Arkansas Educator Volume 41, No. 3

ARKANSAS

EDUCATOR PROUDLY PUBLISHED BY THE ARKANSAS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

VOLUME 41 N O 3 | SPRING 2020

RETURN ON INVESTMENT PINE BLUFF EDUCATOR BRINGS

LOVE

OF

BACK TO HOMETOWN HIGH SCHOOL

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INSIDE: DARK STORE THEORY: Tax Appeal Threatens School Funding • LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: Coronavirus Forces Special Session

EDUCATOR VOLUME 41 NO 3 SPRING 2020

CONTENTS 1 A letter from the President 2 NEWSFLASH: Coronavirus Closes Schools, Hope Educator Joins PLSB

PRESIDENT CAROL FLEMING

16 ESP PROFILE: Home Grown Forrest City Paraprofessional Builds Student Reading Skills

VICE PRESIDENT MARY KNIGHT SECRETARY-TREASURER BRENDA BROWN AEA-NEA DIRECTOR BRENDA ROBINSON

3 AEA Expands PD Offerings

18 Legislative Update: Coronavirus Forces Special Session, Fiscal Session Social Distancing

AEA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TRACEY-ANN NELSON EDITOR KYLE LEYENBERGER

VISIT US ONLINE AT: aeaonline.org/AREducator Follow us on Twitter @ArkEducation Become an AEA Facebook friend.

ARKANSAS EDUCATOR is published as a service to all members of the Arkansas Education Association 1500 West 4th Street Little Rock, AR 72201 t: 501-375-4611 f: 501-375-4620 tf: 800-632-0624 ADVERTISERS Advertising contents should be addressed to the Editor. Advertising rates are available upon request. Advertising is printed as a service to readers and publication does not imply Association endorsement. The Association reserves the right to refuse any advertising.

4 The State of ED for Arkansas’s African American Community

21 Kindergarten Teacher Finds Creative Way to Connect Amid COVID Outbreak 22 From the Desk of the Executive Director

8 MEMBER PROFILE: Return on Investment: Pine Bluff Educator Brings Love of Art Back Home 12 Dark Store Theory: Tax Appeal Threatens School Funding

23 Rewind: Project ACE Secures State Education Funding

Stay Informed The Arkansas Education Association has assembled resources for Arkansas educators on our website, including daily updates on the Coronavirus pandemic, frequently asked questions, as well as legislative breakdowns of new laws passed in response to COVID-19.

You can also find detailed contact information for AEA staff and field representatives.

Stay in the know, and stay connected with your association in these uncertain times.

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/coronavirus

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WINTER 2020

A L E T T E R F ROM THE PRESIDENT We are truly living in uncertain times. As this issue of the Arkansas Educator goes to print, Arkansas’s public schools are closed to onsite instruction in an attempt to limit the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

The nation’s students, educators, and all their families are at the forefront of thinking as we grapple with the COVID-19 health emergency. Safety is our top priority. AEA continues to advocate fiercely for the safety, health, and rights of students and educators.

Please be aware that this fast-changing environment means we cannot be sure when we will return to our school buildings.

To help, AEA has created an online resource for Arkansas’s educators at www.aeaonline.org/coronavirus. I urge you to visit that page for the most up to date information as we navigate this crisis together.

The coronavirus is also wreaking havoc on our state revenue. We have coverage of the Special Session called in March to address a $353 million budget shortfall, as well as the fiscal session.

While state lawmakers deal with the budget impact of the coronavirus, an effort to reduce property taxes could also have devastating effects on school funding in our state. In this issue we look into the retailer Walmart’s attempt to cut its tax bill by using the “Dark Store Theory.” This dangerous theory could drain nearly half a billion dollars in local property taxes if it is applied statewide. Three fourths of that funding goes to our public schools, and our state does not have the resources to fill the gap. That means either vital public services will have to be cut or the community will have to pay more.

We also have a look at the forum on the State of Education for the African American Community. There, state lawmakers and AEA Executive Director Tracey-Ann Nelson talked about the challenges our state faces and how we can overcome them to provide opportunity for every student in the state.

Our member profile takes us to Pine Bluff High School to meet an art teacher working in one of the state’s school districts currently under state control. Shalisha Thomas was inspired by her art teacher at Pine Bluff High School. Now she is doing the same for her students by inspiring confidence and an appreciation for art that will serve them no matter what profession they ultimately pursue.

We also travel to Forrest City to meet Shirley Pierce, a long-time paraprofessional who now works to help students with dyslexia learn to read. Ms. Pierce, like Ms. Thomas in Pine Bluff, grew up in Forrest City and is a great example of a community benefitting from “growing its own” public school professionals.

I want to take a moment to thank each of you for being a member of the Arkansas Education Association. We will continue to stand together and support students and educators as we improve education in our state. Thank you for your contributions to the lives of our students, which become more apparent with each passing day.

Carol Fleming, President, AEA

ABOUT PRESIDENT FLEMING: Carol B. Fleming MS, CCC-SLP is a speech language pathologist currently serving as President of the Arkansas Education Association. Before taking the helm of the state’s largest association for education professionals, Fleming spent two decades working with students at Pulaski Heights Middle School within the Little Rock School District. Fleming has worked to ensure good public education policies at the local, state and national level. As a parent of an adult with special needs, she is reminded daily of the importance of advocating on behalf of the professions and those served which has fueled her passion for education, leadership, and professional issues. Her goal is to get others to become involved to support successful public schools.

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NEWS FLASH

HOPE EDUCATOR JOINS PLSB

VIRUS FORCES ARKANSAS SCHOOL CLOSURES Arkansas schools closed a week before Spring Break as the coronavirus pandemic was confirmed to be spreading in Arkansas.

Although the original closures were temporary, by early April, as the virus continued to spread, Governor Asa Hutchinson announced schools would remain closed to on-site instruction through the end of the school year.

On March 12, Hutchinson announced all public schools in Pulaski, Jefferson, Saline and Grant counties would be closed for on-site instruction through March 30th in an “abundance of caution.” Just days later, on Sunday, March 15th, the Governor authorized individual school district superintendents statewide the option to close schools for in person instruction on Monday, March 16, with a state wide forced closure running that Tuesday through Spring Break. By the following Thursday, the closures were extended through April 17th.

The first confirmed case was in Jefferson County, but the patient had contact with multiple medical professionals and students.

The decision to close schools was made in consultation with the Arkansas Department of Education and the Arkansas Department of Health after 5 more people tested positive for the virus. Secretary of the Department of Health Dr. Nathaniel Smith said those patients had some contact with school-aged children, and the closures were ordered to “interrupt any cycles of transmission.”

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The virus can be transmitted before symptoms are present, making containment especially difficult. By Monday morning, the total jumped to 22, with officials warning increased testing would likely reveal much higher numbers over the coming week.

At Pine Bluff High School, students were excitedly talking about the closure shortly after it was announced. Administration distributed information for “Alternative Methods of Instruction,” which gives students lessons to complete at home.

State law allowed schools to use up to 10 AMI days during a school year to avoid extending the school year due to inclement weather, infectious disease outbreaks or utility breakdowns. However, as the closures extended, the limit was waived and the Department of Education began offering guidance to districts on developing new content, even offering daily lessons on PBS. In an effort to address students experiencing food insecurity, the State of Arkansas applied for a child nutrition waiver from the USDA to allow for greater food distribution options.

Districts across the state set up programs to provide “Grab and Go” meals, and some even delivered food using school buses.

“Each public school employee plays a critically important role in keeping our students safe, healthy, fed and supported,” said AEA President Carol Fleming said upon hearing of the closures. “We must not forget the uncertainty and hardship these closures bring to our students and educators. We encourage our school districts to keep health and safety top of mind while we all work together to reduce the spread of COVID-19.”

The State Board of Education approved Hope educator Hosea Born to serve on the Arkansas Professional Licensure Standards Board.

Hosea was selected to replace retired K-12 AEA member, Lillian Hemphill. He joins other AEA members on the PLSB representing the professional interests of K-12 educators: Brenda Brown (Helena-West Helena), Kathy Howell (Clarksville), and Cindy Nations (Conway). Doretta Griffin, an administrative member from Hamburg, AR also serves on the PLSB representing administrators.

AEA is proud that five of our members serve on this state appointed Board that was created in 2007. While the PLSB is most known for the establishment of a code of ethics for administrators and teachers, they also developed the minimum college level preparatory and GPA requirements for all teachers.

In this capacity, they review the audits of teacher education programs throughout the state and determine if the programs allow graduates to become licensed. Following licensure, the Board will follow procedures to consider/investigate complaints regarding unethical behavior of licensed school personnel. It is so important that educators continue to be part of the PLSB,” said AEA President Carol Fleming. “We are the experts in education and will ensure the integrity of our profession is held accountable.

AEA is Bringing Professional Development to YOU!

The Arkansas Education Association is mounting a new effort to bring professional development opportunities to members in the field.

Donella Smither is the Professional Development Organizer for AEA. She is traveling the state to introduce herself and this new position to AEA members and potential members. The professional development offered by AEA is free to all districts and now, with this new position, the sessions can be brought directly to each school.

At a recent District meeting in Forrest City, Smither led a member recruitment training, showing members how to map buildings and emphasizing the importance of one on one conversations. Following the organizing information, she shared stress management techniques to help teachers decompress, as well as ideas to help students who are under pressure from tests, classwork, or even situations outside of the school building.

