Understanding the Arkansas LEARNS Act: A Comprehensive Guide

Welcome to your comprehensive guide to the Arkansas Learns Act, a landmark education reform package spearheaded by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. This guide provides an in-depth breakdown of this transformative legislation, exploring its key components, the viewpoints of both supporters and critics, and the future implications for education in Arkansas. For the most current updates, please refer to the official Arkansas LEARNS website.

This resource aims to answer all your questions about the Arkansas LEARNS Act, from its inception and key provisions to its potential impact on students, teachers, and the broader education system. If you find any unanswered questions, please reach out to us – your feedback is invaluable in helping us enhance this guide.

Table of Contents

Navigating the Arkansas LEARNS Website
When Did the LEARNS Act Become Law?
Key Pillars of the LEARNS Act
Timeline: Filing of the LEARNS Act
Key Sponsors Behind the Act
Full Text of the Arkansas LEARNS Act
What is the Arkansas LEARNS Act? – An Overview
Decoding the Voucher Program: Education Freedom Accounts
Impact on Teacher Salaries and Employment Terms
Beyond Vouchers and Salaries: Other Key Reforms
Financial Implications: Cost of the LEARNS Package
Implementation Phase: What Happens Next?
Pathways to Repeal: Can the LEARNS Act Be Overturned?
Further Reading: In-depth Articles on the LEARNS Act
Stay Informed: Subscribe to Education News Updates

Navigating the Arkansas LEARNS Website

Looking for official information on the Arkansas LEARNS Act? The state has launched a dedicated website to serve as a central hub for all things related to this education overhaul. You can find it at learns.ade.arkansas.gov. Additionally, for information regarding the Education Freedom Account System, please visit efas.ade.arkansas.gov. These websites are valuable resources for staying updated on the latest developments and accessing official documents.

When Did the LEARNS Act Become Law?

The Arkansas LEARNS Act, officially designated as Senate Bill 294, was signed into law by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders on March 8th. This marked a significant milestone for the governor’s education reform agenda, transforming it from a proposal into enacted legislation.

Key Pillars of the LEARNS Act

The Arkansas LEARNS Act is built upon several core tenets designed to reshape the educational landscape of the state. These key points encapsulate the most significant changes introduced by the legislation:

Minimum Teacher Salary Increase: Setting a new minimum starting salary for teachers at $50,000 annually to attract and retain educators.
Salary Raises and Incentives: Providing $2,000 raises for experienced teachers and offering performance-based incentives up to $10,000 to reward excellence and address critical subject or geographic needs.
Education Freedom Accounts (Vouchers): Implementing a phased, state-funded voucher program allowing public funds to be used for private school tuition or homeschooling expenses.
Partnerships for School Improvement: Encouraging collaborations between traditional school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to improve the performance of struggling traditional schools.
Repeal of Teacher Protection Acts: Eliminating the Teacher Fair Dismissal Act and the School Employees Fair Hearing Act, aiming to streamline the process for dismissing underperforming teachers.

Timeline: Filing of the LEARNS Act

The Arkansas LEARNS Act was officially filed on Monday, February 20th. This date marks the formal introduction of the bill into the legislative process, setting in motion the debates, amendments, and eventual passage of this comprehensive education reform.

Key Sponsors Behind the Act

The Arkansas LEARNS Act was championed by key figures in the state legislature, demonstrating bipartisan effort towards education reform. The primary sponsors in the legislature were:

Senator Breanne Davis, R-Russellville
Representative Keith Brooks, R-Little Rock

Their leadership was crucial in navigating the bill through the legislative process and securing its passage.

Full Text of the Arkansas LEARNS Act

For those seeking to delve into the specifics of the legislation, the complete text of the Arkansas LEARNS Act is available as Act 237 and can be accessed here: Act 237. Reviewing the full text provides a detailed understanding of all provisions and nuances of this comprehensive law.

Arkansas school buses, a common sight, represent the public education system that the LEARNS Act seeks to reform and enhance.

What is the Arkansas LEARNS Act? – An Overview

The Arkansas LEARNS Act is a sweeping, 145-page omnibus law designed to enact the most significant changes to the state’s education system in its history. As described by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, this act encompasses a wide array of reforms, from school vouchers and increased teacher salaries to enhanced literacy standards for elementary students.

The acronym “LEARNS” itself encapsulates the core objectives of the act: Literacy, Empowerment, Accountability, Readiness, Networking, and Safety. This framework highlights the multifaceted approach of the reform package.

