As districts in Arkansas prepare for the implementation of the LEARNS Act, six work groups are being assembled by the state Department of Education to develop recommendations for its rules and policies.

These work groups will each focus on a specific topic: school safety; early learning; parental empowerment; teaching and learning; educator workforce and career readiness, according to a memo from the agency.

Friday was the deadline to apply to participate in the groups. Over 1,000 people submitted applications, Education Department Secretary Jacob Oliva said during an online forum on Wednesday.

"We're going to start bringing in experts and leaders from all over the state to sit around with staff here at the department to start drafting rules," Oliva said in an interview the previous week. Their recommendations will go to the secretary and the state Board of Education for consideration before being reviewed by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' office.

By law, most of these rules are required to be in place by July 1, 2024, Oliva said.

District officials say it will be difficult for them to fully prepare for LEARNS until these rules are finalized.

"Nobody knows how this thing is going to play out until everything goes through rules and [regulations]," said Brent Howard, Mountain Home School District superintendent.

Bentonville Superintendent Debbie Jones said her district has applied to participate in work groups for "every single category."

"We're anxiously awaiting the rules...

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