Smither works closely with fellow AEA staff to build these and other professional development sessions that are relevant to Arkansas educators. As a former educator, she knows the value of quality professional development

and how hard it is to find the time and money to attend.

“I hope that with this new position I can help my former colleagues connect with AEA and its professional development offerings, not to mention AEA’s many other benefits,” she said. “This organization has so much to offer and ways to get engaged. It’s just a matter of getting the word out!”

AEA Executive Director Tracey-Ann Nelson says the exciting opportunity offers AEA a chance to share the benefits of the organization, but it’s also a way to take on the responsibility of helping educators be better for their students.

“It is important for educators to know that they are not alone,” Nelson said. “They have an organization that supports and values their work and sacrifice.”

The trainings are also based on real issues affecting Arkansas’s public schools. Nelson said Arkansas is ranked fifth in the nation for children who have experienced some form of trauma.

“It is shockingly prevalent in our state,” Nelson said. “If a student is coming to school traumatized, how do you think they are going to be able to perform academically? How is that teacher going to identify how to address that student’s needs?”

As a result, trauma training was prioritized when Smither started building her presentations. She said it’s rewarding to share ideas that can have an immediate impact in the classroom.

“This is a way to lift up educators,” Smither said. “As I’m traveling the state, I want to give educators the tools to be the best they can be for the students of Arkansas.”

To request a training for your area, visit aeaonline.org/pd or reach out to your UniServ Director. Need contact info? There’s an app for that. Search for “MyAEA” in the Apple app store or on Google Play.

I hope that with this new position I can help my former colleagues connect with AEA and its professional development offerings, not to mention AEA’s many other benefits.

-Donella Smither

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On a rainy night early this year, parents, educators and community members gathered to discuss the current state of education for Arkansas’s African American students, as well as where the future could take them.

THE STATE OF ED FOR ARKANSAS’S AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY

“This evening we want to talk about where we are,” Senator Linda Chesterfield said. “Then we are going to talk about things we can do to help move our children forward.”

A panel of legislators representing areas with schools in state takeover opened the event with a discussion on the challenges schools face. State Representatives Reginald Murdock, Vivian Flowers, Chris Richey, Milton Nicks

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“Our kids are our kids no matter where they live.”

- Senator Linda Chesterfield

and Senator Will Bond discussed a lack of resources and the current system’s failure to accurately measure student achievement.

“This is a statewide issue,” Chesterfield said.

“This concentration in Little Rock has caught the attention of everyone, but these problems are affecting districts across the state.”

Rep. Flowers, who represents the Pine Bluff area, said the years when the city was the cradle for economic vibrancy in the state are gone and as jobs left, poverty took root. Even as the community suffers with the associated maladies, she says parents want the best for their children, and students want to succeed.

“I visit my schools,” Flowers said. “I connect with kids in the schools, and they are bright.

They are smart. They’re beautiful. They’re accomplished. They have dreams and goals.”

Rep. Reginald Murdoch, who represents parts of Lee and St. Francis Counties, said the state’s adequacy process, used to determine school funding, is not working to address the true need across the state.

“You hear us talk about the analysis of what we need, and we never give the resources properly,” he said. “We have to really be serious about helping communities, such as those in the Delta, that have been saddled and

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burdened. This state will never be what we all want it to be until we deal with what is going on in some of these places.”

Rep. Chris Richey who represents MarvellElaine and Helena-West Helena, said the consolidation of rural schools across the state is devastating small communities. When a school district shuts down, he said, it destroys the identity, pride and economic driving force of these small towns. The loss of district jobs sends the local economy into a downward spiral.

“We really need to start to remember the faces of these children... they’re actually our boys and girls that need us to do right by them academically.”

- Tracey-Ann Nelson

“You lose jobs, get more poverty, and it keeps you from creating new jobs,” he said. “We have to get serious about addressing systemic issues around poverty we aren’t really willing to address.”

He also said the state’s grading system is a better measure of poverty than student achievement.

“When you look at achieving, non-achieving, all that; if you have a high concentration of poverty, you know where you’re going to end up on those scores,” he said. “These kids have a lot that they’re dealing with, and then they’re coming to school and they’ve got teachers who have to help them process through that to get to the place where they can learn.”

Senator Will Bond of Little Rock said legislators have not been led to achieve big shared goals.

While the Governor’s focus on coding is going well, Bond believes we need to unite around bigger goals, including universal Pre-K, competitive teacher pay and increasing college graduation rates.

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The second panel picked up on those big goals, and focused on greater possibilities in Arkansas’s future. Leading educational experts Dr. Jay Barth, Dr. Charity Smith, Lisa Smith and AEA Executive Director Tracey-Ann Nelson talked about available opportunities to help students achieve, as well as policy ideas that would improve public education.

AEA Executive Director Nelson began her remarks by calling on the audience to think about the children being impacted by the policies being discussed.

“I know we’re talking about big systems and the state and school districts, but we really need to start to remember the faces of these children,” she said. “They’re not a number. They’re not a grade. They’re actually our boys and girls that need us to do right by them academically.”

She said the districts currently in state takeover serve high percentages of minority students, but the state’s actions are not addressing the needs of these children.

“Black and brown children are the most neglected - not just in our state but that’s the one we are dealing with - and we can be the example of how that can look different,” she said. “What are those [student needs]? Smaller class size, tutoring, helping the parents with whatever those needs are because they are different in every community.”

She said instead the state’s actions are to divest from districts and then punish their students and label schools with “F” grades.

“What’s the message that we’re giving children?” she asked. “’We don’t care about them, so why should they care about themselves?’ We have a responsibility to change the perspective of our own children, and we cannot depend on other people.”

Executive Director Nelson said community schools, when done right, support students and their families by meeting each community’s unique needs. For it to work, however, all stakeholders must be involved.

“We have to own it,” she said. “Our communities, our teachers, we have to own it, and we have to support them with the tools and time that they need and not punish them for not achieving a certain level of growth.”

She said we should be fully funding districts to meet state standards. Unfortunately the state is instead using a misguided policy that allows districts to waive state laws created to ensure quality public schools.

“We owe it to our students to have standards that we fund – which we haven’t - so that they can get the support they need and achieve the success they deserve,” she said. “You can’t lower them, and then go, ‘Oh! But they’re not learning.’ You’ve lowered the standard!”

She also wants educators to be respected as the professionals they are, both in salary and in public discourse.

“Less and less people are coming into the profession in Arkansas for many different reasons, one of which is how much you earn,” she said. “The other is how they are being treated. If you’re not going to get respect in a profession, why pursue it? For those who do, it’s their passion. So we have a responsibility to help them emerge from their teacher training ready to go into the classroom.”

In closing, Senator Chesterfield told the crowd she intended the event to be the beginning of a conversation, not the end: “We’ve never had this conversation before,” she said. “Until we talk about the totality of the issue, we can’t get to it.”

She called on educators to expect greatness from every student, no matter their background.

“Our kids are our kids no matter where they live,” she said. “I’m a little country girl from Hope, Arkansas, who grew up in a singleparent home on an income of 15 bucks a week. And nobody told me I could not learn.

And I refuse to accept the fact that any poor kid... cannot rise to be a state Senator, or to just be a useful citizen with no title at all.”

AEA livestreamed the event, held at First Missionary Baptist Church in Little Rock.

You can watch it HERE: http://bit.ly/AAstateED

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RETURN ON INVESTMENT PINE BLUFF EDUCATOR BRINGS

LOVE

OF

BACK TO HOMETOWN HIGH SCHOOL

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MEMBER PROFILE SHALISHA THOMAS

She spent five years teaching middle school before accepting a position three years ago at Pine Bluff High School, the same school where her love of art was nurtured.

“There’s some type of beauty that goes along with art,” she said. “I could stand in a museum for hours and just lose time just looking at different pieces. So it’s just a connection that I have with the art, that just makes me feel like I’m home.”

She can’t think of a better place to impart that feeling to others than the place she grew up. Thomas says “growing your own” is a smart way to attract educators to rural or higher poverty areas. When you’re from a place, you want to see things improve and to be a part of that growth.

SHALISHA THOMAS’S HIGH SCHOOL ART TEACHER PLANTED THE SEED THAT’S NOW BLOSSOMED IN HER PINE BLUFF CLASSROOM. “I was very shy and reserved, but there was something about the way that she taught that made art come alive for me,” Thomas said. “I’ve always wanted to be a teacher for some reason. I like helping people. So, art education was the best choice for me.”

Once she had her degree, she knew she wanted to give back to her hometown.

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It’s important to understand how art impacts every facet of life” - Shalisha Thomas

“I want the students here to thrive,” she said.

“I want them to do well, and of course I just have a love for children anyway, but it’s deeper because I’m from here.”

The school district does face challenges. In 2018 the district was placed in state takeover for Academic Distress. The percentage of students living in poverty at the district’s elementary schools ranges from 85-94%, and 78% at the high school where Thomas works.

This means Pine Bluff ’s educators must first address the trauma associated with poverty before many of their students can begin to effectively learn.

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“I teach students with different types of interests, different abilities and all types of things,” Thomas said. “I try my best to create an environment where the student can feel successful. Some students come to me and they say on the first day, ‘Ms. Thomas, I can’t draw. I can’t do this.’ Their narrative is, ‘I can’t. I can’t. I can’t.’ Before they leave me, I want them to have a feeling of, ‘I can do this.’”

