Latest news with #ArkansasDepartmentofEducation
Yahoo
a day ago
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State agencies launch new Arkansas outdoor education program
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders discusses an outdoor education pilot program during a press conference on June 4, 2025 in Little Rock. (Screenshot from livestream) The governor announced on Wednesday the creation of a new outdoor education pilot program that will accept up to 30 Arkansas school districts that apply to participate. A partnership between the Arkansas Department of Education and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, the program will help equip students for a career in outdoor recreation, according to a press release from the governor's office. During Wednesday's announcement at AGFC's Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center in Little Rock, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said if the pilot is successful, the program could be expanded to schools across the state and provide a model for the entire country. Getting kids outdoors will help improve their education, health and quality of life, Sanders said. 'Starting today, districts across our state can apply to be one of 30 schools to offer outdoor education built around the standards taught in core and elective content areas, experiences in outdoor learning engagement and projects that empower students to think critically and solve problems about the world around them,' she said. Doug Schoenrock, who was named AGFC's 20th director in April, said the 'truly unique' pilot program will bring the outdoors into the classroom and vice versa. 'And most importantly, this program will bring outdoors to the hearts and minds of our students, and build a connection with the Natural State, which we as Arkansans hold so dear,' Schoenrock said. The new initiative combines several of the governor's priorities, including education, workforce development and outdoor recreation. The pilot program responds to a recommendation made by the Natural State Initiative Advisory Council in its 2023 report to expand outdoor recreation programs to schools. Sanders launched the Natural State Initiative in an effort to expand Arkansas' outdoor economy, and its advisory council is chaired by her husband, Bryan. Tourism is the state's second largest industry behind agriculture. In the most recent year for which data is available, Arkansas welcomed more than 50 million visitors who spent nearly $10 billion, much of which went to outdoor recreation, according to the press release. Applications for the outdoor education pilot program are available on AGFC's website. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
a day ago
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Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Arkansas Game and Fish Commission announce new outdoor education pilot program
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced a new pilot program focused on education and outdoor recreation. On Wednesday, Gov. Sanders held a press conference at the Witt Stephens Jr. Nature Center in Little Rock to announce the Arkansas Outdoor Education Pilot Program. The governor said the pilot will be a partnership between the Arkansas Department of Education and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, and is intended to equip students for a future career in outdoor recreation such as becoming an ecologist or researcher. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders grants over $460,000 for outdoor recreation Districts across the Natural State can apply to be one of 30 schools that implement new curriculum centered around outdoor education into classrooms that meet core and elective requirements, the governor said. 'If this program is successful in our first 30 pilot schools, which I know it will be, we have the opportunity to bring it to schools all across our state and establish a model for the whole country to follow,' Sanders said. Gov. Sanders said one of her priorities is to expand the state's outdoor economy. Sanders launched the Natural State Initiative, which is under the leadership of First Gentleman Bryan Sanders. The pilot program is one of this initiative's key objective, according to the governor. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Chief of Education Mary Beth Hatch, Arkansas Secretary Jacob Oliva, Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism and Director of State Parks Shea Lewis, and Director of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Doug Schoenrock also spoke at the press conference in support of the new pilot 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Thousands of Arkansans apply to school voucher program as universal access offered for first time
