After hours of debate in committee, Rep. Keith Brooks, R-Little Rock, presented the Arkansas LEARNS bill for passage to his fellow House members on Thursday.

LEARNS is the name given to a 144-page omnibus education package championed by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Supporters and detractors of the bill spoke until Rep. Aaron Pilkington, R-Knoxville, ended debate prematurely.

During his bill presentation, Brooks hit upon familiar talking points like Arkansas’ low national rankings for education and literacy. Brooks said the bill was student-centric.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-03-03/arkansas-house-votes-to-advance-learns-bill-after-debate-cut-short

*Arkansas House/Arkansas House*
The Arkansas House of Representatives has voted to advance the omnibus education package known as the LEARNS Act.

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

Two vice-chairs of the education committees in the House and Senate say there are changes to be made to Gov. Sarah Sanders’ LEARNS bill, but those changes are unlikely to alter votes in the state legislature.

Appearing on this week’s edition of Capitol View, Rep. Keith Brooks, R-Little Rock, vice-chair of the House Education Committee and the primary House sponsor of SB294, the omnibus education bill, said there is an amendment being added to the measure before it is considered in his chamber.

The amendment was added Friday afternoon. It offers technical corrections and clean-up language brought up in Senate testimony last week. It also outlines some steps of due process for teachers who may be dismissed; speaks to a requirement for teacher salary schedules; and outlines how auditing for potential misuse of public school money being used for private or homeschooling purposes will work.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/02/rep-brooks-sen-chesterfield-discuss-learns-bill-changes-to-be-made/

Arkansas House votes to advance LEARNS bill after debate cut short

Rep. Brooks, Sen. Chesterfield discuss LEARNS bill, changes to be made