[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-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",[32,76,88,100],{"_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",6603353,"mediaKeyId","3000346-c2dd0fadade2d339f1cbf9fbceaf043d","parentId",3000346,"title","Votes at a glance: Bentonville Board approves calendar, contracts, budget, policies and personnel","audioSeconds",8249,"startMs",93000,"endMs",8342000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3000346-c2dd0fadade2d339f1cbf9fbceaf043d&start=93&end=8342","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3000346-c2dd0fadade2d339f1cbf9fbceaf043d/thumbnail_93000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6603353/Arkansas/Votes-at-a-glance-Bentonville-Board-approves-calendar-contracts-budget-policies-and-personnel","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6603353-ea9bade2e65768b0bda1c8fd31f0c74f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154141&Signature=bFtIeJ6qgawQYOkWI-SOIObXKOCz~SBDXpADNPx-Kbvreo6u-s9natKTKmUz~-B0DDnNldObrj4zUzdox1oL2k1y42dfVp1UJuCPTPo7t7iLej1rnuv8s-j320EmTZDDa50IoqzWESobtQBhmaYSTYBRkivMpuBhnCLJMP~fNfog6i~-6lMrU4O2YpZsm2BWsFV2vrtBnWSFMtWGMl1wkFCJrnUgrWrLQU8YlMmDub~4FPdVk8xVY8ujSmFQWXOYEf4LodE4lMv0awt9Ni5IAUZljSk07wgohudOObEp11ibn2akHV~trmRzmd-ffAEnAFHNA8aR3CuB2zaHnOqK4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","BENTONVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT","date","2025-04-16T01:36:14.82Z","article","At its April 15 meeting the Bentonville School District Board of Education approved a series of routine and administrative items. The board voted unanimously on each listed motion; where motions and seconds were recorded they are noted below.

Key outcomes

- Agenda approval (item 2): Motion by Jeremy; second by Tatum. Vote: unanimous yes.

- Consent agenda (item 6): Motion by Willie; second by Tatum. Vote: unanimous yes.

- Approval of the 2026'27 academic calendar (item 7a): The board approved calendar draft B, which places a flex teacher workday in December (documented as Dec. 21 in draft B). Motion by Becky; second by Jeremy. Vote: unanimous yes.

- Student accident insurance renewal (item 7e): The board approved renewing the district's supplemental student accident insurance through Health Special Risk (underwritten by Mutual of Omaha) at the same premium as last year, $19,520 annually. The board also noted voluntary family-supplement coverage options: $94 per year for 24-hour coverage or $25 per year for school-day coverage (optional for families). Motion to approve by Tatum; second by Willie. Vote: unanimous yes.

- Operating fund/budget report and approval (item 7f): The board approved the period-9 financial report. Staff reported total fund balance for all funds of $71,100,000 (down $5,500,000 from the prior year), operating fund revenues exceeding expenditures by $5,100,000, and explained timing of property-tax collections. Motion by Becky; second by Jeremy. Vote: unanimous yes.

- Food-service contract fee adjustments with Aramark (item 7g): The board approved fee increases tied to the CPI for \"food away from home\" (3.4%), the third year of the five-year Aramark contract. Staff noted the district expects increased breakfast participation next year because of state changes to free breakfast eligibility. Motion by Willie; second by Tatum. Vote: unanimous yes.

- Policy updates and adoption (item 7i): The board approved a set of personnel and student policy updates for 2025'26, including additions to salary schedules and stipends (a $5,000 academic stipend for behavior classroom teachers; changes to wrestling and choir stipends), personnel technology-use clarifications, Title IX alignment language, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment-related student policy additions (survey opt-out, physical-exam/screening guidance, marketing of personal information), and adoption of the state-aligned cybersecurity posture (operational details withheld for security). Motion by Tatum; second by Willie. Vote: unanimous yes.

- Personnel packet (item 10): After an executive session to consider personnel matters the board returned to public session and approved the personnel packet discussed in executive session. Motion by Willie; second by Jeremy. Vote: unanimous yes.

Notes and clarifications

- All recorded roll-call votes were affirmative and recorded in the transcript as yes votes by the named board members. Where the meeting record lists specific movers and seconders those names are included above; in all cases the vote counts were unanimous in the public record.

- The calendar approved was specifically the 2026'27 draft B option (flex December teacher workday), not the 2025'26 calendar that is already posted online for the coming year.

- On the student accident insurance item, staff clarified that the memo contained confusing language about required purchase for ninth-grade students who play up in varsity football; staff said that purchase is optional and that the district-provided policy already covers ninth graders.

