Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Questions remain for education; money still the biggest drawback

While it appears as though the special legislative session is coming to an end, questions remain as to what has been accomplished.

Rick McAfee, superintendent of the Nevada School District, has been keeping track of the various bills introduced for education during the session. He said it looks like the Legislature is approving the largest tax increase in Arkansas history  7/8 cent  to fund education.

However, there is a problem with this, as the Legislature has also voted to reduce the tax on food from six cents to 2 3/8 cents, which would nullify the tax increase.

The food tax, McAfee said, is where the state gets most of its money in sales tax. "They're also going to put a millage increase on the ballot in November, asking voters to raise millage from 25-28 for education."

Additionally, he said, a gambling bill has been introduced to allow video gambling at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs and the dog track in West Memphis.

In recent days, he said, the Legislature did away with the Arkansas Department of Education's insurance branch. Many districts across the state had carried this health insurance, but could be required to look to private firms for coverage and this would mean higher premiums for districts and teachers.

There was also some yo-yoing going on with the salary schedule during the session. Initially it was reduced from 20 years to 15 years, but this was protested and the cap for tenure was raised back to 20 years. However, McAfee said, under Act 74, this is reduced back to 15 years for salary purposes. Under the new schedule, a teacher with a Bachelor's degree would make $27,500 per year, while one with a Master's would make $31,625. The step increases would be $450 for those with a BA, and $500 for those with an MA.

Another bill introduced, but not passed, dealt with getting teachers to districts in need. First time teachers would have been given a $4,000 signing bonus and $2,000 per year for three years, he said.

HB 1160, which was supposed to "do away" with consolidation, while setting minimum educational standards was buried by the governor, McAfee said.

In talking about charter schools with fewer than 350 students, McAfee said some could be racial majority schools, and this could bring about lawsuits from majority and minority schools  especially if the charter school is a majority school.

There could also be changes in athletics from the session. McAfee said HB1177 would allow students in administratively consolidated districts to attend school at one place, but participate in extracurricular activities at another school in the district.

"Arkansas isn't the only state going through educational problems," he said. "No one has the answers and not everyone will be equal in education. They never have been and never will be."

"The Legislature," he said, "has passed packages for school reform and funding they think will meet the court's requirements. But they haven't found how to get the money." By adjourning, McAfee said, with these measures approved, the funding problem is dropped into the governor's lap to deal with.

However, the issue of education has been skirted, he said. "Anything we do will have problems making an impact, and throwing money at it is not the answer.

"Teachers need more money and should be paid like professionals," McAfee said, "but until we change the method of how we deliver education ..."

He made a prediction saying when everything is said and done the test scored will be different and everyone will say the changes were good. But, he added, scores can be made to appear the way someone wants them to appear.

"We need to replicate what works and not reinvent the wheel," he said. "We need to teach basic skills and education should stay about the business of education the children.

"We have to live with their (the Legislature's) decisions, but we need to do the best for the children. We can take this as a challenge and make things better, or we can do nothing and complain. I hope we take it as a challenge, do the best we can, go forward and make it positive for the children."