2022 Virtual Legislative Conference Highlights

LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY FISCAL

VICTORIES ONGOING

Educator Health Insurance

Facing the $75 million shortfall, AEA continued to fight for stabilized funding for health insurance and followed through on our challenge. A package of bills was passed to not only stabilize - but expand coverage for our educators. This involved working with legislators on both sides of the isle to garner support for the 8 bills. There was only 1 nay vote on the entire package from Senator Trent Garner, who is not seeking reelection.

Privatization Efforts

AEA battled efforts to increase funding for the SUCCEED scholarship, a state funded voucher program that funnels public school funds directly to private schools. The bill was defeated in committee, however Commissioner Key ended up doubling the funding with Federal funds earmarked for learning loss.

Honesty In Education

AEA opposed the effort by Senator Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro to defund PBS/AETN. He attempted to cut funding for Arkansas PBS’ operations by about 25% in fiscal year 2023. After Sullivan’s failed attempts, the full funding proceeded.

Increased Funding

AEA continues to advocate for more funding. This year it is set to increase by $69.6 million, or 3%, to $2.32 billion in fiscal 2023, the general revenue allocation would also increase by $28.5 million for the educational facilities partnership program to $70.3 million. These increases align with the recommendations from the House and Senate education committees.

Adequacy

The Adequacy Study statute requires the House and Senate Education Committees to evaluate the entire spectrum of public education to determine whether students receive equal opportunity for an adequate education. This involves research and presentations by the Bureau of Legislative Research on every aspect of funding and spending by the State on behalf of public schools. Arkansas has used a formula (the matrix) to arrive at the per-student funding amount in the past. • February: the committees reviewed state-level and district-level funding and spending. • April: committee members reviewed teacher recruitment, retention, and salaries and well as professional development and facilities. • May: The committees will review educational programs and waivers. • June: The committees will review student achievement and achievement gaps. • The final report on the study is due

November 1.

WATCH OUT FOR:

ELECTIONS

Primaries are coming up and it is vital to have allies in office who will support public education. Please register and vote in your primary. If you have any questions do not hesitate to call

Emily Rockwell 501-707-4207 ATRS

During the fiscal session, Senator Irvin held an Education Committee hearing with fellow from the University of Arkansas College of School Reform. They discussed doing away with our retirement system and moving toward 401K. This privatization would greatly hurt the livelihoods of our educators and further push people from the profession.

The AEA has provided testimony to the committees outlined here:

I. ADEQUACY OVERALL

a. Our State falls short of the charge to provide quality education to every child in Arkansas and this needs to be addressed. b. The matrix for funding needs to be equitable across the board. The current model is causing disparity in Arkansas communities that have been asking for support for years, yet nothing has been done. c. There is vast inequity in the way our schools receive and spend funds. The BLR has presented qualitative and quantitative data to illustrate that our education funding model is inadequate on its face. d. While some schools have supplemental funding, evidence has shown that schools with the most need often are schools in areas where the uniform tax rate is much lower than others.

This is not an equitable manner of funding schools. e. Arkansas has not kept pace with real costs. This has created a drag on the funding, and a failure to meet the needs of

Arkansas students. The bigger picture is that the Matrix does not address how to raise adequate funding on a resource-needs basis. f. Funding amounts should follow the consumer price index.

This allows for districts to avoid shortfalls due to rising costs not covered in the matrix. The funding has not increased with inflation, as this is not in statute and left up to the committee to mitigate rising costs. Categorical programs should grow annually at least by the rate of inflation plus an additional one percentage point. The statewide base per pupil funding for

K-12 public education shall grow annually at a rate set by the general assembly that is at least equal to the rate of inflation.

II. PRE-K AND ESP FUNDING

a Improving student to teacher ratios, additional instructional supports, early childhood programs, and more competitive teacher compensation (permitting schools and districts to recruit and retain a higher quality teacher workforce). These resources matter to all students, but some more than others in certain contexts. Educational resources benefit students, and there is little to no evidence that one can gain stronger outcomes without these resources. b. Arkansas should provide funding to empower our State to lead the country once again in Pre-K education. Every 4-year-old in Arkansan should have access to a high-quality, public Pre-K program. c. The Matrix should provide for support personnel to be added to schools to provide resources based on equity of need, not equality- as schools are not identical in need. d. Education support staff such as school bus drivers, cafeteria workers, janitors, secretaries, and others play an integral role in ensuring a well-run, safe, and supportive learning environment.

As such, these education support professionals deserve to have their pay significantly increased.

III. PRIVATIZATION HURTS OUR STUDENTS

a. Any efforts to divert public funds to private schools through vouchers or scholarship programs goes against the objective to provide a quality public education for every Arkansas child. b. If the needs of any student are not being met at our public schools, or our schools are not able to provide an opportunity to learn for every child, this only speaks to the need for increasing foundation funding on a resource-needs basis. c. Voucher or scholarship programs have no accountability. While public school employees struggle to provide modifications, services, and reporting for special needs students, the same scrutiny is not given to voucher-funded schools. In its seven years, we have seen no evidence that these vouchers or scholarships are improving student outcomes. This is due to there being no legal or administrative reporting requirement for services. d. Parents are asked to surrender their child’s rights to have their needs met to even apply for the scholarship, yet the tuition being paid comes from public and federal funds. e. Private schools are taking the per pupil funding that public schools need and have no duty or promise to accommodate any special or medical needs. f. Charter schools are being afforded additional funding for new, renovated, or updated facilities while our public schools are falling apart.

IV. COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

a. For children of color and children from low-income families, healthcare and education are inextricably linked, and much like education, healthcare is underfunded. b. Malnutrition, environmental hazards, limited access to preventive care and mental health professionals all contribute to underlying health conditions in children and families. This has been proven to directly affect academic performance and cognitive development. c. The pandemic is claiming lives and livelihoods and decimating the well-being of our region’s most vulnerable children. This has solidified the connection between access to healthcare and positive education outcomes. d. School closures during the pandemic have severely limited students’ ability to learn due to a lack of access to broadband and devices. e. Given the renewed challenges facing students, addressing health and education issues involves developing and implementing a whole child approach to education that includes services provided by Community Schools

V. MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

a. High-quality, safe pre-K programs ensure children develop essential learning and social skills that are vital to cognitive development. b. Now more than ever, students and families need access to mental health resources as communities continue to grapple with change, loss, and trauma.