A resolution, recognizing and saluting members of local boards of education by proclaiming the month of January 2025 as Arkansas School Board Member Recognition Month is presented for review by the State Board of Education. 

Dr. Phong Tran, Southern Region Superintendent for Friendship Education Foundation and Superintendent for the Marvell-Elaine School District is the first educator to complete the Provisional Professional Administrator License through an alternative route. 

The elementary school seeks State Board of Education approval to waive Standard 1-A.5 which states, "Each public school district shall comply with the laws of the State of Arkansas and the rules of the Division regarding class size and teaching load." 

At its regularly-scheduled meeting on November 7, 2024, the State Board of Education requested the PLSB recommendation for Case 24-166, Abigail Jones, be moved from the consent agenda to the next available action agenda.  Today's hearing was scheduled, and Abigail Jones's attorney was notified of the hearing date.

Arkansas State Board of Education Operating Procedures state, "Before the end of the calendar year, the Board will adopt meeting dates for the following calendar year." The dates included on the attachment labeled Possible 2025 SBE Meeting Dates continue the 2024 pattern of meeting on the second Thursday of every month and are included to assist the board in its discussion and determination of the 2025 calendar.

Ark. Code Ann. § 6-17-309 requires local school districts to secure a waiver when classrooms are staffed with unlicensed teachers for longer than 60 days. 

In compliance with the provisions of A.C.A. § 6-20-2201 et seq., the Annual Statistical Report of the Public Schools for Arkansas, Open Enrollment Charter Schools, and Education Service Cooperatives, 2023-2024 Actual and 2024-2025 Budgeted, (ASR) is considered for adoption by the State Board of Education.

DESE is required to submit the Annual Statistical Report to the state board, Governor, and House and Senate Education committees by February 15 each year.  The report contains information on revenues, expenditures and fund balances for each traditional school district, open-enrollment charter, and education service cooperative in 2023-24, as well as budgeted amounts for 2024-25.  Additionally, data such as millage, assessment, total debt, per pupil expenditures, licensed FTE’s, and licensed classroom FTE’s are included.  These reports are pulled from the statewide eFinance system.  There are summary pages for all traditional school districts (p. 2), open-enrollment charters (p. 253), and education service cooperatives (p. 237).  The report also contains rankings by selected items such as per pupil expenditures, average daily attendance, average daily membership, and average classroom teacher salary.

There is an Excel version of the data that is published on the DESE website at the same time as the PDF version is published.

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 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 1 year followed by a Probation of License for 2 years and assess a $500.00 fine. Require Educator to complete the following coursework/readings: ERC23004: Code of Ethics Part One: Professional Relationships (.5 Credit Hour), ERC23007: Code of Ethics Part Four: Professional Responsibilities (1  Credit Hour),  ERC23010: Code of Ethics Part Seven: An Educator’s Influence (1 Credit Hour), Title: The New Art and Science of Teaching: More Than Fifty New Instructional Strategies for Students Success (152p) Author: Robert J. Marzano ISBN-13: 978-1943874965, and Title: You’ve Gotta Connect: Building Relationships that Lead to Engaged Students, Productive Classrooms, and Higher Achievement (280 Pages) Author: James Alan Sturtevant ISBN-10: 1629500046. Require educator to submit a written reflection on each training/book regarding how the training will impact her interactions with students in the future. Quarterly reports during probation from the educator’s supervisor regarding the educator’s interactions with students.  (All costs paid by Educator Stanley)

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 7. An educator maintains the confidentiality of information about students and colleagues obtained in the course of the educator's professional services that is protected under state law or regulations, federal law or regulations, or the written policies of the educator's school district, unless disclosure serves a professional purpose as allowed or required by law or regulations. The Professional Licensure Standards Board requests the State Board of Education order a Probation of License for 2 years and assess a $250.00 fine. Require Educator to complete the following coursework/readings: Code of Ethics Training by PLSB Staff, Title: Teaching with Love & Logic: Taking Control of the Classroom Author: Jim Fay ISBN-10: 1942105231, Title: The 85% Solution: How Personal Accountability Guarantees Success -- No Nonsense No Excuses (256p) Author: Linda Galindo ISBN 13: 9780470500163, and Title: The Power Paradox: How We Gain and Lose Influence (208p) Author: Dacher Keltner ISBN 10:143110292. Require educator to submit a written reflection on each training/book regarding how the educator will improve his interactions with students in the future. Quarterly reports from the educator’s supervisor regarding the educator’s progress on professional practices as well as interaction with students. (All costs paid by Educator Bice)

