ASBA/AAEA Joint Conference
2013 Legislative Session ACTS
Dr. Richard Abernathy, AAEA Executive Director
Dr. Tony Prothro, ASBA Assistant Executive Director
May 14, 2013
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 128 – Reporting Course Offerings
• Repeals requirement for district to mail home
letter of district's obligation to offer certain classes
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 228 – Simplify Accessibility of Data
on Website
• Easily accessible
• Home page under a direct link titled "StateRequired Information”
• Data required from two previous years and
projected budget for current year
• Subdivide the information by categories
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 231 – Tuberculosis Screening
• Repeals tuberculosis
screening for school
employees and registered
volunteers
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 234 – Amends Arkansas Academic
Challenge Scholarship
• Beginning 2013-2014
• Four-Year Institutions:
•
•
•
•
Freshman - $2,000
Sophomore - $3,000
Junior - $4,000
Senior - $5,000
• Two-Year Institutions - $2,000
• Emergency Clause
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 328 – Foreign Language
• Schools may offer
American Sign
Language as a foreign
language credit
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 411 – Exempt Items Under FOIA
• Exempts personal contact information of school
employees from Freedom of Information
– Home and Mobile Phone Numbers
– Personal Email Addresses
– Home Address
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 444 – Veteran Preference
• School district shall provide a veterans preference
in interviewing and hiring if:
– Indicates on application that he/she is veteran, disabled
veteran, or surviving spouse of veteran who is
unmarried at the time of hiring
– Is a citizen and resident of this state
– Meets substantially equal qualifications of other
applicants
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 517 – Health Insurance
• January 1, 2014 district rate will go from $131 to
$150 per employee participating in the program
• Shall increase annually by the same percentage the
foundation amount is increased
• Side note - State contributes $390 per budgeted
position for state employees
Act 1443 helped fund school employee health
insurance (Not Funded), but this session did not
solve dramatic increases facing school employees
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 559 – Requirements for Meeting of
Board of Directors
• Meeting called when petitioned to do so in writing
by 50 qualified electors after verified
• Contains printed names and address of each
qualified elector
• State purpose of meeting
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 559, continued
• At least five days prior to board meeting,
superintendent shall notify board president of all
written requests to be placed on agenda along with
a recommendation concerning each request
• Shall not place item on agenda if prejudices the
board concerning student or personnel matters or
conflicts with district policy
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 576 – Require a Period of Silence
• 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
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 585 – Council of Postsecondary
Education
• 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
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 585, continued
• 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
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 599 – Band, Music, and Visual
Arts Credit
• 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
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 601 – Districts of Innovation
• 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
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 601, continued
• School council of innovation creates plan and
eligible employees vote on plan
• Must have 60% approval
• Plan is approved by local board
• Plan is sent to Commissioner for approval
• Plan is approved for four (4) years
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 601, continued
• Plan will address goals and targets which may
include:
– 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
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 601, continued
• Instructional time may include:
– on-site instruction
– distance or virtual learning
– work-based learning on nontraditional school days or
hours
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 696 – Rating System for Schools
• Effective 2014-2015
• Schools and School Districts will be rated on an A-F
grading system
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 969 – Professional Development
• 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
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 969, continued
• 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
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 969, continued
• 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
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1016 – CPR Instruction
• 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
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1039 – Disclosure of Employment
Information
• Authorizes school districts, officers, agents, and
employees to disclose employment information
with or without the written consent of a current or
former employee, including:
–
–
–
–
–
Last written performance evaluation
Drug/alcohol test results
Violence, harassment in the workplace
Reasons for separation
Eligibility for rehire
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1081 – Repeals High-Stakes Testing
• Replaces high-stakes end-of-course assessments for
Algebra I and English II with the next-generation
assessments
• Remedial activities and instruction shall not be in
lieu of English, mathematics, science, history, or
other courses required for graduation
• Sets the stage for implementing common core
state standards assessments
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1099 – Prohibition of E-cigarettes
• E-cigarette - electronic oral device that provides a
vapor of nicotine and simulates smoking
• Prohibited in/on personal property including school
busses
• Fine: Not less than $10 nor more than $100
• As tobacco, copy of statute is to be posted
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1120 – Board Review of Salary
Increases
• Applies when an employee receives a salary
increase of 5% or more for substantially the same
job function
• Board shall review and approve by written
resolution an increase for a school employee
• Resolution shall include reasons for salary increase
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1120, continued
• Resolution may include:
– Bonus
– Incentive bonus such as: National Board, Speech Path,
teacher recruitment/retention in high-priority districts,
master principal, or another specific provision of law.
– Moving to another position with substantially different
job functions
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1120, continued
• District shall provide certified copy of resolution to
auditor who conducts the annual financial audit
• Audit will note noncompliance and shall provide a
copy of the audit report to ADE
• October 1 - ADE shall compile a list of
noncompliance and report to House and Senate
Education Committee
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1159 – Child Care Facility’s Floor
Plan
• Floor Plan
– Schematic Drawings including configuration of rooms
and physical features
– Locations where children spend time
– Escape routes approved by local fire dept
– Average daily attendance
– Emergency contact information of at least 2 people
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1159, continued
• A school district MAY file floor plan with emergency
management coordinator
• A child care facility licensed by the Division of Child
Care and Early Childhood Education of DHS SHALL
file by January 1, 2014
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1227 – School Choice
• Districts shall participate unless file an exemption
with ADE for enforceable desegregation order
• Board shall adopt resolution with standards for
acceptance which:
– may include capacity of a program, class, grade level, or
school building.
– shall include priority will be given for siblings
– shall not include applicant's academic, athletic, English
prof. or previous discipline
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1227, continued
• School superintendent shall cause public
announcement over broadcast media and either
print media or the Internet
• Parent submit application to nonresident district
with copy to resident district
• Form approved by ADE
• Postmarked no later than June 1
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1227, continued
• District notifies parent by August 1 if student :
– Rejected - reason for rejection
– Accepted - deadline when student shall enroll or
acceptance is null; renewal procedures
• 3% of a district's ADM maximum limit for choice
less transfers
• Siblings shall only count as 1 for the 3% calculation
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1227, continued
• ADE shall report by June 1 to each district the net
maximum school choice transfers for the current
year
• Parents may appeal district decision to State Board
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1278 – Educational Trust Fund
• Amends the Educational Excellence Trust Fund law
to include:
– incremental pay increases for experience and advanced
hours or degrees within the definition of "salary
increase"
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1280 – Digital Learning
• 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
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1280, continued
• 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
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1294 -- Dyslexia
• 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
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1294, continued
• 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
• ADE to provide required professional awareness for
teachers
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1329 – Student Discipline
• ADE shall report to SBE and to all school districts:
– Disciplinary rate for each discipline measure for each
racial subgroup
– Rate of disciplinary disparity for each discipline measure
– List of discipline-related strategies, alternatives, and
resources
– Identification of districts that make progress reducing
disciplinary rate and rate of disciplinary disparity
• By July 1 of each year beginning in 2014
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1423 – Parental Involvement Plans
• Calls for placement of
parent-friendly summary
of parental involvement
plan in student handbook
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1440 – Academic Study of Bible
• 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
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1443 – D F & A Appropriation
• Includes additional
appropriation of $10,000,000
to EBD for school employee
health insurance benefits
• This Act was not funded
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1467 – School Funding Amounts
• Foundation Funding
– 2013-2014 -- $6,393
increase of $126
– 2014-2015 -- $6,521
increase of $128
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 1467, continued
• Categoricals
• ALE
– 2013-2014 -- $4,305 -- Increase of $77
– 2014-2015 -- $4,383 -- Increase of $78
• ELL
– 2013-2014 -- $311 -- Increase of $6
– 2014-2015 -- $317 -- Increase of $6
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 1467, continued
• PD
– 2013-2014 Up to $53 Increase of $1
– 2014-2015 Up to $54 Increase of $1
• NSLA
– 2013-2014
– $517 for less than 70%
– $1,033 for more than 70% less than 90%
– $1,549 more than 90%
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 1467 – NSLA Discussion
• Distribution method should change
• Be revised to align more directly with student
achievement
• Differentiate between free and reduced
• Only use funds for evidence-based programs
directed at improving student achievement
• Prioritize allowable uses of funds
• BLR report that funding has not achieved desired
results
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 1467 – NSLA Discussion
• House and Senate Education Committee in
conjunction with BLR and ADE
• Shall conduct a study and make following
recommendations:
– List of evidence-based program
– New distribution formula that takes into account a
sliding scale and additional weight for free kids vs.
reduced kids
• For consideration 2014 Fiscal Session
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Act 1469 – Homeschool Participation
• Home-schooled student may participate in their
resident district’s:
– athletic program
– fine arts program
– special interest club
• Notify principal within the first 11 days of the fall or
spring semester and before signups, tryouts, etc.
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1469, continued
• Principal shall permit if:
– If notified before signup, tryout, etc. of desire to
participate
– Informs principal that student has demonstrated
academic eligibility by obtaining: minimum score of
thirtieth (30th) percentile on SAT 10 or other normreference test
• Required to be at school not more than 1 period.
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Act 1480
• Prohibits employer from requiring or requesting a
current or prospective employee from disclosing
his/her username or password for social media
account or provide access to content of his/her
social media account
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Bills That Did Not Become Acts
2013
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
HB 1418
• The "Highway Robbery" bill
• Would have diverted over $2B in General Revenue
over the next 10 years to the state, counties, and
cities for highway construction and maintenance
• AAEA/ASBA opposed the deference of revenue
currently slated for education, children in need
programs, other pre-determined allocation of
current and future general revenue
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
HB 1897
• Would have created vouchers for children to
attend private schools
• AAEA/ASBA opposed the use of public money to
fund private schools without accountability
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
HB 2260
• Would have established voucher program for
students with special needs to attend private and
non-resident public schools
• Definition of "special needs" was very broad and
not in line with IDEA regulations
• AAEA/ASBA opposed the use of public funds to pay
for private education without accountability
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
SB 740
• Would have provided an income tax credit for
contributions to non-profit scholarship-funding
organizations to provide "scholarships" (vouchers)
to economically disadvantaged students.
• AAEA/ASBA opposed the use of public funds for
private education without regulations and
accountability
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
SB 1084
• Would have limited use of Construction
Management as a method of construction for
public schools.
• AAEA/ASBA supports districts having the option to
use whatever method they deem appropriate for a
particular project
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
HB 1590
• Would have eliminated the PRAXIS for teacher
licensure and required the State to use the
Massachusetts Test for Educational Licensure.
• AAEA/ASBA opposed this legislative mandate to do
business with one particular company.
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
HB 1357
• Bill in initial form would have moved school board
candidate election and millage election to Presidential
Primary or General Election
• In final form would have changed millage elections to
Presidential Primary, September, or General Election
• AAEA/ASBA opposed the moving of the traditional
elections due to longer ballots, additional school cost
for elections and voter confusion, intermingling
political candidates with school board candidates, and
board candidate cost for running for office
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
SB 587
• Would have changed school candidate election to
general election
• Did not affect millage elections
• AAEA/ASBA opposed this legislation for similar
reasons as HB1357
• In addition, school board members are unpaid
volunteers and should be considered on a different
ballot issue and date of voting separate from paid
candidates for office
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
HB 2120
• Would have instituted a recall of one or more
board members by a petition of voters and board
recall vote
• AAEA/ASBA opposed this legislation due to board
members having to make unpopular choices
(expulsions, terminations, financial considerations,
etc..) and should not endure the threat of a recall
vote
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
HB 2170
• Would have eliminated all school boards in the
State of Arkansas
• AAEA/ASBA opposed this legislation due to the fact
that the absence of school boards would eliminate
local control and representation crucial to
democracy
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Additional Information
• This power point presentation is available on our
websites at www.theaaea.org or www.arsba.org
• The full slate of educational ACTS (some not
covered today) is also available on our websites.
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Arkansas School Boards Association
Questions
Dr. Richard Abernathy
AAEA Executive Director
r.abernathy@theaaea.org
501-372-1691
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Dr. Tony Prothro
ASBA Asst. Executive Director
tony@arsba.org
501-372-1415
Arkansas School Boards Association