Kristy Brasfield, a U.S. History and English IV teacher at Joe T. Robinson High School, has been named the 2021 Arkansas History Teacher of the Year.  Inaugurated in 2004, the Gilder Lehrman History Teacher of the Year Award highlights the crucial importance of history education by honoring exceptional American history teachers from elementary school through high school. In addition to receiving a $1,000 honorarium from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, Ms. Brasfield's school held a ceremony in her honor. The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education would like to present Ms. Brasfield with a certificate.
 

The Arkansas Department of Education Office of Computer Science will:

• submit to the board for its consideration a resolution recognizing December 6-12, 2021, as Arkansas's Computer Science Education Week,
• provide a report and answer questions on the 2021-2022 enrollment numbers found at: https://csforar.info/ARCSEnrollment2021, and
• recognize Casey Elliott, Chris Arrue-Martinez, Elijah Reed, Eurel Roman, Reece Stephens, and Will Gladden of Hellstern Middle School in the Springdale School District who won the Great Arkansas History Video Game Coding Competition in the Spring of 2021. These students and their teacher, Jamie Walker, will join via zoom if available.

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. 

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 80 school districts for a total of 224 waivers. There were also requests for long-term substitutes from 58  school districts requesting a total of 121 waivers for long-term substitutes. These requests have been reviewed, were either approved or denied by Department staff, and are consistent with program guidelines.

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.  

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. Violation of Standard 4.  An educator entrusted with public funds and property, including school sponsored activity funds, honors that trust with honest, responsible stewardship. The Professional Licensure Standards Board requests the State Board of Education order a Level 2 Public Notification of Ethics Violation for 1 year; assess a fine of $200 fine; required to complete through the ArkansasIDEAS online portal Code of Ethics for Arkansas Educators: Ethical Scenarios in Education (2020) Credit Hours: 1; Title: QBQ! The Question Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability at Work and in Life (160p) Author: John G. Miller ISBN 10: 0399152334 ISBN 13: 978-0399152337; Written reflections.  (All costs paid by Educator Fox)
 

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 Permanent Revocation of License or Non-Renewal by State Board of Education; assess a $500 fine. (All costs paid by Educator Harris)
 

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. Violation of Standard 7. An educator maintains the confidentiality of inform ation about students and colleagues obtained in the course of the educator’s professional services that is protected under state law or regulations, or the written policies of the educator’s school district, unless disclosure serves a professional purpose as allowed or required by law or regulations. The Professional Licensure Standards Board requests the State Board of Education order a Permanent Revocation of License or Non-Renewal by State Board of Education; assess a $500 fine. (All costs paid by Educator Hernandez).
 

The Arkansas Department of Education accepted the surrender of the educator's teaching license in 2011. Educator Parker is requesting reinstatement according to Ark. Code Ann. § 6-17-402. .
 

Pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. § 6-15-103 (Act 1240 of 2015), a traditional public school district may petition the State Board for waivers granted to an open-enrollment public charter school.  
 

The McGehee School District requests a waiver of Class Size and Teaching Load for its McGehee Elementary School.  The District requests this waiver for five years.  

The Division requests that the State Board release for public comment the DESE Rules Governing Act 1240 Waivers, pending Governor's Office approval.

The Division requests that the State Board release for public comment the DESE Rules Governing Student Special Needs Funding, pending Governor's Office approval.

The Jacksonville School District is requesting to add Pearson digital curriculum to their State Board approved Digital Learning Plan.

All Digital Learning Programs have been vetted by the DESE internal review team prior to coming before the panel. 

Arkansas Lighthouse Academies submitted a Digital Learning Program application for the following locations:

Jacksonville Lighthouse High School Academy; Grades 7-12
Jacksonville Lighthouse Elementary Academy; Grades K-6
Jacksonville Lighthouse Flightline Academy; Grades 5-8
Capital City Lighthouse Element Academy; Grades K-5
Pine Bluff Lighthouse Elementary Academy; Grades K-6
Pine Bluff Lighthouse Middle School Academy; Grades 7-8

All locations will offer digital content through asynchronous and synchronous methods of instruction in both virtual and blended models. Approved LMS and CMS platforms will be utilized to deliver content. 

The Charter expires June 2022.

Future School of Fort Smith submitted a digital Learning Program for grades 9-12. Instruction will follow asynchronous and synchronous formats through blended delivery. Approved LMS and CMS platforms will be utilized. 

The Charter expires June 2026. The Digital Learning Plan was approved for three (3) years by unanimous vote. 

Haas Hall Academy has submitted a Digital Learning Program application for Hass Hall Academy, Hass Hall Academy at The Jones Center, Haas Hall Academy at The Lane and Hass Hall Academy Bentonville. All four locations serve students in grades 7-12. Instruction will be delivered virtually in a synchronous format utilizing an approved Learning Management System (LMS). 

The Charter expires June 2022. 

Hope Aademy of Northwest Arkansas has submitted a Digital Learning Program application for grades K-5. Instructions will be virtual, utilizing asynchronous and synchronous formats through an approved LMS. 

The Charter expires June 2025. The Digital Learning Plan was approved for three (3) years by unanimous vote. 

Westwind School for Performing Arts submitted a Digital Learning Program application for grades 6-8. Instructions will be asynchronous and synchronous formats delivered through virtual and blended models. The school will utilize state-approved LMS and CMS platforms. The application is being requested for a three (3) year period. 

The charter expires June 2026. The Digital Learning Plan was approved for three (3) years by unanimous vote. 

All supporting documents such as letters of support, proof of public meetings, and local board action have been compiled into a PDF binder. 

Mountain Home school district has submitted a public conversion charter application for Guy Berry College and Career Academy. Grades served will be 6-12 with an enrollment cap of 200 students. The school will follow an ALE model with an industry focus. 

The application was reviewed by the DESE internal review committee. 

Batesville Public Schools has submitted an application to convert Batesville Junior High School to a public conversion charter school. Grades 6-8 will be served with an enrollment cap of 1,000. 

The school will follow a traditional education model with a blended approach to meet the needs of students enrolled in Pioneer Virtual Academy. 

The application was reviewed by the DESE internal review committee. 

Fort Smith Public Schools has submitted a public conversion charter application for Fort Smith Virtual Academy. The school will serve students grades K-8 with an enrollment cap of 500. The school will be 100% virtual. 

The application was reviewed by the DESE internal review committee. 

Caddo Hills School District has submitted an application to convert Caddo Hills High School to Caddo Academy. The school will continue to serve students grades 7-12 utilizing a career academy model. 

The application was reviewed by the DESE internal review team.

Lisa Academy has submitted an amendment request to add an additional K-12 campus in Fayetteville in the fall of 2023, with flexible grade configurations. 

The charter requests all current LISA Academy North Middle School and LISA Academy North High School waivers be granted to the Fayetteville campus. 

The charter also requests an increase in the current enrollment cap by 1,168. This would raise the current enrollment cap from 5,632 to 6,800. 

The Open-enrollment Charter Amendment was approved with a three-phased implementation. Grades K-5 with an enrollment cap of 435 students beginning in 2023-2024; Grades K-8 with an enrollment cap of 755 students in 2024-2025; Grades K-12 in 2026-2027 for a total enrollment cap of 1168 students. 

https://esser-insight.ade.arkansas.gov/
 

Report on Secondary Career Centers