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Senate committee rejects bill to restore broader remote "AMI" makeup days for Arkansas schools
Summary
The Senate Education Committee heard hours of testimony on House Bill 1370, which would have allowed up to three alternative-method-of-instruction (AMI) days after seven required in-person makeup days; the committee voted the bill down after extended debate about access, abuse and oversight.
State Representative Julie Mayberry, sponsor of House Bill 1370, urged the Senate Education Committee to restore limited remote ‘‘alternative methods of instruction’’ (AMI) for school districts after years of changes to state law.
The measure would require school districts to offer in-person make-up for the first seven missed attendance days, and allow up to three additional days (days 8–10) to be completed using AMI if local districts choose. The bill also adds language explicitly listing ‘‘any other unforeseen circumstance caused or created by humans, including without limitation an active shooter event or a threat of an active shooter event’’ as an allowable reason to close school.
Why it matters: The dispute reflected two recurring tensions in Arkansas education policy — how to preserve instructional quality after pandemic-era learning loss, and how to maintain local flexibility for districts with differing technology access. Supporters said limited AMI days keep students on schedule for…
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