Education Committee- House
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Transcript
1 document
Bills discussed (41)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
HB1495
· 3 mentions in chapter, agenda, transcript
Matched: “HB1495 Hawk CONCERNING THE TRANSFER OF A STUDENT'S PERMANENT SCHOO…”
|
CONCERNING THE TRANSFER OF A STUDENT'S PERMANENT SCHOOL RECORD. | Hawk | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1733
Act 504
· 3 mentions in transcript, agenda, chapter
Matched: “…st, uh, real quick also without objection, we're gonna move HB 1733 by Representative Carr from Fiscal Impact to the regular ag…”
|
TO AMEND VARIOUS PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING THE ARKANSAS BETTER CHANCE PROGRAM ACT. | Joey Carr | Notification that HB1733 is now Act 504 |
|
HB1810
Act 796
· 3 mentions in chapter, agenda, transcript
Matched: “HB1810 Joey Carr TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNI…”
|
TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING THE ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND AND … | Joey Carr | Notification that HB1810 is now Act 796 |
|
HB1062
Act 565
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…THE SCHOOLS PROGRAM. REGULAR AGENDA Number Sponsor Subtitle HB1062 R. Scott TO CREATE THE TEACHER AND STUDENT PROTECTION ACT O…”
|
TO CREATE THE TEACHER AND STUDENT PROTECTION ACT OF 2025. | R. Scott Richardson | Notification that HB1062 is now Act 565 |
|
HB1646
Act 917
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…ICULUM AT STATE-SUPPORTED INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION. HB1646 McGrew TO REQUIRE CERTAIN MATERIALS TO BE STORED IN LOCKED…”
|
TO REQUIRE CERTAIN MATERIALS TO BE STORED IN LOCKED COMPARTMENTS WITHIN A DESIGNATED AREA. | McGrew | Notification that HB1646 is now Act 917 |
|
HB1672
Act 800
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…ERNING THE TRANSFER OF A STUDENT'S PERMANENT SCHOOL RECORD. HB1672 McCollum TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE TO CREATE…”
|
TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE TO CREATE A MORE EFFICIENT SYSTEM FOR PUBLIC … | McCollum | Notification that HB1672 is now Act 800 |
|
HB1696
Act 566
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1696 McAlindon TO ESTABLISH THE STRENGTHENING ARKANSAS EDUCATION…”
|
TO ESTABLISH THE STRENGTHENING ARKANSAS EDUCATION ACT; AND TO PROVIDE A CORE CURRICULUM AT STATE-SUPPORTED … | McAlindon | Notification that HB1696 is now Act 566 |
|
HB1709
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “AGENDA (Revised 3/19/2025 @ 6:04 PM) Added HB1709 House Committee on Education Thursday, March 20, 2025 10:00…”
|
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 chapter, agenda
Matched: “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 |
|
HB1027
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…TS FOR THE GED TEST. 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: “…RE ARKANSAS BRIGHTER FUTURE FUND PLAN ACCOUNT. Page 2 of 4 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…”
|
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 agenda
Matched: “…IC SCHOOLS ADDRESSES CERTAIN HEALTH ISSUES FACING STUDENTS. 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 |
|
HB1139
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…NT AND ADMINISTRATION OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES. HB1139 B. McKenzie TO CREATE THE RELEASED TIME EDUCATION ACT. HB12…”
|
TO CREATE THE RELEASED TIME EDUCATION ACT. | B. McKenzie | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1242
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…NT AT EACH MEETING OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS. HB1242 J. Mayberry TO AMEND THE MECHANISM BY WHICH SCHOOL NURSES A…”
|
TO AMEND THE MECHANISM BY WHICH SCHOOL NURSES ARE COMPENSATED. | J. Mayberry | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1283
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…DITIONAL CATEGORY OF FUNDING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING. HB1283 J. Mayberry TO REQUIRE THE DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECON…”
|
TO REQUIRE THE DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION TO INCLUDE DIGITAL MEDIA STANDARDS IN … | J. Mayberry | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1312
Act 909
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…Staff Only'. 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 |
|
HB1457
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…SCHOOL IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE TO ENROLL IN A HOME SCHOOL. HB1457 L. Johnson TO REQUIRE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO SUBMIT DATA AND OTH…”
|
TO REQUIRE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO SUBMIT DATA AND OTHER INFORMATION RELATED TO A PUBLIC SCHOOL … | L. Johnson | WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR |
|
HB1482
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…RT CARD TO INCLUDE A STUDENT'S CURRENT READING GRADE LEVEL. 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. |
|
HB1483
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE TWELVE LIBRARY MEDIA STANDARDS. HB1483 Gramlich TO ALLOW A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT TO USE STATE FUN…”
|
TO ALLOW A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT TO USE STATE FUNDS TO PAY FOR AN ADULT … | Gramlich | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1484
Act 910
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…TYPE 2 DIABETES WHEN OTHER HEALTH INFORMATION IS PROVIDED. HB1484 Gramlich TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF CREDITS A STUDENT MAY OBTAI…”
|
TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF CREDITS A STUDENT MAY OBTAIN IN A COURSE CREDIT RECOVERY … | Gramlich | Notification that HB1484 is now Act 910 |
|
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. |
|
HB1492
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…S A STUDENT MAY OBTAIN IN A COURSE CREDIT RECOVERY PROGRAM. HB1492 Gramlich TO REQUIRE EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT AND OPEN-EN…”
|
TO REQUIRE EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT AND OPEN-ENROLLMENT PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL TO IMPLEMENT A MOBILE … | Gramlich | Recommended for study in the Interim by the … |
|
HB1528
· 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: “…ENTS FOR A STUDENT WHO TAKES A GED TEST AND RECEIVES A GED. 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. |
|
HB1580
Act 801
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…N PROGRAM USING A UNIFORM STATEWIDE DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM. HB1580 Gramlich TO REQUIRE SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE CERTAIN INFORMATION…”
|
TO REQUIRE SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE CERTAIN INFORMATION ON TYPE 1 AND TYPE 2 DIABETES WHEN … | Gramlich | Notification that HB1580 is now Act 801 |
|
HB1719
Act 905
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…UNDING AMOUNTS UNDER THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 2003. HB1719 Vaught TO AMEND THE DAYS INCLUDED IN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MA…”
|
TO AMEND THE DAYS INCLUDED IN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MATERNITY LEAVE DAYS APPROVED BY … | Vaught | Notification that HB1719 is now Act 905 |
|
HB1728
Act 906
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…IC CHARTER SCHOOL TO IMPLEMENT A MOBILE PANIC ALERT SYSTEM. HB1728 Ennett TO REQUIRE REPORTING ON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS RECEI…”
|
TO REQUIRE REPORTING ON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS RECEIVING ACCOMMODATIONS FOR A DISABILITY AT INSTITUTIONS … | Ennett | Notification that HB1728 is now Act 906 |
|
HB1755
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…RENTS TO BRING THEIR INFANTS SIX MONTHS OR YOUNGER TO WORK. 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. |
|
HB1756
Act 803
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…ICIPATE IN THE ARKANSAS PREVENTION NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY. HB1756 Vaught TO ALLOW A PARENT, LEGAL GUARDIAN, OR PERSON STANDIN…”
|
TO ALLOW A PARENT, LEGAL GUARDIAN, OR PERSON STANDING IN LOCO PARENTIS TO A STUDENT … | Vaught | Notification that HB1756 is now Act 803 |
|
HB1761
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…D MAINTAIN THE COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS THE STUDENT OBTAINS. 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. |
|
HB1766
Act 907
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…SMENTS PUBLIC SCHOOLS MAY PROVIDE TO STUDENTS. Page 3 of 4 HB1766 Ennett TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS RESPOND, INNOVATE, SUCCEED, A…”
|
TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS RESPOND, INNOVATE, SUCCEED, AND EMPOWER (RISE) ACT. | Ennett | Notification that HB1766 is now Act 907 |
|
HB1786
Act 826
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…EEDOM ACCOUNTS IN THE 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR AND THEREAFTER. HB1786 Brooks TO PROVIDE ELIGIBILITY FOR A TUITION BENEFIT TO SOLD…”
|
TO PROVIDE ELIGIBILITY FOR A TUITION BENEFIT TO SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN OF THE ARKANSAS NATIONAL … | Brooks | Notification that HB1786 is now Act 826 |
|
HB1793
Act 804
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…PRIVATE TWO- YEAR AND FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. HB1793 Duke TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE USE OF POSITIVE BEHAVI…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE USE OF POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL SUPPORTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS. | Duke | Notification that HB1793 is now Act 804 |
|
HB1805
Act 805
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…MITISM IN STATE-SUPPORTED INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION. HB1805 Childress TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF "BULLYING"; AND TO CRE…”
|
TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF "BULLYING"; AND TO CREATE A PROCESS WHEREBY A PUBLIC SCHOOL … | Childress | Notification that HB1805 is now Act 805 |
|
HB1806
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…HE SAME ALLEGATION OF BULLYING UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. 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. |
|
HB1812
Act 918
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…T OF SELECTED LIBRARY MEDIA MATERIALS FOR HIS OR HER CHILD. HB1812 Gramlich TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT AND ACCO…”
|
TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT; TO CREATE AN EXCEPTION TO ATTENDANCE … | Gramlich | Notification that HB1812 is now Act 918 |
|
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: “…TIONS FOR A DISABILITY AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION. 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 |
|
SB352
Act 721
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…OF POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL SUPPORTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS. 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 |
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- October 2, 2026
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
0:12
education, if you would please stand. I'll have Representative Cozart start us in prayer this morning.
Thank you, Representative members without objection. As you would come to expect with me, we're going to jump around a little bit on the agenda based upon how it's listed. Uh, first, uh, real quick also without objection, we're gonna move HB 1733 by Representative Carr from Fiscal Impact to the regular agenda this morning. It has no fiscal impact on it, uh, so we're gonna move that without objection so we can hear that bill today. So we're gonna, as I said, move around on the agenda. First we're going to hear HB
1495 by Representative Hawke. This does have an amendment. Representative Hawke, if you would please introduce. yourself for the record and you are recognized to present
Representative RJ Hawk
Unverified
1:35
your amendment. Thank you Mr. Chair. Committee Representative RJ Hawk, District 81, uh, the, the amendment before you, all it does
is add some lines concerning uh foster children and their disciplinary records, and that's all the
amendment does to add it to the current bill. Representative Hawk has
presented the amendments. We have a motion to adopt as a discussion on the motion. See
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:58
no discussion. All in favor say aye. all opposed. Congratulations, your amendment's been adopted. Now you're recognized representative Hawk to present HB 1495 as amended. Is there anyone you need to bring to the table with
Speaker 15
2:08
you? I could, could I get Jeremy Laster with the Bryant School District you join me, Mr.
Lester, welcome, if you would please introduce yourself and you're recognized to with Hawk.
Speaker 18
2:20
Thank you, Mr. Chairman Jeremy Lassiter with Bryant
Representative RJ Hawk
Unverified
2:25
Public Schools. Committee, this is a bill that I've been working on now for a little over a year.
Um, it was a problem that, uh, every year I, I meet with uh representatives from Grant County, Saline County, uh, and the surrounding areas, the school superintendents and uh one thing that has come about is that when a child transfers or just uh gets expelled, uh, the disciplinary records of that child don't transfer with the
child and um we've seen not only in Saline County, but In surrounding school districts that oftentimes if that disciplinary record would have transferred, we would have known, you know, how to place that student into um a special classroom for, for help or in some situations there was, there were violent children that that came into the school that had we known on the front end, uh, with their disciplinary records, they may have not been accepted into school because of a, a past track record of violent behavior. And so what this does
is it it is for both public and private schools. I have talked to some private schools about this, and um it's ingoing or outcoming. So if you want to transfer into a private school or a public school or transferred out. All we're saying is that your disciplinary records transfer with you no matter where you go, so, uh, disciplinary records, you may not have anything. You, we have, we have students that uh are, are great students and they, they may not ever have a record. Then we have some that do, and it could be as little as, you know, um,
Pushing a kid up against a locker or something like that, but at least it's, it's documented so that the school that they go to is then notified of any behavior that was at that previous school. Uh, why is this needed? Um, since this bill has been, has been put out. I've had a host of parents that have reached out to me about this bill and said, you know, uh, we're, we're for school choice. We love the idea of school choice, but in our communities, if we have somebody that transfers in, we'd like to know a little bit of history on that, that child that comes into our communities. And, and so
it's a safe thing for the, the children that are already at the school, uh, and, and the teachers that are involved just to kind of know the backlog of, of what is going on with that child and with that, I'll take. Any questions.
Chair
Unverified
4:39
Representative Duke, you're recognized for a question. Thank
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
4:42
you, Mr. Chair. I wouldn't want to disappoint my members by not asking the question, so,
um, thank you for bringing this bill. I, my question to begin with is, does the school district that they are requesting to join, have the
ability to say, in light of the disciplinary records. No, you may not. Right now we can
Speaker 27
5:04
uh um deny a school or deny a transfer if a student has been expelled, but we have to give them a
Speaker 29
5:10
second hearing, and so this bill would address that under this bill, it would allow but not require a receiving school district to deny it, uh, as Representative Ha mentioned, the key to this bill is just to get the information. Uh, there are several times in our school district where we've, you know,
accepted a student who had been expelled just because we have services on the front end that we could offer them, um, sometimes we can't, but. Just having that information is the key. Follow up
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
5:37
Also With this, I'm assuming their absences. That they recruited that
school that they're leaving from, does that play into this bill because in our area, I'm hearing people are hitting top topping out on one school with absences, and then they moved to another
school and they don't know and the clock starts ticking again and of course that also is a sign of lots of other issues going on in the home when there's absences depending on where it is. So does that factor into
Speaker 29
6:09
this as well? We do have access right now to absences in the system that we can see, uh, sometimes, um, we can do something about that if it's within the same county when it comes to when truancy comes into play, uh, sometimes we can't, but, um, but we do currently have access to that information.
Representative Justin Gonzales
Unverified
6:28
Represent Barnett, you're recognized for a question. It's already been asked. Represent Gonzalez were then you recognize. Thank you, Chairman. Um, I
have a quick question. If, for example, the student is denied to attend. A private or a public school? Where do they go to school? It's
Speaker 18
6:50
during a period of expulsion, they don't, they probably wouldn't go to any school, uh, but you do have another provision in Arkansas law that's
Speaker 29
6:59
been there for a while. It says even during periods of expulsion or suspension of the school, the student still uh can have access to educational services to continue to make educational progress, and so that's not uncommon even within a school district where a student has been expelled so they don't come to school every day. The school district still does provide access uh to education during that period of expulsion. Follow
Representative Justin Gonzales
Unverified
7:25
up. This is the school that to provide the um, their, their content materials or
lessons, etc. the school where they were expelled from, they would continue to supply those materials until that expulsion has been completed and then they can apply to another school. Yes ma'am that's that's in current law.
