Education
Arkansas House committee hears legislation restricting school bathroom use
Thirteen people spoke against an Arkansas bill that would restrict bathroom use in public schools based on gender assigned at birth in the House Education Committee on Thursday. House Bill 1156 singles out transgender and gender-nonconforming youth and forces them to come out at school whether or not they want to do so, several witnesses […]
Democrats file legislation to increase pay for Arkansas teachers, school staff
Arkansas Democrats filed bills on Thursday to raise minimum salaries for teachers to $50,000 a year and for classified staff to $15 an hour. Sponsored by House Minority Leader Rep. Tippi McCullough (D-Little Rock), the Raising Arkansas’s Investment in Schools and Educators (RAISE) Act calls for an immediate $10,000 raise for all full-time teachers. The […]
Arkansas schools would observe Holocaust Education Week if bill becomes law
The Senate Education Committee approved a bill on Wednesday to establish Holocaust Education Week in Arkansas public schools. Sponsored by Sen. Jim Dotson (R-Bentonville), SB68 amends state law that requires Holocaust education to designate the last full week of classes in January as Holocaust Education Week. If approved, the State Board of Education would be […]
Committee approves education bills addressing school choice, GED merit
The House Education Committee approved two bills on Tuesday, including one that would allow a student who resides on a tract of land located in two school districts to choose which district they want to attend. Under current law, if the school district line cuts through a home, where the majority of the house sits […]
A watchdog says the feds aren’t doing enough to investigate problem colleges
WASHINGTON — Incomplete written guidelines and penalties that had not been updated since 2016. Significant turnover and reductions among staff. Changing agency priorities and department probes put “on hold.” Over the past six years, these problems have stifled the U.S. Department of Education’s investigations team that is supposed to probe colleges that misrepresent themselves to […]
Arkansas legislation restricting school restroom use mimics Conway policy
Activists from Conway will speak against a bill before the House Education Committee on Thursday, sharing their experience with the Conway School District’s policy that restricts children’s access to bathrooms and changing areas based on their gender assigned at birth. House Bill 1156, filed Tuesday, would apply to multiple-occupancy restrooms and locker rooms, as well […]
SESSION SNAPSHOT: Culture wars and the first bills of the Arkansas legislative session
Week two of the Arkansas General Assembly has come to an end, and it feels like the session is now actually underway. Thursday had it all: a tense committee hearing on a divisive social issue, a school choice rally, a rally in support of drag performers and action on dozens of bills destined to become […]
Arkansas governor, school choice supporters rally at Capitol
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders reiterated her commitment to an overhaul of education policy during a rally hosted by the Arkansas chapter of Americans for Prosperity on Thursday inside the Capitol. “This is not about school choice,” Sanders said. “This is about parental choice.” Arkansas LEARNS, Sanders’ education plan, aims to improve literacy, increase workforce readiness […]
Arkansas governor issues executive order to streamline education funding programs
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ latest executive order aims to limit government overreach, reduce red tape and improve education, according to a press release issued Thursday. The executive order directs Education Secretary Jacob Oliva to develop a unified system that streamlines all state and federal funding programs from multiple plans and budgets into a single application […]
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders reverses predecessor’s position on mask mandates
The Arkansas governor’s office asserts that it is unconstitutional for public entities to require people to wear masks as a COVID-19 prevention measure, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Wednesday, just over a week after taking office. Sanders’ predecessor, fellow Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson, signed a 2021 law prohibiting state and local governments, including public school […]
UALR researchers develop faith-based racial justice resource guide for congregations
Pastor Billy Burris at St. Peter Missionary Baptist Church in Little Rock believes the church needs to truly be a part of the community. This means providing support to neighbors, being a sounding board and discussing social issues like racial justice, he said. “Racial issues, social issues, the church can’t hide its head in the […]
Oliva selected as new K-12 education commissioner
The State Board of Education unanimously elected Arkansas’ new education secretary as the Arkansas Department of Education’s Division of Elementary and Secondary Education commissioner on Thursday. The board unanimously selected Jacob Oliva following an executive session at its regularly scheduled meeting. “I am honored to receive the board’s approval today, and I look forward to […]