not impose out of school suspensions and expulsions and this extends to our children that are in foster care and students that have an individualized education program in accordance with the individuals with disabilities Education Act there is I part of the bill that does give the school district the ability to use out of school suspension or expulsion if there are those two criterias that the student proposes a fiscal risk to himself or herself or to others and or or causes a serious disruption that cannot be addressed through other means but for me it's really critical and important that our children that are in foster care have the ability to have as much of a consistency in our life as possible and I think that being in the school is an important tool for our foster families in our foster parents or foster kids as well as you know we want to try to keep them in school as much as possible and because they're already dealing with so much already and so with that that's really at the symbolist. Explanation I can give you on this bill. Okay in any questions are for members. By anybody or just want to speak for or against the bill. If not senator from a recognized you for motion motion to add the path is our second. I have a motion the second all those in favor aye aye those opposed no motion passes thank you madam chair. And. Is that the last I have house bill fourteen thirty three fourteen thirty three this is a companion bill to the enhance transportation funding announcmenet okay I'll be happy to answer any questions. Seven one that we've already discussed it already passed all right changes. Any questions anybody assistance center you're recognized with the school district to be willing to wait eighteen months for funding. You can ask them that question. Would you make funding a priority. All right thank you for that any further questions if not. Motion to pass motion Is there a second. Okay isn't motion second all those in favor hi those opposed no I I will tell you I just assume there was not anybody I probably should have done that I want to speak for against the bill so I apologize if I missed somebody. Welcome. Right okay thank you senator Elliott for sharing the committee what we get those bills signed Senator Clark you're recognized for the last bill Senate bill three forty nine. Service. Yes I'm on there are only on the agenda as well. Now the printable on the online okay. Senator Clark Senate bill three forty nine. The manager yes I've got a couple people I'd like to health okay. Can bring him on a okay. Stacey Smith all while. Sensors two chairs I can get all the way. There was a chair sitting in that corner but it disappeared on me. This. There is an. All right of everybody just wants to go ahead and state their names for the record and then we'll go ahead and proceed that way. Audie Allen ball. Senator Alan Clark. He spent Arkansas department at. You're recognized for such. Thank you. Of. This the Bill. Comes out of A couple things of. It really starts with really reading it is what it's mostly about and it starts with the work that Congressman Westerman then. Of majority leader Westerman bill of. While he was here although unsuccessful he laid the groundwork to work the Senator Elliot has done that I have done the you madam chair and center infliction of follow up on. And The it is giving people a couple years because of COVID but it is going to mandate that we implement the science of reading in our curriculum. It also creates an ombudsman. to help with that. And my idea there. But comes from the fact that one of the Most important catalyst in. Reading and education of will the two most important catalyst and reading of. The in Arkansas or sitting beside me of home I looked to my right on dealing bill and Stacy Smith. Of and one of them of is paid. And and deserves everything she gets and the other one is a volunteer who. Just does an incredible job fighting for kids around the state. and making a difference and in kids lives and making sure that they get the education they all together but also in helping through that scene of policy changes that need to be made. And over the years I have talked to the department of education about the fact that I didn't know if we could copy that but we should because so much of what we've done would not have happened if not for the work that all he was doing as I said if it's possible and so we've had those conversations. Of and then I asked already to work with bill or to try to draw up a bill and then after we drew up the bill the part of education and governor's office came to me and said what do you really want to do and I told him what we really want to do and we came back and rewrote the bill. and I think they're doing a really good job of that and I will let already and it's Stacey tell you more about what the bill does. What we took three forty eight and three forty nine initially and we combine them into one three forty nine. Basically what this does is it offers an incentive for schools to implement the science of reading we're very anytime in Arkansas and that millions of dollars are about to come into to a grant so that schools can by reading curriculum and this offers them an incentive to purchase the right curriculum the science of reading because science is settled we know what works you know what doesn't work and we know what works. And while the retraining this whole workforce that we have and then the colleges of education or a retooling their. professor so that they can tease the size of reading this will incentivize schools to purchase the correct curriculums so that kids can learn to read efficiently and effectively. And then the second part of the bill is a number on by admin that would help as you know we're having the heck out the the full implementation of the senator Elliots right to re legislation two years do covid and so this would basically add of another set of hands in the in the work and help implement that. So that's the that's the two