Executive Viewpoint Dr. Mike Hernandez, AAEA Executive Director
AAEA Adequacy Testimony The Joint Education Committee submits a report to the entire Legislature in November every two years. This report studies how districts are receiving and spending education dollars across the state. This data, along with future needs, helps determine the future funding allotments and continuation or termination of current programs. We are in the middle of that process in which we assist the state in answering the question, “What does an adequate education in 2022 and beyond look like?” The AAEA Legislative Committee, along with AAEA staff, worked diligently to construct testimony that was provided to the Joint Education Committee. This testimony and recommendations are items that AAEA believes cover the needs of districts in Arkansas, but we acknowledge that this is not an exhaustive list. Some highlights of the testimony are below, and might be helpful in your conversations with your local legislators. It is also an opportunity for you to give local context and identify needs that the AAEA information may not cover. The Adequacy Testimony in its entirety can be found here. •
In the final Lakeview mandate released by the Supreme Court in 2007, the Court concluded, “constitutional compliance in the field of education is an ongoing task requiring constant study, review, and adjustment.” AAEA supports additional study on education issues facing public schools that were not part of the discussion in the original development of the funding Matrix, such as school safety, including mental health services in schools, and learning loss recovery resulting from the extended pandemic.
•
It is crucial that funding be added to the Matrix components that currently are funded considerably less than actual school expenditures. For example, the most recent BLR report on K-12 expenditures shows districts spending $915 per student on Maintenance & Operations. The Matrix provides only $706. By fully funding this line item, districts will not have to divert money from other Matrix items for Maintenance & Operations. This need is even more critical due to the increase in the state minimum hourly wage, the need to raise classified salaries to meet the labor shortage facing schools in many parts of the state, and the ever-rising inflation we are experiencing. Quite a number of hourly essential school employees are paid from the Maintenance and Operations budget. In addition, labor demands have caused an increase in the cost of substitutes when comparing actual costs to what the Matrix provides.
•
Teaching talent matters when it comes to improving student achievement. Teacher salaries need to be raised to address the current teacher shortage by attracting the best and brightest to the profession. AAEA applauds Governor Hutchinson’s initiatives in this area and the Legislature’s passage of the Educator Compensation Reform Program (Act 877 of 2019) and the Teacher Salary Equalization Fund (Act 679 of 2021). These initiatives help recruit and retain quality classroom teachers. Funds need to be added to the Matrix funding model and to the additional salary funds to provide an ongoing funding source to sustain these teacher salary initiatives.
•
The Facilities Partnership Program should be adequately funded. State partnership dollars are capped at $200 per sq. ft. This is way too low and does not accurately reflect today’s construction costs. Investing in school facilities meets the needs of students and schools and is Continued on Next Page
3
