Section 6-17-2701 - Legislative intent

The General Assembly finds:(1) Achievement and enthusiasm of Arkansas students in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math is a critical step in preparing the State of Arkansas for a workforce with the skills necessary to compete economically in the twenty-first century workplace and to prepare the children of this state for high-paying competitive jobs;(2) Currently more than fifty percent (50%) of Arkansas students who go straight to college require remedial courses in both math and English;(3) In fiscal year 2003-2004, Arkansas expended over forty-eight million dollars ($48,000,000) on student remediation;(4) In 2005, of the five thousand four hundred thirty-four (5,434) students who took math and science advanced placement courses, only twenty-six and six-tenths percent (26.6%) of those students received a passing score while nationally, passage rates ranged between fifty-six percent (56%) for chemistry to eighty percent (80%) for calculus;(5) Students' completion of high school math courses beyond Algebra II significantly increases the probability that the student will earn a bachelor's degree;(6) Approximately four thousand (4,000) of the seven thousand four

of high school math courses beyond Algebra II significantly increases the probability that the student will earn a bachelor's degree;(6) Approximately four thousand (4,000) of the seven thousand four hundred thirty-three (7,433) licensed teachers in Arkansas are actively teaching science, technology, engineering, and math-related courses and may qualify for the science, technology, engineering, and math supplemental income grant; and(7) Because of the significant difference in income between science, technology, engineering, and math teachers and what they can make in industry, it is essential to: (A) Reduce the loss of science, technology, engineering, and math teachers to industry;(B) Entice science, technology, engineering, and math teachers back to the classroom; and(C) Encourage students to enter the science, technology, engineering, and math teaching professions by supplying supplemental grant income to science, technology, engineering, and math teachers.Amended by Act 2013, No. 1138,§ 44, eff. 8/16/2013.Acts 2007, No. 564, § 1.