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 Written Reprimand and assess a $100.00 fine. Require Educator to complete the following coursework/readings: Code of Ethics training by PLSB Staff and LAG17029 Success Favors Well-Prepared Adults: Unpacking your Personality Package (1 Credit Hour). Require educator to submit a written reflection on each training/book regarding how the educator will improve her interactions with students in the future. (All costs paid by Educator Jackson)

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 3. An educator honestly fulfills reporting obligations associated with professional practices. The Professional Licensure Standards Board requests the State Board of Education order a Probation of License for 2 years and assess a $500.00 fine. Require Educator to complete the following coursework/readings: Code of Ethics Training Provided by the PLSB (1.5 Hours), Title: Classroom Management for Elementary Teachers: 15 Strategies to Manage Challenging Behaviors and Create a Responsive Classroom Author: Freya Fan ISBN-13:979-8461993252, Title: I Notice: A Step-by-Step Guide to Transform Student Potential Through Building Intentional Relationships Author: Claire E. Hallinan ISBN-10: 1733035613 ISBN-13: 978-1733035613, HWB17118 Act 1236 of 2011: Child Maltreatment (2017) (2 Credit Hours), Title: The 85% Solution: How Personal Accountability Guarantees Success -- No Nonsense, No Excuses (256p) Author: Linda Galindo ISBN 10: ISBN 13: 9780470500163, and SPC17010 Foundations in Special Education: Roles and Responsibilities (1 Credit Hour). Require educator to provide written reflections on how each training/book will impact the educator’s future interactions with students and supervision of paraprofessionals due to the PLSB for approval by February 1, 2025. While on probation, educator’s supervisor shall provide quarterly reports on the educator’s interactions with students, classroom management, and supervision of paraprofessionals. (All costs paid by Educator Pfleger)

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, and/or possessing items prohibited by law, or b) possessing or using tobacco or tobacco-related products, e-cigarettes, e-liquid, or vapor products, or c) abusing/misusing prescription medications or other authorized substances as evidenced by impairment. The Professional Licensure Standards Board requests the State Board of Education order a Suspension of License for 2 years followed by a Probation of License for 2 years and assess a $500.00 fine. Require Educator to complete the following coursework/readings: Code of Ethics Training Provided by the PLSB (1.5 Hours), Title: The Power Paradox: How We Gain and Lose Influence (208p) Author: Dacher Keltner ISBN 10: 0143110292, and Title: The 85% Solution: How Personal Accountability Guarantees Success -- No Nonsense, No Excuses (256p) Author: Linda Galindo ISBN 10: ISBN 13: 9780470500163. Require Educator to prepare written reflections on each training/book regarding how the educator will improve her interactions with students in the future. A letter stating the educator is fit for the classroom submitted by a licensed healthcare professional 30 days prior to the end of suspension for suspension removal. Quarterly updates of the educator’s recovery throughout the suspension and probation. Quarterly reports while on probation from the educator’s supervisor regarding the educator’s progress on professional practices. (All costs paid by Educator Smartt)

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 Permanent Revocation of License and assess a $500.00 fine. (All costs paid by Educator Self)

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 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 Probation of License for 2 years and assess a $250.00 fine. Require Educator to complete the following coursework/readings: Code of Ethics Training by PLSB Staff, Title: Flipping the Switch: Unleash the Power of Personal Accountability Using the QBQ! (144 p) Author: John G. Miller ISBN 10: 0399152334, and Title: The 85% Solution: How Personal Accountability Guarantees Success -- No Nonsense, No Excuses (256p) Author: Linda Galindo ISBN 13: 9780470500163. Require educator to provide written reflections on each training/book on how they will impact the educator’s future interactions with students. Due to the PLSB for approval within 90 days of the State Board Order. Quarterly reports from the educator's educational supervisor indicating how the educator’s interactions and communication with students is progressing. (All costs paid by Educator Lawson)

The State Board of Education requested an update on the Blytheville School District from the interim superintendent.

At its meeting on November 7, 2024, the State Board approved the recommendation to place KIPP Delta in Accredited-Probation status under the standards listed below: