2017 Legislative Session
Impact of the 91st General Assembly
Total number of bills filed - 2105
Number of Bills Tracked by AAEA - 283
Number of Bills Tracked that Became Law - 142
Act 209 – Human Trafficking PD Requirement
Adds human trafficking to definition of abuse and sexual abuse
within juvenile and child maltreatment.
Recognizing the warning signs that a child is a victim of human
trafficking and reporting a suspicion that a child is a victim of
human trafficking.
ADE or anther person, firm, or corporation designated by ADE,
shall develop and administer the PD. District ”Shall Make
Available”
Act 765 requires 30 minutes of training.
Act 267 - Prohibiting Sex Offenders
From School
Requires Level 3 registered sex offenders attending a
ticketed event on a school campus to:
• Be the parent or guardian of, or related by blood or
marriage within the fourth degree of kinship (example:
third cousins) to a student enrolled in the public school,
and
• Notify Admin of the school in writing at least (24) hours
before the start of the school-sponsored event.
Act 294 - Authorizes Tiered Licensure
System
Creates a tiered licensure system. The SBE may promulgate
rules, which may include without limitation:
1) An emergency teaching permit
2) A technical permit
3) A provisional license
4) A novice or first-time license
5) A standard license
6) A license with advanced requirements
Act 294, continued
• Allows for districts to develop a differentiated salary
schedule
• ADE may provide grants to:
• entities that train individuals seeking licensure through
an alternative educator preparation program,
• a teacher or leader academy,
• a residency program at a public school, which may be
in partnership with an educator preparation program at
an institution of higher education.
Act 295 - T.E.S.S.
• Artifacts-materials that document the teacher’s
professional practice
• Data means teacher performance data, student
performance data, overall school performance data
• Data may include multiple measures of student growth,
school quality, or student success.
Act 295, continued
• Direct Observation: evaluator observes the teacher leading
or facilitating instruction while (a) physically present inside
or outside the teacher’s classroom or (b) using appropriate
technology to observe.
• Formative year: year other than a summative evaluation
year in which the teacher and school collaboratively
engage in supporting the teacher’s growth in effective
teaching practices and professionalism, aligned with the
teacher’s needs identified in the teacher’s professional
growth plan.
Act 295, continued
• Indirect observation: evaluator observes systems that
operate as a result of a teacher’s research, planning, &
implementation inside or outside of the classroom
• Novice teacher: teacher having less than 3 years of public
school classroom teaching experience
• Summative evaluations conducted at least 1 time every 4
years. Written evaluation using multiple sources of
evidence such as direct and indirect observations, artifacts
& data.
Act 295, continued
• District may adopt policies to incorporate peer
observations and student feedback.
• Teacher’s work completed for certification from National
Board
• At the conclusion of a summative evaluation, a school shall
assign teacher being evaluated an overall performance
rating.
Act 295, continued
• Formative years: TESS aligns professional support &
learning opportunities to link teacher’s professional
practice with support for targeted, personalized learning
• Personal growth plan may include collaborating with a
team of teachers, conducting self-directed research, and/or
completing competency-based credentialing
• An overall rating is not required during a formative year
Act 295, continued
An evaluator may place a teacher in intensive support status
if the teacher:
1) Is not continuously improving professional practice;
2) Has not demonstrated commitment to students, the
school, and the profession;
3) Fails to demonstrate growth in professional practice after
receiving targeted feedback and support; or
4) Does not advance student growth as demonstrated on
local and state measures.
Act 315 - Expand Eligibility for
Challenge Scholarship
Expands definition of “traditional student” to include students
who spent the previous academic year as full-time freshmen.
Meets criteria:
1) First-time freshman in the preceding year,
2) Did not receive the scholarship as a freshman,
3) Completed at least 27 semester hours of courses in
consecutive semesters, not including a summer term, &
4) Postsecondary GPA of 2.5 on 4.0 scale as a first-time
freshman.
Act 316 - AR Future Grant Program
• Creates grants to students seeking higher education in
high-needs areas for up to 5 semesters.
