The Board of Directors meets every two months to receive updates from committees/ officers and discuss association matters. In addition to the discussion on updates on fall conference and Arkansas Student Congress, the following outlines updates from the Board’s October 19th meeting.
New Account Receivable Policy.
When reviewing finances at the Fall Conference in August, the Board of Directors received a report highlighting a growing concern regarding several members and programs not meeting their financial obligations to the organization. In particular, the Board noted an emerging pattern of some programs carrying balances over 200 days past due. In response, the Board of Directors discussed the need for stronger financial accountability measures and the establishment of clear expectations for timely payment.
At its October 2025 meeting, the Board of Directors adopted the following Accounts Receivable Policy:
All invoices for conferences, membership, tournaments, and other hosted events are due at the commencement of the event. Acceptable proof of payment may include a verified purchase order (PO) issued by an authorized school district, agency, or organization. Any balance not paid or supported by an approved purchase order at the start of an event shall be subject to a late payment fee of ten percent (10%) of the outstanding balance. An additional ten percent (10%) late fee will be assessed every thirty (30) calendar days thereafter on any unpaid balance until the account is satisfied in full.
Notice of Excessive Balances
Accounts remaining unpaid beyond thirty (30) days shall be considered delinquent, and the ACTAA member will be notified of the fee. For accounts with unpaid balances exceeding sixty (60) days, account statements will be distributed to the respective district Accounts Payable office and the designated building administrator or program director. Programs or organizations with delinquent accounts will be prohibited from registering for or participating in future events until all outstanding obligations, including late fees, have been remitted in full or a payment resolution has been established in writing with the organization’s Treasurer.
The new policies can be found in the ACTAA Organizational Handbook under Financial Policies > Account Receivables.
Annual Strategic Priorities.
Two years ago, ACTAA adopted our current core values under the banner Think. Speak. Act. Arkansas. Last fall, we took the next step by launching the ACTAA in Action Strategic Plan — our shared roadmap to ensure those values come alive in meaningful ways.
The plan is built around four action themes:
- Reflect on our purpose
- Increase our impact
- Expand our voice
- Increase our ability to adapt
At Summer Workshop, President Zackery Tucker announced four clear priorities for the 2025–2026 academic year to help align ACTAA’s focus with its strategic plan:
- New Member Support – Ensuring every educator who joins ACTAA feels welcomed, resourced, and connected.
- Building Strategic Partners – Expanding our network of allies and supporters to amplify the reach and sustainability of our work.
- Advocacy & Public Engagement – Raising awareness with state leaders, parents, and communities about the transformative power of communication and theatre education.
- The Future of the Curriculum – Safeguarding and advancing communication studies so they are not seen as “nice-to-have electives,” but as core necessities for every Arkansas student.
At the Fall Conference in August, the Board of Directors continued discussions on identifying specific initiatives to prioritize the association’s work. At its October 2025 meeting, the Board finalized this conversation and identified the following strategic priorities and related actions:
New Member Support
- Review the membership application and information collected to ensure we can better support new members.
- Automatically connect new members to key resources, including resource guides, mentors, and professional development opportunities.
- Send a personalized welcome email from ACTAA leadership connecting each new member to their discipline representative.
- Host new member meetings and roundtables outside of Summer Workshop and Fall Conference.
Building Strategic Partners
- Challenge each Board member to solicit at least one sponsorship for a major ACTAA event.
- Develop an individual supporter recognition program to encourage alumni, lifetime members, and private donors to contribute to ACTAA’s mission.
Advocacy & Public Engagement
- Develop plans for Arkansas Speech & Debate Month (November) and Theatre in Our Schools Month (March), through a collaboration between the Advocacy & Public Engagement and Publicity & Promotions Committees.
- Establish regular communication with DESE to build collaborative relationships regarding communication and theatre standards and requirements.
- Launch a “Stay Active with ACTAA” campaign for lifetime members to support ongoing advocacy for communication and theatre education.
The Future of the Curriculum
- Create a dedicated committee to provide space for the community to explore what the future of the communication and theatre curriculum should look like.
- Advocate with DESE for the revision and modernization of the 2016 Communication Standards.
- Develop a statewide commitment to integrating AI literacy and workforce readiness skills into communication education.
Board Attendance.
At its October 2025 meeting, the Board of Directors discussed the lack of participation by several board members and requested that the president hold a conversation regarding commitment with any member found to be in noncompliance with the Board Policy on Attendance. If no effort is made by the respective members by the January board meeting, the Board of Directors will consider a vote on formally request their resignation, as procedure outlined in the ACTAA Organizational Handbook.
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