Education Committee- House
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Transcript
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Bills discussed (35)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SB228
Act 197
· 5 mentions in transcript, agenda, chapter
Matched: “…ny needs in terms of scheduling, uh, so we'll be hearing um SB 228, uh, Senator Hammer I believe Representative Hawke is gonna…”
|
CONCERNING A WAIVER FOR A RENEWED BACKGROUND CHECK GRANTED BY A BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF … | K. Hammer | Notification that SB228 is now Act 197 |
|
HB1370
· 4 mentions in agenda, transcript, chapter
Matched: “…AMEND THE MECHANISM BY WHICH SCHOOL NURSES ARE COMPENSATED. 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. |
|
HB1242
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…NT AT EACH MEETING OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS. HB1242 J. Mayberry TO AMEND THE MECHANISM BY WHICH SCHOOL NURSES A…”
|
TO AMEND THE MECHANISM BY WHICH SCHOOL NURSES ARE COMPENSATED. | J. Mayberry | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1312
Act 909
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1312 Brooks TO AMEND PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING AMOUNTS UNDER THE PUB…”
|
TO AMEND PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING AMOUNTS UNDER THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 2003. | Brooks | Notification that HB1312 is now Act 909 |
|
HB1398
Act 352
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…UNDING AMOUNTS UNDER THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 2003. HB1398 L. Johnson TO REQUIRE SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT, ESTABLISH, AND IM…”
|
TO REQUIRE SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT, ESTABLISH, AND IMPLEMENT A CARDIAC EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN THAT INTEGRATES … | L. Johnson | Notification that HB1398 is now Act 352 |
|
HB1457
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1457 L. Johnson TO REQUIRE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO SUBMIT DATA AND OTH…”
|
TO REQUIRE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO SUBMIT DATA AND OTHER INFORMATION RELATED TO A PUBLIC SCHOOL … | L. Johnson | WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR |
|
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 |
|
HB1482
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1482 Gramlich TO CREATE AN EXCEPTION TO THE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE RE…”
|
TO CREATE AN EXCEPTION TO THE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR A STUDENT WHO TAKES A … | Gramlich | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1483
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “AGENDA (Revised 2/25/25 @ 4:55 PM) Moved HB1483 to Deferred Bills House Committee on Education Tuesday, Feb…”
|
TO ALLOW A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT TO USE STATE FUNDS TO PAY FOR AN ADULT … | Gramlich | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1484
Act 910
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1484 Gramlich TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF CREDIT HOURS A STUDENT MAY…”
|
TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF CREDITS A STUDENT MAY OBTAIN IN A COURSE CREDIT RECOVERY … | Gramlich | Notification that HB1484 is now Act 910 |
|
HB1490
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1490 Wardlaw TO REPEAL THE REQUIREMENT THAT A PUBLIC SCHOOL STUD…”
|
TO REPEAL THE REQUIREMENT THAT A PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT RETURN TEMPORARILY ISSUED ITEMS, RESOURCES, MATERIALS, … | Wardlaw | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1492
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1492 Gramlich TO REQUIRE EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT AND OPEN-EN…”
|
TO REQUIRE EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT AND OPEN-ENROLLMENT PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL TO IMPLEMENT A MOBILE … | Gramlich | Recommended for study in the Interim by the … |
|
HB1495
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1495 Hawk CONCERNING THE TRANSFER OF A STUDENT'S PERMANENT SCHOO…”
|
CONCERNING THE TRANSFER OF A STUDENT'S PERMANENT SCHOOL RECORD. | Hawk | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1496
Act 304
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…ERNING THE TRANSFER OF A STUDENT'S PERMANENT SCHOOL RECORD. 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 |
|
HB1528
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…PMENT IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS RELATED TO SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST. HB1528 McGruder TO REQUIRE A REPORT CARD TO INCLUDE A STUDENT'S CU…”
|
TO REQUIRE A REPORT CARD TO INCLUDE A STUDENT'S CURRENT READING GRADE LEVEL. | McGruder | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1539
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1539 A. Collins TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 2003;…”
|
TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 2003; AND TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL EDUCATION … | A. Collins | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1541
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1541 Wooten TO REQUIRE A PRIVATE SCHOOL THAT ACCEPTS STATE FUNDI…”
|
TO REQUIRE A PRIVATE SCHOOL THAT ACCEPTS STATE FUNDING OF ANY TYPE TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION … | Wooten | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1542
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1542 Wooten TO REQUIRE PRIVATE SCHOOLS TO ADMINISTER AN ANNUAL S…”
|
TO REQUIRE PRIVATE SCHOOLS TO ADMINISTER AN ANNUAL STATEWIDE STUDENT ASSESSMENT; AND TO REQUIRE PRIVATE … | Wooten | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1545
Act 501
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1545 K. Brown TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS MILITARY CHILD SCHOOL TRANSI…”
|
TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS MILITARY CHILD SCHOOL TRANSITIONS ACT OF 2021. | K. Brown | Notification that HB1545 is now Act 501 |
|
SB226
Act 247
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…ENSURE ARKANSAS STUDENTS ARE TAUGHT BY QUALIFIED TEACHERS. SB226 G. Leding TO AMEND THE SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST PREVENTION ACT…”
|
TO AMEND THE SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST PREVENTION ACT; AND TO MODIFY THE REQUIREMENTS FOR PROFESSIONAL … | G. Leding | Notification that SB226 is now Act 247 |
|
SB90
Act 902
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…aught Rep. Hope Duke REGULAR AGENDA Number Sponsor Subtitle SB90 J. English TO REQUIRE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO BE AFFORDED…”
|
TO REQUIRE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO BE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT PUBLIC COMMENT … | J. English | Notification that SB90 is now Act 902 |
|
HB1017
Act 904
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…SITIONS ACT OF 2021. DEFERRED BILLS Number Sponsor Subtitle HB1017 A. Collins TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING PAID MATERNITY LEAVE…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING PAID MATERNITY LEAVE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES; AND TO REQUIRE … | A. Collins | Notification that HB1017 is now Act 904 |
|
HB1020
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…O PAY FOR INCURRED COSTS FOR APPROVED PAID MATERNITY LEAVE. HB1020 A. Collins TO REPEAL THE ARKANSAS CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL FR…”
|
TO REPEAL THE ARKANSAS CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL FREEDOM ACCOUNT PROGRAM; TO CREATE A NEW EDUCATION FUNDING … | A. Collins | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1023
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND OPEN-ENROLLMENT PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS. HB1023 A. Collins TO AMEND THE STATE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM; AN…”
|
TO AMEND THE STATE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM; AND TO AMEND THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR LOAN … | A. Collins | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1025
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…EPAYMENT AMOUNTS UNDER THE STATE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM. HB1025 McGruder TO CREATE THE TEACHER FAIR DISMISSAL ACT OF 2025.…”
|
TO CREATE THE TEACHER FAIR DISMISSAL ACT OF 2025. | McGruder | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1027
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…McGruder TO CREATE THE TEACHER FAIR DISMISSAL ACT OF 2025. HB1027 D. Garner TO CREATE THE BRIGHTER START ACT OF 2025; AND TO…”
|
TO CREATE THE BRIGHTER START ACT OF 2025; AND TO REQUIRE THE TREASURER OF STATE … | D. Garner | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1030
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…TING AND FUTURE ARKANSAS BRIGHTER FUTURE FUND PLAN ACCOUNT. HB1030 T. Shephard TO REQUIRE A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER OR LAW ENF…”
|
TO REQUIRE A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER OR LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL TO OBTAIN CERTIFICATION IN YOUTH … | T. Shephard | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1031
