By STEVE BRAWNER
How does Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders follow last year’s LEARNS Act that completely changed the state’s education system? She plans to change higher education next.
You’ll recall Sanders in 2023 passed the LEARNS Act, which makes roughly $7,000 per student in state funds available for families to use for private and homeschooling expenses, rather than that money going to public schools. Roughly 12,000 eligible students so far are taking advantage of that provision this upcoming year. Roughly 120 private schools are accepting the vouchers. LEARNS also raised the minimum teacher salary to $50,000.
So what happens when legislators next meet in regular session in January? On Tuesday, Sanders said she’ll be focusing on colleges and universities at the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 luncheon in Rogers.
During a question and answer session available on Forbes Breaking News’ YouTube channel, she discussed her desire to make “big and bold changes” that transform the state.
“I’m hopeful that when I’m finished, one of the things I’m known for is being the education governor,” she said. “We focused really heavily on pre-K through 12th grade in the first session, and I think our position and our attention need to turn towards higher education and what we’re doing to make sure we’re preparing the workforce of tomorrow.”
She said workforce and energy supply concerns are “far and away” the biggest ones she hears from business leaders who are considering either expanding in Arkansas or moving here.
Sanders said LEARNS was one step toward strengthening the state’s workforce. She noted that it requires schools to offer a dual track diploma where students learn skills applicable in at least one of 18 industries the state has identified. Without offering specifics, she said she hopes the focus now “shifts significantly” to higher education’s role in workforce development.
Whatever she proposes, it probably will not be as earth-shaking as LEARNS was. Colleges and universities operate more independently of state government control than public schools do. But given that Sanders hopes to make “big and bold changes,” next year’s legislative session could be transformative again.
While Sanders hopes to turn her attention to higher education, fundamental changes again could be coming to the preK-12 public education system. Rep. Bruce Cozart, R-Hot Springs, a member of the House Education Committee and previous chairman, is seeking to change the state’s school funding formula.
Lawmakers created the formula years ago after courts ruled the Arkansas Constitution requires the state to provide an “adequate” and “equitable” education. The formula spells out how much money schools receive based on their total expected costs. The House and Senate Education Committees spend much of the year before a legislative session tweaking the numbers as part of an “adequacy study.” Then the full Legislature largely approves whatever they come up with. It’s the largest part of the budget.
Cozart has been wanting to change the formula for a while. In fact, he introduced a bill to do so in 2023, when LEARNS dominated everything.
His proposed new formula, based on Tennessee’s, would be more flexible than the current one. It would provide a base dollar amount per student that would be smaller than the current formula provides. But it also would include a system of weights based on student characteristics such as the district’s percentage of English language learners or its percentage of students eligible for free and reduced price lunches. A sparse, rural district would receive extra money for transportation expenses.
“What we’re really trying to do is fund each child as who they are,” he said.
Cozart said only seven traditional school districts and four charter schools would receive less money than they do now. All others would be receiving roughly the same or more – some districts much more.
The total cost increase to the state, Cozart said, would be “substantial.” That could be a problem considering lawmakers recently enacted a major tax cut.
But it seems to have some positive momentum. Education Secretary Jacob Oliva told me Cozart’s formula is “innovative.” Dr. Mike Hernandez, executive director of the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators, said among his members, “I think there’s definitely some optimism, and people are very interested to see where this goes.”
Long column short, the session could end with changes both to higher education and the school funding formula. Next year probably won’t be as revolutionary as the session in 2023 was. But major changes are coming nonetheless.
Steve Brawner is a syndicated columnist published in 17 outlets in Arkansas. Email him at brawnersteve@mac.com.