Education Committee- House
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Transcript
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Bills discussed (40)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SB625
Act 920
· 16 mentions in agenda, transcript, chapter
Matched: “…law TO AMEND THE EDUCATION SERVICE COOPERATIVE ACT OF 1985. SB625 B. Davis TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNIN…”
|
TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING THE ARKANSAS CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL FREEDOM ACCOUNT PROGRAM; … | B. Davis | Notification that SB625 is now Act 920 |
|
HB1642
Act 916
· 5 mentions in agenda, chapter, transcript
Matched: “…ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. HB1642 Gramlich TO AMEND THE MEASURES CONSIDERED WHEN CALCULATING…”
|
TO AMEND THE MEASURES CONSIDERED WHEN CALCULATING A SCHOOL RATING; AND TO ENSURE A STUDENT … | Gramlich | Notification that HB1642 is now Act 916 |
|
HB1810
Act 796
· 5 mentions in transcript, chapter, agenda
Matched: “34, uh, yeah, House Bill 1810, uh, we passed it, I had a Senate amendment added. It has b…”
|
TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING THE ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND AND … | Joey Carr | Notification that HB1810 is now Act 796 |
|
HB1020
· 4 mentions in chapter, agenda, transcript
Matched: “HB1020 A. Collins TO REPEAL THE ARKANSAS CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL FR…”
|
TO REPEAL THE ARKANSAS CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL FREEDOM ACCOUNT PROGRAM; TO CREATE A NEW EDUCATION FUNDING … | A. Collins | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1484
Act 910
· 4 mentions in chapter, transcript, agenda
Matched: “HB1484 Gramlich TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF CREDITS A STUDENT MAY OBTAI…”
|
TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF CREDITS A STUDENT MAY OBTAIN IN A COURSE CREDIT RECOVERY … | Gramlich | Notification that HB1484 is now Act 910 |
|
HB1541
· 4 mentions in chapter, agenda, transcript
Matched: “HB1541 Wooten TO REQUIRE A PRIVATE SCHOOL THAT ACCEPTS STATE FUNDI…”
|
TO REQUIRE A PRIVATE SCHOOL THAT ACCEPTS STATE FUNDING OF ANY TYPE TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION … | Wooten | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1812
Act 918
· 4 mentions in chapter, transcript, agenda
Matched: “HB1812 Gramlich TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT AND ACCO…”
|
TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT; TO CREATE AN EXCEPTION TO ATTENDANCE … | Gramlich | Notification that HB1812 is now Act 918 |
|
HB1023
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1023 A. Collins TO AMEND THE STATE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM; AN…”
|
TO AMEND THE STATE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM; AND TO AMEND THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR LOAN … | A. Collins | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1025
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1025 McGruder TO CREATE THE TEACHER FAIR DISMISSAL ACT OF 2025.”
|
TO CREATE THE TEACHER FAIR DISMISSAL ACT OF 2025. | McGruder | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1027
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1027 D. Garner TO CREATE THE BRIGHTER START ACT OF 2025; AND TO…”
|
TO CREATE THE BRIGHTER START ACT OF 2025; AND TO REQUIRE THE TREASURER OF STATE … | D. Garner | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1030
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…TING AND FUTURE ARKANSAS BRIGHTER FUTURE FUND PLAN ACCOUNT. HB1030 T. Shephard TO REQUIRE A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER OR LAW ENF…”
|
TO REQUIRE A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER OR LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL TO OBTAIN CERTIFICATION IN YOUTH … | T. Shephard | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1031
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…OUNSELOR TO RECEIVE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING. HB1031 D. Garner TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS HEALTHY LIFESTYLE EDUCATIO…”
|
TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS HEALTHY LIFESTYLE EDUCATION ACT OF 2025; AND TO ENSURE THE HEALTH … | D. Garner | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1139
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1139 B. McKenzie TO CREATE THE RELEASED TIME EDUCATION ACT.”
|
TO CREATE THE RELEASED TIME EDUCATION ACT. | B. McKenzie | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1144
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1144 Wooten TO REQUIRE A PARTICIPATING SCHOOL UNDER THE ARKANSAS…”
|
TO REQUIRE A PARTICIPATING SCHOOL UNDER THE ARKANSAS CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL FREEDOM ACCOUNT PROGRAM TO COMPLY … | Wooten | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1197
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1197 S. Meeks TO PROHIBIT SCHEDULING, HOSTING, OR REQUIRING AN O…”
|
TO PROHIBIT SCHEDULING, HOSTING, OR REQUIRING AN OUTDOOR PRACTICE, SCRIMMAGE, GAME, OR ACTIVITY FOR AN … | S. Meeks | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1239
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…IC SCHOOLS ADDRESSES CERTAIN HEALTH ISSUES FACING STUDENTS. HB1239 A. Collins TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 2003;…”
|
TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 2003; AND TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL CATEGORY … | A. Collins | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1371
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…ntatives, uh, Representative Ken Bragg, uh, brought a bill, House Bill 1371, 1371, uh, looked at the opportunity to provide additional…”
|
TO REPEAL THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE COMPLETION OF A HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION COURSE FOR THE … | Wardlaw | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1482
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…EEDOM ACCOUNTS IN THE 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR AND THEREAFTER. HB1482 Gramlich TO CREATE AN EXCEPTION TO THE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE RE…”
|
TO CREATE AN EXCEPTION TO THE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR A STUDENT WHO TAKES A … | Gramlich | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1490
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1490 Wardlaw TO REPEAL THE REQUIREMENT THAT A PUBLIC SCHOOL STUD…”
|
TO REPEAL THE REQUIREMENT THAT A PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT RETURN TEMPORARILY ISSUED ITEMS, RESOURCES, MATERIALS, … | Wardlaw | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1492
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…ENTS FOR A STUDENT WHO TAKES A GED TEST AND RECEIVES A GED. HB1492 Gramlich TO REQUIRE EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT AND OPEN-EN…”
|
TO REQUIRE EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT AND OPEN-ENROLLMENT PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL TO IMPLEMENT A MOBILE … | Gramlich | Recommended for study in the Interim by the … |
|
HB1528
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1528 McGruder TO REQUIRE A REPORT CARD TO INCLUDE A STUDENT'S CU…”
|
TO REQUIRE A REPORT CARD TO INCLUDE A STUDENT'S CURRENT READING GRADE LEVEL. | McGruder | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1539
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1539 A. Collins TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 2003;…”
|
TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 2003; AND TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL EDUCATION … | A. Collins | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1542
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1542 Wooten TO REQUIRE PRIVATE SCHOOLS TO ADMINISTER AN ANNUAL S…”
|
TO REQUIRE PRIVATE SCHOOLS TO ADMINISTER AN ANNUAL STATEWIDE STUDENT ASSESSMENT; AND TO REQUIRE PRIVATE … | Wooten | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1709
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…NTAINS A FOUR-DAY SCHOOL WEEK; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. HB1709 Steele TO AMEND THE HUMAN SERVICES WORKERS IN THE SCHOOLS P…”
|
TO AMEND THE HUMAN SERVICES WORKERS IN THE SCHOOLS PROGRAM; AND TO INCLUDE MENTAL HEALTH … | Steele | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1727
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…990 McAlindon TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING HIGHER EDUCATION. HB1727 L. Johnson TO AMEND THE FUNDING AVAILABLE TO ADULT EDUCATIO…”
|
TO AMEND THE FUNDING AVAILABLE TO ADULT EDUCATION CHARTER SCHOOLS. | L. Johnson | WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR |
|
HB1755
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…D INTENDS TO COVER PRIVATE SCHOOL COSTS WITH STATE FUNDING. HB1755 T. Shephard TO REQUIRE EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL TO PARTICIPATE IN…”
|
TO REQUIRE EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ARKANSAS PREVENTION NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY. | T. Shephard | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1761
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…D THE FUNDING AVAILABLE TO ADULT EDUCATION CHARTER SCHOOLS. HB1761 D. Garner TO INCREASE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY THROUGH THE EST…”
|
TO INCREASE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF INCOME LIMITS FOR STUDENTS ELIGIBLE FOR EDUCATIONAL … | D. Garner | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1924
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…ICIPATE IN THE ARKANSAS PREVENTION NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY. HB1924 Puryear TO REPEAL THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE STATE BOARD OF E…”
|
TO REPEAL THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION ESTABLISH RULES REGARDING THE IMPLEMENTATION … | Puryear | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1940
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…IC CHARTER SCHOOL TO IMPLEMENT A MOBILE PANIC ALERT SYSTEM. HB1940 Walker TO ESTABLISH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A PUBLIC SCHOOL DI…”
|
TO ESTABLISH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT INITIATES AND MAINTAINS A FOUR-DAY … | Walker | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1962
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…ULES REGARDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FOUR-DAY SCHOOL WEEKS. HB1962 Vaught TO PROHIBIT A SCHOOL FROM SERVING OR SELLING ULTRA-P…”
|
TO PROHIBIT A SCHOOL FROM SERVING OR SELLING ULTRA-PROCESSED FOOD ON THE SCHOOL CAMPUS DURING … | Vaught | Recommended for study in the Interim by the … |
|
HB1990
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…SED FOOD ON THE SCHOOL CAMPUS DURING THE NORMAL SCHOOL DAY. HB1990 McAlindon TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING HIGHER EDUCATION. HB1…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING HIGHER EDUCATION. | McAlindon | Recommended for study in the Interim by the … |
|
HB1999
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…Irvin TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS FINANCIAL EDUCATION COMMISSION. HB1999 D. Garner TO REQUIRE THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDU…”
|
TO REQUIRE THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING THE SUPPLEMENTAL … | D. Garner | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB2000
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB2000 Wardlaw TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EDUCATION SERVICE COOPE…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EDUCATION SERVICE COOPERATIVES, PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND OPEN-ENROLLMENT PUBLIC CHARTER … | Wardlaw | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB2002
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…HOOL DISTRICTS, AND OPEN-ENROLLMENT PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS. HB2002 Wardlaw TO AMEND THE EDUCATION SERVICE COOPERATIVE ACT OF 1…”
|
TO AMEND THE EDUCATION SERVICE COOPERATIVE ACT OF 1985. | Wardlaw | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB625
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…isplaced political theater. So what I want to discuss about House Bill 625. 625 is simply strengthening what we do and learns. We've n…”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
SB373
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB373 Irvin TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS FINANCIAL EDUCATION COMMISSION.”
