The Reading Initiative for Student Excellence (R.I.S.E.) Community Award program was launched in 2021 and recognizes school districts and communities that work collaboratively to build a culture of reading by capitalizing on available resources. The R.I.S.E. Community Award program focuses on infusing literacy, literacy awareness, and a love for reading into the community. 

Several communities made commitments to work towards this goal and the communities of Batesville, Greenbrier, and Magnolia achieved the R.I.S.E. Community Award status of Gold. The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education staff respectfully request the State Board of Education to recognize their achievements and impact made on the lives of students, families, and members of their communities. 

Each year the month of November is recognized as Military Family Appreciation Month.  More than 13,000 Arkansans currently serve in our nation’s Armed Forces, with more than 6,000 children of military families attending school in Arkansas.  The State Board of Education is requested to adopt a resolution recognizing November 2022 as Military Family Appreciation Month and expressing appreciation for military families throughout Arkansas, the United States, and overseas.  

The division of research and technology is partnering with Miss Arkansas 2022 Ebony Mitchell.  Ebony will be participating in a SMACTalk parent webinar on Monday, November 14th at 6:30 and will share her platform focused on online safety.  Register at smactalk.info/parent-webinars
 

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 108 districts for a total of 358 waivers. There were also requests for long-term substitutes from 55 school districts requesting a total of 111 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 1 year Level 2 Public Notification of ethics violation.  Assess a $200 fine (due within 90 days of the State Board Order).
Require Educator to complete the following coursework/readings: Code of Ethics training as provided by the PLSB staff. Title: The 85% Solution: How Personal Accountability Guarantees Success -- No Nonsense, No Excuses (256p) Author: Linda Galindo ISBN 10: ISBN 13: 9780470500163.The Power Paradox: How We Gain and Lose Influence (208p) Author: Dacher Keltner ISBN 10: 0143110292 ISBN 13: 978-0143110293. Require Educator to prepare written reflection on each individual training to show how he will incorporate those trainings in his professional practices and in his classroom. (due within 90 days of the State Board Order); and
Require Educator to pay all associated costs.
 

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 6 month probation. Assess a $150.00 fine (due within 90 days of the State Board Order). Require Educator to complete the following coursework/readings: Title: The 85% Solution: How Personal Accountability Guarantees Success -- No Nonsense, No Excuses (256p) Author: Linda Galindo ISBN 10: ISBN 13: 9780470500163. 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. Educator to provide written reflections of each training to the PLSB Subcommittee stating how it will influence his decision making for the safety of all students. To be completed within 90 days of the state board order. Require Educator to pay all associated costs.
 

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 8. An educator, while on school premises or at school-sponsored activities involving students, refrains from: a) using, possessing and/or being under the influence of alcohol or unauthorized drugs/substances, and/or possessing items prohibited by law, or b) possessing or using tobacco or tobacco-related products, e-cigarettes, e-liquid, or vapor products, or c) abusing/misusing prescription medications or other authorized substances as evidenced by impairment. The Professional Licensure Standards Board requests the State Board of Education order a 9 month suspension of license followed by a 1 year probation of license. Assess a $300.00 fine (due within 90 days of the State Board Order). Continued participation in AA meetings through the duration of the suspension and probation with quarterly reports on progress and attendance submitted to the PLSB Subcommittee for approval. A letter stating the educator is fit for the classroom submitted by a licensed healthcare professional 30 days prior to end of suspension for suspension removal. Require Educator to complete the following coursework/readings: Title: Healing the Addicted Brain: The Revolutionary, Science-Based Alcohol and Addiction Recovery Program (288p)
Author: Harold C. Urschel III, MD ISBN 10: 1402218443 ISBN 13: 978-1402218446 Title: The Power Paradox: How We Gain and Lose Influence (208p) Author: Dacher Keltner ISBN 10: 0143110292 ISBN 13: 978-0143110293. Educator to provide written reflections to the PLSB Ethics Subcommittee on each training to state how she will incorporate the trainings in her professional practices in the future.  To be completed within 30 days of the end of the suspension. Require Educator to pay all associated costs.
 

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 3. An educator honestly fulfills reporting obligations associated with professional practices. The Professional Licensure Standards Board requests the State Board of Education order a permanent revocation of the Educator’s license.
 

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 the Educator’s license.
 

The Arkansas Department of Education received information that the educator has a true finding.  This true finding is a disqualifying offense pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. § 6-17-410. The educator is requesting a waiver.
 

Ouachita School District is requesting a Standards for Accreditation Waiver for 1-A.5 Class Size for a kindergarten class that is two students over the maximum class size with a paraprofessional in the classroom. 

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 Deer/Mt. Judea School District requests a district-wide waiver of library media specialist licensure for a five-year period.

ESC evaluations occur at least once within a five-year period. Northwest ESC and Guy Fenter ESC NWA ESC evaluations and self-study report are attached for review.

The Rivercrest Jr. High Prep Academy submitted an application for a District Conversion Public Charter School.  The Charter Authorizing Panel voted unanimously to approve the application for a district conversion charter school to open in the Fall of 2023 for Grades 7 and 8 for five years.  

IDEAS Public Schools of Arkansas submitted a letter of voluntary surrender of the Arkansas Charter.