While Governor Sanders campaigned on a platform of education reform emphasizing parental empowerment, literacy improvements, and teacher accountability, the detailed plan was unveiled on February 8th, followed by the bill’s filing approximately two weeks later.

The legislative journey of the LEARNS Act spanned three weeks, marked by debates and concerns about the speed of the process. Ultimately, Governor Sanders signed the LEARNS Act into law on March 8th, exactly one month after publicly presenting the reform package.

Legal challenges quickly arose. On May 8th, a lawsuit was filed by eleven residents of Phillips County and two public school advocates questioning the legality of the emergency clause attached to the LEARNS Act, which allowed it to take immediate effect.

A Pulaski County Circuit Court judge issued an order on June 30th, further blocking the state from enforcing the LEARNS Act, casting the education law into a state of legal uncertainty once again. This ruling, however, was not the final word.

Despite the circuit court’s decision, the LEARNS Act was set to take effect on August 1st, delaying the implementation of most provisions that had been in place since early March. The lawsuit’s aim was to postpone the act’s effective date.

The judge’s ruling centered on the legislative procedure used to pass the emergency clause, deeming it unconstitutional despite its historical precedent.

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin responded to the ruling by vowing an immediate appeal to the Arkansas Supreme Court, indicating the ongoing legal battle.

The Arkansas Supreme Court had previously intervened in the lawsuit, overturning a temporary restraining order on June 15th. However, the Supreme Court’s ruling did not address the core constitutional question regarding the emergency clause’s passage.

Decoding the Voucher Program: Education Freedom Accounts

A central and often debated component of the LEARNS Act is the creation of Educational Freedom Accounts (EFAs), a voucher program that fundamentally changes how state education funding is allocated. This program essentially links state funding to students rather than directly to public schools. Students approved for an EFA will receive funds equivalent to 90% of the per-student state funding from the previous school year, which was $7,413 for the 2022-2023 school year.

The EFA program is designed for a phased rollout over three years, commencing in the 2023-2024 school year. It establishes a tiered priority system for student eligibility. The initial priority groups include:

Students enrolled in schools rated as F-rated.
Kindergarten students.
Students in or formerly in foster care.
Students with disabilities.
Children of active-duty military personnel.

The second priority tier includes:

Students in D-rated schools.
Children of military veterans.
Children of first responders.

Crucially, by the 2025-2026 school year, every student eligible for public school enrollment in Arkansas will also be eligible to receive a voucher for private or home schooling.

Governor Sanders has framed the voucher program as a move away from a “one-size-fits-all model,” arguing that it empowers parents to choose schools that best meet their children’s unique needs, regardless of their residential zip code.

“Under Arkansas’ current system, a family’s zip code is often the only determinant of whether their children receive the education necessary for success,” Sanders stated. “Education Freedom Accounts will enable parents to select the most suitable educational environment for their children, be it private, public, parochial, or home school.”

Despite legal challenges, student applications for Education Freedom Accounts were being accepted until July 31st, prior to the judge’s order temporarily halting the LEARNS Act.

The timeline for future application deadlines for both student funding and private school participation remained uncertain as of late June 30th. The Arkansas Department of Education had initially set June 30th as the deadline for private schools to apply to participate in the program.

Responses to the Voucher Program

The voucher program has ignited significant debate, becoming the most contentious aspect of the LEARNS Act. It has drawn both praise and criticism from various state and national organizations. Critics primarily argue that EFAs will siphon essential state funds away from public schools, diverting resources to private institutions.

Senate Minority Leader Greg Leding, D-Fayetteville, argued, “LEARNS establishes a tiered system that advantages some students over others. Public schools, which educate over 90% of Arkansas students, will now be forced to compete for public tax dollars against private schools operating under different rules.”

House Minority Leader Tippi McCullough, D-Little Rock, echoed these concerns, stating, “LEARNS will dismantle and defund our public schools through a voucher system that has proven ineffective elsewhere. While some aspects of the bill are commendable, its purported benefits will not reach the students who need them most.”

Conversely, national conservative and pro-school choice groups have lauded Governor Sanders for enacting the LEARNS Act, positioning Arkansas alongside states like Arizona and West Virginia that have adopted similar educational choice measures.

Jessica Anderson, executive director of Heritage Action, a conservative advocacy group, commented, “The Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program makes Arkansas the 11th state to adopt educational savings accounts. This initiative will ultimately allow every family in the state to qualify and ensure their children can attend their chosen educational institution.”

Robert Enlow, president of EdChoice, a non-profit advocating for school vouchers, stated, “The increased parental involvement spurred by the Covid-19 pandemic persists. Parents continue to demand the ability to customize their children’s education, and lawmakers are responding.”

Impact on Teacher Salaries and Employment Terms

The Arkansas LEARNS Act brings significant changes to teacher compensation and employment conditions, aiming to elevate the teaching profession and address teacher shortages.

The act mandates an increase in the starting teacher salary to $50,000 per year. This substantial raise positions Arkansas among the top states for starting teacher pay, surpassed only by Washington, Hawaii, New Jersey, and the District of Columbia, according to the National Education Association.

For teachers already earning above $50,000, the LEARNS Act provides a $2,000 annual raise. Furthermore, educators can qualify for performance-based bonuses up to $10,000 for exceptional performance or for teaching in high-demand subjects or geographic areas.

Governor Sanders projected that the bill would enable 15,249 teachers to receive a raise to the new minimum salary, effective for the 2023-2024 school year.

These salary enhancements are intended to mitigate labor shortages in Arkansas schools. Districts have faced challenges in retaining and recruiting teachers, exacerbated by historically lower teacher salaries in the state compared to national averages. Previously, Arkansas ranked low in starting teacher salaries, ahead of only Colorado, Missouri, and Montana. The prior minimum teacher salary in Arkansas was $36,000 annually, below the national average of $41,770.

To further attract individuals to the teaching profession, the LEARNS Act introduces 12 weeks of paid maternity leave for full-time school employees, with costs shared between the state and local school districts.

The law also establishes a “Teacher Academy Scholarship Program”, covering tuition costs for aspiring and current educators. The state’s student loan repayment program for teachers will also be enhanced, increasing from $3,000 to $6,000 per year for teachers committing to teach in designated Arkansas public schools.

“We recognize that excellent education begins with excellent teachers,” Governor Sanders stated. “Arkansas LEARNS equips our public schools with the resources to attract and retain outstanding educators.”

However, the LEARNS Act repeals the state’s standardized teacher salary schedule, empowering each school district to develop its own pay structure. This shift necessitates districts to determine how to reward teacher experience and advanced education, as highlighted by state officials and lawmakers.

Some education leaders have expressed concerns that this change could make it challenging for districts to fairly compensate teachers for experience and education, potentially leading to teacher attrition to districts with more robust pay scales.

The traditional “salary schedule” system ensures that teachers with more experience or higher education levels receive commensurate pay increases.

Superintendents have noted that maintaining a salary schedule similar to the previous one under LEARNS could cost districts millions of dollars. For instance, while a first-year teacher’s salary might increase significantly (e.g., from $36,000 to $50,000), a veteran teacher with a $48,000 salary would only see a $2,000 raise directly funded by LEARNS. Any additional compensation for experience or education would need to be funded through other district resources.

Many superintendents advocate for maintaining robust salary scales to fairly compensate experienced teachers, but some smaller districts fear financial strain.

Mike Hernandez, Executive Director of the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators, acknowledged that salary schedule adjustments are likely inevitable for many districts, and some may not be able to sustain pre-LEARNS salary scales.

Changes to Teacher Dismissal Procedures

The Arkansas LEARNS Act also repeals the Teacher Fair Dismissal Act, which previously mandated that school districts notify teachers of employment status changes by May 1st annually.

This repeal is intended to simplify the process for districts to dismiss teachers for inadequate performance, aligning with Governor Sanders’ campaign emphasis on teacher accountability. However, teachers will retain the right to “a hearing” and proper notification before termination.

Reactions to Teacher Pay and Dismissal Changes

Representative Brooks, a co-sponsor of the bill, stated that repealing the Teacher Fair Dismissal Act was a request from superintendents to address “the challenge of removing teachers who are not meeting performance expectations.”

Conversely, House Minority Leader McCullough voiced concerns: “As a teacher for three decades, I am concerned about the implications for the teaching profession. While the minimum salary increase is positive, revoking workplace protections and eliminating a court-mandated uniform salary schedule is a disservice to educators and will worsen the teacher shortage.”

Beyond Vouchers and Salaries: Other Key Reforms

The LEARNS Act encompasses additional significant reforms beyond vouchers and teacher pay, aiming to holistically improve the Arkansas education system.

A key component is the establishment of new literacy standards. With certain exceptions, students who do not meet the state Department of Education’s reading proficiency requirements will be restricted from advancing beyond the third grade. To support this, the act allocates funding for 120 literacy coaches and grants for families to access tutoring services for struggling readers.

