Thread by @ForARPeople1

G'morning, #arpx. We're tuning in to Joint Ed at 10am to hear reports on LEARNS merit pay, teacher retention, and more. Follow along with us or stream here.👇#arleg sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00284/Harmony/…

Some context: The LEARNS Act replaced previous pay schedules for teachers based on experience. Now, educators must vie for bonuses from a limited pot of $ based on certain criteria established under LEARNS. Today should be enlightening. #arpx #arleg

If you want to nerd out on the details, find the new performance rules for the merit program here: #arpx #arlegmeetings.boardbook.org/Documents/WebV…

Shift in agenda items, looks like ed health insurance funding presentation is up first.

Rep for the program says that, though AR is in a good spot this year for teacher health insurance funding, it's not looking good for the future. Expenses will be higher than revenue beginning in 2025. Yikes. #arpx #arleg

"While things look strong financially in 2024, by 2027, it quickly becomes a problem." #arpx #arleg

Though we haven't gotten to the "why" behind the quick decline in teacher health care funding, this feels familiar: AR is chipping away at the state income tax, which means less $ for state services and programs. #arpx #arleg

More cash in the pockets of corporate big wigs could mean trouble for the rest of Arkansas, including hardworking folks like public school teachers. We fund what we care about. #arpx #arleg

call us crazy but can we pleeeeease avoid jeopardizing the health insurance of our public educators? #arpx #arleg

So that's it for the health insurance presentation #arpx #arleg up next is Sec. Olivia's presentation of the merit pay program.

Out the gate, Olivia patting dept on the back for creating work groups for feedback on what the criteria for the merit pay should be. #arpx #arleg

A good reminder that running public education is not the same as running a business. Educators already bust their butts for their students and schools. Why add merit pay and create a system of scarcity and animosity? #arpx #arleg

If you're an educator and want to weigh in on the merit pay program, we want to hear your thoughts! #arpx #arleg

more merit pay data from Dept. of Ed #arpx #arleg

This is interesting -- average experience of teachers receiving merit bonuses is 14 years. #arpx #arleg

Sen. Chesterfield: We had 3,000 educators get merit pay. How many teachers currently do we have?

Dept: 30,000

Chesterfield: so 10% of those teaching... #arpx #arleg

Chesterfield: How many others got raises?

Oliva: That depends on the district. #arpx #arleg

Chesterfield: So folks will work for the same salary for at least five years. How does this affect retention? Most folks won't work for the same compensation for years with no increase in salary? #arpx #arleg

Oliva: We will need to figure it out with #arleg. Districts will need to figure it out, too. #arpx

Sidebar: we have heard of districts looking into millage rate increases to offset the cost for their teacher salaries. #arleg passed LEARNS but didn't adequately fund the salary bumps, leaving many districts out to dry. #arpx

Oliva says there may have been reporting kinks that kept certain educators out of the running for merit bonuses. #arpx #arleg

Sen. Hammer: if we identify the barriers for educators from getting the merit bonuses, how are we gonna help them?

Oliva: roster verification, good data keeping, etc. #arpx #arleg

Oliva blames bad data collection and monitoring before he took over for why some folks missed out. Oliva says the program will only get more sophisticated w better data collecting. #arpx #arleg

Hammer: if every teacher hit the mark for merit bonuses, how do we pay for it?

Oliva: there is a ceiling right now, so we'd have to increase the pot of $ for the bonuses. #arpx #arleg

Oliva goes on a bit of a tirade about 4 day school weeks with struggling schools. Says districts need to do what's best for students, not employees. #arpx #arleg

And with that, Oliva's presentation is done. #arpx #arleg

Next up: report on teacher recruitment and retention. #arpx #arleg

Average retention rate for teachers in 2023 was 74%. There is not historical data to do a lot of comparing with past years.

average teaching experience based on region #arpx #arleg

Here's a good look at regional differences in retention rates. #arpx #arleg

Where the state is facing the highest teacher shortages by subject. #arpx #arleg

shortages based on region💔 #arpx #arleg

Unsurprisingly, teacher retention is harder in districts with higher numbers of reduced or free school lunches and districts with higher minority populations. #arpx #arleg

housing has a big impact on teacher recruitment in the state! #arpx #arleg

Almost half of AR teachers (45%) who did the survey say they are worried about job security b/c of student performance #arpx #arleg

#1 reason for teachers leaving the profession were stress and workload and LACK OF RESPECT FOR THEIR PROFESSION! #arpx #arleg

That's a wrap on the BLR's presentation on teacher retention #arpx #arleg

Some #arleg members are taking issue with only 5,000 teachers being surveyed instead of all 33,000 teachers. Who wants to tell them about sample sizes? #arpx

BLR rep showing a lot of patience in answering their concerns about skewed data... #arpx #arleg

Sen. Hammer saying it's unfair that #arleg is criticized for not listening to teachers if only 5,000 are filling out this survey. Y'all. #arpx

Just for reference, the Arkansas Poll, the state's annual political poll, surveyed 801 respondents in 2023. #arpx #arleg

and on that note, committee is in recess.

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