• Enrolled at an approved institution of higher ed in a
program of study that leads to an associate’s degree or
certification in a STEM field, including computer science or
in a regional high-demand field.
• Grant shall be in an amount equal to the tuition, fees, and
other charges less scholarships.
Act 316, continued
A student who receives grant shall:
1) Receive monthly mentoring from an organization
determined by the ADHE,
2) Complete at least 15 hours of community service each
semester,
3) Work in the state of AR for 3 consecutive years and be
employed beginning within 6 months after receiving an
associate’s degree or a certification.
Emergency clause
Act 327 - Expands the Succeed
Scholarship
• Expands eligibility of students to attend private schools
who have applied for accreditation by the Arkansas
Nonpublic School Accrediting Association or its successor
or another accrediting association recognized by the SBE.
• Accreditation process must be completed within 4 years.
• Emergency Clause
Act 379 - Require Posting Child
Abuse Hotline
• Requires schools to post Child Abuse Hotline number in a
clearly visible location on their premises as well as in all
bathrooms that allow a student to privately access the
information.
• The ADE shall develop rules and regulations and administer
the program.
Act 416 - Stand-Alone Reading Test
for Licensure
• Requires SBE to test applicants for first-time teacher
licensure for elementary education K-6 and for special ed K12, in subject matter content, pedagogy, & knowledge of
beginning reading instruction.
• A teacher who has less than 3 years' teaching experience
shall have 3 years to pass the stand-alone reading
assessment, during which the teacher may work under a
provisional license.
•
The recommendation of a stand-alone reading assessment
shall be made by a diverse group of stakeholders.
Act 427 - Professional Development
Funding for PLCs
• Requires ADE to use any additional funding that is above
the required amount for teacher PD for the development
and administration of PLCs.
• ADE may partner with person, firm, corporation, or co-op to
provide for development of PLCs.
• Approximate amount is $4 million
• No emergency clause
Act 428 - Allow Board Members &
Spouses to be Registered Volunteers
• Amends the “Registered Volunteer Program Act.”
• School Board approval is required and valid for one calendar
year.
• “Registered volunteers” are those who have “significant
unsupervised contact” with students.
• Emergency Clause
Act 478 - Civics Test for Graduation
• Requires the passing of a civics test identical to the civics
portion of the US Citizenship test in order to receive a HS
diploma or its equivalent.
• Beginning with 2018-2019, student may retake the test as
many times as necessary to achieve a passing score.
• Exemptions: (1) IEPs and (2) students over 18 seeking
GED
• Test is downloadable for free.
Act 480 - Personal Finance
Standards
• Beginning with the 9th grade class of 2017-2018, each
public HS student shall be required before graduation to
earn a credit in a course taken in grades 10, 11, or 12 that
includes the personal & family finance standards (includes
income, money management, spending & credit, saving &
investing, job seeking skills, soft job skills, & employment
benefits).
• ADE shall develop the standards.
Act 541 - FOIA Exemptions
• Exempts public school (including higher ed institutions)
emergency and security records from disclosure under
FOIA - emergency or security plans, school safety plans,
procedures, risk assessments, studies, measures, systems
& records or other information relating to licensed security
officers, school resource officers, or other security
personnel, as well as any personal information about those
individuals.
• Emergency Clause
Act 542 - Charter Schools Right to
Access
• Grants charter schools the right of access to unused or
underutilized public school facilities.
• Unused or underutilized public school facility-a public school
facility or other real property that:
A. As a whole or in a significant portion, is not being used for a
public educational, academic, extracurricular, or administrative
purpose & the nonuse or underutilization threatens the
integrity or purpose of the public school facility/real property as
a public education facility; and
Act 542, continued
B. As of the effective date of this act, is not subject to:
1. A lease to a third party for FMV; or
2. An executed offer to purchase by a third party for
FMV.
•
District submits Master Plan to Division by February 1
identifying all unused or underutilized facilities.
•
Division will identify if district does not identify facilities.
Act 542, continued
• Annually by March 1 - Division shall publish list of unused or
underutilized facilities.
• District may appeal identification by Division.
