Education Committee - Senate
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Bills discussed (19)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
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HB1017
Act 904
· 5 mentions in chapter, agenda, transcript
Matched: “HB1017 A. Collins TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING PAID MATERNITY LEAVE…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING PAID MATERNITY LEAVE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES; AND TO REQUIRE … | A. Collins | Notification that HB1017 is now Act 904 |
|
HB1945
Act 913
· 4 mentions in agenda, transcript, chapter
Matched: “…TH FLEXIBILITY REGARDING ALTERNATIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. HB1945 McCollum TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS OPPORTUNITY PUBLIC SCHOOL CH…”
|
TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS OPPORTUNITY PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE ACT; TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE … | McCollum | Notification that HB1945 is now Act 913 |
|
HB1903
Act 911
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…O PAY FOR INCURRED COSTS FOR APPROVED PAID MATERNITY LEAVE. HB1903 Walker TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE TO PROVIDE…”
|
TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE TO PROVIDE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH FLEXIBILITY REGARDING ALTERNATIVE … | Walker | Notification that HB1903 is now Act 911 |
|
HB1180
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…RT CARD TO INCLUDE A STUDENT'S CURRENT READING GRADE LEVEL. HB1180 Bentley TO CREATE THE BABY OLIVIA ACT. SB216 J. Dotson TO A…”
|
TO CREATE THE BABY OLIVIA ACT. | Bentley | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1242
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE TWELVE LIBRARY MEDIA STANDARDS. HB1242 J. Mayberry TO AMEND THE MECHANISM BY WHICH SCHOOL NURSES A…”
|
TO AMEND THE MECHANISM BY WHICH SCHOOL NURSES ARE COMPENSATED. | J. Mayberry | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1283
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…HUMAN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT INSTRUCTION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. HB1283 J. Mayberry TO REQUIRE THE DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECON…”
|
TO REQUIRE THE DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION TO INCLUDE DIGITAL MEDIA STANDARDS IN … | J. Mayberry | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1370
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…ERNING THE TRANSFER OF A STUDENT'S PERMANENT SCHOOL RECORD. HB1370 J. Mayberry CONCERNING MAKING UP MISSED SCHOOL DAYS; AND TO…”
|
CONCERNING MAKING UP MISSED SCHOOL DAYS; AND TO REQUIRE A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT TO INCLUDE … | J. Mayberry | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1483
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…AMEND THE MECHANISM BY WHICH SCHOOL NURSES ARE COMPENSATED. HB1483 Gramlich TO ALLOW A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT TO USE STATE FUN…”
|
TO ALLOW A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT TO USE STATE FUNDS TO PAY FOR AN ADULT … | Gramlich | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1495
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…NTAINS A FOUR-DAY SCHOOL WEEK; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. HB1495 Hawk CONCERNING THE TRANSFER OF A STUDENT'S PERMANENT SCHOO…”
|
CONCERNING THE TRANSFER OF A STUDENT'S PERMANENT SCHOOL RECORD. | Hawk | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
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HB1684
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…L CALENDAR FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING UP MISSED SCHOOL DAYS. HB1684 McAlindon TO CREATE THE PARENTS AND TEACHERS HELPING STUDEN…”
|
TO CREATE THE PARENTS AND TEACHERS HELPING STUDENTS SUCCEED (PATHS) ACT. | McAlindon | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
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HB1919
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…ANOTHER PUBLIC SCHOOL WITHIN HIS OR HER RESIDENT DISTRICT. HB1919 McAlindon TO CREATE THE PUBLIC SCHOOL ACCESS AND TRANSPAREN…”
|
TO CREATE THE PUBLIC SCHOOL ACCESS AND TRANSPARENCY ACT; AND TO REQUIRE PUBLIC ACCESS TO … | McAlindon | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB205
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…C SCHOOL TO ADOPT A POLICY FOR ONE OR MORE STUDENT MENTORS. SB205 A. Clark TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS OPPORTUNITY PUBLIC SCHOOL CH…”
|
TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS OPPORTUNITY PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE ACT; AND TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL … | A. Clark | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB215
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…LOYMENT TAX ACT TO WAIVE THE "REASONABLE ASSURANCE" CLAUSE. SB215 J. Bryant TO AMEND THE PERMISSIBLE USES FOR REAL ESTATE DON…”
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TO AMEND THE PERMISSIBLE USES FOR REAL ESTATE DONATED BY A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT; AND … | J. Bryant | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB266
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…NING POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. SB266 J. Dotson TO AUTHORIZE A PUBLIC SCHOOL TO ADOPT A POLICY FO…”
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TO AUTHORIZE A PUBLIC SCHOOL TO ADOPT A POLICY FOR ONE OR MORE STUDENT MENTORS. | J. Dotson | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB436
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…E DEVELOPMENT BOARD RELATED TO SECONDARY TECHNICAL CENTERS. SB436 A. Clark TO AMEND THE ABILITY OF A STUDENT WHO TRANSFERS UN…”
|
TO AMEND THE ABILITY OF A STUDENT WHO TRANSFERS UNDER THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE ACT … | A. Clark | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB482
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…CH OR AN ATHLETICS PERSONNEL MEMBER WHO RECRUITS A STUDENT. SB482 K. Hammer TO REPEAL THE ARKANSAS OPPORTUNITY PUBLIC SCHOOL…”
|
