Education Committee- House
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Transcript
1 document
Bills discussed (64)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
HB1724
Act 503
· 6 mentions in agenda, transcript, chapter
Matched: “…ope Duke CONCUR IN SENATE AMENDMENT Number Sponsor Subtitle HB1724 B. McKenzie TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS OF DIRECTORS AND SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS; AND … | B. McKenzie | Notification that HB1724 is now Act 503 |
|
HB1825
· 6 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “HB1825 Wooldridge TO ALLOW A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL TO REQUIRE AN ENRO…”
|
TO ALLOW A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL TO REQUIRE AN ENROLLED STUDENT TO EARN ONE UNIT … | Wooldridge | Recommended for study in the Interim by the … |
|
HB1017
Act 904
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
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 |
|
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. |
|
HB1482
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…NT AT EACH MEETING OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS. 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. |
|
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 … |
|
HB1709
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “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. |
|
HB1710
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…THE SCHOOLS PROGRAM. REGULAR AGENDA Number Sponsor Subtitle HB1710 Vaught TO PROHIBIT A SCHOOL FROM USING OR REFERENCING A PUB…”
|
TO PROHIBIT A SCHOOL FROM USING OR REFERENCING A PUBLIC SCHOOL RATING IN ANY ADVERTISING, … | Vaught | WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR |
|
HB1727
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…MOTIONAL MATERIAL, OR COMMUNICATION DIRECTED TO THE PUBLIC. 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 |
|
HB1747
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION COURSE IN ORDER TO GRADUATE. 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 … |
|
HB1755
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “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 chapter, agenda
Matched: “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. |
|
HB1806
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1806 Vaught TO PROVIDE CURRICULUM TRANSPARENCY FOR PARENTS OF KI…”
|
TO PROVIDE CURRICULUM TRANSPARENCY FOR PARENTS OF KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE TWELVE STUDENTS; AND TO ALLOW … | Vaught | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1864
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1864 Andrews TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE TO IMPROVE…”
|
TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY IN STUDENT INSTRUCTION; AND TO … | Andrews | Recommended for study in the Interim by the … |
|
HB1874
Act 795
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…ARDIZED FLEXIBLE SCHOOL CALENDAR SYSTEM FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. HB1874 B. McKenzie AN ACT TO AMEND THE USE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOP…”
|
AN ACT TO AMEND THE USE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUNDING THAT EXCEEDS THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT … | B. McKenzie | Notification that HB1874 is now Act 795 |
|
HB1903
Act 911
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…CATION TO INCLUDE CHIROPRACTORS OR CHIROPRACTIC PHYSICIANS. 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 |
|
HB1919
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “AGENDA (Revised 4/4/25 @ 2:50 PM) Moved HB1919 & HB1946 to Regular Agenda House Committee on Education Mon…”
|
TO CREATE THE PUBLIC SCHOOL ACCESS AND TRANSPARENCY ACT; AND TO REQUIRE PUBLIC ACCESS TO … | McAlindon | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1924
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “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. |
|
HB1933
Act 912
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1933 McCollum TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING A SCHOOL DISTRICT BOAR…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING A SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS; AND TO CREATE A … | McCollum | Notification that HB1933 is now Act 912 |
|
HB1938
Act 807
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1938 Joey Carr TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNI…”
|
TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING THE CREATION OF DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLANS AND … | Joey Carr | Notification that HB1938 is now Act 807 |
|
HB1939
Act 808
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…LITY OF THE DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION. HB1939 Joey Carr TO AMEND ELIGIBILITY FOR TEACHER INCENTIVE AND ME…”
|
TO AMEND ELIGIBILITY FOR TEACHER INCENTIVE AND MERIT PAY; TO AMEND REQUIREMENTS FOR SUMMATIVE EVALUATIONS; … | Joey Carr | Notification that HB1939 is now Act 808 |
|
HB1940
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…EQUIREMENTS UNDER THE MERIT TEACHER INCENTIVE FUND PROGRAM. 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. |
|
HB1941
Act 809
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…NTAINS A FOUR-DAY SCHOOL WEEK; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. HB1941 Joey Carr CONCERNING DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BOARDS AND COM…”
|
CONCERNING DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS; AND TO PROTECT ARKANSAS STUDENTS BY ENSURING THE … | Joey Carr | Notification that HB1941 is now Act 809 |
|
HB1945
Act 913
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…FFICIENT DISPOSITION OF ETHICS COMPLAINTS AGAINST TEACHERS. 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 |
|
HB1946
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “AGENDA (Revised 4/4/25 @ 2:50 PM) Moved HB1919 & HB1946 to Regular Agenda House Committee on Education Monday, Apri…”
|
TO REQUIRE HUMAN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT INSTRUCTION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. | Bentley | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB352
Act 721
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB352 Stone TO PROHIBIT ANTISEMITISM IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SEC…”
|
TO PROHIBIT ANTISEMITISM IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS; AND TO PROHIBIT ANTISEMITISM IN STATE-SUPPORTED … | Stone | Notification that SB352 is now Act 721 |
|
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. |
|
SB390
Act 695
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…Irvin TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS FINANCIAL EDUCATION COMMISSION. SB390 J. English TO ESTABLISH THE STATE APPRENTICESHIP AGENCY ACT…”
|
TO ESTABLISH THE STATE APPRENTICESHIP AGENCY ACT. | J. English | Notification that SB390 is now Act 695 |
|
SB402
Act 725
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB402 C. Penzo TO PROHIBIT A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT AND AN EDUCAT…”
|
TO PROHIBIT A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT AND AN EDUCATIONAL SERVICE COOPERATIVE FROM REQUIRING OR TAKING … | C. Penzo | Notification that SB402 is now Act 725 |
|
SB425
Act 722
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB425 J. English TO AMEND VARIOUS PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE…”
|
TO AMEND VARIOUS PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING ENHANCED TRANSPORTATION; AND TO DECLARE AN … | J. English | Notification that SB425 is now Act 722 |
|
SB470
Act 646
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…RNING ENHANCED TRANSPORTATION; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. SB470 J. Dotson TO REQUIRE AN ADULT APPROVED TO OVERSEE THE ADMIN…”
|
TO REQUIRE AN ADULT APPROVED TO OVERSEE THE ADMINISTRATION OF A STATEWIDE STUDENT ASSESSMENT TO … | J. Dotson | Notification that SB470 is now Act 646 |
|
SB484
Act 726
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…ANOTHER PUBLIC SCHOOL WITHIN HIS OR HER RESIDENT DISTRICT. SB484 Irvin TO ESTABLISH A PROCESS WHEREBY A VACANCY IS FILLED ON…”
|
TO ESTABLISH A PROCESS WHEREBY A VACANCY IS FILLED ON A SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF … | Irvin | Notification that SB484 is now Act 726 |
|
SB504
Act 727
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…VACANCY IS FILLED ON A SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS. SB504 Irvin TO ESTABLISH THE ARKANSAS RURAL PRECEPTORSHIP PROGRAM…”
|
TO ESTABLISH THE ARKANSAS RURAL PRECEPTORSHIP PROGRAM ACT. | Irvin | Notification that SB504 is now Act 727 |
|
SB515
Act 647
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB515 J. Petty TO REQUIRE THAT A UNIT DEDICATED TO ARKANSAS VETER…”
|
TO REQUIRE THAT A UNIT DEDICATED TO ARKANSAS VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES BE INCLUDED WITHIN … | J. Petty | Notification that SB515 is now Act 647 |
|
SB522
Act 648
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB522 M. McKee TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING THE ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING THE ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR MATHEMATICS, SCIENCES, AND THE ARTS; AND … | M. McKee | Notification that SB522 is now Act 648 |
|
SB547
Act 728
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…D BY STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE ONLINE PROGRAMS. Page 2 of 5 SB547 D. Sullivan TO REPEAL THE REQUIREMENT THAT A HOMESCHOOLED S…”
|
TO REPEAL THE REQUIREMENT THAT A HOMESCHOOLED STUDENT LIVE WITHIN A CERTAIN RADIUS OF A … | D. Sullivan | Notification that SB547 is now Act 728 |
|
SB90
Act 902
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB90 J. English TO REQUIRE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO BE AFFORDED…”
|
TO REQUIRE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO BE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT PUBLIC COMMENT … | J. English | Notification that SB90 is now Act 902 |
|
HB1020
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…YPES OF ASSESSMENTS PUBLIC SCHOOLS MAY PROVIDE TO STUDENTS. 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. |
|
HB1023
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…LS AND OPEN-ENROLLMENT PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS. Page 4 of 5 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
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…EPAYMENT AMOUNTS UNDER THE STATE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM. 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
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…LEARNING MATERIALS. DEFERRED BILLS Number Sponsor Subtitle 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
· 1 mention in agenda
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
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…OUNSELOR TO RECEIVE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING. HB1031 D. Garner TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS HEALTHY LIFESTYLE EDUCATIO…”
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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. |
|
HB1081
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1081 B. McKenzie TO REPEAL ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE DEVELOPMEN…”
|
TO REPEAL ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES. | B. McKenzie | WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR |
|
HB1144
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…McGruder TO CREATE THE TEACHER FAIR DISMISSAL ACT OF 2025. 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
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…REPORTING REQUIREMENTS TO WHICH PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE SUBJECT. 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
· 1 mention in agenda
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. |
|
HB1242
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…DITIONAL CATEGORY OF FUNDING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING. 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. |
|
HB1312
Act 909
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…BLIC SCHOOLS. PENDING FISCAL IMPACT Number Sponsor Subtitle HB1312 Brooks TO AMEND PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING AMOUNTS UNDER THE PUB…”
|
TO AMEND PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING AMOUNTS UNDER THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 2003. | Brooks | Notification that HB1312 is now Act 909 |
|
HB1490
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…TIONAL EDUCATION CATEGORY OF FUNDING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION. 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. |
|
HB1528
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…AMEND THE MECHANISM BY WHICH SCHOOL NURSES ARE COMPENSATED. 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
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…RT CARD TO INCLUDE A STUDENT'S CURRENT READING GRADE LEVEL. 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. |
|
HB1541
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…THE HOURS WHEN AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING HAS BEEN DECLARED. 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. |