• District shall make facilities available for lease or purchase
for no more than fair market value to a charter school within
the geographical boundaries of the school district.
Act 542, continued
• Once facility identified, then charter may give notice of their
intent to purchase or lease the public school facility no
earlier than the later of:
• the date the facility is first identified as unused or
underutilized, or
• two years after the date of being identified as unused or
underutilized if property is identified to be reused,
renovated, or demolished in the district master plan as
part of a specific committed project or planned
construction project.
Act 542, continued
• Division may deny petition by charter to lease/purchase
facility if district:
A. Shows property will be needed by the school district to
accommodate future growth or
B. The charter would have a materially negative impact on the
overall educational environment of an educational campus
located within 500 feet of the public school facility/real
property sought to be leased.
• District may sell or lease facility to other parties after
additional requirements, as outlined in the law, are met.
Act 561 - MLK and REL Day
• Changes Robert E. Lee's holiday observance to 2nd Sat in
Oct; amends history curriculum requirements.
• Beginning in 2018-19, emphasis placed on historic work of
American civil rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr., and his pursuit of justice in civil society. (ADE will
provide)
• Beginning in 2018-19, emphasis of the Civil War
curriculum placed upon civilian and military leadership and
how lessons of that era can inform contemporary society.
(ADE will provide)
Act 588 - Lifetime Teaching License
• Teachers who have undergone voluntary retirement, early
voluntary retirement, or disability retirement are eligible for
a lifetime teacher's license
• Repeals PD hours requirement of lifetime teaching license
holders.
Act 589 - School Board Member
Training
• Requires a vacancy to occur on a school district board if
board member fails to receive mandatory 6 hours of training
each year, unless the failure was due to military service or
serious medical condition.
• Superintendent shall annually prepare a report of each board
member training hours received the previous year and
present the report at the regular January board meeting.
Act 589, continued
• A board member who fails to cure the board member's
training hours deficiency within the 30 days provided shall
be removed from board & the board member's position shall
be filled in accordance with AR law.
Act 601 - ACT Test
• Provide students with the opportunity to take ACT
Assessment in 12th grade. Requires district to continue to
allow students to choose to take the ACT in 10th or 11th
grade.
• Beginning in 2017-2018, the Universal ACT Assessment
Program may provide each student in grades 9, 10, 11, or 12
with the opportunity to take the ACT Assessment without any
charge by using school funding, including NSL funds, to pay
for the exams as approved by the ADE.
Act 635 - Amends AR Code Home
School Students
• Homeschool intent form shall include: Name, sex, date of
birth, grade level, etc., parent or legal guardian providing the
homeschool, plans to participate in interscholastic activities
(failure to do so does not preclude that student from
interscholastic activities or driver’s license)
• Seek GED and/or driver’s license
• Complete notice by Aug15, deletes the Dec 15 date for 2nd
semester.
Act 637 - Succeed Scholarship
• Allows the superintendent to waive the requirement that a
student must have attended public school for 1 year before
being eligible for a Succeed Scholarship.
• The 1 year requirement does not apply if the student is a
dependent of an active duty member of any branch of the
United States Armed Forces.
Act 666 - Teacher’s Classroom
Investment Deduction
• Educators of students in PK-12 who are employed at least
900 hours a tax year may receive a tax deduction up to $250
or $500 if filing jointly & both are educators.
• Qualifying purchases: books, school supplies, computer
equipment, athletic equipment, food/clothing for students.
• Maintain receipts & itemize the qualified expenses on form
provided by the DF&A.
• Effective date for tax year is January 1, 2017
Act 744 - School Rating System
• Revises requirements for ADE's school ratings system &
required annual reports.
• School rating system shall be a multiple measures approach
that shall include:
1) Academic achievement on the annual statewide student
assessment
2) Student growth on the annual statewide student
assessment
3) School-level graduation rates, and
4) English learner progress or growth in acquiring English.
