AAEA and AASSP are proud to recognize Chelsea Jennings, Assistant Principal at Lakeside Junior High School, as the 2021 NASSP National Assistant Principal of the Year.  Ronn Nozoe, CEO of NASSP, stated, "We are proud to recognize Chelsea Jennings as the 2021 NASSP Assistant Principal of the Year for her tremendous leadership in developing a positive school culture to ensure the well-being and safety of her students, their families, and their community. We salute Ms. Jennings’s drive and efforts to prioritize the social-emotional well-being of her students through innovative solutions and continued advocacy. During one of the most challenging years ever faced by the education community, it’s inspiring to see how Ms. Jennings has worked to support and empower families to feel safe and connected." 

The National Student Production Awards recognize outstanding achievement in video production. The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences promotes excellence by showcasing work created by high school students in news, craft and programming categories.

Har-Ber High School Television Productions led by advisor Travis Sherman recently received a National Emmy for Live Event Sports Broadcasting, sealing their position as the top Sports Broadcast team in the entire country. Students competed against thousands of entries across the United States and the pieces were judged by college instructors and industry professionals. The judges looked at the overall production value and delivery, including: Pre Game Show, Halftime Show, Post Game Show, Live Reporting, Cameras, Audio and Direction.

Congratulations to:

• Nick Luttrell
• Samantha Lewandowski
• Zach Greenwood
• Zack Duplanti
• Victor Cardoza
• Jared Park
• and Donald Tucker

The applicant data from this information is used to compile the Applicant Flow Chart forms for the Affirmative Action Report, which demonstrates the composition of applicants through the selecting, hiring, promoting and terminating process.  The information is needed to measure the effectiveness of the agency's recruitment, hiring and promotion efforts and is in conformity with federal government guidelines, which require the agency to compile statistical information about applicants for employment. 

The members of the Arkansas State Board of Education are requested to review the following:
Commercial Bond Applications - 2 Second Lien and 1 Voted
With the recommendation to approve all applications from the Loan Committee and additional information provided by the school district in its application package and:
Pursuant to Arkansas Code Annotated § 6-20-1205 concerning school district bonds, a school district shall not sell bonds until the issue is approved by the State Board of Education.  Therefore, the State Board of Education, in its discretion and after considering the merits of each application with the loan committee recommendation, may approve a school district bond application for the full amount of the proposed bond issue, approve the application for a lesser amount than requested, or disapprove the application.

Arkansas Code Annotated §6-17-309 requires local school districts to secure a waiver when classrooms are staffed with unlicensed teachers for longer than 30 days. Requests were received from 4 school districts for a total of 4 waivers. There were also requests for long-term substitutes from 12 school districts requesting a total of  15 waivers for long-term substitutes. These requests have been reviewed, were either approved or denied by Department staff, and are consistent with program guidelines.

Violation of Standard 1. An educator maintains a professional relationship with each student, both in and outside the classroom. Violation of Standard 2. An educator maintains competence regarding his or her professional practice, inclusive of professional and ethical behavior, skills, knowledge, dispositions, and responsibilities relating to his or her organizational position.  The Professional Licensure Standards Board requests the State Board of Education order a 2-year probation; assess a fine of $250; (All costs paid by Educator Edrington).
 

Educator Angela Summerford has executed and submitted a consent to surrender teaching license. The Professional Licensure Standards Board request the State Board accept the consent to surrender and permanently revoke Angela Summerford’s teaching license.
 

Educator Whitney Evans has executed and submitted a consent to surrender teaching license. The Professional Licensure Standards Board request the State Board accept the consent to surrender and permanently revoke Whitney Evans’s teaching license.
 

Educator Ryan Morris has executed and submitted a consent to surrender teaching license. The Professional Licensure Standards Board request the State Board accept the consent to surrender and permanently revoke Ryan Morris’s teaching license.

Description: Ms. Avance was employed as a teacher with a five-year standard Arkansas Teaching License. Ms. Avance has appealed her ethics hearing recommendation and requested a State Board review pursuant to 16.02 of the Rules Governing the Code of Ethics for Arkansas Educators.
 

Under Ark. Code Ann. § 6-17-422 members of the PLSB serve rotating terms, and are appointed by the State Board from nominations made by professional education associations. Dr. Nita Bohannon is being nominated for a full term after serving in the position recently vacated by Dr. Ellen Treadway. Dr. Bohannon will represent the Arkansas Professors of Educational Leadership (ARPEA) and its members.  Dr. Harold Jeffcoat, Superintendent of the Van Buren School District has been nominated by the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators (AAEA) to represent their membership. Dr. Sheena Williamson, Assistant Superintendent of the Searcy School District has been nominated for a second term by the Arkansas Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD). The terms of these members to begin on July 1, 2021 and end on June 30, 2024.
 

