2013 AAEA Summer Conference
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Acts become law 90 days after close of session,
unless emergency clause
ADE must decide which Acts need rules and
regulations
*If needed, rules and regulations are developed,
have public comment period, comment review
process, seek approval from SBE
Seek approval of Legislative Rules and
Regulations committee
Rule and regulation process must be complete
before become effective
Act 128 – Reporting Course Offerings
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Repeals requirement for district to mail home
letter of district's obligation to offer certain
classes
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 328 – Foreign Language
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Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Schools may offer
American Sign
Language as a foreign
language credit
Act 421 – Allow Waiver for Embedding
Curriculum
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State Board may grant waiver to district for
combining or embedding curriculum from 2
separate courses into 1 combined course
Only applies in grades 5 through 12
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 511 – Amend Free Textbook Act
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Repeals ADE from making a list of "approved"
textbooks
Provider shall not charge Arkansas schools a price
that exceeds the lowest contracted price currently
bid in another state
Must sell products at same price for every school
in Arkansas
Must submit prices to ADE
District shall select "an instructional materials"
selection committee
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 585 – Council of Postsecondary
Education
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Council shall consist of twelve (12) members
Unified strategy to:
Reduce remediation rate by 50% in 2020
Increase postsecondary graduation rates
June 30, 2014
Written plan to reduce remediation and postsecondary
graduation rates
◦ Provide plan to committee on education, school boards,
higher education institutions
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Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 585, continued
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Transitional Courses
◦ High school shall provide one (1) or more transitional
courses to students who do not meet college and career
standards
◦ Course based on college and career standards
◦ May be composed of digital modules
◦ Higher Ed shall exempt placement exam for first time
entering freshman who meet criteria
◦ High school shall award the same credit for a full
mathematics transitional course as it does for a fourthyear mathematics course
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 599 – Band, Music, and Visual
Arts Credit
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A student enrolled in grade 7 or 8 shall participate
in:
◦ Visual arts instruction, appreciation, and application; OR
◦ Performing arts instruction, appreciation, and
application
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 625 – Establish AP Training &
Incentive Program
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Establishes the Advanced Placement Training and
Incentive Program
Sets goals of increasing number of students
participating in AP and increase the number of 3,
4, and 5 on AP exam
District may fully participate in the program or
they may participate on a limited basis
Districts shall pay a participation and service fee
established by June 1 each year
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 1016 – CPR Instruction
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Beginning 2014-2015
Students in grades 9-12 shall be trained in
cardiopulmonary resuscitation before student
graduates
Not a certification program
Shall follow standards established by the
American Heart Association
Including instruction and use of automated
external defibrillators
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 1108 – Arts-Infused Curriculum
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ADE administered grant program
5 year pilot program to implement an artsenriched curriculum, training, and research at 15
schools
Principal and 85% of the teachers must agree to
participate
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 1108, continued
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5 schools shall begin three year training in 20142015 school year
1st year training is 7 days
2nd year training is 5 days
3rd year training is 4 days
Report submitted to House and Senate Ed
Committees by September 1, 2020
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 1280 – Digital Learning
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2013-14 - Each district in the pilot program shall
offer at least one digital learning class
2014-15 - Entering 9th grade students must
have at least one digital learning class to
graduate
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
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Beginning in the 14-15 year, all school
districts shall provide at least one digital
course to their students as either a primary or
supplementary method of instruction
All digital learning courses shall be made
available in a blended learning, online-based,
or other technology-based format tailored to
meet the needs of each participating student
Act 1440 – Academic Study of Bible
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Allows elective academic
study of Bible and its
influence on literature,
art, music, culture, and
politics
District may offer such
class upon approval of
course curriculum by ADE
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 1473 – Arts-infused Curriculum
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NSLA funds may be used to implement schoolwide evidence-based program intended to close
achievement gaps with an arts-infused curriculum
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 1081 – Repeals High-Stakes Testing
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Replaces high-stakes end-of-course assessments
for Algebra I and English II with the nextgeneration assessments
Remedial activities and instruction shall not be in
lieu of English, mathematics, science, history, or
other courses required for graduation
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 1294 -- Dyslexia
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Required screening and intervention
Shall screen students in grade K-2 using Dynamic
Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS)
If DIBELS screens indicates a student has markers
for dyslexia then student is referred to Response
to Intervention (RTI)
If RTI committee concurs, student shall be