page thriller and that's the two point thriller. Okay well It for questions. I just want to clarify it for folks who that ten people who might still be listening thing we have the same here so this does not require somebody to choose a particular book our particular program it just has to be based on the science of reading you're not dictating a title slide as you know in the last legislative session you're right to re bill is amended to include a list of the department is writing on and not they're constantly updating that in the spirit of continuous improvement yeah and so they would need to pick from those curriculums right but it doesn't hammered down to one particular one so that's what I want to be sure people understand that there are still lots of leeway here because you can you know if you play basketball you're going to get a regulation basketball okay whose name is on it will since the Spaulding's that whatever it just has to be a regulation basketball the same kind of thing we're talking here that's something that's already been sanctioned okay. I can I add to that just as a comment sir so one of the things in on the second page it talks about by the beginning of the twenty three twenty four school year which aligns also with the proficiency requirements date that we changed but also within that time frame right now science of reading it's become a national conversation well Arkansas was one of the early states who who jumped out there you're seen nationally that this is something that everyone's getting on board with and so within the next year to two years were expecting and many more vendors to produce high quality products that are aligned to the science of reading and so this does allow time for the department to continue to review programs and hopefully we will have a rare very robust list. I have a question is it necessary to hire somebody to become an education ombudsman. I can't say that word much less sometimes know exactly what these folks do because I know we have a and other areas that they have then morphed into. Inspector generals and things of that nature so when the first when when the first so I guess it's three forty eight that stand alone had the investment in and we had lots of questions about what what what were you trying to achieve with that and it really came about monitoring the right to read legislation and providing the support to districts one thing that we struggled with with dyslexia and particularly is we've got one dyslexia support specialist for the state and it's hard to send that person to support and also send that same person and to monitor and so when you look at this robust piece of legislation that has lots of components all the way from higher ed two programs two teachers demonstrate proficiency to implementing and in the classroom That the investment piece for literacy probably would be beneficial for the department. So is it just for literacy or do you see that that role would be expanded to other parts of curriculum so that was one of the pieces the recommendations was it does say literacy but not limited to and that person would report directly to the secretary of education. Right but future some of the kids right come back and change that and so the future they could add to that so they wanted them to for example the previous legislation on SROs in mental health if they wanted to expand that and have some research resources or support for that they could expand that but literacy is named specifically. Right other other questions from members of the committee Senator Sturch. Thank you ma'am chan and I don't mean to make it sound this way. I don't know how to ask it I guess is my question but and this could be for anybody but. I don't necessarily like the precedent that were setting if we go in name curricula that can't be used I know there might be some that are not aligned with signs of reading and that's what your goal is and I get that it's just that we've named it here and so what's to keep anybody else from naming curricula will not ever be used without penalty of losing funding in the future ad I guess that's my thing is what is this three queuing system modeling reading and why is it so bad or why do we have the need then to just say it and never to be used even if it might help are you know even if it's not good but you know that I guess that's my question is first of all this why do we need to say it. Would you like me to think. With the research is clear the three queuing system only works for thirty to forty percent of kids and if you look at Arkansas is reading right that you're evidence because that's where we are. The size of reading is close to universal design reading instruction as we're ever going to get it probably teaches the way that I learn to read but maybe not used. Because I learned to read up based on a group of small town of the delta so even if balanced literacy was rearing its head it that things over there don't don't come as easy as they do other places but it teaches the foundations the scope and sequence of the English language. So the those three things that's the exact language that was sent out by the department of education in the request for proposals for people to apply to be on the curriculum list that language is from there. There there are a request for proposal okay. And then couldn't get. I'm. Last year. Our last session when we. Started the legislation signs reading everything else and we put forth the eighteen hour requirements for professional of them Several folks because I had to go through it I went through it I went through all of Stacy's hair changes. Video after video a video that I found that the eighteen hours that sales. For an elementary teacher I can say that all eighteen hours is very beneficial for a high school teacher it wasn't necessarily cater to me and the needs that I have are even by subject the last I think it was two or three hours of videos it was someone you could choose if you're an arts or if you choose if you and social sciences or whatever and and so what I'm saying is that I found it to be that it wasn't much different than other professional development I've seen where one teacher takes it they sure the answers with every other teacher they click on the quiz I move on and and that's that that bothers me is if it's so important to us and we're trying so hard then to spend everything and do everything with the science of reading what do you see is changes coming or on the horizon as far as making it sure that this eighteen hours is involving or that it's going to change to where it is beneficial based on what radio teacher subject now that's a great question and so the part that you're talking about is really the science of reading for awareness which we built on the Arkansas ideas platform so within the river regional right to read legislation there were two components kindergarten through sixth grade teachers had to demonstrate proficiency. In the science of reading where seven three twelve had to show an awareness. It was all the same time frame. So the Department utilized our partners at two Arkansas ideas PDS to create the online modules for that awareness fees so that's what you went through the awareness online would we wanted and face to face and really robust peace I think we're gonna get there but that was the start of that four K. six is where our emphasis was on the face to face professional development and so we delivered and created the rice academies which are a robust six face to face days with coaching support which is much more in depth than the awareness videos that you chose the rise academy six days and the awareness that's just that's just one piece there is definitely this piece of owning your own knowledge and learning for teachers and educators for our specialist at the Department everywhere from math to science specialist we're diving in deep to what is it main science of reading and science what's the morphology of the words in the origin of the words and the meanings behind that how do you take and you know disciplinary literacy and text and break it down and make an understanding so our goal of the Department is make sure it's infused in every subject matter I'm glad that you like my hair changes that that again that's just the first phase and that was a a a quick way to get PT out pretty fast on you know the differentiation piece for subjects that was difficult I will say you did hear from some leading experts nationally who were pulled in to do those awareness basis. Do you feel then that the on business besides this marching with a with a can take on that role then of what that elementary level they are doing more than just a witness fees and I school they're taking ownership of it or they're breaking it down by subject or even appeal season might be discussing it more I mean I guess you know how how for Canada one person go with the school so I I don't see them by spending that piece of it I see the investment being that peace where there is a complaint or there is a significant gap in reading achievement in comparison to the reports of their teeth you know that person going in and doing more digging into a district or school or or when there's been a concern or complaint as far as what you're talking about that's the mission of our department in literacy is science of reading and making sure that the supports are out there for schools and our students so we've got lessee specialists across the state who are working on that and Senator Sturch I want to follow up on one thing that you said when you said making sure that the elementary folks are doing more than the what we're to space it's it's in code that they have to be proficient so they have to do that additional training the station was talking about okay thank you thank you Mr. Thank you your other other questions. And members of the committee okay. C. nine I also have Dallas and I. Okay. Okay I'll just. How do you spell your last name. Green okay I didn't okay The Dallas green is here support. Okay that's fine Dallas screens here to support the bill I'll just read your name how's that all right that'll be great. Right any other anybody else want to speak for against this bill C. N. nine you want to close for your bill I mean they've actually done an outstanding job so you may just want to thank. The the the and normally I follow that advice but I want to tell you. That. From the time already first call me and I thought holder that I didn't know she was the real deal which is a crazy person. The. This is put on the best things I've ever been involved in. Because we teach kids three. The whole world to open up to. We don't teach them to read why are we have in school. And. Sit down with teachers and meetings I get caught. In the parking lot to football games by teachers have been teaching for years and unfortunately by teachers just out of college who tell me without this training. They weren't successful in teaching history and they certainly weren't successful in teaching all three. And we have some schools are just on fire and it's unfortunate that we have to say to others you got to get on board but where everybody's on board with the administration's on board or the teachers are on board I am aware they have the right curriculum and where they're listening to Stacey. Of. We're gonna teach history it doesn't matter again it does matter poverty level that always matters but we're going to teach all kids to read and I have reservations about creating any position much less an ombudsman but I will be watching it to be sure that and you know what will be to make sure that we're doing that were that were accomplishing something and not just creating a position because we need to monitor and we need to make sure we need to be sure that that kids are getting what they need and that they're not dropping through the cracks in those schools that are not necessarily on the ball and and wanting to take to get out there and teach