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In The Matter Of:BEFORE THE ARKANSAS STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONCHARTER AUTHORIZING PANELNovember 19, 2015Sharon Hill Court Reporting4021 Robinwood Cr.Bryant, AR 72022(501) 847-0510Original File CAP - 11-19-15.prnMin-U-Script with Word Index
1BEFORE THE ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONCHARTER AUTHORIZING PANEL#4 CAPITOL MALLLITTLE ROCK, AR 72201November 19, 2015A P P E A R A N C E SPANEL MEMBERS:Ms. Deborah CoffmanDr. Debbie JonesMs. Ivy PfefferDr. Eric SaundersMs. Annette BarnesMr. Greg RogersDr. Mark GotcherMs. Jennifer LiwoMr. Bobby LesterChairman/Chief of StaffVice Chair/Asst. Commissioner ofLearning ServicesAsst. Commissioner - HR/EducatorEffectiveness & LicensureAsst. Commissioner - Fiscal &Administrative ServicesAsst. Commission - Public SchoolAccountabilityAsst. Commissioner - Fiscal &Admin. ServicesDeputy CommissionerPLSB AttorneyDirector of Federal ProgramsALSO APPEARING:Ms. Mary PerryMs. Alexandra BoydCoordinator - Learning ServicesPublic School Program CoordinatorADE LEGAL COUNSEL:Ms. Kendra ClayMs. Jennifer DavisMr. Cory BiggsADE General CounselADE Deputy General CounselADE Deputy General CounselSharon Hill Court Reporting(501) 847-0510
2I N D E XPageWelcome and Preliminary Matters. . . . . . . . . . .3Hearing Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3A-1:Gentry High School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5A-2:Hot Springs World Class High SchoolRepresentative Eads. . . . . .55. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106A-3:Springdale School of Innovation. . . . . . . .A-4:Request to Postpone Open-EnrollmentPriority School Hearings107. . . . . .190. . . . . . . . . . .204Court Reporter's Certificate . . . . . . . . . . . . .205Motion and Vote re: AdjournmentCOURT REPORTER'S NOTE: PowerPoint presentations and videosshown during this meeting are available for viewing on the ADEwebsite under the archived videos for Charter Authorizing Panelmeetings.Sharon Hill Court Reporting(501) 847-0510
- November 19, 2015312P R O C E E D I N G SCHAIRPERSON COFFMAN:Good morning, Ladies and3Gentlemen.The November 19, 2015 meeting of the4Charter Authorizing Panel is now called to order.5Welcome, everyone, to the Arkansas Department of6Education.7electronic devices.8oversees the authorization, renewal, revision, and9revocation of charters.If you would, please silence allThe Charter Authorizing PanelThe Arkansas Quality Charter10Schools Act of 2013 requires the Commissioner to11appoint ADE staff to the Panel.12Commissioner Key named nine members to the Charter13Authorizing Panel and we sit before you today.14chair, my goal is to facilitate a fair and15responsible hearing.16speaking please state your name and title for the17record.18clearly into the microphone for the benefit of the19Panel, the audience and the viewing audience.20entire meeting is being live-streamed and recorded,21and our court reporter will be providing a transcript22of the meeting and it will be placed on the ADE23website.24you will go over the procedures for us today?25On July 1, 2015,AsI will request that each personI will ask that you continue to speakSo good morning to all.MS. CLAY:Good morning.ThisAnd, Ms. Clay, ifKendra Clay, GeneralSharon Hill Court Reporting(501) 847-0510
- November 19, 201541Counsel for the Department of Education.The2procedures are the same that you have followed the3past two days, but I'll review them again for the4people that are new here today and the people that5are watching the live-stream.6conversion applicants will have 20 minutes to present7their case for approval of their application and then8any parties opposed will have 20 minutes to present9their opposition.The districtAfter that the applicants will10have 5 minutes for closing statements and rebuttal11and then you will take questions and have discussion.12You can vote on the matter today or take it under13advisement and vote at a later meeting.14that, you can allow the applicants to receive15technical assistance or provide additional16information to you.17to a Google doc. and you will go in and record how18you voted and the reason for your vote.19doc. will then be shared with the State Board at20their December meeting to facilitate whether they21want to review your decision or not.As always, this22is basically a contract negotiation.A charter is23considered a contract.24applicants say or agree to here today that is in25addition to or different than their application theyIf you doAfter you vote, you have accessThis GoogleSo anything that theSharon Hill Court Reporting(501) 847-0510