|
HB1542
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…TRANSPORTATION TO CERTAIN STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE SCHOOL. 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. |
|
HB1962
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…UNDING AMOUNTS UNDER THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 2003. 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 … |
|
HB1966
Act 914
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…HE SCHOOL CAMPUS DURING THE NORMAL SCHOOL DAY. Page 3 of 5 HB1966 Barnett TO AUTHORIZE AN INCORPORATED TOWN OR A CITY OF THE…”
|
TO AUTHORIZE AN INCORPORATED TOWN OR A CITY OF THE SECOND CLASS TO PETITION THE … | Barnett | Notification that HB1966 is now Act 914 |
|
HB1986
Act 794
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…ARDS DURING THE ARKANSAS ACADEMIC STANDARDS REVISION CYCLE. HB1986 Nazarenko CONCERNING EXCUSED ABSENCES FOR CHILDREN OF FALLE…”
|
CONCERNING EXCUSED ABSENCES FOR CHILDREN OF FALLEN SERVICE MEMBERS AND CHILDREN OF FALLEN FIRST RESPONDERS. | Nazarenko | Notification that HB1986 is now Act 794 |
|
HB1990
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…EN SERVICE MEMBERS AND CHILDREN OF FALLEN FIRST RESPONDERS. HB1990 McAlindon TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING HIGHER EDUCATION. SB5…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING HIGHER EDUCATION. | McAlindon | Recommended for study in the Interim by the … |
|
SB183
Act 724
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…Y AT THE RESIDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. SB183 J. Dotson TO AMEND THE UNIVERSAL ACT ASSESSMENT PROGRAM ACT…”
|
TO AMEND THE UNIVERSAL ACT ASSESSMENT PROGRAM ACT; AND TO AMEND THE TYPES OF ASSESSMENTS … | J. Dotson | Notification that SB183 is now Act 724 |
|
SB303
Act 644
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…SCHOOL IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE TO ENROLL IN A HOME SCHOOL. SB303 Dees TO ALLOW A RESIDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PERMIT A PRIVAT…”
|
TO ALLOW A RESIDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PERMIT A PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENT TO PARTICIPATE IN … | Dees | Notification that SB303 is now Act 644 |
|
SB450
Act 915
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…ENTARY SCHOOL OR SATELLITE SCHOOL UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. SB450 B. Davis TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO INCLUDE…”
|
TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO INCLUDE A HUMAN FETAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT DISCUSSION … | B. Davis | Notification that SB450 is now Act 915 |
|
SB467
Act 645
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB467 C. Penzo TO MODIFY THE DEFINITION OF "HEALTHCARE PROVIDER"…”
|
TO MODIFY THE DEFINITION OF "HEALTHCARE PROVIDER" REGARDING STUDENT ATHLETE CONCUSSION EDUCATION TO INCLUDE CHIROPRACTORS … | C. Penzo | Notification that SB467 is now Act 645 |
|
SB559
Act 729
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB559 J. English TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS MILITARY CHILD SCHOOL TRAN…”
|
TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS MILITARY CHILD SCHOOL TRANSITIONS ACT OF 2021. | J. English | Notification that SB559 is now Act 729 |
|
SB572
Act 649
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…990 McAlindon TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING HIGHER EDUCATION. SB572 J. Dotson TO CREATE THE PUBLIC SCHOOL ACCESS AND TRANSPAREN…”
|
TO CREATE THE PUBLIC SCHOOL ACCESS AND TRANSPARENCY ACT; AND TO REQUIRE PUBLIC ACCESS TO … | J. Dotson | Notification that SB572 is now Act 649 |
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Chair Cesar Coram, good morning, House Education and guests, welcome to a special Monday morning edition of what we do here. If you would please stand with me, I'll recognize Representative Nazarenko, if you would please start us in prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, I thank
Speaker 4
0:18
you so much, Lord, for us all being here today, Lord. Lord, I ask you just to be with us all, help us to have a clear mind in everything we do, and help us to have the hearts of our children and our future in our minds
and our hearts to make these decisions that affect them as well. Thank you, Representative.
Members, without objection, we're going to skip around on the agenda. I know that's no surprise to you. We're going to try to knock out as many House bills as is possible this morning. Again, we will likely reconvene after session this evening, just depending upon the time frame and how we're doing. And this morning I would hope to get out by 1230 so we can all grab lunch before session starts. I know a lot of us have already been in committee quite some time.
And I also want to, just a point of personal privilege, I'd like
to recognize the young lady to my right, Emily, who is back. This is her first day back after maternity leave, and she has some pretty amazing pictures of a couple twins. So you should definitely inquire of her to see those pictures because I'm sure she'd be happy to share those. So we're glad to have her here keeping us between the ditches. So, members, without objection, we're
going to start in concurring in Senate Amendment 1724. Representative McKenzie, you're recognized.
If you would, please introduce yourself. Britt McKenzie,
District 7, Rogers, Arkansas. Folks, we're here to concur in Senate Amendment for House Bill 1724. It makes a good bill better. We cover all the situations that would require a new election. This is additional ads from the stakeholders as we send it back over there. ensures appointments for vacancies serve until its successor is sworn in. It aligns filling, starting at end times with other nonpartisan races. It prescribes treatment for elections in 2025. It aligns constitutionally with that annual school board election,
in addition to the March start date that we just passed and the governor signed. So with that, I'd like to make a motion of do pass to concur to Senate Amendment.
Representative McKenzie has presented the Senate Amendment. Are there questions on the amendment? Seeing no questions,
we do not have anyone signed up to speak for or against the amendment. What do you want to speak for or against the amendment? Seeing none, Representative McKenzie is closed for his amendment. He's made a motion to do pass. Is there a discussion on that motion? Seeing no discussion, all in favor say aye. All opposed, congratulations, Representative.
We have concurred in the Senate Amendment for HB 1724. Members, without objection, we will now move on the calendar to HB 1825 for Representative Woldridge. I believe that's on the second page, third page, it's somewhere on there. Representative Woldridge, if you would please introduce yourself for the record and you're recognized to present HB 1825. I'm sorry, you do have an amendment, so staff will pass out those amendments. I do, thank you, Mr.
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
Unverified
3:01
Chair. Could I ask the Department of Ed to join me at the table? Yes, if
you would please. Secretary, please introduce yourself and you're recognized.
Speaker 21
3:12
Good morning, Jacob Oliva, Department of
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
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3:16
Education. Jeremy Wooldridge, State Representative, District 1.
All right, I believe everybody has the amendment, have a chance to look over it. Representative, you are recognized to present that amendment.
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
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4:08
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, committee. Basically, this amendment is one word change. Page two, line four, it deletes may and insert shall.
And it's where it's talking about the course being embedded into the CTE programs. With that, I'll answer any questions. Representative Kozar, you're recognized for a
Representative Bruce Cozart
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4:25
question. You knew it was coming, didn't you? I did. Thank
you, Mr. Chair. So I know you've done a lot of work and you've tried to please a couple of us on this bill, even though we still do not like it. But
how long, you know, it says in here review those courses. How long does that review process take?
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
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4:45
So I'm going to yield to the chairman. Can I discuss that before the amendment's adopted? Oh, you want to
Representative Bruce Cozart
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4:51
do the amendment? Well, okay, that's part of the amendment. No, let's do the amendment. I'm sorry. Okay. That's, no, I
have no questions on the amendment. Okay. So do we want to, are there no questions on the amendment? I have a motion to adopt the amendment. Are there questions or
discussion on that motion? See no discussion. All in favor, say aye. Aye. All opposed, congratulations. You adopted the amendment. Now you're recognized to present HB 1825 as
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
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5:14
amended. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And thank you, Representative.
I appreciate that, and I'm excited to have that conversation with you. So basically, 1825 is a bill that is constituent-driven for me. It comes from all of the school districts that I work with in my legislative district. And basically, I'll just give you, I'm not an education expert. That's why I've asked the expert to join me. But in essence, the issue that we found or that we found that we had issue with was, without exception, The way the current law was written, the computer science requirement was a requirement across the board for every student.
That was regardless of ability or desire to take the course. I think that there were some issues that that created that I believe were unintended consequences. You know, I've got nothing but respect for our former governor who introduced this bill and for the members of the committee that were here then and helped to pass that. I understand the thought process behind that. We're trying to lead the nation in the way that this works. I understand that that's a way for the future. I hope that you'll see that this bill is a result of a lot of collaboration between myself, the department, the governor's office, who all support this bill.
But in essence, what it is an attempt to do is take the computer science class that is right now required of all students, and it's to implement that into the CTE pathways. So the amendment changes made to shall. We want to make sure it was an oversight when the amendment was written, that it said they may implement it into the CTE pathways. The whole intent and purpose of this bill is for it to be implemented into every CTE pathway. I visited with Ross White. He supports these changes and says that they have the ability to implement this
and really narrowly tailor this class to specifically benefit every pathway. So everyone right now, they take abroad, across the board, computer science class. My hope and my goal, and I think the department's goal, would be for this
to be implemented and embedded through that CTE pathway specifically in a way that would be beneficial and help to create an atmosphere and environment where that skill may be utilized in the future. And I'd recognize the Secretary if he would like to make any additional comments.
Are there additional questions about the committee?
Representative Matt Brown
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7:39
Representative Brown, you're recognized for a question.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have a constituent who has this same concern about their student. But last week, and I can't dredge up where I got this information, I learned that we already have made accommodation for students who this wasn't
going to be possible for.
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
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8:08
Am I incorrect about that? Representative, I believe you are incorrect about that respectfully. I think my understanding is it's a graduation requirement, and if they're unable to complete the course regardless of whatever that obstacle is, that they get what's called a certificate of completion instead of a diploma, which I think that we would agree is
not the same. Thank you. Thank you,
Representative Justin Gonzales
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8:35
ma'am. Representative Gonzales-Werth, can you recognize for a question? I know with graduation requirements, and if a student has an IEP or they're under 504 or they're an English learner,
there are scaffolds that the teacher does, accommodations or scaffolding, and that is to assist the student to move forward in that class, and oftentimes they do so that they can do that. So I know that that is being done so long as the scaffolding is. So wouldn't you agree that that should not be an issue for kids who have those accommodations or scaffolding? So, yes.
