§ 6-15-202 - Accreditation -- Development of regulations and standards.
6-15-202. Accreditation -- Development of regulations and standards.
(a) (1) The State Board of Education is authorized and directed to develop comprehensive regulations, criteria, and standards to be used by the state board and the Department of Education in the accreditation of school programs in elementary and secondary public schools in this state.
(2) In its regulations, criteria, and standards promulgated under this subchapter, the state board shall include a provision regarding the attainment of unitary status for school districts that have not been released from court supervision over desegregation obligations.
(b) (1) All public schools and school districts shall meet the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts that shall be adopted by the state board.
(2) Upon a showing of just cause, the state board may grant a waiver of any standard for accreditation for a time period of no longer than one (1) school year, except that no curriculum, student performance, school performance, or any standard required by law may be waived for any time period.
(3) A school district is deemed to have failed to meet the standards if on any standard applicable to the general operation of a school district as defined by the state board the school district receives a probationary status.
(4) A school is deemed to have failed to meet the standards if on any standard applicable to the specific operation of that school as defined by the state board the school receives a probationary status.
(c) The state board shall promulgate rules and regulations setting forth:
(1) The process for identifying schools and school districts that fail to meet the standards;
(2) Enforcement measures the state board may apply to bring a school or school district into compliance with the standards, including, but not limited to, annexation, consolidation, or reconstitution of the school district in accordance with 6-13-1401 et seq. and this subchapter; and
(3) The appeal process available to a school district under this subchapter.
(d) After the regulations are adopted and implemented by the state board, standards and procedures shall regularly be reviewed by the House Interim Committee on Education and the Senate Interim Committee on Education at least one (1) time every two (2) years, and recommendations and advice may be filed by the committees with the state board for its consideration.
(e) (1) The department shall conduct an on-campus Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts review for each school district in the state no less than one (1) time every four (4) years.
(2) The department may visit any school campus for an on-campus Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts review at other additional times as determined necessary by the Commissioner of Education or the state board.
(f) The commissioner may require that the superintendent of each school district file a written statement with the department as evidence that the school district for which the superintendent is responsible has complied with any or all of the following statutory requirements:
(1) 6-10-111 (d)-(f) concerning the Equity Assistance Center;
(2) 6-11-129(a)(1)(C)(ii) concerning data to be accessible on the department's website;
(3) 6-13-109 concerning employment of a school superintendent;
(4) 6-13-620 concerning powers and duties of the local school board of directors;
(5) 6-13-801 et seq. concerning educational compacts;
(6) 6-15-202(b)(1) concerning accreditation;
(7) 6-15-401 et seq. concerning the Arkansas Comprehensive Testing, Assessment, and Accountability Program;
(8) 6-15-502 concerning home schools;
(9) 6-15-902 concerning grading scale;
(10) 6-15-1004 concerning qualified teachers;
(11) 6-15-1101(b) concerning diplomas;
(12) 6-15-1402 concerning the school performance report;
(13) 6-15-1603 concerning closing the achievement gap;
(14) 6-15-1701 et seq. concerning a parental involvement plan;
(15) 6-15-2006 concerning remedial instruction;
(16) 6-16-102 concerning school day;
(17) 6-16-103 concerning course of study generally;
(18) 6-16-124 concerning Arkansas history;
(19) 6-16-126 concerning food handling safety;
(20) 6-16-130 concerning visual art and music;
(21) 6-16-132 concerning physical education;
(22) 6-16-1002 concerning health education;
(23) 6-16-1003 concerning oral health standards;
(24) 6-16-1201 et seq. concerning advanced placement and concurrent enrollment;
(25) 6-17-102 concerning emergency first aid personnel;
(26) 6-17-201 concerning personnel policies;
(27) 6-17-309 concerning certification;
(28) 6-17-401 et seq. concerning teacher's license requirement;
(29) 6-17-2301 concerning establishment of personnel policies;
(30) 6-17-2402 concerning teacher compensation;
(31) 6-18-101 concerning qualifications for valedictorian and salutatorian;
(32) 6-18-201 et seq. concerning compulsory attendance;
(33) 6-18-202 concerning age and residence for attending public schools;
(34) 6-18-207 concerning minimum age for enrollment in public school;
(35) 6-18-211 concerning attendance for students in grades nine through twelve (9-12);
(36) 6-18-213 concerning attendance records and reports generally;
(37) 6-18-223 concerning credit for college courses;
(38) 6-18-501 et seq. concerning guidelines for development of school district student discipline policies and written student discipline policies;
(39) 6-18-508 concerning alternative learning environments;
(40) 6-18-509 concerning assessment and intervention in alternative learning environments;
(41) 6-18-701 et seq. concerning physical examinations;
(42) 6-18-1005 concerning a student services program;
(43) 6-19-101 concerning transportation;
(44) 6-20-2202 concerning the budget and expenditure report;
(45) 6-21-106 concerning fire hazards inspection prior to closing for breaks;
(46) 6-21-112 concerning school facilities;
(47) 6-25-101 et seq. concerning the public school library media and technology;
(48) 6-41-101 et seq. concerning services to children with disabilities in nonpublic schools;
(49) 6-42-101 concerning gifted and talented; and
(50) Any other statutory mandate for school districts identified by the department as relevant to the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts.
(g) In addition to any written statement of assurance required under subsection (f) of this section, the department may conduct an on-site review of a school district to confirm that a school district has complied with any statutory requirements listed in subsection (f) of this section or any other matter related to the standards.
(h) The department shall establish a form for the written statement of assurance required under subsection (f) of this section and shall establish a date or dates by which school districts shall submit the written statement of assurance required under subsection (f) of this section.
(i) If any superintendent fails to file a written statement of assurance as required by the commissioner under subsection (f) of this section by the date established by the department or knowingly submits false information or if the department determines the information in the statement is inaccurate or incomplete, the department may:
(1) Conduct a random on-site visit;
(2) Request additional information from the school district;
(3) Take licensure action on the license of the superintendent under the procedure of 6-17-410; or
(4) Find the school or school district in citation or probationary violation of the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts.