Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Arkansas General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
1 State of Arkansas A Bill
2 95th General Assembly
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1939
4
5 By: Representative Joey Carr
6 By: Senator J. English
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE
10 CONCERNING TEACHER INCENTIVE AND MERIT PAY; TO AMEND
11 REQUIREMENTS CONCERNING SUMMATIVE EVALUATIONS UNDER
12 THE TEACHER EXCELLENCE AND SUPPORT SYSTEM; TO AMEND
13 PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE MERIT
14 TEACHER INCENTIVE FUND PROGRAM; AND FOR OTHER
15 PURPOSES.
16
17
18 Subtitle
19 TO AMEND ELIGIBILITY FOR TEACHER
20 INCENTIVE AND MERIT PAY; TO AMEND
21 REQUIREMENTS FOR SUMMATIVE EVALUATIONS;
22 AND TO AMEND SCHOOL DISTRICT
23 REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE MERIT TEACHER
24 INCENTIVE FUND PROGRAM.
25
26 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
27
28 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code � 6-17-413, concerning yearly incentive
29 bonuses for certain teachers with National Board for Professional Teaching
30 Standards certification funding, is amended to add an additional subsection
31 to read as follows:
32 (g) A person shall not be qualified to receive funds under this
33 section if he or she has not satisfied the requirements of this section by
34 July 1, 2025.
35
36 SECTION 2. Arkansas Code � 6-17-2805(c), concerning summative
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HB1939
1 evaluations under the Teacher Excellence and Support System, is amended to
2 read as follows:
3 (c) A summative evaluation shall:
4 (1) Result in a written an evaluation determination, which may
5 be done in writing or digitally, for the teacher's performance on all
6 evaluation domains as a whole;
7 (2) Use the evaluation framework and evaluation rubric
8 appropriate to the teacher's role;
9 (3)(A) Use multiple sources of evidence of the teacher's
10 professional practice including direct observation, indirect observation,
11 artifacts, and data.
12 (B) Subdivision (c)(3)(A) of this section does not require
13 that every component of the domains be evidenced by artifacts when
14 observation or data is used.
15 (C) A school or school district may adopt policies to:
16 (i) Incorporate peer observations and student
17 feedback that contribute to the summative rating; and
18 (ii) Substitute for the whole or any part of the
19 summative evaluation any part of a teacher's work completed for the
20 certification or renewal of a certification from the National Board for
21 Professional Teaching Standards;
22 (4) Include presentations of evidence chosen by the teacher, the
23 evaluator, or both;
24 (5) Provide an opportunity for the evaluator and teacher to
25 discuss the review of evidence used in the evaluation; and
26 (6) Provide feedback based on the evaluation rubric that the
27 teacher can use to improve teaching skills and student learning.
28
29 SECTION 3. Arkansas Code � 6-17-2805, concerning summative evaluations
30 under the Teacher Excellence and Support System, is amended to add additional
31 subsections to read as follows:
32 (e) In a year in which a public school does not perform a summative
33 evaluation, the public school shall perform an annual rating that satisfies
34 the requirements of the Merit Teacher Incentive Fund Program under � 6-17-
35 2901 et seq.
36 (f) As used in this section, "annual rating" means a formative or
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HB1939
1 summative rating given at the end of each school year that is based on
2 observations, which may be based on a teacher's professional growth plan, and
3 that includes without limitation components within an evaluation framework as
4 reported in the state-approved evaluation system.
5
6 SECTION 4. Arkansas Code � 6-17-2904(a), concerning eligibility for an
7 award from the Merit Teacher Incentive Fund Program, is amended to read as
8 follows:
9 (a) Eligibility for an award from the Merit Teacher Incentive Fund
10 Program shall include without limitation:
11 (1)(A) A teacher who demonstrates outstanding growth in student
12 performance, as determined by the Division of Elementary and Secondary
13 Education.
14 (B)(i) In determining whether a teacher has demonstrated
15 outstanding growth in student performance, the division shall calculate a
16 value-added growth model score for grades and subjects, where possible.
17 (ii) The division shall develop rules to establish
18 the process and procedure for public school districts to annually report data
19 related to value-added models that includes without limitation:
20 (a) Student test scores; and
21 (b) Prior student performance by subject and
22 school.
23 (C) A public school district shall perform an annual
24 rating at the end of each school year based on observations, which may be
25 based on a teacher's professional growth plan, and that includes without
26 limitation components within an evaluation framework as reported in the
27 state-approved evaluation system;
28 (2) Teachers serving as mentors to aspiring teachers;
29 (3) Aspiring teachers participating in yearlong residencies;
30 (4) Teachers instructing in subject areas or geographical areas
31 identified as experiencing a critical shortage of teachers, including public
32 schools that have historically been understaffed, as determined by the
33 division; and
34 (5) Other categories as defined by the state board State Board
35 of Education.
36
3 03/21/2025 2:05:12 PM TNL328Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.