So when we're talking about supporting students with disabilities, we're talking about a wide spectrum of support and services, all the way from there may be some slight accommodations modifications or modifications for students to earn a standard high school diploma to some students who may be all on an alternative diploma course pass based on that individual education plan meeting. So this wouldn't go away. So whether or not it's a graduation requirement to take computer science or in a career tech
embedded field, we want to make sure those students are fully 100 percent supported in their coursework so that they can reach their full academic potential. Representative Duke,
Representative Hope Duke
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10:00
you're recognized for a question. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Just a quick question on, I don't really understand if they're getting a different certificate right now. How does that work if it's a required course and there are other subjects that are required too? So, if they are not taking some of those other required courses, are they still getting a
different certificate? are we just fixing this problem? Why is it just unique? I don't really understand why that's
not already being accommodated for our students with special needs. So you can give me some
Speaker 51
10:33
clarity on those pieces. I would appreciate it. Well, because it's going to
Representative Justin Gonzales
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10:37
be, when we're talking about students with special needs, that's going to be an IEP driven decision. So there isn't a standard uniform answer on which diploma a student's going to have because they have special needs. It's going to be determine on that student.
So you may have students that have an IEP, but for speech and language, right? So they may need additional support for speech and language or occupational therapy, maybe physical therapy, but they're expected to meet all the standard graduation requirements to a spectrum of students where maybe they are -- they have spina bifida and they're severe and profound, and they would be on an academic plan that would look based on their needs on what their academic goals and their future aspirations.
So when you're talking about earning what was referred to as a SmartCore, the requirements that are outlined in statute to earn a standard high school diploma, what this update does is it takes that current graduation requirement where every student's required to earn a credit in computer science, allow them to meet that through embedded coursework, maybe through the computer science content being delivered through a career and technical education program. So this actually expands the path for students and make sure that as they're looking at their
educational journey, they're meeting the graduation requirements in the classes that they are intended to be program completers of. Follow-up? You recognize? So I
Representative Hope Duke
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12:09
understand that piece of it. I'm just
trying to understand right now as it currently sits, what is keeping them from getting a diploma that we're fixing now, that why they don't have that same problem in other core classes or aren't being adjusted in other classes that they're required to meet those credits.
Right now, what is being done? I don't know if I'm articulating this well enough. I think you guys are understanding what I'm asking. I'm just trying to figure out why they aren't able to get that diploma. You would think there would be some type of waiver or whatever is going to place for them, like there would be in
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
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12:47
other core classes at this time that are required? Representative, I appreciate that question. So my understanding, and again, it's
as broad as the table and maybe about as deep as well, but when I visited with my districts at home, their understanding and my understanding is there's no current waiver in place for a student like we were discussing through an IEP or 504,
and the issue is that there's not really a way, or my understanding is there's not a way to remediate that class in a way that a student that has learning disabilities can take the class successfully. It's kind of the class is offered one-size-fits-all is my understanding. The thing I'm not understanding is
Representative Hope Duke
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13:20
I would think, whether it's federal law or state law, there would be some mechanism in
place that would require the school district to make sure that they're not kind of like, I don't know if this is the right word,
but not discriminating against these kids' ability to get a diploma because they have a special disability of some sort. So I'm not understanding why that's not already in place
to protect them, even if it's not in practice. Do you understand what I'm saying? I completely agree and
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
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13:46
understand. I think we're both trying to solve the same problem. This is just what I was able to come up with to try to solve this, and the department, the governor's office, helped me to get to where we are today to, again, I think try to alleviate the problem that you're outlining. So is it
Representative Hope Duke
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14:01
in place or not with these other classes?
I mean, with career, I mean, with the computer science, we're saying we've got to do this because they can't get a regular diploma unless we do this. That logic to me would follow through with any of those core classes that they were required to as a graduation requirement. So how are we fixing that problem in other classes, or is it not a problem? I'm not understanding that piece. I'm so sorry if I'm missing something
Representative Justin Gonzales
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14:29
very simple. Graduation requirements or graduation requirements. You're going to have your four Englishes, your four math, your three social studies.
What level Englishes you take are different. Some take honors, some take AP, some take standard. What histories you take depends on the courses. There are different courses that are available to students that may align better to their own individualized pathway. What this amendment does is say, right now, you all have to take computer science. What this says is you can still meet that graduation requirement because we've embedded computer science and other career and technical programs.
So the graduation requirement's not going away. There's just other ways to demonstrate and be able to meet it. Okay, I'll
Representative Bruce Cozart
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15:19
let somebody ask a question. Harrison Cozart, you recognize for a question? All right, you brought me up another topic to talk about. So they are required now to take computer science. So
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
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15:28
are they required to pass it? My understanding is they're required to pass it or they get a certificate of completion in place
Representative Bruce Cozart
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15:35
of a high school diploma. So that one deal would take them completely out.
And I'm not talking about regular kids. I'm talking about some of the special needs kids that are going for a full diploma. So they would be in the same boat as anybody else. They have to pass that. Under current law, that's my understanding. And there is no waiver. As many of those 10,000 waivers we have, there is no waiver for that. For a standard diploma. All right. So, anyway, I like what you're trying to do, but I don't like the bill. I'll still tell you that. Thank you.
Representative Rick Beck
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16:08
Representative Beck, you recognize for a question? And you may
have said this already, but I just want to clarify and make sure. So the amended part, which allows the computer science class that better, and I'm looking at it from a different perspective, might better align someone with the career path that they've chosen. So, in other words, if you're going into CNC operation, operating a CNC machine,
then the math associated with that, computer science class, I should say, associated with that would be the one that they would take instead of having to take this other generic into the general requirement. Absolutely. That could better fit
their computer science class to the career path that they have chosen. Is that not correct? Absolutely.
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
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17:01
That's my intent and goal with the amendment is that it would be narrowly tailored and specifically focused to that CTE track. And I do want to be clear, and I think Representative Cozart made this point as well,
so currently everyone has to take it. What this bill would do would make everyone in the CTE required to take that specifically tailored computer science class that you're discussing representative but those that are not option opting into a cte track it would be an optional class for those which we would allow our school districts to have some local control there and and make that decision that's best for their district and their students thank you thank you sir represent brown you recognize for a
Representative Matt Brown
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17:44
question i'm just concerned that this is weakening our our computer science i really do because everybody's
got to use one of these things. I mean, it's
here, it's there, it's everywhere you look. And it just seems to me that the better way to do this would be to make some waivers for children who have special ed needs
than to remove, change the shell to a MA. Well,
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
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18:08
I understand that, Representative, and respectfully disagree with you. I think that what this has the ability to do, or my intention at least for it to be, would be for those students that are truly going to be invested in utilizing this skill in the future.
I think they're going to get a better product through the CTE, through the virtual platform, and it's going to be something that they can utilize for a long time, as opposed to a student that has zero interest or intent to utilize this course, being forced to take a generic across-the-board requirement course. Well, it
Representative Matt Brown
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18:41
just seems like even the simplest job these days requires a computer. And I don't disagree with that,
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
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18:47
and if this were teaching Word and Excel and things like that, that would be different. This is not what this teaches.
This teaches coding and a more advanced computer work that I think the vast majority of students that don't have any intention of using that wouldn't gain any benefit from the class. Thank you. Thank you, ma'am.
Representative Denise Garner
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19:11
Representative Garner, you're recognized for a question. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm a little bit concerned or just confused, I guess, about if we make this a may instead of a shall, how many school districts are going to quit offering if it's a shall computer
science? Is that a worry or concern of you guys? Or if you need a different kind of computer science for the CTE track or whatever, then Are we going to need more teachers to teach that? I'm just a little bit confused about how that's going to work out. Absolutely. Thank you, Representative. I don't think
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
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19:45
so. I think that every school has to take, I think it's a minimum of three CTE tracks. Is that correct? So it's going to be in every school still. They can utilize the virtual platform to teach this class in the CTE track.
So I've already visited with Ross White, and they don't have any concerns on developing and implementing this specifically into those CTEs. So this is not going away. It'll still be in every school. Again, I hope it's just getting in front of an audience that wants to implement it and use it
Representative Justin Gonzales
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20:23
long term. Erson Gonzalez-Worthing, do you recognize? Yes, thank you. I, too, am concerned about what will happen by removing the requirement,
making it optional due to the results that we have received so far. Thousands of teachers have the training. Thousands of students have benefited from this. But not only that, our workforce, I feel that our workforce preparation and development is going to be lacking with this being an optional course. So can you share with us what encompasses the computer science class?
Are there different types of computer science classes if not embedded in the CTE program? My understanding, Representative, and again, I can't speak in
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
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21:14
depth, and I know that there are going to be some folks from code.org here that will probably be able to answer that question better for you than I can. But my understanding is that what is offered now is just a broad coding and other type computer science class that there's not a lot of variation in that coursework. And again, this is to try to embed that into the CTE pathways.
I hope, and I'm not trying to repeat the same answers, it's just my intent and hope that it would be put in front of an audience of students that would really grab hold of it and utilize it as they move forward. You know, it's with every other graduation requirement. We don't, just because you have to take literature doesn't mean that you're going to be an English literature major or utilize that as you move forward or any other math or other class like that. So I hope that this would be putting it into a pathway to where folks would really grab hold of it, use it, and excel as we move forward in the state.
And, again, you know, I trust our school districts to make the right decision and give them that option. If this is a beneficial class
and they see it, to your point, as a benefit for all students because of how far we've come, they still have
Representative Hope Duke
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22:33
the option to do it. Representative Duke, you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Real quick, so
computer science, we have coding thrown out here a whole lot, but this just says computer science. So I am under the assumption that the rules or different things could encompass more than just coding.
It's not necessarily just computer science. Is that correct? I believe that's correct. Yes, ma'am. Okay, so school districts could be doing something besides coding in that computer science class. I think
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
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22:58
there are some additional options that they can implement. Yes, ma'am.
Representative Justin Gonzales
Unverified
23:07
Okay, thank you. Thank you. Rep. Gonzalesworth, do you recognize me? Yes, and that was towards my question
as well. I want to know what are the options that would count as a stand-alone computer science course. What are the options and what do they contain?
Speaker 99
23:20
Sure. Courtney Salisford, Department of Education. apologize, I'm having technical difficulties here, but
Speaker 100
23:29
there's a list of computer science courses. You have some of your basics like intro to computer science that just kind of teach the standard coding and things, but then you have much more in-depth ones like information technology and security, software development, AP computer science, computing with data, and so those are
CTE slash computer science courses where we have already embedded it into some but with this bill we would embed it into many more so that a student who is interested in engineering would learn how you know computer science relates to the engineering field a student who is interested in agriculture would learn how computer science is used in the field of agriculture and so it would be more embedded into those courses so that students know how to apply it and make it applicable versus, again, right now so many students are just taking the basic intro to computer science
because it's a requirement and are not getting that relevancy and application piece of it that they would by taking it in a CTE course in their field of study. And that's my hope as
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
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24:35
well, Representative, is that we don't continue just to check a box with an intro to computer science coding class, that we really develop a platform that these kids can engage in and utilize for years to come. Representative Beck, you recognize. Thank you, Mr.
Representative Rick Beck
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24:56
Chair. So I've heard a lot of concerns.
Everybody's got a few emails on this, I suspect. But I've heard a few concerns, and the concerns are like, well, you're doing away with computer science and all of that. And, you know, of course, you kind of expect maybe some people get a little bit over their schemes with some of these emails. But it seems like, to me at least, it seems like, first of all, we're doing a better job of putting a computer science class in front of someone that's very applicable to what their interests are and very possibly their path.
But my question is this. Maybe it's the department answer this or whatever. How many people do we think, individuals, excuse me, students, do we think would end up not taking a class, a computer science class, as a result of this? It seems to me like there would be a relatively very small population that would not be taking computer science class. And all the others would be taking a class that very much fits their interest and where they're headed.
But do you guys have any, are y'all guessing or whatever, what's your best guess? Is it 2%? Is it
Speaker 100
26:18
1%? Yeah, I mean, there's no way to know that for sure, of course. Students make choices based on what's available. Our anticipation would be that it would be a small number, but that more of them would take, again, a course that was more applicable to their pathway, to their interest, to their goals post-graduation, and that has computer science standards embedded in it
instead of the intro to computer science course that, again, many students take just because it's a requirement, but it's very difficult to estimate
Speaker 107
26:50
that number. Another question, please? So, but
Representative Rick Beck
Unverified
26:55
maybe this is a wouldn't you agree thing. But seriously, I mean, computer science, right? But someone who's interested in computer science, probably is far past your intro to computer science class.
Absolutely. And that would be a total waste of that student's time to have to go back and pick up some of that stuff or something like that, whereas that person could actually be moving forward. I would argue that very possibly this thing moves us ahead in the computer science, letting those students that really have an interest in computer science and they're going forward, that they're actually pushing out ahead and being able to get more advanced classes than they would possibly get on the other thing. Wouldn't you agree? I absolutely agree. I could not agree more.
Representative Sonia Eubanks Barker
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27:42
Representative Barker, you recognize for a question. Thank you, Mr. Chair. So you mentioned that students have choice. So isn't part of the issue with the shell right now, at least from what I've heard and from some of the schools in my district, the smaller and the larger, Part of that is students and parents being able to choose and get a scheduling done correctly with that requirement. Is that not part of what this fixes? Absolutely. Thank you. Thank
you, ma'am. Representative Gonzales-Worthin, you're recognized for a question.
Representative Justin Gonzales
Unverified
28:14
Okay, going back to the intro course,
it seems to me, based on what we've already discussed, that the curriculum itself may not be amenable to the students since it's a broad course. I'm wondering if possibly the curriculum could be tied more to the students in the class with resources for the teacher, additionally resources for the teacher to assist the teacher
in scaffolding the information. So, for example, you mentioned agriculture, computer science in agriculture, computer science in, you mentioned, I mean, coding, et cetera, so that students can see how that applies and then possibly that could be the launching pad for more computer science. Wouldn't you agree that maybe we need to look at the actual curriculum itself
and the resources to make it more relevant to all
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
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29:28
students. Respectfully, I would disagree with that. I mean, I understand where you're coming from. I think you and I are trying to accomplish the same thing. That's put a better product out there for our students. I've got two little boys that attend a public school, and I want them to have every resource possible to allow them to compete globally, not only here in Arkansas but around the world. But checking the box for an entry-level computer science class, in my opinion, does not accomplish that.
moving it into a specific pathway where it focuses on what they choose as their future and start those concurrent credits and those CTE pathways. I think that's how we accomplish that goal. So, respectfully,
I think you and I are wanting the same thing. We just have maybe two different ideas of how to get there. Are there additional
Representative Jason Nazarenko
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30:16
representatives? Thank you, Mr. Chair. For Department of Education, just with this, because I agree with you, Representative, and thank you for bringing it.
And I understand, like, we don't want our students to be left behind. It's very important that they maintain that intelligent computer, you know, technology. They've got to stay at the forefront of it or they're going to be left behind. With the pathways, it's my understanding, if anything that gets put on a pathway, ROI, you know, what jobs are out there afterwards and how they're getting placed is all included. So then that will actually, over time, could help this become an even better course that's put in front of students because we're actually seeing what the industries are needing
and then what the students are using after they get out
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
Unverified
30:56
of school. Absolutely, and Ross and the department have agreed to tailor that specifically to industry needs as we evolve. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
See no additional questions by the committee. We do have one person signed up to speak on the bill, and if anyone else would like to speak for or against the bill, please just let us know. Anthony Owen, if you would please introduce yourself for the record.
Speaker 120
31:24
You're recognized to speak on the bill. Chairman, members of the committee, name is Anthony Owen. I am Senior Director
Speaker 121
31:40
of State Government Affairs for Code.org and also President of the National Advocacy Coalition. And many of y'all may know me because in my prior role, I built this initiative for Arkansas, worked for Governor Hutchinson, implemented this. I had a lot of notes that I wanted to talk, and I'll come back to some of those.
But first, I want to address some statements that were just made with all respect to the representative and the department. I have a great relationship with the department, want to maintain that, and even the representative and I have, I believe, developed a friendship under this. But I do want to address a few things. First of all, there was a statement made that this would not remove the requirement. That is not true. The amendment that y'all have in front of y'all, going from a shall to a may, does not change the submitted language that removes the requirement.
it changes the section that says CTE has to create these courses. So it changes, it allows CTE to decide not to even create these courses, which y'all made apparent in 2023 they should. So that brings me back around to this. This bill is not needed. The department needs to do what the 2023 legislation said that was passed by Senator Dotson that said every CTE pathway shall have at least one option for computer science embedded. That is already law, okay? So this bill is
not needed to infuse into CTE. I will also say that there's been a lot of statements around one introductory course. There are 55 state-developed courses under strict CTE. Before I left the department, I went to the State Board of Education to represent a Beck statement about advanced CS options. I went to the state board and I made all those courses non-prerequisite, which means that if a student has advanced skills, they can take AP Computer
Science, they can take any of our level three courses and meet this requirement. So there is no one course, introductory course, that meets this. And the list that was given around what meets this, that was only a few of the pathways. I would like to point out that some of the other pathways include robotics, which I believe Chair Brooks brought in some people last Tuesday to talk about FIRST Robotics. That FIRST Robotics that y'all just passed a grant for would meet this requirement. Again, this is still going to be a repeal of our effort, and I've shared this with
many of y'all, and I have paper copies. I didn't know this bill was going to be called up today, so I'm glad I'm here, but these are the states that are passing CS grad requirements right now. If we repeal this, we are going to take a step back regionally and nationally, and it's going to create a hole economically. The emails were mentioned. There have been over 2,000 emails from teachers, parents, et cetera, opposing this, sent to this legislature. I went through and I pulled out all the individual statements that were written.
It was asked, would schools continue to do this? I will tell you this. If schools are asking for this to be removed, that's proof that they're not going to continue to do it. The reason they don't want the mandate is because it will move them to an option. And if they have the option, what they will do is they will set one lab period and designate four seats for computer science for a school of 500. That is not access.
That is taking away opportunities for students. So again, 55 current options, actually over 55 because the department has developed some CT options in addition to that. The question came up about students with disabilities. IEP law already addresses that. Before I left the department, we created alternative pathway standards. They're out there on the DOE website. They're not mandated standards for all IEPs. They are guidance standards that says if you have a student that has a severe or a significant
cognitive disability, and they can't meet the CS grad requirement, these are standards that can go into that student's IEP. In addition, IEPs can actually waive a graduation
Speaker 122
35:58
requirement completely. So IEP under IDEA trumps state law. The statement about Word,
Speaker 121
36:07
Excel, if it was that, it would be beneficial. I will just say that in an age of AI, that our students need to go beyond
understanding how to use Word and Excel. Our students need to know how AI works, how the algorithms tailor information for them, how they may end up in an echo chamber. And it's not just programming. It's not just coding. It is all these other areas that encompass in it that make our students so well-rounded. I want to leave with one statement, and I shared this last time I was here, but our graduation system as a nation comes from a 1983 report,
A Nation at Risk. I don't know if a lot of people know that or not. That's what laid out the standard graduation requirement. All the requirements under that report were adopted by this state and most other states except for one. The 1983 A Nation at Risk report recommended that every student have a computer science uh credit half credit that was in 1983 we're here 40 years later for the third time in this legislature you know 2021 was when we've had was passed 2023 it was
relitigated and now for the third time Arkansas is saying do we really want our students to to to you know meet the job requirements that are already out there that were called for 40 years ago and to the point of the superintendents and this is the last thing I'm going to say I'm not going to read my long statement but I do want to share this portion of it before this became a requirement when I was still at the department I had a superintendent we were
just rolling it out we were looking at middle school and elementary school I won't say the superintendent's name or what district because it's a small community and I have a lot of respect for this individual on other issues, but not this one. That superintendent called me and said, Anthony, my students don't need this. If they graduate, they're going to go to the field and pick tomatoes. Yes, I rebuke that superintendent for saying that to me. I still hold ill will about that statement, but that is the attitude of some of these superintendents. That is the reason
that we have to continue making this a mandate from the state. I applaud this legislature for fighting for local control. I believe in local control, but sometimes we as a state have to say for our economy and for our students' well-roundedness, we have to require certain things. This is one of those. Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Committee. Thank you, Mr. Owen. Are there questions for Mr. Owen? Representative Painter,
Chair
Unverified
38:53
you're recognized for a question. Thank you, and I appreciate your comments.
Representative Stetson Painter
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38:59
Just a question. Does code.org, do you guys benefit from resources of this computer science class?
Speaker 121
39:05
No, we do not get funding from the state of Arkansas. None of our courses are mandated or even approved under the state. We are a white hat advocacy organization. We get our funding from Microsoft, Amazon, Google. I'm president of the National CS Advocacy Coalition. over 100 entities that help fund us because they need a workforce. They need a workforce in every state.