Act 744, continued
• The school rating system shall consider at least 1 or more of
the following indicators:
1) Closing the achievement gap
2) Academic growth of student subgroups including without
economically disadvantaged students, students from
major racial & ethnic groups, English learners, & students
with disabilities
3) The % of the grade 9 cohort with on-time completion of
credit attainment at the end of grade 9
Act 744, continued
4) Equity in resource allocation
5) The % of students who earn:
A. AP credit
B. Concurrent credit
C. IB credit, or
D. Industry-recognized cert. that leads to
articulated/concurrent credit
6) Student access to multiple flexible learning continua,
including personalized, competency, or mastery
learning
Act 744, continued
7) Student access to PK offered by the SD
8) The proportional % of qualified educators who hold a
NBPTS cert. or have an advanced degree beyond
BA/BSE, and
9) SD & community partnerships
Indicators considered as part of the school rating system shall:
1) Allow for meaningful differentiation in school performance,
and
2) Be valid, reliable, comparable, and applicable state-wide.
Act 745 - ADE Clean-up
• Makes various changes in law, repeals sections that define
ADE structure & student progress tracking plan reqs.,
amends Medicaid billing ID.
• Replaces references to NCLB with ESSA.
• Students who are victims of violent crimes shall be allowed
to transfer to another school in same LEA. (Unsafe School
Choice Program)
• Changes the required training for AP teachers.
Act 745, continued
• Repeals APSCN certification program regarding Certified
APSCN financial user and trainer and Certified APSCN
student management user and trainer for each district.
Formerly known as Act 723 exams.
• No emergency clause.
Act 862 - Alternate Methods of
Instruction
• The ADE Commissioner may grant up to the equivalent of
10 student attendance days for SDs that have an approved
alternative instruction plan, such as virtual learning, on
days when the SD is closed due to exceptional or
emergency circumstances.
• Plan shall demonstrate how teaching & learning in the
district will not be negatively impacted by the use of
alternative methods of instruction.
Act 863 - Home Schoolers Returning
to Public School
Requires public schools to afford home schooled students
attempting to enroll or re-enroll the same rights & privileges
as other students.
To enroll or re-enroll in a public school, a home schooled
student shall submit:
1. A transcript listing all courses & grades from the home
school.
2. A portfolio of indicators of the home-schooled student's
academic progress, including curricula; tests taken &
lessons completed; and other indicators of the student's
academic progress.
Act 863, continued
A school shall place a home schooled student who enrolls or
re-enrolls in the public school at a grade level & academic
course level equivalent to or higher than the student's grade
level and academic course level as indicated by the home
schooled student's:
A.Transcript & semester grades from the home school;
B.Score of at least the 30th %ile on a national normreferenced assessment taken in the past year, and
C.Portfolio of indicators of the student's academic progress.
Act 863, continued
• If the home-schooled student does not meet the
requirements of this law, the public school shall have sole
authority to determine the student's grade placement &
course credits based on the same methods used when a
student who attended another public/private school enrolls
or re-enrolls.
Act 869 - Onsite Standards Review
• Repeals accreditation reviews for SDs every 4 years,
instead requiring such reviews to happen for schools at
high risk of failing to meet the standards; amends reporting
requirements for findings of such reviews.
• The review may be conducted onsite at the school or
school district.
• The school performance report shall be easily identifiable
on the website and is no longer required to be published in
local newspaper.
Act 872 – Competency-Based
Course Credit
• Beginning in the 2018-2019 school year, a SD may submit
a plan for approval to the ADE to award units of HS course
credit based on a demonstration of subject matter
competency instead of, or in combination with, completing
hours of classroom instruction.
Act 894 - Foster Children and
Succeed Scholarship
• Allows foster care kids to participate in the Succeed
Scholarship program and enroll in a private school if DHS
determines that is in the best interest of the child.
• Kids do not have to have an IEP and it is limited to 20
students.
• Emergency Clause
Act 910 - Annual School Election
• Changes the Annual School Election date from 3rd Tuesday in
September to either the date of the preferential primary election
in even-numbered years & the date that would be designated
as the preferential primary election in odd years or the 1st
Tuesday following the 1st Monday in November of each year.
• Starting with the 2018 election.
• Does not change the district’s current ability to hold a special
election to consider a tax issue.
