February has been proclaimed Career and Technical Education Month in Arkansas by Gov. Asa Hutchinson. The Division of Career and Technical Education will be celebrating CTE Month through regional showcase events throughout the state all month.

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  school 14 districts for a total of 19 waivers. There were also requests for long-term substitutes from 7 school districts requesting a total of 23 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 one year probation and assess a $200 fine. (All costs paid by Educator Logan), ERC20059: Professional Licensure Standards Board Code of Ethics for Arkansas Educators: Ethical Scenarios in Education (2020) Credit Hours: 1 Title: Cybertraps for Educators 2.0 Author: Frederick S. Lane ISBN-13: 979-8684352362.
 

The members of the Arkansas State Board of Education are requested to review the following:
Commercial Bond Applications - 3 Second Liens and 4 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.  

The Arkansas Department of Education received information that educator has a true finding for Sexual Abuse in the Child Maltreatment Central Registry. A true finding in the Child Maltreatment Central Registry is disqualifying pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. § 6-17-410. The educator is requesting a waiver.
 

In compliance with the provisions of A.C.A. § 6-20-2201 et seq., the Annual Statistical Report of the Public Schools for Arkansas, Open Enrollment Charter Schools, and Education Service Cooperatives, 2019-2020 Actual and 2020-2021 Budgeted, (ASR) is considered for adoption by the State Board of Education.  

Crossett School District is requesting a waiver of Standard for Accreditation 1-A.5 which requires "Each public school district comply with the laws of the State of Arkansas and the rules of the Division regarding class size and teaching load." The request is to allow for an overage of one(1) student for two (2) Kindergarten classes that have a class count of 23. Both classes have a paraprofessional to assist the teachers with the overage. This waiver is for the 2021-2022 school year.

Alpena School District is requesting a waiver of Standard for Accreditation 1-A.5 which requires "Each public school district comply with the laws of the State of Arkansas and the rules of the Division regarding class size and teaching load." The request is to allow for an overage of one(1) student for a second-grade class that has a class count of 26. The class has a full-time aide to assist the teacher with the overage. This waiver is for the 2021-2022 school year.

Rector School District is requesting a waiver of Standard for Accreditation 1-A.5 which requires "Each public school district comply with the laws of the State of Arkansas and the rules of the Division regarding class size and teaching load." The request is to allow for an overage of one(1) student for two (2) second grade classes that have a class count of 26. 

After reviewing the statewide summative student assessment data for 2020-2021, it has been determined that 111 schools in 55 districts are out of compliance with the DESE Rules Governing Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts for the following standard:  

Standard 1-C Student Performance  

1-C.1.1 Each public school shall assess at least 95% of its students on the annual statewide summative student assessment. (S/C)-School/Citation 

Due to the impact of COVID-19, the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is requesting a one-year Standards for Accreditation Waiver of Standard 1-C.1.1 on behalf of all districts/LEAs identified. 

DESE contacted each district to request permission to include the identified LEA in this waiver request. This waiver is for the 2021-2022 school year.

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 Greenwood School District requests a waiver of class size and teaching load for its East Hills Middle School, grades 5 and 6 English.  The District requests this waiver through the end of the 2022 school year.  This waiver will support a teacher internship program.    

The Bryant School District requests a waiver of class size and teaching load for Bryant High School, Grades 11-12, to support a student internship program.  The District seeks this waiver for five years; specifically, the 2022-23 through 2026-2027 school years.  

The Division of Elementary & Secondary Education presents the following high school course requirements to the State Board of Education for approval:  Arkansas Thirty-Eight Required High School Courses

Exalt Academy Southwest Little Rock has submitted an amendment request to increase the student enrollment cap from 540 students to 1080 students. The increase would be incremental over a five (5) year period:

• 2022-2023 adding 108 students, resulting in a 648 student cap
• 2023-2024 adding 108 students, resulting in a 756 student cap
• 2024-2025 adding 108 students, resulting in a 864 student cap
• 2025-2026 adding 108 students, resulting in a 972 student cap
• 2026-2027 adding 108 students, resulting in a 1,080 student cap

Cross County High School has submitted an amendment request to add waivers for statutes 6-17-908 and 6-17-919.
These waivers were recommended by CAP when the elementary school came up for renewal. The district has now requested them to complement their existing Teacher Licensure Wavier at the high school and would not change how the current waiver is being utilized. 

The Division respectfully requests that the Board give its final approval to the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education Rules Governing Consolidation and Annexation of School Districts.  No changes were made to the proposed rules as a result of public comment.  

The Division respectfully requests that the Board give its final approval to the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education Rules Governing Act 1240 Waivers.  Following public comment, only non-substantive clarifying and technical changes were made to the proposed rules.   

The Division respectfully requests that the Board give its final approval to the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education Rules Governing the Student Protection Act.  No public comments were received concerning these rules.    

The Division respectfully requests that the Board give its final approval to the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education Rules Governing Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts.  Only non-substantive, technical changes were made to the proposed rules following public comment.   

The Division respectfully requests that the Board give its final approval to the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education Rules Governing Public School Choice.  Only non-substantive technical changes were made to the proposed rules as a result of public comment.  

The Division respectfully requests that the Board give its final approval to the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education Rules Governing Grading and Course Credit.  Only non-substantive technical changes were made to the proposed rules as a result of public comment.