Education Committee - Senate
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Transcript
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Bills discussed (20)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SB391
Act 472
· 4 mentions in transcript, agenda, chapter
Matched: “OK, first thing on the agenda we have Senator dismay with Senate Bill 391. Thank you, Madam”
|
TO CREATE THE ROBOTICS COMPETITION GRANT PROGRAM FOR ELIGIBLE ROBOTICS TEAMS IN PUBLIC OR PRIVATE … | J. Dismang | Notification that SB391 is now Act 472 |
|
HB1398
Act 352
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1398 L. Johnson TO REQUIRE SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT, ESTABLISH, AND IM…”
|
TO REQUIRE SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT, ESTABLISH, AND IMPLEMENT A CARDIAC EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN THAT INTEGRATES … | L. Johnson | Notification that HB1398 is now Act 352 |
|
HB1601
Act 354
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1601 L. Johnson TO REQUIRE STATE-SUPPORTED INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHE…”
|
TO REQUIRE STATE-SUPPORTED INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION TO PROVIDE CAREER COUNSELING AND OTHER RESOURCES TO … | L. Johnson | Notification that HB1601 is now Act 354 |
|
HB1689
Act 355
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1689 M. Shepherd TO REQUIRE A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL TO GRANT ACCESS…”
|
TO REQUIRE A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL TO GRANT ACCESS TO ITS FACILITIES TO MILITARY RECRUITERS; … | M. Shepherd | Notification that HB1689 is now Act 355 |
|
SB425
Act 722
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB425 J. English TO AMEND VARIOUS PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE…”
|
TO AMEND VARIOUS PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING ENHANCED TRANSPORTATION; AND TO DECLARE AN … | J. English | Notification that SB425 is now Act 722 |
|
SB436
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB436 A. Clark TO AMEND THE ABILITY OF A STUDENT WHO TRANSFERS UN…”
|
TO AMEND THE ABILITY OF A STUDENT WHO TRANSFERS UNDER THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE ACT … | A. Clark | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1180
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…ICE ACT; AND TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE ACT OF 2015. HB1180 Bentley TO CREATE THE BABY OLIVIA ACT. SB358 J. Dotson TO A…”
|
TO CREATE THE BABY OLIVIA ACT. | Bentley | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1370
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…Irvin TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS FINANCIAL EDUCATION COMMISSION. HB1370 J. Mayberry CONCERNING MAKING UP MISSED SCHOOL DAYS; AND TO…”
|
CONCERNING MAKING UP MISSED SCHOOL DAYS; AND TO REQUIRE A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT TO INCLUDE … | J. Mayberry | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1633
Act 475
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…estrictions designating areas as 'Members and Staff Only'. HB1633 Brooks TO AMEND ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATING…”
|
TO AMEND ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATING IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES FOR CERTAIN STUDENTS WHO TRANSFER SCHOOLS; … | Brooks | Notification that HB1633 is now Act 475 |
|
SB149
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…LOYMENT TAX ACT TO WAIVE THE "REASONABLE ASSURANCE" CLAUSE. SB149 J. English TO AMEND PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING AMOUNTS UNDER THE…”
|
TO AMEND PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING AMOUNTS UNDER THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 2003. | J. English | Died in House at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB205
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…SCHOOL TO ADOPT A POLICY FOR ONE OR MORE SCHOOL CHAPLAINS. SB205 A. Clark TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS OPPORTUNITY PUBLIC SCHOOL CH…”
|
TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS OPPORTUNITY PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE ACT; AND TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL … | A. Clark | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB215
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…UNDING AMOUNTS UNDER THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 2003. SB215 J. Bryant TO AMEND THE PERMISSIBLE USES FOR REAL ESTATE DON…”
|
TO AMEND THE PERMISSIBLE USES FOR REAL ESTATE DONATED BY A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT; AND … | J. Bryant | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB266
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…RT CARD TO INCLUDE A STUDENT'S CURRENT READING GRADE LEVEL. SB266 J. Dotson TO AUTHORIZE A PUBLIC SCHOOL TO ADOPT A POLICY FO…”
|
TO AUTHORIZE A PUBLIC SCHOOL TO ADOPT A POLICY FOR ONE OR MORE STUDENT MENTORS. | J. Dotson | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB373
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…NG, AND MATHEMATICS. REGULAR AGENDA Number Sponsor Subtitle SB373 Irvin TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS FINANCIAL EDUCATION COMMISSION.…”
|
TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS FINANCIAL EDUCATION COMMISSION. | Irvin | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB390
Act 695
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…L CALENDAR FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING UP MISSED SCHOOL DAYS. SB390 J. English TO ESTABLISH THE STATE APPRENTICESHIP AGENCY ACT…”
|
TO ESTABLISH THE STATE APPRENTICESHIP AGENCY ACT. | J. English | Notification that SB390 is now Act 695 |
|
SB402
Act 725
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB402 C. Penzo TO PROHIBIT A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT FROM REQUIRIN…”
|
TO PROHIBIT A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT AND AN EDUCATIONAL SERVICE COOPERATIVE FROM REQUIRING OR TAKING … | C. Penzo | Notification that SB402 is now Act 725 |
|
SB438
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB438 A. Clark TO PERMANENTLY BAN FROM COACHING A COACH OR AN ATH…”
|
TO PERMANENTLY BAN FROM COACHING A COACH OR AN ATHLETICS PERSONNEL MEMBER WHO RECRUITS A … | A. Clark | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB450
Act 915
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…S TO GRANT ACCESS TO ITS FACILITIES TO MILITARY RECRUITERS. SB450 B. Davis TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO INCLUDE…”
|
TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO INCLUDE A HUMAN FETAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT DISCUSSION … | B. Davis | Notification that SB450 is now Act 915 |
|
SB451
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…ARDS DURING THE ARKANSAS ACADEMIC STANDARDS REVISION CYCLE. SB451 Hester TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THE DEPARTME…”
|
TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ESTABLISH REGIONAL … | Hester | Died in Senate at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SCR3
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…ECLARE AN EMERGENCY. DEFERRED BILLS Number Sponsor Subtitle SCR3 J. Scott TO URGE THE ARKANSAS CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO P…”
|
TO URGE THE ARKANSAS CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TO THE FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT TAX … | J. Scott | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
Machine transcript
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- October 2, 2026
Senator Jane English
Unverified
0:14
glad to have you all here today. And Laura Beth Kunon, if you just step forward, thank you, Lily Nash. Jasmine Serrano Piper Green Finley Wright. And Aaliyah Abraham. Nice
to have you all with us. Thank you very much. this is
all about you. This is your future and your education system, so we appreciate you
being here, kind of view what we do. Thank you very much.
Speaker 6
0:49
OK, first thing on the agenda we have Senator dismay with Senate Bill 391. Thank you, Madam
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
0:56
Chair and members, I'll be brief so this bill establishes a robotics competition grant program.
We do a lot in this state to promote athletics. I don't think we do a very good job of promoting STEM type programs like this in the state, uh, and this bill actually came to me uh from the Cersei robotics uh group and then the Harding Academy
robotics group. They've been working on this piece of legislation since the summer. Y'all can probably give me a more specific date and I mean a couple of remarkable things. was number one, this is almost all their language. It was drafted by them by looking at our other legislation, uh, I mean, very, um, I think almost no input actually from legislators or staff or anyone else as they work through this, and I think you'll see that they put some proper guardrails in place for a program and it helped create an incentive that
I think will work. It is, it does not have funding tied to it. It would just allow for the development of a grant program and then the Department of Education wouldn't have to work through the additional rules that would be needed and then any other issues that may come up. Uh, with that, there are several of the students that are here today to speak for the bill or speak on the bill, and so I want to be considerate of your time and I'll, so I'll yield and and move to the for and against.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
2:21
Thank you. So that you'd invite them up to the table. You need to
sit on both sides of the table. Hi, so we're very pleased to have you all here today and if you would identify yourselves, then you'll be, um, free to make your presentation, and if
you would please keep it at 3 minutes. I would appreciate that. Thank you. Hi, so, um, we are from First
Annalee Brooks
Unverified
2:52
Robotics competition team, 3937 Breakaway, and my name is Annalee Brooks, and I am chair of our team's outreach department. Hi, and I'm Kate
Speaker 23
2:59
Brunner. I am in machining and assembly, and I'm also safety captain of our team. Good morning. Um, my
Clara Tittle
Unverified
3:06
name is Gracie Haggard. My name is Clara Tittle, and we are the chairs of
Annalee Brooks
Unverified
3:13
the business department. Um, and today we also have members of Team 9067 Lagoonies here and both of us are here today to speak in support of this bill. One of the core
beliefs of our team is that every kid can succeed and stem, and in order for this success to happen, they need someone to invest in their STEM education and learning, and by investing in competitive robotics, Arkansas would not just be investing in a These robotics programs and the STEM learning provided in these robotics programs but also the future of the Arkansas workforce.
Speaker 23
3:54
OK, so I am in machining and assembly. That is where we work on our robots. So we compete every year and it's a new game and so something that I do is make a machine parts. And so I have learned how to use the lathe, how to use a mill, and I've learned so many different skills. I've learned how to CAD. I've learned how to work as a team. This is just such a great program. Robotics is just such a great program to get to know people, to get to learn and how to work with others in this way. It's Such a great opportunity and I just wish everybody would get
this chance because I know not everybody because it's expensive and it's a hard thing to run, but if, if this
Annalee Brooks
Unverified
4:34
gets passed, then it'll be a huge help to those teams. In addition to providing um STEM specific skills for STEM careers there's also a business aspect to robotics where students learn public speaking interpersonal communication skills, marketing, um. And um just general um confidence and leadership that
can be used in any career whether it is STEM focused or not. Are
Speaker 34
4:59
there any questions that y'all have? I'd be
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
5:03
happy to answer. Thank you, Madam Chair, and I may have missed it, but who's the driver? Um, we don't have our driver here right now today
Speaker 23
5:16
your autonomous mode going our autonomous mode, we just got um something that's called the tush bush, so that'll help us with um a cooperation with our other alliance and because we
like the teamwork throughout states and throughout world because we just got to go to Worlds, which is a huge opportunity. We're talking
Speaker 33
5:31
with people all over the world, and so, yes, our autonomous is going great. Awesome,
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
5:36
glad to hear my daughters were both in robotics so. It's, it's an awesome program and I'm glad to see the bill. Thank you. What is a part of? Well, she graduated,
so no, no more, but she was part of the Iron Patriots. OK, yeah, thank you. Thank you.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
6:04
Send her flowers. Well, good morning and thanks for sharing your stories with us. Um, what grade are you all in? We're all juniors, yes, yes, ma'am, and that's a course that's offered at your
Speaker 38
6:18
school? Um, no, ma'am. So our robotics program is actually an extracurricular activity, um, it requires a lot of time and hard
Gracie Haggard
Unverified
6:25
work, but we do have a period available for robotics members to work on it during school, um, but it's an extracurricular activity for us. So expenses.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
6:36
For participating or paid for. Yes ma'am.
Speaker 38
6:40
Um, so, um, For schools around Arkansas, 30 to 10% of it is of their budget is provided by their school, um, and so because of that most teams are responsible for their own fundraising our team, we try really hard not to make our team members pay dues, so
Speaker 34
6:59
we get a lot of our funding by doing service hours.
Mary Alice
Unverified
7:06
I, I can identify yourself. Uh, my name is Mary Alice Brooks, and I am the public relations mentor and coach, one of 3 for for a team breakaway. And so, as far as funding, it varies from school to school. We are, uh, most schools do invest a portion into these teams just like they would invest a portion into an athletic team, but typically it is not. To the same proportion, should we say, um, and so, uh, a lot of teams are, are dependent upon
community investment, so they have to go out and spend um as a teacher I cannot really start to calculate how many hours I must dedicate during the summer outside of my contract time to raise funds for, for, um, robotics teams and filling out grant applications and that is the case for all educators who are part of a robotics program. So this is something that takes
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
8:00
place. All year long. Um, yes, ma'am. So our regular
Speaker 34
8:08
season, um, usually begins in January and goes through March, but the fundraising and outreach aspect of it goes year round. Thank you. Yeah. Other questions.
Speaker 60
8:20
Thank you very much for your presentation. Of course. Thank you for having us. Thank you. I think there's. There's
Speaker 62
8:34
also a group from the Cersei robotics team that would like to.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
8:40
Or technically speaking in favor of the bill.
Representative Matt Brown
Unverified
8:59
If you will identify yourselves, you'll be recognized. Hello, I am Hayley Williams. I am a member of our first robotics team, and I am the team captain and head of data collection scouting. Hello, I am Nicholas Carlton.
