|
|
| |
| Wed, Dec. 3, 2008 |  |
 |
|
||
| |
Lawmakers to receive educational adequacy report Monday, Jan 22, 2007 By Rob Moritz Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - Legislators will finally get to see what has been described as the "road map" for education adequacy this week, and will debate legislation that would loosen restrictions on using deadly force. Today, the House and Senate Education committees are to receive the final version of a much-anticipated report expected to make key recommendations for improving Arkansas' public schools. Later in the week, Rep. Mike Burris, D-Malvern, is to present House Bill 1027, his proposed "Stand Your Ground Law," to the House Judiciary Committee. The bill would repeal provisions in state law that require a property owner to retreat, if he can do so safely, before using deadly physical force against an intruder. Today's release of the 161-page adequacy report is "going to be a big day for us," House Speaker Benny Petrus, D-Stuttgart, said last week. The report is expected to recommend a $12 million, or .5 percent, increase in per-student funding for school districts and a 2 percent salary increase for teachers for the 2007-08 school year. It also recommends a more rigorous curriculum and additional programs for students that are struggling academically. Gov. Mike Beebe's balanced budget proposes $19 million more for minimum state aid to schools than is recommended in the adequacy study. With the report, legislators can begin considering how much money to appropriate for public schools for the next two years, legislators said. "The report defines what the elements of adequacy consist of and what they cost," said Sen. Jim Argue, D-Little Rock. A key part of the report will be a matrix that shows programs and their costs at every school district in the state. The report is from the second major educational adequacy study conducted for the state. Lawrence Picus and Allan Odden, two university professors, conducted the first study in 2003 after the state Supreme Court first declared public school funding unconstitutionally inadequate in the Lake View school funding case. Lawmakers used parts of that study in a 2004 special session to develop sweeping academic and financial changes, and raised taxes by nearly $400 million to pay for them. Another measure adopted during the special session was a requirement to conduct an educational adequacy study before each future legislative session to ensure that school funds remain adequate. However, no adequacy study was conducted prior to the 2005 regular session, a factor the state Supreme Court emphasized in a December 2005 ruling that declared education funding inadequate for the 2005-06 school year. In an April special session, the Legislature increase public school funding by nearly $200 million 2005-06 and 2006-07 school years. The latest adequacy report is to be submitted to two special masters appointed by the State Supreme Court to evaluate the Legislature's response to a 2005 court order. In November 2005, lawmakers had rehired Picus and Odden to re-examine how the state spends money for economically disadvantaged public school students. The researchers presented their report to lawmakers in September, but the two education committees have met several times since then and reworked several areas of the report. "The subcommittees met through 2006 and formulated the recommendations from the consultants and other factors and other research, including our own legislative research department," said House Education Chairman Rep. Mike Kenney, R-Siloam Springs. "We anticipate several of the recommendations in this report will be at least looked at," Kenney said, adding the report does recommend money for schools. "This is very important," said Sen. Shane Broadway, D-Bryant, said about the new adequacy report. "It sets out the foundation for whatever we do this session. With this we'll be able to show a rational reason for what we do." A variety of measures to provide additional funding or free up money flowing to public schools were adopted in the April special session. "Even though we've spent more money, the proportions on how we spent it remained very constant," said Sen. Jim Argue, D-Little Rock, adding that in 2003 63 percent of funding was spent on instruction, after putting nearly $400 million into public school, the percent for instruction still remains about 63 percent. "I think funding, with routine inflation adjustments, is adequate," he said. "The bigger question is, are we spending the dollars that we're funding properly. That's where I see the whole discussion headed." Burris' "Stand Your Ground" legislation, patterned after similar legislation approved in Oklahoma and Florida, will be discussed in the House Judiciary Committee. Burris said he hoped to present the measure Tuesday or Thursday. Burris said his bill would permit the use of deadly force against a person forcibly entering a dwelling or occupiable structure, unless the person is a lawful resident of the structure and is not violating a protective order or no-contact order. The measure repeals language in the state's existing self-defense law that requires a person to retreat, if possible, before using deadly force to defend a person. "This is a bill that I believe in and I have not been pushed by any gun lobbyist group," Burris said. The measure also would permit the use of deadly force against a person who is removing a person from a dwelling or occupiable structure against his or her will, unless the person being removed is a child, grandchild or other person in the legal custody of the person doing the removing. The House Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development has scheduled a special hearing for Wednesday on HB 1068 by Rep. Roy Ragland, R-Marshall, which would toughen penalties for people convicted of disturbing archeological sites. |
