001I think you got to talk people into it. I know, I got to You got to have the courage. >> That's why I was like I mean I was like I have no fight in this game but I'm sure some more than others would probably be easier. Where is my umbrella? Yeah, I'm doing that opening. But she she used to have a They're having a national conference on >> Uh we will kick off the May 13th, 2026 State Board of Education meeting at 2:03 p.m. Before we get started, will you please just join me in a moment of silence. Thank you. All right, if you'll join me and please stand, we're going to do the Pledge of Allegiance. Ready? To the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and
002to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. You may be seated. Dr. Pride? The floor is yours. Good afternoon. I'm the Assistant Commissioner of Learning Services and I'm here to recognize our United States Senate Youth Program delegates. The Senate Resolution 324 established the United States Senate Youth Program. We call it USSYP. It's been sponsored by the Senate and funded by the Hearst Foundation since its inception in 1962. The focus of USSYP is to increase young Americans' understanding of the interrelationships among the three branches of government, examine the qualifications and duties of nationally elected and appointed officials, and it emphasizes the vital importance of democratic decision-making for America and people worldwide. Arkansas has two delegates. Arkansas' two delegates join Senator John Boozman and Senator
003Tom Cotton in representing the state during the 64th annual USSYP Washington Week. It was held March 7th through the 14th, 2026. Our delegates were selected from among the state's top students student leaders to join the delegation of 104 outstanding high school students. Each delegate receives a $10,000 college scholarship for undergraduate studies with encouragement to continue coursework in government, history, and public affairs. We want to recognize today one of Arkansas' 2026 United States Senate Youth Program delegates, Mr. Eric Tang of Little Rock. Eric Tang is a senior at Little Rock Central High School. He has attained the following honors and positions. Vice President Mu Mu Alpha Theta Honor Society, he's a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist, two-time Student Presidential Honoree Clinton Foundation, delegate and attorney general Arkansas Boys State, designated first alternate to Boys Nation, founder and
004president Little Rock Central High School Key Club. He's the captain of the Little Rock Central High School policy debate team, member of varsity swim team, Beta Club, Science National Honor Society, and Model United Nation. Eric plans to pursue medical school and a career as a physician, complemented by training in public policy to help strengthen health care systems and promote community well-being. We are delighted to present this this student as one of our Arkansas 2026 United States Senate Youth Program delegates, and he has with him today Mr. Williams, his counselor, and he also has his principal, Ms. Nancy Russo, with him. And so, if we'll just give him a round of applause, and he's going to come and say something. [applause] All right, it's great to be here. Thank you guys for letting me come. Thank
005you for being here. Oh, yeah, for sure. Um Can you also lift the mic up just a little bit? Thank you. Yeah, well, I spent a week in DC back in March, and it was the most incredible experience ever. We got to meet, of course, our wonderful senators, uh Senator Cotton and Senator Boozman, but also got to tour a lot of different like facilities from our government, from the State Department to um them opening up to the Smithsonian Air and Space one night to let us talk to a former NASA administrator, got to speak to diplomats, and uh so many incredible people in uh from our government. And it was just uh most incredible experience ever. Um I got to meet 104 other delegates from all across the nation who are um perhaps some of
006the most incredible stories, have some of the coolest experiences, and it was great to come together and be able to spend a week with them, and uh thank you so much for giving me the opportunity. Thank you so much for all that you've done. When do you go to school? I mean, she was listing off all of your accomplishments and things that you do. Are you a junior? Did I miss that? I'm a senior. You're a senior. Where are you going? Uh I'll be going to Cornell in the fall. And what are you going to major in? Uh biology and public policy. Excellent. Do any of my colleagues have questions, comments? Just a little bit more on how that experience informed your future beyond Cornell. For sure. Um it gave me a really cool understanding
007of being able to be there like in person and have like a closer connection to what we read on the news all the time. Like I read the news and I'll see all these different things being done, all these bills being passed. Like what's going on in our nation? But then when you're meeting these people, the people who are making these decisions, the people you see on TV all the time, it's also cool to see how much they really care about you and how close they are. Now they're not just figures up on a pedestal doing stuff that like we have a hard time getting access to, but they're they're there and they're present. And it was really cool being able to see all of them and be able to talk to them. And um
