Education committee debates reinstating fair‑dismissal protections; bill fails in committee

The House Education Committee considered House Bill 10‑25, sponsored by Representative McGruder (District 35), which would reinstate elements of a fair teacher‑dismissal process that supporters say was removed under the LEARNS Act. The bill drew testimony from current and former educators and from the Arkansas Education Association.

Representative McGruder introduced the bill saying educators across the state raised concerns that they "are not getting due process in education" and that the measure would restore a procedural safeguard after teachers complete a three‑year probationary period. McGruder said the bill carries no fiscal impact.

Lisa Hargrave, an elementary principal who said her school serves about 300 K‑6 students, told the committee she experienced a nonrenewal process she described as abusive after the LEARNS Act eliminated prior fair‑dismissal protections. Hargrave said her superintendent told her the board planned not to renew her contract, then later the board renewed it by a 3‑2 vote. "I was finally allowed to submit a written appeal, but it's difficult to answer charges that you have never been told," she testified.

Brad Bartels, executive director of the Arkansas Education Association, urged passage and described his experience representing teachers in fair‑dismissal and nonrenewal matters. Bartels said that after the change removing fair dismissal, one month saw 531 membership losses at his organization when nonrenewal notices went out, and he argued that due‑process protections promote teacher retention and consistent evaluation.

Julia Taylor, a former teacher, also testified in favor of the bill and criticized the LEARNS Act for raising starting teacher pay while removing salary steps and due‑process protections; she said many veteran teachers felt demoralized and that some excellent teachers were leaving the profession.

Committee members pressed for data and debated local control. Representative Cozart asked McGruder for numbers of teachers dismissed without due process; McGruder said no such statewide data were available. Representative Beck expressed concern that broad statutory protections could limit local school boards' authority to remove poorly performing teachers. Representative Duke questioned whether school boards may or may not be reachable by teachers and how public comment and executive session rules apply in districts.

After closing remarks from Representative McGruder, a motion "do pass" was placed on the table. The chair called for the vote and announced the motion failed; the transcript does not record a roll‑call tally or the numeric vote breakdown.

Because the transcript ends with the committee adjournment, it does not record any subsequent actions on the bill.