We passed this graduation requirement in Louisiana last session. Louisiana, Governor Landry, now I can't say it's exactly because of it, but I will say companies look at this. Meta just announced $25 billion worth of AI facilities in Louisiana within the past three months. And we passed this graduation requirement last year. These things, while they may not be causation, they are definitely correlation. Representative Beck, you're recognized for a question.
Representative Rick Beck
Unverified
39:59
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So I want to repeat myself again. So I asked the other side, how many students would not be taking computer science class if we were to pass this? And they obviously indicated a very small amount. But I understand, kind of trying to read between lines in your statement, You're saying this would be a landslide of students that would not be taking a computer science class if we were to pass this. So I want to put words in your mouth. So you tell us now exactly how many you think would not go to a computer science class as a result of us making this a may as opposed to a shell.
Speaker 127
40:38
So I was a teacher at one point. I taught high school mathematics. I
Speaker 121
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will just phrase this question and answer yours, a rhetorical question. how many students would not take algebra if we removed that requirement, okay? But I will point out that the year, so this is on the department website, this is an enrollment chart. And if you go out and you look at it, the year after the CS grad requirement was implemented and the ninth grade class, which my son was in that class, current juniors,
That ninth grade class, we went from 12,000 students taking a high school CS course to 21,950 students. That was a significant increase in that ninth grade class because that was the first class this graduation requirement was going to apply to. So, I mean, do I have a crystal ball to say that half the students will stop taking it? No, I don't. But I will say that a lot of students will not take it because they will not have access to it, because the superintendents will choose to offer very limited seats or not offer it at all.
Representative Rick Beck
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41:46
So, a quick follow-up. So, your concern then is that if we don't have it as a shell,
that the local superintendents, with their power, would just pull the classes, and therefore students would not take it. We saw that. They cannot
Speaker 121
42:06
take it, but we saw that before we passed the graduation requirement. I oversee 17 different states in my purview. They're in my portfolio. We see that consistently around every state that does not have a CS grad requirement.
That is why this is our primary focus on policies out of code.org, because it is the only way to ensure every student, regardless of what school they're in, has access.
Representative Rick Beck
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42:31
And just one quick follow-up. So, because I'm trying to get, your replies sometimes fall just short of what I want you to say. I'll try to do better. Because you say, okay, 17 other states, and this is what we've seen. But so what I'm saying is I'm looking for that transition.
I mean, I understand in the example of the ninth grade, you're saying, okay, we put the requirement there. It wasn't there before, and 21,000 versus 9,000, I think he said. But I understand that. But then at the same time, it could have been that the classes were available, more available, and that might have been the reason for the increase. Or maybe a better variety of classes, computer science classes might have been available,
and that might have been it. But your example of 17 other states, are those 17 other states that just don't have a requirement, or is that 1,700 states that had a requirement and pulled it
back, and then they saw the deduction? Just elaborate a little bit on that statement. So no state
Speaker 121
43:41
in the nation that has passed the CS grad requirement has pulled it back. Arkansas would, we, I'm a resident, we would become the first state in the nation to repeal this if this goes through.
I've shared this with most of all y'all. I have extra copies if you want it. These are implementation dates, and these are the states that actually have the requirement. About four of my states have a grad requirement out of the 17-4-5. We're adding more. To answer your question directly, do I think that fewer students will take this? I believe that's your question because we undo the repeal. A hundred percent, I think that there will be fewer students take it. Will there be some that don't take it because it's their choice?
They don't want it? Of course. There are a lot of students who don't want to take algebra. If we remove that requirement, there would be fewer students that took it. But I will say what I see in every other state that does not have a requirement in place and what we saw in Arkansas before this requirement came into place was that some school districts who do not see the need for this, they relegate their students to going and picking tomatoes. They will do the bare minimum to say that they're meeting this requirement and they will not make it the requirement of CT, infusion, all that stuff.
They will do the bare minimum to meet that requirement and they will not make it
available to students. Thank you. Representative Brown, you're recognized
Representative Matt Brown
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45:16
for a question for Ms. Rowan. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Rowan, you said you were a member of the department. You were part of
the department when this was instituted, and that you said that there are opportunities available to the schools to provide for students with special needs to graduate.
Why do you think it is that they are not implementing those? Is it just a matter of not knowing that they're available, or is it a matter of they don't want to go the extra effort?
I mean, why wouldn't they do this? Why is Representative Woldridge, why am I and Representative Woldridge
Speaker 121
45:55
facing this with our constituents? Sure. I think part of it could be lack of communication about this. It's also work. IEP committees are not easy. I mean, going through and looking at what is the best needs for each individual student that might have disabilities is difficult work sometimes.
And you have to get that committee to agree. I think that we as a state could do a better job of communicating how that process works, how that alternative pathway works. I will tell you, when I was looking for the information that I shared with you regarding these alternative pathways, we had to dig pretty deep on the department website to find those standards that we had created before I left. That's a problem in and of itself. So why is it not happening? I think, one, it's lack of communication, that it's available.
I think that also that we're just not making it easy for our students. If you've ever went through an IEP process, again, I've worked in schools. It is not an easy process, and some school districts make it harder than it should be. And, by the way, I love our school districts. I'm currently finishing my Arkansas license to get at a superintendent's licensure. I'm not anti-superintendent. I am against adults who don't want to put in the work that's the best work for our students.
And that's what the CS grad requirement requires. It requires additional work by adults. Johnny Key, in one of my first meetings with him ever, there were two assistant superintendents over there arguing about things in his office. And he finally just said, you're arguing what's easiest for the adult. You're arguing what's best for the students. You win, you lose. It's time to move on. This is where Arkansas should be on this. I'm arguing what's best for students. The other side is arguing what's easiest for adults.
Representative Matt Brown
Unverified
47:45
Well, I'm very concerned about making this from a Shal
to a May because I know for a fact that if you do carpentry, you better know how to use a computer. I know they use it at, what's our aircraft builder out here, the big one? DeSault. DeSault. And then if you're going to build cabinets for kitchens, You've got to use that CA, whatever, that machine, that computerized machine that draws out the pattern.
CNC machine. I mean, all of that, nothing these days is done
without some knowledge of a computer or advanced knowledge of a computer. Every
Speaker 121
48:27
individual is going to be a consumer of digital technology. What we are trying to help them understand is what are they consuming, how it works, and how can they produce something with that same technology? Do we just want a workforce that completely consumes technology, or do we want some workforce that can actually produce something positive with that technology?
Do we want entrepreneurs, or do we just
Representative Matt Brown
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48:52
want consumers? I mean, you can't even hunt for a job
Representative Justin Gonzales
Unverified
49:02
without a computer. Thank you. I'll stop. Representative Gonzalez-Worthing, you recognize. Yes. Thank you for your information for us, and I had asked earlier about what an intro class would entail. You mentioned that there are 55 options, course options, so can you explain how a student could meet that computer science requirement?
Would those 55 options be one way?
Speaker 121
49:27
Sure. Any one of those 55 options, including those 55 options, are also concurrent credit options and advanced weighted credit, concurrent credit. So if a student is truly advanced, they can meet the CS grad requirement by partnering with one of our post-secondary institutions through their school and take a truly college-level course. We have two APCS courses. In addition to that, we have nine pathways in Arkansas that span from robotics to programming
to data science to, I mean, they're out there. I could list them all if needed. But they all have a level one class, which the level one class across the board would meet this requirement, okay? The level two would be if they already have enough knowledge. I started department as a math person, and one of the hardest conversations I ever had with a parent was when I told them that their student who was already taking algebra at a college level, their ninth grader, had to go back and repeat algebra at the school because it was a
graduation requirement. That's why I did away with the prerequisites on CS. That's why I advocated for that with the State Board of Education. So they can take those advanced level courses. They can also take those intro courses. Again, the 2023 legislation mandated that every CTE pathway has to have at least one course that meets the CS requirement. That was passed in 2023. There has been some work done toward that. It has not been completed yet. So there are CT courses that already meet that requirement.
Representative Rick Beck
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50:59
Thank you. Thank you. Representative Beck, you're recognized. So Representative Brown's question prompted another question from me. Sorry. But so we've done this
Speaker 121
51:16
now for four years, right? Five? It was passed in 2021. It applies to this year's junior class. I just remember
Representative Rick Beck
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51:24
that because my son's a junior at Bryant. All right. So have we seen, so it's too
early to see any results as far as post-secondary education level off of this?
Speaker 121
51:35
No, sir. We are seeing results. We are seeing our post-secondary institutions are growing their CS departments. I don't have that data in front of me, but I will say that we are seeing those departments grow across the state and increased in interest in it and increased in enrollment in it. But to your point, is that correlation? Is it causation? Is it because the state put such an emphasis on it over the past administration? There are a lot of variables that go there.
As a mathematician, I wouldn't argue causation. There's just not enough data. All right. Thank
you. Are there additional questions for Mr. Owen? Seeing none, thank you for
Speaker 134
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your time. Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Committee. I ask
you, please vote no. We do not have anyone else sign up to speak
Speaker 121
52:25
for or against this bill. Would anyone like to speak for or against the bill in the audience? Oh, I do have one last thing. Mr. Zook from the Chamber of Commerce wanted to be here to testify. He is stuck in another committee. He is, the Chamber of Commerce is against this bill.
Thank you for the information. Would anyone else like to speak for or
against the bill? If you would, please come to the table, introduce yourself for
Speaker 155
52:57
the record, and you're recognized. Okay, I'm Marianne Spears, currently the superintendent of Lincoln School District. We're here about another bill, but I do have quite a passion about this because I, too, was a high school math teacher and business ed teacher
and high school principal and now superintendent. And in about a year and two months from now, I'll be retired. So there you go. Anyway, I hadn't really made that totally public up there, but there we go. Anyway, my interpretation, and I'm here, I'm saying I support where he's going with this because we have a little over 1,000 students in Lincoln, and career tech education has become a major focus to us and a lot of our other superintendents because we've been on a little visiting tour
with the Walton Foundation in our neck of the woods trying to build some kind of career technical center to support our 16 districts in northwest Arkansas. But short of that, I mean, we can't get that built today, and even if they approve that, can we get that built? You know, how quick could we get that built? So we are really doing a good job of working between um multiple districts small and big in our little neck of the woods trying to i mean i'll bus a kid over here to get construction trades at west fork and i might be busting a kid to springdale for diesel mechanics and all of that the career tech getting those kids a path and i'm
very passionate about this sorry but um getting them a path and getting them through high school with a viable job i have a principal sitting in the room whose son went through a welding program and is making more money than most of us in Oklahoma, and he's just one year out. I mean, he just graduated a year ago. So the career and technical programs are very clear, and from my understanding what this bill would do, and it may just mean tweaking of an old bill or whatever, but what I think his intent there is to give our kids options. Not every kid's going to be a computer tech.
They're not going to be a computer programmer, et cetera. I have three kids all the way through. I have a firefighter and a couple teachers. grandkids are going all different paths but um this would allow us to embed and i'll just speak for lincoln and i think i'll speak for a lot of other small school superintendents that we're we're going to if we're if we're supposed to embed if it's shall or may we're going to embed those into like i have a medical science so i would embed this i would embed this computer programming into that so that those kids would be getting the computer skills that they need for that medical
path. And then we have, you know, what do we have? I don't know, several others. We've got criminal justice. We've got all other kind of things going on. And we would, you know, we would embed those things. Then the other kids, if they're not in a career technical pathway, then they're going to definitely take those classes, those 55 courses that he was talking about, one of those courses or whatever. We're going to pipe something in, whatever we have to do. Every kid graduating Lincoln High School is going to get that computer science. I've probably gone over my time. They're
going to get that requirement, whether it's embedded in one of those programs that they're doing, or they're going to get it on the regular program. Or if there's an IEP, I have a grandson that's major seizure disorder. He's not going to be on any one of those paths with an IEP. So there's that. Any questions? Thank you, Ms. Spear, for your testimony and for breaking the
news of your retirement. We try to do everything we can. We cover all bases here in this committee. Are there any questions for Ms. Spears? Thank you. It's all good. I don't care.
Seeing none and seeing no one else to speak for or against, Representative Woodridge, you're recognized. Close for
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
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56:33
your bill as amended. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, committee. Thank you to Anthony who testified. Thank you to the superintendent. Congratulations on
your retirement. We're all excited for you. You know, here is exactly what I hope to accomplish with this bill. I've been up front with you all as we've talked about it. I'll disagree with some of the things that Mr. Owens said.
For one, it's absolutely fact, it's federal law, that a student with an IEP cannot have a different standard of graduation than a student without an IEP. So looking at a way or the statement that we can change these courses because a student has an IEP, that is not true. And I'm as confident in that as anything that I've ever told you. The department's attorney would verify that for you. That is a federal law that we don't have the ability to supersede. And thus, the point of this bill is to create options for school districts.
To the superintendent's point, and I agree with her, there are 1,060, I think, roughly, school districts in the state of Arkansas. I trust them wholeheartedly to do what's best for my students. My two little boys attend a public school. There is nothing more that I want for them than to be successful. I ran for office so they could live in Arkansas, so they could live in my community, so that they could make a living and raise a family near me. That's why I'm here. Other than that, I would not be here. So I am as heavily invested in this bill for that sake as any bill that I have ever run.
I would do nothing that took a pathway away from my boy's ability to be successful. My intent is pure with this bill, and that is to embed it into CTE programs where it can be more beneficial, to Representative Beck's point, in the future that students can gain excess knowledge for something that they want to grab hold of where they can work in this industry as it moves into Arkansas. I couldn't agree more. That is the path of the future. That is where we're going. Kids in kindergarten now are learning to use computers.
I think that our testing from kindergarten up is basic skills, learning to utilize a computer and test. If this were an entry-level computer class, that would be different. This is a coding class, and that is kind of the minimum standard there by which they're able to do that, and then there are more advanced options from there. Again, there's no way to differentiate in students with IEPs. For that reason, I'm asking that you will please vote yes for this bill, and let's give our school districts the ability to make this decision.
Let's show them that we support them, and we encourage them to make the right decisions for students. With that, I'm closed for my bill and appreciate
a good motion and a good vote. Representative Wilders is closed for his bill. We have a motion of do pass on the table. There's a discussion on that motion.
Sorry, do pass as amended. Thank you. Is there a discussion on
Representative Rick Beck
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59:22
the motion? Representative Beck, you're recognized for discussion. I'll be brief, but I just
took some notes. I think what I like the most about this, and maybe I'm missing some other points, and I apologize for that,
is the ability to open up some more classes in the career development section because that's what interests the student. If you think about it, if I'm pushing in this, it's an XYZ class that's a computer science requirement that I've got to take, that could have the opposite effect of what we're trying to do here. You're forcing someone to take something that doesn't interest them, whereas this would give us the ability, something that someone has expressed some interest in, and hopefully, and I trust the school districts to do this,
to put classes before so these people don't be related to the path that they've selected. Nothing gets somebody more energy. I was able to teach some classes related to some computers. And when nothing was better than to watch guys use the – it was Lego fire sticks back then, I think they called them, where they could write little programs and make little computers. And they loved watching to make their little computer follow a line on the road, on the floor and stuff like that.
And just how invested they were in that. It just sold me. It's like this is what we've got to put as far as computer. And I'm not saying everybody, but data processing. Some people, that's their thing. They like data processing, and that's just another avenue. So I think it just opens up some other avenues. I think sometimes what we're doing now is, and I'm probably overstating this a little bit, but, you know, we're trying to do a one-size-fits-all type of deal as we are now, and one-size-never-fits-all. all right, let's give as many computer options out there as we possibly can
to try to trip that little trigger in that head that says, okay, I'm interested in that thing, so I'm going to look at how computers are affected in that field. And I'll just close up a sudden. There is nothing worse than forcing a child into a class that they are not interested in and wasting their time. They'll pick up on that immediately, and they will gain nothing from it. So I will be voting for this bill. Is there additional
discussion? representative Duke. Good. See no additional discussion. We have a motion on the table.
Do pass as amended. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say no.
No. I'm sorry representative your bill has failed. Members without objection we are going to move to the end of
the regular agenda HB 1946 representative Bentley. If you would please recognize yourself for the record and you are recognized. Present your
Representative Mary Bentley
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1:02:08
bill. Thank you, Chairman. Thank you, Committee. State Representative Mary Bentley, District 54. Colleagues, if you remember back to the very beginning of session,
I brought a bill to you that was very passionate about, the Baby Olivia Bill. Unfortunately, that bill was not able to get through the Senate. I made a couple amendments over there, but I was not able to do all the amendments the Senate wanted without filing a new bill. So today I bring forth to you a new bill that simply asks for an addition of human development to be added and declared grades 6 through 12. A three-minute ultrasound will be added and a three-minute video of the choice of the school. So it's much broader. They'll be able to choose which video they want and a three-minute ultrasound. And it's just adding that to the human biology class to grades 6 through 12.
Again, very simple bill. And I just think I'm passionate about our kids learning human development. So with that, I'll take any questions. Very simple bill. Bringing forward, just making amendments I couldn't do without filing a new bill. No known opposition, AEA, and everybody for this bill have known opposition that I have at this point. I'll take some questions. Are
there questions for Representative Bentley? Representative Gonzalez-Werthin, you recognize for a
Representative Justin Gonzales
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1:03:14
question? Yes. Okay, I just wanted to make sure I'm understanding.
So, it would be local control in terms of the videos, et cetera, that are shown in the human growth and development class. Is that what I'm understanding? It's up to this? As long as they meet. Of course, the Department of
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
1:03:35
Education will establish rules. So, as long as they follow the rules established by the Department of Education, yes. But there are some requirements. If you read, there are some requirements. We'll make sure they're showing different stages along the way as all the fetal highlights when the heart develops, when the lungs develop.
Also, make sure all the major organ developments are shown in the video. So there are some requirements. It's not just any video. There are some requirements, and then they make sure, and rules will be set up by the Department of Education. So as long as all the milestones are shown and a three-minute ultrasound is also shown, that's it. I'm not requiring any specific video. No, just one that meets all the milestones that are listed in the bill. thank you represent Garner you're
Representative Denise Garner
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1:04:18
recognized for a question yes it's a real ultrasound I mean there's just sound from a doctor's office yeah high
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
1:04:24
definition ultrasound video not an AI version of it now there's also a high quality computer generator regenerating animation so there's two different things in here one is ultrasound and one is a video so there's also the the human endowment they have a animated ones is our Surgeon General K channel knows of three or four different videos that they can show that will meet that requirement. Are there additional questions by
committee? We do not have anyone signed up to speak for or against this bill. Would anyone like to speak
for or against the bill? Seeing none, Representative Bentley, would you like to
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
1:05:04
close for your bill? Committee, I thank you. I really want our kids to learn. As a nurse, I want our kids to learn human development. This is an area that they're not learning now to the extent I think they need to a very simple bill without making a motion to do pass. I wouldn't make a motion to do pass. I'd appreciate a good vote. Sorry, wrong committee, but without it, I'd
appreciate a good vote. Almost got it past this. Representative Bentley has closed for a bill. We have a motion to do pass on the table by Representative Brown.
Is there a discussion on that motion? Do you have discussion? Representative Garner, your light's on. Oh, sorry. Say no discussion. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed? No. Congratulations, Representative Bentley. You pass your bill. Thank you. Thank you, Chair. Thank you, committee. Committee, without objection, again, we're going to try and save about another 20 minutes. Without objection, we're going to move to Representative Carr, Joey Carr, for HB 1938. I believe Representative Carr has three bills. If you'd like to please introduce yourself for the record and you're recognized to present your bills.
Representative John P. Carr
Unverified
1:06:01
Joey Carr, District 34. House Bill 1938, what it does, it streamlines the school and district plans to promote efficiency and to eliminate duplication. Currently right now they have literacy improvement. They have health fitness. They have parental engagement. And each time you do one of those plans, you upload them into a different place. So what this bill does, this allows the schools to do one plan
that encompasses all of that information into one plan, and it's uploaded one time. Like I said, this is just to create efficiency and to prevent any duplication because sometimes things overlap and correlate, so they end up putting the same information in twice. This also unifies the application system, which includes state plans and also their federal funding applications. So what it does is it helps them to tie those actions that they're doing
and how the funding is being sourced to that. So it puts it all together, and then that way, when they start their applications, everything is in one place instead of
a variety of places. Representative Carr has presented this
bill. Are there questions from the committee? Representative Duke, you're recognized for a question.