TO REPEAL THE ARKANSAS OPPORTUNITY PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE ACT; TO AMEND THE LAW RELATING TO … | K. Hammer | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB528
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…estrictions designating areas as 'Members and Staff Only'. SB528 Gilmore TO ADDRESS THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF S…”
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TO ADDRESS THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND THE CAREER … | Gilmore | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB607
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…STRICTS; AND TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE ACT OF 2015. SB607 Crowell TO ESTABLISH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A PUBLIC SCHOOL D…”
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TO ESTABLISH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT INITIATES AND MAINTAINS A FOUR-DAY … | Crowell | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SCR3
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…LEARNING MATERIALS. DEFERRED BILLS Number Sponsor Subtitle SCR3 J. Scott TO URGE THE ARKANSAS CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO P…”
|
TO URGE THE ARKANSAS CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TO THE FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT TAX … | J. Scott | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
Machine transcript
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- October 2, 2026
Senator Jane English
Unverified
0:07
Welcome to Senate Education Committee. We have a few things this morning we have a number of pages with us this morning. Marley Page, if you'd stand up, please. And you're from all male Charter High School and Camel Hayes, you'd stand up, Maria, Mariah Henson, my male charter school, all of you for Marel charter school. Taylor Jamieson, Jamieson. Cammie Rose. Logan Lane
And Jasper Strode is not. He's from Catholic high school. He's my neighbor. Lucas Mazzoni for Mael High School. And Baxley bought from Wynn High School. Very nice to meet you. Glad to have you here. Thank you very much. OK, we have 4 bills today, um, Senator Davis, I think you have House Bill 1017.
You'll identify yourself, you will be recognized.
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
1:20
Brianne Davis, State Senate District 25. Um, how spell 1017, uh, so we know when we pass the Lawrens Act we had maternity paid maternity leave, that schools could match 50/50 with the state. Not a lot of schools utilized it and um just I think citing cost and other things and so all of the money that we had in there was not fully utilized that we had set aside in state budget for maternity leave. So
this um has the school, excuse me, has the state funding 100% of the paid maternity leave, um, the total is around $3.4 million. We had allocated around $3 million for it and the Department of Ed said that they are able to absorb this little additional cost on top of what we've already budgeted. I'm happy to take any questions. The question to me. Senator Bryant. I, I
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
2:12
thank you, Madam Chair. I noticed the additional comments
from DFA. It makes foster placement a qualifying event, but do they have any? Statistical data on how many teachers or employees of school districts take on the role of foster. I don't have that information. I
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
2:28
don't know if someone from the department does. Um I don't know if someone from the department is, you know, yeah, we don't know that, but that was the way that it was set up originally with Learns, um, so we just extended it. we
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
2:44
made, so we're going to exceed the current budget
potentially by about 400,000 and then add on. Employees that that want to get into the role of foster under under one year
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
2:58
of age. Yeah, I'm going to let someone from the department come up and speak. I think I'm saying something incorrectly about this. Clarify. Uh, Greg Rogers, Department of
Speaker 22
3:21
Education. Now, uh, our analysis $3.3 billion was done on worst case scenario. This year we've only paid out like 168, 170,000 total for paternity leave, so we believe that the 3 million, at least in this first year, to give us like what you're talking about the different things we wouldn't be enough to cover
Speaker 23
3:36
it. And then if we need additional, we'll come back to the fiscal session and ask y'all and
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
3:41
have that data at that time. OK, so while you're here, so the schools that are they're choosing not to participate currently in the current law we ask for 50/50 match and if they
have a qualifying employee that meets these definitions, they're just in that employee reaches out and says, I would like my paid 12 weeks. The school districts are just saying, well, we're not going to pay for that. So it it is an opt
Speaker 22
4:03
in to the school districts of up to 12 weeks. I know some districts have gone anywhere in between their 4 weeks to 12 weeks, and that that is a local decision that is up on them, which is some of what Senator Davis was talking about that we're hoping by adding this to the state covers the full cost that we do get more buy-in from the
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
4:22
districts and they do go more to that 12 weeks. So but the cost to the the cost of the school currently. Is just the acquisition of a substitute, correct? The additional costs, yes, because they've already budgeted for the teacher's salary, so that additional cost would be the subsidy. And they're choosing not to engage in that process because of, I think just
Speaker 22
4:41
in the first couple of years, just the implementation, looking at it, they were looking at what was the overall cost in it, how much was it going to be with them, and how many were going to
participate and so that's why it kept low. There's a lot of different factors why some districts might not have opted into this first year, but like I said, by going with the state paying the 100% of the maternity leave costs.