Representative Justin Gonzales
Unverified
7:48
completed, that's what I was wondering. Can they, you know, what happens to a child that that They're having difficulty finding a school that accepts them after the expulsion.
Speaker 29
8:04
Once the expulsion is over with, uh, then they're treated like any other student seeking to transfer. There's no, there wouldn't even under this law be any bar for a student, uh, to, to enroll in a school district once their expulsion is completed. This would only apply apply to a current or pending
Representative RJ Hawk
Unverified
8:21
expulsions. And I would also say on that, with that expulsion, those the big thing about this is the disciplinary records that were on that would transfer to the new schools. So if let's say Bryant, for example, accepted
that that child, that file that they had at their previous school would be on record now at Bryant for everything that they did at the previous school so that they would have that and let's say that the child then left Bryant and went to, to Benton or whatever, uh, that file would then transfer from Bryant to Benton. On, on basically their course load since they've been a student in public schools or private schools. Reson Brown, you recognize for a question. It's been Person Duke.
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
9:07
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So just so I make sure I understand the, the school that they, that student is trying to transfer out of. And that
student has Do they have to have current disciplinary action against them or just the file that shows maybe a pattern of disciplinary problems and with that information, the receiving school district is able to make a determination at that point whether they're going to accept that transfer or not. Is that correct? This is limited just to expulsions or pending
Speaker 29
9:37
expulsions, so, uh, right now as it exists, we, we might have very basic information about uh past disciplinary minor disciplinary, um. Information about a student, but this bill would only seek to look at expulsions or pending expulsions. Uh, but as Representative Hawke said all that hopefully would be in that education record that's transferred with the student. Represent Furman. Representative Garner, you're
Representative Denise Garner
Unverified
10:08
recognized. Thank you. I just have a quick question about process. Any idea about how this would work, who gets that information and who decides how, how the, any maybe Desi needs to answer, but how those rules will be propagated. Or which
Speaker 61
10:20
rules. I can tell you that usually what happens in
Speaker 27
10:26
terms of our process between school districts is if a student was seeking to transfer into our school district, uh, they would try to
Speaker 29
10:32
enroll and then we would send a records request or looking in try and uh through uh the state system uh
to get basic information about that student to go ahead and enroll them. Uh, with this bill, if there would be a a mandatory uh notification to us if the child was expelled or pending expulsion, and that would be that would enable us to get more detailed records to be able to make a decision, uh, and at that point, you know, our school district would decide whether we could or could not uh enroll the student
Speaker 64
11:01
given that information. Superintendent usually, yes, ma'am. And Representative Garner, what I would also say is
Representative RJ Hawk
Unverified
11:06
that on page 2, line 18, um.
Every school is gonna have to have a certified staff member that's gonna that's gonna handle these records, so, um, and to verify the validity of the records so that, um, you know, if, if, if Bryant were to request those records, they would go to that certified person, they would send it on, so every school would have that certified person be handling those records. Orim Brown, you're recognized for a question. Thank you, Mr. Chair. So you just write, I now have
Representative Matt Brown
Unverified
11:42
another question, um, you just said that. If they requested the records. What if they don't request
the records? How, how then does that trail of behavior follow the child if it goes to a if that child goes to another school. It's my understanding, and Jeremy
Representative RJ Hawk
Unverified
11:56
can correct me if I'm wrong. Um, that anybody that goes before the school board
to transfer into the school, those records are gonna be requested no matter what, um, so just so that you know you're gonna, you're gonna know the back history on that person. So, uh, it says in here that that those
will be, shall be requested uh for for those students and so when that, when that school board meeting takes place, that, that information will be requested well in advance before the school board meeting takes place. Thank you. And just I support
Representative Matt Brown
Unverified
12:26
this bill, but I just have one other question, uh, and I, and I suppose this is, I'm hoping
it's rare anyway. Uh, what do you do with the student that um schools just find. It's difficult, you know, impossible or don't, don't want
they don't want that student in their school. What, what happened? What? Well, um, we typically
Speaker 29
12:47
try to work with the student to the extent that we can, so the options in this case to say if a student has been expelled for the semester and they try to enroll in our school district. We're gonna get those records. We're gonna see, uh, can we go ahead and enroll them in spite of the fact that they've been expelled at a different school. If not, uh, what we would do is talk to the parent and say, As soon as this expulsion's over at the end of the semester, you can enroll here, um, during the time that they're expelled as I was explaining a little bit
earlier, there is another state law that you have on the books that allows that student to continue to get educational resources, um, while during that period of expulsion. Once the expulsion's over, there's really no bar for them to be able to enroll at any school? Right. Thank you. Appreciate that. Vice Chairman McKenzie, you recognize for question. Thank you,
Mr. Chair. I've spoken with bill sponsor. I'm not gonna, I won't belabor the point. I'm just I'm a little
Representative Brit McKenzie
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concerned about the way the language is written in terms of allowing the transfer I don't know how we use the the vernacular, the, the
receiving school district, a lot of discretion in the in the picking and choosing in a, in a choice environment that we're in. I also have some concern with um. As it reads, you know, uh, districts may adopt a policy, but then shall do X, Y, and Z underneath it. Um, discipline does not mean the same thing everywhere. I think we can all agree that why and how we get to the point if we need to discipline a child for and the examples used are horrific, and I agree if there are some of those grave, grave
offenses, yes, those need to be flagged. I do think to a certain degree our judicial system will capture some of that. Um, we are an open court system even with juveniles, a subpoena can be given. There's, there's ways and, and levers in which we can extract information from courts for pending um Uh, for pending litigation. Um But discipline from a private school to a public school that that that reaches the level of expulsion because of the nature of the private school can be different, um, if it's a faith-based school and the objections and the reason for
expulsion is on is on the basis of no adherence to whatever, you know, Um, uh, whatever scriptural doctrinal uh exercise they want them to and or uh an outright exercise of their faith that's in, in conflict with that school could result in an expulsion. Is that now we've now required the private school to log that onto a folder that we send to a different school that you as a public school, which, you know, have to take everybody, and not only in a, in an era of school choice, but I mean, that's, that's the mantra of public
schools. Anyone who walks the door, we're going to serve, um, that, that could put it into a weird. perspective where you're picking, hey, what discipline are we going to acknowledge or not acknowledge, um, you know, I want to have a better understanding. I know you mentioned the Little Rock schools, how we got to the place where the conscription for private schools is is not only nice or needed or could be a mate, but it's a shout we have to require it. So, and I appreciate the question. One, so I've actually spoken
Representative RJ Hawk
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to some private schools about this, and one thing that was said to me was, They like this and the fact that
let's say your example was that the student was at a private school and they got for whatever reason that was religious and they got expelled, right? They then go to a a public school. And then a year later, the parents go, we're going to try to enroll into a different private school, right? So that disciplinary record is gonna continue with them and so why they got expelled from that first private school, by the time they got back to that next private school, that private school could see why they got expelled. And so I think that's the reasoning why we just want
the documents to follow, uh, the child from wherever they go, uh, because there, there are instances that uh uh a parent may go, um, you know, we're, we're not working out. private school A, we're gonna try public school B and then it didn't work out here, so we're going to go back to a private school, you know, and, and so I, I think that's just the main focus on this is letting there be a, a track record and let that disciplinary file follow and just so everybody involved
Representative Denise Garner
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gets to see, see the track history. Thank you. Garner, you're recognized for a question. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just have one more question that you've kind of brought up. Are the parents involved in the decision making at all, you said. You call the parents and tell them whether they're coming in or going out, but. Uh, or where they can be enrolled, but are they involved in the, the, the process of decision making. Yes ma'am,
Speaker 46
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as long as the child is not 18 years or older, um, we're gonna involve the parents, uh, they're gonna be the primary point of
Speaker 64
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contact in these types of discussions. And just out
Representative Denise Garner
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17:22
of curiosity, is there a difference between what you do and elementary as opposed to high school, say, or well, there, there are different laws that
Speaker 29
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apply for elementary, uh, students, so there is a law on the books with regard to. Elementary students that, that, you know, they can only be suspended or expelled for very limited circumstances and so the process under this bill would be the same but we would certainly take all of those factors into consideration and making the decision.
Speaker 86
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Or additional questions by the committee. Seeing none, we do not have anyone who signed
up to speak for or against the bill. Would anyone like to speak on the bill? Seeing nonrepresentative Hawk, would you like to
Representative RJ Hawk
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close for your bill? Yeah, yes, sir, at the end of the day, this is a safety thing for our schools, our parents, and this is something that uh schools are asking for just to have that track record to go uh from student to student. I think that in the world that we live in, uh, which, by the way, I, I did support school choice and I think that it's a great thing, but we should know what what's
Speaker 10
18:22
going on with our kids, um, from school to school and so, uh, with that, I would ask for a good vote. As
amended. Representative Hawke has close to his bill as amended. We have a motion on the table of do pass as amended. There's a discussion on the motion? Representative Ko recognized for discussion. I think this is a
Representative Bruce Cozart
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good bill. You know, we talk about school safety all the time. This fits right in with school safety and the things that happen with the mental issues that we have in a lot of our schools and things
like this, you know, if, if they're not. Addressed in some way and you've got a kid or a parent that's just moving a kid here and there, uh, to try to keep them in school. I understand that there's other ways to, uh, school them. They can homeschool them. There's a lot of other ways they can do it, uh, but instead of putting other kids and teachers at risk, and I believe this is a good bill. Ian McKenzie recognize for discussion. Thank you. And again, I've talked to this bill
Representative Brit McKenzie
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19:22
bill sponsor. I, I have to be opposed and it's, it's not out of mouth. It's really, I think it's, it's important and there's, it's 80/20, 80% of this bill, it will capture and we need to have that, those signals of, of those folks who need more interventions, um, probably more in their social life than they do in the schoolroom. Um, I am worried about maybe some of the unintended consequences that follow underneath, um, and some of the conscription on on private schools, but uh I appreciate the bill and I think this is a good first step, and we can keep working. I'm not asking. Amendments. I'm gonna ask you to pull down. Maybe there's some more there, there, so uh with that I'll be against, but thank
you for bringing it. Represent Brown, you're recognized for discussion. Thank you,
Representative Matt Brown
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Mr. Chair. I'm concerned that this is going to abolish the opportunity school choice. Is that um Now. No. All right. Additional discussion
Speaker 99
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Presentative Brown. No, I guess not. Representative Duke
Representative Hope Duke
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you recognize for discussion. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, I am supportive of this
bill, and part of the reason why is that's been one of the concerns that I've heard from school districts is students who are running away from discipline and school
districts not knowing what's happening when someone's coming in, and we hear a lot about discipline issues in our school districts. We hear a lot about that being a reason why teachers are leaving the profession and
we also hear, at least I do. I hear a lot about people concerns with behaviors. that are affecting other students too. And so, um,
I I think this is for as far as unintended consequences, I think we've had some unintended consequences in legislation, um, all, we all have that all the time over the years, but not honoring expulsions,
I think has been one that has been an unintended consequence that's happened with some of the legislation because I think we all would agree that kids need consequences and they need to face, they're going to grow better, they're going to be
better citizens if they face the consequences from the decisions that they had and if they're able to move from a district and basically avoid an v ul sion that's, that's a problem and I know in my district at least, um, I have, I know from family and friends who attend private schools, they see that the other direction too, because they see some of the public school kids who get expelled and end up in their system too. And so it There may be a sweeter spot to it, and there may be some things, quite frankly, I think there needs to be a little bit
more ability for schools to have some discretion whenever there's really significant discipline problems that maybe were in the past, but that's for another day. But I think this is a good start in teaching our kids consequences to their actions and supporting the classroom and the decisions made by educators across all the school lines. So I'll be voting for this bill. Seeing no additional discussion
by the committee. All in favor say aye. All opposed. Congratulations, Representative Hawke, your bill is passed as amended. Thank you, committee. Committee without objection,
again, we're going to move down the list first couple of recognitions. Uh, we do have former House Representatives member and education committee member Charlene Feidt, who's here with us. So I want to recognize Representative Fike, glad you're here. And a bit of point of personal privilege. I have a, a, a young friend from church who is here, Mr. Griffin Smith is also here. I believe he's gonna be speaking on a bill here in just a moment. Griffin's one of the coolest kids you'll ever meet. So, uh, let's recognize Griffin. Griffin, give us away, buddy.
All right. Without objection, we're gonna move down the agenda to HB 1810. Representative Joey Carr. We do have an amendment on this to adopt, if you would please, uh, introduce yourself and you recognize to present your amendment. And with the chair's
Representative John P. Carr
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permission I'd like for uh Ms. Nicole Walsh to join me, please. Yes, sir. Miss Walsh, please
Representative Hope Duke
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23:21
introduce yourself as well for the record. Staff is passing out the amendment that we will adopt here. Representative Joey Carr, District 34.
Representative Jessie McGruder
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23:35
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Chairman. Um, it's a pleasure to be here. I'm Nicole Walsh, superintendent of the Arkansas School for the
Representative John P. Carr
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23:47
Deaf. One major part on the amendment that's going around is, uh, we discovered we needed to include the emergency clause. And the main factor on the emergency clause was to deal with the Title 19 funding provisional codes.
We had to To include the emergency clause. So that
fact because of the Title 19 provisional funding codes. And so there's a lot of legality that is wrapped around those funding codes. Representative Carr has presented the amendment or the question on the amendment.
Representative Hope Duke
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See no questions, we have a motion to adopt. The discussion on that motion. See none all in favor say aye. All opposed. Congratulations, you've adopted your amendment. Uh, you're now recognized
representative Carr to present HB 1810 as submitted. All right. Thank
Representative John P. Carr
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24:47
you, Mr. Chair. All right. House Bill 1810, uh, what it does, it deals with the unification of the school for the blind and the school for the deaf. Currently, there are two separate entities. And 11 negative result of this is we have several students that are blind and deaf and they are not receiving the complete support. That's one of the struggles is to, to, to ensure that all that takes place. We
want to create. A cohesive process of operation to ensure that every one of these students' needs are met. Uh, to provide the best educational Opportunity and experience that they can receive uh this unification plan has been shared and conveyed to all stakeholders, the students, the parents, staff for well over one calendar year. This will create a single board
of directors that will represent both the, the deaf and the blind students, and they will each have a parental advocate. There will be a Deaf parent advocate and a blind parent advocate. In unifying these two schools, it will create greater security. For safety, also a more effective and structural support for their individual learning needs from an administrative perspective of which I was an elementary principal for 13 years, you know, this, this brings all the pieces together.
