Boozman commemorates 80th Anniversary of Landmark GI Bill

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), a senior member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, is commemorating the 80th anniversary of the GI Bill with the introduction of a Senate resolution celebrating the impact of the policy on the lives of veterans and their families.  

“The GI Bill is a significant investment in our servicemembers. This landmark law has delivered benefits to veterans and their families for 80 years to help their transition to civilian life. It serves as an important aspect of honoring the commitment we made to the men and women who wear our nation’s uniform and I’m pleased to continue advocating for improvements to expand the education opportunities they have earned,” Boozman said.

Signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on June 22, 1944, the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, commonly referred to as the GI Bill, provided returning World War II veterans with a wide array of educational and housing benefits to ease their transition back to civilian life. This resolution specifically celebrates the transformative role the GI Bill has played, and highlights subsequent legislation, including the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act, that has provided generations of American servicemembers with similar benefits.

During his time in Congress, Boozman has championed policies to strengthen benefits and services for veterans and their families. He authored provisions to expand non-traditional technology education programs and allow wounded members of the National Guard and Reserve to be eligible for the same GI Bill benefits as active duty members that were included in the Forever GI Bill signed into law in 2017. This legislation built on the post-9/11 GI Bill.  

In 2019, the Boozman-backed Forever GI Bill Housing Payment Fulfillment Act was signed into law to ensure veterans receive the Forever GI Bill housing benefits. 

He continues to support policies that ensure veterans receive the benefits they have earned.

The resolution was introduced by Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) along with Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester (D-MT) and Ranking Member Jerry Moran (R-KS).

Full text of the resolution is available here.

Arkansas education secretary withdraws Solution Tree contract after legislative opposition

KUAR | By Antoinette Grajeda / Arkansas Advocate

Arkansas’ education chief withdrew from legislative review a $99.4 million contract with an Indiana-based education company following pushback from lawmakers on the proposal’s high cost and the vendor’s effectiveness.

During Friday’s Arkansas Legislative Council meeting, Sen. Scott Flippo, R-Bull Shoals, said Education Secretary Jacob Oliva asked to withdraw a proposed seven-year contract with Solution Tree, which has implemented its professional learning community program in Arkansas since 2017.

In a Thursday email to ALC’s co-chairs, Sen. Terry Rice and Rep. Jeff Wardlaw, Oliva requested that the contract be pulled from the agenda and said his agency would let them know when it intends to resubmit it.

Arkansas education secretary withdraws Solution Tree contract after legislative opposition

Arkansas Advocate Antoinette Grajeda

Arkansas governor’s campaign manager leads abortion amendment opposition group

KUAR | By Antoinette Grajeda / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Supporters of ballot initiatives on abortion, medical marijuana and education said they’re not concerned about the formation of a new opposition group led by an adviser to Arkansas’ governor.

Stronger Arkansas is chaired by Chris Caldwell, a political consultant who served as Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ 2022 gubernatorial campaign manager. Caldwell will also lead her 2026 re-election campaign.

According to a statement of organization filed with the Arkansas Ethics Commission on Friday, the ballot question committee is pursuing “the disqualification and/or defeat” of three constitutional amendments, including the Arkansas Abortion Amendment of 2024.

Arkansas governor’s campaign manager leads abortion amendment opposition group

Antoinette Grajeda/Arkansas Advocate

Petitioners gather signatures for a ballot initiative to expand abortion access in Arkansas during the Voices and Votes rally on Jan. 28, 2024 in Fayetteville.

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

Public education stands as the primary expenditure within state government. This month, the House and Senate Education Committees began working on the Educational Adequacy Study. This study will serve as a recommendation to the legislature to determine funding for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years.

This in-depth process involves assessing the entirety of public education to ensure equal opportunities for students, covering aspects from teacher salaries to technological requirements. Arkansas employs a specific formula, the matrix, to calculate per-student funding, which is set to increase from $7,618 to $7,771 for the 2024-2025 school year.

The committees will later examine facilities funding and partnership programs in February, followed by a review of teacher-related aspects such as recruitment, retention, salaries, and professional development in June.

The culmination of this study results in a final report due on November 1, serving as a crucial guide for funding decisions in the subsequent year.

At the most recent meeting, committee members reviewed student achievement data. Reports revealed that in 2022, 30% of Arkansas 4th-grade students scored proficient or above in reading, slightly below the national average of 32%. Additionally, 28% of Arkansas 4th-grade students and 35% nationally scored proficient or above in math.

