Executive The session is more than halfway over. I would have liked to say that it is almost over, but we have had some extensions due to redistricting and other matters that will be addressed before the session is completed. As Dr. Mike Hernandez evidenced by the AAEA Executive Director legislation, we have been fortunate so far in this session to increase funding to schools significantly. This new funding will go a long way to helping teachers and staff as they support our most important resource: the students. We have many in the legislature who support public education here in Arkansas, and we appreciate them greatly. These legislators listen and want to ensure that the policies they pass will help make a difference in a student's life. They do not take their votes lightly. Of course, we have some legislators that we do not always agree with, but we have to respect the fact that their local communities elect them to serve based on their views. Some interesting topics have dominated the conversation at the capitol, such as gender, abortion rights, and stand your ground. No matter the constraint, we must always do what is necessary to support all students as they enter school and provide the best education possible. Administrators must remain steadfast in their support of public education, and sharing about public education success is a great way to inform community stakeholders. One of the most hotly debated items this session for school leaders has been school vouchers/scholarships. Vouchers are not a new battle to administrators, but the conversation gets more vociferous each session. Proponents say that money should follow the child, or we should fund students and not systems. Opponents usually say that public funds should not go to private schools or private schools have insufficient
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accountability compared to public schools. The one thing that needs to be made clear is that administrators, without a doubt, support all students. We have a school choice system that allows money to follow the students when they choose to go to another public school. The accountability measures put into place by our state exist only to protect the student and ensure that they receive an adequate and equitable education. Is the system perfect? No, but public schools are striving to make progress every year. One can always measure public schools because the information is there for all the public to see every day, from test scores and letter grades to budgets and discipline data. When we move away from this kind of transparency, the student gets lost. Administrators could live without a steady diet of new laws and requirements, but that makes public education great because the people of Arkansas control it. Public education shouldn't be provided void of regulations and oversight from the state. Our students deserve better. So next time your intentions are questioned about supporting public education, proudly state you support public education for all students. When the session is over, we will compile all the new laws and share them with our members. There will be laws that impact curriculum, training, funding, etc. Implementation of these new policies will undoubtedly take some time and thoughtful consideration. The rulemaking process will allow AAEA and school leaders to engage in supporting the work. I would encourage you to attend the AAEA School Law Conference scheduled for June 2. We will share what happened in the legislature and have attorneys discuss various hot legal topics. It will be a great time to learn about the latest legal issues. The conference will be a hybrid session that you can attend virtually. The only way you can lead a district, department, school, etc., is to stay on top of important issues. This conference will provide that opportunity to stay informed of the legal issues that you will be dealing with over the next few years. AAEA will also provide a Legislative Update and the Annual Tier 1 financial training hosted at the various Coops throughout the summer.
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