- November 19, 201551will be held to.2procedures today?3Do you have any questions about theOkay.CHAIRPERSON COFFMAN:Thank you.Do we have any4legislators in the room this morning?If not, then5Ms. Boyd, you are recognized to begin action item6one.7A-1:8APPLICATION: GENTRY HIGH SCHOOL CONVERSION CHARTER9HEARING OF DISTRICT CONVERSION PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLMS. BOYD:Thank you, Madam Chair.Item one,10Hearing of District Conversion Public Charter School11Application: Gentry High School Conversion Charter.12Gentry High School Conversion Charter is a proposed13district conversion public charter school.14applicant is requesting to serve grades 9-12 with a15maximum enrollment of 500.16application, and concerns were shared with the17applicant for response.18evaluation, and the applicant's response are included19for your review.20begin their presentation.21CHAIRPERSON COFFMAN:TheADE staff reviewed theThe application, the ADEFrom Gentry we have Dr. Barrett toIf all the representatives22from Gentry High School Conversion Charter and anyone23speaking in opposition will please stand to receive24the oath.25affirm that the testimony you're about to give shallRaise your right hand.Sharon Hill Court Reporting(501) 847-0510Do you swear or
- November 19, 201561be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the2truth?3(ALL SPEAKERS ANSWERED AFFIRMATIVELY)4SUPT. BARRETT:5CHAIRPERSON COFFMAN:67So help me God.Dr. Barrett, you'rerecognized.SUPT. BARRETT:Good morning, Madam Chair,8Members of the Panel.9you for the opportunity to present to you today.10Winslett, Judy Winslett will be -- our assistant11superintendent at Gentry will be presenting the bulk12of our presentation; Mr. Brae Harper, high school13principal and I will be part of the group that will14respond to your questions; and I will be giving the155-minute closing.16MS. WINSLETT:It's our pleasure and we thankMs.So, Ms. Winslett.Good morning.I'm Judy Winslett,17Gentry School assistant superintendent; very happy to18be with you today.19is up and visible now.20just a little bit of an introduction about Gentry and21the community around the school system.22oftentimes thought of as a Mayberry.23town.24top right.25Arkansas, just nine miles north of Siloam Springs.Okay.I believe our PowerPointI want to begin by giving youWe areWe're a smallYou'll see there where we're located in theWe're in the far northwest corner ofSharon Hill Court Reporting(501) 847-0510
- November 19, 201571We're not too far from XNA Airport.2there you'll see three slides of communities that3also send children into our district.4an approximate population of 353.5City, which is on the Oklahoma border, and then6Springtown, which is also to the east of Gentry.7matter where I go people will say, "Oh, Gentry,8that's where the Wilderness Safari is."9our claim to fame in Gentry, and you'll see some1011And to the rightHighfill hasWe have CherokeeNoSo that isshots there of the safari.This is a slide that will give you a little12picture of the industry in our area.13and somewhat small, you'll see along the bottom we14have Tyson, Cobb, and Simmons.15particular industries are within our school district,16they do border our perimeters and we have families17that grow for these companies.18there to the bottom right.19SWEPCO.20McKee, Little Debbie as we all refer to it.21her just recently for the first time and she does22very much look like her picture there on the side of23the truck.24district.25As we are ruralWhile none of thoseCargill is locatedYou'll see a picture ofAnd then in the top left, a picture ofI metSo a great partner for the GentryI'm having just a little trouble with ourSharon Hill Court Reporting(501) 847-0510
- November 19, 2015812clicker.Next slide; thank you.This is a picture, a quick picture of our3demographics there on the left.4first of November.5campus, which you will see our high school, our6middle school and our primary school back in the7distance there.8the other side of town in our intermediate, which9houses grades 3-5.10That was pulled theAnd then the aerial shot of ourWe have another building which is onI don't want to talk through these next two11slides.12this process is not something we began in August.13have been giving lots of thought and having multiple14meetings with business industry in our community.15And in my 17 years with Gentry I can't remember more16engagement and excitement about something that may17come to pass for us.18I inserted these so that you would see thatWeThese are some events that began -- continued on19into this particular school year.And in the process20of this collaboration we began working with Decatur21and Gravette, which are to our north.22relatively small in comparison to the big four on the2349 corridor.24everything for every child and so we have started25working together to try to provide opportunities forWe're allAnd we recognize that we can't doSharon Hill Court Reporting(501) 847-0510
