June 11, 2020 at 10:00 AM - State Board of Education

Description:  The applicant data from this information is used to compile the Applicant Flow Chart forms for the Affirmative Action Report, which demonstrates the composition of applicants through the selecting, hiring, promoting and terminating process.  The information is needed to measure the effectiveness of the agency's recruitment, hiring and promotion efforts and is in conformity with federal government guidelines, which require the agency to compile statistical information about applicants for employment. 

Description:  The members of the Arkansas
State Board of Education are requested to review the following:
Commercial Bond Applications – 1 Second Lien and 1 Voted
With the recommendation to approve all applications from the Loan Committee and additional information provided by the school district in its application package and:
Pursuant to Arkansas Code Annotated § 6-20-1205 concerning school district bonds, a school district shall not sell bonds until the issue is approved by the State Board of Education.  Therefore, the State Board of Education, in its discretion and after considering the merits of each application with the loan committee recommendation, may approve a school district bond application for the full amount of the proposed bond issue, approve the application for a lesser amount than requested, or disapprove the application.

Description:  Arkansas Code Annotated §6-17-309 requires local school districts to secure a waiver when classrooms are staffed with unlicensed teachers for longer than 30 days. Requests were received from 2 school districts covering a total of 2 waivers. There were also requests for long-term substitutes from 10 school districts, educational service cooperatives, and behavioral facilities requesting a total of 13  waivers for long-term substitutes. These requests have been reviewed, were either approved or denied by Division staff, and are consistent with program guidelines. 

Description:  Violation of Standard 1.  An educator maintains a professional relationship with each student, both in and outside the classroom. Violation of Standard 2. An educator maintains competence regarding his or her professional practice, inclusive of professional and ethical behavior, skills, knowledge, dispositions, and responsibilities relating to his or her organizational position. The Professional Licensure Standards Board Ethics Subcommittee recommends that the State Board order a One-Year Probation; assess a $200.00 fine to be paid within ninety (90) days of the State Board Final Order; required to complete through the ArkansasIDEAS online portal ERC19048: Professional Licensure Standards Board (PLSB): The Code of Ethics Training Video (2018); Title: Addressing Appropriate and Inappropriate Teacher-Student Relationships: A Secondary Education Professional Development Model; Author: Ernest J. Zarra, III, Kern High School District; Publication: CLEARvoz Journal Vol. 3, No. 2 (2016); Length: 15 Pages; Title: Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning – Classroom Practices for Student Success, Grades K-12 (2nd Edition) (280 p.); Author: Shell Education, Sharroky Hollie; ISBN-10: 1425817319; ISBN-13: 978-1425817312; Title: Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research, and Practice (384 p.); Author: Geneva Gay; ISBN-10: 0807758760; ISBN-13: 978-0807758762.  Educator will provide a written reflection indicating how the standards will impact his professional practices. To be completed within ninety (90) days of the State Board Final Order. (All costs paid by Educator Thrash.)

Description:  Violation of Standard 1.  An educator maintains a professional relationship with each student, both in and outside the classroom. Violation of Standard 2. An educator maintains competence regarding his or her professional practice, inclusive of professional and ethical behavior, skills, knowledge, dispositions, and responsibilities relating to his or her organizational position. The Professional Licensure Standards Board Ethics Subcommittee recommends that the State Board order a Permanent Revocation of License or Non-Renewal by State Board of Education; assess a $500.00 fine to be paid within ninety (90) days of the State Board Final Order 

Description:  Violation of Standard 1.  An educator maintains a professional relationship with each student, both in and outside the classroom. Violation of Standard 2. An educator maintains competence regarding his or her professional practice, inclusive of professional and ethical behavior, skills, knowledge, dispositions, and responsibilities relating to his or her organizational position. Violation of Standard 8. An educator, while on school premises or at school sponsored activities involving students, refrains from: (a) using, possessing, and/or being under the influence of alcohol or unauthorized drugs/substances, possessing items prohibited by law; (b) possessing or using tobacco or tobacco-related products, e-cigarettes, e-liquid, or vapor products.; (c) abusing/misusing prescription medications or other authorized substances as evidenced by impairment.  The Professional Licensure Standards Board Ethics Subcommittee recommends that the State Board order a Two-Year Probation; assess a $250.00 fine to be paid within ninety (90) days of the State Board Final Order; required to complete through the ArkansasIDEAS online portal ERC19048: Professional Licensure Standards Board (PLSB): The Code of Ethics Training Video (2018); Educator will continue with AA meetings and provide quarterly reflections to PLSB on progress through AA. Provide quarterly progress reports to PLSB from AA sponsor. Provide Alcohol Assessment to PLSB from licensed mental health care provider prior to returning to the classroom. Educator will provide a written reflection quarterly to PLSB to show how educator’s progress will impact her future behavior. To be completed within ninety (90) days of the State Board Final Order. (All costs paid by Educator Emerson).

Description:  The Arkansas Department of Education received information that educator’s license was revoked in the State of Missouri. Ark. Code Ann. § 6-17-410 authorizes the Board to revoke, suspend, or place on probation an educator’s license for “cause’. Ark. Code Ann. § 6-17-410 provides that “cause” is defined as having a license revoked in another state. The Department is recommending that Mr. Barrow’s license be revoked.

Description:  The ADE Rules Governing the Succeed Scholarship Program require the parent of a student receiving a Succeed Scholarship who wishes to enroll the student in another private school from the list of eligible private schools, to request approval from the State Board of Education. The Harter family requests approval to transfer their scholarship from Christ Little Rock to Mount St. Mary Academy. 

Description:  In accordance with Arkansas Code § 6-15-403, the State Board of Education has authority to annually declare critical teacher shortage areas. The following areas were determined to be shortage areas in Arkansas for the 2020-2021 school year based on previously published supply and demand calculations.

Description:  Since September 2014, the licensure tests for Early Childhood Special Education Integrated (Birth-K) have been the Praxis® Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education (5023) and the Praxis® Education of Young Children (5024).Effective July 1, 2020, for the Early Childhood Special Education Integrated (B-K) license, the Department recommends requiring one   licensure test instead of two: remove the Praxis® Education of Young Children (5024) but continue the Praxis® Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education (5023) test with current cut score of 160.

Description:  Educational Testing Service (ETS) has updated its middle school science licensure test. The Praxis® Middle School Science (5440) is currently the test for Middle School Science (4-8) licensure. The updated test is the Praxis® Middle School Science (5442).  For the Middle School Science (4-8) licensure assessment, the Division recommends adopting the Praxis® Middle School Science (5442) with a cut score of 147 replacing the Middle School Science (5440), effective September 1, 2020.

Description:  In May 2020, Educator Licensure rules were revised to include an option for first-time licensure candidates to show proficiency in teaching in a content area if they score within -2 Standard Error of Measurement (SEM) based on the national standard or an approved score by the State Board on the content area assessment. The option includes the need for a DESE approved micro-credential or content area performance assessment.  To provide an option for applicable candidates to show proficiency in teaching in a content area, the Division recommends adopting the Praxis® Performance Assessment for Teachers (PPAT) with a cut score of 38 as a content area performance assessment.

Description:  Geometry (7-12) is an endorsement area added to a standard educator license by testing out. For the licensure test to add Geometry (7-12), the Department recommends adopting the Praxis® Geometry (5163) with a cut score of 139. 

Description:  Under Ark. Code Ann. § 6-17-422 members of the PLSB serve rotating terms, and are appointed by the State Board from nominations made by professional education associations. The following board members have been nominated for a new term. Lynne Gronseth and Dudley Webb III, nominated by the Arkansas State Teachers Association to represent the association and public school classroom teachers. Hosea Born nominated by the Arkansas Education Association. John David Keeling, nominated by the Arkansas Association of Middle Level Administrators to represent the association and middle level building administrators. Dr. Andrea Martin, nominated by the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators to represent the association and district level administrators. The new term will begin July 1, 2020 and end on June 30, 2023.

Description:  On May 19, 2020, representatives of Haas Hall Academy appeared before the Charter Authorizing Panel requesting an amendment to their charter.  By a unanimous vote, the Panel approved the request.  No request for the State Board of Education to review the Panel's decision has been submitted.  The State Board may exercise a right of review and conduct a hearing on the Charter Authorizing Panel's decision at the next State Board meeting.

Description:  According to Arkansas Code Annotated 6-15-103, a school district can petition the State Board of Education for all or some of the waivers granted to an Open Enrollment Public Charter School.  Representatives of the Heber Springs School District are appearing before the Board with a petition of waivers.

Description:  A public comment hearing was held on April 13, 2020 and the public comment period ended on April 20, 2020.  No comments were received.  DESE staff respectfully request that the Board grant final approval for these rules.

Description:  A public comment hearing was held on April 13, 2020 and the public comment period ended on April 20, 2020.  Although comments were received, none resulted in a substantive change to these rules.  DESE staff respectfully request that the Board grant final approval for these rules.

Description:  A public comment hearing was held on April 13, 2020 and the public comment period ended on April 20, 2020.  Although comments were received, none resulted in a substantive change to these rules.  DESE staff respectfully request that the Board grant final approval for these rules.

Description:  These Rules were amended to incorporate changes required by Acts 557, 640, 709, and 1029 of 2019. A public comment hearing was held on February 12, 2020. Public comments were received during the public comment period and non substantive revisions were made. The State Board gave final approval to these rules on April 9, 2020. Additional revisions were made to the Rules, which necessitates a new approval from the Board. DESE staff respectfully requests that the State Board grant final approval of these Rules. 

Description:  Pursuant to the authority granted to the State Board of Education, the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) - Arkansas Better Chance (ABC) respectfully requests approval of the Arkansas Better Chance Program Renewal Grants for the 2020-2021 school year in the total amount of $104,125,626.

Description:  Pursuant to the authority granted to the State Board of Education, the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) - Arkansas Better Chance (ABC) respectfully requests approval of the Arkansas Better Chance Professional Service Grants for the 2020-2021 school year in the total amount of $6,714,342.45.

Description:  The DESE proposes discussion of a process to enable the flexibility LEAs need in order to respond to the COVID-19 emergency, to plan for re-entry to onsite instruction, and to have flexibility to implement blended learning systems. 

Description:  Pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. § 6-13-112 & 6-15-2917, a quarterly status report is provided for each school district currently under state authority

Description:  Pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. § 6-13-112 & 6-15-2917, a quarterly status report is provided for each school district currently under state authority.

Description:  Pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. § 6-13-112 & 6-15-2917, a quarterly status report is provided for each school district currently under state authority

Description:  Pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. § 6-13-112 & 6-15-2917, a quarterly status report is provided for each school district currently under state authority

Description:  On March 10, 2020, the Division began onsite Standards for Accreditation monitoring of the Lee County School District. The Division found the District to be in violation of Standard 1-C.1 for failure to administer the ELPA21 to identified English Learners. It also found the Anna Strong Learning Academy to be in violation of Standard 2-J.2 due to the identification of twelve students as English Learners who were not participating in an approved English support program.  On May 1, 2020, the Division notified the District that it would be recommending to the State Board that the District be classified as being in probationary status (Year 2) and that the Anna Strong Learning Academy be classified as being in cited status.  The District did not appeal the Division’s determination. The Division recommends that this Board classify the Lee County School District as being in probationary status (Year 2) and the Anna Strong Learning Academy in cited status.  Because a corrective action plan has been created to ensure that the District corrects the Standards deficiencies, the Division further recommends that this Board designate the District and Anna Strong Learning Academy as being in Accredited—Corrective Action pursuant to Section 9.03.8 of the Rules Governing the Standards for Accreditation. 

Description:  The Division requests that the Board approve the 2019-2020 Final Standards for Accreditation Status Report for Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts.

Description:  Pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. § 6-13-112 & 6-15-2917, a quarterly status report is provided for each school district currently under state authority.

Description:  The Council’s recommendations include removing the option to waive Gifted and Talented services for charters and districts with charter-like waivers, maintaining funding for Academic Enrichment for Gifted/Talented in Summer (AEGIS) programs, and increasing the award amount to districts that receive the Act 56 Award for Outstanding Gifted Programs.

Description:  The Office of Innovation in Education conducted a case study around Schools of Innovation and the challenges and early impacts in Arkansas. The Executive Summary and Case Study are attached, as well as a list of Arkansas Schools who are designated as a School of Innovation or in the process of designation.