Executive Viewpoint

Arkansas LEARNS

Dr. Mike Hernandez, AAEA Executive Director

We are certainly in some challenging times in public education. There are many moving parts and one of the biggest transformations will be through the implementation of the Arkansas LEARNS plan. I hope you will engage in the implementation process. I wanted to share my testimony from the recent House Education Committee meeting. I expect that some version of this will pass in the coming weeks, and we will all need to work together to make sure that this is implemented well for the sakes of our students and staff. Thank you for taking time to read this.

Mr. Chair and members of the House Education Committee, thank you for the opportunity to speak today on SB 294. School administrators want to create a strong working relationship with the Governor, House, and Senate to improve public school education in Arkansas. We want to be your partners throughout this process, not your adversaries. Fundamentally, the academic values of educators align with the concepts proposed in the LEARNS Act, and most importantly, we will do what's best for ALL students. School administrators understand and accept the challenge of implementing the outcome of this legislation. We will be changing many of our instructional practices, curriculum, and intervention programs to ensure students have the necessary skills to perform at or above grade level with the full support of the legislature and the Department of Education. Rather than settling for adequate, we want to strive for excellence, just as you do.

We appreciate the administration being receptive to feedback from AAEA and for allowing some leaders to provide input on the concepts that went into making the Arkansas LEARNS plan. Still, I must acknowledge that only some administrators had the same opportunity to provide feedback before the bill was filed. As with any piece of legislation, it is critical to get the details right. It's been repeatedly stated that this is a "transformational change" in many ways. We agree. We also believe that transformational change should place a very high value on input from those that are working in our schools each and every day.

Administrators have been meeting with one another and with local legislators to discuss items in the bill that warrant modification or clarification. We would rather be proactive than reactive to challenges with successful implementation. We understand many of these items will be addressed in the rule-making process. Others may need amendments or cleanups through additional bills throughout the rest of the session. Our respectful request is that practitioners be included as we move forward. Primary among our concerns are:

• There are changes to the Right to Read Act as part of this bill. We request that rules and implementation guidelines from the state come in a timely fashion so we can support a successful implementation. Additional resources and training may be needed for implementation, and we request that the state be ready to support districts in this effort.

• We appreciate the state's emphasis on increasing teacher salaries. We know public school teachers need to be compensated fairly and deserve every dollar they earn. We would like more information about how these payments will be issued, where the money will come from, and how it will impact teachers already above that amount. Due to our complex way of financial coding and the nuances of school finance, the 80% requirement should be clarified. The state should avoid requiring a salary increase if a district does not qualify for subsequent funding due to technical errors or current-year budget priorities. We need clarity and propose a waiver process in the first year that ensures districts are not unnecessarily impacted negatively.

• Providing an opportunity for Course Choice is a noteworthy item that helps students create more options in their daily schedules. We would like to learn how this will work and confirm that this program only includes a portion of the foundation funding designated for teaching and learning, not district operational costs such as transportation, maintenance, and other unanticipated operational costs.

• Due process for staff was an initial concern due to clarity of how staff would be afforded protections outlined in federal regulations. The recent amendment provides that clarification, and we are thankful for this inclusion.

• Community Service Learning will be an enormous undertaking for districts and students. We support any flexibility in implementing this new requirement and identifying how to ensure that students who have full daily schedules or are unable to do things after school may be excluded from meeting this requirement in its entirety. Also, there are areas of our state that quite honestly do not have the opportunity to provide this option. We request that this be addressed to ensure equity for all students in our state.

• Maternity leave is an area that could become very expensive to districts. We certainly support young mothers having the maximum time available with their children. Still, we want to ensure that the language is very clear on how districts will receive funding from the state and clear recommendations from the state on how districts should mitigate learning implications the extended leave might have on students during the school year.

• The bill language encompassing disqualifying offenses has requirements on districts that may prove challenging to implement with the recommended timelines for reporting. There also needs to be a statewide solution to ensure that districts have access to information promptly, or this may cause unintended consequences for the lack of information being provided to districts.

We sincerely appreciate you considering our ideas, inputs, and concerns on this important legislation. The LEARNS Act is highly ambitious and will take us all working together. It can be seen as a legacy foundation that will positively impact the lives of educators, students, and our communities. A project of this magnitude and vision needs all stakeholders firmly committed to its success. We look forward to working with each of you in the final decision-making process and throughout implementation as we make the necessary changes to our school system in Arkansas. Arkansans must understand that implementing this will be a massive shift, and change is always challenging. Patience and understanding must be on full display as district leaders make the items in the bill a reality. If implemented correctly, many of the provisions of this bill will provide us with the resources to make this transformation happen. However, we will only reach our potential once we all work together for a common cause. We can help you make this vision a reality. Please consider our recommendations and allow us to be part of the decision-making process as we move forward.