As her students apply paint or colored pencils to paper, Thomas walks the room.

She hops from desk to desk to answer questions and offer guidance.

“My job is to instill some confidence in them, to work on that so they can continue to build on it,” she said. “I try to make sure that I’m very mobile so that I can meet the need... I want to make sure that I’m invested in what they’re doing.’”

Part of that guidance is helping students understand that art is about being expressive, not necessarily producing a photorealistic copy of a subject.

Thomas has at least one student who wants to follow her footsteps to the classroom, while others say the job is too much work.

Thomas admits she doesn’t have much time outside of the classroom, but she finds joy in spending time with her family.

“Teaching is a very emotional job I think and spending time with them helps me to recharge and just rejuvenate so I can be what I need to be for my students,” she said. “This is a lifelong thing. Make sure that you are taking time for yourself, because teaching is kind of taxing, so you have to make sure you are doing things that will help you be the best for your students.”

The AEA, with its professional development and networking opportunities, offers that help, and Thomas said, peace of mind.

I think that it’s important to be a part of an organization where you will be taken care of, where your wellbeing will be taken into consideration” - Shalisha Thomas on the benefits of AEA membership “You don’t have to always be perfect,” she said. “[Art] could deal with what you’re experiencing at that moment. It could be expressing your beliefs.”

She understands many of her students will not go into an art field after graduation but says everyone benefits from an appreciation for it.

“It’s important to understand how art impacts every facet of life,” she said. “Even if you are someone who loves to play video games or even fashion design, whatever it is, even painting cars... all of that goes back to art.”

“I think that it’s important to be a part of an organization where you will be taken care of, where your wellbeing will be taken into consideration,” she said. “As I’m thinking about the different things I go through with students, and different ways that I may need support, it’s good to know that I can be a part of an organization that I can make calls or I can have certain perks for being a member.

I think that it’s just a good investment.”

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A Pulaski County property tax appeal could have a disastrous effect on school funding across the state.

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he “Dark Store Theory” has already wreaked havoc in other states, led by Walmart and other big box retailers looking to reduce their property taxes.

In the appeals, the big box owners claim their fully functioning store should be valued as if it is closed and vacant. They argue neither the cost to build a store, nor the income it generates should be considered; and the assessed value should only be based on what the building would sell for on the open market.

Because these buildings were built for a specific use, and usually come with restrictions preventing a competitor from using the store in the same way, the sale prices are often much lower.

The dark store argument has seen some success in the midwest, resulting in billions of dollars in lost revenue for counties and states including Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin, but this is the first time Walmart has attempted to use “dark store theory” in its home state. The company filed a petition with the Pulaski County Court challenging the county assessor’s assessment of eight Walmart stores and two Sam’s Clubs. The retailer wants to reduce $145 million assessed value down to $74 million, which would drain $900,000 from local property tax collections each year. This means the county would have less money for schools, roads, and other vital public services.

Good Jobs First, a nonprofit research organization that promotes accountability in economic development, investigated Walmart’s aggressive attempts to reduce their tax bills. They found the company takes a systematic approach to challenge assessments across the country, costing local governments millions each year in lost revenue. From the 2007 report: “Our findings are consistent with Wal-Mart’s reputation for obsessive cost-cutting; they suggest that the company treats property taxes the same way it treats suppliers and workers.

But in this case, entire communities are affected. For only two things can happen when large companies like Wal-Mart reduce their property tax payments: either local public

services are cut back or small businesses and homeowners are asked to pay more in taxes.

Usually, it is some of both.”

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Lindsey Bailey French, Legal Counsel for the Arkansas Association of Counties, warns the Pulaski County assessment cases would just be the tip of the iceberg if the “dark store theory,” is accepted by state courts. She says Walmart will continue to make appeals around the state, and other companies will likely join in.

“People need to realize the impact it would have on our local public schools and not just in Pulaski County,” Bailey French said. “Every community that has a Dollar General store, every community that has little shops like that, they don’t realize how much those property taxes help the schools.”

About three fourths of all property taxes collected in Arkansas go to the local schools.

AAC estimates a $95 million annual reduction in local tax collection if the theory is utilized by all retail in the state. If it is expanded to all commercial property, the figure balloons to more than half a billion dollars.

“I don’t see any reason why no other business would not make the same claims if it were to be granted at a statewide level,” she said. “The state does not have the general revenues to step in and pick up the pieces.”

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According to a November 2018 report by CityLab, “[i]n Wisconsin, at least 230 cases have been filed across 34 counties since 2015, many of them repeat appeals for the same properties, by the top three attorneys representing retailers.

In Michigan, more than $75 million in tax value was lost from the rolls from related appeals between 2013 and 2015. In Indiana, an estimated $3.5 billion in property value is on the line. Texas stands to lose $2.6 billion per year if successful appeals become widespread.”

Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde denied Walmart’s appeal, saying the comparable appraisals presented lacked credibility.

“Some of them were on the outskirts of east St. Louis, shuttered down stores,” Bailey French said. “The burden of proof is on the property owner to prove that their values are more true market value under the law than the assessor’s values.”

Walmart appealed the county judge’s decision, and now Circuit Court Judge Tim Fox will hear the cases. However, civil litigation is now on hold in Arkansas as the state attempts to limit the spread of coronavirus.

I SUPPORT FRIENDS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION

Q: How can educators support pro-public education candidates?

A: Contribute to the Arkansas Committee for Children and Public Education!

Visit AEAonline.org/accpe to give today! *Donations up to $50 are tax deductible aeaonline.org

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H ME

GROWN FORREST CITY PARAPROFESSIONAL HELPS STUDENTS BUILD READING SKILLS

Sharon Pierce is on the front line of Arkansas’s push to help students overcome dyslexia.

“They’ve got to read to get along in life,” she said.

“You have to have those skills to become a successful adult.”

The Forrest City School District Paraprofessional has been helping teachers for 26 years, and for the last 3 she’s also been responsible for helping students with dyslexia learn to read at Stewart Elementary.

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“I take them out of the class into my room where I have my supplies set up, the program, and work with them for 30 minutes doing the reading program,” she said. “I really love it. I’d almost like to do that all day, but then I would miss helping teachers.”

Pierce was born in Mariana, about 20 miles to the south, but she’s lived in Forrest City since she was two years old. She worked in retail, but left to raise two boys. When they became school age she wanted to be involved in their education.

ESP PROFILE SHARON PIERCE

“I became a parent volunteer,” she said.

“I would go into the classes when they would have birthday parties, what have you. We would take stuff in to help the teachers with that, and I really liked it.”

The volunteer work led to substitute teaching and AEA membership.

When a teacher told Pierce about the association, she joined on the spot.

“I’ve actually got more years in NEA than I do under contract,” she said. “I’ve never had to use it, but I’ve felt like I have an insurance policy if I needed it. You never know when a situation might come up.”

With 87% of the school’s 521 students living in poverty, Pierce says some students can be tough to reach, and often act out.

“They don’t want to be at school, and they want to make it miserable on everybody around them,” she said. “It’s hard to get to those kids, but you just have to keep trying. You don’t know what is going on at home... I try to talk to them about making better choices. Sometimes they listen, and if they don’t you just try again.”

She applies the same strategy while working to overcome dyslexia and is impressed by how much the children improve with the extra attention.

“You have a student that comes to you and can’t distinguish sounds and at the end of that program at the end of that year, they’re able to sound out words,” she said. “It feels like you’ve done that. You’ve helped them do that. You’ve brought it out of them. It’s a great feeling, I mean that’s what we’re there for. If we’re not helping the kids, what are we doing?”

“I’ve never had to use it, but I’ve felt like I have an insurance policy if I needed it. You never know when a situation might come up.”

- Sharon Pierce On the security the NEA provides

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE:

CORONAVIRUS FORCES SPECIAL SESSION, SOCIALLY DISTANT FISCAL SESSION

Photos by Brian Chilson, courtesy of the Arkansas Times 18

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SPECIAL SESSION On March 24, as the number of positive COVID-19 cases and claims for unemployment mounted, Governor Hutchinson called the General Assembly into a three-day Special Legislative Session to address a $353 million shortfall in the current fiscal year which ends June 30, 2020. This shortfall was due to the loss of state revenues as well as the delaying of the state individual tax filing deadline from April 15 to July 15 which the Governor announced in March to align with a previously announced delay in federal tax filing.

The Special Session began on March 26. The coronavirus outbreak had closed the State Capitol building to the public for weeks. The House and Senate practiced social distancing protocols. To accomplish these, House members met in the Jack T. Stephens sports arena at the University of Arkansas Little Rock campus and the Senate met in the Capitol with Senators spread out across their chamber and sitting in the gallery where the public usually observes the Senate’s activities. Lawmakers quickly advanced identical versions of legislation (HB1001 and SB2) which: • Set up a transfer of $173M in the General Revenue Allotment Reserve fund to a special COVID-19 Rainy Day Fund to address needs created by the COVID-19 crisis.

• Created a panel of legislative leaders to oversee expenditure requests from this new COVID-19 Rainy Day Fund.

Just after 1 am on Saturday, March 28, Governor Hutchinson signed the legislation into law ending the Special Session. Days later, three lawmakers tested positive for COVID-19.

FISCAL SESSION Lawmakers returned to Little Rock on April 8 to begin the constitutionally required Fiscal Legislative Session.