- November 19, 201591them.For example, we have a student traveling to2Gravette now to be part of their HVAC program.3This is our mission statement that was drafted4for the charter and it simply says recognizing that5we do have a responsibility to students, parents and6stakeholders, business and industry, and our7community.8productive school experiences for our students; that9we are going to purpose to deliver an educationAnd we have a need to provide safe and10that's designed to prepare our students for11successful transition to opportunities beyond us in12Gentry, whether that is college or career.13want to commit to being fiscally responsible with our14resources and provide the very best teachers,15technology and facilities that we have available.16We alsoSo as we begin talking about our conversion17charter, these are the things that we saw great18opportunities for us to have: to build those19partnerships with business and industry, to provide20opportunities for our students to go out and work21with business and industry in an internship22environment; to expand our course offerings outside23what we traditionally offer as a high school; to24foster opportunities for our graduates to leave us25with an industry certificate; and to create theseSharon Hill Court Reporting(501) 847-0510
- November 19, 2015101following pathways in that process -- healthcare,2transportation, and IT.3In this process we have the innovations that we4looked closely at.Through the internship5opportunities, that provides our students with6training and it also gives them an opportunity to7build relationships with those potential employers.8The vocational programs that we hope to offer, once9approved by you guys, would be taught by industry10professionals and these professionals can bring up-11to-date training for our students and give them12authentic examples of what's happening in real world13situations.14individualized instruction for our students by having15a customized education plan for them, offering self-16paced courses, college courses, and these specific17vocational and technical specialized courses.18We would also strive to haveSo you would ask us why do we want to change and19we want to increase the options for our students.20want to provide them with that value added diploma21that will help them in that next part of their22journey and to help them identify a pathway for their23future story.2425Our friends at Northwest Arkansas Councilconducted personal interviews with business andSharon Hill Court Reporting(501) 847-0510We
- November 19, 2015111industry in our region and they -- this was a slide2that they allowed me to use.3had with business and industry is, "Do you have4recruiting problems?"5half of the industries that were interviewed said6yes."And of these problems, what are they related7to?"And you can see it's related to not only the8ability to get people to come to work but to also be9able to employ people that are trained and have theAnd questions that theyAnd you will see that over10skills and ability to work for their company.11Another slide that they provided for us.12result of that study were areas that they saw had13difficulties in filling.14talking about this last fall we got excited about the15opportunities for our students.16the things we want to do needed your approval we17started looking at what can we do now, what can we do18to springboard us into our future plans.19the right you will see the things that we were able20to plan and implement from last fall.21look, they'll coordinate very closely with the22Northwest Arkansas Council's recommendations.23began a new program of study in banking; we looked to24begin -- we did begin intro professional development25in medical terminology; we had discussed withAs aAnd so since we beganAnd because some ofSharon Hill Court Reporting(501) 847-0510So there onAnd if you'llWe
- November 19, 2015121Gravette the opportunity to send our students to them2for a CNA program, as with their HVAC.3enough students to hold our own class, so we4partnered with Northwest Arkansas Community College5and they provided us a teacher and we have a full6class of students from Gentry that will be graduating7with a CNA certificate.8be our second semester course in that area.9education as third on our list.And we hadPersonal care assistant willWe seeDr. Barrett did a10little data-gathering and for Gentry specifically11over half of our teaching staff is over 50 years old.12So we need to look to start growing some of our own13and so we've implemented an Orientation to Teaching14class.15immediate response from everyone, when I said, "What16are we not doing in Gentry that you need us to do,"17and it all went back to soft skills; "We need folks18that know these things, know how to get to work, to19pass a drug test, to look you in the eye, shake your20hand," those things.21and career readiness class.22As I visited with business and industry, theSo we implemented the collegeThis slide will show you in the northwest23Arkansas region where the percent of change is.24you will see in those areas, those pathways the25growth in double-digits is signified for you andSharon Hill Court Reporting(501) 847-0510and
