The 2019-2020 academic year starts for most districts in Arkansas next week with several new laws concerning schools passed by the legislature earlier this year now in effect.One of those new laws, Act 166, enhances the penalties for drivers who illegally pass school buses while “demonstrating a reckless disregard for safety.” Mountain Home School District Superintendent Dr. Jake Long, who will appear on Local Matters Saturday morning on KTLO-FM, says unfortunately, motorists who don’t stop for stopped buses are a recurring problem.
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A new law, Act 1016, also passed this year requires the Arkansas Department of Education to develop a Bible class curriculum. Dr. Long says it’s going to be interesting to see how the ADE addresses this.
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Long says another law, Act 456, passed by the legislature will save parents of high school juniors and seniors money when they take college courses.
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The newest law expanding concurrent credit offerings to juniors and seniors expands legislation passed two years earlier.
Data from the Arkansas Division of Higher Education indicates more high school students who qualify for free and reduced-price lunch are enrolling in concurrent college courses than in previous years.
The Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board at its July meeting was advised the increase is due to Act 1118, a bill sponsored by Sen. Missy Irvin, R-Mountain View, and passed in the 2017 session. That bill allows students in the National School Lunch program to take up to six credit hours of concurrent courses at no charge.
Under the law the courses are paid for by the public school district, the higher education institution offering the course or through a cost-sharing agreement between the two.
You can hear the entire interview with Dr. Long Saturday morning at 11 on KTLO-FM.
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