Governor will get school-plan draft

Leaders in the Arkansas Department of Education, along with others, are continuing to work toward a September submission of the state’s plan for complying with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015.

The latest draft of the state plan will be sent in the next few days to Gov. Asa Hutchinson for his review. The draft — which is about 150 pages including appendices — currently proposes a 12-year goal of 80 percent of students achieving proficiency for their grade level on state-mandated tests.

That’s a change from the 90 percent proficiency goal initially discussed. Arkansas Education Commissioner Johnny Key said this week that educators see the 80 percent proficiency goal as both aspirational and reasonable. That is particularly true, he said, in light of the state’s use of the ACT Aspire exams “that raised the bar” on what students are expected to know and be able to do.

Additionally, the draft plan sets 15 as the minimum number at which a subgroup of students is created for reporting purposes. Schools will be held accountable for the achievement of subgroups of students, including those who are white, black, Hispanic, English-language learners, impoverished or recipients of special education services.

The federal law replaced the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002.