[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6306782,"mediaKeyId","2436637-9a9202b4c017c4ee0e4763c446c22240","parentId",2436637,"title","Committee hears HB 12-42 to boost school nurse pay; votes deferred because of fiscal impact","audioSeconds",3279,"startMs",3136290,"endMs",6415585,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2436637-9a9202b4c017c4ee0e4763c446c22240&start=3136&end=6415","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2436637-9a9202b4c017c4ee0e4763c446c22240/thumbnail_3136290.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6306782/Arkansas/Committee-hears-HB-12-42-to-boost-school-nurse-pay-votes-deferred-because-of-fiscal-impact","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6306782-f31f57d4a3ff3d92f83f16c35352e765/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159165&Signature=GMubdd0MFpWMCVM9aJnUgYavtEoJnlNCeH6WuXYzjbHCMRvIzQZ0rx8doJpZI4Ug5SfGZ8d0GWTFmZLfL3NtNRwX4s2igGBRPY6RJAllBH3J87~MMGLIU0Jz8zqccaMNxIiUaclMT24gfw~6FUURPfdGfbsm0eipRWmY1wQ~pbW2WimG3jh3kaxpPQcbfYXyuO5HhqyNfX~jsclCiYJVtkGGLFmysde~LL3LAyfNEgpwV24IEYfEulxXwO3953~Mkm0pI5zdF2HoP4zQowlad9H8fCYRar1rrwtESHQRCgaC1XYLRRXo93r7M405Y8iRskxG2uG6e-TYiw6bGieXAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Arkansas Legislature","date","2025-02-27T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Julie Mayberry presented HB 12-42 to the House Education Committee, a proposal to raise school nurse pay with an effective date specified as the 2027–28 school year. Because the bill has a fiscal impact on general revenue, the committee received testimony and deferred any vote until leadership bundles fiscal items later in the session.

Mayberry said the bill aims to address a statewide staffing and retention problem for school nurses and gives two years to identify funding sources through the adequacy review process and other options, such as Medicaid billing or tobacco settlement funds. She asked committee members to meet in the interim to pursue funding solutions.

Jacqueline McKeown, director of health services in a local district, summarized state salary comparisons drawn from fiscal data and said school nurses in Arkansas are paid below neighboring states and below other registered nurses in state employment. Amy Fortner, president of the Arkansas School Nurse Association and a current school nurse, said vacancies have risen sharply; she told the committee school nurses “do not have scheduled appointments and never know what will walk into their office,” and that districts face a 25% vacancy rate reported in testimony.

Cynthia Hines, coordinator of health services for Pulaski County Special School District, described recruitment challenges and said her office interviewed 376 candidates and hired 130 in recent years but had only 15 of those nurses still in those roles at the time of testimony. She described the clinical complexity school nurses handle, including peritoneal dialysis, tube feedings, insulin management and other high-acuity procedures.

The committee heard data points during testimony: Representative Mayberry cited a survey finding that about 58% of superintendents reported moderate or extreme need for additional nursing funding in their districts. Witnesses said 86,558 students missed at least 10% of a school year because of health conditions (the committee packet figure cited by witnesses), a level that qualifies as chronic absenteeism and is tied to academic outcomes.

Committee members thanked presenters and asked for more detailed, apples‑to‑apples comparative salary data (for example, accounting for contract days versus 12‑month employment) before moving forward. Representative Beck and others requested clearer comparisons that account for differing contract lengths and duties. The committee did not vote; the chair said leaders will gather fiscal bills near the end of the session and that members would have additional interim meetings to pursue funding options.

Why it matters: Witnesses told lawmakers school nurses do far more than first aid — they manage chronic medical conditions, emergency care, staff training, and ensure students remain in class. Testimony framed pay as a key retention obstacle: schools reported difficulty hiring qualified nurses and some nurses leaving for higher hospital wages.

