Education bill amendment filed ahead of House committee meeting

Rep. Keith Brooks (R-Little Rock), the House sponsor of the governor’s education bill, filed a six-page amendment late Friday following bipartisan calls for changes to the legislation.

Senate Bill 294, also called the LEARNS Act, is the result of Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ campaign promise to make sweeping changes to the state’s education system. The legislation covers teacher pay, school safety, vouchers, career readiness, literacy, “indoctrination” and a variety of other topics.

The 144-page bill was made public late last Monday and presented to the Senate Education Committee Wednesday morning.

The six-page amendment includes technical changes, as well as additional language in response to more than five hours of testimony Wednesday by dozens of teachers, students, parents and administrator groups, and questions from lawmakers.

The proposed amendment requires public school district employees’ contracts to include that they have a right to a notice of a recommendation for termination from a superintendent and an opportunity for a hearing before the school board.

This change was a response to concerns about the bill’s repeal of the Teacher Fair Dismissal Act and Rep. Kim Hammer’s (R-Benton) request on Wednesday to include a clause specifying what employment rights teachers have. 

The proposed amendment adds language to clarify that the bill does not prohibit school boards from specifying timelines and processes for providing notice and a hearing opportunity.

Additionally, it states districts are not prohibited from adopting an employee salary schedule. While the LEARNS Act increases the state’s minimum teacher salary to $50,000, critics have questioned its elimination of the state’s mandatory teacher pay schedule meant to reward more experienced teachers.

The proposed amendment also states that audits of the Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program that identify a potential misuse of account funds shall be forwarded to Arkansas Legislative Audit. 

Requests to slow the legislative process and amend the bill as necessary came from both sides of the aisle last week.

Senate Minority Leader Greg Leding (D-Fayetteville) requested that amendments be made in the Senate before being sent to the House. Sponsor Sen. Breanne Davis (R-Russellville) said she preferred that a single, “clean” amendment be made in the House. 

Hammer listed several things he wanted changed during Wednesday’s committee hearing and said he too would prefer changes be made in the Senate, but “in the spirit of cooperation,” he’d vote for the bill and trust Davis’ promise that an amendment would be made in the House.  

After passing committee on a split voice vote Wednesday, the bill landed in the Senate Thursday where more lawmakers, including Sen. Jimmy Hickey (R-Texarkana), spoke in favor of amending the bill in the Senate.

The Senate approved SB 294 by a vote of 25-7, with one senator voting present and two not voting. 

Hickey joined all six Democrats in voting against the bill. Republican Senators Ronald Caldwell (R-Wynne) and Alan Clark (R-Lonsdale) didn’t vote. Sen. Bryan King (R-Green Forest) voted present.

The LEARNS Act will next be heard by the House Education Committee Tuesday. 

Chairman Brian Evans (R-Cabot) told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette committee members won’t debate or take action on the bill until Wednesday after the House adjourns, allowing them a day to think it over before a vote.

The bill could then be voted on by the entire House on Thursday. 

If it passes the House as expected, the bill would have to return to the Senate where the amendment would have to be approved before heading to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.