ESP and Classified Public School Employee Fair Hearing Act

HB 1921 by Representatives Barbara Nix, D-Benton, Johnnie Roebuck, D-Arkadelphia, Jim Nickels, D-North Little Rock, and Senators Joyce Elliott, D-Little Rock, and Shane Broadway, D-Bryant provides substantive due process for Education Support Professionals (ESP) and other classified employees. The bill amends the Public School Employee Fair Hearing Act which can be found in the Arkansas Code at 6-17-1701 through 6-17-1705.

The bill could come up for consideration in the House Education Committee as early as Thursday morning, March 12th. AEA members interested in traveling to the Capitol to lobby for the bill may do so from Monday afternoon to Friday morning.

Please contact members of the House Education Committee and urge them to support HB 1921. Committee members are: Bill Abernathy, D-Mena; Monty Betts, D-Searcy; Nancy Blount, D-Marianna; Toni Bradford, D-Pine Bluff; Steven Breedlove, D-Greenwood; Jerry Brown, D-Wynne; Leslie Carnine, R-Rogers; Eddie Cheatham, D-Crossett; David Cook, D-Williford; Robert Dale, R-Dover; Jody Dickinson, D-Newport; Dan Greenberg, R-Bryant; Donna Hutchinson, R-Bella Vista; Mark Martin, R-Prairie Grove; Mark Perry, D-Jacksonville; David Rainey, D-Dumas; Rick Saunders, D-Hot Springs; Tim Summers, R-Bentonville; Linda Tyler, D-Conway; and Charolette Wagner, D-Manila.

You may contact your representatives online. Go to www.capwiz.com/nea/ar/state/main/?state=AR&view=myofficials

ARKids First Bill Passes House Committee
HB1700, the ARKids First Improvement Act, received a "do pass" from the House Committee on Insurance and Commerce. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Robert Moore, D-Arkansas City, would raise income eligibility for the ARKids First program to 250 percent of the federal poverty line, making 8,000 more children eligible.

Bill Filed to Amend Teacher Professional Development Credit Requirements
HB 1999, sponsored by Rep. Andrea Lea, R-Russellville, would make changes to the current teacher professional development requirements. The bill states that certified personnel may earn up to 18 hours of online professional development credit as approved by the Department of Education. It also states that if a teacher or a teacher's immediate family experiences catastrophic illness that prevents the teacher from obtaining required professional development hours, the teacher may make these hours up during the remaining school year or the following school year.

HB2012 Requires Driver Education Courses to Be Offered
HB 2012, sponsored by Rep. Richard Carroll, G-North Little Rock, would require school districts to offer one approved course in driver education each year for all students ages 15-17 years. The bill provides for fee waivers of up to $400 per student. Each school district would be reimbursed for these fees by a newly created Public School Driver Education Fund.

HB1959 Amends Requirements for End-of-Course Assessments
HB 1959, sponsored by Rep. Bill Abernathy, D-Mena, makes several amendments to the requirements for public school end-of-course assessments, such as:

• Requiring the assessment to test the requisite knowledge and skills of students.
  -Including Algebra I and English II high-stakes assessments as part of the statewide assessment program and other end-of-course assessments for other subject areas as determined by state board rule.
  
• Establishing a requisite scale score for general and high stakes assessments.
  
• Requiring high-stakes end-of-course assessments for English II to be administered by grade 10.
  
• Setting requirements of an individualized academic improvement plan for students who do not meet the requisite scale score.
  
• Requiring a student to pass the Algebra I high-stakes assessment, beginning with the 2009-2010 school year, and the English II assessment, beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, or an alternative assessment to be entitled to graduate from high school.
  
• Requiring the school district to provide written notice of failure to meet the requisite score of an assessment.
  
• Allowing alternatives for students with disabilities.
  
• Allowing for alternative exit courses and exams.

Together we can, and together we will build a great public school for every child.