Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
                                           Act 614 of the Regular Session
 State of Arkansas
 93rd General Assembly                        A Bill
 Regular Session, 2021                                                             HOUSE BILL 1677
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 By: Representative Cozart
 By: Senator Irvin
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                                   For An Act To Be Entitled
                 AN ACT TO AMEND VARIOUS PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS
                 CODE CONCERNING PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING AMOUNTS; TO
                 DECLARE AN EMERGENCY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
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                                               Subtitle
                         TO AMEND VARIOUS PROVISIONS OF THE
                         ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING PUBLIC SCHOOL
                         FUNDING AMOUNTS; AND TO DECLARE AN
                         EMERGENCY.
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 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
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         SECTION 1.       Arkansas Code  6-20-2305(a)(2), concerning per-student
 foundation funding amounts, is amended to read as follows:
                 (2)(A)      For the 2019-2020 2021-2022 school year, the foundation
 funding amount is equal to six thousand eight hundred ninety-nine dollars
 ($6,899) seven thousand one hundred eighty-two dollars ($7,182) multiplied by
 the school district's average daily membership for the previous school year.
                          (B)   For the 2020-2021 2022-2023 school year and each
 school year thereafter, the foundation funding amount is equal to seven
 thousand eighteen dollars ($7,018) seven thousand three hundred forty-nine
 dollars ($7,349) multiplied by the school district's average daily membership
 for the previous school year.
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         SECTION 2.       Arkansas Code  6-20-2305(b)(2)(A), concerning per-student
 categorical funding amounts for alternative learning environments, is amended
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 to read as follows:
            (2)(A)(i)      For each the 2021-2022 school year, alternative
 learning environment funding shall be four thousand seven hundred dollars
 ($4,700) four thousand seven hundred ninety-four dollars ($4,794) multiplied
 by the number of identified alternative learning environment students
 enrolled during the previous school year.
                            (ii)   For the 2022-2023 school year, alternative
 learning environment funding shall be four thousand eight hundred ninety
 dollars ($4,890) multiplied by the number of identified alternative learning
 environment students enrolled during the previous school year.
                            (ii)(iii)   Funding for students in alternative
 learning environments shall be distributed based on rules promulgated by the
 State Board of Education.
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      SECTION 3.     Arkansas Code  6-20-2305(b)(3), concerning per-student
 state categorical funding amounts for English-language learners, is amended
 to read as follows:
            (3)(A)     For the 2019-2020 2021-2022 school year, funding for
 students who are identified as English-language learners shall be three
 hundred forty-five dollars ($345) three hundred fifty-nine dollars ($359) for
 each identified English-language learner.
                     (B)   Funding for English-language learners shall be
 distributed to public school districts for students who have been identified
 as not proficient in the English language based upon a state-approved English
 proficiency assessment instrument.
                     (C)   Funds allocated for English-language learners to
 public school districts under this subchapter shall be expended only for
 eligible activities as identified in current rules promulgated by the State
 Board of Education and are a supplement to funding for national school lunch
 students provided in subdivision (b)(4) of this section.
                     (D)   For the 2020-2021 2022-2023 school year and each
 school year thereafter, funding for students who are identified as English-
 language learners shall be three hundred fifty-two dollars ($352) three
 hundred sixty-six dollars ($366) for each identified English-language
 learner.