|
TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS FINANCIAL EDUCATION COMMISSION. | Irvin | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB634
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…Staff Only'. PENDING FISCAL IMPACT Number Sponsor Subtitle SB634 M. Johnson TO CREATE THE DIVISION OF INTERSCHOLASTIC ACTIVI…”
|
TO CREATE THE DIVISION OF INTERSCHOLASTIC ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION. | M. Johnson | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB680
· 2 mentions in transcript
Matched: “…tative Bragg brought an additional bill later on, which was Senate Bill 680 by he and Senator to dismay that paired back the original 1…”
|
Pre-2017 bill | ||
|
HB1022
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1022 A. Collins TO REPEAL PERFORMANCE-BASED INCENTIVE AWARDS FOR…”
|
TO REPEAL PERFORMANCE-BASED INCENTIVE AWARDS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND OPEN-ENROLLMENT PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS. | A. Collins | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1747
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1747 Vaught TO CREATE THE BABIES AT SCHOOL ACT; AND TO ALLOW SCH…”
|
TO CREATE THE BABIES AT SCHOOL ACT; AND TO ALLOW SCHOOLS TO PERMIT EMPLOYEES WHO … | Vaught | Recommended for study in the Interim by the … |
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- October 2, 2026
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
0:14
guests, welcome to House Education on a Monday morning, uh, if you would please stand on my represent Cozart stars in prayer.
Speaker 4
0:52
Thank you, Representative. So Si was praying as well, so I appreciate that. It's good. It was.
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
1:02
members without objection, we're gonna start um with concurrence, uh, I believe that uh we're trying to
get Representative Graham look over here as well so we can knock those out. Uh, so first we're gonna start with concurrence in House 1810 representative Carr, if you would please introduce yourself for the record, and you're recognized. Joey Carr District
Representative John P. Carr
Unverified
1:23
34, uh, yeah, House Bill 1810, uh, we passed it, I had a Senate amendment added. It has been engrossed if you look on page 5, it's lines 6 and 7. Uh, the Senate preferred the board members to be required of a Senate confirmation. So that's what was added on their end. I'd take any questions at this time. Are there questions from committee? See, no questions. There's no one signed
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
1:49
up to speak for or against this bill. Uh, we have a
motion to concur in the Senate amendment. Is there discussion on that motion? See none. All in favor say aye. All opposed. Congratulations of the car, your amendment has been concurred.
Thank you, Mr. Chair and thank you committee. Members, we are going to uh recess
for 5 minutes, uh, while we wait on Representative Gramlich to get here to concur in his amendments, so House education will stand in recess for 5 minutes. Um
She's a Quorum House education will return from recess. Uh, we have been graced by the presence of Representative Gramblich, who has, you're
3 amendments to concur in correct representative. Um, I have
Chair
Unverified
5:05
3 different bills that have concurrence. I think, yes, I'll let Representative Graham take them
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
5:12
one at a time. You've got the amendments in front of you, uh, and then Representative Graham, if you recognized to start with that with
Chair
Unverified
5:19
with whichever one you choose 112 1.
You're recognized for 1812. Uh, this 1812 amendment 1 was a verbal amendment in Senate ed
Zach Gramli
Unverified
5:31
that essentially just took out the, um, I, the ready test in GED, um, they wanted it to be, uh not just company specific and so that's what um. Amendment 1 to 1812 does. Are the questions on the amendment? See no
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
5:47
questions. We have a motion to adopt. Is there a discussion on that motion? Uh, do pass,
uh, as admitted, I believe or concurrence concurrence, uh, is there a discussion on that motion? See none, all in favor say aye, all opposed. Congratulations, we've concurred in the amendment. You're now recognized to present the next one. Thank you. How spell 1812, um, the department
Zach Gramli
Unverified
6:10
wanted it to be a 5-year graduation rate so they could still determine the difference between a 4-year graduation rate, which is how many students receive their high school diploma and a 5-year graduation rate, which is how many students receive their high school diploma or
Received a GED. Other questions for the committee. This was for 1812. Yes, yes sir. Second Amendment to 1812. 2nd Amendment, I
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
6:39
apologize. I apologize. OK. Uh, the questions on the amendment? Say no questions, we do not have anyone sign up to speak for against the amendments. We have a motion to concur and send an amendment number 2, to house 1812. All in favor say aye, all opposed. Congratulations, we've concurrently amended final will be 1484. 14 did we do 1642?
Zach Gramli
Unverified
6:58
I didn't. I wasn't given an amendment to 164. He's got one right here. Go ahead and go ahead and do 1484. I just wanna make sure we don't miss anything we're here, uh, 1484, uh, was a great upon language from um a senator to increase the number of credit. Credits received and then um Our credits that could be redone and then, um, an amendment that a member of the committee had
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
7:29
asked for and another one that was asked for by a member of the Senate committee. Are there questions on this amendment? See no questions. We do not have anyone sign up to speak for against the amendment, but would like to speak for or against, seeing none, are you close for the amendments? For concurrence, we have a motion to concur in the Senate amendment for House Bill 1484 all in favor CI all opposed. Congratulations you've concurred to the amendment, and now I believe the final one would be 1642, uh, same as I think it was
Zach Gramli
Unverified
7:59
1812, um, changing the graduation rate, um, and substituting 5-year graduation rate, uh, for the same reasons mentioned before. Are the questions for Representative Gramlich? See no questions.
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
8:07
We do not have anyone signed up to speak for or against would anyone like to speak for or against, seeing none, uh, you're closed for the concurrence? I am closed closed. We have a motion on the table of concurrence in an amendments for House Bill 1642 is a discussion on that motion. So no discussion all if I ever say aye, all post congratulations you can continue on the amendment. Thank you, Chair. Thank you.
Uh, members House Education will stand in recess for 5 more minutes while we wait on one initial amendment to come over from BLR where you're in recess.
Yeah education will return, uh, members without objection. I'm going to yield a chair to the Vice Chair McKenzie for presentation of uh Senate Bill 625. How do I deal with that? No,
Speaker 54
16:48
I'm not. Once you introduce yourself, you'll be recognized to present
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
17:06
your bill, uh sorry to present your amendment. It does. It Thank you, Mr. Chair, uh,
committee, Keith Brooks, State Representative District 78, uh, so the amendment that you have in front of you on Senate Bill 625 is just providing additional clarifying language, uh, that we've been working on for several weeks with the department, um, to just hit the highlights and I'll be happy to, to hit them in, in the bill presentation itself, uh, if you'd like or I can go through them right now, uh, just based
on what the will of the committee is there are, uh, give me just one moment, I'm gonna pull. them up, um, we have a
many language on page 2 that uh clarified that, uh, there could be certain service providers that are outside of, of traditional settings that this allows for that, such as things like hippotherapy, which can be utilized for a number of educational needs for occupational speech therapy, uh, within that setting um for kids with dyslexia, things like that,
so, uh, that's clarified there, um, on, uh, another change page 4. We deleted the word homeschool because that's already in statute, so it didn't need to be redefined, uh, additionally later on, there was a change that talked about participating school. We removed home school from that as well because uh a home school is just a participating school, um, we added language on page 6 that allowed for a right to appeal to the state board should someone be expelled from a school and
have funds in their account and they can appeal to the state board for, uh, the of closure of that account and then we dealt with, um, uh, language relative to evidence of misuse that that language is now evidence of intentional misuse, so clarifying that any, any misuse would have to be intentional and proven under the rules and regulations that are already established by the department. Finally, uh, we changed the initial application window from February 1 to June 1, or sorry, originally it was
February 1 to March 31st extended that to June 1, and then also uh put in language. for additional applications that can be administered or submitted uh after that based upon the department's discretion for certain situations like someone moving in from out of state or changing schools after that. So, uh, address a number of those things, uh, with that, I would take any questions, but I would move for adoption of the amendment. Um, Given the sponsor just asked for questions,
any questions on amendment? See none, um. We have a motion to adopt the
amendment. No one side to speak for or against anyone to speak for or against. See none. All those in favor say aye. I
opposed Congratulations, you have adopted the amendment. You are now recognized to present your bill as amended. Thank you, Mr. Chair. The committee with your, uh, blessing,
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
19:52
Mr. Chair. I'd like to bring Secretary Jacob Oliva to the table with me as well. fine. Sorry, uh, check that. Courtney
Saiss Ford to the table with me. Once you identify with yourself, you may be recognized.