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…OUNSELOR TO RECEIVE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING. HB1031 D. Garner TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS HEALTHY LIFESTYLE EDUCATIO…”
|
TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS HEALTHY LIFESTYLE EDUCATION ACT OF 2025; AND TO ENSURE THE HEALTH … | D. Garner | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1051
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…IC SCHOOLS ADDRESSES CERTAIN HEALTH ISSUES FACING STUDENTS. HB1051 Andrews TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL START DATE REQUIREMENTS.…”
|
TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL START DATE REQUIREMENTS. | Andrews | WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR |
|
HB1062
Act 565
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…Andrews TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL START DATE REQUIREMENTS. HB1062 R. Scott TO CREATE THE TEACHER AND STUDENT PROTECTION ACT O…”
|
TO CREATE THE TEACHER AND STUDENT PROTECTION ACT OF 2025. | R. Scott Richardson | Notification that HB1062 is now Act 565 |
|
HB1081
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…THE TEACHER AND STUDENT PROTECTION ACT OF 2025. Richardson HB1081 B. McKenzie TO REPEAL ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE DEVELOPMEN…”
|
TO REPEAL ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES. | B. McKenzie | WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR |
|
HB1139
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…NT AND ADMINISTRATION OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES. HB1139 B. McKenzie TO CREATE THE RELEASED TIME EDUCATION ACT. HB11…”
|
TO CREATE THE RELEASED TIME EDUCATION ACT. | B. McKenzie | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1197
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…REPORTING REQUIREMENTS TO WHICH PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE SUBJECT. HB1197 S. Meeks TO PROHIBIT SCHEDULING, HOSTING, OR REQUIRING AN O…”
|
TO PROHIBIT SCHEDULING, HOSTING, OR REQUIRING AN OUTDOOR PRACTICE, SCRIMMAGE, GAME, OR ACTIVITY FOR AN … | S. Meeks | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1239
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…THE HOURS WHEN AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING HAS BEEN DECLARED. HB1239 A. Collins TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 2003;…”
|
TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 2003; AND TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL CATEGORY … | A. Collins | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1283
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…DITIONAL CATEGORY OF FUNDING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING. HB1283 J. Mayberry TO REQUIRE THE DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECON…”
|
TO REQUIRE THE DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION TO INCLUDE DIGITAL MEDIA STANDARDS IN … | J. Mayberry | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
Machine transcript
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- October 2, 2026
House education, if you would please stand with us Represent Cozart will start us in prayer this morning.
Thank you, Representative. As Representative Kozar alluded to, we do have a number of guests in the room. We thank you guys for being here. It's Farmer's Day at the Capitol and so I know there's a number of uh folks from Farm Bureau and other organizations that are here with us. I know we have at least one ag teacher in the room in the back, um, feel free to, to wave, uh, so I don't want to miss anybody. I know we got some folks from Black River Technical and and kind of all over the states so we just, we appreciate you coming our way and uh and join us in house education.
Hopefully we can uh give you something to take home and talk about. Um, uh, members this morning we will hear two bills, uh, as you know, on our calendar, uh, there's a couple of the bills that are uh waiting on amendment as well as um some public testimony needs in terms of scheduling, uh, so we'll be hearing um SB 228, uh, Senator Hammer I believe Representative Hawke is gonna present that and then HB 1370 by Representing
Mayberry. That'll be what's on the calendar this morning, uh, and, uh, make sure I recognize I believe that's Representative
McGruder has someone to recognize, so you recognize. McGregor Yes, sir.
Representative Jessie McGruder
Unverified
2:16
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, one recognize Miss Susan Bridges. Uh, she's an educator, retired educator. She traveled here from Lone Oak today. She's right there. Thank you for coming. Ms. Bridges, thank you for being here. Thank you for
your, your service to our students and to our state. We appreciate you being here. So, uh, so we'll get started this morning with SB 228 representative Hawk,
thank you for coming to Education. I know
it's not normally committed, you would, uh, grace us with your presence,
but we appreciate you certainly if you would recognize yourself, uh, for the record, and then you can
Representative RJ Hawk
Unverified
2:55
begin. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Committee, uh, as Representative Brooks said, this is my first time to be in
front of this committee, so I look forward to uh the discussion. Colleagues, today, I'll bring you Senate Bill 228 is an act to consider um concerning a waiver for renewed background check granted by the board of directors for an
educational and Steve, uh, what this bill is, is, um, right now, if you've got, um, you've got classified, non-classified, um, uh, personnel at the school for the non-classified folks. If they have an incident where, uh, let's just say they get in trouble with the law, they have to go into the board of uh education and they have to get a waiver to be able to work as like your janitors and things of that nature in the school district. Well, once the department gives that waiver,
uh, every 5 years they've got to go back before the school board to relive that offense and a lot of times these are people that it was a crime they committed maybe 20 years ago, right? So they've got to go back over and over and over again to um to relive that and then get another waiver. So all we're asking in this bill is that once that they get the waiver from the Department of Education, um, and they stay in good standing with the school district that they don't have to get another waiver as long as they are employed with the school now, there are
safeguards in this bill, so if you look down through the bill, one of the things is, is let's say the employee were to quit the school district and then come back, they would have to get another waiver, right? So that in their, their employment, they have to get another waiver or if they get in trouble with the law while they're employed, um, then they're gonna have to get another waiver as well because that's a different offense and so that would essentially bring them back up for, for, um, renewal and things of that nature. So, uh, Mr. Chair, if I could, I've got Doctor Karen Walters from the Bryant School
Speaker 24
4:46
District who's here with her. If she could come to the table with me to answer any questions, that would be greatly appreciated. Dr. Walters, welcome if you
would please go to the end of the table and introduce yourself and you recognized. And by the way, we'll take, if you're going to go
Karen Walters
Unverified
5:12
ahead and introduce yourself. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. My name is Karen Walters. I'm superintendent of Bryant Public
Schools. Thank you for letting me speak today. I also want to thank Representative Hawke and Senator Hammer for bringing this bill at, uh, our request. So Representative Hawke did a great job explaining the bill. We think it's very simple. We think it's really a cleanup bill. What we're asking in this language is that we treat our classified staff the same way as our certified staff are being treated. So if I'm a licensed person and I have a disqualifying offense. I have to ask for a waiver before the state board of
education and so the state board of education can grant that, but for certified staff, it's one and done. So once it's granted by the state Board of Education, that person does not have to come before the state board again. The classified, uh, background check law came into effect a little later than our certified, and I think maybe it was just missed whenever those things were trying to be mirrored and the current legislation for classified background checks requires that that has to be
done every 5 years. In our case at Bryant, we have someone that works uh for us. They work with our special needs students. They've worked with us for several years. They do a, a fabulous job. They had years ago now and they they had already asked our board for a waiver. It had been 5 years in this past fall. Now that our board meetings are recorded, the audio recording
has to go on our website, put up other obstacles are classified to staff the same way as certified, and I think the guardrails in the in the bill that, you know, they leave us or if there is a different offense and it would not go under this law. They would have to ask for another. Thank you, Doctor Walters. Representative Hawke has presented the bill and
are the questions from the committee? Versus in Beck you recognized for a question. Thank you, Mr. Chair and I, I, I.
Representative Rick Beck
Unverified
7:37
The question I had was, uh, at, at the end of the bill where it's, it talks about if there's an additional qualifying, uh, conviction, uh, then they'd have to receive another waiver. So I don't know that it changes anything or this is gonna change anything, but I, I was thinking, OK. I Is there a Something there where where As it exists right now, I maybe that's the best way to start this as it exists right now, what would happen if a person had a 2nd event.
was convicted of a 2nd qualifying event. They got a waiver for the whatever they did first. Now they've done
Speaker 39
8:15
something else, right? Correct, so in that instance, let's say it happened 2 years
Karen Walters
Unverified
8:20
prior, and it's, it's my 5th year and I have to get my background check. So when the district receives the information that that employee has a disqualifying offense. We're given limited information, but we're giving information that tells us what that check was and when it happened. So we would be able to
look at that and go, OK, this is not the same offense that you were given the waiver for 5 years ago. When we, when we give a waiver and I don't make, want this to sound like we're at my board meetings every month we're giving waivers. I've, I've been at Bryan 11 years and I can think of. I think 3 instances in 11 years that this has happened. But one of the things we look at is the age of the offenses, you know, how long ago has it been since it happened. So when we received that information.
And that was, that would be something that I would go to the board and say this is a different offense, this is not something from 25 years ago this happened 2 years ago and at that point, my board looks to me and says, you know, do you recommend? And in that case, I would not recommend the waiver for something new. Uh, does that, did I answer your question, sir? Well, I, I, I wanna
Representative Rick Beck
Unverified
9:32
drill down a little bit more, but yeah, yeah, so we got started there. My concern is this, OK, so I'm and
I'm, I'm making some assumptions here like if I were to, to, to uh be under employment and, and, and you found out, hey, this person's kind of. Convicted of something. I've been convicted of something. I would assume that you would clear me before you brought me on board as an employee. But this event is different because now I'm already there and I've done something else, uh. So the question is, is there's no time frame. It's just like, you know, within 30 days of the
event that it's, you guys are gonna either give me a waiver for that or I would be gone or something. I, I don't know, that's my concern that we're not creating a a where, OK, the second event happened, but there's no time limit in here. I could go on for years before I got
Speaker 39
10:28
a waiver for that or the current law is that background checks are every 5 years. So
Karen Walters
Unverified
10:34
that that's what's in the law, so all of our classified employees have to have that background check every year. In today's world, I usually know
about those, uh, instances long before we've had a background check and we've addressed it in a different way. All right, thank
you. See no additional questions, there's no one signed up to speak for or against the bill. Representative Hawke, would you like to close for your bill? I'm closed for the bill. Represent Hawke
is closed for his bill. We have a motion on the table of do pass from Representative Barker. Is there a discussion on the motion? See no discussion on the motion
Speaker 34
11:14
all in favor say aye, all opposed. Congratulations, Representative Paul, you
passed your bill. Thank you. And I will recognize Representative Cozart for a
Representative Bruce Cozart
Unverified
11:28
moment of personal privilege. Mr. Chair, we have someone with us that's a former member from the chamber and was actually on the education committee with me my first term, uh, former representative Brent Talley back there, and, uh, he's here with the, the farmers today. I'd just like to recognize him as one of ours from a few years ago. Good
to have you. Former Representative Haley, thanks for coming our way and, and serving, serving our state in in many ways, so we appreciate you being here. Representative Mayberry, you are recognized. Please introduce yourself and you recognize in HB 1370. Breaking things up here.
Speaker 52
12:15
And if you would please have your guests introduce himself as
Speaker 53
12:22
well. State Representative Julie Mayberry District 92. And I'm David Hopkins. I'm the school superintendent for the Clarksville School District. Thank you
Speaker 54
12:30
for having me here today. Boy, we had lots
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
12:32
of fun last week with school being out. The 2nd time, so a lot of our school districts are dealing with how do you make up the time that the school had to close for various reasons. This is not new to this committee, and I know
some of you are new to the legislative process, um, the last few years and may not have been here back when this issue was being. brought up over and over and over again here in the legislature. So I'm gonna back up some and explain some things that were going on in 2015, some old articles we had school districts, many of them that were out of school for over 23 days back in 2015. And
The legislative body was trying to figure out how do we help those school districts, um, and some of the school districts. Had to apply for. Um waivers And, um, Some, as I said, some school districts had up to 23 days and they went to the state board of education asking for ways to make up these days. Well, one of the solutions legislatively that was found was to allow for more
minutes, um, or hours to be added in a day to make up for those days. One of the other solutions was passed in 2015 which uh allowed for AMI days, alternative methods of instruction. And that was overwhelmingly passed here in both the House and the Senate. My husband was a representative at that time and actually voted against it and I agreed with it because we felt that it was probably going to be, um. Busy work You know, work that then would
fall on the lapse of the parent to have to take care of and they're just going to be doing crossword puzzles and you're gonna have to stay after them to to do that. Well, the first few years it probably was a lot of busy work, those AMI days. But I don't think that's the case anymore. We have come a long way in the last few years with remote learning. And on top of that, remote learning is a part of every day now in our society. If you go to college,
I have children who are in college right now who are on campus, and they are taking. Remote classes, even though they are living in the dorm on that campus because that's the only way the class is being offered. We have teachers in our school districts who remotely are learning. For professional development. We have meetings that our state agencies have even with us or others where it's a teams meeting or a Zoom meeting that's
common everyday things and to say that there's no value in learning how to learn remotely. I, I, I just, I can't buy that. And I think we're doing a disservice to our students if we are always saying that the only way you can learn is in person. I do value. That Being in person. It is a fantastic way and I want my children to be in school without a doubt.
But the alternative is that you're making up these days at the end of a school year. And I've had 4 children in the school districts. I know there's not a whole lot taking place at that end of the school year. And by allowing for some remote instruction. I think we are helping our students stay on task. Especially at this critical time period just before we have tests coming up and probably the April time frame.
That cannot be moved. Let me explain a little bit of what this bill, um, will do. First of all, I understand that, um, our department of, of education is not a fan of this. I, I understand that and I understand some of the reasons behind that, as I said, I, I don't like the busy work. What I tried to do with this bill is find some type of compromise. And so the 1st 5 days that a school district would close. It's as it is right now.
You cannot, you cannot have remote learning. It is, it has to be built into the calendar. It has to be, um, days that the school district has to, you know, maybe they had planned to take off for Martin Luther King Day or President's Day or something like that and now they have to go to school those days, maybe even if it's that they missed some spring break, whatever it is, or they tag it on to the very end of the school year. Those 1st 5 days at the school district cancels they have to do, um. Makeup and in in person.
After that, the next 5 days could be. If requested and approved by ADE as to what the plan is, um, it could be an AMI day, which would mean that it could be a remote learning day. After you get to that 10 mark, 10 days mark as some school districts we saw got up to 23 days, then they could go to the board and ask for whatever plan they might want to propose at that point. That's what this bill does. The other thing that I noticed when I was going
through reasons why a school district can close, um. we have for emergency circumstances, and I want to point out that I added in, we'd always had contagious disease outbreak, inclement weather, other acts of God and a utility outage, but we didn't have it clearly stated in here as you see on page 3 line 11 through 15, I've written in any other unforeseen circumstance caused or created by humans, including without limitation and active
shooter event or a threat of an active shooter event. That acts as a principal cause of a public school district's inability to conduct or, um, conduct a portion of the minimum number of hours required for the school, um, day. We didn't have that in here and I think that's really important that we need to make sure that our school district can close, um, if there's a human, you know, unforeseen circumstance and hopefully there never will be. Um, that's what this bill does. I'd like to hear, I'd let you hear from our superintendents.
Speaker 58
19:04
Thank you. And and the main reason I'm here
Speaker 59
19:06
to support this bill is that I think AMI needs to be in the conversation regarding how we're gonna make up days that we miss and I think we all want the same thing. We want to maximize that time, that precious time that we're given to provide those good educational outcomes for our kids and so the question is we're gonna have, we're gonna have missed days, we're gonna have snow days, bad days that, that come up in Arkansas, we're gonna have to miss and I assure you that the superintendents across the state.
We do not like snow days. We, it's not a day off. It's not a vacation. They, they create a lot of stress and turmoil for us because we have to get up early or go to bed late or whatever trying to figure out what are the roads gonna do, how are our routes looking and, and there's a lot that goes into that and there's a lot of pressure and we never make everybody happy with the decisions that we have to make and but once we take care of the safety factors there, the next thing that we have to look at is, OK, how are we going to claw back as much of that instructional.
Time as we can for our kids and get them those good educational outcomes that they deserve. And I, I can't speak for everybody across the state, but I know they're Clarksville over the years, we have worked very hard with uh, our, uh, virtual learning opportunities that we have in the district and we, uh, we've invested, we heavily in that, uh, through the COVID years, we, we put a lot of that money to work there because we didn't know where we were headed with all that and we wanted to make sure that we could provide the best educational services for our kids virtually that,
that we could at that time and so we've invested in 1 to 1 technology. It's not just about giving everybody a computer. You have to have a, a platform for that to work off of a system and we've invested in sky, which is our learning management system and our kids use that all the time. That's not something that, that we would just use on a snow day. That's, that's part of our everyday life at Clarksville and the big reason we wanted to do that is because we wanted to open up the classroom for our parents so they could see what's going on in that classroom? What are the teachers assigning, have
my student, have they turned in their work? What's going? know and so that's one of the main reasons that we really pushed the virtual side of education in in our school district, um, I've got two kids, they both graduated from Clarksville. I want them in the classroom. I think the best day for a kid is in the classroom with a teacher teaching in that classroom, but when we miss a day in February and uh we have to make that day up. Speaking for Clarksville, I feel like there's probably more value
in one of our virtual days that we can maintain some continuity with what's going on currently in that classroom virtually versus tagging that day on in June and coming back and, and hitting that at the end of the year, um, I mean you try to maximize the time you've got with those kids before the testing cycle starts with the assessments and so. That that's the biggest concern for me and I just, I support this because I just don't want to see AMI just go away. I think that it's, it's a legitimate way
if it's done right if the department puts some guard rails on this and and looks at what the districts are proposing and the plan that the district puts together, I think it can be done right and I think it can be beneficial, and I think there can be more value there for those days in February through a virtual di versus attack on day at the end of the
year. Thank you Representative Baberry has presented the bill on the questions from the committee. Representative McCollum, you're
Representative Austin McCollum
Unverified
22:39
recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you for being with us today. I guess, uh, it's always good to hear the firsthand account from our leaders across the state, um, I guess my question is just. Mainly around Frameworking my thinking on just purely in days versus out of days instruction. This is for either one of you. I think I heard you say. You know, you stand by that in classroom learning is still the most effective way we don't want to miss.
So I guess then the um Your main objection with the status quo in the law or with the current language as is, is just.
You don't like the shifting. Yeah it's just we don't have that option
Speaker 59
23:21
anymore. We had it for a few years and like I said, I think that we were doing it right at Clarksville, but now that option is not available anymore and I would, I would like that to be back in the conversation and possibly be available for districts in the future to be able to utilize an AMI day. So the in-person learning.
Representative Austin McCollum
Unverified
23:40
Uh, your comment on. You know, June or sometime in the summer, you just feel like from a planning standpoint, it just makes things more difficult from a scheduling standpoint I just you're the one that has to do it, right, so I, I haven't had to do this before, so don't shoot the messenger,
Speaker 70
23:57
but honestly it's just that when you get down to the last few days of school, I
Speaker 59
24:02
mean, we've all been there. It gets it, it gets tough to maintain focus and to keep that momentum going when you're down the last few days and we
start to lose a lot of students towards the end of the year too with,
with absenteeism. Doctor Hopkins, uh, a little bit of a follow up there. Thank you for being here and presenting your, your perspective is very valuable, uh, last couple of years, how many days has Clarksville had to add on to the end
Speaker 59
24:31
of the school. Well, I can tell you this year we're standing at 6 that we're gonna have to add, uh, we probably had about 5 last year, some we have had years where we've not had to do any days and that is the best outcome, but uh.
what you're gonna see. Thank you, sir. Representative Andrews you recognize. Thank you,
Representative Wade Andrews
Unverified
24:54
Mr. Chair. Um Represent Barry, you know, I, I appreciate what you're trying to do here, but You know, we, we got rid of AMI for a reason and with Les and then. We just had the nape squares come out which showed a track history of the height of the AMI days and I just don't see where those. there's really any benefit to that for school. I understand
the whole reasons of not want to go extra days but the whole purpose of schools don't, right, is to educate our kids and in person learning is is proven to be the best. Um, method of learning, so why are we trying to add these, this busy work online classes. Well, first of all, the
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
25:35
1st 5 days would remain exactly as it is right now, OK? So when, when you start getting past 5 days as, as the example, you know, he, he just went to 6, so the
1st 5 days, the, the 6th day, I guess that would have been Friday. You could have allowed, um, if, if this were in effect, you could have allowed an AMI day so what in reality what that does, students are coming back to school on Monday. Right. If you didn't have that opportunity to be maybe online on Friday. Refreshing your mind, perhaps you've been studying geometry. And you've just had 3 or 4 days off school and
You now Have to come back to school on Monday and go, oh wow, that was a, that was quite some time ago. What, what were we learning? By having that opportunity on that Friday to refresh and remind yourself of what it was that you were working on, you're not falling behind. You are not falling as far behind. We don't want our students falling behind and even though it might be best to be in person, unfortunately there are circumstances that
take place that. allow for that, whether it's a tornado, whether it's a threat, whether it is an act of violence, whether it's no power at the school, we, we need to understand that there's sometimes some things that happen and you have to make the most of it. Well, to bring up the point that you just made, you know, right now
Representative Wade Andrews
Unverified
27:06
schools are allowed to do online, you know,
learning that just doesn't count toward the in person days so that you know child could, you know, fresh up on during that weekend with online classes, it just doesn't count toward
in-person days. And, and teachers working have to
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
27:22
then make up the, the. Days at the end of the school
year, the students coming back at the end of the school year, I promise you they're not learning a whole lot that last few days of school making up those days. The education is improved by doing um that work during the school year when it matters. And one more question for you, um.
Representative Wade Andrews
Unverified
27:44
In my district there there's a lot of kids, you know,
especially, especially the ones who are in high level poverty, a lot of poverty in my district
and their home life is not always the best, and so. These they're not gonna be learning at home because they they're they don't unfortunately don't have the parental structure for them telling them to do this and so for those kids it is best that they come in person so they can not only get the nutrition that they need, but they get the learning that they need. And Because they do not have that structure at home and so you might give them the busy work online, but they're not gonna learn still.
We respectfully disagree. thinking Representative Duke, you recognize for
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
28:34
a question? Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, I've got 2 questions, I think that's all I have. The first one is in regard to, and this is, uh, I'm sorry, I forgot your name. David Hopkins. Mr. Hopkins, um, to you, whenever during COVID, I assume you were the superintendent there as well. What was the attendance? like for during the virtual days
that you guys had for your students during that time period or when you utilize AI there were, there
Speaker 55
28:59
were periods there that we were completely closed and then um. Uh, as far as throughout the year we did
Speaker 59
29:05
have that option available for students to be on the virtual learning side if they, if they chose to do that, we didn't require a student to be in in class. As far as the number uh I mean, we had quite a few, but I, I don't think if if it wasn't a huge number, maybe 4050 kids
is what we had that that opted for that, um,
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
29:28
actually I'm sorry, I should clarify. I think what I'm what I'm trying to get at is whenever your students were there doing virtual learning. How good was their attendance to that virtual class. OK. Yes, um, You know, I would say
Speaker 59
29:42
that that. Probably the majority of them did. Log in and do the things that we were asking them to do, but we certainly had some that we didn't hear anything from and we would try to make phone calls and, and reach out and do those
kind of things to, to try to bring them back in and put them on task, but, uh, you're gonna have some of that, but I think that the ones that wanted to take advantage of it that the parents didn't feel comfortable with sending their kids to school, it all goes back to that and those parents really have to stay on their, their child and make sure that they're engaged in doing it. However, if they were engaged, I, I feel like they were getting. Some education by doing that, uh, again, it's not as good in my opinion is being in that classroom, but when you miss a
day, and this is not, we're not really necessarily looking at the COVID years as far as. You know, a lot of days of AMI. I mean, in my, in my view, I'm looking at 5 days, you know, if, if, uh, if we missed. 3 or 4 days. I'm looking at what I think is probably the best bang for my buck as far as getting education to those kids, is it, is it virtually right in with the continuity of the class continuing in February versus. You just missed that day and we're gonna add it to the end of
the year so that that's, that's kind of perspective that I'm coming from.
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
31:01
But would you agree that you would have a significant number of students who probably wouldn't check in that day. We certainly will. And my next question is, could you tell me in. At least as far as your district goes, is it the calendar when they set their calendar, do you guys typically take a week off of Thanksgiving, the whole week of Thanksgiving off. OK, and so, um, Would you agree that maybe districts need to look at that planning a little bit differently to be prepared for
the fact that you might have snow days or
other things like that and maybe readjust how they look at that calendar week of
Speaker 59
31:35
Thanksgiving or agree to help address those you know, there's, there's probably we could look at the calendars and things, but you got to remember too that that is a process that that there's a lot of stakeholders involved in that, uh, the faculties involved in that, obviously, you know, parents in your community are involved in that and you, you do need some time. throughout the year, just kind of some refreshment days as, as
you go, um, so it's, it's again as a superintendent, the part that is so hard is you can't control the weather and if we could control it, we could fix the perfect calendar and we could have school, but you're gonna have those issues and trying to work through those is always difficult. Represent
Representative Rick Beck
Unverified
32:22
Beck you recognize her question. Thank you, Sharon. I, I have a question, but then also maybe would request that if there's someone from the board of Education here that would want
to talk to this topic. Can we
Speaker 100
32:33
call them up? I'm acting from the department the farm, I'm sorry, but, uh,
Representative Rick Beck
Unverified
32:37
I, I have a, but I have a question first and then maybe you recognize your
question right. So here's my concern, just throwing it on the table. All right. Can I say that as far as a child in school. The remote learning thing. Does everyone have The same equal and equitable.
Education that day, and I can't say that because, you know, I, I know that in my district, there are some areas that are very rural, uh. Access to the internet is, is that and and I don't and I truly don't know. I, I'm assuming that you're using some kind of connection there, hotspots or something. So I, I, I'm concerned about that aspect of, so now, now we've created a system like, well, it works great for 50% of the people, but the other 50% maybe not so good, and that's something that, you know, we
kinda have to hang our hat on here to try to make it equal, so, so I'm concerned about that that aspect of it,
and I'd like for you to address that aspect of it. Right. I,
Speaker 59
33:45
I, I think the way that I'm looking at it is it's always, I mean, there's not a good outcome as far as when you miss a school day and so it's trying to pick of the lesser evil as far as what, how do we think that we can claw back as much of that instructional time as we can for our kids and again the just from from what we've done there in the Clarksville School District and the support that I think that we provide our
students with 1 to 1 technology and with the uh the um learning management system that we have in place in those things. I really believe that there's probably more value. In a day in February that's virtual versus that day at the very end of the year, uh, for those kids, and I agree with you it's not gonna get 100%. There's no way, um. You know that we also struggle with that on a daily basis when we have in class, uh, instruction also, but um it's tough. I mean, I, I think we all want the same thing. We want the
best outcome for our kids and it's not gonna be the same in all the districts across the state. I understand that too, and, and really all I can speak for is what we've tried to do there in Clarksville, and I think that we've, we've
Speaker 55
34:47
really worked hard to try to put a system in place that would allow that if if it
Speaker 108
34:52
were available to us. Well, Do we get to the department's
input on this? I believe Ms. Saliford is here. If you'd like to come to the table, introduce yourself and represent Beck has questions.
Speaker 111
35:12
Courtney saw this for, chief of staff of the department, uh, sorry, Secretary Oliva couldn't be here today, so you're
Representative Rick Beck
Unverified
35:21
a specific question or I'll start maybe with that question, you know, it for everyone, it's equal to equitable for everybody, all the kids, and I just see that, you know,
this remote learning in, in rural areas are remo I, I, I'm calling it remote learning, but and in in
rural areas that that is. You know, not everyone has the same access to that.
And, and then therefore, you know, how do we, how do we, how do we write that, right? So, uh, in there, so, but what's your input as far as that is concerned, do you guys have any data that says that? It works better for certain groups and other groups and
Speaker 111
36:00
you know, we would definitely agree with you that that access is, is not equal across the state. Um, you talked about 1 to 1 technology, um, that is the case in many schools, but not in all schools, um, even in schools where they do have 1 to 1 technology. We saw in past where
a lot of them would send worksheets home, um, and I, I don't mind saying this even from my own personal experience. I know my son in elementary school got sent home 3 packets of worksheets. at the beginning of the year to 4 snow days that might come in to be used on AMI days. So the, the work that we were seeing in, um, being sent home on AMI days or virtually was not always. Applicable to the, the curriculum that they were learning at that time, um, it was not always on grade level. I'm not saying that's the case
in Clarksville. I'm saying it was inconsistent across the state. And so you're, you're not getting that same quality of on time in person instruction that, um, I think we all do agree that it's the best for students, um, And, and it's very difficult for us as a department, even if we were to look at a plan from all 264 school districts, um, to then say how that's being implemented again, the plan might say that they are going to send homework with elementary
students, but we can't go through and review the worksheets for 1,036 schools. Um, it's very difficult for us to monitor the the type of quality of instruction that's being administered on AMI days. And so while it, it may be done very well, in some school districts, it's certainly not the case
Representative Rick Beck
Unverified
37:37
in all. So another question. So. I, I liked uh Representative Duke's, uh, about
using the schedule, right, to maybe
Thanksgiving, there's another day uh break put in there, right, that could be pulled back and uh and then then, you know, not really interfering, you know, I don't want to be on Thanksgiving Day, but I mean like you could grab a couple of days there maybe if you needed it and, and there's, there's two of the days, uh, so, uh,
your input on that, uh, as far as. How well you, you feel like that would work, right?
Speaker 111
38:12
So, um, under the law school districts already built in 10 days, um, for makeup
days and so, or most of them do 10 days. If they don't use those, then they get out early. If they need to use them, then they can go ahead and use them. Um, but to the point of, yes, they don't have to wait until the end of the school year to add on these states. They can build up at the beginning of the school year. All school districts know at the beginning you either have to do 178 days. Or 1,068 hours. So if they have enough built up so that come February, they have a snow day and they close, there may not
need to be time that they make up because they started earlier in August or they didn't have a fall break or they didn't take a week off at Thanksgiving. Um, there's lots of opportunities prior to the snow days, um, to build up your hours or days and then not have to add it on to the end where I would agree, um, not a lot of instruction takes place, and I, I'd like to. address that as well if we could, um, but until we can address that, I think it's, it's very important to us to make sure that students are in front
of teachers, have access to teachers, which they don't all do on AMIDs. Again, some districts are very good at, at providing, um, virtual opportunities, but others, they might get a worksheet, sent it home, and if they have trouble with it, they can't ask the teacher for help until the next day that they're back in school.
Representative Rick Beck
Unverified
39:36
One more question, one more, no more after this. So, so the, the other question in, in, uh, I, I'm a, I'm a
data person also, right, so is there any data out there that says, OK, these, uh, what we call them
emergency whatever the days off that we take. What are the directions are the majority of them like a one day leave or are they two days, are they 3 days in nature because we, we've made reference to the fact that, hey, if the student's gone 4 days, and there's a, there's a uh
uh a gap there that might might hurt them is there, do you have any information regarding that like I don't have it with me,
Speaker 111
40:13
but we can get it to you. So the school districts have to report to us anytime that they do close on a what was a previously scheduled calendar
day. Um, I would say across the on average, it's 1 to 2 days, but when you have a significant weather event like we did last week, we saw many school districts that were closed for 4 or 5 days. That's not the norm, but it does happen. And I can get that data for you. All right. Thank
you Irson Barker, you're recognized for questioning. Thank you Mr. Chair. Thank
Representative Matt Brown
Unverified
40:46
you, Mr. Chair. Um. I believe my question was answered. It was just that can school districts already do this
in a unique way for their district, for example, Clarksville obviously is going to have probably every year more snow days, days out for those kind of events then in my area. So can't they already and can't they do that? Knowing that it's best for the students if we build these in leading up to test time, which the test time does not change that that stays the same. Yes, that, that
Speaker 111
41:18
is correct. Again, the law was actually changed, um, I think last
session where there is no specific start date. So if the school wanted to start earlier in the year to build up as many days or hours as possible, they could do that, um. There are only a few specified holidays that have to be taken, so many of those are, um, you know, up to the school district, um, and so, yes, uh, uh, the school district and the board can take all of that into consideration when they are setting their calendar for the next year. Represent Nazarenko, you're recognized for a question.
Representative Jason Nazarenko
Unverified
41:54
Thank you, Mr. Chairman and thank you all for being here, uh, Representative uh Mayberry, I really appreciate, uh, you bringing this and, and I appreciate you being here, sir. My, my concern is over on page 3 line 3, and we've been kind of hitting on this. Uh, and it's a two part question, but on there where it talks about including without limitation. To virtual learning, obviously, that's what we're focused on is the without limitation. Nowhere did I find where it talks about, and this is kind of what uh Representative Beck had discussed, but I don't see any
kind of limitation of where, like how many days we could have, um, That alternative learning, so like if there was a 5-day miss period, uh, then would we then be expected, you know, that those, those students could be in alternative learning for multiple days, and then this is where my question comes from because after talking to my district and meeting with the superintendents and the teachers. There was a point where they noticed a diminishing return. Do you notice like that diminishing your return, and if so, where is
it? 1 day, 2 day? Um, You know That
Speaker 55
43:01
would be going back to like the days of COVID when
Speaker 59
43:04
we were dealing with it there and obviously there were issues when we had prolonged periods of AMI. I, I, I don't disagree at all with that as far as, uh, 2 or 3 days that we see, you know, for the sporadic misses due to weather, um, again, I, I really wouldn't be here if I didn't truly feel like, uh, a day that we could offer our kids in the continuity of what's going on in the classroom and in that week,
uh, to kind of keep things moving in that class, uh, I think that we could do a better job virtually. for 2 or 3 days versus if we were looking at, uh, trying to tack that on at the end. Now if we get into. 1 week, 2 weeks, uh, not so much. Right, and
Representative Jason Nazarenko
Unverified
43:42
I think that's where it's, you know, concerning to me because there is
no limitation there so it's, there's nothing that would say, you know, how many days we could have it in a row this
Speaker 128
43:52
is only 5 days. You're only allowed, uh, the way that this is written, it would be 5
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
43:59
days of potential AMI and then after that you could appeal to the board and then the board is completely in charge of what what takes place after that. I mean, I'm thinking worst case scenario, um, uh, tornado tears down, I mean, we saw that in win. What do they do? What are the what are their options, the school district can come up with some options, bring it before the Board of Education for them to say, OK, in this situation we're, you know, we're trying to make lemonade out of Lee's lemons that, you know, have been dealt to us and um.
So we're just trying to give some tools back to our school districts, um, some, some flexibility, some options that are there if the school district feels that they don't want to use AMI days. There's nothing in here that says that they have to. It just says that they may, so if they are in an area where Internet is really spotty and bad and and the school district feels like that's not an option for them, then by all means, that's not an option for them. They don't have to.
But to a school district who feels like they are wanting to make sure that their kids are continuing with their education and not having learning loss, this just gives them. 5 days. 5 days of flexibility. That's all we're asking for. This is not COVID. This is not months and months and months of unimproved, you know, access. Right. And, and I do appreciate that
Representative Jason Nazarenko
Unverified
45:26
and like I said, when I spoke with the teachers in my district, the uh superintendents. This was one
that we specifically talked about and they're concerned because kind of back to, we know the, the primary goal is the, the students getting the best education possible and they really just felt like this was not the best education and so that's, you know, again, I think we just kind of disagree on it. Well,
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
45:50
and again that school district doesn't have to. I mean, that's the beauty of this. There's no school district that has to apply for. am I. No school district out there has to do that and even if they are approved for AMI they don't have to use it, but the
school districts that want to. Again, local control. We're kind of forgetting about that up here. We used to be all about trying to provide some local control to our school districts, and we seem to be taking that away and taking some tools that they used to have at their discretion to make the best decisions for their students because what works in one area may not be what works in another. I have a county, um, where I have two different school districts and what works for pollen is very different
than what works for Sheridan, and I'm just trying to give those school districts. some options and we're not talking months and months of remote learning. We're talking 5 possible days. That's it. Orson Barnett, you're recognized for a question. No, Representative
Speaker 133
46:53
Andrews, you're back in. Thank you, thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, can either one
Representative Wade Andrews
Unverified
47:01
of y'all talk about like. with these alternative methods
instruction like what, what is the type and quality of work because I, I can see where a worksheet is fine for your algebra or English class, but maybe you can do your sciences, you know, we can send home lab kits if, if you take ag mechanics we can send home a cracker box welder and angle iron, like what, what type of instructions are we sending home lessons. Well, for us it, it's uh. It's gonna
Speaker 59
47:29
be What we try to do is we just try to put everything that we're doing. In this virtual classroom now
obviously you're gonna go to lab, uh, a lab, and you're gonna have the equipment that you're gonna work on so you can't do a remote lab. There are some things that that have been done remote. Now I know that, uh, for our, our family consumer science teachers, uh, there are some things that they come up with that are kind of unique that they pivot to with their kids when, uh, they're out on a snow day for things that they have them do possibly make a breakfast or some things like that and, and with the technology that we've got, they're able to make a record. recording of that, they're able to post their recording and, and
do things like that and have some discussion, uh, in the class there, but obviously there are gonna be things that, that cannot be done that way, but we like to think that at least to continue on with the topic of conversation regarding what's happening in the classroom and possibly some other things that the teachers are able to come up with and, and push out that, that, uh, the kids can utilize that day. I got you, thank you. Rip and Mayberry a quick question on page 3 line 11.
Where you have, have qualified the exceptional emergency circumstances. So any other unforeseen circumstance caused or created by humans, including without limitation, active shooter, the rest of it, um, acts as a principal cause of public school district's inability to conduct a portion of an amendment of ours. So who would be the arbiter of what another unforeseen circumstances.
Well, that would be the superintendent's call
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
48:59
and, and actually I was quite surprised that, that, um. This wasn't already in there because I do
know that school districts and uh and then maybe
that's for legal. I do know that school districts have closed for fear of threat of something taking place or something they've let kids go home, but that. was not in. in this In the statute, um, so. If that needs to be improved in another way. I'm open to whatever suggestions, uh, might make that language better, but I think we need to have that covered. We certainly need to allow our school districts to
close school, um, if there is a. has been an active shooter on the campus or something that's
human made. I guess my question would be, who, who takes the latitude of what an unforeseen circumstance is how broad. Could we make that means an unforeseen circumstance that our The basketball team has gone undefeated this
year and and has a state championship game 4 hours away, and, and that, that may be, that may be a little silly,
Speaker 130
50:07
right not the intent at all but I, I'm
trying to figure out how, how, who determines how broad that would
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
50:14
be. I do understand that concern. If there's
some other clarifying language that you or any other member or anyone out here has to, to clarify and make sure that that does not take place because we certainly don't want to give an AMI. day or closed school so that students can all just go watch it. A football game or playoffs or something like that, that's not at all what the intention is,
and I don't think that you, you know, that's, that's not what the intention of that is, and that's not to speak ill of basketball tournaments in hot springs represent Cozart. I wanted to make sure I clarify
Speaker 145
50:56
that because you're, you're the best popcorn guy there for sure. Are additional questions by
Representative Jessie McGruder
Unverified
51:02
the committee. Professor MacGruder, you recognized. Um, my question is in regards to page 3 line 25 and 26, uh.
178 days or 1,068 hours, uh, and that's for you. Are we operating on the uh School is in uh 7 or 8 hours in that.
Speaker 111
51:22
So a, a standard school day is an average of 6 hours per day or 30 hours per week. Um, this body passed a law a couple of years ago that said instead of the 178 standard days, a school district could calculate 1,068 hours. And so some of our school districts now may go 789 hours a day. Um,
you have some school districts that do a 4-day school week. I think some of them go 9 or 10 hours a day, um, and so as long as they are meeting that 1,068 hours under current. law, they can go less than 178 days. We have some that some school districts that go as few as 143
Representative Jessie McGruder
Unverified
52:00
days a year. Yes, it said 8 hours, that's like 133 days a year and uh I, I want to thank you all for the bill, uh, I like the happy medium that you all have put in place saying after 5 days, this
is when you want to enact the AMI days. And I do think this will work with the Department of Ed uh buying in and setting up some parameters because I do remember when this was established for the AMI days and there was a lot of Uh, paperwork going home as a father of 65 kids who have been educated by the public school system, uh, COVID shifted everything. And when COVID came, uh, the virtual classroom was really created and it and it shifted to another level where students were actually educated. Uh, we don't have a 100% buy-in
in public schools, period. Uh, it's difficult, uh, but, uh, my, my question to you is, after 5 days. of missed uh school, you're saying, we enact this on that. So in your situation, right now you would be looking for, you already have the 5 days built in the calendar where they still will have to come to school and on day 6, as of right now, you would have to have, you were asking for an AMI day where students would get virtual learning or just for all the students or this is for just, uh, those who request the
Speaker 53
53:15
virtual learning. No, that would be for all the students for that one day if we if we if it was
Speaker 59
53:21
available to us and, and to your point there as is, um, the, the hourly calendar versus the 178 day calendar. We, we chose to go the hourly calendar and um so we're not in as bad a shape as what we would have been. Typically we would be into June at this point, but uh we've been structured our day to where we were able to bank 5 instructional days at the end of the year that could be used for
this snow day event and so now we would like to be done before Memorial Day because, and again, don't shoot the messenger. But there's a switch up here somewhere and and our kids and a lot of our parents and when you get past Memorial Day that switch gets kicked down and school's out but uh but in this case we're gonna be coming back after Memorial Day and running the remainder of that week, um, but, but again, and we appreciate the flexibility that we have in that hourly schedule that you've given us because that allowed us to to have that
flexibility there that we're not into June right now and we're able to finish up in May because. Of that hourly schedule, so I, I hope that that stays in place I've, I've heard that that might be getting looked at also, but, uh, but as far as what I'm talking about, the of my day. To me at Clarksville I think is a more productive day for my kids. Than the day that's gonna come May 30th. That's, that's just for us in our dish. So, uh,
Representative Jessie McGruder
Unverified
54:48
My next question, as an educator, uh 17 years in education, a public school teacher. My mom's a retired teacher. Yes. You're asking for this to assist with teacher burnout because I know right now naturally there's a teacher shortage. I think we have about, what you say, 4000 waivers or 8000 waivers, 8000 waves in the state of Arkansas. So we're struggling to find instructors. It did something to help with the teachers or did something for the students to to receive an adequate education, so we're trying to find a happy medium.