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:07:28
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Representative Carr, for bringing this bill. Can you tell me, are there any changes to actually the plan structures that we're consolidating?
Are there changes to the actual plans and what they're being requested or told to format? From my
Representative John P. Carr
Unverified
1:07:42
understanding, not. They're just being brought. I'd ask Ms. Ford to come, and she might can clarify
Speaker 2
1:07:48
that. Ms. Solis-Ford, if you would please introduce yourself for the
Speaker 99
1:07:53
record, and you know the drill. Courtney Solis-Ford, Department of Education. So not
Speaker 100
1:07:57
to the content, because most of the content is set forth in statute, either state or federal law. But what we did is take all of these separate little plans and put them all together into one district strategic plan
so that it forces different divisions, different offices within the schools to work together to look at, are we requiring or reporting the same information in multiple places? Are we making sure that our federal title funds and our state funds are being directed to the best use of those funds. And so not changing the requirements because those are already set by law, but it's all just being reported in one comprehensive district strategic plan instead of 20 different separate plans.
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:08:41
Are there any, because I think you said most, I don't know if that was just a phrase or if there are changes that were, they're just not significant ones, or maybe in your opinion, significant ones. And does this, do the school district still maintain
control, input, decision making with these changes? I'm going to give you a third one. Sorry, just with time. Also, are there any bills that you are aware of that may be coming down the pipeline that will connect to this bill in any way?
Speaker 100
1:09:13
So, yeah, if I said most, I meant, no, there is no changes to content, nor am I aware of any bill or have we worked on any bill that would change the content. Everything is still about the districts supporting their individual schools, working with their individual schools. They determine the information that goes in their plan within existing state and federal requirements for use of those funds. It's just, it was more about avoiding duplication. We went through a very lengthy process of looking to see what are we asking districts for and what are we asking them for multiple times for different offices,
whether it be our federal funds office, state funds, ESA funds, categorical funds. Where are we requesting duplicate information, and how can we make this more efficient? Thank
you. Representative Gonzalez-Worthing, you recognize
Representative Justin Gonzales
Unverified
1:10:01
for a question? Yes. I was just, I think
it's a great idea, first of all, to consolidate. And could you elaborate on the federal title funds? It's just federal title funds, so then what would go under that category specifically?
Representative John P. Carr
Unverified
1:10:19
Well, I was going to say, and what that does is, and I had mentioned that earlier, all of your, the Title I funding, stuff like that, you know, in those plans, when you have your steps to be taken, the actions, and you put the financing, the budget, you're connected to your budget uh primarily the uh the title one funding um what's what's the other one you have
Speaker 187
1:10:44
title one two four six there's lots of different titles i've been out of business
Representative John P. Carr
Unverified
1:10:50
for two years and i forgot all those acronyms
but but yeah the the gist of that is
is to align everything across the board and have that in in in that uh in that same line if you
Speaker 100
1:11:05
want to embellish on that Yeah, so there are multiple different sources of federal funding. There's Title I, and I'm not the expert either, but there's Title I funding, which has to do with districts that have a high percentage of students that qualify for free and reduced lunch. You have Title IV funding, which is for school safety and some other things.
You have Title VI funding for students with disabilities. And so each of those title funds comes with certain requirements and restrictions in federal law. And so, again, we just tried to find places where those overlapped and where a school district might be using Title I funds and Title IV funds for one program to meet both purposes and so that they weren't duplicating information and that the offices within a school are talking to each other because you might have a Title I coordinator who's directing use of these funds
and a Title IV coordinator directing use of these funds. And sometimes we found that they weren't talking to each other and making the best use
Representative John P. Carr
Unverified
1:12:06
of those funds, if they could, for
one program. And just for quick reference, on page 5, line 8, and what Ms. Ford was talking about is getting them in the conversation. You know, you've got parent-family engagement, health wellness, enhanced student achievement, ALE, and also your GATE programs. And so that just brings them together to make sure they're utilizing those funds.
Are there additional questions by the committee? Seeing none, there's no one signed up to speak for or against this bill. Representative Carr,
Representative John P. Carr
Unverified
1:12:42
would you like to close for your bill? Yes, sir. I would appreciate a motion and a good vote, and with that, I'm closed. Thank you,
Mr. Chair. Representative Carr, it's closed for House Bill 1938. We have a motion on the table to do pass from Representative Cozart. Is there any discussion on that motion? I see no discussion. All in favor say aye. All opposed. Congratulations, Representative Carr. You have passed your bill.
Now, members, we will continue with Representative Carr. You're recognized for HB1939. Thank you,
Representative John P. Carr
Unverified
1:13:08
sir. And what this one does, this with the educator effectiveness system, and what that is, that is where the instructional leaders go into the classrooms. And whether it be a formative or a summative, it's using the platform of providing that guidance, that high-quality feedback, And what this does, it says that for those teachers that are getting the National Board certified pay or if they are qualifying for the merit pay, that this ensures that those observations are being put into the system.
So what it's saying is for them to get that, that the administrator or the instructional leader in that building has on file a formative or a summative observation. Those are required anyway, and it's just tying up a gap between that and the National Board or the merit payments. Representative Duke, you're recognized for a question. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll make it quick.
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:14:22
So what's the problem we're fixing, if you
Representative John P. Carr
Unverified
1:14:25
can just summarize it for me real quick? The instructional leaders aren't putting those in the
Speaker 100
1:14:34
systems. Do you have anything to add on that? Yeah, so under the current teacher evaluation system required in law, they're required to do a four-year summative assessment of all teachers. Most principals, and most because it's not all, are doing annual evaluations. Well, a requirement for merit pay is an annual evaluation score.
And so this is just to make sure that those principals who are already doing annual evaluations record that so that a teacher can be eligible for merit pay and that if there is some principals out there who are not doing annual evaluations, that they are doing those so that teachers can be eligible for merit pay. Are there additional questions about the committee? Seeing no additional questions,
we have no one signed up to speak for or against this bill. Would anyone like to speak for or against? Seeing none, Representative Carr, would you like to close for your bill?
Representative John P. Carr
Unverified
1:15:21
Yes, sir. I am closed. And with that, I appreciate a motion due pass and a good vote, please.
Representative Carr is closed for his bill. We have a motion due pass of HB 1939 by Representative Beck. Is there discussion on that motion? Seeing none, all in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed, congratulations to Representative Carr. You
Representative John P. Carr
Unverified
1:15:41
have passed your bill. Thank you. Representative Carr, you're now recognized to present House Bill 1941. Yes, sir. House Bill 1941, what this does is within the Arkansas Department of Education, it reorganizes the boards and the commissions, again, to streamline and to create better efficiency. One factor is the professional licensure standard boards.
They will now handle ethic complaints. Another feature that is being added within this is that ethic complaints can be filed electronically. Prior to this, they have had to have been on paper. And so appeals can still go to the State Board of Education, and it will also eliminate the Academic Facilities Review Board. Representative
Duke, I'm just waiting because I know it's coming.
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:16:29
Thank you, Mr. Chair. You're so kind. You got me with the last one. I was going to have a question until he said the Facilities Board, and then I was like, wait a second. So can you please explain what we're doing with the Facilities Board? I mean, I know
Speaker 99
1:16:44
we're getting rid of it, I guess, but what exactly are we doing here? Right, Courtney Salls for
Speaker 100
1:16:48
the department. So currently, when a school district applies for facilities funding, there is three levels of appeal. This is the middle level, and so we were just trying to create more efficiency by eliminating one of those middle layers.
Ultimately, if a school district is not happy with the decision of the department, they could appeal it to this intermediate board and then up to the commission. honestly every decision was being appealed to the commission so we kind of felt like it was just an extra step that let's just let it go straight to the commission for final decision are there additional questions by the committee seeing none we have no
one signed up to speak for or against this bill would anyone like to speak for against the bill seeing none represent
Representative John P. Carr
Unverified
1:17:31
car would you like to close for your bill yes sir i would like to close and appreciate a motion do pass and a good vote. Thank you,
sir. Representative Carr has closed for his bill, House Bill 1941. We have a motion to do pass from Representative Barker. Is there discussion on that motion? Seeing none, all in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed, congratulations, Representative Carr. You have passed your bill. Thank you,
Mr. Chair. Thank you, committee. Committee, we will hear one more bill. We're going to hear one Senate bill without objection, and then we'll be done for the day. So I will yield the chair to Vice Chair McKenzie. And I apologize. I said we'll be
Representative John P. Carr
Unverified
1:18:03
done for the day. We will recess until after session, and I should clarify myself.
Plus, if I gavel us out, then there's no going back, so.
What was the bill number one more time, Chairman? This is Senate Bill 390, Keith
Brooks, State Rep, District 78. You are recognized. Senate Bill 398, I believe it's on the second page of the agenda.
Members, I am running this bill for Senator English and for Representative Lundstrom. And so if you start to ask me questions, then I will bring Cody to the table to answer questions. But I'm going to read what Representative Lundstrom had prepared for this bill. So this bill is about state apprenticeship. So Arkansas has experienced significant growth in registered apprenticeship and as the state continues to promote apprenticeship as a workforce development, recruitment, or retention strategy, greater state oversight is essential. Transitioning to a state apprenticeship agency will provide a more effective system with less reliance on federal
oversight, allowing Arkansas to better serve its businesses, program sponsors, and apprentices. So this bill establishes Arkansas as a state apprenticeship agency instead of a U.S. Department of Labor office of apprenticeship state. Currently, the U.S. Department of Labor regional office in Dallas has oversight of apprenticeship programs in the state of Arkansas via their state director of apprenticeship who is a federal employee. The state director has authority over the registration, deregistration, and cancellation of apprenticeship programs in Arkansas, Texas, and other states in this region. This causes issues with the speed at which program approvals occur and creates an
environment where the state does not have any input into the approval process of programs and in most cases finds out after the fact. This bill transitioning to a state apprenticeship agency brings those functions in-house within the Department of Commerce. This allows us to be more responsive to Arkansas businesses, program sponsors, and apprentices without relying on the U.S. Department of Labor to facilitate those functions. Since 2019, states such as Alabama, Colorado, Tennessee, and Iowa have recently made the same transition, ensuring that their state owns the relationships instead of the U.S. Department of Labor. In addition, Arkansas,
at least three other states are evaluating the same transition. Currently, 33 states and territories operate state apprenticeship programs. And with that, I'll be happy to have
Cody take any questions. If I could, please, Mr. Chair, bring Cody Weitz. Of course you may. We have Representative Meeks. Once
the witness identifies himself, you're free to ask your question. Cody Weitz, Executive Director of Workforce Connections. Thank you, Mr.
