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2013 Legislative Session

2013 Legislative Session. Dr. Richard Abernathy, AAEA Executive Director Mr. Mike Mertens, Asst. Executive Director. Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators. Act 71 – Cell Phones & Communication Devices.

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2013 Legislative Session

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  1. 2013 Legislative Session • Dr. Richard Abernathy, AAEA Executive Director • Mr. Mike Mertens, Asst. Executive Director Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  2. Act 71 – Cell Phones & Communication Devices • District may establish written student discipline policy and exemptions concerning possession anduse by a student of a personal electronic device • on school property • school related events • extracurricular activities • instructional purposes • Limit time/location Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  3. Act 128 – Reporting Course Offerings • Repeals requirement for district to mail home letter of district's obligation to offer certain classes Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  4. Act 228 – Simplify Accessibility of Data on Website • Easily accessible • Home page under a direct link titled "State-Required Information” • Data required from two previous years and projected budget for current year • Subdivide the information by categories Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  5. Act 231 – Tuberculosis Screening • Repeals tuberculosis screening for school employees and registered volunteers Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  6. Act 234 – Amends Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship • Beginning 2013-2014 • Four-Year Institutions: • Freshman - $2,000 • Sophomore - $3,000 • Junior - $4,000 • Senior - $5,000 • Two-Year Institutions - $2,000 • Emergency Clause Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  7. Act 328 – Foreign Language • Schools may offer American Sign Language as a foreign language credit Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  8. Act 411 – Exempt Items Under FOIA • Exempts personal contact information of school employees from Freedom of Information • Home and Mobile Phone Numbers • Personal Email Addresses • Home Address Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  9. Act 414 – Ensuring Adequate School Nurses • Listed job description and duties of school nurses • Creates Public School Health Services Advisory Committee of 19 Members • Study to determine: • Best practices • Who is providing services • Which students are not being served • Existing nursing facilities Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  10. Act 414, continued • Cost of providing on-campus services • Nurse related duties and non-health care duties • Advisory committee shall develop guidelines including: • number of nurses needed • salary • job requirements, etc. • Submit report to Joint Adequacy Committee by September 1, 2014 Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  11. Act 444 – Veteran Preference • School district shall provide a veterans preference in interviewing and hiring if: • Indicates on application that he/she is veteran, disabled veteran, or surviving spouse of veteran who is unmarried at the time of hiring • Is a citizen and resident of this state • Meets substantially equal qualifications of other applicants Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  12. Act 517 – Health Insurance • January 1, 2014 district rate will go from $131 to $150 per employee participating in the program • Shall increase annually by the same percentage the foundation amount is increased • Side note - State contributes $390 per budgeted position for state employeesAct 1443 would have helped fund school employee health insurance (Not Funded), but this session did not solve dramatic increases facing school employees Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  13. Act 559 – Requirements for Meeting of Board of Directors • Meeting called when petitioned to do so in writing by 50 qualified electors after verified • Contains printed names and address of each qualified elector • State purpose of meeting Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  14. Act 559, continued • At least five days prior to board meeting, superintendent shall notify board president of all written requests to be placed on agenda along with a recommendation concerning each request • Shall not place item on agenda if prejudices the board concerning student or personnel matters or conflicts with district policy Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  15. Act 576 – Require a Period of Silence • Public school shall observe a one (1) minute period of silence at the beginning of the day • Student may reflect, pray, or engage in a silent activity • Teacher or school employee in charge of classroom shall ensure that all students remain silent and do not interfere with or distract another student during the period of silence Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  16. Act 585 – Council of Postsecondary Education • Council shall consist of twelve (12) members • Unified strategy to: • Reduce remediation rate by 50% in 2020 • Increase postsecondary graduation rates • June 30, 2014 • Written plan to reduce remediation and postsecondary graduation rates • Provide plan to committee on education, school boards, higher education institutions Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  17. Act 585, continued • Transitional Courses • High school shall provide one (1) or more transitional courses to students who do not meet college and career standards • Course based on college and career standards • May be composed of digital modules • Higher Ed shall exempt placement exam for first time entering freshman who meet criteria • High school shall award the same credit for a full mathematics transitional course as it does for a fourth-year mathematics course Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  18. Act 599 – Band, Music, and Visual Arts Credit • A student enrolled in grade 7 or 8 shall participate in: • Visual arts instruction, appreciation, and application; OR • Performing arts instruction, appreciation, and application Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  19. Act 601 – Districts of Innovation • Allows schools to obtain from the Commissioner necessary exceptions from laws, rules, and local policies to improve the educational performance of students • Establish a School Council of Innovation made up of parents, student, employees, etc. Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  20. Act 601, continued • School council of innovation creates plan and eligible employees vote on plan • Must have 60% approval • Plan is approved by local board • Plan is sent to Commissioner for approval • Plan is approved for four (4) years Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  21. Act 601, continued • Plan will address goals and targets which may include: • Reducing achievement gap • Increasing student participation in curriculum • Expanding students' college and career readiness • Exploring innovative teaching and learning • Transforming a school's culture Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  22. Act 601, continued • Instructional time may include: • on-site instruction • distance or virtual learning • work-based learning on nontraditional school days or hours Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  23. Act 696 – Rating System for Schools • Effective 2014-2015 • Schools and School Districts will be rated on an A-F grading system Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  24. Act 969 – Professional Development • Amends professional development laws to place certain required PD on rotating schedule • Eliminates Lottery Training • ADE shall establish the curriculum for the rotating PD requirements • 2 hours total but may have additional hours if needed • Technology may be required by ADE and integrated Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  25. Act 969, continued • 2013-2014 - Mandated Reporter • 2014-2015 - Parental Involvement • 2015-2016 - Teen Suicide Awareness and Prevention • 2016-2017 - Arkansas History • Required to have this training prior to becoming licensed • Not the responsibility of the district Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  26. Act 969, continued • Before receiving a building level administrator's licenses the person must complete the teacher evaluation program • May complete the assessment before/after obtaining initial building level administrator's license Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  27. Act 1016 – CPR Instruction • Beginning 2014-2015 • Students in grades 9-12 shall be trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation before student graduates • Not a certification program • Shall follow standards established by the American Heart Association • Including instruction and use of automated external defibrillators Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  28. Act 1039 – Disclosure of Employment Information • Authorizes school districts, officers, agents, and employees to disclose employment information with or without the written consent of a current or former employee, including: • Last written performance evaluation • Drug/alcohol test results • Violence, harassment in the workplace • Reasons for separation • Eligibility for rehire Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  29. Act 1081 – Repeals High-Stakes Testing • Replaces high-stakes end-of-course assessments for Algebra I and English II with the next-generation assessments • Remedial activities and instruction shall not be in lieu of English, mathematics, science, history, or other courses required for graduation Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  30. Act 1099 – Prohibition of E-cigarettes • E-cigarette - electronic oral device that provides a vapor of nicotine and simulates smoking • Prohibited in/on personal property including school busses • Fine: Not less than $10 nor more than $100 • As tobacco, copy of statute is to be posted Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  31. Act 1120 – Board Review of Salary Increases • Applies when an employee receives a salary increase of 5% or more for substantially the same job function • Board shall review and approve by written resolution an increase for a school employee • Resolution shall include reasons for salary increase Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  32. Act 1120, continued • Resolution may include: • Bonus • Incentive bonus such as: National Board, Speech Path, teacher recruitment/retention in high-priority districts, master principal, or another specific provision of law. • Moving to another position with substantially different job functions Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  33. Act 1120, continued • District shall provide certified copy of resolution to auditor who conducts the annual financial audit • Audit will note noncompliance and shall provide a copy of the audit report to ADE • October 1 - ADE shall compile a list of noncompliance and report to House and Senate Education Committee Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  34. Act 1159 – Child Care Facility’s Floor Plan • Floor Plan • Schematic Drawings including configuration of rooms and physical features • Locations where children spend time • Escape routes approved by local fire dept • Average daily attendance • Emergency contact information of at least 2 people Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  35. Act 1159, continued • A school district MAY file floor plan with emergency management coordinator • A child care facility licensed by the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education of DHS SHALL file by January 1, 2014 Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  36. Act 1227 – School Choice • Districts shall participate unless file an exemption with ADE for enforceable desegregation order • Board shall adopt resolution with standards for acceptance which: • may include capacity of a program, class, grade level, or school building. • shall include priority will be given for siblings • shall not include applicant's academic, athletic, English prof. or previous discipline Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  37. Act 1227, continued • School superintendent shall cause public announcement over broadcast media and either print media or the Internet • Parent submit application to nonresident district with copy to resident district • Form approved by ADE • Postmarked no later than June 1 Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  38. Act 1227, continued • District notifies parent by August 1 if student : • Rejected - reason for rejection • Accepted - deadline when student shall enroll or acceptance is null; renewal procedures • 3% of a district's ADM maximum limit for choice less transfers • Siblings shall only count as 1 for the 3% calculation Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  39. Act 1227, continued • ADE shall report by June 1 to each district the net maximum school choice transfers for the current year • Parents may appeal district decision to State Board Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  40. Act 1278 – Educational Trust Fund • Amends the Educational Excellence Trust Fund law to include: • incremental pay increases for experience and advanced hours or degrees within the definition of "salary increase" Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  41. Act 1280 – Digital Learning • 2013-14 - Each district in the pilot program shall offer at least one digital learning class • 2014-15 - Entering 9th grade students must have at least one digital learning class to graduate Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  42. Act 1280, continued • Beginning in the 14-15 year, all school districts shall provide at least one digital course to their students as either a primary or supplementary method of instruction • All digital learning courses shall be made available in a blended learning, online-based, or other technology-based format tailored to meet the needs of each participating student