- November 19, 2015131those are the areas that we have sought and gone2after.3would be easy to provide things for or that we4thought kids would enjoy; we looked at things that5would help them to become employable and proceed6forward.We didn't select areas that we just thought7One of the things we talked about in our8planning is that for years now we have said, "Go to9college, go to college, go to college."And even as10a small district we've had great opportunities for11our students to leave our walls with 24 to 26 college12credits.13in that area.14We're not sending 100% of our students to college.15So we want to start looking at those industry16certificates, the workforce readiness certificate17that is coming out of Northwest Arkansas Community18College.19want to pursue a two-year program, whether it's an20associate's degree or something that would take place21at a vocational school.22We feel like we are doing a pretty good jobBut students need other options.And then there will be students that willYou all heard repeatedly in the news about the23school that -- school loan crisis that our nation is24under, and so I thought it would be interesting for25our parents to see what they may be faced with.Sharon Hill Court Reporting(501) 847-0510And
- November 19, 2015141so there on the left is a list of the schools that2typically our students attend, and then I gathered3the most recent data I could find on those following4columns.And then look at the far right, at the5student.And I don't think it would be a situation6uncommon to find a student who would have difficulty7achieving chemistry or physics or that fourth math8beyond Algebra II that would keep them from having9the Academic Challenge Scholarship.And if they are10one of those students, and if they fall in a family11that would not qualify for a PEL grant, then they're12looking at student loans.13go and if they finish in four years what they'll be14faced with with student debt over the long haul.15ranges from 522 a month for 15 years to 1100 a16month.17And so you can see if theyItSo in this process we asked the question, "How18can we help parents, students and industry?"And so19we look at some of the ideas that we fleshed out in20this process.21goals for the future.22college courses for them.23courses with our community college and the ones we24teach at Gentry.25for that post-secondary education.We can help our students clarify theirWe can provide additionalWe can deliver articulatedWe can allow savings to our parentsSharon Hill Court Reporting(501) 847-0510We can offer
- November 19, 2015151opportunities for industry certifications.We can2arrange opportunities for our students to participate3in internships.4diplomas and increase employability for our students.5And for our industry we can help them by providing6skilled and ready students to fill those openings as7we hear about the retiring workforce.We can create those value-added8So just a little snapshot on Gentry, pulling9this data from the ADE college-going rate report.10You can see that the number of our graduates -- you11can see how many actually left us and enrolled in12college.13to college in Arkansas.14lets you get a snapshot of our students when they15graduated.16who took some college credit -- our college courses17at our high school.18earned 230 college hours before they left us.19Because the community college offers us a discounted20rate, or those students a discounted rate on their21tuition those families for those 230 hours were able22to save over 23,000 in tuition.23those columns our families have saved 91,000 in24tuition costs.25So about 60% of our students are not goingThe next-to-the-last columnThat represents 20 of the 102 studentsOf those 20 students, theySo when you totalSo the three pathways that we look to implementSharon Hill Court Reporting(501) 847-0510
- November 19, 2015161would be transportation as being one, and we would2offer a diesel mechanics or diesel technicians3program.4the courses that we would hope to have in place: the5preventative maintenance, electrical, tractor trailer6brakes, welding, heavy duty drivetrain, diesel7engines, hydraulics, suspension, you can see8electronic and climate control.9conversations with NTI who also has a program, butAnd once fully implemented these would beWe have had10they are not accessible to us in the sense that11travel time is an hour one-way from our district to12get there.13transportation department last fall, 55,000 a year14to take a bus over there, not to mention the fact15that our students are involved in a lot of activities16in our school and some would have to give up some of17those extracurricular activities if they were going18to participate and make that trek over.19And when I consulted with ourLogistics is another program that we would find20underneath that transportation umbrella with multiple21pathways.22college and so we want opportunities for them to23begin preparation for that associate's degree, if24they want.25have a certificate and be ready to work when theyNot all students, as we said, are going toWe want them to have an opportunity toSharon Hill Court Reporting(501) 847-0510
- November 19, 2015171leave, if that's what they choose.2that we would have available to them, as you see,3supply chain
19 SWEPCO. And then in the top left, a picture of 20 McKee, Little Debbie as we all refer to it. I met 21 her just recently for the first time and she does 22 very much look like her picture there on the side of 23