Speaker 198
1:20:40
Chair. So it sounds like a good idea.
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
1:20:46
Just the practical side of this. So is this going to be working with colleges and universities? Are we working with K-12? How do we connect the actual students who would benefit from these programs with these programs yeah all
Speaker 202
1:20:59
the above currently we work with post-secondary education institutions of higher ed nwti k-12 businesses and then also program sponsors across the state that are not necessarily attached to an institution of higher education or k-12 schools so we do a lot of these functions already with the exception of the pieces that representative brooks mentioned as it relates to the registration
deregistration and cancellation so it's like we help with the businesses and the expansion on the the front end. We help on the back end with incentives and funding. And then this middle part is done by the U.S. Department of Labor. And so we're really wanting to focus on implementing that as part of the overall strategy. Okay. So it
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
1:21:32
sounds like most of this is already being done. So any cost to implement this should be fairly minor then. Would that be
Speaker 202
1:21:38
a... Yeah, there's no additional cost to it. We already have staff that are operating these functions and have the ability to do so.
All right. Thank you. That's fantastic. Any other questions from committee? Nope. Representative Nazarenko, you were recognized. Thank you,
Representative Jason Nazarenko
Unverified
1:21:50
Mr. Chairman, I don't see a fiscal impact on this. Is there one with it or
Speaker 11
1:21:57
not? There is none. Okay. You say there is none or there wasn't one? There is
Representative Justin Gonzales
Unverified
1:22:04
no fiscal impact. Okay. There's no cost. Representative Gonzalez-Werthin, you're recognized. Yes. Quick question. Is there any cost to the student that's involved in
Speaker 197
1:22:12
the apprenticeship program? It depends on which program they're involved with. I mean, we as a state, we do a really good
Speaker 202
1:22:17
job of kind of supporting apprentices throughout the process. We invest about $2.4 million on an annual basis to help program sponsors keep tuition
down, reimburse them for program costs that help keep the tuition to an apprentice at a minimum, if not zero. Through an institution of higher education, though, maybe perhaps there are some areas where they are covering the cost of that, but we're working on different ways to resolve that. So, to the point that you're making, though, like, typically an apprentice does not pay tuition to which they go. Yeah. My
question's about cost. No, just kidding. Is anyone recognized to speak for or against the bill? Seeing none, Representative Brooks, you're recognized and closed for your bill.
Thank you, Mr. Chair, committee. I'm closed for a bill and appreciate a motion to do pass on behalf of
Representative Lundgren. We have a motion to do pass. Is there any discussion on the motion? All those in favor, say
aye. All those opposed, nay. Congratulations, you've passed your bill. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, committee. And Mr. Chair, I'll let you recess us again, not to take the authority of the chair, but we'll be recessing until after session today. We have a question
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
1:23:22
for Representative Meeks. I have a question for the chair, whichever chair wants to answer.
According to the agenda, the Agriculture Committee is scheduled to meet in this room 15 minutes upon adjournment. So are we going to meet in here with them or someplace else or after them? It's a new strategy we're working on, house ed,
Speaker 207
1:23:38
ag. That's right. Be as efficient as possible. I will work
Representative John P. Carr
Unverified
1:23:40
those details out and announce after session. All right. Sounds good. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. All right. With that,
we are adjourned until 15 minutes upon adjournment of the House.
Agenda
CONCUR IN SENATE AMENDMENT
Number Sponsor Subtitle
HB1724 B. McKenzie TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS OF DIRECTORS AND SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS; AND TO AMEND THE DATE ON WHICH AN ELECTION OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS HELD.
RE-REFERRED TO COMMITTEE
Number Sponsor Subtitle
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.
REGULAR AGENDA
Number Sponsor Subtitle
HB1710 Vaught TO PROHIBIT A SCHOOL FROM USING OR REFERENCING A PUBLIC SCHOOL RATING IN ANY ADVERTISING, PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL, OR COMMUNICATION DIRECTED TO THE PUBLIC.
HB1727 L. Johnson TO AMEND THE FUNDING AVAILABLE TO ADULT EDUCATION CHARTER SCHOOLS.
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.
HB1755 T. Shephard TO REQUIRE EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ARKANSAS PREVENTION NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY.
SB402 C. Penzo TO PROHIBIT A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT AND AN EDUCATIONAL SERVICE COOPERATIVE FROM REQUIRING OR TAKING CERTAIN ACTIONS RELATED TO EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS.
SB373 Irvin TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS FINANCIAL EDUCATION COMMISSION.
SB390 J. English TO ESTABLISH THE STATE APPRENTICESHIP AGENCY ACT.
HB1081 B. McKenzie TO REPEAL ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES.
HB1139 B. McKenzie TO CREATE THE RELEASED TIME EDUCATION ACT.
HB1825 Wooldridge TO ALLOW A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL TO REQUIRE AN ENROLLED STUDENT TO EARN ONE UNIT OF CREDIT IN A COMPUTER SCIENCE OR COMPUTER SCIENCE-RELATED CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION COURSE IN ORDER TO GRADUATE.
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.
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.
SB352 Stone TO PROHIBIT ANTISEMITISM IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS; AND TO PROHIBIT ANTISEMITISM IN STATE-SUPPORTED INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
HB1806 Vaught TO PROVIDE CURRICULUM TRANSPARENCY FOR PARENTS OF KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE TWELVE STUDENTS; AND TO ALLOW A PARENT TO REVIEW AND OPT OUT OF SELECTED LIBRARY MEDIA MATERIALS FOR HIS OR HER CHILD.
HB1864 Andrews TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY IN STUDENT INSTRUCTION; AND TO CREATE A STANDARDIZED FLEXIBLE SCHOOL CALENDAR SYSTEM FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
HB1874 B. McKenzie AN ACT TO AMEND THE USE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUNDING
THAT EXCEEDS THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT AWARDED TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS UNDER THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 2003.
SB90 J. English TO REQUIRE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO BE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT PUBLIC COMMENT AT EACH MEETING OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
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.
SB425 J. English TO AMEND VARIOUS PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING ENHANCED TRANSPORTATION; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
SB470 J. Dotson TO REQUIRE AN ADULT APPROVED TO OVERSEE THE ADMINISTRATION OF A STATEWIDE STUDENT ASSESSMENT TO CERTAIN STUDENTS IN A VIRTUAL SETTING TO MEET CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS.
SB515 J. Petty TO REQUIRE THAT A UNIT DEDICATED TO ARKANSAS VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES BE INCLUDED WITHIN EXISTING ARKANSAS HISTORY COURSE CONTENT GUIDELINES.
SB522 M. McKee TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING THE ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR MATHEMATICS, SCIENCES, AND THE ARTS; AND TO AMEND THE LAW RELATED TO THE TUITION AND FEES PAID BY STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE ONLINE PROGRAMS.
SB547 D. Sullivan TO REPEAL THE REQUIREMENT THAT A HOMESCHOOLED STUDENT LIVE WITHIN A CERTAIN RADIUS OF A PRIVATE SCHOOL FOR PURPOSES OF PARTICIPATING IN AN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY.
SB467 C. Penzo TO MODIFY THE DEFINITION OF "HEALTHCARE PROVIDER" REGARDING STUDENT ATHLETE CONCUSSION EDUCATION TO INCLUDE CHIROPRACTORS OR CHIROPRACTIC PHYSICIANS.
HB1903 Walker TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE TO PROVIDE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH FLEXIBILITY REGARDING ALTERNATIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS.
HB1924 Puryear TO REPEAL THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION ESTABLISH RULES REGARDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FOUR-DAY SCHOOL WEEKS.
HB1933 McCollum TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING A SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS; AND TO CREATE A RECALL ELECTION AND PETITION FOR REMOVAL FOR A MEMBER OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
HB1938 Joey Carr TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING THE CREATION OF DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLANS AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION.
HB1939 Joey Carr TO AMEND ELIGIBILITY FOR TEACHER INCENTIVE AND MERIT PAY; TO AMEND REQUIREMENTS FOR SUMMATIVE EVALUATIONS; AND TO AMEND SCHOOL DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE MERIT TEACHER INCENTIVE FUND PROGRAM.
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.
HB1941 Joey Carr CONCERNING DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS; AND TO PROTECT ARKANSAS STUDENTS BY ENSURING THE EFFICIENT DISPOSITION OF ETHICS COMPLAINTS AGAINST TEACHERS.
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.
SB484 Irvin TO ESTABLISH A PROCESS WHEREBY A VACANCY IS FILLED ON A SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
SB504 Irvin TO ESTABLISH THE ARKANSAS RURAL PRECEPTORSHIP PROGRAM ACT.
SB559 J. English TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS MILITARY CHILD SCHOOL TRANSITIONS ACT OF 2021.
HB1919 McAlindon TO CREATE THE PUBLIC SCHOOL ACCESS AND TRANSPARENCY ACT; AND TO REQUIRE PUBLIC ACCESS TO LEARNING MATERIALS.
HB1946 Bentley TO REQUIRE HUMAN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT INSTRUCTION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Documents
| Title | Type | Pages | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agenda — EDUCATION COMMITTEE- HOUSE, Apr 7, 2025 | Agenda | 5 | Official source ↗ |
Speakers
Representative Keith Brooks Chair
Unverified
Speaker 4
Representative Brit McKenzie Chair
Unverified
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge
Unverified
Speaker 21
Representative Bruce Cozart
Unverified
Representative Matt Brown
Unverified
Representative Justin Gonzales
Unverified
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
Speaker 51
Representative Rick Beck
Unverified
Representative Denise Garner
Unverified
Speaker 99
Speaker 100
Speaker 107
Representative Sonia Eubanks Barker
Unverified
Representative Jason Nazarenko
Unverified
Speaker 120
Speaker 121
Speaker 122
Chair
Unverified
Representative Stetson Painter
Unverified
Speaker 127
Speaker 134
Speaker 155
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
Representative John P. Carr
Unverified
Speaker 2
Speaker 187
Speaker 198
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
Speaker 202
Speaker 11
Speaker 197
Speaker 207