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       SECTION 4.    Arkansas Code  6-20-2305(b)(4)(A), concerning per-student
 Enhanced Student Achievement Funding, is amended to read as follows:
            (4)(A)     Enhanced Student Achievement Funding for each identified
 national school lunch student shall be as follows:
                            (i)     For a public school district in which ninety
 percent (90%) or more of the previous school year's enrolled students are
 national school lunch students, the amount of per-student Enhanced Student
 Achievement Funding is for each the 2021-2022 school year, one thousand five
 hundred seventy-six dollars ($1,576) is one thousand five hundred ninety-four
 dollars ($1,594) and for the 2022-2023 school year is one thousand six
 hundred thirteen dollars ($1,613);
                            (ii)    For a public school district in which at least
 seventy percent (70%) but less than ninety percent (90%) of the previous
 school year's enrolled students are national school lunch students, the
 amount of per-student Enhanced Student Achievement Funding is for each the
 2021-2022 school year, one thousand fifty-one dollars ($1,051) is one
 thousand sixty-three dollars ($1,063) and for the 2022-2023 school year is
 one thousand seventy-six dollars ($1,076); and
                            (iii)    For a public school district in which less
 than seventy percent (70%) of the previous school year's enrolled students
 are national school lunch students, the amount of per-student Enhanced
 Student Achievement Funding is for each the 2021-2022 school year, five
 hundred twenty-six dollars ($526) is five hundred thirty-two dollars ($532)
 and for the 2022-2023 school year is five hundred thirty-eight dollars
 ($538).
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       SECTION 5.    Arkansas Code  6-20-2305(b)(5), concerning per-student
 state categorical funding amounts for professional development, is amended to
 read as follows:
            (5)(A)     For the 2019-2020 each school year, professional
 development funding shall be equal to an amount of up to thirty-two dollars
 and forty cents ($32.40) forty dollars and eighty cents ($40.80) multiplied
 by the school district's previous school year average daily membership.
                     (B)   For the 2020-2021 school year, professional
 development funding shall be equal to an amount of up to forty dollars and
 eighty cents ($40.80) multiplied by the school district's previous school
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 year average daily membership.
                    (C)(B)     Funding for professional development for teachers
 in Arkansas public schools required under the Teacher Excellence and Support
 System,  6-17-2801 et seq., other law or rule, or by the school district
 shall be used for professional development activities and materials that:
                             (i)     Improve the knowledge, skills, and effectiveness
 of teachers;
                             (ii)    Address the knowledge and skills of
 administrators and paraprofessionals concerning effective instructional
 strategies, methods, and skills;
                             (iii)     Lead to improved student academic achievement;
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                             (iv)    Provide training for school bus drivers as
 outlined in rules promulgated by the Commission for Arkansas Public School
 Academic Facilities and Transportation.
                    (D)(i)(C)(i)        For the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years
 2021-2022 school year, additional funding up to twelve million five hundred
 thousand dollars ($12,500,000) fourteen million five hundred thousand dollars
 ($14,500,000) and for the 2022-2023 school year, additional funding up to
 sixteen million five hundred thousand dollars ($16,500,000), provided for
 professional development above the amount in subdivisions (b)(5)(A) and (B)
 subdivision (b)(5)(A) of this section shall be used by the Division of
 Elementary and Secondary Education for the development and administration of
 professional learning communities for the benefit of public school districts.
                             (ii)(a)       The Division of Elementary and Secondary
 Education shall promulgate rules to administer the additional professional
 development funding under subdivision (b)(5)(D)(i) (b)(5)(C)(i) of this
 section.
                                     (b)    The Division of Elementary and Secondary
 Education may partner with or choose a person, firm, corporation, or
 education service cooperative to provide the knowledge, skills, experience,
 and expertise for the development of a research-based process for the
 implementation of professional learning communities.
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       SECTION 6.   EMERGENCY CLAUSE.            It is found and determined by the
 General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that funding for public schools is
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 the obligation of the state; that ensuring that adequate funding is provided
 is the duty of the General Assembly; and that this act is immediately
 necessary to ensure that funding is provided for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023
 school years so that school districts can budget accordingly. Therefore, an
 emergency is declared to exist, and this act being immediately necessary for
 the preservation of the public peace, health, and safety shall become
 effective on:
            (1)   The date of its approval by the Governor;
            (2)   If the bill is neither approved nor vetoed by the Governor,
 the expiration of the period of time during which the Governor may veto the
 bill; or
            (3)   If the bill is vetoed by the Governor and the veto is
 overridden, the date the last house overrides the veto.
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                               APPROVED: 4/8/21
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Statutes affected: 
HB 1677: 6-20-2305(a), 6-20-2305(b)
Act 614: 6-20-2305(a), 6-20-2305(b)