history and I appreciate a good vote. Thank you I'd be remiss and I know you've just had your closing statement I want us I want to take a moment of personal privilege to talk about this too I have been involved with this and so much appreciate you being in sewing Gates already with our legislators on this issue and a lot of a lot of people that have been on this committee and and I just got on the committee that also work with y'all on this issue too but one thing that is just what you said senator Clark is is so important because. It's amazing that sometimes our public schools actually offer more in the way of reading intensive care and I mean it by that intensive care for reading like the science of reading teaches like literacy teachers sometimes in some of our public private schools actually and I know this from first hand experience with one of my best friends who sons were as dyslexic and she actually had to go and get outside to counseling and pay for that because it wasn't offers so you know I eight I also think that it's so critically important to have programs like the A. R. reading program that I'm familiar with that with that are and elementary school and how kids were incentivized on getting reward points for reading their books and taking those tasks and then how that's been translated all the way through now to the high school where kids are able to you know earn earn a raffle every time they completed a test to to get computers and and at GoPro cameras and all kinds of my son I want to go pro camera because he read like crazy and ended up getting his number his name pulled out of the fishbowl that those kinds of programs are really what taught so many of these kids to learn how to read and two two and site in them a passion for reading and a passion for books and like you said it really does open up the entire world to a child's whenever they have the ability to read and why shouldn't we be super aggressive to make say that you're a third grader you could be reading at an eleventh grade to twelfth grade level because there's so many of our kids like my kids at third grade and fourth grade were reading at a twelfth grade level just because we had such a robust curriculum when it came to reading. Jean and to the our reading program and the A. R. rewards shop you go shop for you know your rewards in your points and J. just created they created a culture of reading and I think it's so important for schools to do that to create a culture of reading and you know that that's where you find it to be super successful in a recognized just a moment okay I'm so glad I'm sorry finished now I'm not that and so I just wanted to thank you and I'm not sure if we can replace you Stacey I don't want the ombudsman's replaced a seat that I think they'll work in conjunction with each you can't leave Senator Elliot sorry about interrupt you I I can extend this might a moment to say something before we got to close before you were closed but one of the things I think language is so important here and I ate up I don't know years so ago I stopped talking about this notion that affect if a child hasn't learned to read by the third grade basically they're doomed and all that number one that's an adult decision adults made that decision the child did not so I am just and I change my language around it and I think we all should because when we say if a child hasn't learned to read for the third grade guests who all the responsibility is on that child the way we say it so that's why I say now if a child has not been talked. To read by the third grade because that's an adult responsibility and I think we had we made kids feel more like than the failures that they might be that they can't read by putting all the all of the responsibility on that child by saying if you haven't learned to read it's the other way around and we can do something about it and you know this is just one more step to try to help do something about is not meant to be punitive toward anybody is not perfect but there's nothing more important than a child who cannot read. That's it am I take that as a motion to pass okay and is there seconds second all those in favor say aye and oppose ayes have it this bill passes thank you thank you madam chair thank you members of the thank you thank you aw senator Beckham. Your E. are you doing the one percent or Gilmore okay so this is house bill thirteen eighty nine it is in your pocket. It's not on the agenda I need to. This. Oh okay it is on the agenda okay sorry the revised yes it's in here yes okay. Sorry six. It's it's only online agenda when yeah okay house bill thirteen eighty nine. Senator Beckham you're recognized on behalf of senator Gilmore. Sam Mr fox's here you'll to state your name for the record you may be senator Charles Beckham district twelve. Joe fox the State Farm center. Correct. This bill creates the Arkansas Forster's for the future scholarship that's a. Joe Farrer park so actually speak a lot more on this but basically right now and in the state we have three jobs for every Forster three open positions for a fee for service out there there's a need we have the baby boomers fallen off the bell curve so they're retiring we don't have people to back fill the positions there's MO you with the University of Arkansas Monticello. Two. Create this program isn't and establish a it's gonna be funded through the state forestry fund. and it basically for scholarships year four thousand dollars each semester thirty two thousand for freshman sophomore junior center. All right Mr Mike Stephen added anything or just take questions either way I can add a little bit so we've been experiencing a real problem finding bachelor degree far stirs to come to work for us it's it's across the entire industry the farming community it doesn't matter whether you're going to be a consulting forester government far stern does feel far stir there's about three jobs nationally for each graduate from a bachelor's degree programs in America