008just like meeting the other delegates and like the people, um how much we have to look forward to the future. And I think it's just such an incredible experience. Yeah. Wonderful. Well, you speak of joy of learning and that's wonderful to see. Thank you. That's awesome. Would you like to say anything about him? We're all about people bragging on their students every year. No. I can't begin to ex- You can You can come up here to the microphone. Good afternoon. Eric's not going to brag on himself, but I'll brag for him. Um in addition to all of those accolades, he also made a 36 on his ACT. The one and only time you took it? That's the second time. Second time. And he is currently on the waitlist for Yale and Columbia. Yale is his
009top choice, so we're going to hold out to the end of the week, but I think Yale will be remiss if they don't get him off the waitlist. I'm a little biased because I and I'm fortunate get his little brother next year. He's a ninth grader. That's wonderful. Can you make a call? Can you work something out? >> [laughter] >> Let me just say if I had a school full of Eric Tangs, I wouldn't need eight assistant principals. >> [laughter] >> Um Eric stands out as a leader. Um he is absolutely um a role model for other kids. Um his quiet demeanor does not begin to reflect the type of work that he does every day at Central to uh stand out as um a as a role model. Um he is very humble, but
010um I for one know the kind of uh character and integrity he has. I personally made a call to one of the colleges and spoke to the Dean of Admissions and so we've got our fingers crossed that he might change his mind. That it was I I I know it was Penn. I spoke to the Dean of Admissions who was so charming. Um I have family members three who all graduated from Penn, so it's my choice for you, too. Anyway, um again, we're just really really proud of him and the work he does and uh kids you know, it's funny how kids will look at other kids and say something like, "I wish I were more like him." And that's kind of the way it is with Eric Tang. Congratulations. Thank you for choosing him
011for this. I wrote the letter for him. Can we ask Dr. Russo a question? Mhm. Since she's here. Mhm. Well, hail to the all >> back to my office. Yes. So, I I don't know if all the rumors are true. >> It's true. >> [laughter] >> That I'm retiring? Yes. So, how many years of service in the great state of Arkansas. That is remarkable. 53 in all cuz I taught in New York one year and two in Oklahoma, but 50 in Arkansas. Well, it's time. >> I hope I hope everybody knows the impact you've made on multiple generations of students. And 50 years of dedication to public schools is truly remarkable and commendable. Thank you. I'd be remiss if we didn't say thank you. And what did you get? An A. Thank you for >>
012and talented class. Yeah. >> She was my assistant principal back in the day, but we'll save those stories for >> Yeah, but you never got in trouble. >> Just that Never. Never. No. Never. No. I have I've had a wonderful journey. I have loved what I do and what I've done. It's it's been terrific and to be the leader at historic Little Rock Central is beyond words. It's just amazing. So, I know I'm going to miss it, but it's just time. Well, tell us when is graduation? Uh next next 30 Thursday. Next Thursday. I know it was right around the corner. Yep. I will I'll probably cry through it. So, thank you. Eric will too, I'm sure. Yeah, absolutely. Can we go ahead and we're going to come down. We want to take a picture
013with you. We want to take a picture with you, too. So, let's So. Hop down. One, two, three. Yeah. Okay. On three? One, two, and three. And once again, on three. One, two, and three. Okay. Thank you. That's so good. Just wrap. I used to be in that down. Oh, yeah. Yeah. That was my first seat, and then Was it right here? appointment by appointment, just shifted that way. Yeah. I guess. >> All right. So, we will move on. Are there any changes to the agenda? No? None for me? All right. Moving on, is there any new business that we need to add or discuss? Seeing none, let's move on to the consent agenda. Did you want to speak, Ms. Warsham? Unless All right. Does anybody have any questions? Pull anything from consent? If not,
014then I will need a motion to approve the consent agenda. So moved. Seconded by Dr. Abbott. I have a motion by Dr. Abbott to approve consent. Do I have a second? Second. Seconded by Mr. Bragg. All in favor, say aye. >> [snorts] >> Aye. Aye. Motion passes. All right. And then I believe with that, can we go ahead and move on to reports, Tim? Do you want to do your report? >> [laughter] >> I've had three cups of coffee today. I'm not going to lie. >> [laughter] >> I said I'm not going to lie. So, I had a lot of coffee today. All right. We're already here. >> [laughter] >> All right. Yes, that's all I meant by that. Good afternoon, everyone. Um so, I uh this uh this was a visit that um my
015ex assistant principal at Channel, she contacted me, um, Ms. Clawson, who's the principal at Landmark Elementary, and invited me to come and work with her fourth grade math teacher. And so, um, she asked me to actually teach a lesson to all the kids and and just model a lesson. Um, we were able to, uh, debrief afterwards. Uh, Jeffrey Nesmith from the state math team actually happened to be there that day as well, and so he joined us, um, and, uh, kind of walked and helped with the lesson as well. But, um, this is just visiting schools and being able to work with the teachers and the kids has been my primary focus this year in my role, and it's just one of the things that I've enjoyed most about, um, being Arkansas Teacher of the
016Year. So, I was, uh, extended an invitation, and as well as my principal, Dr. Harris at Chenal Elementary, to attend, uh, Bank of the Ozarks grand opening. They opened up a new branch on Chenal Parkway, which is really close to, uh, our school. And, um, I'm really excited. I got to visit with, um, a lot of the employees. Um, Eric Munson, the senior vice president for the Bank of the Ozarks, is who invited us to attend. And we just got to visit and talk, and, um, I'm really excited, though, about the opportunity and their interest in developing a community partnership with our schools to be able to support our schools and students in our community. So, I'm really thankful about that connection. Um, I had the chance to participate in two math lab experiences. One
017was at Watson Chapel, and another was at Daisy Bates, um, working alongside the Math Dudes C team under the direction of Dr. Pride and Kizzmekia "Kizzy" Mormon, and also Takita Funches with the New Teacher Project. Um this experience is um to be able to support educators um through a collaborative coaching cycle. And um it focuses on strengthening math instruction uh using utilizing the HQIM with fidelity, lesson internalization, and just um working on effective math strategies. Um what I've learned through participating in these math math lab experiences has been so meaningful. Um I never I never thought that I would ever want to be out of the classroom, but after participating in these cycles with an amazing math team here here at the State Department, um it's kind of got me thinking that I might might
018this might be something I might actually want to do moving forward, so. Um I'm just I'm thankful that they've allowed me to experience this with them. I was able to volunteer I was asked to volunteer again at another uh high school reality fair at Sylvan Hills, um which I know I kind of explained I think at our earlier board meeting. It's It's basically like a hands-on experience for students to learn about the um financial challenges as an adult. And so they have a monthly uh budget and they have to learn, you know, like how much money they can spend on food or housing or transportation. Um it the booth there the table that I was at for this event was on student loans, and just to see their faces when I would tell them, "Okay,
019well, if you're going to go to college for 4 years, you're this is your average student loan payment a month." Um and just to see their faces, uh "I've got to pay that, you know, how am I going to buy this or that, you know?" And then they also have to budget in once in age, you know, "Do you really need to go get your nails done?" or I mean, it was just put it put things into perspective for these kids and I think this is a great way um for them to kind of take a step back and start thinking about those major decisions that they're going to have to make sooner or later. And uh Telco Federal Credit Union is the sponsor for for this event. Um I did get to visit at
020uh this reality fair with Sam Norville. She's their assistant marketing director at Telco and um through our conversation I learned that um they partnered with Maumelle High School in the fall of 2024 and opened a branch of at their school. And I did not know that. Um and um the students kind of run it along with with with school staff there at Maumelle High School, but it um also opens the door and opportunities for students to learn like about uh becoming a bank teller, um customer service, accounting, and loan services, data management, programming, and marketing and business And so the kids get all this experience and so it opens up doors for them for opportunity for employment after they graduate if that's the route that they choose to go. Um and then we also I
021I wanted to talk to her just you know, how could we possibly partner with Telco in the at the elementary level. And um so they're currently exploring a financial literacy program and so I um I look forward to having more conversations with her on how we can partner and and get that started in the at the elementary level. Can I ask a question? Mhm. Is this a package program or is that something they developed on their own? Is that something other schools can just take and I I know that they do it around like the Little Rock area, but as far as like how far they expand out, I'm I'm really not sure. Have you done this at another school? I thought I remember you talking about this and I thought it was interesting then,
022too. So, they had one at Robinson High School, Maumelle High School, Sylvan Hills, and one other school. Maybe it'll come to me. But But yeah, it's just like it was a really fun That wheel You see the little wheel there, the red and white? So, that's the wheel of chance. So, they have to spin it. And they may have a flat tire they have to get fixed. They may have gotten a speeding ticket they have to pay for. And so, >> [snorts] >> you know, it's just unexpected expenses that you know, it was so much fun. Um just getting to to see the kids. The The one girl in the one picture of me sitting at the table when I told her what her student loan costs were going to be, she just took her
023paper and put it over her head. She's like, "I can't even think about this right now." >> [laughter] >> Um but yeah, it was a it was a great event to attend. I had an amazing visit alongside Adrian and Aaron at Farmington Public Schools. Um we had the chance to tour every building while we were there. And I just cannot say enough amazing things about this school district. I mean, every classroom we went in, the student engagement, the student discourse. Um I mean, even the teacher morale, you know, every teacher just seemed so happy to be there and to be teaching. And you could just feel the passion and see the passion in the classrooms. Um we also had a chance at the high school to visit the welding class. Um that was a first
024for me. I've never been in a high school welding class, and I absolutely loved it. I mean, to see these kids in action, just to see them um doing these real-world skills and getting the experience to um you know, to move forward in the career with that. Um it was just It was really nice to see. I spoke as a keynote speaker at the Arkansas Teachers Retirement Association conference um a couple weeks ago. And man, the feeling of being in a room full of retired educators who gave so many years of service to our students across the state was such an amazing feeling. Um I um I really enjoyed just getting to hear their stories and and I and I could just feel the impact as they would tell me, you know, about their careers
025in in in education and um it was truly a great day. I mean, I I left feeling so grateful for all the years that they poured into education. I attended the ACTE Region 4 conference. Um so this year for me learning about CTE was was new for me. You know, being an elementary teacher, I I really didn't know much about it. And so I've attended, you know, many events I was invited to and I've attended and so um I asked if I could go to this conference and they said, "Yes." And so um but I went with the goal in mind is how I could try to bridge the connection between CTE at the high school level all the way down to elementary. Um and I was fortunate that I got to visit with many
026presenters at a lot of the sessions that I attended as as long as the uh vendors that were set up. Um just trying to find ways that I could bring back ideas, more engaging ideas, and and and ways to incorporate career-related events um at the elementary school. And I've got a lot of ideas, so I'm really excited to learn from them and get to talk with all of them and um just see how passionate they are about CTE. And I look forward to doing some of those hopefully this year. What's one or two of your ideas? So Understanding they're not at all flushed out, I'm sure. So, one is definitely more STEM challenges where kids are more involved in designing, creating um things. Um I think in math and science, that's an easy connection and
027with me being a math teacher, that's right up my alley. Um a school news team where uh students can practice careers in like media, photography, um and you know, I would kind of maybe want to start that with our fifth grade with our fifth graders who are the oldest, you know, kids on the on the campus where I'm at. Agricultural cultural activities, I mean, we've got a ton of space to do gardening and those kind of things. So, I mean, and kids would love that. I mean, at my school, they would love it. Um and uh one of the presenters mentioned doing um having like students from current CTE programs come and like be guest speakers for our elementary students and like talk about, you know, the program they're in and talk about, you know,
028where they're heading after they graduated and and what CTE has done for them and cuz I I kind of feel like after attending the conference and hearing the conversations from all the the leaders that were there, that a lot of parents still don't really know like think of it more as like a trade. And so, um just trying to build that communication um at an early age, you know, I'm just I think that would help. So. >> that's awesome. So, last week was National Teacher Appreciation Appreciation Week and I was able to travel to many schools and just be able to personally thank teachers for their service and all the work that they pour into our kids each and every day. I genuinely hope they were showered all week, but I hope that appreciation continues