Courtney Saiss for Department of Education. All right, thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you committee. Uh, Senate Bill 625 came to us, uh, with support of Governor Sanders and Secretary of the Department of Education as we look at how we can continue to improve what we do in terms of, uh, the Learns Act and specifically the Education Freedom accounts, but I wanted to start my presentation off with just a little bit of a history lesson, a number of members of this committee and of our body were not here when the fight for education freedom began a number of years ago. So, uh, just a little bit of history lesson of
where we've been in 2015. the first bill was ever passed that really provided some sense of education freedom in the state of Arkansas. That was that was passed by Representative House for the succeed scholarship program that allowed for students with disabilities to utilize funds for private schools and other options. The first year of that program, we had 23 students who took advantage of it. Uh, that program grew a little bit year after year where uh to almost 1000 at one point, uh, but really, uh, nothing more significant because it's a very limited in scope. Fast forward
to 20 21, which was my first session in the House of Representatives, uh, Representative Ken Bragg, uh, brought a bill, House Bill 1371, 1371, uh, looked at the opportunity to provide additional Private school, uh, tuition opportunities for students who met certain qualifications. Those qualifications included uh that they had to be a household family income of 200%, no greater than 200% of federal federal poverty level. Frankly, that bill was very limited in
scope. It would have helped about 500 students, uh, but it failed by 7 votes on the floor of the House of Representatives. Representative Bragg brought an additional bill later on, which was Senate Bill 680 by he and Senator to dismay that paired back the original 1371 to impact 250 kids, still very limited in scope, that limited scope, uh, still had the 200% of federal poverty level and the restriction in place, we did pass that by 2 votes on, uh, out of this body and that went into law and the was known as the
PIAC philanthropic Investment in Arkansas Kids Act that helped about 250 kids. So the history of education in the state of Arkansas, frankly has been extremely limited, uh, for the last decade. Fast forward to 2023. The Arkansas Learns Act. I was fortunate to be the house sponsor of Arkansas Learns and lead the charge for increasing the opportunity for education freedom to all students in the state of Arkansas. Year one, we had just over 5000 students who took advantage of it in year two, that tripled to almost
14,000 students, and now we stand this year from a universal standpoint to almost be able to serve 40,000 students. Why do I tell you that? The reason I tell you that is because my engagement and that of my colleague, Senator Davis has been nothing. but strong on this issue since the beginning in 2021, who represented Bragg's bill did not pass. I had BLR draft, what I call the School Act. I never filed it, but I had it drafted. It was a universal ESA before anyone had ever done a universal ESA. That's where my heart has
been in October of 2022 as universal ESAs were starting to come online. I had another draft of a universal ESA bill that eventually became the language that's what is in learns so my heart has been here all along, and I want to stay very clearly that any idea that we've done anything but support the idea of education, freedom in the state of Arkansas is simply misplaced political theater. So what I want to discuss about House Bill 625. 625 is simply strengthening what we do and learns. We've never backed down from our commitment to students. Liam, let me hear you or hear me
say this very clearly. EFAs do not change at all with house or with Senate Bill 625, uh, an EFA student will be funded exactly the same as they are currently, no less than what they are. That includes private school students, homeschool students, microschool students, no one, no funding changes. They still are available for all the funds within it. In fact, we continue to strengthen that funding because funding is tied to our public school foundation funding, which last week we just increased additional 5%, so
right now at 6854 is the upcoming, uh, the upcoming EFA amount for this following this upcoming school year that's going to increase by 5% next year. So our commitment to families in the state of Arkansas is very clear. We have not removed funds. We have not taken funds. We have not caused the opportunity for anyone to have education, freedom decrease in any way, and Senate Bill 625 simply does not do that. So the suggestion that anyone, especially someone sitting here at this table or my Senate colleague is attacking education freedom, uh, is simply
misguided. If you want to know what an attack is, House Bill 1020, which sought to repeal, completely repeal the EFA portion of learns, uh, by my friend Representative Collins, and I told him I was going to say this, and he was OK with it. Uh, that's an attack on education freedom, an attack on education freedom is repealing the FA. As you know, that did not make it out of this committee. An attack on education freedom is House Bill 1541, which sought to put regulations on non-public schools to require. transportation which would resulted in tens of millions of dollars of costs for nonpublic
schools virtually closing a number of those schools. That's an attack on education freedoms. Senate Bill 625 is not. Senate Bill 625 allows us to further strengthen what we're doing for long term sustainability of the EFA program. So what does this bill not do? This bill does not tell any family in any way what they have to teach their child. Outside the requirements that are already in law, you got to teach math, you got to teach English language English language arts, you got to teach science, you got to teach history. Those are already in law. You have to do that to have to have a high school diploma in the state of
Arkansas. That does not change. We do not extend any discussions relative to what you have to teach your student or how you have to teach them in any way. Um Total freedom exists uh with before this bill, total frame exists after this bill. So what does 625 do? 625 and it's about 17 pages long, 625 helps create additional strengthening for the EFA program. If you look at page 1, uh, 625 talks about reasonable costs for co-curricular activities.
Reasonable cost is not defined or given a dollar amount. However, it's just suggesting that a reasonable cost for a course that exists somewhere in the state of Arkansas. Uh, that can be for fine arts, that can be for theater, so I think theater, music, dance, things like that, those are reasonable costs that are allowed within this, uh, this bill that has not changed. Uh, if you want to do educational therapy, as I mentioned on page two, it defines the, the amendment defines uh that outside of traditional settings, again, perhaps your, your child
benefits from hippotherapy and they're getting, uh, they're getting reading or occupational or, or speech or physical therapy, uh, in that setting, see the, the You get up there and the lights just go off,
uh, that this bill does not impact that in any way. Uh, what the bill does from a um a
specific standpoint is it provides an application window, provides an application window for an initial application in uh for the EFA time frame from February 1 to June 1. The department is also allowed again for additional applications to
come after that, uh, and so it, it provides some consistency with our school choice data, or school choice day for public schools is June 1. This just provides consistency for that initial EFA application. The other thing that SB 625 does that has gotten a lot of um Uh, a lot of interest in it, uh, is that we do look at two different categories, categories of transportation in the category of extracurricular activities, transportation and reimbursement for gas. You're reimbursed at 52 cents per mile. Uh, it limits it to 25% of the EFA amount per year. So this
year, this coming year that reflects 17 $1,713 is what can be allowed for that. Uh, that's about $150 a month in gas costs. It also allows for 25 for extracurricular activities. So think, maybe you want to have a D1 membership for your child, uh, to get excellent athletic training. A D1 membership here in Little Rock cost right under $1700 for one person for an entire year for unlimited visits. This bill would still allow for that. It will allow
you to take a field trip. If you've got 3 kids who are on EFAs and you want to take field trips in the state of Arkansas, you're limited at 1700 and 1300, 1713 per student this coming year, almost 8. 180 $0 next year, you could take a great field trip to Mount Magazine and stay the weekend at the lodge if you wanted to for, for a great opportunity for a field trip here in the state of Arkansas under this. It doesn't limit that completely. It just put guards rail, it puts guardrails on appropriate categories. So, uh, within that or within the rest of the bill,
uh, we talk about, um, we talk about intentional misuse of funds, so it provides for the department to continue to monitor how funds are used and if someone is using those intentionally uh. Um, or there's evidence that are using them, uh, misusing them intentionally so think buying um 20 Uh, school uniforms, plaid skirts, and then reselling those, uh, school reselling those because they're not actually using those for your own students. That's a misuse of funds, uh, so the department has already promulgated rules for that, so that just allows
clarification within that, finally, um, I wanna address the idea of the um Funds within the education freedom account ever running out and the language that's in here that talks about should funds not be enough to cover all that is necessary. Uh, just a quick reminder that that is the exact same language that's on page 92 of learns. Uh, it is fiscally responsible for us as a legislative body to ensure that as this program continues to grow, uh, and as we continue to fund it as a legislative body
that we are being fiscally responsible and so that language again is direct from learns and all it's doing is putting uh, the students in the categories that were already specified within the Lawrence Act originally. With that, I'll be happy to take any
questions. Representative McCollum, you recognized for her
Representative Austin McCollum
Unverified
30:21
question. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you committee. Um, thank you
for running through the amendments earlier, Representative Brooks. Um, I know.
Most of the time we like to adopt. Amendments so we can see kind of the impact on the totality of the bill, um. I say that to
kind of lead up to my question on the subject that I think you, uh, Set at the end on the subject of misuse and fraud, obviously, uh, we're all aligned on, we don't want fraud on any important program. Can you tell me a little bit about the change that was made as it references, uh, So the reference language originally and I'm trying to get
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
31:01
to that page. A bit Or was that part already amended? Uh, that was not amended, so we, we, we, we added in two places, uh, I believe it's two places we added the word evidence of intentional it was evidence of misuse we added the word evidence of intentional misuse, uh, so when we start talking about things like fraud that gets into a legal definition, uh, this is just clarifying that uh that if someone makes a rounding error or makes a
mistake in accounting for the funds that the intent of the department intent of this bill is not to ever go after a family for that. Uh, but if someone is intentionally attempting to misuse funds that are originally taxpayer dollars and utilized for the benefit of the student, uh, that the department can can look into that, which I think is appropriate for
us, uh, from a fiduciary responsibility standpoint in the state. Thank you. And then, um. I guess this might be more
Representative Austin McCollum
Unverified
31:54
of a question for the department, and I, I thought about it as you were kind of giving the example, Representative Brooks on maybe.
