Arkansas schools offer up to 12 weeks of paid maternity leave for eligible public school employees under the LEARNS Act, with the state and districts sharing the cost. This policy applies to birth, adoption, and foster care placements. While the state offers to cover half the cost of a substitute teacher, districts still bear the cost of the teacher's salary while on leave, which may deter some from participating.
The Jasper School District Board of Education approved several policy changes last month, but Superintendent Dr. Candra Brasel said she withheld the Parental Leave Policy to give the matter more thorough consideration. In the end, she said, she decided to follow the policy recommended by the Arkansas School Board Association (ASBA).
If the district were to veer away from the ASBA policy the district would be on its own if there were any litigation that would come its way, she reasoned.
Highlights of the policy were marked in red on the handouts given to the board.
An employee shall be eligible to take paid leave under this policy if the:
Employee has not been disciplined for any leave abuse during the past year prior to the need for leave.
An employee shall only be eligible for a total of 12 weeks of paid parental leave when the parental leave is due to the adoption of a child, and the adoption is following the foster placement of the same child in the employee's home.
Any day during the acidic year designated as a day when academic classes will not be held, including holidays, shall not be counted when calculating:
A. The 12 week from the cause for leave; or
B. The total number of days approved as parental leave.
The above reads the same for both classified and licensed personnel.