evaluated for dyslexia
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 1294, continued
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If dyslexia evaluation confirms, student shall be
provided therapeutic services
Therapeutic services may be provided by tutor
who is highly qualified and trained interventionist
List instructional approaches
ADE shall hire a dyslexia specialist by 2015
ADE shall ensure at least 1 staff member at each
co-op is trained as a dyslexia specialist
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 1462 – ACT Assessment
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Universal ACT Assessment program may provide
students in grades 9-11 opportunity to take ACT
Assessment without charge
Using school district funding, including NSLA
Beginning 2014-2015
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 1479 – College Remediation
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ADE and ADHE shall jointly study issues
concerning testing and remediation of entering
college freshmen
Develop method to allocate cost of remediation to
public schools, institutions of higher education,
and entering freshmen
Report due November 1, 2013 to Joint House and
Senate Education Committee
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 71 – Cell Phones &
Communication Devices
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District may establish written student
discipline policy and exemptions
concerning possession and
use by a student of a personal electronic
device
on school property
school related events
extracurricular activities
instructional purposes
Limit time/location
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 146 – Interstate Compact
National program to help active military
children to seamlessly complete their
education including:
1.Timely enrollment
2.Student placement
3.Eligibility for enrollment, educational
programs, participation in extracurricular, etc
4.On-time graduation
5.Uniform collection of information from state
to state
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 330 – Electronic Transcripts
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Electronic transcripts shall be used K-12 as
developed by ADE
Higher Ed shall use electronic transcripts as the
only method of accepting a transcript from an
Arkansas public school
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 383 – Pilot for Breakfast
Nutritional Programs
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$1,000,000
appropriation
Breakfast in the
Classroom Program
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 414 – Ensuring Adequate School
Nurses
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Listed job description and duties of school nurses
Creates Public School Health Services Advisory
Committee of 19 Members
Study to determine:
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Best practices
Who is providing services
Which students are not being served
Existing nursing facilities
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 414, continued
◦ Cost of providing on-campus services
◦ Nurse related duties and non-health care duties
◦ Advisory committee shall develop guidelines including:
 number of nurses needed
 salary
 job requirements, etc.
◦ Submit report to Joint Adequacy Committee by
September 1, 2014
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 576 – Require a Period of Silence
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Public school shall observe a one (1) minute
period of silence at the beginning of the day
Student may reflect, pray, or engage in a silent
activity
Teacher or school employee in charge of
classroom shall ensure that all students remain
silent and do not interfere with or distract another
student during the period of silence
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 601 – Districts of Innovation
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Allows schools to obtain from the Commissioner
necessary exceptions from laws, rules, and local
policies to improve the educational performance
of students
Establish a School Council of Innovation made up
of parents, student, employees, etc.
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 601, continued
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Plan will address goals and targets which may
include:
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Reducing achievement gap
Increasing student participation in curriculum
Expanding students' college and career readiness
Exploring innovative teaching and learning
Transforming a school's culture
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 696 – Rating System for Schools
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Effective 2014-2015
Schools and School Districts will be rated on an AF grading system
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 969 – Professional Development
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Amends professional development laws to place
certain required PD on rotating schedule
Eliminates Lottery Training
ADE shall establish the curriculum for the rotating
PD requirements
2 hours total but may have additional hours if
needed
Technology may be required by ADE and
integrated
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 969, continued
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2013-2014 - Mandated Reporter
2014-2015 - Parental Involvement
2015-2016 - Teen Suicide Awareness and
Prevention
2016-2017 - Arkansas History
Required to have this training prior to becoming
licensed
Not the responsibility of the district
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 969, continued
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Before receiving a building level administrator's
licenses the person must complete the teacher
evaluation program
May complete the assessment before/after
obtaining initial building level administrator's
license
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 1285 – College & Career Coaches
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Establishes College and Career Coaches Program
Administered by the Department of Career
Education in partnership with ADE and ADHE
Enabling legislation - no funding
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
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http://www.theaaea.org
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http://www.arkansased.org/
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Dr. Megan Witonski, Assistant Commissioner –Learning Services
megan.witonski@arkansas.gov
Dr. Tracy Tucker, Director of Curriculum and Instruction
tracy.tucker@arkansas.gov
Melody Morgan, Director of Student Assessment
melody.morgan@arkansas.gov