The number of Arkansans testing positive and dying from COVID-19 continued to increase, as did the number of unemployment claims which were expected to top 150,000 by week’s end. In the days prior to the session, Governor Hutchinson announced that the state’s revenue forecast would be adjusted down by $200M due to the anticipated loss of revenues as the state grapples with the coronavirus outbreak.

The Capitol remained closed to the public throughout the session, and lawmakers continued to observe social distancing protocols. During the legislative committee meetings as well as floor sessions, lawmakers donned masks and sat 6 feet apart as they carried out their business.

The primary purpose of the Fiscal Session is to debate and approve a state budget for the following

fiscal year. The Fiscal Session which typically lasts around 30 days, was conducted in an abbreviated manner, wrapping up after just 8 days on April 16 as COVID-19 positive cases topped 1,600 in the state.

The budget lawmakers passed will be used to appropriate funds to operate state government—including public education. Fortunately, most state funding for public education is constitutionally protected. This means most of the cuts will occur in other parts of the state budget.

At the opening of the session, Governor Asa Hutchinson took to the floor of the state Senate to give a brief State of the State Address. During his remarks, he noted lawmakers would need to significantly scale back the state’s budget to allow for essential state services to still be provided despite the loss of revenue.

Importantly, the Governor noted that the state would maintain the commitment to funding public education. He added that nothing

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The largest beneficiaries of using the funds include the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the University of Arkansas at Monticello, Arkansas State University-Jonesboro and the University of Arkansas-Pulaski Tech College.

beats face to face instruction but said technology can help educators to continue to connect with students.

He also acknowledged there is a need to improve our broadband connectivity across Arkansas.

The Governor also recognized the contributions education support professionals, such as child nutrition workers and school bus drivers are making to ensure meals are still being prepared and delivered to students across Arkansas.

The Revenue Stabilization Act (Senate Bill 83 and an identical House Bill 1096) known as the RSA, is the bill that contains the appropriations for state for fiscal year 2021. The bill also serves as a mechanism by which lawmakers set up funding priorities using various categories: A, A1, B, C and D, with category “A” being the highest funding priority. Items in category D are currently unfunded. The bill also provides for the recommended educational adequacy funding increase of 1.48%.

Fiscal Year 2021 appropriations for K-12 The RSA allocates $2.23 billion to the public school fund and receives $2.22 billion in categories A, A1, B and C. Category D is unfunded and that includes $11.5 million of the public school fund.

Fiscal Year 2021 appropriations for Higher Ed The RSA allocates $755.1 million and provides $717.5 million in funding for public institutions of higher education in categories A, B and C. Higher education funding in the unfunded category D includes $37.7 million.

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The committee also gave permission to tap the rainy-day fund for $1.5 million more by June 30, 2021 if necessary. Altogether, the Governor requested $2.54 million from the restricted reserve fund and $2.4 million from the rainy-day fund.

Lawmakers returned April 24th for sine die adjournment.

The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville was allotted $122.8 million, including $116.7 million in categories A, B and C. It also includes an appropriation of $6.1 million, but that amount is in the unfunded category D. During the session, the Joint Budget Committee approved Gov. Hutchinson’s requests to tap the rainy-day and restricted reserve funds for $3.4 million for 18 public higher-education institutions that lost state funds in fiscal 2020 because of budget cuts and the productivity funding model. The formula rewards higher education institutions based on graduation rates.

House Speaker Matthew Shepherd, R-El Dorado, said that law, adopted by the Arkansas legislature in 2017, isn’t drafted well and Hutchinson’s requests to use the funds represent “a compromise” to keep the higher education incentive funding model and help colleges and universities that lost revenue under the productivity funding model.

LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP ELECTED In addition to approving the budget, legislators also held elections for the leadership of their respective chambers. Rep. Matthew Shepard, R, El Dorado was unopposed in his bid for a second term as Speaker of the House and in a surprise result, Sen. Jimmy Hickey, R, Texarkana defeated Sen. Bart Hester, R, Cave Springs to succeed Senator Jim Hendren as President Pro Tempore. Both men will begin their two-year terms in January 2021. AEA looks forward to working with both legislative leaders as our attention turns to the General Legislative Session which will convene in 2021.

As always, AEA leadership and staff stayed in contact with legislators and state officials while monitoring legislative activities, reviewing education-related budget bills and continuously representing our members throughout the 2020 Fiscal Session.

KINDERGARTEN TEACHER

SURPRISES

STUDENTS

OBSERVING SOCIAL DISTANCING

As students, parents, and educators navigate the unprecedented situation brought on by the Coronavirus outbreak, unsung heroes are doing amazing things in their communities.

Educators are stepping up to serve children and we want to hear from you!

bit.ly/AEAstory After Renada Burt’s kindergarten students shifted to AMI, she wanted to make sure they knew she missed them and was thinking of them.

“The teachers are trying hard to figure out ways to make connections in addition to teaching,” she said. “The relationships suffer because of the distance, so we’re having to get creative to keep those going.”

“No one signed up to be a homeschool parent this year but they’re having to do it so I’m proud of all of them, the students and the parents,” she said. “I want parents to know we are 100% there for them and I don’t know one teacher who is not ready to do whatever it takes to make sure their kids are thriving under this uncertainty.”

Tell AEA how you are navigating the school closures at: bit.ly/AEAstory

She found a local print shop to produce yard signs that say “Mrs. Burt is Proud of Me,” and then delivered them with her husband (after checking with parents first) to surprise the kids.

“She’s a jewel and genuinely interested in our children’s growth,” one of those parents said. “This was so sweet, and she does a really great job in making sure the students understand their lesson. She has even done Facebook live sessions throughout this time.”

Mrs. Burt said it’s been hard knowing her students aren’t getting the same opportunity to grow as a class in person, but they are using online resources to work together.

It’s a learning experience for everyone involved.

“I have a grandparent who is stepping in to watch one of my students while their mom is at work, and so she’s having to learn all this new technology, getting on Zoom and Facebook for the first time,” she said. “So everyone is learning now and it’s great we at least have that option.”

Mrs. Burt also said the signs are meant to support parents too, because she knows they’re working really hard at home to be the bridge between teachers and students.

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FROM THE DESK OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

TRACEY-ANN NELSON

THE CENSUS: MONEY AND POWER The word census may not immediately make you think about money and power, but I assure you, that is what the US Census is about.

Every 10 years, every person who lives in America has the opportunity to shape how

our country’s resources are distributed. This is a chance to make literally everyone in Arkansas count.

An accurate census count of our state’s diverse community brings critical funding and resources to our schools and communities. The federal government uses this data to distribute more than $1.5 trillion in funding for schools, hospitals, roads and other vital public services across the nation. The census helps determine how much money your school receives to reduce class size, help students with special needs and provide food for students in need. Every person who is counted brings thousands of dollars to our state and local communities each year.

Being counted in the census is also essential to political power in America. These counts are used to determine how many representatives Arkansas will send to Washington DC, and how many votes your community gets in the state legislature. These legislative bodies make decisions with a direct impact on our everyday lives, including student learning conditions and educator working conditions.

I had the unique opportunity to be appointed to serve on the Census’s Race and Ethnicity Advisory Committee between 2002-2008, serving as chair 2006-2008. That service allowed members of the committee to shape the work of the 2010 Census .It allowed me to have a keen understanding of the work it takes to do the Census, and the long-term impact the data has on communities, states, cities, and people.

The data determines much of how businesses deliberate their location and investment, the access people have to jobs and opportunity, the level of community access to healthcare and education resources. All of those things impact money and power.

Unfortunately, millions of people fail to participate in each census. English language learners, people with less stable housing, college students and even gated communities are just some of the hard to count groups of people, and when the census misses an Arkansan, our voice is diminished.

As educators you are uniquely positioned to help ensure an accurate count for our state. You are a trusted member of our community, and you have a direct connection with students and their families. If we don’t help, some of our children or their families might miss this opportunity to be counted.

Please join the AEA and NEA in our effort to raise awareness about the importance of this once in a decade opportunity. You can find more information about how you can help ensure your community is counted at NEA.org/census.

I hope you will join me in making sure your students’ families participate in the census and celebrate the importance of community.

Let’s make sure everyone counts. Be sure to share your census outreach work on social media including @ArkEducation, @NEAToday, #WeCount and #2020Census in your social media posts.

For our students,

Tracey-Ann Nelson AEA Executive Director

EDUCATOR This is YOUR magazine – Let us know what you would like to see.

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REWIND:

Project ACE Campaign Wins Educator Pay Increase

In January 1991, thousands of public school educators and supporters rallied on the Capitol steps in Little Rock to call on lawmakers to support public schools with a substantial investment.

The rally was part of a larger effort to influence state policy called Project ACE, or Adequate Compensation for Education.

AEA members planned the strategy and worked to build support among education partners to call on lawmakers to do something positive for education.

Then Governor Bill Clinton, a parade of state legislators, education partners and presidents from other state associations spoke to a cheering crowd of 2,000 in support of better education funding.

Just days after the rally, the Arkansas general assembly passed an education funding package to provide for $4,400 pay raises for teachers on average over two years.

AEA President Sid Johnson said, “This victory was achieved due to the tremendous efforts of AEA members across the state with the support of a coalition [of public education partners].” “This marks an historic milestone in the annals of Arkansas education.”

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