  43. Act 1294 -- Dyslexia • Required screening and intervention • Shall screen students in grade K-2 using Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) • If DIBELS screens indicates a student has markers for dyslexia then student is referred to Response to Intervention (RTI) • If RTI committee concurs, student shall be evaluated for dyslexia Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  44. Act 1294, continued • If dyslexia evaluation confirms, student shall be provided therapeutic services • Therapeutic services may be provided by tutor who is highly qualified and trained interventionist • List instructional approaches • ADE shall hire a dyslexia specialist by 2015 • ADE shall ensure at least 1 staff member at each co-op is trained as a dyslexia specialist Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  45. Act 1322 – Student Absences • Changes the excused/unexcused absences to what the law was prior to 2011 • Instead of excessive absences policy must now state unexcused absences Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  46. Act 1329 – Student Discipline • ADE shall report to SBE and to all school districts: • Disciplinary rate for each discipline measure for each racial subgroup • Rate of disciplinary disparity for each discipline measure • List of discipline-related strategies, alternatives, and resources • Identification of districts that make progress reducing disciplinary rate and rate of disciplinary disparity • By July 1 of each year beginning in 2014 Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  47. Act 1358 – Athletic Report • Eliminates the mandated athletic report that had been due on September 15 of each year • Athletic expenditures will still be coded in APSCN • Indirect cost such as insurance, utilities, maintenance, etc. will not be pro-rated • No special athletic audit Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  48. Act 1440 – Academic Study of Bible • Allows elective academicstudy of Bible and its influence on literature, art, music, culture, and politics • District may offer such class upon approval of course curriculum by ADE Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  49. Act 1443 – D F & A Appropriation • Includes additional appropriation of $10,000,000 to EBD for school employee health insurance benefits • This Act was not funded Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

  50. Act 1479 – College Remediation • ADE and ADHE shall jointly study issues concerning testing and remediation of entering college freshmen • Develop method to allocate cost of remediation to public schools, institutions of higher education, and entering freshmen • Report due November 1, 2013 to Joint House and Senate Education Committee Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

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