We're hoping that the buy-in gets better. Thank you Senator Selden.
Speaker 28
5:16
What was the cost sharing prior to this that we're now eliminating. It was a 50/50 share. It was we
would pay half and they would pay the other half. OK, and that's what Yeah we, we've also passed multiple maternity bills
this session. This is how does this Interweave. I
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
5:38
think we have. How does this interweave with those. Well, those are separate. Those are dealing with state employees not teachers, and
so when we passed learns it was up to 6 weeks, the district could choose and then the state would match that up to 6 weeks. And so
this just has the state taking on 100% of that cost, um, we know, you know, we want teachers to stay in the classroom, especially teachers who've been teaching a while, but they also want to grow their family and spend time with their new babies, and we think that that's really important, um, so So this is something that the state can already had the money allocated to absorb the cost on and was anticipating that, and I know we lose women regularly, um, in the teaching field that go home or choose something else to have more time with their
kids and so this was just the way that we think we can support moms with new babies that choose to teach our children every day, um, and do it in a way that we've already got budgeted and support that and not have to put that burden on. districts to decide what their maternity leave policy will look like, but to give these new moms the ability to stay at home with their new babies for up to 12 weeks. Thank you. Tender flowers.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
6:56
I like the bill and the fact that
you have some restrictions. On uh having the teacher. Being in the employ of the school district for at least a year. And no disciplinary. Um, issues popping up. for the past year. So those are good things, um. And I wanted to mention foster children.
We can kind of see how many foster children this might apply to our mothers with foster children either in
their home or adopting that are one year of age or younger. By knowing what the what our uh Number is on foster children. Do you know that? No,
Speaker 22
7:49
ma'am, we didn't, we didn't have that data pulled because we don't have I don't know that, but we did try to do and account for that with
the worst case scenario, and that's why we went to that 3.4, but like I said, we don't think we're going to hit to the 3 million this first year, and if we do, if it does come in that, then in the fiscal session I will have that data at that time and we'll be able to bring
Speaker 21
8:14
that to y'all and ask for more preparation at that time. I don't
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
8:17
anticipate any additional funding on it, maybe just some appropriation. Well, when I served on aging children and youth, we always got a report on how many foster children there were in the ages.
Speaker 39
8:30
As well, so that's something that DHS probably could provide, and we will be reaching out to China to get better, to make sure that we can't cover that. Thank you.
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
8:46
Further questions. Senator Bryant Thank you, Ma. I'm just gonna dive a little bit deeper. Do we know that districts are denying this 12 weeks. Therefore we have a surplus in the budget or is there just not that many employees that are
Speaker 22
9:01
So when we did the 3 million before when we were that we did that on worst case scenario too and like I said that the districts that had opted in, we, I don't remember how many we had at the hospital. 22 have opted in this year, so that's, that's why we're seeing the costs lower than we had budgeted for, but I'm moving up. We're hoping to get more and buy into it,
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
9:19
so they had to opt in prior to knowing what the condition of an employee may be. Yes, yeah, that
Speaker 22
9:24
we, yeah, we had to get them to go ahead and say they wanted to participate in this without knowing all that up front, but now we're getting
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
9:32
better information. We do think more districts are going to participate. So the ones that did not opt in early on if
they had an employee that met this condition, they were just going to offer them 6 weeks because the state would technically pay for 6 weeks.
Speaker 22
9:45
That would have been up to the district for the going with their FMLA and how they do it at the district policy, so districts, even that didn't
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
9:50
opt in, they could have probably came to the state asking for cost. ing They could have been, yes, they could have. I
Speaker 47
9:55
think if I understand your question right, yeah, I'm just, I'm just, I can't, I can't see a
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
10:04
world where a school district would not maximize to the extent allowed by law, so I'm just, I'm still struggling with the state absorbing all that cost when the when the districts could partner with the state and continue this program. So because it
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
10:21
is a school district policy, maternity leave, that's part of policies that they've got to approve, um, you know, they approve them all year long, but I would assume most of them have them approved before the start of the school year, so that it's clear with teacher contracts what those
school policies are. So in the first year it was offered in 23, uh 24, it was, um, 22 schools opted in in the following year, 27 schools opted in. I think there's probably a lot of different reasons that school districts chose not to, um, and you may say like additional cost of substitutes, having a teacher out like there's a lot of just logistics, maybe they would say, um, where they just chose not to. I certainly don't want to speak for those school districts, but you kind of hear the arguments
over time of what that looks like, um, and every district is different in the way that they maternity leave to their employees, you know, some, it may just be 2 weeks and then FMLA and taking, you know, teachers will save days. They'll go to school sick, missed doctor's appointments, do everything so they don't have to take days off so they can save it for their maternity leave and take their pay days, um, contracted that they've saved up to be able to stay at home an extra week or two with their baby. Um, so some people may
just be off for 4 weeks or, you know, not have that much time. And so anyways, like I said, it's up to the school district. They determine that policy. So this lets them Lets us pay for it
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
11:51
up to 12 weeks to have that paid maternity leave for 2 years prior to the school district absorbed any cost. that they chose to allow for their employees, so we went from 20 up to 2023 school districts took it all 2023 we're going to partner 50/50 2025, but the state absorb it all.