and we're experiencing that we have six openings today we've been averaging anywhere from four to seven Forrester openings and just a dribble and usually no applicants at all it's is the life blood of Arkansas on for far as to have technical advice we need this this is an attempt to prime the pump a little bit and add to that pipeline one freshmen one sophomore won junior one senior four thousand dollars a semester we'll start with one student in the in in the year we'll have to students in in. Two years will have three and so forth until we build up to a a pipeline of one student each year. And ideally we have a graduate we're gonna work an internship program with those students we're not going to promise in the job because today I can't promise what job might have been for years what we would hope they would come to work somewhere in Arkansas we have the money in the State Fars trust fund this is about equal to a pick up truck if I don't have somebody to put in the pick up truck there's no point in having the. is the you know I think the best job in the world is to work outside so it's it's beyond me why we don't have as many young people in the in the curriculum but I am part of falling off the bill curve and long time ago when I graduated from college of most of us did not have jobs coming out of out of school so this is turned around a hundred and eighty degrees. Thank you wonderful and they're doing disclose my wife is registered forester well okay duly noted okay you senator Elliots. No it doesn't have anything with your wife of course or other than. Great for her and great for this state I think this is just marvelous because I you know that's that's part of what's best about Arkansas all the great outdoors that we have and it's it's bugged me for a long time especially having grown up in south Arkansans officer concerned that we're not doing a better job of taking care of that great asset in training our young people how to be a part of taking care of it I noticed in the in the bill that you what you ask students to submit is not not a great deal but three really important pieces so when you decide to make the final decisions you will have but then we have by the end made it more specific about what you're looking for and how you gonna make that determination and I'm going to be just you know really optimistic here when you get fifteen applicants for that one decision are you going to do that. So I'm probably going to be it for our side but we will have to form a committee with you AM you A. M. experts on scholarships and criteria to gain the scholarship will write the right those particulars then we will we will interviews the winning candidates to be entered to be interviewed each year and so they'll be someone from the division of forestry and someone from Monticello to do that. Well that's good in just one little thing I'd like to just put on your radar for thought since this is so new and so great and I suspect you will have lots of candidates just think about perhaps not getting too bogged down in somebody's ACT score or their grade point average right now in particular because there may be kids who were not motivated because this did not exist for them and the the world is replete with people who have been fantastic folks some of them working on right now the corona virus out who did not have all of the sellers stuff right I just implore you to get to know something about that person as well this is new and I might not have known to get with it to be able to take you now to take advantage of this currently I'm hope people do not remember me when I was sixteen. Yeah I hear you Senator English have a question. Thank you. Under full we need to find more ways to support demand kinds of jobs and I had I don't know where was what that was in Arkansas business whether it was in the democrat-gazette just not long ago but a really wonderful fees in there about the forestry industry in in Arkansas we don't do a very good job we all of us don't do a very good job of talking about how important that real industry really is you're in the state of Arkansas and the kinds of jobs that are available and the people just have no idea what could be available what you could do in that kind of an industry so we got to find a way just like with the with a lot of other things but to advertise those things so that young people no parents no there are really great opportunities in this industry and my husband's a. Many many years ago retired Amin was a forestry major and there were lots of jobs at that time because very few forestry people take it turned totally around right well the you'll find that most students from high school to go into far street go in because they like to hunt and fish. And they're not they're not too big on speaking out are you know trees don't talk back and and so we need to teach communication skills to everybody but especially far stirs because you're exactly right we've not done a good job telling our story in the far street community and it's a wonderful story to tell but but yes we've we've not done a good job. Figure out how to do that better I'm sitting here yes ma'am. That's right thank you Mr Fogg's we appreciate you and and the effort that you have is there anyone here any more questions from members of the committee anyone wish to speak for or against this bill. C. nine you're recognized close for your bill. Close for the bill I appreciate a good vote motion do pass do pass and insert a second all right second all those in favor say aye and oppose ayes have it congratulations your bill has passed thank you for being here with us Mr fox and anybody out there listening. Thank you. All right. all right members of the committee if you have a bill at do you that you need scheduled for Wednesday can you let me know right now by chance before we adjourn. Anyone. Yes okay that's fine if you just want to get it with me after committee that be great and with that we will see you Wednesday we are adjourned.