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Immigrant drivers license bill halted in committee
A bill to clarify and expand driver’s license eligibility for noncitizens failed in the House Public Transportation committee Thursday despite having bipartisan support. Arkansas law currently permits certain noncitizens to obtain drivers licenses. House Bill 1429 would have extended that to additional noncitizens who provide documentation of their identity, Arkansas residency, taxpayer status through an […]
Crowd rallies outside Capitol in support of public education
As the mother of a mostly non-verbal, autistic four-year-old, Special Sanders said she wants to be her son’s advocate. He begins kindergarten in the fall, so she’s paid close attention to the governor’s proposed education plan, Arkansas LEARNS. “Much has been said about the so-called parent empowerment that Arkansas LEARNS offers, but I’ve never seen […]
Committee tables legislation to increase funding for classified employee pay
The Senate Education Committee tabled a bill Wednesday that would increase per-student foundation funding in order to support a raise for public school districts’ classified employees. Senate Minority Leader Sen. Greg Leding (D-Fayetteville) is the lead sponsor of Senate Bill 149, which would increase per-student foundation funding amounts from $7,349 to $8,195 for the 2023-2024 […]
Panel dismisses testing requirement for private schools receiving public funds
The House Education Committee rejected a bill on Tuesday that would have required private schools receiving state funds to administer an annual statewide assessment test. A standardized exam mandate would allow parents to compare “apples to apples” when considering their child’s academic progress in public schools versus private, House Bill 1204 sponsor Jim Wooten (R-Beebe) […]
Bill requiring paid maternity leave from employers that cover abortion costs heads to Senate
The Arkansas House on Monday approved legislation requiring companies that cover expenses for employees who seek out-of-state abortions to also provide 12 weeks of paid maternity leave. Eleven states have passed paid family leave laws, according to the Center for American Progress. After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, some national […]
Rural districts concerned about voucher program accountability, school closures
Bryan Pruitt knows well how being in the right school can spark a love of learning. Nothing generated his interest as a middle school student in Ozark, so he transferred to nearby County Line High School where an agriculture program changed his life. “When I was at County Line, I could not get enough of […]
Arkansas governor creates group focused on workforce development
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders established the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet and the Chief Workforce Officer through executive order Thursday. Mike Rogers, senior director of Maintenance and Refrigeration for Tyson Foods, will serve as CWO. Rogers has taught agriculture and industrial maintenance at Siloam Springs High School for 20 years and was the Energy Manager for the […]
Governor shares details of education overhaul proposal
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Wednesday unveiled some details of her long-awaited education overhaul plan, which includes raising the minimum teacher salary to $50,000 and rolling out a new school voucher program that will eventually be available to all Arkansans. During a press conference inside the Capitol, Sanders said providing every child with access to […]
Panel approves removing limit on transfer cap for pre-k alum
(This story was updated Feb. 8, 2023 to reflect passage of the bill by the House.) The Arkansas House of Representatives passed on Wednesday a bill that will remove a cap on school choice transfers when a student has attended pre-K in a nonresident school district. Sponsored by Rep. Julie Mayberry (R-Hensley), House Bill 1185 […]
UAMS researchers test app designed to prevent opioid use relapse
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences researchers have developed an award-winning smartphone app designed to decrease opioid cravings and optimize medication-assisted treatment for people with opioid use disorder. Supported by a $2.8 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the research team is testing the effectiveness of OptiMAT (Optimizing Medication Assisted Treatment) among […]
Teachers, students voice support for AP African American Studies course
If C.C. Smith had had access to an African American history class as a kid, the self-described history nut said he “would’ve ate it up.” Smith said he learned much from his father, “an expert on the Delta” and professor emeritus at Arkansas State University where he was the school’s first African American faculty member. […]
Higher education free expression bill halted in committee
After an hour of debate among Senate Education Committee members on Wednesday, Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Jonesboro) pulled down a bill he said was designed to protect free expression on college campuses. “The intent of the bill is to allow students to be expressive and we’re seeing a lot of bills now that seek to restrict […]