The majority of private schools that participated in the inaugural year of Arkansas' voucher program have reapplied for the second year. They're joined by more than two dozen new applicants. () Nearly 37,000 students have been approved to participate in the state's school voucher program during the 2025-2026 academic year, the first time it's open to all Arkansans. Created by the LEARNS Act, a 2023 law that made sweeping changes to the state's K-12 education system, the Education Freedom Account program provides state funds for allowable education expenses such as private school tuition. The program was phased in over three years with expanding eligibility. As of Monday, the Arkansas Department of Education had received 42,624 applications — 27,752 from private school students, 14,866 from homeschool students and six incomplete applications. Applications could be considered incomplete for a variety of reasons such as someone not entering a school in the application, ADE spokesperson Kimberly Mundell said. ADE had approved 36,855 applicants as of Monday — 25,569 private school students and 11,286 homeschool students. In the first two years of the EFA program, participation was capped at 1.5% and 3% of the total public school enrollment, roughly 7,100 and 14,000 students, respectively. ADE is projecting approximately 40,000 participants for the 2025-2026 academic year, Mundell said. With no cap in year three, participation will be limited by available funding, which is worrisome to Courtnei Jackson, principal and teacher at Shiloh Excel Christian School in Little Rock. 'It is a concern to know that there's a possibility of funds running out and we still don't have families that have renewed or applied yet,' she said. Shiloh Excel had 13 students last year, the majority of whom participated in the EFA program. Jackson expects around 20 students to enroll for the 2025-2026 academic year. EFA students are eligible to receive up to $6,994 per student next year. Students who previously qualified for the Succeed Scholarship Program, which was absorbed into the EFA program, will receive up to $7,771. For the 2025-2026 academic year, $277 million in state funds have been approved for the EFA program, Mundell said. Asked if applications are expected to exceed available funding and if per-student funding would be reduced if that happens, Mundell said funding hasn't yet been exceeded and 'there is no plan to reduce the amount of funding per pupil at this time.' To manage the large influx of applications, ADE is evaluating and approving applications based on funding priority categories within designated application priority windows, instead of a first-come, first-served basis, according to the education department's EFA website. Three-week priority windows began in early March. The application portal was closed from May 26 to June 1, before reopening for the fifth application window on Monday. Once a priority window closes, all submitted applications are reviewed together, with priority given to students in higher funding categories. The students with highest priority are returning EFA participants, followed by students with specialized needs. The program will continue processing applications in three-week windows until Jan. 31, 2026. If the number of applications exceeds available funding, applicants in the highest priority groups will be awarded first until all funds have been allocated, according to ADE's website. Any remaining eligible students will be placed on a rolling waitlist and considered for funding as openings occur. Private schools that have participated in every year of the EFA program say they're grateful the funds have helped cover families' tuition costs and increase their enrollment. But they also say technological issues persist and worry how the program might change. Smaller class sizes are key to providing an effective education at Shiloh Excel, but the school may soon expand from 20 students to 100 because of the EFA program, Jackson said. 'We have been [considering expanding] over the years, but we're really considering it now, especially since we have the vouchers that are available…so it's possible that we could really increase quickly, and we want to be able to accommodate that,' she said. Joshua Academy in Van Buren opened in 2023 with 37 students. Enrollment grew to 47 by the end of the Christian school's first year and to 121 during the 2024-2025 academic year when 97 students participated in the EFA program. Enrollment is expected to be around 160 this fall and the EFA program has been 'a huge part of it,' Head of School Kara Witzke said. Joshua Academy serves 'a fairly underserved population' in a rural county with about a quarter of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch and more than 70 ACE scholarships expected next year, Witzke said. Founded in 2000 by a group of people that included Walmart heir John Walton, ACE Scholarships are designed for families that make up to 350% above the poverty level ($112,525 for a family of four in 2025). 'The fact that everybody's getting it, the families are so relieved, those especially that have been paying full price for our school or relying on outside scholarships to do so,' Witzke said. 'They're so relieved to have that big burden taken care of.' Tuition will cost $9,000 for elementary school and $9,500 for middle school next year, and with the EFA program covering the majority of that, Witzke said it creates an opportunity for the outdoor-based school to launch its first annual fund. Heads of Arkansas private schools participating in state voucher program cite aid to families Private schools often rely on donors to pay for operational costs not covered by tuition, she said, so an annual fund would allow some families to donate part of what they would have paid in tuition and receive a tax deduction. While tuition increases are common, Jackson said she's cautioned her school's board not to raise tuition too much because it's important for families to have EFA funds for other things like uniforms and supplies. Shiloh Excel's tuition will increase from $4,250 to $5,000 this fall. At