The LEARNS Act also introduces a “career-ready pathway” for high school students. This option allows students to pursue a high school diploma through career and technical education, preparing them for careers that may not require a four-year college degree, such as automotive mechanics or agriculture.

By the 2024-2025 school year, high schools are mandated to offer a “career-ready” pathway for ninth-grade students, focusing on “modern career and technical studies aligned with high-wage, high-growth jobs in Arkansas,” emphasizing technical education.

The act also codifies Governor Sanders’ executive order concerning Critical Race Theory. It requires the Department of Education to review policies and materials to ensure they do not “promote teaching that would indoctrinate students with ideologies, such as Critical Race Theory.”

Furthermore, the LEARNS Act incorporates recommendations from the Arkansas School Safety Commission, mandating that public schools develop comprehensive school safety assessments and collaborate with local law enforcement to enhance school safety measures.

Financial Implications: Cost of the LEARNS Package

The Arkansas LEARNS Act represents a substantial financial investment in the state’s education system. In its first year, the act is projected to cost the state $297.5 million, with $150 million representing new spending, according to an analysis by the Arkansas Department of Education.

In the second year, the estimated cost increases to $343.3 million, including $250 million in new funding. Teacher pay raises are estimated to account for $180 million of the total cost. The voucher program, known as Education Freedom Accounts, is projected to cost $46.7 million in the first year and $97.5 million in the second year, according to the Department of Education.

By the third year of implementation, the voucher program alone is estimated to cost the state $175 million, according to Robert Brech, Deputy Director of Budget at the Department of Finance and Administration.

The Education Department’s analysis anticipates 7,000 students enrolling in the Education Freedom Accounts program in the first year, and 14,000 in the subsequent year.

Implementation Phase: What Happens Next?

Following the enactment of the Arkansas LEARNS Act, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Education Secretary Jacob Oliva outlined the next steps for implementation to the state Board of Education.

The state Department of Education is forming six working groups to develop detailed rules and policies necessary to operationalize the LEARNS Act.

These working groups are focused on specific areas: school safety, early learning, parental empowerment, teaching and learning, educator workforce, and career readiness.

The deadline to apply for participation in these groups was March 31st, and over 1,000 applications were received, according to Secretary Oliva.

“We are bringing together experts and leaders from across the state to collaborate with department staff to draft these rules,” Oliva explained. The recommendations from these groups will be submitted to the Secretary and the State Board of Education for consideration, and subsequently reviewed by the Governor’s office.

List of selected participants for LEARNS implementation groups

The majority of these rules are mandated to be in place by July 1, 2024, as stated by Secretary Oliva.

Secretary Oliva also indicated that efforts will be made to keep those not selected for the working groups informed and to solicit feedback throughout the rule-making process.

The working groups will conduct meetings both virtually and in person.

Furthermore, Secretary Oliva announced plans to develop an information dashboard to provide ongoing updates to the board and the public regarding the implementation progress.

Secretary Oliva also proposed a board workshop in April to discuss draft standards and various provisions of the LEARNS Act in detail, many of which are slated to be implemented in the 2023-24 school year.

Pathways to Repeal: Can the LEARNS Act Be Overturned?

Citizens for Arkansas Public Education and Students (CAPES) initiated an effort to repeal the LEARNS Act through a referendum, aiming to give Arkansas voters the final decision. However, this effort ultimately failed to gather sufficient signatures, as confirmed by the state Secretary of State’s office on August 4th.

Under the Arkansas Constitution, citizens have the right to repeal laws passed by the legislature through a referendum. To place a referendum on the ballot, a ballot question committee must collect a specific number of signatures within 90 days after the legislative session adjourns.

Referendums are only applicable to laws passed in the most recent legislative session. While the legislative session informally concluded on April 7th, the official end (“Sine Die”) was May 1st. To qualify for the ballot, CAPES needed at least 54,522 valid signatures, representing 6% of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election.

Additionally, signatures were required to be collected from voters in at least 50 different counties, according to a new law passed during the legislative session. Prior to signature gathering, the referendum’s ballot title and popular name needed approval from the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office. The Arkansas Secretary of State’s office is responsible for validating the collected signatures.

Reporting for this summary was contributed by Neal Earley and Cynthia Howell of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

The Arkansas State Capitol, where the LEARNS Act was debated and passed, symbolizes the legislative changes impacting education in the state.

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