Katie Fite

Director of Communications

Arkansas Public School Resource Center

501-492-4300 | kfite@apsrc.net

Arkansas State Board of Education's July Meeting: Important Updates and Decisions

LITTLE ROCK, AR - On Thursday, July 11th, 2024, the Arkansas State Board of Education convened to address crucial items on the published agenda. The meeting, accessible through this link, featured various agenda items, with input from representatives and public commentators.

As the policy-making body for Arkansas's education system, the State Board of Education diligently considered and acted upon several essential agenda items during the meeting:

V. Action Agenda 

V.1. Consideration of Request for Public School Waivers

Pursuant to Arkansas Code § 6-15-103, the Westside Consolidated School District requested waivers from legal requirements Standards for Accreditation 1-5.A and 1-6.A to implement its innovative block schedule. The board approved the request.

V.2. Consideration of Boundary Change Petition by the Prairie Grove School District 

The board tabled until the August meeting the Prairie Grove School District petition to change its school district boundary pursuant to Arkansas Code § 6-13-1414. The affected school district is the Lincoln School District, which objected to the petition. The petition by the Prairie Grove School District, the response by the Lincoln School District, as well as maps detailing the affected area prepared by the Arkansas Geographic Information Systems Office are here. 

V.3. Request to Release Rule for Public Comment

The board approved the DESE Rule Governing the Implementation of the Braille and Large Print Textbook Appropriation to be released for public comment.

V.4. Consideration of Request for Final Approval of Administrative Rules

The board approved final approval for the following rules:

V.4.a. DESE Rule Governing the Educational Freedom Account Program

V.4.b. DESE Rule Governing Educator Licensure

The board tabled the following for a future meeting:

V.4.c. DESE Rule Governing Better Beginnings

V.5. School Choice Appeal under Arkansas Code 6-18-1901 et seq.

The board approved the Olvey family's appeal of the rejection of their school choice application for their student by the Harmony Grove School District. The resident school district is the Hampton School District.

V.6. Request for Approval of Associations to Accredit Private Schools Participating in the Educational Freedom Account Program

To meet the requirements of Ark. Code Ann. § 6-18-2507(a)(1)(A) and 7.01.2.A in the DESE Rule Governing the Educational Freedom Account Program, a list of additional associations is presented for consideration of approval to accredit private schools participating in the program. The board approved the list. 

VII. Consent Agenda 

The board approved the Consent Agenda. Items included:

VII.1. Minutes 

VII.2. Report on Waivers to School Districts for Teachers Teaching Out of Area for Longer than Thirty (30) Days, Ark. Code Ann. § 6-17-309

VII.3. Review of Loan and Bond Applications

VII.4. Consideration of the Recommendation of the Professional Licensure Standards Board for Case 24-095 Stephanie Hackney

VII.5. Consideration of the Recommendation of the Professional Licensure Standards Board for Case 24-155 Martika Roberts

VII.6. Consideration of the Recommendation of the Professional Licensure Standards Board for Case 24-148 Connie Jean Cash

VII.7. Consideration of the Recommendation of the Professional Licensure Standards Board for Case 24-170 Amanda Snider

VII.8. Consideration of the Recommendation of the Professional Licensure Standards Board for Case 24-161 Caleb Carter

VII.9. Consideration of the Recommendation of the Professional Licensure Standards Board for Case 24-171 John Van Dyke

VII.10. Consideration of the Recommendation of the Professional Licensure Standards Board for Case 24-167 Joseph Drye

VII.11. Consideration of the Recommendation of the Professional Licensure Standards Board for Case 24-173 Candi Smith

VII.12. Consideration of Fountain Lake Middle School Cobra Digital Prep Academy Charter School

VII.13. Consideration of Fort Smith Virtual Academy Charter School 

VII.14. Consideration of Founders Classical Academies of Arkansas Charter School 

VIII. Reports

VIII.1. Blytheville School District

Stacy Smith, Deputy Commissioner, provided an update.

VIII.2. Board Liaison Reports 

SBE member Leigh Keener provided an update on early learning. SBE Member Kathy McFetridge-Rollins provided an update regarding the Arkansas Leadership Academy and the Master Principal Program. SBE member Jeff Woods provided an update on a leadership meeting he attended in May.

VIII.3. ATOY Report 

ATOY, Beau McCastlain, provided an update.

VIII.4. Commissioner's Report 

Secretary Oliva provided an update.

As part of its regular schedule, the State Board generally convenes on the second Thursday and Friday of each month to address issues impacting the educational landscape. Each meeting aims to consider, vote on, or generate orders related to agenda items.

For more information and to access the agenda and documents for this meeting, please click here.

State Board of Education

VISIT WWW.APSRC.NET

VISIT WWW.DISCERE.APSRC.NET