Speaker 59
55:18
I mean, really from my perspective what I'm what I'm looking at is what is the best for continuity for the students to maintain that continuity of what's happening in their classroom when they're when they're out of school for a snow day and and I I think that the AMI day that we provide at Clarksville was able to, to maintain some of that continuity better than let's just not do anything those days and then let's add that day at the very end of the year. So that, that's my, that's where I'm coming from on that as far as it helping teachers, I, you know, I I really can't speak to
that. I don't know. I mean, I, again, I think everybody would love to just be able to go to school without interruption and follow the calendar that's in place that would be the best possible scenario, but unfortunately, that's, that's not the case sometimes. Seeing no additional questions from the committee. There is
no one signed up to speak on the bill besides Doctor Hopkins and Doctor Hopkins, I would like to, uh, uh opine. I'm glad that your kids in Clarksville have that
switch on Memorial Day, I think that my experience with my kids that switch happens way before Memorial Day, so much, much credit
to your leadership, that's for sure, uh, so seeing no one signed up to speak
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
56:31
on the bill in May, would you like to close for the bill? Sure members. I'm just trying to find a happy medium. That's all I'm trying to do is give our school districts a little bit of flexibility. And trust that our school districts are trying to do
what's best for their kids. They don't have to use AMI if it doesn't work in their school district. They don't have to use this. And the 1st 5 days, they can't use it. We're looking for 5 flexible days to allow a school district to do what they think is best to make sure that their kids are learning. And that's all I'm asking for. I also want to point out that I still also believe that we
need to do something in law to make sure that our school districts can close if there's a. Act of human. Threat or violence or something like that, and that's not in there, you know, hasn't been in there, and I think it needs to be in there. And with those things, I asked for a good vote and since I'm a member of the committee, um, I will close and I will ask for passage of Representative Mayberry is closed her bill with
a motion of due pass. Is there a discussion
on the motion? See no discussion on the motion. What's the will of committee? All in favor say aye. All opposed. I'm sorry, Representative Bayrry, your bill has failed.
Speaker 34
58:07
Roll. The only one hand so a person maybe I'm sorry 02 hands. Please call the roll. Representative Meeks not voting.
Speaker 160
58:22
Representative Cozart. Yes, Representative Beck. No. Representative Brown. No. No. Representative Vaugh. Yes, Representative McCole. Representative McCollum. Not voting. Representative Barker. No, resumed Mayberry. Yes. Yes, Representative Garner. Yes, Roseanna Furman.
Yes, Representative Walker. Yes. Representative Duke. No representative painter. So No, Rosan Andrews, Roseanne MacGruder. Yes. Rosan Burnett.
Speaker 165
59:13
Yes. Represent Gonzalo Gonzalez Worthy, Representative Nazarenko. Representative McKenzie not voting.
I'm sorry, I bury your bills failed. Say no additional business before the committee. House education is adjourned. I
Agenda
REGULAR AGENDA
SB90 J. English TO REQUIRE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO BE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT PUBLIC COMMENT AT EACH MEETING OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
HB1242 J. Mayberry TO AMEND THE MECHANISM BY WHICH SCHOOL NURSES ARE COMPENSATED.
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.
HB1483 Gramlich TO ALLOW A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT TO USE STATE FUNDS TO PAY FOR AN ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAM WITH WHICH IT CONTRACTS.
HB1490 Wardlaw TO REPEAL THE REQUIREMENT THAT A PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT RETURN TEMPORARILY ISSUED ITEMS, RESOURCES, MATERIALS, AND PROPERTY BELONGING TO A PUBLIC SCHOOL IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE TO ENROLL IN A HOME SCHOOL.
SB228 K. Hammer CONCERNING A WAIVER FOR A RENEWED BACKGROUND CHECK GRANTED BY A BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF AN EDUCATIONAL ENTITY TO AN APPLICANT FOR A NONLICENSED STAFF POSITION.
Cozart point of personal privilege
PENDING FISCAL IMPACT
HB1312 Brooks TO AMEND PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING AMOUNTS UNDER THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 2003.
HB1398 L. Johnson TO REQUIRE SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT, ESTABLISH, AND IMPLEMENT A CARDIAC EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN THAT INTEGRATES NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED ELEMENTS.
HB1457 L. Johnson TO REQUIRE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO SUBMIT DATA AND OTHER INFORMATION RELATED TO A PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT'S INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM USING A UNIFORM STATEWIDE DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM.
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.
HB1482 Gramlich TO CREATE AN EXCEPTION TO THE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR A STUDENT WHO TAKES A GED TEST AND RECEIVES A GED.
HB1484 Gramlich TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF CREDIT HOURS A STUDENT MAY OBTAIN IN A COURSE CREDIT RECOVERY PROGRAM.
HB1492 Gramlich TO REQUIRE EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT AND OPEN-ENROLLMENT PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL TO PROVIDE ALL SCHOOL EMPLOYEES WITH A WEARABLE PANIC ALERT SYSTEM DEVICE.
HB1495 Hawk CONCERNING THE TRANSFER OF A STUDENT'S PERMANENT SCHOOL RECORD.
HB1496 Andrews TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE TO ENSURE ARKANSAS STUDENTS ARE TAUGHT BY QUALIFIED TEACHERS.
SB226 G. Leding TO AMEND THE SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST PREVENTION ACT; AND TO MODIFY THE REQUIREMENTS FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS RELATED TO SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST.
HB1528 McGruder TO REQUIRE A REPORT CARD TO INCLUDE A STUDENT'S CURRENT READING GRADE LEVEL.
HB1539 A. Collins TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 2003; AND TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL EDUCATION CATEGORY OF FUNDING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION.
HB1541 Wooten TO REQUIRE A PRIVATE SCHOOL THAT ACCEPTS STATE FUNDING OF ANY TYPE TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION TO CERTAIN STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE SCHOOL.
HB1542 Wooten TO REQUIRE PRIVATE SCHOOLS TO ADMINISTER AN ANNUAL STATEWIDE STUDENT ASSESSMENT; AND TO REQUIRE PRIVATE SCHOOLS TO ADMIT EACH STUDENT WHO APPLIES FOR ADMISSION AND INTENDS TO COVER PRIVATE SCHOOL COSTS WITH STATE FUNDING.
HB1545 K. Brown TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS MILITARY CHILD SCHOOL TRANSITIONS ACT OF 2021.
Documents
| Title | Type | Pages | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agenda — EDUCATION COMMITTEE- HOUSE, Feb 25, 2025 | Agenda | 3 | Official source ↗ |
Speakers
Representative Keith Brooks Chair
Unverified
Representative Jessie McGruder
Unverified
Representative RJ Hawk
Unverified
Speaker 24
Karen Walters
Unverified
Representative Rick Beck
Unverified
Speaker 39
Speaker 34
Representative Bruce Cozart
Unverified
Speaker 52
Speaker 53
Speaker 54
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
Speaker 58
Speaker 59
Representative Austin McCollum
Unverified
Speaker 70
Speaker 55
Representative Wade Andrews
Unverified
Representative Hope Duke
Unverified
Speaker 100
Speaker 108
Speaker 111
Speaker 112
Representative Matt Brown
Unverified
Representative Jason Nazarenko
Unverified
Speaker 128
Speaker 133
Speaker 130
Speaker 145
Speaker 160
Speaker 165