The Atkins School District is requesting a one-year Standards for Accreditation waiver of Standard 4-D.1 - Teacher Licensure for the 2020-2021 school year.

The Newport School District is requesting a one-year Standards for Accreditation waiver of Standard 3-A.6 - Board Training Hours for the 2020-2021 school year.

The Pulaski County Special School District is requesting a one-year Standards for Accreditation waiver of Standard 3-A.6 - Board Training Hours for the 2020-21 school year.

The recommended 2020-2021 Final Standards for Accreditation Status for Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts is included in the attached report for State Board review and final status determination.  

Presidents and Chancellors of all four-year colleges and universities were invited to submit proposals to host 2022-2024 Arkansas Governor’s School.  Proposals were received from Hendrix College, Arkansas Tech University, and Arkansas State University.  The site selection committee reviewed proposals and conducted site visits to each institution.  Their recommendation for the proposed site for 2022-2024 will be presented to the State Board for approval. 

Siloam Springs High School has submitted an amendment request for a Digital Learning Program in grades 9-12.  The school will offer asynchronous and synchronous instruction with virtual and blended options through the use of an approved digital provider and licensed district staff.  The application has been reviewed by the DESE team.  The charter will expire at the end of 2024-2025.

Lincoln High School has submitted an amendment request for a digital learning program in grades 9-12.  The school will offer asynchronous and synchronous instruction with a virtual option through the use of an approved digital provider.  The application has been reviewed by the DESE team.  The charter will expire at the end of 2021-2022.

Harrison High School has submitted an amendment request for a digital learning program in grades 9-12.  The school will offer asynchronous and synchronous instruction with virtual and blended options through the use of an approved digital learning provider.  The application has been reviewed by the DESE team. The charter will expire at the end of 2021-2022.

Mountain Home Career Academies has submitted an amendment request for a digital learning program in grades 9-12.  The school will offer asynchronous and synchronous instruction with a virtual option through the use of an approved digital provider and licensed staff.  The application has been reviewed by the DESE team.  The charter will expire at the end of 2024-2025.

The Jacksonville Lighthouse Charter is requesting an amendment to absorb Capital City Lighthouse and Pine Bluff Lighthouse into the Jacksonville charter, to change the name to Arkansas Lighthouse Academies and to request additional waivers.    

The South Conway County  School District has submitted a Digital Learning Program for students in grades 7-12.  The program will offer synchronous and asynchronous learning through a virtual approach using curriculum provided by Virtual Arkansas.  Teachers are Arkansas State Certified and provided through Virtual Arkansas.  Class size and teaching load waivers will not be required for this digital learning request.  The waiver is being requested through the end of the 2025-2026 school year.  This application has been reviewed by the DESE team.

The Riverside School District has submitted a Digital Learning Program for students in grades 7-12.  The program will offer asynchronous learning through a virtual approach using curriculum provided by Virtual Arkansas.  Teachers are Arkansas State Certified and provided through Virtual Arkansas.  Class size and teaching load waivers will not be required for this digital learning request.  The waiver is being requested through the end of the 2021-2022 school year.  This application has been reviewed by the DESE team.

The Kirby School District has submitted a Digital Learning Program for students in grades 7-12.  The program will offer synchronous and asynchronous learning through a virtual approach using curriculum provided by Virtual Arkansas.  Teachers are Arkansas State Certified and provided through Virtual Arkansas.  Class size and teaching load waivers will not be required for this digital learning request.  The waiver is being requested through the end of the 2025-2026 school year.  This application has been reviewed by the DESE team.

The East End School District has submitted a Digital Learning Program for students in grades 7-12.  The program will offer synchronous and asynchronous learning through a virtual approach using curriculum provided by Virtual Arkansas.  Teachers are Arkansas State Certified and provided through Virtual Arkansas.  Class size and teaching load waivers will not be required for this digital learning request.  The waiver is being requested through the end of the 2023-2024 school year.  This application has been reviewed by the DESE team.

Act 1240 Digital Learning Applications and Waivers

The White Hall School District has submitted a Digital Learning Program for students in grades K-12.  The program will offer synchronous and asynchronous learning through a virtual approach using curriculum provided by Arkansas River Coop Consortium and Virtual Arkansas.  Teachers are Arkansas State Certified and provided through the consortium and Virtual Arkansas.  Class size and teaching load waivers will not be required for this digital learning request.  The waiver is being requested through the end of the 2022-2023 school year.  This application has been reviewed by the DESE team.

The Sheridan School District has submitted a Digital Learning Program for students in grades K-12.  The program will offer synchronous and asynchronous learning through a virtual approach using curriculum provided by the Arkansas River Coop Consortium and Canvas Learning Management.  Teachers are Arkansas State Certified and provided through the consortium for K-6 and the Sheridan School District for grades 7-12.  Class size and teaching load waivers are requested for grades 7-12  for this digital learning plan.  The waiver is being requested through the end of the 2025-2026 school year.  This application has been reviewed by the DESE team.

