SILOAM SPRINGS -- Education reform in Arkansas will succeed or fail on whether literacy of schoolchildren improves, Gov. Sarah Sanders told a crowd of about 180 in Siloam Springs on Monday.
"The most critical part of education reform that's often ignored is literacy," Sanders said during a town hall event.
Reforms such as reading coaches and emphasis on getting students' literacy up to grade level are the most important aspect of the LEARNS Act passed in the legislative session earlier this year, she said.
Sanders and state Secretary of Education Jacob Oliva got a standing ovation as they entered the reservation-required town hall event at John Brown University. Questions asked included one from Siloam Springs School District Superintendent Jody Wiggins on why private schools and homeschooling didn't face the same accountability standards expected of public schools.
Private schools eligible for LEARNS money will be limited at first, Oliva said. A more complete set of standards for private schools will come as the program expands, he said. For now the major concern was to give parents options.
Teachers in Arkansas were disparaged in much of the debate on the LEARNS legislation, Joel Lookadoo, a teacher in the Springdale School District and the 2020 Arkansas Teacher of the Year, told the governor and Oliva.
"We believe in you," the governor replied. "If we didn't, we wouldn't be leaning so aggressively on this initiative."
Every public school teacher in the state will receive a raise through the LEARNS Act, she said.
Implementing the LEARNS Act is on hold after a court ruling in a lawsuit brought in Pulaski County found the emergency clause on the bill wasn't passed in accordance with the state constitution, a ruling the state has appealed. The state Supreme Court is considering the matter. "LEARNS is going to go into effect," the governor said. "This lawsuit just delays the inevitable."
Two teachers speaking up in the town hall pointed out how some of their students face daunting challenges before they get to school -- if they get to school.
Heather Witt of the Bentonville School District asked if there was any chance of getting social workers in schools to help children who face challenges ranging from domestic turmoil to homelessness. The governor replied such proposals were "certainly on the table" in the future. Oliva said there are already some provisions for more training for dealing with mental health issues in the education package.
Cindy Stinnett, a teacher at Siloam Springs High School, said absenteeism and apathy has worsened since the covid pandemic, which kept many children out of school for months. Something must be done to address both student and parent apathy, she said.
"That will be a very big uphill climb," Sanders replied.
The mindset about education has to change among educators also, Oliva said during the meeting. When he asked education administrators in the state where Arkansas ranks in education they express surprise that one recent survey put it at 43rd among the 50 states -- surprised the ranking was not lower.
Jay Oliphant of Gravette, a former School Board member there, attended the town hall. He said after the meeting there were many positive aspects of the LEARNS Act but that Wiggins didn't get a clear response to his question about education standards for private schools.
Jonathan Barnett, a Siloam Springs businessman and former state House member, said it was great to see the governor come to Northwest Arkansas and that it was a candid conversation in which the governor and the secretary agreed there were some unknowns.
Governors office video of the town hall:
https://www.facebook.com/events/205838122413570/?ref=newsfeed