Arkansas Administrative Code

6 CAR § 61-602. Standard 5-A — Comprehensive plan for communication and engagement. (a) Each public school district shall have a written plan for parent, family, and community engagement, including the scheduling of at least two (2) parent-teacher conferences each year, pursuant …

6 CAR § 61-701. Standard 6 — Facilities and transportation. The facilities and transportation system of a public school district ensures a quality learning environment for Arkansas students.

6 CAR § 61-702. Standard 6-A — Facilities and equipment. (a) Each public school district shall plan, construct, and maintain school facilities in accordance with: (1) Federal laws; (2) Arkansas law; and (3) Division of Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation rules. (…

6 CAR § 62-101. Definitions. As used in this part: (1) "Elementary model" means the educational model consistent with instructional grouping and scheduling used in kindergarten through grade four (K-4), but may include grades five through six (5-6); and (2)(A) “Large group instru…

6 CAR § 62-102. Class size. (a) Subject to any exceptions in subsection (b) of this section, each school district and open-enrollment charter school shall comply with the following class sizes: (1)(A) For kindergarten (K), there shall be no more than twenty (20) students per teac…

6 CAR § 62-103. Teaching load. (a) Except when a teacher teaches a course that lends itself to large group instruction, the maximum number of students in grades five through twelve (5-12) a teacher is permitted to teach without receiving additional compensation shall not exceed o…

6 CAR § 63-101. Purpose. The purpose of this part is to identify and define the rules, procedures, and practices regarding the Arkansas Public School Computer Network (APSCN) and other related systems relating to: (1) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education; (2) Public…

6 CAR § 63-102. Definitions. For purposes of this part: (1) “Annual financial budget (AFB)” means the annual budget of expenditures and receipts required by Arkansas Constitution, Article 14, § 3, and Arkansas Code §§ 6-11-128, 6-13-620, and 6-20-2202; (2) “Annual financial repor…

6 CAR § 63-103. Comprehensive information systems. The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education shall: (1) Establish and maintain comprehensive information systems that allow reporting, analysis, and data-driven decisionmaking by LEAs; (2) Provide technical assistance to LE…

6 CAR § 63-104. Required use of the student management system applications. All LEAs must use the following student management systems applications of the Arkansas Public School Computer Network (APSCN): (1) Demographics; (2) Attendance; (3) Scheduling; (4) Mark reporting; (5) Di…

6 CAR § 63-105. Local education agency (LEA) numbers. (a) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education is the sole and official issuer of LEA numbers to educational entities in the State of Arkansas. (b) These numbers shall be issued, activated, deactivated, or changed: (1)…

6 CAR § 63-106. Transcripts. An Arkansas public school shall use an electronic transcript in lieu of a paper transcript to: (1) Provide to the Division of Higher Education as necessary to process state financial aid applications for students in grades nine through twelve (9-12); …

6 CAR § 63-107. Financial information required by APSCN. (a)(1) APSCN shall be the official financial record of all LEAs. (2) All LEAs shall, at a minimum, use the following financial management systems applications of APSCN as described in Arkansas Code § 6-11-128(a)(2): (A) Fun…

6 CAR § 63-108. Arkansas Financial Accounting Handbook. (a) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education shall establish and implement a uniform chart of accounts and related codes known as the Arkansas Financial Accounting Handbook (“Arkansas Handbook”) that all LEAs shall…

6 CAR § 63-109. Cycle submissions. (a) All LEAs shall use APSCN to submit cycle reports to the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education using the Statewide Information System (SIS). (b) The SIS Handbook shall be published annually by the division containing the required dat…

6 CAR § 63-110. Tier I and II training. (a) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education shall establish two (2) tiers of required training that apply to all LEAs in accordance with Arkansas Code § 6-20-2204. (b) Failure to complete the required trainings may result in sanc…

6 CAR § 64-101. Purpose. The purpose of this part is to: (1) Establish the school rating system and designate school performance category levels or ratings pursuant to Arkansas Code §§ 6-15-2105 and 6-15-2106; and (2) Provide financial awards to public schools that experience hig…

6 CAR § 64-102. School rating system. (a) Each public school will receive a performance category level designation or rating, hereafter collectively referred to as “rating”, of “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, or “F” as described in Appendix A. (b) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Edu…

6 CAR § 64-103. Arkansas School Recognition Program. (a) Pursuant to Arkansas Code § 6-15-2107, public schools that experience high student performance and those with high student academic growth shall be eligible for the Arkansas School Recognition Program. (1) For purposes of t…

6 CAR § 65-101. Purpose. The purpose of this part is to: (1) Define the requirements for maintaining test security and confidentiality on state-required assessments; (2) Identify procedures for reporting testing violations; (3) Identify a procedure for investigating and addressin…

6 CAR § 65-102. Definitions. As used in this part: (1) “District test coordinator” means the same as defined in the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Rules Governing the Arkansas Educational Support and Accountability Act, 6 CAR pt. 60; (2) “Ethics violation” means…

6 CAR § 65-103. General requirements. (a) A violation of the security or confidential integrity of any test or assessment is prohibited. (b) Procedures for maintaining the security and confidential integrity of all testing and assessment instruments and procedures shall be specif…

6 CAR § 65-104. Reporting of testing improprieties. (a) Public school district-level personnel with knowledge of a testing impropriety, irregularity, violation, or breach of security must notify the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education as soon as practicable. (b)(1) Pub…

6 CAR § 65-105. Processing a report of testing violations or testing improprieties. (a) The Office of Student Assessment of the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education shall receive and review reports of alleged testing violations or testing improprieties filed pursuant to…