Clear Spring School in Eureka Springs, tuition will stay the same next year, ranging from $9,000 to $10,500 for K-12 students. Roughly 85% of the school's students receive scholarships, so the EFA program helps alleviate concerns about how much the independent school needs to raise for tuition assistance, Head of School Jessica FitzPatrick said. Though EFA funds are available, technology can make them difficult to access. Beyond the initial application, families must submit invoices through an online portal for quarterly payments to be disbursed to schools. Joshua Academy families often have phones but not computers, so some use the school's main office computer to access the online EFA portal, Witzke said. With a smaller enrollment of 69 students, FitzPatrick said staff can generally remind families to submit invoices or assist those who aren't 'tech savvy at all.' 'It's not hard, but if you've never done it, it's a challenge and it's usually our lower-income families that it's the biggest challenge for, which is who they're trying to help,' FitzPatrick said. 'But there's a disconnect there between the lowest income and their hurdles to technology.' Beyond technical glitches, some private school leaders have concerns about how the EFA program could change in the future. Opponents of the program have called for private schools receiving state funding to be held to the same standards as public schools. Some lawmakers have proposed laws to require just that. If program requirements change such that the state dictates the direction of Clear Spring, that could be a problem because it goes against its accrediting body's guidelines for independent schools to set their own mission, vision and philosophy, FitzPatrick said. Likewise, Witzke said the EFA program seems like it's often 'under attack' and she's worried about efforts to repeal the program or attach 'strings that would make it impossible for a Christian school, for instance, to maintain their freedom and curriculum choice.' 'I hope that the spirit of the LEARNS Act is maintained and that fidelity is maintained forever, but I am concerned,' she said. 'If it were to go away and we have 200 students at our school that all of a sudden lose 80% of their funding, we would at that point have to rely on donor funding to keep the kids here, and that would be more challenging.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Blytheville school board dissolved by state
The Arkansas State Board of Education voted unanimously Thursday to dissolve the Blytheville School Board and place the district under a Level 5-Intensive Support classification due to ongoing academic, financial and administrative issues. The board authorized Education Secretary Jacob Oliva to assume the board's duties, appoint a superintendent and pursue the possibility of a transformation contract, a provision of the LEARNS Act that allows struggling public schools to partner with an open-enrollment public charter school or another state board-approved entity to create 'a public school district transformation campus.' Oliva notified the board on May 8 of his intent to recommend the state's highest support classification. He initially alerted the board to his concerns with the Northeast Arkansas school district last July. Over the last year, the Arkansas Department of Education has provided on-site support to the district, ADE Deputy Commissioner Stacy Smith said at the state board's special meeting in Blytheville Thursday. The district is one of the lowest-performing in the state, struggles with declining enrollment and has financial issues, Smith said. Fiscal year 2025 revenue is down by about 15%, and the district has spent $1.5 million that was not budgeted, she said. Teachers and administrators have been receptive to the state's help, and Blytheville has 'a bright future,' but more assistance is needed, Smith said. 'People are showing up, but this is a district that is in need of a lot of support to be able to get them out of the hole that they're currently in,' she said. Oliva notified the Blytheville School District of his recommendation of a Level 5-Intensive Support classification and the state board's special meeting via a letter dated May 14. An ongoing lack of a permanent superintendent, delayed staffing decisions and stalled hiring processes have led to 'organizational instability, weakened strategic planning efforts, and impeded the district's capacity to effectively support students and staff,' according to the letter. In addition to an 'absence of coherent leadership,' the letter also cited 'inconsistent governance structure' and 'chronic student underachievement.' The district appealed the recommendation in a May 21 letter, which prompted a hearing at Thursday's special meeting. The letter, signed by Interim Superintendent Jennnifer Blankenship and board President Desmond Hammett, argued the district has 'worked tirelessly' to implement the education department's recommendations and 'demonstrated both measurable academic progress and consistent good faith efforts to comply with all directives.' Specific actions include hiring a school improvement consulting firm, increasing the number of fully licensed educators and assigning mentors to novice teachers, the district leaders wrote. The letter also rebuts 'chronic student underachievement,' noting that one school improved from an 'F' ranking to a 'C' ranking in one academic year. Additionally, the district's letter takes issue with Oliva's past characterization of it as a 'failure factory,' which 'undermines the morale of educators and students,' its authors said. 