The Arkansas State Board of Education recognizes and salutes the members of local boards of education by proclaiming the month of January 2022, as Arkansas School Board Member Recognition Month.

Mr. John "Skipper" Ward, Superintendent of Magnolia School District, was presented with the 2022
Arkansas Superintendent of the Year Award. Dr. Mike Hernandez, Executive Director, for the Arkansas Association
of Educational Administrators (AAEA), along with former Superintendents of the Year, surprised Mr. Ward, presenting him with the award at a board meeting in the Magnolia School District on September 13. 

The U.S. Secretary of Education recognized 325 schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2021. The recognition is based on a school's overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.

The coveted National Blue Ribbon Schools award affirms the hard work of educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content. Now in its 39th year, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed approximately 10,000 awards to more than 9,000 schools.

The Education Department recognizes all schools in one of two performance categories, based on all student scores, student subgroup scores, and graduation rates:
·         Exemplary High Performing Schools - These are among their state's highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests.
·         Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools - These are among their state's highest performing in closing achievement gaps between a school's student groups and all students.

Up to 420 schools may be nominated each year. The Department invites National Blue Ribbon School nominations from the top education officials in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and the Bureau of Indian Education. Private schools are nominated by the Council for American Private Education (CAPE).

Exemplary High Performing Schools
·         Park Magnet School
Principal: Sarah Oatsvall
County: Garland
District: Hot Springs
Superintendent: Stephanie Nehus
 
·         Carolyn Lewis Elementary School
Principal: Stacy Defoor
County: Faulkner
District: Conway
Superintendent: Jeff Collum 
 
Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools
·         Hugh Goodwin Elementary School
Principal: Jesica Collins
County: Union
District: El Dorado
Superintendent: Jim Tucker

·         Portland Elementary School
Principal: Cristal West
County: Ashley
District: Hamburg
Superintendent: Tracy Streeter
 

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. 

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  school 32 districts for a total of 93 waivers. There were also requests for long-term substitutes from 33 school districts requesting a total of 60 waivers for long-term substitutes. These requests have been reviewed, were either approved or denied by Department staff, and are consistent with program guidelines.

Per Act 648 of 1993, Ark. Code Annotated § 6-16-120, Community Service Learning community-based organizations may apply to their local school board for approval to work with school districts as a community service site provider. These site applications are presented to the State Board of Education (SBE) for approval twice a year, July/August and December/January. The attached 29 sites have sent in application for SBE approval.
 

The members of the Arkansas State Board of Education are requested to review the following:
Commercial Bond Applications -3 Second Lien and 2 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.

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 requests the State Board of Education order a Level 4 Public Notification of Ethics Violation and non-issuance; assess a $500 fine. (All costs paid by Educator Isom)
 

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 requests the State Board of Education order a Probation of License for 1 year by the State Board of Education; assess a $200 fine; required to complete through the ArkansasIDEAS online portal Code of Ethics for Arkansas Educators: Ethical Scenarios in Education (2020) Credit Hours: 1; Written reflections; Review AAA policies and procedures and provide written reflection as to how the educator will insure compliance with those regulations in the future to minimize negative student impact. (All costs paid by Educator Williams)
 

Consideration of the Recommendation of the Professional Licensure Standards Board for Case 22-034 Timothy Moore
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 Suspension of License for 6 months by the State Board of Education, assess a $300 fine; required to complete through the ArkansasIDEAS online portal ERC20059: Professional Licensure Standards Board Code of Ethics for Arkansas Educators: Ethical Scenarios in Education (2020), Title: The Power Paradox: How We Gain and Lose Influence (208p) Author: Dacher Keltner; ISBN 10: 0143110292; ISBN 13: 978-0143110293; Title: Cybertraps for Educators 2.0; Author: Frederick S. Lane;
ISBN-13: 979-8684352362; Written Reflections; (All costs paid by Educator Moore)
 

Pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. § 6-15-103 (Act 1240 of 2015), a traditional public school district may petition the State Board for waivers granted to an open-enrollment public charter school.  
 

The Fayetteville School District requests a waiver of teaching load for grades 5-12 for several of its schools.  The District requests this waiver for three years.

The 15 school districts contained within the Southeast Arkansas Educational Service Cooperative request waivers of Teacher Licensure and Library Media Specialist Licensure.  The Districts request these waivers for five years.  DESE supports these waivers for a period of three years only.