[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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],{"_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",6484650,"mediaKeyId","5604022-0f7a020d46dd21f5ab76cdb9600f91a8","parentId",5604022,"title","Board approves 2025-26 budget, moves $17 million to building fund and authorizes election procedures","audioSeconds",1093,"startMs",2131000,"endMs",3224000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5604022-0f7a020d46dd21f5ab76cdb9600f91a8&start=2131&end=3224","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5604022-0f7a020d46dd21f5ab76cdb9600f91a8/thumbnail_2131000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6484650/Arkansas/Board-approves-2025-26-budget-moves-17-million-to-building-fund-and-authorizes-election-procedures","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6484650-dd988219e5b2e74dd1d616af6be827ad/orig.mp4?Expires=1773597776&Signature=md1NajQSEZD-xgaWY6lhxEfydtMkkf-wSinkzmpvp8441uRddyjIncnOYmpOC8Inc6As5H-tfoB46DG3MOUOuh55n7PWyc1HYK9IWmeq4Z3URYrOnN-svWZXgGJort69TU~Nh4scx6ecGg7S~sefqpjHTpCamtOYszhXUzPhptkIHWK52IJvKGmdazQwlcK7Ro2FhG-Oh-Qy33TlaoT1EdtKJpUuYvr8ROw2pmEU-mFEYhrj3KR3cNX0YRsWJIy6Ot0A5hI7sd7Y9mpFTyY7gvbkibFg5PF9HmWQkJbDYLSluK6a98~ipIaTdE0CqPRMJ3Bj-kq1NqOub6melYd3GQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","BENTONVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT","date","2025-08-20T01:15:10.48Z","article","BENTONVILLE, Ark. — The Bentonville School District Board of Education approved the district's proposed fiscal year 2025-26 budget Aug. 19, authorized a $17 million transfer from the operating fund to the building fund and approved a set of administrative actions including a special-election resolution to meet constitutional millage requirements.

Doctor Janet Swanhauser (presented as Dr. Schwanhauser in the meeting) walked the board through the proposed 2025-26 operating budget and key variables that determine district revenue: student membership (ADM), state foundation funding and assessed property value. Swanhauser told the board that the state foundation funding rate for the year is $8,162 per student and that the district's assessed value for 2024 stood at about $3.91 billion, noting prior millage rollbacks when assessed value rose sharply.

Key budget votes taken and outcomes
- Transfer $17,000,000 from the operating fund to the building fund (motion by Willie; second by Tatum). Becky called the vote; all members present voted yes. Motion approved.
- Approval of the 2025-26 budget (motion by Jeremy; second by Rachel). Roll call: unanimous yes. Motion approved.
- Approval of a proposed budget and a resolution to call a special fall election on the district millage and to request a county-appointed qualified elector to cast the single vote (motion by Bill; second by Jeremy). Roll call: unanimous yes. Motion approved.
- Authorization of district signers (Jennifer Faddis, Dr. Jones and Janet Swanhauser) (motion by Becky; second by Bill). Unanimous yes. Motion approved.
- Approval to pay vendors and make electronic transfers (motion by Willie; second by Tatum). Unanimous yes; staff said electronic payments provide rebates and reduce fraud risk.
- Personnel recommendations following executive session (motion by Willie; second by Bill). Unanimous yes. Motion approved.

Financial details presented: the operating fund beginning balance was shown at about $42.3 million, with estimated operating revenues of roughly $265.2 million and expenses of about $255.9 million for a projected surplus near $9 million; the district plans to transfer portions of those savings into the building fund to cover capital projects without raising millage. The district reported it will move $17 million immediately and expects to move about $9.3 million at fiscal year close to fund capital needs. Swanhauser said roughly 72.7% of operating expenses are salaries and benefits.

The board also discussed the constitutional requirement under Article 14, Section 3 that the district present an annual millage rate to voters. Because Act 503 of 2025 changed fall election procedures statewide, staff recommended calling a special election to meet the constitutional requirement and asking the county election commission to appoint a qualified elector to cast the single vote for the millage in a non-contested matter. The board approved that approach and approved the publication of the required proposed budget notices.

Nut graf: The package of fiscal approvals preserves the district's long-term capital plan funding approach — saving operating surpluses to pay for building projects — while adding procedural steps to comply with revised state election law. Board members asked several technical questions about cost escalation, electrical and utility cost assumptions and the budget'to'assessed-value relationship; staff said they use multi-year projections and that the board would review the district's 10-year capital plan in October.

Ending: With the budget approved and transfers authorized, staff said they will continue work on the capital plan and return in October with details and any adjustments, and coordinated with the county election commission on the special-election mechanics.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Board Meeting 8-19-25","oneSentenceSummary","The Bentonville School District Board approved the fiscal 2025-26 budget, a $17 million transfer from the operating fund to the building fund, and several administrative measures including calling a special election to meet constitutional millage requirements under recent state law changes.","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},6484653,"New state law makes many concurrent college credits free, immediately changes GPA weighting and scholarship impacts, district officials say",612,957000,1569000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5604022-0f7a020d46dd21f5ab76cdb9600f91a8&start=957&end=1569","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5604022-0f7a020d46dd21f5ab76cdb9600f91a8/thumbnail_957000.jpg","/articles/6484653/Arkansas/New-state-law-makes-many-concurrent-college-credits-free-immediately-changes-GPA-weighting-and-scholarship-impacts-district-officials-say","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6484653-44c21c9aaf4abb6cc7a3c0c65166c5e3/orig.mp4?Expires=1773597776&Signature=d7ZmxCSOs4B3HVHSknV~jfBoVY5Fp64ViivPMazsCErWjUWCCtprm5Z1PT4WHvBYizAXdHQerGAOMEHBsnVLGa1hXPjtlozz~KJ98FJoUNIIi2d-re9CC1rGKeufahs~q8qjbWsdtXr7UMtCjlxcDOA-I4cnGjkDFXrp4PCQnCbTqej8LQ0JRfbz1WX~GC-DSXbF4gAQmv37RtIFkM3qrVezFKwFPS0s3SdKI73-U3NGuNQEBHksjisgIDtktkWKUAd25bqbhB4sNwUYb4FhlhCb-~hky619EQB1PjoN1Fvu3UtPW2cQqGEfSgVwsME6AVmxS2iU9wxDiXpuPtnmxw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","BENTONVILLE, Ark. — District staff told the Bentonville School District Board on Aug. 19 that Arkansas's new Act 340 of 2025 makes three major changes affecting high school students who take college-level courses: many concurrent-credit classes will be free to families, concurrent courses will carry weighted grade-point-average points immediately, and use of state scholarship funding for more than 29 concurrent credit hours may reduce post-high school scholarship eligibility.

\"The quick simple view is 3 major changes,\" Dr. Morrow told the board in an informational presentation. \"Concurrent credit college classes are now free to families. Number 2, concurrent credit classes earn weighted GPA points starting immediately. Number 3, state scholarship funding used in high school for more than 29 credit hours will reduce the state scholarship funding that's available to you after high school.\"

District staff described which programs the law affects and which it does not. The district said the law covers traditional concurrent-credit programs — the courses that appear as part of a student's regular high-school schedule and are approved by the district and the college partner. The district will continue to treat as \"dual credit\" the college courses students take outside the normal school schedule (for example, summer courses) that are recorded on a college transcript only; those courses do not consume the state Access to Acceleration scholarship dollars the same way concurrent credits do, staff said.

Officials identified the principal providers affected locally as Northwest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) and the University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College (UAPTC) for specific programs, and they said regional career-center programs (diesel, welding and other secondary career training) had already been funded by state flow-through dollars and were not newly affected.

District numbers presented to the board show roughly 1,400 high-school students enrolled in about 2,400 concurrent-credit course enrollments across the district; the presenter said that at Bentonville West the district counted about 1,200 students in roughly 2,300 traditional concurrent classes (presentation slides, staff notes). The district estimated that families billed by colleges last year for concurrent credit tuition (excluding textbooks) amounted to about $400,000; under the new law the district now expects its cost for the semester to be roughly $150,000 to $200,000 as the district covers textbooks and remaining fees not funded by the state scholarship program.

Staff said funding for concurrent courses will be a mix of district payments to the college provider, NWACC in-kind contributions and the state Access to Acceleration (A to A) scholarship. The district noted the state scholarship now provides a larger per-student benefit (presenters cited figures such as up to $1,000 per semester or $65 per credit hour and up to $4,000 during high school for the Access to Acceleration program).

The board and staff discussed practical implications: district staff must buy textbooks and cover fees that families no longer will be charged; publishers increasingly use nonreusable electronic access codes, limiting reuse of some materials. Staff said books are being tracked in the district's inventory and that most students had received materials on time.

Board members raised concerns about how the law changes class-ranking and GPA calculations. Dr. Morrow said the weighted-credit change is effective immediately for future credits but is not retroactive: \"We don't go back retro to assign weighted credit,\" he said. That immediate weighting will affect rank calculations going forward, he said, and could change how students and counselors plan coursework and college-prep strategies.

Staff flagged potential counseling issues: some students are already enrolling in large numbers of concurrent credits (examples cited included students taking both NWACC and University of Arkansas hours) and staff warned about the academic and health stress of excessive course loads. The district said it will provide guidance to students and families and that counselors and schedulers are preparing further recommendations to the board.

Ending: The item was informational; no formal board action was required or taken on Act 340 during the meeting. Staff said they would return with more detailed guidance for counselors, families and a fuller analysis of how the law will affect class rank and scholarship calculations.","District leaders briefed the board on Arkansas Act 340 (2025), which makes concurrent college classes free for families, adds immediate weighted GPA credit for concurrent classes, and shifts how state scholarship funding is consumed when students take large numbers of college credits in high school.",{"_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},6484658,"Bentonville board votes unanimously to adopt six-year member terms",398,538000,936000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5604022-0f7a020d46dd21f5ab76cdb9600f91a8&start=538&end=936","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5604022-0f7a020d46dd21f5ab76cdb9600f91a8/thumbnail_538000.jpg","/articles/6484658/Arkansas/Bentonville-board-votes-unanimously-to-adopt-six-year-member-terms","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6484658-9d8c31924e265b35ab9465897a724319/orig.mp4?Expires=1773597776&Signature=HaarNw1jFyjl6hW0XgougLFFhpJ29gsn4fdm6js1epbh7YeIrPuEnjKJ2wfYrE1rXeZSgNDREPL1xdx73VGsOdc6b4sNBCnBsLPBLCApqEr0-HAzTHq3XrsaAm5Z2srIX3hFBwNPcC6-utUq3yAjvmpvcXt3a6Ov4~PMibq~tLW8RdOiRjVTdHrH8VFaunjU9l~s-1Zf7KbMnbhZOloA3GjiA~EdwDJPbHNoSSV-moRJuwcdzYUNi8guQ61aQVO3QppRJY3DCJ9LkeI3W6dROIy9vi-WPYRZxvdHVOK3NfZoAKYJnZ4YePPriR2ap2189KIxGzacgIl7rKFCH3UJlg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bentonville School District Board of Education voted unanimously Aug. 19 to adopt six-year terms for board members, after legal staff described a multi-step implementation plan under recent state election law.

District attorney Marshall Nye told the board that state law limits how districts can rebalance staggered terms and that his recommendation was to move to six-year terms “because otherwise half of your board is turning over” and frequent elections would burden the district. \"I have universally recommended the districts that they go with 6 year terms,\" Nye said during the presentation.

The change was presented as a choice between keeping four-year terms or adopting six-year terms. Nye said the law does not provide a direct three-election-cycle path for four-year terms and that the proposed sequencing — including a lot-drawing step — would create a lawful path to the longer terms. He told the board that the Benton County Election Commission has reviewed the plan and Bentonville had submitted it to the state election commission for review.

Board member Willie moved the measure, and Rachel seconded it. Becky called the roll; board members Tatum, Bill, Willie, Jeremy, Rachel and Jennifer each voted yes. \"Jennifer? Yes. Motion approved,\" the clerk announced after the vote.

Nut graf: The vote implements a structural change to how and when trustees face voters. Nye said the six-year option is intended to preserve continuity on the board and to avoid the administrative burden of frequent election cycles, but he also cautioned the board that the specific rebalancing steps required careful handling under state election law.

Board members asked clarifying questions during the presentation about how many seats would be up in each cycle under the recommended rebalance and how the lot-drawing step would be used if needed. Nye and district staff emphasized that the board was deciding only on term length at the meeting; the precise timing sequence would be finalized and communicated after further discussions with election officials.

The item was recorded as action item 6a on the agenda and passed without dissent.

Ending: With the vote, the board directed staff and counsel to continue work with county and state election officials to finalize the implementation plan and to return with any further details if state guidance requires adjustments.","The Bentonville School District Board voted to change trustee terms from four to six years after hearing legal guidance on how to implement the change under recent state law.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves 2025-26 budget, moves $17 million to building fund and authorizes election procedures

New state law makes many concurrent college credits free, immediately changes GPA weighting and scholarship impacts, district officials say

Bentonville board votes unanimously to adopt six-year member terms