Arkansas Legislative Outlook, 2007
The long-running Lake View case will continue to be a factor in the Arkansas Legislature. Funding for school facilities is still on the table. Expect also to see more fighting over minimum school district size as well as criteria for districts to be put into fiscal or academic distress. Governor Mike Beebe (D) was elected in November. He supports universal pre-K programs, more support for after-school and summer programs, a statewide broadband infrastructure, and a traveling teacher program. Beebe has also pushed for consolidation in his 20-year history in the state senate. Arkansas is experimenting with pay-for-performance in a limited number of schools.