LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The long-awaited education reform bill from Governor Sarah Sanders is officially filed at the capitol.

Sanders released a statement Tuesday, saying:

“Arkansas is making history today with the introduction of my signature Arkansas LEARNS legislation – the biggest, most far-reaching, conservative education reform in America, and exactly what our state needs to take our education system to the top. Once Arkansas LEARNS passes, minimum teacher pay will go from one of the lowest to one of the highest in the nation, parents will be empowered to choose whatever school is best for their family, and our students will finally be back to learning the basics of reading, writing, science, math, and history and put on a pathway to success. I’m thankful to every senator and representative who cosponsored and helped introduce this bill and for the broad support from my Republican partners in the legislature. Now, let’s get Arkansas LEARNS passed and signed into law, making a generational impact on the people of our state and setting the standard for our country.”

Teachers like Randi House and Jessie McGruder said they fear what is in the bill that could impact them.

McGruder teaches in West Memphis and drove to Little Rock Monday for the bill to be filed, after reading on Twitter that it would happen at some point in the day.

“I don’t feel any Arkansas educators were involved in the writing of this bill,” McGruder said.

State Sen. Breanne Davis (R-District 25) is a sponsor of the bill, whose name you see first on the legislation. She said the bill required months of work, including the input of teachers, families, and schools from all over.

“Throughout this bill, you will see the thread of support for our public school district and our public school teachers, and our kids,” Davis said.

For teachers, one of the big talking points is raising teacher pay.

The bill proposes a $50,000 base salary for first-year teachers and a $2,000 raise for anyone making above that.

McGruder said he fears there will be no accountability to ensure every superintendent provides this, though Davis said it is mandated that they provide the minimum $50,000 base with the money they receive for salaries. Davis added that superintendents will have the control to create salary schedules and deciding on the salary progression for teachers making above the minimum number.

“Teachers will not be topped out at $50,000 or $52,000, there will be salary schedules for them to move up,” Davis said.

Teachers are also concerned about the vouchers in the bill that would allow students to go to a private or charter school, using public dollars.

McGruder, specifically, fears how this will impact public schools in smaller districts like his.

Another big concern for teachers is that the bill repeals the Teacher Fair Dismissal Act.

“We are already having a major problem recruiting and retaining teachers in Arkansas, and getting rid of that protection is just going to magnify that problem,” House said.

McGruder agreed that he fears this will hurt the current teacher shortage issue in the state.

Davis, on the other hand, said this is solely to ensure we have quality teachers in classrooms, and said, “good teachers should have nothing to worry about.”

“There are some teachers who should not be in classrooms that are, and they’re protected because of teacher fair dismissal,” Davis said.

The bill is more than 140 pages and includes tons of initiatives that will impact teachers, students and families.

Many teachers so far have said they would have liked to have seen teacher raises, at least, in a separate bill because it feels too much is packed into a bill that will bring good and bad to schools all at once.

Davis, however, said that is the way to really get things done in schools.

“This is comprehensive education reform, and if you split everything up and let some things pass but not others, then you don’t have true reform,” Davis said.

The bill has dozens of sponsors on it and Davis said already has mass support in the legislature. Still, House and McGruder encourage lawmakers to take a long, hard look at the legislation before approving it.

“I hope you’ll just look at this in a nonpartisan matter,” House said. “Let’s look and see what’s actually in this bill and talk to teachers, talk to families in your area, and decide if this is really what’s best for the students of Arkansas.”