Speaker 73
9:12
I'm part of Team 967 Laguonians. I'm a junior in high school and this is my first year with
Lilian Ruiz
Unverified
9:18
the robotics team. Um, my name is Lilian Ruiz, and I'm part
Speaker 75
9:22
of the Impact team. My name is Jensen Johnston and I'm also part of the
Speaker 76
9:27
Impact team. And my name is Trevor McGarre. I'm a computer science teacher and one of the mentors uh over the the Goonies team 9067 at Cersei High School. I overseeing programming community outreach. Very good. Uh, robotics is extremely
Representative Matt Brown
Unverified
9:45
beneficial to many students. It opens up a lot of new possibilities for career and by being in robotics, it allows many students to get experience in aspects like Not just machining and building a robot, but also public speaking like this and uh Data collection and many other sides of a business that you wouldn't necessarily expect to see in robotics. If you look at
it just face on. But By lowering that barrier for injury and allowing more students to compete, uh, it will help
Speaker 80
10:25
many. Businesses and many careers grow more. Robotics not only also
Speaker 73
10:32
helps careers and the well-being of others and also how it impacts our stem within our military. We currently have a mentor who graduated recently with her robotics program who is working
at the Arkansas or the Jacksonville Air Force Base is an aeronautics technician, and he currently works on planes that varies like the C130, um, and he makes an impact towards our government or our military and opens up a lot of opportunities for STEM and other aspects uh also within businesses. I, I, I'll give a little bit
Speaker 76
11:17
more information in general about what this means, so as we know, athletics is a very well funded across the state, but often in things like STEM, it's not quite as well funded and I believe every student in the state deserves to have a place where they can feel like they belong and are a member of a team. An example is my son Coleman. He's a senior in high school. He's never actually had any interest in sport. He's watched our robotics team from a distance the last couple
of years and then he decided to this year actually join the team and as a result, he's he's very shy and reserved, but he's actually his confidence has grown. He's been able to actually start to actively participate and collaborate with his classmates and peers and feel like he's a part of a team and able to contribute, and this is something that can be extended to more students across the state. where more students feel like they have a place where they can belong and make a difference and impact.
Uh, but first robotics and robotics in general isn't just about building robots. It's about building people first and foremost, that's what it's all about. It's building the future, um. In first robotics there's two key things cooperation and gracious professional professionalism where teams compete by collaborating. I, what, what you'll often find is in these robotics competitions, one team's robot is going to break down. They can go ask another team and that team's willing to help them
rebuild the robot right there on the spot if they are having issues with code, they can go and help each other code because we believe that it's not just competing to win. We believe it's all about lifting the boat and lifting everyone all at the same time, so I've seen how or one other thing, Dean came the founder of First, he calls robotics the only sport where every student can go pro, and I think that's something that's extremely important, and I've seen this firsthand with
students that are on track for STEM or majoring in STEM, and we have a graduates that are already working in STEM or pursuing degrees in STEM, but it's not just a stem, a robotics teams also do community outreach. One thing that we do is we have collaborated with our public library in Cersei, where we have one night a week where or one night a month where we invite members of the community to come and learn more about STEM and gauge because robotics.
Isn't just about building that robot, like I said, it's about building building people and building communities. And according to first robotics, the median cost for a robotics team is over $23,000 per season. So every year over $23,000 that includes like a registrations for events that can be $6000 for the first event, $3000 for any subsequent ones, hotel and travel and then robot parts. A
robot all the parts and stuff for a robot can easily exceed $5000 in a given year because we're talking about. a robot, basically the size of a dishwasher. So we're not talking about your little toy robots. These are quite substantial. Uh, so this grant isn't about just giving students access to robotics. It's also about improving Arkansas's economy and workforce. Cersei High School recently hosted a 30-team regional event that brought in 11 of the 12 FRC teams in the
state of Arkansas as well as some of the top teams around the country and around the world from Colorado, Ohio, Florida, Texas, and more, uh. Uh, so the economic impact for this sort of thing is real, um. Teams travel with dozens of students, mentors, and parents. We had at least 3 teams that had over 50 students. A piece come and compete our team from Cersei, we have about 20 students on our team. Uh, so these sorts of
competitions that we can host can drive investment tourism and STEM engagement throughout our state, so it's not just about supporting the future workforce but also growing the economy as we're doing this, so this grant is an investment in Arkansas's future, training the workforce of tomorrow while also building our state's economy. It will give every student, no matter their zip code or background, the chance to reach their potential SB 391 insures every school that wants to participate, can participate, and I urge you to support SB 391
because expanding robotics isn't just a win for students, it's a win for
Senator Jane English
Unverified
16:04
Arkansas's future. That you said One of you said. Was the, I
guess I. So many times people have this perception of stem as being only an elite group of people who are going off to be engineers. And in reality stem is. That you can design it or you
can fix it, and one of the things you said was about the uh person in your class who'd gone on to the Air Force and was now fixing and working on C-130s, and I think that's something that sometimes we all miss is that there are lots of opportunities for STEM besides being an engineer, and I think that's something for me that has been sort of missing from our conversation about stem is that you can design an airplane or you can fix it. And I think we need to make sure
that we are letting people know those opportunities are there, which would only increase the number of folks who were involved in our robotics programs because they they can, there is
very pleased. Anybody else have any? Senator Sullivan,
Speaker 76
17:17
you mentioned a cost per student. Could you repeat that? Uh, according to the 1st 1st robotics, which is the national organization, the median team invest $23,900
Uh, according to the 1st 1st robotics, which is the national organization, the median team invest $23,900 220 for
Speaker 80
17:37
the math on that is. I'll ask the stem guys just over 1000 per student, but our. Entry cost
Speaker 101
17:45
is only $10 so divided among the 20 should be roughly about 1100 per person. Wait a
minute, 2300 per person times 2. 23,000 times 2.
Speaker 76
18:01
So Approximately, but I mean we we've gotten grants from the Department of Defense due to our mentor, we also ask you, how much
Speaker 76
18:10
local districts they're that they committed to our registration fees, uh, or $6000 registration fee is your budget for the year, do you know we, we've got about 13,000 from our school district. OK, thank you. That the rest of it was stuff that we had to raise on our own.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
18:34
There are any further questions from the committee. Very good. OK, thank you very much for your presentation. Very impressive. This first
robotics program has been around for a good while, and it really is an excellent program. Yeah, so obviously
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
19:02
it's, it's a very impressive program and the
outcomes for these kids, it's also equally as impressive. There are kids that are career ready when they finish a program, actually being recruited um in a STEM type job out of high school because of their involvement in the program. One of, one of the things that took me or was probably one of the most impressive was I don't know how many kids we have in the academy that are at There were 30 kids. They did their unveiling of the robot, which, by the way, if you've never seen a robot, it is as big as one of these squares on the table. It's they're.
pieces of equipment, but during their unveiling they went around the room to every kid and ask them to talk about what it was their position was with the team. Every kid did that with Incredible confidence, um, I mean, it is absolutely and you saw it here there wasn't a an unprepared kid at this table or young adult at this table, and then it's part of that robotics team and what they're learning and all the many things they're doing, um, to your point, there is a provision in here that
there are matching funds that would be required for a grant, so they'd have to raise it a minimum of 25% of their funds, and it does cap the stop end for an instructor. I believe it's at $1500. So again, those were all provisions that these kids put in the bill that were well thought out just ensuring that there was buy-in from their local school, from the local community, and that also wouldn't be some way for someone to, you know, game the system in a way again just an incredible thought out bill and appreciate a good vote.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
20:39
Senator Dowton Senator Dawson motion 2. All they
all pose. Thank you very much. Thank you everybody
Speaker 120
20:48
for being here. I'm gonna do my bill on enhanced transportation. I'm gonna do mine. On the client send bills out.
just Senator, if you would introduce yourself and the bill number
Senator Jane English
Unverified
21:29
and you're welcome to present. Senator Jane English and this is Senate bill, um. 425 and
basically what it is is the enhanced transportation
numbers for the schools across the state for 2025 and 20926.
Thank you for that presentation. Members, do you have any questions or 25. We'll give everybody a chance to. Look at the bill. Senator Dodson,
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
22:03
you have a question. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Senator English just looking through this, I'm wondering how the formula came up to For this, I noticed that like one of my school district's graduate school.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
22:19
Is being zeroed out in their funding. I will ask someone from the um Department to come and join me at the table. And if you would please introduce yourself. take
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
22:52
Greg Rogers, Department of Education. Did you hear the question? I was looking through some of these. I'm curious to know how you came up with the formula like looking through some of these where the the amount that's currently in the law is being zeroed out like uh Just on the first page one or 2nd page, I guess technically, um, gravi school districts one of my school districts, uh, I come down here, green forest.
No, wait, wait, Dermont, sorry, I got off on the line there on that one, but there's a few of them that are going to 0 on this in a couple of different areas of the bill. I'm wondering how you came up with the formula and Why So, uh, first
Speaker 134
23:42
of all, that's not our formula. That's a formula that's done during the adequacy process that's the uh done by Bill are that determines how much for enhanced transportation goes to each one of the school districts, and it's based off the uh
It's based off a calculation of how much transportation is provided in the matrix depending on how many kids have been riding the bus there, their yearly expenditures and their route miles. So when they do the calculation, they look to see if all the other funding sources are providing enough funding for transportation for that year and if they are in the formula change for that district receive hanced transportation. If it comes up with a negative, then that's how they come up with the calculation for to give them some enhanced transportation funding, so you're saying
Speaker 133
24:23
that in the ones They're being zeroed out, they
have more than enough funding according to the calculation done by BLR, yes. I don't know if they would agree with you or not, but. Thank you.
Nobody agrees it's getting less money Senator, you're
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
24:54
recognized. He said BLR comes up with the numbers. Yes, ma'am. The
Speaker 134
24:58
enhanced transportation is done by BLR. That calculation is done by them, not by us. I'm not hearing all that you're saying. Yes, ma'am, calculation is done by BLR that that is not a calculation that the department does. That's why you see those lines, those school districts listed in that given the exact amounts, that is a calculation that BLR does during the adequacy process. They determine how much for enhanced transportation in each district will receive. Well, Senator
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
25:25
English, we have a law in place that
Directs the Bureau of Legislative Research to come up with this form back
Senator Jane English
Unverified
25:35
when there's there's money in the in the foundation funding for transportation. But we have a law
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
25:41
that, I mean, how is it that the Bureau of Legislative Researchers, they just do the calculations. And we
Senator Jane English
Unverified
25:49
passed that. I don't know how, how, how many sessions ago, a number
of sessions back, enhanced transportation has been
Speaker 134
25:59
something that BLR has done this calculation for. That's at least 6 years back now that they came up with this calculation to help with those districts that need additional funding for their transportation when looking at how much is provided for and foundation funding and how many kids and Route Miles and expense the districts we're receiving, we're seeing in providing that
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
26:24
transportation. So why is it that the division of facilities and transportation. Wouldn't
Be involved in I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you. Why did that the division of facilities and transportation wouldn't be tasked. With this I don't know. That's just what we
decided some time back. I mean, is it in law? I mean, is it in the Arkansas code? No, it's
Speaker 148
26:50
not in law. The only part in law is what you see here is where the amount listed
Speaker 134
26:55
per district received for enhanced transportation. It's a calculation that's done by BLR when we're going through the
adequacy study to see how much districts need for each part of the adequacy. This is a calculation that they come up with that time
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
27:09
as well. I'm just trying to Understand why the division of facilities and transportation. which is established by law. Because I, I believe that when
Speaker 134
27:18
the adequacy is going through this, they looked at this as enhance that's why it's called enhanced transportation is because this is when going through looking at those districts that may need additional funding because all the other funds that they have
were not providing enough for them that this is enhanced to give them. Additional funding enhance it to make sure that they are receiving as much as they need based off the expense that they were they had for transportation in the
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
27:47
previous year. But what is the division of facilities and transportation for. So
Speaker 134
27:52
the division of the silage and Transportation, part of the on the transportation side, what they do mostly over there is work with school bus drivers, school bus, um, maintenance guys
make sure that the school buses meet, um code that they're safe buses to be out there that our school bus drivers are trained and know how to operate the bus, know what to do with the bus. That's where they operated mostly on that side of there. They make sure that on the school bus side that we're meeting all the regulations that we have to on that side. Thank you. Ben Murdoch you recognized her question. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
28:34
Um, so. Is BLR here to, so what I'm trying to get to is because I'm saying in my district, some go from 0 to a number. Some go from a number to another number and all of this is based upon some formally formula. That place. where is that formula? That's
Speaker 163
28:58
what BLR. I don't, I don't have that calculation.
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
29:06
And you, and, and so I guess the question, chair, is we're
trying to understand these numbers and where they're coming from and how we're getting where we are, uh. Would you like some somebody from BLR here
Speaker 100
29:17
so that I can ask some specific questions. We can have
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
29:20
somebody here. OK, we'll contact them kind of put this aside for a little
Senator Jane English
Unverified
29:26
bit. So Or time waiting for them to come over. I
Right. It Yeah. We'll hold off on
this bill, BLR gets here, we'll bring it right back up. Thank you. OK. Thank you.