It creates for you guys in business whatever the perfect flow chart, uh, to ensure that that no student falls through the gaps. Um, along with that, it better utilizes the resources. And also personnel. Uh, we'll have several students here today to share their perspective. You see, there's a lot of language that has been stricken out a lot of it is an antiquated
language. A lot of it is they've moved certain parts. That is stricken out later, they moved it earlier and it's included, so instead of the repeat, so it's, it's cleaned up language. I, I do have, if you have any questions on any language that's stricken out, I do have Responses for you. But most of it is antiquated
language. It's updating processes, 11 primary factor as well in that, in that language that's removed. It, it's converting the board of directors. With them being unified now, they are more like a public school board than what they were before. And so it just brings, uh, brings them up to to date
more, more so like a private charter school or a public school.
Are the questions from the committee for Representative Carr. in Maybury, you're recognized for
Representative John P. Carr
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28:08
a question. Thank you, Mr. Chair. So this is an 11 page of amendment. And it's just a lot to to digest. I think that these are minor changes, but. Just being given an 11 page amendment I'm trying to understand what what it is that's different versus what's in the bill that we may have
already read. Can there just be a little bit more explanation might bring Miss Courtney Sales Ford
to the table, please, if she wants to come, you sure can.
Representative Hope Duke
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28:39
that way. The Sasport, if you would please introduce yourself to the record
Speaker 128
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and you're recognized as her spine. Your usual seat, huh? Good morning, Courtney Salisford, Department of Education, um, so the amendment sections were, were ones that were brought to us by uh DFNA,
um, everything that we did in the original bill had to do with the school and how it operates everything that is in the amendment was kind of like a a find and replace of other sections that reference the school while not actually impacting anything at the school. So, um, things about retirement, things about how they. Each school had a separate account on the books with the state and now there will be one account and so moving all the assets, all the funding, um, consolidating all that into one account versus separate accounts. So there's nothing
substantive in the amendment regarding actual operation of the school. And I mean, I can walk through every section with you, but like you said, it is
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
29:40
11 pages. OK. So not really changing too much of what was in here. No, it's
Representative John P. Carr
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29:44
not what was in the other bill still is in the other bill. This is in addition to and then an emergency clause which didn't exist before the emergency clause was
Speaker 128
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in there, but standard emergency clauses mean that the bill takes effect immediately. So the day that the governor would sign it, um, and
again, DFNA brought it to our attention that that would cause havoc with the way finances are done. And so the exist the original emergency clause was changed to say that it's effective on July 1. So there was an emergency clause, but this is actually pushing it back to July 1, so that that's the first day of the fiscal year, um, and DFNA can do all of their financial things on the first day of the fiscal year. OK, and can I
Representative John P. Carr
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30:25
ask another question, kind of slightly different topic. Explain to me
how the board is going to be assigned to this.
Representative Jessie McGruder
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30:44
so currently our board of trustees is made up of a representatives from both school communities, um, and we would like to continue that, but to bring things together a little bit more closely, so, um, we would like to continue to have a representative from the blind community or representative from the deaf community, um, folks
who represent other areas, so right now one of our board members, um, works at the University of. Arkansas Little Rock, um, in orientation of mobility, which is a specialty specifically for the blonde. We also have parent representatives um from both the deaf and the blind school. And so what this will do is allow us to pull that together even a little bit more closely versus having one of each from each school. It will allow us to say, OK, you have a deaf blind child, that makes sense for you to also sit on the board, um, so instead of us having that definitive,
these many from this place, these many from this place, we can really tie things together a little bit more closely. And how are they
Representative John P. Carr
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31:39
appointed or elected to the board? by the governor. Confirmed by the Senate. Or just directly appointed by the governor. No, they're
Speaker 128
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just appointed by the governor like she does for the state Board of Education and many other boards throughout the state. No confirmation from
Representative John P. Carr
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31:55
the governor, and that's currently what the way it is right now, I believe so. That is the current
Representative Julie Mayberry
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31:59
the current practice right now, yes, thank you.
Representative Hope Duke
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32:10
Are there additional questions about the committee? Seeing none, we do have several people signed up to speak on the bill. We'll take those in order. First we have Philip Powell, the
Speaker 144
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board of trustees. Philip, if you would please introduce yourself for the record and you recognize to speak on the bill.
Speaker 150
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Powell with the board of trustees on the score for the deaf in school for the blind. Uh, thank you for having me here today and uh thank you. I wanna thank Representative Carl and, uh, Miss Walsh here for their support on this side was appointed by Governor Sanders to the board, uh, March of last year, and I am also deaf. I was born deaf. I wear a cochlear implant, so, um, this move will be fantastic for young deaf and blind children. I know firsthand the importance of having a good
education because with deaf children, the sooner you can help them start learning. The better outcomes we have, and I want, I joined the board because I care. I had success in my life. Now one makes sure deaf children have the same success, and I believe the unification of the schools will allow for that, and uh, so I'll keep it short and that's all I'll have, and I'm happy to take any questions or anything. Thank you. Other questions for Mr. Powell? Because Representative McGruder, you're recognized for
Representative Jessie McGruder
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33:38
a question. How many students are we talking
about putting into this facility or building. We currently
have 167 students, um, between both schools. Thank you, Mr. 107 at the deaf school and 60-ish at
Speaker 108
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the blind school. Seeing no additional questions. Thank you for your time, Mr. Powell.
Representative Hope Duke
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33:59
Next up we have Robert Fagen. More a trustees Mr. Fein, if you would please introduce yourself for the
Speaker 155
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record and you're recognized right there. Thank you very much. Good
Robert Fagen
Unverified
34:17
morning, everyone. My name is Robert Fagen. It's been my honor to serve on the board of trustees,
Speaker 157
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uh, for the past 4.5 years. I am currently now the chair of the board. So I want to tell you kind of what happened in the beginning when the discussions were brought up to consolidate the two schools. I had some reservations and I wanted to do some research in it and and take a look at it just like you guys are doing now. So
Secretary Leva, I met with him and he sent me and two other people down to the Florida school for the deaf and blind. To do a tour And so when we went down there we saw this little short lady Tracy Snow who's the president of the school for the blind and deaf down there in Saint Augustine. She was running that whole campus. With 560 students. Now there are bigger populated state than we are, we get that so what we brought back from that trip was that we wanted to do what they
are doing just on a smaller scale. Uh, like Ms. Walsh said, we only have like 160 students on both campuses, so, um, What also happened was at that time, uh, I had two interim superintendents. Uh, and we wanted to, we knew this was gonna come to pass eventually and so we wanted to hire a superintendent. Um So we did a nationwide search we interviewed the board,
interviewed 10. Candidates And we happen to find a person. Who was not only certified to teach the blind and visually impaired child, she was also certified to teach deaf children as well and I hope you understand that that is a very rare thing in our country so we found that in Nicole Walsh. We hired her to be the superintendent of the Arkansas School for the Deaf and we continue right now to have a
super interim superintendent on the blind school side. So if, if this bill passes and and we we pray that it does that we will be able to permanently make Miss Walsh the superintendent over the Arkansas School for the Deaf and blind. Uh, since we've hired her in, she started the first of July. We've already seen some major changes we've seen some consolidation of services, uh.
The kids are eating dinner in the same cafeteria now. The kids are celebrating, having parties together, they're um. It's just, it's just amazing what's what's happening over there we were saving a lot of money too, let's face it, one dietitian can plan a menu for both campuses, you know, we only need one transportation director for, for, for the campus. I keep saying both campuses, but hopefully it'll be one campus and. You know, the governor has given
us a lot of money to build a state of the art facility. And we did the groundbreaking on that last week. It's gonna be outstanding. I encourage all of you to come take a tour. I'll personally give you a tour of the campus. So in closing, because I know I'm not supposed to talk long but. I always wanted to say this. I appreciate a good vote. Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Feigin, and I would say that you're saying that holds a lot more weight than Representative Carr does.
Representative Hope Duke
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37:51
Not to mean to represent card in any way, of course. Uh, next up to speak, uh, for the bill is Mr. Eric Yarberry. Eric, you're gonna
Representative Jessie McGruder
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38:01
walk to the far end of the table and if you would please, Eric, just introduce yourself for the record and you're recognized to speak. Good morning. My name's Eric Yarberry.
Speaker 165
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Uh, I represent the Arkansas School for the Blind Alumni Association as the treasurer, have done that for over 10 years, and I'm also the CEO at World Services for the Blind.
Now, I want to take a minute to, to just share some words with you guys, uh, from Helen Keller. Uh, she once said, uh, alone we can do so little and together we can do so much. And I think that really reminds us of what we're doing today and what this bill will do. Um, I'll, I'll be brief quicker than Rob, uh, and, and I will leave you guys with the way that I feel is this bill preserves the history of the school for the blind, but also Sets the footing and the groundwork to build a future
that will uh give the students the tools, the teachers, and the opportunities to have a strong future like I've had. Thank you. Thanks. Next up to speak for
the bill we have Gin Blo Hope I'm reading that correctly. Jerry Jerry, I apologize. Yeah. Hello, everyone and good
Kay Anne
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39:26
morning. My name is Jerry Ballou, and I'm a board member for the Arkansas School for the Deaf as well as blind. And I want to speak a little bit about this new building. Right now we're demolishing the older buildings, um, on both deaf and blind campuses. We've needed this new project for quite some time now. The buildings are dilapidated, and I really hope that, and I encourage you all please for on behalf of all Arkansans to make sure you understand the educational needs of both schools. And that we can grow, I mean, we
have over 500 students of other deaf and blind schools combined. So thank you so much and I hope you support this bill. Thank you, Mr. Ballou. Next up, to speak for
the bill we have KN Varner. Good morning, good morning. My name is Kay Anne Varner, and I'm the elementary principal of the
Kay Anne
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40:28
Arkansas School for the Deaf, so I'm here in support of this bill and I have to say that I, when we first started talking about merging the two schools, I was resistant. I absolutely was, and Nicole very well knows that. But through a lot of research as well as lots of analysis on my own part, and I really see that both campuses have a lot of needs, and I believe that merging them is a good thing. The education of both schools can continue.
And I understand there's some resistance from the deaf community and possibly even from the blind community, but the concerns they both have are the same. They want to ensure that they keep their identities and their culture, um, as well as their instructional methods used for blind and deaf students, and that will all continue. We want to keep all of that as well. We want to keep all the traditions of sports, you know, traditions that we've had throughout the years like that we've just now created like the gobblewobble, you know, we just set that up with both schools. We had both campuses.
involved in that. So we see that as not losing anything, but I see that as a growing our community and expanding our opportunities even more so. So as a principal, I have the opportunity to see both campuses and it's a shame both schools have never really worked together as much until this year, where we've really had the opportunity on the deaf side to go see the blind campus and vice versa, and honestly the method of instruction is slightly different, but I think the needs being met are the exact same. All students need to learn literacy. They need to learn how
to read. They need to learn math. All children need to learn independence and independent living skills they need to learn how to be independent members of society, so I support this bill in our future. Change is hard, but change is good and so I hope you all vote in support of this bill. Thank. Thank you, Ms. Partner. Except to speak for the bill, we have Tiffany Pritchard.
Tiffany, if you would please introduce yourself for the record
Speaker 178
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and you're recognized. Tiffany Pritchard, Arkansas School for the Deaf and mother of
Speaker 52
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a deaf. Tiffany Pritchard, Arkansas School for the Deaf, and I have, I have
Speaker 180
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a deaf son at the school as well. I'm here today to speak in favor of this bill, and the main reason that I want to talk about today is just that we
Need to come together to allow these two schools to stay open. Um, over the past 15 years, 5 state schools for the deaf have been closed and numerous others have been, um, faced cuts and the threat of closure. These kids need these doors to stay open, and I want to share a personal example of why I believe that's so. 10 years ago, we adopted a little boy who was 7 years old, and he was profoundly deaf. He'd never been to school, and
at that time he had a vocabulary of about 10 words. Those beginning years. Although incredibly difficult, we're beautiful to watch as he enjoyed family for the first time, discovery of the world around him and language, watching him was like watching a rocket take off. It was just all uphill. But then a few years later, he started a table off and we weren't sure what that had come from, so we just kind of observed for a for a time.
Um, but then in his teen years, He began to clearly decline. And it was just like watching him go down. He did this straight and then down and it was heartbreaking when I would drop him off at school. And this happened in his teen years, so I would drop him off at school and by that time you've got kids in sports, you've got friend groups hanging out and chatting. You've got cheerleaders, you've got all these groups, and he would just walk in just alone. He was very
much alone in this huge school and it was like watching a flower wilt before our very eyes. He had picked up what he could in a hearing world. And in a hearing environment, but now it was very clear that he needed a community. He needed a deaf community and something outside of just his family, and it was so clear that we sold our house. We changed careers and we moved to Arkansas so that he could have that very thing and I'm very thankful to be able to be
here today and say that 2.5 years later, he is going up again and it is, it's very, very special to watch if I thought that the merging of these two schools would in any way not be in the best interest for these kids, for my son in particular, I would not be here speaking on behalf of it today, but I am in support of it. I know change can be hard, and I know that it's not going to all be easy, but I really I do think it will be for good. Thank you very much.
Next up, speak for the real we have Dr. Gretchen Cobb. Dr. Copper, if you would please introduce
yourself to the record and you recognize to speak. Uh Thank you Uh, hello, my name is, uh,
Speaker 186
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Gretchen Cobb, and I have been, um, connected to the school for the deaf for about 35 years. I've served in several roles, um, I currently serve as director of statewide services. I work with our infant and toddler program. I travel around the state and help families. Adjust and work with their newly born, uh, deaf and hard of hearing babies. And I also, um, oh sorry, oh, OK. And I also provides some,
uh, consulting services to students in the mainstream K through 12 system, but, um, I'm here today to express my full support to our superintendent Nicole Wash. I did serve as interim last year and I'm so happy that she's come and, um, taking that off of me so I can get back to my babies, um, and I really, um, would like to, um, express my support to you. members of the house, um, and hope that this bill will pass for us and also members of ADE,
um, Secretary Oliva. Um, one, I guess the main thing that I think this bill will help for me in my role working around the state is that With Nicole's vision, um, which is very meshed with mine. We can provide more extensive, broader services to students all around the state. Um, students who are deaf, students who are blind, deaf blind, and I think just having this unification of the schools is going to give us more resources to provide more to
those very, very early stages of life as uh Representative Carr said just starting at a very, very young age. And then also I'd just like to say that. Last year, um, comments by the governor and uh secretary Aliva are wanting us to be the center of expertise in the state and I'm really looking forward to that because on our campus, there are some brilliant, brilliant minds, and we're led by one of the best ones in the country. So I hope you will support the bill.
Thank you, Doctor Cobb. Next up to speak for the bill we have Holly Mott and NJ Mott. If you would
please just introduce yourself for the record and you recognize to speak. Good morning.
Holly Mott
Unverified
48:48
My name is Holly Mott, and this is my son
Speaker 192
48:51
NJ Mott. And I am the one of the parent reps on the school board for the deaf and the blind. I started out as the parent rep for the deaf school and, uh, NJ was diagnosed with a very rare disorder and has started losing his vision, his freshman year. And so now I, I tell people that I represent both because I do. So, uh, I'm gonna read what we came up with last night. We worked together, so. MJ and I are here today to
support combining the deaf and blind schools into one fantastic school that is accessible to all kids. I believe merging the blind and deaf schools would offer a more inclusive and supportive environment for students like my son. NJ was attending the deaf school and due to a rare medical condition, he began losing his vision. His diagnosis is degenerative, so he needed access to orientation and mobility and training in adaptive technologies while still having access to ASS.
teachers. We had a tremendous struggle getting him those services, even though he was only a few feet away from the blind school. For quite some time he had to get services outside of the schools to learn basic pain skills just for his safety. NJ is not an exception. Almost 20%, almost 20%. This is something that people don't, I mean, I think they just don't think about it. Almost 20% of the students at ASD and ASB have
vision loss and hearing loss. They need services from both schools, and it shouldn't be a matter of them choosing which disability is more critical. These children deserve the specialized support that both schools can offer under one roof, ensuring that they don't have to navigate between two systems or face service gaps by merging the schools, we create a holistic approach to education that meets the unique needs of all students, deaf, blind and deaf blind, regardless of where they fall on that spectrum. They
all deserve to be provided with the resources and care they truly deserve. It is about ensuring that every child regardless of their disabilities, has equal access to the best possible education and support. And I will say in addition to that, uh, his brother Levi just graduated in May from the deaf school as valedictorian, has continued in one of the Arkansas colleges here currently has a 4.0, works a part-time job for the government and is going to be a huge success story. I know that we had 2 students graduate
from the blind school last year that had in the high 30s on their, um, ACTs. I mean, we have some amazing, amazing students that will represent this state beautifully. So I feel like combining them and, and having a nucleus for everyone and this new building that we're planning is just going to do nothing, but I like the rocket analogy that we use, so I hope that we get a good vote. Thank you
Speaker 104
51:52
Thank you, Holly, and thank you NJ for coming our way. Next up
Speaker 194
51:57
to speak on the bill, Mr. Griffin Smith. Griff, if you would please when you get
down there, just introduce yourself for the record and you recognized to speak.
Griffin Smith
Unverified
52:28
Hello, my name is Griffin Smith. I'm a 3rd grader at the school for the blind. And I've been there since I was 2 1/2. And I like my school. And uh Saw the buildings getting demolished. Yes.
Um I kind of like it. Yes That's right. We
Representative Jessie McGruder
Unverified
53:14
had fun at the turkey rot when we worked together with the deaf
Speaker 206
53:20
students as well. It's a pretty good time. Yes. Yes, it was. OK, that's awesome.
Speaker 136
53:26
Uh, please vote for this. You did so great, buddy. Yeah
Thank you Thank you Griffin, and again, as I said, that carries much more weight than representative Carr saying
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
53:43
please vote for this, uh, I should have made you sing while you're down there because you would really amazed everybody. That's right. Next up to speak for the bill is Charlene Fi, Representative Fight, if you would please. Introduce yourself for the record and you're recognized. And I'm sure members will have
lots of questions for you just to, just to help you remember the good old times.
Speaker 78
54:05
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you committee for having me here today. I'm just here representing myself. I'm a former legislator, a former member of this committee. I served in the House for 12 years, retiring in January. But before all of that, I was a teacher of the deaf, and I also did a lot of volunteer interpreting. And our deaf community has been my heart for many, many years. I strongly support this bill.
For all the same reasons that the other people who have spoken do. It makes sense. We need to streamline we need to have one superintendent and then two principals, a principal for the school for the deaf, a principal for the school for the blind, the administra administrator will do the boring paperwork. The principles will do the day to day, uh, caring for the teachers and for the students
and for the other things that are needed for each facility. Here in the legislature for 12 years, I have talked to governors. I have talked to committees. I've talked to other legislators about the horrific conditions at the school for the deaf and the school for the blind and the visually impaired. All of our governors cared greatly for these children. Everybody wanted to do something, but they were not sure what to do. I am so
grateful for Governor Sanders taking this bold step and taking the initiative to do exactly what's needed for this, this, these campuses and to combine them and make one good, safe, state of the art place where our children can grow and thrive and do what they can do in their lives and what we want them to do and I want to remind you of the seven last words of the church. The 7 last words of aggencies,
the seven last words of organizations. Does anybody know the seven last words? We've never done it that way before. Well, now it's time to do it differently. If this is the time to rejoice and dance that after all of these years, our children are getting what they deserve and I'll appreciate a good vote.
Thank you Rison fight. Next up to speak for the bill is Chester Shannon. I'm sorry, I apologize. Oh, you're right. Sorry about that. Uh, I
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
56:48
guess you could always speak on it if you wanted to, but, uh. Is David Burton. David, if you would please introduce yourself for the record and you recognize.
David Burton
Unverified
57:13
Good morning, Mr. Chair and Committee. My name is David Burton and I am the director of safety for the Arkansas School for the Deaf in school for the blind. I don't have a huge history with either of these schools, but in the short time that I have been there, I have had a very unique opportunity to work with both sides. There are, are not a lot of positions that get to have direct interaction with both sides of the students. I'm lucky enough to where I get to do that every single day.
I get to see these kids interact with each other in ways that teachers don't necessarily get to see because kids are moving throughout the days for therapy sessions and and different. Things outside the classroom, but I, I get to see this and I get to see how much these kids help each other grow. All I'm asking for today is we have invested a lot of time to build a brand new beautiful building for these kids because we say that they deserve it. So let's give the kids something outside of the walls of that
beautiful new building that they've never had. Let's give them relationships. Let's give them education to other communities to where they don't feel like their community is the only one out there. That's the biggest thing that we have to do is we need to do what's right for the kids and this merger under the leadership of Superintendent Walsh. This is what the kids deserve. It's. It's going to be difficult, but nothing worth it was ever easy and nothing worth it was.
Well, yeah, it was just never easy. I don't know how else to word that. So I ask for y'all support to uh to vote yes on this merge these two schools so that we can see these kids get to grow in the manner that they deserve to get to grow just like all other kids. Thank you. Are you open to taking a couple of questions?
Absolutely. Roberson makes you recognize for a question. Uh, thank you, thank
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
59:08
you for, for being here this morning and one of the things that I've not heard addressed this morning is um with the new
facility that's coming online, um, there's potentially going to be more people who are going to want to take advantage of that. Can you talk about by with this new facility and combining what that would do to your capacity allow us to be able to take in and serve new students that might either want to move to the state. or now take advantage of this. Yes sir,
Representative Jessie McGruder
Unverified
59:35
absolutely. So the, the building funding is separate from this bill. This merger is really an administrative move so we can ensure cohesive services between the two schools, um, but to speak to the to the building because I'm very proud of it,
we've done a lot of really good work. Um, we have had, I believe, 33 stakeholder meetings for all types of um different communities to give input we have done over the course of multiple days. It's been hours and hours of time put in to truly build a building that not only meets our needs currently, but also allows us capacity to grow. Um, I fully believe that this merger will allow us to. Streamline our services and become a beacon for deaf
education and blind education in the nation, not just in the state of Arkansas. Um, I fully anticipate that people will move in, specifically to come to us, um, and we're not, our plan is not to only serve just that population of 167 students on the school. It is truly to allow us to serve every student that is deaf or blind, um, hard of hearing or visually impaired in the state of Arkansas and this merger allows us to start with that. Any idea though what that number is,
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
1:00:44
how many you could serve with the new facilities and
Representative Jessie McGruder
Unverified
1:00:49
I, oh my goodness, I'm so sorry. I, I do know we've planned for 15 students per classroom, and that would give us. I believe we've we've adjusted for I think a 25% increase. OK, all right. I will get you those numbers
Speaker 221
1:01:04
for sure though. Thank you. Represent Mayberry, you recognize for
Representative John P. Carr
Unverified
1:01:10
question. Thank you. Um, I just, just curious. I, I, I have to echo Representative fight's comments that, you know, we've known for a long time that y'all need some
help, um, I've heard from, from so many along the way and, and, um, I was very close to someone who unfortunately just passed away last week who um went to school there, um, just graduated, uh, recently, um. Anyway, uh, I, one of the things that I would hear often from people is the nursing facilities, really needed help, um, and can you explain to me what may be in this might help.
What's the plan for nursing, um, how many nurses, it's just a topic I, I seem to delve into a lot and if you could explain how those services might be improved. Yes,
Representative Jessie McGruder
Unverified
1:02:00
so, um, we, I, when I first came in this year, I noticed that having two separate nursing stations. on two separate campuses was not effective. It was not meeting our needs because neither um nursing station was able to get the things that they needed in a timely manner or be able to support each other, um, so many of our students have pretty complex needs, so we actually
took our nursing, um, services and made them a shared service, so they have already become merged together, so our nurses, we have 3 nurses at the school for the deaf and 3 nurses at the school for the blonde, and now we have 6 nurses to support our students, um, and that. Sounds like, well, of course, 3 and 3 is 6, but it makes a complete. Complete difference when you're talking about staffing and availability. Instead of having one nurse available on each side, you've got two who are living who are in our infirmary together, and if there's a crisis, someone can go to some to a student and somebody else
can stay there and be available in case students come in for me administration. Um, the simple streamlining of putting those services together has allowed us to have an RN nursing supervisor, um, which has increased our me administration efficiency. We've been able to get some additional equip Um, we just recently got an updated infirmary. They renovated that not too long ago due to some very concerning, um, pipes and water intrusion, um, so we've got a very beautiful facility
that these nurses are able to work in and we're able to meet students' needs more effectively. Sometimes we have uh um students whose medical procedures that have to happen on our campus are a two-man job and so being able to put those things together has allowed our nurses to work together and we all know that having a buddy that you can lean on and bounce ideas off of makes good sense and it's more effective in the long run. So that's how that's been impacted. And I hate to ask this question, but can you give me their salary range?
Speaker 227
1:03:53
Do you know that off the top of my head, no ma'am,
Representative John P. Carr
Unverified
1:03:57
but I will work on that. We want to keep those good nurses there. We want them keeping consistency with those families and we're just hearing more and more school nurses are just really challenged to be able to stay in those jobs because of salaries, so I just, I just thought I would ask while we had the opportunity and, and, and I think these families deserve to have Top notch
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
1:04:16
nurses taking care of their needs. I will say this um right now we have nurses who are
Representative Jessie McGruder
Unverified
1:04:23
wonderful and who stay with us because um they have a passion for what we do and who we serve and um we even open our doors to the university of Arkansas Medd Sciences, the UAMS interns come to us, and we have a rotating basis where they come in and get some experience because we want our Staff to have that experience some, most of our students who come in as interns have never met a deaf or a blind person. So it's a really unique opportunity and I'm grateful that our nursing staff is so highly qualified and ready to take those students on, um, but it
definitely will help us with recruitment and retention, if we can, you know, keep those people on and have some good pay salaries, but I don't know their salaries off the top of my head. That's
Speaker 226
1:05:02
something I can get for you. Yes, ma'am. Representative McGruder, you recognize
Representative Jessie McGruder
Unverified
1:05:11
her question. Thank you, thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you so much for being here.
I really appreciate you bringing Representative Phife. It's good to see her again, uh. So, so good. She showed me around when I first got here, which was only a couple of
months ago. But uh Being an individual who suffers from a visual impaired, uh, declared legally blind at 25 years old and do some doctor's things. I've, I've been able to work, work things out where I can get a perfect vision. Uh, with my contacts in, which I don't have that, but That being said, uh, when I, when this happened with me, uh, there were people to come in and help me with accommodations. Yes, sir. Uh, my concern is to
facility that we're building. Is it going to be accommodate the needs of the, the deaf and the
blind. So that's absolutely. So we have done um some really extensive work, um, currently our architect is SCM architects here in Little Rock. We thought it was important to have someone local, but he is also consulting with Mackie Mitchell in Saint Louis who they specialize in. accessible buildings. That's what they do. Um, we also have a deaf architect, Robbie Nichols, who is consulting and um Chris Downey, who is our blind
architect, so we are meeting all together and we are working through these pro these processes to ensure that our spaces are deaf friendly but also easily navigable for our students and are very blind friendly as well. So we have done a lot of work and had some, um, Spirited conversations to ensure that every person's needs are met, um, and that are are building that is coming. In the near future will be not only ideal for this population of students we have now, but
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:06:59
truly a legacy project that will carry us into the future. Thank you for your time, Mr.
Representative John P. Carr
Unverified
1:07:16
Burton. There's no one else signed up to speak on the bill. Representative Carr, would you like to close for your bill? Yes, sir. I would just like to say again, earlier I
made the statement from an administrative standpoint about how this makes sense to provide the best learning situation, best opportunities to meet the needs of these, of, of the individual students, of course, there's
nothing I can say that touches what they brought to the table. So with that, I'd appreciate a good vote and yes sir, I'm closed. Representative car is closed for ill.
We have a motion on the table of do pass as amended.
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:07:41
Is there a discussion on the motion? See no discussion. All in favor of CI all opposed. Congratulations, Representative Carr, you've passed your bill. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, committee. Members without objection will go out of order again. I'm going to recognize represent McGrew.
For HB 1646, there's an amendment on this that staff is passing out, if you give me just a moment to pass the amendment out. And then represent McGrew, you'll be recognized to present your amendment.
So I believe the staff has passed out the amendment and this is HB 1646, which uh represent McGrew brought um a few days ago, and I believe there are some suggestions from the committee. I believe this amendment deals with that, so you're recognized to present the
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:09:15
amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would say that I appreciate this committee yesterday, uh, I think Representative Vol had to leave, but I appreciate her comments and And I believe it's led to a better bill. Uh, I also have talked with uh a couple suture attendants and other educators
in these last changes, but we simply did change instead
of uh a locked room to a locked compartment. And then we added uh Instead of having 2 instances where it could be corrected, it was, it was changed to 3. And and so the first
allegation that endville knowingly, and I wanna emphasize knowingly so. To comply with this section for the first time she'll be documented by the principal of the public school at which the individual is employed and by
the superintendent in the public school district and which individual is employed, so it leaves this at the local control with the superintendent and principal in school so it can be handled there. And, and that principal and superintendent can decide they're going to document it and then they can decide, it says, it says May, it doesn't say shall be able to spend, uh, the lyre bin for 5 days without pay if they so desire. On the second allegation, we changed it to an allegation that knowingly failed to comply with this section should we refer to
the professional licensing Standards Board. And at that time we changed the word from chow to may. So that uh they may be able to suspend the license if they see fit. And then in the last one, the 3rd time after multiple times, it is revoked. So those, those are the changes. Motion to adopt the amendment as your questions, questions on
the motion or discussion on the motion, a sin no discussion
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:10:58
all paper say I all opposed. Congratulations, you adopted your amendment. Now you're
recognized you present HB 1646 as a thank you, Chairman, and I
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:11:08
think we discussed it the other day, so I don't wanna bore you with going over it much anymore. This is just to, to take any uh Let me make sure I get the wording right. Non-age appropriate sexual contact to be stored in a lockbox within the the library. And with written permission in the librarian can learn permission from the student's parent, local guardian, person standing in local tenancies can present to the steward. So it
just saying that if they want to have this material, this is in kindergarten through 5th grade if they wanna have this material, uh, that it, that is inappropriate sexual conduit that can keep it in a locked container and let the parents make the decision. It gives the control to the parents. This is about protecting, you know, the youngest. most innocent. And I believe it's just the right thing to do and I'm available for any questions. Representative Garner, you're recognized for a question. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just have a
Representative Denise Garner
Unverified
1:12:06
quick question about who determines the appropriateness of the, of the uh this, this would be in the first one, it would be the principal and the
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:12:13
superintendent. So I'm, I'm sure it would be. Well, it defines, let me
also say it defines section, non-appropriate sage con to it in the bill. As uh That just seems pretty broad to me that the I mean, if you talk about
Representative Denise Garner
Unverified
1:12:29
any relationship that's a mom and a dad.
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:12:38
Well this says Appropriate that means any material that includes explicit instruction, promotion, or advocacy of sexual ideology, behaviors, or orientations that are not developmentally appropriate for kindergarten through K5 students, and that's just enough that I need to know who's
Representative Denise Garner
Unverified
1:12:56
gonna make that determination. Well, the way that he spelled out in
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:12:59
the bill when the complaint is made, it will
Representative Denise Garner
Unverified
1:13:02
go to the principal and superintendent and But the principal and then the superintendent, the first thing
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:13:10
it'd be the the librarian would be made known of the problem. The librarian then could choose to
take that material out if she wanted to, if she wants to keep it in, then uh then it would be took this to the principal or superintendent, I think normally you probably go to the principal. Principal will get the superintendent and within the school themselves, they would make that determination and I guess that's my point. If one, if one
Representative Denise Garner
Unverified
1:13:33
parent complains about one, upset with it, then it it stays and if. Yeah, I think the print in my
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:13:40
opinion, the principal and the superintendent are going to come together and they're going to make a decision. You know, and As to what that is, and I'm sure they'll meet with the librarian and the, and the parent. And, uh, I think in You know, there's always gonna be someone that's unreasonable, but I believe that that's where the principal and the superintendent in keeping this at the. A local there and we'll be able to make that decision whether
this is a just cause or not. Do you have additional questions. Representative Garner.
Representative Denise Garner
Unverified
1:14:24
No Represent Barker, you're recognized for a question. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, forgive me if we covered this last time, I have slept since then, um, does this apply to open enrollment public charters?
Speaker 252
1:14:34
Assume that it would apply to all public schools. OK, well I mean, it just says public
Representative Denise Garner
Unverified
1:14:39
school, public school building, and I know I think we have in
cold places where it says public school and that envelopes them and we have places where we split the hairs. I just was curious, making sure that it does. I would like for it to cover both. This one I was making sure. Yes, I believe it would. I don't. I
Speaker 256
1:14:55
also know that the the AG has looked at this and
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:15:00
was fine with everything in it. Are there members of the department here? I know we had them earlier, Greg.
Speaker 86
1:15:14
If you would please introduce yourself. Or you can stall till someone else comes.
Speaker 259
1:15:21
Greg Rogers, Department of Education. So you are correct, there are different places in the code where it does refer to open enrollment public charter schools and charter schools and uh and traditional public schools. Um, usually we do take that to mean public school is because it's a traditional open enrollment charter school. They're usually we mean that to be the same, but it, I, we do, would probably be better if it was a little clearer.
Representative Jessie McGruder
Unverified
1:15:52
Did that answer your question, Reson Parker? Would you like additional clarification, Ms. Salifod has arrived, so. Representative McGruder, you recognize
her question. Thank you Mr. Chair. I,
I may have missed this and I'm struggling with my eyes this morning, but, uh. I don't see where it says, where it's outlined on. Uh, how the process takes place, uh, as far as uh with the uh superintendent.
Uh, going over the books that are ordered in. Making sure that these books aren't
presented to elementary students. It doesn't specifically go over that procedure. I think it would, you know, then when they approach,
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:16:33
when the parent approaches them about the book, they'll specify it was a book. I'm sure the principal and superintendent will meet with the librarian and pull out the book and look at it. It doesn't tell in detail. It does it the second step. It's in, in law with the uh with that board, what procedure they go through, but in the first one, I was asked to put it that way because
they wanted to handle at the local level. Not to let this, you know, blow up into the community if there was no need for it to. Following
Representative Jessie McGruder
Unverified
1:17:06
Mr. Chair. I understand, uh, But when we're going to the severity of a teacher losing her life, his or her license for something. I just would feel comfortable if it was better outlined in here, uh, I know how hard people work to get their uh their degree and get their educational license.
I know, I, I, I'm shocked that we have school districts that actually ordering materials that shouldn't be uh. allowed in school districts because I mean, and the punchment is so severe, so I, I, I just would prefer it if it was better outlined and to build the steps so that we, that we can ensure that teachers are protected and
and safe in these situations. Let me say that in the first session, they can't lose their licenses. You
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:17:51
know, they can't even suspend their license. It's just, uh, it can be written and they can't send them home, but
they can't lose their license. It's not until the 2nd 1, and the 2nd 1 is explained in, in the policies and procedures that the school have. I have it here. I can read it to you if you want me to, but it's already in law. That's why it's not in the bill. So there is, when it gets to that 2nd stage where it goes to the, the board. what the name of the board is. The professional
last year standards board. They have policies and
procedures and standards that they have to follow. That's a 15
member board, uh, which includes part of the Board of Education and all, so that is at that level, it is, is followed very diligently at the way that it's spelled out there. And it, it tells you in here that that the that the books can stay on while it's being reviewed. It's pretty explicit in detail, and I have that information I can give you here. Yes. Again, my
Representative Jessie McGruder
Unverified
1:18:51
concern is the fact that we're using, especially with public and open enrolled charter schools. They were using
our funds uh to purchase these items that shouldn't be in the school. Uh, is, is what I'm understanding. And our answer is to just lock them in a room. That's where I, I don't like the, the wording of the way that this is going in this field but. I understand what you're saying ask
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:19:16
how these books got there. I've talked to different librarians. These books are ordered
from a pre-approved list that's approved by, I believe, the, the Board of Education and so they order these books, they come in, you know, the
librarians charged with going over over all these books and knowing what they all are. There's a lot of books coming in at once, so could they miss one? Absolutely they could. That's why the word knowingly was put in there because if a, if a parent brings that to them and tells them about it, they're not in trouble. They didn't know it was there. So then they have the opportunity to take the book and put it in the compartment. So this does give a lot of leeway, I think that I've worked with librarians on this bill and I believe that a lot of them are
happy with it this time, the, um, The organization AAEA Arkansas administrators, Education Association is in is supportive of this bill. They've looked at it and and are happy. Representative Duke you recognized for a question. Thank you, Mr. Chair. So my question pertains to Representative Barker's
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:20:22
point, I've slept more than once since our last session, so I'm don't know that I remember this at all, but in our previous
legislation that we passed that deal, dealt with libraries and how you dealt with the book processes, if there was an objection or whatever in the school, um, Does this mirror The same procedures for that just because if you're in a district and you got one set of rules for 6 through 12 books and one set of rules for K through 5, not the rules on the content, but the rules of the appeals or whatever like that, I think it might be a little challenging if it wasn't the same, um, or if
that is an issue at all, and I would be curious, Desi, if they have any thought process on that or not either. I don't really know where that question should go, but that's just one that Um, came up when I was looking at this is From the board's perspective, from the district's perspective, are we going to have two different sets of policies going through, or is this the exact same? Appeal procedure because I don't see the school board piece in here at all. You don't see the the school board, is there a school board in a school board. It is the uh
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:21:34
The professional licer standards board. It's in there. It's on page 2 on line 7. And their procedures did not change at all from school, you know, their
procedures are all the same consistent from the bill that we passed last session and now in those up with
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:21:49
the library. Does anyone else know what I'm talking about because I know we passed something on libraries. And everyone laughs at me. OK, maybe
that was a dream, sorry. And I'm not familiar with that bill, but I do know the
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:22:04
standards are the same. Do we need some from the department to.
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:22:16
Clarify Representative Duke. How about I move on with questions and
Speaker 199
1:22:30
we'll come back to that. Thank you. Representative Gonzalez Worth,
Representative Justin Gonzales
Unverified
1:22:36
you recognize her question? Yes. Um You mentioned that the Board of Education earlier you mentioned that the Board
of Education approves the book lists for that the librarians or media specialists can use. Now the, the media specialist, librarian
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:22:53
is charged with approving the books when they're brought in there. If
there's a challenge to review the contested me, the principal shall elect a committee of A 5
or 7 licensed personnel consisting of the principal is chair, at least one media specialist, their main committee, there, there's a different procedure for reviewing the book and getting it out. There's another procedure, so this is the procedure from getting the book out. So if they wanted to protest it and get the book out of the library. But this is not taking the book out. It's saying you can go to a locked compartment, so there's a procedure for taking it out. There's also procedures from the lazenger board.
Addressing the situation with the librarian. So there's two different, there's if the. If the parents wanted to petition to take the book completely out of the school. There's a process for that. That's not what this bill does. There's another process so this this bill only says if they have an objection to the book, they can go to the principal and they can put it in the locked compartment. And they can leave it there. I don't send him my answer. What's your question? I'm not
answering your question right. What's your question.
Speaker 280
1:24:10
Yeah, that Desi hasn't hasn't approved list of of books for the, for the life for the
Representative Justin Gonzales
Unverified
1:24:15
school libraries. There is an approved list from the Board of Education, yes, yes, that's
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:24:21
what I'm referring to, but you had mentioned them
Representative Justin Gonzales
Unverified
1:24:24
before and you, and you mentioned that maybe one. An approved book might slip through. Which can be
more than one in, in the instance of where the
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:24:38
when the my constituents brought it to me in that library, there were 3 books. Representative McGrew,
if you don't mind, could we get some clarification from the Department of Education relative to that could be helpful. Missiles
forward, Mr. Secretary. If you would please just introduce yourself. You know the drill? Courtney Sali
Speaker 128
1:25:01
for Department of Education, um. actually represent my group there, our state board does not
approve any sort of list of library books. Um, my understanding, uh, is typically library media specialist will order bulk books from, from whatever publisher that they're local board has approved and decided, um, and then they will go through and catalog those and decide which ones to put in the library and which ones do not, but at the state level, we do
Speaker 130
1:25:26
not approve what books go in or out of a library. OK, I can say I'm sorry about that. I was told that there's an approved
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:25:35
book list. Is there someone else that approves
their. I, I'm not a, it would
Speaker 128
1:25:42
be possibly the local board, the local school board, um, or a local, um, Administrator, but nothing at the state level. OK, so then that mainly
Representative Justin Gonzales
Unverified
1:25:54
that's the local, the, the local school board or committee that Determines which books go into the library. That would be my guess, yes. And then. And then if a parent question.
A book based on this content. Then That would be in a sense like first offense
for the librarian for having it on the shelf. Not the, not if the It's my understanding,
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:26:23
not if the parent just questions the book. If the parent goes to the library and she
can make a choice then. Because she stated those books are coming in bulk. So is it possible that a book could come through that the librarian didn't, you know, the, the cover didn't tell them anything and they haven't read the whole
book. Is it possible? Absolutely. That's why the bill is written where it is. All they have to do is go tell the librarian they're gonna look at it if, if she deemed it to be inappropriate, she can take and lock that book in the compartment there, so she can pull the book off the shelves and do away with it. Whatever she wants to do with it. If she thinks it's appropriate and wants to keep it, then the parent can go to the principal and the principal and the superintendent meet with the librarian and they make a decision. I'm just, I also, um,
Representative Justin Gonzales
Unverified
1:27:14
I'm concerned for Representative McGruder said that as far as the potential of a a person losing their certification, um, because it is very tough, especially media specialists, they require a master's degree or above, uh, in their, in their capacity, um, there at the school. And so I'm just wondering if once there is, let's say there's a list of books from different, um.
School districts, if those should be posted somewhere so this this doesn't. Happen or, or at least
it would help the media specialists in the future. I'm not familiar with what them
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:27:56
all getting together to do this and also I'm this, when you say, you keep saying the license that issue. The license is not at issue until the 3rd step until they are actually kind of the four step. The parents went and told them. They, the principal and, and The principal and superintendent
got together, agreed and reprimanded the librarian. Then she does it again. Then they report it to the last year board. At this point, she still can't lose her, he or she still can't lose her license. The last year board looks at it, they can't suspend her license by not lose them. It's not until the 3rd, or you can almost say 4th time she'd been reprimanded, she's been maybe sent home with pay, all of that before they finally, you know, wring their hand and say there's nothing else for us to do, and we have to let them go.
Representative Brit McKenzie
Unverified
1:28:48
For this behavior Have Representative Cozart next in the queue.
