ADE Briefs

Organizers for the 13th Annual Arkansas FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL) State Championship recently shared some updated information about the event. The event will be held on Saturday, February 25, 2012, at the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock. According to an updated news release, the event is free and open to the public.  It was also noted [...]

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  CONTACT: Meredith Novak Arkansas FIRST® (870) 404-3260 mnovak@usfirst.org Arkansas FIRST® LEGO® League  State Championship Tournament  Thirty-two FLL teams of elementary and middle school students  qualify to compete at the Clinton Center on February 25, 2012  Mountain Home, AR (February 15, 2012) – The Science and Technology Group, Inc., in partnership with [...]

The Arkansas Environmental Educator Association is now accepting presentation and workshop proposals for the 2012 EE Expo.  The Expo will be held Friday, July 27, 2012 at the Fayetteville Town Center in Fayetteville, AR. The theme for this year’s EE EXPO is ”NATURE EDUCATION – BACK TO YOUR ROOTS” Presentations and workshops topics may include,  but [...]

Dr. Kimbrell said it’s in the best interest of the unions and the district to work together on a “fiscally sound school district for 2012-2013 that can carry forward.” Guess said the district must “honor” the union because it is made up teachers and bus drivers. He said much of the blame must fall upon [...]

Goff said he’s found $16.2 million in expenses for fringe benefits called for in the union agreements with the district. Board member Vicki Saviers questioned extra money paid to teachers to take classes that in many cases are taught by other teachers for “professional growth.” Guess said these classes don’t count toward professional development hours. [...]

The ADE has identified  the PCSSD as being in fiscal distress for another reason: declining balance. The district is already in fiscal distress because of audit findings and last year was taken over by the state. Dr. Jerry Guess, PCSSD superintendent, said if nothing is done for next school year that the district would spend [...]

ADE funds ABC preschools but DHS regulates them. DHS drafted pending rules regarding the teaching of religion in ABC funded programs. The ADE is asking that the draft rules be sent out for a public comment period. Board member Sam Ledbetter said he interpreted the proposal as saying that no religious instruction be taught during [...]

Dr. Kimbrell described this is a great opportunity for us to move education in Arkansas further than its been, and holding the ADE accountable for making sure the students that aren’t being accounted for now will be accounted for in the future.