Someone reselling school uniforms or something, um. And I know you were just using it as an example of behavior we don't want for people to be literally be using just off the top of my head to make money, uh, but it, it kind of got me thinking along like implementing how we even investigate these, these type of things. What can you see on your end in terms of maybe that example, maybe that's a bad example, but anyway, you want to answer the question,
Speaker 76
32:26
right, yeah, so, um, obviously our staff is involved daily in the approval and and administration of the funds in
Speaker 79
32:34
the accounts, um, in order to purchase something like that. parent has to go through the online portal where vendors are approved and products are made available, um, so we try, we monitor that every day, but, but to what, uh, Representative Brooks said, there's almost 40,000 students, so obviously it's difficult to look at every single purchase every day. Um, we have met with the, the vendor Class wallet that operates the portal, and they are putting in safeguards as well to try to address those things so that if you do see a purchase that comes up for 20 skirts or, or, you know, 5 laptops, um.
It, it may just signal us to look at that further to see maybe it is justified, maybe they, you know, want, just want to wear a different skirt every day. Um, but so that we can again, look into it, investigate to see if there is some intentional misuse and in intent to misuse funds or if it was just an accident, maybe they meant to hit 2 and accidentally hit 20, um, you know, there, there's valid mistakes that can be made. There are valid purchases that might rise to the level of suspicion, but if we can look at those ask questions, and investigate
and show that it's not intentional, then obviously that's something that would still be approved. And so it's, it's a combination of staff reviewing, um, and the vendor software putting safeguards in place
Speaker 76
33:49
just to try to identify situations like that. OK. Thank you. And if the chair allows it, I
Representative Austin McCollum
Unverified
33:55
might just go follow up on a lot of the same lines of some of the amendments specifically on the appeal language I, could I just have
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
34:04
11 quick clarification. on that clarification but but additional, uh, I got a number
of of messages reached out to me about asking why we would not require our public schools, uh, to have a deep look and look into how they spend their funds, and I just want to remind this body, uh, and everyone that we do have what's called legislative audit and everyone can feel free starting in the next couple of months, uh, the 2nd week of the month to come on Thursday and Friday in here how our legislative audit committee looks at all of our public schools. Uh, we have an entire staff I believe legis. has 276 employees if I, if I remember right from the budget we approved, uh, and they are,
uh, you will find on a monthly basis that our public schools sit before this body and have to answer a very a lot of very detailed questions and, and sometimes the detailed questions can get uncomfortable, and he'd be referred to prosecuting attorneys and so I believe this body does a very good job of continuing to expect
accountability for funds that that originate as taxpayer funds. Thank you, Representative
Representative Austin McCollum
Unverified
35:05
Brooks. Mr. Chair, so, um, I think I'll start the next question with what maybe what my concern was coming in here today
and then maybe um through the, I think maybe the appeal language that was added in and maybe what that looks like. So the concern coming in here today was if there was uh some misbehavior by a student that got Um, expelled for whatever reason, um, I was kind of like playing that out of my head and you know. I thought the language had read that that would be automatically EFA is taken away, um, the concern there for me would be, um, I get it if things weren't working out with that particular school, but
If, if my logic is it's kind of like. Your account that you're saving and might want to use uh elsewhere. Um Why should it just go away because of bad behavior and so what I'm hearing now is, OK, there's going to be an appeal process, uh. And I guess if you could just talk to that change and how you would see that playing out with this new language, so page 6, and this will
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
36:09
be on page 2 of your amendment that was passed out, so it's page 6, line 6,
section B, if a participating student's account is closed following the occurrence of an event under previous subdivision, participating students, parent may appeal the division's decision to close or participating student's account to the state board according to rules promulgated by the state board. So the intent there would be that should someone Uh, be expelled from a, from a participating provider for whatever reason, obviously that would fall under the rules of that particular provider, every school has a unique set of rules of of what, uh, what's permissible by students in in
some are rigid, some are not rigid, uh, but this would allow, should that happen, and the student not be utilizing those funds obviously for uh their education purposes is what's directed that they would be able to appeal to the state board for continuing. So, uh, the example that uh that I gave. was, let's say that, um, you've got a, a, a school that, um, expel someone because they don't permit, uh, drinking alcohol. I would hope that most of us wouldn't allow that for underage folks, but, uh, some schools that that would cause someone to
be expelled. So let's say they're expelled in September of the school year, however, the school allows for them to return in the following January. That's what their punishment is, and obviously that would be up to the particular school, so this would allow for the parents to appeal to the state board to leave those account funds in place, uh, because the student is going to be
utilizing them in the future. And, and if I can add, one of the reasons that we
Speaker 84
37:41
highlighted that is an area that we wanted to add some clarification is because previously, um, in that
Speaker 79
37:48
example, if a student was expelled and then went and enrolled in public school. We were required to keep their account basically frozen and on hold for 3 years and that they may not have had any intention of ever going back to private school or home school. If they did, that wouldn't be an issue. We certainly they can just transfer their account, um, but in that case that we were previously held to, we couldn't make those funds available to other students. And so that was the reason for wanting a change so that we could immediately, if that student was not going to continue using their account and
go back to public school, then we can immediately make those funds available to other students.
Speaker 86
38:28
Thank you. I have more. Most of mine are Switching away from the I'll get in line. You're
Representative Austin McCollum
Unverified
38:34
the only one in the queue. Let it rip. There's no line to get in. So this,
uh, these questions, um, are more around, I think, like percentages on um. Allocating extracurricular transportation, um, and part of
this is likely just uh my inability to understand definitions and maybe what what an extracurricular is versus co-curricular, um. Specifically, I think you even mentioned this on um when you were talking about, hey, we're not saying you can't do these things, we're just saying X amount of monies can only be spent towards these things, um. Music Instruments Where does that, what's the definition? So if you
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
39:16
look on page one, as is already defined
within this law, within this bill, page one, line 35. Reasonable costs associated with co-curricular courses in the fine arts sets of fine art. uh clearly yes, music is listed next, STEM, if the co-curricular course is offered by a public school within the state of Arkansas. So, uh, I don't know how all 200 plus public schools, uh, Address fine arts or music or dance. I've been around a number of large and small schools who have thriving programs. I'll use
my, my friends at Cabot, uh, who they're, they're, uh, theater director was one of the 4 finalists for Teacher of the Year, uh, this past year. They have a very broad-based fine arts program, uh, that provides tremendous opportunities for students in theater and dance and music lessons and piano and guitar and a number of things. So there's a school right there that offers a very broad. and so this is just saying that reasonable costs associated with that. So that that's frankly very broad in my opinion. Yeah, and I appreciate the
Representative Austin McCollum
Unverified
40:25
answer. Thank you. I think, and just so you know, you know, these questions, and you probably know this, they're not they're not random. It's const they are homeschool parents. They're saying, hey, here's my example. What is it, how does, how am I going to apply, you know, this new law to
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
40:40
what I'm doing and go get your music lessons, learn how to play guitar, learn how to
Representative Austin McCollum
Unverified
40:45
play piano. That's absolutely approved. OK. Um Section 212 course definition.
My question is, could you please address this concern or if it should be a concern
at all. Um, coarse definition provides a lot of power to disallow online courses in the example given from this perspective of this home, um, this family is both kids use art of problem solving for math. It's a very advanced level. They were able to get approved to sell books through the program, but they're online courses are not approved for EFA funds.
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
41:38
And they reference section. Obviously if we're discussing what a specific vendor is, that would be something that the department would, uh, would evaluate just like they do with all vendors. I
believe that as of last week we had 904 vendors that were approved in the FA program with another 152 that were pending, so. My, my take would be that the department has done a very good job. In fact, I got off the phone with a vendor right before I walked in here, uh, that offered kind of unique co-curricular or extracurricular services that isn't approved vendor and will continue to be, uh, but I would say that.