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
12:09
Yeah, and that's where I would say I think the districts were probably pretty uh stringent on what they allowed and which is why you saw teachers. I mean, that's what I saw being on the school board for 9 years, um, teachers saving up over time, their days off, um, you know, their days off that they had to be able to stay at home for an additional 2 weeks with their baby.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
12:32
Are there further questions? the committee. So but in the audience speak for
or against the bill. Are you close
to your bill? I'm closing motion to pass. Any discussion on the
Speaker 8
12:51
motion. All in favor I all pose. The eyes have
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
12:59
it. Thank you. Thank you. You have another one? Yes, Brian Davis, state Senate District District 25, a House Bill 1945. 1.5, OK, all right.
Thank you. This is just a a companion bill we've already passed a Senate bill that is this exact version, um, it just allows intra-school district choice and also puts that max capacity at 95% back in for school districts. happy to take any questions. Questions from the committee.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
13:35
Everybody in there, oh, send her flowers. Oh, I'm sorry, go ahead. Well
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
13:47
The timeline. Has that changed? In your bill where the
choice has to be made. Is it longer? No, June 1 is uh
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
14:00
still the choice and I'm going to find. And I think that was addressed. Yeah, it, it's
Speaker 62
14:05
January 1 through May 1, I think. Not in your view.
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
14:24
That, and I'm not sure that this is in this bill. I
think it was in other bills that we've dealt with. That's sort of. OK, that's in a different bill. What, that's the dates are in a different. So this just talks about allowing a school district um 11. line 3. May 1 is noted.
That was in there already. Uh There's a, there is another bill that
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
15:11
amends that to June 1st. And then requiring the The school district, the receiving school district. To
Except all the credits from the School they're coming from.
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
15:27
Could that be an issue? Um, I imagine that has been an issue in the past. This, this really deals with school districts like the new language in this is for if you go to a school district that has 2 high schools and you zoned for the high school, you know, further away from your home and you want to go to the one closer to you, you can do in school choice, um, and request that you go to the high school
closer to you. If the school is at 95% max cap. capacity, then they don't have to allow you to
go there, but if it's not, then they've got to let you in. So just like we allow school choice from school districts, public school choice. This allows intradistrict
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
16:18
choice. And And it also Requires that
The credits, the school credits have to be accepted by that receiving school. Could that be an issue? It's
on page 4. Um lines 4 through 122. I had another question as well. About On page one, line 32. Talking about tuition or a fee or fees.
Participate in a tuition agreement for any
tuition or fees. What, what is anticipated there? What could that possibly be? bees Well, it's just It's
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
17:14
saying this section shall not be construed to restrict a student's ability to
participate in a tuition agreement with the nonresident school for any tuition or fees that apply to the student assigned to the school district. I think it's just additional clarifying language right there.
As to what that, what a tuition agreement may include. But either way, I mean this is a companion bill we this was a Senate bill, and we've already passed it through all of the
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
17:54
chambers. This is just a house bill coming through, um, Right, I don't think I, I, I voted for it though. I'm not sure. I'm pretty sure I didn't, uh. can't remember all the things, but
Have some reservations about it. I just mentioned
Speaker 37
18:15
that I can remember. So Finished? Yes. OK. They're right,
Senator Jane English
Unverified
18:25
you. Oh, Senator King. OK, thank you, Madam Chair.
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
18:41
So page 5. Uh down starting in line. 29, a school district non-resident school, so I haven't been on education in this is, I mean, explained non-resident school and then explain the part about On 34 school district may claim a lack of capacity if can you give me some situations to understand that a little bit more.
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
19:07
So lack of capacity, so that's something that we had before
learns, and this is, you know, we've heard other bills in this committee dealing with this specifically, um, but when we pass learns there ended up being two sections of code, one that had the capacity and then one that struck it and so when we talked about school choice, public school choice, the capacity was stricken, so we told schools, no, you can. Bill, if, if you want to go to a neighboring school district and you don't live in that district. We struck the capacity, so if
that school district was full based on grade level, um, then they still had to take you and that maybe that meant they had to hire an additional teacher because of the student-teacher ratio in classrooms or things like that. And so, um, we are putting that back in, so you can participate in public school choice in in a non-resident school district that if you don't live in that school district or within a school district that you live in in Russellville, we have 6 elementary schools, and so say I
want to send my kid to elementary school number 3, but I'm zoned for elementary school number one. I can request that my child go to elementary school #3, but if that school is at 95% max capacity within that grade if my child's going to kindergarten, but they're already at 95% capacity. We're giving them room for people that may move in that actually live in that zone, um, so that they don't have to hire a teacher because they're one student or 2 students over the
ratio, um, then they can deny that intra-choice request. Otherwise, if they do have capacity, then they have to take my child in that school that I've requested. If I request before June 1,
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
20:59
OK, I mean, I understand a little bit about the public school. I mean, does this impact the the private schools like shallow Christian or Little Rock Christian or Plasky Academy, any of those? I mean, what would thely to them in this or this doesn't apply. No, this
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
21:12
does not apply to them. This really applies specifically to the
intra-district choice and then it deals with the capacity issue for all schools. It puts that back in so it's clear and that schools can deny a student if they're 95% capacity
and that's what that language is at the bottom of page 5
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
21:31
in this bill, it won't impact. Or cause any things with Pulaski Academy or Shiloh Christian. This one Bill won't do anything
Speaker 88
21:37
with that, OK. Alright, thank you. Is there any further questions from the committee.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
21:54
saying no one to speak of flowers, if you got something again. Go ahead, might
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
22:18
bring that closer to you. So it is on page 7. starting at line 2.
About the students who accepts the public school choice transfer may return to his or her resident district or the public school within. He is or her resident district from during the school year from which he
or she transferred during the The school year, so does that lock them in? It does
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
22:53
not lock them in. They can return back to the school district for which they're zoned
if they choose to, and half of that language is already existing, of course, for public school choice that if I go to a neighboring school district, but I decide I want to return to my resident district. I like right now you can, but because this bill is dealing with intra-district choice. It includes that language or the public school within your resident district, which you requested to go to, you can
go back to the one you're actually zoned for in the in that same school. Yes. What what happens with School funding.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
23:32
For people funding when when those kinds of things happen. A student Transfers from one. So I'd imagine that Per student
funding would go down. I mean, is it proportionate to how long they were in a school. And in the school district,
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
23:51
if I remember correctly, I'm gonna let the department, I think probably clarify, but schools submit, I think either October 1st or October 16th or something
like that, what they're um average daily membership is their ADM, they submit that to the state and that's how the state determines the funding that they send to the schools based on that average daily membership. I think schools also submit monthly. Do they submit that to the states or quarterly, so then you can See if that ADM has changed and um I think they give funding. Based on, oh, prior year, that's right. So prior year, prior year funding
where you're behind on that and which We don't have to get into all that, but that's where we have the caps. You can't lose more than a certain percent, even
if you've lost a lot of students. That's how our adequacy of funding is
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
24:48
set up. But yes, that's acknowledged in the way that schools submit data to the state. Or what if students kind of go back and forth to school districts in that prior year. How is that funding? Calculated Is it given to the last school that had the
The student enrolled or I mean, how, how does this work? Does
Speaker 62
25:11
anybody from the department want to come in on it. I'll let them speak
Speaker 103
25:22
to that specifically, so I don't tell you wrong. Courtney Saiss Ford Department
Speaker 104
25:25
of Education. So one way that that is controlled is that that's why there's time frames in place for school choice. So if they apply in the time frame and get accepted to go to school one, they would be counted on on
that school district's quarter 1 and possibly 22 ADM, but then if they chose to go back to their resident school, school 2, then they would be counted on that district's ADM. There's, they can't go back and forth because once they return to their resident district, They're locked in there until the next school choice window applies, so they can't go back and forth unless they just move, but even in a situation where a student might be in 3 different districts. Each quarter that that school district reports their ADM, it's being reflected
in that district and through the very complicated funding model when funding is done, it's almost like each district gets a portion for that student for the time of which they had them. But we keep track of all of that and and our finance people make sure that the correct amount of funding
Speaker 105
26:25
is going to the right school district for the time
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
26:30
that they had that student. Well, is, is the formula available to legislators to see that? Uh
Speaker 22
26:47
Greg Rogers, Department of Education. Yes, it's just enrollment. It's that when they do the ADM calculations each month on our Taco reports that enrollment, that attendance is calculated in that, and that's what the district attorney and that's what's the basis of the formula. So in a sense the money will follow the kid if they go from this resident school district to the next resident school district when they count that student in enrollment and attendance, that calculation begins if they go back to their resident district that enroll they'll be enrolled in that.
in that calculation for their attendance will begin there too. So yes, it is available and you can see that it's just we're paying for whichever district the kid is in for that amount of time
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
27:29
that they're in, which is the average daily membership calculation. Where exactly do we
see that and is it delineated out like Does it show there was this
Speaker 22
27:40
transfer back and forth. districts have to show an enrollment, and they show that enrollment code for their when
they put that into AScan, which is where we collect all the data from for student information. There's an enrollment code that is entered in a student code that is entered into ASCAN, and that's when we start knowing that that student is enrolled in that district, and they count towards ADM
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
28:05
at that point. So do we get those kinds of reports? Do we see that? In the education, I don't know.
Speaker 22
28:12
Do we get those? It's so we do that, yes, it's based out we can do that on the um the ASR, the
Speaker 47
28:20
annual statistical report that that comes to the education committee. We're saying that we send that to
Senator Jane English
Unverified
28:30
the governor of the Senate, the Speaker, and the education committees each year. I think we all got that electronically,
Speaker 47
28:36
probably in January, February, something like that we close out each year and then January, February we
Senator Jane English
Unverified
28:41
issue that all those statistics for all these schools all across the state. It takes a while though, but it's like to receive.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
28:51
OK, I don't, I mean that like to know. It by title
or something. I It by title or something, you know what I'm looking at, do we find that a lot of that happens. Transfer
Speaker 104
29:08
back and forth. Courtney Salisford. No, because again, because of the, the school choice time frame. Typically you might only see a student in um their choice district, and then they might go back to their resident district, typically the only other uh
change you might see is if a student then moves to another district, but, um, no, for the most part, students tend to stay and they their same district, but if they do move again, we have that data to capture where they are at
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
29:34
each quarter. And the time frame is June 1.
Speaker 104
29:37
there is another bill that that you all passed that changes the previous May 1 to June 1, so they can apply for school choice, um, upon the passage of that bill anytime between January 1 and June 1.
So while they're in school, they can make the change. The the change does not take effect until the next school year, so between, yeah, so like in the spring, um, they would apply to go to a different school
Senator Jane English
Unverified
30:11
starting in August. Thank you. Any further questions from the committee? Is there anybody in the audience likes for or against the bill. See none. Are you clothes for your bill? I'm closed in motion do pass. I hear a second, a
2nd 2 all they were all post. Thank you very much. OK, so we got that. Let me see. She
wanted one. Is there anybody here for Um, House Bill 1903. Gosh, OK?
Speaker 122
30:57
All right. Uh-huh. I have no idea what that is. OK. See.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
31:02
OK, let me see what that says here.
I, I may have this agency come up
do this. But before we do. OK Senator, if you would introduce yourself and you're welcome to explain uh House Bill 1903.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
32:13
Senator Jane English, District 13, um, doing house built in 1903 and I have Courtney
Speaker 104
32:21
Courtney Sali for Department of Education. um, so this is a simple change to to law, but that will have a good impact for students. Currently all school districtss are required to offer an alternative learning environment. for students who may not be successful in this traditional classroom setting, um, in some of our smaller school districts because this is a requirement
and they don't have a lot of students, we found that they would enter into consortiums or collaboratives with other school districts and co-ops to make these ALDs available and then because they were paying for a seat, um, sometimes students were maybe getting over identified, not intentionally, but um overidentified to make sure that the seats that were paid for were Filled. And so by making this an option and not a requirement. If a school district feels like they need this alternative setting for their students, they
can make that available, but if they feel like they can uh continue to provide services and needed supports for that student in the traditional setting or even in maybe a different classroom in their school district, they can do that and not have to send this student to an ALE, um, which again may not be on their campus, might be part of a For him, but if they need it, they can still offer it, so it just turns that requirement into an option.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
33:47
Members, any questions, Senator Flowers, you recognized.
I'm wondering how, how does this
Um, Provision that does not require a school district to provide alternative learning environments. How, how does that compare with A bill that was passed earlier,
I think it was Senator Hester's bill that set up. Behavior programs and facilities to send. Students with he, he claimed violent, but the bill actually says those students that are substantially likely to cause injury. To other students, teachers, or
staff. So how does this work? So we actually feel
Speaker 104
34:44
like these two bills work really well together, because there we are
seeing some very severe cases in school districts of students with very violent tendencies, violent behaviors, and in these areas where there might be a a cooperative ALE um we can work with the school districts and with DHS through Senator Hester's bill to make that more of like a behavioral health center, um, and instead of an ALE again, it would be for the more severe students so that each school district in that area, if they have a student that they are just
unable to provide the necessary services for on the school campus, they could go to the behavioral health center and get the very intensive supports therapies, um, interventions that they need so they can then be returned to their traditional school campus, so we feel like these are very good companions, um, companion bills that will work together to make sure students are getting the supports they
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
35:43
need. told the school district then would choose to have these behavioral. Classrooms or Settings
Speaker 104
35:54
R ALE what would be the difference? They don't have to choose. They could have both, but, um, the difference is really about the severity and and the needs of those students, um, again, ALE is for students who are just not successful in the traditional setting. They might need a smaller classroom setting. They might need more targeted interventions they might need, um, counseling therapy that they can get in that ALE setting. The intent behind the behavioral health.
centers is for the we'll we'll say the very small percentage of the most severely aggressive and violent students who for a short term uh are not even being successful in an Ali. They might need much more intensive therapy, much more intensive counseling, um, so they could get that on a short term basis at the, the behavioral health center and then be able to maybe transition back to an ALE and then eventually back to their traditional setting. So it's, it's providing a continuum of supports and services based on
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
36:55
the the severity of the behaviors of the student. Well, but like I said, I recall Senator Hester's bill, it wasn't about violence. A violent students. It was about Those um
The quote was Substantially likely to cause injury. Yeah, and I wasn't defined.
Substantially likely subjective by who? We don't know And this ALEs, it seems that from this language in the bill that's already in the law. It was used ALEs were used for discipline. Is
Speaker 104
37:47
that But they are not supposed to be, so by rule they're not supposed to be punitive facilities or settings. They are, they might
be used in lieu of discipline. So if a student perhaps was about to be expelled, but the school district said instead of expelling you, let's try the ALE setting and maybe with this additional supports and services you, you know, you can be successful and then transition back into school, um. With, with Senator Hester's bill, I know the language that is in there and it's more of a legal standard and a legal term, um, but it would be difficult for a school district who would have to work with DHS and their
behavioral threat assessment team to place a student in one of those facilities to say that a student was substantially likely to injure themselves or others if that student had not already exhibited violent behaviors. It's not like I could look at any particular student and say, yeah, I think they might do this. I, it's more, I know it's not defined in law, but it is a legal standard that's used in many courts across the country and it's about based on that child's prior experiences and prior behaviors, is there a
likelihood that they will continue to have these behaviors and aggressiveness without interventions, without therapies, without services. Um, so it wouldn't just be an individual making that decision. It would be a group decision
Speaker 131
39:11
of educators, clinicians, and people knowledgeable about that. type of behavior.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
39:16
It seems to me that that has always been A decision That's made by juvenile court. Upon referral of that student.
To juvenile court, because if a child is threatening. Some injury Likely to be caused by that child. That's either A child, a family. And I have it under the family in need of services because of the the factors. Of A child that's substantially likely to cause the injury based on something.
Or it can be seen as a Criminal offense. For which a child could be Sent to juvenile court. And then in that same bill, Senator Hester's bill. You have the sheriff's department which has authority over the juvenile detention facilities. Deciding what Educational Um What?
Who's to provide the educational services for That juvenile
in juvenile detention facilities. Sheriff Run Juvenile detention facility, so now we got the sheriff. Acting as a
superintendent, I guess, or something. Under Hester's bill, but I'm not, I'm not really understanding what we're trying to do. It seems like
We're making subjective decisions. Have ALEs not been working? Is that what? What prompted this bill? No,
Speaker 143
41:13
that's not what prompted this bill. In in
Speaker 104
41:16
most situations it is working, um, but again with our smaller school districts, we actually found that this was Um, more of a burden to them to have to set up an alternative location and alternative setting to serve students where they could do it on their school campus and they could do it in
in other ways instead of having to establish a formal ALE. They could do that um through other means and so we're just trying to provide more flexibility um to school districts to because they, they should be making the decisions about the best how to best meet the needs of their students and so we're trying to provide them
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
41:55
at additional flexibility to do that. Well, under Senator Hester's bill with the behavioral programs and and referrals to children to these this new thing
of behavioral, I don't know whether it's a classroom or what, but Uh,
how is that supposed to be different if ALEs are already set up. Again, it's
Speaker 131
42:20
it's about providing a continuum and based on the severity and the needs of that student. That's all I have.
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
42:40
Thank you, uh, sir. Uh So just for clarity to make sure I understand something because of that. I want to be clear that we're not. Going to address the student that has discipline or learning issues by getting rid of ALE programs it with this legislation allowed districts to not have ALA period which which then would lead me to the next
question of if there becomes a student that has difficulty learning, etc. Then what happens to that student? If a district chooses not to
Speaker 131
43:21
buy this legislation. So under state and federal
Speaker 104
43:25
law, school districts have absolute responsibility to serve the needs of every student. What requiring an ALE did was require them to set up a formal very restrictive and very heavily regulated setting where they again might send students might
not send students if they didn't feel that that was appropriate. So if a district feels like this is still the best setting, they can do that. But if They choose not to have an aioli. It does not relieve them of the the responsibility to serve that student. If a student has a learning disability, state and federal law still requires them to assess, evaluate, provide resources for that student if they have behavioral needs, state and federal law still requires them to address those needs. It more just gives them the flexibility to do that in the way that they feel is the
best way instead of over regulating it
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
44:15
into a particular setting. So let me look at it this way if we're looking at a small. District who For financial reasons, let me use that as an example, uh, May would outsource this service to light their co op, maybe and not have a house at there in their district per se, but it still is a part of the dashboard of educational, um. Choices and, so, OK, so my
concern was that a student that runs into difficulty, it's then. Automatically, even if they're not real severe placed into that that Hester. Uh, situation, if you will, that I understand for the very, very severe as it is described, but I would, I want to make sure that we'd still have even I understand the smaller districts that may not have the resources and some of that, then they do still have a
responsibility and an outlet to educate those students that just may be having some difficulty. This bill does not allow them to opt out. Not at all. Thank you.