Senator Clint Penzo
Unverified
30:27
you. Thank you, Madam Chair. Clint Penzo, Senate District 31, Springdale, um, got an amendment for this. I don't know if
it's been passed out yet or not.
OK, so, uh, the amendment was requested by the AAA, um, and what it does is it adds Well, I'll get to their amendment um on line 27 page 1, the amendment adds um Uh, school district and an educational service cooperative. I'd asked
for that to say education service cooperative, and they put in educational, um, so I don't know if uh we can do a verbal just to strike the AL on all the education.
Uh, educational, make it education. I'm not sure how y'all feel about that. Uh, it's just a technical issue, um. But uh what this bill does is it prohibits. Well, I'll wait on the bill, but that's pretty much what it does, and then they wanted us to remove. communication from line 31 says distribute communications or membership. We struck communications or and now it just says that they shall not
distribute uh membership solicitations, so that's the pretty much what the amendment does. Yes You can't take. OK, well, it'll be fine
the way it's written in. Yeah Sure. Uh Oh Oh they.
OK. OK. Thank you. Um, like I said, this,
this bill prohibits associations, unions, and co-ops from recruiting members on school campuses during work hours. There's a few other provisions, they're not allowed to distribute membership solicitations, um. And they're not prohibits him from acquiring or coercing an individual employed
by the public school district to meet, communicate, listen to, or otherwise interact with an employee organization or professional organization. There's been some issues and some other states with this and we want to make sure it doesn't happen in Arkansas. And Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, Senator Pen O King, say
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
33:31
more what I'm trying to get to what this is getting to. Please give me a specific of what we're dealing with here.
OK. It seems like it's getting at something, but it ain't saying
Senator Clint Penzo
Unverified
33:43
it to me I want to hear it. OK, OK. Well, I mean, I can, I can elaborate,
like I said, uh, I mean, pretty much the basis was that prohibits associations, unions, and co ops and recruiting members on school campus during work hours, um, so that's, but I mean we can elaborate on that.
Speaker 196
34:01
So that for me, just an example of what you're
Senator Clint Penzo
Unverified
34:04
talking about. Well, if an association or the association shows up and and
they come and interrupt a teacher while she's teaching classes to discuss membership, um, if uh if the school District mandates that the teachers go to meetings. It doesn't prohibit circulation of, of um Solicitations at other times just not during school hours. That should be dedicated to teaching children and not uh promoting an association. Thank you. Thank you.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
34:43
Thinner flowers. So that that's a prohibition that's going to work just within the school hours 8 to 3 or whatever, lunch. Is that part
Senator Clint Penzo
Unverified
34:59
of the school hour should be with eating lunch during those hours. Yeah, I mean during school hours. You're not trying to prohibit. Uh, recruitment.
No, no, I mean my mom was a public school teacher and she was a
member of Teachers Association and she they they went to bat her for her on a few occasions, so it's not an attempt to Injure an association. It's just to make it to where they're not being solicited during school hours or specifically coerced and mandated to go to meetings that they don't want to. Mm Is that happening? Well, like I said, it's, it's happening in
several states right now. I don't know that that that coercion part has been a big issue in Arkansas, but I do know that they are solicited during during school hours right now. So, Is
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
35:59
coercion. Defined in your Your bill I don't know that's
Chair
Unverified
36:08
defining the bill, but I'm sure you
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
36:10
know if somebody is coercing somebody even if it's
Senator Clint Penzo
Unverified
36:17
after hours or not within the school hours. I mean, I think coercion has a pretty good definition, and I'm
Speaker 207
36:27
assume it's probably in statute somewhere. If
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
36:31
it's. Well, it says a public school district shall not. Require or coerce so I mean, the district how would a district Even who, who, who of the district would be
Representing the district. So much that you are. And their participating in Requiring our coercing. Someone I mean, A public school district shall not. I, I don't know how that would work, you know, it's like.
In in the juvenile code, you have a a law that says A public school district. I think it's the public school district can refer a child. On
a fence case, a family in need of services case. It neither says that or I think it's said the public school
district are either an individual employee of the
district. So that can be I don't know if you're gonna, uh,
Accomplish your purpose. With this language like this. is what I'm saying. If it's a public school district, who is the face of that public school district
Speaker 212
38:09
that's going to be uh requiring or Coercing Yeah, I mean,
Senator Clint Penzo
Unverified
38:15
I, I understand your, your. Getting into the the language, I
mean, I think it, I think it does, uh, accomplish what we want to accomplish, and that's to prevent teachers from being coerced into go or, you know, mandate and go into meetings that they don't want to go to. I mean, that's, that's ultimately what this bill does. So I mean public school district, I mean, the superintendent represents, you know, there's, there's any, I think it would encompass anybody that works for the public school district or or. I mean, in my opinion, so. Senator Murdoch, or are you
Speaker 189
38:52
finished? I'm just thinking if you wanted to read
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
38:58
like this, fine. I think it's gonna be kind of difficult to to enforce. I just, I can't see it, but because you're trying to keep the Organization or the association. From coercing. And requiring participation by the teachers. So I mean if you want to like
this, fine. I mean, you know, if you think this is going to accomplish what you're seeking, but I don't think so.
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
39:38
OK, well I appreciate your opinion. Thank you, Senator Murdoch. Yeah, thank you. I think I understand what she's saying is the district is not an individual. I think you mean employees of district shall not coerce or do what you're talking about. So that's, that's what she's trying. She's really trying to help the be honestly to say what you're saying, I
think, Senator, she's because this just is broad when it says the district shall not, but it's really employee. of a district or educational cooperative shall not. That's who shouldn't do it because individuals are going to do that. To make that happen, right, you have it now
is real broad and you couldn't probably put that on the body, but here's my additional question.
Recruiting or coercing is not the same as offering, right? So
when your mom did it, they just put something in the mailbox or they just offered them to be a
Senator Clint Penzo
Unverified
40:36
part of something that's different like I said, I spoke with uh AA EA and they asked for the amendment to remove the word. Communication online too, uh, that's why now it just says distribute membership solicitations. It still allows them to distribute communications, and that was something that they really wanted in in to be changed in
here that they can or cannot, they can, they can distribute communications, but not. Membership solicitations. So, so that was a request that they had made that I
agreed to make to the bill. Right, and the communication could Not coerced, but
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
41:13
it can offer. Sure, that's what I'm saying. Offer versus cos that's different thing, but I do think we send the flowers is saying what Clearly identify what you're trying to do.
Speaker 219
41:28
Which I disagreeing with it. I just think it makes it better.
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
41:36
Thank you. Senator Bryant, thank you, Madam Chair. I, I kind of read it as if if I'm in a just
an employee. And if somebody makes me do something or not do something that comes from the administration. It's the districts that's requiring this, so I find this fairly easy to understand in the sense that the district of my principal or my superintendent or somebody in
the authority structure says, Hey, hey teacher, I'm requiring you to go to. This room and listen to this presentation or I'm going to give you something time off. Cookie in exchange if you will go to this meeting. That's the part that says that you will not the district will not require or or coerce an employee to go sit and listen to a presentation. Next section, it would not the district shall not on their behalf distribute that information on behalf of an association, so if an
association walks into the principal's office and says, Hey, I've got this stack of stuff. Will you put these in the mailboxes? That's not their job. Doesn't prohibit them from coming in and saying I'm going to reach out as a personal relationship. But it
doesn't require the school district to do
Senator Clint Penzo
Unverified
42:46
it, is that correct? Well, like I, like I said, the association had asked me to strike communications or from line 2. So I made that. To where they could still communicate on behalf of
employee organizations, so that that was what we mean the amendment was for now and it's, but they cannot distribute, shall not distribute membership solicitations, but they can still do communication still come in
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
43:12
with the generic. I'm having a social this Saturday. Come on with it. They they mentioned. Like development
Senator Clint Penzo
Unverified
43:18
stuff that they might want to reach out and say, hey, we're having this. event that we'd like you to come to or something like that, so, so I was like, well, that's, that's acceptable. I just don't
want the coercion or or the uh requirement and then the last section just don't
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
43:37
use government resources or local resources too. Push that, that you're not
applying to all. So if they have a thing where they let But Um, the local rec league come in and do something and use something at their facilities they'll all, they just won't let just an association and not the other. OK, that makes sense to me. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. My line of questioning was along the
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
44:04
same as Senator Bryant serving 9 years on a local school board, everything that was put in teacher boxes or distributed to the schools had to have be initialed by central office. So it was the actual district that approved um communications or approved anything distributed to staff. So to me it makes perfect sense to say the public school district or education co op because they're the ones that ultimately have to approve what's put in the boxes. distributed to teachers or staff across all of the buildings. So
as I understand it, that that does fit appropriately and then just says it can't like whatever you're doing using, you know, conference rooms or whatever across the school district just can't be more favorable than what you do to any other group, and if they're allowing permission for other groups to come in and use the facilities, then they can extend those same uh conveniences to any type of organization, is that correct? got it. Thank you. Thank you.
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
45:11
Senator Murdoch OK, thank you again, um, chair, and it's a little exhausted, but I think language does matter, Senator. I think these words does matter, so I'm a 3rd grade teacher. We're in our 3rd grade group and I asked another teacher to join the association. I'm not curing him or her, but I just asked him to join. Is that now illegal? Because coercing is not defined enough in this of course encouraging or just asking,
that's my friend or my family member that's a teacher. I just asked them to join, so but I'm not pushing them. I'm not forcing them. I'm not requiring them, but I
Senator Clint Penzo
Unverified
45:55
just ask. I mean, I, I don't know if uh require coerce is defined anywhere in statute, but Webster does a pretty good job of defining what that is, so um I mean there could be something in statute. There's, there's not in this bill 2 teachers talking, uh, I mean that that this is a public school district, the the the.
Representatives, the higher ups, the administration, it's not two teachers talking together, so I don't think that would violate no no thank you, thank you. Thank you very much. Any
Senator Jane English
Unverified
46:29
more questions from the committee? Is there anyone here to speak for or against the bill? Thank you. So Senator, would you like to close for your bill?
Speaker 232
46:42
I'm closing, just ask for a good vote.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
46:50
Who passed from the Senator Sullivan to here a
second. Second Senator Bryant, all in favor, all opposed. Thank you very much, Pastor Bill. OK,
we have the bureau is here. Oh. As
All right, we're going to go back to Senate Bill 425, uh, BLR
is here. Senator Murdoch, would you like to restate your question? Oh, thank you. Our concerns, I guess
it is explanation. Thank you, Chair. Thank you for coming
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
47:59
over. The question was simply as we looked at these
numbers vacillate from 0 to a number or go from a previous number to a lesser number or greater. How was that determined in that formula. Where is that formula? It's one thing, and was there. Do the districts know. That this is being proposed as well. Go ahead. Right.
