Transcript Slide 1

Arkansas Association of Curriculum and Supervision
Development Legislative Review
Act 71 – Cell Phones &
Communication Devices
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District may establish written student discipline
policy and exemptions concerning possession
and
use by a student of a personal electronic device
• on school property
• school related events
• extracurricular activities
• instructional purposes
• Limit time/location
Act 146 – Interstate Compact
National program to help active military children to
seamlessly complete their education including:
1. Timely enrollment
2. Student placement
3. Eligibility for enrollment, educational programs,
participation in extracurricular, etc
4. On-time graduation
5. Uniform collection of information from state to
state
Act 234 – Amends Arkansas
Academic Challenge Scholarship
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Beginning 2013-2014
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Four-Year Institutions:
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Freshman - $2,000
• Sophomore - $3,000
• Junior - $4,000
• Senior - $5,000
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Two-Year Institutions - $2,000
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Emergency Clause
Act 328 – Foreign Language
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Schools may offer American Sign Language as
a foreign language credit
Act 330 – Electronic Transcripts
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Electronic transcripts shall be used K-12 as
developed by ADE
Higher Ed shall use electronic transcripts as the
only method of accepting a transcript from an
Arkansas public school
Act 413 Nontraditional Teachers
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Accelerated Teaching Program Includes:
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Teach for America Program
• Arkansas Teacher Corps Program offered by the
University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
• Others approved by ADE
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Allows a method of obtaining a teaching license
without traditional methods
Act 421 – Allow Waiver for
Embedding Curriculum
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State Board may grant waiver to district for
combining or embedding curriculum from 2
separate courses into 1 combined course
Only applies in grades 5 through 12
Act 454 – Amend Educator
Licensure
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Makes it easier to obtain a license from out of
state if applicant has 3 years teaching experience
• Non-traditional applicants are issued a 3 year
nonrenewable license
– Must complete 24 hour training in pedagogy
– Summative evaluation each year
– Score proficient of above on evaluation
– Recommended for full licensure by Superintendent
Act 455 – Amend Background
Checks for Educators
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Background check must be completed to renew
license
No longer paid by ADE
Adds additional prohibited violations which would
exclude license such as domestic battery,
promoting prostitution, stalking, etc.
May receive waiver when prior to receiving
license vs. waiting until you have a job offer
Act 459 – Master School Principal
Program
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Defines "high-need public school”
Principals completing the master principal
program are eligible for $25,000 salary increase
for taking a principal's job in a "high-need public
school"
Act 484 – Safe School Initiative
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District shall provide annual training for all
employees and students to extent practicable in
preventing and responding to acts of violence,
terrorism, and natural disaster
– Tornado safety drills (4 to 3)
– Emergency plans for terrorist attacks
– Active shooter drills and school safety assessments
Act 511 – Amend Free Textbook
Act
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Repeals ADE from making a list of "approved"
textbooks
Provider shall not charge Arkansas schools a
price that exceeds the lowest contracted price
currently bid in another state
Must sell products at same price for every school
in Arkansas
Must submit prices to ADE
District shall select "an instructional materials"
selection committee
Act 576 – Require a Period of
Silence
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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
Act 599 – Band, Music, and Visual
Arts Credit
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A student enrolled in grade 7 or 8 shall participate
in:
– Visual arts instruction, appreciation, and application;
OR
– Performing arts instruction, appreciation, and
application
Act 601 – Districts of Innovation
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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.
Act 601, continued
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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
Act 601, continued
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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
Act 601, continued
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Instructional time may include:
– on-site instruction
– distance or virtual learning
– work-based learning on nontraditional school days or
hours
Act 625 – Establish AP Training &
Incentive Program
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Establishes the Advanced Placement Training
and Incentive Program
• Sets goals of increasing number of students
participating in AP and increase the number of 3,
4, and 5 on AP exam
• District may fully participate in the program or
they may participate on a limited basis
• Districts shall pay a participation and service fee
established by June 1 each year
Act 696 – Rating System for
Schools
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Effective 2014-2015
• Schools and School Districts will be rated on an
A-F grading system
Act 709 – Amends TESS
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Categories to domains
"Evaluator" - licensed as administrator and is an
employee of the school district
Gives additional information and options for
tested and non-tested areas
Uses district created external assessment
measures including formative assessments
Act 969 – Professional
Development
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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
Act 969, continued
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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
Act 969, continued
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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
Act 1073 – ADE Clean Up
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Defines a week as Sunday
through Saturday
Annual school performance
report to be posted on district
website as well as published
the local newspaper
Act 1081 – Repeals High-Stakes
Testing
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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
Act 1108 – Arts-Infused
Curriculum
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ADE administered grant program
5 year pilot program to implement an artsenriched curriculum, training, and research at 15
schools
Principal and 85% of the teachers must agree to
participate
Act 1108, continued
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5 schools shall begin three year training in 20142015 school year
1st year training is 7 days
2nd year training is 5 days
3rd year training is 4 days
Report submitted to House and Senate Ed
Committees by September 1, 2020
Act 1227 – School Choice
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Districts shall participate unless exempted by
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
Act 1227, continued
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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
Act 1227, continued
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District notifies parent by August 1 if student :
– Rejected - reason for rejection
– Accepted - deadline when student shall enroll or
acceptance is null; renewal procedures
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3% of a district's ADM maximum limit for choice
less transfers
Siblings shall only count as 1 for the 3%
calculation
Act 1227, continued
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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
Act 1280 – Digital Learning
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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
Act 1280 – Cont.
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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
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All digital learning courses shall be made
available in a blended learning, onlinebased, or other technology-based format
tailored to meet the needs of each
participating student
Act 1285 – College & Career
Coaches
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Establishes College and Career Coaches
Program
• Administered by the Department of Career
Education in partnership with ADE and ADHE
• Enabling legislation - no funding
Act 1294 -- Dyslexia
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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
Act 1294, continued
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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
Act 1322 – Student Absences
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Changes the excused/unexcused absences to
what the law was prior to 2011
Instead of excessive absences policy must now
state unexcused absences
Act 1326 – Whole Child
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Establishes a Whole Child - Whole Community
Recognition Working Group
Group will consider indicators for educators,
parent, and community in each of the following 5
tenets
1. Each student enters school healthy and learns about
and practices a healthy lifestyle
2. Each student learns in an environment that is
physically and emotionally safe for students and
adults.
Act 1326, continued
3. Each student is actively engaged in learning and is
connected to the school and broader community.
4. Each student has access to personalized learning and
is supported by qualified, caring adults.
5. Each student is intellectually stimulated and prepared
for success in college or further study and for
employment and participation in a global environment.
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Report submitted by November 1, 2014 to the
House and Senate Education Committee
Act 1473 – Arts-infused
Curriculum
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NSLA funds may be used to implement schoolwide evidence-based program intended to close
achievement gaps with an arts-infused curriculum
Act 1423 – Parental Involvement
Plans
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Calls for placement of
parent-friendly summary
of parental involvement
plan in student handbook
Act 1429 – School Recognition &
Reward Program
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$100 per student – If school is in top 10% of all
public schools in AR in combined student
performance, student academic growth, and, for
a secondary school, graduation rate.
$50 per student – 11-20% range
Shall begin after 2012-2013 state-mandated
assessments
Act 1467 – NSLA Discussion
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Distribution method should change
Be revised to align more directly with student
achievement
Differentiate between free and reduced
Only use funds for evidence-based programs
directed at improving student achievement
Prioritize allowable uses of funds
BLR report that funding has not achieved desired
results
Act 1467 – NSLA Discussion
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House and Senate Education Committee in
conjunction with BLR and ADE
Shall conduct a study and make following
recommendations:
– List of evidence-based program
– New distribution formula that takes into account a
sliding scale and additional weight for free kids vs.
reduced kids
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For consideration 2014 Fiscal Session