• Makes additional changes in filing deadlines, circulating
petitions, etc.
Act 911 – Display “In God We Trust”
Requires the national motto “In God We Trust” to be placed in:
1) every elementary and secondary classroom and library
media center in the state
2) every public building or facility that is operated or
maintained with public funds
Requirement contingent upon donation of the posters or
voluntary contribution of funds (cannot use public funds)
Must be durable poster or framed copy
Act 930 - Replaces ACTAAP with
AESAA
Establishes new assessment standards and powers of the
State Board of Education. Provides districts with increasing
levels of support.
1) Uses multiple measures of academic achievement and
growth.
2) Allows flexibility for schools and school districts.
3) Assess effectiveness using multiple factors, measures,
and indicators of student achievement rather than solely
on an annual assessment.
Act 930, continued
Responsibility of ADE:
1) Establish clear academic standards.
2) Statewide assessment system that includes a variety of
measures.
3) Assess whether all students have equitable access to
excellent educators.
4) Establish levels of support for school districts.
5) Allows ADE to identify levels of support needed &
generate reports to the public.
Act 930, continued
ADE shall implement a system that includes:
1) Developmentally appropriate assessments for K-2 in literacy
& math.
2) Assessments to measure E/LA, math, and science.
3) Assessments of English proficiency for all English learners.
4) Assessments to measure college and career readiness.
Each student in grades 10-12 must take before they
graduate.
Act 930, continued
Statewide student assessments shall be:
(1) Valid and reliable.
(2) Aligned to the Arkansas academic standards.
(3) Scored and returned to schools by July 1 of each year.
Act 930, continued
• Beginning in the 2017-2018, the ADE shall collaborate with
public school districts to transition to a student-focused
learning system to support success for all students. The public
district shall annually use multiple academic measures to
identify students in need of additional support or acceleration
to personalize learning in order for students to achieve their
grade-level expectations and individual growth. Academic
measures shall include statewide student assessment results.
Academic measures may include subject grades, student work
samples, and local assessment scores.
Act 930, continued
Beginning 2018-2019, each student, by the end of the 8th
grade, shall have a student success plan developed in
collaboration with parents and the student that is reviewed
and updated annually. A student success plan shall:
A. Guide the student along pathways to graduation;
B. Address accelerated learning opportunities;
C. Address academic deficits and interventions; and
D. Include college and career planning components.
Act 930, continued
• ADE shall assess and report whether all students have
equitable access to excellent educators.
• Reporting educator effectiveness by public schools and
school districts, including without limitation:
A. The professional qualifications of educators; and
B. The number and % of educators who are inexperienced,
educators with emergency or provisional credentials,
and educators who are teaching a subject for which they
are not currently licensed.
Act 930, continued
• Each school district shall:
1) Report the data needed by the ADE to identify and
evaluate educator effectiveness; and
2) Ensure that its educators provide instruction that aligns
with the academic standards established to prepare
students to demonstrate the skills and competencies
necessary for successful academic growth and high
school graduation.
Act 930, continued
• The SBE shall develop rules determining the differentiated
levels of support provided to school districts. The levels of
support shall include:
A. Level 1 – General;
B. Level 2 – Collaborative;
C. Level 3 – Coordinated;
D. Level 4 - Directed; and
E. Level 5 – Intensive
Act 930, continued
• May 1, 2018, and by May 1 annually thereafter, a school
shall submit to its central office a school-level improvement
plan for approval by the district and School Board for
implementation the following year.
• School-level improvement plans shall be posted on the
district’s website by August 1 of each year. School-level
improvement plans shall be monitored by the district; and
evaluated annually by the district for goal progress and
accomplishment.
Act 930, continued
• Annually by September 1, a district receiving Level 2, 3, 4, or
5 shall submit to the ADE a district support plan in
accordance with rules.
• A district’s support plan shall be posted on the district’s
website no later than ten (10) days after submission to the
department.
Act 937 - National Board Certification
• ADE shall pay a yearly incentive bonus of $5,000 for no more
than 10 years or, in the case of a recertification obtained
before January 1, 2018, for the life of the recertification to any
classroom teacher, building level principal, or building level
assistant principal.