6 CAR § 65-106. State Board of Education hearing procedures. The following procedures shall apply to State Board of Education hearings of an appeal: (1) Documentation for consideration by the state board during the appeal hearing shall be submitted to the Division of Elementary a…

6 CAR § 66-101. Definitions. For the purposes of this part: (1) “Division” means the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education; (2) “Parent” means a natural parent, a legal guardian, or other person standing in loco parentis, including without limitation a grandparent or ste…

6 CAR § 66-102. Parental involvement plans. (a)(1) Each public school district, in collaboration with parents, shall establish a parental involvement plan that: (A) Establishes the district’s expectations for parental involvement; and (B) Includes programs and practices that enha…

6 CAR § 66-103. Public school district responsibilities. (a) Each public school district shall meet all the requirements for professional development related to this part as identified in the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Rules Governing Professional Developmen…

6 CAR § 66-104. Public school responsibilities. (a) To encourage communication with parents, each public school shall: (1) Prepare an informational packet to be distributed annually to the parent of each child in the school, appropriate for the age and grade of the child, describ…

6 CAR § 66-105. Monitoring of parental involvement plans. (a) Annually, the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education shall: (1) Review the parental involvement plan of each public school district; and (2) Determine whether the plan is in compliance with law. (b) On each ann…

6 CAR § 100-101. Arkansas kindergarten readiness. Arkansas’s foundation for kindergarten readiness: (1) Kindergarten readiness will be measured by a Department of Education state-approved assessment aligned with the Early Learning Standards in Arkansas; (2) Kindergarten readiness…

6 CAR § 100-102. Purpose. It is the purpose of this part to set the general guidelines for the operation of early childhood programs funded under the Arkansas Better Chance Program and the Arkansas Better Chance for School Success Program.

6 CAR § 100-103. Definitions. As used in this part: (1) “Arkansas Better Chance (ABC)” means a developmentally appropriate early care and education program that offers high-quality early education services to children birth to five (5) years exhibiting developmental and socioecon…

6 CAR § 100-201. Child eligibility. (a)(1) The ABC Program serves eligible children as defined in subsection (c) of this section, ages birth through five (5) years, excluding a kindergarten program. (2) The Arkansas Better Chance for School Success Program serves children ages th…

6 CAR § 100-202. Program/ and, or, or agency eligibility. (a)(1) Any childcare provider meeting these criteria is eligible to apply for funding: (A) Located within the boundaries of the State of Arkansas; (B) Licensed by the Office of Early Childhood as a childcare center or chil…

6 CAR § 100-203. Funding. (a)(1) Upon approval of an ABC Program application, the order of funding shall be based on criteria stated in the Arkansas Better Chance Program Act, Arkansas Code § 6-45-101 et seq., which includes areas of the state containing: (A) Schools reported wit…

6 CAR § 100-204. Reporting. (a)(1) All child, family, and staff information shall be maintained in the required state data portal by the program. (2) Attendance shall be taken daily and recorded in the required state data portal at least monthly. (3) Initial data must be entered …

6 CAR § 100-205. Application/ and, or, or renewal application. (a)(1) The Request for Applications will specify all application procedures for an ABC Program. (2) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education is not obligated to review any proposal received after the submiss…

6 CAR § 100-206. Minimum standards/ and, or, or classroom programs. (a) All ABC Program classroom programs shall satisfy the requirements specified in: (1) Arkansas Code §§ 20-78-201 – 20-78-224; and (2) Rules enacted by the Office of Early Childhood pursuant to this part. (b)(1)…

6 CAR § 100-207. Staff/ and, or, or pupil ratio for classroom programs. (a)(1) The group size in any classroom with ABC Program children shall not exceed eight (8) children for ages birth through eighteen (18) months, fourteen (14) children for ages eighteen (18) months through t…

6 CAR § 100-208. Staff qualifications and training requirements. (a)(1) The lead teacher shall: (A) Hold an Arkansas educator license in an area of early childhood preK; or (B) Have a bachelor’s degree in child development, early childhood education, or a related field with the r…

6 CAR § 100-209. Staffing patterns/ and, or, or classroom programs. (a)(1) Single classroom sites for preschool shall have a teacher qualified under 6 CAR § 100-208(a) and (b). (2) Classrooms with over ten (10) children must have a paraprofessional qualified under 6 CAR § 100-208…

6 CAR § 100-210. Program standards. (a) Programs shall demonstrate that the classroom environment provides: (1) Developmentally appropriate practices; (2) Play-based learning; (3) Responsive teaching that builds positive relationships; (4) Individualized instruction; (5) Reflecti…

6 CAR § 100-211. Classroom management/ and, or, or special education. (a)(1) No child in an ABC Program shall be dismissed or expelled from the program for behavior without approval from the Office of Early Childhood. (2) The Multi-Tiered System of Supports Framework assists prog…

6 CAR § 100-212. Assessment and screenings. (a) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Office of Early Childhood shall work cooperatively to ensure that the assessments are conducted as required by the Arkansas Better Chance Program Act, Arkansas Code § 6-45-1…

6 CAR § 100-213. Parent and community involvement. (a)(1) Each program shall have a plan for parent involvement that includes opportunities for parental input into program operation and design. (2) Parent involvement plans shall include: (A) A mechanism for parental advice and re…

6 CAR § 100-214. Transportation. (a) ABC Programs shall be required to comply with all applicable state and federal laws and guidelines, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration‘s Guidelines for the Safe Transportation of Pre-school Age Children in School Buse…