Speaker 243
48:25
Julie Holt with the bureau and when I say Greg did a very good job explaining this actually originated back in
around 2013 as a member project out of concerns that the Matrix wasn't adequately funding transportation for some districts, um, some of y'all will remember Richard Wilson. He's the one who devised this formula. I usually can say it's a complex formula and people say I don't want to hear more, but it is based on, it starts with the regression. Formula is Greg said, to predict transportation costs for districts and it's based on 3 factors, um, the number of school bus miles that are
driven, the number of best riders in the ADM or the num the enrollment numbers and we use um the most recent data, so this year we look 2024 data to make these projections. After that predicted amount of expenditure is calculated. It's compared to defending that they got out of the Matrix, so the matrix didn't find a map to expectations, then they um put in the, uh, they get
a chance to get the money, but it also compares to what they spent in that same year and it's not going to fund them over what they spent. During the adequacy process, um, the committee set the amount and so it is one of the um um enhanced. Um, add-ons to the matrix that the committee decides on, and I think it was 8 million for the next buy name for both years. So we take that 8 million and then
start trickling it down to the schools who end up being eligible when you've done those 3 prior calculations and it will distribute the money, and that's again based on a ratio of how much need is out of the whole state and then once they've hit their level of expenditures, their money goes back into the pot. So the formula actually we ended up doing that trickle down thing 3 or 4 times. Um, we, we'll be glad to meet with school districts. We've, I've already talked to
superintendent this year actually, um, to try to explain and usually once we look specifically at the school district's line of data we can explain why they've either gained or lost, um, sometimes, um, one of the things Richard set up in the beginning is looking at the transportation expenditures had to be made out of either their foundation funds or further enhanced transportation funds. If they're spending it out of things such as
categoricals or some of the other growths isolated, that's actually meant to help cover transportation. Those are considered offsets in the formula looks at them as saying, well, you've got some money to spend on transportation, so the state doesn't need to give you more money. So all those things work together, the amount of money that's put in the trickle down, the changes at schools because it's very interdependent between school districts can make a big difference. So so you
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
51:39
often do see fluctuations from year to year. Thank you. Uh, so, so very much aware of Richard Wilson and and if you
remember, I don't know if you were here, I ran legislation back then that dealt with time on the bus, which was a part of this investigation as we were trying to deal with this back in 1315 and those other years, but I know specifically my county is a county. That Richard and I focused on back then because we had one of the few county Waley County is one of the few countywide
districts. So and in this formula now as I look at the numbers, they are reduced from a previous allotment now to probably. 40% less. And it just, I'm still just the eye test says. How does that make sense, but you know those three factors, miles. Um, enrollment and the third factor that you have there that formula made. But sometimes that needs to be
looked at, so I, I've reached out to the superintendent as well to see because it just doesn't make sense to me that we in our situation that I'm aware of have
reduced our allotment by that much. Yeah,
Speaker 241
52:54
we'll be, we'll be glad to look at Lee County situation specifically, um, a
Speaker 243
52:59
lot of times what we're finding is school districts will be using even though they get not a lot of times, but when we've looked, we found cases that even though they may be getting enhanced transportation money,
they may spend it on something else. They spend their foundation money on something else and then they're using isolated or growth or declining for those transportation and it looks like, oh, OK, you don't need the money. So, um, that but it may be due to one of the others, and then of course it all, you know, there may have been a district that had lots of need that ate up a lot of the money and the last less for everyone else. So it's, it's really hard to make a. Prediction from year to year of what you're funding. You just
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
53:43
made a statement. You said 8 district mayor had a lot of need that ate it up from everyone else. On the formula is done and the eligibility is determined if we need. Whatever we that district needs, then we have to fund it so that we can't. It sounds like you said it, well, we funded to run out of money. So if there is 100 districts that are eligible and need enhancement, and we in a 65, you run out of. Money than those other 35
Speaker 243
54:14
districts don't get an allow it. Not everybody gets fully funded with this formula. Like I said,
Speaker 242
54:21
there's the, it's capped at at what the committees have said. So for 8 million for the next 2 years. And so we do the trickle down and then
Speaker 243
54:29
until we run out of the 8 million, and there's still some need left over for some districts after that. OK,
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
54:35
so that dig a little deeper. So how do we then pick winners and losers. If you do a trickle down, do you start with alphabetical order or the greatest need get the first
attention. How do we determine who gets attention first.
Speaker 242
54:49
Well, we don't, we're not really determining who gets attention first, but we, there are, and this is getting deep into the formula, but there are ratios, um, So if all of the need is calculated, and each district, their percentage of need is calculated from the total needs. So if you need just 2% of the whole basket of the state, then
you get a multiplier. 2. And um so that helps determine and then like I
Speaker 243
55:24
said, so some districts have, they just need a couple of $1000.01 trickle down, they get all of that, any excess goes back into the. basket and then
Speaker 242
55:34
it trickles down using those multipliers. Again, um, again, but again, there's gonna be some need left over because there's more than $8 million. Last thing, chair, if I may, but in
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
55:44
this scenario. If I understand you correctly,
there can be a district with a great need, but because of the trickle down, I'm using your word then that district with a real heavy need may not be met. Get it met because of the trickle down but which is very problematic for whatever district that is that we're leaving districts with less than they need to perform. Which is part of the process that ends up we're seeing a test scores at the end of the day.
All of this leads to something which is accountability and academic proficiency. So if we're determining through the trickle down theory and and and someone is left out, whoever they are. I'm saying we need to and you appreciate this because it's something that we need to look at differently if, if you just take what we're telling you to do and you allotting what you have been given, correct? That's not on you, but you're reporting back to us to say something to us that obviously we may need to do something
different because it may not be enough and so do we have it, Senator English, do we have it the Whereby once it becomes known that We got 8 million, but we need 11 million or another
number because the needs. Because if we're not adequate funding. Our districts for these things that
we're not, we're not adequately funding our districts. So how can we have
expectations when we're not providing the resources. That's not a question just for you, but that's a question for us. Does that make
Senator Jane English
Unverified
57:30
sense? Yeah, but I think what Julie's saying is, is that even on
2013 for a number of years, schools have said we don't, some schools have said we don't have enough money to provide transportation. It's eating up everything we've got. And so that was why we ended up coming up with a set amount of money and a formula.
It took a long time, but that's what this
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
57:52
is after. No, I definitely remember certain English. I was even on the committee then, but what she's reporting, if I'm hearing correctly, is that we may not be adequately still funding for the purpose that we intended go ahead. All very clear now, right?
Like mud. Well we leaving out some districts that need that we need to look at that, I guess
that would have taken appropriation. To add money to that if that's or.
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
58:24
A really getting a deep dive understanding of the trickle down theory and what that means because you just think about in theory. If in Craighead County. A district that really needs Brooklyn needs this
support and they're only getting it to 40% of the need. I, I understand what
they're saying, yeah. Uh, Senator Flowers, you're recognized.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
58:54
Thank you. Senator English I guess this is for you. I'm sorry, I can't hear
you. This question, I think, is for you. I'm trying to understand. Before this is even put Before us in the way of this bill. Is there some report
or something that The education committee gets
She's shaking her head. Is is there it's the adequacy through adequacy and that's done in the interim. Well, uh, uh, uh. to
the person from BLR and you talk about You take. The numbers The money that was spent from previous year. So this is for 2 school years.
upcoming. Yeah So how is that that the second year For this Funding is in here without The first year even. Happening It, it, we use
Speaker 242
1:00:18
the most recent data we have available and so that would be the 2024 expenditures it's not the previous year.
Well, this is the, I don't even know what year we're in, 24, 25 years, so it would be last year's data that we do use to make these predictions.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:00:43
Yeah, but for the year. Following that, this upcoming. school year.
You're talking about 2 years away. Yeah, that's true.
Is there a rule or something that provides for this? I mean, I don't, I'm not understanding
how if you say the previous year, you're the previous two years. And then I'm trying to understand what what has happened with some of these. Uh districts. How
is it? That Watson Chapel. And even Whitehall School District. Jus Uh, Watson Chapel jumps. More than double.
From 39,000 to 87,000 something. Whitehall, 28,000 to 84,000. And then Star City in Lincoln County. I don't understand how. How they jumped from 49,000 to 80,000 and something. Do you have like something
Speaker 265
1:01:56
in writing where you all have written out this formula. It's, it's
Speaker 249
1:02:02
a very huge series of
spreadsheets, um, we can definitely look at those, those
Speaker 243
1:02:09
schools, um, some of the increases when y'all started enhanced transportation. Back, I think 2015 was the first year it was distributed. It was $3
Speaker 242
1:02:18
million this year it increased, I think, from 7.2 to 8 million, so there's more money in the system that may explain for some of the increase, but we'd have to really look at those specific. you're just trying to use money or just
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:02:36
Just because it's there? I don't understand this. And compared with Matrix. Do we have the matrix yet? Now And we, we, we had a bill with the matrix in it already? Not yet
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:02:51
to fund it, not yet. We've got it. We just haven't presented it. It, it, but we're
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:03:02
supposed to vote on this. Without having that.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:03:08
Right, this is part of all that. That's what we spent almost 2 years
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:03:14
on. Well, I, I certainly, you know, I wasn't a member of the committee then and uh but I'd like to be able to
understand. How these figures are arrived at. And it, it shouldn't be that I should have to look at a whole bunch of spreadsheets. For each
of these numbers that have been totaled up for these districts.
It should be something concisely written to show how your formula.
Which includes these expenses from the previous year, uh. Oh All these different things. That you recited here. That should be Concisely written
out. So we can at least understand
what how you arrived at these figures, how the bureau arrived at these figures. School bus. The expenses for the school bus, the riders, so again I asked well what, what does the
division of facilities and transportation. have to do with this. If they're looking at maintenance of school buses and whether a school bus needs to be replaced or new ones acquired because of Maybe in enrollment.
Where do they fit in into this
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:04:46
formula. They don't fit into this because it's this is adequacy and that's totally
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:04:52
different. They get money. Beg pardon? Do they get money for maintenance and new buses for distribution to these school districts. So how is it that they
don't fit into this. equation here because this doesn't have to do with buses, this just has to
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:05:10
do with how we're repaying for the
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:05:14
mileage on that the buses are running. Well, in her testimony, she said they they look at the expenses for school bus. For the riders and for the enrollment. So school bus is a factor. And if I don't understand this. It sounds like we're just throwing money out there. The division of facilities and transportation, throw some money out, I guess. Then here we are throwing this out under the guise of adequacy.
This is not This is not connecting. It's not. Um It doesn't make sense to me. And I'd like to know How how can we continue to do this. And then and and put money up. How much money does the division of facilities and transportation get for replacement of buses. I don't have any idea. Is anybody here from the
Speaker 282
1:06:14
division of facilities and Transportation. If you would please introduce yourself and
then you may testify. Greg Rogers with the Department of Education, the division A
Speaker 134
1:06:31
facilities doesn't get money for school buses. That's not what, but then they do right now. Do they distribute any money for school
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:06:37
buses? No. What do they do that that's what it talked about earlier where
Speaker 284
1:06:45
they they're on the school bus trainer, the school bus driver's side where we
Speaker 134
1:06:50
work with the the districts with their school buses and school bus
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:06:55
training and maintenance and so you're telling me division of facilities and transportation didn't get any money
for. Providing maintenance training. We, we get operational training that we
Speaker 284
1:07:05
go, we have school bus trainers that are out in the districts in our
Speaker 134
1:07:10
operations that our school bus trainers, a lot of them are embedded on in
co-ops on campuses, they go out and work with the school districts in in that capacity. How
Speaker 143
1:07:23
much do they get for this? I don't have that with me. I'd have to see how much
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:07:30
their operation, but I don't know it off the top
of my head right now. I'd like to see their budget. I'd like to see. Uh, I'm just not understanding how this is working when we have a division of facilities and transportation, but yet we're depending on the Bureau of Legislative Research to come up with a formula to
To fund schools for transporting. Well, this
Speaker 134
1:07:51
is because the bureau is doing this for enhanced transportation. This is not, there are other revenue sources that districts received for transportation through the matrix through um there's isolated school funding. There's special needs isolated school funding transportation, um, and I think those are the three off the top of my head are the 3 main sources of funding for districts that were safe for transportation, but they told her what. Uh This is 8 million.
So it, I would have to, there's this this what Senator facilities and transportation. Can you send us the budget and then send also the formula, the breakdown formula. For, for each of
Speaker 133
1:08:39
these because the formula that's here, I can't do that. I understand you're not with the bureau, but the
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:08:45
person that was up here at the table they could do that. They should be able to do that. I mean, we shouldn't just be given a number
without any uh support for how you arrived at the number other than you
just telling us like you did today expenses, school bus. Riders roll.
If you can send us that and did when we had the
adequacy study that we look at that during committees, and this was discussed during committee previously. So today's information, although it is uh
Synthesized some we've discussed this formula. We discussed the rules in committee. Am I correct on that? Well, I'd like to
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:09:34
know what is the date of that committee meeting where this was discussed so I can maybe go back in our archives and look at it. Maybe I'll understand something better. We can get that. Thank you. Thanks. Senator Bryant, you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I try
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
1:09:58
not to belabor for BLR it would probably be for um
BR OK just, just to kind of give me a, a baseline understanding. I know we're going to probably get a lot of information to sort through, but I guess the question I would have is, how is this tied into the baseline of what a school district has to do with their millage because I can see how the burden shifts to schools that have property values. Um, going up the burden shifts away from them because they're starting to get revenues that might satisfy their
transportation needs versus school districts that have it. treading, um, population or lower values that are kind of lowers they need that supplement. I'm just, just curious, I guess my question is, what is the required percentage that they put towards transportation prior to coming to the state looking
Speaker 242
1:10:48
for assistance. We call those URT schools who raise more money than they need than foundations requires them to have through their property tax. URT schools are eligible,
however, that money that comes from excess property tax is considered an offset such as the categoricals and isolated and everything. So any money
Speaker 243
1:11:08
that's spent out of out of their excess money on transportation needs, um, counts
Speaker 242
1:11:14
against what they would receive in terms of enhanced transportation. OK, so they, they still have a choice, so
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
1:11:22
I, I guess my overall, my end question would be, if I'm a school district that typically receives 1
I use uh lakeside just because it's handy, 189,000, and I'm about to dump 120,000 off of it. Does that mean I'm expecting that because I didn't use those revenues last year so I can apply that towards transportation, or are they really going
Speaker 243
1:11:49
to take $120,000 cut. Um I will say, um, Richard and the bureaus always always considered this formula to be proprietary, um. And part of, part of that original reasoning was so school
districts couldn't game it, um, it's, so that's one reason it is a little um up
Speaker 242
1:12:10
to and and but it's also not one you can just easily write and I can send you our explanation of how the formula works, and I'll be glad to sit down and go through spreadsheets with you, but it's not a super easy formula that I could give you that you could figure out for your school district. And in answer to to your situation if a school district figured out, OK, this is exactly where we need to
spend our funds from and but they have a then um, you know, they could even gain this one because we're giving more information out now. Um, but we, I
Speaker 243
1:12:48
think the formula was devised and it really is um I call it an elegant formula. I think it was really thought through by Richard and the Paul Atkins who does all our data. Worked on it originally to try to be as fair and truly identify where the needs are that that
$30,040 that's in the matrix for transportation isn't meeting school districts' needs and um that is it perfect? I mean, no, of course not, but I do think it gets very close to identifying those schools that have that additional need that this 8 million, which is really a small percentage of overall transportation funding. Does come and help those districts to some extent. Members I remember
Speaker 249
1:13:30
going to these meetings when I was on education
before when the committees met and we discussed adequacy. We discussed the formulas we discussed how this all played together. We've kind of gotten off of the bill, and we're talking about what we want to do with adequacy, and while that is a valid reasonable question. It's not the question before us today. So if, if you want to, if the committee chooses not to pass this. And go back and have adequacy
refigure the formula or you want to study it more, that would be a no vote today, and they would have to go back to the table, but you know we've discussed all of this in committee. Now whether or not everyone was there or not. That's that that happens, but this is the bill before us, so please keep your questions as best you can to the bill before us. Senator Murdoch, did you have a question? And it may be a point of clarity
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:14:45
I respect that point and that's so those of us that were not on that committee at that time, maybe that is evolved to what we're getting today, say first time committee members, you're getting something handed to you. There was an evolution, right? So now, if you say yes. saying yes to some numbers the all, you know, that evolved from something else. So that understanding is you, you would agree it's necessary for you to push the yes button or no
button. In this case, when you have districts that you represent that are seeing marginal decreases or changes in and you say yes to that as as the representative or senator, then you're so that's the hesitation, so I don't want.
I don't want to limit your question. Are you free to ask whatever question
you want. um, and we'll do our best to answer it, but it's a very complex as
was stated, it has been debated among this if you you're but you're free to ask whatever questions you
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:15:54
want. Go right ahead. So my question would be my concern and my
question would be. The process that it goes with that they determines winners and losers. Is my concern when You're given a pot of money from us, so I, you're giving a pile of money from us $8 million. But you get $12 million in real
needs from districts that are eligible by the formula. OK, then. Who Who gave
the authority. For how? You did the trickle down. Is that something the legislature did because I don't think we did that part. So, but that's the crux of the matter, uh, chair, is that how the distribution is being done. gets us to the pluses who so
that's my concern, you know, how is that happening
Speaker 196
1:16:54
and it may be partly our fault for not
giving you enough money. Let me take a shot and see if I can add narrow this down. So we understand that many districts did not have adequate funding for transportation, and in order to reach that total goal, we decided to add supplemental money to It's still not adequate. There
are still people that as the senator said, we maybe the need is 12 million, but we only the legislature only said he, that's what we did. Nobody else can approve that funding, so we said we're going to put 8. They developed BLR then developed a formula on how to distribute that 8 and it's adequate a manner as they could. Does that mean that districts will not some districts may may not receive what they need.
True. Does that mean everybody plays and doesn't, as you, I think you mentioned, game the system, yes, they do. They can that opportunity is there. You try as best you can not to, but if we want to fund everybody adequately. Using your number, we would have to add 4 more million dollars to that budget to fund it, and we just haven't done that. This bill limits that to 8 million. That's what this bill does is what we're going to fund
now if this body and this committee wants to say we're holding out for 12 or we want 12, then we don't approve this bill, and we go back
Speaker 300
1:18:29
to the drawing board as such and ask for more money. Chair, don't we have,
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:18:35
I'm asking a question. Don't we have Um Statutory requirements as it relates to adequacy funding that we we can we just choose not to and be in in concert in in in
compliance with the current law. My understanding is,
and I'm looking for help. Me too, that adequacy is no longer the standard
that I may rephrase that Federal adequacy is no longer the standard that we're reaching for, we determine what is adequate right here in this room. So if we determine to pass this bill, we've determined that 8 million is adequate what we have, not the federal law
that Uh, what's the term?
Speaker 300
1:19:24
Timed out is no longer effective. Oh, so. Oh, the, the
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:19:30
adequacy is no longer required is what you're saying, you know, the
the court stepped in and said, Here's what adequacy is. Can somebody explain what we are. I think, do
Speaker 243
1:19:53
since like you and really Taylor Lloyd would be the best answer to this, but I think what Taylor would tell you is that since Lakeview adequacy is a purview of this committee in the
Speaker 249
1:20:04
House Education I was trying to decide what adequacy is, Senator Flyer, wait a minute, Senator Murdoch,
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:20:10
are you done? Just one second. So if we just, OK, we decide what adequacy is in this committee. See.
Eligibility So you OK, yeah, I'll, I'll, I'll stand
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:20:24
down for a minute. Senator Flowers, you have a question? Did
I hear you say from the bureau that You're working with $8 million a pot of $8
million. But I don't see any totals, and is that 8 million for each of these years, school years. So what is the total?
For this 2025, 2026 school year. Figures and then the 2026. 2. And the next
school year. What what are the totals here? Next year would be 2026 to 2027, the totals for each
Speaker 242
1:21:16
year should be 8 million, sometimes it's a few pennies or dollars less or more. I heard you say that you, you had not
Speaker 248
1:21:31
totaled out the whole $8 million. No, we just the full $8 million is distributed for each year of the biennium. So $16
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:21:41
million total. But this doesn't represent $8 million for each of these school years. Is that right? It does. How come
you don't have the totals down at the bottom at the end of this. I mean. I, I don't understand how what you all are. You expected me to vote on
something that doesn't make sense. You can't give me the formula. You can't in a concise way. got these figures doubled in some districts. I don't know what happened at Watson Chapel that they need. Double the funding for enhanced. Transportation in Whitehall. They got the, I
don't know that they've got. A consolidated school district. That they're dealing with that
has happened recently. Lincoln County the
same way. I mean, I don't get this. Well, the
report is what the report is. If we want, if you want additional information. I want
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:22:45
additional information. I wish we'll be
Speaker 243
1:22:47
glad to to do an analysis of of those districts and and get that to our email ought to be
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:22:54
some kind of way that you can concisely state the formula. Uh, so that at least we can see how
equality equal application. Of your formula was Done for each of these districts. And in English,
I'm wondering if you, you want to wait until we get that because I I can't support this right now because I, I would like to have some information. I think we've asked for that and we'll get that here and
distribute that again just for the folks testifying, these numbers were discussed in committee. Am I
Speaker 243
1:23:42
right? Yes. Thank you. Well, the numbers were not. Now the numbers we, the, the expenditures, past expenditures of transportation and looking at the needs and the funding were discussed, and that's where the decision was made to increase enhance to 8 million, and there was also an increase to the amount that was in the matrix. So there was a recognition of
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
1:24:04
more transportation, Davis, you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chair. So am I correct in understanding that You really don't want to let the formula out because if you do let the formula be public, um, then it provides for opportunity to manipulate that formula. Like right now, schools are motivated to code all of their regular transportation costs as transportation costs because then it shows the need for enhanced additional
transportation costs and by the formula being proprietary, if a school, if schools are not properly using the inhaler. funding, then maybe that's why we see some of them going down or going to 0 because we're catching um any type of, you know, manipulation or them using the funds on something else besides transportation. So the formula not being public allows us to catch that and either, you know, reallocate the funds as needed to schools that actually need that additional enhanced
transportation money, um, but it also still motivates them with the regular funds to use all of that. On transportation to show that they do have an enhanced need. Is that a fair summary? I'd say that's very fair. I'll add one
Speaker 243
1:25:21
more thing and this may help satisfy you a little Senator Murdoch. Another reason is that formula, as you go through those. And I'm calling them trickle down, and that may not be the best word, but where you go through each school and and distribute funding. Um, we do
Speaker 242
1:25:39
consider the proportion of need against overall state need. So you get down to that part and each district has a little bit different formula that we're working with, which is why it's, it's not a formula I can just hand over and and do A plus B equals C. It's, it gets, um, more. And I think it's trying to be more specific to me very specific, you know, what each specific need is for the districts. Um, so there's that
complexity to it that tries to address your
Speaker 249
1:26:13
concern, but also adds to what Senator Davis just described.
Speaker 136
1:26:19
Senator Dodson, you are next. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
1:26:24
Just to clarifying questions here. Um, so the 8 million we're talking about, that's the total bucket of money. That's not being added to an existing bucket, correct? That's the total enhanced transportation. Yeah, it's on top of foundation redistributing
that $8 million bucket in this, so if this does not pass, that leads me to a second question, um. The existing funding levels remain the same, so the law is still or or does it, is that 8 million just go away? We,
Speaker 316
1:27:02
there need to be some means of distributing the $8 million I'm saying is the
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
1:27:07
These totals are. We're crossing out existing statute.
And replacing the totals with different numbers, so if this doesn't pass, then the same funding levels at the existing district stay the same for the next biennial was that you're right, you're correct. OK, thank you. And flowers you recognized. Yeah So I just.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:27:38
I want to address about this idea of keeping your formula proprietary.
That you, you did the bureau is not a legislative body. They haven't been elected
and the idea that As a senator, I wouldn't know how the formula, what the formula is, how it was arrived at, that's beyond me. And, and, and there's no excuse. Uh, uh, uh, no right to claim proprietary. And keep it
from legislators. I don't think the people sitting
at the table had the authority to make that decision, they're acting on guidance from their superiors
Speaker 286
1:28:26
and they said it's proprietary. I don't know that they're not legislators. We are agreed and
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:28:32
I'd like to see this formula and the idea that you're keeping it from me because you don't want the public to see, I'm a legislator. We can have a an agreement that It won't be made public.
But at least allow the legislators who are voting on this to see it. I mean this, this is a really strange. Well, we need to have the
head of BLR come in. I don't think the and the head of and that's
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:29:05
a different discussion you have something that's proprietary and keep it from legislators that have to vote. On whether you did something. OK Thank you.
And that's why again I asked Senator English to just hold it until we can get some information and I would like to know the dates of these adequacy or whatever these meetings are so I can go back and see what it is that you all discussed.
It it only makes sense. I mean, it's only fair. I think.
Speaker 286
1:29:40
Remember his other question, Senator Dodson. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
1:29:49
just, just so I understand for sure, you're saying this is proprietary information that
you don't want public, but that you will share with each and individual legislator on, well, any of 135 legislators. Right, we, I will be glad to
Speaker 243
1:30:03
sit down and and further explain and it's really it's, it's, it's, it's just not a formula that can be sent out and replicated without having all the data that's in the spreadsheet and that's why it, it helps to sit down and look at it, and I'll be glad to share that with you and
we, we've we've met with superintendents who've come in and been concerned without totally sharing the exact formula. I tried to explain to them everything that I've tried to explain this morning. And um usually the superintendents have been satisfied with with explanations we've been able to what I hear you saying is that
we're using proprietary, not in the official legal sense we're using proprietary as a general term that
if people want to sit down,
superintendents, legislators want to sit down and go through the information with you and how it's determined that you're willing to do that, so again we're not using proprietary as a. legal term. We will discuss it, right, and I probably misspoke in in in
Speaker 243
1:31:05
that sense. Senator Flowers, you'll recognized. Thank you. You know,
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
1:31:12
I'm trying to understand this process. And I don't think it is.
Um, it should be that uh The chair. Uh, Ah, testifies for the person at the end of the table in terms of what language she's
using, how what context Senator Davis made a point of saying you don't want the public. To see the formula.
And, and, and I don't know what your discussion is with superintendents. But it sounded to me like you keep the formula from them, you just explain to them how they get there. You don't, you don't show them across the board how these other districts may get a heck of a lot more money, double the money and, and the idea That the superintendents, this is, this is the general public's money. This is This is taxpayer money. This is not
The school district's money. It's not the bureau's money. It's people that pay taxes, money. And we ought to be able to see what this is all about. So again, I mean, I can't support this bill like it is without having more understanding. About how these figures were arrived
at and then the idea that you tell me in your testimony that it's going to be
based on the previous year. But you got it. For 2
years down the road. How come we don't do that 2nd year. In the fiscal session. And use the previous year's numbers. Why is that? What? You don't know? Well, that's what she
said is it makes up the formula.
I think we need more answers. I need these questions answered. That's all I'm saying.
Members, any more questions? I have one other thing. You're right now. In your testimony from the bureau. You said something about school districts might use money from other pots.
Uh, to pay for transportation. I'm not sure how how you ended that. Is this considered, I mean, I don't understand what, how your formula works cause you said a lot of things
that are not. Lining up. And it doesn't seem to be a fair process. Certainly not an open process to the legislatures. And I'm sure you're not at fault, but somebody, I mean,
Richard Wilson hadn't been here since 2013, I win. And, and if this was done in 2013, we're changing everything else up since 2013. Why not this? Remember any other questions? The answer,
Speaker 293
1:34:55
I mean, that's a policy decision on how
Speaker 248
1:35:00
this is done. So if we want if if the committees wanted
it to be done differently than the bureau, of course,
Speaker 243
1:35:09
is going to do the will of the committee. Um, this is how it's been done the last 10 years, so I think the request was similar to what it has been in the process is similar to what it has been. In the last 10 years. Um But we Obviously work for the legislators and and we don't set policy and we'll be glad to.
To do what um the committees would like us to do. Thank you. Members, any other questions? I think no questions anyone here to
speak for or against the bill. Pardon? Um Senator, you are open to close for your bill or take other action if you choose. I'm closed.
members and what's the will of the committee? A move to have a motion to pass.
We have a second. I do not see a second. Members as bill fails today. Thank you.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:36:46
But Bill, do you have?
438 4:38, OK, you may
proceed. You'll identify yourself, you'll
Senator Alan Clark
Unverified
1:37:16
be recognized. State Senator Alan Clark, District 7.
Go ahead. Thank you, Madam Chair, members of the committee. SB 438 is straightforward.
Speaker 335
1:37:35
Uh, we've Oh been told that recruiting and high
Senator Alan Clark
Unverified
1:37:42
school athletics is a problem. Uh, kids obviously can't be uh
recruited unless somebody's recruiting them. And because of other bills that are running, I'm told of horror stories. I'm not telling you they're true or that I even believe them. Uh, coaching offices that have List of prospects that they want to recruit, uh. And like I said, I'm uh I'm not the one with my hair on fire, but we got to do something about recruiting, but if we want to do something about recruiting, this
bill is a good start. Uh, Checked with Lance Taylor with AAA. He never called me back, uh. About appropriate punishment. And without an appropriate punishment, this says that if you're found guilty of recruiting. And the AAA already has a process where uh you can report somebody that's recruiting, uh, they investigate and punish. Uh, and this says that, uh, if you're caught a coach is caught
recruiting. State of Arkansas, that there'd be a lifetime ban. Of uh working. Uh, as a coach. Or an athletics in Arkansas. I'd be happy to take any questions. Questions from the committee. Senator Dodson. Thank you, Madam Chair. So, I
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
1:39:23
Just on the 2nd page here where it says The employees shall be permanently banned from employment as a coach or athletic personnel. Is there a, uh Is there any warning or is it like the first time like this bill as it stands, no, again,
Senator Alan Clark
Unverified
1:39:40
if uh if the AAA wanted to have a lesser punishment if they, I would have been glad to listen to that if they wanted to have uh Here's what happens the first time. Here's what happens.
And you know, this will be the 2nd time, uh,
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
1:40:01
but, but this is no first strike, 2nd strike, 3rd strike, you're out. It's, it's the first offense would be permanently, be happy
Senator Alan Clark
Unverified
1:40:07
to listen to something else, but so far nothing else has been brought forward. Senator Murdoch, yeah, real
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:40:21
quick on this. I'm just saying this, uh, I know
it's been discussion on all of this and
you've been discussing it, but just saying this. I don't know that I would be able to support just an instant. You know, removing from a whole career for a infraction that may be some disciplinary. Trickle down if you will, or that we need to use. I do agree with what you're saying. Dean and a violation that something needs to happen, but not to this extent on the first infraction, it's where I am right now.
Would you, would you be amenable to try to put
Senator Alan Clark
Unverified
1:41:04
something in it, be glad to. I just uh the if we have epidemic recruiting violations and coaches are the main ones complaining, and it's other coaches doing it. The rather than take uh School choice away from tens of thousands of kids makes more sense to me to go after whoever's doing the recruiting,
uh, but again, a lesser penalty is fine with me, since no one got back with me, I went. With the strongest, but somebody's got something less, uh, I'll be glad to take a look at it.
Senators Sullivan. Yeah, so Recruiting is happening all over all the time and a lot of different levels, uh, what's wrong with recruiting?
Senator Alan Clark
Unverified
1:42:03
According to what you're going to hear, uh, but. It's messing up everybody's athletic programs.
Good enough. So I don't, I don't mind messing up their programs and I can vote. We'll let recruiting go on. I, I would, I'm
not that that's not a question. That's a comment. Sorry, thank you. Further questions from the committee, Senator Bryant.
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
1:42:34
Thank you, Madam Chair. Senator. Clark, does this involve um What if they go talk to the parent of the student, and they start to induce or entice the parent. relocate their kid is, is that break the boundary of Of the intended will of this I think that would be, I
Speaker 342
1:42:53
think that would be uh Obvious recruiting
Senator Alan Clark
Unverified
1:42:58
If, if you're trying, I mean, that's the complaint is that
they're enticing students to move from one school to another for the purpose of athletics. A talking to the parents, I think would be
probably happen as often, if not more often than talking to the kids. So the coach sees a kid they like, they
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
1:43:19
find out their parent is, and they say, I can't guarantee him any play time. We love him to have our team if, if you choose to do so, that would be a recruiting tactic if you're talking to kids about
Senator Alan Clark
Unverified
1:43:30
changing schools for athletics, yeah, that's recruited. I think all the coaches would and superintendents would agree with that.
All right, thanks. I think that's actually already in the AAA rules as to what recruiting
is. The Senator it's going to sound funny. I'm serious
on it, so there's FOIA apply to when coaches talk to parents or when parents talk to parents or superintendents talk to superintendents, coaches to coaches about recruiting his FOIA impacted there.
Senator Alan Clark
Unverified
1:44:13
Uh, FOIA does not. Uh, take care of any nefarious. Uh, conversations anywhere. Thank you. Are there any
Speaker 347
1:44:26
further questions from the committee? See, no, I think we
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:44:33
have somebody to speak for the bill, dusty Standridge. You'd identify yourself, you'll be recognized. Hi, my name is
Speaker 348
1:44:45
Dusty Standard. I am an attorney here in Arkansas and I'm speaking for the bill. May I proceed? Go ahead. It's different because usually I have one judge and so I have one person that I'm addressing and so to have 7 is a little, a little disconcerting for me and this morning. So I am, um, I'm an attorney, I am an active litigation against AAA right now. There is a pending case in Pulaski County,
Speaker 351
1:45:08
and with regard to student transfers, athletic transfers. I also am the attorney of records for a case before our state Supreme
Court that is pending likewise again due to student transfers, um, both of those cases are in favor of the student and the parent, they alleged parent rights, they allege Senate Bill 400 from 2023, which all of you voted out of this committee and out of the Senate in the 23 sessions, but you need to talk about this bill. I am. I was giving you who I am. I'm sorry. All right, so the reason that Senator Clark is bringing this bill, I foresee is because we've been told recruiting is a problem and so we need to limit student
transfers due to recruiting. The, the only recruiting violation I have found in The last 15 years just on a Google search is 1 in 2015 for a coach who actively recruited. I think it was a football player, it might have been a basketball player, and the name sounded familiar, but I don't recall the athlete. That is the only known public record of recruiting. I have found. However, if AAA is continuing to come to the committee and to the Senate and the House and indicates recruiting is a problem, recruiting is a problem, then that means they're not taking
care of the recruiting within their own agency with regard all of the schools and so Senator Clark is going to help AAA address their concern without it being back on the backs of parents or on the backs of the students, they're getting told to sit down because we can't control the coaches that are recruiting and Senator Bryant, you had a question about recruiting earlier to Senator Clark. I've read the AAA rules on recruiting. They're extensive. I mean, there's very little question as to what is recruiting almost anything can be recruiting, but what the AAA
handbook does not have is a mechanism. or a formula to punish the recruiting. It's like a self um. A self-identified or maybe somebody launches an investigation. So if the coaches aren't going to report other coaches recruiting if the administration is not going to report other administrations recruiting and the AAA is not going to launch its own investigation when they think there's recruiting, then they're not taking care of the problem, but they come to this committee wanting to put students on the
bench and not let them play. So Senator Clark's going to address the recruiting issue for
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
1:47:29
them, and that's why I'm for the bill. Tender Bryant. Thank you. Is there, would there be a concern? As you described, AAA is extensive attempts to limit Or have prejudice against recruiting tactics. So self-reporting, um, obviously there may be some good old boy networks within the system and and I get that. But with this
bill, like we're talking about coaches who invest in kids, invest their life into probably an underpaid in some areas profession. Would this bill not discourage That because the General Assembly is saying thank you for self reporting. You will never coach in the state of Arkansas again. Is it, does that not be counterintuitive to what the AAA is attempting to do, which is, uh, I don't wanna say slap on the wrist. Obviously there's some issues in it, but how does this fix it? So I think the AAA is trying to slap the students
Speaker 351
1:48:20
and parents on the wrist. They're not trying to slap the coaches on the wrist. They're saying because the coaches keep recruiting, then If the students aren't available to even play, then we don't have a recruiting problem. That that's counterintuitive to school Choice Learns Act, etc. and so I think your, your question is if, if you have a coach, let me make sure I understand your question correctly so I answer it correctly. If you have a coach in, um, I'm really close to Mansfield, Arkansas or, um,
Greenland, Arkansas. It used to be closer to Mansville. Now I'm closer to like Greenland or Westport, much smaller, much smaller schools, and so you have a coach who goes to coach in one of those places and I think your question is, he's. going to not coach because he could get a lifetime ban for recruiting. Was that your question? Am I understanding your question correctly? Yes, he's not going to, if he, if
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
1:49:15
he missteps and it's reported around the circles, he's not going to go to AAA and make himself available for that scrutiny because he will now be
a lifetime banned versus I approached this incorrectly. Let's, let's rework the system on, does that make sense? I'm not blaming
Speaker 351
1:49:29
the coach for not self-reporting. I'm blaming AAA being the agency that's supposed to regulate sports, and they say there's a recruiting problem and they're not taking care of what they're seeing, so I'm not against someone. This isn't about somebody's self-reporting or not self-reporting. This is if there's such a recruiting problem, why has there been only one instance of recruiting that's been made public to all of us in the last 10 years.
It's not making sense, so that means they need to, if they're not going to change their policies to address it, Senator Clark's asking you to do it for them so that it's not on the backs of students and parents. There
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:50:09
Is there anything? Are there any other questions from the committee. Thank you very much for your appreciation.
There's no one else here to speak for or against the bill. What is the will of the committee? Is there a second? So, I'm afraid there's
Senator Alan Clark
Unverified
1:50:42
no second. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, members of the committee. 436 SB 436.
You may proceed. Thank you. Uh, this is a companion bill to SB 438 again. We're hearing, although No direct evidence. We're hearing that recruiting as epidemic in Arkansas and the, and we're also told the answer for that is to take away school choice for tens of thousands of kids because there are tens of thousands of kids, not through 12 who play athletics in one
sport or another in Arkansas. Uh, so we rather than punish kids and families. We want to go after the problem. And one of the problems we've been told. Recently, although no evidence of it, is that, uh, kids are changing schools every year. Uh, through school, uh, through school choice and that they're changing schools every year
in order to play sports at one school then at another school. And This bill, if we're going to limit school choice, limits it in a much less drastic way than you just can't play, uh. It says for those that For those that change schools more than once because most kids not through 12th who changed schools through legitimate
school choice, changes to stay. Uh, I'm sure somebody is going to get caught in the web, but not nearly as many as say no athlete can change schools. Uh, without having to sit out. So this says if you if you transfer 2 years in a row that you can be made to sit out and not be able to play athletics, which It covers most of the problem that we're told that we have.
Speaker 43
1:53:06
Thank you, Madam Chair. Um. Senator Clark If
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
1:53:12
I'm looking at page 23, it says this may be prohibited. So this is permissive to where it allows the public school or non-resident district to decide whether or not they
are going to Um, to impose a 365 day sit out, not anyone else, so if, if, if they see that this is an issue
that a students. Habitually using using the system, but it provides students with choices, parents with choices, but the the district may step in and say, hey, we're not going to allow this if you've done it multiple times.
Senator Alan Clark
Unverified
1:53:53
There's Senator Dotson, there's two things in current law as to why you could not be allowed to change schools and participate in any extracurricular activities because all
extracurricular activities ought to be the same. Uh, and that is one that you're changing for the purpose of playing athletics. And 2 is that the school who is the child is leaving has evidence that there's been recruiting and so far there's not a single case in Arkansas of anyone not allowing A student to change because they had evidence of recruiting, yet recruiting is epidemic, uh, at least that's what I'm told, uh,
but I'd like to see it, and again, I'm not saying it's not true. I'd just like to see it, but what this does, yes, is it's permissive but perfectly willing to make it, uh. What's the other word than
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
1:54:54
permissive. Well, well, what I'm saying though is as I'm reading this, this allows flexibility for students and parents.
This allows flexibility, but it does say that recruiting specifically, that's what the other bill did, um, but if
districts are trying to recruit, it is still allow for parents to have flexibility, but if, if parents and students are trying to abuse their flexibility, the districts could say, hey. This isn't probably in the best interest of the child to go from this school to this school to this school to this school to this school, multiple times, so it's more than, more than once in 2 years then the district say no, you need to cool your jets, set out for 365 days, otherwise, if, if it is, there's a valid reason they still have the the
flexibility to allow that student to participate in sports within
Senator Alan Clark
Unverified
1:55:44
that time and again recruiting is the only reason for this bill. The only reason we're talking about restricting school choice because this bill would as an antidote for recruiting because one of the stories is, is that students are, you know, only had a law in place for 2 years, but that students are changing every year and so we said, well, that's the case, that definitely could have to do with recruiting, so let's put something in place where we
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
1:56:11
could stop that, but yes, it is flexible. All right, thank you. neighbors Thank you, Madam Chair, in the vein of what Senator Dodson was asking. I mean, it says May be prohibited by the public school to which, uh, or non-resident district to which he or she transfers. So if there's a great athlete transferring into your district and this is the 2nd or 3rd time they've transferred, why would you say no if they're a great athlete. Like there's no
like to me there's no motivation to stop continual. Trans and say this isn't great for the student that they've transferred 3 years in a row. If you're getting a great athlete moving into your district, um, there's really no motivation to say no to that. And so while the language is permissive, it's permissive to encourage districts to continue to allow students to move in and compete. I just don't know who is going to say no to that and say, no, you need to sit out for 365 days. Can you help address that? The
Senator Alan Clark
Unverified
1:57:15
Uh, Senator Davis, I think you're right. Uh, the got this bill out in a hurry, and I really think it would should apply from the school that's that's losing the, the,
the student, uh, and be glad to make that change.
Senator, you know, one of the things we talk about is recruiting great athletes. You know, when we see college transfers, a lot of times it's because the student didn't get into play and they go somewhere and they don't get to play and they move because they just want to play and it seems to me this bill would make that really difficult. So if a student goes to a school, they're not getting to play and they try it at another school, they don't get to play and we're going to say you're you're gonna
stuck here. You're not ever going to play your high school career, and I'm concerned again all the talk is about kids upgrading and the star athlete. There's a lot of athletes aren't stars. They
Speaker 104
1:58:35
just want to play. Could you speak to that point, please? Oh, yes, the
Senator Alan Clark
Unverified
1:58:42
uh again, I will looking for the statistics now on how many transfers are being done, how many are being done not through 12 for athletes. And nobody cared.
I thought I was pretty good, but nobody cared when a whether I played for Lakeside or whether I played for Qatar, and that's the case for most students is they don't care about losing this kid, and we don't care about getting this kid because they're not a star, uh, it's, it's centered around and we're too centered. This is the education committee, not the sports committee. Uh, and we're too centered on athletics and keep in mind my wife and I both played high
school athletics, as did my dad, as did my children. Uh, we love high school athletics, but it is not the primary reason why we have schools. The primary reason is education, and we, uh, but yet kids enjoy sports. It's a, it's a huge part of their life. It was a huge part of my life and to be told for that first year Center so that you can't transfer. Without sitting out of here, well, that's like being in East Germany and saying you can leave, but you can't take your
family, you know, it's it's not our true choice. It's, it's what it's doing is banning school choice for all those students. Many, and it's in the law that you can't change for affle reasons. I appreciate the points that you have brought out, but part of the compromise is that can't be the reason you change, uh, can it be beneficial for a child who's not playing to maybe play. a smaller school can be, but that can't be the reason why you change schools now and so uh
again we should be centered around academics and then athletics 2nd, uh, rather than what we have is We should never, we should never have to worry about losing our star athletes ever, that's the other way that people are coming at this bill that takes away the freedom of the student, that takes away the freedom of the family, and we're not East Germany. We are Arkansas, uh, and so again it's not that I'm even in love with
this bill, but I'm what I'm saying is If you truly have a problem, let's fix the problem. Uh, and so if if your problem is that you've got Athletes that are uh student athletes that are changing every year. We did not intend that. OK, we don't want to take anybody's, but we didn't intend that that you shop around and and go wherever. Most students who transfer 9 through 12th are going to a school to stay, uh, and so I'm for those few cases
where that's not the case, then I think it's proper if we do have a recruiting problem to come back and say we can limit that. Uh, and I think what Centra Davis pointed out about that not being necessarily the receiving school as it's written now. I'll agree with that. That's really the way I intended it to be written, so you're welcome.
The further questions we had one person to speak for the bill.
Speaker 59
2:02:07
I'm sorry, Senator Dodson, did you have
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
2:02:11
a question? Yes, ma'am Chair, Senator Clark, if, are you, are you intending to pull the bill down then if
Speaker 376
2:02:18
it's If you're going to amend it to that, if you're good with
Senator Alan Clark
Unverified
2:02:22
that. Actually, you can amend it here, but I know that you don't do that in this committee, because it's a very simple change from one school to the other, but, but yes, if that's the will of the committee, I'll be Uh glad to pull it down and uh
and bring it back Wednesday with the uh appropriate amendment. You want
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
2:02:46
to pull it down and before we vote on it, I would prefer that amendment be added to it, but I can't speak for the rest of everybody. Thank you. What was the amendment that
Senator Jane English
Unverified
2:02:53
you wanted to put in there? May not. Or we can just
Senator Alan Clark
Unverified
2:03:12
I prefer that, or you can just. Make it, uh, I can bring it back with you have to sit out. Because I don't see any school letting them leave and letting them play, but But that's what you'd prefer is that the the the school that they're exiting. can insist that they not be allowed. to play if they transfer the 2nd year. You bring your bill back.
It seems to be the will of the committee, so I will pull the bill down and bring it back. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, members of the committee. Senator Davis, do you want
Speaker 21
2:03:51
to do your bill? Beg your pardon? Yeah, I will as soon as I'm
Senator Jane English
Unverified
2:03:59
gonna let the Senate people give you theirs first and then. That's a house bill. Oh You're not going to do that right now. Oh, OK, then.
Speaker 365
2:04:14
Senator Wallace, would you like to You Um, House
Speaker 385
2:04:24
Bill 1689. Yes, ma'am, I also have uh house Bill 1398.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
2:04:37
1398. OK. Um Go ahead. You want to do 1398 1st, yeah, I'm fine.
Senator Dave Wallace
Unverified
2:04:45
Yeah committee members Thank you here today as I watched the committee today, I'm reminded of a verse that I used to say in Vietnam and it starts out a part of it is, yeah though I walk through the valley of death, I shall fear no evil. 1398. Remembers House Bill 1398. It's a good bill. It requires our
schools to support, establish, and implement a cardiac emergency response plan. We plan for a lot of things. A heart attack is difficult to plan for. Yet a sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death on school campuses. And the intent of this bill is to save those lives. We prepare for fires and tornadoes, but as you can see from statistics, a student or a teacher experiencing a car wreck events.
will experience a cardiac event as much more likely in 40% of cases with children are sports related. House Bill 1398 simply ensures that schools have a read this plan in place in the case of a cardiac arrest. As you can see, this bill has no physical impact, 1398 does not impose any new cost on schools and the alliance with the best practices already in place in many schools does not require additional funding or new
equipment. It's simply ensures schools. are using existing resources effectively, and I have a witness here that will speak of a personal experience, and with that, I would ask permission for Our witness to speak so identify yourself, you'll be
Sarah Owen
Unverified
2:06:35
recognized. Thank you, Madam Chair. My name is Sarah Owen. I come today bearing two hats, one as a school board member at Cabot Cat Public schools, but also as a mother of a former student who was born with a congenital heart defect who was a student in the
Kaba School District. Um, on behalf of being a school board member, I want to recognize that Cabot schools made the decision to be a certified HeartSafe district. Um, this, this, uh, plane was not put in place and so we chose to partner with the American Heart Association and Project Adam at Arkansas Children's Hospital. They came and trained all 18 of our buildings, our campuses, to be certified heart safe districts, excuse me, buildings, and what that means is we have a cardiac emergency response plan in place in our school district in every single
building and just recently within the last month and a half, we had an elementary student at one of our elementary schools who is a student with a congenital heart. go into a cardiac episode and because that response plan was in place, there was a group who was trained to know what to do in that episode. Um, thankfully, the AED was not needed, but the first responders were called. The plane was put into place and that student was able to be transported quickly and effectively to Arkansas Children's Hospital to seek care
there. We see the importance of that not only for our students but also for our staff. There is a rise in congenital heart defects and cardiac episodes among students and staff, and that plane is very necessary in our buildings. Um, I also have a, I had a daughter with a congenital heart defect. Unfortunately she did pass away in the middle of the 3rd grade and due to her heart defect, but two different times before any sort of emergency response plan was in place. She had to take the ambulance that was on site on site on Friday
nights for our athletes to Arcasel Chin's Hospital because she had a cardiac episode. And because I am in a position of influence and authority, I was able to make that happen for her and for her care, but we know that's not always a place for parents. We want to make public education the safest place for students just like my own daughter to go to school. Parents do have a choice to send their kids to school, especially kids who are immune compromised or have cardiac um issues and defects, and I want to make public education the safest place for them. You.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
2:08:56
Have questions from the audience. Questions from the committee. first
Speaker 395
2:09:02
Yes, Senator Bryan, yes, thank you, Madam Chair. Just as
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
2:09:06
far as having a You know, no impact, no physical impact. What does that look like for a school
district that is going to view this and start to roll this implementation or implement this into the facilities. What does that look like for them as far as do they reach out to the Heart Association? Do they reach out to a Desi.
Speaker 294
2:09:26
For the To place these into the school system or you know.
Senator Dave Wallace
Unverified
2:09:34
I, I also had a personal experience with my dad. in this situation who fortunately was saved. When things like this happen. And you're there, you're just in shock. And if you, if you're not in an area where there is a plan in place. Statistics show that every minute that the person is in cardiac arrest.
The chances of them surviving goes down 10%. Oh Do the numbers. And This simply requires them to have a plan, a plan where they have to talk about, hey, what do we do? If, if you talk about a situation, if you have the equipment there. It's one thing, but if you have the equipment there and then you talk about How we do it, who's responsible. What, what do we do case someone drops.
This moment. That that's all that we're asking to do Center Bryant.
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
2:10:34
But, but as far as we have to have them establish a plan, which sounds reasonable. I think no school
district that doesn't have these will not appreciate and want to now understanding the impact that it may have on their students or their staff, but so they're asking for a plan if they don't have a professional on-site, did they reach out to a nonprofit and then the next section where they're going to have to have an AED device again, great, it may be 1000, maybe 10,000. I'm not
sure the cost, but how do they reach out and get The assistants to make sure this is an unfended mandate.
Senator Dave Wallace
Unverified
2:11:11
I've also got Our good doctor here they can probably answer some
Senator Jane English
Unverified
2:11:16
of those questions. Representative Johnson, if you will identify yourself, you'll
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
2:11:19
be recognized. Representative Lee Johnson, District 47. Senator, to your question about who they're going to ask, we tried to leave that
broad. If you look at page 2, line 29 through 31, so integrated nationally recognized core
elements such as elements recognized by nationally by an organization focused on emergency cardiovascular care. We intentionally left that vague so they can reach out to any organization, any resources that they have that can be nationally recognized even just on the internet. try to figure out, you know, how do we make this plan? We wanted to give them as broad of a chance as they could and not specific. So certainly they could reach out to the Heart Association, but any nationally recognized organization. And with regard to the AEDs, uh, we already have a requirement that they'd be on campus and be in specific locations on campus, so
every school already has to have one. We're not adding costs to that. We're just saying, hey, look, you got it, but where is it? Do you know where it is? Do you know how to get it out? Do you know how to put it on a patient? So that's why there's no fiscal impact. We're not requiring a certain number of these. or they'd be allotted in a certain areas. They're just, we want to make sure
Speaker 400
2:12:18
you've got them. We know you have them. Does everybody know where they are and how to use them. Excellent, thank you.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
2:12:27
Are there other questions from the committee. And there's nobody, anybody here to speak for or against the bill.
What is the will of the committee? Motion and 2nd, all in favor,
Speaker 21
2:12:42
all opposed. Thank you very much. Thank you, ma'am. Have
Senator Dave Wallace
Unverified
2:12:49
a second. It may also present uh House Bill 689 now. 1689, yes, go ahead.
Speaker 406
2:13:07
And I have with here with me here today, General
Speaker 66
2:13:16
Henderson, who also speak on the on the bill. OK You
Speaker 407
2:13:21
would identify yourself, you'll be recognized. Good morning, Madam
Senator Jane English
Unverified
2:13:23
Chair and committee members. You pull that microphone just a little bit
Speaker 408
2:13:28
closer to you. OK, Brigadier General Michael Henderson, Arkansas National Guard. And Myanmar State Senator Dave Wallace, District 19. Go ahead.
Senator Dave Wallace
Unverified
2:13:38
You know, when we think of our National Guard, we always think of Getting help from the National Guard. A good example where the storms we had this weekend. I guarantee you that somewhere in our great state there's National Guard members that are out working today, helping our citizens. But this is the time when our National Guard has come to us and they're asking for help. Arkansas National Guard has only
met its recruiting goal one time in the last 15 years. What this does is it results in units hollowing out. Well you should have a 10 man, 10 person squad, you might have 6, you might have 7, you might have 8, and throughout our organization we're short bodies. And we need those more than we need them in case we deploy in kind, but we also need them. OK.
To take care of our citizens here in Arkansas. key to doing that is to be able to recruit and to be able to recruit in our schools. And this bill Which is a great bill. It gives us access to our schools. It allows our National Guard and other military organizations, but allows our National Guard to have the same access to the students.
In high school 10th, 11th, 12th grade. As Colleges do and as businesses do that come in to recruit or come in to talk to our students. By doing this, it will help our National Guard get back up to full strength and allow our National Guard to do a better job of protecting the folks within our state. And with that, I stand by for
Senator Jane English
Unverified
2:15:40
your questions. Are there questions from the committee.
So I, I'd just like to add one little thing to this, um, I think that one of the things with we're on education committee here. One of the things that is part of adequacy is making sure that students are prepared for college workforce, or the military, and we do
a really good job of encouraging college
recruiters to come in to high schools to encourage people to go. We work really hard at trying to set up a career fairs and things like that for young people to know what might be available in the workforce and the same thing ought to be true about people coming into the military because that's the other thing we are
preparing students for is to enter the military and there are some tremendous Tremendous career opportunities in the military, so students
need the opportunity to have That visibility and be able to see what all of the options are that are out there in in the world, whether they're in 6th
Speaker 395
2:16:52
grade or whatever high school. Yes, Senator Bryant, thank you, Madam
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
2:16:59
Chair. Senator Walls, thank you for working with the department and bringing this up a couple years ago, um, groups, veteran groups that I run with have active recruiters that are
part of the group trying to gain. Community involvement not only
in the organizations but also understanding how they recruit in their practices. So the first time I heard about this in a local school district, it really disheartened me enough to go reach out to the administration and find some answers, um, the answer I received was Uh, we don't do that. And I was like, well, if you don't do that, obviously there's a mis miscommunication occurring somewhere because they were denied access and that the best answer they could probably give was, well, they can't just show up and expect us to rearrange our day for them to walk through our campus. So is there provisions in the bill that kind
of navigate through those circumstances because that may, while that may not be the Department of Arkansas's military's policy if the Marine Corps recruiter or the navy recruit recruiter that's housed at our local mall decides they want to walk into the administration behind a gate and demand access while I feel like something like that may be permissible because what better honor than to recruit our volunteer force. I also don't want to penalize a school that says. Pause right there. Can you come back in a week and then have
these conversations where the law allows me to do this, but they just told me no and in fact it
Senator Dave Wallace
Unverified
2:18:22
was maybe just more of a miscommunication and the, the answer is that those instances are coordinated well in events. Normally through the guidance counselors. Um The recruiters from our guard or other services will give a call and say, Hey, I'd like to come by this day in, in sit in a particular office and be able to talk to folks, um.
The the real story is what has happened in the past many times. is a lot of guidance counselors. Or will meeting, but they have this group of students that they want to send to talk to the military. But they've got this group where they've got plans for them to go to college or whatever. Uh, in the, the group that they send to the uh military recruiters. are not necessarily the ones
that score the highest on all the scores. Uh It's all well meeting, but Our garden needs access to the whole student body. And That's what we're asking. They're not going to just barge in the middle of the day and say, I need to talk to Timmy. They're going to schedule those visits way in advance. They just, they just want a level playing field with what the
colleges already have or what some of the businesses already have. Questions from the
Senator Jane English
Unverified
2:19:59
committee. So everybody here in the audience would like to speak for or against the bill. What is the
will of the committee? You pass. Second, all in favor, all post. Thank you
very much. Thank you, sir. Thank you, ma'am. Let me see,
Representative Johnson, are you still here? And you would like to run House Bill 1601. Thank you.
Yeah Thanks for stepping you know. You'll identify yourself, you'll be
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
2:20:45
recognized. Representative Lee Johnson, District 47. Thank you, Madam Chair. Members, I'll try to be brief. I know you've had a long morning. House Bill
1601 was a project that came to me after visiting with some of my son's friends, so my sons are in college recently out of college, and as I watched some of their friends go through the college experience, some of them ended up dropping out, and that happens sometimes, you know, if you look at graduation rates for 4-year institutions, I think, you know, we measured those over 6 years and the national average for six year graduation. rate is around 65%, so nationally on average 35% of the students that start a four-year college will not graduate within 6 years. Uh, many of those
students will drop out with some degree of student debt, about 40% drop out with student debt and so watching those individuals in my son's peer group, they were struggling at times for finding resources. I think they were very interested in career technical education, trade industry opportunities and and it felt like there was maybe a need to try to connect that group of students with resources in a way we don't currently. I think we do a great job K through 7th through 12th trying to engage our high school kids in technical education, but
I think it's easy to miss this group of uh young adults who maybe are needing that opportunity, maybe even motivated in a different way than a 16 or 17 year old is, so I worked with several of our four-year institutions to come up with the language that you see before us. It's agreed upon language, and I don't think there's any opposition to what we have. in front of you in this draft, it just merely requires our four-year state supported institutions to provide some career resources to students, even up to 6 months after they may not be attending so that
they can maybe have some opportunities to connect with trade school training and not just continue on the path down trying to get a degree when that's not working for them. I'd be happy to answer any
questions on the bill. Senator Sullivan So the access just doesn't conflict or duplicate what's going on
and access. Access doesn't cover this topic. To my
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
2:22:55
knowledge, no, I shared this with the governor's office early as soon as I made a draft and and knew they were working on access. So this was shared with them before access was filed and I haven't gotten any feedback that it would be conflicting or included, so I think this is a different topic and it's actually what
Senator Jane English
Unverified
2:23:11
we thought it was going on. Already in colleges, and I think you know I don't
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
2:23:15
know if if Melissa, uh, Shane and Jamie, some of the folks I worked with they're in here or not, but, but it was a really good exercise for me. Like this isn't, you know, I don't pretend to think
this bill is going to transform society, but I think it's a great start around a conversation of connecting with the workforce group. This may be being lost along the way sometimes and and I found out like interestingly our schools had a lot of resources like initially when I brought this to their attention that the feedback I got was that it might be overburdensome, over regulator. It's just a matter of like, we've got a lot of good resources. Just how do we connect those and how we, uh, staying connected with these kids that are maybe getting lost to the system and so hopefully there's more we can build on this as time goes by. I feel like it's a good start though,
Senator Jane English
Unverified
2:23:58
and sometimes that office is not visible. Yes. Sometimes it's tucked away somewhere where nobody knows where it is, correct, so hopefully, you know,
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
2:24:05
additionally it puts a burden on Dei to have a website too, which uh they're comfortable with. So yeah, hopefully it's a good start. Questions from the committee. Anybody here from
Senator Jane English
Unverified
2:24:14
the audience, speak for or against the bill. I don't think so. OK. I'm close to my bill. A motion in a second, all in
favor, all post. Thank you very
much, Madam Chair. Thank you. OK, folks, I think that is all for today. So wait just one moment. We have a couple of things for
today. So that the Senate Education Committee is going to meet in Big Mac. To hear, um, House Bill 1633 as soon as the Senate adjourns. And then we will have a joint education meeting 15 minutes after both houses adjourn, uh,
because we have two lottery things we have to look at and vote on. Yeah, we're going to listen to hear that before we
go into our joint meeting. That'll just be in the Senate though. And then we'll have a joint meeting, OK? And so, um, We will fix it since there seems to be such a confusion about the formula and the transportation and all that, I will make arrangements to set up a meeting
with the bureau for all of you all to sit down and understand what the formula is and see how this so we can move forward with this because this is part of adequacy, and we needed to get it out. So, um, probably this week. Um I don't know what's a good time for anybody, but we'll set up a time so everybody can go sit down and listen to it, so you, you feel more prepared. Huh, yeah, but, you know, 6 o'clock in the
morning or something like that. Yeah, yeah, but I think that's important because I'm not going to wait, I don't think we can wait for everybody individually to go and visit and figure this out. I think you all need to have a better understanding so we'll try and get the bureau together with you and we'll have them come over here and, um, so you let me know what, what, what's a good time this
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
2:26:30
week, maybe. the latitude or do anyone here know. To gives authority for.
How they determine. The distribution that that process. We, we, uh, we as a legislature do
Senator Jane English
Unverified
2:26:42
that as part of adequacy and how do we give them authority
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
2:26:46
to determine some of the chicks I've gotten back is the word winners. How do we do? We'll find that out. We'll sit down and we'll have that
Senator Jane English
Unverified
2:26:55
discussion about how we, how, how, because this is something that's been going on for 10 years as and at some point we made the decision as a
body that that's that we were going to allow them to establish this formula. And as, as Julie said, uh, Richard Wilson had worked on this
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
2:27:21
for a long time, and we finally approved it. Yeah the form the formula for what the district shit. that's what we'll sit down and we'll figure
Senator Jane English
Unverified
2:27:33
that out. But that we give
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
2:27:35
the But that we give them
Speaker 420
2:27:38
Obviously, yes, we did. No that's The form also. I don't care if the public sees.
Agenda
Call to Order
SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS
SB391 J. Dismang TO CREATE THE ROBOTICS COMPETITION GRANT PROGRAM FOR ELIGIBLE ROBOTICS TEAMS IN PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SCHOOLS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENCOURAGING STUDY IN THE FIELDS OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS.
REGULAR AGENDA
SB402 C. Penzo TO PROHIBIT A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT FROM REQUIRING OR TAKING CERTAIN ACTIONS RELATED TO EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS.
SB425 J. English TO AMEND VARIOUS PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING ENHANCED TRANSPORTATION; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
HB1398 L. Johnson TO REQUIRE SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT, ESTABLISH, AND IMPLEMENT A CARDIAC EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN THAT INTEGRATES NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED ELEMENTS.
HB1601 L. Johnson TO REQUIRE STATE-SUPPORTED INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION TO PROVIDE CAREER COUNSELING AND OTHER RESOURCES TO CERTAIN STUDENTS.
SB436 A. Clark TO AMEND THE ABILITY OF A STUDENT WHO TRANSFERS UNDER THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE ACT OF 2015 TO PARTICIPATE IN AN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY.
SB438 A. Clark TO PERMANENTLY BAN FROM COACHING A COACH OR AN ATHLETICS PERSONNEL MEMBER WHO RECRUITS A STUDENT.
HB1689 M. Shepherd TO REQUIRE A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL TO GRANT ACCESS TO ITS FACILITIES TO MILITARY RECRUITERS; AND TO REQUIRE CERTAIN STATE-SUPPORTED POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTIONS TO GRANT ACCESS TO ITS FACILITIES TO MILITARY RECRUITERS.
Adjourn
Documents
| Title | Type | Pages | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agenda — EDUCATION COMMITTEE - SENATE AND HOUSE MEETING JOINTLY WITH ADVANCED COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION, Mar 17, 2025 | Agenda | 2 | Official source ↗ |
Speakers
Senator Jane English
Unverified
Speaker 6
Senator Jonathan Dismang
Unverified
Annalee Brooks
Unverified
Speaker 23
Clara Tittle
Unverified
Speaker 34
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
Speaker 33
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
Speaker 38
Gracie Haggard
Unverified
Mary Alice
Unverified
Speaker 60
Speaker 62
Representative Matt Brown
Unverified
Speaker 73
Lilian Ruiz
Unverified
Speaker 75
Speaker 76
Speaker 80
Speaker 92
Senator Dan Sullivan Chair
Unverified
Speaker 101
Speaker 111
Speaker 120
Speaker 134
Speaker 133
Speaker 148
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
Speaker 163
Speaker 100
Senator Clint Penzo
Unverified
Speaker 196
Chair
Unverified
Speaker 207
Speaker 212
Speaker 189
Speaker 219
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
Speaker 232
Speaker 236
Speaker 243
Speaker 241
Speaker 242
Speaker 265
Speaker 249
Speaker 282
Speaker 284
Speaker 143
Speaker 300
Speaker 293
Speaker 248
Speaker 136
Speaker 316
Speaker 286
Senator Alan Clark
Unverified
Speaker 335
Speaker 342
Speaker 347
Speaker 348
Speaker 351
Speaker 43
Speaker 104
Speaker 59
Speaker 376
Speaker 21
Speaker 365
Speaker 385
Senator Dave Wallace
Unverified
Sarah Owen
Unverified
Speaker 395
Speaker 294
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
Speaker 400
Speaker 406
Speaker 66
Speaker 407
Speaker 408
Speaker 420