education
Sanders plugs Arkansas LEARNS Act benefits before receptive Jonesboro audience
JONESBORO — Touting her new education overhaul during a town hall meeting in Jonesboro Monday evening, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said she expects Arkansas will soon lead the nation in elementary and high school education. “We’ll see significant changes,” she said to a crowd of about 120 in a small theater inside the Fowler Center […]
Arkansas attorney general rejects LEARNS Act referendum title
This story was updated at 4:25 p.m. Attorney General Tim Griffin on Monday rejected the ballot title submitted by a group pursuing a petition referendum to overturn the LEARNS Act, the expansive education law signed into law by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders in March. The Arkansas Constitution allows citizens to, by petition, order the referendum […]
Arkansas governor touts major accomplishments of first 100 days
With her parents and many Arkansas legislative leaders watching Wednesday afternoon, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders reminded her audience that she “came here to shake things up.” With a spring breeze fluttering the flags behind her, Sanders spoke from a lectern set up outside the front doors of the Governor’s Mansion to mark her first 100 […]
Arkansas Delta school district becomes first to pursue transformation campus under LEARNS Act
The Arkansas State Board of Education voted Thursday to allow the Marvell-Elaine School District to avoid consolidation by becoming the state’s first “transformation campus.” Community members applauded the news, including Republican state Rep. Mark McElroy of Tillar, who started dancing and hugging his neighbors inside the Marvell-Elaine High School gym. McElroy said he was a […]
Arkansas lawmakers conclude work following approval of tax cuts, education legislation
From the state’s first female governor to an overhaul of the state’s education system, the 94th General Assembly brought unprecedented change to Arkansas. After three months of work, lawmakers adjourned Friday and plan to return on May 1 for the official end of the legislative session. “It started with a slow trot and ended with […]
Arkansas Senate panel OKs tweaked bill barring implicit bias training in schools
A state Senate committee on Wednesday approved a new version of the bill that aims to prohibit public schools and colleges from requiring employees to participate in implicit bias training. House Bill 1559 prohibits schools from taking “adverse employment action” against an employee who fails or refuses to participate in implicit bias training. The State […]
House panel dismisses bill that opponents argue would undo state’s computer science progress
Lawmakers rejected a bill concerning career and technical education on Tuesday amid concerns that the legislation eliminated a requirement for students to take a computer science course to graduate high school. Sen. Jim Dotson (R-Bentonville) told the House Education Committee Senate Bill 369 is the result of conversations with constituents regarding workforce education and some […]
Panel approves bill barring mandatory implicit bias training in schools
The House Education committee on Thursday advanced a proposal to prohibit public schools and state-supported higher education institutions from requiring employees to participate in implicit bias training. The State Board of Education also could not require the training for obtaining or renewing an educator license or for professional development. Sponsored by Rep. Mindy McAlindon (R-Centerton), […]
Applications now available for LEARNS Act workgroups
The Arkansas Department of Education issued a Commissioner’s Memo on Tuesday inviting Arkansans to participate in the implementation of the LEARNS Act. Through volunteer workgroups, participants will contribute to the development of rules and policies for the expansive education bill that Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed into law last week. The LEARNS Act takes unprecedented […]
DeSantis, in Iowa, says GOP stance in culture wars will help win elections
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told Iowa Republicans Friday that standing strong in the culture wars around issues like education, criminal justice and health care in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic will help their party win elections. DeSantis, along with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, spoke to more than 600 Iowans at the Iowa State Fairgrounds’ […]
Education secretary discusses LEARNS Act implications with Northwest Arkansas superintendents
Greenland School District superintendent Andrea Martin said she’s “been hungry for information” as the LEARNS Act made its way through the Legislature. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed the expansive education bill into law Wednesday. On Friday, Education Secretary Jacob Oliva traveled to the Northwest Arkansas Education Service Cooperative in Farmington where he met with Martin […]
New legislation prompts requests to delay Marvell-Elaine School District consolidation
Fileshia Powell said she’s been “fighting and praying” to keep the Marvell-Elaine School District open so her daughter, an honor roll student, can graduate from there next May. The rural Phillips County district is scheduled to be consolidated with another district this summer due to low enrollment, and Powell said the process has been tough […]