SPRINGDALE, Ark. (KFTA/KNWA)— Arkansas’ first major winter weather event brings one aspect of the Learns Act into the spotlight, the elimination of Alternative Methods of Instruction (AMI) days.
The LEARNS Act increased the minimum teacher salary from $36,000 to $50,000. The state provides funding to public school districts to pay for those raises if the schools have 178 days of in-person instruction.
In the last legislative session, District 92 State Representative Julie Mayberry pushed for a bill that would allow five AMI days under the LEARNS Act.
“I had administrators and teachers and families reach out to me saying we would like to be able to have that flexibility,” said Mayberry.
The bill failed in the Arkansas House. Mayberry says she realizes in-person learning is better than virtual. However, she says humans can’t control the weather.
Rogers schools share struggles of having AMI days
“There are emergencies that happen. And this is just giving some school districts some flexibility to make the decisions at a local level,” said Rep. Mayberry.