Bentonville School Board OKs academic integrity policy

BENTONVILLE -- A revamped policy on academic integrity earned the School Board's approval Monday, despite some members' concern it doesn't go far enough.

The policy introduces two consequences to a student caught cheating or plagiarizing. The student will be placed on academic probation and, at the high school level, could have honors status revoked. The student also must immediately demonstrate mastery of the subject in question on an alternative assignment.

Other business

The Bentonville School Board on Monday approved a new salary schedule for administrators. The schedule is intended to eliminate pay inequalities and establish a way administrators can work toward increased salaries based on time served with the School District. Implementing the schedule will initially cost the district $150,000; annual increases in salaries will cost the district an estimated $70,000 each additional year, according to Dena Ross, chief operating officer.

Source: Staff report

In addition, as was stipulated in the previous policy, the student's parents or guardians will be notified and the student will be placed on the step discipline plan no lower than step four, which is four days of detention, a Saturday suspension or a day of in-school suspension.

Another new wrinkle to the policy is subsequent violations will result in all first-offense consequences and advancement on the step discipline plan. A meeting also will be arranged with the student's parents.

Board members have debated the policy changes several times over the past year since administrators acknowledged frequent reports of students cheating, especially at the high school.

The board continued that debate Monday before voting 4-2 to accept the new policy crafted by administrators.

"I think we gave (administrators) a lot of input and they gave us back what we told them we wanted to see," said Brent Leas, a board member.

Leas voted for the change along with Rebecca Powers, Travis Riggs and Willie Cowgur.

Grant Lightle and Joe Quinn voted against it because they believed the language should be firmer to ensure a student will suffer academic consequences for cheating.

"They could do 10 offenses, and they could still get honors," Lightle said. "People have to feel like they might be caught, and the punishment will be severe, not that it might be severe."

Quinn said the new policy is an improvement on the old one, but added, "I worry as a society that we're watering down the consequences."

Much of the board's discussion focused on the part of the policy that requires a student immediately demonstrate mastery of the subject on an alternative assignment if caught cheating. Some board members questioned why students should be granted a second chance.

Administrators said they are required by law to have a grading scale that's based solely on academic performance.

"From the very beginning of the discussion on academic integrity, we said we need the grade to be separate from the discipline," said Tanya Sharp, executive director of student services.

"I thought it was a given if you got caught cheating, it was a zero," Lightle said. "We're talking about letting kids get another bite at the apple."

Judy Marquess, executive director of instruction for grades seven through 12, told the board the district will be working with the University of Arkansas on implementing some new programs promoting academic integrity. The issue will be stressed as a priority to teachers and students.

"We do take this very seriously. I want to thank you for bringing it to our attention. I do feel like we have work to do and we are going to address that," Marquess said.

In other business, the board unanimously approved adding a full-time position for the district's orchestra department based on extraordinary growth in that program.

Overall enrollment in the orchestra program across the district has increased from 591 students to 1,100 students in the past three years.

"It's a beautiful, wonderful program and we've got some kids who are just excelling. We don't want to have to cap those classes," said Dena Ross, the district's chief operating officer.

Each middle school orchestra teacher serves two schools. The new teacher will be based at Barker Middle School.

NW News on 06/21/2016

Upcoming Events