All Roll Calls
Yes: 96 • No: 20
ArkansasSB6242025 Regular SessionSenateWALLET
TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS OPPORTUNITY PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE ACT; TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE ACT OF 2015; AND TO ALLOW A STUDENT TO TRANSFER TO ANOTHER PUBLIC SCHOOL WITHIN HIS OR HER RESIDENT DISTRICT.
Sponsored By: Breanne Davis (Republican), Austin McCollum (Republican)
Enacted
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
8 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 5 mixed.
More public school choices for families
Arkansas K–12 students can seek another public school in their home district or a different district. Parents, guardians, or students age 18 or older can request a transfer based on the student's best interest. A district's “F” rating or Level 5 intensive-support status also opens a transfer path. Requests generally go to both districts January 1–May 1 for the next school year, except under subsection (n). Every district must participate, post transfer policies, and announce application steps and deadlines to local and neighboring families.
Transfer students keep credits and equal treatment
Receiving schools must accept graduation credits awarded by another district. They must award a diploma when the student meets their graduation requirements. Schools cannot discriminate based on gender, national origin, race, ethnicity, religion, disability, or home address. Acceptance standards cannot use grades, athletic or extracurricular ability, English skills, or past discipline, except expulsions covered by law. Districts must adopt acceptance standards by board resolution, including sibling priority and family housing considerations.
Space and conduct limits on school transfers
Districts must determine capacity for every school and grade. A receiving school can claim lack of space when its legal student-to-teacher limit is reached or grade-level seats are at least 95% full on the application date. Capacity claims must follow state and federal law. Opportunity-choice students must attend throughout the year and follow conduct rules; parents must meet the school's involvement requirements. Failure ends the choice option unless the receiving district excuses illness or other good cause.
Local student transfers get decisions and appeals
Students seeking another school in their home district apply only to that district, January 1–May 1. Fall applications must be postmarked or delivered by May 1, with a timing exception for dependents of uniformed service members and veterans. The district must decide in writing within 15 calendar days; an accepted transfer starts upon written notice. A student can seek a State Board of Education hearing, with the request postmarked within 10 days after receiving a denial. This appeal is unavailable when the application was denied for being late.
Students keep transfers but face renewal limits
Transfers remain binding for later full school years through high-school completion unless the family timely applies for another transfer. Students can accept only one choice transfer per school year; those covered by subsection (n) start upon written acceptance. Students can return to their home district or former school during the year, but must reapply for future transfers. Returning, or entering private school or home school, voids the transfer. Siblings and stepsiblings living together get priority when one already attends by choice; siblings can join only without adding staff or classrooms or exceeding legal limits.
Transfer students gain activities with athletic requirements
Schools cannot deny extracurricular participation or discipline students solely because they transferred. For covered athletic transfers, students must file the Changing Schools/Athletic Participation form with the receiving school and Arkansas Activities Association. They must enroll by July 1 before entering grades 7–12 and obtain required superintendent and parent or guardian signatures. The signature requirements do not apply when there is demonstrable evidence of recruiting or a transfer solely for athletics. School-connected people, including staff and volunteers, cannot use undue influence or inducements to recruit students for extracurricular participation.
Families handle transfer travel and fees
Students can attend an out-of-district school through a tuition agreement. Its tuition or fees must also apply to students assigned to that district. Families generally handle transportation to and from the receiving district, including transportation for military dependents. Districts can voluntarily agree in writing to provide transportation, but the law supplies no transportation funding. Qualifying military dependents must submit the state application, a service ID, and official orders, assignment, or mobilization notice.
School funding follows students across districts
Students transferring under the Public School Choice Act of 2015 count in the receiving district's average daily membership. This shifts associated state funding to the receiving district and away from the student's home district. It does not create a direct household payment. Districts must report annual application, acceptance, and denial totals, including denial reasons, to the state education division. The division publishes that data online.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
Breanne Davis
Republican • Senate
Austin McCollum
Republican • House
Cosponsors
Jim Dotson
Republican • Senate
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 4/14/2025
House Vote - Monday, April 14, 2025 8:02:25 PM
Yes: 77 • No: 16 • Other: 1
Senate vote • 4/8/2025
Senate Vote - Tuesday, April 8, 2025 5:30:58 PM
Yes: 19 • No: 4 • Other: 5
Actions Timeline
Notification that SB624 is now Act 732
4/18/2025SenateDELIVERED TO GOVERNOR.
4/15/2025SenateReported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor.
4/15/2025SenateORDERED ENROLLED
4/14/2025SenateReturned from the House as passed.
4/14/2025SenateReturned to the Senate as passed.
4/14/2025HouseRead the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.
4/14/2025HouseReturned by the Committee Do Pass
4/10/2025HouseRead the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on EDUCATION COMMITTEE- HOUSE
4/8/2025HouseRECEIVED FROM THE SENATE
4/8/2025HouseOrdered immediately transmitted to the House.
4/8/2025SenateRead the third time and passed.
4/8/2025SenateReturned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass
4/7/2025SenateRead first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to EDUCATION COMMITTEE - SENATE
4/3/2025SenateFiled
4/3/2025Senate
Bill Text
SB624 - Introduced
4/3/2025
Act Version
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