Act 937, continued
The ADE shall pay a yearly incentive bonus to a person who:
A. January 1, 2018, began the certification process and
received national board certification; and
B. Is employed full-time in a public school as a classroom
teacher, instructional facilitator, or instructional leader. A
yearly incentive bonus of $2,500 for a person who is
employed full-time in a public school that is not a highpoverty school. (5 years)
Act 937, continued
C. $5,000 for a person who is employed full-time in a highpoverty school that is not in a high-poverty district (5
years); or
D. $10,000 for a person who is employed full-time in a highpoverty school in a high-poverty district (10 years).
•
A person who, as of Dec 1, 2017, meets the qualifications
for more than one yearly incentive bonus may make an
irrevocable election to receive future bonuses under this
subsection by filing a written election with the department
no later than July 1, 2019.
Act 937, continued
• “High-poverty school” means an Arkansas public school in
which 70% or greater of the previous school year’s
enrolled students are NSL students.
• “Instructional leader” means a building-level administrator
who is responsible for evaluating teachers or instructional
staff.
Act 940 – Reading Levels
• At least two (2) times per year, a district shall report in writing
to the parent and each teacher of a student in kindergarten
through grade eight (K-8) the independent reading level at
which the student is reading.
Act 991 - ELL Scores on State
Assessments
• The score on statewide student assessments for an ELL
student shall not be counted for growth or achievement
purposes in the accountability ratings of a school/district if
the ELL student has been enrolled for less than 12 months.
• Shall be counted for growth purposes only if the ELL
student has been enrolled for at least 12 months but not
more than 24 months.
Act 1013 - Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Prevention Act
• Requires ADE to develop guidelines and materials to inform
educators, students and parents about the warning signs of
sudden cardiac arrest.
• Requires coaches to be trained on a 3-year rotating
schedule.
• Beginning with the 2019-2020, a person employed as an
athletics coach who fails to meet the requirements of this law
shall not be eligible to coach an athletic activity until the
training requirements are met.
Act 1015 - Student Discipline
• Annually, the ADE shall report at the school, district, and
state level the following data concerning exclusionary
disciplinary actions, in-school suspensions, and corporal
punishment. The report shall be in number per 100
students for the entire population, racial or ethnic subgroup
required for accountability by ESSA, NSLA, and for IDEA
students.
Act 1039 - Dyslexia Screening and
Intervention
• Before July 15, a district shall report on the website or in
writing to the parents of each student the following
information: the dyslexia intervention programs used during
the previous school year, the number of students who
received dyslexia intervention, and the total number of
students identified with dyslexia.
• This will be a standards violation if district fails to comply.
Act 1059 - Student Discipline
• Prohibits school districts from using of out-of-school
suspension or expulsion for students grade K-5. Exceptions
for situations posing physical risk to the student or to others
or for serious disruption that cannot be otherwise
addressed.
Act 1062 - Recess
• Voluntary K-6 pilot program for at least two schools in each
co-op to provide various amounts of weekly physical activity
including unstructured play.
• K-4, 340 minutes of physical activity each calendar week
which shall include without limitation: (1) PE and (2)
unstructured and undirected play.
• For grades 5-6, 265 minutes of physical activity weekly.
• One year pilot, ADE may extend to an additional year.
Act 1063 - Right to Read Act
(Teacher Test)
• Creates a proficiency requirement in scientific reading
instruction for teacher licensure, beginning in the 2021-22
school year for elementary and 2022-23 for others, with
related PD beginning in the 2018-19 school year.
• No later than 2023, a person who completes a stateapproved EPP other than a teacher of elementary education
program shall demonstrate an awareness of the best
practices of scientific reading instruction.
Act 1063, continued
• Beginning no later than the 2022-2023 school year, each
state-approved EPP shall post on its website information
describing its program to prepare teachers to teach reading
using scientific reading instruction.
Act 1063, continued
• Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, a district shall
provide the PD in scientific reading instruction for elementary
level teacher as well as all other teachers.