The House and Senate Education Committees approved an emergency rule to implement literacy tutoring grants and High Impact Learning Grants.

The literacy grant program is designed to help struggling readers in grades K-3. It will allow families to invoice up to $500 per year for tutoring services.

The second program will provide a limited amount of funding for schools to spend on tutoring services during the school day.

The proposed rule now goes before the Arkansas Legislative Council Executive Committee, scheduled to meet on January 18.

The House and Senate Education Committees will convene again on February 5 and February 6, with live-streamed and recorded meetings accessible at www.arkansashouse.org.

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

Paving the way for a brighter future through education is a goal shared by many families. For parents in Arkansas, the Arkansas Brighter Future 529 Program is a valuable tool designed to help them save and invest in their children’s education. This week, we want to remind you about the valuable resource and all the advantages it has to offer. 

The Arkansas Brighter Future 529 Plan (formerly the GIFT Plan), sponsored by the Treasurer of State’s office, is an education-savings plan that allows your savings to grow tax-deferred through a wide variety of investment options. Later, the money can be withdrawn tax-free to pay for qualified higher education costs like tuition, room and board, and supplies at nearly any two- or four-year college, university, vocational, or trade school. 

In 2018, the federal government expanded the use of 529 funds to include private, parochial, and public K-12 tuition. In 2021, the government broadened the plan even more to allow 529s to cover the cost of apprenticeship programs and pay down student loan debt. 

Arkansas taxpayers are eligible to deduct up to $5,000 (up to $10,000 for married couples) from their adjusted gross income calculation for contributions to an Arkansas Brighter Future 529 Plan account. The savings have the potential to grow at a faster rate than if you had invested in a comparable taxable account. 

You can also invite friends and family to be a part of your savings journey. With a Ugift® code that links directly to your account, they can give the gift of education for a birthday, holiday, special occasion, or even “just because.” Anyone who contributes may be eligible for an Arkansas state tax deduction, too. 

More than 27,000 Arkansas Families are served by the Arkansas Brighter Future 529 Plan. You can begin saving by visiting www.brighterfuturedirect529.com.

State of the State Mid-Year 2023: In education, Arkansas is in a state of change

by Steve Brawner (BRAWNERSTEVE@MAC.COM)

Now that Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ LEARNS Act has become the law in Arkansas, public and private schools are in a state of change.

The wide-ranging 145-page law, which went into effect Aug. 1, increases minimum public school teacher salaries from $36,000 to $50,000, makes it easier for schools to fire underperforming teachers, and requires third-graders to read at grade level or potentially face being retained one year. Many of the law’s provisions remain to be determined though the rules process.

Perhaps its most contentious aspect is its creation of “education freedom accounts” that give families access to public school funds for private and homeschooling expenses. For the 2023-24 school year, that amount equals roughly $6,600, and it will increase each year as state funding for schools increases.

Ballot referendum to undo LEARNS Act faces high hurdles

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

Opponents of Gov. Sarah Sanders’ LEARNS education plan are discussing potential litigation to undo the measure, and a possible citizens’ referendum could also delay enactment or even reverse the new law. That path, however, would be difficult.

The LEARNS bill, SB294, was signed into law on March 8th by Gov. Sanders and has been touted by her administration as “the biggest, boldest, most conservative education reforms” in the state’s history and the nation.

The law sets a new minimum starting teacher salary of $50,000, provides raises of $2,000 to current teachers, outlines initiatives for pre-K, literacy improvement and workforce training, and provides money for public school safety and transportation. The most controversial aspect of LEARNS centers on a voucher program called “education freedom accounts,” which will eventually allow public school funding to follow students to their choice of K-12 education, including charter, parochial and private schools as well as homeschooling.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/03/ballot-referendum-to-undo-learns-act-faces-high-hurdles/

Governor signs LEARNS Act; rulemaking process begins

by Steve Brawner (BRAWNERSTEVE@MAC.COM)

Gov. Sarah Sanders signed into law Wednesday (March 8) what she called “the biggest, boldest, most conservative education reforms in our history,” setting in motion a remaking of Arkansas education that will require an extensive rulemaking process.

Sanders signed the LEARNS Act into law in the second floor of the Capitol Rotunda flanked by legislators, including the bill’s primary sponsors, Sen. Breanne Davis, R-Russellville, and Rep. Keith Brooks, R-Little Rock.

“I’m proud that the bill I’m about to sign is the largest overhaul of our state’s education system in Arkansas history because it frankly could not get here soon enough,” Sanders said. “We’ve seen how the status quo condemns Arkansans to a lifetime of poverty, and we’re tired of sitting at the bottom of national education rankings.”

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/03/governor-signs-learns-act-rulemaking-process-begins/

Gov. Sarah Sanders signs the LEARNS Act into law.

Forward Arkansas: Pre-k access, workforce training part of plan to improve education outcomes

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

Forward Arkansas on Tuesday (Feb. 7) pitched ideas to improve education outcomes. The ideas, which include more pre-K access and better workforce training, come as Gov. Sarah Sanders has promised – but not yet delivered – a broad set of education system changes.

The Little Rock-based research organization established in 2015 by the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation and Walton Family Foundation to focus on better education outcomes, gathered input from thousands of Arkansans in the study that began in June 2022.

The report, “The State of Education in Arkansas 2023 Report: Growing Together for a Stronger Future,” presented  the following three key findings.
• Despite slight improvements prior to the pandemic, Arkansas student academic outcomes were severely lagging before COVID-19 and worsened during pandemic disruptions.
• Students are leaving K-12 unprepared for college and career opportunities.
• Since 2015, initiatives have been launched to address critical and foundational issues that the state can build on to accelerate progress.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/02/forward-arkansas-pre-k-access-workforce-training-part-of-plan-to-improve-education-outcomes/

Budget puzzle awaits price tags for education, public safety, healthcare

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

Closing out the first month of the regular session, legislative leaders have no clarity on Gov. Sarah Sanders administration’s price tag for education, public safety or healthcare, much less a blueprint for the state’s anticipated $6 billion balanced budget.

Sen. Jonathan Dismang, R-Beebe, chairman of the Joint Budget Committee, said he’s waiting to see first drafts of new school policy and prison and sentencing reform legislation.

“I haven’t seen the education plan, so I don’t have any ballpark figures on what that’s going to cost, what we’re going to do. We do know that there is a portion that’s going to be for increasing teacher pay. Again, that’s going to have a direct impact. But again, I have no idea, if I’m just being transparent, on what that’s going to look like, and that’s why you see me being hesitant in regards to the budget,” he said.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/01/budget-puzzle-awaits-price-tags-for-education-public-safety-healthcare/

Proclamation on Arkansas Parental Choice Week

WHEREAS:  All children in Arkansas should have access to the highest-quality education possible;

WHEREAS:  Arkansas recognizes the important role that an effective education plays in preparing all students in this state to be successful adults and not trapped in a lifetime of poverty;

WHEREAS:  Quality education is critically important to the economic vitality of Arkansas;

WHEREAS:  Arkansas is home to a multitude of high-quality public and nonpublic schools from which parents can choose for their children, in addition to families who educate their children in the home; 

WHEREAS:  Educational variety not only helps to diversify our economy, but also enhances the vibrancy of our community;

WHEREAS:  Arkansas has many high-quality teaching professionals in all types of school settings who are committed to educating our children;

WHEREAS:  Education reform will be the hallmark of my administration through the Arkansas LEARNS initiative, which prioritizes Literacy, Empowerment, Accountability, Readiness, Networking, and School Safety;

WHEREAS:  In this state, parents can no longer be an afterthought in education because they are the foundation to a child’s success;

WHEREAS:  Parents should have the right to choose the schools that’s best for their child—whether it is public, private, parochial, or homeschool;

WHEREAS:  School Choice Week, which should be called “Parental Choice Week,” is celebrated across the country by millions of students, parents, educators, schools, and organizations to raise awareness of the need for effective educational options; 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, acting under the authority vested in me as the Governor of the State of Arkansas, do hereby recognize January 22 through January 28, 2023, as “Arkansas Parental Choice Week,” and I call this observance to the attention of all of our citizens.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and cause the Great Seal of the State of Arkansas to be affixed this 23rd day of January, in the year of our Lord 2023.

UA Cossatot Receives Harvest Regional Bank’s 2022 Outstanding Partner in Education Award

UA Cossatot was selected as Harvest Regional Food Bank’s 2022 Outstanding Partner in Education at this year’s Hunger Action Luncheon held on September 27, 2022, in Texarkana, TX. Erika Buenrrostro and Alisa Cooke with UA Cossatot attended the luncheon and accepted the award.

Harvest Regional Food Bank recognized UA Cossatot and the work the college’s Center for Student Success’s food pantry has done to help combat hunger on all four campuses.

“Joining during an unprecedented global pandemic and jumping right in to provide food assistance to students in not one but four of our counties is no small task! This is why we will be honoring our partnership with UA Cossatot and our other award recipients,” said Callie Buckley, Harvest Regional Food Bank Impact Coordinator.

“We are super excited to receive the “Harvest Regional Bank’s 2022 Outstanding Partner in Education Award” recognition presented by Harvest Foods. Food insecurity is an issue in every community but also impacts college campuses nationwide. While food and housing costs continue to increase, we wanted to create a safe place on campus where students could receive weekly food voucher cards and bags, allowing them to focus more on academics. The Center for Student Success takes pride in its services and feels honored to be

chosen as the recipient of this award. Opening the Center in 2017 has been one of our most significant accomplishments on campus,” said Erika Buenrrostro, Director of Student Success and Enrichment.

For more information, contact Erika Buenrrostro at 870-584-1133 or ebuenrrosto@cccua.edu.

Tyson Foods partners with Guild to offer employees free college education

by Kim Souza (ksouza@talkbusiness.net)

Tyson Foods will spend $60 million over four years to fund free college education for its 120,000 employees. A partnership with Guild will expand Tyson’s Upward Pathways program to include 100% of tuition, books and fees for employees seeking undergraduate, master’s or associate degrees, certificates, literacy and technology training.

The program begins this summer giving employees access to more than 175 programs from more than 35 universities and learning providers through an online portal.

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/04/tyson-foods-partners-with-guild-to-offer-employees-free-college-education/

Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address Arkansas’s Pillars for Educational Success

LITTLE ROCK – Today I’d like to talk about the pillars of our education system that allow Arkansans to adapt to an economy that grows more complex and more high-tech by the day. We must preserve and strengthen these pillars for our young people as they pursue satisfying careers.

The first pillar is an unshakable commitment to the fundamentals of education: in-classroom learning built upon effective instruction in core subject areas taught by high-quality teachers.

In Arkansas, we know that school isn't really school without that pillar. That was one of the crucial considerations when we decided to continue in-person learning throughout the past school year, even in the face of well-intentioned resistance. Arkansas was one of only four states to do that.

The value of in-person school — with sports, band, socializing, and teacher contact — over the isolation of remote learning was clear. In rural areas, we boosted teacher pay to retain good teachers so that all students had adequate instruction regardless of their ZIP code.

A commitment to the fundamentals goes beyond attending school in person. Core reading and literacy skills are vital to success in the classroom, in life, and in every career path.

Here’s a bit of history to confirm our commitment to the basics. In 2017, we saw a pressing need to increase reading skills throughout our schools. We established the Reading Initiative for Student Excellence to provide reading instruction based upon the science of reading emphasizing phonics. We also worked to create a culture of reading in the schools, with individualized help to assure third-grade students read at grade level. This significant initiative will increase the number of students who are reading and performing at the highest level.

The second pillar is our commitment to embrace 21st Century tools as we teach the fundamentals. The first step in that was the computer science requirements we implemented. These requirements have set us apart from other states and contributed to our reputation as an attractive state for innovative companies across a host of industries.

Our success in Arkansas is proof that we can quickly overcome stereotypes and increase test scores. Computer science was just the beginning. Even before COVID struck, broadband connectivity was fast becoming essential for us to compete with other states. When the CARES Act opened new opportunities for funding, we redoubled our efforts to take broadband to students in rural and low-income areas.

The third pillar is our public-private partnerships. When it comes to connectivity and workforce training, the government cannot and should not go it alone. Arkansas’s Ready for Life initiative allows the private sector the opportunity to participate in building our workforce. Ready for Life is a one-stop website where job-seekers, educators, and employers can find each other.

That’s our formula. No. 1. Teach the old-school fundamentals. No. 2. Enthusiastically embrace 21st Century tools to teach the fundamentals. No. 3. Enhance public-private partnerships in support of education. Do those three things, and success will come naturally.

AUDIO: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | Taking Arkansas’s Computer Science Education Initiative to the Nation

LITTLE ROCK – I became chair of the National Governors Association in July, and today I’d like to talk about this as an opportunity for Arkansas to inspire other states with our focus on computer science education.

Each chair of the NGA is allowed to launch a Chairman’s Initiative. Today at the National Press Club in Washington, I announced that during my year as Chair, I will showcase Arkansas’s successful computer science education initiative as a model for others.

NGA’s tradition of bringing governors together dates back to 1908 when President Teddy Roosevelt invited governors to Washington to discuss conservation issues.

