(a) The purpose of this section is to assist small, rural public schools in providing students access to the most rigorous courses available if it is the desire of students to take accelerated learning courses in the place of regular courses and, in doing so, to meet the requirements of the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts.
(b) (1) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education acknowledges that the rigor and level of difficulty of accelerated learning courses exceed the requirements of regular courses.(2) All accelerated learning courses shall meet the approved program requirements.(3) The State Board of Education may deny courses that do not meet the approved program requirements.
(1) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education acknowledges that the rigor and level of difficulty of accelerated learning courses exceed the requirements of regular courses.
(2) All accelerated learning courses shall meet the approved program requirements.
(3) The State Board of Education may deny courses that do not meet the approved program requirements.
(c) The state board shall consider an accelerated learning course as being taught for one (1) of the required courses under the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts if:(1) The public school district has a qualified teacher for the required course;(2) No students enrolled in the required course;(3) An accelerated learning course in the same subject area as the required course has students enrolled in the accelerated learning course;(4) The public school district teaches all other courses required by the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts; and(5) (A) The public school district teaches the required course to any student who enrolls in the public school district after the school year begins.(B) The public school district may teach the required course to a new student:(i) In a traditional classroom setting;(ii) Through distance learning with a qualified teacher; or(iii) By modifying the accelerated learning course on an individual level to accommodate the new student.
(1) The public school district has a qualified teacher for the required course;
(2) No students enrolled in the required course;
(3) An accelerated learning course in the same subject area as the required course has students enrolled in the accelerated learning course;
(4) The public school district teaches all other courses required by the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts; and
(5) (A) The public school district teaches the required course to any student who enrolls in the public school district after the school year begins.(B) The public school district may teach the required course to a new student:(i) In a traditional classroom setting;(ii) Through distance learning with a qualified teacher; or(iii) By modifying the accelerated learning course on an individual level to accommodate the new student.
(A) The public school district teaches the required course to any student who enrolls in the public school district after the school year begins.
(B) The public school district may teach the required course to a new student:(i) In a traditional classroom setting;(ii) Through distance learning with a qualified teacher; or(iii) By modifying the accelerated learning course on an individual level to accommodate the new student.
(i) In a traditional classroom setting;
(ii) Through distance learning with a qualified teacher; or
(iii) By modifying the accelerated learning course on an individual level to accommodate the new student.
(d) (1) The public school district shall notify the division after registration in the spring before the beginning of the new school year and immediately after the school year begins if no students enrolled in the required course and the public school district will seek to meet the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts using the accelerated learning course.(2) Upon receiving the public school district notification and after spring registration, the division shall permit the public school district to meet the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts by teaching the accelerated learning course in place of the required course.
(1) The public school district shall notify the division after registration in the spring before the beginning of the new school year and immediately after the school year begins if no students enrolled in the required course and the public school district will seek to meet the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts using the accelerated learning course.
(2) Upon receiving the public school district notification and after spring registration, the division shall permit the public school district to meet the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts by teaching the accelerated learning course in place of the required course.
(e) If a new student enrolls in the required course, the public school district shall immediately notify the division.
(f) The division shall establish procedures to ensure that no student is coerced into taking an accelerated learning course for the purpose of meeting the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts.