Education Committee - Senate
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Bills discussed (16)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
HB1370
· 4 mentions in chapter, transcript, agenda
Matched: “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. |
|
HB1477
Act 303
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1477 Barker TO ALLOW THE GOVERNING BODY OF AN OPEN-ENROLLMENT PU…”
|
TO ALLOW THE GOVERNING BODY OF AN OPEN-ENROLLMENT PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL TO SUBMIT AN APPLICANT … | Barker | Notification that HB1477 is now Act 303 |
|
HB1496
Act 304
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1496 Andrews TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE TO ENSURE…”
|
TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE TO ENSURE ARKANSAS STUDENTS ARE TAUGHT BY QUALIFIED … | Andrews | Notification that HB1496 is now Act 304 |
|
SB413
Act 401
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB413 K. Hammer TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING A SCHOOL DISTRICT BOA…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING A SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS; AND TO AMEND THE … | K. Hammer | Notification that SB413 is now Act 401 |
|
SB417
Act 402
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB417 J. Dotson TO AMEND VARIOUS LAWS RELATED TO HIGHER EDUCATION…”
|
TO AMEND VARIOUS LAWS RELATED TO HIGHER EDUCATION. | J. Dotson | Notification that SB417 is now Act 402 |
|
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. SB352 Stone TO PROHI…”
|
TO CREATE THE BABY OLIVIA ACT. | Bentley | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
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: “…avis Sen. Jim Dotson REGULAR AGENDA Number Sponsor Subtitle 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. |
|
SB352
Act 721
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “SB352 Stone TO PROHIBIT ANTISEMITISM IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SEC…”
|
TO PROHIBIT ANTISEMITISM IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS; AND TO PROHIBIT ANTISEMITISM IN STATE-SUPPORTED … | Stone | Notification that SB352 is now Act 721 |
|
SB358
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…MITISM IN STATE-SUPPORTED INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION. SB358 J. Dotson TO AMEND VARIOUS LAWS RELATED TO HIGHER EDUCATION…”
|
TO AMEND VARIOUS LAWS RELATED TO HIGHER EDUCATION. | J. Dotson | Sine Die adjournment |
|
SB373
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…. Dotson TO AMEND VARIOUS LAWS RELATED TO HIGHER EDUCATION. 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 agenda
Matched: “…ENSURE ARKANSAS STUDENTS ARE TAUGHT BY QUALIFIED TEACHERS. 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 |
|
SCR3
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…rs and Staff Only'. 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. |
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- October 2, 2026
Senator Jane English
Unverified
0:06
you here. I'm calling the Senate Education Committee to to order and I'd like to acknowledge a few folks here in the room today. This morning we have um some folks here from Alice Day on the hill and, and Alice stands for asset. Limited income constrained employed. We're glad to have you here. Thank you very much. And we also have a number. Of scouts here in the building today, so we're, we're pleased to have we've had some folks in and out of here already this morning, but glad to have you
here with us this morning. Thank you. OK. So first on the list of Representative Mayberry. With House Bill 1370. You identify yourselves,
you'll be recognized. Oh Turn on your thing you
put down at the bottom. It takes a second for it to come on. There you go.
Speaker 11
1:09
OK. State Representative Julie Mayberry. Thank you. Former Representative Charlotte Douglas, very nice to see you ladies. Go ahead. OK. Some of you
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
1:20
may remember we've had some years that winter weather has just really caused havoc with our school districts. I pulled up something that was in the Democrat Gazette from February 10th of 2014 and by February 10th of 2014, you may recall we already had school districts in the state that had
18 days. Um, of not being able to have classes. By the end of that year, we had some school districts that had 23 days that they had to close for various reasons, um, so in 2017, there was legislation that Charlotte Vining Douglas presented and passed through this legislative body to allow some more flexibility for school districts. A lot of school districts had already put in days to be, you know, made up on a random basis. They also were
starting to use some extra minutes at the end of the day, beginning of the day to try to make up some of those hours, but there was still this, this great need that existed, so something called alternative methods of instruction was introduced in 2017. I was not a legislator at that time. My husband was, and I'll be honest with you, my husband voted against it, and I, and I agreed. I thought it was probably going to be a lot of busy work and admittedly, probably the first year of it because school districts really
didn't know exactly how to use this alternative methods of instruction and internet was just really not what it is today, um, that's kind of how it started out, but we've seen now some school districts take huge steps and invest a lot of dollars into making sure that these AMI days were productive days for our students so that they would not lose the order of which their instruction was being laid out for them instead of having
to make up a day at the end of the year, which is beyond the testing period and often students do not attend school, alternative methods of instruction became a great alternative. It is
now not available for our school districts. And
that's because we now say that they have to be in person for 178 days. What this bill is that I've presented here is I've
heard both sides of this argument, and I'm trying to be reasonable and I'm trying to find a solution that may be both sides could come together and say, OK, maybe this is what we do. So according to this bill, the
1st 7 days that a school district has to close for whatever reason. Um, those days have to be
made up in person and I'm hoping that the school districts would include extra days in their calendar, for example, Martin
Luther King Day, or President's Day. Maybe it's either a day that they're in person or a day that they're off based on their cancellation policy and and what happened in the
state at that time. But day 8, day 9, and day 10, they would have the option. Local control for that school district to
decide if they want to use an alternative method of instruction day. No school district in the state will be
forced to do that. So if there is a school district that they feel like internet doesn't work or it's not productive for their kids. They don't have to use it, but there are some school districts in this state who have reached out and have said we missed those days. We want to keep our students learning. In the calendar year so that they are prepared for those AP tests so that they're prepared for those Atlas tests, um, I've brought along Charlotte Viney Douglas, who was the sponsor of that legislation to explain some
some reasons why this is, this is a
Speaker 20
5:23
good bill. Yes. Thank you. You identify yourself. Charlotte Douglas, a former legislator and good morning committee and Madam Chair, um, as a little background, um, I was a lifelong educator for 27 years before I ran for Uh, the house and served for 6 years on the House Education Committee. And one of the conferences I
attended, Kentucky was talking about a bill that they had crafted that allowed for students to have a makeup day as a virtual day at home. They called it something different, but we crafted with uh working with the ADE they help promulgate the rules for it, and they named it AMI, which is alternative. method of instruction which gives schools the ability to
have a virtual day as a makeup day. And the makeup day can be anything that happens that causes kids not to go to school. It could be the flu. It could be weather. It could be flooding. It could be tornadoes, uh, we've got a lot of circumstances here in Arkansas. We know the weather can change on a dime and things can happen. Uh, so why do I, why am I passionate about this? Why did I drive down here for 2 hours, get stuck in traffic.
To, to let you know how passionate I am about education and that this needs to be a tool in the school district toolbox that's, that's all it would be. Uh, first of all, the advantage to an AMI day is that it is taken in real time. Real time means that they're missing Monday for snow, but they get to make up that day. On that Monday and the teachers can craft that assignment to
what they are currently studying. They can do it by the students coming online and uh the in the teacher workspaces. Or they can prearrange certain uh assignments. But real time means that they're gonna make up those assignments, not at the end of school, after testing and after. You know, all the grades have been calculated, but they'll
make up those days in real time so that it matters to their academics. Oh, also, AMI assignments can be crafted after what they discover in their PLC meetings. Uh, PLC meetings are supposed to be for figuring out what deficiencies the kids have in their, uh, academic success, so teachers can put things into those AMI days that would
Complete their learning or it would augment their learning for those chapters maybe that they did poorly on. Um, also, AMI days can be prepackaged. In the elementary grades, this is probably more what they do. They send home folders that say day 1, day 2, day 3, day one has, you know, a certain assignment in it and then they they are sequential if the kids need to miss more than one day.
So Packets is another way that they can learn where their assignments are or what their assignment is. Uh, and then, of course, Kids have smartphones and then when they had their laptops at home and some school districts are more uh in tune to technology than others, but That is another way the teachers just post their assignment on their Workspace on their teacher
workspace and then the students know what to do that day. So I think that it's more valuable in real time to make up the day of the day that they missed. I think there's a great advantage to that. Um AMR days are also a safety concern for students and parents and teachers, uh, one of the hardest decisions that
superintendents make is calling off school for some kind of natural disaster or weather or the flu, uh, when pandemics are hitting, uh, is this what we want to do? Do we want to, you know, call school and have the kids. stay at home today. And usually they're out at
Speaker 23
10:16
3 or 4 o'clock in the morning driving the roads and trying to figure out
Speaker 20
10:21
if it's safe, uh, and those are, uh, you know, when they
make those decisions then they're just rolling the dice is the ice is gonna come in at 2 o'clock or is it gonna come in at 10:00 a.m. and do I want to bring the kids to school. And then try to get them home. And hope that the bad weather doesn't roll in. Or that we have another 100 kids sick again today that we have to send home, so safety feet, uh, safety is another feature of the AMI days. Um
For an AMI day to count, the teachers have to be online. Available by phone, available by email. And they have to be able to assist the kids. During that School day. Uh, the school day hours, so 7:30 to 3:30, whatever your school is open. The teachers have to be available for those calls or Zoom or Zoom meetings. So if I haven't already
convinced you that this is a great bill, then let me tell you about what happened in 2018. Students were getting acclimated to the process of AMI. It took a little bit of a learning curve. We had to make some adjustments and There could still be adjustments that need to be made if there needs to be more accountability for students or teachers then that's something that the rules from the ADE can promulgate. But the students were getting
acclimated. We were working out the wrinkles and then COVID hit. Schools were struggling to figure out nationwide how to teach kids from home. And because Arkansas had been forward thinking and they had passed these AMI days, they had the skeleton in place for virtual learning at home for a school for districtwide application.
So the AMI system provided the skeleton that formed Arkansas's robust learning during COVID. And because we were ahead of the game. I saw teachers all over the nation on a Facebook page that they some teach some administrators from ADE had set up. That pulled all these teachers together and they were getting ideas from each other and they were learning how to
Um, what websites to get on, uh, what, what were the best ways to approach this virtual learning. So Arkansas made quite a an impact on nationwide virtual learning because of the skeleton of AMI days that we had in place already. Uh, at the end of the day when parents and students and Uh, teachers call me about the AMI days, um, overwhelmingly
they are for it and they see the the the uh The pluses over any minuses that might have been brought up. Um, can we tweak it? Can we get input and You know Make it better. I think that's what uh is all bills, you know, need that process of of uh looking at it and making sure the rules fit the bill. But I thank you for your
consideration. I'm very passionate about this legislation as I am of all education matters and uh I see this as only a tool that needs to be put, put back. In the toolbox of a school district to let them use their discretion, their local
Speaker 23
14:30
autonomy to decide whether it is the thing for them to use at that time and
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
14:44
other point that I want to make about something in this bill that somewhat deals
with AMI, but really more than anything, why a school district can close, so in my discovery of looking at this, I had noticed that there was an important reason why a school district should be able to close. It
was not actually. Laid out in law
and without a doubt we absolutely need to have this, and I'm going to pull you to page 3 and it's line 11, um,
and this is where we defined and exceptional or emergency circumstance as it stood before you could only close school for a contagious disease outbreak, inclement weather, other acts of God or a utility outage, but now, and I think we all agree that that this is a very important reason to be. To close school, but any other unforeseen circumstance caused or created by humans, um, including without limitation and active shooter event or a threat
of an active shooter event, um, that I, I do know some school districts have closed for that reason, but by law it wasn't
already in there and so I wanted to make sure that that it was in there and that we absolutely will allow a school district to close for something done by
Senator Dan Sullivan
Unverified
16:09
a human, and we'll take questions. OK. OK I, I apologize for being late, but so the law currently requires a certain number of days in school.
Not and this law would kind of modify that to say in school defined as online or however what whatever you, is that correct? So I'm going to repeat a little
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
16:30
bit of what I explained in the beginning if you answer my
Senator Dan Sullivan
Unverified
16:34
question first. So, OK, so you're redefining what
the learning environment looks like for 3 days for just 3 days so
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
16:44
the school district has to close. For one of these circumstances.
Up to 7 days, so they need to plan for emergency circumstances in their calendar or decide that they're gonna make it up at the end that you're redefining what that looks like 3 days could be remote learning day 8, day 9, and day 10. OK, all right, thank you. Yes. Are there other
Senator Jane English
Unverified
17:14
questions from the committee, Senator Flowers. Thank you for the bill.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
17:27
In speaking with former representative Douglas. Uh I was Under the
Understanding that We had this in the law before. Yes,
Speaker 20
17:43
we did. It was passed in 2017, uh, yes, that. We could have, well,
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
17:49
the 1st 7 days would have to be in in person.
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
17:57
know the law before allowed 10 days, so the first day up until
2023, um, the first day that a school would close based on that 2017 law. It could be an AMI day, up to 10 aI days were allowed from day one to day 10.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
18:15
And they all had to be in
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
18:18
person. No, they were AMI days that could be remote. It could be work that's sent home, but from day one, the fir the way it was before 2023.
If a school district closed, they could use an AMI
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
18:35
day right away. So do you have any information on how that works. To the point that it changed. Was there any problems with it, you know, you mentioned smartphones and and uh internet access and all, do all these students in all these different school districts have access to The internet
And in their home environment, do they have? Smartphones, I mean that see some
kids even though we see a lot of kids with smartphones and we Banned them now from school, so uh I'm not sure how this is. going
to be carried out. Uh, so we, we knew that some kids would
Speaker 20
19:25
have a challenge. Um, getting online during those days, and it could be due to weather or it could be due to,
they just don't have internet at home and that's why the option of sending. Packets home so that they could be prepared for snow days or any day that. You know, they need to miss, so they had the option of sending those packets home so they had worksheets to do at home. And that's one thing. And then also the bill. said that any uh any assignments that could not be made up at home if you couldn't complete it, then you had
So many days after you got back to school to make that work up. Under the teacher's guidance. Well, so we tried to make sure
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
20:17
we had all those. What ifs covered. Well, this packet is that to be prepared at the beginning of the
school year so that you have a sequential. Through the whole school term. For these kids or I'm just, you know, this thing.
is for elementary and secondary. So I'm trying to understand how is a Pre-K or kindergartner or
First grader gonna be able to understand this, this. Information And another
thing I, you know, it's been a long time since I had my child in school, but I remember one book he had and it referred them to go to a website.
And at that time we didn't have a lot of internet access, mostly dial up back then and uh I was trying to figure out, you know, I was looking around this classroom and I knew a lot of those kids didn't have internet or computer at home. Well, and that's where teacher
Speaker 20
21:27
preparation comes in, you've, you've got to prepare and know what you need to send home with the kids, and if it needs to be updated then you update it during the year. as,
Speaker 23
21:39
as things change and as they accomplish certain tasks, you would send something different home. Well,
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
21:47
how would you get a packet? To a child. I mean, if you I'm trying
to understand this, OK, so the 1st 7 days that have been missed have to be in person. And so you're
trying to make up through this AMI. The rest of the day. Is that right? Only day 89, and 10.
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
22:11
There's only 3 days, 3 days after day 10, then, you know, I think we're getting into even more extreme circumstances, and they would perhaps go to the Board of Education and ask for some other exceptions or um whatever plan they need to do, most of the time, as I mentioned at the very beginning, we know that we can have 20 plus days, um,
where schools canceled. We know in history. Luckily, right now I think most school districts are at 56, maybe 7 days. So right
now, anything in this bill, an AMI day
would not have existed for any student in the state of Arkansas. There might be a school district somewhere that is, you know, is at day 7 or maybe day 8. I doubt it, but
um, and the other thing is, is that there is no school district that has to, so that's where we're giving it back to local control, and if internet is very spotty. Or if that school district feels like it's just not the effective way to
Keep students in their, their learning, then they don't have to use it. That's the beauty of this. It's, it's allowing some school districts, and I'm sorry he couldn't be here today, but I did have a superintendent from Clarksville. There's they're they have invested a lot of money to make sure that students can learn remotely on those days. They learned a lot. We, we are, we are far ahead in 2025 than we were in 2017 when this. Um, as far as learning how to
learn remotely and we absolutely, I feel that if we don't ever allow our children to learn remotely. We are doing a disservice to them because in the real world, if, if our goal, which I hear quite often is to enroll and list and employee. Our students when they enroll in college. They are going to be taking some online classes. I have children right now in college who are on campus ready to be in person and
their class is only offered online. And so that, that is really important if we want to make sure that they are are employed. What field do we see right now that does not use some type of online learning. I was talking to a farm bureau group just about 2 weeks ago, and They were telling me that their employees had to learn, um,
had to take a course online, so it is the real world. Is it the best way.
Maybe not, but 2 weeks ago I was in uh
I'll be honest with you, if I don't have church on Sunday, my week falls apart. It is really important to me and I was sick a few weeks ago and I couldn't go to church and if this were before COVID, my church did not have
online services, but now my church has online services. OK, let me ask you something else as
being there in person, absolutely not, but it is the next best thing,
and it allowed me to hear the
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
25:24
sermon that day. OK, let me ask you, you said this was mixed by the Los Act. Do
you know the rationale for that? Uh, um,
Speaker 20
25:37
I did write the governor a letter when I saw the the language and the Les Act had uh The had, had deleted the option of AMI days and trying to explain
some of these things and uh what I was hearing back is that they wanted all days made up as uh in person. And Uh I think that we've reached a place in our Technology and in our world where virtual learning, you know, our students are comfortable with that. But they were opposed
Speaker 23
26:13
to any virtual learning. On any makeup days.
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
26:22
I can, I can answer your question. OK, well, Senator Davis? Thank you, Madam Chair. The reason that that was done in Learns, the law said that there were 10 days, um, Up to 10 days at a school district could request for an AMI day at the commissioner's approval and school districts really got out of requesting for emergency situations or weather, and they started requesting for the basketball state tournament for football championships for
sporting events and letting students out for the day, so it was really being abused, um, so what we did with Lawrens was just said you have to learn in person 178 days and really there were a lot of issues with. AMI days. First of all, just the standards across the state and and not even just across the state but within school districts. I mean, some students have access to internet, some don't, so they couldn't, you know, all school districts could not require online work, so they were sending home worksheet packets and they couldn't teach
new content because the teacher wasn't able to have FaceTime with the students, so they were just reviewing old content. There was no actual like real advancement learning going on and so that was one of the big issues was just different standards and, you know, some schools may or some teachers may say this is for a grade, some don't. There was no consistency, no streamlining across the state or across specific school districts and so it really, it was being abused and then what school districts were doing, by law they're
required to build in up to 5 or build in 5 days within the school calendar to use for makeup weather days, but what school district districts were doing post COVID was just hacking on the 5 days. the end of the school year and after Len's passed, they knew that they would not be allowed AMI days any longer and they still did not most school districts did not build in those five days back into the calendar like they did previous prior to COVID. So they tacked it on at the end and when we had weather
last year, everyone said, Well, this is what Learns did, and they blamed us when in fact the superintendents knew what was coming and refused to make an adjustment to their calendars. So students were going into school into June because of the weather and um so anyways, my, my point is, is that there were a lot of issues with AMI. There are, and especially when you're talking about learning because they are losing high quality in-person instructional days that those students should be in the classroom and they're just getting worksheets sent home with no grading, no
accountability if the parents help them do it or not, whatever. So, um, really the point here we see without in-person learning that doors are going down. Students are learning less. We've seen the studies and the impact of that, um, which is, which is why, you know, this concerns me so much, but there were, there were a lot of issues and there was a specific reason that we changed that and learns and it's because it was being widely abused and students were not learning, um, like they were having in-person instruction. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
29:30
Senator flowers. Thank you, Senator Davis, for that, and I would. I like to hear a response if you have Such from uh Former Representative Douglas, but um I'd
ask of Senator Davis, OK, so it was changed. Last session that would have been 2023. And so I've heard.
That Our students Have lower Literacy, or reading. rates. And Just lower across the board. In learning their subjects. So is that Data or what this is that I have heard. On the news or whatever, is that
something that has been Uh Information gathered. After 2023. Or before. Um, Madam Chair, thank you. That's,
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
30:43
that's before. I mean, that's what we saw with COVID and just the learning loss of students not being in the classroom and we saw um in Arkansas and across the country scores dropped dramatically and we do have an, you know, an issue with students. We've got
concerns with students who started kindergarten or were in the early stages of learning how to read and and stuff that were um so formative during those COVID years and we've got a gap to make up because of it, but that's, that's
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
31:16
prior to 2023. Well, you know, when I considered that. With the Leanns Act, I understand. A child can be retained. For
not being on the reading level, a grade 3. And, and so I'm concerned about
about that and and then the things that Senator Davis has mentioned that Some pretty good points as to why it should be in person because I I I'm struggling to try to figure out. How uh elementary kids are going to be able to To grasp what is being sent home if it's in a packet or you know, whether they have, even if they have a smartphone, are they going to be able to really figure that out. I mean they can
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
32:04
go to a game or something. I understand
all those concerns and, and I'm not, not disagreeing. First of all, I think we have to keep in mind that this is not 3 months or half a school year like we experienced with COVID. Our kids survived. Um,
and I, I, I, I, I don't think that this bill allows any school district to go back
to all remote learning, although I will point
out that we have, um, connections Academy, I believe is the
name that's completely online learning, um, public
Speaker 29
32:35
school district with all online learning, um, but Um, this is just. 3 days. 3 days that can
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
32:45
be to the point she made about the abuse. Of those days being used
for school. busting all the kids to a game or something I don't agree with that. Is your bill protect against that bill
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
33:01
says that the school district has to have
those 7 days in, you know, in their calendar, so they have to plan a better calendar to make up those days,
um, it might end up being that unfortunately maybe a spring break gets cut in two, the school district might say, OK, we're
going to give up our spring break. It might be that Martin Luther King Day. that President's Day, whatever it is. Though I think what you were
Speaker 19
33:29
asking Senator Flowers is the abuse. Yes, and and and can they
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
33:38
use these days for making up when students might travel to a championship game that is not that that was
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
33:48
protect against it is my question. Well,
Speaker 20
33:50
they have to be OK by the ADE in those days were OKed by the ADE or abused
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
33:59
days. It, it must be an exceptional circumstance and we've outlined the 5. figures
We've outlined the 5 reasons why if you would like some stronger language in there that says that a school district may not, so that we're really or shall not, um, closed school for an athletic or so, I mean, if, if there's some language
that you think makes that stronger, I'm always open to making sure that it's really clear to me, I think it's very clear. I think that, um, perhaps in the past maybe it Just wasn't followed like it,
but if you read the law, there's 5 reasons why a school district can close and only on day 89, or 10, can they use an AMI day only if that's what's best for
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
34:53
that local school district. Well, Senator Davis just informed me that it actually was not the school districts that uh abused or allowed for the abuse, but rather the Department of Education and the commissioner that allowed for those days to
be used to make up for when the
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
35:15
kids went to A football game I think there's probably even more security in that with current administration because they are not going to allow that. We
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
35:25
don't know that, but I, you know, I, I don't, I don't trust an individual. Today Uh, saying one thing and then coming back and Not repeating what they just
said the day before. I mean, people change their minds. I would like to probably see something that that wrecks the uh some uh maybe a greater authority like the Board of Education. To make
that kind of decision. I, I, if there is some
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
35:57
language that could improve and make it really clear that you
are not allowed to close school, um, I don't want the kids to be mad at me and
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
36:07
then we got a lot of them in the room right now.
I, I would be happy to championship game in root for their team, uh, I want to, I want to see that too, so, um, but at the same time, You know I'm more concerned about Whether kids have access. To these computers and also how
you think an elementary school kid can comprehend all this stuff and, and do the work. Well they package or whatever and she makes a good point about that, but uh You know, I think new learning, I, I just don't know. My mother was a teacher, but they didn't have that kind of situation. Uh, I like the fact that
you mentioned, I don't know if that's in the bill or not, about
teacher has to be available by phone
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
37:19
or it's not in this because it's already addressed in the AMI section of of. Of it um that that the Board of Education has to approve the AMI plan that the school district is putting forth. That's in another section,
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
37:34
but the the local school board. Puts a plan together and then submits it for approval to the Board of Education or the Department of Education. I'd say
Speaker 20
37:46
it may run through the board, but the administration at the school would submit the plan to the ADE and Then if the ADE says it's a worthy plan and they address all the issues like the internet. And uh age differentials, then they would OK the plan if it's a good plan.
Speaker 23
38:04
If it's not, then they would send it back for revisions, I'm sure your bill provides
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
38:09
for that or the other pieces in the law provide for approval first before.
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
38:18
OK, I, I can see that. Senator Johnson. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, So
if you look on page 2. Line 11, you. You're taking away the discretion of the commissioner. By striking through that line there where it says the commissioner. Of elementary and secondary education. And if you skip down after the new language on line 14 says May
grant up to 10 days, you're striking through the 10. And replacing it with 3. So This, this would actually take away the commissioner's approval and it would require that After 7 days. They get
3 regardless of whether or not the commissioner approves it, so it's actually a change in the law to say that the commissioner can't would no longer be able to. Sign off on it beforehand.
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
39:21
Well, I, I think if you look at line 14, it says the commissioner may grant up to the equivalent of 3 student attendance days.
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
39:29
No, no, 11, you're striking through the commissioner of elementary and secondary education. So they would no longer have the discretion
to approve it. It would be an automatic. If you
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
39:42
look at 14, look at line 14, it says the commissioner. Now, if I need to clarify and, and say the commissioner of elementary and secondary
education and put that in there. I think they just kind of When
the bill draft did it, it just kind of put it in a different spot. Um, but if, if it would make you feel better if we clarify what that means by the commissioner and say the commissioner of elementary and secondary education. Yeah, I have no problem making that correction because that's not the intention. I grant, OK.
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
40:24
Yeah, I just don't know why they struck through the of elementary, which
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
40:29
commissioner it is that it's identified. I would be more than happy to clarify because
that's not the intention. Um, we could definitely add back in commissioner of elementary and secondary education. I see it as that's what's meant by that, but
if it makes you feel better, I'm absolutely always willing to clarify something. I'll let everybody else talk. Senator Murdoch.
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
40:55
Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Representative Mayberry, uh, my good friend was Douglas for bringing this. I guess the main concern as we looked at looked at learning over the last several years. And with this alternative came up because of COVID and other reasons is making sure we have quality learning at all times, and we know that things have happened to make us not have to not be able to be in front of students, which is the optimum, I guess, but with something of
the learning that's going on in our in our universities now across the country where many classes are being taught just totally virtually, I guess that's not as At certain levels, but certainly at the elementary and other levels and send the flowers mentioned. I think the concern is quality learning. So if this is enacted, what I'm trying to see. I want to see get the assurance. That this bill would provide The safeguards to ensure that.
What Senator Davis mentioned, the reason why they had the concerns with the misuse and the abuse of AMI days for athletic events or whatever that the what are the safeguards in this bill that's going to protect us to say that it's going to be used for an integral reason. In an integral way to provide good content, curriculum content, preparation for good learning. That's when I can support this.
Take me to those parts of the bill that will make sure and
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
42:34
ensure that I would be happy to go and look at the original AMI um legislation that gives the that outlines AMI and what it is and maybe um Charlotte Douglas is the sponsor of the bill. We can look and see if there's some things that we can do to put more parameters um on that to make sure that it is um uh I I I have no problem doing that. I, I, I'm trying to
listen to all concerns here and find something that we can agree on that this helps our students, um, Trying to find some compromise, um, because I, I do agree there was some abuse. I don't think after 7 days of being closed for school for the reasons that are outlined in this bill that it's going to be abused on day 89, 10. I think we are trying hard to make sure when you start getting up to 89 or 10 days,
especially from January until April when all the tests, the AP test, and I've got a student who is ready to testify, and I don't know if there's many other students who here who who want to validate this, but Having that that um remote learning possibility in that time frame before those tests take place. We want our students to do
as, as well as they possibly can on that AP test you cannot change that date not change the Atlas date
and so by adding it at the end of the
year. There's a learning loss, and I'm just trying to help them stay engaged and involved. If I go a few days without Having that work to do, you're gonna have that learning loss, and I'm trying to make sure that our students stay engaged and involved in on pace. Right. So
Speaker 19
44:26
I, I think to answer your question is. The the original which the language is still in there
Speaker 20
44:36
somewhere, um, said that the plan has to be submitted by the school district and has to be approved
Speaker 23
44:43
by the ADE. Well, that's where your safeguards are on not letting the abuse occur is Having the school districts submit a good plan and they know they're going to be under review. They're gonna have to make sure that kids without internet are taking care of kids with Um, the younger kids are taken care of.
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
45:08
And weren't there plans obviously I, I have to believe with the original AMI. It was instructions
given. but still the abuse the Senator Davis mentioned. That learns, you know, dealt with, I guess to some degree, so to square all of that, I think what we're trying to get to is how we square that up and make sure
at the end of the day quality. is what comes from this, not just Something in the toolbox in the toolbox.
The rules are very important. Enforcement may be more, and I don't know how you police it really because you don't know about the abuse until after it what happens. So I think that's the concern here. It's the concern is what has happened. It was a great idea. When we did it Then it was abused. Now, the attitude is, how do we protect from that? And, and that and and and in a
bill and then in actual policing. I understand.
Senator Dan Sullivan
Unverified
46:14
Madam Chair, I'm, I'm hearing the sponsors say that she would like to pull the bill down and rewrite it. This is not the place to rewrite the bill, and it seems like we're trying to rewrite the bill now, and we're here to hear a bill. So I would, if you want to pull it down and meet with members and rewrite it, this, I would suggest this is a good time. Well, I, I, I needed the feedback.
I'm definitely, I appreciate that, but in my opinion should be done outside of this committee. We're we're here to hear a bill, not to debate a bill, and it seems like we've gotten to the point we're debating a bill and I think all of our time, all the people here would do better if you met with us offline rather than we got multiple bills to be heard that are very important, and I think we're kind of the committee is kind of stuck rewriting your bill. So my recommendation. For whatever it's worth, and
it's mine only would be that you pull the bill
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
47:21
down for now. Thank you. Senator Flowers. Number one, I didn't hear the sponsors say
she was going to pull the bill down, uh, #2, I think it's healthy for us to have a discussion and talk about the bill. And whether or not she sees something that she wants to, to amend or edit into this bill or
take out. That's her decision, but she hadn't said anything about pulling the bill down, but
uh back to the point that the senator Murdoch was making about um Having some uh I, I kind of threw
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
48:02
about pulling the bill down, it wouldn't even a afraid that came up, but uh
I think as as opposed to the commissioner of education. The secretary of Education or whatever they call them now. Instead of that one person. I'd rather see the plan submitted. To the Board of Education, and I don't know that that is not contemplated in the bill or whether the commissioner or the is it called the commissioner or the secretary? Now. It's both OK, but
Uh, does the commissioner of education, I wonder, have to get approval of rules. Besides from the legislature, but also from the board of education. I'm just, I'm just wondering, I mean, I think. We have a right to discuss the issues that are presented in a bill and I'm
not asking you to pull it down. I'm just trying to
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
49:16
figure out how does it work? I will say so after 10 days, I did
put in there that the school district would have to go to the state board of education requesting additional dates. reference
to when we get beyond that 10 days. There is a way to then go to the Board of Education and say these are really extenuating circumstances, as mentioned, we had some school districts had 23 days that they
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
49:41
were closed and what and what happened in in that instance where where the 23
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
49:48
days were missed. So the the board allow days, uh, that, that they had
to do 10 days in person and then after that from from the articles that I'm reading that they were then excused and didn't have to
make up any of those days, um. The article said, um, In its decision
Thursday, the State Board of Education told 75 school districts that as long as they make up 10 snow days, the rest of their obligation would
be waived. Mammoth Springs and Viola miss 23 days, the highest number in the state. So here we have a situation where You know, the board just Said you don't have to make up any of the days. OK, thank you,
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
50:41
Madam Chair. Senator Dodson. Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm sorry. I, I missed what you just said as far as you, you were saying that There is the state board.
authorized or waived the requirement for the 178 days. Back when was this? Was this before Las or after this is
Speaker 153
51:00
in 2014, so, yes, before and thats why no longer have the authority to do that. Or they
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
51:06
do have the authority to do that because it almost seems to me as if if they've got the authority to do that. I don't know that this bill really I mean, if they can address that
issue right now and extending it super extenuating circumstances like that. Yeah, these
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
51:28
were, and this is beyond the 10 days, so I'm just my bill really focuses more on the 1st 10 days, which is the majority of the time with the school districts in the state are going to be dealing
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
51:40
with. I, I was just curious when that was in 2014, yeah.
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
51:44
Thank you, Madam Chair. Is someone from
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
51:46
the Department of Ed here that can speak to whether or not the board has the
authority. Now to waive something of that magnitude. Hi Stacey
Speaker 157
52:03
Smith, Deputy Commissioner of Department of Education. Yes, a school district may go to the state Board of Education
Speaker 159
52:08
to waive if there is circumstances in which they've had to miss more days.
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
52:25
Um Ah I'd be happy to continue to answer questions. I know you all do have a lot of bills. I, I respect that, um, I, I'm hearing Senator Sullivan saying, you know, let's work on this some more. I, I feedback I would absolutely love. I have asked someone to come speak on behalf of this bill, a student in my school district, and if it's OK with you, she'll keep her comments short, but I really would love
for you to be able to hear a student's point of view on this issue. And um then after that I would be happy to um work on this some more with, with input if you all have additional. Input. If, if that would be OK with the committee. Go ahead. Who is your student? I'm sorry, I'm just
Presley Milliken
Unverified
53:28
She just as a student that was going to speak for the bill. Good morning. Um, my name is Presley Milliken, and I'm a senior at Sheridan High School, um, I spoke to the House Committee of Education about 2 weeks ago on this exact bill and a lot of the feedback was similar about in school and the differences and all of the different concerns, and I think a big part of this bill is the fact that yes, it is only 3 days, but this bill is not to take place of learning in
school, um, these are for circumstances when there is no way or no safe way to have kids at school regardless of what that reason may be, um, as a senior in high school, I've had almost 14 years, including pre-K, of in school, out of school, all in the Sheridan School District and there's been some circumstances that even our school districts didn't think would ever happen. COVID, we've had this last year we had an active shooter threat and school was actually let out and we were told that it would
not be counted against the students if parents chose to keep their kids at school as a safety concern. There's a lot of different reasons and circumstances, and yes, it doesn't take the place of in-school learning, but this is so the students like me, for example, I am an AP student on an accelerated curriculum, and when I'm not in school for 3 days due to ice, or there's some random strange event that I don't get to go to school. When I go back, my teachers have to spend not only their time reteaching everything because I
lose some, I have some. loss of learning, but then they also have to go back, teach those who missed, then we're still trying to catch up, so we're getting either less of a quality of education or less in depth education so that when we meet those deadlines that do not change regardless of how many days we miss. Um, AP tests are on a national schedule. There's only a certain amount of leeway from when and when you cannot take the test because they all have to be graded by a certain date, and whenever we lose 10
days and those get added on to June, um, this probably isn't proper to say, but I'm gonna go ahead and say it. Um, I do not learned the last week of school. The last week of school you're thinking about getting tanned, going to the beach, not going to school. That is the entirety of the last week, and teachers do try and teachers do give us the opportunity to learn, but we are learning a lot of curriculum for these tests, and to add on to that education, the end of the year we call it the boot camp. The last 4 weeks, especially for
AP classes, it is to pass the AP test. It is to understand the curriculum in such a depth that when asked a long 4 hours' worth of questions about it, you understand the content and you can apply it um when you add on those days to the end of the year, the quality of education is not there because they're teaching you information that they either already had to cover, and if they didn't, you just lost out on that information for the test, or the quality of that education that you got taught isn't as in depth. As if it would have been if we
had AI days because AMI days as a senior, um, every single one of my classes is online, um, at the very beginning of the year, each and every year they do a survey if you have service, if you don't have service, what they can do to help you. If you do not have service at home, they will give you your schoolwork. Every single thing that everyone else gets, all the resources will get printed off and given to you, um, prior to when everyone else gets it, just to ensure that everyone gets the same equal amount of education. I'm an 18 year old girl and I can assure you I do not know on one hand how many people do not have
internet. It is 2025. Every single thing that ever happens has to be posted on social media. We all have internet and the districts that don't, they can choose not to use the AMI days and they can choose to opt out and do the in school learning, but for the school districts that have internet and have students who have these very rigorous courses and schedules. It allows us to use those resources that we already are given and we're doing our own skill and application, and it just allows us to keep on track for that learning, um.
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
57:46
would like. Other questions from the committee. Steph, Senator Flowers. So
thank you for your testimony. So now you're a senior, but I'm, I'm trying to To think about those younger students that are in elementary school, and I don't know if you had to experience any snow days or AMI or whatever
Presley Milliken
Unverified
58:08
back then, did you? So yes, um, I have a little sister, um, she's 5 years younger than me, and she has a couple of learning disabilities. She has ADHD. She struggles with some stuff, and I've always been an accelerator accelerated program, I pick up learning easily and she doesn't we differ a lot in that, but I think, um, she's actually right now she's in 6th grade, but I remember um kindergarten, 3rd grade, all of those years when we did have snow or some um unforeseen circumstances.
Kindergartners get homework, um, first graders get homework. It is a big part of school systems to try to get parents to help out the younger kids. They want that connection at home to like improve the learning and just to keep them interested in education, interested in learning, and I think a big part of that with the AMI is it's just homework for a day you miss and it allows parents to get in touch with what their kids are learning, and it allows them to help. I know both of my parents. are 100% willing to help my
little sister, but if they do not understand something or they're busy or whatever the case is, I can look over my little sister's work, and I can help her with that and It's expected to her to read on her own. It is expected for her to do her work on her own because even though they're younger and their work is easier for their skill set, they still have to learn how to do these skills and apply them themselves so that way they can continue learning and so I think a big part of for the elementary would be this AMI would allow them to
do the homework at home, and it allows them, especially for little kids, um, their attention spans are shorter. They want to go to school is less, um, so I I think a big part of that is if you keep them on the same track and on the same routine, it allows them to go back to school ready for what's next, um, I've always been an anxious kid. My sister is too. Whenever we don't have school for some random thing we worry about when we go back. We're nervous we're going to forget something or you're worried that you didn't complete an assignment, so by allowing
AMIAs, it will allow you to get that work done at home, but also remind you of what you've learned so that way when you go back to school, not only are you more prepared, but you feel more prepared. Yeah. Thank you very much for your testimony.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:00:44
Yeah So I think yes we have two choices here. We can
vote on your bill or you might want to pull it down and work with folks to make those changes. that Beg your
pardon, she don't be allowed to. Yes, uh-huh. If that's your choice. I,
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
1:01:09
I'm, I'm looking to see what's the safest bet.
Have you closed for your bill? Then I members if I, it's not ours. If there's other language in the AMI maybe we come back and, and, and fix that, um, but I think this is a good bill and I'd like
to see it move forward. OK OK. that I hear a second. All in favor. No.
Speaker 179
1:01:54
I think we need a roll call. Senator Jim Dodson. Senator Jim Dodds and I, Senator Joshua Bryant, Senator Joshua Bryant, no. Sir Reginald Murdoch. Rig Murdoch, I, Senator Brian King. So Brian King, I said Brianne Davis. So Brian Davis, no, Sir Stephanie Flowers. So Stephanie
Flowers. I, Sir Dan Sullivan. Dan Sullivan? No, it fails. Sorry.
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
1:02:39
And I am allowed to bring it back one time, OK. Thank you, members. Thank you for your feedback. We'll work on
improving it. I've heard you. Thank you. Thank
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:02:51
you. OK, moving right along here. Um, Senator Stone.
There you are. You are here to present Senate Bill 352. Um, identify yourself, you'll be recognized. My
Matt Stone
Unverified
1:03:24
name is Matt Stone. I'm a state senator from District 2.
Senator Matt Stone
Unverified
1:03:29
Um, you've heard the discussion on the bill from last week. Um, I met with Senator Dodson and and and we had some agreed upon amendments that's been engrossed and can you hear me? Can you hear me? You heard the discussion on the bill from last week, uh, there was some some concerns. I've met with Senator Dodson, and we have some agreed upon language, and I, I'm here to answer any questions on, on the amendments that have been engrossed into the bill. Are there questions from the committee?
Senator Dan Sullivan
Unverified
1:04:06
Seeing none, I guess I do. I apologize. So the changes that were made, could you quickly go over what
Matt Stone
Unverified
1:04:20
changes were made. Um, the, the major question was it addresses any other forms of discrimination that are prohibited by
Senator Matt Stone
Unverified
1:04:28
state or is that? I'm sorry microphone up to you a little bit. Sorry, page 232.
It talks about the school campus in this same manner as any other form of discrimination or prohibited by a state or federal law that answers
Speaker 131
1:04:51
my question. Thank you, thank you. Any other questions
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:04:55
from the committee? Senator Murdoch. Yes, uh, Senator Stone. Uh, if you go to and I don't, I haven't seen this amendment. If you go to. Page 3, line 3. When it's discussing uh who the definition, your definitions
here, you specifically say harassment and discrimination against Jews. You, you know, we should not have harassment and discrimination against anybody, but in this particular bill you single out Jews in this bill when It should, would you agree that it should say all people are all racist because
I could take your place. And I
could talk the same thing about blacks.
And if we were just singling out, but we have had
other legislation that said we weren't going to do this, whether I agree or disagree with that legislation. This particularly signals out a single group that you're protecting
today. First I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you. Yes, sir. So your address That Well, I believe
Senator Matt Stone
Unverified
1:06:05
the other language is all inclusive that I just read for Senator Sullivan, and as I stated last week when I
ran the bill, this is just to bring the Jewish people up to parity to enjoy the rights and benefits that
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:06:22
other races have. Yeah, he just has a very quiet voice. You
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:06:28
have to speak up just a little bit. Right, so when you say bring when I, I guess the confusing part to me is when you say bringing Jews up to parity and when you, when we look at the whole spectrum of
who we serve, which is everyone that is singling out in in saying that you're saying what you just say to Senator Sullivan addresses everybody or just is not just Jews, you're I think this bill is all encompassing and it
Senator Matt Stone
Unverified
1:06:59
addresses everybody. Well, I'm just going by what
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:07:04
it says. It says Jews. And, and, and
so I, I guess probably the concept and a lot of what's in here makes sense in terms of discrimination,
non-discrimination, fair treatment. All of those things I think are very,
very important that's listed and what shouldn't happen and all of that, but I think that it's uh it should be applied it
applies broadly versus narrowly as this is defined as I read it, see it here. I like about
Speaker 210
1:07:54
Yeah. Yeah. No, it's somebody else go ahead school same as any
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:08:01
other form appropriate by state. Yes, you sit right there. You have to be recognized just one moment. Yeah, I,
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:08:08
I'm sorry, you would not finished. I'm sorry, Senator Murdock, I appreciate your comments. I agree. But I
Senator Dan Sullivan
Unverified
1:08:18
think as I read the bill, when I look at the part that was
referenced earlier on page 2. Line 28 and following. It gives a general requirement that each school and every school. And on page 3 line 3 line 1. It says prohibitive conduct as to specifically relates to anti-Semitism. So one could make the point that we should have specifically for multiple Um
Multiple groups. protected classes, I think one can make that argument and be correct. However, as the bill reads, it does stay on line 2. 9 through 31 that this applies
Speaker 215
1:09:08
to all. Uh, all people what page are you on? OK, thank you. I thank
Senator Dan Sullivan
Unverified
1:09:15
you, Madam Chair. Like Each school shall treat
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:09:27
harassment or discrimination is, is that what you're talking about? Yeah. That same manner as any other form of discrimination prohibited by state or federal law. So again, that's a general reference. I agree that's a general reference. 2 Fairness. We have many general references to that. So I'm not saying that's a bad statement, but that does not.
Negate the the the further point that
you seem to Or or you assert to enhance is this particular group. And that's what you're saying, correct, Senator. I'm asking you a question, right, so my point to that is going to Senator Sullivan's previous point is that this you're going with a particular group. And everyone, and I can sit in your seat and we can all go
through this, but what Senator Souther have said in SB 3, and what did you vote for SB 3? I believe I did. So, so what that has said is that that this is not necessary. This is not even needed because of other statutes. But what you bring today, It's something that I still think is needed. But you voted for it in so I'm confused by you you being here in this matter.
And and you're saying this for everyone, but your bill is not saying for everyone. It's like you're protecting the class. That's what we're doing. And I can't support it only because of the Confliction that it presents to me. Yes, I don't have a question for him. I understand what this is, but I just try to get clarity from you. Well, when I, when I read the
Senator Matt Stone
Unverified
1:11:26
bill, I don't think there's a conflict at all, so maybe we're just reading the same bill and uh interpreted in
two different ways, but I think it's inclusive for everybody. Thank you. I'm, I'm, I'm
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
1:11:56
done. Are there other questions from the committee. that are Dobson. Thank you, Madam Chair, and I just wanted to
Men senator, stone for taking into the consideration. I know
last week there was a few things in the bill that that I'm glad you were able to put it all together and I'm happy to support it. I'm wondering, Madam Chair, if the gentleman at the end of the table might be able to introduce himself and if he had some comments to share on the bill because I don't know if he signed up to testify or not.entify yourself.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:12:23
You'll be recognized. Thank you, Chair. Yeah, I signed
Gabriel Grossman
Unverified
1:12:26
up. My name is Gabriel Grossman. um. Chair and members, it's an honor to be here. I traveled from South Florida to be here today before this committee, and I hope that highlights the
importance of this bill that someone would take. It's not an easy or direct flight here to Little Rock, although I am glad to be here. Um. As in when I was a mayor in 2017, I was the first in the nation to pass an anti-Semitism definition, a codified anti-Semitism definition and which was passed here in Arkansas led by Senator Dodson in 2023, signed into law in 2024. It's Arkansas code 1,612,350. And I've been working on this issue of anti-Semitism for over a decade as an adviser
to the combat anti-Semitism movement. I'm here to educate and to shed light on anti-Semitism, and there's two lessons that I'd like to share with the committee. I've learned when dealing with the rise of anti-Semitism in particular. First is the classic saying that anti-Semitism serves as a canary in the coal mine is absolutely true, and what that means is that When there's rising anti-Semitism, it's an early warning sign of broader society's ills, and we see that today with the explosion of anti-Semitism all over the country to to respond specifically to Senator
Murdoch's comments. Senator Murdoch, you're absolutely correct that this does specifically deal with an issue that's happening in this in this country to a specific group of people, but not to the exclusion of others and respectfully when we deal with a specific issue, it's, it's advisable to always deal with that specific issue, of course, without Putting anyone else in a lower position, and that's what this bill does. I read it the same way the senator does, where it's saying, here's the definition of anti-Semitism that was already passed and adopted by the state of Arkansas and many states across this country. Let's make
sure that that's adopted in the policies of our education system K through 12 and higher education, and whatever policies those education educational institutions or schools have in place for discrimination or harassment. It should be the same for anti-Semitism. And to speak just for a moment, I'll be, I'll try to be as brief as possible. on anti-Semitism. Is Jews in America have been the most frequently targeted group in religious-based hate crimes since That data has been collected from the FBI since, which is
1991, to get an idea of those numbers in 2023, and remember we have October 7th, 2023, which we'll get to in a second, which is put things on a different course entirely. In 2023, more than half of religious-based hate crimes, according to the FBI, were committed against the Jewish community. That was what 1832 out of 2,699. Since the atrocities of October 7th, we've seen an explosion state by state across the entire country, according to Cam's anti-Semitic Research Center. There were 6,0326
anti-Semitic incidents in 2024, and I'm not quoting the FBI number because that doesn't come out till September. When it does, I'm sure it's going to be very similar. The second thing I learned is that there's only two ways to deal with an issue like anti-Semitism. We can either sit back and wait for it to come and happen in our communities, or we could be active and try to squash it at the beginning, and it's clear that Arkansas has not been waiting, and I urge Arkansas not to wait. This is something that We'll send uh a message all across the country that the anti anti-Semitism and the scourge that we're seeing all over the
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:15:41
country is not welcome here in Arkansas. Thank you. Senator Murdoch. Uh thank you, Chair. Uh, To your point. There there's not
an argument. Against what you define as being wrong and how people should not be treated wrong. It's not an argument for that. That's why I said I didn't have a question of you. I knew what you were going to say and what you're saying basically that any wrongdoing and the wrongdoing that has been directed.
At a particular group is wrong. It's not right and should not be done at any level. Nobody disagrees with that. It's the balancing of what this is,
and I think it's totally conflictions of what this body even the sponsor has been a part of totally in my view, conflicts because that should be
the thinking the same way you think about anti they should think the same way about every other. wrong. It's being done to people
and for the, the sponsor. To to to drill down on this. And not see the balance. Of, of, of what's happened to other groups, particularly African Americans. And, and so I, I don't get that thinking. And the balancing of that it's not really a question of you. It's me, as I said to you, not understanding how this makes sense and the other does.
Because if, and we know it's how you state the data. And let me ask you this question. Could you? Support the same type of Legislation For other groups that have been wronged. Could you do that? That's your question. Yes, absolutely, and
Gabriel Grossman
Unverified
1:17:35
it's in fact, in fact, I'm interested, I was excited that that was your question because my comment that I was about to say to to the senator was that If there's an issue with discrimination and harassment
today in OK, just hear me out. If there, yeah, I don't live in Arkansas. If there is an issue. Then I urge the senator to move forward with, with a similar legislation to bring those protections and my second comment was, if you call me and I'll leave you my phone number, I will be here supporting your community the same way others are supporting my community as a member of the Jewish community, but to deal with that issue, it should be dealt with directly as well. You don't want that issue to be watered down. I don't
think you would want that issue to be watered down. I think there's messages that are sent through the legislature and through legislation and through legislative. history that's created on statements when dealing with the specific issues. So if you're dealing with legislation on chairs, the legislation should be about chairs. If you're dealing with legislation about tables, it should be about tables, specifically on the issue, if there's an issue on for the African American community and schools. Let's deal with that, and I'll be I'll help you work on that as well. Any way I can help on that, I'll be there, but this issue is dealing with the the the the biggest issue of the day when it
comes to rising discrimination in this country in the last 12 months by far is anti-S. and that's the issue that is being dealt with through this legislation.
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:18:58
In my last a, chairman, Madam Chair, is anti-Semitism. is something that has happened, should not happen, and you say the last 12 months where I'm going back historically is many, many years of the same thing and that
have that. And it's been brought. It's been brought in many ways in many days, but
I'm OK with you. The balance of this again is my issue and how it can be such a
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
1:19:33
view, in my view. I understand. Senator Davis. Thank you, Madam Chair. I was in respects
to what Senator Murdoch is is speaking to and asking about I find several times throughout the bill where it talks about um promoting respect for all students and um holding
anti-Semitism to uh the same standards as we hold all other standards for all their people. For example, you look on page 2 lines 7 and 8. It talks about promoting understanding, tolerance and respect for all students and school employees that it is imperative lines 9 through 14, it talks about the intent of the General Assembly to require, um, and prohibit anti discrimination at kindergarten through 12th grade, uh, in the same manner. In K through 12, that schools
would address and prohibit any other form of discrimination prohibited by law, including without limitation, discrimination on the basis of race. Further down on page 2 lines 31 through 33, um, it talks about school policies and programs on school campus that treating harassment and discrimination motivated by anti-Semitic intent that they would treat it in the same manner as any other form of discrimination prohibited by state or federal law. You look On page 3, lines 18 through 20
talks about ensuring that each school shall place reasonable time, uh, place and manner restrictions on speech to ensure order and protect the rights of all students. So while this is talking specifically about anti-Semitic behavior where really saying, hey, this has to be treated the same way that we treat any other form of discrimination based on race or anything else, and we're just ensuring that when this happens, that holding them to the same standard of state or federal law to point it out and make sure
that we're addressing it in that way. So to me it's, it's very fair and talks about respecting all people and ensuring that when discrimination is taking place, that if it's anti-Semitic we are handling it in the same way that we handle all other discrimination for all people. Would you agree? Yes, Senator Davis,
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:21:46
I would. Further questions from the committee. Is there anybody else in
the audience who would like to speak, um, Josh Silverstein, for the bill. Thank you.
Oh, OK, gets a go ahead. Sorry. Good morning.
Josh Silverstein
Unverified
1:22:12
My name is Josh Silverstein. I'm a law professor and I live and work in Little Rock, but I'm speaking today in my individual capacity, not on behalf of the university where I teach. I want to thank the committee again for this opportunity to testify. I once again appreciate Senator Stone
and the other sponsors' efforts on the issue of anti-Semitism, but I still oppose the bill. The changes are not sufficient for me. I want to save some time. Now I am not going to repeat all the things I said last week. I think all the things I said last week. are still applicable. The definition of anti-Semitism is simply too broad and sweeps in protected constitutional speech and activity. I, I think it is great that we're trying to address anti-Semitism, and I think anti-Semitism should be
treated the same as other forms of discrimination, but this bill's definition of anti-Semitism is too broad. Yes, the definition was already adopted in the state law in 2023. If this bill is not adding to that, I don't see why the bill is necessary. And if the bill is applying that definition in a new contexts, in particular in education that it wasn't applying before, then I think it compounds the problem, and I do want to reiterate one point from my testimony last week that Kenneth Stern, who is the lead author of the IHRA definition that is incorporated
into the bill, apparently opposes applying this definition to speech and activities on campus. So that is all I have again to save time, but I'm happy to take questions, of course. Thank you very much So. Picking for the bill.
Robert Steinbach
Unverified
1:23:54
Thank you, Madam Chair. My name is Robert Steinbach. I too am a law professor. I worked with
Professor Silverstein, but I'm right and he's wrong, and here's why. Because uh the, the, the standard in this bill is already the law, and Professor Silverstein asks, Well, if it's already the law, why are we referencing it? Because there's more in the bill, as Senator Davis points out, this bill reflects what we saw happen in. Congress several years ago a couple of years ago when they
lined up those presidents of the Ivy League schools, and they said all of this anti-Semitism is going on at your campuses. Why do you have to say about it? And what was the response from those presidents. They discovered free speech for the first day. All of a sudden, they said, well, we've got to be very cautious. They would have never applied, and this was brought out in Congress, that same standard to discrimination against any other group and everything in this bill, as Senator Davis aptly points out is simply to
bring the standard for Jews up to everybody else, and that addresses Senator Murdoch's point, which is these laws exist explicitly already for African Americans. SB 3, which is now Act 1 116 has nothing to do with anti-discrimination law. That is about affirmative action. Those are two different buckets. One's about preferences. One's about preventing discrimination. This law is solely an anti-discrimination law, not a
preference law. The discussion about SB 3 Act 116. Is a different discussion, one that already took place, uh, and one that may continue, but not one that pertains to this bill. That's all I have unless you have questions very much. Are there questions from the committee? Thank you Thank you,
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:25:48
ma'am. We have nobody else to speak for or against the bill.