029because, you know, we we need to recognize our teachers every day, not just one week out of the year, but I hope they know how important they are and how much we appreciate their work um for all of our students. We wrapped up Teacher Appreciation Week last Friday at the Capitol. And uh we by attending the Educator Commitment Signing Day ceremony um where we recognized future educators as well as current educators. And then I had the pleasure of speaking about an incredible educator, Ms. Quita Newton. And um I was had the pleasure of presenting her with the Lifetime Educator award at the ceremony. Um she's so deserving and um it was just such a special day there to recognize her as well as uh future students who are entering the profession of education. So, one
030of my favorite times of the year, it's something I've been doing I think I began the fishing derby about 10 years ago, I want to say, roughly 10 years ago. We have a pond there at Chenal and I you know, me, I like to fish and so I was like, "Why are we doing How is nothing being done with this pond?" And so since then they built a nice deck on it, they're going to put some tables out there so we can have an outdoor classroom. But every year I organized a fishing derby and normally it's just for my fourth graders because I'm a fourth grade teacher. But last year my fourth graders, they were like, "Will you please, please come back next year and do this again with us?" And so of course, I
031can't say no. And so this year I organized it for both the fourth grade and fifth grade um and this is just always such a big event. We have tons of volunteers that come out, grandparents, um um you know, I need lots of help with a lot of tangled fishing lines. Um but they caught so many fish. Um just just a fun fun time for the kids. Uh definitely a a great event for the end of the school year to celebrate after testing. But um and I do want to recognize uh First Community Bank. They donated all the food for lunch for both grade levels. And so, we're really fortunate to have their support with that. I went and spoke to the pre-education classes at Bryant High School and talked to the kids. This was
032just really like a laid-back moment where um the kids, you know, were allowed to ask me questions about the teaching profession. Um it was just really raw. I mean, it it was it was a great time. And they asked me a few things I had to kind of shy away from, you know, I mean, they were just drilling me with I mean, everything that they could think about and I mean, I was honest with them. I you know, I I gave them insights into teaching, but as well as the struggles that come with teaching and and how I overcame those struggles. And you know, I want them to know what what it's really like to be a classroom teacher. So, but it was great to be able to just to connect with them and um
033encourage their journey into the classroom. The SkillsUSA Arkansas State Leadership and Skills Conference was in Hot Springs and um I attended this alongside Secretary Oliva and Governor Sanders was there and we got a chance to walk around and and just see all of the amazing work and talent and skills that these students have. Um this event definitely showcased um all that for them. And then finally I attended a visit with the math messy team to Oak Dale Middle School in Rogers, Arkansas and this visit was to learn about their teach to one program that they're using at their middle school. The key goal for this program is to to make sure that students are algebra one ready. It's like a personalized math approach that targets basic like targets skills that the kids need help in
034growing in areas that they need growth in. They basically take a diagnostic at the beginning of the year and it kind of lays out a road map for them to follow. So we we did get to briefly go into the classrooms and watch the kids working on the program. But it was I enjoyed getting just to learn about this new program. It uses like a mixture of teacher led lessons, videos, digital practice problems, printables, small small group activities. So just all kind of resources for the teachers to use to try to help fill those gaps to make sure that the kids are algebra one ready. And it generally like the program is available for fourth grade to algebra one. So. That's awesome. We've missed you. It's like we haven't heard from you in a while
035so I'm so glad you caught us up. I didn't ask if there's any board reports. Did you want to talk about any of the visits we've done? Okay. Commissioner, secretary. I'm staying in my office. Tomorrow? Okay. Then at this time can I recess or is that too fast? No, you're good. >> Okay, cool. We're going to recess. [laughter] We can add the speaker to this. All right, we'll be in recess until tomorrow at 12:30 and then we're going to go to our work session now. So, we'll take 10 minutes and then be back for the work session. So, we're good.