• 2020-2021 school year – a SD that does not provide this PD
shall:
A. Be placed in probationary status; &
B. Provide notice to parents that the public SD has not met the
requirements of this section.
Act 1063, continued
• By the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year:
A. all teachers employed in a teaching position that requires
K-6 license or special education (K-12) license shall
demonstrate proficiency in knowledge and practices of
scientific reading instruction; and
B. all other teachers shall demonstrate awareness.
Act 1063, continued
• A provider of a state-approved EPP shall include in its
annual report the program to prepare educators to teach
reading using scientific reading instruction.
• ADE to develop rules.
Act 1064 - Graduation Credit for
Basic Training
• Awards two units of career focus graduation credits to a
student who enlists in the military in an early entry program
and completes basic training.
Act 1069 - Patriotic Access to Use
School Property
• Beginning in 2017-2018, the principal shall allow, during
school hours, representatives of a patriotic society to speak
and recruit students and inform students of how the patriotic
society may further the student’s educational interests and
civic involvement.
• A patriotic society shall be allowed to use any school
building or property to provide services allowing students to
participate in activities provided by the patriotic society at
times other than instructional times during the school day.
• A patriotic society means any youth group listed in Title 36
of the US Code.
Act 1099 – Medical Marijuana
• A public school is not required to permit a qualifying patient
who is a student to be present on school grounds, to attend
a school event, or to participate in extracurricular activities in
violation of the public school's student discipline policies
when a school office has a good faith belief that the
behavior of the qualifying patient is impaired.
Act 1113 - Additional Compensation
for Teaching
• Adds teachers of grades 5-6 to the eligibility for additional
compensation for volunteering to teach more than the
maximum number of students per day under the Standards
of Accreditation.
• If a teacher volunteers to teach more than the maximum
number of students permitted per day, then the teacher's pay
under his or her contract shall be increased by an amount
proportionate to the teacher's base pay and the additional
number of students taught by the teacher.
• Emergency Clause for 2017-2018.
Act 1118 - Concurrent Credit
• An NSL student shall not be required to pay the costs up to a
maximum of 6 credit hours of endorsed concurrent courses
that are taught on grounds and by teacher employed by the
district in which student is enrolled.
Act 1118, continued
• The costs for endorsed concurrent courses shall be paid:
1. by the district in which the student is enrolled,
2. by the institution of higher ed offering the course, or
3. through a cost-sharing agreement between the district
and institution of higher ed.
Bills That Did Not Become Law
• HB 1222 or SB 746 - ESA or Voucher Bill
• HB 1029 - Removed administrators from “Fair Dismissal”
• HB 1036 - Prohibiting electronic devices by student during
school
• HB 1516 and HB 1517 - School nurse at every school and
who evaluates
• HB 1583 - Recall election for board members
Bills That Did Not Become Law
• HB 1710 - Require student earn 1 unit of Civics in 11th or
12th grade before graduating
• HB 1781 - Requires a school district to pay for ½ remediation
cost
• HB 1917 - Caps administrator salaries
• HB 1936 - Amends Academic Facilities Wealth Index formula
• HB 1937 - Start school after Labor Day and end before
Memorial Day
Bills That Did Not Become Law
• HB 2101 - Requires schools to include home schooled
students in graduation
• HB 2117 - School District to provide camera in a classroom
that contains nonverbal student
• SB 21 - Requires Massachusetts test for elementary licensure
• SB 298 - Repeals declining enrollment funding
Bills That Did Not Become Law
• SB 437 - Makes AAA subject to annual audit/review by
Legislative Audit/Council.
• SB 446 - Appropriates $850,000 to the ADE for panic button.
(VETOED)
• SB 610 - Prohibits corporal punishment by school personnel
• SB 723 - Requires special elections on the date of primary or
general elections.
• SB 774 - Restroom bill
Constitutional Resolutions Not
Approved
• SJR3 - Create a Partnership Between District and State
• SJR5 - General Assembly as the Sole Evaluator of whether
the state’s public schools system satisfies the constitution
• HJR1020 - Begin having Regular Legislative Sessions
Every Year