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
45:34
Remember's all the questions. Senator Bryant, you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and this will probably be just more of a broad question. I appreciate the bill. I appreciate the intent. I've visited many of our facilities up in Northwest on the ALE, and I think they are trying to be innovative to address the varying.
Issues that surround our student population. My question for you as a department tries to address what the legislation is attempting to address throughout this 95th is what are you doing as a department to Um, get stakeholders in to see what, what does it look like that way in two years maybe you have a product based on all these varying policies that are coming out of specifically out of this committee to show us that what we're doing is working.
Speaker 104
46:21
So we are working with DHS and groups of superintendents and behavioral health and staff in the school districts, um, our intent in and what we plan is to again work collaboratively with each the school districts in different regions. What is the need in your region? How can we, um, maybe use existing facilities, existing programs and and replicate those, maybe we need to expand some if something's working, we want to make sure that that's available to all students, so I, yes, do your point, this is definitely a
plan on behalf of ADE, DHS, and school districts to work together to do what's best for students and make that available to all students, and we hope to have data for you in 1 year or 2 years of how that is working, um, and if it's not working, that what we're trying
differently as well. Members of the questions. Senator Flowers, you're recognized.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
47:20
Doesn't the department already have that? Data
About how many children are disciplined? How many are
Speaker 104
47:31
in ALE? Yes, we do have that data. I was referring to data that of how these new types of settings or new programs or or expanded programs if they are working better or if they're not working
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
47:43
better. But we do have you can't, you can't see from Existing data. Whether a child is benefiting from ALE. Yes, we can. Again, I was
Speaker 104
47:58
referring to the the new types of facilities and
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
48:01
new programs and Students benefiting. Some are. So you're trying to reach a certain percentage of Of students
that benefit. What what is this? I would say we're trying
Speaker 104
48:15
to reach 100%, 100% of students that are getting the supports and services that they need and for the percentage that ALE is not the right setting that that percentage, whatever it is, is getting the services
they need in that setting, um, but ultimately we want all kids to
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
48:35
get the supports and services they need. Well, it's ALE just something that's boilerplate. One size fits all children or something.
Speaker 157
48:44
What, what, what is not. No, ALE looks different in every district that has one, and within ALE
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
48:51
inside the various districts. Is there flexibility for
Students based on how they present. And what, what their
Speaker 104
49:05
issues are. There is some flexibility. Some found flexibility, but again, there, there are very, um, stringent regulations on an ALE and what it has to look like, what it has to do, and so districts are afforded some flexibility, um, as long as they meet all of the requirements, this would give them more flexibility. Hm it
Members other questions? Saying no questions. Thank you. Uh, anyone here to speak for or against the bill. No would have signed up, Senator, would you like to close for your
Speaker 92
49:47
bill? I'm closed for the bill and motion due
pass. We have a second. 2nd, all in favor say aye opposed. Congratulations Senator, your bill passes.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
50:34
I guess we are finished. And I appreciate everybody, all of this committee
has been very diligent. Thank you very much and I appreciate our staff. They have been very diligent. Thank you. Meeting is adjourned.
Agenda
Call to Order
HB1017 A. Collins TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING PAID MATERNITY LEAVE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES; AND TO REQUIRE THE DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION TO PAY FOR INCURRED COSTS FOR APPROVED PAID MATERNITY LEAVE.
HB1903 Walker TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE TO PROVIDE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH FLEXIBILITY REGARDING ALTERNATIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS.
HB1945 McCollum TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS OPPORTUNITY PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE ACT; TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE ACT OF 2015; AND TO ALLOW A STUDENT TO TRANSFER TO ANOTHER PUBLIC SCHOOL WITHIN HIS OR HER RESIDENT DISTRICT.
Adjourn
Documents
| Title | Type | Pages | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agenda — EDUCATION COMMITTEE - SENATE AND HOUSE MEETING JOINTLY WITH ADVANCED COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION, Apr 15, 2025 | Agenda | 2 | Official source ↗ |
Speakers
Senator Jane English
Unverified
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
Speaker 22
Speaker 23
Senator Dan Sullivan Chair
Unverified
Speaker 28
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
Speaker 21
Speaker 39
Speaker 47
Speaker 8
Speaker 62
Speaker 37
Senator Bryan King
Unverified
Speaker 88
Speaker 103
Speaker 104
Speaker 105
Speaker 122
Speaker 125
Speaker 119
Speaker 131
Speaker 143
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
Speaker 157
Speaker 92