'It is difficult to accept the designation of Level 5-Intensive Support while actively doing everything we were advised to do,' the letter states. 'Rather than punitive reclassification, we respectfully submit that BSD's path would be better supported by continued partnership, encouragement, and recognition of its progress.' The letter's authors said they also 'strongly disagree' with Oliva's comments about a lack of 'coherent leadership' and 'inconsistent governance.' Blytheville has had two full-time superintendents and three interim superintendents since 2018, Smith said at the state board's May 8 meeting. Blankenship was appointed as the current interim superintendent on June 12, 2024. She also served in the interim role from July through December 2021. After the previous superintendent was officially terminated last August, the board reviewed candidates in late November and decided to keep Blankenship. A consulting firm hired in February presented two of 13 applicants in late April, but the board declined to interview them and reposted the position, Smith said. According to the district's letter, the board voted to delay interviews because it hadn't received certain requested information. 'Unfortunately, the ADE observer left the meeting without seeking clarification, which may have inadvertently contributed to subsequent misunderstandings about governance stability,' the letter states. At Thursday's meeting, Hammett said the board didn't refuse to interview the two candidates, but instead extended the application deadline by two weeks to gather a larger pool of applicants. Smith confirmed that Blytheville's school board decided at its May 22 meeting to interview three applicants. One interview was scheduled for Thursday, and Smith said she 'would be embarrassed' to interview a superintendent on the same day that the state board is considering whether to dissolve the school board. 'While it may be embarrassing to some,' Hammett said, the board was committed to continuing its work. Blytheville has only been working with the state for a year, Hammett said, and he believes the district can continue to improve. The state board's discussion of Blytheville's circumstances at its May 8 meeting was 'disappointing and discouraging,' but the school board 'rose to the challenge,' he said. 'We didn't tuck our tails, we didn't run away from the challenge,' he said. 'We became more committed, more engaged to show that we're not dysfunctional, that we're willing to do the work.' Much of Thursday's discussion centered on frustration with the board's actions, or lack thereof. Oliva discussed 'frustration of how much we have to babysit the people that are elected to govern the district.' Meanwhile, members of the public like Blytheville native Bradley Ballard requested the state board dissolve the school board 'before more damage is done.' 'This [mess] is the result of a board that is too prideful to lead and too fractured to function,' Ballard said. 'We cannot keep pointing fingers while our children fall through the cracks. Today you have the power to stop this. You can cut through the chaos and bring order, accountability and hope back to our schools.' The state board granted his request and voted to dissolve Blytheville's school board and give the district a Level 5-Intensive Support classification. Blytheville joins four other districts that already have the state's highest support classification — Earle, Lee County, Helena-West Helena and Marvell-Elaine. Arkansas Advocate is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arkansas Advocate maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sonny Albarado for questions: info@ Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Arkansas education board dissolves Blytheville school board
The Arkansas State Board of Education held a special meeting at the Blytheville School District on May 29, 2025. (Screenshot from livestream) The Arkansas State Board of Education voted unanimously Thursday to dissolve the Blytheville School Board and place the district under a Level 5-Intensive Support classification due to ongoing academic, financial and administrative issues. The board authorized Education Secretary Jacob Oliva to assume the board's duties, appoint a superintendent and pursue the possibility of a transformation contract, a provision of the LEARNS Act that allows struggling public schools to partner with an open-enrollment public charter school or another state board-approved entity to create 'a public school district transformation campus.' Education secretary to recommend increased support for east Arkansas school district Oliva notified the board on May 8 of his intent to recommend the state's highest support classification. He initially alerted the board to his concerns with the Northeast Arkansas school district last July. Over the last year, the Arkansas Department of Education has provided on-site support to the district, ADE Deputy Commissioner Stacy Smith said at the state board's special meeting in Blytheville Thursday. The district is one of the lowest-performing in the state, struggles with declining enrollment and has financial issues, Smith said. Fiscal year 2025 revenue is down by about 15%, and the district has spent $1.5 million that was not budgeted, she said. Teachers and administrators have been receptive to the state's help, and Blytheville has 'a bright future,' but more assistance is needed, Smith said. 