Speaker 291
1:28:57
Recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Richard, I'm, I, I might give you one of
Representative Bruce Cozart
Unverified
1:29:02
those, wouldn't you agree, but so on the books that they purchased that comes from a selected vendor. You see that usually comes from, is that not correct? There's a vendor selected to supply those books, and it is a book group of books. So there are gonna be a mixture
of different books in that, but it's usually recommended for these age groups or from the, from the middle school or our elementary or stuff like that. So it is a mixed group, and I remember that we've had this trouble with school I was in as a school board member that they brought to us that there were books that was in that, but it's included in a packet and sometimes the uh uh librarian does not know that that's what they're ordering that it does have some of that in, so you can't really blame them, but if
they once they see it and then they post it and they know it's wrong, that's what you're trying to target, is
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:29:55
that correct? Yes, the librarians asked for. That's why the wing knowingly was in there. Because they explained if we know that's in there, we're not gonna do that and then the one step even further than that was to leave it at the local control through that first step. So we fixed it where they've got absolutely no because some Liberians, they call me and we're working on this bill said, could you please add the word knowingly in there because then it clarifies that we have to
know we're doing something wrong and we choose to do it wrong. And and so that's why that word was added in there, and that's, then the next step was also that the superintendent said we'd like to take care of this at the local level before it got to the licensing board, so it, it put two levels in there to get it before it got to. What I would say is a real serious level and even at that 3rd level, they can't lose their license. It's not until, and they've done this multiple times.
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
1:30:50
OK. Representative Meeks, you're next in the queue. Thank you, uh, uh, Mr. Chairman. Um, so, uh, my question, just, just, you know,
practically how this would, this would work. So that the, the books in question that are in the, in the locked container or or room as the case may be, they would still be listed in the card catalog as being available in the library. And so then what would happen is that, and you tell me if this is how you're envisioning this, The the student would go to the librarian and say, I'm interested in checking out this
book, the librarian would give the student a permission. farm to take home for the parents to sign off that maybe has a description of the book, what the concerns are, parent would sign off and say, yes, I'm OK with the student checking out that book, then they would bring it the permission slip. back to the school for the librarian to keep on file and then at that point make that book available to that student, or do you, or do you envision this as the parent actually has to come up and review, just kind
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:31:51
of talk to, to us about that aspect a little bit like you first talked about, let me say in this one of
the librarians told me, he said, I know my students well, and I know what some of their parents. Will allow and will not allow. And so I actually believe this bill broadens it because in some disease materials would not be allowed at all. With this, you can allow them, put them in a locked compartment, and if that if that parent so desires, all she has to send a note to a letter to the librarian that she allows her kids to check those books out.
So in some aspects it makes it, it makes it easier for if, if a parent wants their child to learn about something that frankly, I wouldn't want my child to learn about, but they may want theirs too. It allows them to be able to do that. Representative Garner, you're recognized for a question. Representative Duke.
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:32:54
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. OK, so it turns out it wasn't a dream. There was a bill, and it did become a law, so it was SB 81 in 2023 and my concerns at this point is if, if, I don't know if you were looking at that as you were writing this, but, and I'm trying to glance through it, but my concerns are, we unraveling potentially some of the procedures that were put in that one, or do they mesh together? I don't know if you can speak to that or not. I'm not sure if You are know for sure,
Representative McGrew, but that's the concern piece I have at this point in time is that we, we vetted that bill and talked about that bill and went around that bill. I mean, I don't think it was in our committee. I
don't even remember, but it was a long time, so I just want to make sure it all matches.
Speaker 128
1:33:43
Yeah, so Courtney saw a sports department, um, so yes, you have a better memory than I do, but, um, that, uh, that act did get codified at 6:25, 105, and that requires school districts to have a written policy, um, that
allows parents to challenge any material that is present in the library and available to students, um, they have to set forth with the process is in their school district policy. There has to be a conference with the principal, and then that can be appealed to up to levels. Um My assumption in how these two would coincide would be that if as part of this challenge policy, the school district became aware of the book and decided that the librarian
knowingly put it there, um, that they would then transfer into this PLSB process. Would it change because
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:34:33
if I were to understand correctly, that process, at least with the teacher, the board is not a part of that, but in SB 81, the board was a part of this. So, How does, do you know? because, because the board is part of
Speaker 128
1:34:49
SB 81, they're deciding whether the book is appropriate or not appropriate, so they're making a decision on whether the book is
going to stay in the library or be removed from the library. They're not, I'm sorry. I can add
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:35:03
to that, that was, that was part I started to read a while ago. It's my understanding that doesn't change, but we're talking about two different things. That process is to take the book completely out of the school. So if a parent challenged that book. This, this strengthens that because it takes that book and puts it in a compartment where nobody else is, so the other parents don't even see it or know it there that they don't
want to, but if one of the parents wanted to take that book or any other book out of the library, there's a procedure that she's discussing to do that. That's not part of my bill and has nothing to do with the bill. So do you think It,
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:35:40
uh, and I really appreciate your patience with this. I know that we seem a little bit picky sometimes on some of these questions, but that's part of the reason like that that that builds out there that a lot of us have forgotten about, um, so making sure that it all worked together. In your piece though, that you're doing, there is, it would go from the
The principal and the superintendent and then it would move up to the state, but the board's not in there at
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:36:08
all. Is that correct? No, the board is not. Now I can tell you the way this worked in a school where I did because this book, these books came up that were a problem. The librarian was approached. She decided to keep the books in the library. The Uh, superintendent was notified. And was going to follow this procedure that you're talking about.
The community made the school board aware of those books. And the school board requested that those books be taken out of the library, locked in the office, available for the parents for who wanted them, which is exactly why my bill is. When that happened, the parents stopped this procedure of trying to get the books out of the school and just left it alone. They could have continued on and removed them, but they were happy with the fact that they were just taken out of the view of, of these small children and locked in a room where if only
the parents and given the control back to the parents. Thank you,
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:37:07
thank you for that. So, do you think that. As I said, my concern in this, and I, I like what you're doing, I don't have a problem with any of that. My concern is just a little bit of the jump very quickly from that, I feel like you're just leaving the governor governing body of the school out of this layer here and that bothers me just a little bit as I, I think that they need to be somewhere in the loop, and I'm sorry that
I didn't think of that sooner, but you know, you know how it is this time of year, but, um, that is the piece and, and I don't know that. It's strong enough that I would vote against it, but it just causes me a little concerned because they are the voice of the public and, and also the teachers and sometimes weird things happen in school districts. And so I don't know that it's not, I just think they should be in the loop somewhere in this, uh, before it goes a piece and I may be missing something, so I would look forward to hearing what other members think about that because I, I could be off on that, so.
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:38:02
And that's again that's what happened in what happened in my school district is a school board because
the community was starting to get involved because some of them were upset with what was in there. So that I really respect the school board member for stepping in there and making a motion to move these books and put them in in the in the office because it stopped the uproar in the community. It kept the books available there for the school. And it solved the problem from
Representative Jessie McGruder
Unverified
1:38:35
going any further, and that's still available can be done today. Are there additional
Representative Brit McKenzie
Unverified
1:38:46
questions or do. I show my kids, you just a quick I wouldn't go too far on uh SB 81, the enacting whatever, uh, I know
a big portion of it was enjoined. Uh, it's been challenged federally. Parts have been thrown out. Is, is that the same to be said about this section? This is just truly clarification. I, I would have to look further into that. I'm just, I don't,
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:39:08
not comfortable answering that. I got you. No worries. Thank you. Seeing no additional questions by the committee. Or anyone signed up to speak for or against, see none signed then you'd like to speak for against the bill? Seeing non-represented group.
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
1:39:26
Would you like to close through your bill? Thank you. Mr. Jerman Committee I worked hard with the superintendents, with the AAEA and all to make this bill where, where it really works. I believe it'll help keep that material away from the youngest, most vulnerable part of our community. I think it's very
important. It puts the responsibility and back with the parent where it should be. And this has so many layers in it, it's easily for the librarian to to fall in line with this. Again, I don't think it, it doesn't threaten their license at all unless they absolutely keep doing this and doing it so I again it's for the it's for our youngest population. I would appreciate a good vote and thank you. Repsson McGrew has closed for
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:40:09
bill. We have a motion to pass on the table as amended. There's a discussion on the motion. Represent Garner
Representative Denise Garner
Unverified
1:40:18
recognized for discussion. Thank you. And I actually like some of the things in this bill, but the licensure piece of it really is an issue for me because I, I happen to represent large, very large schools, and they're Very differing ideas of what is OK and what is not OK, and so it might not be the same thing, but
over and over again, if you're getting, um, I can see how it would be easy to get 4 times, um, complaints from a group of parents that might not be uh the same for the rest of the parents and you're not talking about having this person go to a different school district that might have different ideas. You're talking about. Firing, I mean keeping them from practicing. That's huge. I mean, if it was something that if it
was a way to um say, you know, this, you may not be fit and you may not fit into this school district, that's one thing or the school, but to say that you don't fit anywhere. In the state or in another state. That's too much. That's, that's going too far, I think, so for that reason, I can't support this bill. Costar you
Speaker 91
1:41:32
recognized for discussion? Well, I can't support this bill as being a former school
Representative Bruce Cozart
Unverified
1:41:37
board member. I, I've seen those possibilities and those problems
back to back, and I don't really think that the size of a school district makes that much difference if you have a bad book in there and someone brings that to your attention that needs to be addressed and that's what this does. It gives the uh the principal of the superintendent, whoever is gonna be in the direct communication of that to address that if there's no hint of danger or there's. Not what's needed. I mean, you know, I'm gonna say we all have those people in our schools that are always going to find a problem. And it doesn't really matter who
they are or what they are, and if that's, if that's what the case is in the superintendent the principals can can address that if there's no problem, but I think there are problems out there, uh, as a Christian, uh, a man, I, I see a lot of books that do not need to be read by our kids, uh, our, our children, and uh that's not the only thing there may be some other things that may not have to deal with explicit things, but maybe it's not exactly what your. family would like. So, uh,
there's things out there that we need to address and I am very support of this bill and I'll be voting for it. Representative Duke, you're recognized
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:42:55
for discussion. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, I think there's
some issues in this bill, in, in the, um. In the process of it, not the intent of it that you're trying to do. So, So I guess I'm supposed to be talking to you people anyway, so, but, but, um, so I've got some issues with that, but I
know Representative McGrew and I think that he will be open to working on that maybe when if it gets out of here and goes on the Senate side to try and fix some of those pieces because I do, I do think there's some. pieces that need to be fixed in it, so I'm going to support the bill, um, because I, I'm going to vote for it because I do think that we have some Issues in school districts and protecting kids is the most important piece of things because you can't unsee what you saw, and that stays with them. And so I think that's important,
but I do hope that some of those areas as far as maybe making sure that it's a little bit cleaner on how the process when the book is found and what we do with that, maybe we can make that better when it goes to the other side because I think that will make it better
Speaker 305
1:44:05
for everybody. Thank you. or makes you recognize for question.
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
1:44:07
Thank you. Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chairman. So kind of piggybacking off from what my colleague over here said, you know, one of, one of the, if not most important thing we do for our children while they're at
school is their protection, and that's just not physical protection, but it's also the mental protection. And so I definitely appreciate Representative McGrew for bringing this bill because that's what we're talking about here is protecting children until they're ready to uh see and Look at these issues, um, I, I, I'm not necessarily, I'm not concerned about the school board issue because the school board is in charge of the superintendent and the principal, and so if the, you know, the superintendent and the
principal aren't doing their job in this matter. The parents are going to go straight to that school board and that school board can apply the appropriate pressure to make sure that the superintendent's doing, doing his job. And the, and the last piece, and again this goes back to protecting our children. If we have a librarian or a media specialist who knowingly understands that these books are not appropriate but is continuing to push sexually explicit children on books on our children when they're not
ready. I question whether that person needs to be a librarian in an elementary school. So we're, we're, we're not talking about a situation where a librarian, you know, maybe one gets through the cracks, she didn't see it. OK, we made a mistake. We got, now, what, what his bill's talking about is that individual who is pushing, pushing, pushing this material on students when they're not ready, and if they're going to continue to do that, they do not need to be in that library, in my opinion. And uh and so I appreciate that because if you
don't put teeth into this kind of stuff, and you just say, we're gonna slap you on the wrist. doing this, you know what's going to happen? They're going to keep doing it. Unless you've got teeth, it's not gonna matter. And so I appreciate him that he's got the teeth and if we've got someone who's going to continue to push this inappropriate material on students. They don't need to be in that library or any library in the state as far as I'm concerned. So I, I appreciate the bill and I look forward to supporting it. Repent McGruder, you recognize for discussion? Yes, yes, sir,
Representative Jessie McGruder
Unverified
1:46:22
uh, thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, I, I, I understand the intent of the bill, um, but our job is here is oversight. And if we're uh overseeing uh you know all our children are considered equal and the same. Books that are not age appropriate shouldn't be ordered period in the school district and if we're leadership, we should be making sure those books are in order. My concern is always, is everybody. I, I, if, if it's not good enough, if your child is in reading and my
child shouldn't be reading it either. That, that should stop it all at one point. But we also have to worry about the educators and, and I know you said the AAE is for this uh bill, but, uh, administrators can do things that are, that May not be favorable for an educator because they don't like an educator. We had a woman come testify about how our administrators were trying to get rid of her. So we need to be protecting everyone in every situation. So oversight, if, if it's a problem, just these books shouldn't be ordered, period, and they shouldn't be in school.
Otherwise, we should just make sure that the teachers and everyone is protected in every single situation. So I don't think this bureau protects the educator, and I don't think it protects the children if we're protecting everybody, those books shouldn't be in our school districts at all. That's why I will not be supporting
this bill. painter you're recognized for discussion. Thank you,
Representative Stetson Painter
Unverified
1:47:45
Mr. Chair. I'm Representative McGrew, I, I appreciate you working with the committee on, on your amendments in, in making this bill a little bit better, um, I agree with
your intent and, and I'm gonna support the bill with a little hesitation that we may have to lean on the Senate to do something else. We've seen their track record this session. It's not been that great, so, but I'm going to support this bill, and I appreciate you doing it. See no additional
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:48:13
discussion. We have a motion on the table to do pass as amended. All in favor say aye. All opposed? Congratulations, Roberson McGregor. Your bill is passed. Thank you very much. Except members uh without objection we're going to move to.
Represent McAlinden. For HB 1696. Sorry representative car. There is an amendment on this one as well to keep in the theme of the day. Staff is passing out the amendment. Without objection, could I bring Doctor Ken Warden up to the table. Dr. Warden, if you
Representative Mindy McAlindon
Unverified
1:48:43
would please introduce yourself to the record and you're
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:48:46
recognized. Representative McAlinda will Present the amendment and then we will move forward with the bill after that if
you'd like to go ahead and start discussing
Representative Mindy McAlindon
Unverified
1:48:57
the amendment, please feel free to. So this is an amendment. I apologize to Representative Cozart for bringing an amendment. I assured him I would not have one, but as we were going through the bill, there was a couple of things that were left off, specifically related to the expanded general corps, and we want to be sure that it was engrossed, so it's a pretty straightforward amendment. Um, just stating that there is not a specific 35 hour general cop, but that will be established by the department. Members are the questions on the amendment.
