Here is Some of What The LEARNS Act Does Besides School Choice

Education, Legislation,

S.B. 294, the LEARNS Act, is in the House Education Committee at the Arkansas Legislature today.

The LEARNS Act is an omnibus education measure that Gov. Sanders and members of the General Assembly filed last week.

The bill already has passed in the Arkansas Senate.

Most of the testimony and debate about the LEARNS Act has focused on the school choice element.

The bill creates a framework that the State Board of Education will use to implement school choice in Arkansas between now and 2025. Families would have the option of using state dollars to educate their children at a public or private school or at home.

School choice is only one element of the LEARNS Act.

Here are some other issues the LEARNS Act addresses.

Teacher Pay, Hiring, and Dismissal

Much of the LEARNS Act overhauls Arkansas law when it comes to hiring, paying, and dismissing teachers at public schools.

The changes are extensive, but here are a few key elements from the LEARNS Act:

Among other things, the bill repeals and replaces the Teacher Fair Dismissal Act of 1983 and related laws.

It sets the base salary for public school teachers at $50,000.

It outlines ways that educators can receive bonuses or incentives for their work.

Besides addressing the issue in state law, the LEARNS Act generally empowers the State Board of Education and local school boards to make policies regarding hiring, paying, and dismissing teachers.

Critical Race Theory in Public School

Pages 20 and 21 of the LEARNS Act deal with critical race theory at the Arkansas Department of Education and in Arkansas’ public schools.

The bill requires the Arkansas Secretary of Education to review all policies to be sure that indoctrination — including critical race theory — is prohibited and that no public school employee or public school student is required to attend training or orientation that is based on critical race theory or other prohibited indoctrination.

The bill authorizes the State Board of Education to promulgate rules regarding this point.

Child Sex Abuse and Human Trafficking Prevention

Page 22 of the LEARNS Act says that the Arkansas Department of Education’s Division of Elementary and Secondary Education will enhance or adapt curriculum to help public schools provide instruction about detecting and preventing child sexual abuse and human trafficking.

The bill requires the curriculum to be incorporated into the Department of Education’s standards for Health and Safety and Physical Education standards, and it must be age-appropriate for instruction in grades K – 12.

The LEARNS Act lets parents or guardians review this curriculum before it is taught to their children, and parents may exempt their children from the curriculum if they want.

Each public school also is required to implement a child sex abuse and human trafficking prevention program that complies with Arkansas Department of Education standards.

Inappropriate Sexual Material in Public School

Page 23 of the LEARNS Act prohibits sexual material in classroom instruction before fifth grade.

This includes instruction regarding sexual intercourse, sexual reproduction, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

This component of the LEARNS Act is similar to legislation enacted in Florida and elsewhere addressing inappropriate sexual material in elementary schools.

Delegating to The State Board of Education

Throughout the LEARNS Act, the bill delegates authority to the State Board of Education.

The LEARNS Act writes important points into state law, but it relies heavily on the State Board of Education to carry out the intent of the LEARNS Act.

If the LEARNS Act passes, the State Board of Education will make rules about things like:

  • How public schools hire, fire, and pay their faculty.
  • Prohibiting critical race theory and other forms of indoctrination in public schools.
  • How to address child sex abuse and human trafficking in the classroom.
  • Keeping inappropriate sexual material out of public schools.
  • How private schools, education service providers, and students opt into the LEARNS Act’s school choice program.
  • How home schoolers may opt into the school choice program.

The LEARNS Act delegates a great deal of authority to the State Board of Education. That means the LEARNS Act is important, but the serious debate over school choice — and other aspects of the LEARNS Act — will take place at the State Board of Education in the coming months.

The State Board of Education will propose the rules implementing the LEARNS Act, and lawmakers and the public will then be able to have a say about what the State Board of Education proposes.

We look forward to being part of that rulemaking process at the State Board of Education.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Arkansas Senate Passes Omnibus Education Bill

Legislation,
Above: The Senate Education Committee passed S.B. 294 on Wednesday afternoon, following some five hours of testimony. The Arkansas Senate overwhelmingly passed the measure on Thursday.

On Thursday the Arkansas Senate passed Gov. Sanders’ omnibus education bill. The 144-page Arkansas LEARNS Act addresses multiple issues related to education — including public school teacher employment and salaries, critical race theory, sexual material being taught in public school classrooms, and others.

The LEARNS Act also implements a school choice program between 2023 and 2025 that would let students obtain a publicly funded education at private schools or at home.

The bill previously passed in the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday, following some five hours of testimony and discussion.

Here are three important points to be aware of regarding the LEARNS Act:

First, the bill is moving through the legislature very quickly. Most members of the Arkansas General Assembly are sponsoring or co-sponsoring the bill. There is talk about amending the bill slightly in the Arkansas House, but we fully expect the bill to pass.

Second, when it comes to school choice, the LEARNS Act could provide students in Arkansas with unprecedented access to education. Families would have the option of using state dollars to educate their children at a public or private school or at home.

Third, the LEARNS Act provides the framework for a voluntary school choice program.

It’s going to be up to the State Board of Education and the Arkansas Department of Education to decide how that framework will operate.

The LEARNS Act outlines the school choice program, and it tasks the Department of Education with putting the program into practice.

So while the LEARNS Act is important, the actual debate over school choice in Arkansas will take place at the State Board of Education over the next 18-24 months. The State Board of Education will propose the rules for the school choice program, and lawmakers and the public will then be able to have a say about what the State Board of Education proposes.

To be clear, this law would not change the status of home schoolers or private school students who do not apply for public funds.

As we have said before, we want to work with our friends to help Arkansas families have choices in education without regulating nonpublic school students. We are committed to doing exactly that throughout this legislative process and the rulemaking process that will follow at the State Board of Education.

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LEARNS Act Could Provide Unprecedented Access to Education In Arkansas

Legislation, ,

Little Rock, Ark. — On Monday members of the Arkansas General Assembly filed S.B. 294, the LEARNS Act. The bill gradually implements a system of publicly funded accounts that Arkansas students can use to pay for things like tuition, curriculum, and other education expenses.

Family Council President Jerry Cox issued a statement, saying, “This voluntary school choice program could provide students in Arkansas with unprecedented access to education. Once the measure is fully implemented, Arkansas law would make it possible for students to receive a publicly-funded education at a public or private school or at home. Students who choose to attend a private school or who are educated at home under the current form of this bill would take a norm-referenced test or other assessment approved by the State Board of Education every year. The bill does not require students make a certain score on that test. I’m sure many families will appreciate that.”

Cox pointed out that S.B. 294 is an omnibus education bill. “A lot of us have focused on the school choice element of the bill, but the measure deals with critical race theory, teacher salaries, protecting elementary school children from inappropriate sexual material at school, and a lot of other important issues. That’s something to keep in mind as well.”

Cox noted that the bill utilizes the State Board of Education to establish the school choice program. “Much of what the LEARNS Act does is provide a framework that the State Board of Education and the Department of Education will use as it sets up the program between 2023 and 2025. The framework in the bill is good, and if the bill passes, we will know more details about how the program will work once the state board begins announcing plans to implement it. Hearings on the bill are currently underway. We are monitoring those hearings to see if amendments are added to the proposed legislation. We all want to make sure students get the best education possible, and we look forward to working with policymakers so that the LEARNS Act will help as many students in Arkansas as possible.”

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