On Monday, February 20, 2023, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders filed Senate Bill 294 in the Arkansas Legislature, known as the Arkansas LEARNS Bill. The Bill is 144 pages long and can be viewed at this link on a desktop, or mobile device. If enacted by the Arkansas General Assembly, the bill will become known as the "LEARNS" Act.
I am reviewing and discussing the LEARNS Bill with other Superintendents within the Arch Ford Education Service Cooperative and across the state in preparation for the bill becoming state law, if enacted. At this time, no immediate actions associated with the LEARNS Bill will take place within our District.
If the Bill is enacted, I, along with all Arkansas Superintendents, will receive further instructions and guidance from the Arkansas Department of Education Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Our District leadership team will then communicate with staff, students, and parents about changes associated with the LEARNS Act (if enacted) that may take place, either immediately, or in the future.
I appreciate your patience and understanding, and we will keep you informed of any changes as information becomes available from DESE to Superintendents across Arkansas. Stay tuned!
Dr. Joe Fisher, Superintendent