That sounds like that may be more of an issue relative to uh having a vendor approved just providing clarity of, of the benefit they're they're providing students, but again, I would say fairly, fairly broad in our uh understanding of, of what a course can use. I know a number of, um, not just homeschool families, but, but, uh, non-public school families who utilize online courses, uh, in the, um, in, in the course of their learning that uh that they it's approved under the FA program. And if anyone does have a specific question and like any,
Speaker 79
42:40
any parent that is receiving an EFA, they can contact our staff in Class wallet has customer service staff available as well. Um, if there's a question about why something wasn't approved. I would find it hard to believe that it's tied to the definition and that it may just more be so an issue with how the vendor coded it or how they presented it, but we would have to look into that very specifically to find out why, right? And as I read it, it sounds to me maybe that's a current
Representative Austin McCollum
Unverified
43:03
issue, not necessarily a change in the language, um, but then when I go
back to the bill, I mean, I guess it. So here's my question on section 2, line 12, and I'll read it. Course means a discrete program of study that follows a predetermined. Syllabus or specification and then it goes, it goes on, um. With more language How is that a change from The current way that y'all do things, I guess why was that part needed? It's
Speaker 84
43:38
really not a change. It is codifying current practice, um, we, we feel more
Speaker 79
43:42
comfortable when things are codified versus just having, obviously, we have, um, limited authority to explain things in rules, but we feel more comfortable when things are codified. Um, so that is aligned with current practice and, and I feel very comfortable sharing that, um, our assistant commissioner for school choice who oversees this program that he's not aware of any courses, um, or. curriculum that is provided online that has not been approved. So again, we, we make every effort to make sure things are approved, but if something is, is, is not that a parent is
interested in, they can reach out to the department and we can look at
Representative Austin McCollum
Unverified
44:17
that. Thank you for that. Um. Admission to museums. If this becomes law, would that be something that At admission to a museum would fall
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
44:29
into the line of an extracurricular activity. Great, you've got $1,713 per student in this upcoming year. If you've got 3 kids, that's a lot of museum visits. Go get it, please, go, go to the uh Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts. Go to, go to the museum down in Hot
Springs. Go, go find ways to educate your kids and, and We are happy to allow that within Les EFAs. Thank you. I have a question relative
to, uh, something we discussed, but just for the benefit of everybody here, um, one point of confusion that might be clarified is like a driving school because transportation that's different than a driving school. That was a comment that I received. Can you close the gap there because I know we talked a driving school would be
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
45:11
a course of study. That's a course of study that's offered
at local public schools in the state of Arkansas, probably all over. I don't know how many schools, I'm, I'm sure that probably approaching. 50, 80, 100 schools probably offer something like that, but there,
what we're saying for the categorical transportation versus something like a driving school that they're different, so the category, transportation would be
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
45:31
reimbursement for gas 52 cents a mile. Representative Brown, you're
Chair
Unverified
45:34
recognized for your question. Yes. Thank you. um. Uh, a constituent reached out to
Representative Matt Brown
Unverified
45:47
me and and you may have already answered this, but forgive me, uh, concerns about SB 625. Parts of this bill may blah blah blah blah, let's see, uh, it limits our persecutes homeschoolers for having the ability to go outside their district for extracurricular activities. That language is not in the bill. Thank you If you look
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
46:12
at, look at page 2 of the bill as engrossed, uh
sorry, page one, extending to page 2, line 1, reasonable costs associated with co-curricular courses in the fine arts, music, or Semfields of the
co-curricular course is offered by a public school within the state. Um, no other Representative McCollum, you recognize for question.
Yeah, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair, I guess, uh, you know,
Representative Austin McCollum
Unverified
46:48
I think a lot of concerns that I
might have heard before today. had been addressed through a lot of these amendments or at least maybe the intent was made clear through amendments. Uh, the only thing that I think that I've Heard in terms of a different perspective, uh. Maybe between where we are currently and then now after this is amended is just around the percentages and, you know, our beliefs on. Extracurricular and I heard you reference versus public schools,
and I think that's kind of where my mind. Was that so can you talk a little bit more about OK. We want to make sure these dollars are being used towards educational experiences, getting students to learn. Um, 25% is gas, 20 or 25% transportation or 25% cap on uh extracurricular. Is that the same type of framing we look and I'm, you know, his all his expense our experience
on, uh, you know, everything from happy, happy to
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
47:49
answer that question. So when you look at the matrix, uh, and obviously I've, I've dialed pretty deep into the matrix the last couple of years. When you look at the matrix, we send the $72 for extra duty funds this year to public schools, $70 per student, and FY 2674 FY 27's going to be 76, so that's what we send currently to our public schools per student, uh, when I, and I got several questions relative to, well, why don't you, uh, prevent them from spending, uh, no more than 25% on football. OK, well, let me dig into that. So I
reached out to, uh, what I would consider probably the largest football program in the state, and that'd be the Bryant School District, and I just asked a question. Tell me, tell me, open your books to me. What are, what are you spending on this and obviously you have what we send to them and. Under the Matrix, uh, under operations maintenance, they allocate $125,000 for athletics, complete athletics, and that's all their kids who are involved in athletics for an entire school year. They've got 1200 kids who are involved in athletics. That's not football, that's every single sport. They
allocate $125,000 that goes down to $104 per student for them. So, uh, again, I, I believe that public schools and, and is there, uh, misuse or, um, would we prefer that they use in a different way? I'm sure we can find examples, uh, and so that's why I'd highlight the, the great work that Representative Cozart is doing, uh, that we will begin in earnest next week of looking at a different funding formula to modernize our funding formula to make sure that our schools are, are being held accountable and that we're also continue to support them in a way that we're constitutionally required to,
uh, but I would, I would suggest that it is very clear that uh that that these suggestions in terms of percentages are nowhere near out of line relative to what our public schools would be spending in terms of extracurricular type activities and that's very clear based on the matrix. And you would say the same on transportation
Representative Austin McCollum
Unverified
49:37
as well. I don't have the transportation numbers in
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
49:40
front of me, but uh I'm, I'm very confident that public schools are not spending 25% of their dollars on transportation, uh, when you look at it because that would be uh almost in
excess of $2000 per student, and so there wouldn't be a lot of money left over for anything else. Are there any other questions from committee? Seeing then we're going to move to the public comment period. Um, would love to have Paula Bean. Come to the table and speak. And Miss Bean, once you introduce yourself for the record and where you're from, uh, you may be recognized.
Paula Bean
Unverified
50:26
Hello, my name is Paula Bean. I am a homeschool mom of 4 children, and we are from somewhere in between Conway and Greenborough, Arkansas. We call it no man's land. Um, I have a little speech here prepared, but I'm going to be honest representative here answered just most of my questions, or a lot of them. But I still wanted to come up here today because I wanted to be a voice for homeschoolers. And for home school parents. I spoke at the Senate committee last week.
And this spill failed in Senate committee for some language, but it did end up passing and going into the Senate floor where it did get passed by one vote. I admit that I came into that committee with some preconceived notions, because homeschool families are a very skittish group of families. We believe That the government is against us, and we have reason to believe that. Not necessarily because of you guys, but because of some things I'm about to mention.
I am so thankful for the state of Arkansas. I am so thankful for the EFA, and I am so thankful that my students graduate high school, they will say that they are a product of their parents and their state. That their state invested in them. Now, I would like to share my voice from homeschoolers and then I have a couple of questions and concerns about a few of the amendments. Senator Davis during the Senate Education Committee meeting last Wednesday said that she believed
99% of parents were using the funds correctly. On the Senate discussion floor, she stated that 44% of the funds were used by parents went to educational material, but that 50%, 56% of the funds were used for non-educational material. Now neither one of these things were defined. But the following day, the Arkansas Times ran an article with the headline 56% of taxpayer funds are being used for non-educational items.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I brought I brought a few things. Such as my son's ukulele. The EFA funds in the past have not paid for the music instrument itself, but it has paid for his lessons. He also has Some artwork from his art lessons that he takes. I have a whole bag of curriculum in history, science, and
language. I've also provided therapy tools for him. And other things at the request of his therapists that have helped his disabilities. I would ask people who are against this. What do you consider educational and what do you consider non-educational? For my son and what I see in my bag of tricks over here, my bog bag, which is the briefcase of homeschoolers, right? Is that I see a well-rounded individual
who will grow exponentially. Who is being provided for for the best education tailored toward him. I have provided an excellent team of people using a significant amount of the EFA funds to help him grow. And he will be an asset to the state of Arkansas in the future. Now, the reason why homeschoolers are skittish is because after this story came out, you can look at the comments. Is that the rhetoric against homeschoolers has gotten so bad
over the last year that my husband and I have decided to leave social media. We have seen comments that homeschooling should be considered a form of abuse. That every homeschool family should be investigated by the Child Protective Services. Now I'm not saying these comments are from anybody in government. I'm just saying this is the rhetoric. We have seen so many articles saying that any problem with the public school system is at the fault of the very hand of homeschoolers. Now I understand Senator Davis was using the statistics as a
launching point for amending the bill, which a lot of the amendments I do agree with. But we must understand that there's a large group of people who hate homeschoolers. So to answer some questions for Senator Davis mentioned that some of the funds could be being misused. And that she saw this through social media. Parents who were receiving funds for their children began a Facebook page that gave us a conversation space where we could ask questions regarding what we did and did not qualify for. We can share our likes and
frustrations and make comments about items that did qualify. Particular news sites literally sent spies into this Facebook group and kept records of what everybody was discussing. The writer couldn't find any concrete evidence, so they made a vague story about how the funds could be misused. Another particular news article that was referenced in the Senate last week that came out several months ago was about students using the funds for equestrian program and gymnastics. It was published by the Arkansas Times, I believe, the article made the assumption that only wealthy people were
receiving funds because the majority of vendors were located in central Arkansas or north of central Arkansas. They mentioned how horseback riding is one of the vendors which disgusted them even though horseback riding is well known to be a vital tool in therapies for multiple disorders. Other than horseback riding, the article was vague as well because of the lack of concrete evidence of fraud and misuse. I'm not afraid of changing this this bill. I'm not afraid of amending it. But I do wonder sometimes why
people are so afraid of us. The second thing was Senator Sullivan reminding me that the EFA funds came from taxpayer money, to which my reply was taxpayers pay for all of children's education, but this has not always been the case. I'm not exactly sure what it costs to send a child through the public school system. We get 90% of what it costs the state, which would make the cost, which would make the cost to send a child about 8000. That's not what we get. We get 90% of that. However, that does not include federal and local costs, nor does it include such things as
free or reduced lunch, grants or programs like our current local school buys every student K through 6 their school supplies. But if we stay with that $8000 my family has actually saved the Arkansas taxpayers $104,000 minimum since we began homeschooling. And even now that we are receiving the EFA funds, we're still only getting 90% of what a public school student would get. I mention this because people want to act like this as a handout. And we are getting verbally attacked from very uh from variety of sides because of this
money. The EFA funds help validate us homeschoolers by the state government, but it also put a target on our backs. However, I would like people to consider the alternative. If every single homeschooler in the state decided to send their kids to public school next week. There would have to be money to go with them, and it would be significantly more than the $6,864. I'm receiving a year for my student, and that's the max that I can receive currently. In addition to this, our overcrowded schools and overworked teachers would be slammed with more students and that they had capacity to hold.
We need all types of education avenues so that each child has a chance of getting a good education. And I am thankful that the state of Arkansas realizes that. Now, with that being self, I would like to ask a few questions or point to a few issues I have with some of the amendments. A lot of them were already answered, so I won't take up too much of your time. Um I would first like to say that I agree with the cap on extracurricular activities in the transportation. Originally that was 1/6 of the funds, and I even agreed with that.
I believe that the funds for transportation and athletics as described should remain at that honestly. But it has been bumped to 25%, and that's OK. But that means that a parent can use up to $1700 for transportation, which just as a side note, we are under the understanding that our own vehicle transportation did not count under that transportation, that it had to be a Uber or a public transportation of that matter. So what he said right here that we could put in our own mileage, that is the first time that I've ever heard of that, but.
But the parent can a person can spend $1700 on transportation, but they cannot use $500 of their funds to buy necessary equipment to access the Internet. So for example, online, I had it, but now I just Somewhere. Um, I think it's just a second. Online on page 2 line 8. It says access to technology has been stricken from that. My understanding is that was the
part of the law that allowed us to buy equipment for internet. So we are a rural family. We only internet available to us was Starlink, and so we had to be able to use the EFA funds to buy the equipment for Starlink, the equipment. The EFA is not paying for our internet monthly bills. It is not. It doesn't provide that for anybody. So I would request that because we live in Arkansas, because we have rural communities everywhere that access to technology or access to internet be put back into this bill.
The other question I had was the art, music, and STEM. Now granted some of those questions have just been answered. But I would ask you this, what is the clarification here? So my daughter is in the 5th grade. She would like to take violin next year. That is normally not some orchestra is not normally something that is offered until the later years. I want to make sure that she's still able to take that. Just because it's not offered for her particular grade. Now I was concerned about the expulsion amendment, but that
has already been discussed. And I would ask for a little bit more clarification on the field trips. So in the past year, we have not been allowed to use this money to pay for any kind of museum passes or anything of that nature, but now we're saying that that is something that is going to be open to us. Um, and I would like clarification on that is that it's going to be a vendor that we would have to use. But my last concern, and then I'll be over, is with the
emergency clause. The measures put in place for this year was like a contract with the current EFA users. Our last amount of funds dropped last Thursday. This means that parents are currently spending their funds in awaiting reimbursements for those funds, um, I'm sorry, waiting for reimbursements and approvals for items and classes based on the current law. Some of these parents are using credit cards to flow expenses until there are reimbursements are approved, which usually takes 14 days. Hardly any of these parents realized that this law is about to be pushed through
because they trust what they were told at the beginning of the year will remain the same until at least the next school year. I think each parent realizes that there could be some changes next year, but parents are not prepared to face changes on Thursday of this week. If you push this emergency through, you could be leaving some parents in serious financial binds and breaking their trust. At this point, what is to say that next year when there are significantly more people involved that you can make significant changes during the school year again, that would have a bigger impact. This is also in my opinion, hard on the people who are working on
approving funds because now they have to learn the new laws and put them in place while approving people's funds. I believe that an under the amendment, oh sorry, I believe that another amendment should be added to this bill that should read that any amendments to the law would not take place until the following school year so that parents have a chance to drop out of the program if they could not agree with new terms. Changing the terms during the course of the year leaves parents stuck to a contract that they did not initially agree to. We want to trust this program and build a bridge between homeschoolers and the
government. There are definitely changes that need to be made, but those changes could wait until the 2025, 2026 school year because again the funds have already been distributed and they are already being spent. It would just cause mass frustration and chaos to change things now. And thank you for listening to me and this concludes my speech. Are there any questions from committee?
Seeing none, thank you for your time. Representative, you recognize.
Representative DeAnn Vaught
Unverified
1:02:51
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Due to time constraints and several of
us having to go to a different committee meeting. I make a motion that we limit debate to 3 minutes. a motion to limit
the bait to 3 minutes. Is there any discussion on that motion? How many do we have signed up? We only have 3 more signed up. I'm not doing
Speaker 123
1:03:09
it to be mean, but we're going to lose a
quorum. OK. Any other discussion? I guess my uh
Representative Austin McCollum
Unverified
1:03:17
what I'd say is We've gone this long plenty of times. There's only 3 people left. I think they've heard what we just said about our concerns.
I'd rather it just play out, but that's how about
this motion can, can we change your motion to 5 minutes? OK. I have a motion to limit debate to 5 minutes per witness. Any other discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor say aye, all those opposed. I have it. So from here on, anyone that's come, uh, I understand that some of you have come a long way, just in the interest of Quorum, uh, if you would keep your comments to 5 minutes apiece, I'd be greatly appreciated.
So next on the list we have Miss Alicia Wilkins and Miss Wilkins once you uh introduce yourself into the microphone, you'd
Speaker 130
1:04:20
be recognized to present your testimony. Sorry, Alicia, would you mind hitting your button? Can you hear me now? Thank you. Sorry, Alicia Wilkins, um, and I won't be long. I'm really just coming to speak from my heart, um, I am a homeschool mom and, um, I have two boys. I'm also a former foster mother, and I'm an adoptive mother. So this program to me is, um,
Been utilized in an amazing way. So, um, I came today really to be against this, to be honest with you, but I feel a little bit more peace about it after hearing um some things that I've heard today. Um, my biggest issue was the 25% cap, and, um, let me explain why, because I feel that as a homeschool mom, and I think, um, she just spoke a lot kind of where I was, where I was coming from was that it should be our decision as parents to be able to decide.
What best fits our kids' education and as homeschool moms, we don't put our children in an educational box so what suits my children best as far as music, woodworking, and if I'm not mistaken, I heard that a woodworker was denied becoming a vendor, um, correct me if I'm wrong on that, but, um, my boys would utilize something like that. So I think there just needs to be a little bit.
more understanding in in the home school community of what we utilize and leaving those decisions up to the parents. We've been given the funds and so trust us with with that is, is what I would like to say, being a former foster mom, I have seen children that, um, Utilize things in therapy that, um, would benefit Horseback riding is one of those things. And so it might not fit a box for every
child in in the EFA program, but it might fit for some, um, so that's really what I have to have to say on that particular issue, um, just don't put it all in one box, you know, trust us with the funds. Allow us to make those decisions for our children, um. And uh You know, that's, uh, I feel a little, I understand the regulations. We agreed to the rules, we agreed to the testing, um, and, and let that play out,
you know, let it play out. Um, we've, we've not even gone through the first fiscal year and it seems like we're already just trying to put stipulations and more regulations and more things on top of it, um, kids work best when they're healthy and happy and and free and, and, uh, let us get through our test. you know, let it play out. Let's see what happens over the next year, the next 2 years, and uh, so that, that's what I, I would have to say on that and, and just let it play out. So, thank
you. Thank you, Ms. Wilkins. Are there any questions from committee? Seeing none, thank you
for your time. Um, I wanna make sure I pronounce this correct, um, Jeffrey Gaines, or sorry, Miss Gaines. I apologize. I'm sorry, you've better cursive than I can read. If you wouldn't Uh, Naz, would you mind hitting her bike for her?
Um, what, what I'd ask you to do is just say your name and where you're from,
Tiffany Gaines
Unverified
1:07:44
and then after that you can give your speech you'll probably have to cut me off. I didn't know there was a limit. I may read fast. I, I can't sit down and hold him. Sorry, he'll wake up. Thank you. Thank you. Good morning. My name is Tiffany Gaines. I'm a homeschool graduate through the Arkansas State Home School Association, class of 2002 under Governor Mike Huckabee. I am the wife of a mariner, a navy veteran, a mother of 5, and a homeschool educator to 3 school-age children. Thank you very much for having me today. I am very grateful to live in a
country and under a government that hears the voices of its people, and it's truly my honor to be here with you today. I would like to address some issues I have with Senate Bill 625 and the information that it was brought to the committee and now to the floor with wake up. I got him. It's OK. Thanks, Dad. He's awesome, by the way. Thank you very much for taking the time to hear our concerns. In regards to Senate Bill 625. The Arkansas Times quotes Senator Davis in saying, quote, right now they could spend 100%
of the funds we get to the EFAs on extracurriculars and transportation. Right now they could spend $7000 on baseball lessons if they want, end quote. This is a grave assumption placed upon a demographic that has a verified standing of doing what is best for their students, thus producing both educated and eloquent graduates who are excellent independent thinkers who are versed in effective, respectful communication and the lost art of intellectual debate. The assumption of potential misappropriation and frivolous spending was addressed while the
Opportunity Arkansas and a letter dated April 10th of this year and addressed to the members of the General Assembly. I would like to reference the fourth paragraph of this letter. We, we clearly We know clearly that the rate of fraud in ESA programs across the country is minuscule. For example, in 2020, the Arizona Auditor general reviewed 16 168,020 approved transactions from Arizona ESA participants over a one year period and found one improper transaction from an unapproved merchant at a
whopping $30 given this fact, there is no reason to try to overregulate the Learns Act because of potential, not actual misuse. In the course of researching for this bill, my husband, myself, my father, and my 3 other fellow, 3 other fellow homeschool mothers in various districts have all attempted to figure out how our different local districts allocate funds to the same departments that this bill is attempting to limit our funds too. All of us encountered the same obstacle, the allocations of funds to these programs are either entered as 0, lumped as regular courses or they are not mentioned at all after we fail
to discover appropriations to the fiscal reports. I began making phone calls to my local family and friends who are educators in the state. One teacher is the head of the gifted and talented program, which includes all students from elementary to high school. She has a budget of $500 for the entire program year. An art teacher has 650 students who's also given a $500 to budget. That is a budget of 77 cents per child for the whole year. There's a relatively new performing arts building with lights that have been out for 2 years. Requests for maintenance have been denied due to no funds for rent a scissor lift, while
there was equipment, rental business in the same town for at least one of those years and plenty of family or How many students, parents who own businesses that would have had that same equipment. A band department is so consistently delinquent in funds that they are not able to make repairs to their band equipment. They're trying to rotate them. I. With no easy access to true transparency on the public school funds appropriations and so many departments having inadequate funds. I am left with a great deal of questions and no
faith in your administration to tell me how and where I should be spending my funds and how I should educate my children. Arkansas ranks 45 out of 50. 45. Perhaps that the legislation that you had passed regarding public education ranked our students somewhere in the upper 25%, we might be more inclined to hear your advice. However, at this point, your words do not resound as wisdom, but as fear. And constraint. I'm gonna abbreviate this also
listen to teachers talk about their exhaustion. And mentally and just physically exhausted from dealing with administration while they're trying to teach your students, they're paying out of pocket. To teach their students because the money that is going to them isn't going to their students. Many of these families, I have 4 teachers leaving. There are many students leaving. They're leaving the public school system in droves. Many of these families leaving your system are current and future recipients of the EPA as your oversight and legislation have failed them in public school, I would ask that
you give both their parents and their private school educators a chance to educate these children and the methods best for them and that you take some time to watch the program fully unfold. And then watch the wonders that they are capable of. Skipping forward in summary, Senate Bill 625 came to the floor with incomplete information and sought to make claims that it has no validity for and made assertion about parents that are both untrue and volatile. This bill claims that the government must take control because parents could use money that some people in this room want to argue are inappropriate
or nonsensical, all while the children in their state and under their care are ranking forty-fifth in a nation of 50. Homeschool graduates are highly sought after by universities because of their academic dedication, their skills for critical thinking and research. The bill claims to seek and hold EFA participants fiscally responsible. I wasn't able to find any of your information very easily could have done it by going door to door. Didn't have the time, but it is truly fiscal transparency. It had not even had time for this program to be fully out of the gate.
You want to claim that we have percentages. There's also allotments for computers, the non-educational funds, we can't find that listed as what they are, but there are computers and printers, and I guarantee you. I guarantee you that these things are necessary. If a student is to type a report, They're going to need a computer. If they're going to have a report, they're going to have to present it. It needs a printer. The printer needs paper. If a school attends a private school, they're going to need a uniform to attend, and I guarantee you
when a student sits down to write a mathematical equation, they are going to need a pencil. You cannot say that we have 3 years. We get this purchase every 3 years. We're right out of the gate, and that's where everyone's taking this. If you want If you want your children, if you want this state to succeed, you have to do better than 45 out of 50. We haven't yet. Give the parents the opportunity. Someone's got to carry this torch forward and it's dim. Give them the opportunity and give
them the time to prove you what a great job they can do. In the future of this generation here is going to have to carry us forward. And right now, 45 out of 50 is extremely dim. give the children the opportunity to give the parents they have their best interest in mind more than anyone else possibly could, and we will not fail our children. Thank you very much for your time. Thank you, Ms. Gaines. Um Next up, last to speak is
Matthew Ladner, Mr. Ladner, once you uh introduce yourself into the microphone, you may be recognized. We do have a
Matthew Ladner
Unverified
1:15:17
5 minute. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, my name is Doctor Matthew Ladner. I am, I live in Phoenix, Arizona, so I'm the one that came a while and, um, Uh, I was a part of the original team that created the first account-based choice program in Arizona in 2011. I serve as a senior advisor for
K-12 policy implementation with the Heritage Foundation, but I'm here today to represent my own views, which is the standard practice of my organization, so. Uh, thank you for having me and let me first start uh to Chairman Brooks to say that I want to start actually by thanking you for passing the program, uh, since, uh, I've been involved in, in these programs since 2011. I am aware of how much grief they bring into your life and people complaining about various things and it's been my observation
that lawmakers, maybe it doesn't work this way in Arkansas, but it's been my observation that lawmakers hear a lot more complaints than they do, thanks, so. Let me start by thanking you and, um, I was aware, uh Chairman Books that you had earned your stripes, uh, in the school choice movement before I got here and having listened to your presentation, uh, when your time comes, I'm pretty sure the Valkyries will take you off to uh school Choice Valhalla to meet with Doctor Friedman, although that'll, that'll be up to him rather than me.
Um, so I need to start by, by noting uh echoing a few things that have been noted already. um, Ed Choice calculated that the average EFA beneficiary receives 56% of the total public funds that have, that a public school student would provide. This is also the case in Arizona, where we can almost put 2 students in our empowerment scholarship programs for the average cost of putting one student in the district system. Sort of the deal that we have, we've struck is that this, the,
the, the, the participants are getting less total dollars but more flexibility in how those dollars are spent, uh, we think that that, that's a good deal for the participants. It's also a good deal for the taxpayers in Arizona. Um, ESAs in every state operate as a system of ordered liberty, not as a free for all, right? Uh, there are program guardrails. There are a loud expenses or disallowed expenses and there have to be efforts to prevent fraud. I think, I think everyone understands and
appreciates that. Uh, the previous, uh, was very pleased to hear the previous uh uh person uh note the fact that the Arizona Auditor general audited 168,000 ESA purchases in Arizona and found exactly one inappropriate purchase for $30. Um, that actually would, would get the misuse of funds rate far, far below 1% of the total funds, of course, every publicly funded program has some degree of, of, of
misuse of funds and we want to keep that as low as possible, but just for a point of comparison, the United States GAO had a report on the, uh, school lunch program, found a 16% misuse of funds, the School of National School breakfast program, uh, 23% and Mr. Chairman and Mr. Acting Chairman, I've never heard a, a choice opponent, uh, proposed getting rid of those programs or um wanting to apply. apply the same standards that
they talk about the ESA program with. Um, I provided a, a handout. I don't know if it got distributed or not, but the main thing, the main point of this handout, this is a graphic from the New York Times, uh, about how just unequal our our educational outcomes are the most important one is on the far right here and this is a chart that's drawing on academic research about enrichment funding, educational enrichment. Basically what it shows is that upper income people have spent more and more
and more money on education. enrichment and lower income people spend some but their spending is flat, OK? When we created the ESA program in Arizona, we were very aware of this academic research and part of our aspirations were to democratize the accessibility of people to do more of these types of activities. We didn't want to mandate it, but we did want to make it available to them, and this is probably the kind of the beginning of my um concerned
with the idea of capping extracurricular activities, um, I, I very You know, reticent to see that as a direction because um we know, and there's a growing academic body of research that shows a lot of these activities have a lot of educational benefit. That includes research that started at the University of Arkansas with my Heritage Foundation colleague, Doctor Jay Green, uh, which has studied the academic benefits of attending a
field trip to Crystal Bridges, um, and also the benefits of plays Doctor Ladner, I'm sorry that your time has. has elapsed. OK, well, the last thing I would just like to say is that the, in addition to other problems, just requiring people to account for their expenses is a significant regulatory burden in in this uh unfortunate, but thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. Any questions from committee? Seeing none. Thank you, Doctor
Leer. Thank you. Um, they're seeing no one else, uh, signed up to speak for or against Chairman Brooks, you recognized a close for your bill.
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
1:20:54
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, committee, uh, uh, Doctor Lager to mention my name and Milton Frieden's name the same it's it don't deserve to be in the same room, even at the same
time. So, uh, a very kind words and I appreciate you very much. So, uh, committee just want to address maybe just a couple of things that were said as I close here in, in, uh, first to any homeschool parent who may have faced, um, Uh, comments or rhetoric, uh, you would know very clearly that none of those came from me or
this body, uh, people will say ridiculous things online. I promise you, I have, as Mr. as Doctor Laner said, I've earned my stripes, uh, since, uh, Lawrence was dropped in February of 23. I've been attacked. My family's been attacked. People have said things about me that are completely untrue. People have attacked my wife, my children, uh, and everything above, so I promise you I understand what it's like for rhetoric to be uh to be communicated out there that is. wholly unfair and inaccurate, this body, me specifically have done nothing but uh support what our home school friends do and
and please know that this legislation is relative to EFA dollars, not homeschool spend of VA dollars, but EFA dollars, uh, so that it, it applies equally. Uh, so I want to make sure that I uh that I address that. Uh I also want to address that, um, uh, most people don't know, but in 2023, when we ran Les, uh, we were approached by the largest home school organization in the United States as well as a number of other ones. who asked us to please not include homeschool families in this, uh, because they did not want a part of it at all. I was not willing to do that because I knew the benefit, uh, to a lot
of my home school friends uh who do as good or better a job of educating their children than anybody ever could imagine in the entire United States of America and so know that we are here to continue to support and I want to thank family counsel, uh, who's who's Arkansas's largest home and school advocacy organization for being supportive of SMB 625, uh, so just a clarification, um, there are no boxes in this, uh, if you need to. If you need to buy a computer for your child, buy a computer for your child. If you need to buy an internet device that supports your online learning, that's approved according to the department, so I think most of
the issues that uh that we've discussed, uh we've already addressed, and they're already permitted SB 625 does not change that. So in closing SP 625 does nothing to change the amount of dollars that flow to the family for the benefit of the students. It simply enhances what we're doing in the state of Arkansas for long term sustainability of our EFA program. Our commitment remains the same. The student needs are primary. The students' needs are first, and we will commit, continue to commit to that in the state of Arkansas, and I'm proud that almost 40,000 students in this following school year are going to be able to take advantage of that
because that is what is right for the student. With that, Mr. Chairman, I'm closed. I make a motion to pass as amended. There's
a motion to pass as amended on the table. Is there any discussion on that motion? See none. All those in favor say aye, all opposed. Congratulations, your bill is passed, Mr. Chair. Thank you. Um, unless the chair makes a fuzzy eye at me, we are adjourned.
Agenda
CONCUR IN SENATE AMENDMENT
Number Sponsor Subtitle
HB1810 Joey Carr TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING THE ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND AND THE ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
Recess
Return from Recess
HB1642 Gramlich TO AMEND THE MEASURES CONSIDERED WHEN CALCULATING A SCHOOL RATING; AND TO ENSURE A STUDENT IS NOT COUNTED AS A DROPOUT FOR PURPOSES OF CALCULATING A SCHOOL-LEVEL GRADUATION RATE IF THE STUDENT PASSES A GED TEST.
HB1812 Gramlich TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT; TO CREATE AN EXCEPTION TO ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR A STUDENT WHO TAKES A GED TEST; AND TO AMEND THE SCORE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE GED TEST.
HB1484 Gramlich TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF CREDITS A STUDENT MAY OBTAIN IN A COURSE CREDIT RECOVERY PROGRAM.
Recess
Return from Recess
REGULAR AGENDA
Number Sponsor Subtitle
SB373 Irvin TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS FINANCIAL EDUCATION COMMISSION.
HB1999 D. Garner TO REQUIRE THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO CERTAIN STUDENTS.
HB2000 Wardlaw TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EDUCATION SERVICE COOPERATIVES, PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND OPEN-ENROLLMENT PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS.
HB2002 Wardlaw TO AMEND THE EDUCATION SERVICE COOPERATIVE ACT OF 1985.
SB625 B. Davis TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING THE ARKANSAS CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL FREEDOM ACCOUNT PROGRAM; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
PENDING FISCAL IMPACT
Number Sponsor Subtitle
SB634 M. Johnson TO CREATE THE DIVISION OF INTERSCHOLASTIC ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION.
DEFERRED BILLS
Number Sponsor Subtitle
HB1027 D. Garner TO CREATE THE BRIGHTER START ACT OF 2025; AND TO REQUIRE THE TREASURER OF STATE TO MAKE A ONE-TIME CONTRIBUTION TO EACH EXISTING AND FUTURE ARKANSAS BRIGHTER FUTURE FUND PLAN ACCOUNT.
HB1030 T. Shephard TO REQUIRE A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER OR LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL TO OBTAIN CERTIFICATION IN YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID; AND TO REQUIRE A SCHOOL COUNSELOR TO RECEIVE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING.
HB1031 D. Garner TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS HEALTHY LIFESTYLE EDUCATION ACT OF 2025; AND TO ENSURE THE HEALTH CURRICULUM IN ARKANSAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS ADDRESSES CERTAIN HEALTH ISSUES FACING STUDENTS.
HB1239 A. Collins TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 2003; AND TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL CATEGORY OF FUNDING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING.
HB1528 McGruder TO REQUIRE A REPORT CARD TO INCLUDE A STUDENT'S CURRENT READING GRADE LEVEL.
HB1539 A. Collins TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 2003; AND TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL EDUCATION CATEGORY OF FUNDING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION.
HB1490 Wardlaw TO REPEAL THE REQUIREMENT THAT A PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT RETURN TEMPORARILY ISSUED ITEMS, RESOURCES, MATERIALS, AND PROPERTY BELONGING TO A PUBLIC SCHOOL IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE TO ENROLL IN A HOME SCHOOL.
HB1020 A. Collins TO REPEAL THE ARKANSAS CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL FREEDOM ACCOUNT PROGRAM; TO CREATE A NEW EDUCATION FUNDING CATEGORY FOR STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE SPECIAL EDUCATION AND RELATED SERVICES; AND TO CREATE THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS ACT FUND.
HB1022 A. Collins TO REPEAL PERFORMANCE-BASED INCENTIVE AWARDS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND OPEN-ENROLLMENT PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS.
HB1023 A. Collins TO AMEND THE STATE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM; AND TO AMEND THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR LOAN FORGIVENESS AND THE LOAN REPAYMENT AMOUNTS UNDER THE STATE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM.
HB1025 McGruder TO CREATE THE TEACHER FAIR DISMISSAL ACT OF 2025.
HB1144 Wooten TO REQUIRE A PARTICIPATING SCHOOL UNDER THE ARKANSAS CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL FREEDOM ACCOUNT PROGRAM TO COMPLY WITH THE SAME STATUTORY AND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION REPORTING REQUIREMENTS TO WHICH PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE SUBJECT.
HB1197 S. Meeks TO PROHIBIT SCHEDULING, HOSTING, OR REQUIRING AN OUTDOORPRACTICE, SCRIMMAGE, GAME, OR ACTIVITY FOR AN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY DURING THE HOURS WHEN AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING HAS BEEN DECLARED.
HB1541 Wooten TO REQUIRE A PRIVATE SCHOOL THAT ACCEPTS STATE FUNDING OF ANY TYPE TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION TO CERTAIN STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE SCHOOL.
HB1542 Wooten TO REQUIRE PRIVATE SCHOOLS TO ADMINISTER AN ANNUAL STATEWIDE STUDENT ASSESSMENT; AND TO REQUIRE PRIVATE SCHOOLS TO ADMIT EACH STUDENT WHO APPLIES FOR ADMISSION AND INTENDS TO COVER PRIVATE SCHOOL COSTS WITH STATE FUNDING.
HB1755 T. Shephard TO REQUIRE EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ARKANSAS PREVENTION NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY.
HB1924 Puryear TO REPEAL THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION ESTABLISH RULES REGARDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FOUR-DAY SCHOOL WEEKS.
HB1962 Vaught TO PROHIBIT A SCHOOL FROM SERVING OR SELLING ULTRA-PROCESSED FOOD ON THE SCHOOL CAMPUS DURING THE NORMAL SCHOOL DAY.
HB1990 McAlindon TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING HIGHER EDUCATION.
HB1727 L. Johnson TO AMEND THE FUNDING AVAILABLE TO ADULT EDUCATION CHARTER SCHOOLS.
HB1761 D. Garner TO INCREASE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF INCOME LIMITS FOR STUDENTS ELIGIBLE FOR EDUCATIONAL FREEDOM ACCOUNTS IN THE 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR AND THEREAFTER.
HB1482 Gramlich TO CREATE AN EXCEPTION TO THE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR A STUDENT WHO TAKES A GED TEST AND RECEIVES A GED.
HB1492 Gramlich TO REQUIRE EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT AND OPEN-ENROLLMENT PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL TO IMPLEMENT A MOBILE PANIC ALERT SYSTEM.
HB1940 Walker TO ESTABLISH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT
INITIATES AND MAINTAINS A FOUR-DAY SCHOOL WEEK; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
HB1709 Steele TO AMEND THE HUMAN SERVICES WORKERS IN THE SCHOOLS PROGRAM; AND TO INCLUDE MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS IN THE HUMAN SERVICES WORKERS IN THE SCHOOLS PROGRAM.
HB1139 B. McKenzie TO CREATE THE RELEASED TIME EDUCATION ACT.
HB1747 Vaught TO CREATE THE BABIES AT SCHOOL ACT; AND TO ALLOW SCHOOLS TO PERMIT EMPLOYEES WHO ARE PARENTS TO BRING THEIR INFANTS SIX MONTHS OR YOUNGER TO WORK.
Documents
| Title | Type | Pages | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agenda — EDUCATION COMMITTEE- HOUSE, Apr 14, 2025 | Agenda | 3 | Official source ↗ |
Speakers
Representative Keith Brooks
Unverified
Speaker 4
Representative John P. Carr
Unverified
Chair
Unverified
Zach Gramli
Unverified
Speaker 54
Representative Brit McKenzie Chair
Unverified
Representative Austin McCollum
Unverified
Speaker 76
Speaker 79
Speaker 84
Speaker 86
Representative Matt Brown
Unverified
Paula Bean
Unverified
Representative DeAnn Vaught
Unverified
Speaker 123
Speaker 130
Tiffany Gaines
Unverified
Matthew Ladner
Unverified