President Roosevelt knew that to improve conservation practices in the United States, he needed the support of the governors. In the same fashion, Arkansas has the chance to increase our leadership role in computer science education.

As we emerge from the pandemic, governors are concerned about the shortage of employees. This was the perfect opportunity to share with others what we have learned about strengthening the workforce with a robust computer science education foundation.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that by 2029, the number of computer science and information technology jobs will grow by 11 percent. Computing occupations are currently the top source of new wages in the United States. A computer science major can earn up to 40 percent more than the average college graduate.

There are over 410,000 open computing jobs nationwide, and there aren’t enough qualified people to fill the jobs. The global competition for talent is intensifying, which is why it is so important for the United States to step up computer science education. If Arkansas companies can’t fill their openings with homegrown talent, they will recruit elsewhere. The story is the same nationally.

Computer science courses are mandatory for students in 44 countries, but in the United States, only 47 percent of high schools offer computer science. Only three states require all students take at least one computer science class in order to graduate.

In Arkansas, we were the first state to require all schools to offer at least one class, and we are one of the three states that requires a computer science credit to graduate.

The education of computer science reaches beyond coding. Young people who take computer science perform better on AP calculus exams than students without computer science. Even as early as elementary school, students who study computer science outperform their peers in reading and writing. Digital literacy is the foundation our nation needs to succeed in the high-tech economy of the 21st-century in everything from logistics to farming to national security.

In Arkansas, we have been increasing the options for a high-tech education, and now, thanks to Teddy Roosevelt’s vision to gather governors, we have the opportunity to tell our story to the rest of the nation.

ARNEC Application Deadline is August 31st

APPLICATION DEADLINE: August 31, 2021 

ARNEC offers an LPN/LVN-to-RN transition program. Graduates receive an Associate of Applied Science (AASN) in Nursing, which prepares them to apply for RN licensure and sit for the NCLEX-RN exam. ARNEC strives to provide a high-quality, comprehensive, accessible, and affordable Registered Nursing program to students in rural Arkansas. 

For more information or to apply, visit www.arnec.org 

For questions, email ARNEC@cccua.edu 

*Completion of the ARNEC program does not guarantee the ability to obtain licensure or take the NCLEX-RN exam. This is determined by the board of nursing in the state the applicant is applying. 

Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine Now Fully Accredited

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

The Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE) announced Monday (May 10) that Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (ARCOM) received accreditation from the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation, the only accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit all osteopathic medical schools in the United States.

After a comprehensive review of ARCOM’s four-year pre-accreditation status, the COCA found that ARCOM met the accreditation requirements thus granting accreditation to the medical school, a news release said.

https://talkbusiness.net/2021/05/arkansas-college-of-osteopathic-medicine-now-fully-accredited/

Arkansas Governor Signs Teacher Salary Increase Into Law

By STEVE BRAWNER / TALK BUSINESS & POLITICS

Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed a pair of identical bills Monday that will raise the state’s median teacher salaries by $2,000 and create a fund to help lower-paying districts reach that amount.

Senate Bill 504 by Sen. Missy Irvin, R-Mountain View, and House Bill 1614 by Rep. Bruce Cozart, the chairs of the Senate and House Education Committees respectively, will raise the target median teacher salary to $51,822 for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years. The House and Senate Committees afterwards would jointly set the statewide target median salary.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/arkansas-governor-signs-teacher-salary-increase-law

Gov. Asa Hutchinson, surrounded by Arkansas lawmakers and educators, signs the two bills into law Monday during a ceremony at the state Capitol.

CREDIT GOVERNOR'S OFFICE / YOUTUBE

AUDIO: Education Secretary Discusses Reopening Schools, Quarantine Protocols, Teacher Pay

Arkansas Department of Education Secretary Johnny Key has participated in Governor Asa Hutchinson's coronavirus response briefings numerous times. In a two-part interview, we speak with Key one-on-one as the state prepares to reopen public schools on Aug. 24. In the first half of our interview, we discuss why schools are reopening at full capacity while businesses operate at 66 percent capacity, quarantine protocols for students and staff following coronavirus exposure, additional pay for educators, and much more.

https://www.kuaf.com/post/education-secretary-discusses-reopening-schools-quarantine-protocols-teacher-pay

Education Secretary Discusses Reopening Schools, Quarantine Protocols, Teacher Pay

Arkansas Department of Education Secretary Johnny Key has participated in Governor Asa Hutchinson's coronavirus response briefings numerous times. In a two-part interview, we speak with Key one-on-one as the state prepares to reopen public schools on Aug. 24.