The Stuttgart School District has submitted a Digital Learning Program for students in grades 5-12.  The program will offer synchronous and asynchronous learning through a virtual approach using curriculum provided by the district and Virtual Arkansas (7-12).  Teachers are Arkansas certified and provided by the district for 5-12 and by Virtual Arkansas for 9-12 for additional courses. Class size and teaching load waivers are not requested. The waiver is being requested through the end of the 2025-2026 school year.  This application has been reviewed by the DESE team.

The Centerpoint School District has submitted a Digital Learning Program for students in grades K-12.  The program will offer synchronous and asynchronous learning through a virtual approach using curriculum provided by the Dawson Education Service Coop Consortium and Virtual Arkansas.  Teachers are Arkansas State Certified and provided through the consortium Virtual Arkansas.  Class size and teaching load waivers will be required for this digital learning request.  The waiver is being requested through the end of the 2025-2026 school year.  This application has been reviewed by the DESE team.

The Bismarck School District has submitted a Digital Learning Program for students in grades 1-12.  The program will offer synchronous and asynchronous learning through a virtual approach using curriculum provided by the Dawson Education Coop consortium and by Virtual Arkansas.  Teachers are Arkansas certified and provided by the consortium and Virtual Arkansas. Class size waiver is requested; however, teaching load waiver is not requested. The waiver is being requested through the end of the 2023-2024 school year.  This application has been reviewed by the DESE team.

The Arkadelphia  School District has submitted a Digital Learning Program for students in grades K-12.  The program will offer synchronous and asynchronous learning through a virtual approach using curriculum provided by Dawson ESC consortium Virtual Arkansas.  Teachers are Arkansas State Certified and provided through the coop and Virtual Arkansas.  Class size waiver is requested for K-6; however teaching load waiver is not be required for this digital learning request.  The waiver is being requested through the end of the 2023-2024 school year.  This application has been reviewed by the DESE team.

The Alma School District has submitted a Digital Learning Program for students in grades K-12.  The program will offer synchronous and asynchronous learning through a virtual approach using curriculum provided by Edgenuity and Apex.  District teachers will act as facilitators and will be licensed and employed by Alma School District. Class size waiver will be required for this digital learning request; however, teaching load is not required.  The waiver is being requested through the end of the 2023-2024 school year.  This application has been reviewed by the DESE team.

The Bald Knob School District has submitted a Digital Learning Program for students in grades K-12.  The program will offer synchronous and asynchronous learning through a virtual approach using curriculum provided by the Wilbur D. Mills Coop consortium and Virtual Arkansas.  Teachers are Arkansas certified and provided by the coop and Virtual Arkansas.  Class size waiver will be required for this digital learning request; however, teaching load is not required.  The waiver is being requested through the end of the 2025-2026 school year.  This application has been reviewed by the DESE team.

The Deer/Mt. Judea School District has submitted a Digital Learning Program for students in grades K-12.  The program will offer synchronous and asynchronous learning through a virtual approach using curriculum provided by the district and Virtual Arkansas (9-12).  Teachers are Arkansas certified and provided by the district for K-8 and by Virtual Arkansas for 9-12. Class size and teaching load waivers are not requested. The waiver is being requested through the end of the 2023-2024 school year.  This application has been reviewed by the DESE team.

The El Dorado School District has submitted a Digital Learning Program for students in grades K-12.  The program will offer daily synchronous learning with asynchronous resources through a virtual approach using curriculum provided by the district. Teachers are Arkansas certified and provided by the district for daily synchronous sessions. Class size and teaching load waivers are requested; however current numbers do not indicate the district will go over the maximum numbers. The waiver is being requested through the end of the 2023-2024 school year.  This application has been reviewed by the DESE team.

The Brookland School District has submitted a Digital Learning Program for students in grades K-12.  The program will offer synchronous and asynchronous learning through a virtual approach using curriculum provided by the district and by Edgenuity.  Teachers are Arkansas certified and provided by the district for Science of Reading instruction and by Edgenuity. Class size and teaching load waivers are not requested. The waiver is being requested through the end of the 2023-2024 school year.  This application has been reviewed by the DESE team.

The Elkins  School District has submitted a Digital Learning Program for students in grades 3-12.  The program will offer synchronous and asynchronous learning through a virtual approach using curriculum provided by the Northwest Arkansas Education Coop Consortium and Virtual Arkansas.  Teachers are Arkansas State Certified and provided through the consortium and Virtual Arkansas.  Class size and teaching load waivers will not be required for this digital learning request.  The waiver is being requested through the end of the 2023-2024 school year.  This application has been reviewed by the DESE team.