Next steps: The committee will not vote on HB 12-42 at the hearing and plans further interim work and fiscal review before any floor action.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Education Committee Feb 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Julie Mayberry presented HB 12-42, a bill proposing higher starting pay for school nurses, to the House Education Committee and the panel took testimony but deferred a vote because the measure has a general‑revenue fiscal impact.","taxTitle","EDUCATION COMMITTEE- HOUSE, House of Representatives, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas","taxId",20617,"location","Arkansas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6306788,"House education committee approves amendment letting districts use three AMI days after seven in-person makeups",3114,20385,3134825,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2436637-9a9202b4c017c4ee0e4763c446c22240&start=20&end=3134","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2436637-9a9202b4c017c4ee0e4763c446c22240/thumbnail_20385.jpg","/articles/6306788/Arkansas/House-education-committee-approves-amendment-letting-districts-use-three-AMI-days-after-seven-in-person-makeups","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6306788-b1808b5e8e3a6a9b0e09d17f090bead2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159165&Signature=H5zHWGgw-XCy~4UCPYAuVOqbpasXpCuZGpRN2Y8nCBMY4D8rFVkFdyxSCjReeBzkc7o~fp-vFim14CXjjgcY72x9uEO8xWBvE9IurrIVugBX0gQMvUsRQvUNDN3UTPI9WhgOfbMOUrea1nWEqJi2XzwcZjXMpoB7IQp~kHmZkTIvS1xKSBXgDA~loQ0wMqWatrXTZmb7cr3MivRJzZnLFQAovRVYOverIY5vxzFc49hD~QSNN7ra-kMuz05~V2oHimBhYgOTB2GDSdSkQB84cg3FlmI2ieCLozKuvfE74DAcJp6Li5E~H5caRq-2O8ca8Q4w8U0jnLfNIjng4Fd~-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Education Committee on an out-of-order agenda vote adopted an amendment and approved HB 13-70 as amended on a voice vote, allowing Arkansas school districts to use three AMI (Alternative Methods of Instruction) days after districts make up the first seven emergency closure days in person.

The amendment, offered by Representative Vaughn and adopted without recorded roll-call, changes the bill so that the first seven required emergency makeup days must be made up in person; days eight, nine and ten may be conducted as AMI days at a district’s discretion. Representative Julie Mayberry, who presented the bill, said the amendment was intended to reach a compromise after member concerns.

The bill’s supporters argued AMI days let students complete assignments tied to the specific day’s instruction, reducing the need to cram makeups at the end of the year. Charlotte Vining Douglas, a former state representative who sponsored earlier AMI legislation in 2017, told members AMI instruction allowed teachers to “make up the work in real time.”

Courtney Salas Ford, chief of staff for the Arkansas Department of Education, told the committee the department’s position favors in-person instruction. “In-person instruction matters. Kids need to be in school, they need to be in front of a teacher,” Salas Ford said, adding that Arkansas’s minimum school days and students’ post‑COVID learning recovery were central concerns.

Student speakers urged passage. Eli Wolf, a junior, said AMI days would help students “add days that we can’t get back due to weather.” Gavin Goldman noted Advanced Placement exam dates and tight schedules at the end of the year, and Presley Milliken, a Sheridan High School senior, said AMI “is not a replacement for in-school days” but a tool to maintain curriculum continuity when closures occur.

Representative Mayberry moved — and the committee approved by voice vote — a motion for “do pass as amended.” Several members spoke against the measure, saying they prefer all days be in person and expressing concern about uneven access to internet and supervision for younger students. Representative Barker and Representative Andrews each stated they would vote no. Members who supported the measure framed it as limited (three AMI days) and a local‑option decision for districts and school boards.

The committee’s approval was by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript. The measure as amended now moves forward in the legislative process.

Why it matters: AMI days let districts design alternative, immediate makeup instruction for weather or emergencies instead of tacking makeups onto the end of the year; opponents say it risks instructional time for younger or technology‑limited students and weakens in-person learning that the Department of Education emphasizes.

The committee record shows discussion and public testimony focused on striking a balance between local flexibility and classroom seat time. The transcript indicates the LEARNS Act previously removed AMI language; Douglas said the bill restored a tool districts had used since 2017.","The House Education Committee adopted an amendment and passed HB 13-70 as amended to allow school districts to use three Alternative Methods of Instruction (AMI) days after making up the first seven emergency closures in person. Supporters said AMI allows “real-time” makeup work; the Department of Education warned in-person instruction is vital.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee hears HB 12-42 to boost school nurse pay; votes deferred because of fiscal impact

House education committee approves amendment letting districts use three AMI days after seven in-person makeups