Matt Stone
Unverified
1:26:04
Would you like to close for your bill? I'd like to close for the bill, members, I believe this bill is happily stated just brings parody to the Jewish
Senator Matt Stone
Unverified
1:26:10
people and does not diminish any other race of people with that, I would appreciate a good vote. But I here a second. Senator Sullivan, oh, OK. All right, very good. All in
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:26:31
favor, all opposed. Thank you. I have it. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Senator Hammer, are you here? 3 OK, you are. Senate bill. 4:13 or 13.
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
1:27:07
You'll identify yourself, you'll be recognized. Thank you, ma'am. Chair Kim Hammer, state senator, District 16. Go ahead. The bill's pretty simple. It is putting the responsibility for school board members that are elected to be responsible to get their own oath of office sworn in. Previously it was on the county clerks to have to uh contact the school board members, make them aware of it, put the burden on them, and what this is doing is
striking part of Act 883 that we passed last time, which I sponsored, and it's really kind of a up because that should have been addressed last time and so this will put the burden on the school board member to find someone within 10 days to be sworn in and get that paperwork turned into the county clerk, and that is, in short, what the bill does. Thank you. Are there
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:28:01
questions from the committee, Senator Bryant. Thank you, Madam Chair. I just
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
1:28:11
I'm really just slowing down to better comprehend the ass so county clerk. I just, I guess every county does it differently. Our county officials typically do an event at midnight. at 12:01 New Year's Day just to kind of Usher in the new year with their election, some wait and have their district judge or another authorized authority to do it. You're saying the law currently requires if nobody does either of those options that the county clerk has to accommodate their swearing in process.
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
1:28:43
The way the law is written out, it puts the responsibility of the burden. In fact, that's why a lot of that language is stricken out is because it currently has the responsibility on the county clerk and so now, for example, somebody's sworn in, they would need to have, you know, somebody swear them in and get that to the county clerk. But the uh county clerk doesn't
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
1:29:04
have the authority to do swearing in, so they they would have to just arrange it or they
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
1:29:13
are taking that authority. They are well they are, they are the recipient of the official record that that person has been sworn in, and we just passed, I don't know if it's on the floor today, uh, it came out state agencies yesterday that we expanded the list of who can swear who in, so there are a lot more options for people to go to to have somebody swear them in. OK, OK. Other questions from the committee.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:29:46
Everybody here to speak for or against the bill. Thank you. Would you like to close for
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
1:29:53
your bill? Thank you pretty, pretty short bill, pretty to the point, just puts the responsibility where it needs to be, and once the county clerk gets it registered, the person can assume the duty, so be the burden on the person that's been elected to be responsible, and I would appreciate a good vote from the members of
the committee, and I appreciate you serving being where you are in this committee, and thank you for serving on the committee.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:30:18
What is the will of the committee motion. Do I hear a second 2nd call in favor all posed. That you passed your bill.
Speaker 259
1:30:38
Thank you, Madam Chairman and members of the committee. OK, Senator Johnson. Good job. You are a house bill, I mean Senate Bill 417.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:30:49
You will, I. identify yourself, you'll be recognized.
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
1:30:54
Thank you, Madam Chair. Jim Dodson, state senator, District 34. I have with me Melissa Russ, um, House or Senate Bill 417 is replacing Senate Bill 358, I think it was that's on the agenda, but to withdraw that we presented that last week and this is the modified version based off the committee's feedback, the substantive difference to this
piece of legislation in the previous one. Is the removal of uh the Ron making that a, a codified border commissioner or whatever it was in in the previous version, so that's been taken out of this. Other than that, you've heard the overall presentation from last week and we kind of debated it back and forth, so I would, I would suggest any questions unless you want a real quick recap of the
sections of this from uh Melissa Rust. You want a recap. So she,
Speaker 260
1:32:07
if you would say your name for the record and Melissa
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:32:11
Russ, University of Arkansas system um and pull your microphone
Speaker 261
1:32:15
to you. We're having a hard time hearing. Yes, ma'am. Is that better? OK. Um, Senator Bryan and members of the committee, um, we brought this bill to Senator Dodson. It truly
a cleanup bill. There are 4 sections, sections 129, and 13 have to do with deletions where affirmative action programs in summaries or minority. retention programs are referenced and so we're just simply asking for that to be cleaned up. Section 3, is a section having to do with duplication of services that is no longer needed since the two-year colleges don't have assigned service areas as the
law previously required Section 4 is a deletion of a section of the law having to do with the cost of remediation that was important when we were under a prior funding formula, but since the current funding formula does not take that into consideration. We were asking for that to be removed, um, Section 5 is simply a language about a committee and a report on energy conservation and alternative energy sources I mentioned last week this committee, to my knowledge, has
never convened. There's never been any action taken as a result of it, and so that's the request for the deletion on let's see. As we go down the list, um, there are, there was some language about all two-year colleges wanting to have the authority to do use what's called the alternative construction delivery method. This was one of the amendments from last week that was made, um, to include all two-year colleges, there are sections
also in there about um an exemption from the requirement to use the Arkansas Building Authority for leasing a property. Um, there are several sections that reference institutions having classified or non-classified positions and since all of our positions now are neither classified or nonclassified. It's just deleting that language, um, there's one section, uh, providing the uh secretary of the board to be able to or the president and the
secretary to be able to delegate to another person to sign when you're donating, um, excuse me, when you're selling land. And then the last section is um just another provision about the alternative delivery method, um, insofar as how you report amendments to contracts and I'd be happy to answer questions about any sections, but that's, that's pretty much what it is. It's just straight clean up. OK, OK. Any other questions from the committee?
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:35:03
Or anybody in the audience speak for or against the bill.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:35:13
motion to pass. I here a second. All in favor all opposed.
Thank you, you passed your bill. Thank you. And you have
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
1:35:24
one more. Um, yeah, if I may, House Bill 1496 By Representative Andrews, um.
You may go ahead. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, this
bill is uh Representative Andrews worked together with the Department of Education to come up with the language in this, and basically in a nutshell, it does a couple of things. One is it gives districts a lot more flexibility in their professional development hours by reducing the state mandated required number of hours to 8 things that they have to cover, but then allowing them to
Be more tailor specific to what their PD is district by district. It also gives the department more flexibility with regards to teacher licensure and uh putting together the rules for that and if you have specific questions on the bill, I think the department's here to um to be able to help answer that. Senator Murdoch. Alright, just making
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:36:38
sure I understand what this is doing, so.
This is taking away. If I read it correctly, the waiver programs that you currently have for licensure and it may
not be, but I'm just uh help me if I'm
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
1:37:00
missing something here. So it it's taking away a lot of the, the prescriptive things within the statute. And allowing the department to tailor make the licener rules to give a lot more flexibility to
uh licensed teachers that have qualifications. Actually, the department might be able to speak more directly to what I'm trying to get to is we currently
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:37:23
have a secretary I didn't see you over there. Can we get the secretary to come? I didn't see you. Can I address him,
Madam Chair identify yourself, you'll be recognized.
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:37:40
Jaco believe as Secretary of Education. How you
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:37:45
know my specific question is, you know, we have waivers currently and
those waivers were put in place because charter schools have those waivers and that was a bill that was passed years ago that allowed to level the playing field between public charter and public schools charter public schools with this
eliminate. The waiver possibility as meeting the standard. So this, this
Speaker 271
1:38:11
bill doesn't really address waivers, but what it would do is it may actually
eliminate the need for a waiver because what we would do, what what would happen is every educator would be on a pathway towards a standard license. So some people may be on a provisional or if they're not licensed, the waiver wouldn't be with the district. So right now if a district's trying to hire a candidate that's not licensed. The waivers with the district or the school. This would shift that so that the license en ger requirements are with that individual and every individual will be on their own personalized pathway towards licensure.
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:38:50
OK, would licensure traditional licensure still ultimately, so right now waiver, the waiver bill that I'm referencing it It's an alternative form which the charter and I'm using a comparative analysis. The charter schools don't have to do the traditional licensure at this point, but so would that still be that way or would you, or are we changing the direction and I'm not debating traditional
versus alternative at all. I'm just wanna keep it level. Are we changing and saying that In a traditional public school, if I have a waiver. A person they got a degree, pass those tests the same as ways of charter schools that they're OK. And they meet the standard and the those things that you call a certified teacher, if
you will, though they're not traditionally certified, is that still in place.
Speaker 271
1:39:54
People come to the classroom from many different pathways, so I like when you're saying traditional, I think of a a teacher that went through a teacher preparation program like they went to school to become a teacher. There's criteria that they got to meet to have a standard license, whether they're passing certain tests, their their degree requirements, their subject area knowledge, they do their practicums. They may come out of college and have met all those requirements to get a standard license. And that's with that individual. Some folks may go through the program, but maybe they didn't pass the test or
they're still having some components that they haven't yet completed. They may be given a provisional license, so they would be on an individual path now with that teacher towards that license because the goal is that we have every classroom regardless of where you're teaching a licensed teacher. Stop right there. That's
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:40:41
that's the difference I'm getting to. So the current law does not say that. The current
Speaker 271
1:40:46
law gives a waiver to the school. So what happens is you can be an unlicensed teacher, so we, we talked about that traditional
pathway, the the non-ur pastor, maybe I have a degree in history, but I didn't go to school to become a history teacher, but you're more than certified and qualified to teach history because you know the subject area, you know, the content, we would work with that individual to give them the path on how they can meet their requirements towards a standard license. Right now we do waivers with districts. So what happens is a candidate on that that. path or that journey towards a professional license may be told this is what you need to do to get a professional license,
they'll sit on a waiver for 5 years and do nothing, and then when their time is up, go to another district and get a waiver from that district and then do nothing and then go, you,
Speaker 270
1:41:37
you can have a teacher on the current system go their entire educational career and retire in this state and never be licensed. This is going to stop that because everybody's going to be put on a plan towards a professional license. Great
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:41:48
point. So in great discussion to help me understand. So with the charter schools, the public charter schools, you're doing the same thing with them. There's no
Speaker 276
1:41:57
waiver with the school. It's with the person. So the person would be put
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:42:05
on a plan, regardless of where they teach. So everybody now will be put on a plan to be licensed as what I'm calling traditional license versus what you just said
Speaker 270
1:42:15
previously had been when we call it a standard license. plan towards their standard professional license, yes.
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:42:22
So that was where, where did that happen that
In in statute, where do we do that, what you just said, that change to go from what we're doing with the charters being able to do it. In the non-traditional fashion, the waiver bill allowing for it. When do we Change to what you're
Speaker 271
1:42:48
saying now. Part of what Senator Dodson's bringing to you today is the is is to make that change so that we're, we're not doing waivers for districts. We're working with individuals to put
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:43:05
them on an individualized
Senator Dan Sullivan
Unverified
1:43:17
pathway towards a standard license. It's going to be very clear they're going to know what they need to do.
Speaker 271
1:45:07
That's what this bill does. Yes, it certainly does that. I was. Thank you. Senator Sullivan Thank you, madam chair, I notice on page 4 at the very last, it says a public school district may request the use of a long term sub under this section for a specified period not to extend beyond the school year. I know it's other places it's, it talks about you can't do that multiple times. So can one do this multiple times? Could one apply for a, uh, I substitute teacher for an extended period of time. I times can you do that? I think under this if you read the plain language
Senator Dan Sullivan
Unverified
1:45:18
there, it would only be here they'd have to make that request again in subsequent school years, so theoretically they could do it every school year, but it's probably gonna get difficult to get approved for Department of Education whether they continue to allow that if they did it year after year, but you,
you're, you're requiring an annual review basically to say that. This is going to be, this is going to be looked at scrutinized. You're not going to have a 5 year waiver and and at the end of it, just move on to another frequently do we have requests for what is a what defines a long term so. I mean, the language here says you can request a Long term substitute. What is one? So sometimes you may have an educator go out on maternity leave. They're going to be out for a significant amount of time. They they may get a long term sub to cover that cost. What's
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:45:38
the difference between a long term and short term so typically when you start looking at who's going to be the teacher record. So if, if a teacher is going to be out for an extended extended period of time. They may not be considered a teacher of record much longer, so I, I consider short term, probably less than 10 days if you're going to be out, somebody knows you're going to be out for longer than that, um, then they're gonna bring it that's a subjective judgment there and it's a subjective judgment whether that If Extended to
the next school year, y'all are making that judgment and I'm going to assume that our goal is to get them all on the same path towards a degree uh regardless. Thank you. Thank you. Going back to what we
were just discussing just um processing that the pivot. So We're going to traditionally licensed throughout now for all teachers that will be in front of our students. And our teacher shortage areas. Let's talk about that because one of the justifications and the reasoning for the alternative methods and the waivers were that districts in those areas where
People frankly don't want to live for whatever reason or we've had trouble getting qualified people in front of our students. What Is the plan for that. Particular those particular areas where we have major teacher shortage and specifically you're very aware of of the area I represent. So, um, before I said, I wanted to just sell the
Speaker 270
1:46:32
salt center. I got clarification that the technical definition for long term is anything over 60 days.
Speaker 271
1:46:41
So that's, that's how that's defined. Um, I think to your question, it's about those different strategies, right? So when we look at um what we did with Las by raising teacher salaries that's helping to recruit educators, especially in critical shortage areas to small and rural. Districts because we've elevated the starting salary and level the playing field. We're also looking at innovative programs like Grow Your Own and investing in identifying people that are already in the community that may have some basic credentials
or maybe they need to finish their school. We, we've got wonderful scholarship programs, especially for like para educators that may, may already be working in the classroom but don't have their degree. We can put them on the programs to get their degrees. We have, when we look at the licenger pathways, there's a lot of programs to help support those educators. I, I think in uh we've had a lot of these conversations, but what we're finding the greatest success, especially in our small and rural areas is if we can invest in the adults in the community's
already there and find ways to get them qual certified. They're they're already vested. They're they're in it for the long term and making sure we elevate and salivate the profession or something
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
1:47:55
we always have to do your own work best in areas where many people just not gonna, they're not going to migrate to to where I live too often because of just various reasons, but that there are people there. That have some ability and uh you know, and interest, uh, so
yeah, so the grow is is a great, great piece. Now what I'm concerned about is maybe a different conversation is, is what will be attached to that as the requirement of those grow your own people that have a degree in something and they have proficiency and they have this zeal to participate,
but What it's going to be required them to do to become what we would
Speaker 271
1:48:41
call certified I think that's why. Um, really appreciate Senator Dodson, for bringing this bill
forward because right now we make it too hard. And sometimes those best intended people that would be great for those classrooms. We run off because we make it overburdensome requiring people to go back to school and get master's degrees, not letting them test out of some of those requirements. What this does is it allows us to build that pathway. One thing that this bill does that I think is is very much needed. is if you have a teacher, maybe they're not licensed, you know,
they had that history degree, but they're doing really well. They now can demonstrate
Speaker 270
1:49:23
success with students in the classroom and meet the qualifications to withstand our license. If you have evidence that what you're doing is improving learning. Why do we not give you a chance to earn your license. That's what we're doing
Speaker 276
1:49:33
with this bill today. Thank you. I appreciate it. Be Is anybody in the audience speak for or against the bill?
Speaker 154
1:49:50
What is the will of the committee. Close on motion. Check. All
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:49:57
in favor, all post. Thank you very much. You passed your meal. Senator Bryant. Bill 1477. Thank you. Thank you,
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
1:50:21
Madam Chair. Thank you, members of the committee. House Bill 1477.
This, uh, this bill amends the code to allow teachers at our charter schools to also participate in the Teacher of the Year award for the state of Arkansas. And so you'll see that the, the main language in the bill just adds an open enrollment in charter school in addition to the public schools language. Uh The, the main, at the bottom of page one, the reason for some of the deletion of that language is
because it originally put the public schools into the co ops and the co-ops presented one applicant each to the to the state board or the uh the department, uh, but not all charter schools belong to a co op, so this just requires the individual governing body of either the charter school or the public school to present those nominations to the department and the department will pick the teacher of the Year award based on merit. So that is the the goal of the bill and with that all go out to answer any questions. Are there questions from the committee?
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:51:26
Is there anybody in the audience to speak for or against the bill?
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
1:51:32
What is the will of the committee? I'm
Senator Jane English
Unverified
1:51:36
closed, Madam Chair, and I make a motion to do pass. all the favorite all
post. Thank you. You passed your bill. And I think that's it for today.
We have only more. That's it. Thank you very much, everybody. We will meet here on Monday and Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.
Agenda
Call to Order
SB352 Stone TO PROHIBIT ANTISEMITISM IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS; AND TO PROHIBIT ANTISEMITISM IN STATE-SUPPORTED INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
HB1370 J. Mayberry CONCERNING MAKING UP MISSED SCHOOL DAYS; AND TO REQUIRE A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL DAYS OR HOURS, AS APPLICABLE, IN ITS SCHOOL CALENDAR FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING UP MISSED SCHOOL DAYS.
HB 1370 - Roll Call on HB1370
HB1477 Barker TO ALLOW THE GOVERNING BODY OF AN OPEN-ENROLLMENT PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL TO SUBMIT AN APPLICANT FOR CONSIDERATION FOR THE ARKANSAS TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
HB1496 Andrews TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE TO ENSURE ARKANSAS STUDENTS ARE TAUGHT BY QUALIFIED TEACHERS.
SB413 K. Hammer TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING A SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS; AND TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE CERTIFICATION OF AN OATH FOR A SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTOR.
SB417 J. Dotson TO AMEND VARIOUS LAWS RELATED TO HIGHER EDUCATION.
Adjourn
Documents
| Title | Type | Pages | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agenda — EDUCATION COMMITTEE - SENATE AND HOUSE MEETING JOINTLY WITH ADVANCED COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION, Mar 12, 2025 | Agenda | 2 | Official source ↗ |
Speakers
Senator Jane English
Unverified
Speaker 11
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
Speaker 20
Speaker 23
Speaker 24
Senator Dan Sullivan
Unverified
Senator Stephanie Flowers
Unverified
Senator Breanne Davis
Unverified
Speaker 29
Speaker 19
Senator Jim Dotson
Unverified
Senator Reginald Murdock
Unverified
Speaker 73
Speaker 153
Speaker 157
Speaker 159
Presley Milliken
Unverified
Speaker 164
Speaker 179
Matt Stone
Unverified
Senator Matt Stone
Unverified
Speaker 131
Speaker 205
Speaker 210
Speaker 215
Gabriel Grossman
Unverified
Speaker 221
Josh Silverstein
Unverified
Robert Steinbach
Unverified
Senator Kim Hammer
Unverified
Senator Joshua Bryant
Unverified
Speaker 259
Speaker 260
Speaker 261
Speaker 262
Speaker 271
Speaker 270
Speaker 276
Speaker 154