Features

Scores rising according to Arkansas 2008 Benchmark results
The majority of Arkansas students earned proficient or advanced scores on the 2008 Benchmark literacy and math exams, according to the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE). This marks the first time that milestone has been met across those subject areas at each grade level. For more information about test results, please visit the ADE website.

New deadline for school board candidates to file petitions
A new state law changed the deadline for school board candidates to file petitions to run for election. This year candidates may begin circulating petitions to gather signatures beginning June 18. The petitions may be submitted for certification by the county clerk from July 11, 2008 through noon on July 18, 2008.

This filing deadline is 15 days earlier than previous years. Petitions must contain at least 20 signatures of qualified voters of the district (and of the electoral zone if directors are elected by zone).

Click here for more school board election information on the Secretary of State’s web site. Click here for information about serving on a school board, who is eligible to run and more. You may download a brochure here, So You Want to be a School Board Member, published by ASBA.

ASBA Board of Directors holds annual retreat
The Arkansas School Boards Association (ASBA) Board of Directors held its annual retreat from June 4 – 6, 2008, at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute on Petit Jean Mountain. The board identified critical issues that are currently impacting education in Arkansas and forecast concerns expected to have an effect in the future. The board reviewed a preliminary 2008-09 budget, approved membership fees and spent time on the Key Work of School Boards. A photo gallery of the Board retreat is available here.

State Board of Education approves ethics code for educators
At its June 9 meeting, the Arkansas Board of Education approved an ethics code for educators. Click here to view coverage by the Arkansas News Bureau.

National teachers union ranks Arkansas standards high
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) reviewed educational standards in all states and the District of Columbia. The AFT issued its report, Sizing Up State Standards 2008, in May, and Arkansas ranks among the states with the most stringent standards. The report may be viewed here. (PDF)

Transportation Funding Under Discussion
The Joint Adequacy Evaluation Oversight Subcommittee has been discussing school transportation funding at the State Capitol. Concern arose over the amount of student transportation funding included in the funding formula. The amount included is $286 per student, but a large number of districts spend more than this amount for bus transportation. Read more in this story from the Arkansas News Bureau.

Six Seniors Awarded School Boards Scholarships

Six Arkansas high school seniors recently were awarded $650 scholarships by the Arkansas School Boards Association Education Foundation. The scholarships are awarded to graduating high school seniors who are children of Arkansas school board members and who will attend Arkansas institutions of higher learning in the fall.

The awards are based on a student’s academic record and leadership potential. One award was made in each of the four congressional districts and two at-large. This is the 15th consecutive year for the awards. The recipients were:

• Whitney Brown, Lamar High School, daughter of Bryan Brown, Lamar School Board
• Jillian Carroll, Brinkley High School, daughter of Jon Carroll, Brinkley School Board
• Jena Marie Lockley, DeWitt High School, daughter of Johnny Lockley, DeWitt School Board
• Ethan Passmore, Bryant High School, son of David Passmore, Bryant School Board
• Jacob Smith, Horatio High School, son of Pollyanna Smith, Horatio School Board
• Callie Ann Wagner, Tuckerman High School, daughter of Randy Wagner, Tuckerman School Board

Please click here to view a slideshow about the scholarship recipients.

Board members and administrators learn about ethics and Key Work of School Boards
More than 40 school board members and administrators in Northwest Arkansas received professional development on the topics of ethics and The Key Work of School Boards on May 29 (please click here to view a photo gallery of the event). Kristen Gould, staff attorney for the Arkansas School Boards Association (ASBA), led the discussion about the eight components of The Key Work of School Boards and described how all are interrelated within a systems approach. (Read full story - download ppts)

Eight Arkansas schools recognized for best practices
Governor Mike Beebe and Education Commissioner Ken James recently honored eight high schools for their innovative practices and focus on student achievement. The schools recognized were: Bentonville High; Clarksville High; Dardanelle High; Flippin High; Fort Smith Southside High; Nashville; Parkers Chapel High in El Dorado; and Pocahontas High School. Read the Arkansas News Bureau story here.

Reading First Program not meeting expectations nationwide
The U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) released an interim report in May showing that Reading First did not have the expected positive impact on student reading comprehension. The Institute of Education Sciences, a division of the USDOE, conducted the study that found that “on average across the 18 study sites, Reading First did not have statistically significant impacts on student reading comprehension test scores in grades 1-3.” The study may be accessed on the USDOE website by clicking here.

Arkansas Applies for “Differentiated Accountability”
The Arkansas Department of Education has applied to participate in a pilot “Differentiated Accountability” system. The U.S. Department of Education accepted proposals and may allow up to 10 states to implement state-designed models that allow for flexibility in meeting mandates under No Child Left Behind. Click here to read the May 5, 2008, press release issued by the Arkansas Department of Education.

Position Announcement - Director of the Arkansas Leadership Academy (posted May 28, 2008)
The College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, invites nominations and applications for the non-tenure track position of Director of the Arkansas Leadership Academy and Clinical Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. (Read more...)

Joint Conference a “categorical” success
About 230 school board members, superintendents and district staff attended the 2008 Joint Conference sponsored by ASBA and AAEA. The focus was on using categorical funds to improve student achievement. Special thanks to speakers from the Camden Fairview School District, Rogers School District, the Arkansas Department of Education and the University of Arkansas, as well as AAEA and ASBA.

Click here to view a photo gallery of the event, photos courtesy of Lifetouch.

May Edition of Report Card Now Available
School buses in Waldron travel 1,625 miles each day – 80 percent of them on gravel and dirt – through mountainous terrain in the Ozark National Forest in Western Arkansas. Park them, and many far-flung students simply couldn’t come to school. (Read more...)

Arkansas School Superintendent Positions (updated 6/17/08)
Two new positions for Superintendent have been posted. Click here to find out more.

Federal Automated Recovery Systems (FARS)
FARS was formed as a way to help educational institutions and organizations that accept checks to successfully recover those checks that are returned non-sufficient funds (NSF) or otherwise dishonored. Protect every bank account within the district. Find out more about FARS and how to get involved at no cost to your district.

Handbook for Arkansas School Board Members
This handbook is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part for education purposes is granted. Download the electronic version in Adobe Reader format here.

State-Mandated School Board Training Requirements
What is the new law all about? When does it go into effect? Will I lose my ASBA Boardmanship credit? Download the actual language of ACT 1775. These questions and more are answered here in our handout.

Code of Ethics for Arkansas School Board Members
As a member of the board I shall promote the best interests of the school district as a whole, and to that end I shall adhere to the following educational and ethical standards. Find out more here.

2008 NSBA Southern Region Conference
Our Louisiana neighbors will welcome school board members to New Orleans for this year’s NSBA Southern Region Conference to be held July 21 – 23. Click here to access registration costs and other information on the Louisiana School Boards Association website. Click here to view the Southern Region Conference brochure. The conference will be held at the Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel on Canal Street. Room rates are $115 plus tax per night, and you may call 1-504-962-0500 for room reservations. Don’t forget that Arkansas will host this conference in 2009!

School Board Members and School Administrators - Save These Dates!

ASBA Online Courses Now Available for School Board Members - FREE!
The three two-part online courses available from ASBA were developed originally by ASBA and hosted on the National School Boards Association’s Online Learning Center (OLC). The OLC stopped operations last fall and ASBA searched for a way to host the courses locally.

Early in December, the Arkansas Educational Telecommunications Network (AETN), in partnership with ASBA and the Arkansas Department of Education, has made them available on AETN’s website. The courses are NOT found in AETN’s Professional Development Portal. There is no cost to take the courses. Each part of each course is six hours. Because of the nature of the courses, ASBA expects the responses on the final exams to be thoughtful and reflective. One- or two-sentence responses will not be sufficient. Each course, satisfactorily completed, will provide six hours—based on our assumption that six hours would be the minimum time necessary to read and reflect.

The courses currently being offered are:

• Creating Successful Change Strategies
• Designing and Creating Successful Community Partnerships
• Tools for Reaching Consensus With Your Board

Access the courses here.