Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
Act 795 of the Regular Session
*TNL316* 03/20/2025 12:47:04 PM TNL316
State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1874 3
4
By: Representative B. McKenzie 5
By: Senator B. Davis 6
7
For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT CONCERNING THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 9
2003; TO AMEND THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUNDING 10
THAT IS USED BY THE DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND 11
SECONDARY EDUCATION FOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING 12
COMMUNITIES; TO REQUIRE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 13
FUNDING THAT EXCEEDS THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT AWARDED TO 14
PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS TO BE USED 15
TO IMPLEMENT ACTS 2023, NO. 237, ALSO KNOWN AS THE 16
"LEARNS ACT"; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 17
18
19
Subtitle 20
AN ACT TO AMEND THE USE OF PROFESSIONAL 21
DEVELOPMENT FUNDING THAT EXCEEDS THE 22
MAXIMUM AMOUNT AWARDED TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS 23
FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS UNDER THE 24
PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF 2003. 25
26
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 27
28
SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 6 -20-2305(b)(5), concerning professional 29
development funding under the Public School Funding Act of 2003, is amended 30
to read as follows: 31
(5)(A) For each school year, professional development funding 32
shall be equal to an amount of up to forty -one dollars ($41.00) multiplied by 33
the school district's previous school year average daily membership. 34
(B) Funding for professional development for teachers in 35
Arkansas public schools required under the Teacher Excellence and Support 36 HB1874
2 03/20/2025 12:47:04 PM TNL316
System, § 6-17-2801 et seq., other law or rule, or by the school district 1
shall be used for professional development activities and materials that: 2
(i) Improve the knowledge, skills, and effectiveness 3
of teachers; 4
(ii) Address the knowledge and skills of 5
administrators and paraprofessionals concerning effective instructional 6
strategies, methods, and skills; 7
(iii) Lead to improved student academic achievement; 8
and 9
(iv) Provide training for school bus drivers as 10
outlined in rules promulgated by the Commission for Arkansas Public School 11
Academic Facilities and Transportation. 12
(C)(i) For the 2023-2024 school year and each school year 13
thereafter, additional funding up to sixteen million five hundred thousand 14
dollars ($16,500,000) provided for professional development Funding provided 15
above the maximum amount in subdivision (b)(5)(A) of this section shall be 16
used by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education for the 17
development and administration of professional learning communities for the 18
benefit of public school districts implementation of the LEARNS Act to 19
improve student academic outcomes . 20
(ii)(a) The division may distribute funds under 21
subdivision (b)(5)(C)(i) of this section through grants to eligible entities. 22
(iii) The Division of Elementary and Secondary 23
Education shall may promulgate rules to administer the additional 24
professional development funding under subdivision (b)(5)(C)(i) (b)(5)(C) of 25
this section. 26
(b) The Division of Elementary and Secondary 27
Education may partner with or choose a person, firm, corporation, or 28
education service cooperative to provide the knowledge, skills, experience, 29
and expertise for the development of a research -based process for the 30
implementation of professional learning communities. 31
32
33
APPROVED: 4/17/25 34
35
36