teachers
Arkansas panel approves proposed ban on school employees using transgender individuals’ pronouns
A proposed law that would require school employees in Arkansas to address students and other employees by their given names and pronouns passed the House Education Committee on Thursday and will be heard by the full House. House Bill 1468 is meant to shield teachers and other school employees at all levels of public education […]
The ‘education governor’ and the threat to public schools
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ two inauguration day speeches and slew of executive orders she issued contained a lot of references to GOP red-meat issues: from an alleged “crime wave plaguing our cities” to supposedly creeping big government from Washington. I’m going to focus on the big one: so-called education reform. To reform something is to […]
Our new governor must invest in education
Arkansas just made history with the election of Sarah Huckabee Sanders as our first female governor. Her success in her role as governor will depend heavily upon her investment in education. K-12 education issues were a top concern for voters, and her actions on these will be pivotal for our students, families, communities, and the […]
Bentonville school board election garners attention of national conservative group
In a Bentonville School Board election with a dozen candidates seeking five positions, Jennifer Faddis stands out: she’s the only incumbent running. The seven-member board restructured itself last year, creating two at-large positions and five geographic zones. Previously, all seven members represented specific areas. The at-large members are not up for re-election. Faddis joined the […]
Lawmakers authorize nearly $19 million in school relief funds in final review
An Arkansas Legislative Council subcommittee approved the appropriation of $18.8 million in federal relief funds to 12 school districts Monday. This is the panel’s ninth and final round of review of school districts’ spending plans since July, when the council strongly recommended that schools use American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund […]
Arkansas legislative panel approves $64 million in school relief funds
An Arkansas Legislative Council subcommittee authorized the disbursal of $64.4 million in federal relief funds to 25 school districts Thursday. This is the panel’s eighth round of review of school districts’ spending plans since July, when the council strongly recommended that schools use American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund money to […]
U.S. education secretary urges boost in teacher pay, touts college debt relief
WASHINGTON — Amid K-12 teacher shortages, book bans and attacks over critical race theory, U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona at a meeting with reporters on Wednesday stressed the need for higher salaries to attract prospective educators to the profession. Cardona also touted the Biden administration’s recent student debt relief announcement in late August. The White […]
Lawmakers approve $188 million in relief funds for schools in third review round
An Arkansas Legislative Council subcommittee approved the disbursal of $188 million in federal relief funds to 44 school districts Thursday. This was the third round of plans reviewed by lawmakers. Today’s authorization by the Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review panel is part of the council’s continued efforts to review districts’ use of American Rescue Plan […]
School safety panel proposes hardening schools, improving mental health response
The Arkansas School Safety Commission adopted a dozen recommendations Tuesday aimed at hardening schools against intrusion and making sure staff and teachers are trained to respond not only to physical threats but also to students in mental distress. Commissioners voted to recommend that school campuses “should always have armed personnel when staff and students are […]
Arkansas income tax rate changes explained
The Arkansas General Assembly last week convened in special session primarily to enact tax relief. The law, which easily passed the House and Senate, was billed by proponents as relief for taxpayers in a time of high inflation. Several also referenced the $1.6 billion surplus the state ended with in fiscal 2022. Opponents argued that […]
To prevent shootings, teachers need to be armed with information, not guns
By Matthew T. Mangino Schools do not need more resource officers, armed guards or for that matter armed teachers. Schools need to become adept at gathering information, sharing intelligence and, most importantly, making sense of what they learn. In Uvalde, Texas, we’ve learned far too well that good guys — many good guys — with […]