'People are showing up, but this is a district that is in need of a lot of support to be able to get them out of the hole that they're currently in,' she said. Oliva notified the Blytheville School District of his recommendation of a Level 5-Intensive Support classification and the state board's special meeting via a letter dated May 14. An ongoing lack of a permanent superintendent, delayed staffing decisions and stalled hiring processes have led to 'organizational instability, weakened strategic planning efforts, and impeded the district's capacity to effectively support students and staff,' according to the letter. In addition to an 'absence of coherent leadership,' the letter also cited 'inconsistent governance structure' and 'chronic student underachievement.' The district appealed the recommendation in a May 21 letter, which prompted a hearing at Thursday's special meeting. The letter, signed by Interim Superintendent Jennnifer Blankenship and board President Desmond Hammett, argued the district has 'worked tirelessly' to implement the education department's recommendations and 'demonstrated both measurable academic progress and consistent good faith efforts to comply with all directives.' Specific actions include hiring a school improvement consulting firm, increasing the number of fully licensed educators and assigning mentors to novice teachers, the district leaders wrote. The letter also rebuts 'chronic student underachievement,' noting that one school improved from an 'F' ranking to a 'C' ranking in one academic year. Additionally, the district's letter takes issue with Oliva's past characterization of it as a 'failure factory,' which 'undermines the morale of educators and students,' its authors said. 'It is difficult to accept the designation of Level 5-Intensive Support while actively doing everything we were advised to do,' the letter states. 'Rather than punitive reclassification, we respectfully submit that BSD's path would be better supported by continued partnership, encouragement, and recognition of its progress.' The letter's authors said they also 'strongly disagree' with Oliva's comments about a lack of 'coherent leadership' and 'inconsistent governance.' Blytheville has had two full-time superintendents and three interim superintendents since 2018, Smith said at the state board's May 8 meeting. Blankenship was appointed as the current interim superintendent on June 12, 2024. She also served in the interim role from July through December 2021. After the previous superintendent was officially terminated last August, the board reviewed candidates in late November and decided to keep Blankenship. A consulting firm hired in February presented two of 13 applicants in late April, but the board declined to interview them and reposted the position, Smith said. According to the district's letter, the board voted to delay interviews because it hadn't received certain requested information. 'Unfortunately, the ADE observer left the meeting without seeking clarification, which may have inadvertently contributed to subsequent misunderstandings about governance stability,' the letter states. At Thursday's meeting, Hammett said the board didn't refuse to interview the two candidates, but instead extended the application deadline by two weeks to gather a larger pool of applicants. Arkansas education board removes Lee County's fiscal distress status Smith confirmed that Blytheville's school board decided at its May 22 meeting to interview three applicants. One interview was scheduled for Thursday, and Smith said she 'would be embarrassed' to interview a superintendent on the same day that the state board is considering whether to dissolve the school board. 'While it may be embarrassing to some,' Hammett said, the board was committed to continuing its work. Blytheville has only been working with the state for a year, Hammett said, and he believes the district can continue to improve. The state board's discussion of Blytheville's circumstances at its May 8 meeting was 'disappointing and discouraging,' but the school board 'rose to the challenge,' he said. 'We didn't tuck our tails, we didn't run away from the challenge,' he said. 'We became more committed, more engaged to show that we're not dysfunctional, that we're willing to do the work.' Much of Thursday's discussion centered on frustration with the board's actions, or lack thereof. Oliva discussed 'frustration of how much we have to babysit the people that are elected to govern the district.' Meanwhile, members of the public like Blytheville native Bradley Ballard requested the state board dissolve the school board 'before more damage is done.' 'This [mess] is the result of a board that is too prideful to lead and too fractured to function,' Ballard said. 'We cannot keep pointing fingers while our children fall through the cracks. Today you have the power to stop this. You can cut through the chaos and bring order, accountability and hope back to our schools.' The state board granted his request and voted to dissolve Blytheville's school board and give the district a Level 5-Intensive Support classification. Blytheville joins four other districts that already have the state's highest support classification — Earle, Lee County, Helena-West Helena and Marvell-Elaine. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