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:49:28
So now we have a motion to adopt all in favor say aye. hos. Congratulations, you've adopted your amendment. You're now recognized to present HB 1696 as amended. Thank
Representative Mindy McAlindon
Unverified
1:49:38
you. So I will be quick. I'm really excited to present this to you. We've worked for months, uh, with Doctor Ward and his team, uh, Doctor Oliva, and reps from, I think just about every 2 and 4 year college across the state. So we've worked really hard. The spirit of the bill is that undergraduate students in state supported institutions of higher ed acquire knowledge and skills that enable the students to contribute to their state and country as informed,
self-reliant. and civic-minded students. And in reality, my intent is just making sure that kids are when they're becoming adults, they are getting ready to be employed in their careers and they're becoming voting uh citizens that they know our history and they know how our government works and if you think about all the years that you spent, uh, at your grandma and grandpa's feet or maybe your crazy uncle's feet, hearing stories about the family, um, and how much that meant to you, how you learned to appreciate and to value the history of your family. I want
our young results to also value the history of our country and understand how our government works, and I think that makes them really good citizens, regardless of what career they choose, so to that end, we looked at revamping the core. That is currently 35 hours and uh realized that that was probably a bridge too far, um, in reality, I think that, and I don't want to speak for Dr. Warden, but they're trying to reduce the core hours to get students through college faster and get them on to careers, so
we have created a a requisite core which is 15 hours, and that 15 hours will apply for both 2-year and four-year institutions and it is basically 2, 3-hour courses in, uh, writing. speech and then it is um one hour, 1 3-hour course in critical thinking, so math or other critical thinking classes and then 1 3-hour credit in American history, focusing on obviously the United States Constitution, American
institutions, and then 1 3-hour course in American government and uh that is the sum total. of my bill. Representative Meeks you recognize her a question. Thank you.
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
1:51:45
Um, since our higher ed directors down there, I'm assuming this aligns with access, uh, but, um, yeah, but, um, but, but my, my, my, my question here is and I fully support what you're, what you're doing here. Um, does it, would this apply to um trade
school, so if I'm a student that's going for, uh, you know, a welding or HVAC and they're taking college courses, uh, what, would, would this apply to them as well, or is this going to be primarily just for seeking students. Ken Warden, commissioner division
Speaker 318
1:52:17
of Higher Education. So, uh, currently our general education requirements that is addressed in the bill are for associate and baccalaureate degrees when we have students that are technical certificates taking or certificates seeking students, we don't hold them to
the GE core requirements. What we try to do is create a scenario so that it's stackable so that they achieve that as an employability certificate and if they want to return to get to the Social Security level, that's the point at which the requisite and the general education core requirements would, uh,
Speaker 320
1:52:46
be, would impact. OK, so it's not, so
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
1:52:49
it would not be a requirement, but we still would encourage students to try to take them in case
they want to pursue further. We're always encouraging them
Speaker 318
1:52:57
to go further, but this is not going to impede someone that wants a non-degree
or short-term certificate and meeting their employability goes in a timely fashion, it will. OK, thank you. And I should have mentioned
Representative Mindy McAlindon
Unverified
1:53:09
it does, it does implement fully with access. It is fully transferable, uh, within the colleges and we also, they are making sure that if you're getting college
credits in high school that they applied to these core as well. Represent Painter, you recognize for a question? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Representative Stetson Painter
Unverified
1:53:28
Um. Houses Different. It's been a little while since I went to college. Um, how is this different than
what General Ed courses they take now for degrees. So,
Speaker 318
1:53:41
what we did through this bill, I just want to first appreciate, uh, Representative Michael Lyndon and her, um, noticing this and bringing it to the attention, but also working with the division to to make sure that there was not any unintended negative consequences. This would be a requisite, which is a subset of the full general education core. And through this process, one of those is going to enable us to remove it what was something in our genetic core to possibly
remove a requirement that was antiquated, which was like an intro to get to computer kind of course, uh, and maybe tighten up the 1st 15 hours where one portion there wasn't elective now, that's gonna, we're gonna move in a requirement. The bill would move in a requirement for American government or the like, and then give us the latitude in the last 2. hours of where the course sits now to adjust those things that are flexed so that it's flexible for a little more flexible 4
degrees, so that it, this elective courses are more germane to what the um the declared major is. Thank you. And, and, uh, wouldn't you agree that it's
Representative Stetson Painter
Unverified
1:54:48
good to see American history put back in there. I agree. Other additional questions about the
committee Representative Gonzalezor you recognize for a question. Yes, um. I
Representative Justin Gonzales
Unverified
1:55:01
would, I was just wondering if you could explain the the two courses, oral. Um, or written.
Speaker 36
1:55:12
communication, I believe, on page 4. Yeah So
Representative Justin Gonzales
Unverified
1:55:16
they would be able to take, um, 2 courses and it,
it can be either oral or written. So I just so the most probably the most
Speaker 318
1:55:30
was where your comp1 and comp2 would fit, English composition 1, English composition 2. But it does give the latitude for some technical composition, technical writing or other courses that would better fit their major, um, I
know it's in some cases now we have Engineers, let's say that we're comp to is not necessarily what they need. They're better suited with a, with a technical writing course and so that's where that would
Representative Justin Gonzales
Unverified
1:55:55
apply. OK, I was, I guess I was, I'm glad that you explained that because for me, I, I read that as oral or written communication so that would mean. A student could get out of taking speech or oral calm, and they can just focus on two
written and not oral with as many students who avoid oral communication or speech. That's that was that that's just my question. I just wanted, I,
Speaker 323
1:56:23
I will say that. This bill would, doesn't, I mean that. That is
Speaker 318
1:56:29
possible first what you stated. We like to ensure that those guardrails are set by the by the division and by the degree. So who we trust industry experts to invite to give input on whether
that is a welding program or a composition program or rhetoric or engineering or, you know, medicine, uh, we want the engineering professional or or the excuse me, industry professionals to tell us and who guide those decisions. what best fits that degree and give them the latitude to adjust those uh in that, in the, for the specificity of how it contextually fits the the industry demand. OK, thank you.
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:57:17
So no additional questions and no one has signed up to speak on the bill would even like to speak for or against the bill, say none. Would you like to close through your
Representative Mindy McAlindon
Unverified
1:57:24
bill? Yes, so thank you so much for letting me bring this. I'd like to just thank Doctor Leva, Doctor Warden, the colleges and universities. We put a lot of hours into making this happen, and I think this is a great restructuring to be sure that our young adults come out knowing our, our history, knowing our government and are prepared for their careers and with that I'd
ask for a good vote. Representative McAloon has presented a bill and closed for a bill. There's a motion on the
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:57:48
table, do pass as amended. It's a discussion on the motion. See no I don't favor say aye, all opposed. Congratulations, Representative McAllen. You've passed your bill as a committee. Thank you, Chairman next, we'll move to Representative Joey Carr, HB 1733. And let me see if we have an amendment on this one. Yes, sir. Uh, congratulations. We do have a memo on this one. So, And with
Representative John P. Carr
Unverified
1:58:12
the chair's permission I'd like to ask for Mr. Chester Shannon Tuckerman, Superintendent, to join me at the It looks like he's going to
whether I get permission or not. I'm just, uh, Doctor Shan, it's good to, good to see
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:58:24
you here. Glad you have joined us. If you would please introduce yourself for the
Speaker 335
1:58:29
record. Uh, my name's Chester Shannon, the superintendent Jackson County School District, uh, Jackson County, Arkansas. And staff finishes passing it
out, you can go ahead and present your amendment Representative Carr. All right, once
Representative John P. Carr
Unverified
1:58:43
I've, uh, Joey Carr, District 34. Once I filed uh Bill 1733, uh, we were contacted by several of the
groups, and, uh, they ask, uh, if we could meet for an amendment and so uh I set up Mr. Chester Shannon, uh, Secretary Leva, and then also uh some groups with KidSpot, which is also another type of, of a childcare institution and so, uh, through this, they changed some language. I made, uh slight adjustments there in the bill, uh, and discussed, uh, the combination of the programs and so that's kind of where the
amendment came from after, after I filed. And one of those factors
was with qualification, the amount of qualifications as well you see on that second page. Any questions for Representative Car
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
1:59:35
on the amendment, see none. We have a motion. Oh, sorry, Rector Meeks has a question, a motion. Question it and then I'll make
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
1:59:43
the motion for you. Um, and, and you may address this in, in the full bill. Uh, my, my,
my, on page two, we're talking about those qualifications. Um, it's a childbirth through, um,
5 years of age, uh, I'm not so much worried about the older kids here, but, uh, you know, a brand new infant, um, and maybe it's just I need to understand the, the, the better chance program better. But, um, my, my question is, are we equipped to be handling infants and should we and how does the program work
Speaker 337
2:00:18
with that? Well, initially when the legislature established the ABC program in the early 90s, uh, once they established it, they
created 3000 slots across the state and they let the early childhood develop the criteria for who is eligible for this. And at that time, and then it's been since the early 90s, it's been 0 to 5. Um, about 10 years later, they created 20,000 more slots, and these slots were 3 and 4 and so, uh, um, so if you were a school district or a, a private entity that was fortunate enough to have some of
the early slots, then you have more flexibility in filling those with your students. Now, uh, in my school district, um, um, I put on my board packet, uh, you know, hit me in the head and throw me in the road ditch, but we're gonna add 4 infants. Now, I'm doing that for, uh, uh, for my staff and uh. And there's no, there's a lack of childcare there and some others that were opening it up to in the public, but, uh, yes, we are going to try that and, uh, and set up for those young
Speaker 252
2:01:28
kids, once Doctor Oliva approves some startup money, we'll be good, we'll be good on the infants. I appreciate it. I just want to make sure that
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
2:01:37
we are equipped to handle because, and if it's a whole lot different than a 5 year old and liability and all that, so this is, I've been approached with this for
Speaker 337
2:01:45
about 5 years, so Um, you know, I'm, uh, I guess we're ready to do it. All right, thank you. And I'll make a motion, uh, to pass on the amendment.
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
2:01:54
We have a motion to pass on the amendment discussion on that motion.
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
2:02:00
Sorry to adopt the amendment, my apologies. I see no discussion, all if ever say aye, all opposed. Congratulations, your amendment has been adopted. You're now
Representative John P. Carr
Unverified
2:02:12
recognized Representative Carter to present HB 1733 as amended. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, House Bill 1733, what it does is, uh, It does not create more slots, it just kind of, it uh relaxes the qualifications. There is no more money, no more spots, and the fiscal impact is $0 on this
and what this allows is for the different communities throughout Arkansas with Mr. Shannon, uh, you know, with his, he's he's able to, to offer that with some of his teaching staff. Also, he is in a socioeconomic challenged area and so that will also uh provide greater. services for his community as well and other other other schools and communities throughout Arkansas will benefit from this well, uh, beyond Tuckerman. So, uh, with that I'd entertain any questions.
Chair
Unverified
2:03:03
Representative McGruder, you recognize for a question.
Representative Jessie McGruder
Unverified
2:03:09
I'm sorry, Garner. Represent guard, you'll have to hit
Speaker 302
2:03:15
your button again. I actually turned it off. My
Representative Denise Garner
Unverified
2:03:21
apologies. Um, am I reading this right that um It
Speaker 345
2:03:24
That we're repealing 645108. It combined the
Speaker 337
2:03:29
eligibility requirements, the original 3000.
Um, ABC slots, uh, had 8 or 9 different qualifications to be in, you know, uh, if you had a teenage mother, if you had a low birth weight, if you, uh, tested that you needed speech intervention, um, if uh there was a history of drug abuse in your family. All of these things are indicators that this child is going to be developmentally challenged and that he needs to be in preschool when the, when the next 20,000. slots came. It was income only
and so what that does is, it's uh the the people that qualify, but that cuts off for, say, a single parent at 41,000, so you may have a single mother with a uh uh a child that has a uh speech delay that makes as a nurse 45,000 and they wouldn't be eligible. So all it is combining is, is the eligibility requirements. We want ABC SS. Which is considered new money to have the same eligibility
requirements as ABC, uh, that will allow us to have flexibility to, for, for students to come in with, you know, um, you know. One of those eligibility requirements, uh, you know, I've got a, um, you know, probably will have a student in, uh, or a baby in the infant that may belong to a student this next year. So that's um, that's all it's trying to do. And so if you were one of the original Uh, they're they're called old
money slots or gold when you looked at the people that are applying to be in there. You have so much flexibility to maximize your slides and for example, in my school, uh, last year or 2 years ago, we added toddlers and so immediately they were filled up with 14 on each campus because that was not available. And so The whole idea behind this is all of our kindergartners tested within the 1st 30 days of being
in kindergarten to see if their kindergarten ready, so, um, so we went back, we looked at our curriculum, adopted curriculum that that we thought would get our students to the point of being ready and maybe just develop a continuous, uh, um, avenue for our students. And so, uh, I don't know if it's it's not getting rid of any slots. It's just saying we're all going to follow the eligibility requirements of ABC. A lot of, a lot of people did not even know the requirements
because they're so far and few between, uh, uh, we're lucky, we're fortunate, and this bill is not going to impact us a whole lot because of the 90 ABC slots we have approximately 34 of them are, uh, um, the ABC original. And the rest are ABCSS. So we do have some flexibility, uh, but now toddlers, because ABCSS is 3 and 4 years old, they took a lot of those slots and so if I have
a 3 and 4 year old that may be uh for speech, um. You know, you, you, you need flexibility. And, uh, you know, somebody's going to qualify under there that needs to be in preschool. So not getting rid of anything,
Speaker 335
2:06:59
just making the eligibility requirements, ABCSS to follow the eligibility requirements of ABC. concern is just making sure
Representative Denise Garner
Unverified
2:07:06
that those folks that fall under the 200%. Oh yeah, yes, yes ma'am. Yes,
Speaker 337
2:07:15
uh, yes, yes. Um, but, um, now, and that is still, that, that is one of the still one of the requirements. Representative Duke could recognize her question. See no additional
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
2:07:33
questions, uh, we do have. One person, oh, I believe. Mr. Shannon is actually who has signed up to speak on the bill, so uh we don't have to worry about that. We've already got that taken care of, so there's no one else signed up to speak
for against the bill. Would you like to close for your bill, Representative Carr? Uh, yes,
Speaker 119
2:07:50
sir. Uh, with that, I would appreciate a, uh, motion to pass and a good vote and with that I'm close. Thank you.
