April 8, 2021 at 10:00 AM - State Board of Education

Description:  April of each year is recognized by the United States Department of Defense and by state governments as Month of the Military Child. The Arkansas State Board of Education annually adopts a resolution recognizing Month of the Military Child and honoring the children of military families.

Description:  "The United States Senate Youth Program was created by Senate resolution 324 in 1962 in order ‘to increase young Americans’ understanding of the interrelationships of the three branches of government, learn the caliber and responsibilities of federally elected and appointed officials, and emphasize the vital importance of democratic decision making not only for America but for people around the world."

Presented for recognition of their achievement are:
Anna Dean -  Senior
Bentonville West High School
Centerton, AR

Jax Nalley - Senior
Har-Ber High School
Springdale, AR
 

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 - 4 Second Lien and 4 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 9 school districts for a total of 10 waivers. There were also requests for long-term substitutes from 36 school districts requesting a total of  72 waivers for long-term substitutes. These requests have been reviewed, were either approved or denied by Department staff, and are consistent with program guidelines. 
 

Description:  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 4. An educator entrusted with public funds and property, including school sponsored activity funds, honors that trust with honest, responsible stewardship. The Professional Licensure Standards Board requests the State Board of Education order a 1 year suspension; assess a fine of $400; required to complete through the ArkansasIDEAS online portal ERC20059: Professional Licensure Standards Board Code of Ethics for Arkansas Educators: Ethical Scenarios in Education (2020) Credit Hours: 1; Title: Cybertraps for Educators 2.0 Author: Frederick S. Lane ISBN-13: 979-864352362; Written reflections on how the educator will utilize trainings to ensure proper use of school property and the impact on student supervision in the future. (All costs paid by Educator Anglin).
 

Description:  Educator Jeffrey Osborn has executed and submitted a consent to surrender teaching license. The Professional Licensure Standards Board request the State Board accept the consent to surrender and permanently revoke Jeffrey Osborn’s teaching license.
 

Description:  Description: Ms. Gant was employed as a teacher under an ACT 1240 waiver. Ms. Gant has appealed her ethics hearing recommendation and requested a State Board review pursuant to 16.02 of the Rules Governing the Code of Ethics for Arkansas Educators. Ms. Gant is represented by attorney Mr. James Valley.
 

Description:  The Mountain Pine School District is requesting a waiver of two of the required 178 student-teacher interaction days due to a power outage in the community during the snow storm.  The school is planning to add thirty minutes to the end of the school day for twenty-four days to make up the missed instructional time. The waiver is requested for the 2020-2021 school year.
 

Description:  The Gravette School District is requesting a waiver of library media specialist ratio and time requirements in the middle and high schools so that the specialists can provide additional support and remediation to ninth grade students who have failed a course due to unsuccessful virtual learning.  The waiver is requested for three (3) years.

Description:  The Barton School District is requesting a waiver extension of class size and teaching load for high school seminar courses, library media specialist ratio for K-12, daily planning period for K-12, school start date and teacher licensure for K-12.  The waiver extension is requested for five (5) years.  

Description:  The Watson Chapel School District is requesting an extension of the waiver for teacher licensure for K-12.  The waiver extension is requested for five (5) years.