Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1242 3
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By: Representative J. Mayberry 5
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT CONCERNING PUBLIC SCHOOL NURSES; TO AMEND THE 9
MECHANISM BY WHICH SCHOOL NURSES ARE COMPENSATED; AND 10
FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 11
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Subtitle 14
TO AMEND THE MECHANISM BY WHICH SCHOOL 15
NURSES ARE COMPENSATED. 16
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 18
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SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 6-17-2202(1)(B), concerning the definition 20
of "classified employee", is amended to read as follows: 21
(B) "Classified employee" does not include a nonlicensed: 22
(i) Nonlicensed teacher; or 23
(ii) School nurse; and 24
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SECTION 2. Arkansas Code Title 6, Chapter 17, Subchapter 1, is amended 26
to add an additional section to read as follows: 27
6-17-125. School nurses — Compensation. 28
(a) As used in this section, "school nurse" means a licensed nurse 29
engaging in school nursing activities. 30
(b) Each school district board of directors shall: 31
(1) Except as otherwise provided by this section, pay school 32
nurses a minimum base salary that is at least equal to the minimum base 33
salary required for classroom teachers by § 6 -17-2403; and 34
(2) Adopt a school nurse salary schedule that incorporates the 35
same or similar factors and steps as those used to establish and incorporated 36 HB1242
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in the public school district's employee salary schedule required by § 6 -17-1
2403. 2
(c)(1)(A) For the 2027 -2028 school year and each school year 3
thereafter, each public school district shall have in place for a school 4
nurse employed by the public school district a minimum base salary and school 5
nurse salary schedule that meet the requirements of this section. 6
(B) The salary schedule for school nurses required under 7
this section shall be prorated based on a basic contract for teachers of one 8
hundred ninety (190) days as defined under § 6 -17-2402. 9
(2)(A) A school nurse who holds a bachelor's degree and who has 10
zero (0) years of experience shall receive the same base salary for the 11
respective school year as that received by a classroom teacher who is 12
employed by the same public school district in which the school nurse is 13
employed and who has zero (0) years of experience and a bachelor's degree. 14
(B) A school nurse shall have his or her base salary 15
adjusted according to the factors considered in the salary schedule adopted 16
by the public school district in which the school nurse is employed. 17
(3) A school nurse shall receive at least ninety percent (90%) 18
of the base salary established for a classroom teacher with the same or 19
similar levels of education, experience, and other factors considered by a 20
public school district in its school nurse salary schedule and employee 21
salary schedule if the school nurse: 22
(A) Does not hold a bachelor's degree; and 23
(B) Is a registered nurse. 24
(4) A school nurse shall receive at least eighty percent (80%) 25
of the base salary established for a classroom teacher with the same or 26
similar levels of education, experience, and other factors considered by a 27
public school district in its school nurse salary schedule and employee 28
salary schedule if the school nurse: 29
(A) Does not hold a bachelor's degree; and 30
(B) Is a licensed practical nurse. 31
(d) A public school district shall not lower the current salary of a 32
school nurse who is currently: 33
(1) Employed by the public school district; and 34
(2) Earning a rate of pay that is higher than the salary 35
schedule required by this section. 36 HB1242
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SECTION 3. Arkansas Code § 6 -20-2305(b), concerning additional 2
education funding categories under the Public School Funding Act of 2003, is 3
amended to add an additional subdivision to read as follows: 4
(7) The House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on 5
Education shall jointly consider costs associated with funding public school 6
district nurses under § 6 -17-125 as part of the biennial adequacy review 7
process required under § 10 -3-2102. 8
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