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
2:07:56
Reent car has closed for a bill. We have a motion on the table of do pass as amended. Is there a discussion on the motion? See no discussion if ever say aye. All poses. Congratulations, Representative Carr, you passed your bill. Thank you chair and thank you committee. Committee will hear one more bill, and that is Representative Scott Richardson. HB 1062, uh, prior to hearing
this, uh, again, our theme is consistent today. We do have an amendment on this as well. Prior to hearing this, we will need a motion to expunge the vote by which the prior amendment passed. I have a motion to expunge the vote by which the prior amendment passed discussion on that motion. See none all in favor say a all opposed. The vote to the vote by which the prior amendment passed has been expunged and now Representative Richardson, you're recognized to present the amendment that's being passed out by our amazing staff.
Speaker 350
2:08:49
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and, uh, committee, appreciate the vote to expunge the previous amendment we had included in this one, that you're receiving right now, uh, the same, uh, specific requirements, uh, and, uh, there was a concern that deer and grossing we might have uh some sort of challenge, uh, getting grossed correctly and so they just wanted us to take care of that, so I appreciate your cooperation there, um, at the this amendment is exactly what the committee asked me to do.
Um, to fix this bill and get it ready for us to move forward with it, so it become our, our bill, um, so I've taken care of those and uh I'll, uh, I'll be happy to go line by line with the amendment into the bill as soon as we get the amendment passed to to make that so. We have a
motion to adopt the amendment. Is there a discussion on that motion? See none all ever
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
2:09:45
say I all opposed. Congratulationsendment has been adopted. Give me just one second, Representative Richardson. Ter
Apologies, uh, so Representative Richardson, uh, I'm going to make a decision for us to hear the bill, uh, but we will not be voting on it because we do not have a quorum currently. We've been losing members. She is coming back? OK, uh, uh, now we have a quorum again. Lock the door so Represent Firman doesn't leave, please, uh, OK, so, uh, we'll back off that. We've now, uh, we've
Speaker 355
2:10:40
adopted the amendment. You're recognized to present HB 1062 as amended with our small quorum. Wonderful, thank you so much,
Speaker 350
2:10:45
uh, Mr. Chairman, Again, Scott Richardson, uh, District 13, uh, committee, this, this amendment came about, uh, um, as a, uh, with consultation from the group. I'm super happy, uh, that we were able to get the amendment done. I think it makes it a much better bill, uh, just running through it if you turn in your build page 3 kind of line up with the amendment, um, we've added an additional portion of the requirement um to uh discuss uh or excuse me, to
have a behavioral threat assessment, uh, consideration, uh, in this bill and this aligns with, you know, I made reference in the previous one with an additional bill that's coming right after this that just got filed. I'm looking forward for that one as well, but this behavioral threat assessment is a common known terminology. and, and the world of of counseling apparently, um, and the idea is that we determine whether or not the child is a threat to themselves or others, um, and so this bill adds that additional requirement. I know
that uh representative Gonzalez Worthen, and I had a great conversation about a student that she had had discussions with that was completely out of character, uh, for that student had an outburst turns out that there was some trauma back behind that and so we wanna make sure we're picking up those children
Speaker 357
2:11:57
as well, um, if you turn with me to, uh, page 54, We've We've, uh, deleting, deleted, uh, or excuse me, added an or
Speaker 355
2:12:11
statement to say a classroom or in school suspension and
Speaker 350
2:12:15
then we've deleted item C, which is alternative education, learning environment, or excuse me, alternative learning environment, uh, and if you drop down to section 3, all of that code, the 20 through 32, all of that's taken out which was in reference to you guys, uh, wanting to make sure that we've done away with the possibility that this is encouraging kids to be being. Shuttle off to ALE, um, and then, uh, Then, uh, the only other change
was of course the addition that we you guys had previously approved in a previous amendment that we expunged, the addition to exclude uh these entities from this bill which are the education facility, a division of youth services, um, and, and of course correctional facilities that we have, uh, we don't want to encourage bad behavior in those areas just so they can get out of classrooms, so, um, we wanted to make sure we've excluded with them. So with that, I'm happy to take any questions.
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
2:13:16
Are there questions from the committee? See no question. I want to make sure that Representative
Representative Lincoln Barnett
Unverified
2:13:25
Barnett, you do have a question. You're recognized. Yes, on, um, page 2 and I know this has been amended at some point. Um, Is there a particular reason why it say it says on uh line 32 shell and not May because with the.
changes that have been made. I mean, it says each time a teacher removes a student from class. The principal or principal designee shall not return the student
Speaker 360
2:14:01
unless a conference is held. Absolutely it doesn't call for a conference. Well, it,
Speaker 355
2:14:08
it, uh, this is specifically in referencing the items that are above, uh, listed for the um
Consistent with the find where I'm looking for it. Uh, I don't, don't, uh, on, uh, line 11 from above. The teacher may remove a classroom for these types of behavior, and if you look down the line 15, we've added in the violent, but we're talking about disruptive violent or abusive behavior. These are the reasons that a conference must be held.
We also added um in addition to that, they're in um. They're on page
Speaker 357
2:15:00
They're on page. 3 line item 6. Um that a
Speaker 355
2:15:08
teacher is not required to remove a student from class each time the
Speaker 350
2:15:14
student is unruly or disruptive during the teacher's class. They're not required to remove them, but if it gets to the point that they're unable to teach,
obviously they should remove them and so that's
Speaker 355
2:15:26
why we added that language in as well to address that, making sure that it's not a, a major concern, so we're only talking about things that are, you know, disruptive or unruly, um, and then a conference is held, um, associated with that. And then we also make a determination if there's a need at that point for a um a behavioral health assessment as well if if the child is violent.
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
2:16:01
makes you recognize for a question. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is going to be a, wouldn't you agree question because it's gonna it's going to go to the question that Representative Barnett just asked and hopefully we'll answer his question on line 32, where it says the designee may not return the student. That's, that, that language there is not a, we're giving you a choice. When I say you may not do something, there there's no choice there. So all this is is technical correction from to shall.
So it's clearly understood that what we're doing here, so there, there, there's no substantive change there. It's just a technical correction in the in the bill, wouldn't you agree? I agree with that. Yeah, so there was no choice there to begin with. We're just cleaning up some
language there. Representative Gonzalezor than you recognize for
Representative Justin Gonzales
Unverified
2:16:50
question. Yes, and I want to thank you for the amendments that you have made, um, I wanted to ask
you about the, let's see, I think this is on I just reading it, page 5,
line 23, section 3. Um Where it talks about if a student is educated in the alternative learning environment for fewer than 20 days, the division may provide funding to a school district based on the actual number of days the student is educated in the alternative learning deleting all of Section 3. You're deleting all of section 3.
OK, so. Right, right now the
Speaker 355
2:17:29
current uh standard is 20 days, uh, for
ALE, um, this bill is not addressing ALE
Speaker 350
2:17:36
in any form, so it made sense just to eliminate any language associated with that and if we wanted to come back with a different
Speaker 355
2:17:42
bill and address ALE, I guess that's something we could do, but this is not um is not dressing Ali and I for for purposes of ensuring that we don't have confusion, um, I've eliminated any references to ALE in this bill. So the, so if they
Representative Justin Gonzales
Unverified
2:17:56
need to be removed from the class and they need to go. Somewhere else
That's somewhere else. Is not an alternative learning environment. Is that what you're The answer to that
Speaker 350
2:18:11
question is the school always has options that they currently have under the law, um, and I, I can't, uh,
Speaker 355
2:18:17
I'm not trying to dictate where those are, um, we're just making it appropriate for them to do what they need to do. OK,
Representative Justin Gonzales
Unverified
2:18:26
um, I just saw this, so let me just right here on page, um. 5 Above section 3.
Appropriate learning environment is defined. Yes, ma'am. OK, and then under line one at the top of page 5 means a setting within a public school or public school district and then that provides a similar structure to the following without limitation, so it does have see an alternative learning and we've deleted that with the amendment as well as well. OK, ma'am, I was just that was a that was a concern in talking to um.
principles and, and teachers and. alternative learning environments if they're student base was gonna all of a sudden start to increase and they have their hands full with the students that they're serving at this time. That, that's the reason I'm asking. Absolutely, and, and that was at the request of this committee that we
Speaker 355
2:19:19
made that change, so you bet. Seeing no additional questions. Is there anyone signed up to speak
for against the bill, say none. Would you like to close
Speaker 350
2:19:34
for your bill representative? Well, I think we've kind of beaten this horse around a
Speaker 355
2:19:40
while, so I appreciate the committee's indulging me and providing great uh information and I'm closed. Representative Richardson has clothes for his bill, and
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
2:19:48
we have a motion on the table to do pass as amended of HB 1062. Is there any discussion on that motion? Seeing no discussion all in favor say aye, all opposed. Congratulations, Jefferson Richard, you have passed your bill as amended Mr. Chairman, we are done with bills. However, I
did have a um a, a request from a committee member to hear from Secretary Leber for just a moment, um, as you may have seen in the news, there's a pending executive order relative to the Federal Department of Education, and so I had a member request that the secretary just come speak for a moment about potential impacts just so we can be aware of that as a committee. So we will yield the uh Microphone to Secretaryliva. Thank you. uh, good afternoon,
Speaker 370
2:20:32
Jacob Leva, Secretary of Education. I think there's been a lot of conversations about the
impact of what would happen if the Department of Education didn't exist in the manner that it exists today. In fact, I've even got asked, I think Representative Meeks may have even asked me during a previous committee if that's something that we be able to endure and support. I can, I'll publicly say I'm I'm full support of um giving states more authority, and if that includes restricting some of the overburdensome guidance that the US Department of Education implements through their current grant processes.
This is long overdue and we're excited to be able to work with our friends in uh in DC to make that happen. I, I, I get asked this question a lot and I said just because the Department of Education doesn't exist or look and operate in a manner, um, maybe in the future that it is today. It doesn't mean the programs are going to go away. Right now, we receive maybe uh A school district is about 10% of their budget may come from federal funds, and those dollars are very strategic and appropriate to support students with lower socioeconomic
backgrounds, um, students that are learning a second language, so special education, um, students that reser uh that get additional layers of support. Those dollars, if they were block granted straight directly to states, I think the experts in our state, the practitioners around this table, the people that come and testify. On behalf of the students in their classrooms can make better decisions on how to allocate those dollars and somebody that's never even been to a classroom in the state of
Arkansas. So we look forward to working with the department, um, as this executive order, we learned more about it, gets rolled out and how we can target and better utilize these resources to make sure they're having the intended outcomes that we know our students deserve um to have so we, we welcome this change. I think. When we look back at how inefficient the system is now, how overly bureaucratic and prescriptive, some of these um strings that come attached to the federal dollars, um, that
handcuff our schools in our classrooms. Uh, this is something that I, I know I'm excited to, to move forward on. Do you have one question from Rips and Meeks. Thank you.
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
2:22:53
So I'm the guilty party keeping us here. Uh, so, uh, uh, I'm excited about these changes too, which is part of the reason why I just asked for your input on this. My, my concern is obviously we're in session now we're passing budgetary bills and so short term we don't see any impacts to any of that, any of these changes would be long
term and we would have to, uh, I don't know if special session would be needed, but at some point we're not ready to make any changes yet related. What's
Speaker 369
2:23:22
going on in DC, I think anybody that wanted to make changes or hit the panic button would be
Speaker 370
2:23:27
very premature, um, there, there's gonna be a long runway towards what, what this um implementation cycle looks like, in fact, we're meeting with folks from the Department of Education next week to learn more about um some possible implementations and next steps.
But we have 0 indication from the United States Department of Education that the dollars that are intended to support some of our most vulnerable students are are are, are going away. They're they're still gonna follow through what we're seeing is discretionary grants that are coming around that don't have any impact on student learning. Those are being reviewed. We, when we look at the dollars that are intended to support classrooms. I have not seen anything that touches that and we're excited to make sure that we maintain. that integrity and um work
forward towards the transition. All right, thank you. Thank you for sure.
Additional questions for the secretary, say none. House education stands adjourned.
Agenda
RE-REFERRED TO COMMITTEE
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
HB1062 R. Scott Richardson TO CREATE THE TEACHER AND STUDENT PROTECTION ACT OF 2025.
richardson
HB1495 Hawk CONCERNING THE TRANSFER OF A STUDENT'S PERMANENT SCHOOL RECORD.
HB1672 McCollum TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE TO CREATE A MORE EFFICIENT SYSTEM FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF INNOVATION IN ARKANSAS.
HB1696 McAlindon TO ESTABLISH THE STRENGTHENING ARKANSAS EDUCATION ACT; AND TO PROVIDE A CORE CURRICULUM AT STATE-SUPPORTED INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
mcalindon
HB1646 McGrew TO REQUIRE CERTAIN MATERIALS TO BE STORED IN LOCKED ROOMS WITHIN A DESIGNATED AREA.
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.
HB1810 Joey Carr TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING THE ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND AND THE ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
HB1733
carr
Documents
| Title | Type | Pages | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agenda — EDUCATION COMMITTEE- HOUSE, Mar 20, 2025 | Agenda | 4 | Official source ↗ |
Speakers
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
Representative RJ Hawk
Unverified
Representative Keith Brooks Chair
Unverified
Speaker 15
Speaker 18
Chair
Unverified
Speaker 27
Speaker 29
Representative Justin Gonzales
Unverified
Representative Denise Garner
Unverified
Speaker 61
Speaker 64
Representative Matt Brown
Unverified
Representative Brit McKenzie
Unverified
Speaker 46
Speaker 86
Speaker 10
Representative Bruce Cozart
Unverified
Speaker 99
Representative John P. Carr
Unverified
Representative Jessie McGruder
Unverified
Speaker 128
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
Speaker 134
Speaker 137
Speaker 144
Speaker 150
Speaker 108
Speaker 155
Robert Fagen
Unverified
Speaker 157
Speaker 165
Kay Anne
Unverified
Speaker 178
Speaker 52
Speaker 180
Speaker 186
Holly Mott
Unverified
Speaker 192
Speaker 104
Speaker 194
Griffin Smith
Unverified
Speaker 206
Speaker 136
Speaker 78
David Burton
Unverified
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
Speaker 221
Speaker 227
Speaker 226
Representative Richard McGrew
Unverified
Speaker 252
Speaker 256
Speaker 259
Speaker 199
Speaker 280
Speaker 130
Speaker 291
Speaker 91
Speaker 305
Representative Stetson Painter
Unverified
Representative Mindy McAlindon
Unverified
Speaker 318
Speaker 320
Speaker 36
Speaker 327
Speaker 323
Speaker 335
Speaker 337
Speaker 302
Speaker 345
Speaker 119
Speaker 350
Speaker 355
Speaker 357
Representative Lincoln Barnett
Unverified
Speaker 360
Speaker 370
Speaker 369