The board adjourned after approving the personnel packet and other routine business.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Board Meeting 4-15-25","oneSentenceSummary","The board approved the 2026'27 academic calendar (draft B), the consent agenda, student accident insurance renewal, operating budget update, Aramark food-service fee adjustments, a set of personnel and policy updates, and the personnel packet after executive session.","taxTitle","BENTONVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Districts, Arkansas","taxId",12974,"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},6603358,"District staff say ADE cybersecurity policy completed; Bentonville already largely compliant",265,2063000,2328000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3000346-c2dd0fadade2d339f1cbf9fbceaf043d&start=2063&end=2328","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3000346-c2dd0fadade2d339f1cbf9fbceaf043d/thumbnail_2063000.jpg","/articles/6603358/Arkansas/District-staff-say-ADE-cybersecurity-policy-completed-Bentonville-already-largely-compliant","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6603358-e43737972583f90e85a3df745b3ea98e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154141&Signature=kBR-AVgKCtqO~P9-ywdFQSM-0PoN6vBevCwZty7Bh0A4kCxwapjUceEAzMJl5Sab9h50JXjNqA5WoWr1zUCMhiwip5C460pZHH4XpxAJunb41~9qOsiW~79d8yOvnPKWJ1ZdIUuuB9X~aw-AOND4L7xjW-I-h-OmeWAIHZTQ2zaRbPW-ENh5oBwS5JwOay1LEuVx~bI3emgndw8rT6oPeDSW6kZEk5wbVRqJ8~A7IUlsiaQ1j5gT9SArGpPtkWXmr-~2r4bPfP1oQz047WC5wqAbLYy9c9SFmaj3rSr14~-VziSc5bSrFs-C1eVT60D~EkGY5XpbJIvURovUaIGp9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the April 15 Bentonville School District Board of Education meeting, information was presented about the Arkansas Department of Education's K'12 cybersecurity policy, required under state law. District IT staff reported the state policy was completed Oct. 1 and that districts are expected to adopt compatible policies.

Mister Nichols, who briefed the board, said the ADE policy implements Arkansas Act 504 requirements and is being implemented in three phases, with phase 1 effective July 1. \"This policy is being implement[ed] in 3 phases... Phase 1 is effective July 1,\" Nichols said, and added that the approved policy provides a common cybersecurity language for districts.

Nichols described six control categories included in phase 1: access control; awareness and training; contingency planning; identification and authentication; incident response; and system and information integrity. He told the board that while the state policy contains some sensitive operational detail the state does not publish publicly, the district had already adopted many of the recommended controls and believes it is in good standing.

Nichols said the district will be asked to adopt the state policy in a later action item (agenda item I) but that tonight's discussion was informational. Board members and staff noted the district had previously implemented cybersecurity measures and had used the ADE policy to \"scrub\" and align district procedures with the state baseline.

Nichols said a district committee including IT staff participated in state discussions and that the policy will be reviewed annually. He also said districts are not required to publicly post sensitive procedures and asked board members to return printed copies of the policy after review to avoid making operational details broadly available.

The item was informational; the board later voted to adopt several policy updates, including cybersecurity alignment, as part of the consent/action items under agenda item I.","Presenters said Arkansas'wide K'12 cybersecurity policy was finalized Oct. 1 and will be implemented in three phases; Bentonville staff said the district has already implemented all three phases and recommended adopting the state policy in district procedures.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6603363,"Bentonville sees hundreds apply for parent-choice programs; public school transfer requests continue",373,1567000,1940000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3000346-c2dd0fadade2d339f1cbf9fbceaf043d&start=1567&end=1940","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3000346-c2dd0fadade2d339f1cbf9fbceaf043d/thumbnail_1567000.jpg","/articles/6603363/Arkansas/Bentonville-sees-hundreds-apply-for-parent-choice-programs-public-school-transfer-requests-continue","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6603363-ed31765fa53b82104afd251db69b3866/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154141&Signature=AAk5T-a-EVjze~CRBetkWtglJk18gGeZmFWto1y1l62~v9-0NVLZV~uglgo4-SB5UK2ARjoFehaZsU-BLOdTT4f~QnS5T2Od7fNNZ-0JgnYW7bf0WpWQMl~UhAersKwFmV0LwYvQ6Zs5tqLQIhbw3DsyChjrPEKN9cn6v3CJurSh5NKjrXrf3Xs8bGoxJi0YsmLltebSgzF4smv7trH-pWUSIIGIWOr5Ub8OwzOXRjDn~ozPWTM~BjjHc9FLDmirRihSsU5My4FRoYhOehziAY4H~2WHexAhvAVHYuzxtGUVLKiN4M5sxrr6Ut~HDv-gYnjaHApULY8fqF7dexKU9A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District staff reported to the Bentonville School District Board of Education on April 15 that demand remains high for the district's parent-choice schools and that public school choice transfers are still being processed ahead of the May 1 deadline.

Assistant director (presenter identified as \"Mr. Hoover\") told the board that as of April 1 the district had received 205 applications for parent-choice schools inside the district and noted the district had added Cherry Creek, Thomas Jefferson and Ruth Barker to the list of choice options. \"As of April 1, we have in the parent choice schools... 205 students apply to go to a school inside our district,\" Hoover said; staff later said 10 additional applications arrived after April 1.

Hoover and other staff (identified in materials as Erin and Aaron) said the reasons families cited most often were program interest or proximity to work or home. Of the 205 applications, 96 were for kindergarten seats; 33 were for the Ruth Barker middle-school option. Staff said applicants came from across the district, not just one neighborhood, and that some applicants are from outside the district.

On state public school choice, staff said the district had received 81 applications as of April 1 related to transfers either into or out of Bentonville. Separately, the district listed a snapshot of 49 students who had expressed a wish to transfer into Bentonville for the 2025'26 school year. Staff said these numbers change as more paperwork arrives and reminded the board that a fuller accounting is typically presented in June after the May 1 deadline.

Board members asked operational questions about sibling priority, roll-up into middle school for IB continuity, and whether families reported dissatisfaction as a reason for leaving; staff said they had not received negative feedback about programs and that siblings get priority when applying. Staff also clarified that students already enrolled in a parent-choice school generally do not need to reapply year to year, though some transition points (for example, automatic roll-up into Ruth Barker from the International School) are handled program by program.

The item was informational; staff said they will return with updated numbers in June and that enrollment remains an area of active monitoring.","District staff reported 205 applications to internal parent-choice schools and ongoing public school choice transfer requests, with kindergarten the largest single cohort among applicants.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6603368,"Bentonville School District outlines dyslexia screening and intervention process",786,758000,1544000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3000346-c2dd0fadade2d339f1cbf9fbceaf043d&start=758&end=1544","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3000346-c2dd0fadade2d339f1cbf9fbceaf043d/thumbnail_758000.jpg","/articles/6603368/Arkansas/Bentonville-School-District-outlines-dyslexia-screening-and-intervention-process","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6603368-76f9348ea5b4732871d195cda3ce18b5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154142&Signature=j9ZJRJxo57o-uvUyoHkzXMNGv51wjwGD2c0AM78TVdcSsmygqtntzd4jSigiN6d-vb4cHYVLu~z2VMeeSe5sRPwGVWh2PBd-4qgmNHsL~m60POQhKUuynes0jeO2ht2UYroPP~Ei74yEcJhbE2y93~jjciqvmnWsJkuIYhvSOnLt~kteKyeRc0OLoTxQnIA37CV50fjTj-f0oBSNcTE-1DZkrjsUndaA63sGvApvK1nKKoU7XVzH9IBipMYShxpKgqIl~Qe25buh5g8bXIFMELAOkA6lkYjCQXdkuRgJoLLAGE0hhNzKnV7BbnDZyzmiLvm9xnsimFXU5qzu9c7rcw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the April 15 meeting of the Bentonville School District Board of Education, district staff presented an overview of the district's dyslexia screening and response-to-intervention process, describing a data-driven, tiered system designed to identify reading needs early and provide targeted supports.

Assistant superintendent Lisa St. John told the board the system begins with universal screeners in kindergarten through third grade, with diagnostic \"testlets\" administered to any student who shows risk. \"It is designed to support students with learning and behavioral difficulties. It does provide increasing levels of difficulty, and you see those listed as tiers of instruction. It's very data driven,\" St. John said.

The presentation emphasized that screening is universal and does not require parental approval. St. John said parents are notified if a student is placed in tier 2 or tier 3 and that elementary teachers often discuss such placements during conferences and ask parents to sign acknowledgement letters. Progress monitoring occurs at least monthly for most students and every two weeks for students in intensive tier 3 intervention.

Patty Hawkinson, the district's dyslexia specialist, answered questions about whether the district is seeing more students identified. \"The numbers have ebbed and flowed, and it's because we, over the past several years, have made some great educational decisions,\" Hawkinson said, noting that a new structured-literacy curriculum at the elementary level reduced the need for intervention among younger students. She added that some students show reading difficulties later, in upper elementary or middle school, when multisyllabic reading and spelling demands increase.

St. John and Hawkinson described the screening sequence: universal K'3 screeners (K'midyear and grades 1'beginning/midyear per recent state changes), level 1 dyslexia screeners for students with significant deficits, and level 2 screeners if spelling or other indicators suggest dyslexia; students who meet criteria are placed in dyslexia-specific intervention. Staff said grades 3'12 can be screened at any time based on teacher or parent concerns.

Board members asked about appeals when parents disagree with district assessments. St. John said the district would conduct its own assessments and involve school leadership and the dyslexia specialist as needed, noting an escalation path from teacher to principal to the district dyslexia specialist.

Hawkinson noted the district posts an annual dyslexia report required by the state and suggested that board members and the public consult that report for year-by-year numbers. She also said she is leaving the district and the role will be filled by a replacement.

No action was required; the item was informational and staff said the district will continue to follow state requirements and to refine progress monitoring and data entry procedures.","District staff described a tiered, data-driven screening and intervention system for dyslexia, noting state law changes requiring K–3 screening and that parents are notified when students enter tier 2 or tier 3 interventions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Bentonville Board approves calendar, contracts, budget, policies and personnel

District staff say ADE cybersecurity policy completed; Bentonville already largely compliant

Bentonville sees hundreds apply for parent-choice programs; public school transfer requests continue

Bentonville School District outlines dyslexia screening and intervention process