New panel to aid
underperformers
A special committee to address the needs of “chronically underperforming” school districts was established Friday by the Arkansas Board of Education at a special meeting.
At the end of Friday’s meeting, Chairman Brenda Gullett said that, although it was not on the meeting’s preapproved agenda, she was creating the new group and appointing board members Samuel Ledbetter, Vicki Saviers and Toyce Newton to serve on it.
Arkansas Education Commissioner Tom Kimbrell asked that instead of focusing on the broad term of “chronically underperforming” districts, the committee initially direct its attention to academically distressed districts.
This month, the board voted to classify the Lee County and Strong-Huttig school systems as districts in “academic distress” because fewer than 50 percent of their students scored at proficient or better levels on state exams in recent years.
“The immediate needs are with our two districts that are currently in academic distress and are in most urgent need of review,” Kimbrellsaid. The special committee will meet with district personnel to conduct a thorough review and act in an advisory capacity to bring the districts into compliance.
Two makeup days waived for systems
The Arkansas Board of Education unanimously approved requests from the Newport and Bay school districts to waive making up two school days that were missed because of inclement weather this school year. The state’s Standards of Accreditation require a minimum of 178 instructional days each school year.
The decision came on the heels of last week’s approval of waivers for 73 of the state’s 75 school districts that were closed for numerous days this school year because of winter weather.
Those districts - some of which missed as many as 23 days - presented plans to make up at least part of the missed class time by holding school on Saturdays, holidays, during spring break or on previously scheduled teacher workdays.
Most districts also extended the end of the school year.
The state’s Education Board voted Friday to waive two days for each school.
Front Section, Pages 5 on 03/29/2014