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Rural educators, school boards and advocates press for systemic change and community schools to help high-poverty students
Summary
Representatives of the Arkansas Rural Education Association, Arkansas School Boards Association and Forward Arkansas told the Senate Education Committee that ESA money alone has not closed gaps and recommended systemic reforms, class-size/staffing studies, and piloting community-school models in persistently low-performing high-poverty schools.
Speakers from multiple education groups urged lawmakers to pair money with clearer purpose, staffing support and community-based wraparound services during testimony to the Senate Education Committee.
Dale Query, executive director of the Arkansas Rural Education Association, described rural districts'challenges with scale, staffing and special education costs and asked lawmakers for flexibility and targeted adjustments for small districts. "We represent about 200 and some odd school districts, 375,000 kids, and we want to work…
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